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###CLAIM: a poll carried out by the royal college of physicians suggests staffing levels will have a significant impact on results as the winter approaches. ###DOCS: Furious cancer patients fear they may die before they see a doctor as GP and hospital appointments continue to be hit by delays during the second Covid wave. Sufferers who have just months to live say they are being reduced to telephone calls with their GPs, rather than face-to-face visits. One woman, who has an incurable brain tumour, said if she had not fought the delay in her scan she could have passed away before her next assessment. It comes as referral numbers for some types of cancer are still below their pre-pandemic level as 'a huge number' wait for screening, diagnosis and treatment. The Royal College of GPs say despite the pandemic there are fewer GPs than a year ago - which is causing the 'knock on effect' on patients. Meanwhile leading charities yesterday pleaded with Boris Johnson to protect cancer sufferers after millions were abandoned during the first Covid-19 lockdown. And a survey of doctors found millions of patients are suffering from more severe illnesses as a result of treatment delays caused by the pandemic. Sophie Wardle (pictured), 30, from the West Midlands, has an incurable brain tumour and does not have long to liveMs Wardle was diagnosed with a grade two astrocytoma at 23 and at 27 with a grade three anaplastic astrocytomaThe mother of five, who works as a senior health care assistant, has a scan every three months to check for any growth in her tumour to try to prolong her lifeSophie Wardle, 30, from the West Midlands, has an incurable brain tumour and does not have long to live. She was diagnosed with a grade two astrocytoma at 23 and at 27 with a grade three anaplastic astrocytoma. The mother of five, who works as a senior health care assistant, has a scan every three months to check for any growth in her tumour to try to prolong her life. But at the start of the second coronavirus wave she was told she would be reduced to telephone appointments, with no scans for the next three months. She was due a scan and was furious at the decision, saying another three months could kill her. She told MailOnline: 'I just said I can't wait that long. In three months I could have died from it. It was very annoying. 'I get how bad the situation is at the moment [with the coronavirus crisis], but I don't think people with brain tumours should have to wait that long and book their own appointments.' She added: 'Some people may not even have the number to call.' Ms Wardle said doctors originally thought her difficulty breathing and shaking muscles were triggered by university stress and motherhoodShe had a craniotomy - where part of the skull is removed - to expose her brain so surgeons could get to her orange-sized tumourMs Wardle said doctors originally thought her difficulty breathing and shaking muscles were triggered by university stress and motherhood. After suffering a seizure while visiting her doctor, she was quickly referred for an MRI scan which detected the tumour in 2014. She had a craniotomy - where part of the skull is removed - to expose her brain so surgeons could get to her orange-sized tumour. She was re-diagnosed with another cancerous tumour in August 2018 and is still having treatment. The tumour was in the frontal temporal lobe of the brain which is responsible for speaking, problem solving and part of the personality. On March 24, 2014, Ms Wardle had an operation to remove the tumour and then had chemotherapy. On March 24, 2014, Ms Wardle had an operation to remove the tumour and then had chemotherapyBut in August 2018, Ms Wardle was devastated when she was again told she had cancer this time a grade three brain tumour which needed more treatment. This time, on August 14, 2018, she had an awake craniotomy or 'awake brain surgery', in which the patient is conscious during surgery. It is the preferred method to remove tumours close to important parts of the brain because doctors can test the patient's function continuously. Others have also shared their frustration at the hospital delays brought about by the second wave of the coronavirus crisis. Many have taken to online forums, where some worry they will not live to see their next appointment while others are waiting to find out if they have the disease. Nikki, 44, from South Wales, wrote: 'I have waited about seven weeks to be seen at the breast clinic after an urgent referral which was meant to be within 10 days. 'I had a mammogram on 19th October but only went to the clinic on 4th November. 'They did an exam and an ultrasound then said they needed to take some biopsies of the lump as it was very suspicious. 'I was then seen again by the consultant who has squeezed me in to a fully booked clinic on Monday to give me the results and discuss a treatment plan as they are almost certain it is cancer and will need to start treatment as soon as possible. 'This has frightened the life out of me as I am now worrying about every other little ache and pain I have. 'I've had a constant headache for a few weeks now as well as pain in my arm and back. At the start of the second coronavirus wave Ms Wardle was told she would be reduced to telephone appointments, with no scans for the next three months'I guess I am just stressing about the results tomorrow but have to feel lucky that I have less than a week to wait for the results after reading about the waiting times some of you are going through.' Another woman, called Ruby, wrote: 'Found a pea size hard movable lump three weeks ago. GP did just think it was cyst so didn't mark my referral as urgent. 'I'm told its a six month wait. Don't think I can wait that long with it on my mind! She told me not to keep checking the lump. 'It definitely feels different to any other lumps and bumps and it wasn't there a few weeks ago. Is six months too long to wait?' Have YOU had your treatment delayed? Email james.gant@mailonline.co.uk AdvertisementOne user, who did not share her name, posted: 'This morning has been a roller coaster.' She continued: 'Wednesday: 9am emailed the surgery on their askmygp app. Typed in ' I've found a lump in my breast '. Cue tears...'Couple of hours pass while I try and concentrate on nothing much. Call from clinician at the surgery. 'Lots of questions about where it is, how big it is, does it move, is it attached, any redness, any discharge. 'Referred to breast clinic. Usually two weeks but because of Covid they are a bit behind. 'Could be 3 weeks. Be prepared they will probably do an ultra sound scan and a biopsy there and then.' A woman called Angel said online: 'I was in hospital and had a CT scan almost seven weeks ago when they discovered a lump in my breast and said they would refer me to the breast clinic three weeks ago. 'I found out the referral wasn't done and the hospital were very apologetic, which dosent help me and its been four weeks since the referral was done. 'Does anyone know how long they waited to be seen by the breast clinic as I'm so worried I'll fall through the net again?' And another added: 'I've been told I'm on the urgent list for a referral to the gynae [gynaecologist] but it's been over a week now. 'Shouldn't I be seen within two weeks? I haven't even had any details about an appointment through.' Cancer Research UK found patients suffering from lung cancer or urological cancers are 'well below where they were last year'. It said yesterday trials are getting back up and running but 'it is happening slower than we would like'. Charities have previously warned there could be 50,000 people with the disease that do not know they have it. In a blog post, Matt Sample wrote: 'The numbers of people being urgently referred for suspected cancer are almost back to the levels seen at the same time last year. Gran 'sacrificed' as chemo halted Grandmother Lesley Adshead worked for the NHS for 17 years but died of ovarian cancer ten weeks after her treatment was stopped leaving her family feeling betrayed. The 61-year-old had two sessions of chemotherapy in February but was told on March 23, the day lockdown was announced, there was nothing more that could be done. Her daughter Tracy Keelan, 43, said: 'My mum was sacrificed to concentrate on Covid rather than people already poorly with long-term tragic illnesses. I don't think it's fair the way my mum was treated and we need justice for cancer patients. We want to make sure no-one has to go through this.' Mrs Adshead, from Salford, died on June 1 after a two-year battle with the disease. Mrs Keelan and her sister Hayley Moss, 40, feel she was let down after a long career as a clinical support worker at Salford Royal Hospital. Mrs Moss said: 'My mum was so well-loved. Sadly, when she needed our NHS the most, she was let down badly. It was a kick in teeth.' Advertisement'It's a positive sign that initiatives like the ''Help Us Help You'' campaign by the NHS in England are working to encourage patients to see their GP if they've noticed anything unusual. 'But challenges still exist. For some cancer types, such as lung cancer or urological cancers, referral numbers are still well below where they were last year. 'While trials are getting back up and running, this is happening slower than we would like. 'And even with increasing activity, there's still huge numbers of people waiting for screening, diagnosis and treatment. 'So it's vital that cancer services and clinical trials can continue to recover and not go backwards again as Covid-19 cases rise again.' But the Royal College of GPs said the number of GPs has decline since last year - despite the pandemic emerging. Its chair Professor Martin Marshall said: 'GPs and our teams have been working incredibly hard throughout the pandemic, ensuring our services remain available albeit delivered differently - in line with official guidance from NHS England to keep patients and staff safe, and help stop the spread of Covid-19. 'We're aware that many patients, and GPs alike, prefer face to face consultations, but we've found that generally patients have been understanding about the reasons for the new ways of working. 'We are in the middle of a pandemic, Covid-19 rates are high, and we must balance safe access to our services with good infection control. 'That being said, when clinically necessary - such as when physical examinations or childhood vaccinations are required - or when remote consultations have not been appropriate, face to face consultations have been and will continue to be arranged in as safe a way as possible. 'Currently more than 400,000 appointments are being delivered face to face in general practice every day. 'GPs and our teams are making more patient contacts than before the pandemic, as well as delivering the largest and most complicated flu vaccination programme ever and now prepare to play our part in the delivery of the Covid vaccine. 'The resource and workforce pressures that were facing general practice before the pandemic are still a reality there are fewer fully trained, full-time equivalent GPs working in general practice than a year ago. 'A knock on effect of this is that patients often have to wait longer for an appointment than they want to, and longer than we want them to. This needs to be addressed. 'While news of the Covid vaccine is promising, there is some way to go. In the meantime, we would encourage people to continue to help stop the spread of the virus by adhering to social distancing measures and maintaining good hygiene practices. 'If patients are concerned about their health, or have signs that could be symptoms of serious illness, such as cancer, we would urge them to contact 111 or their GP and in an emergency, they should call 999.' Leading charities pleaded with Boris Johnson to protect cancer sufferers after millions were abandoned during the first Covid-19 lockdown. NHS worker and grandmother Lesley Adshead (left, with daughters Hayley Moss and Tracy Keelan), 61, died of ovarian cancer ten weeks after her treatment was stopped leaving her family feeling betrayed. In a hard-hitting letter, the head of Cancer Research UK demanded a firm commitment that diagnosis, treatment and clinical trials will not be delayed again. The appeal by chief executive Michelle Mitchell is supported by 49 other charities and top doctors. With England in a second lockdown, the signatories insist the Government must 'learn lessons' and ensure patients are treated better. They call for Covid-free 'safe spaces' for them and more frequent testing of NHS staff while private hospitals must be on standby for use. The letter comes amid growing concern pauses in treatment in the first lockdown left many patients with a shortened life expectancy and some have even died. Damning figures from the first wave suggest up to 35,000 extra deaths next year may be caused by cancer as a result of the pandemic. Crippling pain but mum wasn't seen till bowel disease had spread Gym coach Brenda Chirila, 42, began suffering severe stomach pains in March but her GP was only seeing emergencies. 'I knew something was wrong but I wasn't collapsed on the floor, I could still breathe,' she said. Mrs Chirila, who has a daughter, Emily, 11, could not get an appointment until the end of June. She was given a routine hospital referral for August 22 but four days before that, she collapsed at home in Lymm, Cheshire, and was rushed to A&E. Gym coach Brenda Chirila, 42, began suffering severe stomach pains in March but her GP was only seeing emergencies (pictured with daughter Emily) Mrs Chirila had scans at Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester, and was told she had advanced bowel cancer which had spread to her liver. 'No-one was allowed in when they gave me the news, not even my husband George,' she said yesterday. She has begun chemotherapy hoping to shrink the tumour. Friends have set up a GoFundMe page 'Trying to make life a little bit easier' to help give Emily a special Christmas. AdvertisementAt least three million people are waiting for screening while around 350,000 have not had the urgent referrals they needed this year. Experts estimate there are 50,000 patients with undiagnosed cancer due to Covid-19 chaos a backlog which could take up to 18 months to tackle in England. Miss Mitchell said: 'The Government cannot wait any longer to give the NHS the support it needs. 'Now is the time to ensure that cancer patients are protected in a second wave and to invest to improve survival for future patients. 'The pandemic has already had a devastating impact on the lives of cancer patients. We must not see this repeated.' Other charities which have signed include Breast Cancer Now, Prostate Cancer UK, Macmillan Cancer Support, Brain Tumour Research, Ovarian Cancer Action and the Teenage Cancer Trust. Backing came from top clinicians such as Professor Peter Selby, of the Association of Cancer Physicians, and Dr Jeanette Dickson, president of The Royal College of Radiologists. Their letter, also sent to the First Ministers of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, states: 'People affected by cancer have suffered terribly as a result of this pandemic. 'We're asking you to act to uphold your ambition to improve cancer survival across our four nations. 'Millions were left waiting for screening and thousands went without a referral for tests. 'Over 30,000 fewer people started their treatment and most cancer clinical trials were paused. 'We must learn lessons from earlier in the year. As Covid-19 cases rise, it's imperative there are no further delays to essential cancer diagnosis, treatment and clinical trials.' The charities also ask for urgent measures to deal with 'deep-seated challenges' within cancer services. Meanwhile one in three doctors said they were now treating non-Covid patients with worse symptoms than prior to the crisis. They warned of a growing crisis of patients who are in agony because of either delays in seeking help or treatment cancellations during the first lockdown. The survey by the Royal College of Physicians found nearly all doctors - 92 per cent - are concerned about the impact increasing Covid-19 admissions will have on their hospital's ability to deliver effective care. The college, which represents more than 25,000 doctors, said the second wave has already had major repercussions on the NHS, with patient admissions rising across all regions of the UK. Nine out of ten doctors said they had seen increasing Covid-19 admissions over the previous two weeks, particularly across the midlands and north of England. Thousands of doctors self-isolating while waiting for Covid-19 results Thousands of doctors are having to self-isolate while waiting for coronavirus test results, according to a survey. One in eight are having to wait more than three days for corona test results with fewer than one in three (29 per cent) getting tested and results within 24 hours, as they should be. The poll, carried out by the Royal College of Physicians, suggested delays to results were having a significant impact on staffing levels as winter approaches. It comes after the head of the NHS warned around 30,000 NHS staff are either off with Covid-19 or having to self-isolate. Sir Simon Stevens told a Downing Street press conference last week that growing levels of staff were being struck down by the virus. The latest survey, which was sent to 25,500 RCP members, found more than one in five (22 per cent) reported that they have had the virus. But many were being forced to stay away from work as they awaited results with 36 per cent waiting up to 2 days and 18 per cent, 3 days to find out. Latest test and trace figures show just 26.4 per cent of people received their result within 24 hours. AdvertisementMany clinicians have also reported 'long Covid' as an emerging problem, with patients experiencing a number of long-term symptoms after contracting the virus. A quarter of doctors (25 per cent) reported having treated patients with the illness in the previous two weeks, with fatigue the most common symptom cited. It comes days after several trusts, including Leeds Teaching Hospitals and all Greater Manchester Hospital trusts, cancelled routine surgery for patients to cope with rising demand from coronavirus cases. The latest NHS figures - due out later this week - are expected to show the strain on the NHS from the resurgence of coronavirus as it approaches winter. NHS trusts have worked hard to catch up on backlogs caused by the pandemic but the waiting list, which last month stood at 4.2million, is expected to grow. Professor Andrew Goddard, president of the Royal College of Physicians said the results pointed to 'a long and difficult winter ahead'. He said: 'We must also do all we can to ensure that services are maintained for our non-Covid patients. 'This survey shows that patients are starting to present with more severe illnesses than prior to Covid-19, and they need to know the NHS is able to care for them.' Reports have shown fears over catching coronavirus or over-burdening the NHS stopped tens of thousands of patients from seeking medical help during the first wave of the pandemic. Experts fear a repeat would see rising numbers of people dying from illnesses including heart attack, stroke and cancer. Charities said it was vital all NHS services stayed open this winter and urged the public not to delay getting treatment if they were worried. Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, Associate Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation and Consultant Cardiologist, said: 'Since the Covid-19 pandemic began, we have seen thousands of excess deaths caused by heart and circulatory diseases unrelated to coronavirus. 'To prevent further avoidable deaths in the months ahead, we must ensure cardiovascular healthcare remains a priority and that people know to seek help if they are sick. 'Hopefully, by following the lockdown guidance to stop the spread of the virus, people both with and without Covid-19 will be able to receive the care they need.' Head of Stakeholder Relations at Brain Tumour Research Hugh Adams added: 'The sad fact is that cancer doesn't stop for Covid and delays, whether that's for diagnostics such as scans or in treatment, can be hugely detrimental to those living with an incurable disease. 'We know that some cancer patients have suffered as a result of the pandemic and, along with other charities, we are backing a call for the UK Government to ensure the NHS has the funding it needs to get services back on their feet and to transform cancer care for patients.' Letter to Boris Johnson that warns: You must act NOWDear Prime Minister and First Ministers of Scotland and Wales, and First and Deputy First Ministers of Northern Ireland,Each of your governments has committed to improving cancer survival and ensuring that everyone can still receive cancer diagnosis, treatment and care throughout the Covid-19 crisis. As we enter a second wave of the pandemic, we ask you to stand by these commitments. Now is the time to back the NHS and invest in cancer care, not only to get services get back on their feet but to transform cancer care in the UK into the world-leading services we all want to see. Covid-19 has made the challenge ahead tougher. Millions were left waiting for screening and thousands went without a referral for tests. Over 30,000 fewer people started their treatment and most cancer clinical trials were paused. NHS staff have worked tirelessly to give the best care possible, and the situation is improving, but they need more support. We must learn lessons from earlier in the year. As Covid-19 cases rise again it's imperative that there are no further delays to essential cancer diagnosis, treatment and clinical trials. In the coming months:1 - The public must feel confident if they have suspected cancer symptoms, they will receive a diagnosis swiftly and safely. 2 - Health systems need to have 'Covid-protected' safe spaces so that cancer patients can be cared for with minimal risk of exposure to Covid-19. 3 - There must be frequent and rapid Covid-19 testing for all patient-facing NHS staff in primary and secondary care. 4 - We need measures in place to maximise service capacity, including use of the independent sector where needed. But this alone will not be enough. Cancer services need your help to address deep-seated challenges. Workforce and equipment shortages particularly in diagnostics were holding back cancer services long before the pandemic. We simply need more staff, and for them to be fully equipped. The UK Government's spending review is an opportunity to put your weight behind your commitments and give the NHS what it needs to provide the best cancer care and for the devolved governments to do the same. People affected by cancer have already suffered terribly as a result of this pandemic. We're asking you to act now to minimise the ongoing impact of Covid-19 on cancer care and uphold your ambition to improve cancer survival across our four nations.

###CLAIM: the senators asked for information on general inspection reports, whistleblower accounts, and reports and research investigations as well as information on efforts to oversee hhs. ###DOCS: The coronavirus vaccine race slams into reality Presented byWith Rachel RoubeinEditors Note: POLITICO Pulse is a free version of POLITICO Pro Health Care's morning newsletter, which is delivered to our subscribers each morning at 6 a.m. The POLITICO Pro platform combines the news you need with tools you can use to take action on the days biggest stories. Act on the news with POLITICO Pro. Quick Fix Pfizer's admission that it still doesn't know if its vaccine works is the latest reminder that the race for a Covid-19 shot may not fit with convenient political deadlines. Senate Finance Committee leaders are ramping up their probe into organ transplants, even as the Trump administration pushes to tighten regulations on oversight. The FDA's top vaccine regulator is making a fresh case for Americans to put their trust in an eventual coronavirus vaccine. WELCOME TO WEDNESDAY PULSE where in an appropriately 2020 development, the Los Angeles Dodgers get to celebrate their world championship by quarantining for the next two weeks. Theres still a healthy 65 days left for this year to get even stranger send tips to [email protected] and [email protected]. A message from PhRMA: The 340B program may be driving up costs for some patients. A new analysis finds average costs per prescription for a patient is more than 150% greater at 340B hospitals than at non-340B hospitals. Its time to fix the 340B program. Learn more. Driving the DayTHE COVID VACCINE RACE SLAMS INTO REALITY For months, Pfizer confidently predicted it would know by October if it had a working Covid-19 vaccine. But that self-imposed deadline will come and go this week with the drugmaker still waiting for definitive proof of its vaccines effectiveness. Its the latest reminder that the vaccine development process is long, complicated, and has zero regard for political deadlines, POLITICOs Sarah Owermohle reports. Behind Pfizers delay: A simple numbers problem. The company still hasnt recorded 32 coronavirus cases among its roughly 36,000 trial participants, leaving it short of the standard that it needs to hit to get a glimpse at the early results. That could mean several things, including that more volunteers than expected simply havent been exposed to the virus, or that the vaccine is effective but there arent enough infections in the placebo group to prove it. Its the latest bump in the global vaccine race. All four candidates in late-stage U.S. trials remain on track. But two Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca had to briefly pause their trials over safety concerns, even before Pfizer admitted it wouldnt hit its October target. The fourth Moderna is still planning to file for FDA review in late November. But its vaccine relies on new technology thats never been used before. The lingering question: How many doses well get and when. The Trump administration has pre-ordered millions of doses of several potential vaccines, with plans to begin injecting the first batch of Americans within 24 hours of the FDA authorizing a Covid-19 shot. But health officials have cautioned that a vaccine wont be widely available until well into 2021, and the federal government will need to coordinate with state and local authorities to determine which groups are prioritized. FIRST IN PULSE: BIPARTISAN PUSH TO PROBE OVERSIGHT OF TRANSPLANTS Senate Finance Committee leaders are asking HHS to share new details about its oversight of organ procurement organizations, warning that thousands of life-saving organs appear to go unrecovered every year and noting that the administration has proposed changes to overhaul OPO regulations. The committees internal analysis has shed light on the gaps in the federal governments oversight, resulting in fraud, waste, and abuse of our nations Medicare program and American taxpayer dollars, the senators write, in a letter shared first with PULSE. Its a joint effort by committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Wyden, as well as Sens. Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Ben Cardin (D-Md.). The Finance Committee began its probe earlier this year. What the senators are asking for: Information about OPO operations and HHS oversight efforts, citing their concerns based on inspector general reports, whistleblower accounts, investigating reporting and research. Also public today: UNOS responses to the committees probe. The committee is sharing responses it got from the United Network for Organ Sharing, which manages the U.S. organ transplant system. FDAs MARKS: AMERICANS CAN TRUST A COVID VACCINE The head of the FDAs vaccine office sought to allay fears the Trump administration will rush a vaccine, penning a USA Today op-ed that lays out the agencys plans for evaluating and authorizing a Covid-19 shot. This process will not be rushed, Peter Marks, director of the FDAs Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, wrote. There will be no shortcuts in developing the relevant phase 3 efficacy results.Marks also emphasized that the agency will conduct extensive safety monitoring of people who receive a vaccine, and that any candidate submitted for authorization or full licensure will be evaluated publicly by the FDAs outside advisory committee. The op-ed comes as Marks has taken on a more visible role. A career scientist and the CBER head since 2016, Marks has done a series of public appearances and interviews in an effort to build trust in an eventual vaccine and explain the authorization process. Hes also served as a close ally recently for FDA chief Stephen Hahn, who has deferred to the senior regulator and stuck close to the agencys career civil servants amid pressure from the White House to speed its work on therapeutics and vaccines. A message from PhRMA:CoronavirusGLOBAL TRANSLATIONS: HOW TO GET A VACCINE TO THE WORLD On the second episode of POLITICOs Global Translations podcast, hosts Luiza Savage and Ryan Heath get health experts rundown on how different countries are prepping for the challenge of producing and distributing billions of doses of an eventual coronavirus vaccine. Listen to the episode. WHITE HOUSE SCIENCE OFFICE CELEBRATES ENDING PANDEMIC The White Houses Office of Science and Technology Policy ranked ending the Covid-19 pandemic atop a list included in a press release celebrating Trumps first-term accomplishments, POLITICOs Brianna Ehley reports. Its the latest inaccurate claim from an administration that has often sought to downplay the crisis and it comes during a week where President Donald Trump has lamented all the attention paid to a record surge in Covid-19 cases. ALL THE FAKE NEWS MEDIA WANTS TO TALK ABOUT IS COVID, COVID, COVID, Trump tweeted earlier on Tuesday. ON NOVEMBER 4th, YOU WONT BE HEARING SO MUCH ABOUT IT ANYMORE. WE ARE ROUNDING THE TURN!! ! But that doesnt match reality. The White House is grappling with its second coronavirus outbreak in a month. And the U.S. overall is averaging more than 70,000 new cases and 800 deaths a day, as hospitals in several states warn that theyre once again reaching capacity. The science offices view: A spokesperson later noted that a report included in the press release did not mention ending the pandemic as an accomplishment, adding that the report was intended to highlight the administration's progress in combating the coronavirus. NEW COVID VACCINE ALLOCATION PLANNER LAUNCHES The tool, developed by Ariadne Labs and the nonprofit Surgo Foundation, is aimed at helping state and local leaders plan for distributing a coronavirus vaccine, POLITICO's Rachel Roubein writes. The website identifies how many people in a county may fall into various priority populations for a vaccine, such as first responders and older adults, as well as estimating how many shots may be available in a given state. In CongressWYDEN, MURRAY URGE HHS TO RESCIND DAMAGING GUIDANCE ON DIVERSITY TRAININGS The ranking members of the Senate Finance and HELP committees are calling on HHS Deputy Secretary Eric Hargan to reverse his memo that imposed new restrictions on health department trainings for diversity and inclusion. [I]t is unconscionable for HHS to systematically dismantle evidenced-based programs that seek to eliminate bias in order to advance President Trumps divisive agenda, Sens. Ron Wyden and Patty Murray write, adding that theyre worried about weakening the federal response to inequities in the health system. POLITICO first reported on Hargans memo, which followed Trumps executive order limiting the trainings. A message from PhRMA: The 340B program grew, yet again, hitting a whopping $43.9 billion in sales at the discounted 340B price in 2021. But there has not been evidence of corresponding growth in care provided to vulnerable patients at 340B covered entities. And making matters worse, fresh data show that 340B may actually be driving up costs for some patients and our health care system as whole. The program of today is having the opposite effect of what Congress intended when they created 340B. Thats a problem. Its time to fix the 340B program. Learn more. 2020 WatchNARAL BOOSTS GARY PETERS IN TIGHT MICHIGAN RACE NARAL Pro-Choice America is announcing a six-figure expansion of its digital ads in Michigan as Peters tries to hold off GOP candidate John James. NARALs ads go after James anti-abortion stance and other health positions, warning about the risk to abortion-rights efforts and the Affordable Care Act if James unseats Peters. See a sample ad. Meanwhile, Peters recently became the first sitting senator to discuss his familys personal experience with abortion in an interview with Elle Magazine. Names in the NewsMARTIN GAYNOR reflects on Tree of Life shooting. Gaynor, a Carnegie Mellon health economics professor and former FTC official, made his first public comments on being a survivor of the shooting at the Pittsburgh synagogue. "Regardless of the outcome of the impending election, there will be a lot more work to do to repair our country's social fabric and to make this a safe and welcoming place for all," Gaynor writes. The shooting, which was two years ago Tuesday, remains the deadliest attack on Jews in U.S. history. What We're ReadingWisconsin is facing what health officials described as a nightmare scenario after the state shattered its daily record for Covid-19 cases and deaths, the Wisconsin State Journals Mitchell Schmidt reports. Puerto Ricos health department scrapped its pandemic safe sex campaign within hours after encountering heavy criticism from the territorys conservative society, the Associated Press Danica Coto reports. In Stat, health experts Gianrico Farrugia, Tom Mihaljevic and Andrew Badley argue that the U.S. needs a national coalition to coordinate Covid-19 clinical trials. Follow us on Twitter Tucker Doherty @tucker_dohertyDan Goldberg @dancgoldbergErin Banco @ErinBancoKatherine Ellen Foley @katherineefoleyLauren Gardner @Gardner_LMBen Leonard @_BenLeonard_David Lim @davidalimKrista Mahr @kristamahrMegan Messerly @meganmesserlyAlice Miranda Ollstein @aliceollsteinCarmen Paun @carmenpaunMegan R. Wilson @misswilsonDaniel Payne @_daniel_payneRuth Reader @RuthReader

###CLAIM: `` there are still a large number of possiblities, '' said inspector shepherd, `` but we think the incident is not something that should concern other members of the community. '' ###DOCS: A young woman has died after she was allegedly attacked and stabbed by an offender armed with a hunting knife. Police launched a murder investigation after the woman, 29, was found on the footpath outside her Townsville home in Far North Queensland around 7.20pm on Friday night. Officers attended a unit block on Riverway Drive at Condon where they were confronted with a woman with a serious neck wound. According to Detective Acting Inspector Jason Shepherd, the victim lost 'a lot of blood on the floor'. Police launched a murder investigation after the woman, 29, was found on the footpath outside her Townsville home (pictured) in Far North Queensland around 7.20pm on Friday nightAt least four people of interest are being sought by police, with signs of blood inside the unit that led to the footpath. 'It would appear that the initial injury has occurred (inside) and that the lady has walked outside onto the footpath where she collapsed,' Inspector Shepherd said. The victim was rushed to Townsville University Hospital in a critical condition and later died just before 9pm. Inspector Shepherd has ruled out the possibility of domestic or family violence given the woman wasn't in a relationship. He believes the vicious attack came from a person known to the victim. The stabbing victim was rushed to Townsville University Hospital in a critical condition and later died just before 9pm (stock image)'There is still a large number of possibilities that could have occurred, but it's not an incident where we think other members of the community should be concerned for their safety,' Inspector Shepherd said. Police also confirmed they had recovered a large hunting knife they believe was used in the attack. Police minister Mark Ryan labelled the incident a tragedy. 'Our condolences are with the woman's family and friends,' he said. 'The police will do their job, they will catch the offenders and obviously bring them before the court.' Anyone with information in relation to the attack is urged to contact police.

###CLAIM: rittenhouse is charged with first-degree intentional and second-degree reckless homicide in the shooting death of anthony and huber and joseph and rosenbaum. ###DOCS: Comment on this story Comment Gift Article ShareKyle Rittenhouse, the 17-year-old charged in the fatal shooting of two people and the wounding of another in Kenosha, Wis. in late August, was released from jail on Friday after posting $2 million in bail. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight Kenosha County Sheriff Sgt. David Wright, a department spokesman, confirmed that Rittenhouse left the countys detention center around 2 p.m. local time Friday, accompanied by a security team and one of his attorneys. Kyle is free, he is totally innocent, and its about time, said his attorney John Pierce. He is totally innocent, and we are going to prove it.Pierce said former Special Operations service members were hired to provide security for Rittenhouse. In Wisconsin, bail has to be paid in the full cash amount. Pierce said the $2 million came from funds raised by Fight Back, an organization whose website said is tasked to protect and defend the constitutional rights, livelihoods and property of people and businesses that are being targeted and destroyed. The organization was founded by Lin Wood, another Rittenhouse attorney. AdvertisementIn a Twitter post Friday, Wood characterized Rittenhouse as a political prisoner and said the organization would continue to raise money for his defense costs. He also credited NYPD Blue actor Ricky Schroder and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell with putting us over the top.A Washington Post examination of video and police records, along with other documents, sheds new light on the mindsets of the two people principally involved. (Video: Robert O'Harrow , Joyce Lee, Elyse Samuels/TWP)Two other conservative organizations, the National Association For Gun Rights and American Wolf 689, have raised a total of $105,000 directly for living expenses for Rittenhouses family, which left its home in Antioch, Ill., for an undisclosed location, because of harassment and death threats, Pierce said. Rittenhouse has been in custody in Kenosha since Oct. 30, when he was extradited to Wisconsin from Lake County, Ill., just across the state line, where he was arrested Aug. 26. Rittenhouse has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide and first-degree reckless homicide in the shooting deaths of Anthony Huber and Joseph Rosenbaum. He has also been charged with attempted first-degree homicide in the shooting of Gaige Grosskreutz. The shootings took place during street protests related to the shooting of Jacob Blake, an unarmed Black man, by a Kenosha police officer two days earlier. AdvertisementRittenhouse attorneys say the teenager was acting in self-defense. Bail conditions set at Rittenhouses last court hearing included not making contact with families of the victims or possessing a weapon. His next hearing is Dec. 3. On Thursday, Kenosha police detective Ben Antaramian testified in court that Dominick Black, a friend of Rittenhouses, told investigators that he had bought the AR-15 assault rifle used in the shootings. Black, 19, is charged with two counts of intent to sell a dangerous weapon to a person under 18. According to the criminal complaint, Rittenhouse gave Black money to buy the weapon in May from a hardware store in Ladysmith, a town in the far north of Wisconsin. They then went shooting with the weapon that day, and the weapon was stored in Blacks stepfathers house in Kenosha, the complaint says. AdvertisementRittenhouse could not buy a gun because he did not have an Illinois firearm owner identification card. Gun possession in Illinois is prohibited for people younger than 21 unless they get written consent from a parent or legal guardian. Antaramian said that during a second interview, Black provided a conflicting statement, saying that instead of giving Rittenhouse the gun the day of the shooting, Rittenhouse took the gun without his knowledge. According to the complaint, Blacks stepfather told police he did not know the gun was missing from his house. It had been stored in a locked safe but was taken out the previous day when rioting broke out in Kenosha. Black skirted around issue that Kyle took it without him looking and he made no attempt to stop Kyle from taking it at that point, Antaramian said. AdvertisementThe day before the shooting, Rittenhouse, who lived in nearby Antioch, Ill., worked his job at a Wisconsin recreation center outside Kenosha and then stayed overnight at Blacks house. Blacks next court appearance is Jan. 13. In an interview, Wendy Rittenhouse, the teenagers mother, described Black as a son.I support Dominick for what hes going through. Ill always love Dominick. He is part of my family, and he will always be part of my family, she said. GiftOutline Gift Article

###CLAIM: the legislation with penn and toomey was seen as reviving legislation with pat in 2013 focusing on closing the sales and commerce gun loopholes by requiring that background checks not be required for friends or relatives of gun sales. ###DOCS: President Biden's calls for the Senate to pass aggressive background check bills and a ban on assault weapons face an uphill battle with a key Democrat already voicing disapproval. Sen. Joe Manchin, a moderate Democrat from West Virginia, said Tuesday he can't support the pair of Biden-backed background check bills that the House already passed. "No, not at all," Manchin told reporters Tuesday at the Capitol when asked if he could vote in favor of the House legislation. BIDEN CALLS ON SENATE TO PASS GUN CONTROL MEASURES 'IMMEDIATELY' AFTER BOULDER SHOOTINGPassing gun control legislation has been notoriously tough in the Senate, where it takes 60 votes to get things done as long as the legislative filibuster is in place. While progressives are putting tremendous pressure on Democrats to abolish the filibuster to pass big reforms with a simple majority, it was clear Tuesday that Biden and the 50 members of the Democratic caucus were not unified on how best to proceed on guns. Biden Tuesday called on the Senate to pass an assault weapons ban and two expanded gun background check bills the House passed earlier this month. He stressed the urgency to act after another mass shooting in America, this time in Boulder, Colo. where 10 people died. "This is not and should not be a partisan issue," Biden said. "This is an American issue that will save lives, American lives. And we have to act." SCHUMER VOWS SENATE WILL TAKE ON GUN CONTROL MEASURESThe House bills expand federal gun background checks on all firearms sales and extend the background check review period from three days to a minimum of 10 business days. Manchin, instead, wants to see a revival of his 2013 compromise legislation with Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Penn., that focused on closing commercial sale gun loopholes but didn't require background checks to apply to family and friends giving or selling guns to each other. "I come from a gun culture. And I'm a law-abiding gun owner [who] would do the right thing," Manchin said in explaining his more "reasonable" proposal. "You have to assume we will do the right thing, give me a chance to do [it]. So I'm still basically where Pat Toomey and I have been." Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Tuesday he hasnt spoken with the White House about an assault weapons ban. Such a ban is not part of the pair of House bills that passed earlier this month. BOULDER MASS SHOOTING SUSPECT IDENTIFIED, CHARGED WITH 10 COUNTS OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDERInstead, Schumer said his focus is bringing a universal background check bill to the floor, but he acknowledged he's still working with senators on the specifics. "We will figure out the best path forward," Schumer said Tuesday. Meanwhile, Republicans were quick to point out the divisions within the Democratic Party on guns. "I share Joe Manchin's opposition to the version that passed in the House," Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Tuesday. Despite the coronavirus lockdowns that have shuttered schools, nightclubs and concert venues, gun deaths in the United States have shot up significantly during the pandemic, according to data tracked by the Gun Violence Archive. In 2020, there were 19,380 non-suicide gun deaths in America, up from 15,208 in 2019. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPMass shootings of four or more people also jumped from 417 to 611 last year, fueled by drive-by shootings, according to the Gun Violence Archive. "2020 was a surprisingly more active year," Mark Bryant, executive director of the Gun Violence Archive, told Fox News. "We anticipated people being in would provide less opportunities for shooting, and the opposite occurred." Fox News' Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.

###CLAIM: the coalition also said it intercepted and destroyed two armed drones launched from southern saudi arabia. ###DOCS: DUBAI (Reuters) - The Saudi-led coalition battling Yemens Houthi forces has destroyed two explosive-laden boats that the Iran-aligned group planned to use in an imminent attack launched from the Red Sea port of Hodeidah, Saudi state media reported on Sunday. The coalition also said it intercepted and destroyed two armed drones launched towards southern Saudi Arabia. The Houthis, who ousted Yemens internationally recognised government from the capital, Sanaa, and now hold most of north Yemen, have kept up missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia after Riyadh last week presented a new peace initiative. U.S. Special Envoy Tim Lenderking on Thursday returned to the region to push for the initiative, which includes a nationwide ceasefire. The Houthis want the coalition to fully lift its sea and air blockade on areas the group controls. The conflict, seen in the region as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran, has caused what the United Nations says is the worlds largest humanitarian crisis. The Houthis say they are fighting a corrupt system and foreign aggression.

###CLAIM: cruz visited the country to see firsthand what u. s. can do to strengthen our vital ally at a time when terror sponsors like hamas and the regimes in iran and syria are making the middle east more dangerous, and cruz visited israel to visit after the worst terrorist attacks in recent years. ###DOCS: Ted Cruz on Monday accused President Joe Biden of going too easy on Israel's enemies and 'emboldening' Hamas during the 11-day conflict in May as he claimed any aid money could be redirected to fund terrorists. 'The longer Joe Biden shows weakness to Hamas or Hezbollah or Iran, the more you're going to see terrorist attacks escalating,' the Texas senator told the Associated Press in an interview Monday. 'Appeasing terrorists doesn't produce peace,' Cruz said of Biden. The comments came after Cruz spent Memorial Day Weekend touring Israel's Iron Dome rocket-defense system and surveying damage from rocket-fire in Israeli coastal town of Ashkelon, which is less than 10 miles from the border with Gaza. Cruz, along with Tennessee GOP Senator Bill Hagerty, also visited with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the trip to the Middle East. 'Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with US Senator (R-TX) Ted Cruz and US Senator (R-TN) Bill Hagerty,' a Tuesday post from Bibi's official government account reads along with an image of him with Cruz and Hagerty. 'The Prime Minister thanked the senators for coming to Israel and said that he was always glad to see two of the State of Israel's best friends.' Cruz posted images on Monday of a bombed-out home following Israel's 11-day war with Hamas. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (center) posted an image on Tuesday with U.S. GOP Senators Ted Cruz of Texas (left) and Bill Hagerty of Tennessee (right)Cruz said it was a pleasure meeting with his 'friend' Netanyahu to double-down on the U.S. support for IsraelHe also released a video Tuesday morning to Twitter showing him amid the rubble of a destroyed home in Israel. 'This is all of the damage that came from one Hamas rocket, one terrorist who murdered a woman here is Ashkelon,' Cruz said as the camera panned to show the destruction. The Texas lawmaker, who refused in his interview with the AP to rule out a 2024 presidential run, argues that the US. doesn't owe Palestinians any humanitarian aid considering the risk the money could flow to Hamas. Hagerty, who joined Cruz for the Israel trip, told the AP in a more diplomatic tone: 'Any monies that go to the Gaza Strip that are 'intended for infrastructure', can be easily diverted by Hamas.' 'Countless times, I've seen a Mezuzah hanging on a door frame. This is the first time I've seen one on a home bombed by terrorists. A Hamas rocket killed the caretaker of the elderly lady who lived here in Ashkelon, in southern Israel. This is all that remains,' Cruz wrote. 'Here's her walker,' Cruz continued in a subsequent post, which showed a walker and a fan atop a pile of rubble. The conflict broke out on May 10 when Hamas launched a barrage of rockets at Jerusalem and the unrest continued for 11 days before a ceasefire was reached. Before the ceasefire, however, Hamas had fired 4,000 rockets at Israeli cities and Israel struck around 1,000 targets in Gaza. More than 250 people were killed, mostly Palestinians in Gaza, which is ruled by Hamas. Graham met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday and vowed more protection from Hamas. Talks come as the Israeli PM is facing an ousting after 12 years in office from a left-wing coalition. Netanyahu's rivals are seeking to finalize a unity coalition between secular centrist opposition chief Yair Lapid, ultranationalist Naftali Bennett, and other left-wing parties for a 'change' government of ideologically disparate rivals. Netanyahu told Graham 'there is no person who has done more for Israel than you' and thanked him for being an 'excellent friend and devoted ally' as the South Carolina senator said he would help protect Israel from Hamas rocket attacks. Cruz traveled with Tennessee Republican Hagerty, whose spokesman told DailyMail.com the senator planned to meet with embattled Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli cabinet members during the visit. A Cruz spokesperson said Cruz would be meeting with leaders but would not share details, citing security reasons. In a post on his official Senate account, Cruz retweeted an image by Israeli conservative columnist Caroline Glick thanking Cruz and Hagerty for a 'terrific dinner with 2 true friends of Israel and the Jewish people in Jerusalem tonight.' That post also tagged the right-wing Kohelet forum, an influential group in the Israeli Knesset. Cruz sent out the images of the settlement wreckage from his separate personal account. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham also visited Israel over Memorial Day weekend and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowing more protection from Hamas offensivesGraham and Netanyahu held talks as the Israeli PM faced an ousting after 12 years in office from a left-wing coalitionThe visit comes during a tumultuous time in Israeli politics. Longtime Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was on the brink of losing power, as right-wing Naftali Benett engaged in talks with centrist Yair Lapid over a new 'change' alliance seeking to form a new government, following a series of inconclusive elections. Israel and Hamas reached a cease fire May 21 after an 11-day war that featured a barrage of Hamas attacks fired from Gaza, and an Israeli bombing campaign. Cruz also tweeted out a video appeal for President Biden to immediately replace the missiles to replenish Israel's Iron Dome defenses. Hagerty tweeted that he visited the country with Cruz 'to visit Israel and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our allies after they endured the worst terrorist attacks in recent years because I want to see firsthand what more the U.S. can do to strengthen our vital alliance with Israel ... at a time when terrorists like Hamas & terror-sponsoring regimes in Iran & Syria are making the Middle East more dangerous.' 'I also want to discuss with Israeli leadership what the U.S. can do to maintain the momentum for peace that the landmark Abraham Accords started,' Hagerty wrote although he did not specifically mention a meeting with Netanyahu. When AP asked whether he would rule out running for president, Cruz deflected, saying the 2016 Republican primary campaign was 'the most fun I've ever had in my life.' The war between Israel and Hamas forced a public split among Democrats, as Biden held repeated conversations with Netanyahu in private, while some Democratic House members said the U.S. should push an immediate cease fire.

###CLAIM: a major recommendation by the trump administration is that states vaccinate everyone 65 years old and older and all people regardless of age of underlying health conditions -- expanding federal guidelines that officials hope will speed up the slow pace of vaccine approvals across the country. ###DOCS: ToplineThe Trump administration recommended on Tuesday that states vaccinate everyone older than 65 and all people, regardless of age, with an underlying health condition, a major expansion of federal guidelines that health officials hope will speed up the slow pace of vaccinations across the country. Nurse Patti Ward inoculates Fire Fighter Donald MacKenzie with the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine at UMass ... [+] Memorial Hospital in Marlborough, Massachusetts on January 12, 2021. Photo by JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty ImagesKey FactsThe CDC had previously recommended that states prioritize healthcare workers and nursing home residents. But the rigid rules, which were put in place to make sure those with higher risk get vaccinated first, have contributed to the slow rollout, frustrating public health experts who say the U.S. should focus on getting as many people vaccinated as quickly as possible. A few states, such as Florida, have already started vaccinating patients 65 and olderbut theyve still run into logistical hurdles in scheduling appointments and disseminating accurate information about where to go, problems other states will have to contend with as the pool of eligible patients expands. The CDC recommendations are non-binding, meaning states are free to come up with their own rules for prioritization. Crucial Quote"We've had so much success with quality and predictable manufacturing and almost flawless distribution of the vaccine, but we have seen now that the administration in the states has been too narrowly focused, HHS Secretary Alex Azar said on Good Morning America Tuesday. Key BackgroundVaccine rollout across the country has been slow and riddled with hiccups. Of the 25 million doses distributed, only 8 million have been actually given out, according to the CDC. Clinics have in some cases been forced to throw unused doses in the trash because they cant find eligible patients. Some healthcare workers are opting not to take it. And state and local health departments, who have been tasked with figuring out the logistics of distribution themselves, have been overstretched and overwhelmed with a lack of resources. TangentFederal health officials also said Tuesday it will begin sending out all available vaccines, instead of holding some back to make sure theres enough for people to receive a second dose. The move is expected to nearly double supply. Comment on this story Comment Gift Article ShareUnlock This article is free to access. Why? The Washington Post is providing this news free to all readers as a public service. Follow this story and more by signing up for national breaking news email alerts. The Trump administration announced sweeping changes to its vaccination rollout on Tuesday, including making all of the coronavirus vaccine supply immediately available, urging states to provide shots to anyone 65 and older and warning states with lagging inoculations that they could lose some of their shots to speedier places. The steps, part of an effort to accelerate a delayed and disjointed rollout, depart from the administrations original strategy, and come just days after President-elect Joe Biden announced plans to release nearly all the vaccine supply. Biden is expected to provide a detailed blueprint on reinvigorating the rollout later this week, including likely calling for inoculations of everyone 65 and older and expanding the number of venues where shots are administered, according to two people familiar with the deliberations who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss them. But it is not clear how, or even if, the outgoing administrations plan to change state allotments of vaccines will play out. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar told reporters in a briefing that in two weeks, the government would begin redirecting shots to states based on the size of their 65-and-older population and the pace of their vaccinations. States doing a poor job of getting shots into arms could see their allotments shifted to those performing better, he said, noting that about 10 states might be affected. The current allocation system is based on a states population. AdvertisementFederal officials have complained the data on state immunization efforts is incomplete and that states vary significantly in how many of the shots given to people are reported within the required three days. This new system gives states a strong incentive to ensure that all vaccinations are being promptly reported, which theyre currently not, Azar said. And it gives states a strong incentive to ensure that doses are going to work protecting people rather than sitting on shelves or in freezers.But Azar, a Trump Cabinet secretary, will be gone in a little over a week, and it is unclear whether the Biden camp endorses the idea. The president-elects advisers said they are awaiting more details but would look unfavorably on a plan that punishes states, said two transition officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the plan. They also expressed concern that the immediate widening of the vaccine pool could overwhelm states and create unrealistic expectations for millions of Americans waiting for shots. AdvertisementWe believe we have to be straight with people about where we are, said one of the two, a senior transition adviser. We want states to have the flexibility to move forward, but unfortunately this places an extreme responsibility on states without necessarily giving them the support to execute.State health officials, meanwhile, denounced the plan to move vaccine from slower-acting states as punitive. It is too early to begin to judge how well states are administering this, and a punitive approach isnt going to help us reach our goal of vaccinating the entire population as safely and quickly as possible, said Michael Fraser, who heads the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. Since the mass vaccination effort began last month, the Trump administration has held back roughly half the vaccines to ensure sufficient supply for people to get a required second shot. Under the new policy, the expectation is that people will still get their second doses about a month later, as planned. Azar and other Operation Warp Speed officials, who oversee vaccine distribution, said concerns about possible hiccups in manufacturing and distribution have been allayed by the steady ramp-up. AdvertisementOver the next two weeks, Azar said, doses held in reserve will be shipped out based on states orders. Beyond that, he said, the available doses will be released first to cover second doses and then to provide additional first vaccinations. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) called the move to release all available doses a welcome change. More details will be coming, he said at a briefing Tuesday. It is in fact very good news.Other supporters said that while releasing more vaccines could mean some people might face a small delay in getting a second shot, the risk of delayed inoculations is much greater as the pandemic claims thousands of lives daily and as a new, more contagious variant of the virus first identified in Britain spreads through the United States. Critics, however, worry that an unforeseen and extended delay of the booster shot could undermine the efficacy of the vaccines. AdvertisementBoth the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines the only two coronavirus vaccines that have been cleared by the Food and Drug Administration were shown in clinical trials this year to be highly effective when administered in a two-shot regimen. The second Pfizer shot is given after 21 days, and the second Moderna shot after 28 days. The administrations call to states to broaden access to those 65 and older and those under 64 with high-risk medical conditions sharply increases the potential number of people seeking shots to about 184 million, intensifying demand on already stressed sign-up systems. Under the original CDC recommendations, about 74 million people are in the first priority groups for vaccination: health-care workers; staff and residents of long-term care facilities; front-line essential workers; and adults 75 and older. AdvertisementNeither Azar, nor other Warp Speed leaders, addressed how expanding the priority age groups would affect access to vaccine for front-line essential workers, from grocery store clerks to bus drivers, who had been in the next group prioritized for vaccination in many state plans. Azar noted that some states, such as Florida and Texas, already are vaccinating those 65 and older, and called it a faster way to protect many of the most vulnerable. But Jason Schwartz, an assistant professor of health policy at the Yale School of Public Health, said on Twitter that the change could usher in a free-for-all.This seems like chaos, he added. Effectively telling 100 million+ people that they are eligible for vaccines now, while knowing that most will have to wait for several months to actually get it will cause rampant frustration. AdvertisementOthers noted that the priority recommendations from a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory committee were a compromise between the desire to shield front-line essential workers who are disproportionately people of color and most likely to catch and transmit the virus because they cannot work from home, and to protect older people who are most prone to serious complications and death. The change in the vaccination plans was discussed with governors in a meeting Tuesday afternoon chaired by Vice President Pence. Azar told the group the United States was on track to hit 1 million vaccinations a day within seven to 10 days, according to a Washington state readout. Pfizer, partnering with BioNTech, and Moderna have created effective coronavirus vaccines that scientists hope will lead to medical breakthroughs using mRNA. (Video: Joshua Carroll, Brian Monroe/The Washington Post)The decisions to overhaul the vaccine distribution program were made this weekend in two meetings held by the leadership of Operation Warp Speed, as officials searched for ways to speed up a sluggish rollout, according to a senior administration official. AdvertisementSome of the changes closely mirror options under consideration by Bidens covid-19 response team, which is preparing the president-elect to lay out his own pandemic plan later this week. The Biden team was also looking at ways of broadening access for adults 65 and older, and getting states a clearer forecast of future vaccine supply, according to two people familiar with the deliberations who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the specifics. Several state health officials and immunization managers complained Tuesday that they got no advance notice of the changes. I dont think making allocations more complicated and unpredictable does anything to improve efficiency, or help states get vaccine to where it needs to go, said Claire Hannan, executive director of the Association of Immunization Managers, whose members direct immunization programs throughout the country. AdvertisementFraser, the head of the state health officials group, added, The root problem is a supply issue. When will we have 184 million x 2 vaccines?But Azar blamed the slow rollout on states that have been overly rigid in adhering to the priority list, attempting to inoculate everyone in one group before moving to the next. There was never a reason that states needed to complete vaccinating all health-care providers before opening vaccinations to older Americans and other vulnerable populations, he said. He likened it to boarding an airplane. Imagine if you fined gate agents for boarding people out of order youd be standing at the gate for hours.Nearly 40 million doses are available to states now, Azar said. The latest figures show that more than 27 million doses of the two authorized vaccines have been distributed, with more than 9 million doses administered as of Tuesday at 9 a.m., according to the CDC. Last week, he had announced the federal government was accelerating a plan to distribute vaccines through retail pharmacies, which will handle scheduling appointments and reporting vaccinations. He said officials are also planning to use federally qualified health centers that serve low-income and minority populations. An expansion of vaccination venues is part of Bidens plan as well. The president-elect said last week that he wants to establish thousands of federally run and federally supported community vaccination centers of various sizes across the country located in high school gyms or NFL football stadiums.Biden said the effort will include mobile clinics in rural areas remote from pharmacies, as well as storefront vaccination programs in pharmacies and other commercial spaces. But he cautioned that will cost money, saying the Trump administration and Congress have not yet devoted enough effort to the unprecedented mass vacation campaign. GiftOutline Gift Article

###CLAIM: he will be buried in state at the presidential palace 's casa rosada, where he spent the day, on thursday. ###DOCS: BUENOS AIRES Argentine justice officials are investigating the death of soccer star Diego Maradona and ordered the search of properties of his personal doctor on Sunday, a local prosecutors office said. Maradona died at age 60 of a heart attack on Wednesday. The search order was requested by prosecutors in the affluent Buenos Aires suburb San Isidro and signed by a local judge, according to a statement issued by the prosecutors office. Yesterday (Saturday) the investigation and substantiation of evidence continued with the taking of statements from people including direct relatives of the deceased, it said. By virtue of the evidence that was collected, it was considered necessary to request searches at the home and office of doctor Leopoldo Luque, the prosecutors office said in the statement. The prosecutors office provided no information on what prompted the investigation. Maradonas lawyer, Matias Moria, on Thursday said he would ask for a full investigation of the circumstances of the soccer legends death, criticizing what he said was a slow response by emergency service. The ambulance took more than half an hour to arrive, which was a criminal idiocy, Matias said on Thursday in a Twitter post. Argentina declared three days of mourning in the wake of Maradona's death. He was buried Thursday having spent the day lying in state at the Casa Rosada, Argentina's presidential palace. The colorful and outspoken star was captain of the 1986 team that captured his nation's second World Cup title. He scored twice in a 2-1 victory over England in the quarterfinals in Mexico City, in which he was famously helped by the "Hand of God." Maradona's natural talent for the game was clear at an early age. As a 10-year-old, Maradona would perform at halftime of pro matches, showing an uncanny ability to keep the ball airborne for minutes with his feet, chest and head. Download the NBC News app for breaking news and politicsHis storied career included stints with some of the world's most famous teams, such as Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, FC Barcelona, Napoli FC, Sevilla FC and Newell's Old Boys. While collecting goals and trophies on the field, Maradona spent most of his life battling drug addictions, alcohol abuse, weight issues and other health problems throughout the 1990s. In his later years, Maradona said he had kicked drugs, appeared to be healthier and never lost his passion for the sport. He is survived by his ex-wife, Claudia Villafane, three daughters, Dalma, Gianinna and Jana, and two sons Diego Fernando and Diego Sinagra.

###CLAIM: crypto has gone from an incoherent bull market to a market where underlying trends can be seen through the froth. ###DOCS: By definition, bitcoin has crashed. gettyAlthough you dont hear it, bitcoin (BTC) has crashed. A crash is classically a 25% fall in a sudden sharp move. This is the only chart Im interested in now. It shows that bitcoin crashed at the beginning of March and then again at the beginning of April. While it recovered both times it leaves the chart looking like this:The bitcoin chart - there were two recent crashes Credit: ADVFNFor the believers this is yet another short pause on the road to $1 million a bitcoin, but to others its a clear top. First, here is some disclosure from me. I love crypto. I own bitcoin and ethereum, small positions but material to some people. I have a ton of crypto tokens of all sorts and will be in and may go out of any crypto you can find listed. My positioning is currently, Im on the side-lines because I think BTC has reached/is at its peak and we are in for a bearish period before the next bull run around the next halvening. Now this is the chart for anyone less than 100% of a hodler:The last bitcoin crash Credit: ADVFNThis is the previous boom/bubble. Obviously bitcoin and ethereum came unstuck. Unpacking this a little, this is what concerns us in that chart:The chart of the last bitcoin crash should concern us Credit: ADVFNWhy? Because this is where we are today:Today's bitcoin chart looks very familiar Credit: ADVFNIf you have even a single technical analysis bone in your body, this is going to ring alarm bells, especially as for the initial rise of bitcoin, the 2017 pattern repeated itself. You might throw in this chart, too:This 2-step even vertical is a useful indicator of the top Credit: ADVFNThis two-step even vertical has always been a very useful indicator of the top for me, but you should always take charting voodoo with a copious pinch of salt. To me there is a sense that crypto has gone from a coherent bull market to an uncoherent market where its impossible to see through the froth to the underlying trend. DeFi (decentralized finance), where I played after I left ethereum and bitcoin to others, has gone from a 10x game to a volatile percentage game and NFTs (non-fungible tokens) have seen its week in the sun and experienced its first boom, bubble and bust cycle meanwhile. My positionthat cryptocurrencies, DeFi, NFT and all the other categories present or to be born are in for a generational bullis unchanged but if bitcoin has seen its top then all that will suffer the bear part of the crypto cycle it has suffered more than once before. If bitcoin breaks out again then the sky is the limit once more and if it does I suspect Ill go play once again in DeFi where the upside would once again be multiples not percentages. While positioned to do so I would be extremely surprised to see it. With acknowledgement to Mark Twain, Im expecting the future to do a bit more than rhyme. Clem Chambers is the CEO of private investors website ADVFN.com and author of 101 Ways to Pick Stock Market Winners and Trading Cryptocurrencies: A Beginners Guide. Chambers won Journalist of the Year in the Business Market Commentary category in the State Street U.K. Institutional Press Awards in 2018.

###CLAIM: she said early observations by csiro scientists had demonstrated possible implications for the spread of cov-2 variants more widely between humans and animals. ###DOCS: Seven countries are now reporting mink-related Sars-CoV-2 mutations in humans, according to new scientific analysis. The mutations are identified as Covid-19 mink variants as they have repeatedly been found in mink and now in humans as well. Uncertainty around the implications of the discovery of a Covid-19 mink variant in humans led Denmark, the worlds largest mink fur producer, to launch a nationwide cull earlier this month. The cull was sparked by research from Denmarks public health body, the Statens Serum Institut (SSI), which showed that a mink variant called C5 was harder for antibodies to neutralise and posed a potential threat to vaccine efficacy. Denmark, the Netherlands, South Africa, Switzerland, the Faroe Islands, Russia and the US have all reported cases of mink-related mutations. Despite a political backlash the cull has continued, and farmers have until midnight on Thursday to cull all mink in the country. However, the row over the cull has forced the resignation of the Danish agriculture minister, Mogens Jensen. SSI director Kare Mlbak has also said he would resign. It was the SSIs findings on reduced antibody efficacy that led to the cull order. Mlbak told local media he is retiring because he is 65 and denied it was related to the mink cull. Until now there had been no widespread reports of mink variants in humans outside Denmark. But scientists uploading virus sequencing and variant information to Gisaid, a global database initiative, said there have been signs of the mink variants around the world. We knew there were these mink variants in seven countries, but we only had about 20 genomes of each, which is very few. Then last week the Danes uploaded 6,000 genome sequences and with those we were able to identify 300 or more of the mink variant Y453F in viruses having infected humans in Denmark, said University College London (UCL) Genetics Institute director Francois Balloux. Asked about the implications of the findings, Balloux said it was an indication of the need to cull farmed mink. A bigger host reservoir means more infections in humans. The main point here, I think, is that although the mutation might not be scary, there is still very good reason to get rid of the mink reservoir. We just dont need it. In Denmark, he added, they have a lot of mink, over three times more than humans. The prevalence of Danish mink-related mutations is evident in the Gisaid database. Denmark has 329 F-variant sequences, which roughly maps to as many individuals, although there may be some duplicates, said Prof Seshadri Vasan, who leads the dangerous pathogens team at Australias Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and analysed the database for the mink variants. The Netherlands has six. South Africa and Switzerland have two each, while the Faroe Islands, Russia and Utah [US] have one each.Asked how the spread might have happened, Vasan said that given some of the human and mink F-variants were from samples collected in Denmark in June, it might be that movement of people, animals or goods could have spread the F-variant to other countries. But, because the Gisaid database includes only patchy patient information and no travel history and as some of the samples lack collection dates he said it is impossible to say exactly how and when the spread took place, although local scientists might be better placed to understand. Last month, Vasan and his team published a global template aimed at improving the collection and sharing of de-identified patient information in a bid to improve data quality. Viruses are known to mutate, but variants alone are not necessarily a problem. Most importantly, said Prof Joanne Santini, a microbiologist at UCL, we still dont know whether this mutation happened in mink or humans first. In a joint email this week to the Guardian, Santini and UCL colleague Prof Sarah Edwards, a bioethicist, said the Sars-CoV-2 Y453F variant in the spike protein is unlikely to pose any serious risk to the expected efficacy of current candidate vaccines, or itself pose a new public health threat on its own. If, however, the variant originated in mink and spread to humans, then we would have to doubt our ability to manage outbreaks in otherwise seemingly contained farm animals once detected. Constant mutations could be a source of concern too. The email added that multiple additional variants in the spike protein could indeed have concerning implications for how infectious the virus is to humans and also to animals, potentially posing new threats to the expected efficacy of our candidate vaccines. The early observations by CSIRO scientists demonstrate the possible implications for the wider spread of Sars-CoV-2 variants between humans and animals, she said. Although Denmark is the only country to order a nationwide mink cull, others, including the Netherlands, Spain and, most recently, Greece, are killing mink with Covid-19. On Tuesday, Reuters reported mandatory mink testing had started in Poland, despite industry fears that tests could lead to a nationwide cull. On the business side, the Danish cull has had immediate effects. Last week, Denmarks breeder association and worlds largest fur auction house, Kopenhagen Fur, announced a controlled shutdown over the next three years, while Danish thinktank estimates put the cost of mink farm closures at about DKK3bn (360m). Sign up for the Animals farmed monthly update to get a roundup of the best farming and food stories across the world and keep up with our investigations. You can send us your stories and thoughts at animalsfarmed@theguardian.com.

###CLAIM: shortly before charles ' message aired, buckingham palace said philip 's ceremonial funeral in st. george 's chapel at windsor castle would take place on april 17 in line with the restrictions on coronaviruses. ###DOCS: WINDSOR, England Prince Charles, heir to the British throne, thanked the public Saturday for their heartfelt condolences and messages of support following the death of his "dear papa," Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. Charles, 72, who visited his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, at Windsor Castle on Friday after news of his father's death broke, said the family missed him "enormously" in a brief, televised speech outside his home, Highgrove House. Thanking those who "share our loss and our sorrow," he said, "My dear papa was a very special person, who I think, above all else, would have been amazed by the reaction and the touching things that have been said about him, and from that point of view, we are, my family, deeply grateful." Philip died Friday at 99, just two months before his 100th birthday. Last month, he spent weeks in the hospital being treated for an unspecified infection and undergoing a medical procedure for a pre-existing heart condition. Shortly before Charles' message aired, Buckingham Palace said Philip's ceremonial funeral would take place April 17 at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle in line with coronavirus restrictions. The scaled-back event will be televised and marked by a national minute of silence. Royal commentator Camilla Tominey told NBC News that the queen's children would help the monarch cope during a moment of enormous grief and sorrow. "We can't underestimate the profound emotional effect this will have on the queen. She has been married to Prince Phillip for 73 years, and he's been the constant fixture in her stalwart reign," Tominey said. She added that Philip would have been "secretly delighted" at the scaled-down funeral plans. "At the end of the day in life, he was somebody who didn't want a fuss to be made, and he would be the same in death," she said, adding that Charles would likely undertake more royal engagements following his father's death. Despite lockdown measures remaining in place, people of all ages flocked to lay flowers and pay their respects outside the 11th-century Windsor Castle, where Philip died and the queen is in residence. Similar scenes unfolded in front of Buckingham Palace in central London some 30 miles away. British newspapers were filled with images and memories of the no-nonsense prince Saturday, while international condolences poured in from world leaders. Earlier on Saturday, Charles' younger brother Prince Edward and his wife, Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, were briefly seen leaving Windsor Castle after visiting the queen. With tears in her eyes, Sophie told the crowd the monarch had been "amazing." Download the NBC News app for breaking news and politicsThe queen has yet to comment publicly on her husband's death, but official royal family social media accounts on Saturday shared a quote from a 1997 speech she gave to mark her golden wedding anniversary, where she called Philip "my strength and stay all these years." Her grandson Prince Harry and his American wife, Meghan, paid their respects in a message Friday posted on the couple's Archewell website, which thanked the Duke of Edinburgh for his service and said he'd be "greatly missed." While Harry is expected to attend the funeral, Meghan, who is pregnant, will not make the trip, Buckingham Palace said. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex rocked the royal boat last month after giving a personal interview on life behind palace walls to media mogul Oprah Winfrey. In a separate interview with British TV host James Corden, Harry also revealed his grandparents often made Zoom calls to keep in touch from across the Atlantic. The U.K.'s national broadcaster, the BBC, aired previous footage of interviews with Philip's children in a documentary over the weekend. Charles joked that his irascible father "didn't suffer fools gladly" but noted that his "energy was astonishing in supporting my mama." "I think he'd probably want to be remembered as an individual in his own right," he added.

###CLAIM: the united states is going in the right direction with a coordinated national response to public health under the trump administration. ###DOCS: It is hard to overstate the scale of the pandemic in America. On many days, a quarter of a million Americans become newly infected with the coronavirus, and four thousand dienumbers that dwarf the deadliest moments of last spring. The countrys COVID-19 death toll has passed four hundred thousand and, according to Joe Bidens chief of staff, will reach half a million in February; at any given time, more than a hundred thousand Americans are hospitalized with COVID-19, and health systems are running out of space, equipment, and personnel. Meanwhile, a new coronavirus variant, thought to be fifty per cent more transmissible and possibly thirty per cent more deadly than the original, has been discovered in at least nine states. The U.S. has no genome-sequencing or reporting system in place, so its impossible to say just how widespread the new variant is, or whether other, more dangerous strains are already in circulation. In any event, the sheer contagiousness of the new version means that the death toll is almost certain to rise further and faster. Vaccines are a reason for hope, and are already making a difference; nearly twenty million Americans have received a shot. But vaccine distribution has also proceeded chaotically and haphazardly. The problem isnt strictly one of supply. Doses are being shipped as quickly as they can be manufactured, but only about half of the shots received by states have actually been administered. Meanwhile, four in ten people say that, even if vaccines were more widely available, they would hesitate to get innoculated, because they distrust the government and the approval process. Sixty per cent of older Americansmany of whom are now eligible for vaccinationsay they dont know where or when to get immunized. Its a strange moment in our nations historya contest between error and effort. After a year of mismanagement, America is racing to vaccinate the vulnerable; a new Administration is taking over just as a vastly more contagious form of the virus threatens to accelerate the surge. The pandemic is a juggernaut, bearing down upon us. Can Joe Biden and his team stop it? The new Administration has proposed a wide-ranging, two-trillion-dollar plan to turn things around. The plan includes stimulus checks, expanded unemployment benefits, a minimum-wage increase, and funding to help schools open safely. But its most important component is vaccination. Biden has pledged to deliver a hundred and fifty million shots in his first hundred days in office; he has also announced that his Administration is nearing deals with Pfizer and Moderna to secure an additional two hundred million doses by the end of the summer. Together with the four hundred million doses the companies already plan to deliver, that would be enough to vaccinate every American adult. But distribution is still a problem. The pace has been accelerating; on several days last week, more than a million Americans were vaccinated. Even at that rate, however, it will take a year and a half to vaccinate eighty per cent of the U.S. population. The pace must accelerate further. The challenges of vaccine distribution are daunting and well known: the need for ultra-cold storage and shipping, the difficulty of coordinating multiple doses spaced weeks apart, an underfunded public-health infrastructure, the politicization of the pandemic, and growing vaccine hesitancy. The vaccination campaign is going to be among the most complex tasks in American history, Tom Frieden, who was the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under Barack Obama, told me. Still, Frieden believes that, with the right communication, funding, planning, and execution, these obstacles could be overcome. And, because the risk of life-threatening illness is concentrated in certain groups, targeted vaccinations will have an outsized effect on slowing deaths. Nursing-home residents account for some forty per cent of U.S. COVID-19 deaths. Frieden said that, if most of this group were vaccinated by March, Youve protected your most vulnerable flank.Bidens vaccination strategy departs from Donald Trumps in many ways, most fundamentally in the idea that the federal government should partner closely with states to support the rapid acceleration of immunizations. The Trump Administration largely abdicated its responsibility to support vaccine distribution. They saw their role as getting the vaccines developed, approved, and shipped, Leana Wen, an emergency physician and public-health professor at George Washington University, told me. That is no small feat. But they washed their hands entirely of helping with the last mile. And thats what ultimately saves lives. Wen continued, Theres a misunderstanding of the proper roles of the federal and state governments. You dont want the feds operating clinics. You dont want them telling you what to do. But you do expect the federal government to ask states, What do you need? You expect it to say, These are the metrics we hope to meetwhat can you do right now and what can we help with? The specifics of Bidens plan can be divided into four categories: expanding eligibility, creating vaccination sites, bolstering the public-health workforce, and securing production. As a first step, the new Administration will recommend that the states relax their criteria for vaccine eligibility to include all Americans older than sixty-five, as well as essential workers such as teachers and grocery-store employees. Bidens advisers argue that the initial guidance from the C.D.C., which limited the first round of vaccinations to health-care workers and nursing-home residents, was theoretically sound but practically unworkable: strict eligibility criteria and the limited shelf-life of mRNA vaccines have meant that, in some places, doses sit in freezers or are thrown out, while in others desperate Americans camp overnight only to be denied. (Some medical providers have had to discard vaccines because they couldnt find enough people who met the eligibility criteria before their doses expired.) Bidens plan will use federal resources and emergency-contracting powers to support or create vaccination centers across the country. The federal government will deliver vaccines to local pharmacies and cover the costs that states incur when using FEMA and the National Guard for vaccine distribution. The Administration also plans to launch targeted programs for rural health clinics, community-health centers, and tribal health services, and to deliver vaccines to those living in jails and homeless shelters. This commitment is in accord not just with an egalitarian ethos but with public-health fundamentals: congregate settings are viral hot spots, which, left unchecked, threaten the health of those living in them and nearby. More vaccination sites will require more medical personnel, but state and local health departments have been underfunded and understaffed for decades. They didnt have what they needed before the pandemic, and thats even more true now, Wen, who previously served as Baltimores health commissioner, told me. Although Congress has allotted some funding for states, it falls far short of whats needed. Its been too little and come too late, Wen said. Were months behind where we should be in terms of bolstering our distribution infrastructure. Biden has called on Congress to provide funding to hire a hundred thousand public-health workers to support vaccination and contact-tracing efforts. That investment would nearly triple the number of community health workers in the country and set a foundation for a more robust public-health system in the years to come. In the meantime, the Administration will encourage states to relax scope-of-practice lawswhich restrict the services that various medical professions are permitted to provideand waive licensing requirements, so that more clinicians, including retired health-care workers, can administer vaccines. Finally, the Administration plans to use the Defense Production Acta law, passed during the Korean War, that allows the government to compel businesses to prioritize activities needed for national defenseto provide the country with enough vials, syringes, needles, and other supplies to effectively store, refrigerate, and transport millions of vaccine doses. In part, leveraging the D.P.A. is important because it helps insure that people who receive the first dose of the vaccine will be able to receive the second on schedule. The Biden plan is bold and comprehensive; it includes many of the measures that public-health experts have been advocating for months. Much of itinvoking the D.P.A., mobilizing federal resources, erecting emergency vaccination centers, establishing clear guidance on vaccine distribution and eligibilitycan be accomplished through executive action or the bully pulpit. But other parts, such as funding public-health workers and supercharging vaccine administration, will require support from Congress and cooperation from states. In any event, Wen told me, an effective vaccination campaign will get us only so far. Vaccines are not going to get us out of the immediate surge, she said. The Biden team needs to set the right expectations. Otherwise, people will say, Were vaccinating all these people. Why are cases still going up? The public deserves clear communication about what vaccines can achieve and when they can achieve it. She went on, The immediate trajectory of the pandemic really depends on peoples behavior. Its unrealistic to expect that, when Biden starts to talk about physical distancing, it will suddenly convince everyone in the country to act differently.The need for distancing has never been greater. Americas vaccination effort is unfolding against the backdrop of a vast viral surge. In December, the U.S. recorded more coronavirus infections, hospitalizations, and deaths than in any prior month. Health-care systems are only now beginning to contend with new cases resulting from Christmas and New Years get-togethers. Even in optimistic scenariosassuming Biden makes good on his pledge and then somethe vaccines will come too late for too many: the brutal reality is that, in all likelihood, another hundred and fifty thousand Americans will die of COVID-19 in the first hundred days of his Presidency. The essence of the problem is that, on the one hand, with the vaccines, we have more rationale for hope than weve ever had, Frieden said. On the other hand, we have to double-down on protection protocols. Epidemiological modelling from prior epidemics suggests that, perversely, optimism about the end of an outbreak can lead to its persistence; the knowledge that the vaccines are effective may seem to license risky behavior that will spread the disease. Distancing, tracing, isolating: these non-pharmaceutical interventions fall within the realm of public health. Under the Trump Administration, the United States went without a national, coordinated public-health response. States have had to bid against one another for critical supplies; testing and contact tracing remain inadequate, and public-health agencies are sidelined. The lack of federal support has been incomprehensible and deadly. Now, as new and more contagious strains of the coronavirus emerge, its also becoming clear that the country has no surveillance system to track genetic variants. Were flying blindunable to detect, much less extinguish, the coronavirus mutants that threaten to upend the depressing equilibrium weve accepted to date. At the center of Bidens efforts will be a push to harmonize the U.S. response. He plans to create a federal Pandemic Testing Board to oversee the distribution of tests, and his relief plan includes fifty billion dollars for strengthening the countrys testing program, in addition to a call for funds that will create the infrastructure to monitor for new variants. He will ask every governor to issue a mask mandate. The first executive order he signedthe 100 Days Masking Challengerequires masks on all federal property; another order requires masks on planes, trains, or intercity buses. Hes called for a Supply Commander to work with governors on the coordinated procurement of P.P.E., drugs, and ventilators. He will reengage with the World Health Organization and other global health agencies. Curtailing the pandemics damage will require not just strategy but stamina. Biden must help Americans find the fortitude to muscle through mandates and restrictions until enough of us get vaccinated. This may take longer than wed like. We should expect the pandemic to continue to test America for the entirety of Bidens first term, Ashish Jha, the dean of Browns public-health school, told me. Life will be much closer to normal, but there will still be challenges. Even if vaccines are widely available, and even if the majority of Americans agree to be vaccinated, the virus will find places to thrive. Herd immunity isnt a magic light switch that turns off the pandemic, Jha said. Certain communities will have low vaccination rates, and youre going to have outbreaks. They will fizzle, because most people around them will be immune, but theyll still occur and theyll still cause big problems. In some places around the country, hospitals will still fill. The threat posed by possible new strains of the virus, which could be more transmissible, lethal, or resistant to vaccines, will persist. Looking back on the past year, one might wonder whether Americas decentralized system and political and cultural divisions render the country incapable of contending with a threat like the coronavirus. The United States has become a bitterly partisan nation, and millions of Americans remain skeptical about the virus and the vaccines. Governors have wide latitude in how they manage public-health threats; the country has nearly three thousand public-health departments, and the power to quarantine rests largely with state and local officials. The absence of a national plan has forced states to develop their own criteria for opening schools and businesses. But, even if more federal guidance had been offered, states would still have been free to go their own ways. And, as the virus finds life in one region as its suppressed in another, its become clear that the sheer scale of the United States also presents a major challenge: the government can impose some restrictions on travel, but American citizens generally have the right to go where they want. It is, as we say, a free country. And yet its not so easy to blame Americas coronavirus failures on its decentralized system. Germany also has decentralized governance, with sixteen partly sovereign states (or Lander) enjoying significant autonomy. But in March, when cases started to rise in North Rhine-Westphalia, the federal government and the German states convened to develop a uniform approach to fighting the virus. The common guidelineswhich were not legally bindingoutlined how localities should mitigate the spread of the virus in businesses, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, places of worship, and other social settings. In April, Winfried Kretschmann, the governor of Germanys third-largest state and a member of an opposition party, contrasted the German and American approaches: We can see in the United States that some governors are taking matters into their own hands when there is someone at the helm who at first denied all of these threats. Something like that is completely out of the question here. After suppressing the virus for much of last year, Germany has recently suffered a surge in COVID-19 infections and deaths; over time, some states have grown more resistant to public-health measures, which has limited Angela Merkels ability to respond. Even so, the German death toll is far lower than that of other Western democracies. German citizens are far from united in their views on the virus. In August, thousands gathered at Berlins Brandenburg Gate to protest government measures; some claimed that mask mandates were a step toward enslaving the German people. Its not like other countries dont deal with this stuff, Jha told me. Protests are not uniquely American. There are large, vocal groups in Germany who think masks are Angela Merkels way of stealing their freedom. Whats different is that those people dont end up having the same purchase on policy that they do in the United States. That kind of crazy, fringe thinking has been infiltrating American policymaking for a while now. David Gergen, a professor at Harvards Kennedy School of Government and a senior political analyst for CNN, has served in four Administrations, for both Republican and Democratic Presidents; since he joined the Nixon White House, in 1971, he has witnessed eight Presidential transitions. Hes convinced this one is the most important. A transition in power isnt just about legislation and executive orders, Gergen told me. It creates cultural and attitudinal change. Its an opportunity for the country to reset.Some patterns are hard to break. Much of Bidens agenda requires moneyand, therefore, the support of Congress. Biden seeks to make huge investments in response to the pandemics health and economic damage; hes called for billions in funding for schools, for health-insurance expansions, for caregiving programs, for paid sick leave, for unemployment benefits, for stimulus checks. Even with narrow Democratic control of Congress, this level of investment will be a tall order. Joe Manchin, the Democratic senator from West Virginia, has already signalled discomfort with the idea of more stimulus checks; other Democrats have complained that Bidens plan doesnt go far enough. Support from Republicans is unlikely. Its going to be very, very hard for Biden to convince Republicans to pass a two-trillion-dollar package, Gergen said. Theyre going to turn into deficit hawks again. Without a filibuster-proof majority, Democrats will likely resort to the budget-reconciliation process to pass parts of Bidens agendaprovided they can hold every senator who caucuses with the party, with Vice-President Kamala Harris casting the tie-breaking vote. Almost certainly, parts of Bidens plan will be put into practice, whether through executive action or piecemeal legislation. But much of how the pandemic progresses will be determined not by laws but by citizens. Command and control is never going to work in America, Donald Berwick, a former administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, told me. You have to appeal to peoples values. You need to help them see why its important that we act, together, as a country toward a common goal. Trust in institutions has plummeted in recent decades, amid a sustained assault on the idea of collective action. Biden, the ultimate institutionalisthe arrived in Washington at the age of thirty and spent the next half century serving in the Senate and as Vice-Presidentinsists that he can return the country to a level of political comity that his critics, and many supporters, claim is unrealistic. He campaigned on restoring the soul of America; the central theme of his Inaugural Address was unitythat most elusive of things in a democracy. Comment on this story Comment Gift Article ShareWhat is the first thing Joe Biden should do as president? He has many competing priorities. He must deal with the pandemic, restart the economy, reestablish U.S. credibility on the world stage and compete effectively with China. Sign up for a weekly roundup of thought-provoking ideas and debates ArrowRight It turns out there is one thing he can do that will address all these problems at once: vaccinate all Americans as quickly as possible. Bidens current goal of vaccinating 1 million people a day is far too modest. He should double that, doing whatever it takes to achieve herd immunity for the United States by late April or early May. This would instantly boost the United States standing and give the president leverage with everyone from the Republicans to the Europeans and the Chinese. Right now, the rollout of the vaccine is flailing. Alex Azar, the Trump administrations secretary of health and human services, predicted in early December that 20 million Americans would be vaccinated by the end of 2020. In fact, that number barely reached 3 million. The situation has improved, but there is still chaos and confusion. The Trump administrations mishandling of the vaccine rollout follows a string of other public health failures, such as bungling the policies on testing, tracing and isolation, as well as the supply of medical equipment. Although the administration did an admirable job funding vaccine development through Operation Warp Speed, it quickly fell back into its familiar hands-off mode once the private sector pulled off that feat. The states, whose varying standards and infrastructure make them ill-equipped for carrying out a mass vaccination campaign, have been forced to improvise with predictable consequences. And although the Trump administration has plenty of blame on its hands, this is a much larger failure. As I write in my latest book, Ten Lessons for a Post-Pandemic World, the U.S. government has in recent decades become good at just one thing: writing checks. Its major endeavors have centered around tax cuts and credits, bailouts and relief payments. The size of the covid-19 relief packages passed last year including the money for Operation Warp Speed is impressive. But other than dispensing cash, the federal government seems to be unable to administer anything. Forty years of Reaganism defunding, dismantling and demeaning government have taken their toll. White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Jan. 21 defended President Biden's plan for 100 million vaccinations in his first 100 days. (Video: The Washington Post, Photo: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)AdvertisementThe capacity of the state to undertake large and complex projects cannot be rebuilt overnight. But some things can be changed right away. The Biden team is clearly well-qualified. Perhaps as important, his people believe in government and understand that getting it to work is a special challenge in the United States. Power is divided among three branches, dozens of federal agencies and thousands of local authorities. Corralling all these forces to work together requires strenuous, persistent efforts directed by the White House every day. If you view government as a reality television show, consisting mostly of symbolic gestures and signals to your base, little gets done. Follow Fareed Zakaria 's opinions Follow AddThe federal government has already paid for hundreds of millions of doses. It has funds available to vaccinate. It should take on the task of ensuring that Americans are vaccinated and fast. The president should use every tool available, including the armed forces and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, as well as partnerships with private companies such as Starbucks and Federal Express. Drug store chains, by one account, have the capacity to administer more than 3 million vaccines a day. This should be the equivalent of a wartime effort. Those who have worked on rapid vaccination programs in developing countries argue for an aggressive approach. We should set up thousands of vaccination sites, many running 24/7, and create mobile units to reach people far from population centers. The government should spare no expense in accelerating the vaccine rollout. The effort would easily pay for itself by saving lives, driving economic output and raising tax revenue along the way. AdvertisementThe United States handling of the pandemic in general has been a disaster and is widely seen as such. In a Pew Research Center survey across 13 major countries, 84 percent of respondents agreed that the United States had bungled covid-19, and every country believed it had done far better than the United States. Irish Times columnist Fintan OToole described the strange new attitude of the world toward the United States not admiration or hatred or envy but, for the first time, pity. In an essay in Foreign Affairs, Samantha Power, the incoming head of U.S. foreign aid programs, reminds us that the world has admired the United States most for its spectacular achievements. The United States was the arsenal of democracy during World War II, executed the Berlin Airlift, put a man of the moon and created the Internet. If the Biden administration can succeed spectacularly at the most pressing challenge facing the world, that will say loud and clear to everyone: The United States is back. AdvertisementRead more:GiftOutline Gift Article

###CLAIM: the international astronomical and astronomical union (iau ) added informally : `` although this is not the official designation, the team used this as a reference point. ###DOCS: In collaboration with leaders of the Navajo Nation, the nations largest Indian reservation, NASA is naming items of scientific interest discovered on Mars as part of its Perseverance rovers ongoing mission with words from the Navajo language. The space agency announced this month that it began naming features discovered using the rover, which landed on the Mars Jezero Crater last month, with words from the language after getting permission from Navajo leaders in addition to a list of 50 names approved names so far. The agency said the surface missions assign nicknames to landmarks to provide the missions team members, which number in the thousands, a common way to refer to rocks, soils, and other geologic features of interest.Previous rover teams have named features after regions of geologic interest on Earth as well as people and places related to expeditions. Although the International Astronomical Union designates official names for planetary features, these informal names are used as reference points by the team, it added. The Perseverance team named a rock found on the planet, which the space agency said was its first scientific focus for the mission, Maaz, which translates to Mars in English. The agency team also divided Jezero Crater ahead of the launch into quadrangles, which it noted was about 1 square mile in size, and said the quad where the Perseverance rover landed was named Tseyi, for the Canyon de Chelly National Monument in Arizona in in the heart of the Navajo Nation.The teams plan was to compile a list of names inspired by each quads national park that could be used to name features observed by Perseverance, the agency said. The agency said Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer worked with their advisors to produce a list of words from the language to provide the team with. Nez said in a statement that the partnership that the Nez-Lizer Administration has built with NASA will help to revitalize our Navajo language.We hope that having our language used in the Perseverance mission will inspire more of our young Navajo people to understand the importance and the significance of learning our language. Our words were used to help win World War II, and now we are helping to navigate and learn more about the planet Mars, he continued.

###CLAIM: after hearing that some music artists use racial slurs, neary asked a nearby junior marine member how he would feel about the use of the word. ###DOCS: The two-star U.S. Marine Corps general in charge of all Marines in Europe and Africa has been relieved of command following an investigation into his alleged use of a racial slur, according to a U.S. official. Gen. David Berger, the commandant of the Marine Corps, relieved Maj. Gen. Stephen Neary of his command of Marine Forces Europe and Africa due to a "loss of trust and confidence in his ability to serve in command," the Marines announced Tuesday. Neary had assumed the role of the top commander of Marine forces in Europe and Africa on July 8. Though no official reason was given for why Neary was relieved of command, a U.S. official confirmed to ABC News that accounts of his alleged use of a racial slur, first published by Stars and Stripes, were what prompted his removal. Major General Stephen M. Neary is seen in this undated photo. U.S. Marine CorpsThe military newspaper reported two weeks ago that Neary was under investigation for the alleged use of a racial slur in August in Germany. The Marine Corps confirmed at the time that it was aware of the allegations and that appropriate actions, "regardless of rank," would be taken if the allegations were substantiated. According to an updated Stars and Stripes article published on Tuesday, Neary was at an outdoor physical training event for Marines at his headquarters where music was being played over loudspeakers. A witness to the incident told Stripes that after hearing some of the musical artists use a racial slur, Neary asked junior Marines nearby how they would feel if he used the word. The witness told Stars and Stripes that his comment stunned the young Marines who said that even if Neary "was attempting to be instructive about the taboo nature of the word, it came as a shock to hear it from a white general officer." The investigation into the incident continues, but enough information had emerged that led Berger to relieve Neary of his command, the official told ABC News. A spokesman for U.S. Marine Forces in Europe and Africa referred ABC News to the Marine Corps statement. Col. James T. Iulo will serve as the acting commander of U.S. Marine Forces Europe and Africa until a replacement is identified, according to the Marines.

###CLAIM: if it can keep it together until then, it sure seems like the first baseman is the kind of guy who can push a team into the next gear. ###DOCS: How interesting that, as the Yankees hit a nadir getting swept at home by the rival Rays, their loudest voice didnt opine on what went down. He couldnt, really, not unless he wanted to violate baseball protocol and human common sense. But Luke Voit, barring further setbacks, should rejoin the Yankees soon. And if the Yankees can keep it together until then, their bold first baseman sure seems like the kind of guy capable of pushing them to the next gear. I cant wait, Voit, who has been recovering from left-knee surgery, said Friday, before the Yankees opened their homestand with a 10-0 win over the Tigers. Im dying.After facing live pitching Thursday at the alternate site in Scranton, Voit who said he also has been sprinting, cutting and fielding will start an official rehabilitation stint Tuesday night for the Yankees new Double-A affiliate in Somerset. He said he thought hed need about a weeks worth of games to ramp up, and Aaron Boone mentioned the Yankees next road trip, which starts May 11 at Tropicana Field against the Rays, as a possible time on the calendar to welcome back their vociferous leader. He brings a unique personality to our room, Boone said. A guy that obviously plays the game with a lot of energy and a lot of fire. Is a guy that, as we saw last year, goes to the post even when hes banged up and is able to be productive in those kinds of scenarios.Luke Voit is itching to get back to the Yankees. Charles Wenzelberg / New York PostThe scenario that comes to mind, as the Yankees have staggered through the first month of their season, is last September, when the team dropped five straight games and 15 of 20. It was Voit, at the Blue Jays temporary home in Buffalo, who proclaimed, We have to get back to what the New York Yankees are. I feel like teams arent really scared of us right now and it is kind of a sad thing because we are the New York Yankees and obviously the favorite to win the division this year, and thats obviously gone away so we have to step it up. Then he closed out the season with a .290/.324/.652 display of walking the walk, homering eight times in those 17 games to win the major-league ding-dong crown with 22. Think the Yankees, who brought an 11-14 record into Fridays action could have used Voits power and passion when they got swept by the Rays at home April 16-18? Its frustrating. You want to be there with the boys, Voit said. I know some of them are pressing a little bit, trying to do too much. But hey, these guys had a good road trip. Obviously they didnt want to come out like they wanted to (Thursday, a 4-3 ,10-inning loss to the Yankees in Baltimore), but I trust these boys are gonna get the job done.For sure, that job will become easier with Voit in the lineup. Hes a guy that, like most of our guys, Luke loves to play the game and loves the competition, Boone said. I know thats the biggest thing thats getting at him right now, because now hes feeling well and he wants to get back in there and compete with the boys. Theres a lot of intangible things he brings to this group from an energy and an intensity standpoint.The Yankees could use some help on tangible things like fundamentals and athleticism, too; Voit hardly will cure all which ails this club with his return. Yet Voit isnt just equipped to carry a baseball team in general. As evidenced by what he did last September, the 30-year-old is uniquely hard-wired to carry this baseball team, specifically, at least for short spurts. I think if theyre going through this stretch in June or July, I dont think it would be talked about as much, Voit said of his teammates. But obviously were at the bottom of the division right now and (dont) have a good record. Weve just got to get clicking.For sure, theyre more likely to click with Voits stick and shtick active. DUNEDIN, Fla. Luke Voit is progressing well from surgery to repair a partially torn meniscus in his left knee and is doing some light fielding, according to Yankees manager Aaron Boone. Voit could advance to hitting off a tee next week, and the Yankees hope he can return in early May. Luke Voit APBecause Jay Bruce has had success through his career against Toronto starter Hyun Jin Ryu, he was in the lineup. Bruce entered in an 0-for-14 skid, but ended that with a double. He looked good, Boone said of Bruces at-bats. Bruce went 1-for-3 in the Yankees 7-3 loss to the Blue Jays. Giancarlo Stanton snapped an 0-for-16 streak with a single and Boone pointed to his main issue as hitting the ball on the ground instead of in the air. The stats back that up, as many of Stantons advanced numbers are similar to where theyve been throughout his career, but his ground ball rate has increased. Its getting in that position to get off his best swing and when he does, getting it airborne or on a line, Boone said. With Giancarlo, thats always simmering [and] always right there. Its probably a little fine-tuning with timing and when he does get a pitch to do damage [doing it]- even though even when he puts it on the ground, its so hard, sometimes it finds a hole.DJ LeMahieu (2-for-3) is another Yankee hitting more ground balls than hes accustomed to and Boone said hes probably leaving the zone more than hes used to.But Boone noted hes still getting hits and getting on base. Hell start to lock it in and when he does, the league will be in for it.

###CLAIM: witherspoon added to the innovation by putting on her shoulder a photo of john, travolta and olivia dancing together. ###DOCS: Celebrities are leaning on one another to get into the Christmas spirit. Some of Hollywood's brightest stars including Reese Witherspoon, Mark Ruffalo and more have jumped on a viral trend poking fun at the "elf on the shelf" tradition. Elf on the shelf is a popular holiday tradition in which parents place a small elf doll in their home and tell their children that the elf watches over them during the day and reports back to the North Pole at night. Each morning, after returning from his "mission," the elf is placed in a different location in the home. MARIAH CAREY HOPES TO BRING CHRISTMAS CHEER IN A YEAR WHEN TOO MUCH HAS BEEN 'CANCELED'This year, celebrities are having their own brand of fun with the custom and instead, sharing images of themselves with another celebrity super-imposed onto their shoulder. The catch: Like "elf on the shelf," their names must rhyme. Elizabeth Banks is among the stars to have jumped on the trend, sharing a photo of herself with Tom Hanks as Forest Gump on her shoulder. "I know youve all heard of Elf on the Shelf, but have you heard of..." she captioned the post, letting fans conclude the phrase with "Hanks on a Banks." Witherspoon followed suit, sharing a pic of herself with Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta dancing on her shoulder. "Oh hey @elizabethbanks! I see your Hanks-on-Banks and I raise you a Grease-on-Reese," she wrote in the caption. Jennifer Garner joined in on the fun, sharing a picture of herself (Jen) with Sean Penn on her shoulder. NICOLE KIDMAN COMPLIMENTS KEITH URBAN FOR BEING SELF-MADE, SAYS HE HELPS HER BE BETTER ACTRESSNicole Kidman shared a sultry throwback photo and placed a meditating Mick Jagger on her shoulder, effectively creating "Mick on a Nic." The Queen of Christmas, Mariah Carey, went for a more literal rhyme, sharing a pic of herself in holiday-themed pajamas with Jim Carrey's Grinch creeping on her shoulder. "Throwing some tinsel on this challenge and presenting you #CarreyOnCarey," read the caption. Ruffalo tapped into his Marvel family and placed Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark on his shoulder ("Stark on a Mark"), while Natalie Portman, shortening her name to Nat, placed Kat Dennings at her side. Kerry Washington paired herself with Katy Perry, Gerard (Gerry) Butler with Harry Potter, and Julianne Hough paired herself with Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPOther stars got silly, pairing themselves with other random objects, such as Sean Hayes, who superimposed a prawn on his shoulder. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTERDebra Messing matched the first syllable of her last name with the Loch Ness Monster, while Katie Couric put "The Brady Bunch" cast on her shoulder.

###CLAIM: at the time, the list was intended to demonstrate the scope of the fledgling startup's search technology and user base and differentiate google from the crowded search engine market that once crowded with companies like yahoo! , askjeeves and inktomi. ###DOCS: The COVID-19 pandemic, protests, wildfires and a high-stakes presidential election: 2020 was one chaotic year, and a surge of people turned to Google for answers. Now the search giant has released the Year in Search, its annual snapshot of the year's most important search terms, news stories, entertainers and politicians. To create the annual list Google aggregates trillions yes, trillions of queries over the course of the year, filters out junk data like duplicate queries, then tabulates a list reflecting the events the company says most defined the year. To identify trends, Google's algorithm looks for the percentage increase in searches for a term over a period of time, relative to other searches. This year, searches for "election results" topped the list, and searches related to "coronavirus" were ubiquitous across categories. "Kobe Bryant," "Joe Biden" and "stimulus checks" were also widely searched search terms. "One thing that has been incredible to see in the data is the unprecedented shifts in people's information needs," said Google's data editor, Simon Rogers. For example, Google launched a COVID-19 news page when its internal trend tracking tools flagged a spike in searches related to coronavirus. Instead of presenting a traditional page with search results, searches related to COVID-19 display timely and accurate information from vetted medical sources, like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization and local news sources. "We worked with partners at the international, national and even local levels to connect people with the critical info," Rogers explained. The page also used public data sources to display updated information like COVID-19 statistics in Google Maps. There were other atypical trends this year, Rogers said. The most interesting topics reflected how people adjusted to "a new normal. Queries about "Dalgona coffee," a popular comfort-food trend on social network TikTok, and "banana bread recipes" hit an all-time high, and questions about how to cut your own hair remained popular all year. "Fires near me" and "earthquake near me" were two of the top trending local queries this year. This year marks the 20th anniversary of Google's Year in Search. "Nostradamus," "osama bin laden" and "eminem" were the top queries when the list launched in 2001. At the time, the zeitgeist nature of the list was intended to demonstrate the scope of the fledgling startup's search technology and user base and to differentiate Google in a once-crowded search-engine market, which included competitors like Yahoo!, AskJeeves and Inktomi. When the list launched it was just one simple webpage with a few subcategories. Today Google publishes hundreds of "trending" categories in multiple languages. Here are some of Google's top trending search queries for 2020:SearchesElection resultsCoronavirusKobe BryantCoronavirus updateCoronavirus symptomsNewsElection resultsCoronavirusStimulus checksUnemploymentIranPeopleJoe BidenKim Jong UnKamala HarrisJacob BlakeRyan Newman, a NASCAR driverPoliticiansJoe BidenKamala HarrisBoris JohnsonPete ButtigiegMike BloombergThe full list is here.

###CLAIM: in addition, the national security law continues to be used to stifle dissent and curtail individual freedoms in hong kong, without ensuring security. ###DOCS: Comment on this story Comment Gift Article ShareHONG KONG Tony Chung had been planning his asylum bid for weeks. He had sent documents to Washington earlier this month, the advocacy group helping him with the process said, and he hoped he could soon resettle in the United States. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russias war in Ukraine. ArrowRight But Chung a founder of a pro-independence student group in Hong Kong who was among the first to be arrested under Beijings new national security law imposed in late June was growing nervous ahead of a scheduled check at a police station as part of his bail terms. So on Tuesday, Chung and four other Hong Kong activists sought to reach the U.S. Consulate in hopes of speeding up the process, according to the London-based advocacy group Friends of Hong Kong and local media reports. Chung, 19, was apprehended by several men and taken away before he could reach the consulate gates, a video of the incident obtained by the South China Morning Post showed. The other four a U.S. citizen among them, according to Friends of Hong Kong briefly entered the consulate later that afternoon, but they had their requests for refuge inside the compound rebuffed and were turned away. AdvertisementTwo other former members of Chungs group, Studentlocalism, were separately arrested Tuesday. The scenes underscored the desperation of Hong Kong protesters and activists in the city, who fear political persecution and unfair trials. It also raises questions about why the U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong would have turned away an American citizen appealing for help. The State Department cannot comment on our communications with U.S. citizens, said a spokesperson, citing privacy concerns. Asylum can only be requested upon arrival in the United States, the spokesperson added. The United States, in very rare cases, has protected Chinese activists at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, and it is also rare for the United States to grant refuge inside its other diplomatic compounds around the world. The Hong Kong police said they had arrested three people between the ages of 19 and 21 on Tuesday, and have released two on police bail, without naming them. A 19-year-old remains in custody, police said. The Hong Kong police declined to comment further on the asylum seekers, referring The Washington Post instead to the Security Bureau, a government department. AdvertisementIn responses to questions from The Post, a spokesman for the Hong Kong government said it does not comment on media reports. The spokesman added that people in Hong Kong are prosecuted for acts in contravention with the laws of Hong Kong regardless of their political beliefs or backgrounds.There is no justification for any so-called political asylum for people in Hong Kong, the spokesman added. Hong Kong officials have previously asserted there is no political persecution in the territory. On July 1, China implemented an authoritarian national security law aimed at stifling dissent and protests in Hong Kong, breaking its treaty with Britain. (Video: The Washington Post)Friends of Hong Kong, which describes itself as defending rights, freedom and democracy in Hong Kong, said Chung contacted the group in October, wishing to petition the U.S. government for asylum. The group spoke to The Post on the condition that the other four who sought refuge at the consulate were not named. The Post was unable to independently contact them or Chung. AdvertisementChung was arrested in July shortly after Beijing passed a new national security law in Hong Kong, designed to put an end to the political unrest and street protests last year by punishing broadly worded crimes like terrorism and secession with up to life in prison. He and three other former members of Studentlocalism, the group he helped found, were accused of posting a message on social media that advocated for Hong Kong to be independent from China. Chung described his arrest as politically motivated. The other four people who attempted to enter the U.S. Consulate were not members of Studentlocalism, the group said in a social media post. According to Friends of Hong Kong, which was similarly helping them with their asylum bid, the other four had all been arrested in connection with anti-government protests in Hong Kong that began in June 2019 and all have impending court trials on a variety of charges. One among them was a U.S. citizen. AdvertisementThe State Department spokesperson also condemned the arrest of Chung and the other two student democracy activists, saying his detention in a coffee shop was reprehensible.The National Security Law continues to be used to stifle dissent and curtail individual freedoms of the people of Hong Kong not to ensure security, the spokesperson added. The national security law, and the fear it has caused among Hong Kong activists, has prompted Western countries and Taiwan to put in place assistance programs and lifeboat policies for residents of the financial center hoping to flee. Countries including Germany, Australia, the United States and Canada have recently granted asylum requests from Hong Kong residents, angering Beijing. The United States, in particular, risks further deterioration in the relationship with China over the issue. Many activists favor asylum in the United States, perceiving the Trump administration as broadly backing the goals of Hong Kongs pro-democracy movement after it signed legislation that opened the door to sanctions against those who had undermined Hong Kongs autonomy. AdvertisementEleven Hong Kong and Chinese officials, including Chief Executive Carrie Lam, were targeted in August for restricting Hong Kongs freedoms and undermining the territorys autonomy, and President Trump has ended the territorys special status that allowed it to be treated separately from the Chinese mainland. In July, the United States was forced to close its consulate in Chengdu, amid escalating U.S.-China tensions. Chinese state newspaper the Global Times in a tweet warned that the U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong could face a similar fate if it were to start granting asylum to Hong Kong residents from its premises in the city. There is no indication that the U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong was processing asylum requests or that it plans to offer protection for Hong Kong activists. The U.S. Embassy in Beijing has on very rare occasions shielded Chinese activists, including astrophysicist and pro-democracy advocate Fang Lizhi, who was allowed to travel to Britain in 1990 after a year at the embassy. GiftOutline Gift Article

###CLAIM: kevin, barry and bentley, convicted of the historic abuse of five women and one man, received sentences of 28 years and 18 months in prison respectively from judges james and adkin last week, adding to the catalogue of parole considerations. ###DOCS: A former police officer from Durham has been jailed for raping and assaulting women over a period of 30 years. Kevin Barry Bentley, from Spennymoor, was convicted at Durham Crown Court for a catalogue of historical abuse against five women and one girl, some dating back to the 1970s. After a two-week trial, the 68-year-old was found guilty of 24 serious sexual and physical assaults, including two counts of rape, six of assault and eight of indecent assault. Bentley retired as a police constable in 2006 and none of his offences related to his job as a police officer. Kevin Barry Bentley, from Spennymoor, was convicted at Durham Crown Court for a catalogue of historical abuse against five women and one girlLast week Judge James Adkin sentenced Bentley to 28 years in prison with an additional extended licence period of six years and ordered that the defendant must serve at least 18-and-a-half years in custody before he can be considered for parole. His conviction follows a three-year long investigation by Durham Constabulary which started in 2018 when one victim revealed she had been sexually abused. Officers from Bishop Auckland Safeguarding Team traced a total of six victims, who all gave evidence that over a 30-year period Bentley had physically or sexually assaulted them. Detective Constable Hannan, who was the officer in charge of the investigation, said: Kevin Bentley repeatedly subjected his victims to horrific abuse and now faces many years in prison to reflect on the trail of damaged lives he has left behind him. A former police officer from Durham has been jailed for raping and assaulting women over a period of 30 years. Durham Crown Court is pictured aboveThis has been a long and difficult investigation and above all, our thoughts today are with those women who were strong enough to give evidence to bring their abuser to justice after all this time and hopefully begin the process of moving forward with their lives. I would also like to thank the witnesses who made themselves available to give evidence and the dedicated officers who worked tirelessly and with great sensitivity over three years to ensure that Bentley was brought to trial and ultimately received the lengthy prison sentence he deserves. I hope this conviction will reassure all survivors of abuse that, no matter who the perpetrator is and no matter what the circumstances may be, they can be confident that if they come forward we will listen and we will investigate. Detective Chief Inspector Cuthbert, head of the forces Professional Standards Department, said: Kevin Bentley subjected these women to a sustained campaign of abuse which spanned thirty years. While these offences were not related to Bentleys role as a police officer, they do not reflect the high standards of Durham Constabulary - the standards exemplified by the diligent and dedicated officers who worked to bring him to justice.

###CLAIM: with support from supporters, much of the 60 percent of the raise goes to a new organization called save america. ###DOCS: President Donald Trump has made few public appearances since falsely declaring he won the election several hours after the polls closed. Behind the scenes, Trump has been shoring up Republican support for his refusal to concede and doubling down on launching dubious legal challenges to the results. Hes employed government bodies to bolster the effort, and is raising money to build a new war chest that would let him direct funds to Republicans he wants to support going forward. A person who speaks to Trump frequently said he believes Trumps fight, as disruptive as it is, is a way for him to posture for what comes next. If Trump doesnt prevail in his legal challenges and leaves office, as many aides are anticipating, Trump can use a new leadership political action committee (leadership PAC) to fund candidates of his choosing and potentially pay for political travel and events he might want to do after leaving officeor launch a 2024 presidential campaign, says the person close to Trump. In addition to fundraising with an eye toward staying politically relevant after leaving office, some current and former aides believe Trump could try to launch himself back into the media world, either through a broadcasting deal with a news outlet or bringing investors together to start his own media company. So far, Trump hasnt made overt approaches to his Fox News allies like Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham about working together on building a media company, the person said, because Trump is still in fight mode, and any whiff of him making moves in that direction would indicate he had given up. After his initial ratings success at the Apprentice, Trump has privately floated the idea to friends of building his own media enterprise for years, a concept people around him refer to as Trump TV. Brad Parscale, Trumps former campaign manager who was fired in July, spent more than four years working closely with Trump and his family members, particularly Eric Trump and Jared Kushner. He believes that if Trump ends up leaving the White House, he wont exit the public eye. He can literally do anything he wants, Parscale says. Hes loved by millions of people.In the meantime, his campaigns email and text message spam lists have been going full bore to raising money to pay off the more than $1.2 million in campaign debts that was already on the books three weeks before Election Day. That debt likely ballooned in the final weeks of the campaign as Trumps fundraising haul trailed Bidens and his campaign tried to fend off being swamped by Biden television ads, says Republican pollster Frank Luntz. In addition, Luntz adds, he needs money to fight these court cases.In the 48 hours after Biden was projected to have won the presidency, the Trump campaign sent more than 53 versions of emails to supporters asking them to donate to his legal defense fund. One of the websites the fundraising emails link to, set up by the Trump Make America Great Again Committee, notes at the bottom that 40% of the donations made through the site will go to the Republican National Committee and the rest will go towards Trumps campaign debt. On Tuesday the disclosures in some Trump fundraising emails said that as much as 60% raised would go to Save America, a new leadership PAC set up to support Trump. The fundraising emails seem to have been hastily put together, wavering between cajoling and bullying supporters into chipping in. Some tried to appeal gently to supporters with subject lines like Everything weve worked for and Weve come so far. Another took a different tack, warning: This is your FINAL NOTICE. So far, youve ignored all our emails asking you to join us in DEFENDING THE ELECTION. Youve ignored Team Trump, Eric, Lara, Don, the Vice President AND youve even ignored the President of the United States.During a conference call with high-profile supporters on Saturday, Trumps campaign manager Bill Stepien said he was getting a lot of calls asking how people can help. One way to help, Stepien said, was to contribute to the legal defense fund. You can go to donaldtrump.com and make sure the funds are available. You can certainly do that. This is not a fundraising solicitation, but it is an avenue to help, he said. Stepien also gave out a phone number he called a hotline for reporting instances of election fraud, and told the people on the call to stand at the ready because we may need your help at protests.Trumps active undermining of the election results has real world consequences. His head of the General Services Administration has failed to allow Bidens transition teams to enter agencies to prepare for taking over on Jan. 20, and his Attorney General William Barr told prosecutors to investigate allegations of voting irregularities before results are certified, ignoring 40 years of precedent to not interfere during an election and prompting the departments top elections prosecutor to resign. Hes lined up GOP politicians in Georgia to back his claims, even though their own elections rest on the integrity of those results. Trump has been laying groundwork for months to undermine trust in the electoral process with false and unfounded claims about wide-spread voter fraud, and there are concerns that a large number of Republicans may never believe the outcome. Seventy percent of Republicans dont believe the election was free and fair, according to a POLITICO/Morning Consult poll. Republican pollster Luntz argues that allowing the legal challenges and the counts to play out could eventually help allay concerns among some Republican voters that the election wasnt fair. Theyre not going to find anything. He lost. Just let the process work, Luntz says. Trump was at his golf club in Virginia on Saturday, the day AP projected he had lost to Biden, and Trump returned to the links on Sunday, during an unseasonably warm November day. At the golf club, the person familiar with his mood on Sunday said, he was very calm, very calm, no panic, no stress.With reporting by Alana Abramson and Vera BergengruenContact us at letters@time.com.

###CLAIM: they donated 90, 000 dollars to the british charity feeding britain to support efforts to keep feeding vulnerable populations in lockdown. ###DOCS: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have announced that Spanish chef Jose Andres's foundation to feed the hungry will be the first recipient of help from their Archewell foundation. Meghan and Harry set up the foundation in April this year in the name of their one-year-old son, Archie. The name also stems from the Ancient Greek word 'arche', which means 'source of action'. At the time of the organization's founding, it was reported that Archewell would focus on issues including 'conservation, female empowerment, and gender equality'. Their website says it is 'an organization committed to creating compassionate communities online and off, to serve our collective wellbeing.' On Sunday they said they had chosen the first charity to support, and will be giving money to Jose Andres's World Central Kitchen - an organization that provides sustenance to those in need around the world. It was not stated how much was being given, but the money will build four Community Relief Centers - the first in Domenica, and the second in Puerto Rico. The cost of each center will vary depending on the location, but Nate Mook, CEO of World Central Kitchen, estimated that each set-up would require an initial investment of at least $50,000 to get up and running. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are supporting chef Jose Andres (pictured) in his charityMeghan and Harry's Beverly Hills-based charity praised Andres' team's inspirational example'When we think about Chef Andres and his incredible team at World Central Kitchen, we're reminded that even during a year of unimaginable hardship, there are so many amazing people willing - and working tirelessly - to support each other,' they wrote. 'World Central Kitchen inspires us through compassion in action.' World Central Kitchen was founded in 2010 in response to the Haiti earthquake by Andres, a celebrity chef who runs 16 restaurants from New York City, Washington DC, and Miami to Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Puerto Rico. He was due to open a restaurant inside the Trump Hotel in Washington DC, but pulled out in 2016 when the president infamously called Mexicans 'rapists'. He has remained a fervent Trump critic ever since. In 2018, Andres was nominated for the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize. 'We are more energized than ever to continue this vital work, and we're proud that it will be hand in hand with Archewell Foundation and The Duke and Duchess of Sussex,' said Andres. 'I have come to know both of them well, and believe that their values are directly aligned with what we stand for at World Central Kitchen.' Andres said that he had got to know Meghan and Harry, and they shared the same valuesThe Spanish-born, DC-based chef is a passionate advocate for food securityAndres, 51, has since 2010 devoted much of his energy to WFK, traveling around the world to disaster zones. The organization works by parachuting into disaster areas, and then working with local groups to improve the supply chain for those most in need. In their 10 years they have worked in Nicaragua, Peru, Zambia, Uganda, and Cambodia, among other countries. Andres famously brought his team to Washington DC to provide meals for government employees going without pay during the furlough in January 2019. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are backing a series of Community Relief Centers for World Central Kitchen. Meghan and Harry founded Archewell in April to support community organizationsThe structures will be permanent, Bloomberg reported, and built to act as quickly-activated service kitchens during emergencies like natural disasters, with the ability to transition to community centers, schools and clinics. Andres' team believe that their integrated approach is the best way to promote more resilient local food systems. The first of the four centers is being built on the Caribbean island of Domenica, which was hard hit by Hurricanes Maria and Irma in 2017. The center is due to open in early 2021. The second will be set in Puerto Rico; the other two locations have not been announced. The Duke and Duchess said that they do not have immediate plans to visit the centers due to coronavirus restrictions, but plan to in the future. The design of each center will be dependent on the location. 'One of our greatest assets is being able to quickly spring into action to feed those in need after a disaster,' Mook told Bloomberg. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are seen delivering with Project Angel Food in April in LAThe Duke and Duchess went door-to-door in April, volunteering with the charityThe pair have a long-running interest in helping the needy with food, which in London resulted in Meghan working on a cookbook with women who survived the Grenfell Tower disaster. In Los Angeles, they volunteered on Easter Sunday with local charity Project Angel Food and returned to drop-off non-perishable meals to 20 more vulnerable people in the city. They also donated 90,000 to British charity Feeding Britain to support efforts to keep vulnerable populations fed during lockdown.

###CLAIM: read more about it on fox news : super charged ram trx 450-1500 : designed for high performance road suspension like the raptor but substantially more powerful than the fords v6. ###DOCS: Ram wants to eat more than Ford F-150 Raptors lunch with its new monster truck. It wants to eat the Raptor. The 702-horsepower Ram 1500 TRX, which is set to become the most powerful production pickup in the world later this year, is equipped with a none-too-subtle message aimed it its top off-road rival. The TRX, which resurrects an old trim level designation Ram had in its intellectual property files, contains an image hidden under its plastic engine cover that plays off its names similarity to the abbreviation for Tyrannosaurus Rex. The design Easter egg was revealed in video posted by to the YouTube page of Michigan-based off-road truck enthusiast bkhaja89 and shows a T. rex with a raptor dinosaur in its mouth in homage to the climax of the first Jurassic Park film. READ MORE ABOUT THE RAM 1500 TRX FROM FOX NEWS AUTOSThe $71,690 TRX was designed with a high-performance off-road suspension similar to the Raptor's, but its 6.2-liter supercharged V8 is substantially more powerful than the Fords 450 horsepower turbocharged V6. Ford may not be giving up without a fight, however. Rumor has it that the automaker is working on a Raptor powered by a version of the 760-hp supercharged 5.2-liter V8 currently featured in the Mustang Shelby GT500 that goes by the Predator nickname, setting up a battle for the ages. Meanwhile GMC will be launching the 1,000 hp electric HUMMER EV pickup late next year. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP A stunning, action-packed sneak peek of Jurassic World: Dominion showcases two dinosaurs battling it out in a land full of the ancient creatures. The five-minute long trailer will only be available at screenings of F9 at IMAX theaters around the world starting June 25, according to Collider. And while not everyone will be heading to the theaters, a brief teaser of the trailer showcases all the drama awaiting viewers. Dino-mite! A stunning, action-packed sneak peak of Jurassic World: Dominion teases all the excitement awaiting fans of the legendary franchiseThe teaser begins with shots of dinosaurs peacefully gathering at a river for a drink and a winged creature howling amongst its own. The next shot shows a Morus intrepidus seemingly drinking from the mouth of a massive Giganotosaurus. Next, fans catch a shot of the massive beast battling it out with the T-Rex. The dinosaurs butt heads in what will certainly be a memorable fight for the ages. Whoa! The two dinosaurs butted heads as they battled it outSerene: The teaser begins with a shot of dinosaurs peacefully gathered at a riverTaking flight: Next, viewers see a winged creature howling amongst its ownFans will be able to feast their eyes on their trailer at IMAX screenings of the film in more than 40 countries, according to Collider . 'Ever since I was a kid, I have wanted to see dinosaurs in their natural habitat,' director Colin Trevorrow said of the preview in a statement, according to the site. 'It may have taken a few decades, but with a little help from ILM, Universal and Amblin, it has finally happened. This Preview is just a glimpse of the film we've made. Meet the new dinos: The next shot shows two new dinosaurs never before seen in a Jurassic Park/World film before, a Morus intrepidus and GiganotosaurusInteresting: The tiny, somewhat fluffy animal appeared to be drinking from his mouth'It's an epic celebration of everything Steven Spielberg and Michael Crichton created, and I can't wait to share it with the world next summer... This sequence was made to be seen on the biggest screen possible. 'Luckily, IMAX theaters are back, and all over the world we're returning to theaters because movies bring us closer together. I think we need that shared experience right now... maybe more than we ever have.' Jurassic World: Dominion won't be released for another year, but recently director Colin teased new details about the upcoming dinosaur sequel. Check out those chompers! The massive dinosaur arose just in time for his fightUnforgettable: Fans will be able to feast their eyes on their trailer at IMAX screenings of the film in more than 40 countries, according to ColliderThe film - which was set to be premiered this week until the COVID-19 pandemic delayed production by months - is still steeped in mystery, with regards to its precise plot. But the director, who was responsible for rebooting the Jurassic Park franchise in 2015 with fourth film Jurassic World, has now teased how the story will work structurally. He also revealed, speaking to Collider, how long the movie will be, and that he has already shown a cut of it to friends and Jurassic Park super fans, to get their feedback. Tease: Jurassic World: Dominion director Colin Trevorrow has teased new details about the upcoming dinosaur sequel, exactly one year ahead of its release'I know how long it is now, and it's not longer than [150 minutes],' he said, explaining that he has screened a finely-tuned version of the film to 'deep fans of Jurassic Park, people who swear by it and love it, and then seeing how they feel.' The movie merges Jurassic World protagonists Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard with Jurassic Park stars Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum. Following on from the 1993 original, Neill and Dern appeared in Jurassic Park III together, while Goldblum starred in first sequel The Lost World, making a cameo in fifth film, Jurassic Park: Fallen Kingdom. 'It all started here!' On Wednesday, the film's latest poster was unveiled, and announced that an extended preview of Jurassic World: Dominion will be shown exclusively ahead of every IMAX screening of upcoming action film F9, starting June 25Dominion - which is the sixth film overall - reunites the original trio for the first time, and introduces them to Pratt and Dallas Howard's characters. Trevorrow explained: '[The film follows] two sets of characters... telling two parallel stories that are just driving closer and closer together, and you understand that, and you start to understand how they're going to intersect, and then they do. 'But that's not a traditional way to structure a movie. Laura and Sam and Jeff are just as big a part of the movie as Chris and Bryce are, as far as screen time, as far as their importance to the story, everything.' This reaffirms what has been said previously - that the legacy stars are not cameos. Fans were left a tad disappointed when Goldblum's screentime in Fallen Kingdom turned out to be just a couple of minutes. Similarly, 2001's Jurassic Park III featured Dern only briefly, at the beginning and the end. On Wednesday, the film's latest poster was unveiled, along with an image of two dinosaurs, never before seen in a Jurassic Park/World film before. Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment announced that an extended preview of Jurassic World: Dominion will be shown exclusively ahead of every IMAX screening of upcoming action film F9, starting June 25. Stars: Chris Pratt and Omar Sy are pictured on set with director TrevorrowTwo brand new dinosaurs - Morus intrepidus and Giganotosaurus - feature in a released still from the preview, with a mosquito pictured on the new poster, sucking the blood of an unknown species. The tag line 'It All Started Here...' is written along the top of the poster. This is a nod to the science used in the movies to bring dinosaurs back from extinction. As explained to Dern, Neill and Goldblum's characters in Jurassic Park, blood-sucking mosquitos from prehistoric times were used for DNA extraction, after being found preserved in fossilied tree sap. Jurassic World: Dominion is slated for a June 11 2022 release.

###CLAIM: the australian softball team, winners of three bronze medals and one silver in previous olympics and games, is prepared to go for gold. ###DOCS: Clare Warwick has wanted to be an Olympian ever since she attended the Sydney Olympics as a spectator in 2000. Now she might get her chance. The 34-year-old and her teammates in the Australian softball squad touched down in Japan on Tuesday, making them some of the earliest competitors to arrive for the Tokyo Games. I remember watching a couple of my idols play, says Warwick, the teams shortstop. I thought, yeah I think I would like to give this a go, and thats always been in the back of my mind over the years.The teams arrival has been hailed as a major milestone for the Olympics, but it comes as critics call for the cancellation of Games amid Japans battle against a stubborn fourth COVID wave. On May 28, the Japanese government extended its COVID-19 state of emergency on Tokyo and several other areas until June 20. (The Olympics are scheduled to start on July 23.) Although new cases have declined in recent weeks, the country of 126 million is still recording around 3,000 cases a day. The pandemic means this years Olympics will be unlike any other. Although there are some individual athletes already in the countryincluding runners from South Sudanthe Aussie Spirit softball team is one of the first squads to fly in. Their experience offers insight into what this years Games might look like for other athletes and support staff still intending to travel there from across the world. Its not going to be the Olympics of the past and you know what? I think everyones made their peace with that, Warwick tells TIME from the city of Ota, about 90 miles north of Tokyo, where the team is quarantining following their arrival in Japan. If the Olympics goes ahead, thats good enough for us and were happy to compete under any circumstances.Members of Australia's Olympic softball team, the first national team to come to Japan for pre-Olympic training camp since the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games were postponed to 2021 due to COVID-19, arrive at Narita International Airport in Narita, east of Tokyo, on June 1, 2021. Issei KatoPOOL/AFP/Getty ImagesCOVID precautions at the Tokyo OlympicsOlympic COVID-19 protocols released in April emphasize frequent testing and isolation bubbles for athletes and coaches, if not strict quarantines or vaccinations. Fans from abroad have been banned, and an announcement on whether any Japanese spectators will be allowed is expected late this month. The Australian softball team is taking additional precautions. All the team members have been vaccinated. They took a coronavirus test 72 hours before departing from Australia, another upon landing, and theyll take a daily COVID-19 test while theyre in Japan. The team is now staying in a hotel under quarantine until Saturday, when they can start training outsidebut other movements will be highly restricted. Before the move to the Olympic Village on July 17, theyll be confined to one floor of their hotel, where theyll eat, sleep, attend meetings, and use a makeshift gym set up in a function room. Theyll only leave the hotel to travel by bus to training sessions or friendly matches. They will practice social distancing and wear masks most of the time. We know the eyes of the world are on us, because were the only team of any sport of any country in Japan at the moment, besides the locals, so we have to do everything right, David Pryles, the CEO of Softball Australia, tells TIME. The dining room in the Australian Olympic softball team's hotel in Ota, Japan. Photo courtesy of Softball AustraliaThe players say that theyre happy to comply with the restrictions. Warwick, a high-school teacher from the Australian capital of Canberra, says its a bit of an adjustment wearing a mask all of the time but This is an opportunity for us, and its a massive opportunity, and everyone in the team...understands exactly what they have to do, and why theyre doing it.Read More: Will Japans Low Immunization Rate Pose a Problem for the Olympics? Warwick has visited Japan, and the city of Ota, several times before for training and competitions. But this time she says she plans to keep herself busy inside the hotel grading papers, talking with family and friends back home via Zoom, and catching up on her reading and Netflix. She says that several of the players have brought Nintendo Switch devices, and theyve been competing against each other in Mario Kart. Im going to miss being around the people and ... going to get our favorite coffee and our favorite meals in the evening, she says, adding that one of the things she likes to eat most in Japan is okonomiyaki, a savory pancake. Australian softball players passing time by playing Nintendo Switch in their hotel in Ota, Japan. Photo courtesy of Softball AustraliaOpposition to the Tokyo OlympicsDetractors say that its too risky to hold the Games during a global pandemic. A Japanese doctors union warns that the Olympicsat which 15,000 athletes from over 200 different territories are expectedcould be a super-spreader event and might bring global variants of the virus to Tokyo. Fears have been exacerbated by the countrys slow vaccine rollout: only about 9% of people in Japan have received one shot. More than 70% of Japanese want the Olympics to be canceled or postponed, according to an April poll by Kyodo News. The Asahi Shimbun newspaper, an official sponsor of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, has called for the Games to be cancelled. Prominent Japanese have joined in the debate. Tennis star Naomi Osaka says shes conflicted over whether the Games should go ahead because they might put people at risk, while SoftBank Group CEO Masayoshi Son has expressed concern, saying the country had a lot to lose. Olympic torch runners have been heckled by protesters, and about 10,000 volunteers have dropped out, presumably over virus fears. Training camps across the country have meanwhile been cancelledeither by worried local officials or sports teams themselves. Read More: Australia Is Nearly COVID-19 Free. Tokyo-Bound Olympic Surfers Are Reaping the BenefitsDespite the opposition, officials have insisted the Olympics will go ahead. A senior member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said last week that the event will be held barring Armageddon.So the Australian softball team, which won three bronze medals and one silver in previous Olympics, is preparing to go for Gold. Whilst being told the Games are on, we have to prepare the best we can to be podium-ready, says Pryles, of Softball Australia. For now, members of Aussie Spirit are focused on getting over their jetlag and getting into a good sleep routine, says Warwick. Once out of quarantine, theyll play a series of warm-up games against Japanese softball clubs and Japans national team. Of the 23 Australian players now training in Japan, a team of 15 will be then picked to compete in the Olympics. The makeshift gym in the Australian softball team's hotel in Ota, Japan. Softball AustraliaPryles says that only two of the present squad members have played in the Olympics before. The sport made its first appearance at the Olympic Games in 1996, but it didnt return until 2008 (when Warwick was a reserve player). It also wont be included in the 2024 Olympics in Paris. So, for many of the players, including Warwick, this is the only shot at Olympic glory. Im sort of at the end of my career. I played my first international game in Japan, and Id love to play my last one here in an Olympic Games, she says. Pryles sympathizes. Their lifelong dream is right there on the doorstep. Theyll do what it takes.Write to Amy Gunia at amy.gunia@time.com.

###CLAIM: berges and chadha explain their use of experience in the marginalised communities to help others write. ###DOCS: A Jewish family quasi-closeting their lesbian daughter. A Vietnamese-American teenager being yelled at for having a condom while no one realizes her brother is hiding a gun in the house. A black Republican fighting with his son over affirmative action. A Latina mother sharing a table with her ex-husband who slept with her cousin. These are not the Hallmark card images of Thanksgiving that are surprisingly, and often relentlessly, still packaged to Americans. But in 2000, Whats Cooking? interwove these four seemingly disparate family stories together into a sumptuous Thanksgiving feast of a filmone that serves up goi cuon, kishkas, and empanadas along with its turkey. Now, two decades later, it remains the most authentic, charming, and hands-down most satisfying Thanksgiving movie. Ironically, not being American may be the very key to creating a film that accurately captures the most quintessentially American holiday without getting weighed down in saccharine or schmaltz. Much like Thanksgiving itself, Whats Cooking? is a British brainchild. The movie is directed and co-written by Gurinder Chadha, the British Indian filmmaker behind the globally beloved Bend It Like Beckham and last years jubilant, Bruce Springsteen-fueled Blinded by the Light. Everyone will bang on about Bend It Like Beckham because they can see its about an Indian girl and all that, but when its this film and I mention it, its like Ive seen that movie! You made that movie? Its so American! Chadha told The Daily Beast. Theres the expectation of what a person like me would make as a movie, and I think what Whats Cooking? does is sort of throw that out.Chadha was inspired to build a movie around Thanksgiving after coming to Los Angeles and spending the holiday with her husband Paul Mayeda Berges, her co-writer on Whats Cooking? Berges, who grew up in L.A. and whose parents divorced when he was very young, would split Thanksgiving. First, they would go to his fathers for a meal, which Chadha described as a fancy-shmancy Thanksgiving. Then, they would spend dinner with Berges Japanese-American mother, whose Thanksgiving was always a big old turkey and mash but also sushi and ribs and all this other food on the table.The director loved how Thanksgiving could be universally celebrated but in wildly different ways that reflected the diverse communities in America. My work up til that point in Britain had always been about opening up this concept of Britishness, she said. I just took that debate to America to decide, how do you define the American family?She built the movie around four Los Angeles families of different racial and ethnic backgrounds celebratingand, to a certain degree, suffering throughThanksgiving in ways that are both distinct and remarkably similar. Or, as Chadha put it, Whats going on in each family could be happening in any of the families. Nothing culturally specifically, its just shit happens in all families.The African American Williams family is headed by Audrey (Alfre Woodard), who is left high and dry with a mother-in-law whose disapproval of her modern menu seems like a larger indictment of her as a wife and mother, while her Colin Powell-loving Republican husband, Ronald (Dennis Haysbert), ditches the family to tend to his boss, the governor of California. In the Vietnamese American Nguyen family, Trinh (Joan Chen) erupts in anger and despair at the prospect that her teenage daughter Jenny (Kristy Wu) might be having sex and her larger fear that her children are becoming American in the worst, most disrespectful way. The Latino Avila family is led by Elizabeth (Mercedes Ruehl), an elementary school teacher and newly single mother. But her husband, Javier (Victor Rivers), who walked out on her, has pulled off an invite to the Thanksgiving dinner with remarkable chutzpah. In the Jewish Seelig family, mom Bea (Lainie Kazan) and dad Herb (Maury Chaykin) lie awake at night, alternating between wondering if their daughter Rachel (Kyra Sedgwick) is a lesbian because they sent her to that kibbutz... with all those girls and worrying what will happen if her partner Carla (Julianna Margulies) breaks up with her, since their house is in Carlas name. When I read the script, I thought, Right, this is Americawhat is everyones household like at Thanksgiving because we are a melting pot of different cultures? Julianna Margulies told The Daily Beast. Plus, she said, My God, of all the people to be in love with, Kyra Sedgwick was the pot of gold right there!For an independent movie, Whats Cooking? was punching well above its weight in terms of star power, especially when it came to the women leading these families. But its actors are only one part of the onscreen performance. The food told its own story. Everyone had yams but everyone had them differently; everyone had turkey but everyone did it differently. Each element of food was a character and supported the characters, said Chadha. AdvertisementSedgwick recalled to The Daily Beast how meticulous Gurinder was about those cooking scenes. I had to be taught how to pinch the pie and everything. Margulies, on the other hand, remembered a turkey hangover. When youre acting in a movie about food, the first day its really fun and then you realize, Oh my God, for continuity I took a bite and every time, you have to take that same bite, she said, laughing. And you know, four days later, the food is still sitting there.In perhaps the greatest food scene in all of film, Whats Cooking? playfully cuts between the different ways each family adds accoutrements to their Thanksgiving mealdotting sweet potatoes with marshmallows and maraschino cherries (the Seeligs), making tamales and slicing fresh onions, tomatoes, and limes (the Avilas), tightly wrapping up shrimp and lettuce into the perfect spring roll (the Nguyens), slicing scallions to top off a Martha Stewart-esque scalloped potatoes dish (the Williams)all while the very Californian song Wipe Out plays. Even better, there are different instrumentations of Wipe Out, alternating between the classic version and ones that take on each of the families musical cultures. This medley of food and music embodies a key message of Whats Cooking? : Yes, theres variation on the surface, but for each family the core of the celebration is very much the same. However, what makes Whats Cooking? so satisfying 20 years later is that the movie doesnt strive for some artificial sense of universality at the cost of minimizing differences or, more specifically, racial, ethnic, or cultural complexity. If anything, the movie willingly dives into the heterogeneousness among and within the respective communities. For example, after Ronald tells his mother not to get upset in front of their guestsa white colleague and his familyhis mother accuses him of being ashamed of her: All my life I had to put up with white people lookin at me funny, and now my sons gonna do the same thing, too? Later on, Ronalds son Michael criticizes him for working for a man who sold out affirmative action, while Ronald defends the governor as saying the same thing that I am saying. Do for yourself. Michael coolly counters, If it wasnt for affirmative action, you wouldnt have your boy, Colin Powell, now would you? While African Americans (like many people of color) are often presumed to be and, as a result, predominantly depicted as uniformly Democrat or liberal, Whats Cooking? did not hesitate to complicate that assumption. When all the distributors started coming forward, they were all like, Its a great film, but we dont know how to market it. Is it a Black film? Is it a Latina film? Is it an Asian film? What is it? and I said, Well, its an American film. Being a woman of color, Gurinder understood that we are complex people, Woodard told The Daily Beast. Back then, especially across the broader culture and especially onscreen, African Americans were always on the fringes of the frame and they were monolithic. Anywhere there are African Americans, there will be all of those choices in terms of direction of socio-political thought, but no one had put it on screen.AdvertisementAnywhere there are African Americans, there will be all of those choices in terms of direction of socio-political thought, but no one had put it on screen. One of the gifts of Whats Cooking?, though, is that its not all heavy debates. Rather, it finds ways of exploring uncomfortable issues through humor. When I write different people, Im not afraid to make them funny and make them say things that in other peoples mouths might be hideously racist, Chadha said. Theres authenticity in that perspective, but its how you balance it with everything else.When multiple men in the Avila family meet the Vietnamese American boyfriend of Elizabeths daughter, they keep bringing up their passion for Hong Kong American Bruce Lee and doing awkward impressions of him, never realizing that their attempt to find common ground is mildly insulting (or what one might call a micro-aggression in 2020 parlance). When Rachel is outed, her shocked Aunt Bea (played in the most perfectly irritating way by Estelle Harris) tries to explain to completely confused Uncle David, Rachel is a lesbian, you know, like Ellen. Baffled, he says, Ellen Lieberman, the butchers wife, is a lesbian?While some of the references may occasionally feel dated, the jokes and debates in Whats Cooking? have aged surprisingly well, even in a post-Obama and post-Obergefell America. That Chadha and Berges writing has largely stood the test of time is even more of a feat considering they were mostly writing about families that were different from their own (at least racially and ethnically). Berges explained how he and Chadha used their own experiences in marginalized communities to help them write about others. Before Whats Cooking?, he had done documentaries and films about Japanese Americans and Chadha had done movies about the British Indian community, making them both very conscious of how their respective groups were depicted onscreen. When youre so concerned with how youre represented and how you come across, I think you tend to show extra sensitivity when youre representing other communities or other people, Berges told The Daily Beast. He understands why some filmmakers may be hesitant to depict communities other than their own for fear of getting it wrong. But he hopes that wont prevent them from creating diverse stories. Representation is as important as ever. If people feel, Oh, I wish there was more diversity, but Im afraid of saying the wrong thing, so Im going to play it safe, thats a danger, he said. People need to be sensitive. People need to be aware of how important it iswhatever theyre representingbut people shouldnt be fearful.AdvertisementRepresentation is as important as ever. If people feel, Oh, I wish there was more diversity, but Im afraid of saying the wrong thing, so Im going to play it safe, that would be the wrong outcome, he said. People need to be sensitive. People need to be aware of how important it iswhatever theyre representingbut people shouldnt be fearful. Thats a danger.Alfre Woodard in What's Cooking? Lionsgate UKUnfortunately, Whats Cooking?s commitment to racially and ethnically diverse stories and casting may also explain why you probably have never heard of it. When all the distributors started coming forward, they were all like, Its a great film, but we dont know how to market it. Is it a Black film? Is it a Latina film? Is it an Asian film? What is it? and I said, Well, its an American film, Chadha recalled. I think that, at the time, people did not think about diversity. They were just used to saying, Oh, heres a film with Black people, well sell that to the Magic Johnson theaters. Oh, heres an Asian film, we can sell to the Asian community over here.While Whats Cooking? feels not only fresh but groundbreaking by Hollywood standards, certain aspects of the movie might make it feel distinctly out of place in 2020 Americanamely, its joyfulness. Its not that the film avoids difficult topics about race, ethnicity, sexuality, or identity. But they dont supersede the ultimately celebratory tone and theme of the movie. That was not an oversight, but a purposeful decision for Chadha and Berges. AdvertisementChadha contrasted her approach to Whats Cooking? with 2004s Crash, another film focused on intersecting racial and cultural communities in Los Angeles but with a much heavier focus on the fractures and schisms. I felt the way Crash had been done was that it was really making race a problem. And maybe that was true for that filmmaker, but for me, race is never the problem.Lionsgate UKDepicting different ethnic and racial groups living together should be joyous rather than fraught, said Chadha and Berges. Why is it that films about different communities have to be about communities in conflict? asked Berges. Its not the way that most people live. And yet, you still very rarely see films that have different communities just sort of co-existing because that's the fabric of the neighborhood or the city. Their films aim to fill that gap, emphasizing how people reflect each other and mirror each other.Whats Cooking? can also feel discordant today because it thrives on so much empathysome modern viewers might in fact say theres too much of it. In 2020, we gladly tell people to unfollow us if they disagree with what we say (and, of course, we unfollow them). Were increasingly pressured to cut out friends and families who dont seem like they can be allies to our causes. In light of all of this, Whats Cooking? seems too forgiving. Shouldnt Rachel skip out on Thanksgiving if her parents only want Carla introduced as her friend? Shouldnt Michael refuse to come home if his dad is going to keep shilling for a bigot governor? And yet, despite that the Seeligs are struggling to fully accept their lesbian daughter, that Ronald Williams is working for a race-baiting governor, that the Nguyens are so preoccupied with their teenage daughters virginity that they dont realize their son is struggling not to get sucked into school violence, we dont hate themfar from it, in fact. Whats Cooking? portrays these people, who are biased and narrow-minded in their own ways, with understanding. Twenty years later, as weve hit peak polarization (or we can only hope), such empathy for people who hold views opposite to our own can feel unfamiliaror worse, like a sign of weakness. AdvertisementBut thats also why Whats Cooking? may be strangely perfect for this years Thanksgiving. I mean if COVID has taught us anything its that, yeah, families are complicated, but its worth it, Sedgwick said. One of the biggest things about the movie is that everyone is sort of learning from each other. They may have very different ideas, but at least theyre in the ring. Theyre not over in the corner not talking to each other.Whats Cooking? reminds us that even when our families may be deeply flawed and frustrating, its okay to allow ourselves to put our fights on the backburner and just find some joy in being together. I would say to people that think you wouldnt go home if your folks were Trumpeteers and you were Bernie people: You go homeand then you deal with it because thats home. Yes, there are people that blast about how they cant but that gets more airwaves than the people who do, Woodard said. The thing is, you cant divorce family. You can spend a season apart from them, but you cant divorce them. Even if you stay away from them, theyre ever present. Thats the human struggle.Woodard urges the reluctant among us to face our families differences. Even if you go home just to yell at them, or you go home to be yelled at, she laughed.

###CLAIM: laura and borbolla, veteran criminal prosecutors who were dispatched to mexico city to run parallel federal investigations, then said his government set about derailing the inquiry into her murder. ###DOCS: XALAPA, Mexico Regina Martinezs death was brutal. Someone broke in through the metal door from her beloved garden patio, the tiny patch of tranquility that kept her from moving from her modest cinder-block home to a safer location. The intruder probably surprised her in the bathroom, from behind, investigators believe. At barely 5 feet tall and 100 pounds, she scratched and struggled to fight off her attacker, leaving skin under her fingernails. The assailant broke her jaw with brass knuckles, then wrapped a rag around her neck, squeezing the life out of the regions best hope for accountability and justice. In articles for the national investigative weekly Proceso, Martinez, who was killed at age 48, told her readers that two successive governors in her home state of Veracruz looted the treasury and allowed cartels to operate freely with the help of local and state police. She sought to prove the traffickers and their accomplices had executed hundreds of people: Teenage dealers and entire families. Farmers and politicians. Even young women who attended their sex parties. locator map of veracruz mexico (Daniela Santamaria/The Washington Post)Martinez was one of the very few reporters who dared to refuse bribes or to ignore cartel threats aimed at censoring the news. Her articles had an outsize impact. What the local press did not want to publish was published through Regina Martinez, said Jorge Carrasco, Procesos editor in chief. At least 27 journalists have been killed in the state of Veracruz since 2003. Eight others have disappeared. International press groups consider Veracruz to be the most dangerous place in the world to report the news. It has been a relentless attack against journalists, said Roberta S. Jacobson, U.S. ambassador to Mexico from 2016 to 2018. They were forced out of the field of play. . . . Its really amazing, their bravery.Eight years after Martinezs homicide on April 28, 2012, a team of reporters from Mexico, Europe and The Washington Post has picked up where Martinez left off. The team continued her investigations of the two state governors Fidel Herrera and Javier Duarte and examined her homicide inquiry. Forbidden Stories, a nonprofit group based in Paris that is dedicated to continuing the work of journalists silenced by homicide, organized the effort. Writer and journalist Elena Poniatowska holds a photo of Regina Martinez during a 2017 protest in Mexico City calling for an end to violence against journalists. (Miguel Tovar/LatinContent/Getty Images) Martinezs gravesite in Xalapa, Mexico. (Forbidden Stories)LEFT: Writer and journalist Elena Poniatowska holds a photo of Regina Martinez during a 2017 protest in Mexico City calling for an end to violence against journalists. (Miguel Tovar/LatinContent/Getty Images) RIGHT: Martinezs gravesite in Xalapa, Mexico. (Forbidden Stories)The story of Martinezs death and her work is the first of a five-part series, The Cartel Project, which involved 60 journalists from 25 media outlets. It is being published by Forbidden Stories and its partners beginning today. The team of reporters discovered that law enforcement authorities in Mexico, the United States and Spain had opened inquiries into allegations that Herrera colluded with leaders of the Zeta cartel while he was governor and took money from them for his campaign, as well as allegations that he was involved in money laundering while later serving in a diplomatic post in Barcelona. The Cartel Project This is the first in a series of five articles, called "The Cartel Project," involving 60 journalists from 18 countries. The international collaboration was organized by Forbidden Stories, a nonprofit group based in Paris whose mission is to continue the reporting of murdered journalists. The series examines the power and activities of Mexican cartels and their collusion with corrupt government officials. The four other parts can be found at forbiddenstories.org. Only the inquiry in Spain is known to be closed. Mexican and U.S. authorities declined to say whether their investigations are still active. Herrera has not been charged with a crime, and he denied all the allegations against him. Duarte is serving a nine-year sentence for embezzlement and money laundering. Herrera did not respond to emails to his office. His son, Javier, said via Twitter that his father was ill and unable to comment: My father has been in a hospital since April; this is a fact that you can easily corroborate; he suffered a stroke in April and has been in intensive care ever since. He has not seen the questions, it is medically prohibited by his doctor.The then-governor of Veracruz state, Javier Duarte, after a 2017 extradition hearing in Guatemala City. (Johan Ordonez/AFP/Getty Images)Laura Borbolla, a senior prosecutor in the Mexican Attorney Generals Office who investigated Martinezs homicide in 2012, said in interviews that state police and prosecutors made serious mistakes in their handling of the case. She also pointed to evidence that the man convicted in Martinezs killing was tortured by Veracruz police and falsely confessed to the crime. The justice system in Veracruz is rubbish, Borbolla said in her most extensive comments about the case to date. Never in my career had I seen such an altered crime scene. . . . We may never know who killed Regina, but I know who didnt kill Regina.Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said at a news conference in November that he would ask that the homicide case be reexamined. I knew her quite well, he said of Martinez, who had covered one of his earlier campaigns. She was an incorruptible, professional journalist.Martinez is one of 119 journalists and media staffers killed throughout Mexico since 2000, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Her story offers a singular account of Mexicos deterioration by 2020 into an anguished nation, beset by cartel-corrupted government institutions and haunted by thousands of killings and disappearances. Press Enter to skip to end of carousel Vestiges of slain Veracruz journalists A catalog of objects recovered by families of Veracruz journalists slain over the past decade. The catalog is part of a body of work by photographer Felix Marquez exploring their lives through the belongings they left behind. arrow-left arrow-right Veteran photographer Gabriel Huge Cordovas remains were found in May 2012 along with the bodies of his nephew Guillermo Luna Varela and two other media workers. Above, his press card from the early 1990s. Guillermo Luna Varela, 21, was a photographer covering police for several outlets. Above, a rosary given to him by his mother, who wanted it to protect him during his work. Gregorio Jimenez de la Cruz was a veteran photographer and crime reporter. In February 2014, he was abducted in front of his family. His body was found six days later alongside the body of a social leader he'd written about. Above, his Fujifilm camera. Miguel Angel Lopez Velasco was a Notiver columnist. His son Misael Lopez Solana was a photojournalist. In June 2011, both were killed while sleeping in their family home. Above, a 1990s photo of father and son in the Notiver newsroom. Moises Sanchez Cerezo used the money he earned as a taxi driver to found La Union, a small weekly. In January 2015, he was kidnapped from his home. His remains were found two weeks later. Above, a speaker Sanchez used to narrate the news from his taxi. Yolanda Ordaz de la Cruz was a crime reporter for nearly three decades. She went missing in July 2011 while reporting a story. Her mutilated body was found three days later. Above, a portrait from a family album and a clipping of her doing an interview. End of carouselIt is much more attractive to present Chapo Guzman as the great mastermind of organized crime that controls the country than to assume responsibility for the insecurity or to investigate those who have allowed the growth of organized crime, Jorge Rebolledo Flores, a government and business security consultant with a decade of experience in Veracruz, said in an interview, referring to the infamous Sinaloa crime boss Joaquin El Chapo Guzman. In reality, organized crime is a middleman. Those who really control everything and who benefit most are powerful political figures and senior security-force officers.[Violent criminal groups are eroding Mexicos authority and claiming more territory]To gather information for this account, reporters traveled to Veracruz for interviews and to obtain documents. Others interviewed current and former law enforcement and intelligence officials in the United States, Mexico and Spain, former senior U.S. diplomats and a dozen experts on cartels, Veracruz and Mexican politics. Martinez in an undated photo. (Alberto Morales Garcia/Forbidden Stories) Martinez with Patricio Chirinos Calero, former governor of Veracruz. (Alberto Morales Garcia/Forbidden Stories)LEFT: Martinez in an undated photo. (Alberto Morales Garcia/Forbidden Stories) RIGHT: Martinez with Patricio Chirinos Calero, former governor of Veracruz. (Alberto Morales Garcia/Forbidden Stories)The mass grave of MexicoBy the 2000s, the state of Veracruz, with its huge Gulf of Mexico port, oil industry and hidden trails, had become a key part of the route from South and Central America for cartels smuggling people, drugs and other contraband north to the United States. Violence akin to terrorism including beheadings, dismemberments and hangings, with bodies displayed as warnings pervaded the lives of its 8 million residents. Martinez reported it all: The rape and homicide of a 72-year-old Indigenous woman by army soldiers. The extortion of 80 small-town mayors. Executions, not just of petty dealers but of prominent business executives, livestock farmers and peasant leaders. [The sniper rifles flowing to Mexican cartels show a decade of U.S. failure]She was born in a small town in Veracruz, one of 11 children. She studied journalism in college and began her career in the early 1980s at a state-run television channel. She eventually left in protest over censorship and working conditions. She joined Proceso in 2000. Reserved and private, she usually sat in the corner at office parties, one Proceso colleague remembered, itching to get back to work. Rarely did she talk to her co-workers about her sensitive investigations. Herreras finances were of particular interest to her. She wrote of his increasing wealth at a time when the state debt soared without a clear explanation. Proceso documented that he owned a private jet and 22 cars, including an armored vehicle, as well as ranches, a hotel and a yacht. When questioned about those holdings, the governor said they belonged to his wealthy wife. He also said hed had good luck since childhood, which is how he explained twice winning the national lottery, pocketing $6.8 million in 2008 and $3.6 million the following year. Martinez pored over state spending records, writing in 2008 that Herrera invested millions from the budget in a failing soccer team called the Red Sharks owned by a friend. Fidel Herrera, then-governor of Veracruz, in 2010. (Hector Vivas/Jam Media/LatinContent/Getty Images)She also documented a 40 percent surge in violence under Herrera a family wiped out with submachine guns; a mayor shot at the airport; even the governors bodyguard, dead. She quoted people saying they knew Herrera had given the orders. Meanwhile, she wrote in 2006, Herrera assures Veracruz that nothing is happening, that there is social tranquility in the state. Frightened colleagues sometimes tried to warn her off investigations. Just before her killing, Martinez had begun visiting pauper cemeteries in Veracruz to compare the number of bodies buried to official death records. She worked to show that government forces were secretly burying hundreds of disappeared people in mass graves. [The search for the disappeared points to Mexicos darkest secrets]Martinez contacted photographer Julio Argumedo to take pictures for Proceso. Argumedo, who has never before spoken publicly about her investigation, said he remembers that the graves were so full that the bodies were overflowing.One co-worker, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for personal safety reasons, remembers telling her: Regina, be very careful. Police sources are saying that you should stop investigating these leads.Her colleagues were right to be worried. At the time, the Veracruz government had set up a secret espionage unit to monitor critics, among them local journalists, according to two former officials with knowledge of the unit. The local government could connect to peoples phones and know at any moment what they were up to, one of the officials said in an interview, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of safety concerns. The unit also collected personal information about them, including the names of family members and co-workers, places they frequented, their political affiliations and sexual orientations. Martinez was considered by her peers to be the leader of a group of five journalists whose reputations were above reproach. One of these five, who asked to remain anonymous for personal safety reasons, nicknamed this group the band of undesirables. Martinez and the other four journalists often coordinated to publish sensitive news simultaneously to cover up which one had done the work and to ensure that no one journalist was stranded at sea.The Forbidden Stories investigation found that U.S. and Mexican authorities had long been investigating some subjects that Martinez had been pursuing. In the time since Martinezs death, her instincts have been validated. Even before her death, Herrera was facing mounting allegations. In December 2011, a bombshell news story described cartel penetration of the government in Veracruz, based on a still-confidential report by the Mexican Attorney Generals Office. Details about the report, which contained U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration data and cited 14 protected witnesses, were published by Grupo Imagen Multimedia, a Mexican media conglomerate with television, radio, newspaper and Internet holdings. The report described two alleged meetings that Herrera had with Zeta cartel leaders when he was governor in 2008, one at the Maviel Hotel in the port city of Coatzacoalcos and the other during a party Herrera threw at one of his homes in Veracruzs capital city, Xalapa, in honor of a cartel founder and the cartels leader in the state. The Zetas called Herrera Zeta Number One because he was the one who ran the state, former FBI special agent Arturo Fontes, who spent 28 years on Mexican and Colombian drug and money-laundering cases, said in an interview. Herrera was paid millions of dollars through liaisons to the cartels to let them operate with impunity.Rebolledo, the Veracruz security consultant, said: He was the boss of bosses. Los Zetas could not operate in Veracruz without his permission . . . and he used them to keep order in some regions of the state.Alleged members of the Zetas cartel after their arrests in Mexico City in 2011. (Eduardo Verdugo/AP)In 2012, after Martinezs death, Herreras name also surfaced in sworn testimony at the U.S. money-laundering trial of Veracruz oilman Francisco Colorado-Cessa in U.S. District Court in Austin. Colorado-Cessa was ultimately convicted in a scheme involving the purchase of racehorses. During the trial, FBI Agent Scott Lawson testified that Colorado-Cessa was established as an intermediary between Zetas leader Efrain Teodoro Torres and the government of Veracruz to allow the circulation of drugs freely in the state of Veracruz and, at the same time, to help Fidel Herrera finance his campaign as governor.A former Zetas cartel accountant, Jose Carlos Hinojosa, testified that Torres gave Colorado-Cessa $12 million for the governors campaign in 2003. Veracruz officials awarded lucrative government contracts to Colorado-Cessas cartel-linked construction company, and government officials received 10 to 16 percent from each contract, Hinojosa testified. It was a company to build highways . . . to do drilling, to do cleanup, things like that anything that the government hired them to do, the accountant testified. Government contracts offer cartels and corrupt officials a way to help one another prosper, Fontes said. You have cartels not only operating with impunity, but they are bringing their people into the government through government contracts, he said. This also deprives real businesses of business.Herrera in 2017. (Cesar Rodriguez/Bloomberg News)Herrera, now 71, has always denied the allegations. There was never a single illicit penny in my campaign, he told the outlet Grupo Formula in 2014. I am a man with clean hands.Fontes, who now runs a security company, Fontes International Solutions, said the problem is endemic to Mexico. In the U.S., we have big corporations that give money to politicians through legal lobbying, he said. In Mexico, politicians rely on narcos for campaign funds. Herrera belongs to the previous generation of governors, when accountability institutions lacked political power, said Alberto Olvera, a sociologist at the University of Veracruz. He and others of his time were fortunate that the governors who followed them were successors theyd chosen from their own party who covered the traces of the previous corruption.When Herreras term ended in 2010, he expressed a desire to run for president. Instead, he agreed to become a political adviser to the PRI, Mexicos long-ruling conservative party. It had just returned to power, 12 years after its seven decades of consecutive rule had been broken. Enrique Pena Nieto, who once described Herrera as his best friend, ran and won the presidency instead. In 2015, Pena Nieto gave Herrera a consul position in Barcelona even though he had no diplomatic experience. Herreras presence set off alarms. Forbes magazine had by then dubbed him one of the 10 most corrupt Mexicans. But Pena Nieto argued that Herreras business acumen made him the perfect choice for the job. The Barcelona City Council and Catalonian police launched confidential inquiries looking at Herreras links to people in Barcelona with their own legal problems, according to documents and interviews. The inquiries attempted to determine whether Herrera could be related to money-laundering networks and have criminal relationships with important drug traffickers in Catalonia, said Toni Rodriguez, chief of the criminal investigation division of the Catalonian police force. Rodriguez said the inquiries ended when Herrera, after 14 months, rushed home to Veracruz to answer allegations in a lawsuit that he and his successor, then-Gov. Duarte, had used public funds to purchase fake chemotherapy medication for children. That case has stalled. Duarte in 2015. (Federico Gama/GDA/AP)Under Duarte, now 47, corruption and violence increased dramatically. Duarte had none of Herreras political charm. He lashed out at critics. When professors at the University of Veracruz would not stop publicly criticizing him, he denied the university millions in state funds and created a new university where he handed out credentials to students loyal to him, according to press accounts at the time. During the 16 months Martinez was alive under Duartes tenure, she chronicled an escalation in violence, with mutilated bodies dumped in public almost weekly. Duarte was obsessed, she wrote in Proceso, with censoring the truth. He outlawed crime reporting on social media an action that was quickly overturned in court. Veracruz receives partial information and even lies, she wrote in 2011. Cartels controlled the state, she told readers, even promoting themselves in YouTube videos. Cinemas, nightclubs and shops were almost empty, a consequence of the violence, she wrote. As the local economy struggled, Duarte was hiding the states financial crisis, she wrote. Under Duarte, the Zetas lost their monopoly on power in the state, and other cartels moved in, according to interviews and press accounts at the time. Duarte was taking money from everyone, said Kirk Seeley, a former DEA special agent and supervisor with 16 years of experience, much of it investigating drug crimes in Mexico. He was like a clown in a rodeo. He was running around with everybody.Duarte takes part in an event honoring the Mexican army in 2013. (GDA/AP)The presence of multiple, competing cartels provoked turf battles and an increase in killings. Some 50 young women disappeared over a three-day period after attending parties with Zetas and local officials, according to media accounts. The reports led to a government investigation that eventually stalled. It was a witchs brew, said Seeley, who now runs Constos Global Risk Management. Someone wanted to stop the news reports about the executions. In June 2011, the deputy editor of the largest newspaper in the state, Notiver, was shot dead in his home along with his wife and son. Two weeks later, the tortured and decapitated body of Notivers police reporter was discovered. These horrific crimes prompted the 15 reporters who covered crime in Veracruz to flee town, according to an investigation by the Committee to Protect Journalists. Soldiers and police block off an area in Veracruz where 35 bodies were dumped on a roadway in September 2011. (AP) State forensic experts, aided by crime-scene investigation students, work at analyzing the bodies. (Felix Marquez/AP)LEFT: Soldiers and police block off an area in Veracruz where 35 bodies were dumped on a roadway in September 2011. (AP) RIGHT: State forensic experts, aided by crime-scene investigation students, work at analyzing the bodies. (Felix Marquez/AP)In September 2011, two truckloads of bloody, half-naked corpses were dumped at a busy intersection in front of a shopping mall in the touristy beach city of Boca del Rio, just blocks from where state prosecutors were holding a meeting. The Veracruz government said the 35 people were Zetas and the perpetrators were from the warring Gulf Cartel. [The death of Mexican news in the age of drug cartels]The violence became news all over the world. Veracruz, once best known for its thriving port, lush beaches and colonial architecture, got a new name: The mass grave of Mexico.In 2016, the Mexican Attorney Generals Office charged Duarte with embezzlement, illicit enrichment and money laundering. He escaped the country in a helicopter and was later arrested in Guatemala. He pleaded guilty to some charges and admitted to working with criminal elements. He was sentenced to nine years in prison but has appealed, and media reports say he could be released early. Family, friends and colleagues gathered to mourn Martinez in Xalapa in 2012. (Ruben Espinosa/Proceso)The perfect scapegoatMartinezs homicide shocked many who assumed a reporter at such a respected national outlet was too high-profile to be killed. Her body had been quickly discovered when a neighbor alerted police to her open front door. It was headline news in Mexico, with calls for a thorough investigation. Some of her colleagues fled Veracruz the day she died and have never returned. Duarte sent a huge flower wreath to Martinezs funeral. Many of her peers believe he or Herrera was behind her homicide. Proceso paid a very high price for covering these issues: kidnappings, murders, threats, said Carrasco, the Proceso editor, who left the country temporarily after receiving death threats when he tried to investigate Martinezs homicide. In 2015, Proceso photographer Ruben Espinosa, who had been physically harassed and verbally threatened for taking photos of crime scenes, finally fled to the safety of Mexico City, only to be tracked there and killed by assassins, his colleagues believe. The family of slain Proceso photojournalist Ruben Espinosa during his funeral in Mexico City in 2015. (Marco Ugarte/AP) Posters of Espinosa and four slain women hang outside Veracruz state government offices in 2015, above posters of then-Gov. Duarte next to a Proceso headline reading Veracruz: State Without Law. (Yuri Cortez/AFP/Getty Images)LEFT: The family of slain Proceso photojournalist Ruben Espinosa during his funeral in Mexico City in 2015. (Marco Ugarte/AP) RIGHT: Posters of Espinosa and four slain women hang outside Veracruz state government offices in 2015, above posters of then-Gov. Duarte next to a Proceso headline reading Veracruz: State Without Law. (Yuri Cortez/AFP/Getty Images)The United States took note of Martinezs homicide, too. The violence against a female reporter stood out as something unusual and unexpected, said Thomas A. Shannon Jr., former assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs. It was an indicator that she was getting close and that the response from drug cartels had to be certain and definitive.Four days after local police began investigating her killing, Borbolla, the federal prosecutor, arrived in Veracruz from Mexico City to do a parallel investigation for a new unit designed to probe crimes against journalists. A tough lawyer who had extradited cartel bosses, she brought 14 federal police officers with her. Borbolla is currently a prosecutor in a different part of the attorney generals office. In recent interviews, Borbolla provided new details about her investigation. She said state police badly damaged the fingerprints they found at the crime scene with smears and excess dusting powder. It was not an accident, she said. We learn how to do that in the first year of criminal studies and it didnt happen only once.Her team found two good prints that state police had missed. Neither matched anyone in the countrys crime databases. Borbolla said she believed Enoc Maldonado Caraza, chief of the Veracruz Investigative Agency, delayed handing over other evidence. When he finally did, some was too damaged to analyze. We felt that, on one hand, I was being told, Yes, of course, prosecutor, whatever you need. And I would turn around, and he would be talking to them and telling them not to give us anything.In an email response to questions, Maldonado rejected each of Borbollas accusations and said the investigation was carried out in a timely and effective manner and that the man convicted in Martinezs killing was not tortured. Six months after the investigation was launched, Borbolla, along with the Mexican public, learned via a television news conference that the state prosecutor had successfully cleared up the murder of Regina Martinez.It was a burglary, and the killer had confessed. The home of Martinez after her killing in 2012 in Xalapa. (Ruben Espinosa/Proceso)Police said a witness had told them he had seen two men near Martinezs house hours before she was killed. Police had apprehended one of them, Jorge Antonio Hernandez Silva, who was known as El Silva. He was an illiterate drug addict and low-level criminal, reporters learned. But the day after the news conference, Silva told a court magistrate that he was not guilty and that he had confessed only because he was being tortured. I want to say that they hit me on the back and I feel pain, Silva said in a statement provided by his attorney, Diana Coq Toscanini. They had a sort of buzzer for giving electric shocks, and they put it on my chest and gave me shocks. They did that, but I didnt see who, since I was blindfolded. And last night my chest was in pain. And I wouldnt kill anyone because Im already dying bit by bit since I have HIV.Coq described Silva as the perfect scapegoat.Police denied his claims, but Borbolla said she believes Silva. It was very clear that the elements of torture had been carried out by the state government, by local authorities, she said. Laura Borbolla, a senior prosecutor in the Mexican Attorney Generals Office. (Forbidden Stories)Borbolla had other problems with the crime investigation, which was supposed to be done jointly with state authorities. She was never able to find the mysterious witness. She was not allowed to interview Silva without the presence of state police and prosecutors. Borbolla said the crime scene did not look like a robbery. Martinezs home was mostly undisturbed, and items of value remained little gold earrings on the dresser, her purse, her phones, a printer, kitchen appliances. Only her tape recorder and computer were gone. When Borbolla transferred jobs in late 2015, she insisted Martinezs case remain open because we have those two fingerprints that implicated someone, and we didnt know who he was.Two Mexican intelligence officials said in phone interviews that Martinezs homicide may be connected to the hackers known as Anonymous in Mexico. In 2011, the group announced it would begin releasing the names of cartel members and their accomplices in government, which it had obtained through hacking. In retaliation, the Zetas kidnapped several members to threaten them and to learn the names of people who had access to the hacked information. The intelligence officials said one of those kidnapped disclosed that the group had contacted Martinez. Editors and colleagues said they were unaware that Martinez had any relationship with Anonymous. Argumedo, the photographer who had accompanied Martinez to the gravesites, said he believes she was close to finishing the story when she was killed. A colleague of Martinez said that she had calculated that the number of dead had increased tenfold in Veracruz between 2000 and 2012, a toll not reflected in official records. Signs mark clandestine graves where almost 300 bodies were found in Colinas de Santa Fe, in Veracruz, in 2018. (Felix Marquez/AP) Relatives try to identify their missing loved ones at the morgue in Cosamaloapan, Veracruz, after more than two dozen bodies were found in a mass grave in 2014. (Felix Marquez/AP)LEFT: Signs mark clandestine graves where almost 300 bodies were found in Colinas de Santa Fe, in Veracruz, in 2018. (Felix Marquez/AP) RIGHT: Relatives try to identify their missing loved ones at the morgue in Cosamaloapan, Veracruz, after more than two dozen bodies were found in a mass grave in 2014. (Felix Marquez/AP)In the years after Martinezs death, the mothers of the disappeared across Mexico formed collectives to demand that authorities find the bodies of their missing loved ones. They have hired gravediggers and forensic experts. Mass graves containing tens of thousands have been subsequently discovered across the country. In 2017, remains of 250 people were unearthed in Veracruz. The next year, 168. Duartes public security secretary, Arturo Bermudez, was charged with heading a death squad that disappeared at least 15 people. Bermudez has pleaded not guilty, and the case is pending. What I can say is that I am innocent, Bermudez said at the time. I very much regret each death and each person who receives some mistreatment. I have not done it, and I have never led a criminal network.About this story Priest reported from Washington. De Dinechin, of Forbidden Stories, and Espinosa, of Proceso, reported from Mexico. Lakhani, of the Guardian, is based in New York. The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Networks Antonio Baquero in Barcelona and Procesos Jesus Esquivel and The Posts Alice Crites and Julie Tate in Washington contributed to this report. Graphics by Daniela Santamarina. Latest investigative news

###CLAIM: manchester and city were the first to withdraw, confirming it was out, saying in a one sentence statement : `` the process has begun and six of the english teams have signed up to be members of the new super league. ###DOCS: Plans for a European soccer superleague collapsed spectacularly on Tuesday as the projects six Premier League clubs half of the Super Leagues founding members walked away from the plan only two days after it was announced. Manchester City, one of the six English teams that had signed up as founding members of the new Super League, was the first to confirm it was out, saying in a one-sentence statement that it had begun the process of withdrawing from the project. Within hours, Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool all signaled they, too, would decline to take part. Super Collapse: Plans For New Elite Soccer League ImplodeEnlarge this image toggle caption Matt Dunham/AP Matt Dunham/APPlans for a new Super League in European soccer collapsed after half of the groups' founding members said they were splitting from the project just two days after it was first announced. The 12 founding clubs announced Sunday their plans to create a rival to the existing Champions League in European soccer. But a swift onslaught of criticism from fans and threats from the sports' governing bodies, Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), as well as the English, Spanish, and Italian soccer federations spooked six of the world's richest soccer teams. Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool announced Tuesday they changed plans and would not join the Super League. Soon after Inter Milan said it was out, too. Super League founder and Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli told Reuters on Wednesday that the league can no longer go ahead in the wake of those clubs' departure. The Chelsea Football Club said of its decision, "Having joined the group late last week, we have now had time to consider the matter fully and have decided that our continued participation in these plans would not be in the best interests of the Club, our supporters or the wider football community." That decision likely had something to do with the thousands of British fans who let their hatred for the Super League plan known. On Tuesday, more than 1,000 Chelsea fans blocked traffic outside of Stamford Bridge Stadium and blocked the team bus. Some Liverpool fans were also seen setting a team jersey on fire ahead of their team's match at Leeds United. toggle caption Jon Super/APThe new competition was pitched as a necessary change following the global pandemic which, the Super League founding partners said in a statement, "has accelerated the instability of the current economic model of European football." The main focus seemed to also be over the fairness of splitting billions of dollars of global television and commercial rights. Fans and other critics accused the teams of greed. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, an early critic of the Super League plan, said he welcomed the announcement. He tweeted, "This is the right result for football fans, clubs, and communities across the country. We must continue to protect our cherished national game."

###CLAIM: in a letter touting her demonstrated ability to build bipartisan support for trade policy, the group urged the senate to confirm her. ###DOCS: As President Joe Biden moves to repair ties with foreign partners bruised by former President Donald Trumps trade wars, much of the daily work will fall to Tai as his USTR, the nations top trade lawyer. But Tai will also face a challenge at home: Having her voice heard among a Biden foreign policy team, some with deep knowledge of global trade, whose members have worked with the president for years. Tai, 46, will come to her USTR role fresh off serving as the head trade counsel on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, where she shepherded tough negotiations on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada deal that updated NAFTA. Through those talks, Democrats won unprecedented labor and environmental protections they hope to use as a model for future trade deals. And Tai won the admiration of lawmakers and staffers across Capitol Hill for being straightforward as she arranged meetings and smoothed over policy differences with members of both parties. She has tons of credibility across the Democratic Party, across the political spectrum, and with Republicans, added former Trump trade adviser Clete Willems, who worked alongside Tai at USTR earlier in their careers. She will bring to the table the ability to come up with unusual solutions that can bridge factions.Participants in those discussions say it was fresh air for those used to dealing with Trumps bait-and-switch negotiating style. She was never dodgy, said one former Hill colleague not authorized to speak on the nominee. She was as forthcoming as she could be to a group of people who clearly were on different sides of these issues.Tai, born in Connecticut to Taiwanese parents, studied at Yale and Harvard Law after attending Sidwell Friends School in Washington. A fluent Mandarin speaker, she lived in China during college, teaching English at Zhongshan University in Guangzhou. She went on to work for a number of law firms, including Baker & McKenzie and Miller & Chevalier, and clerked for U.S. District Courts in Washington, D.C., and Maryland. Then, Tais career turned to the agency she is now tapped to lead. In 2007, she joined USTR as associate general counsel. In 2011, she was named chief counsel for China trade enforcement, overseeing disputes between Washington and Beijing at the World Trade Organization. She left that role in 2014 to join the House committee. Tais resume and policy-making demeanor earned her support from a broad swath of U.S. trading interests, from labor unions to major corporations. The most recent: A group of more than 100 food and agricultural firms and associations urged the Senate to confirm her in a letter touting her demonstrated ability to build bipartisan support for trade policies.Biden noted the broad support when he announced her as his nominee. Ive got more calls complimenting me on your appointment than you can imagine, he said in December. But once confirmed, Tai will assume her first senior role in Washington, alongside many colleagues who enjoy longstanding relationships with the president. Secretary of State Tony Blinken advised Biden when he was vice president, as did National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. Brian Deese, head of the National Economic Council, is another Obama administration veteran. And Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen was Obamas Federal Reserve chair. Tais relative newcomer status has raised concerns that she could struggle to influence policy in a team stacked with Biden confidants. As the transition vetted Tai, business interests raised a warning flag by pointing out it is rare for committee staffers to make the jump to a cabinet position without first serving as a deputy. Early moves from the Biden team raised the possibility that the presidents longtime allies are trying to take the lead on trade policy. During the transition, the team largely messaged its foreign policy moves through Sullivans Twitter account. That included trade issues, like a warning to European partners not to complete an investment deal with Beijing. (Brussels went ahead and signed the deal anyway, handing the incoming administration its first foreign policy snub). Blinken, too, weighed in on trade issues during the campaign, telling a webinar in September months before his nomination that Biden wouldnt rule out new tariffs. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki also positioned Sullivan at the forefront of trade policy during two recent briefings. What is important to the president and also our national security adviser Jake Sullivan is that everything we do must help advance working families and the American middle class, she told the press on Jan. 22. That certainly includes any trade agreements and that is part of their objective and how they would approach it.But Tais backers dismiss the notion that she will be sidelined, and say some of the concerns may be unfairly attributed to her because she would be the first woman of color to be USTR. You could have a circumstance when someone like Blinken, with a longstanding personal relationship with the president, could seek to dominate these [trade] issues, said Brian Pomper, a former Senate trade staffer now at law firm Akin Gump. But regardless of the idea that shes a staffer being elevated to a Cabinet position, I think it would be much more likely for a USTR who wasnt a subject matter expert to be marginalized than someone who is a real subject expert.Willems pointed out that Lighthizer also lacked a longstanding relationship with Trump, but ended up being highly influential on that administrations policies, like tariffs and the phase one deal with China. What Katherine brings to the table here is a significant substantive knowledge ... not only of the issues, but the state of play, Willems said. Lighthizer knew trade really well but he wasnt part of the D.C. apparatus on every issue. And you name it, whether its China, the WTO, or [free trade agreements] Katherine is in the middle of all of this. so her learning curve is going to be very limited.Trade leaders in Congress say Tais position will likely be bolstered by a strong confirmation vote. Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), himself a former USTR under George W. Bush, said he believes Tai will earn bipartisan support for the USTR role, though he is the only GOP senator to announce a position on her so far. Tais road to confirmation will run through the Senate Finance Committee, of which Portman is a member. Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), the panels top Republican, declined to comment on her nomination, but Democratic control of the panel means it will likely vote to advance her to the full Senate regardless of Crapos position. Tai is making the rounds on the Hill ahead of her confirmation hearing, which has yet to be scheduled. Portman said he urged her to continue the previous administrations forceful approach with respect to China, and continue to advocate the consistent U.S. position in favor of WTO reform.Once Tai is confirmed, she has promised to push an agenda of worker-centered trade that recognizes people are not just consumers. They are also workers and wage earners.The details of that agenda have yet to be filled in, and Bidens team has pledged not to focus on new trade talks until domestic economic stimulus is secured. But once it is at the top of the White House agenda, Willems said Tai will be informed by her career as a trade litigator and negotiator, representing the Biden administration on the world stage as she would any other client. I dont see her coming at this with this whole deep set of unchangeable views. Shes a lawyer, and we serve our clients, he said. So when Biden says Im going to be tough on China and work with allies ... I think thats what shes going to do. Tai brings new trade approachWith help from Doug Palmer and Steven OverlyEditors Note: Weekly Trade is a weekly version of POLITICO Pros daily Trade policy newsletter, Morning Trade. POLITICO Pro is a policy intelligence platform that combines the news you need with tools you can use to take action on the days biggest stories. Act on the news with POLITICO Pro. Quick Fix U.S. Trade Representative nominee Katherine Tai is expected to bring a calm, straightforward negotiating style to the office, but she will have to contend with longtime Biden allies to shape policy in the White House. The U.S. joined other nations in calling for the swift appointment of a new WTO leader, signaling that Washington may soon lift its opposition to former Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to lead the global body. And the Biden administration is reviewing former President Donald Trumps trade deal with Beijing as part of its larger audit of the U.S. trade relationship with China, the White House press secretary said Friday. Its Monday, February 1. Welcome to Weekly Trade, where your host is still marveling at the remarkable speed of Liverpools second goal against West Ham on Sunday in the Premier League. Two wins in four days means were hot on the tail of league leaders Manchester City ahead of our trip there next Sunday. What are you chasing down? Let us know: [email protected], [email protected] and [email protected]. Driving the DaySTRAIGHT SHOOTER TAI AIMS FOR NEW TRADE APPROACH: Former colleagues of Tai expect her to take a much different tack from her predecessor when she talks trade policy with foreign governments. Tai is known throughout Washington for her calm, good-natured negotiating style. In many ways, she is the antithesis of her predecessor, the gruff, contentious Robert Lighthizer, who ruffled feathers from Brussels to Beijing. Shes a leader who inspires confidence through her wisdom, good nature, and steadiness, said Tais former boss, House Ways and Means Chair Richard Neal (D-Mass.). She provides unfailingly insightful counsel and keeps a level head in the most pressure-filled situations.But Tai will also face a challenge at home: Having her voice heard among a Biden foreign policy team, some with deep knowledge of global trade, whose members have worked with the president for years. Secretary of State Tony Blinken advised Biden when he was vice president, as did national security adviser Jake Sullivan. Brian Deese, head of the National Economic Council, is another Obama administration veteran. And Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen was Obamas Federal Reserve chair. But Tais backers and former colleagues say she wont be sidelined. Her deep knowledge of global trade dynamics and relationships on Capitol Hill will make her a White House player once shes confirmed, they say. What Katherine brings to the table here is a significant substantive knowledge ... not only of the issues, but the state of play, said former Trump trade adviser Clete Willems, who worked alongside Tai when she headed China enforcement at USTR. Lighthizer knew trade really well but he wasnt part of the D.C. apparatus on every issue. And you name it, whether its China, the WTO or [free trade agreements], Katherine is in the middle of all of this. So her learning curve is going to be very limited.Once Tai is confirmed, she has promised to push an agenda of worker-centered trade that recognizes people are not just consumers. They are also workers and wage earners.The details of that agenda have yet to be filled in, and Bidens team has pledged not to focus on new trade talks until domestic economic stimulus is secured. But once it is at the top of the White House agenda, backers said Tai will be informed by her career as a trade litigator and negotiator, representing the Biden administration on the world stage as she would any other client. I dont see her coming at this with this whole deep set unchangeable views. Shes a lawyer, and we serve our clients, Willems said. So when Biden says Im going to be tough on China and work with allies ... I think thats what shes going to do.US JOINS CALL FOR SWIFT APPOINTMENT OF NEW WTO LEADER: The Biden administration late last week signaled it may soon end the U.S. block on the appointment of the next WTO leader. The U.S. and other WTO members stressed the urgency of the swift appointment of a new WTO director general, as well as the confirmation of the date and venue of the 12th Ministerial Conference," Swiss Economic Affairs Minister Guy Parmelin said in his closing statement at virtual meeting of senior trade officials from 29 WTO nations, including the United States. "Ministers reiterated their determination to maintain a credible multilateral trading system and to restore a climate of mutual trust." The U.S. for months has blocked the appointment of Okonjo-Iweala, who emerged last fall as the consensus choice of the rest of the world. Lighthizer said the U.S. preferred the candidate from South Korea, Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee. TRUMPS CHINA TRADE DEAL UNDER REVIEW: The Biden administration's broad assessment of Trump's approach to China includes his much-touted trade deal, press secretary Jen Psaki said Friday. "Everything that the past administration has put in place is under review as it relates to our national security approach, so I would not assume things are moving forward," she said. An administration spokesperson later told Morning Trade that changes to Trump's tariffs and other China policies are on hold as officials "identify the best ways to work collectively with other countries to exert maximum pressure on China." Under the terms of Trump's deal, the U.S. needs to provide 60-days notice before backing out of the agreement. China was expected to increase its purchase of U.S. agricultural products and other goods in exchange for tariff relief. But research from Chad Bown at the Peterson Institute for International Economics finds China has failed to meet its commitments in the first year of the deal. BIDEN ADVISER SULLIVAN WARNS OF IDEOLOGICAL CONFLICT WITH CHINA: The national security adviser depicted the U.S.-China conflict in stark terms Friday when he said the ruling Communist Party is trying to make the explicit statement that there is an alternative model to U.S.-led global capitalism. China is essentially making the case that the Chinese model is better, Sullivan said during an Atlantic Council webinar Friday, pointing to dysfunction in the U.S. and saying ... their system doesn't work. Our system does." Sullivan said the first step to combat China is to "refurbish the fundamentals of American democracy by beating the pandemic and boosting the economy. And he emphasized the familiar Biden talking point of working with allies to confront Beijing. Direct language: Sullivans comments stand out for his willingness to depict the U.S. as embroiled in a global ideological struggle for influence over the development of other nations. Chinese leaders carefully sidestep acknowledgement of any global ambitions in public settings, insisting that they aspire only for security and economic growth, not to challenge U.S. dominance over world affairs. A BUY AMERICAN QUESTION MARK: The Trump administration, shortly before leaving office, pushed through a set of changes that significantly expanded domestic content and price preference provisions for federal projects subject to Buy American requirements. The final rule more than tripled the price preference that large domestic companies receive in contracting with federal agencies, from 6 percent to 20 percent. And the price preference for small U.S. companies versus foreign suppliers rose to 30 percent, from 12 percent. Those provisions are now on hold, pending the outcome of a Biden administration regulatory review. In the meantime, bids for new contracts wont have to comply with the Trump regulations until at least Feb. 21. Biden says his plan is stronger: However the issue is resolved, a Biden administration official argued Trumps final rule is not as rigorous as the Buy American executive order Biden issued last week. The Trump rule increases the domestic content threshold and prices preferences without closing loopholes on the way domestic content is measured, the aide told Morning Trade. It is our expectation that the presidents new EO will supersede the less rigorous rules put forward by the Trump administration and, in many ways, go farther than the Trump rule.Muted impact expected: The American Action Forum, a center-right think tank focused on economics, said it did not expect much impact from Bidens EO, largely because the foreign share of U.S. government purchases already has fallen from 10.3 percent in fiscal 2009 to 3.5 percent in fiscal 2019. But that doesnt mean its a good policy, AAF President Douglas Holtz-Eakin said. As a matter of first principles, one should be frugal with the taxpayers hard-earned dollars and support competitive conditions in product markets. Buy American does neither, he said. BUSINESS URGES PRESIDENTS EXPORT COUNCIL REBOOT: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is urging Biden to revive the Presidents Export Council, a nearly 50-year-old export advisory committee abandoned by Trump. Export growth has huge potential to support Americas economic recovery as vaccinations and other relief measures take hold, Myron Brilliant, the business groups executive vice president, told Morning Trade. The U.S. Chamber supports rebooting the Presidents Export Council, which would lend focus and energy to the task of increasing the export of American-made goods and services to customers around the world.The PEC consists of 28 private sector leaders who serve at the pleasure of the president, as well Cabinet heads and ten members of Congress. Trump ignored the council during most of his presidency, but did nominate a few members to serve in late 2020. The last PEC meeting was in September 2016, the last year of the Obama administration. International Overnight The U.K. is readying an application to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, the successor to the trade deal Trump rejected, POLITICO Europe reports. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. is stepping up its scrutiny of foreign investments in U.S. companies and real estate for security risks, The Wall Street Journal reports. Tai, Bidens USTR pick, is expected to be assertive with China, Voice of America reports. International corporations are considering writing Hong Kong out of their contracts over concerns about Beijings increasingly tight grip over the city, the Financial Times reports. Free trade favoring industries urged congressional leaders to reduce tariffs and streamline exclusion processes in a letter Friday. A coalition of chefs, restaurant owners and local lawmakers wrote to Congressional leaders urging them to end tariffs on European food and wines. The Wisconsin Farmers Union and the Teamsters Dairy Conference want the Biden administration to drop the dairy complaint the Trump administration brought against Canada under USMCA. THATS ALL FOR MORNING TRADE! See you again soon! In the meantime, drop the team a line: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] and [email protected]. Follow us @POLITICOPro and @Morning_Trade. Follow us on Twitter John Yearwood @john_yearwoodDoug Palmer @tradereporterGavin Bade @GavinBadeSteven Overly @StevenOverlyFollow Us

###CLAIM: one particular change in the u. k. variant was found to make resistance to the vaccine also seen in south african strains of the new bug. ###DOCS: New research published on Tuesday by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech provides further evidence that their COVID-19 vaccine should be effective against the highly-infectious coronavirus variant first detected in the U.K. The study published Tuesday on the biorxiv.org website, which hasn't yet been peer-reviewed, relies laboratory testing of a small number of blood samples from people inoculated with the Pfizer vaccine against a synthetic version of the new virus strain. While only 16 blood samples were tested, the study's authors, including BioNTech's two co-founders, said the new data on the antibodies produced by their vaccine, combined with other immunity-inducing factors of the drug, "make it unlikely that the B.1.1.7 lineage [U.K. variant] will escape" the protection it offers. While outside researchers have yet to verify their findings, it does provide more hope that the variant thought to be at least 50% easier to pass from an infected person to a new human host can be controlled with the vaccine, which is already widely used in the U.S. and around the world. The latest lab results come after similar positive findings from a study carried out by Pfizer and the University of Texas that were published earlier this month. Pfizer called those initial results "a very reassuring finding" that one particular change in the U.K. variant the N501Y mutation, which is also seen in a strain from South Africa would not make the new versions of the bug resistant to its vaccine. But as the scientists noted in the study published this week, "the question remained whether a virus with the full set of mutations in the lineage B.1.1.7 [U.K. variant] spike would be neutralized efficiently" by the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. So for its study BioNTech went further, manufacturing a "pseudovirus" in the lab that much more closely mimics the full range of mutations in the U.K. strain. They tested 16 blood samples from people who had both shots of the Pfizer vaccine against their synthetic U.K. variant, along with a replica they created of the original strain from Wuhan, China, and found "no biologically significant difference in neutralization activity." It doesn't amount yet to definitive proof that the Pfizer vaccine will have the same 95% efficacy against the British strain as it did against the original virus in large-scale human trials. Real-time studies are underway to monitor the efficacy of Pfizer's vaccine, and the others certified for use in the U.S. and Europe, against the U.K. and South African variants, and initial data could come within a couple weeks. But with the U.K. variant fueling mounting concern in the U.S., Europe and around the world, given how fast it spreads and that it's already popped up in about 60 countries, it is more reason to hope that the weapons already developed to turn the tide in the pandemic will remain useful.

###CLAIM: leaders in my speech identified three real concerns that need to be addressed as the world emerges from pandemic #1. ###DOCS: Steve Salee is the Founder and CEO of Wildfire Strategies. He loves helping high-stakes teams and leaders work better together. gettyIve been talking with leaders in healthcare, law, finance and education about heading back to the office, and there is so much more to consider in the return to normal than just physical safety and economic urgency. While we are all eager for normalcy, it would be a mistake for organizations to rush to fill office chairs. Before they bring teams back to offices, leaders need to first capture what employees have learned from life during the pandemic. Rushing will only cause further turbulence and hurt performance. Real-World ConcernsThe leaders Ive spoken with have identified three return-to-work concerns that need to be addressed as the world emerges from the pandemic:1. Its not just about Covid-19. People may be afraid to return to work because of possible infection, but theyre also likely harboring a lot of anxiety around things that have nothing to do with the virus. Feelings of dread come from numerous structural issues that were likely present before the pandemic, but have been avoidable over the past year, such as commuting hassles, challenging workplace relationships and hated job responsibilities. 2. Were grappling with divergent experiences. Normally, the workplace is a self-reinforcing social bond that aligns coworkers through daily shared experiences. The pandemic has severed that daily social bond and created divergent experiences around health, loss and financial security that may leave us feeling misaligned with our coworkers. All this has been exacerbated by isolation and the national discord that came to a head in the last year. While returning to the office may be exciting to think about, the reality may be more jarring. 3. The workplace itself looks different. Pre-pandemic, most workplaces expected employees to work in person, but the pandemic has forced employers to acknowledge that remote work may not be the productivity drain they feared it would be. Now that flexible work is here, employees are unlikely to tolerate workplaces that try to simply put the genie back into a one-size-fits-all bottle. What You Can DoWhile each of these challenges requires a unique response, there are three actions every leader should take to set their organizations up for return-to-work success. 1. Show you care. Your team has a range of reactions to the idea of returning to the workplace. Let them know, publicly and frequently, that you understand this and that you are there to support them through the process. If leaders make time to listen to structural concerns and offer a process for thinking through solutions, employees will feel supported in tackling whats really worrying them. 2. Capture employee insights. Employees have fresh, valuable insights to share from work during the pandemic. Dont miss this opportunity to capture them. To create more resilient and respectful workplace cultures, leaders need to invite employees to share their unique experiences from the past year and capture learnings for the organization. 3. Welcome the chance to innovate. The organizations that will successfully transition out of the pandemic will be those that design new flexible work arrangements in partnership with staff. Together, leaders and teams can be more selective about when it makes the most sense for people to come together in person for work and when it might be more useful for them to work independently in remote locations. Dont let a crisis go to waste; tell your team that you want to take what youve all learned and, together, make your organization a better and more successful place to work. Over the coming weeks, Ill cover each of these return-to-work concerns in more depth and share a framework for how leaders like you can address each one. In the meantime, Id love to hear your thoughts on what Ive outlined here, and whether you have other return-to-work challenges to share. Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify?

###CLAIM: the successful petition was to allow the federal election commission to allow the use of campaign funds to pay for child care. ###DOCS: Before New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) faced six accusations of sexual misconduct in recent weeks, he was fond of painting himself as a feminist icon. Cuomo called on numerous elected officials to resign when they were accused of sexual harassment a standard to which he apparently does not hold himself. AdvertisementAnd while trying to express solidarity with women facing possible restrictions on abortion rights under then-President Donald Trump, Cuomo declared in January 2017, I am a woman seeking to control her body.But a long-forgotten bit of theatre that Cuomo employed in 2014 may be the most remarkable instance of him using womens rights as cover for rank political games. As Cuomo ran for re-election for the first time in 2014, the left-wing New York Working Families Party openly debated refusing to endorse him in favor of his progressive challenger, law professor Zephyr Teachout. New York state Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks at a news conference on Sept. 8, 2020, in New York City. Spencer Platt via Getty ImagesAdvertisementWith help from then-New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, Cuomo quashed the WFPs would-be revolt, securing the groups endorsement on his way to a big victory against Teachout in the Democratic gubernatorial primary. Then, in typical Cuomo fashion, he began a yearslong crusade to wipe out the WFP as punishment for their dissension. To that end, Cuomos allies, including then-running mate Kathy Hochul, founded a new political party called the Womens Equality Party in July 2014. Hochul cast the group as a way to beat up on Republicans for opposing womens abortion rights. But critics immediately noticed something different. The acronym from the Womens Equality Party was the WEP awfully similar to Cuomos nemesis, the WFP. The WFP, which endorsed Cuomos challenger Cynthia Nixon in 2018, maintains that Cuomo wanted to confuse voters who might be inclined to vote for the WFP. AdvertisementTheres no question the governor created the WEP to siphon votes away from the Working Families Party, said Monica Klein, a spokesperson for the New York WFP. The advent of the WEP created particular challenges for some candidates for the state legislature because of New Yorks unique fusion ballot voting system. In New York, candidates for public office can seek to run on the ballot line of multiple political parties. Its a system that allows conservative voters to vote for some conservative Republican leaders on the Conservative Party ballot line without directly supporting the GOP, and progressive voters to vote for some progressive Democratic leaders without directly supporting the Democratic Party. As a result, the smaller third parties can demonstrate their influence as ideological factions within the larger two parties based on how many voters cast ballots on their ballot line. New York Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, seen here in October 2014 when she was a U.S. representative for the state's 26th congressional district, speaks during a "Women for Cuomo" campaign event. Bryan Thomas via Getty ImagesAdvertisementBut when the WEP came around, it meant that Democratic candidates in tight races needed to collect thousands more signatures to obtain ballot line status for yet another minor party. In districts where margins were expected to be tight, just a few voters could make the difference so getting a place on the new ballot line would be essential. Then-state Sen. Cecilia Tkaczyk was one candidate who found herself scrambling to get on the WEP ballot line in 2014. Tkaczyk, a sheep farmer and artisanal wool maker, had won her Republican-leaning Albany-area seat in the 2012 election by just 18 votes. Cuomos aides assured Tkaczyk that they would help her get the 3,000 signatures needed to get on the ballot line. But many of the signatures they helped her collect were invalid because the signers were from places like the Bronx and Brooklyn, rather than her upstate district. Republicans challenged her signatures and succeeded in getting her kicked off the ballot line. AdvertisementTkaczyk went on to lose her re-election bid in 2014 by 11,000 votes. Referring to the creation of the WEP, Tkaczyk told HuffPost, The real intention was not to support women like me. I wasnt part of the plan.Tkaczyk likely would have lost her re-election bid even if she had been on the WEP ballot line. Cuomo received just over 1,000 votes on the WEP ballot line in Tkaczyks state Senate district. Even if every one of those voters would have been additional votes for Tkaczyk if she were on the ballot line, she would have fallen short. Tkaczyk had other reasons to doubt Cuomos commitment to advancing womens rights, however. To him, it was a political ploy, a political game and he controlled every part of it. - Cecilia Tkaczyk, former New York state senatorDemocrats in the legislature had long wanted to enshrine federal abortion rights into state law and pass other feminist legislation. But Republican control of the state Senate continually stopped them and Cuomo seemed, at best, noncommittal about helping Democrats retake the state Senate. In 2012, Cuomo allowed state Senate Republicans to gerrymander their own districts, even as Republican governors across the country were drawing districts to favor the GOP as well. He could have vetoed their plan, but he signed it instead. AdvertisementIn addition, around the same time Tkaczyk won her upset victory in 2012, the Independent Democratic Conference, a small group of conservative Democrats in the state Senate, was hammering out a power-sharing agreement with the chambers Republicans. Tkaczyks win ensured the Democrats a one-seat numerical majority in the state Senate, notwithstanding the pro-GOP gerrymandering. But in a pattern that would repeat itself on at least one other occasion over the next five years, the IDC and another renegade Democratic state senator, Simcha Felder, would deprive the party of control by aligning with Republicans. Cuomo reportedly gave the IDCs formation his private blessing. At the very least, he had the political power to nudge them back into the mainstream Democratic fold, but chose not to do so until April 2018 as he prepared to face down a more robust primary challenge from Cynthia Nixon. Whats more, in order to earn the New York WFPs endorsement in 2014, Cuomo promised to campaign for vulnerable state Senate Democrats. Tkaczyk told HuffPost that the governor did nothing significant to help and seemed irritated that she had won in the first place. During a 2013 meeting of upstate lawmakers in Syracuse where Cuomo made a surprise appearance, Tkaczyk recalls him going around the room and complimenting every lawmaker there except her, whom he ignored. AdvertisementNew York state Sen. Cecilia Tkaczyk (D) waves to the gallery after being sworn in to office at the Capitol in Albany on Jan. 23, 2013. Mike Groll/APHe went down the row and talked glowingly about every senator, skipped over me, and kept going, she said, noting that she was seated between two Republicans. The entire experience affirmed for Tkaczyk what many female lawmakers, journalists and activists have since echoed: that Cuomo uses womens rights and feminist rhetoric as a sword against enemies and a shield against critics, rather than because he is sincerely committed to the cause. As Rebecca Traister noted in New York magazine, Cuomos top aide Melissa DeRosa pointed to Cuomos work to further womens rights, to expand protections for women in the workplace, maternal health, reproductive health as a response to the sexual harassment allegations against him. After Tkaczyks re-election loss in 2014, she decided to take a page out of Cuomos book and play a petty game of her own. AdvertisementChatting with her girlfriends one night over glasses of wine, she plotted to try taking over the WEP to troll Cuomo. For a guy to start a political party called the Womens Equality Party was just absurd, she said. Tkaczyk figured out that a majority of the WEPs candidates had had to sign off on the partys rules. But only two out of the four WEP candidates from the 2014 election cycle signed off: Cuomo and Hochul. So in August 2015, Tkaczyk submitted a new set of party rules that made her chair of the party. She told Politico at the time that she was making sure women are running the Womens Equality Party. (While the partys treasurer was a woman, Tkaczyk noted that candidates seeking endorsements from the party were instructed to contact Cuomos office.) To him, it was a political ploy, a political game and he controlled every part of it, Tkaczyk told HuffPost. Initially, a state Supreme Court judge sided with Tkaczyk, but Cuomos allies won on appeal and she decided to stop pursuing the matter. AdvertisementOver the course of its brief existence, the WEP appeared to be best known for spawning a campaign bus with pink streaks on it with which Cuomo and Hochul, now his lieutenant governor, could tour the state. Cuomo financed the party with loans from his campaign accounts, and the skeletal party ordered its priorities accordingly. Endorsing Cuomo allies took precedence over endorsing women, according to a May 2018 report in The New York Times. For example, the WEP endorsed DuWayne Gregory over Liuba Grechen Shirley in the Democratic primary to take on then-Rep. Peter King in a Long Island district in 2018. Shirley made history when she successfully petitioned the Federal Election Commission to allow her to use campaign funds to pay for child care, but Gregory, a Suffolk County legislator, came recommended by the WEPs state committee person. (Shirley ultimately won the nomination and lost to King in the general election.) In the end, the WEP went out with a whimper after just three election cycles. Cuomo received fewer than 50,000 votes on the WEP ballot line in the 2018 general election. In accordance with state law, the poor showing cost the party its place on the ballot. No one has tried to revive the party since. Given her own experiences with Cuomos pettiness, Tkaczyk was not surprised to learn that Cuomo is accused of coming on to female staffers. He doesnt do anything thats not intentional. Thats my experience with his behavior, Tkaczyk said. The WEP is an example of that behavior. It was an absurd thing to do and yet he did it.AdvertisementBut she takes no pleasure in the scandal, even if it eventually forces Cuomo to be held accountable for his actions.

###CLAIM: my lip turned blue when one of the paramedics told me that if you waited 4 hours for the first ambulance you would die. ###DOCS: A diabetic dance teacher who played 'Russian roulette' with her health for a decade by reducing her insulin medication to lose weight was told by paramedics who blue lighted her to hospital that she was just hours away from dying. Amber Dumbill, 24, from Warrington, Cheshire, who needs insulin injections for Type 1 diabetes, started reducing her dose to control her weight - developing a dangerous eating disorder called diabulimia. Despite only being a size 14 at her heaviest, keen dancer Amber often performed in a leotard and tight-fitting exercise gear at school, so was constantly comparing herself to more petite girls in her class. The autoimmune condition prevents the body from making the hormone insulin, sending blood sugar levels sky high. But when she moved into student accommodation at 18, while studying musical theatre at university in Blackpool, Lancashire, Amber stopped taking insulin and doing finger prick tests needed to monitor her blood sugar levels - causing her to shrink to a size eight. When a type 1 diabetic omits insulin, glucose cannot reach the cells, causing the body to burn fat as an alternative energy source. Amber Dumbill, 24, from Warrington, Cheshire, at her slimmest, in March 2016. She spent 10 years manipulating her inuslin tratement for Type 1 diabetes in order to lose weightAmber, pictured aged 14, was self-conscious about her figure and was constantly comparing herself to more petite girls in her classBut, six weeks into term, she woke one morning unable to get out of bed, was sick several times and called her mum, Kath, 56, who told her to phone an ambulance after she found blood spots in her vomit. Amber, who is also a care home administrator, said: 'I was told I'd have to wait four hours for an ambulance because I wasn't a priority, so I rang my mum again who told me to take more tests. 'The results were so high that when I rang 999 back and told them, they sent the ambulance straight away. What is diabulimia? When a type 1 diabetic omits insulin, glucose cannot reach the cells, causing the body to burn fat as an alternative energy source. This, in turn, produces an acidic by-product known as ketones which are toxic to the body, according to the support group Diabetics With Eating Disorders (DWED). The resulting condition known as diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) leads to dramatic weight loss, but is fatal if left untreated. And while diabulimics describe their disorder as 'the perfect diet gone wrong,' because without taking insulin they can eat what they want without gaining weight, it can lead to blindness, kidney damage and death. According to Diabetics With Eating Disorders, by the age of 25, some 60 per cent of Type 1 diabetics will have developed an eating disorder - with 40 per cent of those affected admitting to skipping insulin to lose weight. Advertisement'By the time we got to the hospital, my lips were turning blue and one of the paramedics told me, 'If you'd waited four hours for the first ambulance you'd have been dead.' Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of nine, by her teens Amber was already fudging her blood sugar results and taking less insulin than she should have been. 'I was upset when I was first diagnosed, even though I had grown up around the condition, because my dad had type 1 diabetes, too,' said Amber. 'Sadly he passed away six years ago, but it was unrelated to his diabetes.' 'My packed lunch changed overnight after the diagnosis - going from white bread sandwiches and a chocolate bar to brown bread and a slimmer's yoghurt. 'It was boring and I hated not being able to eat like I used to unless I did PE, which meant I could have a chocolate bar.' By the age of 14, full of adolescent rebellion, Amber whose younger sister Mia, 20, does not have diabetes, started to defy her diabetic restrictions and, at one point, secretly ate up to 20 chocolate bars a day. The dance teacher was told she was hours from death after spotting blood in her vomit when she fell illAmber, pictured in August 2020, is now managing her condition correctly with insulin, after 10 years of reducing her doses to lose weightAmber aged seven in her ballet outfit. As she grew older, seeing other girls in tight-fitting dance costumes made her self-conscious about her figureAmber at college in 2014 (left). She stopped monitoring her blood sugar and shrunk to a size 8 Right: Amber dressed up as Poison Ivy for Halloween in 2020In the UK about 90 per cent of diabetic adults have Type 2 diabetes Diabetes is a lifelong condition that causes a person's blood sugar level to become too high. There are two main types of diabetes: - Type 1, where the body's immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin. - Type 2, where the body does not produce enough insulin, or the body's cells do not react to insulin. Type 2 diabetes is far more common than Type 1. In the UK, around 90% of all adults with diabetes have Type 2. Reducing the risk of Type 2 diabetes can be achieved through healthy eating, regular exercise and achieving a healthy body weight. The main symptoms of diabetes include: feeling very thirsty, urinating more frequently (particularly at night), feeling very tired, weight loss, and loss of muscle bulk. Source: NHS AdvertisementShe said: 'As Dad was diabetic too, I'd fake my blood sugar results by using his old syringe to draw a blood sample, before watering it down, so it would give a lower reading. 'Looking back, I still can't believe it's something I used to do and would strongly advise anybody against forging any kind of medical result.' And while her family thought her weight gain was pubescent puppy fat, she knew it was because of her chocolate binges. 'My mum tried to speak to me about what was going on, but I didn't want to talk about it,' she said. 'I felt attacked whenever she brought it up. She knew the chocolate bars she bought were disappearing, so would find new hiding places for them, but I always found them.' Everything changed when Amber read an article in her dad's diabetes magazine one evening, which had been left in the bathroom. She said: 'There was a story about a girl who had stopped taking her insulin to lose weight and who then went blind as a result. 'I ignored the bit about going blind and just thought, "I can do that and still eat chocolate". 'I knew it was risky, but just thought nothing bad would happen to me. 'I would look at class photos from school and hate the fact I wasn't the slimmest person in them. 'Also, I was still doing ballet and having to wear a leotard and tights, so I'd compare myself to the other girls. There was one at my dance class who always looked like a twig.' So, Amber's terrifying descent into diabulimia - an eating disorder largely unrecognised by the medical profession - began. But, even hearing that she could have died, after her hospital scare at university, did not put Amber back on track. Instead, she started taking her insulin again, but took less than was prescribed in case she gained weight. Her wake-up call came after a conversation with her mum, a housewife, soon after meeting her new boyfriend, Ed Martin, 24, a sale assistant, through work in 2018. 'I told Mum that Ed and I had been talking about the future,' she said. 'We'd discussed getting married and having kids. 'She just turned to me and said, 'You won't be having any kids if you don't sort out your diabetes.' 'That, together with the realisation that diabetes can cause complications in pregnancy even when it is properly managed, shocked me into realising what I was doing to myself.' Amber, pictured in a costume from the musical Cats, said that she couldn't help comparing her figure to how others looked when wearing tight leotardsAmber's first year of teaching in 2019. She said that a wake-up call came in 2018 when she discussed having her own children in the future, and her mother warned it wouldn't happen unless she sorted out her healthAmber with her boyfriend Ed, who she met through work in 2018. Her desire to start a family with Ed in the future motivated the dance teacher to stop misusing insulinAmber (left) with her mother Kath and sister Mia in August 2020. She said her mother tried to tackle her about her condition over the years, but she wouldn't listenAmber with her father, who was also diabetic, in 2012Since managing her diabetes properly, Amber has been living a healthy balanced life. But she is now keen to raise awareness of diabulimia, which remains a largely 'hidden condition'. Amber said: 'I am so grateful that I turned my life around before it was too late, but if telling my story stops just one person with type 1 diabetes doing what I did, it will be worth it.' Psychiatrist, Professor Khalida Ismail, who runs the UK's first diabulimia disorder clinic at Kings College Hospital in London, warns that the condition can be fatal. He said: 'Diabulimia is extremely dangerous but the fear that taking insulin causes weight gain is so strong that sufferers will stop taking it to lose weight. 'You can look well and have a normal body size but if you stop taking your insulin you will have very high blood sugars which can cause all those diabetes-related complications. If a person with Type 1 diabetes does not take any insulin they will die very quickly.' For more information about Diabetics With Eating Disorders see dwed.org.uk

###CLAIM: state and local leaders announced a few new restrictions on relaxation in some cases, shifting the focus to vaccine. ###DOCS: Comment on this story Comment Gift Article ShareOn Jan. 20, 2020, a 35-year-old man who had recently returned to the United States from Wuhan, China, was admitted to Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett, Wash., suffering from fever, cough and general fatigue. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight He turned out to be Patient One the first of 24 million people in the United States who over the next year would test positive for the novel coronavirus. Exactly one year later, as Joe Biden took the presidential oath of office, he inherited a pandemic that has sickened and killed people and caused anguish and hardship across the nation at a scale not seen since the influenza pandemic of 1918. More than 404,000 people have died a quarter of them in the past month. Health departments reported more than 4,400 deaths Wednesday, a one-day record. More than 123,000 are hospitalized. The rollout of vaccines has been slow and chaotic. And the virus itself has proved to be a slippery foe, capable of mutating in ways that could make it all the more contagious. AdvertisementHes inheriting a disaster, Jeffrey Shaman, an epidemiologist at Columbia University, said of Biden. Despite the bleak picture, infectious-disease experts say there is reason for hope. Vaccines have proved to be safe and effective and offer optimism for an end to the pandemic. Even before vaccines have made much of a difference, the grim trends in infections and hospitalizations have shown signs of moderating in recent days. Washington Post data showed a peak in hospitalizations nationally at 132,311 on Jan. 6, with modest declines since. All but a few states are now reporting declines in new cases and hospitalizations. But scientists are worried about the appearance of mutated, more transmissible variants of the virus that could reverse those trends. They include a highly contagious one, first seen in the United Kingdom, that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention forecasts could become dominant in the United States by March. AdvertisementThe virus is not a static target, and the world is witnessing a vivid and unnerving demonstration of Darwinian natural selection. It could evolve its way around natural human immunity or escape the immune response elicited by vaccines. That has the CDC and the scientific community on high alert. New variants of potential concern are being identified on almost a daily basis as scientists conduct genomic sequencing on virus samples. Biden also is inheriting a delayed and disjointed vaccine rollout, the result of poor coordination between the federal government and the 50 states and other jurisdictions that are trying to conduct one of the most ambitious immunization campaigns in history. The Trump administrations announcement last week about changes to the vaccine rollout have added to confusion on the ground. The changes raised unrealistic expectations among millions of Americans who are waiting for shots and intensified demand on already stressed sign-up systems, state and local officials said. AdvertisementThe central unfortunate issue is that the vaccine is too late. Its too late for most people. A third of the country has already had the virus, said Shaman, whose research suggests that five times as many people have been infected as have tested positive for the virus. One of the most immediate issues Bidens team will need to address is the way vaccine doses will be allocated to the states. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar announced that, starting next week, the federal government will give greater weight to the 65-and-older population and redistribute vaccine from states moving too slowly to get people vaccinated and reward those that move faster. Any forecast for the future of the pandemic depends to a great degree on human behavior, which has been unpredictable and subject to political winds, misinformation and psychological exhaustion. Even though the virus has claimed more than 2 million globally, many people still view the pandemic as a hoax, or simply as overblown. AdvertisementSticking to what works to limit viral spread, such as wearing masks, remains important even when the pandemic numbers trend downward and people start to move about more freely once the restrictions imposed by governors and mayors begin to be lifted, said David Rubin, director of PolicyLab at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia. At that point, he said, Youre basically shifting more and more responsibility to individuals because public restrictions are coming to an end.State and local leaders have been announcing few new restrictions and in some cases have loosened them, as they shift their focus to vaccinations. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) on Monday asked vaccine providers to use their supplies immediately rather than reserving vaccines for second doses. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) announced Monday a new public-private partnership to vaccinate as many as 45,000 residents daily, drawing on a wide range of groups from labor unions to Starbucks to the National Guard to set up mass vaccination sites. AdvertisementAlso on Monday, New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo (D) asked Pfizer whether the state could purchase vaccines from the drugmaker, mirroring a similar request by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D). Its unclear whether Pfizer would sell vaccines to states directly, but the requests show a lack of confidence in the Trump administrations handling of vaccine distribution. Many states reimposed restrictions as cases started to rise after Thanksgiving, leaving few other measures to implement. In Illinois, Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) allowed some parts of the state to reopen activities starting Monday, including partial indoor dining in central and northwest Illinois and museums, casinos and small indoor fitness classes in Chicago. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) sent a letter to Biden on Tuesday praising his plans for a coronavirus stimulus package, including an additional $1,400 check for Americans, and called on him to release all available vaccines as possible.AdvertisementLos Angeles County, which surpassed 1 million cases this weekend, is starting to see a stabilization of high levels of hospitalizations that required conserving oxygen and ambulance trips. Deaths remain alarmingly high, with more than 200 people a day succumbing to the virus and environmental regulators lifting limits on cremations to ease a backlog in corpses at the coroners office. Officials also caution that progress could be wiped out as a result of new variants of virus that have been detected in Los Angeles County, including the highly contagious mutated version first detected in the United Kingdom. Right now, that variant remains scarce in the United States, accounting for fewer than 0.5 percent of cases. The wild card here, unfortunately, is that U.K. variant, and whether it comes in and takes over the way it did in southeast England, Shaman said. If something like that were to happen here, were going to have another surge potentially.AdvertisementResearchers at the Cedars-Sinai health system announced Monday that they found a new strain in a third of samples recently reviewed, which could be contributing to the spike in new cases. Arizona, which saw hospitalizations spike last month after turning the corner from a summer surge, has started to plateau despite fears of another wave of residents falling ill after contracting the virus at holiday gatherings. But it still has the highest hospitalization rate in the country with 69 of every 100,000 residents admitted the same as the start of the year. Biden is taking power as the national numbers are at, or very close to, the peak of their winter surge. The only reason the numbers are likely to decline in coming weeks is that the virus has been so efficient in spreading that it is starting to run out of new victims. The virus that for most of last year operated with a wide-open landscape of susceptibles now finds itself in a different biological situation, having infected so many people that it often collides with human immunity. AdvertisementGeorge Diaz, head of infectious diseases at Providence Regional Medical Center, treated Patient One and was surprised by his range of symptoms, including a stomach condition that prevented him from eating. The patient whose coronavirus infection was announced by the CDC on Jan. 21 recovered fully, but Diaz in coming weeks and months would discover that the coronavirus was quirky and unpredictable. The experience of Patient One was a harbinger of what was to come, Diaz said. Now we realize this virus causes very severe inflammation and can attack any part of the body: brain, heart, lungs, kidney, liver, and your arteries and veins.Since Jan. 20, 2020, the United States has endured several distinct waves of the pandemic, each blending into the next. The spring wave was marked by the associated terror of the unfamiliar pathogen, and the country essentially closed down a move that drove down infection numbers but crashed the economy. The waves that followed hit the Sun Belt, the Upper Midwest and Southern California especially hard, but few places escaped the virus. The fall and winter surge has been statistically worse than what happened in the spring, although some of that may be because of testing shortages early in the pandemic. Whats certain is that the virus managed to infect a large chunk of the American population. No one knows the exact number, but the CDCs modeling assumes up to 30 percent. Thats about 100 million people. Most have recovered at home, but about 20 percent of confirmed infections have resulted in treatment at hospitals. The infection fatality rate is below 1 percent, but that has translated into the staggering death toll that has been projected to reach 500,000 before the end of February. Experts warn against fatalism and continue to urge people to focus on what they can do to crush the pandemic. That includes getting vaccinated. The experts agree that one of Bidens challenges, and that of the scientific community more broadly, is to persuade skeptics that the vaccines are not only safe for individuals but critical to the common good. Biden promised a million doses a day. That appears to be in reach: Between Jan. 7 and Jan. 14 the vaccination rate doses actually in arms, not merely distributed to states nearly doubled, and as of Sunday, the health departments collectively were reporting 851,000 doses administered daily on average, according to Washington Post data. More than 14 million vaccinations have taken place nationally as of Tuesday. This pandemic has plunged us to the bottom of a very deep well, Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at the Georgetown Center for Global Health Science and Security, wrote on Twitter on Monday. After recovering from the shock of a long, abrupt fall into cold, fetid water, we looked up and saw only darkness. But we did find a ladder leading upward.Jacqueline Dupree contributed to this report. GiftOutline Gift Article

###CLAIM: to create more space, richard said, options such as side and rear extensions and conversion of loft would almost certainly end. ###DOCS: If you're keen to capitalise on the mini-boom in the property market, you may well be spending much of lockdown doing long-awaited home improvements. But before you do anything drastic such as ripping down a wall or giving your lounge a radical makeover, have you stopped to take stock of what is actually going to make your house more appealing to a potential buyer? While some renovation projects are a relatively safe bet, others could end up costing you more than you're likely to make back from your sale. Here FEMAIL speaks to a range of experts in the field, from UK-based estate agents to interior design gurus, who share their insight into which home improvements are worth taking the plunge, and those best saved for your future property. If you're keen to capitalise on the mini-boom in the property market, you may well be spending much of lockdown doing long-awaited home improvements - but will they make your property more appealing? Pictured: stock imageSteer clear of 'trend based' decor and feature wallsHeather Young, editor of Ideal Home magazine says: 'If you're updating your bathroom with a view to selling your home, steer clear of anything trend-based that might date quickly. 'Instead, opt for a simple, minimal scheme and dress the room with accessories and houseplants to add character and personality.' Richard Page, marketing director at the estate agency Dexters, adds: 'When decorating, choosing on-trend colours may look fantastic for now but could be quite divisive for potential buyers. It's a cliche but generally go for neutral colours.' According to the experts at Style & Stage, a professional staging company who work with developers and estate agents to transform properties into fully staged and styled homes, painting a striking 'feature wall' is a bit no-no. Richard Page, marketing director at the estate agency Dexters, recommends going for neutral colours with your decor. Stock image'For lots of people, working from home means spending time looking at your walls and wishing you could make a big change,' they say. 'But spending effort and money on a bold feature wall isn't the answer! Making a rash decision can be quite divisive when you want to sell your house in the future, and the next buyers might just cover up what you do. 'Focus instead on creating a feature picture wall or adding in a picture rail, which will have a great impact on the space without being too tricky to change in future.' Make your garden 'effortless' to maintain - and avoid a hot tubWhile a Ground Force-style makeover can make your outdoor space more impressive, be aware that some buyers may be put off if it looks like too much hard work to keep pristine. 'When planning outside space, however big or small the garden, make it look effortless to maintain,' says Richard. 'Big ticket items like hot tubs may look great in a brochure, but if a buyer doesn't want one there is no added value. 'Stick to less subjective items and let the buyer add their own extravagances.' Heather adds: 'We saw a huge surge in the popularity of outdoor living during 2020, as socialising moved into the open air. 'While buyers want to see a tidy and well organised garden, you can create the idea of living or dining zones by dressing areas with furniture or accessories, without the need for expensive landscaping.' Rethink that garage conversion 'With our homes having to step up to meet a huge number of different purposes over the last year, converting the garage has become a popular renovation project to add a much-needed extra room,' says Heather. 'While this is a great solution to meet the needs of the current owner, it might not be so appealing to buyers who are often more interested in a garage for their car, or for the storage potential that space offers.' AdvertisementOpen-plan extensions are NOT always worth the money'Spending so much time at home shines a harsh spotlight on your propertys limitations when it comes to space,' says Heather. 'While its very tempting to want to take the plunge and embark on a large extension project, if youre going to be selling your home in the near future, this is an expensive endeavour that might not make financial sense. 'We've seen open-plan homes take centre stage for a number of years, but time spent at home in lockdown has highlighted the disadvantages of open-plan living, when the call for separate spaces for work, schooling, fitness (or just to escape to chill out!) has been amplified. 'Creating an open-plan space can be a high cost project if it involves reconfiguring the interior spaces, and it may not make your home more appealing to buyers. 'If that dream extension is something you think your home could benefit from, its worth getting planning permission in place before putting your property on the market as this will make it very attractive to potential buyers, who can then take on the project themselves to suit their own vision and needs.' Richard says: 'In terms of creating more space, the options are almost endless; side extension, rear extension, loft conversion. 'Think carefully about the cost of the extension versus what the property will gain maybe adding another bedroom will add more value to your property than a large kitchen/diner, depending on the house prices where you live. 'Think about whether you want all open plan space or actually have rooms with doors that can be closed for privacy. With more home working, well planned dedicated study/office space will really appeal to buyers and tenants.' Think twice before adding an en-suiteWhen it comes to adding bathrooms, Richard suggests putting yourself in a buyer's shoes and assessing how you'd want to live. 'Does a miniscule shower room with a tiny washbasin created out of the corner of a bedroom add real value, or would it just be inconvenient and become an annoyance?' he points out. 'Likewise, a big stand-alone bath in a master bedroom looks great, but is it practical to live with?' Only add a bedroom if you can fit a wardrobe'Think very carefully about removing or converting a bedroom as this is likely to adversely affect value,' Richard advises. 'Instead, if you want to use a bedroom as a home office or a walk-in dressing room for example, focus on changes that are temporary and easy to reverse. 'If you permanently change a bedroom, for example changing a small bedroom into an ensuite bathroom for the main bedroom, you may be adversely affecting the value of the overall home. 'Remember that storage space is vital, so if you are making an extra bedroom, also think about whether a wardrobe could fit in the space too. 'An extra bedroom that only has room for a bed is not very practical for family living.' Using a ladder as a staircase 'Using a ladder rather than a proper staircase to an upper floor may be a quick fix, but is rarely the ideal solution,' Richard warns. 'Invest in improvements that are practical and have longevity rather than doing a rushed or cheap job now which could ultimately devalue your home.' AdvertisementBifolding doors can be impractical for daily living'If you remove or change windows, try to focus on getting that natural light back into the space with other windows or skylights,' Richard says. 'Losing natural light will always have a negative effect on the home's value and could lead the spaces to feel more cramped than they actually are. 'In addition, although bifolding doors in the kitchen look amazing, make sure you have another small opening window in the room for simple or quick ventilation. 'Only having bifolding doors make be a great aesthetic choice but can be impractical for daily living.' Do make the most of the 'dead space' you already have'When thinking about investing in home improvements, the first thing to remember is that adding value doesn't always have to cost a lot of money,' says Richard. 'Spending time carefully thinking about your home and how best to maximise its value and liveability can work better than copying flash trends. 'The key is to maximise space, using every inch to maximum advantage, particularly when city living. 'Depending on the property, have a good look at what's there and use a floorplan to help and see if there is any underutilised space you could transform. 'Perhaps an unused under-stairs space could become a working from home nook, or a guest cloakroom. 'Equally, if you have an awkward wall area, perhaps adding bespoke shelves could add useful storage and make use of otherwise dead space. 'A big spring clean and a ruthless decluttering is a good way to start. Lift carpets and polish the original floorboards for a more contemporary look, reface existing kitchen cupboard fronts, and remove curtains to fit blinds.' Spend money on details like light switches and a new front doorRichard says: 'Don't forget the details; are all light switches and plug sockets the same design? The same goes for skirting boards and cornices, doors and door furniture - avoid a mishmash. 'As always make sure the approach to the property and front door looks immaculate as first impressions really do count. 'Updating these elements to be more uniform can help to transform your home and create a very elegant product without huge expenditure. 'Spending time upgrading the door, choosing a complementary door colour, adding window boxes or smartening up the approach can help to turn your property into one of the best looking on the street.' Style & Stage also speak highly of adding accessories to inexpensively dress a room. 'There are several trends at the moment that can help to uplift a space and give a fresh, timeless look without a huge cost, such as using statement vases and pampas grass,' they say. 'Keep the accessories in moderation and focus on textures and layers in each room. This can have a much bigger uplift on a room rather than physical changes to walls or spaces that may be too expensive or impractical right now.' Renovation is a costly business - whether undertaken for personal use or to improve the value of a home - so, how do you know which upgrades are worth the trouble? Thankfully, Strike, an online estate agents, has revealed which improvements can really boost the price of your house - and which additions will cost you more than they earn. The UK-based property experts suggested accentuating period features could add up to 10 per cent to a home's value, while a garage conversion could lose you money. At the start of 2020, UK Google searches for advice on how to sell a house quadrupled - with sellers wanting to do everything they can to increase their property value before listing. And with a recent study suggesting Britons spend 83billion pounds on home upgrades each year, FEMAIL reveals the top tips for renovating your property, according to the estate agents. The kitchen is a focal point of any house and an outdated one can often be a deal-breaker for buyers (stock photo)Upgrade the kitchenRevealed: The renovations that are more trouble than they're worth 1. Converting a garage - potential loss: 7,500 While converting the garage into a living area might be a tempting way to increase space in the home, doing so purely to boost property value is misguided. Many people value the garage as storage space for rarely used items or bulky appliances, such as a second fridge. And, of course, a lot of people, especially households with multiple cars, need the garage for its traditional purpose of parking. It's probably best to let buyers make up their own mind about what to do with this space. 2. Upgrading the utilities - potential loss: 15,000 Whether it's installing new plumbing, upgrading the boiler or updating the electrical wiring, keeping on top of utility improvements is important for any home. However, these renovations are considered house maintenance, rather than a value-adding upgrade. Of course, making sure your home systems are in good condition is essential to getting a good price. But they don't have to be state of the art if they are already in fine nick, upgrading your utilities just to say that you have isn't likely to add much value. 3. Quickly dated decor - potential loss: 5,000 While installing current interior trends in your home can definitely make it look stylish, it probably won't end up making you much more money when you sell. Rose gold furnishings and quirky tiles might be trendy, but they might not be to the taste of all buyers - so investing in them to make your home more attractive can misfire. Additionally, even if the trends are to the buyers' tastes, interior fashions don't last long. Instead of investing in trendy interior updates when redecorating to sell, keep it minimal. Instead of investing in trendy interior updates when redecorating to sell, keep it minimal. This is helpful for buyers as it allows them to more easily imagine what they would like to do with the place, and it saves you money too. AdvertisementPotential added value: Up to 20 per cent (49,000 - based on the average UK house price of 245,000)The kitchen is a focal point of any house and an outdated one can often be a deal-breaker for buyers. Remodelling the kitchen will generally be a smart investment, but if you are just upgrading to sell, there's no need to go for top-of-the-range. Any new kitchen will still look impressive and give that 'wow' factor your buyers are looking for. In fact, even smaller changes - such as just changing the worktops and cupboards - can also bring a healthy boost to the house's financial worth. Accentuate period featuresPotential added value: Up to 10 per cent (24,500)While some house hunters prefer a more timeless home, many buyers are willing to pay more for period features that make the house stand out. These could range from small things like skirting boards and architraves to bigger features, such as sash windows or an original fireplace. In many homes, previous owners may have covered up original features beautiful Victorian tiles or wood flooring hiding underneath carpets, for example so, see what your house has to offer and make the most of it. From repairing old cornices and mouldings to restoring beams or timber panelling, take advantage of the hidden treasures in your house. Add natural lightPotential added value: Up to 8 per cent (19,600)All the time that people have spent at home this year has changed what people look for in a home. One feature that is much more in demand post-Covid is natural light. While glass bifold doors and skylights were already popular in homes pre-pandemic, now more than ever, installing means of natural light in the home can add value. It makes rooms feel brighter and more spacious, which is a definite win. Convert the loft into workspacePotential added value: Up to 15 per cent (36,750)Another effect of the pandemic on house hunting requirements is that more buyers are now looking for home workspaces. For many, working from home is here to stay - and a lot of buyers would like to have the option of a dedicated office space. It may be that you have a spare bedroom but a loft conversion can easily double as a home office. Even taking advantage of an unused nook or cranny by adding a desk can help show your home's potential. An effect of the pandemic on house hunting requirements is that more buyers are now looking for home workspaces (stock photo)While converting the garage into a living area might be a tempting way to increase space in the home, doing so purely to boost property value is misguided (stock photo)Update the bathroom or add an en-suitePotential added value: Up to 5 per cent (12,250)Bathrooms can be make or break when selling a house, so ensure that yours are up to scratch. Remodelling will make your house more attractive to buyers, but is not essential if your bathroom is already in a good state. Installing an en-suite however, is a great way to add value to the home, as demand for the built-in bathrooms is evergreen. Jonathan Magill from Strike said: 'Of course, every seller wants to get the best price for their home, so investing in certain renovations is essential to boosting your asking price. 'But before you rush in to make changes, make sure you take the time to consider what the effect will be on your house value and if the update is worth it for you financially.'

###CLAIM: the 27-year-old, who skates with the team, began skating with the club toward the end of the season when the rangers were eliminated from playoff contention because their management did not want the risk. ###DOCS: Defenseman Ryan Lindgren, who became a restricted free agent at the conclusion of this season, signed a three-year extension with the Rangers on Monday, the team announced. The Posts Larry Brooks reported that the deal is worth $9 million with an average annual value of $3 million. After Lindgren won the Players Player award, voted by his teammates as the player who best exemplifies what it means to be a team player, new president and general manager Chris Drury wasted no time in locking up the 23-year-old. Its a huge honor, Lindgren said Monday of the award. Having guys on the team vote for it. Obviously theres a lot of guys that could have easily won this award. But Im very honored and it definitely means a lot to me. Its very special, very cool to hear I won that and very excited.Lindgren missed the last five games of the season after suffering an upper-body injury in a collision with Islanders forward Cal Clutterbuck in the 4-0 loss on April 29. He said he is feeling better and better each day and is excited to train in the offseason. In 51 games this season, Lindgren scored one goal and dished 15 assists with 35 penalty minutes. The Rangers signed defenseman Ryan Lindgren to a three-year, $9 million contract. Getty ImagesSince his promotion from AHL Hartford in 2019-20, Lindgren and fellow defenseman Adam Fox have forged a lethal top defensive pairing. With Foxs offensive skill and Lindgrens physicality, the duo quickly became head coach David Quinns go-to D pair against top lines. In addition to his productivity with Fox, Lindgren was a reliable penalty killer. He ranked second on the team in average shorthanded ice time (2:30) and currently ranks fifth in the NHL (minimum 115:00 shorthanded ice time) in power-play goals against per 60 minutes (4.22) this season. Lindgren established career-highs in several categories this season. He led the team with a plus-20 rating and recorded 98 hits, which marked a personal best. The Minnesota native was one of just four Rangers who posted 90 or more hits and 50 or more blocked shots this season. Along with the Players Player award, the Rangers released the other two team awards as voted on by members of the media. Defenseman Adam Fox was named the most valuable player, making him the first Ranger to win the award in one of his first two seasons in the NHL since Henrik Lundqvist in 2006-07. He is also the first Rangers skater to do so since Brian Leetch in 1988-89. The 23-year-old joins Leetch, Lundqvist, Mark Messier, Wayne Gretzky, Adam Graves and Mika Zibanejad as the only players to win both the Steven McDonald Extra Effort award and team MVP in the same season. The John Halligan Good Guy Award, which is presented to a player for his cooperation with the media throughout the season, was given to defenseman Brendan Smith. Set to become an unrestricted free agent, Smith has maintained that he hopes to stay with the Rangers. I love being a Ranger, he said. If thats in the cards, I will strongly think about that. Even [if its not] top four minutes, to me, it doesnt matter.Defenseman Jacob Trouba, who missed the final 10 games of the season with a presumed concussion he sustained on a hit from Islanders forward Matt Martin, said his head was fine, but there was another little injury thats lurking.The 27-year-old began skating with the team toward the end of the season, but was shut down once the Rangers were eliminated from playoff contention because management didnt want to risk it.

###CLAIM: the drug's roll-out is believed to be rapid due to its availability and ability to store and transport at room temperature. ###DOCS: Scientists have developed an antiviral drug that kills off 99.9 per cent of Covid particles in the lungs of mice. The 'next-generation' treatment works like a 'heat-seeking missile' to detect the viral load and attack them. It has been developed by a team of international experts from Australia's Menzies Health Institute Queensland at Griffith University. The treatment, given via an injection, works by using a medical technology called gene-silencing that was first discovered in Australia during the 1990s. Gene-silencing utilises RNA - fundamental building blocks in the body, similar to DNA - to attack the virus. Modified RNA was also used to develop the Pfizer and Moderna Covid vaccines, shown to be up to 96 per cent effective at blocking the disease. The new therapy has been designed for people who are already severely ill with Covid, for whom the vaccines are too late. Co-lead researcher Professor Nigel McMillan from MHIQ said the groundbreaking treatment prevents the virus from replicating and may even put a stop to Covid-related deaths across the world. 'Essentially, it's a seek-and-destroy mission,' he said. 'We can specifically destroy the virus that grows in someone's lungs.' The treatment has only been trialled in rodents and therefore exactly how effective or safe it will be in humans remains unknown. But the researchers behind the therapy say they are confident 'normal cells are completely unharmed by this treatment'. They hope it will be ready for rollout by 2023. Professor Kevin Morris (left) Dr Adi Idris (second left), Professor Nigel McMillan (centre), Dr Arron Supramanin (second right) and Mr Yusif Idres (right), make up part the Griffith University COVID-19 antiviral research team'Essentially, it's a seek-and-destroy mission,' Prof McMillan said. 'We can specifically destroy the virus that grows in someone's lungs'Pictured: A graphic shows the RNA medicine can stop the Covid-19 virus from replicating'This is a technology that works with small pieces of RNA that can specifically bind to the genome of the virus,' Professor McMillan said. 'This binding causes the genome to not work anymore and in fact it causes the cells to destroy it.' Although there have been other antiviral treatments such as Zanamivir and Remdesivir which have reduced symptoms and allowed coronavirus patients to recover faster, this is the first treatment to directly stop the virus. The medicine needs to be delivered into the bloodstream via injection in something called a 'nanoparticle'. 'These nanoparticles go to the lungs and fuse into the cells delivering the RNA,' Prof McMillan said. 'The RNA seeks out the virus and it destroys its genome, so the virus can no longer replicate.' Scientists have been working on the treatment since April last year, as Australia was ordered into a nationwide shutdown for six weeks. Scientists have been working on the treatment since April last year, as Australia was ordered into a nationwide shutdown for six weeks. Pictured: Technicians prepare Pfizer vaccines at the newly opened COVID-19 Vaccination Centre in SydneyThe University of Griffith treatment is now set to enter the next phase of clinical trials and it is expected to be made available by 2023. Pictured: Technicians prepare Pfizer vaccines at the newly opened COVID-19 Vaccination Centre in SydneyWHAT ARE THE ANTIVIRALS TESTED AGAINST COVID SO FAR? Remdesivir is one antiviral that hit headlines earlier in the pandemic and was used to treat Covid patients for some time. It still is used in the NHS and in the US but studies have failed to prove it gives any substantial benefit to recovery. Remdesivir has to be injected and currently doesn't come in pill form, however, making it unsuitable for the Government's plans. There aren't other antivirals routinely used to treat Covid, but clinical trials are ongoing. One already in trials is molnupiravir, which was originally designed to tackle flu but worked against Covid in trials on hamsters and is now being studied in humans. Molnupiravir, made by the pharmaceutical firm Merck, 'continues to show promise as a potential treatment for non-hospitalised patients,' the company said after their second phase study. They decided it was not effective for seriously ill people. Another, called Tollovir, is being trialled on people by the company Todos Medical in Israel. Todos Medical said past research had shown the drug could work against coronaviruses in general and that it had potential to 'significantly reduce' the severity of Covid. Favipiravir is a Japanese-made antiviral drug that is being trialled in the UK in the PRINCIPLE trial. It is not a novel drug and Japanese health officials have already approved it for flu patients, but it could be added to the UK's arsenal if trials show it works against Covid, too. Ritonavir and lopinavir, drugs developed to treat HIV, are also being trialled on coronavirus patients. They have been in studies throughout the pandemic and results have been conflicting, but trials are still recruiting patients. US company Romark is trying to get US approval for its antiviral drug NT-300, made using a chemical called nitazoxanide, which it said trials showed could cut the risk of severe disease by up to 85 per cent. Romark is still doing late-scale human trials of the drug and already uses a slightly different version of it treat parasitic illnesses. Although it's not an antiviral, a study of the asthma steroid budesonide found that it appeared to have some ability to stop the virus from reproducing in the airways, while simultaneously reducing swelling the lungs and making it easier for patients to breathe. The Oxford University-led study found that budesonide could reduce recovery time by three days, on average, by the country's chief medics said there wasn't enough evidence to make it part of the NHS's standard care. AdvertisementThere have been more than 165 million cases of coronavirus, including 3.4 million deaths, across the world since the virus first emerged in December 2019 in Wuhan. The University of Griffith treatment is now set to enter the next phase of clinical trials and it is expected to be made available by 2023. In the UK, the first 'antivirals taskforce' has been set up to find and fund research into new therapies just like the one in Queensland. They are committed to finding 'novel antiviral medicines', the British Department of Health said, meaning drugs not currently being sold commercially are being pushed through clinical trials over the summer. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the drugs could 'provide another vital defence against any future increase in infections and save more lives', and there are hopes they will help stop the new variants making people seriously ill mutated strains make it more likely that someone will get ill even after vaccination. Remdesivir is one antiviral that hit headlines earlier in the pandemic and was used to treat Covid patients for some time. It still is used in the NHS and in the US but studies have failed to prove it gives any substantial benefit to recovery. Remdesivir has to be injected and currently doesn't come in pill form, however, making it unsuitable for the Government's plans. There aren't other antivirals routinely used to treat Covid, but clinical trials are ongoing. One already deep into trials is molnupiravir, which was originally designed to tackle flu but worked against Covid in trials on hamsters and is now being studied in humans. Molnupiravir, made by the pharmaceutical firms Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, 'continues to show promise as a potential treatment for non-hospitalised patients,' the companies said after their second phase study. They decided it was not effective for seriously ill people after testing it in hospitals. Another, called Tollovir, is being trialled on people by the company Todos Medical in Israel. Todos Medical said past research had shown the drug could work against coronaviruses in general and that it had potential to 'significantly reduce' the severity of Covid. Favipiravir is another antiviral drug, made in Japan where it is used to treat flu, that is being trialled in the UK in the PRINCIPLE NHS trial. It is not a new drug but it could be added to the UK's arsenal if trials show it works against Covid, too. Ritonavir and lopinavir, drugs developed to treat HIV, are also being trialled on coronavirus patients in the UK. They have been in studies throughout the pandemic and results have been conflicting, but trials are still recruiting. US company Romark is trying to get US approval for its antiviral drug NT-300, made using a chemical called nitazoxanide, which it said trials showed could cut the risk of severe disease by up to 85 per cent. Romark is still doing late-scale human trials of the drug and already uses a slightly different version of it treat parasitic illnesses. Although it's not an antiviral, a study of the asthma steroid budesonide found that it appeared to have some ability to stop the virus from reproducing in the airways, while simultaneously reducing swelling the lungs and making it easier for patients to breathe. The Oxford University-led study found that budesonide could reduce recovery time by three days, on average, by the country's chief medics said there wasn't enough evidence to make it part of the NHS's standard care.

###CLAIM: the blog description for onedrive has also been updated with native code for arm, macos and onedrive clients that want it. ###DOCS: Taking a look back at another week of news and headlines from Cupertino, this weeks Apple Loop includes all the news from WWDC, the updates to iOS, macOS, iPadOS, and WatchOS, Apples missing MacBooks, Adobes Creative Cloud update, and Microsofts native macOS apps. Apple Loop is here to remind you of a few of the very many discussions that have happened around Apple over the last seven days (and you can read my weekly digest of Android news here on Forbes). iOS 15 Refreshes Apples Instant Messaging ApproachLets start off the WWDC news with the latest version of iOS that will update the iPhones feature set. The fifteenth numbered version leans into the privacy changes, but also stresses messaging. FaceTime will expand out to Windows and Android; sharing media from certain apps in real time on a call for an ad-hoc watch party; and links through iMessage to specific apps can appear in those apps, such as Connadh shared this news story about Duolingos Gaelic update showing up in the news app. Apple missed much of the messaging and video conferencing rush during 2020s work from home, so this feels a bit like catching up:"The update will give you more options for FaceTime video chat including, yes, finally talking with friends on Android. It also brings new privacy features that help protect your email and show you how often apps access things such as your camera and microphone. And later this winter, you may even be able to add your drivers license to Apple Wallet, depending on where you live." (CNBC). BRAZIL - 2021/06/08: In this photo illustration the iOS 15 logo seen displayed on a smartphone. ... [+] Apple has started its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), an information technology conference, where it presented the iOS 15, iPadOS 15, macOS 12 and watchOS 8. (Photo Illustration by Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty ImagesNo More Forced iOS UpdatesPerhaps one the best nits of news on iOS was not about iOS 15, but iOS 14. Previously Apple would depreciate the older versions of iOS and force everyone on to the next whole version number. Not this time. If you want to stay on iOS 14, you can... and Apple will continue to provide security updates to both versions. Whether this remains in place for iOS 14 when iOS 16 is released remains to be seen, but for now this will be welcomed by many:"This is a bit of a departure for Apple, which has typically controlled user updates with an iron fist. Users are strongly encouraged to upgrade, and downgrades are made deliberately difficult. One of its tactics has been to remove the cryptographic signing of older OS versions, preventing them from being run on retail iOS devices." (The Register). More Multitasking For iPadiPad OS up next, and the march towards your next computer is not a computer turning into a computer continues. While there are no major changes, the Split View improves multitasking and multiple window support on the screen. Oh and there are keyboard shortcuts included as well. Sure sounds like the tablet is doing its best to become a 2-in-1 PC when you add a keyboard:"iPadOS 15 retains the overall look and feel of the current iPad operating system. The updates in the new OS are mostly centered around multitasking. The iPads widget support gets a big update with iPadOS 15. The widgets are larger, more immersive and dynamic. And, iOSs App Library is finally available on the iPad, where it tweaks the overall user experience. The feature, added to the iPhone in 2020, presents the user with an organized view of the apps on the iPad. " (TechCrunch). A Quiet Year For macOSMacOS also picked up some small additions while keeping the main building blocks similar to the previous version - I suspect that most of the changes are at a lower level to improve ARM support and the emulation of x86 apps. The most visible change is the ability to use the keyboard and trackpad of a Mac on your iPad - just swish the cursor off the edge of the screen and see it on the other device:"I hope that Universal Control works as well in the real world as it did in this staged demo and I know thats no sure thing. But what I like about the feature is how its just a clever recombination of existing technologies that Apple had already built for other purposes." (The Verge). Apples Missing MacBooksWhile we didnt see any new MacBook Pro machines on stage, Apples web team may have been caught out, with the livestream keywords on YouTube featuring 'MacBook Pro M1X:"Spotted by Twitter user Max Balzer, the livestream of the WWDC keynote included the keywords MacBook Pro and M1X in the metadata. Someone was ready for the new hardware to be announced and searched for. And now we know that Apple is ready for the M1X." (Forbes). More Fitness On The WristFinally on the update front, WatchOS 8 also picked up smaller changes keeping the broad strokes of the environment intact. A number of the health-based apps have been updated, including Mindfulness, and Sleep; while Tai Chi and Pilates are added to the Workout app:"The Sleep app will now track your respiratory rate and alert you to changes that may be alarming. And Tai Chi and Pilates will join the Workout apps while Fitness+ will welcome fitness coach Jeanette Jenkins and her popular strength and HIIT classes, along with new Artist Spotlight Series workouts." (MacWorld). Abodes ARM Adventures ContinueOutside of the WWDC stage, its worth noting the update of Adobe's Illustrator and InDesign to run on Apples ARM-based platform. These join the other Creative Cloud apps now running on Apple Silicon,. I wonder when well see these ported to Windows 10 on ARM? :"While users have been able to continue to use the tool on M1 Macs during this period, todays development means a considerable boost in speed and performance. Overall, Illustrator users will see a 65 percent increase in performance on an M1 Mac, versus Intel builds InDesign users will see similar gains, with a 59 percent improvement on overall performance on Apple Silicon." (Adobe Blog). And Finally...Also updating to ARM-native code for MacOS is Microsofts OneDrive client (Microsofts OneDrive Blog), while xCloud Gaming will be coming to iPhone in the next few weeks, not via an app but through the Safari web browser:"Microsoft wanted to offer the xCloud Game platform as an app on the App Store, but since Apple policies dont allow app stores inside the App Store, the Redmond had to scrap its plans last ye"(9to5Mac). Apple Loop brings you seven days worth of highlights every weekend here on Forbes. Dont forget to follow me so you dont miss any coverage in the future. Last weeks Apple Loop can be read here, or this weeks edition of Loops sister column, Android Circuit, is also available on Forbes.

###CLAIM: he finished the night with 38 points, 17 shots and four assists, alongside point guards ben and simmons and forwards tobias and harris. ###DOCS: Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid, right, reacts after missing a shot in the final second of an NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns, Wednesday, April 21, 2021, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid, right, reacts after missing a shot in the final second of an NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns, Wednesday, April 21, 2021, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)PHILADELPHIA (AP) Joel Embiid grabbed a two-handed rebound, turned and heaved an 85-foot, right-handed strike with a throw ripped from Bryce Harpers playbook that banked off the glass and rattled off the front and back of the rim and out. The Philadelphia center was flat on his back in disbelief over the near-make that would have sent the game to overtime. It would have made for a long flight, long night and not a lot of sleep, Suns coach Monty Williams said. Rest easy, Phoenix. Chris Paul, Devin Booker, Mikal Bridges and the Suns walked off winners on the road for the second time this week against one of the top teams in the East. Paul scored 28 points, Booker had 19 and Bridges 18 to lead the Phoenix Suns to a 116-113 victory over Philadelphia on Wednesday night. Embiid had 38 points and 17 rebounds and one oh-so-close shot. When I threw it, it looked good, Embiid said. Paul, a 93% free-throw shooter, missed one from the line that would have sealed the win instead of giving Embiid a glimmer of highlight-reel hope. If youre up three, I always want to make the free throw to go up four, Paul said. That shot was in-and-out. I aint never seen anything like it.Neither had the rest of the Suns. That was a heck of a display of a throw right there, Suns forward Cameron Johnson said. Said Bridges: I dont know how I would have reacted. That was crazy.The Suns improved their NBA-best road record to 19-7 and are second overall at 42-16 1 1/2 games behind Utah for the league lead. Paul hit five 3s and Bridges, a former Villanova standout, continued to haunt the Sixers three years after an ill-fated draft-night deal. The Sixers selected Bridges with the 10th overall pick in 2018 a feel-good story because of the Nova connection and his mother worked for the 76ers parent company. Zhaire Smith played only 13 NBA games and is out of the league while Bridges turned into a breakout star for the blossoming Suns. The Sixers again played without starters Ben Simmons (unspecified illness) and Tobias Harris (right knee). Simmons missed his second straight game and Harris his third, the Sixers certainly secure enough in playoff spot to the point they dont have to rush either one back. Seth Curry also missed the game with a left hip flexor -- three starters down certainly one reason why FanDuel Sportsbook had the Suns as three-point favorite. The Sixers would certainly like all three back in time for this weeks two-game set in Milwaukee. Shake Milton, Furkan Korkmaz, and Matisse Thybulle joined Embiid and Danny Green (18 points) in the lineup. I know we got a lot of guys out, but we still want to win the game, 76ers coach Doc Rivers said. ADVERTISEMENTEmbiid left in the third when he slammed his left knee on the court and sat behind the basket with a towel around his leg. He rested on his back and stretched his knee as the teams went basket-for-basket. Embiid jogged in place on the baseline and played cheerleader as the short-handed Sixers tried to hang with the Suns. Embiid has missed 18 games this season with injuries, notably a bone bruise on his right knee that cost him 11 games after the All-Star break. Rivers said he did not know who would be available for both games against the Bucks. Paul buried consecutive 3s for an 85-81 lead in Embiids absence and the All-Star center did not check back in until a shade over 6 minutes left the game and the Sixers down seven. Embiid buried a 3 in a late-game lineup in which he was the only regular starter. The Suns, coming off an overtime win in Milwaukee, got big baskets down the stretch from Booker -- including a nice bank off the glass and he swished a fall-away jumper for the dagger with 13 seconds left in the game. TIP-INS76ers: Rivers, who stumped for Joe Biden during his campaign President, welcomed the guilty verdict of the former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd. The fact that we celebrated a man who committed murder is going to jail, I thought about that last night and Im not so sure if weve come a long way or we have a long way to go, Rivers said. Rivers said he talked to the team about the verdict and felt it was my responsibility as coach to discuss current events with his players. Suns: Count Rivers among the fans of Williams. Monty is a terrific coach. When you talk to other coaches and who you have to prepare for, who runs good stuff, Montys name always comes up. Now he has the talent, Rivers said. The Suns will make the playoffs for the first time sine 2010. ... Jae Crowder left the game with a sprained right ankle. ADVERTISEMENTUP NEXTSuns: At Boston on Friday night. 76ers: At Milwaukee on Thursday night and Saturday. __More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

###CLAIM: james and witter, born near ormskirk in 1880, worked as steward on the titanic as a smoking room steward. ###DOCS: AdvertisementAt just before midnight on April 14, 1912, the RMS Titanic hit an iceberg while travelling on its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York. Within three hours, the 'unsinkable' ship had slipped beneath the waves of the freezing Atlantic Ocean, killing more than 1,500 people. At its launch, the luxurious Titanic was the largest ship in the world, and was carrying some of the wealthiest people in the world, as well as hundreds of people from Britain, Ireland, and elsewhere who were seeking a new life in the United States. Whilst the story of the disaster has been told many times, a new book uses the vivid witness accounts of 50 of the 705 people who survived to bring the horror of what occurred back to life. James W Bancroft in Titanic: 'Iceberg Ahead', includes testimony from people such as perfume salesman Adolph Saalfeld, who heard the 'pitiful cries' of drowning victims as his packed lifeboat pulled away. Stewardess Violet Jessop, who went on to survive two other shipping disasters, recalled how a baby was 'dropped into my lap' as her lifeboat was being lowered into the water. And picture framer Joseph Hyman described how he 'didn't think' that the 'terrible shock' of the 'bang and a rip' which awoke him the force of the Titanic hitting the fateful iceberg could be 'anything serious'. Below, MailOnline retells some of the survivors' accounts and sheds previously untold light on their lives. At just before midnight on April 14, 1912, the RMS Titanic hit an iceberg while travelling on its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York. Within three hours, the 'unsinkable' ship had slipped beneath the waves of the freezing Atlantic Ocean, killing more than 1,500 peoplePicture framer Joseph HymanThe iceberg which sank the Titanic was first spotted at 11.40pm by lookout Frederick Fleet. He rang the ship's bell and told the bridge: 'Iceberg! Right ahead!'. Whilst the enormous ship changed heading just in time to avoid a head-on collision, the change in direction caused it to his the iceberg at an angle. Picture framer Joseph Hyman described being awoken by a 'terrible shock'A spur of ice beneath the water gauged a huge opening in the Titanic's hull, causing water to flood in. Within two-and-a-half hours, the ship had split in two and sunk beneath the waves. Hyman was a third-class passenger of the Titanic and was going to America to join his brother Harry. He was hoping to set up a new life before his wife and family would join him once established. The picture framer had been in bed for more than two hours when he felt the jolt of the ship striking the iceberg. His cabin was two decks down from the top deck and was near the front of the ship. He said: 'It must have been about half-past-eleven when I was awakened by a terrible shock. 'There was only one just a bang and a rip lasting a couple of seconds. Then everything was quiet. 'I didn't know what had happened, but never dreamed it could be anything serious, so lay in my bunk for twenty minutes listening.' Hyman got up from his bed and dressed himself before going down the passage outside his cabin. He then went up to the top deck and 'stood a full twenty minutes'. 'I knew the ship had hit something, but I didn't think it could be anything serious I don't believe anybody on board suspected anything serious,' he added. After recuperating in New York following the disaster, Hyman went on to set up a delicatessen in Manchester. He died at the age of 75 in March 1956. Perfume seller Adolf SaalfeldAdolf Saalfeld, who was born in Germany in 1865, moved to England when he was 20 and became chairman of a chemist's merchants in Manchester. He boarded the Titanic as a first-class passenger. His cabin was opposite that of John Jacob Astor VI, the wealthiest man on board. Saalfeld was travelling to America to present a selection of perfumes which he was carrying in 65 glass bottles. Adolf Saalfeld described hearing the 'pitiful cries' of drowning passengersIncredibly, all three of these bottles were recovered from the Atlantic sea bed in 2000. Saalfeld provided initial accounts of his plush surroundings on board the Titanic, noting the lunch he had of 'soup, fillet of plaice, a loin chop with cauliflower and fried potatoes'. That description is in stark contrast to his later words when he was in one of the ship's lifeboats as it pulled away from the sinking Titanic. He said: 'As we drifted away we gradually saw Titanic sink lower and lower and finally her lights went out, and others in my boat said they saw her disappear. 'Our boat was nearly two miles away but pitiful cries could be plainly heard.' Starkly, he added that everyone could have survived if there had been enough lifeboats. 'No one in our boat knew how many lifeboats were on Titanic but ... there was ample time for saving every soul on board had there been sufficient boats,' he said. Saalfeld said that the crew of the Carpathia 'did all that was possible' to make him and his fellow survivors 'comfortable' and tend to the sick and injured. 'The icebergs were huge and the weather extremely rough on the voyage to New York,' he said. Mr Bancroft states that Saalfeld was traumatised by his experiences and returned to England 'with his dreams shattered'. He was 'haunted' by the horrors for the rest of his life and found great difficulty sleeping. He died on June 5, 1926, at Kew in Surrey. Junior officer Harold BrideHarold Bride, who was born in 1890, in Nunhead, South-East London, had served as a Marconi Wireless operator before being appointed as a junior officer on the Titanic. He noted how he 'didn't even feel the shock' of the iceberg striking the cruise ship. Its captain Edward Smith, 62, came into his cabin to tell him 'we've struck an iceberg' before adding: 'You better get ready to send out a call for assistance. But don't send it until I tell you.' Bride added that he and his fellow crew could hear a 'terrible confusion' but that there was not 'the least thing to indicate any trouble'. The captain then re-emerged to order him to send the assistance call. Several ships responded, but the closest the passenger liner RMS Carpathia was 58 miles away. Bride recalled how the decks were now full of 'scrambling men and women'. The Titanic's lifeboats could only carry 1,178 people, far short of the total number of passengers. Harold Bride (left photo, on the right), who was born in 1890, in Nunhead, South-East London, had served as a Marconi Wireless operator before being appointed as a junior officer on the Titanic. Bride survived after he was hauled into a lifeboat. He recalled being 'very cold' before the Carpathia finally arrived and people were taken on to the ship by a rope ladder. The officer later spent time in hospital suffering from badly frozen and crushed feet. Right: Bride being assisted off the Carpathia after it arrived in New YorkAs water continued to gush into the ship, Bride noted how the lifeboats were launched and women and children were being put in them. 'The captain came and told us that our engine rooms were taking water and that the dynamos might not last much longer. 'We sent those facts to the Carpathia. I went on deck and looked around. The water was pretty close up to the boat deck,' he recalled. Amid the scramble escape the ship, as passengers sought to find space in lifeboats, Bride noted how the ship's band continued to play. The scene was depicted in James Cameron's 1997 film, which starred Leonardo Di Caprio and Kate Winslet. 'I guess all the band went down,' Bride said. 'They were heroes. They were still playing Autumn'. Later, Bride said Captain Smith's order came though to abandon the ship. 'Abandon your cabin now. It's every man for himself. You look out for yourselves. I release you.' Bride was then pushed into the sea by a wave as he tried to push one of the lifeboats into the water. He became trapped underneath the boat, which was upside down. 'I knew I had to fight for it and I did. How I got out from under the boat I do not know, but I felt a breath of air at last,' he said. 'There were men all around me hundreds of them. The sea was dotted with them, all depending on their lifebelts.' The ship's main feature was the Grand Staircase. It was built from English solid oak, and enhanced with wrought iron. The decorated glass domes above were designed to let in as much natural light as possibleAt the time she entered service, the Titanic was the largest ship in the world. She was the second of three Olympic-class liners operated by the White Star Line. Pictured: The ship being pulled out of Belfast harbour during sea trialsCaptain Edward Smith went down with his ship. Ship steward Tom Whiteley recalled how, when he last saw the captain, he was in the water trying to place a baby in one of the lifeboatsHe noted that the 'beautiful' ship was 'gradually turning on her nose', 'just like a duck does that goes down for a dive'. 'Then I swam with all my might. I suppose I was 150 feet away when Titanic, on her nose, with her after-quarter sticking straight up into the air, began to settle slowly,' he said. 'When at last the waves washed over her rudder there wasn't the least bit of suction I could feel. She must have kept going down just as flowing as she had been. That was her end.' Bride survived after he was hauled into a lifeboat. He recalled being 'very cold' before the Carpathia finally arrived and people were taken on to the ship by a rope ladder. The officer later spent time in hospital suffering from badly frozen and crushed feet. Ship steward Tom WhiteleyTom Whiteley, who was born in 1894, in Highgate, London, was working on the Titanic as a steward in the first class dining saloon. Tom Whiteley, who was born in 1894, in Highgate, London, was working on the Titanic as a steward in the first class dining saloonHe recalled being awoken at 11.30pm to be told by a shipmate about the ship striking the iceberg. 'I looked out of the porthole, the sea was like glass and I did not believe him,' he said. Later, during the panicked minutes when the lifeboats went into the water, he recalled how the ship's officers drew their revolvers. 'The chief officer shot one man I didn't see this, but three others did and then he shot himself,' he said. Whiteley ended up in the water and found himself clinging to 'an oak dresser' which he said was the same size as the hospital bed from which he was later treated. 'I wasn't more than sixty feet from Titanic when she went down. I was aft and could see her big stern rise up in the air as she went down bow first,' he said. 'I saw the machinery drop out of her. I was in the water about half an hour and could hear the cries of thousands of people, it seemed.' Whiteley then drifted to an upturned lifeboat which he said around 30 men were clinging to. 'They refused to let me get on. Someone tried to hit me with an oar, but I scrambled on to her,' he said. He added: 'When I last saw the captain he was in the water trying to place a baby in one of the lifeboats crowded with people. 'Some women tried to drag him on the boat, but he pulled away from them and said: 'Save yourselves.' I saw him go under, and he never came up.' The Titanic and fellow liner the Olympic under construction at the Harland and Wolf shipyard in Belfast. The Olympic was launched first, and after it was involved in a collision with HMS Hawke they had to pull resources from Titanic, which fatefully delayed her maiden voyage from 20 March to 10 AprilWhiteley was rescued by the Carpathia at around 8.40am. On arrival in New York, he was taken to hospital and treated for a right leg fracture and numerous bruises. He filed a lawsuit against the White Star Line claiming the Titanic had been unseaworthy but it never came to court. Whiteley went on to serve in the First World War before having a career as an actor which saw him star in the film version of Journey's End. The former steward also served in the Second World War as a warrant officer and was present during the North Africa landings in 1942. Mr Bancroft says that in circumstances which 'remain a mystery', he died at the age of 50 while on his way to a hospital in Italy in 1944 'apparently as a result of cardiac problems'. James Witter, who was born in 1880, near Ormskirk, West Lancashire, and worked as a smoke room steward on the TitanicSmoke room steward James WitterJames Witter, who was born in 1880, near Ormskirk, West Lancashire, and worked as a smoke room steward on the Titanic. He recalled being told how the 'bloody mail room was full of water'. Witter then told everyone in his cabin to 'get up, she's going down' but was told by one disbelieving man to 'get out of here' before one of them 'threw a boot' at him. In July 1912, Witter signed on to work on the Oceanic and remained at sea for many more years. He continued to serve with the White Star Line and then with Cunard White Star. He worked on many of the great transatlantic liners, including the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth. However, Mr Bancroft says that Witter 'rarely spoke' of the disaster as it was said to have 'haunted him for the rest of his life'. He died in Southampton on September 12, 1956, at the age of 80. Curious traveller Algie BarkworthAlgie Barkworth was born in Hessle, near Kingston upon Hull, in June 1864, and was educated at Eton. Barkworth had booked his passage on the Titanic to see what the ship was like and had intended to stay abroad for around a month. Algie Barkworth was born in Hessle, near Kingston upon Hull, in June 1864, and was educated at Eton. Barkworth had booked his passage on the Titanic to see what the ship was like and had intended to stay abroad for around a monthHe recalled hearing a 'grinding sound' when he was sitting on the Titanic's deck with his friends. Barkworth said it caused the ship to 'tremble' before the engines 'seemed to stop'. He was then told the ship had hit an iceberg and saw how pieces of ice had fallen on to the ship's deck. Later, he noted the order being given to passengers to put on their lifebelts. As passengers were being loaded into lifeboats, Barkworth also noted how the ship's band continued playing as the ship sank. He said they were 'playing a waltz tune'. 'Soon afterwards we went to see the boats lowered. The escaping steam making a deafening sound, women and children were put into the boats first,' he said. 'When most of the boats had left the ship, she began to list forward.' He added: 'I learned swimming at Eton and made up my mind if it came to the worst I would try my luck in the water.' Barkworth then had to put his swimming skills to good use. 'I had on a fur coat with the lifebelt strapped to the outside...When I came up, I swam for all I was worth to get away from the sinking ship,' he said. 'Coming across a floating plank, I rested upon it. Looking over my should I saw Titanic disappear with a volley of loud reports, so I swam slowly around and came luckily upon an overturned lifeboat. He added that, after climbing in to the boat, the 'scrams of the drowning were most terrible'. 'Several more people climbed up the stern of the boat, which was now full. We competed to keep everyone else from gathering upon.' Later, his boat began taking on water. When he and his fellow survivors were finally rescued by the Carpathia, the water 'was up to our knees'. Titanic leaves berth 43 at Dock Gate 4, the entrance to the Eastern Dock in Southampton, to begin its fateful voyage across the Atlantic Ocean; a journey from which it never returnedOnce he reached America, Barkworth wrote to his family to tell them he was safe. A report appeared in his local newspaper which announced: 'Please announce Algernon Barkworth, Hessle, arrived New York on Carpathia, ex Titanic sank. Jumped into sea, drop thirty feet. Just before she sank. 'Swam clear, and saw Titanic sink. Cold intense. Held onto overturned lifeboat for six hours. Picked up eventually by one of Titanic's boats. Suffering from frost-bitten fingers.' Barkworth lived for the rest of his life at his family home, Tranby House, and remained unmarried. He carried on his work as a Justice of the Peace following the disaster and continued in his post until a year before his death, in January 1945 at the age of 80. Violet Jessop served as a stewardess on the Titanic before working as a nurse in the First World WarShip stewardess Violet JessopViolet Jessop was born in October 1887 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She worked as a stewardess and was on board the White Star Line ship the Olympic when it collided with HMS Hawke in the Solent in 1911. She then transferred to the Titanic when her friends persuaded her it would be 'wonderful'. After the ship hit the iceberg, she recalled being ordered up on deck, where passengers 'calmly' walked around. 'I stood at the bulkhead with the other stewardesses, watching the women cling to their husbands before being put into the boats with their children. 'Sometime after, a ship's officer ordered us into the boat [16] first to show some women it was safe.' Jessop then said she was handed a baby by one of the ship's officers but that a woman later 'leaped at me' and took the baby before rushing off with it. 'It appeared that she put it down on the deck of Titanic while she went off to fetch something, and when she came back the baby had gone,' she added. During the First World War she worked as a nurse with the British Red Cross and was assigned to work on the HMHS Britannic, which had been converted into a hospital ship. Jessop was involved in her third disaster when the ship hit a mine as it crossed the Aegean Sea. It sank within an hour and killed 30 people. The nurse survived after jumping into the water. It was her belief that her thick auburn hair cushioned a heavy blow to her head, therefore saving her life. She continued to work for the White Star Line after the war before being employed by the Red Star Line and Royal Mail Line. She retired from her time at sea in 1950 and lived in a thatched cottage in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. She died at the age of 84 of congestive heart failure in 1971. Alice Phillips - travelling to the US with her father, who was taking a jobAlice Phillips was born in Devon in January 1891. After her mother's death from tuberculosis, her father Escott Robert Phillips secured a position to work as a factory foreman in Pittsburgh and so made the necessary plans to go to America. Alice Phillips noted how she was 'dreadfully frightened' by the sound of the Titanic hitting the icebergThey had been due to board the American Lines ship the Philadelphia but were transferred to the Titanic because a coal strike forced its cancellation. She noted being 'dreadfully frightened' by the thud of the Titanic hitting the icebergShe said she ran outside and was told by a cabin steward that 'everything is all right' and that she should go back to her cabin. 'Father came to my cabin, and asked if I would care to go on deck with him; so I did. We had not been there long when someone said "All on deck with lifebelts on! ", she said. In a letter to her family, she recalled the 'sounds of general confusion' on the deck and went outside before being picked up and put in to one of the lifeboats. 'I cannot tell you, dear, how I felt in that moment. Dad and I got our belts on, and I went on deck again, and then all the women and children were put into lifeboats and lowered,' she wrote. 'I saw my dear father for the last time in this world, and I almost felt I would have liked to die with him. 'There were already a large number of other women and children in the boat, and I had not been in it a few moments, and did not even fully understand what was the matter, when it was pushed off into darkness. 'That was the last I saw of Titanic, and I shall never see my poor father again.' Phillip then noted how her lifeboat drifted for nine hours in the 'intense' cold before they were rescued by the Carpathia. Phillips became ill as a result of the sinking but recovered to work as a stenographer. She later returned to England and moved to Manchester. She married accounts clerk Henry Leslie Mead and had a daughter in 1921. However, Phillips contracted influenza and died in 1923 at the age of just 31. Esther Hart and her daughter EvaYoung Eva Hart was on board the Titanic with her mother Esther and her father Benjamin. She was born in 1905, while her mother was born in 1863, in Stockwell, Surrey. As the Titanic was sinking, Esther and Eva, aged 7, were put into lifeboat 14. Esther recalled: 'I know that there was a cry of: "She's sinking!" I heard hoarse shouts of "Women and children first," and then from boat to boat we were hurried, only to be told "already full". 'Four boats we tried, and at the fifth there was room. Eva was thrown in first, and I followed her.' She then recalled how one of the ship's officers fired his revolver into the air when a man tried to climb in. She said the Officer warned, 'The next, man who puts his foot in this boat I will shoot him down like a dog.' Young Eva Hart, aged just seven, was on board the Titanic with her mother Esther and her father Benjamin, who did not survive the disasterBenjamin Hart gave his wife his coat to keep her and Eva warm but told them he was not going to get in the boat. He pleaded, 'for God's sake look after my wife and child'. Eva told the officer with the gun, 'Don't shoot my daddy! You can't shoot my daddy.' Esther then said that was the last she saw of her husband. She recalled how the ship sank beneath the waves with a 'mighty and tearing sob'. The Carpathia then rescued them at 8am. After the disaster, Esther and Eva returned to Britain to live with her parents. Esther died in September 1928, at the age of 65. Eva went on to become a professional singer and was awarded an MBE in 1974. She died in February 1996 at the age of 91. Charles Lightoller was the second officer on board the Titanic. Mr Bancroft describes how the seaman had a 'most eventful and adventurous life'Charles Lightoller - the Titanic's second officerCharles Lightoller was the second officer on board the Titanic. Mr Bancroft describes how the seaman had a 'most eventful and adventurous life'. He was born in 1874 and became apprenticed to the William Price Line of Liverpool in February 1888. After a series of promotions, he was appointed first officer of the Titanic. On the night of the disaster, he was falling asleep when he felt the grinding vibration of the ship hitting the iceberg. He was then informed that water had reached the mail room. After the situation became perilous, Lightoller began loading women and children into lifeboats. While doing so, the Titanic plunged forward and Lightoller was forced to dive into the sea. The ship's forward funnel, which broke loose and toppled, narrowly missed him. Lightoller then found himself alongside the collapsible B lifeboat, which 25 men, including Barkworth and Bride, had climbed on. As the most senior surviving officer, he was called to testify at the American and British inquiries into the disaster. It saw him defend the captain and other members of the crew against some of the charges levelled at them. He returned to sea in 1913, where he became first officer of liner the Oceanic. During the First World War, the Oceanic was commissioned as an armed cruiser and Lightoller became a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy. For his actions in the war, he was awarded a Distinguished Service Cross. He was later given command of a torpedo boat, followed by the destroyer HMS Garry. After the war, Lightoller returned to the White Star Line and was appointed chief officer of the Celtic liner. He later opened a guest house and his youngest son Brian, an RAF pilot, was killed during a World War Two bombing raid in May 1940. Incredibly, when aged 66, Lightoller accompanied his eldest son Roger to sail his yacht the Sundowner to Dunkirk, in Northern France, to help rescue British and French troops from advancing German forces. In total, they carried 130 men from the beaches. After the war, Lightoller went into the boat building business before he died from heart disease in 1952, aged 78. Titanic: 'Iceberg Ahead' will be published by Pen & Sword on March 31. It can be pre-ordered for 16.

###CLAIM: the white house has been criticized by ethics watchdogs for its south lawn staging of the republican nomination convention in august. ###DOCS: Comment on this story Comment Gift Article ShareThe U.S. Postal Service is blocking members of Congress from inspecting postal facilities despite questions about the handling of mail-in ballots to avoid putting its workforce at unreasonable risk of violating the Hatch Act, according to newly obtained emails between agency officials and congressional staff members. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight Three Democrats Reps. Jared Huffman (Calif.), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Fla.) and Bill Pascrell Jr. (N.J.) have been denied access to postal buildings in their home states in the past six weeks. Lawmakers often tour agencies to gather insight that could shape their decision-making and maintain government accountability. The Postal Service is citing the Hatch Act, which prohibits civil servants from certain partisan activities, and in-house ethics rules in turning away tour requests from anyone on a ballot within 45 days of a primary or general election. Under those guidelines, more than 85 percent of Congress every member of the House, which has two-year terms, and a third of the Senate, where terms are six years plus thousands more state and local officials are prohibited from visiting mail facilities. However, under federal guidelines, such restrictions cannot prevent elected officials from appropriately representing their constituents." AdvertisementThe post office is subject to oversight by Congress. Thats what the law says, Pascrell said in an interview. As such, it must submit to unceasing oversight from the democratically elected representatives. Last I looked, Im one of them. I intend to visit Kearny, he said, referencing the New Jersey facility. This is not Area 51.The lawmakers were turned away as the agency was grappling with service slowdowns that voting rights advocates, Democrats and large swaths of the public fear could interfere with the Nov. 3 election. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy instituted operational changes, including stricter transportation timelines, within weeks of taking office that led to massive mail backlogs this summer. About 7 percent of all first-class mail was snagged up in the slowdowns, according to an analysis conducted by the office of Sen. Gary Peters (Mich.), the chambers leading Democrat on postal oversight. AdvertisementDuring the transition period, with on-time delivery rates for first-class mail decreasing by nearly 10 percentage points, President Trump announced that he would block emergency pandemic funding from reaching the agency to hamper its ability to facilitate mail-in voting. The ensuing backlash from Democrats and voting rights groups prompted DeJoy a GOP fundraiser and major Trump booster to suspend parts of his cost-cutting regimen but left in place his transportation schedule, though in recent weeks it has been struck down by federal courts in New York, Pennsylvania, Washington state and the District of Columbia. In late August, House and Senate panels called DeJoy to testify about the delivery slowdowns. The House Oversight and Reform Committee subpoenaed documents on the service problems and DeJoys contacts with members of the Trump administration and campaign. Afterward, a handful of lawmakers asked to tour postal facilities to discuss operational issues with local workers and supervisors. Agency officials warned Pascrells office that his request to tour the Dominic V. Daniels Processing and Distribution Center in Kearny, N.J., on Sept. 21 would place workers at unreasonable risk of violating the Hatch Act, according to emails obtained by The Washington Post. The Postal Service also cited the Hatch Act when it turned down Huffmans request to visit to a post office in Eureka, Calif., on Aug. 17. AdvertisementMembers of Congress have a responsibility to conduct oversight of federal services, particularly when we hear from constituents that those services are not functioning properly, said Peters, who visited two postal facilities over the summer. Pressure from Congress and the public have helped put a stop to some of the changes that were causing harmful mail delays and we must be allowed to continue shining a light on the Postal Services operations.Rep. Brenda Lawrence (D-Mich.), a retired postal worker, said in an interview: I understand sometimes people may be critical of the debate that we have in Congress. But theres an expectation from the people when we campaign, we tell our constituents that we are going to listen to them. Were going to fight for them. Were going to be their voice. And were going to ensure the government. For me, thats a very strong commitment.In an emailed statement, Postal Service spokesman David Partenheimer wrote that although the agency welcomes visits from members of Congress, it takes its responsibilities with respect to the Hatch Act very seriously. AdvertisementHe said the agency revised its ethics guidelines in 2018 to ban candidates for federal, state and local office from visiting facilities within 45 days of an election. The prohibition applies only to elected officials, not their staff members, he said. Given the heated nature of campaigns, and the fact that our employees views run the full range of political opinions, the potential for an employee to knowingly or unwittingly violate the Hatch Act and be held to account by another employee is simply too great, Scott Slusher, a manager in the Postal Services government liaison office, wrote to Pascrells staff in an email obtained by The Post. Experts say the Postal Service should curtail visits that are clearly political in nature to shield postal workers and the agency from being used by campaigns. But, according to guidance issued in 2018 from the Office of Special Counsel, these safeguards should not apply to elected officials visiting federal facilities for an official purpose, such as receiving briefings, tours, or other official information.AdvertisementSeveral high-ranking members of the Trump administration have come under fire over possible Hatch Act violations. Ethics watchdogs criticized the White House for staging the Republican Partys nominating convention on the South Lawn of the White House in August. Presidential advisers Kellyanne Conway and Ivanka Trump have been accused of using their positions to hawk products. Political appointees of either party are rarely disciplined or prosecuted for such behavior. But those actions, experts say, were overtly political and had little to do with the business of governing the country. Congressional oversight visits are an important tool for lawmakers to hold the executive branch accountable and conduct research that goes into drafting and voting on legislation. They have legitimate congressional legislative constitutional responsibilities to oversee the executive branch, which includes the Postal Service. And to suddenly say a month and a half out of an election in an election year that they just cant do that they cant visit as part of their constitutional responsibilities is pretty bizarre to me, said Nick Schwellenbach, a senior investigator at the watchdog group Project on Government Oversight. Of course, our postal employees should be shielded from being swept up into a campaign while theyre on the job. ... But saying a postal worker could somehow violate the Hatch Act because Bill Pascrell Jr. visits a postal facility to see whats going on because there are genuine concerns about the processing of mail and mail-in ballots, thats absurd.AdvertisementPascrells office requested a visit 43 days before the Nov. 3 vote. He last visited the facility in October 2018, according to a spokesperson, well within 45 days of the midterm elections. Even this summer, the Postal Service appears to have unevenly applied its visitation policies. A week after Peters and Lawrence visited a facility outside Detroit, Huffman was refused a meeting with a local postmaster in California. Within the next two weeks, though, the Postal Service granted Peters another inspection, and Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) visited a postal plant in Lansing, Mich. The week after Peterss second inspection, Postal Inspection Service officers blocked Wasserman Schultz from entering facilities in Miami and Opa-Locka, Fla.Huffman, in an interview, described the events as outrageous.I represent my constituents, and thats the people they serve, he said. To even presume that this had anything to do with the campaign is itself insulting.GiftOutline Gift Article ToplineThe U.S. Postal Service is barring lawmakers from touring postal facilities ahead of Election day claiming potential violations of the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from engaging in partisan activities, raising suspicions about the agency and its lack of transparency as Congress has intensified scrutiny on the USPS and its role in the November election. A postal employee attends to an automated sorting machine at the United States Postal Service's ... [+] processing and distribution center in Capitol Heights, Maryland, 19 December 2002. There have also been issues even when lawmakers have been allowed to visit, as a postal union leader testified in a sworn affidavit in September that postal managers hid up to 54,000 pieces of delayed mail and dressed up sorting machines that had been destroyed when Rep. Joaquin Castro visited a USPS facility in San Antonio, Texas, in August. Crucial QuoteMembers of Congress have a responsibility to conduct oversight of federal services, particularly when we hear from constituents that those services are not functioning properly, Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) told the Post. Peters successfully visited postal facilities over the summer as part of an investigation into recent changes at the USPS, which his office found resulted in significant mail delays. Chief CriticThe Postal Service welcomes visits from members of Congress at our facilities and we routinely arrange for tours. We also take our responsibilities with respect to the Hatch Act very seriously, Partenheimer said in an email to Forbes, noting that the 45-day ban also applies to other USPS events like post office dedications and events for a stamps first day of issue, but does not apply to congressional staff. We are happy to engage with any members directly to address the concerns they have in lieu of a tour during this 45 day period and routinely hold field level congressional briefings with congressional staff.Key BackgroundCongressional Democrats have been one of the most prominent critics of the USPS in recent months, as new changes implemented under Postmaster General Louis DeJoywhich are now being reversed in response to multiple court ordershave sparked widespread mail delays. Those delays and DeJoys history as a GOP fundraiser and Trump donor have spurred fears among Democrats that the delays will hurt the delivery of election mail, and that DeJoy is working with President Donald Trump to intentionally undermine mail-in voting. (DeJoy has repeatedly denied this, and said that election mail is the agencys number one priority ahead of November 3.) As a result, Democrats in Congress have launched investigations into the USPS changes, called DeJoy to testify, issued a subpoena for documents and passed House legislation that would reverse DeJoys changes and allocate additional funding for the agency. TangentThe Hatch Act has regularly come up under the Trump administration, as administration officials have repeatedly been accused of violating the federal ethics law through their support of President Donald Trumpthough the alleged violations have rarely been enforced.

###CLAIM: british, american and tobacco, in a diversification beyond its main tobacco business, bought a close to 20 percent stake in the canadian-based cannabis producer organigram for about 11 million dollars. ###DOCS: British American Tobacco is to buy a stake of close to a 20% in the Canada-based cannabis producer OrganiGram for about 126m as BAT diversifies beyond its main tobacco business. OrganiGram grows cannabis and makes cannabis-derived products in Canada, where non-medical use of the drug was legalised in 2018. Big tobacco and drinks companies in North America have already made large investments in the cannabis industry, with the drug seen as a less-harmful alternative to cigarettes. Democratic lawmakers in the US are promising to decriminalise cannabis use at a national level, prompting analysts and experts to predict record investment in the industry this year. The deal with OrganiGram will give BAT access to research and development technologies, product innovation and cannabis expertise. A centre of excellence will be established at OrganiGrams facility in New Brunswick to focus on developing next-generation cannabis products, with an initial focus on cannabidiol or CBD. Sign up to the daily Business Today email or follow Guardian Business on Twitter at @BusinessDeskBAT and OrganiGram will contribute scientists, researchers, and product developers to the centre, BAT said, while the tobacco companys subsidiary which acquires the stake in OrganiGram will become the Canadian firms largest shareholder and can appoint two directors to its board. OrganiGrams US-listed shares surged by about 50% to $4.32 in premarket trading on the Nasdaq. BATs London-listed shares were flat. Both parties will able to commercialise under their own brands any products developed from the collaboration. (Reuters) - British American Tobacco said on Thursday it will buy a nearly 20% stake in Canada-based cannabis producer Organigram for about 126 million pounds ($175.8 million) as it seeks to expand beyond its main tobacco business. FILE PHOTO: A cannabis plant is seen in a field at Hermel, Bekaa, Lebanon, July 31, 2013. REUTERS/ Mohamed Azakir/File PhotoOrganigram grows cannabis and makes cannabis-derived products in Canada, where marijuana was legalised in 2018. Big tobacco and liquor companies in North America have already made large investments in the nascent industry, with cannabis seen as a less harmful alternative to cigarettes. With top Democratic lawmakers in the United States also promising to decriminalise marijuana use, analysts and experts predict record investment in the industry this year. The deal will give BAT access to R&D technologies, product innovation and cannabis expertise, it said in a statement, with an initial focus on natural remedy cannabidiol (CBD). This move takes us into a new space and we are not ruling out any product innovation, David OReilly, director of Scientific Research at BAT, told Reuters. Organigram Chief Executive Greg Engel said the companies will jointly develop new products for cannabis delivery, both oral and vapour based, and will be able to commercialise any products developed under their own brands. Both BAT and Organigram will contribute scientists, researchers, and product developers, BAT said. It will become Organigrams largest shareholder and can appoint two directors to its board. NATURAL FITWe view this move as a strong positive. Cannabis overall provides a natural fit for tobacco and a big incremental growth opportunity, Jefferies analyst Owen Bennett wrote in an note. BAT has expertise in operating in a regulated environment and experience of growing a crop similar to hemp CBD, Bennett said, adding that the timing of the deal before Organigrams possible entry into the United States is also a big positive. Bennett estimates U.S. CBD market sales of over $16 billion by 2025. Organigrams U.S.-listed shares surged around 30% to $3.75 in morning trading on the Nasdaq. BATs London-listed shares were up slightly. BATs investment comes two days after the Lucky Strike maker laid out environmental, social and governance (ESG) targets, including switching more people to less harmful products. The group aims to achieve at least 5 billion pounds in revenue from sales of e-cigarettes, tobacco heating and oral nicotine products in 2025. Elsewhere in the industry, Marlboro maker Altria has invested in pot producer Cronos Group Inc, while Corona beer-maker Constellation Brands Inc has a stake in Canopy Growth, the largest cannabis company globally by market value. ($1 = 0.7167 pounds)

###CLAIM: speaking to parents and carers of children from the center, francis said : `` god created the world with great variation in flowers of all different colors. ###DOCS: Gift Article ShareVATICAN CITY Pope Francis told a group of children with autism and spectrum disorders Monday that they are beautiful, unique flowers in the eyes of God. Francis met with members of an Austrian center for autism, Sonnenschein (Sunshine), in an audience at the Vatican. He told them that the centers name evoked a flower-filled lawn in the sun and the flowers of this house are you!Speaking to the children, their parents and caregivers from the center, Francis said: God created the world with a great variety of flowers of all different colors. Each flower has its unique beauty. And each one of us is beautiful in the eyes of God, who loves us.Francis has a particular soft spot for children, allowing himself even amid coronavirus social distancing protocols to greet and pat them on the head during his public audiences. He has frequently met with groups of children and parents who are experiencing difficulties in caring for them, hoping to encourage them through sickness, disability, poverty and other challenges. Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. GiftOutline Gift Article

###CLAIM: see why you can talk about this, but not about the fact that so much of the media story is centered around her ex-husband, ike turner, who is now deceased? ###DOCS: 'Tina' Directors On Walking A Fine Line In New Tina Turner DocumentaryMICHEL MARTIN, HOST:And finally today, in music and sports and entertainment, there are celebrities, and then there are icons - those who can be known with just one name. That's why a new documentary now out on HBO is simply called "Tina." (SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "THE BEST")TINA TURNER: (Singing) You're simply the best. You're better than all the rest. MARTIN: That's right. In a new documentary, Tina Turner, with the help of some friends and an amazing collection of archival footage, tells the full story of her remarkable life - her early beginnings, tumultuous, often abusive relationships, her rise to stardom, and then an even bigger rise to become one of the biggest stars on the planet. We're joined now by the Academy Award-winning directors of the documentary, Dan Lindsay and T.J. Martin. Dan and T.J., welcome. Thank you so much for joining us. DAN LINDSAY: Thanks for having us. TJ MARTIN: Thanks for having us. MARTIN: So I'm not sure who wants to answer this because there's always, you know, an interesting story about how a project like this comes together. But what made you want to tell this story? I mean, she's written a memoir herself. There's a musical that debuted in 2019 based on her life. What made you want to tell this story in this way? LINDSAY: Well, this is Dan. And the idea of doing it was conceived by our producers, Simon Chinn and Jonathan Chinn. And they had spoke with Tina about the idea of doing it, and she had agreed. And then we were approached to direct it. And we were honestly a little hesitant at first. We had some concerns about two men telling Tina's story. And as much as we kind of knew the broad strokes of her past, we didn't really know it in granular detail. And I think then when we got to know Tina and realized and kind of made a discovery early on of the complicated relationship she has to her own story, that was really the thing for us that gave us our point of view and kind of inspired us in the way we wanted to make the film. MARTIN: T.J., anything you want to add? MARTIN: Yeah. I mean, the only thing I'd add is the pain of her past was just so present. And we knew that there were sensitivities in terms of talking about Ike with her, but she kind of naturally brought the conversation in that direction. And as she talked about it, she was very transparent with us about how complicated it is for her and how much - if she talks too much about Ike, he comes back to her in dreams, and it feels as if the abuse was happening yesterday. And so for us, that was - it was a revelation. It really shouldn't have been a revelation. But this notion that even at 80 years old, she's still processing her trauma, you know, and that's just something we couldn't shake. MARTIN: Let's just talk about the - because we have to get to the pain parts. I'm sorry. Unfortunately, we do. But I don't want to glide past the mega-wattage of her...MARTIN: (Laughter). MARTIN: ...Her abilities. Like, what is it that - I mean, here she is. You know, it's hard to believe that this is a person who was almost kicked off of her label at some point, and for the most racist reasons, most kind of racist, sexist, ageist - name at all. And yet, as a huge star, she's packing stadiums around the world in her late 40s and 50s. So what is it as a performer? What do you think - what qualities as a performer set her apart? MARTIN: You know, I mean, that's - I think we're all still trying to figure that out. And if we could, I would somehow bottle up that energy and (laughter) use it for myself. MARTIN: (Laughter). MARTIN: I mean, that's part of the magic of Tina, right? And, you know, we take a very particular POV with this film. And the one thing we don't lean into as much is her prowess as a performer and as a vocalist. As she says herself, you know, it was a gift. She sang in choir, but she never actually had, like, actual vocal training. Same thing with dance. She never had dance training. And yet here she is. She just - as she'll say, it's just once the music plays, it just - something comes natural to her. MARTIN: You know, as much as I - I don't know. I don't know how to feel about this because as much as I would like to not talk about this, the fact is, I don't see how you cannot not talk about this because so much of the story, both personal and in the media, revolves around her abusive ex-husband, now deceased, Ike Turner. I mean, the story involving Ike - I mean, when it finally emerged was - it was such a sensation. And I don't know that I really fully got the depth of it until I saw your film. But it also talks about how she really - I don't know why people didn't figure this out. It is so traumatic, you don't want to keep reliving the trauma. And I want to play a clip from the documentary. In the shot right before this, we see Tina in a taped interview. And when the journalist brings up Ike, she says, we're going to talk about him? And you can almost see her flinch, right? So then we're going to hear a small sample of the many, many personal questions that she faced. And we hear from her at the end of the clip. With that setup, I'm going to play that now. (SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "TINA")UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: You raised a son by him, a son by another man, and two of Ike's kids by other women. There were always other women on the scene. What was that like for you? UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: When you were married to Ike, what was the absolutely worst moment? UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #3: What do you think attracts women to bad men? UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #4: Is there a real lowlight, something you'd love to forget? UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #5: And, of course, the book and the movie features your allegations about his bashings. Tell me about that. TURNER: I'm past it. It's been 16 years since I haven't been with Ike. And the movie and the book is bringing me back to the past of something that was really awful. My life is wonderful at the moment. I'm a happy person now, and I don't dwell on unhappiness. MARTIN: You clearly had a point of view about putting this together in this way. So tell me what you're thinking about this. And what do you think about that? Like, why do you think there was this obsession with what she went through? Maybe, Dan, you want to go first? LINDSAY: I think there's a - just an inherent contradiction or paradox or complication that we were interested in in the beginning, and it's this idea that Tina's story as a survivor can be very powerful for people and for - especially for other survivors, right? But the thing that we, I think, often fail to realize is - or maybe we assume because Tina has this seemingly strength and resilience, that she herself is somehow superhuman. And I think what we wanted to try to show in the film is that she is human like everyone else. And that as a survivor, she is making that choice to survive every day. And so this difficult paradox is that, yes, her story brings immense value to us, but we have to also consider the other side, that anytime she is asked to talk about it, to share that, it can be re-traumatizing for her. MARTIN: You interviewed a lot of the people around her. And I'm trying not to be judgmental because I wasn't there. I'm still having a hard time understanding why nobody helped her. Like, why would people see her covered with blood, with black eyes - you know, he could have killed her. And I don't understand why it is that nobody ever seemed to step up to help. LINDSAY: This is Dan again. I mean, it's something we talked with LeJeune about a lot. And it's something we talked with Rhonda. MARTIN: LeJeune is one of her...LINDSAY: LeJeune was a backup dancer and an Ikette. And Rhonda was Tina's longtime confidant. She was a tour manager for Ike and Tina, and then she went on to work with Tina in her solo years as well and one of the closest people to Tina. And, you know, Rhonda was a victim of abuse as well, and LeJeune was a witness to it. I think you can't underestimate the power that Ike had in all of those relationships. He was the way that anyone was making money. He controlled all the finances. He controlled every aspect of the performance. And so, you know, I'm not going to try to pretend to fully know the answer, but I think there is - it's just extremely complicated. MARTIN: You said that you had a point of view in putting this film together. Did she have a point of view in helping you put this film together? And if so, what was it? MARTIN: This is T.J. talking. It wasn't until we really engaged with the film that we realized the journey that we went on with Tina was this discovery that she is actually trying to hang up the persona of Tina. And whether she was privy to that going into it or not, we certainly were not aware. What's featured in the film is the premier of the Broadway musical that she attends. And this is near the end of the process for us, or at least the filming process. That was the first time - it was very kind of palpable that she was very anxious to go to the musical, do the red carpet and attend this event. And it was - a lot of it just came from this notion of, you know, I - she was deeply appreciative of the adoration and the homage to her. But I think she's tired. I think she's tired of living the narrative of Tina and being a participant in that. I think she's at a place in her life where she gave six decades of her life to the stage, and she gave a lot of herself. And she genuinely wants to sit back in her castle on the lake in Zurich...(LAUGHTER)MARTIN: ...And relax. And I think she's definitely - first of all, she's certainly earned it (laughter). And I think that was very genuine - at least, what you see in the film is this - as she points out, this rhetorical, like, how do you bow out, and how do you bow out slowly? And I think that was something we discovered along the way. MARTIN: That was T.J. Martin and Dan Lindsay, directors of the new documentary "Tina." It's out now on HBO. T.J. Martin, Dan Lindsay, thank you both so much for joining us. LINDSAY: Thanks for having us. MARTIN: Thank you so much. (SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT")TURNER: (Singing) Oh, what's love got to do, got to do with it? What's love but a secondhand emotion? What's love got to do, got to do with it? Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken? Oh... 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: attempts are still being made to clarify the nature of the investigation and the charges of consideration. ###DOCS: Good morning, this is Tamara Howie bringing you the main stories and must-reads on Tuesday 15 December. Top storiesStorms have battered the Queensland and New South Wales coast and caused the worst damage in a generation to the main beach in Byron Bay. Strong winds and heavy rainfall have caused damage and flash flooding in both states, after warnings the weather system would strike with the same intensity as a category one cyclone. Coastal management experts say the situation at Byron Bay is particularly bad because of erosion that has been occurring over months and years. Theres no buffer there and youve got big high tides, a relatively large storm surge and these big waves coinciding. It looks pretty bad and the community is saying its the worst [erosion] in a generation. said Tom Murray, a research fellow at the Griffith University. An Australian public health professor and his son have been detained in Qatar for almost five months without charge. Australian citizens Prof Lukman Thalib, 58, and his son Ismail Talib, 24, were arrested at their home in Doha by local authorities in July, and are being kept at an undisclosed location. The arrests came roughly three months before the United States named another of Prof Thalibs sons, who lives in Australia, as an alleged financial facilitator of al-Qaida. The pair are receiving consular assistance from the Australian embassy, and the government has told their family it is still attempting to clarify the nature of the investigation and the charges being considered against them. The United States has begun Covid vaccinations, with a critical care nurse Sandra Lindsay in New York one of the first Americans to receive the Pfizer vaccine. Frontline workers in the US will be among the first to receive the vaccine, with 2.9m doses to be sent out the week. It will be made available to a wider array of Americans in the coming months . Despite vaccines programs rolling out in the US and UK, many countries are facing stronger lockdown measures over the Christmas period. Italy and the Netherlands are set to impose tough new anti-coronavirus measures before the holidays as Germany, already facing a hard Christmas lockdown, warned its restrictions were unlikely to ease early in the new year after light lockdown measures appear to have failed. AustraliaInoculated people must be monitored in order to discover whether vaccines prevent transmission of Covid-19, as well as protecting them from developing the disease, a new review says. Photograph: Graeme Robertson/The GuardianThe first generation of Covid-19 vaccines rolled out in Australia in 2021 will likely prevent the virus developing, but unlikely to prevent virus transmission. The uncertainty regarding transmission means ongoing high levels of testing, strong contact tracing, isolation and quarantine will be crucial, a review has found. The Morrison government should be doing more to cut greenhouse gas emission, with states currently driving a 33% cut in emissions by 2030, which is higher than the federal Coalitions target of a 26-28% cut. The Murray-Darling Basin plan will need an overhaul in 2026 as droughts increase. The impact of climate change on the Murray-Darling Basin will require a major adaption of the plan in 2026 to allow for more frequent dry periods, which will likely occur on average every five years instead of every 10. Almost half of the respondents in the Guardian Essential poll think Australia needs to back away from its close relationship with China, and a majority thinks Canberra is an innocent victim of trade sanctions from Beijing, rather than inviting aggression. The worldA post-Brexit trade and security deal could be sealed as early as this week after Boris Johnson made a key concession at the weekend. The EUs chief negotiator Michel Barnier said the UK government had accepted a mechanism of unilateral measures, such as tariffs, where there were systemic divergences which distort trade and investment. Prince Andrews spokeswoman has refused to comment on a report that he stayed in the New York mansion of the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in April 2001, despite the duke denying doing so in his infamous Newsnight interview. An undercover hit squad working for Russias FSB spy agency poisoned the opposition activist Alexei Navalny in August and may have tried to first poison him back in July, Bellingcat has claimed. Google has suffered a worldwide outage, with failures reported across the companys services, including Gmail, Google Calendar and YouTube. The outage appeared to be related to the companys authentication tools, which manage how users log in to services run by both Google and third-party developers. Recommended readsDaniel Henshall plays a shifty pseudo-Saint Nick in A Sunburnt Christmas. Photograph: Ian Routledge/StanChristiaan Van Vuurens directorial debut, A Sunburnt Christmas, is spirited and sweet in a backhanded way, writes Luke Buckmaster, who has already seen the outback romp about a nogoodnik St Nick twice in the few days since it was released. At the peak of its powers, the films merging of written humour with editing and cinematography never relying on just the script, or just the performances, to land a gag, with no shortage of attitude and sass ... its thoroughly entertaining, very strayan viewing for a holly jolly holiday in our not-so-winter wonderland. A Christmas miracle!The little job security and freedom 18-year-old Noah Gwatkin had has vanished. He is one of a generation of young Australians whose lives are being shaped by Covid. I had hoped that the pandemic would only last a few months; that wed be in and out of it quickly. Like a deer in headlights, I came out of year 12 and felt stunned by a whole world in isolation. I wanted to expand my job portfolio, put my resume in for jobs I love and have a passion for a contrast to the degrading culture that exists around Centrelink payments. Nothing turned out to plan.Australias path to net zero emissions is massively behind schedule, writes Greg Jericho: The Labor party suggests the current trend would not see us achieve zero emission for 146 years. I think they are understating. Given the big drop in 2020 due to the pandemic, excluding that year is appropriate for predicting the future. The 2021-2030 trend would have us taking another 277 years.ListenIn October, Poland introduced some of the strictest abortion laws in Europe. The attempt by authorities to impose a near-total ban on terminations has sparked mass demonstrations across the country. In this episode of Full Story, academic Agnieszka Graff, lawyer Karolina Wieckiewicz and gynaecologist Anna Parzynska discuss their fight for abortion rights in Poland. Full Story Three women on their fight for abortion rights in Poland Sorry your browser does not support audio - but you can download here and listen https://audio.guim.co.uk/2020/05/05-61553-gnl.fw.200505.jf.ch7DW.mp3 00:00:00 00:24:10Full Story is Guardian Australias daily news podcast. Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or any other podcasting app. SportLiverpool have paid tribute to their former manager Gerard Houllier after his death was confirmed at the age of 73, after having heart surgery in Paris. Lewis Hamilton has said this Formula One season was the hardest of his career due to Covid and isolation. Weve all dealt with isolation, weve not been around people. Theres been a great loss of life. Im grateful that we got to race but these races can take a lot out of you.Media roundupThere are fears of a bikie war brewing in Perth after Rebels bikie boss Nick Martin was killed and another man injured over the weekend, according to the West Australia, who spoke with Martins grieving widow about the attack. The Northern Territory has a higher proportion of people in prison than the US, according to the NT News, which reports the territory imprisons 875 people per 100,000 of the adult population, compared with the US at 655 per 100,000. The Australian says BHP and Rio Tinto have been called in for a dressing down by Chinas peak steel industry body amid concerns high iron ore prices are damaging Chinese industry. Coming upNational cabinet records for 2000 will be released. The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission is set to deliver the report from its inquiry into strip-search practices by NSW police to state parliament. Sign upIf you would like to receive the Guardian Australia morning mail to your email inbox every weekday, sign up here.

###CLAIM: among them, fatou and sow noted, `` men are democrats, socialists, communists and maoists, while women are feminists. '' ###DOCS: Comment on this story Comment Gift Article ShareMarame Gueye is an associate professor of African and African diaspora literatures at East Carolina University. In Senegal, the politicization of the alleged rape of Adji Sarr, a 21-year-old masseuse, by Ousmane Sonko, a popular opposition leader, has led to widespread protests that have left an estimated 11 people dead, hundreds wounded, dozens arrested and businesses mostly French-owned destroyed. Sonko, a 46-year-old member of parliament and a major challenger to President Macky Sall, is accused of raping Sarr on a visit to a massage parlor at night and in the middle of a pandemic curfew, to ease what he claims to be a medically diagnosed acute back pain. The demonstrators mostly young men who support Sonko, and Sonko himself, claim that the allegations are politically motivated and deny them. AdvertisementWhile Senegal is often lauded as a beacon of democracy in West Africa, the protests and polarization around the rape charge lay bare the stark reality that women and youth sit at the margins of this democracy. Senegal is a patriarchal country where women and young people, who respectively constitute about 52 percent and 60 percent of the population, constantly fight for their right to be heard. From the outset, Sonko received the support of public opinion and leading intellectuals, who called him an honest family man. Media commentators and prominent artists implied that all men have engaged in some form of sexual libertinage. On a popular majority-male talk show, guests drew on the argument, used by many Senegalese men without evidence, that women use rape to get back at men. This male solidarity undermines the voices of rape victims in Senegal, where rape was only a misdemeanor until January 2020, when thanks to years of hard work by womens organizations a law was finally signed to make it a crime. Sarr, on the other hand, has been met with a very different response. Her modest family background and past mistakes are used to claim she has a propensity to lie. She went silent initially, which was seen by many as confirmation that she was a liar. Finally, accompanied with her lawyers, she broke her silence on Wednesday. But public opinion dismissed her right to speak, citing inconsistencies in her speech. AdvertisementHer public debasement contrasts with how the country treated the disappearance of another Senegalese woman earlier this year. Diary Sow, a 20-year-old prodigy whose academic excellence earned her a scholarship to a prestigious high school in France, vanished in Paris in January. Her pictures blanketed social media, and a search was organized by the Senegalese diaspora in France. People prayed for her safe return, and she eventually turned up safe. The contrast highlights the class disparities in Senegal and underscores who has the right to security and who does not. The lack of compassion exposes how victims of rape are often discredited and left to fend for themselves, emboldening predators. In fact, while the demonstrations were taking place, four women alleged they were raped or sexually assaulted at the hotel Le Belier in Kayar, a fishing community outside Dakar. The case did not make it to major television or radio stations, as if what happened to these women was unrelated to the national debate about violence. None of this comes as a surprise to Senegals feminists. Members of the Collective for the Promotion and Protection of Womens and Girls Rights, who wrote in support of Sarr, were harassed on television and online. Other feminists and womens rights activists who defended Sarrs right to fair treatment were threatened with rape and death. As Fatou Sow, a sociologist and one of the pioneers of feminism in Senegal, recently noted: Senegalese men have been Democrats, Socialists, Marxists, Maoists, Salafists ... but when women are feminists, there is a problem. The women who were threatened even wrote to the minister of the interior for protection. AdvertisementBecause Sall has previously been accused of pursuing politically motivated charges against opponents while tightening his grip on power, women were made to choose between supporting their gender or upholding democracy, as if the two are mutually exclusive. On March 8, International Womens Day, Sonko was charged with rape and released on bail. Women ditched the celebrations of the day dedicated to them to organize a sit-in for peace. They also launched a social media campaign, during which they posted pictures of themselves wearing white. Yet, these efforts did not make it to the national media. When Sall finally spoke that evening days after violence began he barely mentioned International Womens Day or how it was hijacked. He thanked religious and traditional leaders all men for brokering the ensuing peace. The case has turned womens bodies into a political battleground. Rape victims in Senegal will now have a harder time coming out of the shadows. This is a missed opportunity to have a serious national conversation about rape and how women are silenced in this country. The youth also continue to be infantilized by politicians. A true democracy must aspire to serve and protect all. This starts with creating space for every voice to be heard in a respectful, peaceful and constructive way, regardless of gender or age. Read more:GiftOutline Gift Article

###CLAIM: james and martin, the jesuit father and editor-at-large of the magazine, said at the time : `` this gives the pope his chance to finally place the man in a very important spot. ###DOCS: ROME Pope Francis has appointed Jesuit Father Stephen Chow Sau-yan to be the new Bishop of the Diocese of Hong Kong as the latest elevation of members of his order to positions of influence. Father Chow, who currently serves as the Provincial of the Chinese Province of the Society of Jesus, will replace Cardinal John Tong Hon, who has served as the Apostolic Administrator of Hong Kong since January 2019. In naming Chow to occupy this important and controversial post, Pope Francis has continued his penchant for appointing members of his own order to key ecclesiastical posts. The first Jesuit Pope in history, Francis named Jesuit Archbishop Luis Ladaria Ferrer in 2017 to head the Vaticans powerful doctrinal office (CDF), making him the first member of the Jesuit order to occupy that position as well. This gives the pope the chance to finally place his own man in a very important spot, said Jesuit Father James Martin, editor-at-large of America magazine, at the time. While some are delighting in the appointment, some will feel uneasy about having two members of the Society of Jesus holding the two most senior positions in the Church, wrote veteran Vatican journalist Edward Pentin. No religious order in history has held these two posts simultaneously. During his almost eight-year pontificate, Pope Francis has regularly elevated his confreres to positions of honor and influence. In another first, in June 2017 the pope gave Ireland its debut Jesuit bishop, naming Father Alan McGuckian S.J. to the diocese of Raphoe. At the time, the Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, said that Father McGuckian would bring rich experiences and gifts to his new ministry as bishop. In April of the same year, Francis appointed two more Jesuits Father James Martin and Father Jacquineau Azetsop of the Gregorian University as consultants for the Vaticans Secretariat for communications. In December 2016, the pope named Canadian Jesuit Father Michael Czerny as his Immigration Czar within the Vatican office for the Promotion of Integral Human Development. In a very rare move, the pope announced in September 2019 that he intended to make Father Czerny a cardinal despite the fact that he was not even a bishop and the following month Francis first ordained him bishop and then made him cardinal the next day. In that same consistory, the pope raised two other Jesuits to the rank of cardinal, the archbishop of Luxembourg Jean-Claude Hollerich, an outspoken advocate of for freer immigration into Europe, and the Lithuanian archbishop Sigitas Tamkevicius. In November, 2019, Francis tapped fellow Jesuit Father Juan Antonio Guerrero Alves to head up the Vaticans influential secretariat for the economy, a post previously held by Australian Cardinal George Pell. Along with his appointments of acting Jesuits, Pope Francis has also continued enrolling members of his order in the ranks of the saints. Within a year of ascending to the papacy, Francis canonized Father Peter Faber S.J., the only one of the first three members of the order not yet deemed a saint (the other two were Saints Ignatius Loyola and Francis Xavier). In April 2016, the Pope approved the beatification of Irish Jesuit priest Fr John Sullivan, who entered the Jesuit Order in 1900 and died in 1933. Vatican-watchers have anxiously awaited the popes choice for the new bishop of Hong Kong, a post previously held by Cardinal Joseph Zen, who has been a vocal critic of Franciss mode of dealing with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Despite his frequent denunciation of injustices around the world, Francis has been strangely silent regarding the CCPs oppression of religious minorities, its genocide of Uighur Muslims in the Xinjiang province, and its heavy-handed suppression of pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong. Supporters of the Hong Kong protesters such as Benedict Rogers, co-founder of the monitoring group Hong Kong Watch, had voiced their hopes that Francis would appoint Hong Kong auxiliary Bishop Joseph Ha Chi-shing as bishop of the diocese. Knowing that such a move would have upset CCP leadership in Beijing, however, Francis was unlikely to make such a move, observers noted. Follow @tdwilliamsrome

###CLAIM: they gave luis and garcia another major shot at major league baseball, giving them one of their top young players before the three-game series with cincinnati begins tuesday night. ###DOCS: Comment on this story Comment Gift Article ShareThe Washington Nationals had 25 players once Victor Robles went to the injured list with a sprained right ankle Sunday, leaving them shorthanded for a win over the Baltimore Orioles. Then they filled the hole with infielder Luis Garcia before a three-game series with the Cincinnati Reds began Tuesday night, giving one of their top young players another shot in the majors. Garcia, 21, was officially promoted from the Class AAA Rochester Red Wings on Tuesday afternoon. That came after the Nationals considered adding a pitcher or infielder Carter Kieboom, who was once ahead of Garcia in the organizational pecking order. Garcia, though, provides a left-handed bat and a lot of versatility on defense. The Nationals are scheduled to face six straight right-handed pitchers this week, and they could flip Josh Harrison to center field if they want Garcia in the order. Thats how Manager Dave Martinez explained the decision. Garcia is not in the starting lineup for Tuesdays opener against the Reds at Nationals Park. Harrison stayed at second, and Andrew Stevenson again replaced Robles in center field. AdvertisementIm going to try, as long as hes here, to pick a day or two or three to see if we can stick him in there, Martinez said of Garcia. I just dont want him to sit here, because he is swinging the bat well.Martinez also announced that reliever Tanner Rainey is back with the Nationals and starter Erick Fedde is close to returning. Fedde, who is vaccinated, tested positive for the coronavirus last week. Rainey was deemed a close contact and had to quarantine. Rainey was cleared after multiple negative tests, according to Martinez, and threw a bullpen session at Nationals Park on Tuesday. Once Fedde is cleared, he could require an appearance or two with the Red Wings to build his arm strength back up. Because Robless IL stint was backdated to Thursday, he could return, at the earliest, to face the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday. Otherwise, Garcia will fill out the bench with first baseman Ryan Zimmerman, outfielder Yadiel Hernandez, infielder Jordy Mercer and backup catcher Alex Avila. Martinez explained that, even with Mercer available, Garcia could fill in at second base, third or shortstop while Robles is sidelined. The Nationals have long felt that Garcia is notably sharper than Kieboom on defense. AdvertisementAnd that Garcia was recalled in this case, and Kieboom stuck with the Red Wings, is a hint at their feelings toward the pair. Kieboom struggled through 11 games in 2019, then 122 plate appearances in 2020, then kept struggling this spring, when he had another chance to be the clubs everyday third baseman. Kieboom has eight hits, including one homer, with 14 strikeouts and nine walks in 13 games for Rochester. Garcia has 16 hits, including four home runs, with 18 strikeouts and six walks in 17 contests. Both were on the Nationals Opening Day roster as the team dealt with a coronavirus outbreak. Both have struck out too much in the minors this season. When directly asked about choosing between Garcia and Kieboom for this promotion, Martinez stressed Garcias strengths. The Nationals typically dont promote their best prospects unless they can create playing time. We thought about Carter as well. I really thought Garcia could help us not only playing but also off the bench. And also, too, he can play shortstop really well, Martinez said. Having him here, just in case we need someone, even though we have Jordy, or if we wanted to spell Trea [Turner], we could do that as well. AdvertisementFor me its about putting eyes on him. ... Its kind of nice to get him out there and get him working with [bench coach Tim Bogar], and well get him in some games here soon.Read more on the Washington Nationals:GiftOutline Gift Article Comment on this story Comment Gift Article ShareJUPITER, Fla. It took one glance at Tuesdays lineup to raise some obvious questions: Why, on March 23, was Starlin Castro starting at third base against the St. Louis Cardinals? And what could that spell for Carter Kieboom? Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight It doesnt mean much, Washington Nationals Manager Dave Martinez said before indicating that, in fact, it does mean something. As you know, Carter, hes going to compete. But I want to make sure we cover all our bases, that we get [Castro] over there and see what that looks like.When Martinez put Castro at third, the Nationals were nine days and six exhibitions from opening their season. If Kieboom is the supposed starter, it would seem prudent to give him every opportunity to find a rhythm. But if hes not, now a growing possibility, the Nationals have to test their backup plans before April 1. Thats how Castro, the expected everyday second baseman, winds up at third, where he has just 45 career appearances. AdvertisementThe 23-year-old Kieboom has struggled all spring. Through Tuesday, he had only six hits in 36 at-bats a .167 batting average plus two walks and 12 strikeouts. The Nationals have been giving him chances to stick since Anthony Rendon left for the Los Angeles Angels in December 2019. But Kieboom, a former top prospect, has yet to show what made him an above-average hitter in three minor league seasons. Martinez, always careful when discussing Kieboom, repeated that the club has not decided on its everyday third baseman. But even saying that gave a clear view of the situation. Look, Im a Carter fan. Everybody knows that, Martinez said Tuesday morning. But he still has to go out there and do his job. And he knows that. This doesnt mean anything. We just want to see what this looks like right now. Carters going to get an opportunity to play third base. Well see how it looks. This is the last week. Weve got to home in on some things. AdvertisementNo decisions have been made yet. But we want to make sure we take the 26 best guys that we can possibly take.That last thought invites some more unpacking. If the Nationals dont see Kieboom as their third baseman right now, what are the ripple effects? Who are the 26 best guys to take north? With Castro playing third Tuesday, Martinez plugged 20-year-old Luis Garcia in at second. Garcia took the spot last summer after Castros season ended with a broken wrist. Now, though, he is the other young infielder in this evolving equation. He could get a chance at second if Castro shifts over to third full-time. Or, if the Nationals feel Josh Harrison could fill third or second, both Kieboom and Garcia may find themselves in the minors to start the season. That adds complications, too. The minor league season wont start until May, leaving teams with the alternate sites they used in 2020. Most teams, including the Nationals, like to have their best players getting regular at-bats. That means, in most years, neither Kieboom nor Garcia would hang in the majors if only a bench spot were available. But having just the alternate site in April, and no games aside from intrasquad scrimmages, could change the Nationals thinking. AdvertisementShould Kieboom earn the spot, a realistic bench alignment is Harrison, catcher Alex Avila, first baseman Ryan Zimmerman, outfielder Andrew Stevenson, then perhaps Jordy Mercer or Hernan Perez, two veteran infielders on nonroster invites to camp. If Martinez opts to carry nine relievers, there could only be room for four reserves. Yet if Kieboom doesnt cement his position, the extra infielders the ones aside from Castro, Josh Bell and Trea Turner could be some mix of Harrison, Zimmerman, Perez, Mercer, Garcia and Adrian Sanchez. Perez, Mercer or Sanchez would need a 40-man roster spot to be activated. This is the kind of uncertainty teams try to avoid in late March. From day one, we always told him I want him to be the guy, but thats totally up to him, Martinez said of Kieboom. And he understood that. Because Starlin is playing over there, it doesnt mean that we made any decision whatsoever. We got a week left, but we want to make sure that if something does happen, that we dont throw Starlin over there Opening Day and say, Hey, go get em. Im not going to do that to him, either.AdvertisementIts different because at second base you have more time, you can see the ball closer, Castro explained Tuesday, adding that he has worked at third each winter since playing there for Miami in 2019. At third base, you have to have your glove up front, because they hit a lot of balls hard over there. You just react.So to fully answer the original question: Playing Castro at third was to prepare for pivoting away from Kieboom, should that be necessary. Martinez would prefer to have one starting third baseman instead of a platoon. In his first shot at the position, Castro looked sharp backhanding a grounder before making a throw across the diamond before exiting with what he called a small cramp. Then Kieboom entered, struck out and later made a nice barehanded play in the ninth. Before Tuesdays exhibition, Martinez offered his usual prediction of Kieboom hitting 40 doubles and between 15 and 20 homers one day. He stressed, again and again, that he wants Kieboom to win the job. He seems to be holding out hope. This is a results-driven game, but Im looking at guys who hit the ball hard consistently, take their walks, which he does, Martinez said. But putting the meat of the bat on the ball consistently, I havent seen that yet here. Ive seen it. I know he can do it. Hes done it every year in the minor leagues, so were waiting for that to happen.GiftOutline Gift Article

###CLAIM: pelosi said the decision wednesday was taken after consultation with the pentagon, the justice department and the presiding vice president. ###DOCS: Trump supporters gather outside the Capitol, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. As Congress prepares to affirm President-elect Joe Biden's victory, thousands of people have gathered to show their support for President Donald Trump and his claims of election fraud. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)Trump supporters gather outside the Capitol, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. As Congress prepares to affirm President-elect Joe Biden's victory, thousands of people have gathered to show their support for President Donald Trump and his claims of election fraud. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)WASHINGTON (AP) The Latest on Congress tally of the Electoral College vote won by Joe Biden (all times local):3:55 a.m.President Donald Trump now says there will be an orderly transition on January 20th after Congress concluded the electoral vote count certifying President-elect Joe Bidens victory and after a day of violence when his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol. Trump says in a statement tweeted by his social media director Dan Scavino, Even though I totally disagree with the outcome of the election, and the facts bear me out, nevertheless there will be an orderly transition on January 20th.He adds: I have always said we would continue our fight to ensure that only legal votes were counted. While this represents the end of the greatest first term in presidential history, its only the beginning of our fight to Make America Great Again.Trumps account is currently locked by Twitter. Trump has spent the last two months refusing to concede the election and making baseless allegations of mass voter fraud that have been rejected by dozens of courts and Republican officials, including his former attorney general. Vice President Mike Pence presided over the formal session that ended early Thursday morning tallying the electoral college vote. __HERES WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CONGRESS TALLY OF THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE VOTEAngry supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday in a chaotic protest aimed at thwarting a peaceful transfer of power, forcing lawmakers to be rushed from the building and interrupting challenges to Joe Bidens Electoral College victory. Congress returned later Wednesday to resume their proceedings after the Capitol was cleared by law enforcement. The House and Senate certified the Democrats electoral college win early Thursday after a violent throng of pro-Trump rioters spent hours Wednesday running rampant through the Capitol. A woman was fatally shot, windows were bashed and the mob forced shaken lawmakers and aides to flee the building, shielded by Capitol Police. The rampage began shortly after President Donald Trump repeated his unfounded claims of election fraud to thousands of rallying demonstrators hed invited to Washington. Many then surged to the Capitol after he incited them to go there as lawmakers debated the electoral votes. More than six hours after the violence erupted, lawmakers resumed their session. Thirteen Republican senators and dozens of GOP representatives had planned to force debate and votes on perhaps six different states votes. The assault on the Capitol made some Republicans squeamish about trying to overturn Bidens win, and challenges were lodged only against Arizona and Pennsylvania. Both efforts lost overwhelmingly. Biden defeated Trump by 306-232 electoral votes and will be inaugurated Jan. 20. __3:25 a.m.Republican Sen. Ted Cruz is defending his objection to the Electoral College results as the right thing to do.The Texas senator condemned the violence that erupted as supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol in an extraordinary attack over the election outcome. Cruz led the first challenge to Joe Bidens defeat of President Donald Trump by objecting to Arizonas results. He sought to have Congress launch a commission to investigate the election. His effort was roundly defeated in the House and Senate. Cruz said he was confident the country will have a peaceful and orderly transition of power. Biden is set to be inaugurated Jan. 20. __3:10 a.m. The House has joined the Senate in turning aside Republican objections to Pennsylvanias electoral vote for President-elect Joe Biden. Lawmakers in the House voted 282-138 against the objection as the counting of Electoral College votes continued into the early hours of Thursday morning. The Senate shut down the same objection 92-7 just after midnight, and unlike the House, declined to debate before voting. After a long day dominated by pro-Trump rioters deadly storming of the Capitol, it was the second state for which a group of Republicans tried and failed to reverse the will of voters. Some GOP lawmakers have backed President Donald Trumps bogus claims that the election was fraudulent. Those objecting to Pennsylvanias votes included 80 House Republicans and Missouri GOP Sen. Josh Hawley, who is considered a potential 2024 presidential contender. __2:20 a.m.A small group of House lawmakers came close to physically fighting early Thursday morning as the congressional count of electoral votes stretched into the wee hours and a Pennsylvania Democrat charged that Republicans had been telling lies about his states votes. Rep. Morgan Griffiths, R-Va., objected after Rep. Conor Lamb, D-Pa., said a breach of the Capitol by an angry mob earlier in the day was inspired by lies, the same lies you are hearing in this room tonight.House Speaker Nancy Pelosi shot down the objection, but a few minutes later Republicans and Democrats streamed to the middle aisle, with around a dozen lawmakers getting close to each other and arguing. But the group quickly broke up when Pelosi called for order on the floor. President Donald Trump has falsely claimed there was widespread fraud in Pennsylvania and other states and Republicans have echoed those claims as they have challenged electoral votes. __12:55 a.m. The Senate has quickly killed Republican objections to Pennsylvanias electoral vote for President-elect Joe Biden. Senators voted 92-7 after midnight to derail the GOP attempt to overturn Pennsylvanias support for the Democrat. In a long day dominated by pro-Trump rioters deadly storming of the Capitol, its the second state for which a group of Republicans tried and failed to reverse the will of voters. Some GOP lawmakers have backed President Donald Trumps bogus claims that the election was fraudulent. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says he believes no other states votes will be challenged. That means Congress formal certification of Bidens victory could finish quickly once the House votes on the Pennsylvania challenge. The Senate rejected the effort to cancel Pennsylvanias votes without any debate. Those objecting to Pennsylvanias votes included 80 House Republicans and Missouri GOP Sen. Josh Hawley, who is considered a potential 2024 presidential contender. ___12:15 a.m. ThursdayRepublican Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania and Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri have objected to the counting of Pennsylvanias electoral votes, triggering up to two hours of debate in the House and Senate. The objections come 11 hours after the congressional count to confirm Democrat Joe Bidens presidential victory began, and after lawmakers had to evacuate both chambers for several hours to escape a mob that had violently breached the Capitol. Hawley said last week that he would object to Pennsylvanias electoral votes, saying Congress should investigate voter fraud. President Donald Trump has falsely said since his defeat that there was widespread fraud in the election. Biden won Pennsylvania by just over 80,000 votes. Since the Nov. 3 election, Trump and his allies filed at least a half-dozen lawsuits challenging Bidens win on various grounds, including that many or all of the states mail-in ballots were illegal. The lawsuits failed as judge after judge found no violation of state law or constitutional rights, or no grounds to grant an immediate halt to certifying the election. ___11:20 p.m. The House has voted overwhelmingly to reject an objection to President-elect Joe Bidens win in Arizona, joining the Senate in upholding the results of the election there. The objection failed 303-121 on Wednesday night, with only Republicans voting in support. Earlier Wednesday, supporters of President Donald Trump breached the U.S. Capitol, forcing a lockdown of the lawmakers and staff inside. Trump has claimed widespread voter fraud to explain away his defeat to Biden, though election officials have said there wasnt any. Now that Arizona is out of the way, Congress will reconvene as the joint session and make its way through the rest of the states that have objections. __11:10 p.m.Four people died as supporters of President Donald Trump violently occupied the U.S. Capitol. Washington, D.C., Police Chief Robert Contee said the dead on Wednesday included a woman who was shot by the U.S. Capitol Police, as well as three others who died in medical emergencies.Police said both law enforcement and Trump supporters deployed chemical irritants during the hourslong occupation of the Capitol building before it was cleared Wednesday evening by law enforcement. The woman was shot earlier Wednesday as the mob tried to break through a barricaded door in the Capitol where police were armed on the other side. She was hospitalized with a gunshot wound and later died. D.C. police officials also say two pipe bombs were recovered, one outside the Democratic National Committee and one outside the Republican National Committee. Police found a cooler from a vehicle that had a long gun and Molotov cocktail on Capitol grounds. ___10:15 p.m. The Senate has overwhelmingly turned aside a challenge to President-elect Joe Bidens victory in Arizona, guaranteeing the result will stand. The objection to the results in Arizona -- spearheaded by Rep. Paul Gosar and Sen. Ted Cruz -- was rejected 93-6 on Wednesday night. All votes in favor came from Republicans, but after violent protesters mobbed the Capitol earlier Wednesday a number of GOP senators who had planned to support the objection reversed course. The Republicans raised the objection based on false claims pushed by President Donald Trump and others of issues with the vote in Arizona, which were repeatedly dismissed in Arizonas courts and by the states election officials. ___10:10 p.m.Sen. Lindsey Graham says a commission to examine the 2020 election is not a proper next step and affirmed that Joe Biden is the legitimate president of the United States.Graham, a South Carolina Republican and longtime ally of President Donald Trump, called it a uniquely bad idea to delay this election, referencing the commission idea proposed by his fellow South Carolina Republican, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott. Graham says, Count me out. Enough is enough.Earlier Wednesday, supporters of Trump breached the U.S. Capitol, forcing a lockdown of the lawmakers and staff inside. Trump has claimed widespread voter fraud to explain away his defeat to President-elect Joe Biden, though election officials have said there wasnt any. Graham said that if youre a conservative, the idea that Vice President Mike Pence could reverse the results of the election, as President Donald Trump had urged him to do, was the most offensive concept in the world.___10 p.m.Police have arrested 30 people for violating a curfew imposed in Washington, D.C., after rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol. Officials say the 30 people were arrested Wednesday evening after being found on the streets after the 6 p.m. The curfew had been imposed after scores of supporters of President Donald Trump broke into the Capitol, halting the constitutional process of voting to certify President-elect Joe Bidens win. They were later forcibly removed from the Capitol. The Metropolitan Police Department said 15 other people had been arrested on Tuesday and Wednesday in various protest-related arrests on an array of charges, including weapons possession and assault. Fire officials also took 13 people to area hospitals on Wednesday from protest-related injuries. ___9:55 p.m.Republican Sen. Josh Hawley says he is going forward with his objection to the Electoral College results in Pennsylvania despite the violent breach at the Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump. The Missouri senator said he did not support violence but said the Senate should go forward with a legal process that includes his objections. Hawley says his objections should be debated peacefully, without violence, without attacks, without bullets. He says he hoped lawmakers would not brush his concerns aside because of the violence earlier Wednesday, including the death of a protester inside the Capitol. Trump has claimed widespread voter fraud to explain away his defeat to President-elect Joe Biden, though election officials have said there wasnt any. ___9:45 p.m.House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy is comparing violence at the U.S. Capitol to protests against racial injustice over the summer after the killing of George Floyd by police. The U.S. Capitol was overrun by a mob supportive of President Donald Trump on Wednesday as Congress counted electoral votes to confirm President-elect Joe Bidens win. Trump has falsely said there was widespread fraud in the election to explain his defeat and encouraged his supporters to come to Washington. McCarthy said, Mobs dont rule America. Laws rule America. It was true when our cities were burning this summer and it is true now.The comment got loud applause from Republicans. Democrats in the chamber sat silently. Floyd, a Black man who was handcuffed, was killed in May after a white police officer pressed his knee against Floyds neck for several minutes even after he said he couldnt breathe. McCarthy, an ally of Trumps, said Wednesday was the saddest day hes ever had in Congress. He said: It is clear this Congress will not be the same after today.___9:15 p.m.House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says Congress certification of President-elect Joe Bidens election win will show the world it wont back down. Pelosi made her comments as the House reconvened after being shut down for hours Wednesday by unruly pro-Trump protesters. She said that every four years the ritual provides an example to the world of American democracy. Pelosi says, Despite the shameful actions of today, we will still do so, we will be part of a history that shows the world what America is made of.Pelosi, a Roman Catholic, noted that Wednesday is the feast of the Epiphany and prayed that the violence would be an epiphany to heal for the country. ___9:10 pm. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is sending 1,000 members of the states National Guard to Washington, D.C., to help the peaceful transition of presidential power.Cuomo, a Democrat, said 1,000 troops would be sent for up to two weeks at the request of U.S. National Guard officials. It comes after a mob of President Donald Trumps supporters rampaged through the U.S. Capitol. Cuomo said in a statement Wednesday: For 244 years, the cornerstone of our democracy has been the peaceful transfer of power, and New York stands ready to help ensure the will of the American people is carried out, safely and decisively.They will join law enforcement from Virginia, Maryland and New Jersey who are also coming to D.C.s aid. The presidents supporters incited chaos in a protest over a transfer of power to President-elect Joe Biden. Trump convinced them that he was cheated out of a victory by rampant, widespread voter fraud, a false claim. ___8:55 p.m. Multiple Republican senators have reversed course and now say they wont object to congressional certification of President-elect Joe Bidens victory. Their change of heart came after a violent mob stormed the U.S. Capitol earlier Wednesday and interrupted their proceedings. One person was fatally shot. Sens. Steve Daines of Montana, Mike Braun of Indiana and Kelly Loeffler of Georgia all said in light of the violence they would stand down from planned objections to Bidens win. Lawmakers gathered to certify the Electoral College votes from each state were forced to evacuate after an angry mob of Trump supporters descended on the Capitol. Loeffler said that the violence, the lawlessness, and siege of the halls of Congress were a direct attack on the sanctity of the American democratic process.All three had previously signed on to Trumps false claims of widespread voter fraud to explain his defeat. Loeffler has just days left in her term. She lost her Senate race to Democrat Raphael Warnock earlier Wednesday. ___8:45 p.m.Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says Congress will not be deterred in confirming the results of the presidential election hours after supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol. The Republican leader reopened the Senate late Wednesday vowing to finish confirming the Electoral College for President-elect Joe Biden. It was interrupted earlier in the way when rioters breached the security perimeter and clashed with law enforcement before disrupting Congress tallying of the Electoral College votes. One person was fatally shot. McConnell says demonstrators tried to disrupt our democracy. They failed.McConnell plans to keep the Senate in session Wednesday to finish confirming the results. Trump has repeatedly told his supporters that the November election was stolen from him, even though that is not true. He reiterated the claim in a video filmed as his demonstrators were storming the Capitol. ___8:35 p.m.Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer says President Donald Trump bears a great deal of the blame after a mob loyal to him stormed the U.S. Capitol. As the Senate reconvened to count electoral votes that will confirm Democrat Joe Bidens win, Schumer said that Jan. 6, 2021, will live forever in infamy and will be a stain on the democracy. Schumer said the events did not happen spontaneously.He said Wednesday: The president, who promoted conspiracy theories that motivated these thugs, the president, who exhorted them to come to our nations capital, egged them on.Trump has falsely claimed that there was widespread fraud in the election to explain away his defeat. Schumer says the protesters should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. ___8:20 p.m.Former President Barack Obama says history will rightly remember the violence at the Capitol as a moment of great dishonor and shame for the nation. Angry supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday in a chaotic protest aimed at thwarting a peaceful transfer of power. Obama say the violence was incited by a sitting president who baselessly lied about the outcome of the presidential election. He has convinced his supporters that he lost the election to President-elect Joe Biden only because Democrats cheated, a false claim. Obama says it should not have come as a surprise, and that for two months a political party and its accompanying media ecosystem has too often been unwilling to tell their followers the truth.He says their fantasy narrative has spiraled further and further from reality, and it builds upon years of sown resentments. Now were seeing the consequences, whipped up into a violent crescendo.___8:10 p.m. The Senate has resumed debating the Republican challenge against Democrat Joe Bidens presidential election victory, more than six hours after pro-Trump mobs attacked the Capitol and forced lawmakers to flee. Scores of Republican representatives and 13 GOP senators had planned to object Wednesday to the electoral votes of perhaps six states that backed Biden. It was unclear whether those objections would continue in light of the days violent events. President Donald Trump has falsely insisted that the election was marred by fraud and that he actually won. He reiterated those claims in remarks to thousands of protesters outside the White House early Wednesday and goaded them to march to the Capitol, which many of them did. The mayhem had forced the House and Senate to abruptly end the days debates and flee to safety under the protection of police. And it prompted bipartisan outrage as many lawmakers blamed Trump for fostering the violence. ___8:05 p.m.Former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who resigned in protest over President Donald Trumps Syria policies, blamed the president for the violence at the U.S. Capitol. Since he left the job, however, he has been more openly derisive of Trump, including a pubilc condemnation of the presidents heavy-handed use of military force to quell protests near the White House last June. ___7:55 p.m.Stephanie Grisham, chief of staff and press secretary for first lady Melania Trump, has resigned following violent protests at the U.S. Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump. Grisham says in a statement Wednesday that it was an honor to serve the country in the White House and be part of he first ladys mission to help children. Grisham was one of Trumps longest serving aides, having joined the campaign in 2015. She served as the White House press secretary and never held a press briefing. Wednesdays violent occupation of the U.S. Capitol by the presidents supporters sparked renewed conversations inside the White House about mass resignations by mid-level aides who are responsible for operations of the office of the president. Two people familiar with the conversations said the aides were torn between fears of what more would happen if they left and a desire to register their disgust with their boss. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters. AP writer Zeke Miller___7:45 p.m. The Republican National Committee says it strongly condemns the violence at the Capitol, adding that the violent scenes do not represent acts of patriotism, but an attack on our country and its founding principles.The RNC is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform. He held a rally earlier Wednesday and urged his supporters to march to the Capitol, telling them to get rid of the weak Congress people.___7:40 p.m.Former President Bill Clinton says the attack on the U.S. Capitol was fueled over four years of poison politics and lit by President Donald Trump. Clinton said in a statement Wednesday night that the riot at the Capitol resulted from a combination of deliberate disinformation that created distrust in the system and pit Americans against one another. He wrote, The match was lit by Donald Trump and his most ardent enablers, including many in Congress, to overturn the results of an election he lost.His wife, Hillary Clinton, lost a bitter election to Trump in 2016 and conceded to him immediately. Trump has refused to accept his defeat by Democrat Joe Biden in November and is trying to cast him as an illegitimate president. Trump had encouraged his supporters to come to Washington to fight Congress formal approval of Bidens win. He held a rally earlier Wednesday and urged his supporters to march to the Capitol, telling them to get rid of the weak Congress people and saying, get the weak ones get out; this is the time for strength.___7:20 p.m.A West Virginia lawmaker took video of himself and other supporters of President Donald Trump rushing into the U.S. Capitol after they breached the security perimeter. In the video by Republican Del. Derrick Evans, later deleted from his social media page, he is shown wearing a helmet and clamoring at the door to breach the building in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. Were in! Keep it moving, baby! he said in a packed doorway amid Trump followers holding flags and complaining of being pepper sprayed. Once inside, Evans could be seen on video milling around the Capitol Rotunda, where historical paintings depict the republics founding, and yelled, No vandalizing!State House of Delegates Speaker Roger Hanshaw said Evans will need to answer to his constituents and colleagues regarding his involvement in what has occurred today.He said he has not spoken to Evans yet about his involvement. The delegate from Wayne County said in a statement later on Facebook that he was heading back to West Virginia and was simply there as an independent member of the media to film history.___6:55 p.m.House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says Congress will resume the Electoral College proceedings once the Capitol is cleared of pro-Donald Trump protesters and safe for use. Pelosi said she made the decision Wednesday in consultation with the Pentagon, the Justice Department and the vice president, who will preside. She noted the day would always be part of history, but now it would be as such a shameful picture of our country was put out into the world.Trump had encouraged his supporters to come to Washington to fight Congress formal approval of President-elect Joe Bidens win. He held a rally earlier Wednesday and urged his supporters to march to the Capitol, telling them to get rid of the weak Congress people and saying, get the weak ones get out; this is the time for strength.Trump supporters breached the Capitol building and clashed with law enforcement before disrupting Congress tallying of the Electoral College votes. Trump has repeatedly told his supporters that the November election was stolen from him, even though that is not true. ___6:45 p.m. Dozens of pro-Trump protesters remain on the streets of the nations capital in defiance of the curfew imposed after rioters stormed the Capitol. The mostly maskless crowd was forcibly removed from the Capitol on Wednesday after breaking into the building and halting the constitutional process of voting to certify President-elect Joe Bidens win. They were pushed out of the immediate area and moved down the hill, where they taunted law enforcement and moved barricades. Police said anyone found on the streets after the 6 p.m. curfew would be arrested. Officers in full riot gear with shields lined the streets near the U.S. Capitol. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said their debate on affirming Bidens victory would continue after the Capitol was secured. ___6:40 p.m. The head of the nations largest union of flight attendants says people who took part in the violent protest at the Capitol must be banned from flying. Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, said in a statement Wednesday that some of the people who traveled in our planes (Tuesday) participated in the insurrection at the Capitol today.She says, Their violent and seditious actions at the Capitol today create further concern about their departure from the DC area. Acts against our democracy, our government and the freedom we claim as Americans must disqualify these individuals from the freedom of flight.Nelson and the union endorsed President-elect Joe Biden over President Donald Trump before the November election. Trump supporters on a Delta Air Lines flight from Salt Lake City to Washington heckled Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, the lone Republican senator to vote to oust Trump after he was impeached. On an American Airlines flight from Dallas, a large contingent of Trump supporters got in an angry yelling match with other passengers after one of the presidents supporters projected Trump 2020 on the cabin ceiling and walls. ___6:30 p.m.Republican Sen. Mitt Romney is blaming President Donald Trump for inciting a violent insurrection at the Capitol. No Congressional led audit will ever convince those voters, particularly when the president will continue to claim the election was stolen.The simple truth, Romney said, is that President-elect (Joe) Biden won this election. President Trump lost.___6:25 p.m.President Donald Trump has appeared to justify the violent occupation of the U.S. Capitol by his supporters. In a tweet Wednesday night, Trump said, These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously & viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly & unfairly treated for so long.He added, Go home with love & in peace. Remember this day forever!Trump supporters breached the Capitol building and clashed with law enforcement before disrupting Congress tallying of the Electoral College votes. Trump has repeatedly told his supporters that the November election was stolen from him, even though that is not true. Trump has faced mounting criticism from Republican lawmakers to do more to condemn the violence being perpetrated in his name.

###CLAIM: the drug was transported by enver who drives to the netherlands every week to get flowers. ###DOCS: [music]katrin bennholdThe case of Franco A. Was seen as a wake up call for Germany. But the thing is, it shouldnt have been. Because Franco A. wasnt the first case to show that Germany has a blind spot when it comes to the far right. [background voices]katrin bennholdYears before him, there was another case, another wake up call. speaker I mean, it was huge. It was, like, watershed. katrin bennholdIt was one of the biggest far right terrorism cases Germany has ever seen. [street noise][interposing voices]katrin bennholdAnd so, in December 2019, I went to Frankfurt with producers Claire Toeniskoetter and Lynsea Garrisonseda basay-yildiz Hi, Lynsea. katrin bennholdto meet a woman who was a part of that case. Her name is Seda Basay-Yildiz, and shes a criminal lawyer. seda basay-yildiz And something changes with me with this case. Yeah? katrin bennhold When did you before you were even involved as a lawyer, when did you first hear about the murders? seda basay-yildiz It was in November 2011. [radio news playing][SPEAKING GERMAN]seda basay-yildiz I was on the road to a court or something like that. archived recording [SPEAKING GERMAN] seda basay-yildiz And I hear the radio. archived recording [SPEAKING GERMAN] seda basay-yildiz Terrorism group. archived recording [SPEAKING GERMAN] seda basay-yildiz And they killed 10 people from 2000 to 2007. archived recording [SPEAKING GERMAN] seda basay-yildiz And most of the victims, they are Turkish people. archived recording [SPEAKING GERMAN] seda basay-yildiz And nobody realizes that these people are killed from Nazis. So I cant believe that something like that [SPEAKING GERMAN]. katrin bennhold That it is possible. That this kind of thing can happen in in Germany. seda basay-yildiz In Germany, yes. katrin bennholdSeda told me that a couple of months after she hears about the case on the radio, she gets a phone call. seda basay-yildiz The wife of the first victim called me and wants to [SPEAKING GERMAN]. katrin bennhold She wanted me to be her lawyer. seda basay-yildiz Yeah. katrin bennholdAnd when shes asked to represent the family of one of the murder victimsseda basay-yildiz For me, this was really personal. katrin bennholdShe thinks about her own family. seda basay-yildiz Because my parents are from Turkey. And in my past, I was confronted with racism, too. katrin bennholdShe said when she was just a little girl, her parents had finally scrounged up enough money to buy a used car, an old one. seda basay-yildiz Really, really old car. katrin bennholdBut when they tried to buy insuranceseda basay-yildiz They say, we dont want to make a contract with Turkish people. katrin bennholdthey couldnt get it. seda basay-yildiz So I think about what can I do? katrin bennholdSeda, unlike her parents, spoke fluent German. So on her own, she learned about a federal agency where she could file a complaint. She did. And days later, an insurance contract showed up in the mail. seda basay-yildiz And so I believed in our justice system, that everyone has the same rights in this country. And I think it was the decision for me to become a lawyer. katrin bennholdAnd so when Seda gets that call from the woman whose husband had been murdered, she knows she has to take the case. seda basay-yildiz And that was an honor for me. Because they have the right to get answers. katrin bennholdAnd over the next six years, Seda tries to get answers about how a far right terrorist network went undetected for over a decade. katrin bennhold Do you think that the blindness of the police towards the possibility of neo-Nazis being behind this, does this tell us that the police had sympathies in that direction? Or is it just that they couldnt imagine it? seda basay-yildiz This is the point that I want to understand. Yeah? I would not say that these policemen are all Nazis. But they all make the same mistake. So I want to understand why. Why? katrin bennholdFrom The New York Times, Im Katrin Bennhold. This is Day X. The story begins in the year 2000 with a flower seller named Enver Simsek. Envers 38-years-old. He moved to Germany with his wife back in 1985 from Turkey, like more than two million other Turkish immigrants who came here in the decades after the war. He and his wife had two kids, a son and a daughter, both born in Germany. He started out working in a factory, long hours. But in his free time, he sold flowers. And eventually, he quit his job in the factory to work in flowers full-time. One September morning, Enver leaves his hometown near Frankfurt and drives a couple of hours east to Nuremberg to stand in for another flower seller who was out of town. Just before 9 AM, he parks his van along the side of a suburban road and sets up shop. And around midday, hes shot multiple times in his head and in his chest. He dies two days later. Police begin investigating. And very quickly, they come up with a theory that Enver, who would drive to the Netherlands every week to get flowers, was transporting drugs. And even though they find no traces of drugs in his van, they cling on to the theory that Enver was involved in some kind of drug ring. The case goes nowhere. And then, nine months later, another Turkish immigrant is killed. Abdurrahim Ozudogrus body is discovered at his tailor shop, not far from where Enver was killed. Police are quick to identify the murder weapon as the same one that killed Enver, a rare Ceska 83 handgun. Two weeks after that, theres another murder. Suleyman Taskopru, a produce seller, is killed in his fathers shop in Hamburg. Same gun. Another two months later, a Turkish grocer named Habil Kilic is killed in Munich. Same gun. The families of the victims tell police that maybe this is a series of hate crimes. Maybe investigators should look to the far right. But police continue to suspect it has to do with drugs, immigrants killing other immigrants, like some kind of Turkish mafia. And still, the case goes nowhere. Then in 2004, theres another murder. Mehmet Turgut is killed at a kebab shop in the northern city of Rostock. A year after that, Ismail Yasar is murdered in Nuremberg. Then Theodoros Boulgarides in Munich, Mehmet Kubasik in Dortmund, Halit Yozgat, an owner of an internet cafe in Kassel. All the victims have an immigrant background. All are shot in the head, all with a Ceska 83. And even though witnesses at multiple murder scenes report seeing white men who look like Nazis, the police stick to the theory of a Turkish mafia. And the murders come to be known as the Kebab Murders. For years, they go unsolved. Until one day in 2011, when two masked men charged into a bank in an eastern German town. Both have guns. And they steal over 70,000 euros. Then they run outside, get on bicycles, and flee the scene. As they make their getaway, they pass an old man on the street who sees them shove their bikes into a camper van and then peel off. When the police pass that way looking for the robbers, the old man tells them what he saw. Not long after, the police find the camper van. And as they walk towards it, the door swings open. And two men opened fire with a submachine gun. But the gun jams. So they shut themselves back inside the camper van. The police hear two more shots. Moments later, the camper van goes up in flames, black smoke billowing from it. Once the police open the door, they find several weapons. And the burned bodies of the two men with gunshot wounds in their heads. And as police are still securing the scene, theres an explosion at an apartment more than 100 miles away. The police get to that scene. And when the fire dies down, they start sifting through the rubble. Eventually, they find a gun, a Ceska 83. They also find dozens of copies of a DVD. Theyre in envelopes addressed to media and other organizations with no return address. And when they press play[dvd playing]archived recording [SPEAKING GERMAN]katrin bennholda bizarre cartoon plays out. archived recording [SPEAKING GERMAN]katrin bennholdIts The Pink Panther. He carries a stack of posters to an easel in a spotlight. And he starts a kind of presentation. On poster after poster, theres newspaper clippings of the nine immigrant murders that have never been solved with photos of the victims. Theres also the photo of a tenth victim, a police officer whose death had never been linked to the other murders. And the video reveals whos responsible for it all. Its a group of neo-Nazis who took their name from Hitlers Nazi party. They call themselves the National Socialist Underground, the N.S.U. [pink panther theme music]katrin bennholdAnd they say their motto is actions, not words. A few days after the botched bank robbery, a woman turns herself in. Her name is Beate Zschape. Investigators had been looking for her for a long time. They knew her as part of a trio, along with two men, Uwe Mundlos and Uwe Bohnhardt. All three grew up in the former communist East. They were teenagers when Germany reunified, and became part of a growing neo-Nazi scene. [crowd shouting]archived recording Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil! katrin bennholdWhen Uwe Mundlos was 21, he served in the German military. And during his time there, someone found an image of Hitler on a card in his pocket. The military let it go. And during the course of the year, he was actually promoted several times. Its the kind of thing Ive heard again and again in my reporting on Franco A. and far right infiltration, where neo-Nazis use the military specifically to get training, which is exactly what Uwe Mundlos did. When he returned home to rejoin Beate and Uwe Bohnhardt, they built fake bombs in a garage. They mailed them out and placed them in public spaces to terrorize people. Then they started collecting real explosives. The police eventually raided their garage. But by the time they found the explosives, the trio had gone underground. And it wasnt until 2011, when that bank robbery went bad, that it all started to click in place. And investigators realize that the two Uwes were the bicycle bank robbers. That Beate had set fire to their hideout. And that all of them were behind one of the biggest series of terrorist attacks Germany had ever seen. Which introduced an entirely new puzzle how did they miss it? [several news clips play and overlap]archived recording [SPEAKING GERMAN] And the worst acts of neo-Nazi terrorism since the end of World War II [SPEAKING GERMAN]katrin bennholdWhen the N.S.U. story breaksarchived recording How the neo-Nazi group got away with the killingskatrin bennholdThe whole country was askingarchived recording How did the neo-Nazis murder and bomb across Germany for a decadekatrin bennholdHow could this have happened? archived recording (angela merkel) [SPEAKING GERMAN]katrin bennholdChancellor Angela Merkel makes a promise to the families of the victims. archived recording (angela merkel) [SPEAKING GERMAN]katrin bennholdThat Germany would do right by them and that their questions would be answered. archived recording The parliamentary panel responsible for monitoring their work met in special closed door session. katrin bennholdAnd Parliament commissions an investigation to figure out what went wrong. But before the findings are even releasedarchived recording Its obvious the domestic intelligence service did not do its job properly. katrin bennholdstories start coming out about Germanys domestic intelligence agency. archived recording The regional intelligence agency always insisted it was acting as an early warning system for democracy. Now its becoming pretty obvious something went wrong. It may have beenkatrin bennholdIts called The Office for The Protection of the Constitution and was created after World War II to protect the country against anti-democratic threats. archived recording The Office for The Protection of the Constitution destroyed relevant documents just one week after the scandal broke. Authorities apparently shredded documents relevant to the case. The countrys intelligence agency may have been infiltrated by double agents loyal to the far right. Andkatrin bennholdAnd in light of these stories about how the Office had failedarchived recording Its partly because of their own incompetence and partly because they were blind in one eye, believing onlykatrin bennholdSome people call for the agency to be totally dismantled. stephan kramer My only conclusion was the whole institution needs to be teared down and basically rebuilt. katrin bennholdOne of those people is a man named Stephan Kramer. At the time all this was happening, he was the public face of Germanys Central Council of Jews. And in a sign of how big a crisis this was, he was later appointed to run the regional intelligence agency in the same state where the N.S.U. was from. stephan kramer Kick some neo-Nazi asses. katrin bennholdSo I called him to hear what the scandal looked like from the inside. katrin bennhold What do we know about what they actually knew inside the intelligence service about this N.S.U. group? stephan kramer Look, the National Socialist Underground was very much known by the domestic intelligence agency. And even worse, some of the members of the scene were information sources of the domestic intelligencekatrin bennholdStephan says that one of the biggest problems was how much intelligence agencies came to rely on informants from inside the far right scene. stephan kramer Theres no doubt about this. katrin bennholdBut he says it was more than that. stephan kramer But also, information that were passed on to the police were not followed up on. katrin bennhold Like what, for example? stephan kramer For example, we knew about the garages that were used by the trio to cover up stuff. And we delivered the information about the garages and exact locations to the police. katrin bennholdHe says that when the agency did have reliable information to pass alongstephan kramer They did not go into the garages and they did not follow up on that leads. katrin bennholdthe police just sat on it. Or they were directed by their superiors to ignore it. stephan kramer And rather investigate in other directions that were useless. katrin bennholdAs for the agencys own intelligence failures, specifically how it handled its far right informants, there are still more questions than answers. One week after the terror cell was uncoveredstephan kramer Some staff member took some paperwork and just destroyed it. katrin bennholdAn intelligence official shredded files on seven N.S.U. informants. And there are other files that include information about an agent who handled informants. And it was at one of the N.S.U. murder scenes, in an internet cafe, while the owner was shot. stephan kramer And the simple question was, hm, how come that somebody like him sits in the internet cafe, but he didnt take any notice of the killing inside the cafe, and that when he left the cafe, he did not see the body? katrin bennholdWhen investigators looked into this particular agent, they found evidence he had far right views, papers where he quoted Mein Kampf. And according to one of his neighbors, people called him Little Adolf. stephan kramer That is one of the questions to solve. Why was he there? What was he really doing there? And was there any connection between the state domestic intelligence and those events taking place against the owner of the internet cafe? katrin bennholdThe state government sealed away files about that agent until 2044. And even as the head of a state intelligence office, Stephan says he cant get answers. For its part, the federal intelligence agency has admitted to making many mistakes. And the head of the agency had to resign over the scandal. But it rejected the idea that anyone inside the agency had been helping the N.S.U. The parliamentary investigation was less certain. It didnt find sufficient evidence to prove that the authorities were helping the terrorists. But it said they could and should have known enough to stop the murders. Stephan goes further than that. stephan kramer Look, its like the big elephant in the room. But Im naming it. Theres a lot of complicity, even among people in agencies and in public security institutions. katrin bennhold So people with far right leanings who are acting to protect stephan kramer Yes. katrin bennhold neo-Nazis? stephan kramer Yes. This is a cancer that goes to the roots. katrin bennholdIn May 2013archived recording What is described as one of the most important criminal trials in post-war German history 600 witnesses could be called to Germanys largest neo-Nazi trial[interposing voices]katrin bennholdthe N.S.U. trial starts. [interposing voices]katrin bennholdAnd for all the failures of Germanys security agencies, they arent the ones on the stand. archived recording All eyes on the woman accused of being the one survivor of a neo-Nazi cell which killed 10 people. katrin bennholdIts Beate Zschape, the only surviving member of the N.S.U. trio. archived recording For Germans, this is the woman who represents the latest challenge in that countrys long battle with right wing extremism. The trial of a woman known as the Nazi bride Beate Zschape faces life in prison if convicted. But she denieskatrin bennholdShes there, along with four accomplices. seda basay-yildiz I never was in a big trial like that. katrin bennholdSeda Basay-Yildiz is one of about 80 lawyers representing the families of the victims. And shes aiming for tough sentences. seda basay-yildiz I think that this organization was not just these five people. katrin bennholdShes hoping that through the trial she can figure out how big the N.S.U. network really is. seda basay-yildiz There have to be more. And about these people, we know nothing. katrin bennholdAnd why the intelligence services failed to stop them. seda basay-yildiz They knew that they were very dangerous. They want to kill people. And it was not possible to catch them. So why? [interposing voices]katrin bennholdBut as hundreds of witnesses file through the courtroomseda basay-yildiz It was not possible to get the files from the informants. katrin bennholdit becomes clearseda basay-yildiz And so it was not possible to ask them the right questions. katrin bennholdthat many of Sedas questions will not get answered in court. archived recording The trial has barely touched on the authoritys failings, nor has it examined the role of German domestic intelligence which had contactskatrin bennholdAnd year after year, the trial drags on. seda basay-yildiz I was never in a case who takes such a long time. katrin bennholdUntil eventuallyarchived recording Germany has just registered its one millionth refugee. [crowd shouting]archived recording And these peoplekatrin bennholdit fades from the headlines. archived recording Resentment of migration is growing in Germany. The AfD, the next far right party, on the rise here in Germany. A wave of sexual assaultkatrin bennholdAnd other stories. archived recording The case of the soldier Franco A., who allegedly planned tokatrin bennholdtake its place. archived recording Authorities say the suspect was conspiring to assassinate top politicians and then put the blame on refugees. seda basay-yildiz It was five years, 448 days. katrin bennholdAnd by July 2018, after most of the country has moved on, the judges finally reach a verdict. katrin bennhold Were you in the room when it was pronounced? seda basay-yildiz Yes. katrin bennholdBeate Zschape is convicted of 10 counts of murder, arson, the formation of a terrorist organization, and membership of a terrorist organization. Shes sentenced to life in prison. seda basay-yildiz In four hourskatrin bennholdOne of the accomplices is sentenced to 10 years in prison. The others get three years or less. And all four are released on bail pending appeal. When the sentences are announcedseda basay-yildiz The Nazis were clapping and loud. katrin bennholdSeda says theres actually applause in the courtroom from N.S.U. sympathizers. seda basay-yildiz Cheering. Yes Yeah. It was a good day for them. And so our clients were really shocked. They punished them too lenient. katrin bennholdLike Seda, federal prosecutors had hoped for far tougher sentences. seda basay-yildiz And so it was a not good day for the German justice. Angela Merkel, she gives a promise to my clients. She say that I promise you that I will do everything to solve the N.S.U. And my clients thought that when Angela Merkel say something like that, we can trust her. So now we know she didnt keep her promise. Theres no justice at the end of this case for our clients. katrin bennholdDespite the promises of the government, multiple investigations, and her own attempts to unseal the N.S.U. files, Seda never gets the answers she wanted. seda basay-yildiz So my clients ask me why. Why is this such a problem? Yeah? So we have so many questions. Who knew what at what point? And they didnt give us the answers. katrin bennhold Why, why do you think? seda basay-yildiz Because they are involved. This is the only possible answer. katrin bennholdBy the end of the trial, Sedas left in the same place as Stephan Kramer. She says shes come to believe that far right extremism has infiltrated the very institutions that are supposed to protect against it. And that belief only intensifies three weeks after the trial. seda basay-yildiz I was, at this time, in Tunisia. katrin bennholdWhen shes traveling for another case. seda basay-yildiz And I was in the late, late night in the hotel. And I checked my emails and faxes and saw that one fax was different. katrin bennhold What did the fax say? Do you remember the words exactly? seda basay-yildiz Yes. You dirty Turkish pig. [SPEAKING GERMAN]. katrin bennhold You wont finish off Germany. seda basay-yildiz You wont finish off Germany. We will slaughter your daughter. And we know your private address. And at the end, they say N.S.U. 2.0. Im not a hysteric person. But I was in Tunisia and thousands of kilometers far away for my child. And so I think about it. How serious is this now? Because these people, he has informations about me. So for me was the question, how they get this informations for me, how it is possible that they have my address and the name of my daughter? Its not publicly available. And so I called the police. katrin bennholdSeda reports the threat, flies home. And an investigation gets underway. A few months laterseda basay-yildiz So I was on the road again. And I heard on the radio some police officers in Frankfurt are suspended. katrin bennholdsomething on the news catches her attention. seda basay-yildiz There are some details. And I think, um, it can be my case. So I contact the police officer and say, is something you want to tell me? Because I heard on the radio there are investigations against police officers. Is this my case? So he said everything is OK. We investigate. Two days later, journalist write me an email about the suspended police officers in Frankfurt. He wants to talk with me. And so I called the police officer again. And say, he is a journalist. He wants to talk with me about the suspended officers. Is something you want to tell me? I ask you again. katrin bennholdAnd finallyseda basay-yildiz And he say OK.katrin bennholdThe police give her an answer. seda basay-yildiz He came to my office and say one hour before this fax sent to me, my address and the name of my daughter, the name of my whole family, my parents, and my husband, are accessed in the police computer in Frankfurt. Since N.S.U., I knew that there are some problems in our institutions in Germany. But for me, it was new that police officers maybe had something to do with threatening my two-year-old daughter. katrin bennholdSeda learns that the officer who had been locked onto the computer when her private information was accessed was discovered to be part of a far right Whatsapp group. The group shared neo-Nazi memes, mocking drowned refugees, and showing Hitler on a rainbow with the caption, Goodnight, you Jews. That officer and a handful of others in that group were suspended. And the whole police station was searched. seda basay-yildiz So they suspended these police officers. But they did not prove that they are responsible for the fax. And the investigations [SPEAKING GERMAN]? katrin bennhold Continue. seda basay-yildiz Continue. Yes. katrin bennholdIn the following monthsseda basay-yildiz They would investigate against 48 police officers. katrin bennholdThe number of suspended officers grows to 38 in just one precinct. seda basay-yildiz I think if you have 38 persons, you have a structural problem. katrin bennholdAnd its not until May 3, 2021, nearly three years after Seda got that fax, that police arrest a man they believe was behind it, as well as 114 other messages, all signed N.S.U. 2.0. Police say hes never worked for them, that he was probably acting alone, a single case. But how exactly he got access to information on police computers remains unclear. What is clear is that hundreds of officers across the country have come under investigation on suspicion of far right extremism. archived recording [SPEAKING GERMAN] Have suspended a number of officers suspected of sharing extremist content in online chat groups. Police officers in the German state ofkatrin bennholdIn one state, 31 officers were suspended for sharing images of a refugee in a gas chamber and the shooting of a Black man. archived recording [SPEAKING GERMAN]katrin bennholdIn another, 25 officers were discovered to be in a racist chat group. archived recording Nazi symbols, such as swastikas. katrin bennholdSix cadets were kicked out from police academy after playing down the Holocaust and posting swastikas online. archived recording I have long thought that these were only single incidents. [SPEAKING GERMAN] But these are not single cases. katrin bennholdSome officers were even found to be hoarding ammunition and Nazi memorabilia, just like Franco A. and the network he was a part of. And its this kind of thing that investigators are worried about. More than threat letters celebrating the N.S.U. name, theyre worried about people actually plotting terrorism. People who, like the N.S.U., are focused on actions, not words. seda basay-yildiz We did not learn from this case. Nothing changes. Everything is the same. So now we have Franco A.katrin bennholdAnd so now, Seda sees another case the institutions missed and another trial. But this time, the defendant is an officer in the German military whos being accused of plotting an attack meant to take down the Federal Republic of Germany. [background conversations]And on the same day the news breaks that Franco A. would actually be tried for terrorism, I get a call. Its Franco A.archived recording Katrin, tell me whats going on. katrin bennhold Were going to go see Franco, Franco A. [shuffling]Ah, look. Oh. [clanking]katrin bennhold claudia roth You mentioned Franco A., yes? Franco A.? I was informed by the federal criminal police office they had found the diary of Franco A. Franco A., a former Bundeswehr officer. And it was a list of names, including the foreign minister, some intellectuals, some human rights activists, and my name, Claudia Roth. And this was a so-called enemy list, to be killed, enemies to be killed. [music]Really, hes a soldier in the Bundeswehr. And he posed as a Syrian. He posed as a Syrian to make refugees responsible. So this was the idea. They would kill people, enemies. But then they would blame refugees to be the perpetrators. katrin bennholdThe case against Franco A. Is remarkable for many reasons. Not only that, as far as anyone Ive talked to can remember, hes the first active duty soldier to stand trial for plotting terrorism since World War II. Or that his arrest opened the door to a country-wide network of people planning for Day X. Or even that he had lived a double life as a Syrian refugee. Whats most remarkable is that the German authorities had been utterly blind to him. It took a maintenance man stumbling upon a gun in an airport bathroom to uncover it all. It was just chance. Back when I first started reporting on this case, I called one of Franco A.s lawyers to ask if Franco would talk. The lawyer was doubtful, but said hed pass along the message. I also called the prosecution. They wouldnt talk on the record. But in their indictment, theyre making the case that Franco A. Has a far right mindset. They quote from voice memos found on Francos phone, where he questions how Germany atones for the Holocaust, argues that immigration has ruined Germanys ethnic purity, and says things like, I know you will murder me. I will murder you first. They say Franco A. was firmly decided to commit a violent act. And they point to handwritten notes with the names of prominent politicians and activists. And they say that one Friday in the summer of 2016, Franco A. traveled to Berlin, where one of those people worked. They say he drew a map of the location of the building and that he went inside the parking garage and took pictures of the license plates of several cars. And in the days after, according to one witness, he was at a shooting range with an assault rifle. Franco A. Denies all the terrorism charges against him. But his case has come to represent something investigators are increasingly worried about, that Day X is not just an imagined day, a future crisis, but a call for action, a pretext for terrorism, or worse, a coup. And thats why prosecutors say Franco A. picked the targets that he did. From The New York Times, Im Katrin Bennhold. This is Day X. [street noise]katrin bennhold I wonder if thats where he got access to the parking garage. clare toeniskoetter And theres no guard in this building that we can see. katrin bennhold Yeah. I wonder what securitys going to be like. Should we ring the bell? clare toeniskoetter Yeah. katrin bennholdIn December 2019 katrin bennhold Hello. speaker From The New York Times? katrin bennholdI went with producers Clare Toeniskoetter and Lynsea Garrison to that office building in Berlin. anetta kahane Were talking in English or German? katrin bennhold to meet one of Franco A.s alleged targets. katrin bennhold Let me maybe start just by asking you, if you could just sort of say who you are and what you do. anetta kahane My name is Anetta Kahane. Im the chairperson of the Amadeu Antonio Foundation. And the Amadeu Antonio Foundation is trying to fight racism, anti-Semitism, and right wing extremism. katrin bennholdAnetta is one of the most prominent human rights activists in the country. katrin bennhold And in this sort of position, have you had particular moments of being threatened? anetta kahane Yes, of course. Its part of our daily life. Its part of my daily life. And its not so easy to deal with that. But in the end of the day, Im used to it, somehow. katrin bennholdShes also one of the most hated figures on the far right, up there with Chancellor Angela Merkel. anetta kahane Look at that door. katrin bennholdShe pulls out a phone and shows us the emails shes been getting. katrin bennhold Wow. This sort of endless, like, dozens and dozens of hate mail. anetta kahane Horrible things I have a lot of this. katrin bennhold This is really striking. This arrived this morning on email. anetta kahane Its like, Congratulations. Congratulations, you are now first place on our killing list. We will cut you a swastika into your face with a very sharp X. And afterwards, we will cut your [SPEAKING GERMAN]. katrin bennhold Your spine. anetta kahane your spine. And we will leave you in katrin bennhold To die in some anetta kahane side street, yeah. Well kill every non-Aryan, every Jewish, Muslim, and katrin bennhold Worthless. anetta kahane worthless life in our wonderful, beautiful Germany. katrin bennhold And erase you from our history books. anetta kahane Yeah. katrin bennhold And then this. We will be a lot more efficient than our ancestors in 1938. I mean, this is how does it end? Whats, like, the final line? anetta kahane Huh. Sieg Heil. katrin bennhold Mmhmm. [music]And is this every single day that you get something like this? anetta kahane Not every day, but sometimes, yes. katrin bennhold Is it safe to be Jewish in Germany today? anetta kahane It is not safe, no. katrin bennhold When was the time in Germany that you felt the most comfortable with being Jewish? anetta kahane I dont remember. It was always difficult, always. katrin bennhold Tell us a little bit about your childhood. Where did you grow up? anetta kahane In Berlin, mainly. And katrin bennhold Which part? anetta kahane In East Berlin, in Pankow. katrin bennholdAnetta grew up in the shadow of the Berlin Wall, in a Soviet-controlled East Germany that had claimed to have eliminated the Nazi problem. anetta kahane And my father was katrin bennholdHer parents were Holocaust survivors. They were Jewish. And they were communists who fought in the resistance against fascism. anetta kahane The Communist Party katrin bennholdAnd they taught their daughter that communism was the surest way to prevent something like the Nazis from ever happening again. anetta kahane And as a Jew in Germany katrin bennholdTheyd tell her that under communism everyone was equal. So things like racism and anti-Semitism, they simply couldnt exist. But going to school in East Berlin, Anetta started to sense something else. anetta kahane I saw all these parents of my friends. And they were looking at me, like, a little bit, what is she? Shes somehow, shes different. And I just knew that I feel strange. I was a strange one. But but of course, they told me all these terrible jokes about burning Jews and what fun it is to kill Jews and things like that. And blaming me, also, for as a Jewish pig and things like that. Yes. Yes, it was very present. For a long time, I didnt knew it was anti-Semitism. I just felt like Im an idiot. katrin bennholdShed go to her dad and tell him what she was feeling. anetta kahane I came home. And I said, I dont feel good. I was feeling, like, something, like, very strange and very lonely. katrin bennholdBut he didnt really get it. anetta kahane One day he said, I dont know why you always have these problems. I mean, what is the problem? This is all comrades outside. They are all members of the party. So they must be nice. So it was worth the impression that Im not good enough for being a good communist. I was not trusting my impressions, you know? It was like a gaslight situation. katrin bennholdFor years, Anetta convinced herself that what she was experiencing wasnt real. She says she tried to be a good communist. When she was 19, the Stasi knocked on her door. And for several years she was an informant for one of the most repressive police intelligence services in the world. anetta kahane Of course, it was a terrible thing. And I mean, Im not proud of it. katrin bennholdBut by the time shes in her 30s, the problems her parents had dismissed her whole life were now visible on the streets. anetta kahane In the middle of the 80s, this neo-Nazi movement started to be very, very strong. katrin bennholdA potent neo-Nazi movement with thousands of members was growing. katrin bennhold You could see them. But they looked like what we in those early 90s, like, basically bald heads. anetta kahane Yeah. Yeah. Bald heads and skinheads. Theres all this stuff. And they were really very violent. And they beat up a lot of people. katrin bennholdAnd yet, the government denied the existence of far right extremists point blank. The official line was there are no neo-Nazis in communist East Germany. anetta kahane This was a very, very bad situation. And I thought, well, my God. This is a state that calls himself antifascists and does nothing about these Nazis. And I thought why? I used to be so naive. Now I see. This antifascism is not real. The opposite of fascism is not antifascism, but a democratic vibrant culture, you know? You have to discuss all this things. You have a process of things and bringing this. And if you dont do that, this is exactly what is happening. The next generation is going back to the same pattern. katrin bennholdAnd so archived recording Thousands of East Germans came across the border today, perhaps katrin bennholdWhen the Berlin Wall falls in 1989 archived recording In the thousands, they are here in the tens of thousands. katrin bennhold Anetta felt hopeful about a new democratic future. archived recording Occasionally they shout, [SPEAKING GERMAN], the wall must go. anetta kahane [LAUGHS] Every time they repeat that, I started to cry again. It was so touching. katrin bennholdEast Germany had been frozen in time behind the Wall, a neo-homogeneous white country. And suddenly, thousands of Easterners were pouring into a multicultural West Germany. archived recording Put bulldozers right through the wall so that more people could cross to the West. katrin bennholdThe day after the border opens, Anetta crosses into the West herself. anetta kahane And when I first crossed the bridge, there were these Turkish people with the fruits and everything and were giving away. And they were shouting, welcome and some nice things, you know? It was, like, they were just giving people some fruit. And the first thing I heard, I mean, was exactly by my side, there was a guy who was shouting, give me those! And he took the fruit. And he said, now you can go home, you bloody Turks. Now we are Germans [SPEAKING GERMAN]. Foreigners away. And so it was the first reaction, taking the present, a gift, and then immediately shouting out some racist stuff. I mean, it was so it was terrible. katrin bennholdAnd then, as the economy in the former communist East collapses, and millions lose their jobs [glass breaking]katrin bennhold a wave of racist violence sweeps through Germany. anetta kahane This was a moment of fear. [street noise]archived recording [SPEAKING GERMAN]katrin bennholdImmigrants are chased, beaten up, and sometimes killed. anetta kahane Theyre hunting all these Black people. katrin bennholdTheir homes are firebombed. archived recording [SPEAKING GERMAN]. [rioting]anetta kahane So many incidents, all the time, all the time, they never stopped. archived recording German police have arrested a teenager in connection with a weekend arson attack on Turkish immigrants in katrin bennholdSometimes, Eastern onlookers would watch, clap, and even join in. archived recording Police say angry looters ransacked dozens of stores. anetta kahane There were a lot of horrible things going on at that time. I cannot tell you. I mean, there were entire cities completely dominated by neo-Nazis. [men chanting]archived recording [CHANTING IN GERMAN][cheering]katrin bennholdSo as the violence increases, Anetta throws herself into organizing against it. anetta kahane ^A And nobody really counted them as a right wing motivated killing, a murder. katrin bennholdBut she says when she and other activists talked to politicians in the East to tell them about what they were seeing anetta kahane Oh, dont talk bad about my city. I mean, besides, it was a single case. katrin bennholdThey would always say anetta kahane [SPEAKING GERMAN], you know? katrin bennholdSingle cases, lone wolves. And when she talks with leaders in the West anetta kahane Well, we have a big problem with neo-Nazis. katrin bennholdShe hears the same thing again. anetta kahane Well, no. These are [SPEAKING GERMAN], you know? Single cases. Dont talk so bad about East Germany. This is not productive, you know? This is not good. Please. But it is a little bit like this gaslight feeling I had in my childhood, or when I was a teenager. Because I say, always, this is anti-Semitic. This is everywhere. And people say, yes, its a single case. Its not the society. But I find them everywhere. This is the problem in Germany. This is very deep inside of the German heritage or family narratives. There are parents. There are teachers. There are officers. This very deep, deep, deep inside of the internal life of the German. [gentle music]katrin bennholdAnd so when it comes to the story of Franco A., Anetta sees it as just another example of whats always been there. katrin bennhold Do you remember the very first time that you heard of Franco? Did you get a phone call? anetta kahane No. As I remember, I saw it in the newspaper. katrin bennhold You read it in the newspaper? anetta kahane Yeah. katrin bennholdAnd shes used to people not seeing the problem. anetta kahane And only then, people from the police department came. And they told me, well, you probably read it in the newspaper. There is a guy who wanted to kill you. But dont be afraid. These neo-Nazis, you know, we got them, all three neo-Nazis. And my reaction was to break out loudly laughing. Because three neo-Nazis? This is ridiculous. There are a lot of neo-Nazis. And it was, like, kind of funny, you know? katrin bennholdThe police tell Anetta Franco A. was arrested along with two suspected accomplices. Both were eventually released. And after seven months in prison, Franco A. is released, too. anetta kahane And then, when he was set free, they didnt told me. [LAUGHS] No, they didnt tell me and they didnt tell me. katrin bennholdI asked police whether they had failed to inform Anetta. But they declined to comment. anetta kahane And what I was kind of angry the other day when somebody called me. And he said, do you know that Franco is running around here in Berlin? I said, no. Really? It could be a good idea to send you a picture of him. Because he is running around here, where I have my offices. So probably you run into him and you dont know. Oh, yes. Thats a good idea. And this was the first time I saw it. I mean, this should be done by the police. You know? To tell me he is in Berlin, be aware, or something like that. But they didnt tell me, nothing. katrin bennholdNot long after Franco A. is released from prison, a state court dismisses his terrorism charges. And Anetta is a key reason why. The court rules that Franco A. had nine months between staking out a parking garage and being arrested, plenty of time to kill her. But he didnt. So they conclude that there wasnt enough evidence to show that Franco A. had firmly decided to take action. Prosecutors appeal. And for over a year, the case is in limbo. And while all of this is going on, Franco A. is living at home in his apartment in Western Germany, on leave from his job as an officer, but still being paid by the military. And its around this time that he visits the workplace of another alleged target, Claudia Roth. katrin bennhold Maybe just introduce yourself and say who you are and what you do. claudia roth OK. My name is Claudia Roth. Im Vice President, Deputy Speaker of the German Bundestag, German Parliament since 2013.katrin bennholdClaudia Roth is kind of like Germanys Nancy Pelosi. And she says one day, in the fall of 2019 claudia roth We have open day katrin bennhold during an open house event at Germanys capital claudia roth Thousands of people are coming and the political groups are represented. Im represented in the parliament as a Vice President, but also as a Green. And Franco A. came. katrin bennholdFranco A. walks into the building and makes his way towards the Green Party boothclaudia roth I was told afterwards that Franco A. was exactly at the table or the place where the Greens presented themselves, that he saw me. That he perhaps he spoke, even, with me. And I did not know. I dont know because I did not recognize him. The police did not inform me before or was not aware of this. katrin bennholdEventually, the police are notified. And they escort him out of the building. claudia roth Of course, its a strange feeling. Its a very strange feeling. And of course, I spoke to the police. And the police said as long as hes not in prison, hes allowed. So he can move freely. But I tell you the truth. Im not afraid. katrin bennholdAs the highest ranking politician in the liberal Green Party, Claudia, like Anetta, is used to getting threats. So Im a favorite enemy of the extreme right in Germany. Earlier on in her political career, extremists claimed she was Jewish. claudia roth Oh, for sure shes Jewish. So katrin bennholdThen, after 9/11 claudia roth They switched from Jewish to Islamic. katrin bennhold the far right came up with something else. claudia roth I was Islamist terrorist. Many of them call me Fatima. Im Fatima Roth, yes, Fatima Roth. katrin bennholdAnd in 2015 claudia roth When the refugees arrived in Germany katrin bennhold the threats got even worse. claudia roth Terrible ideas, how to rape, how to kill me. katrin bennholdClaudia is everything the far right despises. Shes a feminist, a liberal. She supports refugees. But what riles them the most about her is how she sees herself as a German. Claudias mom was in the Nazi Youth. Her dad served as a soldier under Hitler. claudia roth And so I had terrible problems to get a normal relationship to myself. And being a German, what does it mean to be German? This was one of the most difficult questions. And it was around 68 when a door was opened, towards your own history, your own German crimes. [crowd chanting][street noise][whistle blowing]katrin bennholdDuring the 1960s, as a countercultural revolution swept across the United States, Germany had its own reckoning. claudia roth One question was asked and asked and asked. It was the question to the parents, why was Auschwitz possible? Why? katrin bennholdIt was only then that the generation of Claudias parents began to confront the past. claudia roth My parents took us, me and my two sisters, to Dachau. Dachau is a former concentration camp, where many people were killed. Im not sure whether we, the children, understood what probably nobody can understand. But I think it was my parents that wanted to understand what had happened and what it means to be German. What does it mean? And my father said, you are born 10 years after the end of the Second World War, after the worst crimes in ever. But what happened in the Nazi time, the Nazi terror, the crimes are part of your biography. Not easy to understand what it means. katrin bennholdThis German struggle for national identity actually became part of German identity. And for Claudia, theres still the sense of humility. The sense that, as a country, Germany has been on the wrong side of history. claudia roth Can I love Germany? I would never say this. Can I be proud being a German? Never, I would never say Im very proud. German flag? No, this was never, ever. Im a German, yes. I do not hide. But proud? No. Im a German with all responsibilities. I am meanwhile happy and proud that there are so many people who are fighting for a stronger democracy, who try to establish a multicultural democracy, [SPEAKING GERMAN] katrin bennhold A society of the many. claudia roth A society of the many. katrin bennholdThe idea of a multicultural democracy and how to protect it is enshrined in Germanys post-war Constitution. claudia roth [SPEAKING GERMAN] Article I in our Constitution, the most wonderful sentence ever [SPEAKING GERMAN] The dignity of human being is untouchable. katrin bennholdIt was written with the explicit aim to prevent something like the Nazi era from ever happening again. claudia roth Not the dignity of the German human being, or a white, or a Christian, but the dignity of any human being. Yeah, perhaps this is why Im like why I am Claudia with all her fights against racism, against xenophobia, against sexism, against homophobia, against Islamophobia, against anti-Semitism, against all these things that try to discriminate and separate people. katrin bennholdClaudia was first elected for the Greens in 1989, the year the Berlin Wall fell. And who she became and what fuels her politics, this is what defines Germany today. [chanting]Its the Germany that atones for the Holocaust with memorials and history lessons in every public school. The Germany that elected Angela Merkel [people chanting, speaking] that admitted over a million refugees, and that has come to define liberal democracy in Europe and beyond. [german singing]But its also the Germany that has given rise to a powerful backlash. archived recording [SPEAKING GERMAN][crowd cheering]katrin bennholdIn 2017, a far right party was elected into parliament for the first time since the Nazis. archived recording This is a party that didnt even exist a few years ago. [crowd chanting in german]katrin bennholdThe AFD, Alternative for Deutschland. Its power base is in the former communist East. And its the polar opposite of Claudias party. claudia roth Of course, Im concerned. And Im afraid. And I see that this radicalization archived recording The AFDs popularity has surged amid Chancellor Angela Merkels open door migration policy. claudia roth They are the loudspeaker for the extremists. katrin bennholdAnd outside of Parliament archived recording A deadly attack near a synagogue in Germany katrin bennhold the far right has turned increasingly violent. archived recording Theres two people killed in a shooting rampage near a synagogue in the Eastern German town. To say they are only isolated, they are only lonely wolves, its absolutely not true. It has happened again. Germany is reeling tonight following the deaths of 10 people in another far right terror attack. katrin bennholdOver the past few years, Germany has suffered a series of deadly far right terror attacks. archived recording Police in Germany have arrested a suspect in connection with the shooting of a CDU politician. katrin bennholdIncluding the assassination of a politician in 2019.archived recording Walter Lubcke, who was head of the city council in Kassel. katrin bennholdWalter Lubcke, a regional official in Angela Merkels party who, like Anetta and Claudia, was on numerous far right death lists. archived recording Lubcke had previously received death threats from right wing extremists after he voiced his support for Merkels decision to open Germanys borders to refugees. katrin bennholdHe was shot on his terrace at close range by a well-known neo-Nazi. Nearly three months after the Lubcke murder, prosecutors win their appeal in Germanys Supreme Court to try Franco A. on terrorism charges. The judges rule that just because Franco A. had not killed anyone by the time he was arrested, that didnt mean he wasnt going to. That it wasnt the timing, but the intention that really mattered. And so now, Franco A. is standing trial, a single case. But for Claudia, this is about something bigger. claudia roth What I do not understand, he committed a lot of different crimes. He was very outspoken in his anti-Semitism. Nobody understood is that hes anti-Semitic, and in the same time, in the Bundeswehr, he had evidently stolen explosives, whole boxes of ammunition from army. And no military superior, no intelligence service, no investigation officer noticed this? Difficult and hard to believe. katrin bennholdFor her, and for many others, its about a pattern in Germany of the authorities turning a blind eye to the far right. Because Franco A. Is not the first case to be discovered by chance. katrin bennhold Do you think that the blindness of the police towards the possibility of neo-Nazis being behind this, does this tell us that the police had sympathies in that direction? Or is it just that they couldnt imagine it? claudia roth This is the point that I want to understand. Yeah? I would not say that these policemen are all Nazis. But they all make the same mistake. So I want to understand why. katrin bennhold

###CLAIM: jess, who popped the question at the snow-capped peak of courchevel in february 2020, after 13 months of dating her business-owner uncle covidwilliam and edward. ###DOCS: Jess Wright has revealed she is keeping everything crossed to marry her fiance William Lee-Kemp in September, after Covid ruined plans to tie the knot in June. The former TOWIE star, 35, said worrying if they were going to be able to marry 'took its toll' on her health amid a difficult start to the year, which saw Jess lose her Uncle Edward to Covid. In an exclusive interview with MailOnline, Jess, who is partnering with SlimFast Keto Fuel Shakes, Bar and Snacks, discussed how the family is 'healing' following their tragic loss, why she has decided not to obsess over if she can marry William amid Covid restrictions and speaks out about her battle with psoriasis. 'We're living in hope': Jess Wright has revealed she is keeping everything crossed to marry her fiance William Lee-Kemp in September, after Covid ruined plans to tie the knot in JuneJess and William, 38, had originally considered scrapping plans to exchange nuptials in Mallorca and have a smaller ceremony in England, as pandemic regulations affect on travel, but have since settled for a September wedding date. Of her plans, she said: 'They've had to be postponed until September. We're just living in hope really, I've made the decision to not let it worry me anymore. 'It was taking a toll and I couldn't cope with that anymore. I'm just going to see what happens and if it doesn't happen then we'll have to think of something else. Fingers crossed.' Tough: The former TOWIE star, 35, said worrying if they were going to be able to marry 'took its toll' amid a difficult start to the year, with Jess losing her Uncle Edward to CovidWilliam, who is a audio visual company business owner, popped the question on the snow capped peaks of Courchevel, France, in February 2020 after 13 months of dating. Jess explained the sentimental reason behind her wedding location as she described Mallorca as her 'second home' with the Wright family spending years holidaying there in her childhood. The television personality said she has been motivated to workout and follow a healthy lifestyle now more than ever, with her wedding coming up. Following the Keto lifestyle plan, Jess said: 'I don't weigh myself, but I feel trimmer in my clothes, which for me is the biggest tell-tale. 'I feeling more comfortable in my clothes now which is really good which is what I wanted. I didn't want to lose loads of weight anyway.' Toned: The television personality said she has been motivated to workout and follow a healthy lifestyle now more than ever, with her wedding coming upFeeling good: Jess said: I don't weigh myself, but I feel trimmer in my clothes, which for me is the biggest tell-tale''If I get married it will be the most amazing year and if we can just get through everything that we've been through,' Jess said. 'We suffered a huge loss. It was almost like living on a ticking time bomb because we didn't know who to worry about next.' Jess' parents Mark. Snr, 64, and Carol, 60, another uncle Georgie, 62, his grandmother, 85, and grandfather all got Covid around Christmas, with many of her family members 'in and out of hospital'. The reality star's Uncle Edward tragically passed away aged 66 at the beginning of March, following an eight-week battle with Covid. 'We suffered a huge loss. It was almost like living on a ticking time bomb because we didn't know who to worry about next,' Jess saidJess said: 'We're building ourselves back up. We're spending so much time with each other where we can and just sort of being there for each other and that's what my Uncle would have wanted. 'We're going to carry on his legacy and just be like the most close family and just stay strong, predominantly for my Auntie Deborah who was his wife since they were like 17. I think that definitely took a toll. Now it's just a case of healing from it.' Jess said the worry about her family triggered her Psoriasis, something which she has been open about recently on social media. Psoriasis is a skin condition that causes red, flaky, crusty patches of skin covered with silvery scales. Skin condition: Jess said the worry about her family triggered her Psoriasis, something which she has been open about recently on social mediaJess said: 'I used to be really embarrassed about Psoriasis. That's probably because I wasn't in a relationship. But then I've been in a relationship with a guy before and he had Psoriasis. 'I just feel like you shouldn't be ashamed of it. Now I'm undergoing so many different ways of how to battle it and I want to come out with some kind of cure for everyone because I'm adamant there must be a way of controlling it so I just wanted to help people.' Of the response she has had on social media, Jess said: 'I feel like so many people have messaged me and said "you've helped me so much". 'You get the odd message like "oh god you're psoriasis is nothing compared to my blah blah" because there riddled with it all over their body and of course I'm not hard done by. 'I haven't got it mildly, you know, I've got it to the level that I don't like but there's so many different variations of it as well that I just want to help, even if it is just a few people.' SlimFast Keto Fuel Shakes, Bar and Snacks are the perfect, hassle-free way to fuel your day whist remaining keto confident. Visit www.slimfast.co.uk/keto for more information. Jess Wright has shared a candid post updating her Instagram followers on her 14-year psoriasis battle, revealing that her skin condition has worsened over the last six months because her 'mental health has taken a battering recently'. The TV personality, 35, shared a lengthy update with fans on Saturday, sharing a mirror selfie taken in her stylish bathroom and revealing a sore-looking red mark on the back of her right arm. Donning a chic white camisole for her post and wearing her raven-hair loose, Jess explained: 'My mental health has certainly taken a battering recently, so currently my psoriasis is not budging.' Candid: Jess Wright, 35, has shared a candid post updating her Instagram followers on her 14-year psoriasis battle, which has worsened because her 'mental health has taken a battering'The former TOWIE star looked radiant in the post, wearing nothing but a flick of eyeliner while opening up on social media. She made sure to show off her impressive engagement ring while addressing fans. Jess wrote in full: 'Good morning world & good morning to my persistent ongoing battle with psoriasis. 'Whenever I post anything about my psoriasis I cannot tell you the amount of messages I receive. It is comforting to know that SO MANY of us have it & I am not alone. Jess wrote: 'Good morning world & good morning to my persistent ongoing battle with psoriasis''This past year has mentally took a toll on us all, in particular for me the past 6 months. So currently my psoriasis is not budging. I am going to do my absolute upmost to find us some kind of miracle cure guys because I know how much it gets us down!! 'I promise you I will!! I am starting now with persistent vitamins, a change in diet & a general increase in self care. As it is #mentalhealthawareness week, I wanted to send a message out to anyone suffering & tell you you are not alone. 'My mental health has certainly taken a battering recently but also as I have said before, sometimes it can hit you out of nowhere too when you think you're doing great & have "no reason to feel down". 'Well all I'll say is, when your backs against the wall, the only way is forward. It can try and knock you down but it won't knock you out.' She concluded: 'We've got this. Oh, & if anyone can please help me get rid of that sun spot I have on my nose please tell me because that's also a stubborn little b****** that won't piss off too!!' Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that is characterised by raised areas of skin that is typically red, dry, itchy and scaly. Last month, Jess admitted her 14-year battle with psoriasis has worsened following her uncle Edwards's death amid the coronavirus pandemic. Candid: The model explained how she's glad she opened up about her condition with her fans on social media, and is currently undergoing treatment (pictured with a flare-up in November)The former TOWIE star also revealed that while she's suffered from flare-ups during the last 'really rubbish few months', she's glad she opened up about her condition with her fans. The model said: 'My psoriasis has got a lot worse because of the pandemic. With my uncle and all the stress of the past year, it's flared up. It's been a really rubbish few months with everything that's gone on.' On the benefits of sharing her story, the TV star, who is currently undergoing treatment for the skin disease, added to new! magazine: 'I'm really glad I did share it. So many people appreciate my openness and it's important to keep it real.' Tough time: The former TOWIE star previously revealed she's suffered from flare-ups during the last 'really rubbish few months' (pictured with her uncle, centre)Jess' beloved relative passed away in March following an eight-week battle with Covid. In an honest video uploaded to her Instagram Stories in January, Jess told how she experienced a flare-up on her face and arms and is now having a 'light therapy' to help with it. The media personality said: 'It's prescribed through my doctor and you can get it on the NHS or you can do it privately. 'It's like a light therapy basically and you have to go for sessions every so often. If I get married this year, I don't want to be conscious of it all the time.' The model said: 'My psoriasis has got a lot worse because of the pandemic. With my uncle and all the stress of the past year, it's flared up'

###CLAIM: in the first three months of the pandemic, 18 million people from abroad arrived in the uk, up from 13 million in the first half of last year and 23 percent in the first three months of this year. ###DOCS: Once again, through gross neglect, the government is in danger of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Its astonishing dithering over the Indian variant of Covid-19 sustains its unbroken record of incompetence and procrastination. Boris Johnsons government delayed the inclusion of India on the governments red list even after nations with lesser rates of infection were listed, perhaps so that he could proceed with his planned visit to secure the Indian trade deal that would prove Brexit is working. Again, there was a crucial fortnight in which the government could have acted but didnt. The result is that we now face a possible third wave of infection. But this story of ineptitude is even more remarkable than it first appears. For throughout the time when the virus, in all its variants, has been waved through immigration control with a nod and a smile, the government has been deploying ever more extreme measures against travellers who present no threat to the people of this nation. The shocking and repeated failures to protect the UK from recurring waves of infection, and to establish and enforce clear rules and insist on quarantine, have all occurred while the government boasts of taking back control of our borders. During the first three months of the pandemic from 1 January until lockdown on 23 March last year, 18 million people arrived in the UK from abroad. But only 273 of them were obliged to quarantine. By contrast, across the 12 months to March 2020, 23,075 people were thrown into immigration detention centres: prisons for people who have not been convicted of any crime but are suspected of entering or remaining in the country without the correct paperwork. Astonishingly and incomprehensibly, on 13 March 2020 the government dropped any obligation on passengers arriving in this country to self-isolate. As a result, we know that on 31 March 2020, a week into lockdown, there were 895 people in detention and none in official quarantine. Only on 8 June was quarantine reintroduced, and even then the system was so leaky and ill-enforced that it might as well not have existed. While other nations imposed strict border measures from the outset, preventing widespread infection, an analysis by the Covid-19 Genomics UK Consortium discovered that, as of 22 May 2020, the virus had been introduced to the UK by travellers on at least 1,300 occasions. Yet during this period of extreme latitude towards the virus, the Home Office has ramped up its regime of cruelty and paranoia, in the name of securing our borders against the terrifying threat of people who might not have the right visa. During the first wave of the pandemic, the government pushed its new immigration bill through parliament, to end free movement and introduce its points-based system, modelled on the vicious Australian scheme. One of the consequences of the governments new rules has been to exclude vital frontline workers who might have helped to manage the virus. As Covid-19 raged, the Home Office considered ever more extreme and bizarre measures to deter the small number of people attempting to cross the Channel in boats: new radar systems, walls and nets across the sea, wave machines and any other fantastical scheme Priti Patels civil servants could conjure up as they sought to satisfy the escalating demands of their boss. A year into the pandemic, border controls against the virus remained a total farce. When, in February, the government at last introduced its red list to prevent new variants from arriving, the Home Office failed to brief immigration officials on what their new duties were or how they should be discharged. As a result, the border remained as watertight as a colander. At the same time, victims of torture who had the temerity to seek asylum in this country were thrown indefinitely into solitary confinement because the correct way to treat torture is with torture. In mid-April this year, as visitors from India continued to enter the country without quarantining, Patel launched her New Plan for Immigration, which is one long exercise in catch-22 logic, designed to make it almost impossible for refugees to secure asylum here. She again promoted her favourite fantasy: dispatching refugees to an imaginary offshore prison, an idea that appears to have been inspired by the sadistic Australian penal colonies of Nauru and Manus. Since Brexit, border security guards have been catching EU citizens and throwing some of them, arbitrarily and to their great distress, into the detention centres usually populated by travellers from poorer nations. In some cases they appear to have been legally entitled to travel here, but no one in the government seems to care. I guess the one thing you can say for the Home Office under Priti Patel is that it is becoming an equal-opportunities oppressor. The detention centres, incidentally chaotic, overcrowded and insanitary have been afflicted by repeated outbreaks of Covid-19. Staff moving in and out of them are likely to have helped spread the virus through the wider community. It wouldnt be surprising if the net impact of the UKs border controls had been to broadcast the disease. While the Indian variant was merrily crossing our borders, Patel was talking to the Indian government. But not about the virus. She was preparing her new Migration and Mobility partnership agreement with India, which was launched with a fanfare and photo-op on 4 May. This introduces no new measures to prevent infection. Instead it creates a firewall of a different kind: between young professionals, who are generally from more privileged backgrounds, with offers of lucrative jobs or funded positions here, and the riffraff who might wish to tend to our elderly, clean our toilets or perform other undervalued tasks against whom, the new partnership ensures, the hounds of hell will be unleashed. All these extreme measures are taken with a nod to the rightwing press, most of which is owned by billionaires: Rupert Murdoch, Frederick Barclay and Jonathan Harmsworth (Lord Rothermere). While these men cross our borders freely, their papers claim to be deeply affronted by the thought that other people might enjoy the same right. Yet they also seem intensely relaxed about the free movement of the virus: in fact these newspapers have contained repeated demands for greater leeway for UK residents to travel abroad and return without quarantine. So here we are, a nation persecuting innocent visitors and its essential labour force, imprisoning refugees fleeing from imprisonment, and welcoming the virus with open arms.

###CLAIM: the 26-year-old television host ensured all eyes were on her, as she showed off her new blonde hair and donned a silver dress with sequin details and a deep neckline. ###DOCS: She is returning to host this year's MOBO Awards as the event is back in action after a three-year hiatus. And Maya Jama looked sensational as she took part in a photocall at Exhibition London alongside her co-host Chunkz ahead of the ceremony on Wednesday. The TV presenter, 26, ensured all eyes were on her as she donned a silver dress with a sequined detail and a deep v-neckline and showed off her new blonde locks. Wow: Maya Jama looked sensational as she took part in a photocall at Exhibition London ahead of the ceremony on WednesdayThe garment also featured a strap detail while Maya added further glamour to her look by styling her blonde locks into loose waves. Maya posed on a scooter at one point during the shoot while she also proudly held up one of the awards. The star was joined on the red carpet shoot by Chunkz, 24, who wore a black blazer and trousers with a crisp white shirt. The MOBO (Music of Black Origin) Awards were first held in 1996 and have been broadcast on a variety of channels over the years including BBC One, ITV2 and Channel 5. Style: The TV presenter, 26, ensured all eyes were on her as she donned a silver dress with a sequined detail and a deep v-necklineGlamour: The garment also featured a strap detail while Maya added further glamour to her look by styling her blonde locks into loose wavesThe show is returning to BBC One this year and will air at 10:45pm on Wednesday, while the ceremony will also be streamed live on YouTube at 7pm. Maya appeared on The One Show on Tuesday and spoke to hosts Alex Jones and Jermaine Jenas about the show. She said: 'Its so important because for a long time they were the only award show in the UK that was celebrating and championing black culture. 'Mobos have been doing that for the longest. I think its more important than ever for them to be back. Back, in November, it was revealed that Maya banked 1.3m via her company MIJ & Co in figures obtained by The Sun. However, Maya has since revealed that she actually became a millionaire 'two years ago', when she was just 24, and used some of her hard-earned cash to buy her very first home in London this summer, with the beauty currently living with a pal. On her success, Maya added to the publication that though being a millionaire is 'nice', it was never her goal as she's never really been motivated by cash. She said: 'You do something you enjoy and then you get paid for it and youre like: "Oh my gosh, this is so cool!"' Show: The show is returning to BBC One this year and will air at 10:45pm on Wednesday, while the ceremony will also be streamed live on YouTube at 7pm

###CLAIM: amoncio, a 36-year-old nurse who went on vacation in the philippines in march, said the nhs granted her special covid leave and kept her on pay while she was trapped in the lock-down and travel ban during her trip. ###DOCS: MANILA (Reuters) - From across the Philippines, they gathered to pray by Zoom. Filipino nurse April Glory waves to her family before leaving for the UK, outside Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines August 20, 2020, after the government partially eased restrictions on health workers' movements. "I hope the government will not take it against us that we are leaving", she said. Picture taken August 20, 2020. REUTERS/Eloisa LopezThey were praying to be allowed to leave: To be allowed to take up nursing jobs in countries where the coronavirus is killing thousands in hospitals and care homes. In recent months, these care workers have taken to calling themselves priso-nurses.With infections also surging in the Philippines, the government in April banned healthcare workers from leaving the country. They were needed, it said, to fight the pandemic at home. But many of the nurses on the two-hour Zoom call on Aug. 20, organised by a union and attended by nearly 200 health workers both in the Philippines and abroad, were unwilling to work at home. They said they felt underpaid, unappreciated and unprotected. Nurses have been leaving the Philippines for decades, encouraged by the government to join other workers who send back billions of dollars each year. With COVID-19 sweeping the globalised economy, the Philippine ban squeezed a supply line that has sent hundreds of thousands of staff to hospitals in the United States, the Gulf and Britain, where some commentators have called the nurses unsung heroes of the pandemic. The Philippines healthcare system is already short-handed. In Germany there are 430 doctors and nurses per 10,000 people, in the United States 337 and in Britain 254, International Labour Organization data shows. The Philippines - where the coronavirus death rate is one of the highest in Southeast Asia - has 65. The April ban has stopped more than 1,000 nurses from leaving the country. Of those, only 25 have applied to work in local hospitals, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III told journalists late last month. The Department of Health did not reply to a request for an updated figure. The government has since partially eased the restrictions, but sometimes also tightens them, so nurses are still clamouring to get out. On the Zoom call in August, someone played a recording of the Philippine national anthem. A Catholic priest prayed and a man with a soft voice crooned a song about passing off your burdens to God. One nurse, 34-year-old April Glory, had already spent years away from her young son and had been about to leave again when the ban kicked in. Even before the pandemic, she told Reuters separately, she was better off in a war zone in the Middle East than at home. Soon after she arrived in Yemen in 2011, a bullet pierced the wall of her private hospital, she said. Staff moved patients to safety. Still, she said, we were insured, we had free lodging so my salary was intact and I could send more to my family. Abroad, there was no need to do any work outside her job description: You are not expected to sweep the floor.SIMPLE MATHIts mainly money that drives the Filipinos abroad. A nurse in the United States can earn as much as $5,000 per month; in the Middle East its $2,000 per month, tax free. In Germany, nurses can earn up to $2,800 per month, and get language training, labour organizers, recruiters and the Philippine governments overseas employment agency say. Slideshow ( 4 images )Even with its emergency hiring efforts, the Philippine Department of Health is only offering nurses a starting salary of $650 per month. It says it will pay another $10 per day as COVID-19 hazard allowance. Private nurses sometimes make just $100 per month. I felt that I was not earning enough, said Glory, explaining why she left. Her son, now 11, was a year and a half old at the time. My mother told me: Better to leave now because my child will not really remember.Abroad, Glorys shifts were a standard eight hours and she only looked after one or two patients at a time in intensive care. Working in Yemen and then Saudi Arabia, she said she bought a house and a car. Nurses have recently left faster than they are trained. Last year, 12,083 new nurses graduated in the Philippines. That same year, 16,711 signed contracts to go abroad, data from the Commission on Higher Education and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration shows. Those renewing foreign contracts are counted separately. So far this year there have been 46,000 such renewals. The Philippine government wasnt able to provide figures for the total number of nurses overseas, or say which countries they are working in. Filipinos are the biggest group of foreign nurses in the United States. In 2018, there were 348,000, an analysis of U.S. government data by Washington D.C.-based think tank Migration Policy Institute showed. Even with the pandemic, another 3,260 Filipinos have passed the U.S. nurse licensing exam this year. A report to Britains House of Commons Library in May said more than 15,000 of the National Health Service nursing jobs held by foreigners went to Filipinos - nearly a third of the total and more than any other nationality. The NHS employs a further 6,600 Filipinos in other healthcare jobs. Labour brokers say that, besides the UK and US, Filipino nurses are sought-after in Germany, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Singapore. 36-HOUR SHIFTSNine months into the pandemic in the Philippines, reported coronavirus infections in the Philippines have soared to around 270,000. Not all hospitals allow family members to visit, so nurses must feed and clean patients as well as giving health care, said Filipino Nurses United President Maristela Abenojar. Some nurses are working up to 36-hour shifts because relief staff are calling in sick or not reporting for duty, she said, and sometimes nurses are issued just one set of protective gear per shift. Nurses cant get tested regularly and if they get sick, there arent always hospital beds reserved for them, she said. At least 56 healthcare workers have died in the Philippines, Department of Health data shows. It seems they dont really value our contributions, said Jordan Jugo, who works at a private hospital in the Philippines. It hurts. He had a contract to work in Britain, but the ban prevented him from leaving. He said he could sometimes only eat two meals a day and could no longer support his siblings. The Philippine Department of Health said its healthcare workers work long hours and it is natural for them to feel tired and overwhelmed with their immense responsibilities. It said it had arranged for substitution teams in some areas. It said hospitals should provide sufficient protective gear and that healthcare workers should not go on duty without it. Healthcare workers should be prioritized for regular COVID-19 testing, it said, and the Department would ensure there are enough beds for everyone. Health Secretary Duque has said previously that the government was appealing to the nurses sense of nation, sense of people and sense of service.I DONT WANT TO BE A HEROForeign countries have gone all-out to show Filipino nurses they are valued. Saudi Arabia sent chartered planes to help them return to work, and only partly filled them so the nurses could maintain social distance. British ambassador to the Philippines Daniel Pruce went on an 11-minute segment on Philippine television to praise the incredible commitment and dedication of Filipino healthcare workers in Britain. When nurse Aileen Amoncio, 36, got trapped by a lockdown and then the travel ban during a vacation to the Philippines in March, Britains NHS granted her a special COVID leave and kept paying her, she said. The NHS said staff stuck abroad due to COVID-19 could qualify for such leave. Amoncio got out of the Philippines in June, after the government eased the ban slightly. Working at an NHS neurological rehabilitation hospital in the UK, she said she sympathized with the nurses back home, where she once handled as many as 80 patients on a surgical ward at a small hospital. Now she looks after no more than 10 at a time. Not only are the pay and conditions better in Britain, she said, but she also hopes her daughter will one day be able to join her and get free treatment on the NHS. The hearing implant she needs would cost $20,000 in the Philippines. Ive served my country already, said Amoncio. I dont want to be a hero again. I am looking out for the future of my children.On the Zoom call, Labour Secretary Silvestre Bello III dialed in with an update: Some of those who had existing contracts could leave, he announced. Cheers went up. Nurse Glory was one of them. She wept. I hope the government will not take it against us that we are leaving, she said. We are looking forward to helping the government with this fight in other ways. When we are able, when weve risen out of poverty, we will.Hours later, on the pavement outside the airport, she quickly hugged her son, then raced to board her flight in case the government changed its mind.

###CLAIM: biden wants to explore the possibility of manufacturing the test reactors in the us as part of efforts to increase capacity. ###DOCS: It is early, far below the traditional threshold of 100 days. Still, watching the major missteps of the Biden administration reminds that even presidents dont get a second chance to make a first impression. My expectations were low, but not low enough. I hoped, naively, that with political polarization leading to growing violence from both sides, the new president would make at least minimal efforts to keep his promise of building national unity. Instead, Joe Biden spent his first three weeks issuing more than 50 executive orders and actions that fall along straight partisan lines, with nearly all of them delivering goodies to his partys far-left wing and/or reversing successful Trump-administration policies. In most cases, he simply signed the sweeping directives without explaining the ostensible public benefits. As bad as the process looked, optics are not the real problem. Its the terrible substance of the major orders that is driving a stake through the heart of national reconciliation. The new president made killing thousands of construction jobs connected to the Keystone XL pipeline one of his first acts, practically invited illegal immigrants to swarm the border and gives cover to obstructionist teacher unions that want to keep schools closed. The school issue goes to the heart of another Biden promise to follow the science and listen to the experts. Yet when his CDC director said it was safe to open schools without teacher vaccinations, Biden press secretary Jen Psaki strangely said the director was speaking in her personal capacity.So its follow the science, except when its politically inconvenient. Similarly, we now learn Bidens promise to open most schools within 100 days came with fine print that guts the plain meaning. The actual goal, the White House now says, was to have more than 50 percent of schools open at least one day a week. In other words, 80 percent closed is Bidens definition of an open school. Then theres the vaccine production and distribution. Candidate Biden talked often about his plan to combat the coronavirus, but it turns out his plan was mostly limited to criticizing Donald Trumps plan. The new presidents goal of vaccinating 100 million people in 100 days would have simply kept him on pace with what the Trump administration already was doing. Only when that fact was repeatedly pointed out did Biden raise his goal to 1.5 million a day. Yet even now, instead of a determination to get all Americans vaccinated as quickly as possible, hes moaning about logistics as a way to lower expectations. On Thursday, his team secured 200 million more doses, a 50 percent increase, which is what Biden had said would be needed to cover virtually the entire population by the end of summer. But instead of celebrating, Biden lowered the bar, warning that even all adults would not be inoculated by the end of summer, which is still more than six months away. His early moves on foreign policy are also disheartening. Biden is playing footsie with Iran by removing the terrorist designation of its Houthi proxy in Yemen while freezing arms sales to Saudi Arabia and ending American support for Saudi offensive operations in Yemen. Meanwhile, press secretary Psaki refuses to call Israel an ally. The blitz of executive orders, directives and memoranda was clearly meant to emphasize that Biden was hitting the ground running. But that burst of activity will be worse than meaningless if the polices create or worsen problems for people. One example is that the energy-related directives all lean in the direction of restricting fossil fuels. So far, the only certainty of his actions are job losses connected to both his killing the Keystone pipeline and putting a freeze on drilling permits on federal land and water. The eventual impact will also mean a loss of American energy independence and price increases for electricity, gasoline and heating fuel. Telling laid-off workers they can go make solar panels, as John Kerry did, has all the compassion of a punch in the nose. Bidens climate czar, Kerry made his remarks at about the time a video surfaced of him defending his international travel on private jets by saying he is working to win the battle of climate change.In other words, he is so important that he must be exempt from the rules he plans to impose on the little people. Another Biden obsession fraught with potential consequences is his repeated claim that America is laced with systemic racism. Although he has spent nearly his entire adult life in government, the 78-year-old now parrots teenage activists about how terrible America is. But its not just talk. He used the systemic racism phrase several times to justify a series of executive actions, including one on housing policy that could have huge implications. He directed the Department of Housing and Urban Development to study and counteract any previous policy found to have discriminatory impacts. That no doubt means a return to the discredited approach of the Obama-Biden administration, which argued that any policy producing a disparate impact on racial groups was de facto discriminatory. Biden also replaced the concept of equality with equity, a change that could lay the groundwork for racial quotas. If his start accurately reflects the direction he plans to follow, Biden intends to become the most radical president in history. Sensible Americans better wake up before its too late. Woke mob rules at NY TimesIn another black eye for the Gray Lady, a survey of New York Times employees found that only 51 percent agree with the statement that There is a free exchange of views in this company; people are not afraid to say what they really think.Worse, The Post reports the survey was taken in December, before the recent firing of top reporter Donald McNeil and podcast producer Andy Mills. They were not ousted because of their work, but because a cancel-culture mob is determined to impose its woke views on employees 24 hours a day, the past included. Although McNeil apologized for using the N-word in 2019 and Mills history of randy behavior eight years ago was known when he was hired, both were ousted in victories for the mob. Top editor Dean Baquet has only himself to blame. He lost control of the newsroom and his willingness to surrender is creating a culture of fear and loathing, where people are afraid to speak honestly lest the mob come for them. The Times wants to tell the country how to live and think, but cant even get its own house in order. The politics of party destructionDr. Ruth Cohen neatly sums up the mood in Washington, writing:The Dems want to destroy Trump and all those who embrace the Republican Party. They tolerate no survivors, only turncoats. Nothing else matters until they succeed. Is that a government?GameStop seen as sign of a bubbleYa think?

###CLAIM: victorian, department, of health advised me that the greenway and gardens should immediately enter full lock down for the entire facility. ###DOCS: Victoria's snap seven day stay-at-home orders could be extended for another two weeks, as Dan Andrews' cabinet debates whether to keep the state on lockdown until after the June 14 long weekend. Policymakers and health officials held late-night crisis talks on Tuesday, after nine new infections were reported in Victoria and yet another aged-care facility was forced into quarantine. Across the border, NSW Health issued an urgent alert warning after a confirmed case of Covid-19 from Melbourne was in Jervis Bay, Goulburn, Hyams Beach and Vincentia while potentially infectious on May 23 and 24. The infected interstate traveller reported the onset of symptoms on May 25 and was only tested on Monday, almost a week after their 1,765km roadtrip. The Covid case left for their trip just days before Victoria's stay-at-home measures took effect on May 27. Victoria's snap seven day stay-at-home orders could be extended for another two weeks, as Dan Andrews' cabinet debates whether to keep the state on lockdown until after the June 14 long weekendThe confirmed case was in Jervis Bay, Goulburn, Hyams Beach and Vincentia while potentially infectious on May 23 and 24NSW VENUES EXPOSED TO COVID - Goulburn - Shell Coles Express Big Merino, 1/3 Sowerby Street: Monday 24 May, 10-11.30am. - Goulburn - Trapper's Bakery, 4 Sowerby Street: Monday 24 May 10.30-11.30am. - Hyams Beach - Cooked Goose Cafe (formerly Hyams Beach Cafe), 76 Cyrus Street: Sunday 23 May, 10am-12pm. - Jervis Bay - Green Patch campground, Booderee National Park, Village Bay Road: Sunday 23 May all day, Monday 24 May until 9am. - Vincentia - Coles Vincentia Shopping Village, 21 The Wool Road: Sunday 23 May, 12-1pm. If you were at any of the following venues of concern at the times listed, please immediately call the NSW Health contact tracing team on 1800 943 553, get tested and isolate until you receive further information from NSW Health. AdvertisementPressure is now mounting on Gladys Berejiklian to toughen restrictions as fears of another NSW outbreak grows. The premier has been reticent to introduce border closures or lockdowns similar restrictions to Victoria and other states, but some on social media are calling for the state to lock out Victorians. 'Gladys stated she didn't need to close the border to Victoria while every other state and territory did. So here we are,' one Twitter user posted. 'This is the highly contagious Indian variant. Will she act promptly or will she let it run wild because it will.' Another wrote: 'If this spreads in NSW will it be Gladys' stuff up? Will she get the blame?' 'This is exactly why you're and idiot for not closing the NSW border!' a third wrote. 'Why are you intent on not protecting your residents? Are you only gong to learn once NSW has a massive outbreak like VIC?' They then drove a little farther to Coles in Vincentia at 12pm to 1pm to get supplies for their overnight camping trip. Next they pitched a tent at Green Patch campground in Booderee National Park on Jervis Bay and stayed there until about 9am on May 24. On the way home to Melbourne they stopped at Shell Coles Express in the shadow of the Big Merino in Goulburn sometimes between 10.30am and 11.30am. Across the road they munched on some tasty pies from the legendary Trapper's Bakery between 10.30am and 11.30am, before driving home. The cluster, which has been linked to a highly infectious double mutant Indian strain, grew to 54 cases on Tuesday, including nine new locally-acquired infections. Health authorities remain on edge after it was revealed that complete strangers had been infected by walking past Covid-positive cases. Victoria's Department of Health said 'four or five' cases emerged from 'brushing past' strangers who unwittingly transmitted the virus. The lockdown is Victoria's fourth in 14 months, as the list of exposure sites has now swelled to hundreds of venues. Under the stay-at-home orders, Victorians can only leave their homes for five essential reasons with restaurant dining and public gatherings among many banned activities. An official announcement has not been made about extending the lockdown, but sources said it was likely to remain in place. Acting Victorian Premier James Merlino, speaks to the media during a press conference in Melbourne, Australia, 31 MayOfficials were pleased to find no more cases of Covid-19 in aged care settings on Tuesday (pictured, staff are swabbed for the virus at the Royal Freemasons Coppin Centre facility)One of the scenarios being discussed is to extend the shutdown until after the Queen's Birthday long weekend which concludes on June 14, The Australian reported. But with the draconian lockdown measures costing the state about $125million a day, according to KPMG modelling, and no JobKeeper subsidies in place, it remains unclear as to how vulnerable Victorians forced out of work will be supported. A final decision is expected to be announced by the state government on Wednesday. The difficult news for long-suffering Victorians comes as yet another aged care home has been forced into lockdown on Tuesday after fears the facility had been exposed to the virus. Last year in the midst of Victoria's brutal 112 consecutive-day, the vast majority of the state's 900 Covid-related death were in aged care settings. Menarock Life Aged Care facility in Heathmont, Melbourne's east, sent an email warning staff that one of its workers had been identified as a primary contact of a Covid-positive case. Healthcare workers arrive to the Arcare Aged Care facility in Maidstone, Melbourne, Victoria, on June 1 after a Covid case was reportedA healthcare worker walks along a line of cars lined up at the Albert Park COVID-19 testing facility in Melbourne, Australia, May 27Residential manager Nellie Wang said 'I understand how stressful it can be, but I assure you we are doing everything possible to minimise any effect on our close-knit community'. 'I have been advised by the Victorian department of health Greenway Gardens should enter a full lockdown of the entire facility immediately. 'All residents (are) required to be isolated in their rooms until further notice. Any staff who worked at the facility on May 31 between 7am to 3pm is now required to get tested immediately and self-isolate until they receive a negative test result. Victoria's Covid-19 testing commander Jeroen Weimar told reporters earlier today the outbreak is the fastest moving seen anywhere in Australia during the pandemic. 'What we're seeing now is people are brushing past each other in a small shop, they are going to a display home, they are looking at photos in a Telstra shop,' he said. 'This is relatively speaking, relatively fleeting. They do not know each other's names, and that is very different from what we have been before. 'We are used to, with previous variants, transmission occurring in the home, in the workplace, where people know each other already, not all of those big social settings. These are quite different.' Despite the concerns, Health Minister Martin Foley said contact tracers will be able to 'get on top' of the outbreak. 'I am confident that we are doing everything we possibly can to get on top of this and I'm confident that all of us as Victorians are out there willing this thing to be over and willing us all to get on top of it and by behaving in the right way,' he said. NSW Health said they are continuing to investigate the movements of the interstate traveller in and around the Jervis Bay - and the department expects the list of venues to grow very soon. On Wednesday morning, NSW will announce a number of new Covid-testing facilities in the exposed areas. 'NSW Health is in the process of increasing testing capacity in the area, including a drive-through pop-up COVID-19 testing clinic in Huskisson,' the department said. Authorities are concerned Victoria's new outbreak is spreading though complete strangers (pictured, healthcare workers at Arcare Aged Care facility on Tuesday)

###CLAIM: the actress, who was admitted to hospital in november against her will, also revealed that doctors ' orders to fight off the condition with oxygen, remdesivir and steroids by putting her on a ventilator in the intensive care unit were rejected. ###DOCS: Richard Schiff has recalled the moment he had a 'striking' chat with his wife of 24 years about the possibility of him not surviving coronavirus. On Wednesday's edition of Good Morning Britain, the West Wing star, 65, who is still recovering from the disease, admitted he and actress Sheila Kelley, 57, spoke about 'not seeing each other again' as he struggled to breathe during his 'scary' battle. The actor also revealed he was admitted to hospital in November 'against his will' and rejected doctors orders by fighting off the condition with 'oxygen, Remdesivir and steroids' instead of being put on a ventilator in an intensive care unit. 'We spoke about not seeing each other again': Richard Schiff has recalled the moment he had a 'striking' chat with his wife of 24 years about the possibility of him not surviving coronavirusThe screen star and his long-term partner announced they both tested positive for COVID-19 last month, but as Richard's condition worsened, the couple held serious conversations about death. Detailing their heartbreaking discussion, the Good Doctor actor, who was filming the medical drama in Vancouver at the time, reflected: 'I had a conversation with my wife and had to speak about maybe not seeing each other again. 'The worst part of it is the epiphany, the realisation, that you may never touch each other again - that struck home more than anything else. We gotta go at some point but the idea I'd never touch her again was striking but luckily I made it.' Richard added: 'Around 11 oclock at night I started to feel symptoms so I kicked Sheila out of bed. At 2am I called my manager and at 5am I called the ad, assistant director, on the show and told them I had symptoms. 'If the symptoms came 6/7/8 hours later, I would have infected the crew. I was tested, and by Wednesday I tested positive. 'I tried to ride it out with the production doctor and vitamins and then I was feeling worse and my cough was bad. I then went to hospital against my will.' 'My cough was bad': The media personality, who played Communications Director Toby Ziegler in The West Wing (pictured), went on to share how he was eventually taken to hospitalThe film star's son Gus, 26, tested positive for coronavirus, but his daughter Ruby, 20, never contracted the virus. The director made it his mission to overcome Covid as he stated: 'I am ex-smoker, pre-diabetic and old so I had some strikes against me but when it happened it was scary. 'The doctor said my inflammation markers were bad the said ''you need to go to ICU and on a ventilator'' but I said no. I fought it off with oxygen, Remdesivir and steroids I feel lucky, grateful and positive'. Richard confirmed his wife's recovery is currently 'up and down', but insisted she's 'much better'.

###CLAIM: brendan coates of grattan institute believes it would be a mistake to free up superannuation now saying : `` you have to be quite nervous about what is going to happen in the property market. ###DOCS: Like any major crisis that permeates the fabric of all our lives, the coronavirus pandemic has thrown up demands for a rethink of things we have taken for granted for decades. One such call is that by a group of Liberal MPs to allow young Australians to access their superannuation pot in order to help them buy their first home. They enter the debating arena at their peril given that the system of mandatory superannuation is one of the sacred cows of Australian public policy. Diverting those funds into the property market is viewed by many economists and market experts along with the odd former prime minister as guaranteed to destroy the retirements of millions and simply inflate house prices even further. But the MPs, notably senators Andrew Bragg and Tim Wilson, have been emboldened by the popularity of the Morrison governments early super release scheme to help cash-strapped people through the crisis and want to go further, unleashing the billions of dollars stored in retirement balances to help fund property purchases. Bragg, a NSW senator, says he was inspired by constituents contacting him and pleading to be allowed to access their savings to give them a fighting chance to get on the property ladder. I think were mature enough to allow Australians to access their super for a first home. Its an important reform.Why force young people to save their hard-earned cash for retirement in 50 years, they ask, if by the time they have saved enough money for a deposit they cant afford a home and potentially see their super sucked by rent in old age? Far better allow them to access homeownership just as previous generations have done. The best way to manage retirement is to own your own home, he says. The data shows 42% of renters in retirement face poverty. Only 6% of homeowners are in the same position meaning that renters face difficult retirement.Not surprisingly, the building industry also thinks this would be a good idea. But economists, super industry leaders and bankers fear that such a plan would only continue the decades-long run of policy decisions such as tax breaks for investors, planning restrictions and high immigration that have made housing less affordable and increased the gulf between property owners and renters. Saul Eslake, a leading independent economist, said that any policy that put more cash in the hands of Australians to buy houses meant that they would ultimately end up paying more for housing. Housing policy has been about making them more expensive, not more affordable, he argued. Only 100,000 people a year get on the housing ladder and therefore want lower prices. But around 11m Australians already own a home and want prices going up so politicians can do the maths. The last thing they do is make them cheaper.Industry Super Australia chief executive Bernie Dean said: Using super for a mortgage deposit is a good idea if you want to drive up housing prices, erode workers savings and increase taxes.Countless studies show that if you fuel demand in the housing market you only increase prices. So Australians will be paying even more for housing and will have eroded their retirement savings to do so.But the issue has been given extra importance by the upcoming outcome of the government review of whether to continue to increase superannuation guarantee contributions from the current 9.5% to 12% by 2025. The decision is expected soon and could blow open the debate. Some believe that if the super contributions were to increase to the planned cap of 12%, as is legislated and as argued by former prime ministers Paul Keating and Kevin Rudd, then workers would be forced to save too much. In this scenario, allowing them to dip into super makes more sense. Brendan Coates of the Grattan Institute believes freeing up super now would be a mistake, saying that youve got to be quite nervous for what it would do to the property market. He also argues that it could also cost the taxpayer more if people ended up not having enough retirement income because they had spent their super on property, increasing demand on aged pension payments. But he believes that the decision about super contributions could be significant in changing perceptions about the controversial issue. Compulsory super contributions are at the right level now, he said. If the rate goes to 12%, its higher than it should be and we would be forcing people to save too much. But in that case you could allow people to cash out its hard to see why they shouldnt allow people to do that.Yet the decisive factor could be the state of the property market itself and the direction of house prices a hotly disputed question in the middle of the coronavirus recession. Although most experts agreed super release could inflate prices, the policy would also be freighted with moral hazard. If governments encourage people to buy property now, the success is contingent on values going up a major risk at a time when they are stagnating. Furthermore there are signs that housing affordability is beginning to improve and put home ownership within reach for many previously excluded Australians. Lindsay David, founder of LF Economics, said we are galloping back to affordability, especially in the apartment market. People are going to be buying at a falling price. Whats more, he said, the share of the market taken by first home buyers was rising. Figures from the ABS earlier this month said that there had been a 14.4% increase in first-time buyers taking out loans from June to July. This view is supported by figures released this week by RiskWise Property Research, which details the 10 postcodes most at risk from the flood of new apartments coming on to the market. The analysis shows that in, for example, Rouse Hill in Sydneys north-west, the number of new apartments coming up for sale in the next two years is 1,661, a rise of 200%. In the inner Brisbane suburb of West End the figure is 26% and in Melbourne it is 13%. Eslake says intuition points to an increase in forced sellers in the market in the coming months as the recession takes its toll. We should not allow people to take more out to pay for something that might go down in value, he said. The market is a bit artificial at the moment because there are not many transactions and people are getting a pass because of repayment holidays. But the probability is that prices will fall perhaps 10-20% when market conditions return to normal. Intuition tells me there will be more forced sellers, which means lower prices, which means less need for assistance.In addition there are already a number of schemes designed to assist would-be home buyers such as the first home loan deposit scheme (FHLDS), first-home buyer grants administered by the states and territories and the home builder scheme which gives $25,000 for new homes or substantial renovations. Greg McKenna, chief executive of the Police Bank, said lenders such as his were taking part in that scheme and helping many new home owners. First-home owners are sorted to a certain degree and younger Australians should be encouraged to also save for retirement through super and keep their balances in their accounts because the government is supporting them already. Its the best of both worlds in many ways.This article was amended on 19 September 2020 to remove quotation marks around the sixth and seventh paragraphs. If the federal government had invested the equivalent amount of money into the arts and entertainment sectors as part of its Covid response as it did in a construction recovery scheme, twice as many jobs would have been created over the past 12 months, a report has found. The analysis, conducted by the Canberra-based thinktank the Australia Institute and based on Australian Bureau of Statistics data, suggests the countrys cultural sector was vastly underestimated when it came to the national economy, the reports senior researcher, Bill Browne, said. Theres a wide recognition that the arts and entertainment sector has an important cultural impact but the contribution the sector makes economically is still largely neglected, he told Guardian Australia. Theres a very natural focus on [the cultural sectors] importance in how we think and feel and how we interact with the world and how we make sense of ourselves. But in this focus, some of the attention to its economic impact is being lost.According to ABS data, the arts and entertainment sector employs four times as many Australians as coalmining, and the same number of Australians as the entire finance sector. For every additional $1bn in turnover in the mining industry, an additional 472 jobs are created. For every additional $1bn in turnover in the building industry, 1,242 new jobs are created. In the arts and entertainment sector, however, 4,297 new jobs are created with each $1bn in additional turnover. In its analysis, the Australia Institute compared the federal governments Covid-19 response for the cultural and home building sectors. In the 2020 budget, the federal government announced a Covid-19 package to deliver one-off grants of $25,000 to Australians wanting to build a new home or undertake renovations costing more than $150,000. By December 2020, more than 75,000 Australians had applied for the homebuilder grant, taking the estimated cost of the scheme to almost $2bn. Using ABS data that estimates that for every $1m spent in the home building sector, 1.2 new jobs are created, the homebuilder scheme has so far generated an additional 2,483 jobs. But if that same $2bn had been spent in the arts and entertainment sector, 8,593 jobs would have been created, because for each dollar invested, the arts and entertainment sector employs twice as many men and 10 times as many women as the building construction industry. More than half the almost 9,000 jobs created would have gone to women. In Tuesdays women friendly 2021 budget, the government announced a total package for the arts and entertainment sector of $441.2m. But only $222.9m of this was related specifically to Covid-19 economic recovery measures. That figure was also significantly less than the $288m the Victorian government flagged on Tuesday would be allocated to the states creative industries in its 2021 state budget. This weeks budget was a timely opportunity for the government to support the Australian economy, create jobs for women and recognise the importance of the arts and entertainment industry, the Australia Institute executive director, Ben Oquist, said. Unfortunately, the male-dominated and jobs-poor sectors of construction and mining continue to receive the majority of government attention and support.

###CLAIM: the u. s. army, reserve and command is investigating a sexual scandal in which cal and cunningham, a lieutenant colonel, were democratic candidates trying to unseat republicans in this n. c. state this november. ###DOCS: Why Trumps Covid-19 strategy has some Republicans feeling uneasy Presented by National Retail Federationwith help from Marianne LeVineUNEASY RIDER -- President Donald Trump is taking a huge political gamble with his decision to end coronavirus relief talks just weeks before the election. But Republicans dont want him to fold his hand just yet. Several frustrated GOP lawmakers who are facing major political headwinds as they fight to hang onto their Senate majority are urging Trump to come back to the negotiating table. That includes Sens. Lindsey Graham (S.C.) and Susan Collins (Maine), who are both facing competitive reelection battles in November; Rep. John Katko, who represents a district in New York that Hilary Clinton carried; and Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, a moderate. And other GOP lawmakers fear that Trumps order to halt the talks will not only mean months of delay for suffering families and businesses, but it will also ensure that the GOP takes the political hit for it. It wasnt wise, said Rep. Denver Riggleman (R-Va.), who was ousted in a primary. You saw that realization when he walked back the comments last night by tweeting about passing a [standalone] Covid aid bill. Now, every GOP candidate lost the argument about Covid relief. Unfair or not, it puts Republicans in an awful position.Of course, Republicans arent the only ones worried about a political backlash: vulnerable Democrats are also demanding that both sides restart the talks. But they also think Trumps stunning and loud course-reversal actually helps their argument that Republicans had been the ones holding up the relief money all along. The fact is that [Trump] saw the political downside of his statement of walking away from the negotiations, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on The View. The story from your Huddle host: https://politi.co/3iHe3H8 . Related read: A Republican Party unraveling: GOP plunged into crisis as Trump abruptly ends economic relief talks, dismisses virus, from WaPos Robert Costa: https://wapo.st/3nwzWN5 . DO WE HAVE LIFT-OFF? -- Pelosi dismissed Trumps calls to pass piecemeal legislation to provide another round of stimulus checks, telling reporters Wednesday that all the president wants is his name on a check. But the speaker seems much more open to the idea of providing airline relief, with the industry on the verge of massive layoffs. Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin spoke twice by phone yesterday to discuss airline aid; during one of those conversations, the speaker noted that House Republicans blocked a bill on the floor last week that would have provided relief for the industry. But the pair is expected to speak again today about the issue. And the idea is being seriously discussed in the Democratic caucus: Pelosi has started gauging whether her members would support a standalone bill, while relevant committee leaders have been looped in, per WaPos Erica Werner. But if Democrats try to pass the same bill that they did last week, from Transportation Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), its unclear if Republicans will get on board. Related read: The Relief Deal Blowup: What are Pelosi and Trump Thinking? via Michael Grunwald: https://politi.co/36IRteR . A message from National Retail Federation: The INFORM Consumers Act is a bipartisan solution to stop organized retail crime. Its supported by retailers, law enforcement organizations and consumer advocates alike. Its time for Congress to pass the INFORM Consumers Act this year and help keep our communities safe. Learn more here. COVID IN THE CAPITOL -- After the Covid-19 outbreak at the White House which has also spread to the halls of Congress Senate Democrats are pushing for a mask mandate in the Capitol. A new resolution from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) would require facial coverings to be worn in public areas of the Senate, establish a "robust testing regime" and contact tracing system, and ban lawmakers from going on the floor or to committees before a negative test result. The latter provision has become even more relevant after several GOP members of the Judiciary Committee tested positive for coronavirus. And another lawmaker who contracted the virus, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), said he would wear a moon suit to confirm Trumps SCOTUS nominee on the Senate floor if he had to. More from Burgess: https://politi.co/3daJ2tW . MEANWHILE ... Two staffers for Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.) tested positive for coronavirus and were advised to not tell their housemates about their diagnosis, according to the Denver Post. And Lamborn whose D.C. office is one of the few that hasnt completely shuttered during the pandemic has been attending fundraisers and other events in Colorado and refuses to get tested. The deets from Conrad Swanson: https://dpo.st/2GufLyJ . Related: Lawmakers Covid-19 Cases Prompt New Worries on Capitol Hill, by WSJs Natalie Andrews: https://on.wsj.com/2Fbj64S . GOOD MORNING! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Thursday, October 8, where your host wishes she could be a fly on the wall during the VP candidates debate prep (but not a fly on Mike Pences head ). Related: Key moments from Harris and Pences primetime showdown, via our stellar team of reporters: https://politi.co/3jNvSG0 . WEDNESDAYS MOST CLICKED: Roll Calls report on the rising Covid-19 cases in the Capitol was the big winner. SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - OCTOBER 07: Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) and U.S. Vice President Mike Pence participate in the vice presidential debate moderated by Washington Bureau Chief for USA Today Susan Page (C) at the University of Utah on October 7, 2020 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The vice presidential candidates only meet once to debate before the general election on November 3. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) | Justin Sullivan/Getty ImagesCALL ME MAYBE -- Senate Democrats are clear that they will not vote to confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. But six senators on the Judiciary Committee still spoke to Barrett by phone Wednesday, ahead of next week's confirmation hearings. Among the senators who spoke to the nominee are the top Democrat on the Committee, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), along with Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chris Coons (D-Del. ), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.). Coons told reporters after his call with Barrett that she did not to commit to recusing herself from a case involving the Nov. 3 election. Meanwhile, Whitehouse said he spoke to Barrett to "plant a seed of awareness" about the role of dark money in influencing the Supreme Court. More from Marianne: https://politi.co/3iIpcaw . Related: Republicans Tread Warily on Roe v. Wade Ahead of Amy Coney Barrett Hearing, by Bloomberg's Steven T. Dennis and Greg Stohr: https://bloom.bg/3iJ2fEh . CAL CONTROVERSY CONTINUES -- The U.S. Army Reserve Command is investigating the sexting scandal surrounding Democratic candidate Cal Cunningham, a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve who is trying to unseat Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) this November. The Uniform Code of Military Justice prohibits extramarital affairs. The Army Reserve is investigating the matters involving Lt. Col. James Cunningham. As such, we are unable to provide further details at this time, the Army Reserve Command said in a statement. The latest from the Charlotte Observer: https://bit.ly/30ID6Ds . Cunningham, however, says he will not drop out of the race. In his first public appearance since the scandal broke, Cunningham acknowledged that he hurt a lot of people in his life, but said the race shouldnt be about his personal life. Ive made it clear. Ive hurt my family. Ive disappointed my supporters. And Im taking responsibility for that, Cunningham said. More from the CBS affiliate in Raleigh: https://bit.ly/36NFpJh . Related: "They Donated to This Democrat Because of His Bad Sexts, via the Daily Beasts Sam Brodey: https://bit.ly/2GQ2TCt . Based on his fundraising surge and consistent tight polling, a prominent independent political analyst moved the race into its toss-up category Wednesday. Strategists in both parties have never viewed South Carolina as a tipping point for the Senate majority, believing that if Harrison could pull off the biggest upset of 2020 it would mean Democrats had already won many seats. As the race has grown closer, that view might change, particularly as the Democratic candidate in North Carolina, Cal Cunningham, finds himself enmeshed in a sex scandal that could hand that race to Republicans. More: https://wapo.st/3lqSsnY . Related read: 'Jump Ball' Graham helms Supreme Court battle as he fights for political survival, via The Washington Examiners Susan Ferrechio: https://washex.am/3iHpLBt . BATTLE FOR THE SENATE -- In the latest sign that progressives feel confident about November, MoveOn which is primary focused on the presidential race is jumping into the fight for the Senate, with plans to spend $2 million on ads in Maine, South Carolina and Arizona. Burgess with the latest: The liberal group is hitting GOP Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Martha McSally of Arizona and Susan Collins of Maine in ads targeting minorities, women and young people, according to a person familiar with the buy. The ads hit Graham as 'phony,' McSally as after peoples health care and Collins for not standing more firmly against Trump. Moreover, some of the ads will feature the words and likeness of the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg as progressives try to make the GOPs push to fill the Supreme Court vacancy backfire. Another ad highlights Trumps response to the coronavirus pandemic and the death toll of more than 200,000 people. More: https://politi.co/3jHUuzP . Related: Tight Senate Races Take New Turn After Trumps Covid-19 Diagnosis, by WSJs Lindsay Wise: https://on.wsj.com/2SEAlyx . TRANSITIONSNothing today. TODAY IN CONGRESSThe House and Senate are out. AROUND THE HILLSpeaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) holds her weekly press conference at 10:45 a.m. in HVC Studio A.Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) holds a virtual press conference on coronavirus relief negotiations at 11 a.m.TRIVIATUESDAYS WINNER: Bill Pilon was the first person to guess that Dan Sickles was the Civil War veteran, Medal of Honor recipient, and US Representative who shot and killed someone his wife's lover in Lafayette Square, and then used insanity as his legal defense. TODAYS QUESTION: In honor of last nights VP debate: Where and when was the first VP debate featuring a female vice presidential candidate? The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your best guess to [email protected] . GET HUDDLE emailed to your phone each morning. A message from National Retail Federation: According to NRFs National Retail Security Survey, retailers reported an average 26.5% increase in organized retail crime last year alone. Retailers, consumer advocates and law enforcement organizations agree: Congress should pass the INFORM Consumers Act this year. This bipartisan bill will make it tougher for criminals to sell stolen goods online, while ensuring honest small businesses can use ecommerce to reach customers. Learn more here.

###CLAIM: barrett 's confirmation had been confirmed just weeks before the november elections, which will ultimately decide whether trump serves out a second term. ###DOCS: Joe Biden is looking at creating a commission to study reforms to the Supreme Court, a new report revealed Wednesday, which could pave the way for 'court packing'. Multiple people familiar with the matter told Politico that the bipartisan commission would fall under the White House Counsel's office and would look at recommending changes to the federal judiciary overall, not just the Supreme Court. There will be somewhere between 9 and 15 members appointed to the commission, a source familiar with discussions outlined. Despite concerns over a progressive agenda coming from the commission, Jack Goldsmith, a vocal advocate of Justice Brett Kavanaugh's appointment and confirmation to the Supreme Court, could frustrate Democrats. Two others who have been tapped for the panel are Cristina Rodriguez, a Yale Law School professor who will act as co-chair of the commission and who served as former deputy assistant attorney general in Barack Obama's Justice Department and Caroline Fredrickson, former president of the American Constitution Society, who is on the progressive wing of legal thought. Biden had come under pressure to embrace expanding the Supreme Court during the 2020 campaign, and particularly when Republicans went ahead with the nomination and confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett, giving the highest court a 6-3 conservative majority. But a month before the election - at the height of the controversy over Coney Barrett replacing Ruth Bader Ginsburg - Biden declared he is 'not a fan of court packing' but vowed to form a commission to study any structural changes if elected. 'The last thing we need to do is turn the Supreme Court into just a political football, whoever has the most votes gets whatever they want,' Biden said in an October '60 Minutes' interview. 'Presidents come and go. Supreme Court justices stay for generations.' Chief Justice John Roberts swears in Joe Biden - who is moving to a commission on reforming the high courtConservatives hold a 6-3 majority in the Supreme Court with Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett and Samuel Alito all being appointed by Republican presidents. Those sitting justices who were appointed by Democrats are Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Stephen Breyer. The move to set up a commission was promised by Biden and seen as a gesture towards the left. But its inclusion of at least one legal conservative - while likely to anger Republicans - suggests that the commission may come up with more proposals than simply boosting the number of judges. Biden campaign's lawyer Bob Bauer, a proponent of term limits for federal judges and friend of Goldsmith, has been helping shape the commission in an advisory role. Term limits would have to get through the Republican filibuster in the Senate as would other moves. The Supreme Court's nine-strong composition, which dates back to 1869, was decided by Congress. At the time it was in fact an exercise in court-packing, to repeal an earlier SCOTUS ruling that paper money was unconstitutional - which was exactly what the expanded court did, saving the country from an almost impossible to solve financial crisis of the currency becoming illegal. Since then the number not changed but Franklin Delano Roosevelt threatened to expand the court to 15 justices after it repeatedly blocked New Deal measures. He proposed legislation to ask all those aged over 70, which would have been six of the bench, to resign, and if they refused for him to be allowed to add one justice for each of them. Although the Senate voted the measure down 70-20, the SCOTUS blockade ended. The commission's other two known members may back expanding the number of justices. While Rodriguez's opinions on court reforms, mainly court packing, are not clear, Fredrickson has hinted she supports court expansion, among other more progressive ideals. In 2019, she told the executive editor of the LGBT Bar Association, Eric Lesh: 'I often point out to people who aren't lawyers that the Supreme Court is not defined as 'nine person body' in the Constitution, and it has changed size many times.' Goldsmith, a Harvard Law School professor who served as deputy assistant attorney general in former President George W. Bush's Justice Department, could be the outlier who poses an obstacle to the initiative of so-called 'court packing.' Goldsmith advocated for Kavanaugh's confirmation in 2018, an appointment that ultimately led to Democrats calling for more seats to be added to the Supreme CourtGoldsmith tweeted in defense of Kavnaugh's qualifications in July 2018 three months before he took his seat on the Supreme CourtGoldsmith advocated highly for Kavanaugh's appointment, despite him being one of the most controversial nominees in recent history. While Goldsmith is friends with Bauer who will not join the administration, but will help in an advisory role with the behind-the-scenes operations of the commission and did not support Trump, he did push or Kavanaugh to serve on the Court. 'He [Kavanaugh] will also be an influential figure within the Supreme Court building,' Goldsmith wrote in a 2018 Time article titled: 'Brett Kavanaugh Will Right the Course of the Supreme Court.' 'He is a brilliant analyst with a deep scholarly and practical knowledge of the law,' Goldsmith wrote. 'His legal opinions are unusually accessible. He is a magnanimous soul.' He also tweeted in July 2018: 'Brett Kavanaugh is immensely qualified for the Supreme Court: an outstanding lawyer and judge; a great teacher and serious scholar of the law; and a generous, honorable, kind person.' Notably, Kavanaugh's confirmation was extremely controversial after a couple of women levied sexual assault allegations against him spanning back to his school boy days. So-called 'court packing' the process of expanding the amount of seats on the Supreme Court is a progressive response to Donald Trump appointing three justices during his tenure, resulting in a 6-3 conservative majorityDemocrats fought hard to get Republicans to vote against his confirmation in Senate, but were ultimately unsuccessful in their endeavors, and Kavanaugh took his seat in the Supreme Court in October 2018. Barrett's nomination and confirmation process was also hotly contested because she was confirmed just a few weeks before the presidential election, taking the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg's seat. While the nominee was not controversial herself, the timing, Democrats claimed, was not ideal. After Kavanaugh was confirmed by the Republican-controlled Senate, a debate was sparked by Democrats advocating for expanding the number of seats on the Supreme Court. The idea was further pushed by more far-left advocates as Republicans pushed to get Justice Barrett confirmed just weeks before the November election, which ultimately decided Trump would not serve a second term. The attorneys, writing under the banner of Lawyers Defending American Democracy, include retired federal District Court Judge Fern Smith, a Ronald Reagan appointee, and retired Appeals Court Judge Thomas Vansakie, a Barack Obama appointee, and retired federal District Court Judge Thelton Henderson, a Jimmy Carter appointee. The signatories also include former American Bar Association presidents Laurel Bellows, Bob Hirshon and Tommy Wells. Former heads of the Texas, Illinois, Boston and Washington, D.C., bar signed on as well. The lawyers say Barr has enabled President Donald Trumps false claims about alleged voter fraud, raised the specter of releasing politically explosive documents in the heat of the 2020 presidential campaign and routinely intervened in cases affecting allies of the president. We support DOJ attorneys and personnel who stand by their oaths and the Department of Justices duty to do justice for the public by not participating in partisan misuse of the DOJ, they write. They honor the rule of law, our profession, and the country as we face this crucial test for our democracy.Barr has rejected the notion that he has turned the Justice Department into political weapon for Trump. But in remarks in September, he made a case for rethinking the role of politics in the Justice Department, describing it as an essential form of accountability for an agency ultimately managed by an elected president and his handpicked appointees. The Justice Department is not a praetorian guard that watches over society impervious to the ebbs and flows of politics, Barr said in a Sept. 16 speech at Hillsdale College. In his speech, Barr said the actions of political appointees carry greater weight than those taken by career employees, who simply do not possess the demorcratic legitimacy conferred upon those more senior officials. But Barrs detractors say hes eroding DOJs traditional independence and arms-length relationship from politics. Presiding over a federal courtroom for 37 years, I relied on a nonpartisan, independent Justice Department, said Henderson, the retired federal district judge appointed by Carter. I fear that under Attorney General Barr, that trust has been shredded. Comment on this story Comment Gift Article ShareAdvertisementThe meatiest, and perhaps most timely, chapter focuses on Barrs support for investigating the origins of the probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Several of the authors have backgrounds in national security and intelligence, and they express fear that the ongoing investigation by U.S. Attorney John Durham of Connecticut, ordered up by Barr, could have chilling effects on collecting and disseminating information about potential foreign interference amid the 2020 election. There is a grave danger to the Intelligence Community from politicized DOJ investigations, intimidation and potential prosecutions, the authors argue. The use of a criminal investigation is ill-suited to examining the process of foreign intelligence analysis, poses unnecessary risks to intelligence sources and methods, intimidates and alienates foreign intelligence analysts, and chills the analytic process in a way likely to undermine the candor essential to producing the best intelligence information for national policymakers. The cumulative effects are likely to increase the attrition of talented intelligence personnel and neutralize the concept of speaking truth to power that is essential to the effective use of intelligence in national policy decisions. All of this weakens prospective U.S. intelligence capabilities to the advantage of Russia and other adversaries in competition with the interests and goals of the United States.Barrs spokespeople at the Justice Department did not respond to three requests for comment. The attorney general has vigorously defended the propriety of all his actions since taking office early last year. He testified last year that he thinks spying did occur on the Trump campaign in 2016 and has repeatedly cast doubt on whether there was proper predication for the investigation. He has said that as the nations chief law enforcement official he has an obligation to pursue wrongdoing, if there was any. He recently delivered a fiery speech that criticized career prosecutors for the zealousness with which they have pursued certain targets of investigations and defended the politicization of the Justice Department on his watch. The bipartisan working group includes several members with significant national security backgrounds, including Elizabeth Rindskopf Parker, who served as general counsel of the National Security Agency and Central Intelligence Agency; George Croner, who oversaw signals intelligence and FISA compliance in the operations division of the NSAs general counsels office; Stuart Gerson, a former acting attorney general who ran the DOJs civil division under George H.W. Bush; Richard Meyer, who taught law at West Point after 22 years in the Army, including as a military intelligence specialist; and Shawn Turner,who was communications director for the director of national intelligence. Donald Ayer, who was deputy attorney general under Bush and Barrs boss at one point, was a consultant for the project. It is unknown whether Durham will issue any findings about his probe before Election Day, but Barr has not ruled out that he would announce something during the homestretch of the campaign. The Attorney General appears to be determined to use the Durham investigation as a publicity tool in order to justify President Trumps conduct in the 2016 campaign and to discredit the investigation of Robert Mueller, the report says. All signs point toward a politically orchestrated October surprise.AdvertisementTrump signed an executive order last year giving Barr broad authority to declassify government secrets, and the attorney general has used it. The Justice Department recently released a pair of documents that seemed designed to cast fresh doubt on the judgment of senior law enforcement officials who investigated possible links between Russia and the Trump campaign in 2016, showing that one of the FBI case agents thought prosecutors were out to get Trump and that a key source of allegations against the president had been previously investigated as a possible Russian asset. Last month, a senior prosecutor working with Durham on his investigation resigned, raising concern that Barr was pushing the case toward some kind public announcement to benefit Trump ahead of the election. Durhams investigators have reportedly asked witnesses about how the FBI handled the case after it came to have doubts about the credibility of Christopher Steele, a former British intelligence officer whose work the bureau relied on in part to obtain the secret court order to surveil Page. The working group says it came to the reluctant conclusion that Barr is using the powers of the Justice Department to help get Trump reelected and cited several interviews that the attorney general has given to Fox News about the Durham investigation. Fundamentally, prosecuting attorneys who have never served in the Intelligence Community have a different evidentiary bar, said Clapper. The intelligence community is supposed to tell the unvarnished truth as best it can, which is a hard enough job to start with.The coronavirusSince President Trump tested positive for the coronavirus, White House officials have at times given incomplete or contradictory statements about his diagnosis. (Video: JM Rieger/The Washington Post)It will be virtually impossible to spin this as anything but an epic disaster for the White House. The United States has lost more people to the virus than any other country. But Trump cannot even control the outbreak in his own home and office. The new infections inside the White House, less than a month before the election, ensures that covid-19 will be the top issue in the election, and they have become a symbol of the administration's failure to lead on the pandemic for more than seven months. Last night, domestic policy adviser Stephen Miller joined the growing list of more than a dozen White House officials to test positive, in addition to the president and first lady. It did not have to turn out this way. For context: "Taiwan the self-ruled island home to 23 million people reported just eight new cases in the past week. More than a dozen countries have reported fewer than 10 new coronavirus cases in the past seven days, including several that have not reported any cases at all, Siobhan OGrady reports. AdvertisementSenior Pentagon leaders are quarantining after a Coast Guard admiral tested positive following a White House visit. The Sept. 27 ceremony, held on Gold Star Mothers and Familys Day with dozens of people in attendance, recognized the families of 20 deceased service members," Dan Lamothe and Missy Ryan report. Most attendees did not wear masks or maintain social distancing ... Adm. Charles W. Ray, the vice commandant of the Coast Guard, tested positive for the coronavirus on Monday, the service said in a statement on Tuesday. He had begun experiencing mild symptoms over the weekend, a week after attending the Gold Star event ... Rays positive test forced several members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff into quarantine, including Army Gen. Mark A. Milley.Trump abruptly cut off stimulus talks with Democrats until after the election. The president ordered Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to stop negotiating with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. In a series of tweets less than 24 hours after he was released from a hospital, Trump accused Pelosi (D-Calif.) of failing to negotiate in good faith, after she rejected an opening bid from Mnuchin in their latest round of talks, Erica Werner and Jeff Stein report. "Trumps surprising announcement stood in stark contrast with recommendations from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell, who had said in a speech hours earlier that more economic stimulus was needed to sustain the recovery. Trumps tweets sent the stock market lower, as many businesses, households and investors had been hoping for a jolt of fiscal stimulus amid signs the economy had lost momentum. ...AdvertisementTrumps declaration appeared to kill any near-term chance of new aid for millions of Americans who remain out work and at risk of eviction. Pelosi and Mnuchin spoke shortly after Trumps tweets, and Mnuchin informed Pelosi that the negotiations were indeed over, according to Pelosis spokesman. Trump said he instead asked Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) not to delay, but to instead focus full time on approving' [Barrett]. ... [McConnell] said he agreed with the decision ... Pelosi later speculated to Democratic colleagues on a conference call that the presidents sudden change in position might be connected to the steroids hes taking ..."Trumps move disappointed some members of his party who were hoping to be able to deliver new relief to their constituents. ... Even some of Trumps top advisers have said that the economy is not doing well and that more assistance is needed. ... Trump keeps shifting his position on how he plans to proceed. ... After he announced Tuesday that the talks were off and that the economy was great, he wrote another Twitter post in the evening that suggested he actually supported the idea of more spending.Trumps decision to halt stimulus talks which centered on an infusion of funds for the ailing airline industry could have significant effects on voter judgments about who is best able to handle the economy, previously Trumps strongest suit, Matt Viser and Sean Sullivan report. Major airlines have operations in electorally important areas such as Dallas, Atlanta, Phoenix, Miami and Charlotte. In one sobering development for the Trump campaign, Bidens lead in Pennsylvania grew to 12 percentage points, 54 percent to 42 percent, among registered voters, according to a new Monmouth University poll that was conducted after last weeks debate and released Tuesday. A Monmouth poll in late August had Biden up by four percentage points. ... Trumps campaign plans to battle back with a range of in-person events built upon the idea of swiftly returning to the pre-pandemic normal. Notably, however, its plan was released by campaign manager Bill Stepien, who is in isolation after contracting the coronavirus.During the 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns, Donald Trump repeatedly mocked the health of Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden. (Video: The Washington Post, Photo: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)Trump continues to resist the White House moving toward stronger safety precautions. The White House offered an informal nod to coronavirus best practices Tuesday, with mask-wearing prevalent after months of flouting public health recommendations and new internal guidelines for interacting with Trump, Ashley Parker and Josh Dawsey report. But the biggest source of resistance appeared to be Trump himself, who, despite having just come home from a three-night hospitalization, was defiant lobbying to return immediately to work in the Oval Office, discussing an address to the nation as early as Tuesday evening and clamoring to get back on the campaign trail in the coming days. ... [Trumps team] tried to puzzle out if there was a way for him to safely return to the Oval Office on Tuesday but ultimately nixed the request ... The White House has not changed its mask guidance and is still following CDC guidelines that recommend, but do not require, wearing a mask. ... Career administration officials and mid-level and junior staffers say they are scared nervous about coming into work and wary of being the next to test positive. ...Advertisement"A GOP group working to elect Senate Republicans conducted polling over the weekend in four states Colorado, Georgia, Montana and North Carolina as Trump was hospitalized. The presidents numbers dropped significantly in every state, falling by about five points in all four. The president is in real trouble, said one of the groups operatives, who is also close to the White House." Trumps determination to fly to Miami for next week's debate is part of a pattern of recklessness. Several outside medical experts suggested that the presidents actions indicate he is unchastened by his own experience contracting a virus that has killed more than 210,000 Americans or by the spreading infections among his own staff and supporters, Amy Goldstein and Frances Stead Sellers report. Trumps removal of his mask moments after returning to the White House on Monday evening, and his subsequent assertion that he would appear at the debate is irresponsible and reckless, and frankly that borders on malicious, said Michael Mina, a physician and assistant professor of epidemiology at Harvards T.H. Chan School of Public Health." (Miamis Republican mayor said Tuesday that Trump should not come to his city if he's still testing positive.) AdvertisementTrumps decision to visit his supporters outside Walter Reed over the weekend was a gratuitous and dangerous political exercise that needlessly exposed his Secret Service agents as well as their families," writes Joseph Petro , who spent 23 years in the Secret Service and held supervisory roles under President Ronald Reagan. The incomplete medical information from the White House makes experts think Trump is worse off than is being acknowledged. As a doctor whos treated covid-19, the decision to use those three major agents an antibody cocktail, an antiviral drug and a high dose of steroids indicated one thing clearly to me: Trump must have been getting sicker in the hospital, writes Kavita Patel , an internal medicine physician at Marys Center here in D.C. and a fellow at the Brookings Institution. Trumps chickens come home to roost. So do Americas. A man reaps what he sows, and his country suffers along with him," writes Politico founding editor John HarrisAfter weeks of delay, the White House reluctantly approved new FDA standards for a vaccine. "The standards, which would be applied to an emergency use authorization for a vaccine, are the same as ones the agency proposed weeks ago. In many ways, they are similar to the standards for a traditional approval. But the White House, worried that the criteria would delay authorization of a vaccine, presumably beyond the Nov. 3 election, decided to sit on the guidance, Laurie McGinley, Yasmeen Abutaleb and Carolyn Johnson report. On Tuesday, tired of the delay, the FDA circumvented the White House by publishing the criteria online as part of a briefing package for a meeting with its vaccine advisory committee that is scheduled for Oct. 22. ( NYTThe rapid coronavirus tests deployed by the White House, manufactured by Abbott Laboratories, were given emergency clearance by the FDA only for people within the first seven days of the onset of symptoms. But experts note that they were used incorrectly to screen people who were not showing any signs of illness. This created a false sense of security. ( NYTUltra-Orthodox Jews took to the streets to protest new coronavirus-related restrictions in Brooklyn, one day after video showed police clashing with a large group at a holiday celebration. This week, New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo (D) ordered schools to close and shut down nonessential businesses in a handful of neighborhoods with especially high positive rates, while also imposing strict capacity limits on religious gatherings. ( Teo Armus and FarzanQuote of the dayThe pandemic isnt a red- or blue-state issue, Joe Biden said in Gettysburg, Pa. It affects us all and can take anyones life. Its a virus. Its not a political weapon.Personnel is policyAn I.G. report says top DOJ officials were the driving force behind Trump's child separation policy. They told top Justice Department officials they were deeply concerned about the childrens welfare. But [Sessions] made it clear what Mr. Trump wanted on a conference call later that afternoon, according to a two-year inquiry by the Justice Departments inspector general into Mr. Trumps zero tolerance family separation policy. We need to take away children, Mr. Sessions told the prosecutors, according to participants notes. One added in shorthand: If care about kids, dont bring them in. Wont give amnesty to people with kids."Rod J. Rosenstein, then the deputy attorney general, went even further in a second call about a week later, telling the five prosecutors that it did not matter how young the children were. He said that government lawyers should not have refused to prosecute two cases simply because the children were barely more than infants." Sessions refused to be interviewed for the report, and Rosenstein defended himself in his interview with investigators. The Trump administration announced significant changes on Tuesday to the H-1B visa program for high-skilled workers, substantially raising the wages that U.S. companies must pay foreign hires and narrowing eligibility criteria for applicants, the Times reportsTrumps SCOTUS nominee served as a handmaid for a group that's tried to conceal references to her role. While Amy Coney Barrett has faced questions about how her Catholic faith might influence her jurisprudence, she has not spoken publicly about her involvement in People of Praise, a small Christian group founded in the 1970s and based in South Bend, Ind., Emma Brown, Jon Swaine and Michelle Boorstein report. Barrett has had an active role in the organization, as have her parents, according to documents and interviews that help fill out a picture of her involvement with a group that keeps its teachings and gatherings private. A 2010 People of Praise directory states that she held the title of handmaid, a leadership position for women in the community, according to a directory excerpt obtained by The Post. ... Former members including Art Wang, a member from the late 1980s until 2015, told The Post that handmaids, now known as women leaders, give advice to other women on issues such as child rearing and marriage. ...Numerous references to Barrett and her family that previously appeared on People of Praises official website have since disappeared from the site. ... Links to at least 10 issues of Vine & Branches that included mentions of Barrett or members of her family were removed from the site during the first half of 2017 ... On May 8, 2017, Barrett was nominated by Trump to serve as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit.A delayed DHS report says Russia is most aggressively trying to inflame U.S. social and racial tensions. The Department of Homeland Securitys first-ever homeland threat assessment also says white supremacists pose the most persistent and lethal threat to the country. But while the body of the report makes clear that Russia is the primary foreign threat to the 2020 elections an assessment shared across the intelligence community the acting homeland security secretary, Chad Wolf, offers a different emphasis in the foreword, stating that China, Russia and Iran are all seeking to disrupt the election, Ellen Nakashima and Shane Harris report. Navalny lost around 25 pounds and his hands sometimes shake, effects of nerve agent poisoning. Hes currently going through physical therapy and said it could be months before he is fully recovered. ( Miriam BergerFacebook imposed sweeping new sanctions on QAnon, expanding its policy to remove all groups and pages affiliated with the conspiracy theory, as well as accounts on Instagram. The ban does not reach individual Facebook profiles or posts. ( Craig Timberg and Isaac Stanley-BeckerThe electionVice President Mike Pence and Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris will face off in their first debate on Oct. 7. Here's what to expect. (Video: The Washington Post)In her first race, Kamala Harris learned how to become a political brawler. When the Democratic vice-presidential nominee, who is debating Vice President Pence tonight in Salt Lake City, first ran for public office in 2003, she took on the incumbent district attorney for whom she had worked. Terence Kayo Hallinan Kayo as in K.O. for knockouts attacked her mercilessly, questioning whether she would investigate corrupt politicians and making light of her multi-year association with San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, whom she had dated and who gave her lucrative, taxpayer-supported jobs. Harris, who was 38 years old at the start of the race, was relatively unknown, Michael Kranish reports. Pences team ultimately agreed to a plexiglass barrier on his side of the debate stage tonight. The Commission on Presidential Debates said the vice president dropped his objections to a plexiglass barricade on his side of the stage for todays debate after viewing the setup during a walk-through of the debate hall. ( Scherer and DawseyPence remained behind closed doors upon his arrival in Salt Lake City Monday with no public events Tuesday, hunkering down to prepare for Wednesday evening, with the exception of a family hike, per CNN . The White House said he tested negative yesterday for the coronavirus. Biden has quietly reserved $6.2 million for an advertising blitz in Texas during the final weeks. Viewers in Dallas-Fort Worth especially will have trouble avoiding his pitch, which also targets voters in the Houston, San Antonio and Austin markets," the Dallas Morning News reportsPuerto Rico Gov. Wanda Vazquez, a pro-statehood Republican, endorsed Trump, even though she cannot vote in the presidential election and despite the president's shabby treatment of the island after Hurricane Maria in 2017. Vazquez was supposed to travel to Central Florida and participate in a Trump campaign rally in Sanford last Friday. However, Trumps rally was canceled after he tested positive," the Miami Herald reportsMore illicit texts emerged from the Democratic Senate candidate in North Carolina. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) has the coronavirus, and his Democratic challenger Cal Cunningham is in hiding after revelations that he carried on an extramarital affair with a woman from California. Last night, the Associated Press published more messages that show that the relationship extended beyond suggestive texts, as was previously reported, to an intimate encounter as recent as July. In one text, the woman who confirmed the affair to the AP told her friend she was intimate with Cunningham at his house, where his family lived. After privately fretting about Tilliss standing for weeks, the GOP sees a potential game-changer in the revelations about Cunningham, a married father of two who has argued about the importance of character," Pam Kelley, Rachael Bade and Paul Kane report. The Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC aligned with [McConnell], began airing an ad criticizing Cunningham for infidelity. ... Yet Democrats in North Carolina and Washington remain steadfastly behind their embattled Senate candidate. They say Tilliss covid-19 diagnosis following his appearance at a crowded White House event with no social distancing and few masks is the perfect example of the GOPs bungled pandemic response.Other news that should be on your radarYucatan Peninsula. ( Hurricane Delta is now Category 4 and will hit Louisiana later this week. Before that, it will deal a serious blow to Cancun and thePeninsula. ( Matthew Cappucci and Jason SamenowThe 2nd Circuit ruled this morning that Manhattan's district attorney can enforce his subpoena for Trump's tax returns, rejecting a bid by the presidents lawyers to kill the request on grounds it's a malicious political ploy and potentially setting up another high-stakes showdown at the Supreme Court. ( Shayna JacobsThe Nobel Prize for chemistry was awarded to American biochemist Jennifer Doudna and French scientist Emmanuelle Charpentier for their work developing CRISPR-Cas9, a method of genome editing. The tool is being used as a cancer therapy and helping to cure inherited diseases. ( Ben GuarinoAmazon, Apple, Facebook and Google engaged in anti-competitive, monopoly-style tactics to evolve into four of the worlds most powerful corporate behemoths, according to an investigation by the Houses antitrust panel. The 450-page document, which caps a 16-month investigation, argues that the tech giants relied on dubious, harmful means to solidify their dominance in Web search, smartphones, social networking and shopping. Amazon's chief executive, Jeff Bezos, owns The Washington Post. ( Tony Romm, Cat Zakrzewski and Rachel LermanThe St. Louis couple who aimed guns at Black Lives Matter protesters marching through their gated community this summer have been indicted on weapons and evidence-tampering charges. ( Rachel WeinerSix years after the Islamic State beheaded American hostages on camera, two men have been charged in U.S. federal court for involvement in those deaths. Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh were being flown Wednesday to the United States from Iraq, Rachel Weiner and Nakashima report . They will be prosecuted in federal court in Alexandria, Va. and are charged with hostage taking resulting in death, conspiracy to murder U.S. citizens outside the United States, conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, and related conspiracy charges.The Supreme Court will hear the case of three Muslim men who said they were placed on a no-fly list for years because they refused to become FBI informants. ( Robert BarnesSocial media speed readBea Lumpkin, 102, has voted in every election since 1940. She wasnt going to let a pandemic stop her this year. She told Paulina Firozi that her grandson designed this PPE, which includes a fan and a filter, and provided her with a whole pile of reusable gloves:Good morning! This is 102-year-old CTU retiree Bea Lumpkin casting her vote-by-mail ballot. If Bea can do it, anyone can do it. Vote! He's back to comparing the coronavirus to the flu:The tale of two tweets ... Seven months and 210,000 deaths separate these two tweets, but the presidents message is the same.

###CLAIM: harry meanwhile said : `` to admit that meghan needs help is a shame for her family, but it 's not for the sake of talking. ###DOCS: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding certificate proving they did not get married three days before their Windsor Castle ceremony has been pictured. MailOnline has obtained the document which blows holes in the Sussexes' claims they were wed in a private hearing at Kensington Palace. The Duke and Duchess confessed yesterday the service with the Archbishop of Canterbury saw them just 'privately exchange personal vows'. The U-turn comes two weeks after the couple made the comments in their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey. Britons were left fuming as it raised questions why the 32million taxpayer-funded wedding at Windsor Castle in May 2018 was necessary. Meanwhile it emerged earlier this week another of the Sussexes' right-hand women in the US is moving to another role after less than a year in her current job. 'Chief of staff' Catherine St Laurent has left her post leading to reports the departure was unexpected. Lawyers for the couple denied this, saying she was employed on a fixed-term contract which was due to expire. The Canadian-born French speaker was previously the director at Pivotal Ventures - Melinda Gates' women and families foundation - and held a top communications role at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. At the time of her appointment, a friend told the Mail that Ms St-Laurent was 'feisty, fair and up for a tough conversation', adding: 'But if all goes wrong, she is good for a laugh and a cocktail afterwards. 'She's a good egg. She'll bring a clean-sheet perspective.' After her hiring last year, the Sussexes had said: 'We are proud to be joined by Catherine St-Laurent in this next chapter with us. 'Her leadership and proven track record working within two organizations that have tremendous impact in the world the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Pivotal Ventures make her an incredible asset and we're excited to have her on our team.' In a departing email to staff, she announced: 'I am thrilled to be able to play a supporting role in realising their vision and enabling them to achieve impact on the issues that matter most to them.' It has now been revealed that mother-of-two Ms St-Laurent will instead take on a senior advisory role for Archewell, and will 'continue to bring high-level strategic guidance' to the foundation, a spokesman told Page Six. AdvertisementA spokesman for Harry and Meghan has now confirmed to the Sun their ceremony three days before their wedding was not a marriage. They said they had 'privately exchanged personal vows a few days before their official/legal wedding on May 19'. In the interview with Oprah, Meghan said: 'You know, three days before our wedding, we got married. No one knows that.' She said the couple asked the Archbishop to marry them in private at Nottingham Cottage their home in the grounds of Kensington Palace. But the claim was blown apart earlier this week when the General Register Office revealed the couple's wedding certificate for the first time. It proved they did get married on May 19, 2018 in the lavish ceremony at Windsor Castle after all. The official who drew up the licence says Meghan is 'obviously confused' and 'clearly misinformed' over the wedding. Stephen Borton, former chief clerk at the Faculty Office, told the Sun: 'They did not marry three days earlier in front of the Archbishop of Canterbury. 'The Special Licence I helped draw up enabled them to marry at St George's Chapel in Windsor and what happened there on 19 May 2018 and was seen by millions around the world was the official wedding as recognised by the Church of England and the law. 'What I suspect they did was exchange some simple vows they had perhaps written themselves, and which is fashionable, and said that in front of the Archbishop or, and more likely, it was a simple rehearsal.' Mr Borton said they could not have been married in the grounds of Nottingham Cottage because it is not an authorised venue. He also added there were not enough witnesses to make it a valid ceremony. Mr Borton said: 'In order for them to be married a Special Licence was drawn up and the wording from Her Majesty the Queen authorising the wedding and the official venue was recorded.' He said the 325 fee normally paid for couples to have a Special Licence was waived for the couple. The wedding certificate confirmed the ceremony took place at Windsor Castle with the witnesses recorded as Prince Charles and Meghan's mother Doria Ragland. A spokesman for the Archbishop said he would not be commenting on personal or pastoral matters. Rev Mark Edwards, a C of E priest from Newcastle, said: 'When I called Lambeth Palace to ask about this I was told Justin doesn't do private weddings. Meghan doesn't understand. 'But the fact that the Archbishop has not commented publicly needs to be addressed.' General Register Office has now revealed the couple's wedding certificate for the first time, proving they did get married on May 19, 2018 in a lavish ceremony at Windsor Castle after all and not in private in a ceremony officiated by the ArchbishopJAMES HOLT: NEW ARCHEWELL EXEC DIRECTOR James Holt Old position: UK PR spokesman New position: Executive director of the Archewell Foundation James Holt previously led communications for the Royal Foundation, the charity headed by the Cambridges. Holt has worked at Kensington Palace for several years as well as for the Liberal Democrats and is passionate about many of the causes championed by Harry and Meghan. He acted as Harry and Meghan's UK spokesman and will now take on the role of executive director of the Archewell Foundation. Holt, a BA Journalism graduate from the University of Lincoln, rose to the position of Head of Media for the Liberal Democrats in 2010 - and stayed in the role until August 2013. He worked as Special Adviser to the Deputy Prime Minister - Nick Clegg - from June 2013 to January 2014, and moved up to become Head of Government Communications for the Deputy PM until September 2014. He took on the voluntary position of Director of Communications for Pride in London between March 2016 and November 2017. In October 2017 he took up the role of Senior Communications Officer for The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry - staying in the role for one year. He then became Head of Communications at The Royal Foundation for one year, until September 2019. AdvertisementHe decided to look into Meghan's claims because during the Covid outbreak he has been inundated with requests for private weddings which have been declined. Rev Edwards, the vicar at St Matthew's Church, in Dinnington, and St Cuthbert's Church, in Brunswick, Newcastle upon Tyne, said he was told by a Lambeth Palace staff member: 'Justin does not do private weddings. Meghan is an American, she does not understand.' He says the claim has caused confusion among clergy and couples anxious to tie the knot and is asking Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby to clarify the situation. Elsewhere earlier this week it emerged another of the Sussexes' right-hand women in the US is moving to another role after less than a year in her current job. Catherine St Laurent - head-hunted by the couple from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to become their 'chief of staff' - has left her post leading to reports the departure was unexpected. Lawyers for the couple denied reports that she had left unexpectedly, saying she was employed on a fixed term contract which is due to expire. The couple called her an 'incredible asset' when they announced her appointment, adding: 'We are excited to have her on our team.' But earlier this week it emerged the Canadian-born mother-of-two has unexpectedly left her current post. There was no comment from her directly, but according to the New York Post, Miss St Laurent has already stepped down, although she will continue to work with Archewell in an 'advisory' role. She will be replaced as Archewell's executive director by the couple's current communications officer in the UK, James Holt. Reports suggest they have no immediate plans to replace him, leaving the Duke and Duchess of Sussex without any official representation in Britain and all their media relations now being handled in the US. The couple have already appointed Toya Holness as Archewell's 'global press secretary'. Buckingham Palace ceased to act for them after they quit as working royals last spring. Catherine St Laurent was head-hunted by the couple from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to become their 'chief of staff'BEN BROWNING: HEAD OF CONTENT FOR ARCHEWELL Ben Browning New position: Head of content for Archewell Productions and Archewell Audio Veteran producer Mr Browning has previously worked on films including The Big Sick, Arrival, Room and Late Night and is set to head up Archewell's work with Spotify and Netflix. Most recently, Mr Browning worked on Promising Young Woman, starring Carey Mulligan, which was nominated for five Oscars. It is thought that Browning will be working closely with Spotify and Netflix to help bring Archwell's creative partnerships to life, Harpers Bazaar reports. Browning has been nominated for a BAFTA Award, Academy Award and PGA Award for his role in the production of Promising Young Woman, starring Carey Mulligan. He had also previously worked as executive producer on HBO's I Know This Much Is True, which stars Mark Ruffalo. Browning said in a statement: 'The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have founded a next-generation production company with best-in-class distribution partners in Netflix and Spotify, a clear agenda to inform and entertain, and an unparalleled global reach. 'From the moment they shared their vision for Archewell as a global production company that will spotlight diverse voices and share uplifting stories, I knew I wanted to help with this unique opportunity. 'It's a thrilling company to be starting.' AdvertisementOne royal insider expressed surprise at Miss St Laurent's departure, telling the Mail: 'She was a huge appointment for them. 'A big hitter with a great track record, poached to head up their new working life in the US. It is really quite astonishing she has left that role after less than a year.' Miss St Laurent is apparently launching her own new 'social impact firm', supported by and working with Archewell. Harry and Meghan were dogged by a spate of departures from their ranks as working royals, losing at least two PAs as well as other key staff from their private office. Earlier this month Buckingham Palace announced it was launching a probe into the handling of claims by their former head of communications that Meghan bullied several female members of their team, forcing at least two to quit. A spokesman for the couple denied the claims, calling it a 'calculated smear campaign'. At the time of her appointment as Harry and Meghan's most senior team member, Miss St Laurent had said she was 'thrilled to be able to play a supporting role in realising their vision'. She added: 'From our very first conversation, Harry and Meghan have expressed a deep commitment to improving lives and having a positive impact on society.' The couple have also made two high-profile new appointments. Ben Browning, who produced the Oscar-nominated film Promising Young Woman, is now head of content for Archewell Productions and Archewell Audio as part of their multi-million dollar link-ups with Netflix and Spotify. Mr Browning said it was a 'unique opportunity' and he wanted to turn Archewell into a 'global production company that will spotlight diverse voices and share uplifting stories'. The couple have also linked up with Invisible Hand a 'social impact and culture change agency'. Intriguingly, given numerous reports suggesting Meghan has political ambitions in the US, its founder Genevieve Roth worked on Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign. She will also serve as a 'senior strategic adviser' to the couple. A statement said Invisible Hand would be focusing on 'strategic change through storytelling and community building in support of gender and racial equity'. A spokesman for the Sussexes added: 'They join a rapidly expanding team that's deeply dedicated to advancing systemic cultural change and supporting compassionate communities across the world.' A judge has ordered The Mail on Sunday to publish a statement saying it infringed the Duchess of Sussex's copyright by publishing extracts of a letter she sent her father. Lord Justice Warby said it did not need to be published until the outcome of an appeal process. He also ruled against Meghan on how large the statement needed to be printed, saying it would take up a 'disproportionate amount of the front page' if the font size was the same as the original 2019 headline. Meghan and Harry's sensational claims fact-checked: How friend contradicted Meghan's claim she never Googled Harry, the truth about that secret wedding and whether Archie really should have been a princeMeghan and Harry unleashed bombshell after bombshell in their Oprah interview that was sure to send shockwaves pulsing through the heart of the monarchy. They made jaw-dropping claims of brazen racism and delved into difficult conversations of family rifts. Although much of the interview was an outpouring of emotion, many of the claims can be stood up - or knocked down - with facts. Here, MailOnline drills down into some of the central claims of the interview. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have insisted their interview with Oprah Winfrey would be the 'last word' on them quitting as senior royalsMeghan never researched the Royal Family prior to joiningMeghan said: 'I didn't do any research about what that would mean,' she said. 'I never looked up my husband online.' Fact check: UnlikelyMeghan's claim that she never researched Harry, nor the Royal Family, before entering into the relationship is at odds with claims made in the couple's biography. Although the Sussexes maintain they did not contribute to Finding Freedom, it was written by friendly journalists Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, who say the book was impeccably well-sourced by those closest to the couple. Prior to their first date at Dean Street Townhouse in 2016, the authors write: 'Naturally both participants in this blind date did their homework with a thorough Google search. Harry, who scoped out Meghan on social media, was interested.' A friend is also claimed to have impressed on Meghan the attention she would command for dating Harry, saying: 'This could be crazy...you will be the most wanted woman'. The duchess said she 'didn't do any research' into the monarchy, 'didn't fully understand what the job was', and did not grow up 'knowing much about the Royal Family'. Friends of the duchess have painted a different picture, revealing that she was fascinated by the royals in her youth. Ninaki Priddy, who was Meghan's maid of honour at her first wedding to Trevor Engelson, said her friend was 'always fascinated by the Royal Family. She wants to be Princess Diana 2.0'. She added: 'She had one of Princess Diana's books [Diana: Her True Story] on her bookshelf, and even when she was with Trevor she told me she wanted to go and stay in London for at least a month. I know she used to love The Princess Diaries films.' The mother of Suzy Ardakani, one of the duchess's high school friends, has described how she taped Diana's wedding and would watch it with her daughter and Meghan years later. Meghan Markle is seen heading to a hotel to meet up with some friends in Toronto, Canada, in November 2016Harry and Meghan were actually secretly wed three days before the Windsor ceremony by the Archbishop of CanterburyMeghan said: 'You know, three days before our wedding, we got married. No one knows that... We called the Archbishop and we just said, 'Look, this thing, this spectacle is for the world but we want our union between us.' Fact check: UnlikelyChurch of England marriages require at least two witnesses and the public must also have unrestricted access to the building during any marriage ceremony to allow for valid objections against the marriage. At the time the couple were living in the grounds of Kensington Palace, and their residence is off limits to the public. A couple who are already lawfully married cannot choose to re-marry each other, unless there is some doubt as to the validity of the earlier marriage. 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.' This means that one of the two ceremonies was more likely just an exchange of vows rather than a legally recognised wedding. 'I was silenced'Meghan said she was 'silenced' by the institution. 'Everyone in my world was given very clear directive, from the moment the world knew Harry and I were dating, to say 'No comment'. Fact check: ContestedOn the day they announced their engagement, Meghan and Harry gave a lengthy interview to the BBC's Mishal Husain, although the duchess reportedly complained afterwards that the journalist had not been 'warm enough'. On their tour of South Africa, they granted interviews to ITN's Tom Bradby, when Meghan memorably told him: 'Not many people have asked if I'm OK.'Royal insiders have stressed that it was very much the case that Harry and Meghan themselves 'called the shots' when it came to publicity, deciding which charities to support, which engagements to go on, and which media to grant interviews to. Secret: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have revealed that they were married in secret three days before their royal wedding on May 19, 2018Meghan Markle and Prince Harry shared candid footage of Archie playing on a beach during their bombshell interview with Oprah WinfreyArchie has a birthright to be a princeMeghan said: 'Idea of the first member of colour in this family, not being titled in the same way that other grandchildren would be... It's not their right to take it away'Fact check: FalseArchie did not have a birthright to be a prince, but could potentially become one when Charles accedes to the throne. That William and Kate's children have the HRH title and are styled as prince and princesses - and Archie is not - stems from a ruling more than 100 years ago. In 1917, King George V issued a written order that only royal offspring who are in the direct line of succession could be made a prince and receive HRH titles. The Letters Patent read: '...the grandchildren of the sons of any such sovereign in the direct male line (save only the eldest living son of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales) shall have and enjoy in all occasions the style and title enjoyed by the children of dukes of these our realms.' Under the rules, only Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge's eldest son Prince George - as a great-grandson of the monarch down the direct line of succession to the throne - was originally entitled to be a prince. The Queen stepped in ahead of George's birth in 2013 to issue a Letters Patent to ensure all George's siblings - as the children of future monarch William - would have fitting titles, meaning they were extended to Charles and Louis. Under the George V rules, Archie would be entitled to be an HRH or a prince when his grandfather Charles, the Prince of Wales, accedes to the throne. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex introduce their baby son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor during a photocall in St George's Hall at Windsor Castle in May 2019Archie wouldn't get 24/7 security because he wasn't a princeMeghan said: 'In those months when I was pregnant, all around this same time, so we (had) the conversation of he won't be given security, he's not going to be given a title.' Fact check: FalseBeing a prince or princess does not automatically mean royals have police protection. Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie's security is no longer paid for by the taxpayer. Harry and Meghan no longer receive British police protection, and are understood to be paying for private security. Help for mental anguishMeghan says she begged in vain for the Palace to help her mental stateFeeling that she 'just didn't want to be alive any more' in January 2019, Meghan said she 'went to the institution, and I said that I needed to go somewhere to get help', but was refused because it 'wouldn't be good for the institution'. The duchess claimed: 'I went to human resources, and I said, 'I just really I need help',' but HR could not do anything because she was not a paid member of staff. She longed to check herself into a hospital or similar clinic but 'you can't just do that... I couldn't, you know, call an Uber to the Palace'. Fact check: Difficult to verifyMeghan was not asked by Miss Winfrey why she went to HR rather than simply ask her GP to make a referral or seek advice from a mental health clinician herself, in the same way she might have done for any other ailment. One insider pointed out that HR exists for Palace employees while the royals themselves have a private office to help arrange everything from booking a holiday to fixing a medical appointment. Harry, meanwhile, said he was ashamed of admitting to his family that Meghan needed help, and so he did not talk to them. The duke, who is passionate about the mental health campaign he launched, called Heads Together, and has himself sought therapy in the past, said that with his wife he 'had no idea what to do'. 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 2018Kate made Meghan cry before her wedding to HarryResponding to claims that she reduced Kate to tears, Meghan said: 'No, no. The reverse happened'. Fact check: ContestedReports of a pre-wedding clash between the duchesses first emerged in November 2018, when sources claimed Meghan had been left displeased with a 'stressful' dress fitting for the flower girls. Accounts differed as to the source of the row. Some said it was a disagreement on whether the bridesmaids should wear tights - Meghan reportedly believed they should not. Other reports said it stemmed from Princess Charlotte's dress not fitting, meaning another had to be scheduled. A source said at the time: 'Kate had only just given birth to her third child, Prince Louis, and was feeling quite emotional.' But during the Oprah interview Meghan flatly denied the reports and claimed it was Kate that left her upset. Couple witnessed racism inside the monarchyMeghan said: [There were] concerns and conversations about how dark his [Archie's] skin might be when he's born'Fact check: Almost impossible to verifyHarry and Meghan said they will never reveal the person who made these comments. However Oprah revealed that Harry confirmed it was not the Queen nor Prince Philip. While currently not commenting on the contents interview, Buckingham Palace are almost certain to push back on suggestions of institutional racism. They could launch an investigation - as they have done with claims of bullying. Harry was financially cut off from the royalsHarry said: 'My family literally cut me off financially, and I had to afford security for us'Fact check: They wanted to be financially independentWhen Harry and Meghan announced their intention to step back from being senior royals, they said they wanted to be 'financially independent'. Before cutting ties, 95 per cent of their money came from Prince Charles's income from the Duchy of Cornwall, and 5 per cent from the taxpayer-funded Sovereign Grant. Princes William and Harry received most of a 13million fortune left by their mother Princess Diana. Harry is also thought to have had millions left to him by the Queen mother. Meghan has not seen Samantha Markle in almost 20 yearsMeghan said: 'The last time I saw her must have been at least 18, 19 years.' Fact check: FalseDuring the interview Meghan distanced herself from her half-sister Samantha, who she said she hardly knows and she grew up 'an only child'. A photograph from 2008 - 13 years ago - shows Meghan with Samantha at her graduation. Samantha last night slammed the royal's interview with Oprah Winfrey, saying 'the truth was totally ignored and omitted' while providing photos and documents to disprove each of the Duchess of Sussex's claims about her. The pregnant Duchess of Sussex told Oprah, 67, that Samantha 'doesn't know' her, claiming she was raised as 'an only child' - but her half-sister has now insisted that couldn't be further from the truth. 'I don't know how she can say I don't know her and she was an only child. We've got photographs over a lifespan of us together. So how can she not know me?' she told Inside Edition, while sharing images of the two women together at different stages throughout their lives - most recently in 2008, just 13 years ago. The Duchess also claimed that Samantha only changed her surname back to Markle after Meghan struck up a romance with Harry - but Samantha insisted that this claim was wholly inaccurate, and shared further evidence to refute it. 'Lost' father who staged photosMeghan said the Press 'created' news about Meghan's father 'to create drama'Fact check: FalseMeghan Markle's estranged father Thomas denied his daughter's claims he had 'betrayed' her before branding his son-in-law 'snotty' and declaring: 'We all make mistakes - but I've never played naked pool or dressed like Hitler like Harry did'. Mr Markle says that he's apologised '100 times' for doing a deal with a paparazzi photographer before the royal wedding in 2018 and urged the couple to see him now they only live '70 miles away' from his Mexico home in Los Angeles. He also denied the Royal Family - or Britain - is racist, calling Meghan and Harry's claims 'bulls**t' and saying if it is true a royal asked about how 'dark' Archie's skin would be, it was probably just a 'dumb question'. Mr Markle spoke to Good Morning Britain in the UK after watching the Oprah interview with his daughter and her husband. In it Meghan said she cannot fathom hurting her son Archie in the way her own father 'betrayed' her, admitting she 'found it hard to reconcile' with Thomas after he insisted that he had not been speaking to the media. She 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'. Mr Markle said that while he did let her down, she had 'let me down too' by cutting him off after heart surgery almost three years ago. He said: 'The bottom line is she didn't lose me, she made a statement saying she lost me, she didn't lose me, I would've always been there for her, I'm there for her now if she wants me'. He added: 'We all make mistakes - but I've never played naked pool or dressed like Hitler like Harry did'. Mr Markle was referencing Harry's trip to Las Vegas where he stripped off in a hotel to play pool and once wearing a Nazi uniform to a party when he was 20. Describing his last phone call with Harry he said: 'Harry had said to me if you had listened to me, this wouldn't have happened to you. Me, laying in a hospital bed after a having procedure, I had a stint put here and put here and that was kind of snotty so I hung up on him.' But Mr Markle also used the rare interview to urge his daughter to reach out to him. He said: 'I'd like to say again. I'm sorry for what I've done. This was two years ago. But I've tried to make it up to her. I'm now only 70 miles away. I've never stopped loving her. I don't agree with all the things that my children they do. But I will always love them. And I certainly love Meghan'. A photograph from 2008 - 13 years ago - shows Meghan with her half-sister Samantha Markle at her graduationMeghan had to turn over her passport, keys and driving licence to royal aidesMeghan 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.' Fact check: Difficult to verifySenior royals are often pictured driving themselves and it is believed there have never been prior claims of a royal having keys and passports held. Harry and Meghan received police protection, meaning their travel was meticulously planned by officers. Meghan's press team didn't defend her when 'things weren't true'Oprah asked Meghan about stories that she made Kate cry, saying: 'So, all the time the stories were out that you had made Kate cry, you knew all along, and people around you knew that that wasn't true.' Meghan replied: 'Everyone in the institution knew it wasn't true.' And Oprah then said: 'So, why didn't somebody just say that?' Meghan said: 'That's a good question.' Fact check: ContestedMaking a wider point, Mail on Sunday royal correspondent Emily Andrews has said that Meghan's press team did in fact defend untrue stories, saying this was 'just not right'. Ms Andrews said that she interacted with a press team who defended the Sussexes 'again and again and again, told me things were wrong - so didn't publish - and indeed tried to stop me when true.' Palace lied to protect other members of the Royal FamilyMeghan said: 'I came to understand that not only was I not being protected but that they were willing to lie to protect other members of the family, but they weren't willing to tell the truth to protect me and my husband.' Fact check: ContestedThere was clearly frustration felt by the couple, with some justification, towards the Palace PR machine, which was sometimes reluctant to 'fight every little fire', as one source put it. But the Palace did robustly stand ground on many other stories that the couple insisted were not true, resulting in the media not running them. The Palace pursued at least one national newspaper all the way to press regulator IPSO over a story about their Frogmore home, and won a decisive victory for Harry and Meghan. The duchess complained that she was 'not protected', but Palace sources have hit back at the idea the duchess was left to fend for herself, suggesting it was her own aides who needed protection from her bullying ways something she strenuously denies. Meghan was banned from going out for lunch with her friendsMeghan: '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 go, 'Well, I haven't left the house in months.' Fact check: ContestedMeghan appears to be talking about a four-year period, and it is likely the situation varied. She was spotted enjoying outings on numerous occasions, including a pub lunch with Harry, going for facials near their Kensington Palace home and shopping trips. Every British newspaper declined to buy photographs of these trips. No member of staff would dare tell Meghan where she could go. Newspaper held story about Thomas Markle until Sunday before Meghan's weddingMeghan: 'If we were going to use the word betrayal, it's because when I asked him, when we were told by the comms team, this is 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 really key point in all this.' Fact check: FalseMeghan claimed 'the tabloids had apparently known for a month' that Thomas Markle had staged paparazzi photos before the wedding but 'decided to hold till the Sunday before our wedding... to create drama,' adding: 'They did not report the news, they created the news.' She suggested she had 'lost' her father forever as a result. In truth, far from sitting on the paparazzi story, the Mail on Sunday, which broke it, published within 24 hours of getting the proof.

###CLAIM: when the appearance on the view slipped by the very next day, sara and haines asked what was so irresistable about it. ###DOCS: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo reacted to Chelsea Handler's claim that she ghosted him, in an interview on The View on Thursday. The 62-year-old politician was asked about a potential romance with the Chelsea Lately personality, 45, on the ABC program, a day after Handler's claim. 'I did have a conversation with Cuomo a few months ago, and I did ask him out on a date,' Handler said Wednesday. 'And he did say yes. And then I never heard from him.' The latest: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, 62, reacted to Chelsea Handler's claims that she ghosted him in an interview on The View on ThursdayCuomo on Thursday said on the program, 'On my dating life: I'm only dating in-state residents, I'm dating New York residents,' as he continues working on battling the coronavirus pandemic in his home state. He left the door open for Handler, who resides in Los Angeles: 'If Chelsea changes her residence, then maybe we can work it out.' Handler spoke about how handsome she thought Cuomo was in a Wednesday appearance on the show. She said she found herself attracted to him watching his daily COVID-19 update conferences this past spring amid the massive outbreak in New York. The View's Sara Haines asked Handler what she found so alluring about the governor, while slipping in the fact he would be appearing on the show the next day. 'Handler said. We needed someone to come on the scene. We were so dehydrated for real leadership.' She continued: 'Then he came on the scene, looking like this big, Italian hunk. He was like, "Wear a mask," I was like, "I'll wear a mask, I'll put a mask on every part of my body. I want to flatten your curve, and you can flatten my curve and then we can both apex together."' Cuomo laughed at Handler's words, saying in response: 'I've had a lot of conversations about flattening the curve, but never quite that way. I'm a big fan of Chelsea's and she is great. We have fun.' Waiting for her text: Chelsea Handler just revealed that New York Governor Andrew Cuomo ghosted her after agreeing to go on a dateMIA: 'I did have a conversation with Cuomo a few months ago, and I did ask him out on a date. And he did say yes. And then I never heard from him,' Handler dishedHandler's love life was broached in a subsequent question from guest host Ana Navarro. She mentioned Handler's current spat with ex-boyfriend 50 Cent after he pledged his support for President Donald Trump earlier this month. 'You sound like youre going to be very busy here saving the Republic,' she laughed. 'And please, please, tell 50 [Cent] if hes going to be joking around about supporting Trump, he might want to wait until after the election to tweet out such jokes, cause they aint very funny right now.' Help a girl out! Whoopi chimed in, saying: 'Ah, so youd like us to [check in]'Former flames: Chelsea called out ex-boyfriend 50 Cent (seen together in 2011) for endorsing Donald Trump for presidentHeating up: She referenced their 2011 relationship as she posted: 'You used to be my favorite ex-boyfriend'Chelsea called out the Candy Shop artist after he endorsed Trump for president because of his favorable tax policies for the rich - and said he doesn't care if the Republican 'doesnt like black people.' He wrote: '[Man facepalming emoji] oh my God this is effecting my love life now. @chelseahandler.' Chelsea kept the conversation going as she retweeted her ex's latest tweet and even offered to pay his taxes. She wrote: 'Hey f***r! I will pay your taxes in exchange for you coming to your senses. Happily! Black lives matter. Thats you, f***er! Remember?' 'In exchange for you coming back to your senses': Chelsea kept the conversation going as she retweeted her ex's latest tweet and even offered to pay his taxesSweet: The couple dated briefly in 2011Lots of love: Despite the split the two have remained amicableThis came just two days after the In Da Club hitmaker tweeted a shot of the tax rates proposed by Democratic candidate Joe Biden and running mate Kamala Harris. The Biden proposals could see those earning more than $400,000 a year hit with rates of 62.6 percent for those who live in California residents, and 62 percent for people who live in New York City. The If I Can't rapper rapper wrote: 'WHAT THE F***! (VOTE ForTRUMP) IM OUT. F*** NEW YORK The KNICKS never win anyway.' He added: 'I dont care Trump doesnt like black people 62% are you out of ya f***ing mind.' Biden has pledged to hike taxes said for those earning more than $400,000, but has insisted there will be 'no new taxes' beyond that. It is not the first time 50 Cent has backed Trump - appearing to show his support for the Republican before the 2016 election. In March 2016 he posted a photograph of the two of them together, with the caption: 'Me and My President maybe, only in America'. 50 Cent also showed support for the president in 2016, posting this Instagram photo in the months before the election Chelsea Handler is still waiting for a text back after asking New York Governor Andrew Cuomo out on a date. The Chelsea Lately comedian, 45, revealed that Cuomo had ghosted her while talking to the ladies of The View about her crush on Wednesday. Handler said that while Cuomo - who she described as a 'big, Italian hunk' - initially agreed to go out with her, she never heard back from him after that. Waiting for her text: Chelsea Handler just revealed that New York Governor Andrew Cuomo ghosted her after agreeing to go on a dateThe View's Sara Haines asked Chelsea what she found so alluring about the governor while slipping in the fact he would be appearing on the show the very next day. Calling the governor 'this big, Italian hunk' who showed 'real leadership' amid the COVID-19 pandemic, she went on: 'He's like, "Wear a mask." I'm like, "I'll wear a mask. I'll put a mask on every part of my body! I wanna flatten your curve, and you can flatten my curve."' But Chelsea did have a favor to ask of The View crew. 'I do want you to follow up on something for me, ladies, if you don't mind,' Chelsea said. 'I did have a conversation with Cuomo a few months ago, and I did ask him out on a date. And he did say yes. And then I never heard from him.' Hubba, hubba: Handler called Cuomo a 'big, Italian hunk' during her chat on The ViewMIA: 'I did have a conversation with Cuomo a few months ago, and I did ask him out on a date. And he did say yes. And then I never heard from him,' Handler dishedHelp a girl out! Whoopi chimed in, saying: 'Ah, so youd like us to [check in]'Whoopi chimed in, saying: 'Ah, so youd like us to [check in.]' Guest hostess Ana Navarro was the next to get a word in, mentioning Handler's current spat with ex-boyfriend 50 Cent. 'You sound like youre going to be very busy here saving the Republic,' she laughed. 'And please, please, tell 50 [Cent] if hes going to be joking around about supporting Trump, he might want to wait until after the election to tweet out such jokes, cause they aint very funny right now.' Former flames: Chelsea called out ex-boyfriend 50 Cent (seen together in 2011) for endorsing Donald Trump for presidentHeating up: She referenced their 2011 relationship as she posted: 'You used to be my favorite ex-boyfriend. Chelsea called out 50 after he endorsed Donald Trump for president because of his favorable tax policies for the rich - and said he doesn't care if the Republican 'doesnt like black people.' Retweeting one of the In Da Club rapper's posts, she added: 'You used to be my favorite ex-boyfriend.' 50 Cent - real name real name is Curtis James Jackson III - responded to his ex as he urged her not to let the presidential candidates get in between them. He wrote: '[Man facepalming emoji] oh my God this is effecting my love life now. @chelseahandler'In exchange for you coming back to your senses': Chelsea kept the conversation going as she retweeted her ex's latest tweet and even offered to pay his taxes'I love ya Gator, dont let Trump and Joe Biden come between us girl. #starzgettheapp'Chelsea kept the conversation going as she retweeted her ex's latest tweet and even offered to pay his taxes. She wrote: 'Hey f***r! I will pay your taxes in exchange for you coming to your senses. Happily! Black lives matter. Thats you, f***er! Remember?' This came just two days after the In Da Club hitmaker tweeted a shot of the tax rates proposed by Democratic candidate Joe Biden and running mate Kamala Harris. Sweet: The couple dated briefly in 2011Lots of love: Despite the split the two have remained amicableThe Biden proposals could see those earning more than $400,000 a year hit with rates of 62.6 percent for those who live in California residents, and 62 percent for people who live in New York City. The If I Can't rapper rapper wrote: 'WHAT THE F***! (VOTE ForTRUMP) IM OUT. F*** NEW YORK The KNICKS never win anyway.' He added: 'I dont care Trump doesnt like black people 62% are you out of ya f***ing mind.' Biden has pledged to hike taxes said for those earning more than $400,000, but has insisted there will be 'no new taxes' beyond that. It is not the first time 50 Cent has backed Trump - appearing to show his support for the Republican before the 2016 election. In March 2016 he posted a photograph of the two of them together, with the caption: 'Me and My President maybe, only in America'. 50 Cent also showed support for the president in 2016, posting this Instagram photo in the months before the election

###CLAIM: finn said rather than hold on to the franchise 's symbols and traditions that have been widely respected, the chiefs should consider this as a chance to attract more native fans and make it inclusive. ###DOCS: CNN The Kansas City Chiefs are back for another Super Bowl. And inevitably, so is the longstanding controversy over the NFL teams name and Native American imagery. The racial justice movement that was reignited last summer prompted a number of professional sports teams to re-examine their names, mascots and other fan traditions. Washingtons football team got rid of the slur in its name. Clevelands MLB franchise announced it would drop Indians from its name once it settled on new branding. The Chiefs had their own reckoning. In August 2020, the NFL team announced it would ban fans from wearing ceremonial headdresses and Native American-style face paint in the teams stadium. But they stopped short of changing their name or prohibiting fans use of the tomahawk chop, saying that leadership was reviewing the pregame tradition. The Chiefs said the moves were born out of six years of dialogue with a group of tribal leaders. But for many Native activists, the changes while significant didnt go far enough. Super Bowl LV will be another reminder of the harm and offense theyve long felt. Racism is going to have a global stage on Sunday, said Crystal Echo-Hawk, founder and executive director of IllumiNative, an advocacy group that works to increase the visibility of Native people. As the Chiefs take the field in Tampa, Florida, while the world looks on, heres where the conversation stands and why activists say change is long overdue. How the Chiefs got their nameThe Chiefs are named for former Kansas City mayor Harold Roe Bartle, a White man who impersonated Native American culture. Before becoming mayor, Bartle was actively involved in leadership of the Boy Scouts of America. In 1925, he created the Tribe of Mic-O-Say, a scouting organization that drew on Native American heritage and customs. Bartle was not a Native American, but claimed he was inducted into a local tribute of the Arapaho people, according to Mohawk journalist Vincent Schilling. Bartle was called Lone Bear, and later came to be colloquially known as Chief.Kansas City Chiefs fan displays are seen in downtown Kansas City ahead of Super Bowl LV on February 01, 2021. Jamie Squire/Getty ImagesNearly 40 years later, Bartle served two terms as mayor of Kansas City and helped bring the Dallas Texans football team there. The team was eventually renamed the Chiefs in Bartles honor. The name may seem innocuous. But for Echo-Hawk, the problem is not just the name but the culture of Native appropriation and mockery that flows from it. Its this ecosystem that it creates of bigotry and hate, she said. Its the culture in which fans engage in.Theres the Chiefs home of Arrowhead Stadium. The pregame beating of the drum. The horse mascot named Warpaint. And of course, the tomahawk chop and the accompanying faux war chant. The team has made some changesActivists say the references dehumanize Native people. And they want them gone. When names like the Chiefs are used, it makes that culture a stereotype, said Kate Finn, executive director of First Peoples Worldwide. It confines it to a caricature that really doesnt express the fullness of Indigenous peoples culture.Not In Our Honor, a coalition that advocates against the use of Native American imagery in sports, has long been calling on the Chiefs to change their name and cease use of any Native symbols. In collaboration with other local and national groups, they recently rented two billboards in Kansas City to amplify that message. Change the name and stop the chop, the billboards read. A billboard calling the Kansas City Chiefs to change their name and end the "chop" stands along Interstate 70 in Missouri on February 3, 2021. Orlin Wagner/APThe Chiefs did not respond to multiple interview requests for this story. The team has said they are engaged in dialogue with a group of tribal leaders around issues of cultural sensitivity. Since 2014, the Chiefs have invited tribe members to participate in an annual American Indian Heritage Month game, which includes rituals such as a Blessing of the Drum and a Blessing of the Four Directions.At the height of racial justice protests last year, the team took some steps to address concerns. They banned headdresses and Native American face paint and had cheerleaders perform the chop with a closed fist instead of an open palm. They also said they were considering changes to the beating of the drum and reviewing the tomahawk chop. Camilla Chouteau, tribal council secretary for the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, joined the Chiefs American Indian community working group in November. Personally, she says it would be helpful if the Chiefs changed the song that accompanies the chop, though she hasnt discussed that with the teams leadership. But she doesnt find the other rituals offensive, and says shes encouraged by the Chiefs openness to their suggestions. Change is hard, and getting fans to change behavior takes time, Chouteau said. But activists say those efforts fall shortFor many others, the Chiefs efforts so far have fallen flat. Gaylene Crouser, executive director of the Kansas City Indian Center and a member of the Not In Our Honor coalition, said the Chiefs continued use of their name and Native imagery is made all the more insulting given the NFLs recent rhetoric around fighting systemic racism. The NFL committed $250 million over the next 10 years to fight systemic racism. To further demonstrate that commitment, the league also stenciled two slogans on each teams end zones all season: End Racism and It Takes All Of Us.The Chiefs play on a field with the words "End Racism" stenciled into the end zone. Jamie Squire/Getty ImagesFor Crouser, as long as the appropriation of Native culture and traditions is allowed to stand, the gestures remain hollow. They dial back the blatant racism because they know its harmful, she said, of the changes the team has made over the years. But they dont want to actually change.Finn agreed. Racism is the use of these names, logos, mascots and condoning this fan behavior, she said. If youre going to make a statement decrying racism, then you need to make a statement to decrying these other things as well.Others are pressuring the Chiefs, tooThe damaging effects of Native appropriation in sports have been well documented. In 2005, the American Psychological Association published a resolution calling for the retirement of mascots, symbols and images featuring Natives, citing a body of research that shows such caricatures have negative mental health consequences for Native people. The National Congress of American Indians called for the end of racism in sports and Native sports mascots in a report published in 2013, saying that such imagery perpetuates the idea that Native people are frozen in history.If were a cartoon, how are we going to take seriously tribal sovereignty and water rights and missing and murdered Indigenous women and all these things that need to be addressed and were still working on? asked Crouser. The Kansas City Chiefs and the Houston Texans players meet on the field during a moment of unity before an NFL football game on September 10, 2020. Jeff Roberson/APWith that in mind, advocacy groups are ramping up the pressure on the Chiefs. Thousands of people have signed the online petition. In addition to the billboards in Kansas City, the Not In Our Honor coalition has hired a plane to fly near the stadium throughout the weekend displaying the Change the Name, Stop the Chop message. And the Florida Indigenous Rights and Environmental Equality Organization is leading a protest Sunday outside the stadium where the Chiefs and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will play. Native peoples have been organizing to eliminate racist sports mascots for decades, said Echo-Hawk. Were not going to tire.The Chiefs hometown newspaper has echoed those calls, too. There is no glory in being the last holdout clinging to traditions and symbols that are now viewed as insensitive or even racist, the Kansas City Star editorial board wrote in December of last year. And as other teams have taken action, it has become increasingly apparent that the Chiefs are delaying the inevitable.The decisions made by Washingtons NFL team and Clevelands MLB team to change their names have shown that teams can bring fans together in ways that dont cause harm or offense to Native people, activists say. So instead of holding on to symbols and traditions that are widely considered disrespectful, the Chiefs should consider this a chance to attract more Native fans and make their franchise inclusive, Finn said. This is a moment where the NFL can apply their zero tolerance for on-field use of racial slurs to all races and ethnic groups, especially Native people, she said. Theres a real opportunity there for them to step up and to really be forward in their commitment to end racism.

###CLAIM: among the newborn-born babies, the 62-year-old star posted a photo with one of them resting on a white shirt. ###DOCS: She recently unveiled the first trailer for her delightful looking next film. And on Thursday, Michelle Pfeiffer continued to populate her Instagram feed, this time with a lovely throwback post from when she was a young mother. The Witches Of Eastwick star, now 62, posted a photo of herself in a white shirt with one of her newborn babies resting on her chest. On Thursday: Michelle Pfeiffer continued to populate her Instagram feed, this time with a lovely throwback post from when she was a young motherThe mother-child combo reclined on a plush white sofa. Michelle captioned the post, '#TBT. Way back when. Blissful exhaustion'. She added the emojis for a baby as well as sparkles. Pfeiffer is mother to two children, daughter Claudia Rose, aged 27, and son John Henry, who is 26. Mother, wife and movie star: Pfeiffer is mother to two children, daughter Claudia Rose, aged 27, and son John Henry, who is 26; seen at her Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony in 2007Hollywood power couple: The Love Field actress shares her children with longtime husband David E. Kelly, a writer and producer known for his work on TV shows such as Big Little LiesThe Love Field actress shares her children with longtime husband David E. Kelly, 64. Michelle and David, a writer and producer known for his work on television shows such as Ally McBeal and Big Little Lies, have been married since 1993. Pfeiffer, a three-time Academy Award nominee, will next appear in the comedic drama French Exit. Redhead: Pfeiffer, a three-time Academy Award nominee, will next appear in the comedic drama French Exit; seen recently on Instagram modeling the hairdo for that roleDirected by Azazel Jacobs of The Lovers fame: The movie follows Michelle as a Manhattan socialite who discovers her inheritance has run outDirected by Azazel Jacobs of The Lovers fame, the movie follows Michelle as a Manhattan socialite who discovers her inheritance has run out. She decides to retreat to a small apartment in Paris, France with her wayward son, played by Lucas Hedges. The film is due out in February.

###CLAIM: 1. savage, love and dynamite ( laxed, siren and beat ) with a single-handed control of the list. ###DOCS: A man walks past commercial posters showing K-pop group BTS members outside a duty free shop in ... [+] Seoul on September 1, 2020. - K-pop sensation BTS has become the first all-South Korean act to rule the top US singles chart, industry tracker Billboard announced on August 31, with their English-language "Dynamite" hitting number one. (Photo by Jung Yeon-je / AFP) (Photo by JUNG YEON-JE/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty ImagesAs their new album BE debuts on charts everywhere, usually at No. 1 (and if not, very close to the highest space), several songs from the set stand out as some of the most popular in the world right now. The group snags another leader on an important global ranking, and in doing so, they achieve something no other act has in history. This week, BTSs new single Life Goes On debuts atop the Billboard Global 200, a relatively new ranking published by the chart company that lists in order the most-consumed songs in the world, looking at sales and streaming data from hundreds of territories. The tune, which serves as the latest single from BE, is BTSs third champion on the Billboard Global 200, which is something no other solo musician or group can claim. In fact, the South Korean septet remains the only act to snag more than one leader, so with this latest smash, they put more distance between themselves and every other name which has found itself at No. 1 on the tally. BTS collected the second-ever No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 back in October when their disco-pop giant Dynamite made its way to the throne. The tune would go on to lead the charge for three nonconsecutive runs, making it one of the most successful rulers yet. MORE FROM FORBES BTS Tie Ariana Grande For The Most No. 1 Hits Of 2020In between the three stints at No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 Dynamite enjoyed, BTS earned their second-ever ruler on the ranking with "Savage Love (Laxed Siren Beat), which controlled the list for a single turn. The cut was already a top 10 win for both Jawsh 685 and Jason Derulo, the original artists attached to the horn-laden tune, but once BTS hopped on board a remix, it shot right to the peak position. Now, Life Goes On replaces Bad Bunny and Jhay Cortezs Dakiti atop the Billboard Global 200, giving BTS their third No. 1 on the all-genre competitive chart. At some point in the future, some other star is bound to catch up to BTS and match their run of No. 1s, but it may be some time before that happens. The Billboard Global 200 has only been around since September, so its understandable that there havent been many leaders, at least not yet. By the time another act accumulates a trio of No. 1s, its very possible that the South Korean musicians may have even more wins to their credit.

###CLAIM: the 31-year-old right-hander signed a minor league contract saturday ( 13th ) with the baltimore orioles through february 2021. ###DOCS: FILE - In this Sept. 1, 2020, file photo, Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Matt Harvey throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Indians in Kansas City, Mo. The 31-year-old right-hander agreed Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021, to a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles. He would get a $1 million, one-year contract if added to the 40-man roster, and would have the chance to earn performance bonuses. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)FILE - In this Sept. 1, 2020, file photo, Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Matt Harvey throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Indians in Kansas City, Mo. The 31-year-old right-hander agreed Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021, to a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles. He would get a $1 million, one-year contract if added to the 40-man roster, and would have the chance to earn performance bonuses. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)BALTIMORE (AP) Matt Harvey will try to revive his career with the Baltimore Orioles. The 31-year-old right-hander agreed Saturday to a minor league contract with the Orioles. He would get a $1 million, one-year contract if added to the 40-man roster, and would have the chance to earn performance bonuses. Harvey was 0-3 with an 11.57 ERA in four starts and three relief appearances for the Kansas City Royals. His fastball averaged 94.5 mph, down from 97 mph in 2013. An All-Star with the New York Mets in 2013, Harvey was derailed by Tommy John surgery in October 2013 and an operation to correct Thoracic Outlet Syndrome in 2016. ADVERTISEMENTHarvey went 34-37 with a 3.66 ERA for the Mets from 2012 until he was traded to Cincinnati in May 2018. He moved on to the Los Angeles Angels in 2019 and the Royals in 2020, and is 44-52 with a 4.14 ERA in 144 starts and eight relief appearances. He will try to earn a job in a rotation headed by All-Star John Means. Former All-Star Felix Hernandez and Wade LeBlanc also will be at Orioles spring training with minor league contracts, and rookies Dean Kremer and Keegan Akin also figure to be competing. ___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports The Dark Knight will get yet another chance to rise. Matt Harvey, the one-time Mets ace who later became the clubs reclamation project, will be headed to spring training with the Orioles after signing a minor league contract, according to MLB Network. The 31-year-old Harvey has seen his career go from promising to on the verge of irrelevant after needing thoracic outlet syndrome surgery in 2016. Since, hes posted a 6.09 ERA across 319 innings with the Mets, Reds, Angels and Royals. Last year with Kansas City, Harvey had an 11.57 ERA over 11 2/3 innings after signing a minor league contract with the team. Three of his seven appearances came out of the bullpen, a first for Harvey. It is uncertain if the Orioles plan to use him as a starter or reliever. Harvey, of course, started his career so well. He was an All-Star in 2013 and helped the Mets reach the World Series in 2015, when he was the NL Comeback Player of the Year after returning following Tommy John surgery. But he hasnt been the same since.

###CLAIM: i've always had in the back of my mind this female empowerment thing, wanting her to be stronger than she is, and so on. ###DOCS: Police on Long Island are still seeking the hit-and-run driver who killed Nicki Minaj's father Robert Maraj, as new details emerge about the rapper's rocky relationship with her dad. Maraj, 64, was killed on Friday in Mineola, Long Island after he was struck by a car heading northbound on Roslyn Road at the intersection with Raff Avenue, authorities said. The vehicle sped off too quickly for witnesses to provide a description, and a spokesman for the Nassau County Police Department had no immediate updates on the case when reached by DailyMail.com on Tuesday. Minaj, 38, has not yet spoken out publicly about her father's death, and her publicist did not immediately respond to a phone message from DailyMail.com on Tuesday -- but she has previously spoken out about her difficult childhood and Robert's substance abuse. An undated photo shows Nicki Minaj with her father Robert Maraj, whom she struggled to forgive after her difficult childhoodMinaj, 38, has not yet spoken out publicly about her father's death, and her publicist did not immediately respond to a phone message from DailyMail.com on TuesdayTheir relationship had its difficulties, with Minaj accusing her father of being an abusive alcoholic and crack addict in her youth, but eight years ago she said that he was trying to clean up his act. 'He's still with my mother. He went to rehab and cleaned himself up. Eventually they started going to church a lot, and he got saved and started changing his life,' she told the Guardian in 2012. 'He's away from drugs now. He doesn't instill fear in people any more.' The family has rarely mentioned Maraj in recent years, and his relationship with Minaj and her mother Carol at the time of his death was not immediately clear. Photos show that Minaj and her father, who also went by the name Omar, attended events together at times, evidently attempting to patch things up. Minaj, born Onika Tanya Maraj in Trinidad and raised in New York City, has spoken about her relationship with her father on multiple occasions, often posting photos of the pair sharing loving embraces on social media. Her parents both moved to the United States from Trinidad when she was five years old and raised Minaj in Jamaica, Queens. She has detailed the domestic violence in her childhood home - including an incident in which he tried to burn down their house - and how her father would use crack cocaine. Minaj's father Robert and mother Carol are pictured together in 2013In a 2015 interview with the New York Times, Minaj said that she was never personally physically abused by her father. 'No. He was just abusive,' she said. 'I would always hear him yelling and cursing, always. And it made me feel it was the way to interact, because thats how I saw him interacting.' In 2010 she told Details magazine about how Maraj was allegedly abusive toward her mother, his wife Carol. 'He drank a lot and did drugs, and he would get violent when he did. When he set fire to the house, he was attempting to kill my mother,' she said at the time. 'She got out before it burned all the way down. I've always had this female-empowerment thing in the back of my mind because I wanted my mother to be stronger, and she couldn't be. I thought: "If I'm successful, I can change her life."' Carol Maraj has launched her own music career, as well as a charitable foundation dedicated to supporting victims of domestic abuse. She also has not spoken publicly about Robert's death. Maraj was walking on a road in Mineola at about 6pm Friday when he was struck by a car heading northbound on Roslyn Road at the intersection with Raff Avenue (pictured)Robert Maraj had admitted to having anger issues, but said in a 2012 interview with TMZ that his daughter's account of his behavior was 'exaggerated'. The family had already had a tough year, after Minaj's brother Jelani Maraj was sentenced to life in prison in January 2020 for raping an 11-year-old child. Jelani, 41, was found guilty of 'predatory sexual assault against a child and endangering the welfare of a child' in 2017 and last year, Nassau County Supreme Court Judge Robert McDonald refused to give him a soft sentence. It was despite his lawyer reading a 2016 letter his famous sister wrote in a bid to reduce his time behind bars, calling him the 'most patient, gentle, genuine, giving selfless man I know'. The judge said that his 'view is that you ruined this child'. Anyone with information about the hit-and-run is urged to contact Crime Stoppers anonymously for a potential cash reward at 1-800-244-TIPS.

###CLAIM: in response to news of the complaint in august, a spokesperson for cloudtail said the company would comply with all applicable laws and would not comment in response to the guardians' request. ###DOCS: The Indian competition commission is to relaunch an investigation into Amazons selling practices, which will examine the companys 1bn-a-year joint venture with UK chancellor Rishi Sunaks billionaire father-in-law. The investigation, originally announced in January 2020, will proceed after an Indian court on Friday dismissed pleas by Amazon and its rival the Walmart-owned Flipkart to quash its investigation into the business practices of the huge US retailers. One of the largest sellers on Amazon.in is a company called Cloudtail, a 1bn revenue business that is 76% controlled by Sunaks wealthy in-laws, the Murthy family. The remaining quarter of Cloudtail is owned by Amazon. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) will examine complaints by a traders group that small sellers are being driven out of business because the big US platforms are giving preferential treatment to preferred sellers. Under Indias foreign direct investment law, overseas companies are banned from running an online retailer that holds inventory and then sells the goods directly to Indian consumers online. So instead, US websites such as Amazon.in are run as a marketplace, with Indian retailers selling their products via the site in return for paying the US company a fee. Small traders allege they are being disadvantaged because the US platforms may be favouring a few big sellers, including Cloudtail. The issue is politically sensitive, as it has the potential of enraging millions of small internet retailers who form a chunk of Indian prime minister Narendra Modis political base. A source with knowledge of the CCI investigation confirmed that Cloudtail was included in the wide-ranging antitrust complaint. After the regulator announced its inquiry last year, the US companies denied wrongdoing and a court put the investigation on hold. However, on Friday, Justice PS Dinesh Kumar of the high court in the southern state of Karnataka said he was dismissing the petitions by Amazon and Flipkart, and refused them any further relief, effectively paving the way to restart the investigation. The US companies are thought likely to appeal against the verdict. A spokesperson for Amazon said: We will review the judgment carefully and decide on the next steps.Flipkart did not respond to an invitation to comment. When the competition panel originally ordered its investigation, it listed four alleged anti-competitive practices. These were: exclusive launches of mobile phones by the e-commerce firms; promoting preferred sellers on their websites; deep discounting practices; and prioritising some seller listings over others. Meanwhile, Amazon is also facing a second complaint to the CCI. In August, the All India Online Vendors Association alleged its members were being disadvantaged by Amazon Indias wholesale arm buying goods in bulk from manufacturers and selling them at a loss to sellers such as Cloudtail. Such sellers then offer goods on Amazon.in at big discounts, it is claimed. Sign up to the daily Business Today email or follow Guardian Business on Twitter at @BusinessDeskThe second complaint is understood to still being considered by the CCI in order to decide if it will progress to a full investigation. Amazon has said that it complies with all laws and its India website is a pure third-party marketplace where sellers have discretion to decide product prices. Amazon has also said its wholesale unit allows businesses to buy products and anyone can register on it. Cloudtail did not respond to the Guardians request for comment, but responding to news of the complaint in August, a Cloudtail spokesperson said it was in compliance with all applicable laws in its operations.

###CLAIM: it's been stated time and time again that the only reason a corporation exists is to create a customer. ###DOCS: Climate emonstration in New York Getty ImagesAmong the many positive reactions to my article on Satya Nadellas six key steps in Microsofts digital transformation, were suggestions that Peter Drucker got it wrong when he stated, again and again, that there is only one valid purpose of a corporation: to create a customer. What about the planet? What about society? Multiple North Stars? For instance, In a world of resource scarcity (growing with global warming), tweeted management consultant Dave Snowden, Im less sure - there needs to be a north star or two in responsibility to the planet and society.The idea that a corporation should have multiple primary goals has been popular ever since August 2019 when the Business Round Table backed off its support of maximizing shareholder value and declared that firms should seek to satisfy the needs of all the stakeholders. Stakeholder capitalism is now mantra of Davos, as announced by Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum . Yet if big business were to implement stakeholder capitalism, it would fail for the same reason that it failed in the mid-20th century. Its fatal flaw is that it offers nonviable guidance on what is true north for a corporation. When many big firms attempted to implement it for several decades in the mid 20th century, the perpetual need throughout the organization to keep balancing conflicting claims among stakeholders led to mass confusion and garbage can organizations. Having multiple top goals led to the chaotic reality of organizational decision making in an organized anarchy. Competing goals wandered in and out of meetings: the outcome on any particular issue depended on which particular individuals happened to be present. Even in the calmer times of the mid-20th century, when Drucker formulated his dictum, such internal confusion was sufficiently problematic that an alternative had to be found. The fact that many corporations chose the embarrassingly wrong alternativemaximizing shareholder valueand pursued that nonsensical objectivethe worlds dumbest ideafor half a century, doesnt mean firms have to return to a world of organized anarchy. There was always a better alternative at hand: Peter Druckers dictum of customer primacy. Inside the corporation in the mid-20th century, in the absence of a single North Star, even managers became confused as to which priorities they should be pursuing. The result? The Dilbert-style manager, whose skill set and attitudes were highlighted in Abraham Zalezniks classic HBR article. Managers focus attention on procedure and not on substance. They communicate to subordinates indirectly by signals. And in the absence of clear goals, managers play for time waiting to see which way the corporate wind is blowing. The consequences were horrific. Druckers dictum is even more relevant in the strenuously competitive marketplace of the 21st century, where customers have multiple options at their fingertips, and instant reliable information about those options. Today, a failure to have everyone in a firm obsessed with delivering value to customers is likely to be a fatal flaw. Today, change is no longer incremental: its exponential. Multiple new technologies are upending everythinginstant costless connectivity, infinite data storage, quantum computing, artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, drones, new materials, robotics, nanotechnology, 3D printingthe list goes on. Technology is not merely optimizing processes: it is crushing and recreating business models, collapsing value chains, obliterating borders between industries and even countries, and reshaping the global economy constantly. In such a competitive environment, there is no room for lack of clarity. Customer primacy is the price of survival. What About The Environment? Does that mean that firms should ignore the environment, their staff and other stakeholders? Obviously not. Having an engaged workforce is key to steadily creating and delivering more value to customers. And other things being equal, customers themselves will prefer dealing with firms that treat the environment right. For example, Microsoft is not ignoring the environment: it is already carbon neutral and plans to be carbon negative by 2030. The point is that if Microsoft were not to give primacy to its customers, it might be around in 2030 to help with the environment. Big firms do need to be concerned about their public image. Thus in 1950 a poll found 60% of Americans had a favorable opinion of large firms, but by 2017, that number had declined to 21% in a Gallup poll. Today, politician after politician promises remedial or even punitive action against big business. That was the consequence of maximizing shareholder value for half a century. Reformers cry that firms must put purpose before profit and declare lofty social goals. The Financial Times has illustrated how the addition of wider social purposes risk getting us out of the frying pan of corporate greed and into the fire of corporate confusion. And read also:How Microsofts Digital Transformation Created A Trillion Dollar GainWhy Preachy Social Purposes Are The Second Dumbest Idea In The World

###CLAIM: a grad of azusa pacific university recalls: "i have had so many people like, well you're only 6 weeks old and haven't heard a heartbeat yet. ###DOCS: Vanderpump Rules star Scheana Shay announced Wednesday that she is three months pregnant following the heartbreaking miscarriage she suffered in June. The expecting 35-year-old and boyfriend of a year, F45 Training owner Brock Honey Davies, excitedly posted pictures of themselves holding an ultrasound of their unborn child due in April. Being a mom is something that I didn't think was necessarily going to be possible for me, which is why I froze my eggs twice last year,' Scheana said in the new issue of People - on stands Friday. Bun in the oven: Vanderpump Rules star Scheana Shay announced Wednesday that she is three months pregnant following the heartbreaking miscarriage she suffered in June'I didn't know that I would be able to get pregnant on my own so I'm just so excited that we were able to do this naturally and that everything looks good. I'm so excited to have a healthy baby and hug my baby and just be a mom.' Shay (born Jancan) 'bawled her eyes out' upon discovering they got pregnant so quickly after waiting only 'one period and ovulation cycle.' 'After a miscarriage, I was definitely even more aware of my body, but just so much more cautious and scared...I was just too afraid to lift up a 5lb weight. I was like, "But what if that makes me have a miscarriage?"' the Clearblue brand ambassador explained. 'It was every little thing, which I'm sure was driving Brock crazy because he's like, "You're fine!" But I was just like, "I need to make sure, I need to make sure" and now we've made sure! Everything is good.' 'It's all happening!' The expecting 35-year-old and boyfriend of a year, F45 Training owner Brock Honey Davies, excitedly posted pictures of themselves holding an ultrasound of their unborn child due in AprilScheana said in the new issue of People: 'I didn't know that I would be able to get pregnant on my own so I'm just so excited that we were able to do this naturally and that everything looks good. I'm so excited to have a healthy baby and hug my baby and just be a mom'This time, Scheana made sure closely monitor the progesterone levels in her blood work and 'took supplemental doses of the hormone for a few weeks.' 'Once I got to 10 weeks, I went in for my appointment and [the doctor was] like, "You can stop the progesterone now,"' Shay recalled. 'And I was like, "But I'm not in my second trimester yet," and he's like, "Well, I just did an ultrasound; the placenta is giving the baby nutrients now. Your progesterone is being provided through there." 'And I was just like, "But are you sure?" I was questioning my doctor because I'm just so paranoid and he's like, "You're fine, stop taking it, relax, start working out again."' Parents-to-be: Meanwhile, the 29-year-old Kiwi - a former rugby player - gushed that if he 'knows what love is, it's because of' Shay (pictured Tuesday night)Brock commented on her post: 'We did a thing honey. I'm so happy I have you to balance me out, I love you honey. Congratulations to us'Meanwhile, the 29-year-old Kiwi - a former rugby player - gushed that if he 'knows what love is, it's because of' the SoCal native. 'We did a thing honey,' Brock commented on Sheana's post. 'I'm so happy I have you to balance me out, I love you honey. Congratulations to us.' Among the well wishers on Shay's post were Ta'Rhonda Jones, Nema Vand, Mikalah Gordon, Olivia Caridi, Lisa Ramos, Hannah Ferrier, Paige Desorbo, and Savannah Faith Chrisley. Vanderpump Rules is shaping to become a very different show what with three of the Scheananigans podcaster's castmates - Lala Kent, Brittany Cartwright, and Stassi Schroeder - also expecting their first children. 'OMG!' Among the well wishers on her post were Ta'Rhonda Jones, Nema Vand, Mikalah Gordon, Olivia Caridi, Lisa Ramos, Hannah Ferrier, Paige Desorbo, and Savannah Faith ChrisleyScheana urged other women struggling with infertility to consider the alternatives like freezing your eggs, IVF, adoption, or fostering. 'There's always a way. If you truly want to be a mom, don't give up,' Shay said. 'I really have wanted to put that out there - that you're not alone, I feel your pain and I would not wish this on my worst enemy. It's the absolute worst thing a woman can go through. I have always been an open book and really wanted to share my story so women know that I feel your pain and me too.' The Azusa Pacific University grad recalled: 'I had so many people being like, "Well, you were only six and a half weeks, at least you didn't hear the heartbeat yet." And I'm like, "I still was pregnant. I still planned a whole life for this baby. It doesn't matter if I was six and a half weeks or 12 and a half, I still lost something."'

###CLAIM: vaccines from astra-plc, johnson & johnson and novavax inc have also shown less effectiveness in preventing infection in south africa, where variants are widespread. ###DOCS: [1/4] Vials with Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine labels are seen in this illustration picture taken March 19, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/File PhotoMay 13 (Reuters) - COVID-19 vaccine developers are making ever bolder assertions that the world will need yearly booster shots, or new vaccines to tackle concerning coronavirus variants, but some scientists question when, or whether, such shots will be needed. In interviews with Reuters, more than a dozen influential infectious disease and vaccine development experts said there is growing evidence that a first round of global vaccinations may offer enduring protection against the coronavirus and its most worrisome variants discovered to date. Some of these scientists expressed concern that public expectations around COVID-19 boosters are being set by pharmaceutical executives rather than health specialists, although many agreed that preparing for such a need as a precaution was prudent. They fear a push by wealthy nations for repeat vaccination as early as this year will deepen the divide with poorer countries that are struggling to buy vaccines and may take years to inoculate their citizens even once. "We don't see the data yet that would inform a decision about whether or not booster doses are needed," said Kate O'Brien, director of the Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals at the World Health Organization (WHO). O'Brien said the WHO is forming a panel of experts to assess all variant and vaccine efficacy data and recommend changes to vaccination programs as needed. Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) Chief Executive Albert Bourla has said people will "likely" need a booster dose of the company's vaccine every 12 months - similar to an annual flu shot to maintain high levels of immunity against the original SARS-CoV-2 virus and its variants. "There is zero, and I mean zero, evidence to suggest that that is the case," countered Dr. Tom Frieden, former director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "It's completely inappropriate to say that we're likely to need an annual booster, because we have no idea what the likelihood of that is," Frieden, who now leads the global public health initiative Resolve to Save Lives, said of Pfizer's assertions on boosters. Pfizer, responding to the criticism, said it expects a need for boosters while the virus is still circulating widely. That could change once the pandemic is more firmly under control, a company spokeswoman said. Moderna Inc (MRNA.O) CEO Stephane Bancel aims to produce a vaccine by the fall that targets a variant first identified in South Africa and expects regular boosters will be needed. The United States is preparing to have such doses on hand for Americans, while the European Union, Britain and Israel have ordered new supplies of COVID-19 vaccines to deploy as protective boosters. Some health experts, including Richard Hatchett, chief executive of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) that has funded many vaccine projects, say vaccine makers are right to plan ahead for boosters given the uncertainty over what will be needed in the long run. Governments can then decide for themselves whether to buy the products, he said. "A LITTLE EVIDENCE"Pfizer and German partner BioNTech SE have so far found that their shot remains more than 91% effective for six months after people received their second dose, compared with nearly 95% demonstrated in their clinical trial. The companies will track how robust the protection remains over time. Dr. William Gruber, Pfizer's senior vice president of vaccine clinical research and development, told Reuters earlier this month the prediction for yearly boosters was based on "a little evidence" of a decline in immunity over those six months. Pfizer expects the COVID-19 vaccine to be a major revenue contributor for years, and has forecast sales of $26 billion from the shot in 2021. Global spending on COVID-19 vaccines and booster shots could total $157 billion through 2025, according to U.S. health data firm IQVIA Holdings (IQV.N). Moderna President Stephen Hoge expects boosters will be needed to keep immunity levels high, due in part to vaccine hesitancy, as an estimated 30% of the U.S. population may not agree to be vaccinated. As long as the virus is circulating widely, people at high risk of severe illness may need to boost their immune protection, Hoge said. "All governments are in conversations with (Moderna) and other companies about boosters," he said. BROADER IMMUNITY? Late last year, scientists were optimistic that highly effective vaccines could quickly curb the global pandemic that has battered economies and killed more than 3.4 million people. Those hopes dimmed by February with evidence that mutant versions of the virus might evade protection offered by vaccines. Laboratory studies showed that the South African variant could produce six to eight-fold reductions in antibody levels among people vaccinated with the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. Clinical trial data also showed that vaccines from AstraZeneca Plc (AZN.L), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N) and Novavax Inc (NVAX.O) were less effective at preventing infections in South Africa, where the variant is widespread. These studies spurred drug companies to start testing booster doses of their vaccines and to develop shots that target specific variants of the virus. However, more recent research suggests that the Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines produce high levels of protective antibodies to create a "cushion effect" against the known variants, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and a top White House adviser. And antibodies - which block the coronavirus from attaching to human cells - do not tell the whole story. Several studies suggest that T cells - a type of white blood cell that can target and destroy already infected cells - may help prevent severe COVID-19 and hospitalization. NIAID researchers found that T cells in the blood of people who recovered from the original virus could still fight off infections caused by the concerning variants found in the UK, South Africa and Brazil. "It's quite possible" that boosters would not be needed, Fauci told Reuters. "It is conceivable that the variants will not be as much a problem with a really good vaccine as we might have anticipated." Nevertheless, health authorities in the United States, Britain and Europe are assuring their populations that a new round of shots will be available if needed, with many nations still desperate for vaccine supplies. "It's a huge concern that ... wealthy countries would begin administering booster doses and further constraining supply of people's first dose of vaccine," said Rajeev Venkayya, head of global vaccines for Takeda Pharmaceutical Co (4502.T). Dr. Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease doctor at the University of California, San Francisco, said ultimately, decisions on whether boosters will be needed "will best be made by public health experts, rather than CEOs of a company who may benefit financially." Reporting by Julie Steenhuysen in Chicago and Kate Kelland in London; Additional reporting by Michael Erman in Maplewood, N.J.; Editing by Michele Gershberg and Bill BerkrotOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

###CLAIM: several defendants in the suit filed in new york city say the 14 or 15-year-olds were under the influence of alcohol or drugs when nygard gave them the drugs and then raped them. ###DOCS: WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) A judge on Friday again denied bail to Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard, who was arrested in December on U.S. charges that alleging he sexually abused women and girls he lured with promises of opportunities in fashion and modeling over the last 25 years. Peter Nygard unsuccessfully attempted to appeal an earlier ruling that denied him bail. That means Nygard will await his extradition hearings in jail. Nygard was arrested in December in Winnipeg and faces nine counts in the Southern District of New York. Authorities there accuse the 79-year-old of using his influence in the fashion industry to lure women and girls with the promise of modelling and other financial opportunities. ADVERTISEMENTThe judge who originally denied Nygard bail had cited concerns that he would contact witnesses if released. Federal prosecutors argued that Nygard has the finances and personnel available to assist him in obstructing justice. Nygards arrest on sex trafficking, racketeering and related charges came after the FBI raided his Manhattan offices last year. The raid came soon after 10 women sued Nygard, saying he enticed young and impoverished women to his Bahamas estate with cash and promises of modeling and fashion opportunities. Several plaintiffs in the suit, filed in New York City, said they were 14 or 15 years old when Nygard gave them alcohol or drugs and then raped them.

###CLAIM: read storyjoe and barnello's november 26th photo of the late constance's mother holding their daughter jana in her home in solvay. ###DOCS: Warning: This graphic requires JavaScript. Please enable JavaScript for the best experience. They had survived so much already war and dust storms, cancer and poverty, lost eyesight, lost spouses, lost memories and still went on to find moments of grace inside the corridors of Americas nursing homes. In Windsor, Conn., Johnny James ate chocolate bars with his visiting great-grandchildren. In Lewiston, Idaho, Edna McBride celebrated her 100th birthday. In Providence, R.I., Florence Tilles, who had two knee surgeries, liked to joke she would one day die at the 18th hole of her favorite golf course. One day came on May 30, when 98-year-old Tilles fell victim to covid-19 amid a soaring death toll that included James and McBride and would soon grow to more than 80,000 residents in nursing homes across the country. They suffered alone, in homes locked down to visitors, peering at the masked faces of weary nurses and aides who risked their own lives to be there. The industry and the government could have done far more, watchdog groups have said from the beginning, shoring up infection-control protocols and staffing, delivering stronger oversight of troubled homes and ensuring that coronavirus stimulus payments reached patients and caregivers rather than corporate owners. Instead, 10 months later, thousands of families are learning to live without goodbyes. The 51 residents whose stories are told here, one from every state and the District of Columbia, left behind at least 129 children, 230 grandchildren, 210 great-grandchildren and 41 great-great-grandchildren. Some blame the nursing homes for questionable care. Others say they are enormously grateful for the work of caregivers. Most have put off memorials for when its safe to gather again, side by side, and remember the dead. He was the 12th person to die of covid in Alaska, Susan Peck said of her father, George, who hoped to spend the rest of his life in a log cabin with his wife. But he wasnt just number 12 to us.March 13: As the novel coronavirus begins to spread in nursing homes and elsewhere, President Trump declares a national emergency. This will pass through, and were going to be even stronger for it," he says. 2,547 reported covid-19 deaths in the U.S.Homer Barr, veteran fire captain, was usually first to the blaze. Firefighter Homer Barr with his wife, Velma, her niece Calandro Odom, below, and their daughter Deneen, right. Barr and his wife later divorced. (Family photo) March 28, Tennessee Read the storyHenrietta Woods worked for social justice, voting rights. Henrietta Woods spent years working to help make voting more accessible to low-income families in St. Louis. She often offered rides to those who needed help getting to voting centers. (Family photo) March 30, Missouri Read the storyApril 2: The number of coronavirus cases worldwide exceeds 1 million. George Hawkins loved jokes, jazz and gospel. Malene Lawrence surprises her father, George Hawkins, with a picnic in Central Park on Fathers Day in 1991. They ate his favorite foods and listened to a cassette of his favorite jazz musicians. (Family photo) April 2, Washington, D.C. Read the storyKevin Fortune found peace outdoors. Kevin Fortune with his sisters Kathy, middle, and Janis, right, in Oregon. (Family photo) April 3, Oregon Read the storyJean Massamore painted Americas landscape. Jean Massamore, an artist and activist, with her great-grandchildren Carter Teague and Bella Grace in 2018. (Family Photo) April 4, Kentucky Read the storyCarol Brocks family life centered around the farm. Carol and Frank Brock were married for 68 years. (Family photo) April 5, Washington Read the storyMildred Hill went back to school to learn how to care for others. Mildred Hill spent years as a beautician before going to college to become a certified nursing assistant. (Family photo) April 7, Michigan Read the storyJohnny James helped establish water treatment plants in developing countries. Johnny James at the Kimberly Hall North nursing home in Windsor, Conn., in 2019. (Family photo) April 9, Connecticut Read the storyPatsy Hampton danced through life with her family. Patsy Hampton dances with sister, Myra, at a family dinner in 2012. Hampton loved to dance whenever she could, even at the nursing home and at Sunday night family dinners. (Family photo) April 10, Georgia Read the storyJames Ram Ballen showed how to live a beautiful life. James Ballen and his wife, Anne Black, on their wedding day in 2004. (Family photo) April 12, Vermont Read the storyApril 17: A Washington Post investigation finds that hundreds of nursing homes with publicly reported cases of the coronavirus were cited more than once by government inspectors in recent years for violating federal standards meant to prevent and mitigate the spread of infection. Andrew Greene, his wife, Masie Voy Isabell Greene, and their daughters, Jamillia Laureen Isabell Greene and Jessica Ashley Isabell Greene, in their home in Chicago earlier this month. Greene's brother Roger, a resident at the Villa at Windsor Park nursing home, died on May 24 of covid-19. He was 69. (David Johnson for The Washington Post)John Jack Towne was at home on the water. John "Jack" Towne on the job as a harbor pilot in Newport, R.I. (Family photo) April 17, Maine Read the storyPatricia Plante never stopped learning. Patricia Plante at her best friends wedding in the 1950s. (Family photo) April 17, Arizona Read the storyPhyllis Wyant, born in England, loved her daily cup of tea. Phyllis Wyant, shown here with her grandson in 2018, went with her family every year to the Bellagio in Las Vegas to look at the Christmas decorations. (Family photo) April 18, Nevada Read the storyElla Marie Gremmel DuBois life was shaped by Dust Bowl hardship. Ella Marie Gremmel DuBois with daughter Marjean Brooks in 2018. (Family photo) April 18, Kansas Read the storyApril 20: Nearly 1 in 10 nursing homes in the United States publicly report cases of the coronavirus, The Post reports. Agnes Greene was a fierce advocate for sons education. Agnes Greene sits with musical stuffed animals at the Hampton Ridge Healthcare & Rehabilitation center in Toms River, N.J., in 2017. (Family photo) April 23, New Jersey Read the storyEdna McBride persevered through painful losses. At the Life Care Center of Lewiston, Edna McBride took pride in her appearance, said her daughter Catherine Voss. (Family photo) April 24, Idaho Read the storyAudra Fisher was content caring for family and roses. In 1967, Audra Fisher was a newlywed living in Morgan County, Ohio, with her husband, Weldon. (Family photo) April 25, West Virginia Read the storyEdward Carter, a local celebrity, preferred the quiet life. Ed Carter and his daughter, Kimberly, in South Carolina in 2000. (Family photo) April 28, South Carolina Read the storyApril 29: The number of nursing homes with publicly reported cases of the coronavirus doubles in a week, with more than 1 in 6 facilities nationwide acknowledging infections among residents or staff. Roslyn Pulitzer, a warrior for equality, didnt die alone. Roslyn Pulitzer spent years pressing for womens rights in New York. (Family photo) April 30, New Mexico Read the storyJanice McNelly juggled kids and school, fueled by coffee and books. Jan McNelly with her granddaughter Samantha in 1991. (Family photo) May 8, Iowa Read the storyElizabeth Abrams, left, Angelita Abrams-Rains, center, and Alan Rains stand with an empty chair in place of husband and father Glen Abrams in New Castle, Ind., on Thanksgiving. (Megan Jelinger for The Washington Post) Elizabeth Abrams hugs her daughter Angelita Abrams-Rains in front of a photo of husband and father Glen Abrams. They knew what it was like to be a have-not, and they did not want their daughters to be have-nots, said Katherine Fleming, the couples oldest daughter. (Megan Jelinger for The Washington Post)Richard Dick Doughty, a WWII vet, carried a lifelong love for the ocean. Richard Dick Doughty wears his beach hat. Until he was 90, he swam laps at the Ship Ahoy Beach Club, where he was a member for more than six decades. (Family photo) May 14, Delaware Read the storyMay 17: Weeks into the pandemic, government inspectors cited nursing homes operated by Life Care Centers of America, one of the largest chains in the industry, for violating federal infection-control standards, The Post finds. Lois Juanita French Clinton Brewer connected past, present with her many names. Lois Juanita French Clinton Brewer poses with Santa in 2016 at her nursing home. (Family photo) May 17, Mississippi Read the storyOlga Pura Montoya left Mexico to make a fresh start. Olga Pura Montoya dances at a street festival in St. Paul, Minn., in 2017. (Family photo) May 19, Minnesota Read the storySandra Sue Dooley, a restless spirit, embraced the odds. Sandra Dooley, seen in her high school graduation photo, loved to dress up and wear bright makeup and jewelry. (Family photo) May 20, Nebraska Read the storyCharlotte Pollock, a child of war in Germany, built a life in America. Charlotte Pollock, right, stands with a friend in Germany around 1940. (Family photo) May 21, Pennsylvania Read the storyGloria Adams honed a creative eye and fashion sense. Gloria Adams models a dress and hat that she sewed. (Family photo) May 23, Virginia Read the storyRoger Clyde Greene, science teacher, was beloved by generations. Roger Clyde Greene, far right, took great interest in the education and success of his brothers children. Hes pictured with his nieces, nephew and mother. (Family photo) May 24, Illinois Read the storyRoderick Kunz wooed his wife with poetry. Roderick Butch Kunz with his son Charles in 1961. (Family photo) May 25, Wisconsin Read the storyLowell Parker Dabbs, a professor, helped those in need. Lowell Parker Dabbs spent years teaching literature, English and creative writing at Bakersfield College. (Family photo) May 25, California Read the storyGlen Abrams, born poor, valued hard work and education. Glen Abrams in the kitchen of his farm in New Castle, Ind., in 1999. (Family photo) May 26, Indiana Read the storyJoe Barnello holds a photo of his late mother, Constance, alongside his wife, Inga, left, and daughter Jana at their home in Solvay, N.Y., on Nov. 26. Constance, 93, died of covid-19 in May. (Heather Ainsworth for The Washington Post)Shirley Cosson, with grit and positive thinking, didnt let disease hold her back. Shirley Cosson plays the piano in the 1950s. (Family photo) May 27, Maryland Read the storyLorene Miller, through job at the bank, knew everyone in town. Lorene and Johny Miller on their wedding day in 1943. (Family photo) May 27, Wyoming Read the storyKenneth Alton Millette had an artful eye, ear for music. Kenneth Alton Millette wears his signature outfit in New York in the 1960s. (Family photo) May 27, Massachusetts Read the storyDoris Labrie waltzed with her husband for years. Doris Labrie, pictured in 2014, had a lifelong love for cooking. (Family photo) May 27, New Hampshire Read the storyConstance Barnello was a family matriarch who shared her sweet tooth. Constance Barnello poses with her candy on her 90th birthday in 2017. She kept a stocked candy jar wherever she lived. (Family photo) May 27, New York Read the storyVeola Price Patterson cooked for her neighborhood, church. Veola Price Patterson, a lifelong resident of North Carolina, sang bass in the church choir. (Family photo) May 27, North Carolina Read the storyBillie Lee Turner, a noted plant expert and professor, loved sunflowers. Billie Lee Turner attends the dedication of the Billie L. Turner Plant Resources Center at the University of Texas at Austin in 2017. (Family photo) May 27, Texas Read the storyEthel Lynn Radford, a computer whiz, marched for womens rights. Ethel Lynn Radford stands with two of her children, George and Shari, on Easter Sunday in 1961. (Family photo) May 27, Florida Read the storyBetty Bowersock, dressed in crimson, cheered on the team. Betty Bowersock hugs Damien Williams, a family friend and member of the cheer squad at the University of Oklahoma, in 2000. (Family photo) May 27, Oklahoma Read the storyMay 28: The coronavirus death toll in the United States surpasses 100,000. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls the milestone a heart-breaking reminder of the horrible toll of this unprecedented pandemic.From left, Curtis Lawrence Jr., Malene Lawrence, Corey Lawrence and Curtis Lawrence III pose in their backyard in Washington, D.C., in late November. Malene Lawrence's father, George Hawkins, died April 2 of covid-19. Malene recalled her father saying, If you believe, and youre living a good life and youre being good to other people, death shouldnt scare you.(Shuran Huang for The Washington Post) The Lawrence family prays before their Thanksgiving dinner in Washington, D.C.(Shuran Huang for The Washington Post)Florence Tilles supported children and loved golf, ice cream sundaes. Florence Tilles dances with cousin Keith Arakaki at a family wedding in 2008. (Family photo) May 30, Rhode Island Read the storyLeona Higgins, a miners daughter, found beauty in flowers. Leona Higgins, pictured at 93, when she lived in an assisted-living facility. (Family photo) May 30, Colorado Read the storyJune 1: More than 25,000 residents are dead as the virus continues to sweep through U.S. nursing homes, particularly those with a history of low marks for staffing and patient care, the federal government reports. Irene Collins, deeply moral, grounded friends and strangers. Irene Collins enjoys an evening of live music at her nursing home. (Family photo) June 3, Ohio Read the storyJune 4: Nursing homes nationwide are short on staff and protective gear, including surgical masks, gowns and hand sanitizer, the federal government reports. Veronica Adams loved the soothing sound of words. Veronica Adams smiles during a visit with her sons Justin and Joshua Merchant. (Family photo) June 9, Louisiana Read the storyGeorge Carnegie Smith built a log cabin to share with his wife. George Smith in his late 70s. His personality shows in this one, said Susan Peck, his daughter. (Family photo) June 11, Alaska Read the storyBarbara Jewel Lee insisted on clean drinking water for her family, town. Barbara Jewel Lee and her daughter, Marsha Collins, in December 2019. (Family photo) June 19, Arkansas Read the storyYonne Langseth, with a smooth hook shot, taught kids basketball. Yonne Langseth and her sons Ross, right, and Ron. (Family photo) June 25, South Dakota Read the storyJuly 4: In a Fourth of July address, Trump says 99 percent of coronavirus cases are harmless.Jimmy Lee Reese counseled and prayed for strangers. Jimmy Lee Reese with five of his seven great-grandchildren in 2017. (Family photo) July 11, Alabama Read the storyRalph Jones, deeply religious, lived a simple life. Ralph Jones and his sister Karen Pehrson in 1950 in Salt Lake City. (Family photo) July 24, Utah Read the storyAug. 4: For-profit nursing home providers that have faced accusations of Medicare fraud and kickbacks, labor violations or widespread failures in patient care received hundreds of millions of dollars in no strings attached coronavirus relief aid meant to cover shortfalls and expenses during the pandemic, The Post reports. Christina Wunrow holds a photo of her mother, Olga Pura Montoya, alongside Catie Wunrow and Jeff Wunrow. Montoya died of covid-19 on May 19 in Minnesota. (Nathan Morgan for The Washington Post)William Zerfuss, a Navy man, retired on the beaches of Hawaii. William Zerfuss stands in the printing press with two shipmates on the USS Shenandoah. (Family photo) Aug. 29, Hawaii Read the storySept. 9: A Post analysis of data from more than two dozen states finds the coronavirus death rate is more than 20 percent higher in majority-Black nursing homes compared with majority-White facilities. Teresa Marie Sidor found joy in skiing, family. Teresa Sidor, pictured here as a sophomore in high school, stands in the backyard of her familys home in Great Falls, Mont. (Family photo) Sept. 11, Montana Read the storyViola Ackerman made a home on the family farm for 50 years. Viola Ackerman stands with her husband and four of their children in the early 1950s on their farm. (Family photo) Oct. 7, North Dakota Read the storyOct. 29: As thousands of nursing home residents died, the federal government cleared most facilities of any health and safety violations, including homes that saw widespread outbreaks and deaths, The Post finds. Dec. 21: A nationwide effort to vaccinate nursing home residents begins. Since the start of the pandemic, more than 80,000 men and women have died. An empty chair in the home of Andrew Greene in Chicago. His brother Roger was a science teacher beloved by generations. "All the students liked him," Andrew Greene said. "He was interested in people being educated." (David Johnson for The Washington Post) Gift Article ShareS. Prestley Blake, the elder of two brothers who co-founded the Friendlys ice cream chain in 1935, parlaying the profits from 5-cent double-dip cones into a sprawling empire of eateries, died Feb. 11 at a hospital in Stuart, Fla. He was 106. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight The cause was a gastric blockage, said his wife, Helen Blake. Franklin D. Roosevelt was still a first-term president when Mr. Blake, then 20, and his brother Curtis, 18 at the time, hung out their proverbial shingle in Springfield, Mass., in the summer of 1935. They opened their ice cream parlor with a $547 loan from their parents who wagered that with some industriousness and ingenuity, the two young men could see themselves through the Great Depression and the conviction that cheap sweets and cheerful service would keep the customers coming. Taking stock of their competition, which sold a double-dip cone for a dime, the Blake brothers decided to offer the same treat for a nickel. The gambit worked: Their first evening in business, according to the Springfield Republican, the line out the door kept them open until midnight, racking up sales of 552 cones for $27, plus change, in revenue. AdvertisementIt was grueling work, with one brother making ice cream by night and the other scooping it by day. But if the stress wore on them, they aimed never to let it show, promising customers service worthy of the restaurants name. (At the time it was known as Friendly; the possessive was added in 1989, by which time the chain was on its second corporate owner.) We were friendly guys, Mr. Blake once told the Palm Beach Post. We wanted to give the ice cream parlor a happy connotation to it.In 1940, they opened a second shop in West Springfield, Mass., adding diner food to the ice cream offerings hamburgers to start, as well as grilled cheese sandwiches for the many Catholics in the neighborhood who abstained from meat on Fridays. (Ice cream on cereal, a Friendly experiment, proved less popular.) AdvertisementThe Friendlys milkshake known to generations as the Fribble was originally dubbed the Awful Awful, short, depending on the account, for some combination of awful(ly) big, awful(ly) thick and awful(ly) good. In 1950, Friendly ice cream parlors began offering the take-home ice cream that would later be sold by the gallons in grocery stores. By the next year, the Blakes had 10 restaurants in Massachusetts and Connecticut, according to company history, and by 1974, there were 500 locations in New England and the Mid-Atlantic. As they embarked on their business venture, the brothers flipped a coin to determine who would be president. Curtis prevailed. But as the operation grew, Pres, as Mr. Blake was known, became the debt-averse chief executive, focusing on business matters as his brother tended to employee morale. AdvertisementWe worked very closely for 43 years, Mr. Blake told the Springfield Republican in 2019, when Curtis Blake died at 102. I counted on him to make important decisions.In 1979, the Blakes sold their chain for more than $160 million to Hershey. Under that ownership, the chain grew to include 850 restaurants in 15 states. In 1988, Hershey sold the operation for $375 million to the Tennessee Restaurant Company, which took Friendlys public in 1997. In the early 2000s, dissatisfied with the direction of Friendlys and its dwindling stock price, Mr. Blake purchased a 12 percent stake in the company for $2 million enough to be its largest shareholder. Hes got the fire in his belly, said Curtis Blake, who did not pursue active involvement in the company and publicly objected to his brothers battles with the corporate leadership. He is going to step up and see what he can do. Im not needed.AdvertisementAmong other actions, Mr. Blake sued the chief executive, Donald Smith, over what he alleged was improper personal use of a company jet. The Friendlys board of directors reportedly found no wrongdoing, and an affiliate of Sun Capital Partners, a private investment firm, acquired Friendlys in 2007 for $337 million. Friendlys subsequently underwent two rounds of bankruptcy proceedings, first in 2011, in the aftermath of the Great Recession, and then last year as the coronavirus pandemic ravaged the restaurant industry. Last month, Friendlys and its remaining 130 locations were sold to Amici Partners Group for a reported $1.9 million. Stewart Prestley Blake was born in Jersey City on Nov. 26, 1914. His father became an executive at a clock-making company. His mother, a homemaker, brewed the syrup that was a key ingredient in early iterations of Friendlys coffee ice cream. AdvertisementMr. Blake briefly attended Trinity College in Hartford, Conn., before going into the ice cream business. The Blake brothers closed their operation when the United States entered World War II, displaying a sign promising that they would reopen when we win the war.They shared their first automobile, a Model A Ford that they bought for $50, and nurtured a lifelong interest in cars. In another diversion, Mr. Blake financed the construction near his home in Somers, Conn., a replica of Thomas Jeffersons Monticello estate. Mr. Blakes marriages to Della Deming and Setsu Matsukata ended in divorce. Survivors include his wife of 38 years, the former Helen Lindenmeier Davis of Stuart, Fla.; two children from his first marriage, Nancy Yanakakis of Coral Gables, Fla., and Benson Blake of Stonington, Conn.; a stepson from his second marriage, Naotaka Matsukata of Bethesda, Md. ; three stepchildren from his third marriage, Paul Davis of Melbourne Beach, Fla., Mark Davis of Concord, Mass., and Susan Abello of Stuart; a sister; 16 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. A stepdaughter from his third marriage, Karen Davis Krzynowek, died in 2005. Mr. Blakes philanthropy benefited universities and schools across New England, among other institutions and causes. He was the author, with Alan Farnham, of an autobiography, A Friendly Life. He continued dining at Friendlys until the end of his long life and was partial to the coffee fribble. Read more Washington Post obituariesGiftOutline Gift Article

###CLAIM: he acknowledges the immorality of his daughter 's girlfriend 's proclivities, as demonstrated by her proclivities for everything from hooking up with teenage girls to taking polaroids of her. ###DOCS: Sure, we all know the festering family drama of Woody Allen and Mia Farrow. But do we actually know what we think we do? Or why it matters after all these years? No on both counts, propose Amy Ziering and Kirby Dick in their new HBO docuseries, Allen v. Farrow. The filmmakers present the disturbing possibility that, for decades, the public has been groomed by a master storyteller and his PR machine to accept the unacceptable and blame the victims of sexual abuse. The filmmakers suggest that not only has Allen the celebrated filmmaker devastated one family, his intrigues have rippled through our entire culture. The filmmakers suggest that not only has Allen the celebrated filmmaker devastated one family, his intrigues have rippled through our entire culture to reinforce patriarchal power structures that block survivors of abuse from attaining help or justice. By detailing Allens deft manipulation of a narrative that the public had long accepted, the HBO series questions the familiar yes-hes-gross-but-Mia-is-a-crazy-liar storyline until it dissolves before our eyes. What emerges is a ride on the Gaslight Express, conducted by a narcissistic celebrity-genius with vast resources who leads us far off the track from terrible truths. We see Allens perfected storyline that hes just a guy caught in the snares of fate and the machinations of crazy, lustful and vengeful females set up early on in his films. That line has been unfortunately and insidiously bolstered by one of Allens key influences, Sigmund Freud, who theorized about childrens supposed desire for sexual involvement with their parents. Allens wealth and fame explain a lot about how his career has continued despite allegations of child molestation and claims that he has long pursued teenaged girls. (Allen has steadfastly denied any molestation allegations.) But his showbiz talents helped, too. Consider, as a teen, he was already skilled at performing magic tricks working audiences so they would see what he wanted them to. Later, he finessed a style of conceal-by-revealing semi-autobiographical storytelling in his films and his carefully constructed public persona. A magician can turn darkness into light. He can transform a cunning misanthrope into a lovable nebbish and, as Allen v. Farrow suggests, female victims into hysterical liars. He can make people believe that his allegedly inappropriate relationship with his girlfriends daughter Soon-Yi Previn (then a teenager, according to the docuseries) was just a happy adult love story. With the wave of a wand (and a gullible press), he can turn his partner of more than a decade into a Medea willing to sacrifice her children for revenge. In the process, he made his daughter-accuser appear the unreliable witness to her own life. Most impressive, the filmmakers assert, Allen convinced multitudes that he has never been the aggressor, but always the innocent victim. Presto! Most impressive, the filmmakers assert, Allen convinced multitudes that he has never been the aggressor, but always the innocent victim. To pull off this audacious trick, it helps to have the audience properly primed. Allen v. Farrow claims the artist conditioned fans to pathological behavior by performing a narrative sleight-of-hand in his movies. In Manhattan, for example, it isnt the balding, 40-ish Isaac, portrayed by Allen, who pursues a high school girl, but the teenage Tracey, played by Mariel Hemingway just 16 during filming who chases him. In real life, Hemingway says she was alarmed by Allens aggressive behavior in a kissing scene and his attempt to seduce her after the film wrapped. But in Allens fantasyland, Isaac resists while Tracey insistently comes onto him. Once youve swallowed this, its easier to digest Stardust Memories, where Allens character, Sandy, flirts with girlfriend Dorries 13-year-old cousin and gets aroused by suggesting that Dorrie seduced her own father: Long lingering breakfasts with Dad? Is this getting nauseating?We should be vomiting by now. Were talking about incest. But hey, its just a movie. And Allens so endearing! He channels our romantic longings and makes us feel OK about our insecurities. He gets us. So, we have to be understanding back, right? Thats the contract audiences signed without realizing it. Allen has another ace up his sleeve. Lets call it the Freudian switch-a-roo. The filmmaker has spent decades undergoing extensive Freudian psychoanalysis. He is the bard of the couch populating his work with analysts and the analyzed. Significantly, Freud developed a highly controversial view of childhood sexuality that can provide cover to abusive adults. In a now widely criticized shift, the Viennese doctor abandoned his early revelation of how often kids are sexually abused and offered instead a theory about how they wish to have sex with their parents a.k.a. the Oedipus complex. In the mid-1890s, Freud presented papers on cases of patients, mostly female, with hysterical and neurotic symptoms, finding one thing in common: damaging childhood sexual experiences, often at the hands of fathers. These patients, in his opinion, were so traumatized by the pain and stigma of what theyd gone through that they could only speak about events unconsciously through symptoms. Later, however, Freud flipped the script. These patients were troubled, he decided, not by real experiences, but by fantasies forbidden desires for their own parents. Some speculate that Freud changed his position because as creepy as the Oedipus complex is, it was still better than imagining so many upper-middle class adults preying on their own children. Freud wrote his colleague Wilhelm Fliess of his discomfort with the notion that there could be such widespread perversions against children. Freud was particularly nervous about the charge against fathers including his own, whom he described as a pervert who abused Freuds siblings. In rejecting his earlier theory, Freud upheld a patriarchal power structure that placed the father above any questioning. Consequently, the childs reality would have to be abandoned along with those who corroborate it. Like mothers. Or adult survivors of abuse. This theme of wiping away predation and blaming victims comes through not only in Allens films but in his real-life efforts to discredit Mia Farrow and their daughter, Dylan, when they reported his alleged activities. In media appearance after appearance, Allen questioned their sanity and motives. He painted himself not only as a model father, but a savior, only seeking to rescue Farrows children from their evil mother. Male psychoanalysts provided powerful ammunition. Allen v. Farrow highlights a highly contentious theory known as Parental Alienation Syndrome, promoted by psychoanalyst Richard Gardner in 1985 to describe mothers who brainwash kids into turning against fathers in custody disputes. Though Gardners work is rejected by the scientific community, U.S. courts still sometimes use it to punish mothers and award sole custody to fathers accused of abuse. During Allens custody battle with Farrow, Gardner spoke to the press in favor of the filmmaker. Though the judge rejected Allens custody bid and even ordered him to pay Farrows court fees the theory took hold in the public imagination. The patriarchy has been maintained. The public stayed aboard this runaway train of confabulations, rolling over reported victims of abuse and the people who stood by them. Allen continues to be admired as both man and artist. Even when he acknowledged his amorality and demonstrated his proclivities in everything from hooking up with teenage girls to taking erotic Polaroids of his girlfriends daughter. The public stayed aboard this runaway train of confabulations, rolling over reported victims of abuse and the people who stood by them. Today, Allens narrative rushes full speed ahead with his claim that documentarians Ziering and Dick had no interest in the truth. Truth, as we have seen, is what he says it is. All else is a lie. Freud was right before he was wrong. Child sexual abuse is common and widespread. According to the National Center for Victims of Crime, 1 in 5 girls and 1 in 20 boys have suffered it. In Stardust Memories, Allens Sandy boards a train to stop a girlfriend who has caught him in lies from fleeing. Im not evil, he says with a wily grin. Just ridiculous. He kisses her, the train takes off. Away they go. Allen v. Farrow blows what perhaps will be the final whistle on Allens Gaslight Express. Its time for all of us to get off.

###CLAIM: the flashing lights matched the night sky as users posted short videos of debris that experts say burns up as a chinese rocket re-enters the earth's atmosphere. ###DOCS: Social media in Queensland, Australia lit up on Thursday night, matching the flashing night sky as users posted short videos of what experts later said was debris from a Chinese rocket burning up as it re-entered the Earths atmosphere. I thought it was a meteorite at first, but later as it split, my mate and I began thinking it was space junk, said Jasper Nash, who filmed one of the videos circulating on social media. It was very fascinating.Professor Jonti Horner of the University of Southern Queenslands Centre for Astrophysics said the light show came from the re-entry of a Chinese rocket launched in November 2019, carrying a satellite into orbit. Others with less expert knowledge were at first spooked by the display. I initially thought it was something other than space debris, said Jack Robins, another observer who took to social media to post video. To be honest I freaked out for a second until I realized.

###CLAIM: saima and bibi, who work as domestic helpers, said the vaccine was hard to get but not impossible without using their phones. ###DOCS: A Pakistan province said Friday it will block the mobile phones of people refusing to get Covid-19 jabs, in the latest move to penalise the unvaccinated in a country where only a fraction of the population have been inoculated. It comes after Sindh province said civil servants who refuse to be vaccinated will not be paid from July. A third wave of infections has begun to stabilise in Pakistan after weeks of tough restrictions, and in Punjab the countrys most populous province which includes the megacity of Lahore demand for jabs has slowed. At first this was only a proposal, but people have been very hesitant in getting vaccinated so the decision was made, said Hammad Raza, spokesman for the Punjab Primary Health department. He said the state telecoms agency will decide how to implement the measure. Pakistans nationwide vaccination rollout has ramped up in recent weeks with more than 200,000 doses administered most days, but it adds up to only a fraction of the 220 million population. Almost 10.5 million doses have been administered, with China supplying most of the vaccines. But concerns about the side effects of the jab, coupled with misinformation that it causes infertility or death within two years, have sparked vaccine hesitancy. Pakistans education level is low. People are also spreading rumours and misinformation about the vaccines, Salman Haseeb, the head of Pakistans Young Doctors Association, told AFP. So information campaigns by the government wont work for the short-term. They will have to make use of the law to ensure everyone gets vaccinated.The measures were met with concern by some Pakistanis in Lahore. It will be hard for me if I cant use my phone, but I am very scared about the vaccine, said Saima Bibi, a domestic worker in Lahore. You cant force someone to get vaccinated, added Farwa Hussain, a teacher in Rawalpindi, who has already received a shot. It makes me a little suspicious.Under new incentives, those who do get vaccinated will be allowed access to cinemas, celebration halls, and shrines, while restrictions will be lifted on businesses in districts with more than 20 percent of the population protected. Mobile vaccine centres will also be set up outside shrines to reach people in rural areas. Pakistan has recorded more than 940,000 infections and 21,500 deaths, but with limited testing and a ramshackle healthcare sector, many fear the true extent of the disease is much worse. National data also shows that around 300,000 recipients of the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine havent returned for a second dose.

###CLAIM: even in the heat of this current political moment, the issue of where to draw the line between ic's massive surveillance power and its domestic use requires profound consideration. ###DOCS: As a former member of the Gang of 8, the top Senate and House members briefed on our nations most sensitive intelligence, I am very familiar with the powerful collection tools and authorities possessed by the U.S. Intelligence Community. As chairman and the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, I had the responsibility for leading the committees oversight of the myriad capabilities each of Americas intelligence agencies possesses. Whether it is in space, cyber, electronic or human intelligence, Americas intelligence professionals certainly generate a "wow factor," and it was always reassuring knowing the "IC," as it is often called, was a powerful force arrayed against foreign enemies abroad to protect us at home. A recent charge from former Obama-Biden era CIA Director John Brennan should give all of us a moment of pause. Brennan stated on MSNBC that the Biden administration is "now moving in laser like fashion to try to uncover as much as they can about what looks very similar to insurgency movements that we've seen overseas." He went on to list potential targets as an "unholy alliance frequently of religious extremists, authoritarians, fascists, bigots, racists, Nativists, even libertarians." REP. MARK GREEN: CANCEL CULTURE EERILY SIMILAR TO COMMUNIST CHINA PLAYBOOK TO CONTROL ITS PEOPLEGiven Brennans history, such a charge from him should not be taken lightly. After all, it was Brennan who was forced to admit his agency had spied on the U.S. Senate when it was investigating the CIA. And Brennan also played a central role in pushing the now-discredited Russian collusion conspiracy that animated years of investigation and inaccurate media coverage of the Trump administration. The issue itself, however, is larger than Brennan even if he serves as the prime illustration of the concern. The issue on where to draw the line on the massive surveillance powers of the IC and its use domestically requires profound consideration even in the heat of this current political moment. In the analyses and investigations completed after the 9/11 terrorist attack, one of the key recommendations was to break down the "wall" between domestic law enforcement and foreign intelligence agencies. The 9/11 attacks included perpetrators based domestically and internationally, and there was legitimate concern the "wall" had potentially prevented the sharing of information that could have helped disrupt the plot. After considerable debate, the 2004 Intelligence Reform and Terrorist Prevention Act (IRTPA), which I helped author, included among its many provisions reform of the relationship between domestic law enforcement and foreign intelligence. The "wall" was breached, increasing opportunities for law enforcement and the IC to work together and coordinate activities. Supporters of IRTPA believed strong provisions had been put in place to enable cooperation but prevent our spying capabilities from being weaponized to target Americans. There were doubters on the left and right, and the Obama-Biden era targeting of the Trump campaign proves the doubts indeed had some merit. As we hear calls from political leaders proclaiming, "the enemy is within," I urge my fellow citizens to take a step back and ask whether we as Americans want our foreign surveillance apparatus turned against us. As we hear calls from political leaders proclaiming, "the enemy is within," I urge my fellow citizens to take a step back and ask whether we as Americans want our foreign surveillance apparatus turned against us. I have witnessed the power and capabilities of the IC, and I will state unequivocally we most certainly do not. They IC operates by law to protect us from foreign threats, and the rules reflect the fact that foreigners do not enjoy the same constitutional protections as U.S. citizens. We want this awesome capability to protect our nation from threats abroad, not to target our fellow citizens. CLICK HERE TO GET THE OPINION NEWSLETTERThe tools necessary to protect us from international threats must remain singularly focused on the real threats that continue to exist beyond our borders. An Intelligence Community that has the lines blurred between foreign intelligence and domestic spying will lose the support of all Americans and becomes a real threat to our freedoms. We must never let our Intelligence Community be weaponized against our citizens again. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

###CLAIM: 29 large uncontestable wildfires have been burned in the united states, the national interagency and coordination center said saturday. ###DOCS: A Colorado fire that's been burning since mid-August flared up anew Saturday amid warm, dry weather and high winds, prompting new mandatory evacuations, authorities said. The Cameron Peak Fire, the largest wildfire in state history, burned through 187,537 acres with 57 percent containment, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The blaze west of Fort Collins thrived as gusty winds blew in ahead of a cold front. The fire has been burning so deep into fall that it snowed more than once, halting progress temporarily but ultimately having little longterm impact, said Cass Cairns, a multi-agency spokeswoman for the incident. "It dries out really quickly," she said. The new evacuations were announced Saturday by the city of Loveland. The evacuation map appears to cover more than 100 square miles. Larimer County Sheriff's Office spokesman Jered Kramer said Saturday that evacuation notices have been sent to 3,000 recipients in the last 24 hours. A Saturday report from the National Interagency Coordination Center said, "Several communities threatened." Investigators have not determined what caused the fire, which started Aug. 13.d This week's wind event was the fourth since mid-August, each occurring before a cold front that brought little relief, Cairns said. Experts have said this year's record fires in the West correlate to climate change. The fire season in Colorado usually ends in September, Cairns said. Ski resorts often start opening in October, but this year some will contend with the Cameron Peak Fire. A spokesman for Loveland Ski Area didn't immediately respond to a request for information. The resort said in a press release Monday that it had received nearly 6 inches of snow Oct. 11 and was producing manmade powder. Last year it opened on Oct. 25, but no opening date has been set yet for 2020. The National Weather Service forecast a high temperature near 70 Saturday for Loveland. The agency warned of "hazardous weather" caused by winds up to 50 mph. Rain and snow were possible Sunday night before warm temperatures were expected to return. The high winds kept water- and retardant-dropping aircraft grounded Saturday, she said. The Cameron Peak Fire comes during a devastating year for wildfires in the West, including the August Complex Fire in California, that state's largest ever. The National Interagency Coordination Center said Saturday there are 29 large, "uncontained" wildfires burning in the United States. Besides local, state and federal firefighters, U.S. Marines and even crews from Mexico have been dispatched to quell some of them, it said. Comment on this story Comment Gift Article ShareA fast-moving, rapidly growing wildfire erupted Saturday and expanded to more than 8,788 acres by Sunday morning in northwest Boulder County, Colo., prompting the evacuation of at least 3,000 people and sending hikers and campers fleeing to safety. The fire is just 5 percent contained, and low clouds grounded firefighting aircraft this morning. There were a number of aircraft on order, Boulder County Sheriffs Office Division Chief Mike Wagner said in a news briefing. Wagner said the fire already ranks as the largest blaze in Boulder County history based on its acreage, and damage assessment teams have not yet been able to access all areas of the fire to determine how many homes and other structures have been lost. On Sunday evening, the Sheriffs Office released a list of damaged or destroyed structures, and it includes 26 homes destroyed. We anticipate that more buildings will be added to this list as the team gains access to additional areas impacted by the fire, the office stated on its website. AdvertisementThe conflagration grew rapidly Saturday in parched vegetation from an initial spark, exhibiting extreme fire behavior, including rotating columns of flames and smoke and an orange glow that was visible for miles as 60 mph winds blew the blaze southeast. The fires cause is under investigation. The small community of Jamestown, about 15 miles northwest of Boulder, was evacuated Saturday, and the town of Lyons, home to more than 2,000, is under an evacuation warning on Sunday. AdvertisementIn addition to the CalWood fire, another blaze named the LeftHand Canyon Fire also erupted in Boulder County Sunday, causing officials to evacuate the community of Ward. Satellite imagery indicated the fire was growing on Sunday afternoon. Even as a scientist studying extreme weather & wildfire in a warming climate, I was shocked by how fast #CalwoodFire roared down the Colorado Front Range foothills this afternoon. This is footage of one of several large fire vortices I observed while leaving area. #COwx @nplareau pic.twitter.com/9yJRdNo14X Daniel Swain (@Weather_West) October 18, 2020The entire state of Colorado is in drought conditions, according to the latest update of the U.S. Drought Monitor, with nearly 60 percent of the state enduring an extreme drought or worse. This is the first time that the whole state has been affected by drought since 2013. Human-caused climate change is sparking more frequent and intense wildfires in much of the West, along with an extension of the wildfire season, studies show. The forecast for firefighters battling the blaze is mixed. A cold front passed through the region late Saturday, bringing a shallow layer of cold air with higher humidity. However, in the foothills of the Rockies, where the blaze is burning, conditions are drier and winds are forecast to remain gusty throughout the day Sunday and pick up in intensity Sunday night. AdvertisementWind gusts to 60 mph are forecast for areas above 8,000 feet in the vicinity of the CalWood Fire, especially after midnight through sunrise, the National Weather Service forecast office in Boulder stated in an online technical forecast discussion. There is a chance the strong winds make [it] as low as 6,000 ft [in] elevation, the Weather Service stated. Smoke from the fire is expected to foul air quality in Boulder and northern parts of Denver on Sunday. The Cameron Peak wildfire in northern Colorado grew to more than 187,000 acres Oct. 17 as fire crews race to contain the blaze. (Video: The Washington Post)The CalWood Fire is not the only major late-season blaze burning in Colorado. The Cameron Peak Fire is located to the north, just west of Fort Collins. At about 200,000 acres, it is by far the largest wildfire on record in Colorado. This is a very serious situation at the #CalwoodFire burning northwest of #BoulderCO. This area is populated with mountain homes. Its also very dense with camping and hiking trails.... Taking into account how fast this fire has spread so far, I hope everyone makes it out ok. pic.twitter.com/KSBkhbpjZk James Dougherty (@DoughertyKMGH) October 17, 2020In addition, the East Troublesome Fire is active near Grouse Mountain, to the west of Rocky Mountain National Park. Smoke from these fires can be seen on satellite imagery, drifting across the country. These fires are not typical for Colorado during OctoberNormally in October, Colorado sees winter weather beginning in earnest, with mountain snows and changeable conditions, oscillating between springtime temperatures and winter, along the Rocky Mountain Foothills, including Boulder. AdvertisementHowever, so far this year, precipitation has been far below average, and winter has not asserted itself. 1-week EDDI (evaporative demand) was off the charts for most of Colorado and the High Plains. The data are showing what we're all experiencing: hot temperatures, dry relative humidities, and very windy conditions. The result? Out of control fire days and haboobs. #cowx pic.twitter.com/aaUrzbfk0M ColoClimateCenter (@ColoradoClimate) October 16, 2020According to the Colorado Climate Center, which is part of the Colorado State University atmospheric science department, from 1992 to 2015, it was unheard of for large wildfires of more than 11,000 acres to ignite in the Rocky Mountain state so late in the year. The Colorado blazes also come amid the worst wildfire season on record in California, where well over 4.1 million acres have gone up in flames, destroying more than 9,000 structures and killing 31. The acreage burned this year is more than twice the area in the states previous record-worst fire season, in 2018. This years fires include that states largest, the August Complex, the states first gigafire on record, at more than 1 million acres in size. Large fires also are burning in Utah and other parts of the West, stretching firefighting resources thin. GiftOutline Gift Article

###CLAIM: as a morose screenwriter, cage seems the only other person the academy would like to nominate as the hero who played the alter ego of charlie (adaptation) and the dimwit twin (kaufmans) in a 2002 work of art. ###DOCS: Round about the time an acquaintance of mine got a Nicolas Cage tattoo those mournfully stretched features and wide, restless eyes eerily emblazoned on her forearm I realised that his career, already one of many corners, had turned another. Having moved through the phases of indie oddball, Oscar-winning serious thespian and multiplex marquee name, he seemed at risk of becoming a direct-to-DVD trash king, an ignoble joke. If theres any joke here, however, Cage and his loyal cult have decided to be in on it. Cue a 2021 comeback plan that includes playing himself in the forthcoming action comedy The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, playing Joe Exotic in the inevitable Tiger King dramatisation, and hosting Netflixs quirky new documentary series History of Swear Words. The show does what it says on the tin, albeit not in great depth or detail: its real raison detre is getting Cage to swear with lavish, regal dignity, and he holds up his end of the bargain. Its a long way from the mid-1980s, when the young Cage seemed bound for a career playing a narrow spectrum of lunkheads. He was winningly goofy in Martha Coolidges offbeat teen romcom Valley Girl (1983; on iTunes), while his uncle Francis Ford Coppola threw him a couple of bones. He was a suitably brooding ensemble presence in Rumble Fish (1983; on Chili), but by the time he graduated to a major role in 1986s Peggy Sue Got Married (on Amazon Prime), he seemed on another planet to everyone else in Coppolas dinky retro fantasy. By 1987, Cages persona clicked into place. He was so perfectly mismatched with Cher in Moonstruck (on Amazon Prime Video) as to be irresistible, even if no film would ever cast him quite so swooningly again, while his screwed-up screwball energy in the Coen brothers Raising Arizona (1987; on Chili) was so in tune with theirs, you have to wonder why they never collaborated again. Screwed-up screwball energy: Nicolas Cage in Raising Arizona. Photograph: Allstar/20th Century Fox/SportsphotoFull-tilt Crazy Cage arrived soon after in Vampires Kiss (1988; on iTunes), which may still be his greatest performance. As a yuppie literary agent turning swiftly and manically into a creature of the night, he plays it like Patrick Bateman with every inward impulse turned flagrantly outwards. He deserved Oscar consideration for it, though that eventually came in 1995. Cage won for his sensitive, shaded turn as an alcoholic screenwriter in Mike Figgiss Leaving Las Vegas (on Google Play), a film that was extravagantly acclaimed on its release, though now seems just a little put-on in its gloom. The Academy, it seems, only likes Cage as morose screenwriters: his only other nomination came for heroically playing Charlie Kaufmans alter ego and said alter egos dimwit twin in Adaptation (2002; on Netflix). The Oscar sealed Cages status as a star, which he then unexpectedly parlayed into a brash action-man transformation. Its a shift that gave us the enduring explosive theatrics of The Rock (1996; on SkyGo) and Face/Off (1997; on Chili), though precious little else from that era is a keeper. Beginning with his bizarre casting as a depraved cop in Werner Herzogs frankly demented Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009; on Amazon Prime Video) a film that, love it or hate it, does feel like a genuine meeting of two unhinged minds Cage has let his freak flag fly again. His best vehicle in ages: Nicolas Cage in Mandy. Photograph: AF/AlamyIn Panos Cosmatoss psychedelic, lava-soaked revenge horror Mandy (2018; on Chili), the actor found his best vehicle in ages. As with his snakeskin-clad rockabilly turn in David Lynchs Wild at Heart (1990; on Amazon Prime Video), hes at home in film-making that matches him for volume and eccentric extravagance. Watching him underplay rather well, as in David Gordon Greens solemn Texas coming-of-age tale Joe (2013; on Curzon Home Cinema) somehow feels like more of an act. Once hes through sending himself up on Netflix, Cage is likely to surprise us several times more. Also new on streaming and DVDFolkloric surrealism: This Is Not a Burial, Its a Resurrection. This Is Not a Burial, Its a Resurrection(Mubi)Making its UK debut via Mubi next week is one of the most extraordinary films I saw in 2020: a rare shot of cinema from the enclaved southern African country of Lesotho. Lemohang Jeremiah Moseses starkly original vision blends rustic verite with soaring, folkloric surrealism in its study of a widowed 80-year-old villager (the late South African veteran Mary Twala, in an exquisite screen farewell) standing quietly firm against government orders to move from their ancestral land captured as a series of vast, brilliant but not-too-postcardy landscapes and skyscapes. Both a powerful environmental parable and a hard-gazing, devastated character study, immersed in unfamiliar cultural and geographical detail, it is not to be missed. Liberte(Second Run, 18)Radical Spanish auteur Albert Serra hit on something bewitching with his languid historical drama The Death of Louis XIV, but this Sadeian erotic all-nighter it takes place from dusk to dawn, but feels that long too is a misfire, strangely dreary for a period fantasia featuring all manner of pansexual body-fluid frolics. It has its champions, though, and Serras technique remains pristine. Miss Juneteenth(Sky Cinema, 15)A bright supporting presence in the likes of Steve McQueens Shame and TVs Black Mirror, Nicole Beharie has long deserved a leading vehicle as substantial as Channing Godfrey Peoples warm, thoughtful mother-daughter drama. As a former Texas beauty queen trying to steer her daughter away from her own past errors, she gives the film a beating but broken heart.

###CLAIM: after a survey of the nominees that saw younger singers cover the nomination, the organization of the multi-millionaire pop sensation bts emerged as the winner with the song " dynamite". ###DOCS: The Kids' Choice Awards returned Saturday night for its second slime-filled virtual award show of the coronavirus pandemic. Saturday Night Live star Kenan Thompson took over hosting duties from last year's host Victoria Justice. Favorite Collaboration and Favorite Male Artist were both handed out to the same artist and the first big performer of the 2021 show, Justin Bieber, who was introduced by his model wife Hailey Bieber. Show stopper: Justin Bieber treated viewers of the 2021 Kids' Choice Awards to multiple performances and won two awards for Favorite Collaboration and Favorite Male Artist; pictured with QuavoNo words: He didn't bother with an acceptance speech after first and just let his single do the talking for himHe didn't bother with an acceptance speech after first and just let his single do the talking for him. The pop superstar was joined by masked backup dancers as he carefully danced around the motes of burbling slime. He performed his inspirational song Intentions, which included a guest rap verse from Migos member Quavo. At the end of the performance the two danced ankle-deep in the slime. Later in the show, Justin returned for another song, this time in a no-frills performance outdoors while fronting a band. He opened with his new single Hold On, which was released earlier this month and will be featured on his upcoming studio album Justice. Loving display: Justin's model wife Hailey Bieber introduced his first performanceMoving: He performed his inspirational song Intentions, which included a guest rap verse from Migos member Quavo. At the end of the performance the two danced ankle-deep in the slimeFresh air: Later in the show, Justin returned to perform his new single Hold On, this time in a no-frills performance outdoors while fronting a bandKenan opened the show with a trip piloting a giant orange blimp across the US, with special stops to the Statue of Liberty and the Grand Canyon, which he filled to the brim with slime. Anna Kendrick was the first person to take home a blimp for the evening Favorite Voice from an Animated Movie for her role as Poppy in Trolls World Tour. Presenting the award was Anthony Anderson, who was unmissable in a hot pink double-breasted suit as he hopped between platforms while trying to avoid the slime. YouTube star David Dobrik was a fighting present for Favorite Female Social Star, which went to Charli D'Amelio. The Nickelodeon blimp got sucked into the Upside Down from Stranger Things after it won Favorite Family TV Show. Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo and Noah Schnapp were all on hand for virtual speeches. Figures: YouTube star David Dobrik was a fitting presenter for one of the early blimps, Favorite Female Social StarEarly win: Charli D'Amelio won the award for Favorite Female Social StarSlimed! 'I see all of your edits and all of the super sweet comments and it just fills my heart up with so much joy,' she gushed, before becoming the first winner to get totally drenched with green slimeDown under: The blimp got sucked into the Upside Down from Stranger Things after it won Favorite Family TV Show. Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo and Noah Schnapp gave virtual speechesBefore announcing the nominees for Favorite Reality Show, Lin-Manuel Miranda appeared virtually, only to have trouble with his face being covered by filters on his computer screen. He fixed the technical issues, only to get slimed from the comfort of his own home. The slimed Broadway star announced the award for the long-running series America's Got Talent, with host Terry Crews and judges Sofia Vergara and Heidi Klum coming out to accept the award in person. The three all jostled for who would give the acceptance speech for fear of having slime dumped on them. But after delivering thank-you speeches for each other, they lucked out and left the stage totally dry. He joked about have FOBO, or 'fear of blimping out,' but they solved the problem by having two viewers at home announce the winner virtually for Enola Holmes star Millie Bobby Brown, who also won for Favorite TV Actress, the first time someone had won both awards in 20 years. 'To win both TV and movie actress, so for that I'm incredibly grateful. I've had my triumphs, my struggles, and I'm incredibly grateful for all the women over the world who continue to redefine and shape women on TV and movies,' she said in her virtual acceptance speech. After a survey of the nominees, which saw them covered by younger singers, the K-pop sensation BTS emerged triumphant for its song Dynamite. The singers and rappers all posed individually with the blimp while thanking their tireless BTS Army. Colorful display: Tiffany Haddish arrived in a vibrant sea starcovered dress to announce Robert Downey Jr. as Favorite Movie Actor for DoolittleBig hit: Downey's film Doolittle was a box office failure but apparently a hit with Kids' Choice Awards fansSurprise! Downey ended his speech with, 'Lastly, I'd like to thank my friends at Giorgio Armani for loaning me this' just as he was blasted with gobs of thick slime, before adding that he would now be dry cleaning the suitRobert Downey Jr.'s Avengers: Endgame follow-up Doolittle was a box-office bomb that failed to break even, but it warmed the hearts of Kids' Choice Awards voters after presenter Tiffany Haddish pumped them up. The former superhero star accepted the blimp for Favorite Movie Actor for the kid-friendly fare in person. He arrived in meme-worthy pointy sunglasses and gave a special shoutout to his 'son Exton who can make a sipping straw that is nine feet long and my darling daughter Avery who sometimes thinks she's a cat named Mary.' 'Lastly, I'd like to thank my friends at Giorgio Armani for loaning me this' he continued, just as he was blasted with gobs of thick slime, before adding that he would now be dry cleaning the suit. Jennifer Garner added a dose of star power when she walked out to introduce the Generation Change Award. She cued up Vice President Kamala Harris, who presented the award to the viewers, whom she called 'young leaders.' Miranda Cosgrove and her iCarly cast mates Jerry Trainor and Nathan Kress made an appearance late in the ceremony to ostensibly give out the award for Favorite Movie, though they were mainly there to plug their upcoming iCarly reboot. The movie's star, Gal Gadot, looked lovely in a squiggly striped yellow halter dress as she beamed while accepting her award. As is tradition with Kids' Choice Awards hosts, Kenan did his best to avoid getting slimed throughout the show, only to be drenched in the green goo at the end of the show, while streamers rained down on him. Better luck next time: As is tradition with Kids' Choice Awards hosts, Kenan did his best to avoid getting slimed throughout the show, only to be drenched in the green goo at the end of the show

###CLAIM: hannah tries to convince the boss (tina, rebecca, scroggs, vincent and regan's fellow detectives billy and murdoch, doing a scottish accent so i can insist all the time that if the world dictators become repressive, then i will never be allowed to do so unless absolutely vital to the plot, so the decision to miss their contact meeting and their way to it is pure odd. ###DOCS: Channel 4s new drama Before We Die is based on a Swedish series of the same name. It figures: viewing it felt exactly like watching something where all the important things had been lost in translation. A pace that might perhaps have fostered a sense of dread in the original here tips over into simple slowness. The story shifted from Stockholm to Bristol follows senior police detective Hannah Laing (Lesley Sharp). Hannah is being forced to do a desk job in the hope that it will encourage her to retire and make way for new blood, a story that unfolds no more than steadily. She is on bad terms with her son, Christian (Patrick Gibson), because, two years before the story proper begins, she had him arrested for drug dealing during a nightclub raid. (To be fair, she thought he would get a suspended sentence rather than the prison term he ended up serving. Weve all been there with our recalcitrant teens.) She is on extremely familiar terms with her married colleague Sean (Bill Ward) and they are beginning to look to a future together, when he disappears halfway through a phone call to her, while on his way to meet a contact. We next see Sean hanging from the rafters of an abandoned warehouse, being beaten and tortured by a man with an eastern European accent who appears to be thoroughly exercised over Krajina, a word he shouts repeatedly into Seans battered, upside down face. A series of flashbacks shows Sean supporting Christian in prison and after the boys release. When Christian realises the eastern European family which owns the restaurant he is dishwashing in might be using it as a front for nefarious activity, he tips his father-figure off. Ergo, embroilment of the pair. Back in the present, Hannah is trying to convince her boss, Tina (Rebecca Scroggs), and fellow detective Billy Murdoch (Vincent Regan, doing a Scottish accent that is triggering all my repressed urges to become a world dictator, purely so that I can insist that, unless absolutely vital to the plot, actors are never allowed to do accents again) that a policeman going missing halfway through a phone call and on his way to meet a contact is decidedly odd. Again, we must be fair, however, and note that she has not yet told them that she found his smashed burner phone on the roadside where his car was last seen. When she eventually does, they get to work. All this takes place via a script that seems to have been run through Google Translate and given to the actors without amendment. Glad youre doing OK, says Hannah to Christian when they semi-mistakenly meet at his fathers party, after what happened. You mean after what you did! he exclaims. Elsewhere, exposition lands like rocks until the poor actors are marooned in the rubble. How well do you know Sean? asks Hannah of Billy as they try to hack into Seans laptop looking for something that could suggest how or by whom he might be imperilled. Not at all really, replies Billy. Said he was investigating an eastern European drug connection. Asked my advice. Wait, what? Why dont they look into that! Is that your speciality? asks Hannah idly, as she sifts through some papers on the floor. Allegedly, says Billy. Thats why I was seconded here. So, not allegedly at all then, but in some very recognisable, probably state-authorised way? From the National Crime Agency? says Hannah, sounding bored, because filling in character details IS boring. Aye, says Billy. Before that, it eventually clunks out, he was in MI5. I hope his Russian accent is better than his Scottish one. Despite all the brilliant work we have all seen Sharp, Regan and Ward do over the years, and perhaps because of the script, the acting is poor from the protagonists. It is also downright woeful from peripheral characters. Their dire performances make Before We Die such a weak, bleak, affectless hour that it almost becomes compelling again, albeit for all the wrong reasons. At the very least, it makes you appreciate the level of quality that we have come to take for granted in television dramas. The pace picks up a little towards the end, as mother and son become unwitting contacts and co-investigators of what by then is Seans murder. Whether it continues, and whether it will be enough to redeem the whole, remains to be seen.

###CLAIM: bowman shares the viral meme clip about paul and bremer's civilian administration in iraq following the 2003 u. s. invasion. ###DOCS: Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) poked fun at President Trump's ban from Twitter, using the popular meme clip of the moment U.S. officials announced the capture of Saddam Hussein. Bowman took to Twitter on Friday to celebrate the news, sharing the viral meme clip of Paul Bremer, the civilian administrator for Iraq following the 2003 U.S. invasion. 'Ladies and gentleman, we got him,' Bremer said in the famous clip announcing the capture of Hussein, which is followed by raucous applause. Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) took to Twitter on Friday to celebrate the news, sharing the viral meme clip of Paul Bremer, the civilian administrator for Iraq. 'Ladies and gentleman, we got him,' Bremer said in the famous clipA photo, donated to and made available by www.military.com and reportedly showing former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein moments after his capture by US forces in a farm house outside Tikrit, Iraq, 14 December 2003The representative's sharing of the clip followed an earlier tweet where Bowman slammed the platform for continuing to allow the president to continue tweeting from his account. '@Twitter why is Donald Trump still out here tweeting after inciting a fascist mob,' he asked. 'Suspend his account!' The 79-year-old Bremer is aware that he's become a viral meme, as reported by the Daily Beast in 2018 when the video first began recirculating. During that summer, people circulated the clip when blasting public figures and celebrities. Most notably, Tekashi 69 and Drake both have their own subgenre of the meme dedicated to allegations of liking underage girls. The clip is often combined with the 2012 pop song Baby Im Yours by Breakbot. The representative's sharing of the clip followed an earlier tweet where Bowman slammed the platform for continuing to allow the president to continue tweeting from his account'@Twitter why is Donald Trump still out here tweeting after inciting a fascist mob,' he asked. 'Suspend his account!' 'Many times I couldn't figure out what the connection was with the announcement,' Bremer explained to the Daily Beast, sharing his initial surprise with their popularity. 'How are the words fitting into the memes?' Bremer is blamed for helping fuel the Iraq insurgency by disbanding the Iraqi Army and for banning high-ranking members of Saddam's Baath Party from the government. Twitter announced Friday evening that it was officially banning Trump from the platform after he incited a mob of supporters to descend on the Capitol and wreak havoc. Following the display of chaos, Trump took to Twitter to ask his supporters to go home while sharing his adoration for them and still promoting baseless claims of voter fraud. Bremer is blamed for helping fuel the Iraq insurgency by disbanding the Iraqi Army and for banning high-ranking members of Saddam's Baath Party from the government. He is, however, aware of how popular the clip has become'After close review of recent Tweets from the @realDonaldTrump account and the context around them we have permanently suspended the account due to the risk of further incitement of violence,' Twitter said Friday. 'In the context of horrific events this week, we made it clear on Wednesday that additional violations of the Twitter Rules would potentially result in this very course of action. 'Our public interest framework exists to enable the public to hear from elected officials and world leaders directly. It is built on a principle that the people have a right to hold power to account in the open. A pro-Trump mob breaks into the U.S. Capitol on January 06Following the mob's assault on the Capitol, Trump took to Twitter to offer support to his followers while asking them to stop their attackBut he continued on with more baseless claims of voter fraudTwitter announced Friday evening that it was officially banning Trump from the platform'However, we made it clear going back years that these accounts are not above our rules and cannot use Twitter to incite violence. We will continue to be transparent around our policies and their enforcement.' President Trumps Facebook and Instagram accounts remain locked until at least January 20th amid fears that he will incite more violence, after his supporters stormed the US Capitol building in Washington D.C. on Wednesday. The decision was announced by Zuckerberg on Thursday. Snapchat blocked Trump on Wednesday morning. The platform said their locking of his account was indefinite. On Thursday, streaming site Twitch announced it had indefinitely suspended the president's account.

###CLAIM: after setting out and trying to silence witnesses emma and walker, rainey ( from great yarmouth ) was killed when gray pushed down the stairs with lawrence pretending the deaths were an accident. ###DOCS: A woman has been jailed for 13 years after killing her 60-year-old friend by pushing her down the stairs in a row over 200 owed for a cancelled Moroccan holiday. Rosalind Gray, 56, was once pictured on a mobility scooter with a brick in one hand, a walking stick in the other and a cigarette balanced between her teeth. She owed grandmother Linda Rainey 200 after their trip to Marrakesh was cancelled because of a flight mix-up. The two women exchanged messages in which Ms Rainey asked for her money back and Gray called her a 'nasty old troll'. Rosalind Gray, 56, was once pictured on a mobility scooter with a brick in one hand, a walking stick in the other and a cigarette balanced between her teethThe jury were told of some of the 5,493 text messages exchanged between Gray and Ms Rainey from December 24, 2018, until July 31 last year. They argued again when they unexpectedly met up at the home of mutual friend Adrian Lawrence, 54, in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. Norwich Crown Court heard how the row led to Gray pushing Ms Rainey in the chest at the top of the stairs so she went flying backwards and landed at the bottom with a fatal brain injury. The mother-of-five died two days later on August 7 last year without regaining consciousness after having her life support turned off in Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge. She owed grandmother Linda Rainey (pictured) 200 after their trip to Marrakesh was cancelled because of a flight mix-up. Rainey was killed after Gray pushed her down the stairsGray, of Great Yarmouth, and Lawrence set out to pretend her death was an accident and tried to silence witness Emma Walker, who had been in the flat. But Ms Walker spoke to police three days after Ms Rainey's death, on August 10, and revealed what happened. Gray was cleared of murder, but a jury took less than two hours to find her guilty of manslaughter at an earlier trial. She and Lawrence were also convicted of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice between August 5 and August 12 last year. Judge Stephen Holt gave Gray an extended sentence of 13 years in prison followed by four years on licence, and jailed Lawrence for 38 months. The court heard Gray had seven previous convictions for 25 offences including arson with intent to endanger life for which she received a 10-year jail term in 2010. Gray (pictured) of Great Yarmouth, was cleared of murder, but a jury took less than two hours to find her guilty of manslaughter at an earlier trialJudge Holt said Gray was 'entirely responsible' for the death of Ms Rainey and insisted she 'couldn't care less' about it. He told her 'it should have been blindingly obvious to you that pushing someone backwards down stairs was high risk.' Judge Holt described Lawrence as the 'main mover' in trying to cover up the killing and hailed the bravery of witness Ms Walker who came forward to police despite facing pressure to stay quiet. He added that both defendants had shown a 'complete lack of empathy and remorse'. Ms Rainey's daughter Louise Pierce read a victim impact statement on behalf of her family, describing how her mother had been 'snatched from us' and that 'losing her has been so painful'. Gray and Ms Rainey argued when they unexpectedly met up at the home of mutual friend Adrian Lawrence (pictured), 54, in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. Judge Holt described Lawrence as the 'main mover' in trying to cover up the killingShe said the sight of her mother in hospital would stay with her forever and questioned how the defendants - who were supposed to have been her friends - could act as they did. Ms Pierce said: 'It breaks my heart that I will never get to call her to ask her advice on anything, whether it's to do with my daughter or how to make Yorkshire puddings, something I always got wrong without her reminders!' She added that she her family also had the 'trauma' of having to go through two trials after the jury had to be discharged in the first trial earlier this year. The trial heard how Gray and Lawrence told Ms Walker to hide in another room when paramedics arrived to treat Ms Rainey as she 'couldn't be trusted to stay quiet'. They later threatened her to keep quiet at a meeting in a pub, but she found the courage to come forward. Prosecutor Andrew Jackson said Ms Rainey's death would have been an 'undetected perfect murder' if it had been put down to a tragic accident. He described Gray as having a 'propensity for violence'. One message allegedly sent by Gray described Ms Rainey a 'nasty old bag'. Ms Rainey's (pictured) daughter Louise Pierce read a victim impact statementAnother sent by Gray at 10.11pm on July 30 called her former friend 'vile' and a 'nasty old troll' and urged her to 'enjoy your lonely life'. Ms Rainey replied that Gray owed her 200. In the last message between them at 12.02am on July 31, she said 'come on sweet, bring it on'. Gregory Bull, defending Gray, had been in the flat for just 20 or 25 minutes before the incident and insisted it was 'not a case of premeditation or any form of planning'. Mr Bull said there was 'no evidence to say this was a ferocious attack or a really hard push'. He said there had been no viciousness from Gray towards Ms Rainey, describing it as a 'spontaneous push' which 'happened in a flash'. Andrew Oliver, defending Lawrence, who has nine convictions for 17 offences, said custody was 'inevitable'. He said Lawrence was an alcoholic and had been drinking 'a huge amount of alcohol' at the time. Mr Oliver said it was not sophisticated or well planned and was an 'immediate reaction to a fast-moving incident'. Lawrence, who appeared by videolink, apologised to Ms Rainey's family, saying: 'I can't ask for forgiveness, but I hope they accept my apology.' Gray posed for her picture of her on the mobility scooter with a brick in June 2018 with a social media caption saying: 'lol you can take the girl out of Hemel but you cant take Hemel out of the girl lol I found this thing outside the pub with a brick in the basket it tickled me lol x'Detective Chief Inspector Mike Brown of Norfolk Police said: 'The sentencing reflects the seriousness of Rosalind Gray and Adrian Lawrence's actions that night and in the days following Linda's death. 'I would like to thank the witness for their bravery and assistance throughout our investigation and during the trial. 'Without their honest and consistent account of the circumstances leading up to, and during the days after the incident, we may not have ever known the truth behind Linda's untimely and tragic death. 'While Linda's family have seen justice, nothing can make up for their loss and I can only hope the sentence will go some way in helping them during this difficult time.'

###CLAIM: residents looked on as firefighting and rescue teams picked through the debris of buildings that collapsed in rio das pedras alone since thursday, and more than 150 notices were also issued. ###DOCS: A father and his four-year-old daughter were found dead and four people, including his wife were injured, after an illegally constructed building collapsed in a Rio de Janeiro favela on Thursday. Rescue workers pulled out the tiny body of Maite Gomes at 10:20am local time and the recovered the remains of her father, Natan Gomes, around noon, Brazilian online news portal G1 reported. Gomes' wife, Kiara Abreu, 27, was pulled out alive from under the rubble at 9:20am and was rushed to Miguel Couto Hospital. Nataniela de Souza, 28; Antonia Conrado, 38; and Jonas Rodrigues, 29, were also hospitalized after members of a search and rescue team which consisted of more than 100 firefighters and other public safety workers. The extent of the survivors' injuries is unknown. Kiara Abreu (left) was one of four people who survived the collapse of an illegally built building in Rio de Janeiro. Her daughter Maite Gomes (center) and her husband Natan Gomes (right) were the only two casualties in the accidentFirefighters search for more survivors after pulling some from the debris of a four-floor building that collapsed overnight Thursday in the Rio das Pedras favela of Rio de Janeiro. At least two people, including a four-year-old girl, were confirmed dead and four others were injuredLocal residents said they heard a booming noise followed by a fire, causing panic in the western slum of Rio das Pedras after building collapsed around 3am. Other nearby residences were also damaged. The structure consisted of four small homes built atop one another, according to a spokesperson for the Fire Department. Gomes was the manager of an internet cafe located in the first floor of the building and lived in one of the floors above with his wife and daughter. Authorities have not said if the three other survivors are related to the couple. The accident has underlined the precarious state of many structures in parts of the city where authorities say organized crime is heavily involved in construction. The cause of the collapse is under investigation, police said. Rio das Pedras is the birthplace of Rio de Janeiro's so-called 'militias,' and it remains firmly in the grasp of the organized crime groups. While originally created to defend inhabitants from drug gangs, militias - which consist of former cops, soldiers and firefighters - now act as crime outfits in their own right. Kiara Abreu with her daughter Maite Gomes (center) and her husband Natan GomesThe construction in Rio das Pedras, a working class area in west Rio de Janeiro, collapsed around 3:20amMore than 100 firefighters and other public safety workers rushed to the scene. A man, a woman and a child were buried, authorities saidThe construction in Rio das Pedras damaged nearby residences as it collapsed (pictured, firefighters check over damage caused to other houses)Local residents said they heard a booming noise that was followed by a fire, causing panic in the western neighborhood of Rio das PedrasThese groups have grown in power in the last two decades, operating increasingly complex, profitable and deadly rackets throughout the city. Among their money-making operations, they build residential structures without official permission or approval, and rent the buildings out, sometimes to disastrous consequences. The building that collapsed on Thursday was not approved by authorities, sources involved in the rescue said. 'With me, militias are not going to build any more crap in this city,' Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes said Thursday. Residents looked on as firefighters and rescue teams picked through the debris of a building that collapsed in Rio das Pedras on Thursday morningAccording to Rio's Department of Conservation, since January more than 180 irregular buildings have been demolished in the West Zone alone, and more than 150 notifications were also issued. A notification is the first step toward demolition, the department said. City officials said they had blocked access to seven buildings close to the fallen structure, and all 20 of its residents were relocated. Maria Augusto da Silva, who lives in the building opposite the one that collapsed, said she started screaming when she heard a terrifying noise in the middle of the night. 'I was desperate, I thought this was the end of the world,' she said. 'I asked God that it saved me and my family. But the noise kept going and going.' In 2019, a militia-constructed building in the adjacent neighborhood of Itanhanga collapsed, killing two. The collapsed building consisted of four small homes built precariously atop one another, according to a spokesperson for the Fire DepartmentFirefighters pulled a woman alive from the debris of the collapsed building on Thursday morningFirefighters are joined by a rescue search dog as they continue to look for victims of a building collapse in Rio das Pedras, west Rio de Janeiro

###CLAIM: most people who earn little or no pay are routinely exposed to toxic chemicals and other hazardous conditions. ###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.

###CLAIM: need emergency support measures to avoid further economic damage accompanied by a sudden lock-down under a four-tiered restriction imposed across a large swath of england. ###DOCS: Such sycophancy would have embarrassed the official broadcaster of a tinpot dictatorship. Back at the end of July, during the coronavirus interregnum and after the deaths of 40,000 Britons, the BBC cast Rishi Sunak as Superman in a video detailing his plan to save the UK economy. After considerable uproar, the broadcaster removed the cartoon for editorial reasons, saying that the illustrations struck the wrong note. But it is indisputable that after Dishy Rishi was plucked from obscurity by the now fallen Dominic Cummings, large chunks of the commentariat and the wider electorate went gooey-eyed over the chancellor. In homage to his flagship eat out to help out scheme, restaurants named meals after him, newspaper front pages lauded him as DR FEELGOOD TO THE RESCUE. In mid-April, according to a YouGov poll, over half the country believed he was doing a good job (just 9% thought he was doing a bad job). His approachable demeanour and wearing of hoodies on Instagram makes him appear different to your average ToryBut many ministers were responsible for Britains worst national crisis since the second world war, and Sunak was undoubtedly one of them. Eat out to help out described as ingenious by the Daily Mail is the most obvious of his failures. According to a Warwick University study published two months ago, while the scheme cost around 500m, the economic effects were short-lived, and up to 17% of new Covid-19 clusters could be attributed to it. Who could have imagined that encouraging large numbers of people to congregate in confined indoor spaces would provide a fertile environment for the spread of an extremely infectious virus? The Conservatives may have cruised to a landslide victory by toppling Labours red wall, but Sunak who, thanks to his marriage, has a greater family fortune than the Queen shows no more understanding for the plight of average voters than a traditional Tory. This weekend he called for home workers who built up savings to go on a spending spree when the pandemic ends. If the chancellor thought household spending was key to Britains economic recovery (which is understandable, given that the gutting of manufacturing has made consumer spending the engine of its economy), then he would not be slashing the real-terms pay of the public sector key workers that he applauded from the steps of No 11. Meanwhile, Sunaks failure to support raising the UKs statutory sick pay which is among the worst in Europe has made it financially impossible for many to self-isolate, undoubtedly contributing to the spread of the virus. It gets worse: the lockdown suddenly imposed across large swathes of England under tier 4 restrictions has so far not been accompanied by the emergency support measures necessary to avoid further economic damage. There is an even more serious argument to be levied against a chancellor who has presided over one of the worst peacetime recessions of any major economy. Britain locked down too late and reopened its economy with a faulty test-and-trace system, which because of the ideological predispositions of the government was handed to shambolic private contractors. Any future public inquiry worth its salt would thoroughly investigate why Britain, despite having advance warning of the severity of the virus from Italy and Spain, ended up one of the worst-hit nations on Earth, and with an economic fallout to match. But we dont need to wait for a public inquiry particularly if its an establishment whitewash to attribute responsibility to politicians who fought most vigorously against the introduction of the measures necessary to contain the virus. There is a fashion for blaming the failure to keep Covid under control on Boris Johnsons inability to take tough decisions because of his desire to be liked. But the Tory politicians Sunak included who resisted Covid measures may have been a bigger factor in the governments inept pandemic response. According to excellent investigative reporting by the Sunday Times, Sunak led the forces within the cabinet who opposed firm action. When scientists recommended a circuit-breaker lockdown in mid-September, Johnson was reluctantly minded to back them, but Sunak resisted on economic grounds and invited a minority group of scientists who are sceptical of lockdowns to speak to No 10, which is rather like drawing on the evidence of experts who defy the scientific consensus on the climate emergency to advise on environmental policy. As a consequence of the governments delay, infections spiralled, deaths mounted and an even more punitive lockdown had to be imposed in November, albeit too late to bring coronavirus rates down to anywhere near the level needed to suppress the virus. Sunak remains popular, but his approval ratings are based on his association with a job retention scheme that was less generous than those of other European nations, and his approachable demeanour aided by a penchant for wearing hoodies on Instagram which makes him appear different to your average Conservative politician. Senior Labour figures believe that, were he to assume the premiership, he would represent a different electoral challenge to that posed by the incumbent: less likely to cut through in the red wall but more likely to appeal to middle-class liberals in seats such as Putney and Canterbury (despite his impeccable Brexit credentials). But when identifying the men responsible for this national calamity, Sunak ranks second only to the prime minister himself. Rather than incompetence, it was an ideological commitment to protecting private economic interests that led Britain to the precipice. Thats why lockdown was delayed, workers were prematurely encouraged back to offices, and test and trace was outsourced to the likes of Serco. Chief among those ideologues was Sunak. As the death toll and economic devastation for which he shares responsibility only builds, how perverse that his ill-gotten reputation remains intact.

###CLAIM: among taiwanese, the des moines register\/mediacom iowa poll released tuesday said the approval rating is underwater with 43 percent approving of the job bidens has done in office and 52 percent disapproving. ###DOCS: NEWS AND OPINION:Tickets are already on sale for The History Tour: Donald Trump & Bill OReilly, a four-city series featuring the former president and the veteran broadcaster set to take place in December. Ticket prices range from $106 to $7,506 according to Ticketmaster. These will be wonderful but hard-hitting sessions where well talk about the real problems happening in the U.S., those that the fake news media never mention. I will be focusing on greatness for our country, something seldom discussed in political dialogue, Mr. Trump said in a recent statement. His future partner, Mr. OReilly, meanwhile, revealed the origins of this intriguing pairing in a new interview. I said to myself, I dont know what the deuce happened during four years inside the Trump White House. I dont know how they got that coronavirus vaccine in seven months, which is a miracle. I dont know what Trump said to Vladimir Putin and vice versa, I dont know why the border wall didnt get built. I dont know anything because the corporate media didnt report anything. They either hated him or they loved him. You never got just the facts, Mr. OReilly told Talkers Magazine editor Michael Harrison in a new podcast. So I thought, how can I right this wrong? I think the American people are stronger when they know the information, when they know what happened. So I said, Ive got to convince Trump to go out on a history tour with me. It wasnt an easy pitch, Mr. OReilly said, revealing that he journeyed to Mar-a-Lago, Mr. Trumps Florida home, to present his idea. Ive known Trump for 30 years, and I wrote a pretty good book called the United States of Trump, which explained exactly how he got elected. But the book stopped there, he continued. So I said, You know Mr. President, if you want to run again or be a political titan going forward, you really have to get facts about your administration on the record. Theres nobody better than me to do it, because I am a pretty tough interviewer. And if you come with me, its not going to be a rally, Mr. OReilly explained. It took him two months, but he signed a contract to do four interviews. And if they do well and he doesnt punch me in the mouth which is a possibility and that would be worth the price of the ticket well do more, he concluded. Mr. Harrison conducted the interview on June 11 and released it to PodCastOne.com, a digital network. Mr. OReilly, meanwhile, can be heard on the OReilly Update, a daily national radio feature syndicated by Key Networks. BIDENS HONEYMOON IS OVER IN IOWAEnthusiasm for President Biden appears to be cooling in the Hawkeye State. Bidens approval rating among Iowans is underwater six months into his term in office, with 43% approving of the job he is doing and 52% disapproving, said a Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll released Tuesday. Thats a reversal from the last time the question was asked. In March, by a narrow margin, more Iowans approved of the job Biden, a Democrat, was doing as president (47%) than disapproved (44%), the news organization said. Mr. Bidens handling of the COVID-19 pandemic was the only issue which garnered a positive rating for the president; he won approval from 53% of the respondents. The remaining responses were tepid at best, and sometimes downright dismal. The poll found that a mere 29% of Iowans approved of Mr. Bidens efforts on immigration, 35% approved his work in criminal justice, 40% on the economy, and 45% on infrastructure. The percentage of Iowans who say the nation is on the wrong track has risen to 59%, up from 51% in March, while 31% say the nation is heading in the right direction. Thats down from 38% in March. Ten percent say they are not sure, the poll analysis said. Just 4% of Republicans say the nation is headed in the right direction, while 92% say its on the wrong track. For Democrats, 69% say things are headed in the right direction, and 20% say theyre on the wrong track. For independents, the breakdown is 26% right direction, 59% wrong track, the analysis said. The poll of 807 Iowa adults was conducted June 13-16 by Selzer & Co. and has an error margin of 3.5 percentage points. MEANWHILE IN WISCONSINThe National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Tuesday that it had designated a 962-square-mile area of Wisconsins Lake Michigan as a national marine sanctuary. The Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary will protect 36 historically significant shipwrecks 21 of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The federal agency says that Lake Michigans cold, fresh water has helped preserve the lost vessels. Several of the known shipwrecks are essentially intact and look much like they did when they sank. The area also includes Wisconsins two oldest known shipwrecks, and archival research suggests there may be dozens more yet to be discovered, the federal agency said. FOXIFIEDFox News bested rivals MSNBC and CNN in the June 14-20 week, earning 2.2 million primetime viewers on average, according to Nielsen Media Research. This is the 18th consecutive week Fox News has emerged as No. 1. The network also ruled the airwaves during President Bidens summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva, delivering 3 million viewers. Tucker Carlson Tonight and Hannity both enjoyed audiences of 2.8 million while Unfiltered with Dan Bongino was the top weekend cable news show for the third week in a row with 1.6 million viewers. POLL DU JOUR 40% of U.S. adults strongly agree that democracy is the best form of government; 43% of Republicans, 35% of independents and 54% of Democrats agree. 26% overall somewhat agree it is the best form of government; 23% of Republicans, 28% of independents and 29% of Democrats agree. 8% somewhat disagree; 7% of Republicans, 9% of independents and 6% of Democrats agree. 8% overall strongly disagree; 12% of Republicans, 12% of independents and 2% of Democrats agree. 18% are not sure; 16% of Republicans, 17% of independents and 8% of Democrats agree. SOURCE: An Economist/YouGov poll of 1,500 U.S. adults conducted June 13-15. Kindly follow Jennifer Harper on Twitter @HarperBulletin. Jennifer Harper can be reached at jharper@washingtontimes.com. Seeing QAnon adherents puzzle their way through reality is a bit like watching Donald Trump try to sound out a raw vegan menu. Eventually he orders the portobello mushroom steakand then we sit back and wait to see his face contort into ever-lower depths of bafflement as he deluges his entree with enough ketchup to drown a baby rhino. And that's before the German carob cake shows up. At some point, the Q folks all changed their internal default font to Zapf Dingbats, and now literally nothing they say makes any sense to anyoneexcept their fellow travelers. The latest? They can't imagine why Donald Trump is promoting a December tour with Bill O'Reilly when he's supposed to be back in the White House in August and O'Reilly is presumably scheduled for a series of painful face-splotchectomies. Newsweek:QAnon supporters have acted with dismay and confusion after Donald Trump announced the December dates of his upcoming speaking tour with Bill O'Reilly, which coincides with when he is meant to have already been reinstated as president. ...The announcement was shared by a number of popular QAnon telegram accounts, one of which has nearly 75,000 subscribers on the encrypted messaging service app. Supporters of the radical movement expressed concerns that Trump going on a speaking tour later this year surely means that he will not be returning as presidenta false claim they have continued to believe since he lost the 2020 election more than seven months ago. I really wonder what these people will do when Sept. 1 comes around and Trump is still ensconced, Taft-like, in his toilet. How many times can they move the goalposts before theylike the QAnon people themselvesare on another planet? According to the announcement, Trump and O'Reilly have several December dates scheduled in Florida and Texas. But if Trump really thinks he'll be back by thenwhich has been widely reported to be the casethen why is he fixin' to go on tour with Pile O'Bile-y? Newsweek collected several alarmed responses from QAnon cultists posting on Telegram about this vexing bait-and-switch. A sampling:"OK I GUESS MY QUESTION IS TRUMP COMING BACK? WHY WOULD HE BE DOING A TOUR THRU THE END OF THE YEAR WITH O'REILLY. HMMMMMMMMM SOMETHING DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT?" Telegram user Peace Lilly"So nothing will happen until December?" Tina N."Man I sure hope we don't have to wait that long before you're back in office." Jack Miller"So basically the August thing is a bunch of bull because a reinstated President doesn't go on tour." Angela BaldwinOh, Angela Baldwin, you are sharp. I imagine that's exactly how Archimedes felt just before shouting "Eureka!" Of course, many QAnoners and other Trumpy dead-enders are hanging their hopes on either Pillow Man Mike Lindell's barmy assurances or the Arizona fraudit, which they believe will touch off a domino effect wherein one blue state after another falls back into Donald Trump's column. Because there's zero chance that the most vulgar, deceitful man on the planeta man who never polled over 50% percent approval at any time during his presidencycould have possibly lost a national election. Of course, some QAnoners appeared to be hedging their bets: "It's only a few dates close together...it could be done if it works out like it should...could cancel....but yup..kinda a gut punch statement," one wrote. "But we are in an information war, so who the hell knows." Who the hell knows? Not you, that's for sure. But most of us do, oddly enoughbecause we're not getting our information from rando kookaburras on Telegram. And, yes, it's possible that Trump will cancel his serial sexual harasser tour with O'Reilly, but not because he'll be president. It'll be because his muscles have taken on the texture of Gerber's mashed pears and he can't get through the auditorium doors without a crowbar and a can of Crisco. Or maybejust maybehe'll be defending himself in court. A man can dream, right?

###CLAIM: 1. the united nations has embraced a proposal to write a new treaty governing cybercrime to replace the budapest convention of 2001 which moscow rejected as too intrusive. ###DOCS: Comment on this story Comment Gift Article ShareRussias campaign to control the Internet isnt just a secret intelligence gambit any longer. Its an explicit goal, proclaimed by Russian President Vladimir Putin as a key element of the Kremlins foreign policy. Sign up for a weekly roundup of thought-provoking ideas and debates ArrowRight Putin complained during his annual address to the Russian federal assembly on April 21 that the United States and other western countries are stubbornly rejecting Russias numerous proposals to establish an international dialogue on information and cybersecurity. We have come up with these proposals many times. They avoid even discussing this matter.Asking for international dialogue takes some nerve, coming from the worlds biggest cyberbully a country that notoriously meddled in the 2016, 2018 and 2020 U.S. elections, and has engaged in similar Internet mischief throughout the world. Controlling the information space, as the Russians sometimes call it, has long been an intelligence priority for Moscow. AdvertisementRussia is waging its cyberdiplomacy offensive on two fronts: First, the United Nations has embraced Russias proposal to write a new treaty governing cybercrime, to replace the 2001 Budapest convention that Moscow rejected because it was too intrusive. And second, Russia is lobbying for its candidate to head the U.N.s International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and use it to supplant the current private group, known as ICANN, that coordinates Internet addresses. Follow David Ignatius 's opinions FollowThese international regulatory battles sound obscure, but they will help determine who writes the rules for Internet communications for the rest of the 21st century. The fundamental question is whether the governance process will benefit authoritarian states that want to control information or the advocates of openness and freedom. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stressed on Tuesday the importance of this contest. There are relatively few items that are ultimately going to have a greater impact on the lives of people around the world than the ITU post. It may seem dry and esoteric, but its anything but. And so were very, very actively engaged on this front, Blinken said in an email message, elaborating on comments he made to me during an April 7 interview. AdvertisementRussia outlined its ITU game plan in unusually forthright comments by Ernst Chernukhin, the foreign ministrys special coordinator for political use of information and communications technology. He spoke on April 21, the same day Putin made his speech. The optimal option . . . would be transferring Internet management prerogatives specifically to the ITU, as it is a specialized U.N. body, which has the needed expertise on these issues, Chernukhin said. This strategic objective may be achieved by electing or promoting the Russian candidate to the position of the ITU Secretary-General in the 2022 elections . . . and by holding the 2025 anniversary U.N. Internet Governance Forum in Russia.Russias candidate for ITU secretary-general is Rashid Ismailov, a former deputy chief of the Russian communications ministry and a former executive at the Chinese telecommunications company Huawei. In announcing Ismailovs candidacy on April 7, Maxim Parshin, the current deputy minister, underlined Moscows governance takeover plan: We believe it is important to define an entity, within the U.N. framework, that would develop and implement legal norms and standards in the field of Internet governance. We think that the ITU could become such an entity.AdvertisementThe Biden administrations candidate for the ITU post is Doreen Bogdan-Martin, an American telecommunications expert whos currently director of the ITUs development bureau. The State Department, which has sometimes been lackadaisical in such international regulatory contests, is campaigning aggressively for Bogdan-Martin, and officials hope shell have sufficient support in Africa, Europe, Latin America and elsewhere to win the post. The election will take place at an ITU gathering late next year in Romania. Internet technical governance today is managed by ICANN, which stands for Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. This gathering of engineers and other experts was founded in 1998 to supervise domain names for the Defense Departments ARPANET system, and it operated under a contract with the Commerce Department until 2016, when it went fully private. The American roots of the Internet seem to both upset Putin and fuel conspiratorial talk. The Russian leader said during a 2014 interview translated by RT that the Internet first appeared as a special CIA project . . . and the special services are still at the center of things. Dmitry Medvedev, Russias former president, complained in a February interview: The Internet emerged at a certain time, and undoubtedly the key rights to control are in the United States.AdvertisementRussia is ready to rumble over the rules that will shape the future of Internet communications. Fortunately, the Biden administration seems determined to fight back hard to maintain fair and open rules. Read more:GiftOutline Gift Article

###CLAIM: kate henderson, chief executive of the national housing and federation, said the white paper demonstrates the willingness of housing associations to be more accountable and transparent in their work and represents natural progress. ###DOCS: Social landlords in England will be required to report on residents satisfaction in an effort to rebalance power between owners and tenants in the wake of the Grenfell Tower disaster, the housing secretary has announced. Robert Jenrick said the measurement of issues that matter to tenants could be used to guide investigations by a new proactive consumer regulation body for council and social landlords, which is also proposed in the governments social housing white paper. A new wing of the social housing regulator will check on standards including quality of homes and repairs, landlords engagement with tenants and their handling of complaints. Currently the social housing regulator mostly examines the finances and governance of housing associations, and it has been seen as remote from Englands 9 million residents of social housing. Last year the regulator identified only 15 cases that required its intervention because of problems that threatened serious harm. Close to 1,000 landlords and council bodies are expected to be covered by the new regime. Detailed proposals will be published on Tuesday in the long-awaited white paper, which Jenrick promised will give tenants a much stronger voice and, in doing so, [refocus] the sector on its social mission. I want to see social housing tenants empowered by a regulatory regime and a culture of transparency, accountability, decency and public service befitting of the best intentions and deep roots of social housing in this country, he said. Tenants rights campaigners cautioned that the satisfaction ratings will only be meaningful if they are assessed independently. They called for the new regulation arm to be properly staffed with at least 100 inspectors to uncover problems before they result in disasters like Grenfell. The regulator currently only investigates housing association or council housing providers reactively, when something has gone wrong. There are problems in social housing that would have been picked up by a more proactive investigation of landlords and conditions, said Rob Gershon, a tenants rights activist. This offers that prospect but it has to be staffed and consumer regulation needs to be treated as seriously as financial and governance regulation.Jenirck said the changes would speed up the handling of residents complaints by the housing ombudsman and empower residents by requiring landlords to improve tenant engagement. The Local Government Association said it was paramount that the voice of all social housing residents is heard. Cllr Darren Rodwell, the LGAs housing spokesperson, said: We support measures that will make the existing redress process clearer, equitable and accessible for all tenants, regardless of the tenure they are living in. Councils are also determined that their tenants should have the security of a safe and well-maintained home with any issues quickly and satisfactorily addressed. We have little faith that bad landlords will improve themselves, so the responsibility now lies with the regulator and ombudsman to use their new powers to ensure no residents are ever treated how we were.Social housing landlords broadly welcomed the reforms. Kate Henderson, the chief executive of the National Housing Federation, said: Housing associations have demonstrated willingness to be more accountable and transparent, and we believe that the white paper represents a natural progression of the work we have been doing. We welcome the regulator taking a more proactive interest in how organisations are meeting the consumer standards. We think it is important that the regulator is there to ultimately protect the rights and interests of residents.

###CLAIM: it takes large and complex problems to break down the smaller pieces that make it possible to work together. ###DOCS: Business Chief Digital Officer, Global Business Services at Bosch. gettyA lot has changed since my last article, but this article will focus on the best practices that have remained the same and even grown more relevant in 2020. The Covid-19 crisis has greatly impacted people around the world and in the process, it has accelerated digital transformation for businesses everywhere. In this time of radical change, organizations have relied on technology to address employee and customer needs like never before. As I discussed in an earlier article, digital transformation is as much about organizational transformation as it is about technology. The transformation part is often overlooked, which can doom any project regardless of the power of technology. So, how can you best approach the transformation side of things? Ultimately, the people at the heart of your organizational transformation must be your main focus. Everyone must feel ready for change. Ive found that the best way to do that is to make the entire concept of change more specific and more practical for everyone involved. Instead of change being this vague concept that is often feared, it then becomes a series of tasks, goals and improvements that everyone can rally around. The first step in that process is quantifying your approach to digital transformation. That means focusing on three vital aspects of your organization: competencies, technology and processes. Once youve established those focus areas, you need forms of measurement to understand where you are now as an organization, where you want to be and the changes that are necessary to reach those goals. This column is about how to go about that process and how to make the people at the heart of transformation your main focus. Competencies: We live in the digital age, but you need the right people and skills to accomplish your organizational goals. Hiring software developers is an important piece of the puzzle, but its about much more than that. Its about finding people who understand UX, digital subscriptions and digital channels of interaction. Its about taking stock of the competencies you have today within your business, what your target is and how you can get there. Those findings will flow into a simple change program that your business has likely been using with success for years. Technology: After youve gained an in-depth understanding of the people and skills that will drive successful transformation, its time to turn your attention to the technology at the core of your business. What are the core technologies your business uses today, and what else is out there that will help you accomplish what youd like to accomplish? It could be as simple as a better mobile app or a better videoconferencing platform, or it could be as complex as using machine learning or robotics to achieve new business objectives. Think beyond the limitations of what your organization is using right now. Growth means setting your sights on a target and filling gaps in order to get where you want to go. Processes: Optimizing your processes for transformation can be quite a bit more complex. Its important to adapt internal and external processes to accommodate activities moving from the traditional to the digital. On the internal side, consider how you can create a digital environment to automate and support key internal processes. For example, how can you give your salespeople the right (digital) tools at the right time? And how can you use AI to incorporate new HR processes? On the external side, its more about how you want to engage customers through a digital lens. For example, how can you provide customers with the tools to work with your business more effectively? When you tackle the process of quantifying transformation needs in that order competencies, technology and processes you will ensure that you are putting your people first. Then, youll give them the technological tools they need to create effective and efficient processes. Even when you put people first, be prepared for challenges. People generally dont like change, and they want to fully understand the purpose behind big changes. Be clear. Be transparent. And be open to questions and concerns. One of the best ways to ease transformation, Ive found, is through collaborative interactive experiences think hands-on and workshops. These forums provide freedom for individuals to work with new technologies, integrate new processes, ask important questions and ultimately process change. In these scenarios, its important to present data that shows how new solutions will save time, eliminate busywork, and ease collaboration. And this article wouldnt be complete if I didnt mention how this all relates to developers. Large-scale transformation is a perfect match for the developers mind. A developers work involves taking a large and complex problem, breaking it into smaller manageable pieces and then creating solutions that have a bigger impact when those pieces work together. Those same principles are also important for managing change across an entire organization solving big problems by making them a series of smaller, more manageable tasks and goals. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?

###CLAIM: none of the 500, 000 coronaviruses tested for in purchases from south korea in april were used to diagnose people. ###DOCS: Comment on this story Comment Gift Article ShareA Maryland official acknowledged publicly Wednesday, for the first time, that none of the 500,000 coronavirus tests the state purchased from South Korea in April were used to diagnose whether people had the virus. Fast, informative and written just for locals. Get The 7 DMV newsletter in your inbox every weekday morning. ArrowRight More than 496,000 of the tests were handed back to the manufacturer as part of a deal for replacement tests, acting health secretary Dennis Schrader told the Board of Public Works. About 3,500 were used as lab workers tried to validate them. His statement contradicted assertions by Gov. Larry Hogan (R) last month after The Washington Post reported that none of the original tests had been used. Asked by MSNBCs Chuck Todd about that specific Post finding, Hogan said: They worked great. They were using them all over the country. We were using them.The Post reported Nov. 20 that Hogan, after widely touting the $9.46 million test purchase, withheld the tests problems from the legislature, state spending authorities and the public. AdvertisementAccording to interviews and documents reviewed by The Post, the tests could not easily be used because the instructions and materials they came with did not match those given emergency authorization by the Food and Drug Administration. After one private lab declined to use the tests, the state told another private lab not to use them and quietly ordered replacement tests from South Korea for an additional $2.5 million. Schrader gave information about the tests in response to questions from Comptroller Peter Franchot (D), who sits on the Board of Public Works along with Hogan and Treasurer Nancy K. Kopp (D). Lt. Gov. Boyd K. Rutherford (R) attended the board meeting in Hogans place Wednesday. Schrader told the board that health officials have gotten similar questions from the Department of Legislative Services (DLS), which is reviewing emergency purchases related to the pandemic. AdvertisementWeve answered a lot of these questions in detail, Schrader said. Weve given them all our records.On Tuesday, however, DLSs legislative auditor, Gregory Hook, told lawmakers in a letter that his office had experienced some difficulty obtaining information about the tests from state agencies. Hook said he and his staff were somewhat taken aback by The Posts report, which contained certain information that OLA [Office of Legislative Audits] auditors had requested a number of weeks ago from the Maryland Department of Health, but had not yet received.Hook told lawmakers whod requested the review this summer that he didnt expect it to be completed by the end of the coming legislative session, which runs from mid-January to mid-April. Among other things, Franchot wanted to know why the state paid for replacement tests after finding problems with the originals. AdvertisementWe were under pressure, and we were negotiating with the manufacturer, and the manufacturer was not willing to just replace the tests, Schrader said. They felt they were entitled to some remuneration.Schrader said laboratories that initially tried to use the tests discovered they were slow, and for lack of a better, nontechnical term, they were clunky.When the state public health lab looked at the tests, called polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, they realized that the formula that we had gotten was an early formula and was not consistent with what the FDA had on its website, Schrader said. The manufacturer, LabGenomics, applied for emergency authorization from the FDA in late March, according to records obtained by The Post. By April 18, when Maryland received the first shipment of tests, the FDA had cleared the import to proceed. But the FDA did not issue emergency authorization for their use until late April. AdvertisementOnce labs in Maryland examined the tests, they realized the kits didnt match what the FDA had authorized, according to interviews and records. One key difference was the lack of a control to ensure the efficacy of a step in the test analysis process called extraction.The FDA recommends that PCR tests include such controls to receive authorization. A spokesman for the FDA declined to say whether the agency asked LabGenomics to make that change. LabGenomics also declined to comment. Schrader said Maryland officials discussed the problems with LabGenomics in mid-May. They talked to the folks in Korea and said, Hey, this test has this difficulty, and its not exactly the formula, Schrader said. They said, Youre right, weve got the formula updated. We can get you the new tests. The first shipment of replacement tests arrived on May 21, records show. As of Wednesday, more than 435,000 had been used, health department spokesman Charles Gischlar said. AdvertisementIn June, the original tests were shipped from a Maryland State Police Forensic Sciences Division location in Pikesville to an office warehouse building in Ridgefield, N.J. Its not clear what happened to them after that. They were picked up by the manufacturer, Schrader said. They took control of them. Where they actually sent them, we dont know.Min Joo Kim in Seoul and Joyce Lee in Washington contributed to this report. GiftOutline Gift Article

###CLAIM: he ordered employers who did not work normally at the weekend to remain closed for the rest of next week as the strike continues. ###DOCS: Moscow's mayor has ordered thousands of residents to take a week off work in a bid to stop the spread of Covid-19 after rates doubled over the past seven days. Sergei Sobyanin made the decision after figures showed daily infection rates have risen from 2,936 on June 6, to 6,701 yesterday. Officials in the Russian capital imposed several weeks of lockdown in the spring of 2020 before relaxing restrictions. When cases began to rise they decided against reimposing a lockdown. Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin, pictured, made the decision after figures showed daily infection rates have risen in the capital from 2,936 on June 6, to 6,701 yesterdayRussian health services have struggled to cope with the number of people catching Covid-19Old and vulnerable people in Moscow have been ordered to remain at home for a weekDespite the appeals, thousands of football fans gathered in fan parks in Moscow while others celebrated Russia Day in Red Square. Now, Sobyanin has told citizens: 'It is impossible not to react to such a situation.' He said: 'To stop the rising rate of sickness and to save lives, today I signed a decree providing for non-working days from 15 to 19 June 2021 with pay for employees.' He ordered enterprises that do not normally work on weekends to remain closed for the next week while continuing to pay employees. Food courts and children's play areas in shopping centres also are to close for a week beginning Sunday, and restaurants and bars must limit their service to takeout from 11 pm to 6 amEarlier in the week, city authorities said enforcement of mask- and glove-wearing requirements on mass transit, in stores and in other public places would be strengthened and that violators could face fines of up to 5,000 rubles (50). Although Russia was the first country to deploy a coronavirus vaccine, its use has been relatively low; many Russians are reluctant to get vaccinated. President Vladimir Putin on Saturday said 18 million Russians have received the vaccine - about 12 per cent of the population. For the entire pandemic period, the task force has reported nearly 5.2 million infections in the country of about 146 million people, and 126,000 deaths. However, a report from Russian state statistics agency Rosstat on Friday found more than 144,000 virus-related deaths last year alone. However, thousands of people attended Russia Day celebrations in Red Square yesterdayAlso, thousands of football fans gathered in a fan zone in MoscowThe statistics agency, unlike the task force, counts fatalities in which coronavirus infection was present or suspected but is not the main cause of death. The agency s report found about 340,000 more people died in 2020 than in 2019; it did not give details of the causes of the higher year-on-year death toll. The higher death toll and a lower number of births combined to make an overall population decline of 702,000, about twice the decline in 2019, Rosstat said. Deputy Mayor Anastasia Rakova said that there were 70 per cent more confirmed coronavirus cases in the city than the previous week, and that the number of people in hospital had risen 30 per cent, the Interfax news agency reported. She said there were about 14,000 hospital beds available for COVID-19 patients in the capital, and 78 per cent of these spaces were already full. Mayor Sobyanin urged elderly residents to remain at home, and for residents of the city to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Though vaccines have been readily available in the capital since January, when Russia launched its national inoculation programme, take-up has been slow. Sobyanin last month decried the low take-up, describing it as 'remarkable' that hospitals in the capital were filling up with COVID-19 patients while vaccines were widely available. MOSCOW, June 18 (Reuters) - The Russian capital Moscow will extend COVID-19 restrictions imposed this week until June 29, mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Friday, after a surge in daily cases. The measures include bans on public events with more than 1,000 people, shutting cafes and restaurants at night, and closing soccer fan zones set up for the European Championship, Sobyanin said on his blog. The mayor said this week Moscow was facing a new, more aggressive and infectious coronavirus variant. read moreHis office has this month ordered mandatory vaccinations for a number of service workers in the city and declared this week a non-working week. Businesses will return to work on Monday, Sobyanin said. Reporting by Maria Kiselyova; Writing by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Alison WilliamsOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

###CLAIM: state-run iraqi airways ( iba ) plans to start direct flights to the united arab emirates capital abu dhabi on may 1, the official agency reported sunday, citing a statement from the company. ###DOCS: DUBAI, April 4 (Reuters) - Iraqi Airways plans to start direct flights to the United Arab Emirates' capital Abu Dhabi on May 1, the state-run Iraqi News Agency reported on Sunday, citing a company statement. The annoucement came ahead of a visit on Sunday to Abu Dhabi by Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi as part of efforts to forge close ties with oil-rich Gulf Arab monarchies. Khadimi's visit to the UAE follows one to Saudi Arabia last week, during which Riyadh said it would increase investments in Iraq by five-fold to $2.67 billion. read moreReporting by Maher Chmaytelli;Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.