Ten billion vaccinations against COVID: the world reaches a new milestone

by Rodney N. on January 31, 2022

A teenager gets a COVID shot in Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe, in December.Credit: Tafadzwa Ufumeli/Getty

In just over a year, ten billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered worldwide, in what has become the largest vaccination program in history.

Many countries began rolling out vaccines in late 2020 and early 2021, and since then more than 60% of the world’s population – 4.8 billion people – have received at least one dose of one of more than 20 vaccines different COVID-19s that have been approved. by nations for worldwide use.

“The world has never seen such rapid scaling of a new, life-saving technology,” says Amanda Glassman, executive vice president of the Center for Global Development in Washington DC. “The ongoing effort is inspiring.”

But – as researchers warned last year when the first billion doses were administered – there are still huge inequalities in access, with only 5.5% of people in low-income countries having received two doses.

The Path to Ten Billion: Line graph showing the number of COVID-19 vaccines administered since December 2020. — Source: Airfinity

“Extreme inequality”

By contrast, many high- and middle-income countries around the world are pushing ahead with programs to deliver a third or even fourth dose (see “The Path to Ten Billion”), with these boosters currently accounting for about a third of all doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered every day worldwide.

Some scientists warn that this continued inequity increases the risk of new SARS-CoV-2 variants emerging from poorly vaccinated populations.

“As an African, the real meaning of reaching ten billion vaccines administered is the extreme inequality that exists in the distribution of vaccines between north and south,” says Mosoka Fallah, founder of Refuge Place International, an organization of public health headquartered in Bassa. City, Liberia. “Until we correct this inequity, the world will continue to see new variants.”

Currently, only 16% of people across the African continent have received even one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Rich countries have donated excess vaccine doses to low-income countries, but Fallah says whether patents should be revoked on existing vaccines – an issue currently being debated at the World Health Organization. trade in Geneva, Switzerland – this would allow more countries to manufacture their own vaccines, increasing supply.

Despite these issues and distribution challenges, reaching the ten billion dose mark “is an unprecedented global moment,” says Soumya Swaminathan, chief scientist at the Geneva-based World Health Organization. “It is a huge scientific achievement that ten billion doses of vaccines against a new pathogen have been developed in two years from its identification.”

Canadian army

Survey Respondents Say Canada Should Boycott Beijing Games

by Rodney N. on January 31, 2022

59% of Canadians remain adamant that this country should stay away from the 2022 Winter Olympics, up three points since December.

We are days away from the start of the Winter Olympics and Canadians can be forgiven for not feeling particularly cheerful.

The ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to rock our lives, with increased discussions of vaccine mandates and daily statements from health authorities. Residents of the country are also more concerned about economic stability and inflation than in the past.

If the Games were held in the United States or in Europe, the feeling of Canadians might be different. However, as those interested in skating, skiing and hockey will no doubt know, the Olympics are held in Beijing, which makes the city unique as the premier host of both summer and winter varieties of the event. jock.

From the perspective of the average spectator, the Olympic Winter Games will be unusual in North America. Broadcasters who secured the rights to the Games years before anyone knew what COVID-19 was won’t send the usual army of reporters and commentators to Beijing. These Games, like those held in Tokyo last summer, will feature little local flavor and many virtual settings operated from Ontario and Connecticut.

Research Co. and Glacier Media have consistently tracked Canadians’ views of China and the 2022 Olympics. Only about one in five Canadians have had a positive view of the People’s Republic of China over the past year and a half (20 % when we last asked this question in December).

As well in December, 56% of Canadians thought Canada should boycott the 2022 Winter Games because of China’s human rights record. The poll also highlighted that Canadians want athletes to have freedom of expression during the Games, as well as concerns about their safety: partly because of COVID-19, but also because they keep mind the arbitrary detention of Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig.

A few days ago, we asked Canadians again about Beijing 2022. Perhaps the lure of a sporting event that Canadians have watched closely in previous editions would change minds. Or perhaps, to follow the rhetoric of past and current presidents of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), it’s “time for sport, not politics.”

The answer to both questions is a resounding “No”. In our latest survey, 59% of Canadians are adamant that Canada should boycott the Beijing Olympics, up three points since December and the highest level seen in four different polls conducted since March 2021.

The generational divide that is typically present in national public opinion polls is not prominent in this regard. The majority of Canadians aged 18-34 (59%), 35-54 (54%) and 55+ (65%) want to send a message that goes beyond the absence of an official at the opening ceremonies – essentially what a “diplomatic boycott” enacted by Canada and the United States entails.

As was the case a few weeks ago, residents of three provinces are particularly keen to keep Canadian athletes at home: Quebec (66%), British Columbia (also 66%) and Ontario (57% ). There is no political divide on this issue either. More than three in five Canadians who voted for the Conservative Party of Canada (67%), the Liberal Party of Canada (63%) and the New Democratic Party (NDP) (62%) last year also support a boycott.

Regardless of participant status, most Canadians strongly believe that athletes should be able to protest China’s human rights record at Beijing 2022 (72%, down two points) and that the CIO should not punish those who choose to do so (also 72%, up one point).

An equal proportion (72%, down two points) remain concerned about the health and safety of Canadian athletes traveling to Beijing. In addition, 47% of Canadians (up two points) say they will make a conscious effort to refrain from watching the Games, a proportion that rises to 53% in Quebec.

We also continue to see consistency in the relationship between Canadian portfolios and Chinese exports. Only 30% of Canadians (down two points) say they never avoid products from China. Of the remaining 70% who try to be careful what they buy, 41% avoid Chinese products “most of the time” and 16% say they follow this course of action “all the time”.

As the start of Beijing 2022 approaches, nearly half of Canadians say they will pull out of this edition of the Winter Olympics altogether. The negative opinions of Canadians about the host country have not changed. Compared to last year, a slightly higher proportion of Canadians believe a full boycott is warranted.

Mario Canseco is president of Research Co.

The findings are based on an online survey conducted January 21-23, 2022 of 1,000 adults in Canada. The data was statistically weighted according to Canadian census counts for age, sex and region. The margin of error, which measures sample variability, is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

International headquarters

Entain launches the Global Innovation Hub, Ennovate

by Rodney N. on January 31, 2022

Ennovate supports Entain’s ambition to be a global leader in interactive entertainment, delivering great products and moments of excitement for customers. As media, entertainment and games converge, customers expect richer experiences, with greater variety of content, immersive experiences, personalization and social interaction that increase their enjoyment and engagement.

Early technology companies to work with Ennovate include Verizon, BT and Theta Labs, all of which seek to develop groundbreaking customer experiences in gaming and interactive entertainment. Non-profit organizations are also collaborating with Ennovate, using technology for innovations that bring societal and environmental benefits. All external partners will collaborate with Entain’s own technical team and use the Ennovate hub to design, develop, experiment and bring their innovations to life.

“We want to lead the way with exciting new products and experiences for customers and use our cutting-edge technology to innovate sports, games and interactive entertainment for the metaverse,” said Jette Nygaard-Andersenmanaging director of Entain.

“We also want to use our position as a global technology leader to drive innovation on a larger scale. Working with partners around the world, Ennovate will demonstrate how Entain’s cutting-edge technology can both revolutionize consumer experiences and deliver real benefits to society,” she added.

Ennovate’s first dedicated innovation lab will be located in Charterhouse Square, Farringdon, in the heart of London entrepreneurial tech community, close to the UK headquarters of TikTok and Snapchat. It will host members of Entain’s innovation technology team, working alongside its business and nonprofit partners.

Inaugurated this spring, the place is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, in order to create a unique environment in which to build and experience new entertainment experiences. These will include the development of new entertainment products for the Metaverse, a virtual reality space where people can interact in a computer-generated environment.

The centerpiece of this and future Ennovate Labs will be an Experience Zone, allowing customers, investors, partners and employees to try out new, immersive experiences in sports, games and interactive entertainment.

“Our goal is to bring to life the most exciting experiences in immersive sports, gaming and interactive entertainment as the metaverse takes shape,” said Sandep Tiku, chief operating officer at Entain, which leads its work on disruptive innovation. “By working with partners, we believe we can achieve great things faster, both for customers and to apply these technologies and skills to benefit society at large.”

Ennovate will initially present:

New consumer products and experiences to drive immersive entertainment

Non-fungible tokens (NFT), or unique digital collectible assets, that Entain develops for the Group’s brands. Partypoker today announces plans to launch its first official Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) soon, powered by Theta Labs. NFTs are unique, non-fungible certificates of authenticity of digital files, which may include items such as artwork, music, video, or tweets. Partypoker NFTs will feature some of the most iconic video moments and tournament hands in partypoker and partypoker LIVE history.
Immersive experiences in Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) will also be presented and developed at the Ennovate Hub. These will include a pioneering multi-sport club experience in virtual reality, which the Group will launch shortly.
VR arcades. Entain will make immersive experiences available to customers on the high street, converting two locations into new VR retail experience zones where consumers will soon be able to try ground-breaking new experiences in immersive sports and interactive entertainment for themselves- same. Entain is working on innovations for VR in retail and plans to open its first VR arcades later this year.

Technology partnerships

Entain builds relationships and partnerships with technology innovators and companies, based in the UK and around the world, through the Ennovate hub. Initial technology partners include:

Verizon, one of the world’s leading digital communications providers, is one of the first major technology companies to work with Entain to build the Ennovate 5G Lab and explore the power of 5G to deliver immersive customer experiences in the field of sports and entertainment. Additionally, the two companies are collaborating to deliver more immersive and connected gaming experiences in international markets, including the United States.
LV will partner with Ennovate Hub to explore new immersive products and experiences. As one of the UK’s largest investors in technology R&D, BT will work with Ennovate to bring the power of its cutting-edge 5G connectivity, high-speed fixed networks and explore the use of edge computing to provide bespoke services and disruptive experiences to Entain customers in the UK, delivering immersive experiences in sports, games and interactive entertainment.
Theta Laboratories, which provides end-to-end infrastructure for decentralized video and powers NFT and metaverse platforms, is working with Entain to launch a white label NFT platform for partypoker customers. Entain technologists will work further with Theta Labs to use its technology in video streaming, metaverse, gaming and more.

Accelerator and incubator programs

The Ennovate Hub will host accelerator and incubator programs, combining disruptive innovative ideas, technology and startup entrepreneurship with Entain’s unparalleled experience serving millions of customers worldwide.
The accelerator will initially invest up to £5 million in individual initiatives to develop and boost innovative concepts to revolutionize interactive entertainment, as well as new technologies that deliver societal benefits in line with Entain’s sustainability agenda.
Ennovate is already inviting startups focused on immersive customer experiences, interactive entertainment, and the metaverse to be part of this accelerator program, which will officially launch this summer.
The first Ennovate laboratory will open in Farringdon, London in spring. It will house on-site experimentation work involving approximately 50 full-time Entain developers and software engineers working on disruptive technologies around the world.

Non-profit and ESG partnerships

Entain wants the advanced technology and innovations being developed at the Ennovate hub to deliver environmental and societal benefits. Nonprofit partners will have access to Ennovate’s technology expertise and workspace, as well as additional support and funding through Ennovate. Initial partnerships include:

chance for childhoodan award-winning charity that supports vulnerable children through Africawill work with technologists from the Ennovate hub on an innovative mobile app that digitizes and leverages Chance for Childhood’s breakthrough approach to detecting hidden disabilities and developmental delays in preschoolers Africa. Entain’s technology, using artificial intelligence, will promote personalized and play-based learning for children with disabilities and special educational needs (SEN), which will go a long way towards improving their lives and their learning prospects.
Climate Hack.AI Also through Ennovate, as joint lead sponsor with Newcross Healthcare, Entain will fund and support Climate Hack.AI, an international competition that features some of the brightest students from 25 of the world’s top universities such as University College London , Stanford, Harvard, MIT, Oxford and Cambridge – seeking to use artificial intelligence to help fight climate change. The first competition is now underway and focuses on designing algorithms using satellite imagery of the Earth to predict the movement of weather fronts over the UK – an important step in the pipeline to predict weather production. solar energy and, subsequently, to reduce the amount of backup power needed to be produced by carbon-based generators.

Through train, the Group’s global D&I technology initiative, the Group will also explore new opportunities for collaboration within the Ennovate hub to improve the representation of women in STEM industries. Existing partners include Girls Who Code, a nonprofit Entain supports to attract more young women to the tech industry, and the Tech Girls Movement Foundation, which challenges perceptions of gender that limit women’s participation. girls in STEM.

Through its non-profit Foundation, the Group also works with The Berlin University of Technology and the Nexus Institute develop international training for executives to strengthen diversity in research and development and University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV)to support internships for graduates who will work alongside Entain’s US-based global innovation team at UNLV Harry Reid Research and Technology Park.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1736169/Entain_Ennovate_Experience_Zone.jpg

SOURCEEntain

Non profit living

More and more small houses are coming to the YK Delta thanks to pandemic relief funds. But are they a good idea?

by Rodney N. on January 31, 2022

Coastal Villages Area Fund building a small house in Eek in 2018. (Coastal Villages Area Fund)

This story was originally posted by KYUK Public Media at Bethel and is reprinted with permission.

BETHEL — A wave of new housing is coming to the Yukon-Kuskokwim delta. Most of these new units should be of the fashionable tiny house variety. But with households in the Yukon-Kuskokwim delta generally much larger than the national average, some tribes are wondering if smaller houses are right for their communities.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently announced nearly $7 million in funding for Aniak, Atmautluak, Napaimute, Newtok, Quinhagak, Toksook Bay, and Tununak to begin construction of 25 new homes this year. The funding comes from federal coronavirus relief funding, which has brought a huge influx of money to Alaska for tribes to build homes.

“Blast is a good term for how much it’s increased,” said Greg Stuckey, administrator of HUD’s Alaska Native American Programs Office.

Since these grants are tied to coronavirus relief funding, tribes must use homes as isolation or quarantine units, at least initially.

“And then, you know, later when COVID is finally over, you can use them to reduce overcrowding in your communities, because that’s a major problem in rural Alaska,” Stuckey said.

About 40% of homes in the Yukon Delta are either overcrowded or severely overcrowded. According to a statewide housing assessment, more than 2,400 homes need to be built to address this issue.

Almost all of the homes that will be built in the YK Delta with these HUD grants will be small homes. They will be smaller than 500 square feet, with the kitchen, bed, and living space in the same room. There will be a separate bathroom, but no separate bedrooms.

Tiny houses have been all the rage in recent years, often touted as an answer to affordable housing. But are they well suited to a region where households are, on average, 50 to 80% larger than the national average?

The Yukon-Kuskokwim delta has already experimented with small houses. The non-profit organization, Coastal Villages Region Fund, built one in Eek in 2018. The organization says it will no longer do so.

“We’ve found that people need more space than a small house with the number of people in the family,” said Oscar Evon, regional business manager at CVRF.

Evon said there were other problems with tiny homes, such as banks not funding mortgages for them. CVRF originally planned for homeowners to buy small houses through mortgages, which would have opened up another route to home ownership in the villages of the YK Delta. Most are currently built and paid for by the regional housing authority or by grants. After moving away from smaller homes, CVRF is now building more traditional three- to four-bedroom homes, which Evon says banks fund mortgages and better meet the needs of families.

“A bigger house gives a family more space to raise their family and sometimes even their extended family,” Evon said.

Some of the tribes that have recently received a HUD grant to build tiny homes have come to the same conclusion. Toksook Bay received $1,035,000 to build five small houses, but Tribal Administrator Robert Pitka Sr. said Toksook Bay would prefer to build larger houses.

“We would choose a two-bedroom house instead of a small house,” said Pitka Sr.

However, Toksook Bay applied for a grant and received funds to build small houses. Pitka Sr. said he believed the grant was specifically for small homes.

“The ICDBG (Indian Community Development Block) grant already had wording in there where it’s for small houses,” Pitka Sr said.

HUD’s ICDBG grant requirements suggest building tiny houses as a way to use grant funds, which may have been enough to convince tribes to include tiny houses in their grant application. Tununak, who also received a grant to build small houses, also said he would prefer to build houses with bedrooms.

Stuckey said HUD did not require applicants to build tiny houses or any particular type of housing, and did not favor applications that included tiny houses. For example, Newtok received the same grant to build three three-bedroom houses.

“It’s self-determination. The tribes decide, the tribes are going to tell me what they’re going to build,” Stuckey said.

If tribes like Toksook Bay decide they prefer to build bigger houses, they will be able to do so. HUD spokeswoman Vanessa Krueger said tribes can submit an amendment to their grant application.

In Toksook Bay, Pitka Sr. said new homes, whether tiny or not, will make a big difference to families currently living in old, unsuitable homes.

“They are moldy. They are cold. They are rotten. They have no water and sewage system. Some are even smaller than tiny houses. And at least a brand new little house would make it 100% better,” Pitka Sr. said.

Pitka Sr. said those families could move into their new homes later this year.

History organization

Trinity College hires Methembe Ndlovu as men’s football head coach

by Rodney N. on January 30, 2022

Trinity College has announced the appointment of Methembe Ndlovu as Head Men’s Football Coach. Ndlovu comes to Trinity with an impressive wealth of experience as a coach and player at many levels. A four-time All-Ivy League player at Dartmouth College, Ndlovu has coached at numerous clubs in the United States and abroad and most recently served as an assistant coach at Penn State University and women’s associate head coach at Claremont- Mudd-Scripps in California. Ndlovu was also the CEO of Grassroot Soccer for Africa and played both professionally and for the Zimbabwe national team. He replaces Mike Pilger who retired from coaching after the 2021 season.

“We are delighted to welcome Methembe to the Bantam family and have him write a new chapter in the long and storied history of men’s football at Trinity College,” said the Trinity Sporting Director. Drew Galbraith. “His personal history with the game is marked by successes at all levels. Methembe has a clear vision for our men’s soccer program that includes competitive success and the holistic development of our student-athletes. He is a competent teacher and his passion for the game is contagious.

Ndlovu earned his bachelor’s degree in government from Dartmouth in 1997, where he played on the pitch for the Big Green. He went on to a professional career that saw him spend six years with the Albuquerque Geckos, Highlanders FC in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, and the Boston Bulldogs. Additionally, Ndlovu earned nine international caps with the full Zimbabwe men’s national team between 1997 and 1999. Ndlovu began his coaching career as an assistant player coach with the Cape Cod Crusaders and later the PDL, in 2002. In his first season as head coach in 2003, he led the Crusaders to the 2003 PDL National Championship. He then joined the PDL Indiana Invaders as general manager and head coach. Holder of the USSF B license, he was elected National Coach of the Year 2004 PDL. That year, Ndlovu also served as a volunteer assistant coach for the University of Notre Dame men’s soccer team under one of his mentors, the legendary Bobby Clark.

Ndlovu was the head coach of Highlanders Football Club from 2006 to July 2008, leading the club to qualification for the CAF African Champions League in 2006 and the CAF Confederations Cup in 2008. Ndlovu also served as Zimbabwe’s National Under-20 Head Coach from 2007 until 2010, and guided that team to the COSAFA Championship in 2007 and COSAFA Silver Medal in 2008. Ndlovu has then founded and served as CEO and Technical Director of Bantu Rovers Football Club in Zimbabwe for 10 years (2008-17). Bantu has encouraged athletic and academic excellence, sent players to professional leagues in Africa and beyond, and sent student-athletes to prestigious preparatory schools in the United States. As CEO he was responsible for all club operations and as Technical Director he oversaw the clubs technical staff. He returned to varsity coaching at Penn State under another of his mentors, Jeff Cook, in 2020 and helped guide the Athenas to a 9-4-3 record at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps the last fall.

Ndlovu’s accomplishments as co-founder of Grassroot Soccer, Inc. (GRS), a youth health non-governmental organization that uses soccer as a tool for social change, are equally, if not more, impressive than those as as player and coach. In 2010, Ndlovu received the Dartmouth College Martin Luther King Social Justice Award for his vision, enthusiasm and perseverance in youth health education. Ndlovu was part of the organization’s leadership team for Africa and was the CEO of Grassroot Soccer Africa when he left the organization’s leadership team in 2018 to serve on the GRS board. Global as administrator.

“Trinity College is distinguished by its student-centered culture, reputation for academic and athletic excellence, commitment to the whole person, and deliberate fostering of an environment of inclusion,” said Ndlovu. “I am truly honored to accept the position of Men’s Soccer Head Coach at Trinity College and join the team of amazing coaches and staff. I am grateful to Drew Galbraith, Kristen Noone and the entire search committee for selecting me for this role.

Trinity men’s football finished the 2021 season with an overall record of 3-11-1 and a New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) rating of 0-9-01. The Bantams have qualified for 10 NESCAC Championship Tournaments and played in the NCAA Tournament in 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1997 and 2011.

What people are saying about Methembe Ndlovu

Bobby Clark, former head coach, Notre Dame, Stanford, New Zealand and Dartmouth

“Methembe Ndlovu was one of the best players I ever coached. His great strength was reading the game and he integrated it well into his coaching role. It was a joy to have him on my team when I coached at Notre Dame and he coached the Indiana Invaders in the Pro Development League. I’m sure Trinity players will enjoy having him as their coach.

Jeff Cook, Head Coach, Penn State University

“Trinity College has made an inspired choice to lead its men’s soccer program. Methembe Ndlovu is one of the most outstanding, knowledgeable and thoughtful coaches I have had the pleasure of working with. I know that Methembe will immediately put his vast experience to good use in transforming the student-athletes he works with into a top team. His commitment to holistic youth development is unparalleled, Methembe’s impact will be transformational. I’m very excited to be part of the Trinity program, exciting times are ahead for the Bantams.

Brian Wiese, Head Coach, Georgetown University

“Methembe is that rare form of coach who has a wealth of experience that could be unmatched in college football, allowing him to be a great teacher of the game on the pitch and a great teacher of life off of it. I can’t wait to see the program that Methembe will build at Trinity to compete in the best DIII football conference in the country The Trinity soccer family could not have found a better coach and, truly, a better person to lead his program.

Canadian army

Canada’s CDS ‘sickened’ by Capitol Hill-style protests at National War Memorial in Ottawa

by Rodney N. on January 30, 2022

Given the anti-vaccination protests in Canada on Sunday, its Chief of the Defense Staff, General Wayne Eyre, expressed his disagreement with the ongoing protests. Speaking to the microblogging site Twitter, he raised strong objections to protesters at the National War Memorial and underscored the feelings of Canadian Army soldiers who died “for rights, including freedom of expression, but not for that”.

General Eyre said: “I am sickened to see protesters dancing at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and desecrating the National War Memorial. Generations of Canadians have fought and died for our rights, including free speech, but not for this. Those involved should hang their heads in shame.”

I am sickened to see protesters dancing at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and desecrating the National War Memorial. Generations of Canadians have fought and died for our rights, including free speech, but not this. Those involved should hang their heads in shame.

— General/General Wayne Eyre (@CDS_Canada_CEMD) January 29, 2022

Protests against Canada’s vaccine mandate

Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau left Ottawa on Saturday with his family to a “secret location” after security concerns erupted following escalating anti-vaccine mandate protests in the capital, reported CBC News. The decision to evacuate the Prime Minister’s residence came after the Sergeant-at-Arms of the Canadian Parliament warned that protesters could show up at official residences. The prime minister’s office declined to comment on Trudeau’s relocation, citing security concerns.

Protests against the vaccine mandate for cross-border truckers began on Saturday when the Parliamentary Protective Service estimated a gathering of nearly 10,000 protesters in Canada’s capital, Ottawa. Additionally, a convoy of truckers against the COVID-19 vaccine mandate descended on Ottawa, setting off an impending violent turn of events.

While Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sholy said on Wednesday he had been in contact with protest leaders, who claimed peaceful protests, Deputy Chief Steve Bell raised concerns about the presence of “parallel groups” that Canadian intelligence speculated.

It is pertinent to mention that Canadians launched protests against the vaccination mandate after the government launched a new requirement that truckers entering Canada must be fully immunized as of January 15. This happened after the United States imposed an identical mandate on truckers entering the country.

However, according to the Canadian Trucking Alliance’s estimate, about 15% of truckers in Canada, or about 16,000, are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Canadian opposition from Conservative lawmakers backed the convoy, saying the vaccine mandate has created a bottleneck for the supply chain, leaving store shelves empty across the country.

International headquarters

Chicago Fire plans new training facility at former CHA site

by Rodney N. on January 29, 2022

CHICAGO

The Chicago Fire football team plans to build a practice facility on land that was once one of the Chicago Housing Authority’s largest public housing developments.

The Major League Soccer team, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Housing Authority CEO announced Thursday that they have begun discussions about developing 30 acres of vacant land on Chicago’s Near West Side. The site would house a headquarters and training center for firefighters, they said.

Under a long-term lease, the Fire would develop the multimillion-dollar facility and provide community benefits and investment, officials said. This would include investments in nearby public housing sites, job creation for community members and recreational opportunities for young people.

The property was once the site of ABLA homes, which once housed nearly 17,000 people in 3,600 units, WTTW Chicago reported.

The proposal will be discussed at community meetings over the coming weeks.

“In neighborhoods across the city, football brings people together, fostering a strong sense of history and community while showing immense passion for the game,” said Chicago Fire FC President Ishwara Glassman Chrein. “We look forward to introducing the project to the local community, hearing their feedback and creating new opportunities for Near West Side residents to enjoy the game.”

Non profit living

Sevastopol neighborhood group sues to stop safe parking program for homeless in motorhomes

by Rodney N. on January 29, 2022

A Sevastopol neighborhood group has sued the city to end a controversial safe parking scheme planned for the city’s north end for local homeless people living out of their RVs.

On January 21, Friends of Northwestern Sevastopol filed a petition in Sonoma County Superior Court seeking to force the Sevastopol City Council to reverse its decision approving the year-long pilot program on private land. at 845 Gravenstein Highway North.

“Friends recognizes the importance of safe shelter for homeless people. … Friends object to the entire burden of these encampments being concentrated on one neighborhood,” the petition reads.

The legal filing describes the group as representing the interests of “local landlords and tenants, parents of schoolchildren, business owners and operators, and landowners”. It was incorporated as a nonprofit on Jan. 5, according to filings by the California companies.

Sevastopol City Prosecutor and Director Lawrence McLaughlin said the city has hired outside attorneys and will “vigorously oppose” any attempt to block or close the parking lot.

Petition of Friends of Northwest Sevastopol.pdf

The hourly program that would provide support services and space for 22 vehicles is expected to be fully operational by February 15. A delay of more than a week could jeopardize the $368,000 federal stimulus grant package that will fund most of the pilot program, according to Sonoma Applied Village Services, the nonprofit selected to run the site.

“Any delay risks killing the project,” said SAVS president Adrienne Lauby.

SAVS, which is named in the petition with the city, plans to lease the land at a former AmeriGas propane store in the nonprofit St. Vincent de Paul Sonoma County.

Saint Vincent is also named in the petition. Jack Tibbetts, the nonprofit’s executive director and former Santa Rosa city councilman, said the charity had “every intention of moving forward” with the lease.

The secure parking scheme, approved by city council in November, came largely in response to health and safety concerns from neighbors and business owners about a long-running encampment with more than a dozen campsites -buses on Morris Street. The hope is to move as many people as possible from the unauthorized camp, where police have warned campers, to the new ‘RV village’.

The city is also considering an ordinance that would effectively ban RV parking on city streets during the day, alarming some homeless advocates. Council was scheduled to vote on the ordinance on Tuesday, but the item was moved to its next meeting on Feb. 15, city officials said.

Tony Francois, a San Francisco lawyer representing Friends of Northwestern Sevastopol, told The Press Democrat the group considers the secure parking scheme illegal due to a local ordinance prohibiting people from living in campsites. -cars.

Additionally, he said the city council failed to follow the proper permitting process, conduct an environmental review, and give residents enough notice to comment on the scheme.

“The way they proceeded deprived many of the project’s neighbors from exercising their right to comment on the project before it was approved,” Francois said.

City Council approved the RV Village in about a month to meet a deadline that would ensure SAVS received federal funding. Despite the quick turnaround, council members at the time said they aimed to do everything possible to hear residents’ concerns.

McLaughlin, the city attorney, said the program was exempt from the normal permitting process and environmental review because it is a homeless shelter.

But Francis argues that under state law, such a project is only exempt if it is on city-owned property or if the city itself leases the property.

McLaughlin disputes this interpretation. And regarding the local ordinance prohibiting living in vehicles, he said a secure parking program is exempt.

“All of the factual and legal allegations in the lawsuit are incorrect,” McLaughlin said.

Francois said the neighborhood group wants the city to reconsider the secure parking program through the normal permitting process and potentially create smaller RV villages throughout the city so vehicles aren’t concentrated on a single site.

The group plans to ask the court for a stay to immediately suspend the project while hearings are underway. But as of Thursday, Francis had yet to get confirmation that the petition had been officially received due to a lack of court personnel, he said, meaning it’s unclear when a first hearing could be held. be fixed.

You can reach editor Ethan Varian at [email protected] or 707-521-5412. On Twitter @ethanvarian

History organization

How Nathaniel Hackett Became the Broncos’ New Head Coach

by Rodney N. on January 29, 2022

ENGLEWOOD, Colorado— Until the early hours of Thursday morning, Broncos fans didn’t know who their next coach would be.

Nathaniel Hackett didn’t know much earlier that he was set to become an NFL head coach.

“Four days ago, maybe? Hackett joked Friday when asked when he first believed it was possible for him to become a head coach.

His longtime dream, however, came true when he officially signed his contract on Friday to become the Broncos’ 18th head coach in franchise history.

And as he was introduced to the media on Friday, details became clear of his journey from one of 10 candidates for the team’s new head coach.

From the first time the Broncos interviewed Hackett on Jan. 15, it became clear he was a strong candidate for the job.

“Nathaniel impressed us with his intelligence, innovative spirit and strong leadership qualities,” chief executive George Paton said Friday. “We met Nathaniel – the initial interview was in Green Bay – [and] he blew us away. It was four and a half hours for everything. He walks in the room, he lights it up.”

Paton and his six-person search committee met with 10 candidates, and the group was determined to have the interviews in person. Hackett’s infectious personality and energy translated quite well and proved the value of in-person sessions.

“When we got together in committee and talked about what we wanted to get out of the interviews, we just felt like it was a huge decision, obviously,” Paton said. “It’s going to be the biggest decision I’ll make in my career. It’s a huge decision for the organization. Depending on a zoom call, it just seemed ridiculous to me. We wanted to go, we wanted to know these candidates in person You get a different feel when they walk into the room, their presence, the feel of the body language. I’m just clapping [President/CEO] Joe Ellis and this organization for giving us the resources to do what we needed to do. Really, for us, it was a game-changer. When that guy walks into the room, you won’t get that on Zoom. I guarantee it.”

After completing the remainder of their first-round interviews, the Broncos hosted Hackett in Denver for their only second interview with a candidate. Paton estimated Hackett spent nine to ten hours in Denver on Monday, and they enjoyed a now-legendary meal at Los Dos Potrillos that Paton said helped seal the team’s decision.

“The more we spoke with Nathaniel, the more we realized he was the right leader for the Denver Broncos and really the perfect choice to restart this organization,” Paton said.

Still, Paton spent another two and a half hours on Zoom with Hackett on Tuesday to continue building their relationship.

“We brought him here on Monday and he was all day, and the least time he spent with anyone was me,” Paton said. “…Everyone wanted to meet him, he wanted to meet everyone. I really wanted to make sure he was comfortable in this organization, with the people here. I was comfortable, but I felt just that he and I needed to have more conversations. There’s so much involved in a coaching search when you talk about the staff and the people in the building. We had a one-on-one conversation during of our initial interview for half an hour, but like I said, we’re very process-oriented and I just felt like I needed a lot of time with him one-on-one. We’re going to live with each other. We’re partners. We’re linked at the hip. It’s him and me and our personal and [people in the building], but it all starts here with our relationship. And I’m so convinced of that and him and our partnership and I’m just excited to get started.”

When Hackett returned to Wisconsin on Monday night, he said he still wasn’t sure if he would be the team’s next coach. The communication between him and the team over the next few days, however, helped put him at ease.

“I think at the end of the day I felt good,” Hackett said. “I felt how good they felt. Again, it’s about communication. I thought we had great communication throughout the process. I think that’s what you’re looking for. That trust and that communication. I didn’t know. You never know. The back of the head as a coach and how it works, you never know 100%. Once you have that opportunity and that you hear it, that’s when you know it’s real.

And as Paton and Co. deliberated on their next move, it became increasingly clear to the Broncos general manager that it was time to move on without talking to another candidate for a second time.

“I spent a lot of time, like I said, with Nathaniel – and there was no reason to continue,” Paton said. “I was sold. We wanted to go through the process, there were a lot of good candidates. It was a very good group of candidates that we interviewed. I spent a lot of time with him and I knew what I was feeling. I talked to the staff, I talked to the management and I was like, ‘What do we do? He’s the Denver Broncos guy.”

“We pulled the cord and made the decision and couldn’t be more excited.”

Canadian army

Best Moments at Degrassi: The Next Generation

by Rodney N. on January 28, 2022

Ellie Nash had the year from hell. In season 3’s “Whisper to a Scream”, her father, a colonel in the Canadian Army, is sent to Afghanistan, leaving Ellie alone with her mother. Unable to bear the loneliness, Ellie’s mother turns to alcoholism, leaving Ellie on her own to pick up the pieces of her mother’s fragmented life. Her grades are plummeting, she’s always late, and an exciting opportunity seems to slip away after a disappointing interview.

After this interview, she returns to her mother, barely awake on the sofa lying next to empty vodka bottles. Ellie goes upstairs to try to escape, but she can hear her mother crashing and being sick, and everything becomes unbearable. She drops her school supplies and the camera jumps back and forth between an emotional Ellie and her drawing compass, increasing the tension. Ellie picks up the compass and, in a desperate attempt to mask her emotional pain, she uses it to cut her skin, tears streaming down her cheeks.

It’s one of the most heartbreaking moments in “Degrassi: The Next Generation,” and yet another reminder of how the show takes a blunt, unrestrained approach when it comes to tackling tough topics. As Ellie finally goes to group therapy to get the help she needs and get over her self-harm, it’s a stark reminder that while people may seem fine on the surface, that doesn’t mean they aren’t in pain. not inside.

If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

International headquarters

Minutes of the Combined General Meeting of 28

by Rodney N. on January 28, 2022

Report of the Combined General assembly
of January 28 2022

The mixed general meeting (ordinary and extraordinary) of the company BIGBEN INTERACTIVE meeting at the registered office of Lesquin on Friday January 28, 2022 at 11 a.m., adopted all the resolutions proposed after presentation of the legal documents.

540 shareholders present or represented held 12,585,016 shares out of 19,303,597 shares with voting rights, i.e. 65.19% and thus more than a quarter of the share capital with voting rights. These shares represented 15,121,184 votes or 68.40% of the net voting rights.

Number of shares outstanding as of January 28, 2022	19,380,484
Number of voting shares	19,303,597
Number of voting rights (net)	22 104 126

Adoption of randsolutions

No.	Description of resolutions		For	%	Vs	%
1	Modification of the articles of association (distribution of profits)	Extraordinary.	15,115,527	99.98	3,605	0.02
2	Exceptional distribution in kind of Nacon shares	Ordinary	15,117,070	99.98	3,107	0.02
3	Powers to complete legal formalities	Ordinary	15,115,007	99.98	2,626	0.02

Purchases of Bigben shares made until Tuesday, February 1, 2022 inclusive will be eligible for distribution in kind.

Consultation of the documents presented to the General Assembly
The documents presented at the General Meeting can be downloaded from the website www.bigben.fr, under “The Group”, “Investors Area”, “General Meeting”:

– Minutes of the Board of Directors relating to the Combined General Meeting
– Conditions for shareholder participation
– Resolutions for the approval of the Combined General Meeting
– Notice of meeting published in BALO n° 152 of December 20, 2021
– Convening notice to BALO n° 5 of January 12, 2022
– Universal registration document 2020-21 (filed with the AMF on July 6, 2021, number D.21-0687)

Paper copies of all these documents are available free of charge at the registered office of the Company.

Financial communication calendar

This schedule is provided for information purposes only and is subject to change if the Company deems it necessary. As a general rule, press releases are issued after the Paris Stock Exchange closes.

Q4 sales April 25, 2022
Annual results May 30, 2022

ABOUT BIGBEN INTERACTIVE

SALES 2020-21
€292.8m

EFFECTIVE
On. 1060 employees

INTERNATIONAL
28 subsidiaries and a distribution network in more than 100 countries
www.bigben-group.com

Bigben Interactive is a European player in the development and publishing of video games, the design and distribution of accessories for smartphones and games as well as audio products. The Group, recognized for its capacity for innovation and creativity, intends to become one of the European leaders in each of its markets.

Company listed on Euronext Paris, compartment B – Index: CAC Mid & Small – Eligible SRD long
No. No.: FR0000074072; Reuters: BIGPA; Bloomberg: BIGFP

PRESS CONTACTS

CapValue – Gilles Broquelet [email protected] – +33 1 80 81 50 01

BBI_AG_28_01_2022_Report_Diffusion FR

Non profit living

Harvard Hillel Hosts Holocaust Remembrance Day Memorial | News

by Rodney N. on January 28, 2022

Harvard Hillel held a memorial service on the steps of the Widener Library on Thursday in observance of International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Holocaust Remembrance Day marks the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in 1945 and honors the lives of the millions of Jews and civilians who were killed. In his service, Hillel commemorated the life of Ita Warmund, a victim whose name was chosen from the database of Yad Vashem – Israel’s official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust.

College Dean Rakesh Khurana, Dean of Students Katherine G. O’Dair, Associate Dean of Students Lauren E. Brandt ’01, Reverend Matthew Ichihashi Potts, Rabbis Jonah C. Steinberg and Hirschy Zarchi each lit a candle in honor of the victims.

In his speech, Steinberg, executive director of Hillel, stressed the importance of remembering those whose lives were lost in the Holocaust.

“There is hardly a family represented here that has not been touched in some way by the Sho’ah – by the Holocaust – who does not have a wound, which is often a gaping hole, an absence,” Steinberg said.

Despite the loss and tragedy of the Holocaust, Steinberg said it was still important to work toward a “world of unity.”

“That doesn’t mean we go through life traumatized and scared,” Steinberg said. “But that means we go through life wearing that and figuring out how to live forward.”

Harvard Chabad Rabbi Zarchi said in his remarks that revealed knowledge of the Holocaust alone does not guarantee moral choices.

“Today we light a candle for souls with a candle of truth,” Zarchi said. “And perhaps that is what veritas teaches us – that there must be truth in our knowledge and in our wisdom to ensure that this knowledge leads to morality, to ethical living and to ethical choices. “

Addressing the crowd, Khurana said ‘remembering’ is one of the ‘most important human acts’ and stressed the importance of sharing the stories of Holocaust victims, especially with younger generations. .

“Their stories are an essential part of our common humanity, and those who are one, two or three generations apart are committed to understanding these horrific events and telling the stories to the next generation,” he said. . “The Holocaust not only altered the contours of world history, it also shattered the lives of countless families around the world.”

Khurana condemned anti-Semitism, citing the Texas synagogue hostage crisis and the harms of remaining silent in the face of oppression.

“We must not forget the lessons of the Holocaust and the dehumanization it depended on,” Khurana said. “And we must not forget that it is up to each of us, as humans, to decide whether to perpetuate good or evil in the world or remain indifferent.”

Hillel’s memorial was also intended to raise funds for The Blue Card, a non-profit organization that provides financial, emotional and physical support to Holocaust survivors in the United States.

The service ended with a reading from “El Male Rachamim” – a Jewish memorial prayer – by Noa D. Kligfeld ’24.

“May their memory endure, inspiring truth and loyalty in our lives. May their souls be bound by the bond of life. May they rest in peace. And let’s say “Amen,” Kligfeld recited.

—Editor Leah J. Teichholtz can be reached at [email protected] Follow her on Twitter @LeahTeichholtz.

History organization

IMSA salutes its history by renaming LMDh to GTP

by Rodney N. on January 27, 2022

IMSA is taking a page in its history by changing the name of its new class of 2023 hybrid prototypes and its cars from LMDh to GTP.

IMSA’s Grand Touring Prototype formula, which debuted in 1981 and continued until 1993 (main picture)occasionally challenged the CART IndyCar Series—leading all forms of North American racing during the period—for speed records and fan popularity.

Vehicle diversity was another strong point of attraction for GTP cars, as small turbocharged four-cylinder engines, turbocharged V6s, naturally aspirated V6s, V8s and V12s, and piercing rotary engines were an exciting battle between the choices. technologies. Free to style their cars with creative bodywork, it was easy to identify a GTP model among the rest.

With a rich history of iconic GTP machines to draw from, which featured big investments and a variety of manufacturers like BMW, Chevy, Ford, Jaguar, Mazda, Nissan, Porsche and Toyota, the parallels with the upcoming prototype formula where Acura, BMW , Cadillac, Porsche, and other brands should play, has led IMSA to tap into its golden age with a new name for cars that pays homage to its past and future.

“In an ongoing attempt to ensure that what we do on the racetrack is understandable to our most loyal audience members as well as the new audiences we continue to attract, we have taken a step back and looked at over the years to find a name that has stood out the most for IMSA,” series president John Doonan told RACER.

“The top class has gone through so many different iterations of names like World Sports Cars and LMP900, LMP1, then Daytona Prototypes and now our Daytona Prototype internationals. And if you look at what has been done with DPi, and the possibility for builders to take their own style and branding and work it into a prototype race car, we felt it aligned better with GTP, and something simpler like GTP was needed.

“Looking back was also an opportunity to look to the future. And with the capability that the new regulations offered in terms of styling and a variety of engine choices like we had back then, we thought a household name like GTP was the best way to explain it. .

Pitched the idea of changing LMDh to GTP in a July 2021 interview with RACER, Doonan was open to the suggestion, citing the need for the name to offer a “clear” understanding for fans as to what the class stands for. With the now former LMDh – Le Mans Daytona ‘h’ – clarity was an issue from the start.

Although the new GTP logo differs from its predecessor with an italic font, the acronym that has symbolized the entire series for over a decade has been met with approval from manufacturers who have committed to the new prototype formula. .

“It’s a prototype grand tourer that a manufacturer can support as a symbol of their brand,” Doonan said. “It’s just easier to explain to a fan or a new perspective fan. And frankly, it was relatively easy to reminisce about our IMSA racing heyday from many years ago and go back to our roots. And in doing so, we wanted to make sure that we had buy-in from manufacturers that were committing to the top category, and we wanted to make sure that we had an understanding of our ethos with our ACO partners. All in all, I think the comfort level and commercialization of this move to GTP made us commit.

“I also think it’s quite special that so far the committed manufacturers who have publicly announced that they are going to compete in the higher category, either from 2023, or some that we hope to have from 2024, had some form of history in IMSA GTP racing, in the early 80s BMW was there, in the GTP Lights class, Acura was there, General Motors was there, with the Corvette GTP and then the Chevy Intrepid GTP, which corresponds to the current use of Cadillac for its racing prototypes. And certainly Porsche, with its 962 GTP. It was an incredible time, and I think we are at the dawn of another with the new GTP cars .

IMSA’s partners in the ACO and FIA World Endurance Championship have their own new prototype class and formula, LMH – Le Mans Hypercar – and will compete against the LMDh/GTP models when they arrive in 2023. The ACO/FIA also uses the Hypercar name for first-class sound.

At ACO/WEC events, the LMDh name should continue; when IMSA GTP teams head to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, for example, “GTP” would likely be dropped in favor of LMDh. On a similar note with ACO/WEC LMDh entries coming to race at the Rolex 24 At Daytona or other IMSA rounds, their LMDhs would be referred to as GTPs at WeatherTech Championship events.

Doonan says this won’t be the first time French and US sanctioning bodies have taken different paths for class/car naming conventions.

“If you look at what we had with our GT Le Mans cars, the GTLMs, the ACO/FIA call their version of those same cars ‘GTE’, so there’s already a precedent where the same thing is called by two names that suit each organization,” he explained. “And here at IMSA, we’re proud to look back on our history of using GTP.”

Canadian army

A long journey sees Shelton and Thompson reunite on the Canadian women’s hockey team

by Rodney N. on January 27, 2022

Ella Shelton was preparing to find out if she made the Olympic team, and her computer wouldn’t open the fateful video call. Naturally, she started to panic.

The 24-year-old finally tuned in from her phone and picked up the one thing she needed to hear.

“The first word that came out of [head coach Troy Ryan]The mouth of was congratulations,” she told CBC Sports. “And I kind of burst into tears there.

Although Shelton is among the youngest players on Team Canada, the moment is long overdue. Shelton’s mother tells the story of young Ella showing the women’s team on TV during the Salt Lake City Games, when she first saw high-level hockey as a possibility for herself.

“I just went, ‘I’m going to play that day!'” relayed Shelton. “And then I left.”

WATCH | Reactions to the Women’s Olympic Hockey Team announcement:

Reactions to Hockey Canada Women’s Olympic Team Announcement

CBC Sports’ Jacqueline Doorey is joined by CBC Olympic hockey reporter Kenzie Lalonde to break down the Canadian Olympic women’s hockey roster announcement and what to expect from the Beijing 2022 women’s hockey tournament. 5:55

Young Ella may have been prescient, but it was her work ethic and willingness to learn that got Shelton to this point.

The 5ft 8in defender grew up on a farm and credits this for fostering her team mentality. She sees many parallels between hockey and working on the farm, where even low profile jobs need to be done and add value to the whole thing.

Shelton is proud of her physical game; she likes to win battles in the corner and stop her opponents. She is also patient with the puck and uses her impressive shot more frequently.

Matt Desrosiers, who trained her at Clarkson University, describes Shelton as a “very modest person” and says you constantly had to make her realize how good she was.

Once she gained confidence, she became a dependable player in all situations ― a “Swiss army knife of defense,” as Desrosiers put it.

Teammate Claire Thompson, who spent most of her minor hockey days playing center, was never shy about jumping into the race. She switched to defense permanently before her 11th year, after her father saw the potential in her skills.

Claire Thompson (42) has thrived as a defender of the game for Canada while being handed important top-four minutes. (John E. Sokolowski/USA TODAY Sports/Reuters)

Princeton coach Cara Morey signed Thompson as a forward and has a simple answer as to what it took for the 23-year-old to become a world-class defender.

“She had to work on her defense,” Morey said with a laugh. “She had to work on stick placement, one-on-one play, her forward-back pivot.”

Rivals to blue line pairing

Shelton and Thompson played for rival clubs as teenagers, but found themselves defensively with the provincial team. The two even scored their first points for Team Ontario on the same play, giving assists on a wacky goal thanks to a weird bounce off the glass. Shelton remembers the duo celebrating the milestone as a result.

“We were super excited about it,” she said. “Just above the moon.”

That genuine fun remains evident in Thompson’s game, Morey says.

“Claire has the most exceptional way of balancing competitive energy with positive fun,” she explained. “When you watch her play, she has so much joy.”

Neither Thompson nor Shelton made the U18 national team, and Thompson didn’t earn another Hockey Canada call-up until four years later. During this period, Morey says, Thompson accepted the possibility that wearing the maple leaf might not be in the cards. Instead of focusing on long-term results, she focused on becoming the best player she could be at the moment.

“She was able to be confident because it didn’t matter where the chips fell in the end,” Morey said.

With Canada, Thompson thrived as a playmaking defender, to whom he entrusted important top-four minutes.

“Claire has a really unique ability to be able to break the puck down the middle in all situations,” Morey said. “She can read space, and she’s not afraid to attack the seams.”

Four years after their experience with Team Ontario, Thompson and Shelton made their senior debuts in a two-game series at the end of 2019. They didn’t have another chance until August’s world championship.

Thompson thinks the extended break was beneficial, looking back.

“It gave me the opportunity to really improve my strength and power in the gym,” she said. “We were able to train every day without worrying that we were a bit too tired for a game.”

After a steady but rapid rise, both players expect Beijing to help them win.

“I’m really excited to be in the village, to meet other athletes, to be part of Team Canada at the Olympics,” said Thompson.

“I think everything is going to be amazing.”

International headquarters

Catella: Real Estate AG acquires the headquarters of Adezz in Uden, the Netherlands, for the fund “Catella Logistik Deutschland Plus”

by Rodney N. on January 27, 2022

The logistics building, which was built to high standards in 2018 and expanded in 2020, has a total leasable area of 23,758 m², including 21,437 m² of warehouse and logistics space, 884 m² of office space. exhibition and 1,437 m² of offices and social spaces.

The building is designed and constructed to be sustainable and energy efficient. Thanks to solar panels installed on the roof, much of the energy needed can be produced by the company itself, and the office space is certified with an energy label A. In addition to numerous social spaces for employees, the building also has a green facade.

The Netherlands is one of the five largest exporting countries in the world. Its geographical location and its traditionally close links with European and intercontinental markets make it an international hub for trade and logistics. Uden is strategically located in the heart of East Brabant between Nijmegen, Eindhoven and Venlo. Thanks to its central location and excellent transport links, the region is one of the main logistics centers in the Netherlands. Eindhoven, Zwolle, Oss and Breda are easily accessible via the nearby A50, A59 and A73 motorways. The A73 motorway (Nijmegen – Venlo) and the A16, which easily connects the port of Rotterdam with the southern region and the port of Antwerp, also pass not far from Uden.

The property is situated on a plot of approx. 16,450 m² on the south-eastern edge of Uden, in the middle of a fully developed business park. The business park was established in the 1960s and has been restructured in recent years into a modern, dynamic and sustainable business park, aiming to be a relevant logistics hub in the Netherlands, especially in the sectors of furniture, decoration and design. This not only led to a significant improvement in the quality of the location, but also brought in several prime real estate developments.

The seller is Potmaat BV, a Dutch holding company with three operating companies, Adezz BV, Furns BV and Senzzo BV, all specializing in garden and street furniture, water and fire elements and garden products. The 15-year lease was signed by its main operating company Adezz on a triple net ROZ basis.

Catella Real Estate AG was advised by Osborne Clarke on legal matters, by Bremen Bouwaadviseurs on technical due diligence and by KPMG on tax and structuring. The seller and future tenant was supported by Houthoff.

André Göpfert, Portfolio Manager Logistics, is delighted with the successful purchase in the Netherlands: “After seven successful transactions in Germany in 2021, the portfolio of Catella Logistik Deutschland Plus is now going international with the purchase in Uden. In addition to the very good location in one of the main logistics regions of the Netherlands, the high-quality construction and equipment of the building combined with an above-average rental period with a tenant with a solid credit argued in favor of the purchase. using our management expertise to successively implement other sustainability projects with the tenant, as well as to continue to develop our logistics portfolio in the Netherlands and across Europe”.

About the fund “Catella Logistik Deutschland Plus”

The “Catella Logistik Deutschland Plus” invests in sustainable warehouses and logistics properties in Germany and neighboring countries. The focus is on properties with good to very good locations in established logistics regions close to transport hubs and conurbations as well as production centers. All locations have strong fundamentals and growth potential, both current and future, combined with stable cash flow when acquiring properties.

The investment strategy focuses on existing properties as well as newly built properties and special logistics halls (e.g. parcel distribution centers, delivery bases, fulfillment centers, cross docks, light industrial or industrial properties, refrigerated logistics, etc.). A high degree of third-party use and flexibility of properties, and multi-modal properties/locations (eg rail sidings) are strongly preferred.

About Catella Real Estate AG (CREAG)

Catella Real Estate AG (CREAG), founded in January 2007 and headquartered in Munich, is engaged in the management of real estate investment funds and the provision of real estate investment advice. CREAG is a licensed capital management company (KVG) under the German Investment Act (KAGB). The purpose of the company is the design, development and management of real estate investment funds with variable capital based on the expertise and exceptional market position of the Catella Group. CREAG currently manages €6.9 billion of assets in 19 real estate funds (as of December 31, 2021).

For more information, please contact:

Catella Immobilier SA

Julia Stubler

Marketing & PR Manager

F: (0)89 189 16 65 466

M: +49 (0) 152 389 228 65

E: [email protected]

More information please find here: www.catella.com/fondsimmomobilien

Non profit living

Local non-profit petitions for a minimum wage increase

by Rodney N. on January 27, 2022

“Often LGBTQ people tend to be underemployed simply because of the conditions in our state, but we also believe in equality and fairness for all. We want everyone in Nebraska to have the ability to blossom fully,” Aryn said. Okay.

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Local nonprofit OutNebraska has begun petitioning to raise the minimum wage in Nebraska.

OutNebraska, a nonprofit organization that empowers the LGBTQ community, has joined the statewide “Raise the Wage” petition.

“Often LGBTQ people tend to be underemployed simply because of the conditions in our state, but we also believe in equality and fairness for all. We want everyone in Nebraska to have the ability to s ‘fulfillment. Part of that is making sure they can afford food, bills, rent,’ said Aryn Huck, community organizer at OutNebraska.

Each week, OutNebraska will dedicate an hour to collecting signatures at its office. The time and places to sign the petition “Raise the salary” can be found here.

The petition says the minimum wage would increase by $1.50 per year for the next three years until it reaches $15 per hour. Petitioners will need to collect signatures from approximately 20% of Nebraska workers, including a percentage in each Nebraska county.

Currently, the minimum wage is $9 per hour in Nebraska.

“Keep it adjusted to the cost of living in the state. So if the cost of living doesn’t go up, it won’t go up, but there will always be an annual review just so we don’t have to start over,” Huck said. “We don’t need to go out and collect signatures every 5, 6, 7 years, instead we can have an annual review that says okay, are we competitive, are we tracking the cost of the life?”

People wishing to sign the petition must be registered to vote in Nebraska for the signature to count. People can register either at OutNebraska during their weekly petition hour or online at the Secretary of State’s website.

If petitioners have received all required signatures by July 7, this will appear on the November ballot.

History organization

One of the best free agent signings in Eagles history, Brandon Brooks announces retirement

by Rodney N. on January 26, 2022

A smart, rational man with many interests beyond the playing field, Brooks will transition into the life of his choice, with an enviable football career behind him. Regardless of his next steps, as Lurie pointed out, Brooks has already created a lasting impact on both the organization and the lives of so many people who are inspired by his willingness to speak so openly – not just at his teammates, but also publicly. — on the things he struggled with during his successful career.

While speaking to the media last spring, a full recovery from a torn Achilles tendon and given the green light to return to the football field without any restrictions, Brooks expressed no doubt he would return to his Pro Bowl form and that the hardships of so many physical challenges – a shoulder injury and two torn Achilles tendons in the lead – would soon be forgotten. As he stated that day, Brooks would indeed line up once again in his familiar guard role next to Johnson, giving the Eagles the best combination on the right side of any NFL offensive line.

There’s another thing Brooks said on that late May afternoon, something that resonates these many months later as Brooks announced his retirement from football after 122 regular season and playoff games, including 69 with the Eagles, three Pro Bowls, six playoff appearances. , and a Super Bowl championship.

“I’m at peace,” Brooks said. “I saw the highest of highs and the lowest of lows and thanks to all of that, thank God I woke up the next day, right? No matter how bad things looked or how good things seemed, I’ve been through it.

In his 96th offensive snap this season, against the San Francisco 49ers at Lincoln Financial Field, Brooks suffered a season-ending pectoral injury. While 2021 didn’t go as planned for Brooks, that won’t take away from what he meant to this team and to this organization for so many years.

Here are some of the highlights of Brooks’ NFL career:

• Three-time Pro Bowl selection (2018-20) and Super Bowl LII champion

• Most Pro Bowl selections by any guard in franchise history

• Including playoffs, 122 career games (116 starts) – including 69 (all starts) with the Eagles

• Six career playoff trips, including four playoffs with Philadelphia

• Considered among the best guards in the NFL during the 2016-19 seasons

• Ranked 2nd among all NFL guards in run blocking (85.4) from 2016-2019 (min. 1,000 run blocking snaps, per Pro Football Focus)

• Ranked 3rd among all NFL guards in pass blocking (90.6) from 2016-2019 (min. 2,000 pass blocking snaps, per Pro Football Focus)

• Tied with David DeCastro for fewest sacks allowed (4 of 2,587 pass-blocking snaps) among all NFL guards in that span (min. 2,000 pass-blocking snaps, per Pro Football Focus)

• Highest offensive rating (92.8) among all NFL guards in 2019

• Led the NFL in the run blocking category in 2019 (91.4)

• Bags authorized per season: 2016 (1), 2017 (0), 2018 (1), 2019 (2)

• Blocked for one of the most dominant OLs in the Eagles’ Super Bowl LII winning season

• Helped Philadelphia lead the NFL in red zone offense (65.5%) and rank 3rd in rushing (132.2 yards per game) and offensive points per game (26.3 ) in 2017

Brooks quietly and graciously announced his retirement on Wednesday. No fanfare. Just the memory of a great football player and a great Eagle who liked to be in Philadelphia where the agreement with a player and a team was perfect, just perfect.

“Brandon Brooks embodies who we are,” Stoutland said in 2019. “He’s a great member of our team. He always has a positive attitude. I love the way he prepares and especially the way how he behaves on Sunday.”

Canadian army

Russian envoy urges Justin Trudeau to call Vladimir Putin to discuss Ukraine crisis

by Rodney N. on January 26, 2022

Russian Ambassador to Canada Oleg Stepanov said that if Justin Trudeau called Vladimir Putin, the Russian President would “pick up the phone immediately”.Dave Chan/The Globe and Mail

Moscow’s envoy to Canada is urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to phone Vladimir Putin so he can hear the Russian president explain there’s “no chance” Russia will invade Ukraine.

Oleg Stepanov, the recently arrived Russian ambassador to Canada, told The Globe and Mail on Tuesday that Mr. Putin would accept a phone call from Mr. Trudeau to discuss the crisis in Ukraine and the gathering in Moscow of more than 100,000 troops to the Russian-Ukrainian border. .

“I am 100% sure that my president would pick up the phone immediately,” Mr. Stepanov said, noting that the two leaders never attended a bilateral meeting during Mr. Trudeau’s seven years in office.

Mr. Putin would welcome the opportunity to make it clear to Mr. Trudeau that he has no intention of invading Ukraine and to explain the Kremlin’s opposition to the encroachment of the NATO on its borders, Mr. Stepanov said.

He noted that the leaders of the United States, Britain, Germany and many other Western countries regularly dialogue with Mr. Putin and he urged the Government of Canada to do the same.

But even though he ruled out the possibility of an invasion, Mr Stepanov mentioned a scenario in which some Ukrainian politicians – whom he declined to identify – could spark a conflict.

He urged Canada and other Western governments to work with Kyiv to deter this group.

“My government’s concern is that there is a war party in Kiev. There are radical politicians out there who could use the current stormy situation to provoke conflict on their side,” the envoy said.

When it comes to Ukrainian national security, Vladimir Putin has already won

Stepanov’s comments come a day after the NATO military alliance announced it was putting forces on standby and bolstering Eastern Europe with more ships and fighter jets in response reinforcement of Russian troops near its border with Ukraine.

He called on Ottawa and its allies “who have vested interests in Ukraine to work with the Kyiv government to keep them under control and deter them from any possible provocations in Donbass or elsewhere in Ukraine.”

As he spoke about the need for Russian-Canadian engagement, the envoy said the Kremlin would even drop a travel ban imposed on Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland in 2014 after Canada imposed sanctions to the Russian elites for the annexation of Crimea by Moscow and the destabilization of Ukraine. At the time, Russia retaliated by issuing travel bans on Ms Freeland and other Canadian officials – actions the ambassador called “how the game is played”.

The travel ban, however, would only be ignored if Ms Freeland were to come to Moscow for serious high-level talks – talks which the Russian envoy expressed hope would transform Canada into what he called a “voice of moderation” on the Ukrainian crisis. .

“If miracles happen and Madame Freeland wants to come to Moscow with a special message from the prime minister, I’m sure the exception can be made,” he said.

However, he expressed concern that Ms. Freeland, a Ukrainian-Canadian whose mother helped draft Ukraine’s constitution, is heavily influencing government policy in favor of Kyiv. He noted that she holds regular discussions with the Congress of Ukrainian Canadians, a group that represents people of Ukrainian descent in Canada.

“She is a member of the Ukrainian diaspora,” Mr. Stepanov said. “She’s the prime minister’s right-hand man… so she’s an influential voice in decision-making.”

The ambassador laughed when he learned that Canada was recalling spouses of diplomats and their children under the age of 18 from Kiev as a precaution against a possible Russian invasion.

“It’s your taxpayers’ money,” he said. “You want to remove them, you [will] I have to bring them back because I’m sure the situation will calm down.

On Ukraine, let’s not forget what history teaches us about appeasement

Mr. Stepanov denied that Russia hacked into Global Affairs Canada’s computer system last week; it suffered a multi-day meltdown that security experts called a cyberattack. And the ambassador dismissed warnings from the Communications Security Establishment, the top-secret federal agency that handles signals intelligence and cybersecurity, to be wary of Russian cyberattacks.

“No, absolutely not,” he replied when asked about the disruption of computer networks at Global Affairs, discovered on January 19. “Russia does not conduct any malicious activity in the cybersphere against Canada or any other country.”

When told that Washington had accused Russian intelligence of a major hack of US government departments and private companies, such as Microsoft Corp., in late 2020, Mr Stepanov said: “They still do this. if it helps to increase their self-esteem, but the problem with Americans and others is that it is very easy to blame the Russians.

The federal cabinet met on Tuesday and will meet again on Wednesday to approve a six-month extension to the Canadian Armed Forces training mission in Ukraine. He should approve a package of measures including the supply of small arms to the army of this country.

The Russian ambassador questioned why Canada would supply arms to Ukraine when Kiev appears to have a sufficient inventory of weapons – since it also exports defense equipment abroad.

Stepanov noted that the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), which tracks arms sales, records arms exports from Ukraine. In 2019, according to the SIPRI database, Ukraine exported missiles and armored fighting vehicles. In 2020, Ukraine exported missiles and aircraft. The United Nations Conventional Arms Register also shows that in 2020 Ukraine exported missile launchers and portable anti-tank rocket systems, as well as firearms, including pistols, submachine guns and rifles. assault.

“For me, it is quite surprising to see that the country continues to profit from arms exports and at the same time asks its foreign partners to provide it with additional weapons,” he said.

“If you feel threatened by Russia or any other country, you don’t sell your weapons; you store them.

When asked why Russia had placed more than 100,000 combat-ready troops on the border with Ukraine, the ambassador replied: “This is our land, this is our army. The army must conduct exercises from time to time.

With a Reuters report

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International headquarters

All the registrations and certificates you need to visit Saudi Arabia

by Rodney N. on January 25, 2022

A Saudi hospitality project will allow visitors to walk in the footsteps of the royal family, in palaces steeped in history

MAKKAH/RIYADH: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman recently announced the launch of the Boutique Group, which plans to turn a number of historically and culturally significant palaces in Saudi Arabia into ultra-luxury hotels.

The move is part of efforts to showcase the Kingdom’s rich heritage and vibrant culture to domestic and foreign visitors, as well as the hospitality for which the country is renowned. The first phase of the project focuses on the development of three historic destinations: Al-Hamra Palace in Jeddah, Tuwaiq Palace and Red Palace in Riyadh.

Al Hamra Palace

Al-Hamra Palace is one of the most historically significant palaces of the modern era, according to Saleh Al-Misnad Al-Tamimi, a contemporary Saudi history researcher.

Inspired by Andalusian culture and style, it was built during the reign of King Saud bin Abdulaziz for Prince Faisal bin Abdulaziz but was not intended to host official functions and conferences.

The palace, located north of the US embassy, was relatively small when it was built in the late 1950s, Al-Tamimi told Arab News. It was later expanded and transformed into a place to receive royal guests and hold official meetings.

The prince had an office on the south side of the building, directly overlooking the palace mosque, according to Al-Tamimi. Palace workers would hear requests and complaints from citizens, then relay them to the royal in his office, near reception.

The palace hosted many important events, Al-Tamimi said, including the first conference of foreign ministers of Islamic countries in March 1970, which resulted in the formation of the General Secretariat of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, now known as the Organization of the Islamic Conference. Cooperation.

Inspired by Andalusian culture and style, Al-Hamra Palace was built during the reign of King Saud bin Abdulaziz for Prince Faisal bin Abdulaziz. (Provided)

Among the many foreign leaders and heads of state who met King Faisal at the palace were US President Richard Nixon, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, Lebanese President Suleiman Frangieh and Sudanese President Jaafar Nimeiry. Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser was a rare exception, who was instead received at the royal court at Khuzam Palace.

Al-Hamra Palace was built by the Arab Engineering Company, which had built many similar structures in Jeddah, including those belonging to Prince Nawaf bin Abdulaziz and politician, economist and poet Mohammed Surur Sabban.

After its development by Boutique Group, Al-Hamra Palace will have 77 rooms, including 33 luxury suites and 44 luxury villas.

Mohammed H. Al-Ruwaili, of the Al-Sudairy Cultural Center in Jouf, described the launch of the Boutique Group as a civilizational, historical and cultural investment leap that will open up Saudi Arabia’s heritage and cultural treasures to the world. . and enjoy.

He said the project aims to capitalize on the aspect of Saudi heritage represented by the luxurious palaces nestled in nature and once owned by kings and princes, turning them into tourist attractions that visitors from all over the world can enjoy. .

With their eye-catching courtyards, gardens and floors, they will be transformed into world-class luxury hotels with ornate interior decorations and unprecedented architectural designs, he told Arab News.

The palace, located north of the US Embassy, was relatively small when built in the late 1950s. (Supplied)

“I think we are on the verge of making a significant and qualitative shift in investing and introducing valuable historical and cultural destinations in our country,” Al-Ruwaili said, referring to the first phase of the Boutique group project.

“The announcement (by the Crown Prince) is historic as it will likely be followed by milestones and milestones that Saudi citizens will benefit from.”

Abdullah Almuneef, dean of the faculty of tourism and antiquities at King Saud University, also welcomed the announcement, saying the project will ensure the restoration and preservation of historical sites by turning them into elite tourist destinations.

“It is an important experience for the Kingdom, similar to that in Europe, where many famous palaces have benefited from restoration and preservation projects,” he said.

The red palace

King Abdulaziz ordered the construction of the Red Palace in Riyadh in 1942 to serve as the residence of his son, Saud, who was then the crown prince. It was also used to receive official guests.

After King Saud moved to his Nasiriyah Palace in 1956, the Red Palace became the seat of the Council of Ministers during the reigns of King Faisal, King Khalid and King Fahd, before becoming the seat of the Committee of Grievances .

After the redevelopment, the Red Palace will have 71 rooms, including 46 luxury suites and 25 luxury guest rooms. (Provided)

It was called the Red Palace because of the distinctive color of its exterior. Among the notable guests hosted within its walls were Egyptian Presidents Nasser and Sadat, Syrian President Shukri Al-Quwatli, Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and King Talal bin Abdullah of Jordan.

The palace consists of 16 suites and rooms equipped with air conditioning and ceiling fans, as well as a system that allows sunlight to illuminate the interior of the palace. After the redevelopment, the palace will have 71 rooms, including 46 luxury suites and 25 luxurious guest rooms.

Tuwaiq Palace

Tuwaiq Palace is located in the diplomatic district of Riyadh, occupying an area of approximately 24,000 square meters. Designed in 1981 and completed in 1985, it received the Aga Khan International Award for Architecture in 1998.

Today, the palace is a center for cultural activities, conferences, seminars, specialized exhibitions and social activities. It also hosts workshops, festivals, meetings and training events.

It comprises several halls, public facilities and reception areas behind a long undulating wall clad in Riyadh stone, a beige-colored limestone quarried in Saudi Arabia.

Designed in 1981 and completed in 1985, Tuwaiq Palace received the Aga Khan International Award for Architecture in 1998. (Supplied)

It also has a three-story guest house overlooking the valley, with four suites and 25 rooms.

There are several reception halls and amphitheatres, all equipped with presentation and translation facilities, in addition to dining halls and other hospitality services.

Three distinctive white canopies span the main halls, whose walls of glass offer a breathtaking panorama of the surrounding valley, gardens and scenic outdoor pathways. After redevelopment, the palace will feature 96 rooms, including 40 luxury suites and 56 luxury villas.

Khuzam Palace

Although not currently included in the redevelopment plan, Khuzam Palace has great potential to become a boutique hotel. Located in Al-Nazla Al-Yamaniya, in the southeast of historic Jeddah, the palace was named after the Khuzam tulips that grow abundantly on its grounds. Construction began in 1928 and was completed in 1932.

“The palace was built of stone bricks and its roof was constructed of Javanese timber,” Al-Tamimi said. “About three years later, the Egyptian National Company built reinforced concrete annexes there, including the palace that King Abdulaziz used to receive kings, heads of state, ministers, ambassadors and high officials.”

Located in Al-Nazla Al-Yamaniya in the southeast of historic Jeddah, Khuzam Palace was named after the Khuzam tulips that grow abundantly on its grounds. (Provided)

According to Al-Tamimi, Khuzam Palace was where the concession agreement allowing oil exploration was signed between the Saudi government, represented by Finance Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Suleiman, and Standard Oil of California, represented by Lloyd Hamilton, May 29, 1933. .

The palace also hosted the signing ceremonies of a border agreement with Kuwait and a reciprocal memorandum with Egypt regarding construction projects, according to Al-Tamimi. Other notable events that took place there include the renewal of the Jeddah Treaty with the British government in 1943, the signing of the Dhahran Airfield Agreement with the United States, a trade agreement with Syria and a friendship treaty with Pakistan.

The palace’s importance throughout the kingdom’s history has been such that its iconic main gates were once featured on Saudi banknotes.

Al-Saqqaf Palace

Al-Saqqaf Palace, also known as Al-Bayyadiyah Royal Palace, is located in the holy city of Makkah. It should be included in the next phase of the Boutique Group project, as it is currently undergoing restoration work.

“The palace is a high beacon of architectural art and one of the oldest archaeological buildings,” Makkah history researcher Samir Ahmed Barqa told Arab News.

“It represents heritage architectural designs and bears the Islamic architectural character as it contains a lot of Islamic arts and decorations. He has also witnessed many high-profile occasions throughout a royal era, whose roots stretch to the first Saudi state.

Al-Saqqaf Palace, also known as Al-Bayyadiyah Royal Palace, is located in the holy city of Makkah. (Provided)

The site consists of two older palaces, Al-Bayyadiyah Al-Shamali and Al-Bayyadiyah Al-Janoubi, which were combined with a newer palace built by King Abdulaziz, who lived there from 1924.

“The palace became the seat of government when the founding king came to Makkah,” Barqa said. “After that, the palace was used as the headquarters for King Abdulaziz’s deputy in Hejaz, his son Prince Faisal, and later it was used as the headquarters of the Muslim World League, and then as the headquarters of Makkah Police.”

King Abdulaziz ordered the construction of several halls to accommodate visiting presidents, kings and other dignitaries, as well as heads of Hajj missions. The palace became the seat of the Royal Court in 1953, then was occupied by a number of government departments between 1960 and 1982.

It has over 100 rooms, including a central meeting room. The main entrance stands out for its exquisite grandeur.

If included in the boutique project, it would undoubtedly become an important attraction for religious tourists visiting Makkah and captivated by the heritage of the Kingdom.

Non profit living

ADDF and AFTD Partner to Support Wave Life Sciences’ FTD and ALS Clinical Program

by Rodney N. on January 25, 2022

NEW YORK, January 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — The Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) and the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD) today announced their partnership to support the FOCUS-C9 phase of Wave Life Sciences 1b/2a clinical trial investigating WVE-004 as a potential treatment for C9orf72– associated frontotemporal degeneration (C9-FTD), as well as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (C9-ALS). The partnership provides an investment from the ADDF and AFTD that will support the assessment of fluid biomarkers, functional assessments and digital biomarkers in FOCUS-C9, potentially leading to clinically meaningful results to inform the development of treatments for DFT.

The ADDF and AFTD made the decision to support the FOCUS-C9 trial following a review of Wave’s clinical research application for the Treat FTD Fund, which supports the development of new drugs to treat FTD. Specifically, members of the Treat FTD Fund Joint Steering Committee, an expert panel convened by the ADDF in conjunction with the AFTD, and the ADDF Scientific Review Committee reviewed and commented on the phase 1b/2a study design, preclinical data supporting the program, and study team references.

“This investment exemplifies many of our priorities: collaboration, innovative science and the development of more rigorous methods for conducting clinical trials,” said Howard Fillit, MD, Co-Founder and Scientific Director of ADDF. “We must work together – as the ADDF and AFTD have done for years – to expand our scientific knowledge of all neurodegenerative diseases so that we can help provide meaningful treatments for people with FTD, Alzheimer’s and other related dementias.”

“The AFTD is proud to support, through the Treat FTD Fund, this innovative and potentially important clinical trial,” said Susan LJ Dickinson, CEO of AFTD. “For so many people living with FTD, this trial represents hope for effective treatments and to ease the journey of the next family facing this disease. Our ongoing collaborations with ADDF and Wave Life Sciences portend a future without this disease, and we are grateful to all clinical investigators and those diagnosed with FTD who will participate in this important research.”

The FOCUS-C9 trial is original in that it is a “basket” type study designed to evaluate the effects of genetically targeted treatment in patients with different disease phenotypes (FTD, FTD with ALS or ALS) that share a common molecular etiology, as has been used in oncology trials but has not yet been applied in neurology and C9orf72 population specifically. Wave’s focus on C9-FTD makes it a unique program in the C9orf72 clinical research landscape. It is also unique in the use of novel oligonucleotide chemistry which has shown enhanced cellular and nuclear uptake.

“We are grateful to the ADDF and AFTD panel of experts for their support and recognition of the innovative approach we have taken to rapidly advancing our clinical program,” said Michael Panzara, MD, MPH, Chief Medical Officer and Head of Therapeutic Discovery and Development at Wave Life Sciences. “In addition to advancing WVE-004 as a new genetically targeted treatment for FTD and ALS, we look forward to sharing the many learnings that will emerge from this trial with the wider medical and scientific communities.”

WVE-004 is a stereopure antisense oligonucleotide designed to selectively target transcriptional variants containing a hexanucleotide repeat expansion (G₄VS₂) associated with the C9orf72 gene, thus sparing C9orf72 protein. g₄VS₂ extensions in C9orf72 are one of the most common genetic causes of sporadic and hereditary forms of ALS and FTD.

ABOUT THE ALZHEIMER’S DRUG DISCOVERY FOUNDATION
Founded in 1998 by Leonard A. and Ronald S. Lauder, the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation is dedicated to rapidly accelerating drug discovery to prevent, treat and cure Alzheimer’s disease. The ADDF is the only public charity focused exclusively on funding drug development for Alzheimer’s disease, employing a venture philanthropy model to support research in universities and the biotech industry.

Thanks to the generosity of its donors, the ADDF has awarded over $209 million to fund more than 690 Alzheimer’s disease drug discovery programs, biomarker programs and clinical trials in 19 countries. To learn more, please visit: http://www.alzdiscovery.org/.

ABOUT THE ASSOCIATION FOR FRONTO-TEMPORAL DEGENERATION
Founded in 2002, the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD) is the leading US nonprofit organization working to improve the lives of people with FTD, their care partners, and loved ones. The AFTD promotes and funds research into the diagnosis, treatment and cure of FTD; stimulates greater public awareness; provides information and support to those directly affected; promotes the education of health professionals; and advocates for appropriate and affordable services. To learn more, visit www.theaftd.org.

ABOUT WAVES LIFE SCIENCES
Wave Life Sciences (Nasdaq: WVE) is a clinical-stage genetic medicine company committed to providing life-changing treatments for people struggling with devastating diseases. Wave aspires to develop best-in-class drugs across multiple therapeutic modalities using PRISM, the company’s proprietary drug discovery and development platform that enables the precise design, optimization and production of oligonucleotides stereopure. Driven by a resolute sense of urgency, the Wave team targets a wide range of genetically defined diseases so that patients and families can achieve a better future. To learn more, visit www.wavelifesciences.com and follow Wave on Twitter @WaveLifeSci.

SOURCE Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation

History organization

Census of birds in the sanctuaries of Kazhuveli and Oussudu on January 28 and 29

by Rodney N. on January 25, 2022

17,565 birds from 47 species were spotted during the pre-bird count earlier this month

The Villupuram Forestry Department will carry out the annual two-day synchronized bird count at Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary and adjacent areas of Yedayanthittu Estuary and Oussudu Bird Sanctuary in Villupuram District, the January 28 and 29.

The annual census will be carried out by the Department of Forestry with the coordination of the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and technical support from the Universal Eco Foundation and the Indigenous Biodiversity Foundation (IBF), a non-profit organization.

According to District Forest Officer Sumesh Soman, a team of 50 volunteer members from Mayiladuthurai and Tiruchi district colleges and students from Pondicherry University will carry out the census from 6am to 10am on January 28-29.

“Participants will be divided into groups and undertake the census simultaneously in Kazhuveli Sanctuary, Yedayanthittu Estuary and Oussudu Bird Sanctuary. We have planned 12 transect lines including eight in Kazhuveli and two in Edayanthittu and Oussudu,” he said.

Representatives from institutions such as the Federal Bank will also join us as volunteers. Each group will consist of at least one subject matter expert and the data will be recorded in a scientific manner.

The census will also cover important bird areas adjacent to the sanctuaries and will be carried out in accordance with international standards. The data will be compiled in two days, a Forestry Department official said.

Mr Soman said about 17,565 birds belonging to 47 species were spotted in Kazhuveli during the pre-bird census conducted by a team led by Dr S. Balachandran, Scientist, Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) on 14 and January 15.

The highest number was Ruffed (10,000), followed by Blue-tailed Godwits and Plovers in the pre-bird count.

Last year, more than 25,000 birds from 57 species were spotted at the sanctuary.

The second phase of the bird census will cover inland waterbirds while the third phase will cover landbirds. Dates will be finalized soon, the official said.

Canadian army

A Quiet Place spin-off release date delayed | Movies | Entertainment

by Rodney N. on January 24, 2022

The original A Quiet Place was a huge hit, grossing $341 million at the box office on a budget of $17 million. The sequel was also a hit, despite battling the pandemic. With a budget of $61 million, it grossed $297 worldwide. There’s certainly an audience hungry for the dystopian franchise’s quieter suffering. It’s no surprise that Paramount was quick to confirm a spin-off, supposedly focusing on new characters in another location in the universe. Unfortunately, its release has been pushed back, echoing the issues that Part 2 had a year earlier.

Originally slated to premiere on March 21, 2023, the upcoming spin-off A Quiet Place will release on September 22, 2023 instead. Little is known about the film, with the presence of the Abbot family remaining unconfirmed.

There’s also been a change of directors, with Take Shelter and Mud director Jeff Nichols recently dropping the project. Now Michael Sarnoski, who helmed Pig in 2021 with Nicholas Cage, is overseeing the film instead.

It appears that the spin-off and A Quiet Place Part 3 are identical, with reports referring to the projects interchangeably.

READ MORE: Elvis proposed to first co-star Debra Paget and ‘never got over it’

In a recent interview with Empire, John Krasinski, the director of the first two films, hinted at the plot of the next chapter, although he confirmed that nothing is concrete at this point.

Krasinski said, “Is it going to continue the Abbotts? Who knows!… No, I’ll tell you it’s… I’m really excited about the third installment because it’s going to do something that we haven’t done before. The end of the last plan is, now that the world knows [the signal that the creatures are vulnerable to], what will the world do with this answer, or this weapon? Will they be responsible or will they not be? »

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International headquarters

Unifrax moves its headquarters to Dallas, changing its name | Business premises

by Rodney N. on January 24, 2022

Unifrax has changed its name and will move its headquarters to Dallas.

Photo from news folder

Unifrax plans to move its headquarters from the city of Tonawanda to Dallas, but the company said it does not expect the change to result in immediate local job cuts.

The company announced the move on Monday, along with announcing it was changing its name to Alkegen.

The newly renamed company will continue to have manufacturing operations in Tonawanda. And Tonawanda will serve as the headquarters for Alkegen’s thermal insulation and emissions control activities.

“No changes are expected in the short term for jobs in Tonawanda,” said company spokeswoman Deb Myers.

“Just as we were with Unifrax, as Alkegen we are committed to Buffalo and plan to maintain a significant presence here for the long term,” she said.

The change in name and headquarters stems from Unifrax’s acquisition of Lydall, a manufacturer of specialty filtration materials with a worldwide presence. The $1.3 billion deal was completed last October, with John Dandolph, chairman and chief executive of Unifrax, leading the combined company in those same roles.

Alkegen will locate the headquarters of its filtration and battery business in Dallas, as well as its corporate headquarters.

“The decision to base our business, filtration and battery teams in Dallas demonstrates our commitment to growing the business and making Alkegen a global leader focused on advanced technologies,” said Dandolph.

Non profit living

‘We all have a little PTSD’: Monterey County residents deal with Colorado fire

by Rodney N. on January 24, 2022

MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KRON) – “We all have a little bit of PTSD,” Audrey Cray said with a local charity called “All In Monterey.” “When we live in an area that tends to have fires every time we hear about anything, we all get very nervous, very scared.”

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As firefighters continue to battle the Colorado blaze, many people are still displaced from their homes.
The fire is now 35% contained and affects 700 acres.

Many people have had to leave their homes without notice and situations like this can be very scary.

“They don’t know if they’re going to have a home to come to, if they’re going to lose all of their belongings and we’re just a little bit there’s a big, warm hug,” Cray said.

As the Colorado Fire continues to burn, people living west of 3800 Palo Colorado Road toward Highway 1 and south of Bixby Creek in Monterey County are still being evacuated.

“When you’re told to evacuate, you leave with the clothes on your back and there’s so much that you don’t even think about that you don’t grasp,” Cray said.

Cray says they are doing what they can to help.

The non-profit organization provides support to its neighbors in Monterey.

They are currently working with the Red Cross at the Carmel Middle School Shelter.

“We worked with the evacuation center to make sure they had wash clothes, everything they would need at the evacuation centre.”

Meanwhile, firefighters are working around the clock to put out the fire.

U.S. Representative for the Central Coast, Jimmy Panetta, said he met with Cal Fire about their efforts.

“They feel confident, but the terrain is really steep there,” Panetta said. “If you’ve been along Highway 1, which many of your viewers have, you understand how steep and rugged it is.”

Panetta was happy to report that only one structure was damaged and there were no injuries or fatalities.

“The people of this area, the people of Big Sur are hardy, they’re warm, they’re used to these kinds of natural disasters.”

Panetta says he’s calling on everyone to help prevent fires – like this one – from happening in the future.

Although we don’t yet know what caused this fire, he says most of these fires are caused by human activity.

History organization

Jackie Robinson elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame

by Rodney N. on January 24, 2022

On January 23, 1962, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) elected Brooklyn Dodgers legend Jackie Robinson to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Robinson received 77.5% (124 out of 160) of all votes cast, earning him the consecration in his first year of eligibility. Cleveland Indians great Bob Feller (93.8%) was also elected, marking the first time in MLB history that two players were elected in their first year on the ballot.

Robinson and Feller joined Edd Roush and Bill McKechnie, who were previously selected by the Veterans Affairs Committee. The four were officially inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame later that year on July 23 at a ceremony in Cooperstown, NY.

Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier when he made his Dodgers debut on April 15, 1947. He won National League Rookie of the Year honors that season and, in 1949, was named NL MVP after hitting .342/.432/.528 with 16 home runs, 124 RBI and 37 stolen bases.

Robinson spent his entire 10-year career with the Dodgers, batting .311/.409/.474 with 137 home runs, 273 triples, 734 RBIs and 197 stolen bases. He ranks ninth on the Dodgers’ all-time batting average leading list and 13th all-time in doubles and stolen bases.

The Pasadena, Calif., native was a six-time All-Star and was part of the 1955 Dodgers World Series championship team. Robinson had his No. 42 jersey retired by the organization on June 4, 1972, and five years later, his iconic No. 42 was retired throughout Major League Baseball.

All players and team personnel on the field wear Robinson’s famous shirt number each year on April 15. To commemorate Robinson’s 70th anniversary breaking the color barrier, the Dodgers unveiled a statue of him at Dodger Stadium on April 15, 2017.

Robinson retired after a trade with the Giants

Robinson’s career with the Dodgers ended on December 13, 1956 when he was traded to the New York Giants. However, rather than play for a rival, Robinson opted to retire so he could pursue business opportunities.

Are you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date with all the Dodgers news and rumors!

Canadian army

Canadian company used COVID wage supports to hire scabs

by Rodney N. on January 23, 2022

For the past eighteen months, the manufacturing company CESSCO, based in Edmonton, Alberta, has been locking out unionized employees. Meanwhile, the company used Canada’s federal government COVID-19 wage subsidy funds to hire strikebreakers.

Unionized workers at CESSCO Fabrication and Engineering Ltd have stood up against a series of attacks on their pay and working conditions. These include cutting wages by 10%, pensions by up to 50% and removing seniority from their collective agreement. In union agreements, seniority stipulates that wage and security benefits go to workers according to their seniority, so that those who have been there the longest are paid the best and are the last to be fired in the event of a dismissal.

The employees, many of whom are boilermakers and welders who fabricate containers that hold gases and liquids for the oil and gas industry, were locked out of their workplace since June 28, 2020.

Hugh MacDonald, the business manager of Boilermakers Lodge 146, which represents locked-out CESSCO workers, said Jacobin that the union was initially willing to accept wage cuts until the price of oil rose. Since January 14, the canadian crude price more than doubled from $27.84 on June 29, 2020 to $69.51.

“A lot of guys on the picket line have worked their entire adult lives at this facility. Some of them have been there for over 40 years. They would definitely prefer to work,” MacDonald says. “But we get support from the working community in northern Alberta and we get support from our international in Kansas City. It helps members on the lockdown line to realize that there are a lot of people standing up and supporting them.

At first, thirty workers were locked out. Eight have since crossed the picket line, according to MacDonald.

CESSCO is listed on the database companies that have received the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS). The wage subsidy was introduced at the start of the pandemic to subsidize 75% of the salaries of employees of companies that have experienced a significant drop in income.

The CEWS grantee database does not detail disbursement dates or the amount raised by recipient companies. Whatever the amount of CESSCO’s revenue, the fact remains that the company benefited from the wage subsidy when many of its employees did not receive a salary. MacDonald says the Boilermakers were surprised to find that CESSCO received funds from CEWS while they were locked out.

The Canadian government introduced two major COVID-19 benefits at the start of the pandemic – the aforementioned CEWS and the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB). The latter provided $2,000 a month to those who had lost their jobs as a result of COVID restrictions.

Since December 19, 2020, the total cost of CEWS was $99.13 billion, down from $81.64 billion for the CERB, which ended in October 2020. As the right-wing media ruminated that CERB was turning unemployed Canadians into “wellness loafers,” Where encouraging gang violencesome major hardware flaws of the CEWS became apparent.

In December 2020, the Financial position reported that at least sixty-eight companies that received federal wage subsidies have continued to pay dividends to their shareholders, including some of Canada’s largest corporations, such as oil companies Imperial Oil, Suncor and Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. The sixty-eight companies together received $1.03 billion in CEWS support while paying out $5 billion in dividends.

“Think about what happens: taxpayers indirectly subsidize payouts to shareholders,” said Richard Leblanc, York University professor and corporate governance adviser. To post. “This is completely unacceptable. Even if the government did not drop the ball, which it did, these remarkable companies should lead by example.

A beginning of 2022 report from the Canadian Center for Progressive Policy Alternatives (CCPA) reveals that CEO compensation has increased from 2019 to 2020. The CCPA notes that more than a third of Canada’s 100 highest-paid CEOs run companies that have received funding from the CEWS.

“A lot of these companies probably didn’t need [CEWS]but if there was federal money available, they were going to ask for it and they were going to take it,” CACP senior economist David Macdonald told the CBC. “That was not what this program was intended for.”

Effective October 28, 2021, the federal government divided the CEWS into two more targeted programs: the Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program and the Hardest-Hit Business Recovery Program.

On January 11, 2021, Heather McPherson, a left-leaning New Democratic Party (NDP) legislator who represents a riding in the city of Edmonton, where CESSCO is located, wrote a letter to Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland. In the letter, McPherson expressed concern that CEWS funds were being used to hire scabs. Freeland has yet to respond.

McPherson wrote:

I think all Canadians would be appalled to learn that their tax money is being used in this way. But I don’t believe your government has planned COVID-19 economic relief programs for this purpose. In fact, I hope you find this situation as appalling as I do.

McPherson sees the CESSCO situation as an extension of Alberta Conservative Premier Jason Kenney’s scorched-earth assault on the province’s labor movement. The Kenney government passed a law that prohibits strikers from peacefully blocking entrances to workplaces.

McPherson has raised the issue of the scab subsidy in Parliament on several occasions throughout 2021. February 17, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau provided a boilerplate response to his line of questioning, saying:

We continue to know that many Canadians across the country still need help. We will be there for them. As I said from the start, we will be there for Canadians for as long as it takes, no matter what.

All five parties represented in Parliament supported the introduction of the CEWS, the NDP push successfully the ruling Liberals to increase the subsidy from 10 percent to 75 percent.

McPherson, explaining the situation to Jacobin, said that when “COVID arrived. . . we were trying to get the money out very, very quickly. She added:

I understand that there may be loopholes, but it is possible to fix those loopholes when the program has been in place for months and months. Not fixing them has to be either because you don’t care or because you don’t really see it as a problem. Maybe they don’t think it’s a problem to use taxpayers’ money to pay scabs and lock out workers. I can’t see it any other way.

McPherson argues that CEWS was an important program to keep local businesses afloat, but its flaws should have been ironed out as criticisms arose.

On July 5, while walking the CESSCO picket line, worker Raymond Mudryk, a welder who had been a member of Boilermaker Lodge 146 since 1976, died suddenly at the age of seventy.

“Brother Mudryk was a proud member of Lodge 146 who put the needs of others before his own. He has always done his part to get better wages, benefits and working conditions,” reads his memorial page on the Boilermakers website. On August 25, 2021, which would have been his seventy-first birthday, the lodge held a celebration of his life on the picket line.

Mudryk was not the first CESSCO worker to die on the job in recent years.

In May 2019, CESSCO pleaded guilty to a single charge of failing to ensure the use of fall protection, which resulted in the death of Barry Maitland on January 19, 2016. According to the Edmonton newspaper, Maitland fell from the top of a liquefied natural gas storage tank he was welding on.

The Boilermakers aren’t surrendering anytime soon. Despite picket line struggles in sub-zero temperatures of northern Alberta and CESSCO not returning calls from local, MacDonald says workers will continue to picket out of a sense of justice :

We know that is wrong. We know this is an example of corporate greed. What CESSCO has done here is harsh and unfair, especially during a global pandemic. . . . We simply demand fair wages for an honest day’s work. . . . We’re not going to give up, we’re going to stay strong and see what happens.

International headquarters

Migrants at the Hungarian border are part of the election campaign

by Rodney N. on January 23, 2022

title=s — Migrants clean an abandoned shed while preparing for harsh winter weather near the Hungarian border outside the village of Majdan, Serbia, Tuesday, January 11, 2022. Hungarian nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban holds to use the threat of migrants on his country’s southern border to give him an advantage in the upcoming elections. But the extent of the migratory pressure claimed by Orban is called into question by statistics from neighboring Serbia and the European Union’s border agency. (AP Photo/Bela Szandelszky)

Bela Szandelszky

PA

MAJDAN, Serbia

A group of migrants huddle next to a small, smoky fire inside an abandoned building in northern Serbia, the last moments of warmth before rushing through the snow towards barbed wire, cameras and sensors of Hungary’s electrified border fence.

Hours later they return, their efforts to cross Hungary and into Western Europe thwarted by the three-meter (10-foot) fence and the heavy patrols of the Hungarian police who, having intercepted them, escorted them from across the border to Serbia.

“I’m going to Austria, I’m going to Germany, I’m going to the Netherlands,” says Muhtar Ahmad, a 26-year-old from Aleppo, Syria, who is squatting with about 35 other migrants in the makeshift tent camp in outside the Serbian village of Majdan, one mile (less than two kilometers) from the Hungarian border.

“I am not staying in Hungary. What’s the problem?”

As migrants from Syria, Afghanistan and other countries embark on the final leg of their long journey to Europe’s wealthier countries, their efforts to enter the European Union illegally via Hungary – and the practice the country’s controversial move to send them back to Serbia when captured – have incorporated them into a political campaign with which the Hungarian nationalist leader hopes to win the next general election.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who according to polls will face his closest election in more than a decade in April, is campaigning on a strict anti-immigration platform and keen to use the prospect of a wave of migrants massing at the Hungarian border as a means of mobilizing his conservative electoral base.

“This year alone, we have arrested and detained…more than 100,000 people,” Orban said in a rare appearance before reporters in December. “If the Hungarian fence had not been there, more than 100,000 more illegal migrants would now be first in Austria and then in Germany.”

One of Europe’s most vocal opponents of immigration, Orban said migration threatens to displace the continent’s Christian culture and that illegal migrants are responsible for bringing in infections like COVID-19 variants. in his country.

“We don’t want to be an immigration country,” Orban said in a state radio interview this week.

Ahead of the April 3 election, he described current migration pressures as higher than in 2015, when hundreds of thousands of refugees entered the EU fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and elsewhere. , and when he ordered the construction of the border of the country. fence.

But figures released by Serbian officials and the EU Border and Coast Guard agency suggest far fewer people are trying to enter Hungary than the right-wing leader claims.

“It’s a bit bigger number than, say, two years ago, but they’re not significant numbers. It’s a small increase,” Nemanja Matejic, manager of a migrant reception center in the northern Serbian town of Subotica, said of the current level of migrants along the Hungarian border.

While Hungarian police put the number of migrants intercepted by Hungarian authorities at more than 122,000, data from the European border agency Frontex showed that there were 60,540 attempts to cross borders illegally. last year on the Western Balkan migration route, which includes the Hungary-Serbia border.

Moreover, since most migrants make repeated attempts to cross, the number of individuals involved is even much smaller.

The Serbian Commissariat for Refugees and Migration reports that there are 4,276 migrants residing in reception centers in Serbia and another 1,000 sleeping rough.

Frontex noted that the majority of Western Balkan crossings “can be traced back to people who have been in the region for some time and repeatedly attempt to reach their target country in the EU”.

Hikmad Serat, 20, from Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, took shelter in an isolated abandoned building near the Serbian border town of Horgos this month as a cold snap brought temperatures to -10 C (14 F.)

Serat said he had been in Serbia for 15 months and had lost count of how many times he had entered Hungary and been turned away by the police.

“Many times I try, 100 times, more than 100 times… Each time the police arrest me and deport me to Serbia,” Serat said.

This practice – where police deny migrants the right to seek asylum and escort them back across national borders – is known as “refoulement”. It has been declared illegal by the EU’s highest court and violates international asylum treaties.

Matejic, the head of the reception center, said migrants making dozens of crossing attempts are “typical”.

“Sometimes a guy tries once and walks away, he’s lucky…Sometimes they try over 50 times…They try and try again,” he said.

Many migrants have reported being ill-treated by the police after leaving Serbian territory for Hungary, Croatia or Romania. This includes destroying or stealing mobile phones, sitting or kneeling in the snow for hours and being beaten – allegations that are very difficult to independently confirm.

Romanian police did not respond to questions from The Associated Press. But Hungary’s national police headquarters wrote in an email that it “strongly rejects the unsubstantiated allegations” of migrant abuse.

Still, Matejic said 150 cases of broken limbs were recorded by the Subotica reception center in 2019.

“Sometimes they break their phones, the police. Sometimes they take their money. Sometimes they break their legs. It’s a different experience for everyone,” Matejic said.

Orban has asked the EU to reimburse Hungary for at least half of the costs of building, maintaining and patrolling its border fence, which he says amounted to 590 billion Hungarian forints ( $1.9 billion) over the past six years.

Still at odds with the EU’s more liberal member states, he also threatened “to open a corridor along which migrants can walk to Austria, Germany and Sweden and anyone who needs it”.

Despite the dangers, Faris al-Ibrahimi, a Moroccan migrant from the Subotica reception center who intends to travel to Spain, said he was undeterred after being pushed back 27 times by Hungarian police .

“I will try again. I won’t give up now… I will try until I succeed,” he said. “It’s an adventure. We cross, we go, they catch up with us, we come back, we leave. It’s like a game for us.”

___

Follow AP’s global migration coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/migration

Non profit living

MU Extension Leads Double Up Food Bucks | Community life

by Rodney N. on January 22, 2022

This year, more low-income families in Missouri and Kansas will be able to double their spending power when shopping for fruits and vegetables.

New USDA funding will allow the Mid-America Regional Council to expand the Double Up Food Bucks program in Kansas and Missouri from 80 to 140 locations. The program offers eligible consumers dollar-for-dollar consideration – up to $25 a day – for goods at participating grocery stores and farmers’ markets.

Consumers are eligible if they are enrolled in the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program, said Londa Nwadike, food safety specialist for the University of Missouri and Kansas State University.

Last summer, MARC – a nonprofit association of cities and counties in the Kansas City area – received a three-year, $4.6 million grant from the National Institute of Food and USDA Agriculture to bring Double Up Food Bucks to more places.

The program has redeemed nearly $3 million in incentives for SNAP recipients since 2015, said Donna Martin of MARC, head of Double Up Food Bucks.

MARC partners with local and regional organizations to implement the program. Through a $757,622 contract, MU Extension will work with farmers’ markets outside of the Kansas City metro area and west-central Missouri.

“This program is a huge benefit for SNAP recipients because they can afford to buy more fruits and vegetables,” said Jollyn Tyryfter, MU Extension’s nutrition and health education specialist, who is working with Nwadike on the project.

“It’s also a great benefit for vendors at local farmers’ markets who are able to sell more fruits and vegetables,” added Jennifer Elms, the newly hired coordinator of MU Extension’s Double Up Food Bucks program.

Nwadike encourages farmers’ market managers and interested vendors to join an informational webinar at noon on Tuesday, February 8. February 11th. For more information, visit extension.missouri.edu/events/2022-selling-at-the-farmer-s-market.

CultivateKC and the West Central Missouri Community Action Agency will continue to serve markets implementing Double Up Food Bucks in Metro Kansas City and West Central Missouri, respectively. For more information, visit www.DoubleUpHeartland.org.

History organization

“Trump’s house is collapsing”: why the ex-president’s legal net is tightening | donald trump

by Rodney N. on January 22, 2022

OWhen Donald Trump announced plans in 2006 to build a golf resort on ancient sand dunes on Scotland’s Aberdeenshire coast, he told reporters it was love at first sight. “As soon as I saw it, there was no doubt about it,” he said. It would be the “largest golf course in the world”.

This week, Trump International Scotland has become a central part of a case that looks set to dominate his post-presidential life and could even put him behind bars.

Local anglers denounced Trump as a “loud-mouthed bully” during the construction of the course. Environmentalists warned that the development would destroy the natural habitat, and sure enough it inflicted such damage that the site was stripped of its protected status.

But none of this distracted Trump from his goal. Today, the Scottish resort bills itself as a “first-rate luxury golf” experience packed with a five-star hotel and helicopter landing pad, priced at a bargain price of £2,595 (3,518 $) per year.

Fifteen years later, the property has done wonders for its owner. That is, if you measure success in Donald Trump’s idiosyncratic accounting style.

He bought the 2,000-acre (809-hectare) site from Menie in 2006 for $12.6 million. In five years, it was valued by the Trump Organization in its financial statements at $161 million, an increase of almost 13 times.

In 2014, the windswept Scottish holding company was valued at $436 million.

The hike caught the attention of Letitia James, a progressive New York State Attorney General known for her relentless pursuit of the rich and powerful. How Scottish property has skyrocketed in value is one of the questions she explores in her ongoing investigation into Trump Organization finances.

Letitia James: “We have uncovered significant evidence that suggests that Donald J Trump and the Trump Organization falsely and fraudulently valued multiple assets and misrepresented those values at financial institutions for economic gain.” Photograph: Richard Drew/AP

In a new filing released this week aimed at pressuring Trump and two of his children — Ivanka and Donald Jr — to be questioned, James forensically dissects how such surprisingly large valuations came about. The 2011 estimate for the Scottish property, its investigators found, included around £75,000 ($120,000 at 2011 exchange rates) for undeveloped land on the site.

Investigating deeper, they discovered that the figure was created for a Forbes magazine article. The revelation sparked a line in the filing this week that must be among the most raw in US financial history.

“It therefore appears,” James writes, “that the Trump Aberdeen valuation used for Mr. Trump’s financial statements was prepared for the purpose of providing information to Forbes magazine in a quote.”

James’ legal document is full of equally juicy treats. The Scottish Golf Club’s 2014 value was based in part on the expected sale price of 2,500 houses on the land, even though none of the houses actually existed and the company only had planning permission for the half that number.

In 1995, the Trump Organization purchased a plot of land in Westchester, New York, known as the Seven Springs Estate, for $7.5 million. In 2004 it was valued at $80 million and in 2014 at $291 million. That 2014 figure, James notes in another deliciously tart reference, included a $161 million valuation for “seven nonexistent mansions.”

The juiciest treat of all concerns Trump’s former home, the gilded Fifth Avenue temple of his own ego dubbed “Versailles in the Sky,” in which he lived before moving to the White House. James’s investigators were puzzled to discover that the Trump Tower triplex in Manhattan was listed at $327 million in 2015, based on the size of the apartment, allegedly 30,000 square feet.

In fact, the property measures 11,000 square feet, producing a value of $117 million. That’s an overstatement in Trump’s official financial statements of more than $200 million.

New York Attorney General Letitia James filed court documents Tuesday night accusing the former Donald Trump's business of misrepresenting the value of numerous assets, including his apartment in Trump Tower. — New York Attorney General Letitia James filed court documents Tuesday night accusing the former Donald Trump’s business of misrepresenting the value of numerous assets, including his apartment in Trump Tower. Photograph: Justin Lane/EPA

Such startling disparities matter, James insists in his 114-page brief. The financial statements that contained them were used to secure loans from banks as well as insurance, and in other cases to reduce Trump’s tax burden.

“We have uncovered significant evidence that suggests that Donald J Trump and the Trump Organization falsely and fraudulently valued multiple assets and misrepresented those values to financial institutions for economic gain,” James said after the filing of the case before a court. New York court.

The new material leaked by James was so compelling that some observers close to Trumpland are now convinced he is in serious legal trouble. Michael Cohen, Trump’s former personal lawyer and former vice president of the Trump Organization, told the Guardian: “Trump’s house is falling apart.

Cohen, who was released in November from house arrest after facing his own legal difficulties, has his skin in this game. It was his testimony before the House Oversight Committee in February 2019 that rang the bell alarm over allegedly inflated valuations in Trump’s financial statements, prompting James to open his investigation the following month.

“My testimony before the committee as well as my subsequent cooperation with the New York Attorney General has led to this day,” Cohen said. “We are seeing individuals who have continually evaded accountability for their actions finally being held accountable.”

James is pursuing his investigation as a civil matter, which means that if Trump is found liable, it could cost him dearly in fines and penalties. More seriously, James coordinates with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, an equally tenacious and relentless prosecutor with a large and highly experienced team of investigators.

Bragg asks exactly the same questions as James: Did the Trump Organization commit accounting, banking, tax or insurance fraud? The key difference is that Bragg’s investigation is criminal, threatening Trump not with fines but with jail time.

“Trump could end up in an orange jumpsuit by the end of this one,” said Timothy O’Brien, senior columnist for Bloomberg Opinion.

O’Brien also has a personal interest in this story. His book TrumpNation, a 2005 biography that raised doubts about Trump’s real wealth in terms eerily similar to investigations by James and Bragg today, angered the real estate developer so much that he sued O’Brien for billions of dollars.

O’Brien’s lawyers filed Trump as part of his defense. For two days, they managed to do something that has rarely been done before or since – they got the celebrity to admit, no less than 30 times, that he had lied.

“My attorneys were so well prepared that when he sat down for deposition, we had documentary evidence on hand that showed the reality of what he had lied about or exaggerated. We just pushed those through- over the table towards him,” O’Brien recalled.

Many of the misleading items — the value of his golf clubs, his New York real estate assets — were virtually identical to the details in this week’s filing. That’s why O’Brien feels confident saying that the patterns James describes in his court document go back a long way.

“It’s a behavior that Trump has engaged in since he was a kid, frankly,” O’Brien said.

The libel suit was dismissed in 2009. The author was surprised that despite the mass of details he had laid out in TrumpNation about potential wrongdoing, no prosecutor showed interest.

“There was enough material in my book for prosecutors to prosecute, but no one picked it up. Law enforcement simply didn’t take Donald Trump seriously until it was too late.

The times have changed. Trump is no longer a real estate mogul turned reality TV star, he’s a former US president. The stakes have risen dramatically and with them the scrutiny.

Never before has Trump faced two coordinated teams of sophisticated investigators digging into his financial affairs, with civil and criminal charges possibly pending.

Just how serious prosecutors are about nailing their man is revealed in just one sentence of James’ new filing. She writes that the investigative team is determined to uncover “Mr. Trump’s actual knowledge of — and intent to make — the numerous inaccuracies and omissions made by him or on his behalf.”

“Intent to do” indicates that James is not just thinking civilly. It also anticipates possible criminal charges in which proof of the accused’s intent is required.

Trump continues to resist testifying, as do his two children, on the grounds that the investigations are politically motivated witch hunts (James and Bragg are Democrats). A third child, Eric, who runs the day-to-day work of the Trump Organization, was deposed but has litigated the fifth more than 500 times.

The family’s best hope is that prosecutors will struggle to meet the high bar set for criminal cases. That’s especially the case when it comes to the crucial issue of intent, said Robert Mintz, a former federal prosecutor.

“The criminal case is more dangerous since it involves potential incarceration. But that requires criminal intent and that is difficult to prove, especially in complex financial frauds involving organizations,” Mintz, now a partner at McCarter & English, LLP, told the Guardian.

Prosecutors will have to prove that Trump knowingly and willfully violated the law. This can be difficult – showing discrepancies in financial statements, no matter how juicy, is not enough.

“Big investigations take time and are extremely difficult to prove without the help of cooperating witnesses and documentation,” Mintz said. “These parallel investigations are clearly moving forward, but it is difficult to predict how they will end.”

International headquarters

Prosecute the International Finance Corporation and the Chicago Police’s Kill or Sell Policy

by Rodney N. on January 21, 2022

Petitions of the week

By Andrew Hamm

January 21, 2022
at 3:49 p.m.

Jeffrey Fisher pleads for plaintiffs in jam c. International Finance Corporation. in 2018. (Art Link)

This week, we highlight cert petitions that ask the Supreme Court to consider, among other things, whether the International Finance Corporation is immune from prosecution for its actions regarding the Tata Mundra power plant in Gujarat, India, and whether the Chicago Police Department’s policy of destroying or selling property of arrested persons not recovered after 30 days violates the Fourth or Fifth Amendments.

The Business Activity Exception of the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court of Cassirer c. Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection Foundation heard oral argument in a case under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act regarding conflict of law rules. In jam c. International Finance Corporation, the Supreme Court faces another problem under the FSIA in a case that is back before the justices after sending it back to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit earlier in 2019. Jam began in 2015, when farmers and fishermen who live near the Tata Mundra power station in Gujarat, India, along with other petitioners, sued the IFC in federal district court in Washington, DC. The petitioners alleged that the power plant – financed by the IFC and approved from its headquarters in Washington – has “devastated” the local environment and way of life. First Jam case, the Supreme Court ruled that the IFC did not have absolute immunity as an international organization, but only “limited immunity”, meaning that plaintiffs could sue the IFC for claims involving its commercial activity carried on in the United States, or they could sue if the IFC had waived its immunity.

On remand, the DC circuit ruled again that the IFC was immune from suit against the applicants. First, upholding the district court, the appeals court held that the FSIA’s business activity exception did not apply. Since the “construction and operation” of the power plant in India was what “actually harmed” the claimants, their claims were not based on any of IFC’s business activities in the United States. Second, despite the wording of the IFC charter stating that “[a]actions may be brought against it”, the Court of Appeal considered itself “compelled” by the case law to find waivers of immunity only if a waiver “benefited” the organization – and the court estimated that it would not be in this case.

In their motion for judicial review, the petitioners argue that the DC Circuit created a new divided circuit with its approach to the FSIA’s business activity exception and invented its doctrine avoiding waiver in the face of seemingly clear text. waiver of immunity.

The Chicago Police’s Sell or Destroy Policy

In Conyers v. City of Chicago, Illinois, Blake Conyers challenges the Chicago Police Department’s policy of selling or destroying personal property seized from arrestees if the arrestee does not recover it within 30 days. After Chicago police destroyed an earring, bracelet and two cell phones belonging to Conyers (who was in pretrial detention when the 30 days elapsed), Conyers filed suit under the fourth, fifth and 14th amendments. The United States Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit upheld the district court’s dismissal of Conyers’ claims, in part on the grounds that he had been notified of his need to recover property.

These and others petitions of the week are below:

Conyers v. City of Chicago, Illinois
21-898
Publish: If a municipality may, pursuant to the Fourth and Fifth Amendments and pursuant to an explicit policy, destroy or sell property seized during an inventory search of an arrested person because the arrested person remains in custody awaiting trial for more than 30 days and is unable to recover the property.

Corbeau v. Fontenot
21-970
Publish: if “new” evidence, within the meaning Schlup vs. Delo and McQuiggin v. Perkins, means evidence that was not available at the time of trial or, as broadly construed below, encompasses any evidence, including evidence known to the defendant and/or available with due diligence, not presented at trial .

Idaho vs. Howard
21-975
PublishIf, when officers are lawfully deploying a narcotics detection dog outside a vehicle, and without any instruction, prompting or facilitation from officers, the dog briefly touches the vehicle or sticks its muzzle through a window open, the conduct of the dog constitutes a Fourth Amendment investigation by officers.

Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. v. Hewitt
21-984
Publish: If a supervisor earning more than $200,000 a year is entitled to overtime pay because the stand-alone regulatory exemption set out in 29 CFR § 541.601 remains subject to the detailed requirements of 29 CFR § 541.604 to determine whether highly paid supervisors are exempt from the overtime pay requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

jam c. International Finance Corporation
21-995
Problems: (1) If the business activity exception to the immunity for foreign sovereigns and international organizations under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act authorizes suits where the alleged acts of the defendant giving rise to its liability constitute a commercial activity carried on in the United States, whether or not the conduct of another party more directly caused the damage; and (2) if a treaty provision stipulating that “[a]actions can be brought against [international organization]” waives the immunity of the organization.

Canadian army

Help an 81-year-old veteran living in his car in a Squamish parking lot

by Rodney N. on January 21, 2022

A veteran’s friends set up a GoFundMe page for an 81-year-old veteran who lived in his car parked in a local parking lot.

Orville Larson served 11 years in the Canadian Armed Forces as a combat engineer in the 1960s and spent over five years deployed in Germany. He has fallen on hard times after a series of unfortunate events and has no family to support him in town, says his friend Jeremiah White.

Jeremiah is also a Veteran and served in the Canadian Army in Afghanistan.

“Orville needs our help. Over the past year he has been evicted, had all of his belongings stolen from the warehouse and somehow survived this winter without his most basic needs being met,” explains Jeremiah. “Orville is just a good-hearted guy that life has dealt blow after blow and has nothing left.”

Jeremiah says Orville currently lives in his small car with few possessions in a parking lot in town and has lived there all winter. Jeremiah and Randi plan to raise $20,000 so an RV can be purchased for Orville.

“All money raised will be used to buy a cargo-style van, convert it to a basic living configuration, buy necessary clothing and basic groceries. Our goal is to ensure that Orville be self-sufficient for the next phase of his life, which will hopefully be a better future than the current outlook offers,” says Jeremiah.

“If you cannot donate money, please contact us if you can donate time, labor, vehicle conversion materials (heating, water/septic, infrastructure items), camping gear, clothes, anything that can help,” he said. said.

Jeremiah can be contacted by GoFundMe page or email [email protected]

Non profit living

Leadership Development for Racial Equity

by Rodney N. on January 21, 2022

After working 26 years in the for-profit capital sector of our economy and nine years working with the poor, forgotten and demonized people in our society, I see life much differently. I feel like I’ve awakened to a new understanding of the rules of how we interact for the good of society. The Homeboy Way is the “how” of mutuality, compassion and relatedness for a better society.

Homeboy Industries is the largest and most successful gang reintegration program in the world. It was founded and is run by Father Greg Boyle, a Jesuit priest, who dedicates his life to helping men and women get out of the gang lifestyle. By transforming their lives, these men and women show us why people shouldn’t be defined by the worst thing they’ve done. Homeboy has helped thousands of people heal from complex traumas and become contributing members of our society, even when it seems everyone in society has let them down. In many ways, this effort can be seen as a fight against racial and economic inequality – because the population we serve is made up of poor people of color who have never had a fair chance in our society.

As a human services nonprofit, Homeboy has always struggled to secure the financial resources to stay afloat. I came to Homeboy exactly when they needed someone like me with the skills to lead successful organizations. I also came at a time when I needed to know more about myself and my spiritual journey. Working with Homeboy Industries has given me knowledge and insight into my own spirituality and the plight of the people Homeboy Industries serves.

I have made friendships and relationships that are remarkable. I have experienced more heartbreak and more joy in recent years than in my entire life before that. Along the way, almost by providence, I have been able to see how business can be run with a different set of priorities so that everyone benefits: owners, management and those who have never been able to maintain a job but are doing so now. I learned how to help the “unemployable” to become employable. I participated in the development of business models that provide not only economic impact but social impact. Doing business the Homeboy Way is the direction in which we must lead our collective efforts and a roadmap to revamp capital markets.

In today’s environment, we have massive tidal currents around the issues and causes of social injustice and racial inequality. What I didn’t know then, but what I know now, is that I was lucky enough to be on the front line with those involved. I became not only a non-profit CEO of a social service agency, but more importantly, a participant in the fight to bring resources and help to those on the margins of our society.

I learned a lot about leadership development for racial equity. Every organization, be it a non-profit or government agency and especially a for-profit business, must address this issue and strive to improve the lives of everyone around us.

The struggle for any organization is to develop the next generation of leaders from within, and at Homeboy, that’s not just vitally important to the mission, but an order of magnitude more difficult. Our ex-gang population needs to see people like them in leadership roles so that the actions we take are genuine and have the best interest of the client in mind.

Outside organizations have the luxury of hiring mid- to high-level executives into their organization and can groom them to be the best leaders. For Homeboy, to have leaders who share the lived experiences and stories of those we serve – gang life, incarceration and trauma – we must prepare our people from the bottom up. They start as customers to transform their lives and, when ready, become frontline workers, followed by a series of supervisory jobs before moving into middle management. Once in middle management, they acquired a combination of positive leadership and some functional skills. However, going beyond middle management at Homeboy or any organization is about knowing how many other functional skills one can pick up along the way. When one becomes a senior leader, they function like a general manager. This is where the task becomes the greatest challenge, as it is partly about the motivation of the individual and the ability of the organization to provide such learning experiences.

Motivating our clients can be complicated. One of the ideas of our founders is that young people, who are stuck in the gang lifestyle, don’t see themselves living past 30. (That’s one of the reasons tougher sentencing laws don’t deter crime, because they don’t feel like their lives are going to last long anyway.) When they come to Homeboy to change their life, this is the first time they start dreaming and planning a long life. Once they complete our 18-month program, they rightly feel like they’ve accomplished something magical: “What’s next and how can I move up the corporate ladder?” is no longer so far from their thoughts. However, many just want to revel in the life they now have, “the good life”. I’ve had many conversations with interns taking that first step into management and they’re ecstatic and don’t even want to think about the next step. They are now a success for their children, their families, their friends and themselves.

Another aspect of developing a career is that you need to be aware of your “work flaws”. When our homies reach “the good life”, it’s after so much deep introspection to transform their lives, they avoid considering another level of introspection concerning life at work. This period of calm can last a few years. Then, for some, they start wanting more and developing more. When that time comes, we can start discussions about further developing business and managerial skills.

We have to keep in mind that the only organizational structure our peeps have known is the gang hierarchy, which is a very different structure from the grassroots-based nonprofit world and the corporate world of matrix organizations. In the world of gangs, the leader must make a call and everyone must follow and listen. When our insiders first become managers at Homeboy, they expect absolute authority, which rarely happens, and so a clash occurs. This can cause them to question their own worth or even stir up a desire to fire everyone. For them, realizing this issue and changing their own mindset usually takes time to overcome.

The final area of challenge is organizational mundane things like emails, phone calls, and report writing. This is where Homeboy’s insiders struggle the most: they don’t see it as a priority, and some see it as “women’s work” and think it’s a waste of their talent. If they refuse to do so, it often becomes their biggest obstacle to career advancement. However, after a lot of “straight talk” type coaching, they come back and eventually come to a point of reconciling these issues.

Even with these challenges, we have wonderful managers who have overcome their obstacles and reached high leadership positions. The effort to develop the leadership team that is partly made up of leaders with family backgrounds requires time, money and, most importantly, a mindset that the entire organization must adopt.

From a broader societal perspective, I believe one of the key drivers will be how to lift more people out of poverty and into quality jobs that ensure growth on the economic ladder. It’s not enough to provide entry-level positions (usually at minimum wage), but work that leads to something more substantial. This would mean an over-investment in terms of developing people’s job skills while they work. A proactive approach for people of color with the same type of lived experience is to provide counseling, mentoring and coaching. I suspect that the same factors that present challenges for Homeboy will be the same factors that other organizations face when trying to really push people up the economic ladder. Our hard-won lessons should be a model for other organizations wishing to follow a similar path and work towards racial equity.

Written by Thomas Vozzo.

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History organization

Detroit Department of Water and Sewer Announces New Director of Opportunities and Inclusion

by Rodney N. on January 21, 2022

Detroit Department of Water and Sewer Announces New Director Position Focused on Opportunity and Inclusion

Tiffany Jones is DWSD’s first Director of Opportunities and Inclusion
Department makes major commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion for contractors, suppliers and employees
DWSD invests approximately $100 million annually in capital projects, in addition to other supplier contracts

DETROIT – The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) announces a groundbreaking commitment to opportunity and inclusion for contractors, suppliers and employees. To support this bold vision, DWSD Director/CEO Gary Brown has selected Tiffany Jones as its first Director of Opportunities and Inclusion beginning this month.

The DWSD Director of Opportunities and Inclusion will develop and execute a work plan around the following areas specific to DWSD, and to support Mayor Mike Duggan’s citywide initiative to create inclusive opportunities for the Detroiters and the minorities. The four main objectives are:

Raise awareness and engage with construction and professional services companies with a focus on opportunities and inclusion for minority and Detroit-based contractors;
Develop DWSD contract incentives to comply with Mayor Duggan’s Executive Order 2016-1 that requires that at least 51% of hours worked on city contracts over $3 million be performed by Detroit residents ;
Implement a workforce development strategy to support the expansion of the lead service line replacement program to replace 5,000 pipes per year; and
Create strategies and initiatives around employee diversity and inclusion in promotion opportunities.

“This is a critical time in our history to engage minority and Detroit-based contractors in DWSD projects with more work to come,” Brown said. “With Tiffany’s background in public relations, her ability to engage the public, her in-depth knowledge of DWSD’s operations, and her commitment to diversity and inclusion, she is the optimal choice to lead the organization to improve dramatically opportunities and inclusion.”

Brown added that DWSD is in the midst of a five-year, $500 million capital improvement program to modernize aging water and sewer infrastructure. This program will accelerate in the coming years with additional dollars expected from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which in turn increases opportunities for minority and Detroit-based entrepreneurs.

Tiffany Jones was previously Director of Public Affairs and has held that position since joining DWSD in February 2018. Jones has over 20 years of public relations experience. At DWSD, she oversaw DWSD’s communications strategy, which included guiding messaging and writing standards across the organization. She led the launch of DWSD’s first coordinated advertising campaign, which continues to evolve, and worked with internal groups to develop outreach materials related to construction projects, including the creation of the Lead Service Line Replacement Program package. . For the past two years, she has managed and facilitated DWSD’s annual construction contractor workshops.

Jones received a master’s degree in public relations from Ball State University and a bachelor’s degree in communications from North Carolina A&T State University. She is also a graduate of the Detroit Regional Chamber’s Detroit XXXVII Leadership Class.

Bryan Peckinpaugh, previously deputy director of public affairs for the DWSD, has been promoted to director of public affairs.

A person smiling at the camera Description automatically generated with low confidence

About Detroit Water and Sewer
The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) serves more than 230,000 accounts, including a residential population of nearly 700,000. DWSD’s water system consists of more than 2,700 miles of water mains and more than 30,000 fire hydrants, and the combined sewage collection system has nearly 3,000 miles of water pipes. sewer, more than 90,000 cesspools and 16 stormwater green infrastructure projects in the city of Detroit. Beginning in June 2019, DWSD launched a five-year, $500 million program to begin addressing aging infrastructure, including replacing lead service lines. To learn more about DWSD, or to request water services, make payments, register for assistance programs, or report water or sewer emergencies, call DWSD Customer Service at 313-267- 8000, use the Improve Detroit mobile app or visit www.detroitmi. govt/dwsd.

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Canadian army

Over 500 Canadian troops at ‘high readiness’ in case of invasion of Ukraine – National

by Rodney N. on January 20, 2022

The Canadian commander of a multinational battle group in Latvia says he is working to ensure his troops have enough supplies and can talk to each other, as tensions rise between the NATO military alliance and Russia feed fears of a new war in Europe.

Canada has more than 500 troops in Latvia as part of a larger NATO reassurance mission first launched in 2017 in response to concerns about Russian aggression in Eastern Europe.

The Canadian contingent includes about 350 soldiers mainly from Valcartier, Quebec, who form the core of a 1,000-man NATO battle group stationed at Camp Adazi, about 30 kilometers northeast of Riga, the Latvian capital. .

Read more:

Ukrainian Canadians worried about conflict with Russia: ‘I fear for my family’

This battle group also includes military personnel and equipment from nine nations of the alliance, including Poland, Spain, Italy and the Czech Republic, all of which fall under the command of the lieutenant colonel. Dan Richel.

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In an interview with The Canadian Press on Thursday, Richel said one of his main responsibilities since taking command last month has been to ensure that the various contingents are able to communicate quickly and accurately with each other. others in the field.

“English is a second language for pretty much everyone in the battle group right now,” he said. “They are all NATO countries, obviously, so their tactics are generally the same. We just have to make sure everyone has the same understanding of all the terminology.

Clear communication would be essential in the event of a Russian invasion, which the battlegroup is specifically designed to defend against. It is also important to ensure that the NATO force has fuel, ammunition and other supplies to fight.

Click to play video: ''Don't Panic: ''Ukrainian President Addresses Nation Over Possible Conflict With Russia''

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‘Don’t panic’: Ukrainian president addresses nation on possible conflict with Russia

‘Don’t panic’: Ukrainian president addresses nation on possible conflict with Russia

The battle group is designed for conventional warfare, that is, the battle with an army similar to that of Russia. Although Canada’s contribution is primarily infantry with armored vehicles, other partners have contributed tanks, artillery and other equipment.

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“We all come with very different gear, different gear that uses different ammo and requires different support,” Richel said. “It’s a challenge that I think we handle quite well.”

The Canadian commander said the main objective of the battle group was to train and prepare for a possible attack, as it has done since its creation five years ago.

“The battle group itself is already a high-readiness combat unit,” Richel said. “I would say what you see here today is a lot of what you would have seen in the other rotations as well.”

Read more:

Biden predicts Russia will ‘intervene’ in Ukraine and test Western leaders

In addition to those assigned to the battle group, Canada also has about 200 support personnel and a headquarters in Riga responsible for the overall planning and coordination of NATO efforts in Latvia.

Similar battlegroups led by Britain, Germany and the United States were established in Estonia, Lithuania and Poland respectively. The Liberal government has said Canada will lead the mission in Latvia until at least March 2023.

Designed to defend against a Russian invasion, the battlegroups’ small size means they would almost certainly be overwhelmed in a real war. Instead, their primary goal is to deter Russian aggression, with the idea that an attack on one would draw in all of NATO.

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Click to play the video: “Questions remain about the additional assistance the Canadian military can provide to Ukraine”

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Questions remain about how much the Canadian military can help Ukraine

Questions remain about how much the Canadian military can help Ukraine

The Russian government has in recent weeks asked the alliance to withdraw all its forces from the region, including those from the Baltic and Poland, after mobilizing around 100,000 troops on the Russia-Ukraine border.

Canada, the United States and other NATO members have rejected the request, sparking growing concerns that an armed conflict between the two sides could start in Ukraine and spread to the rest of Europe. from the east.

Asked Wednesday whether the government would repatriate Canadian troops from Latvia and Ukraine if Russia attacked, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau underscored Canada’s commitment to NATO’s Baltic members.

“We are in Latvia to defend the Baltic states – Latvia, Lithuania and the states of Eastern Europe – against any incursion by Russian forces,” he said in French during a briefing on the COVID-19 in Ottawa. “We will continue the important work that NATO is doing to protect its eastern front.”

International headquarters

NCAA changes transgender athlete participation policy amid calls for re-evaluation

by Rodney N. on January 20, 2022

The NCAA has changed its policy regarding transgender athletes, it announced Wednesday.

The new approach to allowing transgender athletes will follow a sport-by-sport model similarly adopted by US and international Olympic committees, Sports Illustrated reported. the NCAA said if there was no international federation policy, then “previously established IOC policy criteria would be followed”.

CAITLYN JENNER: ‘WOKE WORLD’ DOESN’T WORK FOR WOMEN’S SPORT

“We are steadfast in our support of transgender student-athletes and in promoting equity in college sports,” Georgetown University president and NCAA board chairman John DeGioia said Wednesday. in a press release announcing the change.

The new policy takes effect immediately.

NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis on March 12, 2020.
(Associated Press)

TRANS FEMALE ATHLETES HAVE A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE, EVEN AFTER TESTOSTERONE SUPPRESSION, SCIENTISTS SAY

The Board of Governors voted in favor of the new policy because it “preserves opportunities for transgender student-athletes while balancing fairness, inclusion and safety for all who compete,” according to the report.

“It is important that NCAA member schools, conferences and varsity athletes compete in an inclusive, fair, safe and respectful environment and can move forward with a clear understanding of the new policy,” DeGioia added.

The national governing body for each sport will be responsible for determining the participation of transgender athletes. If a sport does not have a national governing body, the policy of the international federation will be enacted, Sports Illustrated reported.

Lia Thomas is swimming for Penn.
(Penn Athletics)

NCAA President Mark Emmert released a statement saying the new policy brings collegiate sports closer to Olympic standards.

“About 80% of US Olympians are current or former college athletes,” Emmert said. “This policy alignment provides consistency and further strengthens the relationship between college sports and the US Olympics.”

MICHAEL PHELPS SAYS LIA THOMAS CONTROVERSY IS ‘VERY COMPLICATED’, CALLS FOR LEVEL PLAYGROUNDS

NCAA rules moved into the national spotlight due to the emergence of Penn’s Lia Thomas. She began breaking Ivy League records with national records in her sights. She was on the men’s team for her first three years, but started on the Quakers women’s team this season after her transition.

Its success this year has drawn criticism for allowing transgender women to compete with biological women. Women’s sports advocates and Penn parents recently spoke out against the NCAA and its rules on the participation of transgender female student-athletes.

The new NCAA policy means swimming athletes will be governed by the policies of USA Swimming, which follow the International Olympic Committee.

The IOC policy updated its transgender participation policy in November 2021 by refraining from focusing on testosterone levels to determine eligibility, according to The Washington Post. The IOC has urged the governing bodies of each individual sport to create the rules while offering assistance.

“Every athlete has the right to participate in sport without discrimination and in a manner that respects their health, safety and dignity,” the updated rules state. “At the same time, the credibility of competitive sport – and in particular high-level sporting competition – depends on a level playing field where no athlete has an unfair or disproportionate advantage over the others.”

Richard Budgett, the IOC’s medical and scientific director, said at the time that it was important to look at broader terms rather than just testosterone levels.

“It’s important that we expand the evidence base. There’s some interesting research that needs to come to fruition, and that will give us a lot more insight into performance, which is the question that’s really key in determining eligibility,” Budgett said.

According to swim swam, an NCAA spokesperson said the “previously established IOC policy criteria” referred to the November 2021 guidance.

The rules previously stated that trans female athletes had to demonstrate serum testosterone levels “below 10 nmol/L for at least 12 months”.

The advice was apparently changed after Laurel Hubbard’s historic appearance at the Olympics.

Thomas finished about two seconds ahead of his opponents with a time of 1:48.73 in the 200 freestyle. She missed setting an NCAA record held by Olympian Missy Franklin, who finished the event in 1:39.10 in 2015. Thomas wasn’t as dominant as she was at the Zippy Invitational in Akron last month.

Lia Thomas of the Pennsylvania Quakers swims in the 500-yard freestyle event during a triple meet against the Yale Bulldogs and the Dartmouth Big Green at Sheerr Pool on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania on January 8, 2022 in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania.
(Hunter Martin/Getty Images)

She faced a real challenge in the 100 freestyle from Yale’s Iszac Henig, who is making the transition from female to male. Henig clocked 49.57 seconds and Thomas finished behind him with a time of 52.84 seconds.

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Henig, who is from California and has been competing for Yale since 2018, stunned the race’s limited spectators.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Non profit living

Accountant who embezzled over $1 million from adoption agency sentenced to 4.5 years in prison

by Rodney N. on January 20, 2022

A former international adoption agency accountant who stole more than $1.6 million from her employer and her own family was sentenced to four and a half years in federal prison on Wednesday.

U.S. District Judge Marco A. Hernandez said he believed the fraud lasted about eight years and involved multiple victims. He said he also considered the COVID-19 pandemic as a mitigating factor when determining his sentence.

Melodie Ann Eckland, 56, of Hillsboro, pleaded guilty to wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, filing a false tax return and willfully failing to collect or pay payroll taxes.

She was also ordered to pay more than $1.6 million in restitution.

The illegal scheme was uncovered in March 2018, when one of the owners of Journeys of the Heart adoption and surrogacy agency received a call from a Premier Community Bank representative requesting information on several company checks that had been presented for payment with a signature of the owner. which appeared to have been tampered with, prosecutors said.

Eckland stole funds directly from the adoption agency’s business account at the bank by using the Journeys of the Heart computer to make unauthorized wire transfers to his personal bank account in the United States and writing checks unauthorized to herself, according to prosecutors.

She also transferred unauthorized funds by computer as a “bonus” from the adoption agency’s bank account to her own bank account.

To hide his fraud, Eckland kept two separate QuickBooks files on the adoption agency’s computer.

To cover the money she had stolen, Eckland applied for loans from at least five loan agencies in the adoption agency’s name, using the agency owners’ names without their permission. Eckland altered the agency’s financial records to give the impression that she owned the agency and was authorized to enter into the loan agreements. As of 2016, Eckland stopped making the agency’s quarterly employment tax payments to the IRS and stopped filing employment tax returns. As a result, the agency owed more than $94,000 in overdue employment taxes.

In yet another cover-up, she transferred $123,900 she had stolen from an account belonging to her deceased brother-in-law’s estate to the adoption agency’s bank account by forging her husband’s signature , according to prosecutors.

Eckland, who worked as an accountant for the adoption agency from 2011 to April 2018, spent her flight money on gifts and living expenses for her adult children, trips to Hawaii, Mexico and Disney World, event tickets, groceries, household items and living expenses, prosecutors said.

As part of the plea agreement, Eckland admitted that the amount of loss she caused to the adoption agency, the owners of the agency, and the estate of her brother-in-law and IRS was over $1,565,000.

“The crimes committed by Melodie Eckland reveal an astonishing level of greed, deceit and callousness towards her victims. Eckland repeatedly victimized the adoption agency and its owners over seven long years, bleeding the organization nonprofit over $1 million,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Claire M. Fay wrote in a sentencing memo.

“The owners of the adoption agency are devastated by the accused’s embezzlement and identity theft. They have worked hard for 26 years to fulfill an important mission: to help children around the world find caring and loving families,” Fay wrote. “However, due to the theft, selfishness and greed of the defendant, the owners feel they can no longer continue financially with the adoption agency.”

Eckland, a mother of two and grandmother of three, began stealing from her employer because she was heavily in debt and felt pressured to support her children and grandchildren, the company’s attorney said. defense Jamie Kilberg. She used the stolen money for household expenses, retail expenses, family support, debts, some travel and repayment of stolen funds, Kilberg said.

Kilberg argued for a maximum sentence of three years, noting that Eckland has no criminal record, is unlikely to commit future crimes, is remorseful and is working hard to repay her victims.

“In my quest to take the financial burdens of my family on my shoulders, I have wronged others,” Eckland wrote to the judge. “It’s just not okay and it’s not the person I want to be. … I want to right my wrong, and I don’t feel like I have the opportunity to do that if I’m incarcerated… I promise to work every day to become a more honest and trustworthy person.

Appearing via video for her remote sentencing hearing, she apologized to her former employers, saying she felt regret and shame for betraying their trust and stealing from them.

“I know better and I should have done better,” she said.

–Maxine Bernstein

Email to [email protected]; 503-221-8212

Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian

History organization

Carlos Correa hires Scott Boras; Cubs fans are collectively losing their minds

by Rodney N. on January 19, 2022

Hard baseball news is hard to come by during MLB’s ongoing lockdown, but free agent shortstop Carlos Correa hit us with a hammer on Tuesday, announcing his hiring of super-agent Scott Boras to represent him in the future.

Almost instantly, Cubs fans waved the white flag on any potential pursuit of Correa once the lockdown ended, despite Chicago being widely seen as a legitimate candidate for the former American League Rookie of the Year. Remember when we thought the Cubs might be able to step in and land Correa on a bargain if his market didn’t grow? Yeah, that’s not gonna happen under Boras’ watch.

As we all know, the Cubs — and their owners — have a complicated history with Boras, who represents former MVP and rookie of the year Kris Bryant, who is also working in free agency for the first time. Of course, Boras and Bryant accused the organization of serving time manipulation in 2015 — although, ultimately, Chicago emerged victorious in the decision.

That doesn’t mean Boras has forgotten, though. Now he represents not only Correa and Bryant, but also Nick Castellanos and Carlos Rodon. Former Cub Dylan Cease, who still has several years left on his own, also transferred his representation to the Boras Corporation this week.

So why the change? I mean, it’s not rocket science. Correa wants to set records with his next contract and Boras has an unrivaled resume in this space. He is ready to make teams feel uncomfortable, play the waiting game and corner the market for his high profile clients.

There are plenty more reasons why Correa would leave his former agency, WME, and MLB Trade Rumors does a solid job of breaking down some of that here.

Chicago Cubs, Scott Boras have a long history of trading barbs

But when it comes to Boras and the Cubs, this development certainly changes the dynamic when it comes to a potential pursuit of Correa. There’s a complicated back-and-forth history between the agent and the team, as recently as 2020, when he singled out the Ricketts family as negotiations raged over a shortened regular season at the following the pandemic.

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Ultimately, I think this all really just raises the bar for what you expect Correa to land in free agency. Boras always makes his guys pay and this will be no exception to that rule. That doesn’t mean the Cubs won’t be on the hunt — but it does mean you can put those dreams of any sort of reduction to bed right now.

Canadian army

Positive feedback on the first episode of Veteran Hunters

by Rodney N. on January 19, 2022

The second installment of the Veteran Hunters television series premiered last night on the Canada Sportsman channel and will continue to air at various times over the coming weeks.

Titled “Pheasants a Plenty,” it captures a two-day pheasant festival for veterans and first responders hosted by the non-profit organization Veterans Hunter at Wessex Game Birds in Carstairs, AB.

It follows the first episode, titled “Anxious for Antelope”, which began airing on December 27.

Veteran Hunters founder Todd Hisey said the show’s sponsors received a positive response to the first episode. This includes Jeff McClounie, COO for Steelhead Ventures, among the show’s sponsors.

Hisey says it’s possible to get other sponsorships for his show and programming. Their fundraising runs from January to Match before the spring hunts begin.

“Any businesses or organizations in Cochrane or Calgary and area that would like to partner with us to provide donations to the organization or consider an opportunity to sponsor the TV show would be greatly appreciated,” Hisey said.

Veteran hunters also attend the Grand Valley Safari Club’s annual fundraising dinner on January 29.

The dinner started almost 20 years ago as an occasion for a few hunters to come together to swap stories and has grown into an evening that attracts over 300 people. Safari Club president Kevin Firkus said he has raised around $250,000 over the years for many worthy causes.

Hisey says the veterans appreciated the opportunity to be among the partners for the evening.

“It’s a great opportunity for the community, ranchers, hunters and outdoor enthusiasts, to come together for an evening and raise money for worthy causes,” says Hisey.

Veteran Hunters will have items up for grabs in the Silent Auction. At their booth, you can learn more about the organization, its fair and meet some of their hunter hosts.

A few tickets are available and can be purchased by contacting Veteran Hunters through their website. here or by emailing Firkus at [email protected]

Hisey had a 22-year career as an officer in the Canadian Army with deployments to Bosnia, Kosovo and Russia. In 2018, and after nearly six years of treatment for PTSD, it was determined that he could no longer work in a traditional role. In January 2019, he launched The Veteran Hunters with a website, podcast, and social media presence to continue giving back to the community and helping fellow soldiers.

Photo/Veteran Hunters

International headquarters

Capewell appoints Lieutenant General (Rtd) Edward Davis as UK Strategic Director

by Rodney N. on January 18, 2022

Davis served 35 years in the naval service as an officer in the Royal Marines. During his distinguished career, he was the 63^rd Commanding General of the Royal Marines and Commander of UK Amphibious Forces and Deputy Commander of NATO Land Command Headquarters. Retired from the British Armed Forces at the rank of Lieutenant General, he was transferred to the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office and was appointed, by Her Majesty The Queen, 67^and Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Gibraltar in January 2016. He completed his term as Gibraltar Governor in February 2020.

Davis spent his early years in the naval service in regimental service in the United Kingdom, the the falkland islands, Cyprus, Norway, and Belize. He commanded a specialized military unit from 2002 to 2004, which included Operation TELIC 1 in Iraq, and later commanded 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines from 2010 to 2011, during which time he deployed to Afghanistan as commander of Task Force Helmand on Operation HERRICK 14. He was appointed 63^rd Commanding General of the Royal Marines and Commander of the United Kingdom Amphibious Forces in December 2011. His last appointment to naval service was as Deputy Commander of NATO Land Command Headquarters in Izmir, Turkey, from July 2014 at January 2016.

“Ed’s significant leadership experience as Governor of Gibraltar, his vast expertise in international governance and his long tenure as a military leader with our allies in the United Kingdom are invaluable,” said Gregory Bloom, CEO of Capewell. “Our global team has gained immeasurable strength with his arrival.”

“Faced with the persistent challenges of our ever-changing world,” said Davis, “I particularly relish the opportunity to contribute to Capewell’s strategic ambition to become the premier provider of air and life support systems across the Kingdom. -United, Europe and the Commonwealth. It is an ambition that Capewell will undoubtedly achieve, given its 140 years of successful engineering that is innovative, agile and reliable for mission and life. It is indeed a proud moment for me to join Capewell.”

About Capwell:
Founded in 1881, Capewell is the world’s leading custom engineer and manufacturer of critical air delivery systems and combat water survival solutions for United States government and its partner nations. Capewell’s core mission – to protect people who operate systems in hazardous environments to support national security – continues to this day. Operating from South Windsor, Conn., and Meadows of Dan, Va., the company offers four primary product segments of critical components and systems: aerial and parachute delivery systems, air and marine safety and life support equipment, operator and maintainer training and logistics, and engineering.

SOURCE Capewell

Non profit living

Volunteers wanted for the local nonprofit’s “Dinner Club” to feed terminally ill patients

by Rodney N. on January 18, 2022

Welcome Home of Chattanooga provides a community of hope, healing and compassion for those facing serious illness or death with a comfortable living space and family-like care.

Individuals, families and groups are currently providing dinner for residents of Welcome Home of Chattanooga. The love and compassion of the volunteers who provide the meals saves Welcome Home over $10,000 a year and helps residents feel welcome and someone cares.

As Welcome Home expands its reach and services in the Chattanooga area to help more residents, more volunteers will be needed. Volunteers can join the lunch club by contacting welcometochattanooga.org.

The organization’s dinner club allows families, churches and restaurants to bring a meal to residents one evening a month. As a result, almost every night of the month, Welcome Home hosts a Community Dinner which allows residents, staff and volunteers to eat together.

Due to the pandemic, adjustments have been made with the club dinner; many volunteers now drop off dinner or have dinner delivered. General manager Sherry Campbell says the dinner club started organically with a few volunteers providing meals a few nights a week. She says it has now become an essential part of their daily routine.

“We have all experienced loneliness and loss of connection, and it is important to know that we are part of a community larger than ourselves. There are people who care about us and love us. is what our dinner club is all about. We sit around the table, tell life stories, talk about our favorite bands and music, and tease each other. It’s about creating a camaraderie,” Campbell said.

Camaraderie is why volunteer Christie Petty got involved with Welcome Home of Chattanooga four years ago. “My whole family is in Ohio and my kids aren’t home. I’m a very outgoing person and love having the company of the residents,” Petty said.

She heard about the association through a resident who stopped by her work. “I believe God sent him to me. He told me he was staying at Welcome Home and told me everything the staff do for him. Then he told me he was terminally ill. I immediately went to the nonprofit to find a way to help. I don’t know who benefits more from this club, the residents or me.

She provides two meals a month.

Learn more about Welcome Home of Chattanooga:

Welcome Home of Chattanooga is expanding to eventually accommodate ten residents on Quiet Creek Trail. The second phase of the construction project will begin at the end of January. The project will cost around $500,000. If you would like to donate or volunteer to help with the expansion, you can do so online at welcometochattanooga.org.

History organization

Understanding Kenya’s Strike History – The Organization for World Peace

by Rodney N. on January 18, 2022

More than six thousand workers are on strike in Kenya against Del Monte Fruit Processing over “allegedly inhumane working conditions, improper dismissal of their union representatives, poor wages and illegal employment policies”, as KBC said. . KTN News reported on this ongoing strike on January 8, 2022 in a short clip featuring interviews with the strikers. Del Monte Kenya Limited is reported to produce $2.32 million in sales (USD) by Dun & Bradstreet. It is a subsidiary of Fresh Del Monte Produce, which is separate from Del Monte Foods. The parent company had revenue of $3.93 billion (USD) in 2014.

This is not the first strike in the organization’s history in Kenya. In 2002, the Kenya Human Rights Commission released a report detailing the events that led to and resulted from a campaign in the 1990s – the death of a Del Monte factory worker due to denial of first aid services. The employee had worked for Del Monte since October 1990 and lived in company housing. His name was Peter Mutsio Komolo. He reported to work and felt ill in early April 1999. Komolo was first referred to the Del Monte field clinic who gave him medication. He took it, but felt terrible the next day and stayed home. The next day, April 4, 1999, his condition was much worse and he asked to be seen at the clinic. This time the staff told him that due to company policies he could not be seen. Instead, they told her to go to the hospital. The man died shortly thereafter.

A post-mortem investigation into the body revealed that he had died of malaria and that the drugs given to him were inappropriate for the treatment of malaria. Interestingly, the family had to take the body to another location because the original refused to do the autopsy. The nurse who gave the prescription claimed it was Del Monte’s policy that he was acting in prescribing the drug. Prior to that, an employee working at Del Monte in 1980 suffered severe burns from concentrated sulfuric acid, which resulted in “prolonged pain and suffering,” according to the aforementioned report.

The report also includes several cases of youths mutilated by dogs – something that continued well into the 2010s and 2020s. In April 2019 guards working for Del Monte found a man breaking in. As reported by The Saturday Standard, they beat him until he died from his injuries. In November 2020, a Nation article described an attack on two men by Del Monte guards. The guards claim they were thieves who broke into their home, but the two men themselves claim they were on their own farm. Stephen Mburu, one of the men who was attacked, told Nation that “the guards ordered us to lie down. I knew we had big problems. Mburu fled the scene to be chased by dogs. He was then beaten by the guards after he had already been attacked by the dogs alongside the man who accompanied him, Geoffrey Ndung’u. The two men were then taken to a local police station which refused to receive Mburu due to his serious injuries. They ordered the guards to take him to the hospital; instead, they threw him into a bush 10 km from his home.

Del Monte has a demonstrated history of disregard for the welfare of workers and non-workers alike. They have a proven history of violence as well as a clear lack of care for their employees. The company’s response to the current strike, according to Soko Directory, is that it is illegal. Del Monte officials say the workers failed to provide proper notice and that the allegations they made are “baseless and intended to sabotage its operations.”

Workers expressed concerns about the outsourcing of jobs, to which Del Monte responded by guaranteeing that their jobs were safe. The strikers cite the irregular dismissal of union representatives and the tendency of workers who have worked for more than 20 years to be retained as “casual” and not “permanent” employees as reasons to be wary of the company’s demands. Those kept as “casuals” risk retiring without benefits, regardless of their decades-long dedication to Del Monte. As mentioned by KBC, compared to other international organisations, Del Monte staff were paid “woefully, turning them into beggars”.

The Kenya Plantation and Agriculture Workers Union (KPAWU) recently joined them in their demands. Del Monte has a history of violence and inhumane treatment, making his claims that the allegations are unfounded hard to believe. To err on the side of caution, an independent investigation should be conducted into the inhumane conditions, improper dismissals and illegal employment policies. If the company is doing nothing wrong, it shouldn’t be hiding anything from an investigation.

Some ways to help strikers include pushing local authorities to independently investigate Del Monte, boycotting Del Monte products for the duration of the strike, and supporting relief funds as they arise. show up for the strikers. It is important to remember that every product we consume has a cost. The mistreatment of agricultural workers in countries other than our own is something that can easily go unnoticed. However, they are real people with families and loved ones to support. They deserve security, a decent salary and respect as much as anyone else.

Canadian army

WARMINGTON: Ford one-man army in snow battle

by Rodney N. on January 18, 2022

Publication date :

January 17, 2022 • 40 minutes ago • 3 minute read • Join the conversation

Premier Doug Ford helps clear motorists stranded on Eglinton-Kipling Avenues. area on January 17, 2022 Photo by Fourni /Toronto Sun

Why call in the military when the Premier of Ontario is patrolling in the snow?

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Granted, there were no complaints from Etobicoke Edwin Kandic about this kind of personalized service from Doug Ford.

“I was stuck on Wincott Dr. for about two hours, and it was cold,” said the 26-year-old, who was trying to get to his warehouse job.

Then he noticed that someone had stopped.

“It was a guy in a Ford pickup truck. I said, ‘Oh my God, it’s Prime Minister Doug Ford,'” recalls Kandic, who had never seen the politician in person before. was shocked. He told me to get in the truck.

Kandic left his car on the side of the road, so he could accept the prime minister’s offer to drive him home in about 15 minutes.

“He was a nice guy,” Kandic added. “I thanked him for helping me.”

For Ford Nation, it was the familiar style of retail politics for which the premier and his late mayor brother, Rob Ford, became famous.

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Within minutes there were cynical comments, but as anyone who knows Doug Ford will attest, it wasn’t contrived.

That’s what Doug Ford does. Coming out to help, whether it’s a flood, an ice storm or a heavy snowfall, is part of the Ford brand. It’s letting Doug be Doug and not the guy who sometimes looks like he’s been held hostage by the Pandemic Industrial Complex.

It certainly seemed like the Prime Minister was enjoying every minute he spent shoveling cars through snow banks. In his own way, it seems he was reminding his caucus of what he was supposed to do.

“I’m the taxi driver today, the snow plow and everything else,” the prime minister told Kandic.

Move on, Batman, Spider-Man and Superman. It was Fordman to the rescue.

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Of course, there are people who will throw snow at this story and complain about everything a leader does.

But for me, it was just fun to see Ford Nation alive and well. Admittedly, when you’re two years old in an endless pandemic, sometimes you just need a reminder of a time when it was okay to smile or to be able to see one.

The only thing missing was a range of free Fordfest burgers instead of a vaccine or rapid test.

Who would have thought that a snowstorm would bring so much humanity and warmth?

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‘Just helping out’ and ‘making sure people are safe in their cars,’ Ford said CP24 George Lagogianes in a live TV hit. “Anything I can do to help them, you do what you have to do.”

Many more have received such help from a premier whose “For the People” campaign slogan was dusted once again during a shutdown that crippled the province even more than the snowstorm.

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Lagogianes declared Ford an “army of many” about 23 years after Toronto called in the Canadian military to help deal with the snow. The Prime Minister, who is seeking re-election on June 2, played it all down.

‘Prime Minister or no Prime Minister’, people are ‘here to help their neighbors right now,’ Ford says CP24.

Kandic said he could vouch for the prime minister who helped him when he really needed it.

SNOWMAGEDDON: City declares ‘major snowstorm condition’
TDSB’s move to online teaching instead of Snow Day is ‘disappointing’
Can public vehicles have a right of way?

“As he was dropping me off at home, Premier Ford said, ‘Let me know if there’s anything else I can do to help you. “”

As a matter of fact.

“My car is still stuck in a snow bank,” teased Kandic, who will need a drive back to retrieve his car once the snow plows pass.

But the Prime Minister is quite busy at the moment. Ford was still making calls on the road Monday afternoon.

International headquarters

UPSC CSE Key – January 17, 2022: What you need to read today

by Rodney N. on January 17, 2022

COVER PAGE

Collarwali breathes his last, MP’s Pench Tiger Reserve loses ‘Supermom’

Program:

Preliminary examination: General questions on environmental ecology, biodiversity and climate change

Main examination: General Studies III: Environmental Conservation, Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment.

Key points to ponder:

• Pench Tiger Reserve and Pench National Park (Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra)

• Cartographic work – Pench River and Kanhan River – Origin

• Rudyard Kipling, The Jungle Book and Pench National Park – Connect the Dots

• Collarwali (Tigress) – Why was she so famous?

• Map Work-Tiger reserves in India

• Tiger Conservation Program (Project Tiger) – About, Mission and Vision

Other important articles dealing with the same subject:

📍 The Story of Collarwali – The “Empress Pench National Park”

📍 Supermom: What makes Collarwali Baghin of Pench Tiger Reserve a tigress like no other

GOVERNMENT & POLITICS

Devas investors cite Canadian court order, want AI assets seized in US

Program:

Preliminary examination: News of national and international importance

Main examination: General Studies II: Effect of Policies and Policies of Developed and Developing Countries on India’s Interests

Key points to ponder:

• Mandate and Headquarters of the International Air Transport Association

• Convention on International Civil Aviation, as well as the Chicago Convention and India

• Antrix-Devas Agreement Controversy – Background (2005 agreement, 2011 UPA government canceled agreement, legal disputes, etc.)

• Why are Airports Authority of India (AAI) and Air India targeted?

• Decision of the National Court of Company Law on Devas Multimedia

• Know the National Court of Company Law, Antrix, restrictive immunity

Other important articles dealing with the same subject:

📍 Explained: Why NCLAT Called the Devas-Antrix Deal a Fraud

📍 The story of a Rs 4,400 crore fiasco at ISRO

Stop unilateral road construction, Nepal tells India

Program:

Preliminary examination: News of national and international importance

Main examination: General Studies II: India and its neighborhood relations.

Key points to ponder:

• India-Nepal Bilateral Relations

• Border disputes between India and Nepal (Kalapani and Susta region)

• Map Work-Limpiadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani, Kali River, Dharchula

• Measures taken to resolve the border dispute

Other important articles dealing with the same subject:

📍 Interpretation of the Indo-Nepal border dispute

📍 Mapping the history of the Kalapani dispute between India and Nepal

📍 Border dispute between India and Nepal at Kalapani: an explanation

THE EDITORIAL PAGE

In Crypto Garb

Program:

Preliminary examination: Economic and social development

Main examination: General Studies-III: Indian Economy and Awareness of IT Fields

Key points to ponder:

• What is crypto investing?

• Can crypto then be considered an asset?

• Cryptocurrency or virtual currency – what do you mean by this term?

• What is Bitcoin?

• What is Blockchain technology and why is it associated with Bitcoin?

• The Cryptocurrency and Official Digital Currency Regulation Bill, 2021-Highlights

• Supreme Court on Cryptocurrency in 2018

• What is RBI Sandbox?

• What are the problems with cryptocurrency in traditional financial markets or simply in the market?

• Initial Coin Offering (ICO)

• Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) – Meaning, Issues and Challenges

Other important articles dealing with the same subject:

📍 Explanation: digital currencies and how they work

📍 Explanation: how are cryptocurrencies regulated in countries around the world?

📍 The Myth and Lure of Crypto

IDEAS PAGE

An Indian Green Accord
Program:

Preliminary examination: General questions on environmental ecology, biodiversity and climate change

Main examination: General Studies III: Environmental Conservation, Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment.

Key points to ponder:

• According to the author of this article, what is the Indian Green Deal (IGD)?

• Components of the Indian Green Deal (IGD) and how will this program help?

• What does ‘Net Zero’ mean?

• India’s commitment to carbon neutrality by 2070 at the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP) Climate Summit in
Glasgow or India’s enhanced climate commitments – the “Panchamrit”

• Difference between ‘Net Zero’ and ‘Carbon Neutral’?

• India’s new renewable energy target

• How to reach net zero?

• Public-private partnership frameworks to achieve “net zero”

• Current India Emissions Scenario

Other important articles dealing with the same subject:

📍 Praveer Sinha: “Net-zero carbon emissions by 2070 is totally doable”

📍 1 billion tons of emissions reduced: why it’s a big step forward

EXPRESS NETWORK

WEF summit starts today; Modi, XI to deliver special addresses

Program:

Preliminary examination: News of national and international importance.

Main examination: General Studies II: Important international institutions, agencies and forums – their structure, mandate.

Key points to ponder:

• World Economic Forum – About, Role, Mission, Vision, Mandate, Headquarters

• Initiatives taken by the World Economic Forum

• India and World Economic Forum

• Reports published by the World Economic Forum

In 2021, the incomes of 84% of households fell, but the number of billionaires increased

Program:

Preliminary examination: News of national and international importance.

main examination: General Studies I: Poverty and Development Issues

Key points to ponder:

• Oxfam Report, ‘Inequality Kills’ – Key Points

• Get to know Oxfam International

Other important articles dealing with the same subject:

📍 Covid has widened inequalities: wealth, education, gender

THE WORLD

Russia issues more subtle threats than invading Ukraine

Program:

Preliminary examination: News of national and international importance.

Main examination: General Studies II: Effect of Policies and Policies of Developed and Developing Countries on India’s Interests

Key points to ponder:

• What do you mean by “hybrid warfare”?

• Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) – About, Member Countries, Mandate and Headquarters

• Where is Ukraine-locate on the map

• United States-Russia and Ukraine crisis

• Request/Proposals from Russia – Main Highlights

• 2014 Crimean crisis

• Crimea’s strategic location – why is it important for Russia?

• Ukraine, NATO, USA and Russia – where are we?

• Article 5 of the founding treaty of NATO (Collective security)

• India’s position in the Ukrainian crisis

• Bilateral relations between India and Ukraine

• How can India help the United States and Russia keep the “peace” in this conflict?

Other important articles dealing with the same subject:

📍 Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)

📍 Ukraine crisis: Risks remain as Russia and the West talk

📍 Ukraine accuses Russia of being behind cyberattack in ‘hybrid warfare’

📍 Hybrid War – New Threats, Complexity, and “Trust” as an Antidote

📍 On the edge of the abyss

ECONOMY

Why the road ahead could be bumpy for India’s early harvest deal with the UK

Program:

Preliminary examination: Economic and social development

Main examination: General Studies II: General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests

Key points to ponder:

• What is the Early Harvest Agreement?

• What is a Free Trade Agreement (FTA)?

• Know other types of trade agreements such as bilateral investment treaty (BIT), preferential trade zone, single market, customs union, etc.

• What is the definition of trade given by the WTO?

• Reinforced commercial partnership between India and the United Kingdom

• Trade between India and the UK

• Importance of trade relations between India and UK

• India and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)

Other important articles dealing with the same subject:

📍 Unlocking a new era: India-UK trade deal

📍 Explained: why India is trying to strike a free trade agreement with the UK

Get an e-paper subscription via our special offer – click here

For any questions or comments, contact [email protected]

Non profit living

Rising adoption of DAO and NFT for just causes is a positive indicator: Raj Chowdhury

by Rodney N. on January 17, 2022

Blockchain, like every other technological innovation in history, was designed to improve the quality of life. Decentralization and peer-to-peer networking foster a spirit of collaboration and commitment to changing things for the better.

PALO ALTO, CA (PRWEB)
January 17, 2022

Raj Chowdhury, blockchain pioneer and founder of HashCash Consultants, foresees increased use of blockchain-based digital transformations for humanitarian, philanthropic and social purposes. Throughout 2021, decentralization has been key to the growth of DAOs, NFTs, the Metaverse, and the future Web 3.0.

Decentralized Autonomous Organizations, or DAOs, take full advantage of the lack of hierarchy by operating on coded smart contracts. Notable global examples involving the use of digital tokens and crowdfunding to make social and economic contributions include streaming projects, independent platforms, charities, and many more. A recent DAO project raised more than $40 million to acquire an early copy of the US Constitution at auction, despite being outbid by a private collector.

Chowdhury has a positive outlook on current market trends and the upcoming future. “Blockchain, like every other technological innovation in history, was designed to improve the quality of life. Decentralization and peer-to-peer networking foster a spirit of collaboration and commitment to changing things for the better,” he says in reference to the growing adoption of blockchain applications for non-profit purposes.

A global consciousness to make the world a better place brings together collectors and crypto enthusiasts. Projects have been launched to help fund cancer research, save the environment and fight poverty. Organizations like UNICEF and the American Red Cross accept donations of crypto assets.

“The growth of technological progress as well as the losses associated with the pandemic direct a collective force towards the social and economic betterment of people

Worldwide,” Chowdhury said.

American HashCash consultants led by Chowdhury have been involved in medicine and space research. Over the years, the company has been actively involved in projects boosting financial inclusion, low-cost remittances and COVID-19 vaccine distribution, as well as child labor prevention and business support/ African nonprofits with blockchain funding channels.

Blockchain innovations such as DAOs, Metaverse, and NFTs, touted as the next global game changers, already hold great promise for social, environmental, and financial betterment. The future can expect more philanthropic efforts and collaborations through charitable blockchain projects.

Raj Chowdhury is the Managing Director of HashCash Consultants and a Blockchain pioneer. Raj pioneered the first interbank implementation of blockchain technology trade finance and remittance transfers between two of the world’s largest banks. Raj is a prominent voice in the Blockchain and Cryptocurrency space and actively engages with policy makers in this area. He is a contributor to Economic Times, Business World, CNNMoney and advises industry leaders on Blockchain adoption. Raj had been a research associate at MIT’s Microsystems Technology Lab. He is a member of Asha Silicon Valley, a non-profit association committed to the education of children in emerging countries. Author of the book “The Dark Secret of the Silicon Valley”, Raj is an investor in blockchain and cryptocurrency companies and an active member of the philanthropic community.

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History organization

Eagles face tough questions in crucial offseason after Bucs beating – Philadelphia Eagles Blog

by Rodney N. on January 16, 2022

TAMPA, Fla. — The NFL season will eventually reveal what kind of team you really are.

For the Philadelphia Eagles, that reality came in the form of their 31-15 loss at the hands of the defending champion Tampa Bay Bucs in Sunday’s NFC Wildcard Game. It showed that while the Eagles had some encouraging moments in the second half of the season, they are an average team still miles away from being a legitimate contender.

When the season comes to a halt — especially in the jarring and ego-killing way that the Eagles’ season did — the questions immediately flow.

The one with the most seriousness: Is Jalen Hurts the answer at quarterback? He had some very good spells during the regular season and, at 23, guided Philadelphia to the playoffs in his first year as a full-time starter. His last impression wasn’t good though, as he was ineffective in the air and had a pair of expensive interceptions. The Eagles have three first-round picks in the April draft and must decide whether or not to use that capital on another caller.

“I know we’re all judged on the last game we played, I fully understand that, but I felt like Jalen grew throughout the year,” coach Nick Sirianni said. . “And he improved as a passer, he read the defense better, getting the ball to the right place. He has developed his ability to extend plays so much, not only playing with his feet, but also playing on the court when running. … I feel really good with what we have in place here at quarterback. I thought he’s had a great year and he’s come a long way and that’s [what] I expect Jalen just because of his character, his tenacity, his love for football. I can’t say enough about Jalen the person and the player.

Once that direction is determined, they can move on to other pressing matters, including bolstering their passing rush and adding better playmakers on offense. While the Eagles managed to sack Tom Brady four times on Sunday (their production resumed when All-Pro right tackle Tristan Wirfs went out with an ankle injury), they finished with the second-fewest sacks in the NFL ( 29) during the regular season. . Edge rushers are especially needed. Brandon Graham is set to turn 34 next year and is coming off an Achilles rupture, Derek Barnett is a pending free agent, making Josh Sweat, who did not play in this game following medical intervention earlier in the week, the only defensive end currently considered a building block. The receiver remains a big need, with little production coming from the position outside of rookie DeVonta Smith.

One question that was answered this season was about Sirianni. Yes, it seems that he can coach. The Eagles have outperformed in 2021. Once the sting of that loss subsides, that will be the general consensus in Philadelphia. But they only beat one team that finished the season with a winning record (the New Orleans Saints, at 9-8). And while the chants that erupted from the crowd at the end of Sunday’s game — “Eagles suck!” — weren’t quite right, they’re as close to the bottom as they are to the top. Their moves this offseason will help dictate the direction they take in 2022.

“This game doesn’t define us, doesn’t define who we are,” Hurts said. “We know all the different things that we’ve overcome, we know the environment that we’ve built as a football team and as an organisation. … I know as a football team we’ll come back. And it’s a feeling that’s kind of going to simmer in our hearts and simmer for all of us, and with the youngsters on this football team, we’re definitely coming back hungry.

QB Breakdown: Some notable Jalen Hurts stats from the first half, via ESPN Stats & Info: He was 2-of-8 with an interception on passes with 10+ air yards, 2-of-6 with a pick under pressure and 0- from -4 with an interception on an out-of-pocket pass. His interception late in the first half in the end zone was the beginning of the end for the Eagles this season.

Mind-boggling stat: It was the Eagles’ 47th playoff game in franchise history. They were held scoreless in the first half of a playoff game for only the second time in club history, according to ESPN Stats & Information. The other time was in the 1996 wildcard game against the San Francisco 49ers.

Disturbing trend: The Eagles were held scoreless in the first quarter for the fourth time in five games, except for the regular season finale against the Dallas Cowboys in which Philadelphia rested most of its starters. This is Hurts’ fifth straight start in which the Eagles have been held without a point in the first frame.

Canadian army

COVID-19 vaccine targeting multiple variants needed: expert

by Rodney N. on January 16, 2022

OTTAWA – Health Canada’s chief medical adviser says variant-specific vaccines can be approved faster than general vaccines first issued to fight COVID-19, but one targeting the Omicron strain likely won’t be ready in time to help with the last wave.

Dr Supriya Sharma said what is really needed are vaccines that can potentially stop more than one variant at a time, including those to come.

Omicron became the dominant variant in Canada in just over two weeks, and the Public Health Agency of Canada said Friday that it will now be responsible for more than 90% of all COVID-19 cases.

Studies suggest that two doses of the existing mRNA vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna are not effective in preventing Omicron infection.

However, several studies suggest that vaccines are excellent for keeping symptoms mild, preventing hospitalizations, shortening stays and reducing the standard of care for those admitted to hospital. Fewer vaccinated Omicron patients, for example, require mechanical ventilation.

Both Pfizer and Moderna are working on new versions of their vaccines that specifically target the Omicron variant.

Moderna hopes to have its product tested early this year. Pfizer said it could have 100 million doses ready as early as March, and Canada has contracts for boosters from both companies that would also include vaccines for variants.

But Sharma said even with the accelerated vaccine variant review process, it’s “probably not” fast enough.

“By then, from what we know of the Omicron wave, it may well be over,” she said. “And then the question is always, ‘is there another variant coming up?’

The solution, she said, likely lies in vaccines that can target more than one variant at a time.

The World Health Organization’s COVID-19 vaccine technical committee said the same on Jan. 11, noting that Omicron is the fifth variant of concern in two years and “probably won’t be the last.”

Booster shots that increase antibody development have become the immediate response to Omicron for many governments, including Canada.

Dr. Srinivas Murthy, a British Columbia pediatrician and co-chair of the WHO’s clinical research committee on COVID-19, told The Canadian Press that boosters are not a viable long-term option.

“Boosting your exit from a pandemic is inevitably going to shoot you in the foot in the sense that you’re going to have a future variant that’s going to emerge that’s going to cause problems,” he said. “He’s going to escape your shots, and then you’re going to have to figure it out.”

Omicron does not entirely avoid existing vaccines, but a future variant might, he said. Much of the problem stems from the fact that the original vaccines train the body’s immune system to recognize what’s called the spike protein found on the surface of a virus, and that spike protein undergoes a significant mutation. .

Think of the mutated spike protein as a bit of a disguise that makes it harder for the immune system to recognize the virus and mount a defense to kill it.

Omicron has over 50 mutations, and at least 36 are on the spike protein.

Multivalent vaccines that use the spike protein of more than one variant, or that target the genetic components of a virus rather than the spike protein, may be the ones that could offer protection against both this pandemic and against the next new emerging coronavirus.

“It’s a pan-coronavirus, where it’s looking at big, broad neutralizing responses and you don’t have to update it every season and so on,” Murthy said. “It’s been the holy grail of influenza vaccinology for several decades. We haven’t gotten there yet, because influenza is a bit tricky, but we think it’s doable for coronavirus, in particular.”

The US military has a version heading into phase 2 trials that can attach several advanced proteins. A vaccine with the specific spike proteins of the five COVID-19 variants of concern would likely be more effective, even against future variants, as they all share some of the same mutations and what one might miss another can catch. .

Moderna is working on multivalent vaccine trials using combinations of the original virus’ spike proteins and one of the variants, or two of the variants together. It is unclear when they would be ready for use.

Sharma said that while vaccines don’t work as well against the variants as they do against the original virus, to her “they’re still miraculous.”

“To have a vaccine that was developed so quickly, that still has, through multiple ΓÇª variants with boosters, up to 70, 80% efficacy against serious illnesses, conditions, hospitalizations and deaths” , she said. “It’s miraculous for a new vaccine against a new virus.”

This report from The Canadian Press was first published on January 16, 2022.

International headquarters

Emirates News Agency – WAM and Colombian media entities discuss media cooperation

by Rodney N. on January 16, 2022

BOGOTA, Colombia, 16th January, 2022 (WAM) — A delegation from the Emirates News Agency (WAM) discussed ways to enhance cooperation with a number of media entities in Colombia, as well as their participation in the World Congress media, which will be hosted by Abu Dhabi next November.

The discussion took place during the visit of the delegation, led by Mohammed Jalal Al Rayssi, Managing Director of WAM, to Colombia, as part of the efforts of the Emirates News Agency to establish fruitful relations of cooperation and lasting partnerships with several global media entities.

The WAM delegation visited the headquarters of the Colombian magazine “Semana”, one of the largest magazines in Colombia, to discuss ways to further strengthen joint cooperation and the best ways to publish topics of interest to its audience in Colombia, noting that the weekly devoted a full edition in 2021 to the UAE.

The delegation also had a meeting with the Colprensa news agency and discussed ways to strengthen relations between the two sides in terms of news exchange and media cooperation. A memorandum of understanding on cooperation with the media and exchange of information was signed during the visit.

The WAM delegation also visited the headquarters of the newspaper “El Tempo”, which is the most widely distributed publication in Colombia, where the parties discussed ways to activate the Memorandum of Understanding that was signed last year. with the newspaper.

The delegation then visited the headquarters of the Caracol television network, one of the main television networks in Colombia since 1998. During the visit, the possibilities of strengthening media cooperation and the exchange of information between the two parties were examined. A delegation from Caracol will travel to the United Arab Emirates next month to sign a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the field of information exchange.

During their visit to the headquarters of Blu Radio, founded in 1927, the delegation was briefed on the working system and discussed ways to enhance media cooperation between the two sides.

The Emirates News Agency delegation also visited the headquarters of the newspaper El Espectador, one of the oldest newspapers in the world, established in 1887 as Colombia’s first newspaper. A memorandum of understanding was signed to cooperate in the field of news exchange.

The WAM delegation concluded its working trip to Colombia by visiting the headquarters of the Latin American Information Alliance (AIL), a media organization that includes 22 private television stations in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Al Rayssi said WAM is looking forward to building strategic relationships with the media in Colombia, as part of the continued cooperation between the two friendly countries in various fields.

The WAM Managing Director stressed that the media is a major development tributary in the countries, pointing out that this visit embodied the efforts of both sides to establish an advanced model of media cooperation at different levels.

He added that the World Media Congress, to be held in the capital Abu Dhabi next November, “is an important milestone in the process of cooperation between WAM and other international media entities, and we look forward to a strong turnout. Colombian media in this premier global event.”

Al Rayssi concluded by thanking all officials of the UAE Embassy in Colombia, commending their efforts to provide all forms of support to the WAM delegation during its stay in Colombia, which played a crucial role in the success of the visit.

Non profit living

Holiness of Life Sunday: Practical Pro-Life Resources for Kentucky Baptists | Baptist life

by Rodney N. on January 15, 2022

Kentucky Baptist Convention churches across the Commonwealth will join other Southern Baptist churches across the country on Sunday in celebrating and affirming the sanctity of human life – that every person is made in the image of God. .

As you consider how your church can actively uphold the sanctity of life, explore these practical resources:

Q: I would like to partner with a local pregnancy center. How can I locate the closest one?

A: There are nearly 50 Pregnancy Support Centers located throughout Kentucky, and each depends on the financial, volunteer, and prayerful support of local churches. Visit kybaptist.org/pregnancy-resource-centers/ for a list.

Q: Members of my church are interested in sidewalk counseling at the nearest abortion clinic. Where can we train?

A: Speak For the Unborn equips local churches for holistic, gospel-centered pro-life ministry driven by love and seduction. They provide training to congregations interested in counseling women preparing to enter abortion clinics. Learn more at speakfortheunborn.com.

Q: I am unable to adopt or foster and my funds are limited. How can I serve orphans and foster families?

A: Orphan Care Alliance, a Louisville-based ministry that equips and connects Christians with opportunities to serve children in need, recruits believers to serve as life coaches for teens in Kentucky’s foster care system.

After completing orientation training, life coaches are paired with a teen and are expected to spend at least one hour with them once a week for a calendar year, sharing the love of Christ, setting goals, and offering encouragement. . Life coaches are the only unpaid adult in a foster child’s life, a role the Orphan Care Alliance describes as “integral.” Visit orphancarealliance.org for more information on their various ministries.

Q: Our church wants to support foster care and orphan care ministries. What organizations exist in the state?

A: The Baptist Convention of Kentucky is a longtime partner of Sunrise Children’s Services, a Christ-centered nonprofit organization that provides therapeutic foster care, therapeutic treatment, and community services to children in Kentucky. For more information on how you can partner with Sunrise, visit sunrise.org.

All God’s Children in Nicholasville also works with foster children in Kentucky. The Christian ministry offers counselling, daycare, independent living program and training for foster parents. Find out how to volunteer, pray and give on kyagc.org.

Q: There are women in our church who have had abortions, and we want to support them as they heal. Are there Bible studies or small group materials for post-abortion women?

A: Letting go of the secret is a study offering biblical healing to post-abortion women and is frequently used by pregnancy centers and local churches. Visit abandoningthesecret.com for more information.

SaveOne is a ministry offering help and healing to men, women and family members who have been affected by a past abortion. They offer training, small group studies, and resources for churches. Learn more at saveone.org/churches.

And Embrace Grace offers a program and training for churches to create support groups for women who have chosen life for an unplanned pregnancy. A KBC church has already successfully started an Embrace Grace group. Visit kissgrace.com for more details.

Q: What is KBC doing to equip churches for pro-life ministry?

A: The Kentucky Baptist Convention launched the Friends of Life Kentucky initiative to mobilize Kentucky Baptists to support pregnant women and advocate for unborn children.

While the initiative is still in development, churches can expect regional conferences, active support of a proposed pro-life constitutional amendment in Kentucky, and a survey of attitudes and perspectives that will shape the strategy. across the convention. Follow the ongoing initiative at friendsoflifeky.org.

Q: Where can I find updates on pro-life issues in Kentucky?

A: Subscribe to our newsletter, The Morning Briefing, for weekly articles on the most relevant pro-life issues here in the state.

From updates on pro-life legislation to monthly reports on the number of abortions to personal stories of families impacted by unplanned pregnancies, Kentucky Today is committed to providing coverage on abortion, the adoption, foster care and other pro-life topics.

Tessa Redmond reports on pro-life issues for Kentucky Today. She is a member of First Baptist Church in Taylorsville, Kentucky, where her husband serves as minister of music and youth.

History organization

Andruw Jones placed on waiver; Matt Kemp agrees to 2-year contract extension

by Rodney N. on January 15, 2022

On January 15, 2009, the Los Angeles Dodgers placed Andruw Jones on waivers after agreeing to defer the majority of the $21.1 million still owed to him, marking the end of a disastrous 13-month stint with the organization.

Jones joined the Dodgers on a two-year, $36.2 million contract in the 2007 offseason after spending the first 12 years of his career with the Atlanta Braves. Although the move was done with great fanfare, he turned out to be one of the worst signings in franchise history.

Jones showed up to Spring Training out of shape and struggled before undergoing knee surgery in late May. Jones would return in early July but continued to slump and was regularly booed by Dodgers fans after every at-bat.

Jones was placed on the disabled list for the second time in August after re-injuring his knee, which effectively ended his season. In 75 games, Jones batted .158/.256/.249 with eight doubles, three home runs and 14 RBIs in 238 plate appearances.

The five-time All-Star then signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers after clearing waivers and enjoyed a rebound year hitting .214/.323/.459 in 82 games during the 2009 season.

Jones then joined the Chicago White Sox for the 2010 season before spending the final two years of his career with the New York Yankees.

Kemp agrees to multi-year contract extension with Dodgers

Also on this day in Dodgers history – but in 2010 – the Dodgers avoided salary arbitration with Matt Kemp by agreeing to a two-year, $10.95 million contract.

Kemp was coming off a career season in which he batted .297/.352/.490 with 25 doubles, seven triples, 26 home runs, 101 RBIs and 34 stolen bases in 668 plate appearances (162 games). He finished 10th in National League MVP voting that year while winning his first career Silver Slugger and Gold Glove Awards.

Canadian army

Canada must prepare for a potentially hostile government in Washington

by Rodney N. on January 14, 2022

In the 155 years since Confederation, most Canadians have rarely thought about national security. For the first 60 years after Confederation, we were protected by the British Empire. Then, in August 1938, United States President Franklin Roosevelt, during a visit to Kingston, Ontario, said, “I assure you that the people of the United States will not stand idly by if the domination of Canadian soil is threatened. Since then, our national security has been guaranteed by the United States.

It would be wise for Canadians to rethink this dependence on the United States. Since Donald Trump’s election to the White House in November 2016, we have seen a rise in right-wing extremism fueled by Trump’s irresponsible and sometimes dangerous rhetoric. We have seen massive unrest in cities across the United States as people protest against police violence against minorities. On January 6, 2021, we witnessed the infamous uprising as Trump supporters attempted to prevent election certification. Since then, the right-wing media and Trump have continued to “fan the flames” of fury and outrage. The majority of the Republican Party seems to tolerate this.

Why should we care, you may ask. We live in Canada after all. We need to be concerned about this, because violence can very easily spread across our borders. Prime Minister Lester Pearson knew this when he deployed Canadian troops to the border crossings between Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan during the Detroit Riots in July 1967. President Richard Nixon moved American troops to the border areas near Quebec during the October Crisis. of 1970. Both leaders knew that their primary duty was to protect their citizens and they took steps to achieve it.

The modern Republican Party is nothing like the party of decades past. This is not the party of Dwight Eisenhower, Nixon, Ronald Reagan, etc. This is a party that embraces violence, intolerance, disregards logic, reason and science (witness the horrific deaths in pandemic ‘red’ states) and opposes rights reproduction of women. These values upheld by the current Republican Party are totally foreign and repugnant to most Canadians. We also have to believe that the Republicans oppose most of the values that are dear to Canadians.

If the Republicans take control of Congress in November and the White House in 2024, it will mean Canada has a potentially hostile government across the border. We must prepare for it and do it immediately. What actions should we take?

We must first ensure that we can protect our borders. That means we have to make sure that we can mobilize enough military personnel and deploy them to any part of the border that is needed quickly. It will also require a change in military policy in Canada. Currently, army reserve units have very little ammunition available to them in their arsenals. In an emergency, ammunition would be brought to them from larger bases. This must change. We need to be able to mobilize our reserves and they can’t wait for enough ammunition to deploy to the border.

Next, we need to be able to show a potentially hostile Republican president that no threat will come to the United States via Canada. This means, for example, that we must have a modern, well-equipped air force that can destroy any threat entering Canadian airspace and heading towards the United States. No US president would hesitate to order US military forces into Canada if he felt Canada had failed to deal adequately with a crisis that could threaten the United States. We cannot give them any excuse to do so.

The current Republican Party is not a friend of Canada and could indeed threaten us if it regains power. This means that we must be prepared to keep a respectful distance and ensure that we can defend our people.

Craig Wallace is a Hamilton resident and author of five books.

International headquarters

Three Graduates Receive Thomas R. Pickering and Charles B. Rangel Graduate Scholarships | News | Notre Dame News

by Rodney N. on January 14, 2022

University of Notre Dame alumni Irla Atanda and Amber Bryan have been named Thomas R. Pickering Graduate Fellows. Alumnus DeJorie Monroe has been named a Charles B. Rangel Scholar. He is the University’s first Rangel Graduate Fellow and the second and third Pickering Graduate Fellows.

Funded by the U.S. Department of State and administered annually by Howard University, the Pickering and Rangel Graduate Scholarship Programs each award 45 scholarships that cover tuition, room, board, books, and fees for obtaining a two-year master’s degree.

The programs also offer two internships. The first, an internship at the headquarters of the US Department of State in Washington, DC The second, an internship abroad in a US embassy or consulate. The program provides additional support for summer travel, housing, and other related expenses.

Both programs encourage applications from members of minority groups historically underrepresented in the Foreign Service, women, and those in financial need.

Irla Atanda

In applying for the scholarships, the alumni worked with Elise Rudt, Senior National Fellowship Program Manager with the Flatley Center for Undergraduate University Engagement (CUSE), which promotes the intellectual development of Notre Dame undergraduates through scholarly engagement, research, creative endeavours, and scholarship seeking.

“Irla, DeJorie and Amber epitomize excellence and international service. Their trajectories should be examples for all Notre Dame students. I often say that scholarships beget scholarships, and Irla, having won the Gilman and Boren scholarships, DeJorie, having won the Orr and Fulbright scholarships, and Amber, having worked as an AmeriCorps fellow, perfectly demonstrate the possibilities of such scholarships to build a clear career path,” Rudt said. “I want to thank rivers of holly (associate director of Kellogg Institute for International Studies) and Dr. George Lopez (Reverend Theodore M. Hesburgh, CSC, Emeritus Professor of Peace Studies at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies) for their assistance with practice interviews.

Atanda graduated from Notre Dame in 2020 with a BA in American Studies and a minor in International Development Studies. She studied abroad at the University of Cape Town as a Gilman Scholar and at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.

While at Notre Dame, she was a recipient of the David L. Boren Scholarship, Charles B. Rangel Alternate, and QuestBridge Scholar.

She currently works at Refugees International as Special Assistant to the President.

Bryan graduated from Notre Dame in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. She studied abroad at the Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo.

While at Notre Dame, she was a Scholar AnBryce and served as Vice President and Community Services Coordinator for the Black Student Association.

She currently works at Terminix as a senior internal auditor.

Monroe graduated from Notre Dame in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and minors in Latin American studies, Middle Eastern studies and theology. She also studied abroad at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.

While at Notre Dame, Monroe was a Hesburgh-Yusko Fellow and a Dean’s Scholar in the College of Arts and Letters, and was awarded a position as a Fulbright English teaching assistant in Argentina.

She received her Master of Science in Management and Leadership from Western Governors University.

Monroe is currently a dual-language immersion teacher at an elementary school in Columbia, South Carolina, and marketing operations coordinator at Urbanforce/Generator Power Systems Inc.

Dejoriemonroephoto 300x — By Jorie Monroe

Upon completion of the fellowship programs, Atanda, Bryan, and Monroe will serve as Foreign Service Officers in the Department of State.

The Pickering Fellowship for Foreign Affairs is named after Ambassador Thomas R. Pickering. Pickering has served as Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs and United States Ambassador to the Russian Federation, India, Israel, El Salvador, Nigeria, and Jordan. He also served as United States Ambassador and Representative to the United Nations in New York.

The Rangel Fellowship in International Affairs is named after Charles B. Rangel. Rangel served in the United States Congress, representing New York City for 23 terms and 46 years. He retired in December 2016. Rangel made history in 2006 as the first African American to lead the Committee of Ways and Means, which oversees international trade, health care, economic policy and development. other major political issues.

Current students and alumni interested in applying for the Pickering, Rangel, or Payne Fellowships (a similar award for working with USAID) can contact Rudt at [email protected].

Non profit living

New CEO of Lawndale Christian Health Center tackles health inequities in the neighborhood where he grew up

by Rodney N. on January 14, 2022

NORTH LAWNDALE – The Lawndale Christian Health Center has appointed Pastor James Brooks as CEO of the community clinic.

Brooks was previously the chief administrator of the community health center ministry. Brooks was born and raised in Lawndale and is also senior pastor at Harmony Community Church, where his father previously served as senior pastor.

Her experiences growing up in North Lawndale and coping with challenges on the West Side “give me great perspective” on the health needs of the community, Brooks said.

“This experience has informed how I will lead going forward,” Brooks said.

Since the health center grew out of the Lawndale Christian Community Church in 1984, it has always been driven by a mission to uplift the West Side. Church members initially sought to establish the health center with the goal of improving long-standing health inequalities faced by people living on the West Side by making high-quality care affordable and accessible. to residents.

“It had very humble beginnings,” Brooks said. “We are integrated into the community. This means that our residents have access to us. Our mission is to share the love of Jesus by promoting wellness in Lawndale and our neighboring communities.

What began as a small clinic and basketball court for residents to exercise has grown into one of North Lawndale’s major flagship institutions. Lawndale Christian Health Center is a safety-net hospital that accepts sliding scale payments, and 40% of patients are uninsured. 75,000 people in the area rely on Lawndale Christian Health Center for primary care, Brooks said.

The nonprofit organization operates a state-of-the-art fitness center that residents can join for just $15, as well as multiple event spaces, a seniors’ center, pharmacy, eye clinic, and several satellite clinics in the West Side. The Lawndale Christian Health Center also runs a neighborhood’s only cafe, the Green Tomato Café, “where the community can gather and have a great meal,” Brook said.

Despite major advances in improving access to health care, people in the region still face huge health disparities. According to a 2015 report from Virginia Commonwealth University, residents of parts of the West Side have an average life expectancy 16 years lower than that of inner-city residents. This gap isn’t just due to shortcomings in clinical care, the study showed: it’s also due to social conditions, including disinvestment, segregation and a lack of grocery stores.

One of Brooks’ management priorities is to build community partnerships to improve the social conditions that lead to chronic health problems. Lawndale Christian Health Center is already engaged in such initiatives, such as its medication-assisted treatment programs to support recovery from opioid addiction and its partnerships with more than 20 shelters to serve homeless people, it said. he declares.

“We want to be a better collaborator and partner with organizations that are on the ground, trying to make a difference in the social determinants of health. When we look at violence, when we look at homelessness, transportation, we want to partner with those who have that role and come in as a health care provider,” Brooks said.

Brooks also intends to follow the mantra of Lawndale Christian Community Church founder, coach Wayne Gordon, who often said, “We are better together. The health center has worked with local churches on a campaign called One Lawndale which aims to unite the black community of North Lawndale with the Latino community of Little Village as part of the common social challenges facing each neighborhood.

“Our main campus borders both communities. As an anchor institution, we have a great opportunity to bring people together and break down the walls that divide us,” said Brooks.

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History organization

Fried Academy Partners with Summer 2022 Study Abroad Opportunity | College of Arts and Sciences

by Rodney N. on January 14, 2022

During the 2022 summer session, the UN and Yahad-In Unum will, for the first time, offer a joint summer course offered by the Department of History that will teach students about the historical, cultural and social circumstances of the Holocaust by gunfire in Central and Eastern Europe through classroom and field investigation.

The Holocaust by gunfire marks the period between 1941 and 1944 when entire Jewish communities were massacred in mass shootings perpetrated by specialized Nazi units, the Einsatzgruppen, and buried in mass graves across Eastern Europe. . Until very recently, little effort was made to locate these mass graves and fully understand their extent.

Holocaust by Bullets (HIST 4910/8916) will begin with four-week online courses and end with a 10-day trip to Poland. This course is open to all UNO students at junior level or above and is limited to 15 students. Travel support is available from Fried Academy. Please see the flyer or course syllabus page for more information.

About Yahad – In Unum:

Yahad – In Unum (“Together in One”) is a Paris-based organization founded in 2004 by Father Patrick Desbois and dedicated to investigating and documenting these crimes throughout Central and Eastern Europe. To date, the organization has been able to identify more than 3,100 killing sites and interview nearly 3,400 eyewitnesses to mass shootings of Jews as well as Roma and other minorities in countries such as Ukraine, Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania and other countries of the former Soviet Union as well as Poland and Romania.

Canadian army

“A life full of adventures”: the Métis community mourns the loss of Saskatchewan. Louis Roy, WWII Veteran

by Rodney N. on January 13, 2022

One of the oldest Métis veterans of the Second World War died Tuesday at the age of 101 in a long-term care home in northern Saskatchewan.

Louis Roy leaves in his family the memory of a kind man who paved the way for his 10 children and his many grandchildren.

“He was just a very respected man. He lived a fulfilling life full of adventures and experienced so much wisdom,” his granddaughter Glenda Burnouf said.

Roy was born on August 2, 1920 in Île-à-la-Croix. His first language was Cree. His father died when he was 12, so the family moved to Beauval in 1932. Roy attended boarding school at Île-à-la-Croix.

He enlisted in the Canadian army in February 1942 at the age of 21, according to a biography prepared by his daughter Julie Roy.

He underwent basic and advanced training where he learned to drive and other skills such as map reading, weaponry and communication.

“It really formed the basis of his life and professional skills to come,” Burnouf said.

He served in the infantry in Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Italy and England until his discharge in October 1945.

Métis Nation-Saskatchewan Veterans Affairs Minister Mervin Tex Bouvier is from the same area as Roy and says he was a role model in the community.

“Everyone knew Louis Roy because it’s like a family from Green Lake to La Loche,” Bouvier said. “He was highly respected by his peers and his people.”

Bouvier says the area does not have a Legion branch presence and MN-S plans to assist in the proper recognition of Roy and other Métis veterans who have contributed to the fabric of the community.

“I really want to look at cemeteries and recognize who they were and where they served,” Bouvier said.

Manitoba Metis Federation President David Chartrand also acknowledged Roy’s death.

“Louis was one of many brave Métis citizens drafted to serve in the Canadian Armed Forces against the evils of the world, while facing discrimination at home,” Chartrand said.

Roy was the first Métis veteran to receive a $20,000 recognition payment from Ottawa in 2019 for the way he was treated after returning from fighting.

Burnouf said that after the war Roy earned his living as a trapper, hunter and fisherman. He married, founded a home near Beauval and raised 10 children.

At 43, he began a career as a carpenter. He worked for the Department of Northern Services and the school division until his retirement at age 65.

In 2005, at the age of 85, Roy downsized and built himself a one-bedroom house on the banks of the Beaver River. He lived there alone until he was 100 years old.

She says it’s nice to see her grandfather recognized for his contributions.

“He took it upon himself to provide for his family and learn a career and now the recognition is coming, which I’m very grateful for,” Burnouf said.

She says she can see some of her noble traits and values in her children and grandchildren.

“It’s good to see that he lives in all of us.”

International headquarters

United Kingdom – Program announced to strengthen trade ties with India

by Rodney N. on January 13, 2022

Ahead of the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, UK, a program of events designed to boost trade and investment between India, the West Midlands and the UK has been announced. The virtual program, due to take place during the Queen’s Baton Relay Birmingham 2022 in India (January 12-15), will bring together political leaders, Indian investors, business leaders from the West Midlands, the UK and India, as well as international cultural icons, all to mark the Commonwealth Games as a unique opportunity to advance shared economic ambitions.

As part of the program, a virtual showcase will take place, where key names from India’s business, tourism and cultural landscape will hear from UK government stakeholders including Alex Ellis, UK High Commissioner to the Republic of India and Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands. Discussions will build on the enhanced UK-India business partnership, opening up new opportunities for UK companies exporting to India and Indian companies investing in the UK.

The UK Department for International Trade (DIT), in partnership with the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC), will host a high-level online roundtable bringing together UK and Indian business leaders. The event provides a forum to convene a cross-market dialogue on the main business opportunity in the future mobility sector – an important objective of the West Midlands local industrial strategy and represents an opportunity to increase trade and investment in the two-way in the existing West Midlands -Corridor of India.

The Queen’s Baton travels through 72 Commonwealth Nations and Territories for 294 days, connecting communities, businesses and cultures around the world. During the four-day visit, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), which is also the Commonwealth Games Association for India, will host events featuring inspiring people fighting for change in their community .

The activity marking the arrival of the Queen’s Baton Relay in India is only one part of a series of engagements between the West Midlands and India through 2023 and beyond. Indian businesses and investors will be invited to the West Midlands during the Games, followed by a mayor-led delegation to India in the fall of 2022 to promote bilateral trade and investment opportunities. The main areas of strategic focus will include the technology and creative, professional services, future mobility and data-driven healthcare sectors.

The West Midlands and India already enjoy strong trade links, with 57% of India’s investment in the UK in 2020 made in the West Midlands. The region is home to 76 registered Indian FDI worth over £ 3.5 billion in future mobility, creative technologies and modern business services, employing more than 13,000 people. The region’s strong commercial offering has already attracted some of India’s biggest companies including Tata Motors, State Bank of India, Infosys, OLA, Enzen Global, Suprajit Group, Elder Pharmaceuticals and more recently, BSA and Microland.

Dave Owen, Executive Director – Global Purchasing and Supply Chain at Jaguar Land Rover, said: “We are extremely proud to be both a member of the Tata family and a renowned global organization in its own right, with our roots proudly in the West Midlands. . The region is the hub of our international technology, engineering, R&D and manufacturing footprint, thanks to its enviable pool of specialist talent, excellent connectivity and transportation links, and high-performing industrial ecosystem. “

“The broader economic and social benefits of maintaining a strong relationship with India are compelling. Trade and investment create growth, jobs and regional prosperity, while strong ties with Indian businesses provide the UK with easier access to some of the world’s major players in technology, communications and software – which in turn benefit from the deep industrial expertise and capacity for innovation, for which the West Midlands are well known. “

West Midlands Mayor Andy Street said: “The West Midlands are the UK’s main location for attracting FDI outside London, with a number of India’s biggest names in the automotive, manufacturing and financial services who choose to locate their UK operations here. The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games present a real opportunity for the UK and India to build on these strong economic ties, as well as celebrate the region’s vast Indian heritage, with a ‘living bridge’ up close. over 200,000 ethnic Indians who live and work in the West. Midlands. I look forward to speaking to the Indian business community during the Virtual Events program, celebrating the arrival of the Queen’s Baton Relay in India and showcasing all the West Midlands has to support businesses and investors looking to expand their international footprint. “

Alan Gemmell, Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for South Asia, said: “I am delighted that during the week that the Secretary of State for International Trade is in Delhi to launch the comprehensive negotiations of the Agreement Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the West Midlands continue to deepen its relations with India. Trade between the UK and India in 2020 reached £ 18bn, with the West Midlands exporting goods and services worth £ 318m. Through our FTA and our support to businesses across the UK, we aim to double trade with India by 2030. 2022 will be a pivotal year for UK-India relations. This summer’s Commonwealth Games will provide a great backdrop and provide exciting opportunities to celebrate the West Midlands-India relationship. “

The online events were hosted as part of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games (BATP) business and tourism program, designed to attract visitors, trade, events and investment to Birmingham, the West Midlands and UK from Commonwealth Nations and Territories including India.

With an economy worth £ 105 billion, the West Midlands is made up of three thriving cities – Birmingham, Coventry and Wolverhampton, with Birmingham home to more international businesses than any other major English city outside of London. In 2019, the West Midlands generated an export value of £ 32 billion – the largest region in value outside of London and the South East.

Harjinder Kang, Transversal Director, Intellectual Property, Indian Procurement and Negotiations, Ministry of International Trade, said: “As the Relay of the Queen’s baton arrives in India, the Ministry of International Trade is delighted to represent ambition and leadership. rich innovation within the West Midlands to the Indian business community, in our fastest growing and most successful industries. The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and Business and Tourism program are a historic opportunity and aim to create £ 7million in additional export deals and secure up to £ 900million in new investment in the overseas in the West Midlands and the UK, with our international partners by 2027.. “

Indian investors in the West Midlands – case studies:

Tata Motors – India’s largest automotive company and owner of JLR

Tata Motors, India’s largest automaker, acquired British company Jaguar Land Rover in 2008. Headquartered in Coventry, UK, Jaguar Land Rover has firmly established the West Midlands as the engine of its operations, through a network of ‘production units and research facilities.

Jaguar Land Rover recently announced its new global strategy, Reinvent, a reimagining rich in sustainability of modern luxury, unique customer experiences and a positive societal impact. This marks the start of the company’s journey to become a net zero carbon company by 2039. Jaguar will be reinvented as a fully electric luxury brand from 2025 and Land Rover will welcome six pure electric variants during the course of the year. for the next five years, as it continues to be the world leader in luxury SUVs. All Jaguar and Land Rover nameplates will be available in pure electric form by the end of the decade.

TVS Motors – acquired iconic British motorcycle brand Norton

In January 2021, Indian automaker TVS Motors announced a multi-million dollar investment to move the UK headquarters of the Norton Motorcycles subsidiary to a new state-of-the-art facility in Solihull, West Midlands. The investment follows the prior acquisition of the iconic British motorcycle brand by TVS Motors in April 2020. The premises will be Norton’s most advanced and modern factory in its 122-year history and the hub of the brand’s operations. Providing a permanent base for all staff, the new headquarters will house the design, engineering, purchasing, sales, marketing and support teams, as well as the skilled production team that will take over the manufacturing of motorcycles. The company’s decision was inspired by the region’s internationally renowned automotive expertise hub, which is responsible for a third of all UK production.

Infosys BPM – a global business process management subsidiary of Infosys Ltd.

Infosys offers its clients integrated end-to-end outsourcing and transformational benefits through reduced costs, improved productivity and process reengineering.

Based in India, Infosys BPM operates worldwide and has recently set up a UK based delivery center in the heart of the West Midlands. The Rubery-based office employs around 150 UK staff and 45 Pune-based staff and has been instrumental in establishing a base footprint for Infosys BPM in the UK.

Focused on innovation and transformation, the Birmingham Delivery Center is committed to developing and meaningfully contributing to shared service networks across the UK by forging close links with several shared service forums and organizations.

Disclaimer: This content is distributed by Business Wire India. No HT journalist is involved in the creation of this content.

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History organization

Unity Week 2022 offers free social cultural educational events for all

by Rodney N. on January 12, 2022

Ball State University’s Multicultural Center has announced the schedule of events for Unity Week 2022, which begins Jan. 17, the official holiday celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Unity Week is a popular on-campus celebration dedicated to uniting the Ball State community through enlightening social, cultural, and educational events. All events are free and open to students, faculty, staff, community members and members of the media.

“Unity Week aims to educate and inform the BSU community as well as challenge perspectives on issues of diversity, inclusion and solidarity in a changing social climate,” said Bobby Steele, Director of the Multicultural Center. “We want to offer students, faculty, staff and community members the opportunity to learn, reflect and engage in open dialogue about their experiences.”

One of the highlights of Unity Week 2022 will be featured speaker Brandon Pope, award-winning TV host, media critic and columnist. Mr. Pope, a 2014 Ball State graduate, is president of the Chicago chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists. He served as a board member of My Brother’s Keeper, which is dedicated to filling the opportunity gap for youth of color in the Greater Chicago Area. He will be The event featuring Mr. Pope is co-sponsored by the University’s Multicultural Centre, College of Communication, Information and Media; and the Office of Student Life.

Another highlight of the upcoming Unit Week is the experience-based “Boxes and Walls” event at 6 p.m. on January 20 in the Student Center Ballroom. This event offers the opportunity for individuals to experience a snapshot of the kind of oppression faced by people with historically marginalized identities. Participants will take self-guided tours through the spaces to view and learn about gender and sexuality, race and ethnicity, disabilities, religions, and more. At the end of the visit, participants can engage with others to report on their experiences at the event. “Boxes and Walls” will be hosted by the Life Habitation and Residence of the University.

The full Unity Week 2022 event schedule is as follows:

monday january 17

MLK Celebration, Emens Auditorium, 9:30 a.m.
MLK Unit March, Emens Auditorium, 11:30 a.m.

tuesday january 18

MLK President Brandon Pope, Pruis Hall, 7 p.m. (This in-person event will also be streamed live.)

Wednesday January 19

Student Voluntary Service (SVS) Volunteer Recruitment Fair, Cardinal Hall Student Center, 9 a.m.
Queer monologues, Salle Pruis, 8 p.m.

Thursday January 20

Diversity and Inclusion Ambassadors: A Historical Overview of the Multicultural Center, Multicultural Center Multipurpose Room, 2 p.m.
Boxes and Walls, Student Center Ballroom, 6 p.m.

Friday January 21

Latinxpalooza, Student Center, Cardinal Hall, 6 p.m.
Friday Night Film Works & Reel Inclusion Film Series – Black Boys, available for virtual viewing via Kanopy.

saturday 22 january

Charitable Leadership Conference, Student Center Ballroom, 9 a.m.

Full event details can be found online at the Multicultural Center’s Unity Week 2022 website. In accordance with campus COVID-19 restrictions, masks will be required indoors for all event attendees, guests and members of the media, regardless of their vaccination status.

Unity Week, coordinated annually by the Multicultural Center with the cooperation of campus partners and student organizations, dates back to 1978. Learn more about the history of this event, as well as the history of the Center multicultural, thanks to the new online digital exhibition, The Ball State University Multicultural Center: Ambassadors of Inclusion and Diversity on Campus.

Visitors can explore written accounts, historic photographs, news articles, videos, and other materials that showcase the people, resources, programs, events, decisions, ideas, and initiatives that shaped the enduring success of the Multicultural Centre.

“This knowledge helps shape our understanding of the challenges, progress and ongoing efforts needed for diversity and inclusion,” Mr. Steele said. “The story is relevant to the future of the Multicultural Center as it strives to be a place where students can continue to feel supported and included in a welcoming environment that promotes academic achievement, personal growth and learning. membership.”

Unity Week 2022 is co-sponsored by the Ball State University Asian Student Union; Association of Black Students; College of Communication, Information and Media; Collective Coalition of Concerned Clergy, a community organization in Muncie; plus Ball State housing and residence living; Latinx Student Union; Office of the President; Office of Student Life; Spectrum; Student Center Programs; and university libraries.

Canadian army

Ukraine dust off Cold War bunkers in case of Russian invasion, many believe it won’t happen

by Rodney N. on January 12, 2022

Under an administrative building in Kiev, a concrete stairwell leads to a thick metal door – the entrance to a Cold War-era air raid shelter. It is just one of hundreds of shelters that city officials are inspecting in case the simmering conflict in eastern Ukraine turns into a full-scale Russian invasion.

“Our goal is to have shelters for 100% of our population,” said Nikolai Budnik, director of the city’s shelter system, as he showed CBC on Monday a bunker built in 1986.

Due to the recent escalation of tensions between Ukraine and Russia, he said, authorities are inspecting shelters and restocking supplies stored inside, such as gas masks.

Diplomatic talks on several fronts to ease ongoing tensions

While Russian officials have denied that they are planning an offensive, US and Ukrainian intelligence sources estimate that around 100,000 Russian troops are amassed near the Ukraine-Russia border.

A series of high-level diplomatic talks are underway in an attempt to ease escalating tensions and avoid the risk of war.

US and Russian negotiators met in Geneva on Monday, and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is due to meet Russian officials in Brussels on Wednesday. Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau, meanwhile, discussed the extension of Canada’s military training mission and the prospect of new sanctions against Moscow during an appeal with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday.

Supplies are lined up in an air raid shelter in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev. The shelters are being assessed to ensure they have enough space and supplies for the nearly three million people who live in the city. (Jean-François Bisson / CBC)

The particular shelter that CBC visited this week is outfitted with old bunk beds and water tanks and is meant to house essential workers to keep the city running and utilities running in the event of an attack.

Russia has issued a series of demands and repeatedly warned of the dangers of crossing its so-called red lines, gestures by the West towards Ukraine that would trigger a response from Russia. He warned, for example, that Ukraine should never be allowed to join NATO, although the United States has already called the request a non-starting.

Officials on both sides have expressed doubts that diplomatic talks will lead to a breakthrough, but that doesn’t mean all Ukrainians believe a bigger war is imminent or even likely.

Inside one of the Cold War era bomb shelters in Kiev being prepared for possible use again. (Jean-François Bisson / CBC)

“Not the Ukraine of six or seven years ago”

In Kiev’s historic Podil district, crowds strolled through a holiday market on Monday. Some sipped mulled wine, and others took a ride on a Ferris wheel.

“I wouldn’t say we care a lot,” said Oksana Dalko, 23.

“Ukraine now is not the Ukraine of six or seven years ago… we have a strong army now.”

Oksana Dalko, 23, says that while Ukraine traditionally looks like Russia, Ukrainians wish to be more like Western democracies. (Corinne Seminov / CBC)

Ukraine has grown its military in recent years with the help of allies, including the United States and Canada. In 2021 alone, the United States provided $ 400 million in military assistance to Ukraine, and Canadian troops helped train the country’s soldiers on Operation UNIFIER.

A war between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine has continued since 2014, killing around 14,000 people. But, about 750 kilometers into the country’s capital, Dalko says there are few signs of an imminent threat.

The Donbass region in eastern Ukraine is currently divided into government-controlled territory, in yellow, and that held by Russian-backed separatists, in orange. The opposing parties have been fighting since 2014. (SRC)

An invasion poses an economic risk

Volodymyr Korniienko, 27, was among the crowd at the holiday market.

He doesn’t think Ukraine will be allowed to join NATO for years to come, but that it will eventually happen and says Russia should just accept it.

He says he is also not worried about the apparent political stalemate.

“I’m pretty sure that no kind of military escalation will happen on the Russian side,” he said.

“Even if Russia invades Ukraine, it won’t make economic sense.”

Volodymyr Korniienko, 27, believes Ukraine will eventually join NATO, but says the ongoing fighting in the Donbass region means it is unlikely to happen anytime soon. (Briar Stewart / CBC)

He is referring to the new punitive sanctions that the United States and NATO have threatened to impose if Russia launches an attack. Officials have hinted that the sweeping measures could include financial sanctions that could target Russian assets abroad, which would deal a heavy blow to the country and in particular to the ultra-rich elite who have investments and accounts. banking abroad.

“They depend on it a lot,” said Illia Ponomarenko, 29, a defense reporter for the Kyiv Independent, an English-language news site.

“Our enemy is nasty but not stupid. They still need their billions in the West. They take advantage of the villas in the south of France.”

Journalist Illia Ponomarenko said Russia’s growing rhetoric was part of a plan to intimidate Ukraine and put pressure on the West. (Jean-François Bisson / CBC)

He worked for the Kyiv Post, Ukraine’s main English-language newspaper, until the owner abruptly sacked all of the newspaper’s staff in November. He and some of his colleagues banded together to start the Kyiv Independent.

Ponomarenko, from the Donbass region in eastern Ukraine, says he has seen three wars and two revolutions in his life. Thus, he feels less anxious about the situation today than it did last spring, when Russia also amassed troops near the Ukrainian border.

“It was a real apocalyptic atmosphere here in Kiev. I have to admit I was scared. I was really scared.”

A psychological campaign

Now, he says, he’s less emotional. If Russia had wanted to take over all of Ukraine, it would have tried in 2014 when it annexed the Ukrainian peninsula from Crimea, he said.

He suspects that the war rhetoric this time is more of a psychological campaign by Russia to maintain its influence.

Ponomarenko says the more Westward Ukraine leans and develops its democracy and civil liberties, the more likely Russian residents are to take notice.

“They will start to wonder … ‘if the Ukrainians can do it, why can’t we do it too?'”

International headquarters

The most powerful passports in the world for 2022 | To travel

by Rodney N. on January 12, 2022

However, these new freedoms are mainly enjoyed by Europe, North America, and wealthier Asian countries – passport holders from countries like Angola, Cameroon and Laos can only enter around 50. between them.

Christian H. Kaelin, president of Henley & Partners and creator of the passport index concept, says opening migration channels will be crucial for post-pandemic recovery. “Passports and visas are among the most important instruments impacting social inequalities in the world, as they determine the opportunities for global mobility,” he said. “The borders within which we are born and the documents we are entitled to hold are no less arbitrary than our skin color. Richer states must encourage positive internal migration in order to help redistribute and rebalance human and material resources around the world. . “

A photo illustration shows a Singaporean passport in Singapore on March 29, 2020 as authorities imposed strict measures to slow the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

ROSLAN RAHMAN / AFP via Getty Images

The best passports to hold in 2022 are:

1. Japan, Singapore (192 destinations)

2. Germany, South Korea (190)

3. Finland, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain (189)

4. Austria, Denmark, France, Netherlands, Sweden (188)

5. Ireland, Portugal (187)

6. Belgium, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States (186)

Non profit living

Haymarket sues Itasca over village rejection of drug rehab center

by Rodney N. on January 11, 2022

The Haymarket Center on Tuesday filed a federal discrimination complaint against the village of Itasca, claiming elected officials violated civil rights laws by denying the association’s request to open a center for the treatment and recovery of blood drug addiction in the county town of DuPage.

The lawsuit opens a new legal front in a two-and-a-half-year controversy over the project. After more than 35 public hearings, Itasca administrators unanimously rejected Haymarket’s proposal in November to turn a closed Holiday Inn into a 240-bed rehabilitation center.

The complaint describes the board’s decision as “intentionally discriminatory, arbitrary, capricious, baseless and unreasonable”. The lawsuit also names Mayor Jeffrey Pruyn, the Itasca Planning Commission, Itasca Fire Protection District, Itasca Elementary School District 10 and Superintendent Craig Benes as defendants.

The complaint alleges that officials violated the Fair Housing Act and other laws that give people with substance use disorders the same rights as people with disabilities.

Federal prosecutors have also launched a separate investigation to determine whether the village is in violation of anti-discrimination laws.

Village officials did not immediately return requests for comment.

From the start, Haymarket faced an uphill battle in his second attempt to deliver treatment services within DuPage to help fight the scourge of opioid addiction. In 2020, 112 people died from opioid overdoses at DuPage, a dismal record and a 17% increase from the 96 reported in 2019.

Almost four years ago, Haymarket, a Chicago-based supplier, was turned down an offer to start a 16-bed satellite program at Wheaton.

But Haymarket met strong resistance in Itasca.

Resident opposition group argued the facility would put a strain on police and fire emergency services, despite assurances from Haymarket that it would contract with a private ambulance supplier to manage, at a minimum, the basic resuscitation calls generated by the establishment. Haymarket has also committed to contract with an additional private ambulance company if required.

“The biggest barrier we face in tackling substance use disorders is stigma – it prevents those in need from getting treatment and hinders the availability of more life-saving treatment.” Haymarket President and CEO Dan Lustig said in a statement announcing the lawsuit. “Expanding immediate access to care for people with substance use disorders, regardless of their ability to pay, has been the mission of the Haymarket Center for over 46 years. We are committed to creating a full new treatment center in an area that faces a significant shortage of treatment beds and programs as the need for these services continues to increase.

Access Living, a disability rights organization, represents Haymarket in court. The group raised the issue of ADA compliance in a June 2020 letter to village prosecutors. Two attorneys for Access Living said Haymarket should have been allowed to apply for a special use permit to operate as a healthcare facility.

Instead, Itasca officials saw the project as a request for planned development, arguing that the proposed use of the property represented mixed residential and medical use.

“The intentional and orchestrated discriminatory conduct in key government entities in Itasca is designed to interfere with the rights of the Haymarket Center, the people with disabilities it serves and their families,” said Senior Counsel for Access Living, Mary Rosenberg, in a statement. “The concerted actions to delay and deny the functioning of the Haymarket Center healthcare facility have had and will continue to have devastating consequences for those in need of treatment for substance use disorders.”

The mayor of Itasca made his first detailed comments on Haymarket’s plans by reading a statement prepared before the board of directors voted against the project.

“At first it was clear that the potential financial burden from Haymarket would be heavy on Itasca,” said Pruyn.

There was also talk of soliciting state subsidies to ease the potential financial burden on the village. But the mayor said Itasca could not count on “unknown dollars”.

“It was clear to elected officials, county officials and local officials,” said Pruyn, “that one of the smaller communities was going to have to absorb 100% of the costs, risks, and burden of maintaining d ‘a facility that would accept residents beyond Itasca. “

History organization

GOP State Senator reflects on his comments on Nazi history in schools | Education in the United States

by Rodney N. on January 11, 2022

An Indiana state senator backed down on his remarks that teachers must be impartial when discussing Nazism in classrooms after triggering a widespread backlash.

At a state Senate committee hearing last week on Senate Bill 167, a bill that would ban “concepts that divide,” Republican Senator Scott Baldwin, who co- wrote the bill, said that teachers should be free from prejudice when teaching lessons about fascism and Nazism.

“Marxism, Nazism, Fascism… I have no problem with the education system providing instruction on the existence of these“ isms, ”Baldwin said, adding,“ I think we’ve gone too far when we take a stand… We must be impartial. He went on to say that teachers should “only provide the facts” and that he is “not sure whether it is fair that we determine how this child should think and this is where I try to provide the facts. safeguards ”.

Baldwin has since retracted his remarks. In an email to the Indianapolis Star last Thursday, he said his intention with the bill was to ensure teachers are impartial when discussing and teaching “legitimate political groups.”

“When I drafted this bill, my intention with respect to ‘political affiliation’ was to cover political parties within the American legal political system,” Baldwin said. “In my comments to the committee, I thought more about the big picture and tried to say that we shouldn’t be telling children what to think about politics. “

He went on to denounce the aforementioned ideologies, stating: “Nazism, Marxism and Fascism are a stain on our world history and must be seen as such, and I have failed to adequately express it in my words. comments during the meeting. I believe that children should learn more about these horrific events in history so that we no longer experience them in humanity. “

SB 167 was tabled in recent weeks in response to the heated debates that have emerged in Indiana and the rest of the country over the past year regarding how schools should teach children about racism, history and other topics.

The bill prohibits preschools up to grade 12 from teaching students that “any gender, race, ethnicity, religion, color, national origin, or political affiliation” is inherently superior, inferior, racist, sexist, oppressive . Teachers would also be prohibited from making individuals feel “unease, guilt, anguish, responsibility or any other form of psychological distress” when it comes to meritocracy and the idea that it has been. created by one group to oppress another.

The bill also prohibits teachers and educational programs from teaching that Indiana and the United States were founded as a racist or sexist state or nation.

The Midwestern Chapter of the Anti-Defamation League has critical Baldwin’s apology, saying it “does not change the profound wrongs of using” fairness “or” neutrality “as tools to clean up history.”

“This is part of the continuing efforts by some to try to rewrite history and characterize extremism, racism and genocide as somehow legitimate. It is dangerous and despicable. This should be categorically, universally and strongly rejected, ”the organization added.

The incident comes less than three months after a North Texas school official said classrooms with Holocaust books must offer “opposing” views.

Canadian army

More than 3,700 crowns deposited locally as part of national ceremonies

by Rodney N. on January 10, 2022

Major General Darren Werner clears snow from a marker before placing a wreath. Werner was the guest speaker at the ceremony. This year, more than 3,700 crowns were presented.

Volunteers roam the cemetery, laying wreaths on veterans’ graves after a wreathing ceremony across America on December 18 at the Clinton Township Resurrection Cemetery.

Photo by Patricia O’Blenes

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CLINTON TOWNSHIP – Bagpipes played “Amazing Grace” as volunteers gathered, wading through the snow.

Locally, this year’s Wreaths Across America event took place on December 18 at the Clinton Township Resurrection Cemetery.

Now in its 10th year in Clinton Township, Wreaths Across America unites those who have served with those who currently serve, and others, such as youth groups and organizations.

The Wreaths Across America website says its mission to remember, honor and teach is accomplished by coordinating wreath laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery, as well as at over 2,500 additional sites in 50 US states, at sea and abroad.

“Our children need to know what the veterans have done for their freedom,” said event organizer Karen Straffon. “They cannot be forgotten just because they are in a grave.”

In 2012, approximately 728 crowns were laid during the Resurrection. In 2018, that number rose to over 3,000 crowns. This year, more than 3,700 crowns were presented. Straffon estimates that around 450 volunteers were on site.

She noted that funds are raised year round for wreaths, which come from Maine.

In recent years, an honorary ceremony has been held at the Fern Hill Country Club. Due to the pandemic, the ceremony coincided with the outdoor gathering.

A wooden flag made by Flags of Valor veterans was presented to the Township of Clinton for their continued support of the veterans, and to Sgt. Adam Thurau, an Iraq war veteran.

“We honored him for the work he did,” Straffon said. “He worked so hard. His story is horrible, and he also has a wife and five children. “

She added that in Iraq, Thurau drove a vehicle and was the only one who survived.

“We want to make PTSD out in the open that it is working on it, but still has a way to go,” Straffon said.

Major General Darren Werner, Commanding General of the US Army Tank Automotive and Armaments Command, Army Materiel Command, was the guest speaker.

“When I have the opportunity to come out and be a part of one of the incredible commemorative recognitions in Clinton Township, I am very happy to come and participate,” he said.

“As a General, posted to Michigan and Commander of Detroit Arsenal and US Army Tank Automotive Command, I am extremely proud. As a youngster who grew up in the thumb and spent my formative years in school here, I’m proud to be back.

Werner said that of all the commemorative events happening at the cemetery, Wreaths Across America has to be the happiest.

“As we go out and celebrate the lives of those who have touched us in the past, those people, our family and friends who have served our nation, to step out and remember them during this very special time. “said the two-star general. commented.

Werner said it was a day of remembrance, honor and thanksgiving.

“We remember all the brave men and women of our armed forces who have committed to selfless service to protect and defend our Constitution,” he said. “It’s a freedom that is close to our hearts. “

Clinton Township Supervisor Bob Cannon said it has become an annual tradition to lay wreaths at the graves of deceased veterans until December.

“It is a way of expressing our appreciation and of paying homage to the sacrifices made for our country by our soldiers,” he said. “December is a time of traditional family reunions. “

Cannon called the event a great learning opportunity for children to understand the sacrifices made by the military.

The laying of the ceremonial wreaths was carried out by members of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Merchant Navy, Canadian Army, Air Force, Space Force and POW / MIA.

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International headquarters

Fulfillment of UK Fishing Scales and Bait Orders

by Rodney N. on January 10, 2022

CHIPPENHAM, United Kingdom, January 10, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – Descartes Systems Group (Nasdaq: DSGX) (TSX: DSG), the global union of logistics-intensive businesses in commerce, has announced that UK-based sports and leisure retailer Fishing Tackle & Bait has successfully transformed its international fulfillment capabilities with Descartes’ cloud-based e-commerce warehouse management (WMS) solution. With Descartes, the multi-channel merchant increased its order processing capacity by 250% without adding manpower. In addition, he was able to virtually eliminate poorly selected items and oversold inventory, and reduce customer service inquiries by over 70%.

“Our business was originally a classic retail store, but we quickly realized that we needed to broaden our distribution strategy and participate in markets like Amazon and eBay to ensure future growth not only in the UK but also in Ireland, Europe and North America, ”said David Burleigh, Director of Fishing Tackle & Bait. “With COVID, we suddenly experienced an incredible increase in sales of over 250%. With only manual processes in place, we were quickly faced with inaccurate inventory levels and disappointed customers waiting for their deliveries. We were considering hiring additional staff when our provider e-commerce platform, IRP Commerce, recommended the Descartes e-commerce WMS to us. We are now extremely proud of our current logistics operations and our ability to better control the delivery experiences of our customers.

Part of Descartes’ suite of e-commerce solutions, Descartes e-commerce WMS solution helps direct-to-consumer brands and e-commerce retailers evolve rapidly while delivering an enhanced customer experience. The solution helps ensure that retailers can ship on time, ship the right items, reduce the risk of overselling existing inventory and have greater transparency in warehouse operations. Descartes e-commerce WMS solution integrates with leading e-commerce platforms to accelerate implementation and time to value. Order information is automatically available to be fulfilled through mobile multi-order picking and packing strategies and then fed into parcel shipping systems.

“We are delighted that Fishing Tackle & Bait is able to provide a very satisfying online shopping and delivery experience to its customers,” said Dirk Haschke, vice president and general manager of e-commerce at Descartes. “Our scalable e-commerce WMS delivers efficient and intelligent processes that eliminate major warehouse management issues for online retailers. Fishing Tackle & Bait’s e-commerce success demonstrates the importance of automated order fulfillment for growing multi-channel merchants who want to stay ahead of their competition and keep satisfied customers. “

About Fishing Tackle & Bait LTD

About 10 years ago David Burleigh bought the business which is now known as Fishing Tackle & Bait LTD. At first, a physical retail store with only a small handful of employees, David – in an effort to modernize and bring the business to a larger audience – took his digital business with a marketplace strategy on eBay. and Amazon, followed by their first e-commerce site, built on Shopify. Today the company is one of the UK’s largest independent retailers. Learn more at https://www.fishingtackleandbait.co.uk/.

About Descartes

Descartes (Nasdaq: DSGX) (TSX: DSG) is the global leader in providing on-demand software as a service solutions focused on improving the productivity, performance and security of logistics intensive businesses. Customers use our modular software-as-a-service solutions to route, plan, track and measure delivery resources; plan, allocate and execute shipments; assess, verify and pay transport invoices; access global trade data; file customs and security documents for imports and exports; and complement many other logistics processes by participating in the world’s largest collaborative multimodal logistics community. Our head office is in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada and we have offices and partners around the world. Learn more about www.descartes.com, and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Global media contact
Andra Schaz
Phone: +49 (0) 89 961 60 61 66
[email protected]

Caution regarding forward-looking statements

This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (“forward-looking statements”) that relate to Descartes’ solutions offering and the potential benefits derived therefrom, including potential efficiencies and benefits. potential improvements in productivity; and other questions. Such forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other known and unknown factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements or developments expressed or implied. by these forward-looking statements. These factors include, without limitation, the factors and assumptions discussed in the section entitled “Certain Factors That May Affect Future Results” in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Ontario Securities Commission and other securities commissions across Canada, including Descartes recently filed a management report. If such risks materialize, they could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations. In this case, the price of our common shares could decline, possibly significantly. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of their publication. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about management’s current expectations and plans for the future. Readers are cautioned that this information may not be appropriate for other purposes. We do not undertake or accept any obligation or commitment to publicly issue updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement to reflect any change in our expectations or any change in the events, conditions or circumstances upon which such statement is based. , unless required by law.

Non profit living

The Bronx fire is New York City’s deadliest blaze in decades

by Rodney N. on January 10, 2022

Credit…David Dee Delgado for The New York Times

Wesley Patterson was in the bathroom just before 11 a.m. on Sunday when his girlfriend knocked on the door to say she saw flames coming out of another unit.

It only took a few moments for the apartment to fill with smoke, said Mr Patterson, who has lived in the building for 20 years.

“We were just trying to breathe,” said Mr. Patterson, 28. He rushed with his girlfriend and brother, who lives with the couple, to a back window.

He tried to open it but the frame was so hot he burned his hands. When he opened the window he started yelling at the firefighters who were helping a family in the 3M apartment. Firefighters couldn’t reach them yet, he said.

Mr Patterson said he had to keep opening and closing the window to prevent smoke from entering as he called for help.

â€œI was screaming, ‘Please help me! Please come and get us! ‘ “, he said.

The family tried to open the door, but the apartment was flooded with more smoke.

â€œI was thinking about my son and wondering if I was ever going to see him again,â€ Mr. Patterson said.

It was around 11:20 a.m. Mr Patterson said he and his family were taken out of the window by the fire department.

“I’m glad we made it out safe and sound, but I still can’t believe that happened,” he said.

Dana Nicole Campbell, 47, was in a nearby park, working as a gardener for the city, when one of her four teenage children called to say smoke was entering their third-floor apartment. Ms Campbell said she told them to put wet towels at the foot of the door to prevent more smoke from entering the apartment and barricading itself inside the apartment.

Then she rushed to the building and arrived in time to see her children jump out of the third floor window. They landed on a mattress and garbage bags that people had put there as a makeshift landing pad. Ms Campbell later said she was grateful her children were unharmed.

â€œYou can be here tomorrow with broken legs,â€ she said. “You can’t be here tomorrow with the smoke inhaling.”

Firefighters helped Cristal Diaz escape with his two aunts, aged 49 and 65, and three cousins, from their smoky apartment on the 15th floor. Ms Diaz, who left the Dominican Republic two years ago, only took her phone and ID with her when she left. â€œWe don’t know what to do right now, and tomorrow I’m supposed to be working,â€ said Ms. Diaz, who works as a cashier. The family is currently staying with friends.

Ms Diaz said she was drinking coffee, as she does every morning when disaster struck.

“I thought, will this be the last time I have coffee with my family?” Ms. Diaz, 27, recalled, still in shock.

Members of the Wague family stood at the corner of Avenue Tiebout and Rue Folin, huddled together, some under blankets, after escaping from their third-floor apartment.

Mamadou Wague was awakened by one of his children. “I get up and there is smoke in the children’s rooms,” said Mr Wague, 47.

As the family rushed out of the apartment, one of Mr Wague’s children cried that their sister, Nafisha, 8, was missing. Mr Wague rushed to her bedroom and found her sitting on her bed screaming, he said. Mr. Wague grabbed her and ran out.

Ahouss Balima, 20, lived on the ninth floor of the building, with his three younger sisters and his parents. He and his family had fallen asleep on Sunday morning when he was awakened by the sound of someone crying for help.

Mr Balima went to wake his family and they rushed downstairs, only to be told by the firefighters on the 6th floor that they couldn’t come down any further because it was too dangerous.

After finally being rescued by firefighters, one of her sisters was rushed to hospital, and she was still in critical condition on Sunday evening.

By 3:30 p.m., the fire was under control and a slight odor of smoke persisted in the air. Several residents were standing nearby. Some wore sneakers, others wore winter coats, and a few had blankets wrapped around their shoulders. A few people huddled under nearby scaffolding to escape the biting wind. Several held their phones close to their faces to assure affected family members that they were alive.

History organization

With black man in leadership role, leading real estate organization issues formal apology for past discrimination against black homebuyers

by Rodney N. on January 9, 2022

In the 1930s, it was not uncommon for realtors to use language describing areas as “marred by darkness” and filled with “an infiltration of unwanted racial elements” to dissuade white buyers from buying into properties. specific communities.

This language, led by the National Association of Real Estate Boards, has led to the development of tracking maps and discriminatory practices within the real estate industry that have contributed to de facto segregation across the United States, lowering home values. in black communities and contributing to community resource inequalities.

NAR logo, 1923-1973 (Image: Society of American Archivists website) Bryan Greene, newly appointed NAR Fair Housing Policy Director, a newly created position (Photo: NAR website)

Today, the leadership of the National Association of Realtors, the largest business group representing real estate agents, issued a formal apology to black Americans and other non-whites who have experienced housing discrimination in the United States. . (NAR is the successor to the National Association of Real Estate Boards.)

The apology comes despite internal conflicts within the organization, which is 78% white, and which had already supported Donald Trump’s Make America Great Again campaign until 2019.

Yet as the socio-political climate in the United States is changing, leaders within the organization see the importance of confronting past discrimination and current inequalities head-on.

Bryan Greene, who worked for the US Department of Housing and Urban Development for 29 years, joined NAR in 2019. Green became the organization’s first director of fair housing policy in 2019 and is now vice president of NAR’s policy advocacy and oversees laws and regulations. advocacy initiatives.

With Greene, a black man, as a member of the executive leadership of the organization, it looks like change is happening in the organization.

Yet NAR recently had to pass a rule against hate speech as several members were caught making racist comments on social media. Additionally, NAR supports President Biden’s initiative to add three million black homeowners over the next 10 years.

Additionally, a faction of NAR members lobbied for changes within the organization, such as reduced commissions for non-white buyers and sellers.

â€œIt’s a tough story,â€ Greene said at a recent NAR event. â€œBut we took the leap. “

Read Finurah’s full story here.

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International headquarters

Fitch warns overseas travel ban threatens Hong Kong’s trade status

by Rodney N. on January 9, 2022

International business groups in Hong Kong are begging the government to restart flights as a rating agency warned that a ban on overseas travel would deter companies from using Hong Kong as their regional headquarters.

Executives who returned home for Christmas found themselves stranded outside the Asian financial hub after authorities suspended flights from eight countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, to protect the city from the Omicron variant.

David Graham, executive director of the British Chambers of Commerce in Hong Kong, said the “unfortunate” theft ban had taken many by surprise.

“This will inevitably cause considerable disruption and inconvenience, especially for the many Hong Kong-based executives and employees who traveled to the UK over Christmas time to be with family and who were considering returning to Hong Kong in early January. “, did he declare. the Financial Times.

“We very much hope that the ban will be for a very limited period given the quarantine and testing measures already in place for those returning from the UK.”

Hong Kong, which pursues a ‘zero-Covid’ policy, has reimposed numerous social distancing regulations after an outbreak that was sown by the flight crew of Cathay Pacific, who had been exempted from traveler quarantine orders .

Flights from the eight nations were banned for 14 days on Wednesday last week. Other airlines, such as Air Canada and Virgin Atlantic, have temporarily halted flights because they were unable to meet the Hong Kong government’s quarantine requirements for crews.

The government said tougher measures needed to be implemented as the city faced the risk of a “major epidemic”.

Fitch Ratings, however, said the new restrictions could dampen Hong Kong’s economic growth prospects. “We believe that the tightening of restrictions on international arrivals will create new obstacles to the territory’s ability to serve as a regional headquarters for foreign multinationals,” he said.

Hong Kong also recently introduced a mandatory seven-day quarantine for pilots and crews on cargo flights. The measure has wreaked havoc on flight schedules, with Cathay Pacific reducing its cargo capacity to 20% and passenger capacity to 2% of pre-pandemic levels.

The latest flight cancellations have prompted warnings of a sharp rise in food prices.

Those wishing to enter Hong Kong from most countries are already subject to three weeks of isolation in a hotel and, in some cases, a government quarantine facility.

The restrictions prevented the deaths and strains on health systems seen elsewhere, but also cut the city off from the rest of the world.

At the same time, however, the city has failed to persuade very old people to get vaccinated, with just over 20% of those aged 80 and over vaccinated.

International business groups have previously warned that Hong Kong is risking its crown as the region’s top financial center if it does not reopen its borders.

“The flight restrictions add further stress, cost and uncertainty for business executives living in Hong Kong,” said Tara Joseph, director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, which represents 1,400 companies on Chinese territory.

“Some people are stuck, others are afraid of what will happen next, and there is no indication when it will end.”

The US Consulate in Hong Kong said there was a need for “increased dialogue and transparency regarding travel, testing and quarantine measures that affect Hong Kong as a place to live and trade.”

Non profit living

Susan Ann Lacy Obituary | Star Tribune

by Rodney N. on January 8, 2022

Lacy, Susan Ann December 3, 1945 January 3, 2022 Sweet and loving Susan, younger daughter of Isabel and Eugene Lacy, sister of Patrick, (Marilyn), Jean Ryberg, (Bernie), Jack, (Diane), Michael, Mary Cohea, (Kent), several nieces, nephews and cousins, passed away peacefully from complications from Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Susan loved going to church and was a member of St. Thomas the Apostle for over 70 years, attended Opportunity Partners for many years and her zest for life was working at JUUT Solon in downtown Minneapolis for 27 years. where she was much loved by all. and received awards and recognition for his service to the company. The employees there were all â€œDay Makersâ€ and made Susan’s morning job so special. Living independently from the age of 50 and later receiving help from his REM care team. Susan moved to live at the Roseberry House group home, where she was once again loved and cared for. Special thanks to all the staff at Roseberry for their unwavering support to Susan and the wonderful team at the Guardian Angels Hospice who helped send Susan into the arms of her mother and father. Susan has had many Guardian Angels along the way helping her navigate life. Susan’s family is grateful to everyone we knew and those we didn’t know who took her under their wings and kept her safe. – Memorials can be sent to the Guardian Angels Hospice, Elk River, Minnesota, or any local non-profit charity of your choice. The memorial service will be announced in early spring.

Posted on January 9, 2022

Canadian army

Maple Ridge Sally Ann gets kettle campaign proceeds at critical time – Maple Ridge News

by Rodney N. on January 8, 2022

The Salvation Army Department Ridge Meadows has once again surpassed $ 100,000 in fundraising thanks to its annual Christmas Kettle Campaign.

This follows a year in which the campaign raised an unprecedented amount of $ 138,000.

The exact number is not yet known, as revenue from the six-week campaign is still being calculated, the local charity said in a press release.

The funds are coming at a critical time. The organization is seeing an increase in demand for programs and services due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

â€œThis year has been tough for a lot of people,â€ spokesman Mark Stewart said. â€œDue to almost two years of living in a pandemic, a lot of people are still struggling. We are seeing an increased need and we are relying on the public to help us meet the demand. “

Programs such as Community and Family Services are seeing more and more families and individuals using their Emergency Bridge Hamper program. And with this recent cold weather purchase, the Community Meal Program is operating 24/7 to keep vulnerable people safe and warm throughout the day and night.

The agency says every dollar raised through the Red Kettle campaign will stay in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows, where it’s used to fund essential programs and services, 365 days a year. The Salvation Army strives to provide the necessities of food, clothing, and shelter, while delivering life-changing programs, such as emergency baskets, youth programs, and advocacy.

â€œThe people of Ridge Meadows have been incredibly generous this holiday season,â€ said Stewart. â€œEvery year we ask them to help their community, and every year they come together to meet the demand and we can’t thank them enough. “

With money still running out, the organization hopes to reach its provincial goal of $ 5 million. Nationally, the organization hopes to meet its goal of $ 21 million.

In addition to individual donors, The Salvation Army thanked corporate partners, including Walmart, Costco, BC Liquor Stores, Canadian Tire, Save-on-Foods, Sobeys and many more, who generously donate and place Christmas kettles in their stores and at ringers.

â€œA special thank you to our wonderful volunteers and community partners who have supported this campaign with hours of their time over the holiday season. “

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Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Salvation Army

History organization

Trump has given birth to a dangerous new “lost cause” myth. We must fight it | David Scourge

by Rodney N. on January 8, 2022

AAmerican democracy is in peril and almost everyone who pays attention is trying to find the best way to put it. Should we in the intellectual classes position our warnings in satire, in whining, in social science, in historical analogy, in the philosophical wisdom that we glean from so many who have taught us about 20th century violence and authoritarianism? Or should we just scream after our vacation naps?

Some of us take our pens and do what we can. We quote from wise scribes such as George Orwell on how there can be a latent fascist waiting to emerge in all humans, or Hannah Arendt on how democracies are inherently unstable and liable to be ruined by aggressive and skilled demagogues. We turn to Alexis de Tocqueville for his astonishing perspectives on American individualism as we like to believe his claims that democracy creates greater equality. And ah! how we love the fabulously open and infinite democratic spirit of Walt Whitman. We breathe in Whitman’s verses and are captivated by the hypnotic power of democracy. “O Democracy, for you, for you I sing these songs”, wrote our most exuberant democrat.

Read enough of the good Whitman and you will be able to believe again that American democracy may still be “the indissoluble continent … with the long-standing love of comrades.” But for now, we cannot rely solely on the genius of our wise ancestors. We must face our own mess, start the fight in front of us, and prepare for the worst.

Our democracy allows a twice impeached crime-prone ex-president who publicly instigated an attempted coup against his own government and who still operates as the gangster leader of his political party to reside peacefully among us while he is investigated for his wrongdoing. We believe in the rule of law and therefore await the verdicts of our judicial system and legislative inquiry.

Yet Trumpism unleashed on January 6, and every day before and for five years, a crusade to slowly poison the American democratic experience with a movement to overturn decades of pluralism, racial and gender equality and scientific knowledge. To what end? Establish a hopeless white utopia for the rich and the wronged.

On this January 6 anniversary, is it time to sing fervently Whitman again, or is that the only rational response to shouting? First the cry.

On January 6, 2021, an American mob, orchestrated by the most powerful man in the country, along with many allies in Congress and the media, nearly destroyed our indirect electoral democracy. To this day, only Trump’s laziness and incompetence can explain why he failed to sack Vice President Mike Pence in the two months leading up to the coup, installed a real lackey like Mark Meadows, and set up the formal disruption of the counting of electoral votes. The real coup needed weapons, and fortunately senior military officials have made it clear that they will oppose any attempt to impose martial law. But the blow continues by failing; it now takes the form of voter suppression laws, a virulent doctrine of state rights applied to all kinds of legislative actions installing Republican loyalists in the electoral system and a propaganda machine capable of popularizing lies, large and small.

The lies have now crept into a Trumpian lost cause ideology, building its monuments into ridiculous stories millions of people believe in, and codifying them into laws to make the next election easier to steal. If you repeat the terms â€œelectoral fraudâ€ and â€œelectoral integrityâ€ enough times on the right networks, you have a movement. And “replacement theory” works well alongside a thousand repetitions of “critical race theory”, both devoid of definition or meaning, but both frightening. The Liberals sometimes invite contempt with their dedication to diversity training and their insistence on fighting for words rather than real inequality. But it’s time to see the real enemy – a long-standing American-style neo-fascist authoritarianism, seductively useful for the grievances of the discontented, and threatening to steal our microphones halfway through our odes to joy. .

Yes, disinformation must be fought with good information. But it must also be fought with a fierce policy, with an organization, and if necessary with bodies, in a non-violent way. We have an increasingly dangerous population on the right. Who do you know who really wants to compromise with their ideas? Who on the left will volunteer to be part of a delegation to discuss the fate of democracy with Mitch McConnell, Kevin McCarthy or Fox News’ foghorns? Who on the right will come to a symposium with 10 of the best writers on democracy, its history and philosophy, and help create a plan for American renewal? As a culture, we are not in the mood for such reason and courtesy; we fight, and it has to happen in politics. Otherwise, it might still be 1861 in a very new form. Sadly, it will likely take even more shocking events than January 6 to bring our political culture through and beyond our current crisis.

And if and when it is 1861 again, the new secessionists, namely the Republican Party, will have a dysfunctional constitution to exploit. The ridiculously undemocratic US Senate, now 50/50 between the two parties, but where Democrats make up 56.5% of the population and Republicans 43.5%, bodes well for those determined to thwart majority democracy . And, of course, the Electoral College – an institution more than two centuries old, and one that even our first demagogue president, Andrew Jackson, advocated abolishing – offers undying hope to Republicans who may continue to lose popular votes but win. presidency, as they have done in two of the last six elections. The democracy?

What now for the song? Well, read on. Of all the democracy books of recent years, one of the best is James Miller’s Can Democracy Work? Brief history of a radical idea, from ancient Athens to our world. Political philosopher and historian, Miller offers an intelligent journey through the turbulent past of this great human experience to find out if we can really govern ourselves. It demonstrates how thin the lines are between success and disaster for democracies, how great victories turn into reactions and big losses, and how the dynamics of even democratic societies can be utterly amoral. New intolerant ruling classes sometimes replace the tyrants they overthrow.

â€œDemocratic revolts, like democratic elections,â€ Miller writes, â€œcan produce perverse results. History still awaits us. But in the end, through examples like that of VÃ¡clav Havel in the Czech Republic, Miller recalls that “the ideal survives”. Democracy requires the “best laws”, Havel intoned, but it must also manifest itself as “human, moral, intellectual and spiritual, and cultural.” Miller makes history to show that democracy is almost always a “conundrum, not a recipe.” Democracy is much more difficult to maintain than autocracy. But it must be renewed.

Or just choose Whitman’s Song of Myself, all 51 pages long, from the first line, â€œI Celebrate and Sing Myself,â€ to her thoughts on how lucky you are to just be alive. Continue to a few pages later when a “runaway slave” walks into Whitman’s house and the poet looks into her “spinning eyes”, and heals “the galls on her neck and ankles,” then in her embrace. of “primordial”, complete democracy halfway through the song, where he accepts “nothing that all cannot have”. Finally read until the end, where the poet finds a blessed oblivion, bequeathing himself “to the earth to grow the grass that I love”. Whitman’s “sign of democracy” is everywhere and in everything. Both the democratic instinct and the authoritarian instinct are deep within us, forever at war.

After January 6, it’s time to get ready to sing, scream, and fight.

Canadian army

Part of Devon belongs to Canada

by Rodney N. on January 8, 2022

Brown road signs emblazoned with a distinctive maple leaf symbol on a red and white flag are the first clues on the Devon Trail to a story that resembles the plot of a historical novel and is indelibly linked to the foundations of the Canada and the abolition of slavery.

Pointing to both the A30 and the A35, tourist markers guide visitors to a small chapel accessible by a right of way through the grounds of a large country house near Dunkeswell, four miles from Honiton .

The stone Wolford Chapel, its beautiful antique interior and small garden near Wolford Lodge, was donated to the Canadian community in 1966 in memory of an English serviceman who made a huge impact across the country. Atlantic during the late 18th century and launched a campaign to free all slaves.

Wolford Chapel, near Honiton and the final resting place of John Graves Simcoe
(Image: Matt Minshull)

As the first lieutenant governor of Upper Canada and founder of Toronto (which he first named York), John Graves Simcoe is a household name in the province of Ontario and he even has a public holiday, a city, a lake, streets, schools and buildings that bear his name. His life story, however, is less well known in his homeland and in the county of Devon where he was both raised and buried.

John was born 270 years ago – February 25, 1752 – in Cotterstock, Northamptonshire, the son of Royal Navy Captain John Simcoe and his wife, Catherine. Captain Simcoe served on HMS Pembroke alongside the great explorer James Cook, teaching him to sail. He was held prisoner by the French in Quebec, then released, but died on the St. Lawrence River and was buried at sea.

After the loss of his father and the death of his three siblings, young John was raised in Exeter by his mother and attended Exeter Grammar School. He was orphaned at the age of 14 when Catherine died, and he was later placed under the wing of his esteemed and kind godfather, Admiral Samuel Graves, at Hembury Fort House, near Honiton. John briefly visited Eton, followed by Merton College, Oxford, and played with the law, before embracing the admiral’s military influence and joining the army at the age of 18.

A captain at only 23, John became commander of the Grenadier Company of the 40th Foot, traveling to Boston to participate in the American War of Independence. After putting pressure on his superiors, in 1777 he was promoted to major and took command of the Queen’s Rangers, a regiment of Americans loyal to King George III, and under this new leadership acquired a solid reputation as a formidable fighting force.

In 1781 John, then 31 years old and lieutenant-colonel, was returned invalid to England. He spent time recovering at Hembury Fort House, where another orphan was taken in by the admiral.

Teenage heiress Elizabeth Posthuma Gwillim was 15 years younger than him, but educated, artistic, spirited and a perfect match for the recovering officer. The couple fell in love with each other and married on December 30, 1782 at St Mary and St Giles Church, Buckerell. Elizabeth used her substantial inheritance to purchase land to build their family home, Wolford Lodge, and the Little Chapel where they could worship.

John immersed himself in politics, served briefly as an MP for the rotten St Mawes district of Cornwall, and wrote a book about his military experiences across the Atlantic, and four girls arrived quickly.

But he was an ambitious and action-hungry man, and in 1792 he returned to Canada to become lieutenant-governor of the new province of Upper Canada, later Ontario. This time he was accompanied by Elizabeth and one of their daughters, sailing from Weymouth and leaving the other children at home in Devon with parents.

A year later, after much campaigning and negotiation, John successfully introduced the Anti-Slavery Act, a law against discrimination between natives of Africa, America or Europe in the province. Slavery was phased out over the next two decades, with as many as 40,000 slaves fleeing to the province from other parts of North America to gain their freedom in what became the Underground Railroad. . By 1810 there were no longer any slaves in Upper Canada, while the rest of the British Empire took another 24 years to come to this.

During her husband’s tenure, Elizabeth became fully engaged intellectually, communityally and personally. She documented her stay in Upper Canada in a comprehensive journal of her experiences as well as sketching hundreds of scenes capturing the early colonial Yorks (aka Toronto), some of which are held in the British Museum. A series of townships in central Ontario are named Gwillimbury in his honor.

Head of the Lake, a 1796 sketch of Lake Ontario by Elizabeth Simcoe

In 1796 John was in poor health and the family – now with several other children – returned to Devon where he was able to recover. He never returned to Canada. He briefly led an expeditionary force to the French colony of Santo Domingo (now Haiti) in the Caribbean before being appointed Lieutenant General and Commander of the British Army Western District of Somerset, Devon and Cornwall, in 1801.

At the age of 54 he was appointed Commander-in-Chief in India to replace Lord Cornwallis who had perished shortly after his arrival. But John fell ill and never started his journey. He died in Exeter on October 26, 1806 and was buried in Wolford Chapel, where Elizabeth and five of their children also rest.

The coats of arms of the Simcoe and Gwillim families are painted on the walls of the chapel and the family headstones placed around the exterior walls of the building, while the Canadian flag proudly flies outside.

Publisher Sir Geoffrey Harmsworth inherited the Wolford Chapel from his late father Sir Leicester in the 1920s. In September 1966 he presented the proceedings to Premier John Robarts, representing the people of Ontario at a ceremony in the chapel. It remains a place of pilgrimage for many Canadian visitors and a charitable foundation ensures that the chapel is maintained and ready to welcome them.

The memorial to John Graves Simcoe and his son Francis in Exeter Cathedral

There is a commemorative plaque to Lieutenant General John Graves Simcoe at Exeter Cathedral, with a poignant footnote marking the death of John and Elizabeth’s eldest son Francis, lieutenant of the 27th Infantry Regiment, who fell at the siege of Badajoz, Spain in 1812, aged 21.

Do you like nostalgia? Receive the best articles by email for free with our new weekly nostalgia newsletter. Click here to see all Devon Live newsletters.

International headquarters

Live Covid updates: Omicron news, vaccines and more

by Rodney N. on January 7, 2022

Credit…Stefani Reynolds for The New York Times

Dr Rochelle P. Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, defended the agency’s new guidelines on Friday reducing the isolation period for people infected with the coronavirus to five days instead of 10, saying she was “science-based”.

Speaking in a sometimes controversial phone briefing with reporters, Dr Walensky also responded to criticism that the agency’s messages were muddled and opaque, saying she had participated in 80 White House briefings since. when he took up his duties and had sometimes answered several questions. times per week.

Friday’s press conference, conducted as the Omicron variant continues to generate a dramatic spike in coronavirus cases, was both rare and remarkable as the independent White House agency’s first briefing since the former President Donald J. Trump ended it in February 2020.

â€œI’ve heard that you want to hear from the CDC independently,â€ Dr Walensky said, adding that she expected the briefing to be the first in a long series. A number of journalists, seeking information about the complicated decisions made by the agency, thanked her repeatedly.

A highly regarded infectious disease expert with no government experience, Dr Walensky, who was appointed to lead the CDC early in the Biden administration, faced many challenges. The agency’s reputation and morale have been shaken by Trump’s White House, which has often tried to interfere with its scientific decisions.

Now the nation is heading into the third year of a pandemic with a virus which, Dr Walensky said, “has constantly thrown curveballs,” which has been grueling for healthcare workers and government officials. career at the forefront of the response.

“I think we are all proud to be serving the biggest and greatest public health crisis of our lives,” said one of these officials, Dr Henry Walke, director of the Division of Preparedness and Infections. Emerging CDC, who joined Dr. Walensky on the call. â€œSo yeah, it’s exhausting. And it’s difficult, but good. Wow. I mean, this is the time to lean.

Dr. Walke’s presence on roll call was also unusual; Career scientists at the CDC have not participated in the press calls since Mr. Trump ended them. Mr Trump had become enraged, Dr Nancy Messonnier, then director of the CDC’s National Vaccination and Respiratory Disease Center, warned during a press briefing that the coronavirus would seriously disrupt the lives of Americans. Dr Messonier left the CDC earlier this year.

Dr Walensky has come under heavy criticism in recent days for a series of messaging missteps, the latest of which concerned the new isolation guidelines, released last week. Public health experts have criticized his failure to recommend that people infected with the virus test negative before ending the shortened five-day isolation period.

Dr Anthony S. Fauci, the president’s senior medical adviser on the pandemic, and Dr Vivek Murthy, the Surgeon General, have publicly opposed the CDC’s failure to include a test recommendation, further complicating the problem. This week, the CDC clarified that if people had access to the tests, they could take them.

CNN reported Friday that Dr Walensky had requested media training this fall; a spokesperson for the agency noted that this was “not unusual” for agency directors. And Dr. Walensky herself said she is “committed to continuing to improve as we learn more about science and to communicate that to all of you” and the public.

During Friday’s briefing, Dr Walensky was faced with a barrage of sometimes conflicting questions, including confusion over the advice and its scientific rationale. She said it was based on a scientific review of dozens of articles analyzing the infectivity of the coronavirus, although she admitted many of them were based on variants other than Omicron.

She said it would be weeks before scientists had detailed laboratory data for Omicron – including data showing whether people infected with the highly transmissible variant can become infected again.

â€œWe have indications that if you have had Delta you are likely to be infected with Omicron,â€ she said, referring to the earlier Delta variant of the virus. But, she said, there is no data yet to suggest “that Omicron is protecting against Omicron.”

Non profit living

Live news: Rising staff absences in England over Christmas add pressure to NHS

by Rodney N. on January 7, 2022

Britain’s richest 10% own nearly half of all the country’s wealth, according to pre-pandemic data, even as inequality has remained stable for the 14 years leading up to March 2020.

A tenth of households held 43% between April 2018 and March 2020, data from the Office for National Statistics showed today, which revealed huge differences between income groups, ages and regions.

In contrast, the bottom half of the population held 9 percent. Wealth inequality as measured by the Gini coefficient, however, remained stable over the 14-year period, the ONS said.

The numbers are the most comprehensive set of data on the distribution of wealth, but exclude the period of the pandemic, when the total increased, separate data from the ONS showed.

The richest 1% of households hold more than Â£ 3.6million, compared to Â£ 15,400 or less for the bottom 10%.

There were striking differences in age, with the median wealth of those aged 55 below the statutory retirement age being around 25 times that of those aged 16 to 24.

The upper region was the South East, which has seen one of the fastest increases in average wealth since 2006. Its median wealth of Â£ 503,400 was about three times that of the North East, at Â£ 168,500. , the region with the lowest wealth. .

London has an average of Â£ 340,300, reflecting the lowest home ownership rate in the country, low participation in private pensions and declining median wealth in the last period. Still, he owns 15 percent of the wealth, possibly due to his higher real estate values.

The Gini coefficients, which measure inequalities, showed that London was the region with the most unequal distribution.

History organization

Arkansas No.11 hosts Ohio State No.22 for 2022 season opener

by Rodney N. on January 7, 2022

The Gymbacks officially open the competitive season at Barnhill Arena for a double encounter against Ohio State at 7:15 p.m. Friday.

Arkansas enter the competition with a preseason ranking of No.11, the highest in head coach Jordyn Wieber’s tenure, and Ohio State is ranked No.22.

The two teams haven’t met since 2018, and it will only be the fourth time in history that the Razorbacks face the Buckeyes. The last two times have been in the playoffs, and Arkansas and Ohio State haven’t had a regular season game since Jan. 9, 2009. The Gymbacks are 3-0 in the series.

Friday’s meeting also marks the return of non-conference action for Arkansas in the regular season, as the 2021 roster was reserved for the SEC.

The Gymbacks team is largely made up of subclasses and senior students with six freshmen and seven senior and graduate students.

Four-time All-American Kennedy Hambrick returns for his final year after finishing 2021 at the NCAA Championships. Hambrick also became Arkansas’ highest total scoring program scorer in history at 39.750 against Missouri on February 19.

Graduate student Maggie O’Hara is only in her second season with the Gymbacks, but she’s already made history. O’Hara became the program’s first-ever regular season on uneven bars with a national qualifying score of 9.925. She was fourth at the Nationals with a score of 9.925, the highest score by a Gymback in NCAA program history, for another All-American honor.

Friday’s meet is set for 7:15 p.m. with the first jump and coverage starting on the SEC network at 7:30 a.m. Doors open at 6 p.m.

The competition was dubbed Gymback Throwback Night, dedicated to celebrating 20 years of Razorback gymnastics and honoring the members of the 2002-03 inaugural team. The first 500 fans will receive a commemorative button with a special 20 Years of Razorback Gymnastics logo.

Tickets are still available and fans are encouraged to pre-purchase online. HERE, by phone (479-575-5151), or at the Razorback Ticket Center.

Visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com for the latest information on all things Arkansas gymnastics. You can also find the Razorbacks on social media by liking us on Facebook (Arkansas Razorback Gymnastics) and following us on Twitter and Instagram (@RazorbackGym).

Canadian army

Learn about the best stories of the day in one quick scan

by Rodney N. on January 6, 2022

Good morning! This is our daily roundup of the news with everything you need to know in one, concise read. Sign up here to have this delivered to your inbox every morning.

Police, fire and ambulance services across Canada hit by staff shortage due to COVID-19

Emergency departments in many major Canadian cities face staff shortages due to an increase in COVID-19 cases across the country, with police, ambulances and firefighters all scrambling to redeploy and strengthen their ranks.

For example, many police departments report higher levels of frontline officers absent due to illness or isolation caused by COVID-19.

â€œThere is a lot of concern and it is having an impact,â€ said Tom Stamatakis, National President of the Canadian Police Association.

In Winnipeg, the city’s police chief on Wednesday said he was declaring a “state of emergency” for the Winnipeg Police Department as it now faces “real challenges ahead.”

â€œThe current COVID-19 situation has had a significant impact on our personnel resources,â€ Chief Danny Smyth said in a statement.

WATCH Omicron Surge Disrupting Workforce Across Country:

Omicron disrupts workforce across country

Of the approximately 1,900 police service employees, there are currently 90 active COVID-19 cases with 170 staff on leave related to COVID-19, Smyth said. The declaration of a state of emergency gives him more latitude in the redeployment of officers to strengthen the ranks of the general patrol.

In Calgary, the police department currently has the highest number of coronavirus infections among employees since the start of the pandemic, said Susan Henry, head of the Calgary Emergency Management Agency.

“To minimize disruption to emergency services, Calgary Police have started redeploying officers from other areas of the organization to support frontline workers who are already stretched before this wave of COVID-19,” said she said on Wednesday.

In Edmonton, Edmonton Fire Department Chief Joe Zatylny said yesterday nearly five percent of the force’s frontline firefighters are currently on sick leave due to COVID-19. Zatylny said they would replace staff by using staff on leave to ensure “we can meet our demands for basic services.” Read more about this story here.

Go for a tumble

TOPSHOT – French driver Guerlain Chicherit and his co-driver Alex Winocq crash their buggy during stage 4 of the Dakar 2022 between al-Qaysumah and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia on January 5, 2022. (Franck Fife / AFP / Getty Images)

(Franck Fife / AFP / Getty Images)

The French team of driver Guerlain Chircherit and his co-driver Alex Winocq crashed their buggy during stage 4 of the Dakar 2022 between al-Qaysumah and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. The teammates were able to get away from the accident.

In short

The Ontario government has asked hospitals and healthcare professionals to stop all non-emergency surgeries and procedures in order to preserve critical care capacity and human resources. The directive entered into force on Wednesday. Alexandra Hilkene, spokesperson for the Ontario Ministry of Health, said in an email on Wednesday that the province is reinstating what she calls “Guideline # 2” in response to the growing spread of the Omicron variant of COVID -19. “Although it was not an easy decision, this time-limited measure will help preserve and increase the capacity of hospital beds by making between 1,200 and 1,500 acute / post-acute care beds available depending on the requirements. needs, â€said Hilkene. The directive signed by Dr. Kieran Moore, Chief Medical Officer of Health for Ontario, says action is needed due to the spread of the highly transmissible variant of Omicron. Read more about this story here.

The federal government risks hitting Canada’s fragile supply chains with yet another shock wave if it issues a planned vaccination mandate for truckers, say federal Conservatives and industry groups. Ottawa will begin requiring proof of vaccination for all truckers effective January 15. Some warn the mandate will sideline thousands of workers in an industry that already suffers from a shortage of drivers. “There will be serious consequences for the supply chain if this policy remains in place,” said MP Melissa Lantsman, Conservative transport critic. Those worried about the government’s plan to require vaccines for truckers say the loss of more drivers could threaten the movement of essential supplies, like food and building materials, and make it difficult for small businesses to deliver their products to customers. The Canadian Trucking Alliance, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters have all called on the federal government to eliminate or postpone the mandate. The Liberal government has not indicated whether it intends to change or delay the mandate. Read the full story here.

As the second anniversary of the destruction of Flight PS752 approaches, families of the victims say the RCMP are not sharing evidence quickly enough with Ukraine, the only country to conduct a criminal investigation into the tragedy. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fired two surface-to-air missiles at the Ukraine International Airlines flight on January 8, 2020, shortly after takeoff in Tehran. All 176 people on board died. Most had ties to Canada. The RCMP has resisted calls to launch its own criminal investigation. Instead, the police chose to help Ukraine’s efforts. More than 120 RCMP members participated in the effort and conducted 58 interviews, the RCMP told CBC News. But Hamed Esmaeilion, spokesperson for the association representing the families of the victims in Canada, said the prosecutor’s office and the Ukrainian government told him “the cooperation has not been excellent.” Esmaeilion said Ukrainian officials told him his testimony was not shared by the RCMP. Read more here.

WATCH | The families of the victims of flight PS752 frustrated by the role of the RCMP in the Ukrainian investigation:

Families of victims of flight PS752 frustrated by RCMP role in Ukrainian investigation

Six days before Canadian military combat engineer Patrik Mathews was arrested by the FBI in January 2020, he was providing military training to members of a neo-Nazi group. On recordings made by an anti-fascist activist who infiltrated the base, Mathews can be heard discussing how he would organize a paramilitary training event in Michigan, teaching members of the organization the skills he had learned in the Canadian army. He offered to train the members in “guerrilla warfare, reconnaissance patrols and how to use the terrain so they can maximize their impact.” The man who recorded the conversation is called Tradian and is an anti-fascist activist who has infiltrated The Base since its inception in the summer of 2018. When he left in February 2020, Tradian took with him 80 gigabytes of screenshots. ‘screen, videos and audio recordings. Most of the tapes – around 100 – were of male screening sessions asking to become members of The Base. Tradian donated to CBC The fifth state and researchers have access to its material. Learn more about this story of The fifth state here.

Australian border officials have denied tennis star Novak Djokovic entry into the country after receiving a controversial medical exemption from COVID-19 vaccination requirements to play in the upcoming Australian Open. Defending men’s champion Djokovic landed in Melbourne on Wednesday night after securing exemption from the Victoria state government to play in the tournament, which begins on January 17. However, the Australian Border Force issued a statement saying that Djokovic did not meet the entry requirements. Health Minister Greg Hunt said the visa cancellation followed a review of the player’s medical exemption by border officials who examined “the integrity and the evidence behind it.” Australian media reported that legal action has been taken in Federal Court against the visa cancellation. Djokovic is believed to be in a government detention hotel, pending a court ruling on his deportation on Monday. Read the full story here.

WATCH | Novak Djokovic refused entry to Australia after vaccine exemption:

Novak Djokovic refused entry to Australia after vaccine exemption

Now, some great news to start your Thursday: For many people, a polar dip in the dead of winter is enough for the year. Maybe even for a lifetime. But not for Kathryn Maguire, her sister, Susan Ingraham, and her niece, Tanya Horgan. The women of the Saint John area took their first polar dive in the freezing waters of the Bay of Fundy last January and immediately agreed two things: the experience was freezing and they couldn’t wait to do it again. Since then, the three women have kept that pact, taking road trips to southern New Brunswick and visiting a different beach in the Bay of Fundy each month. Learn more about the polar trio.

Front Burner: dozens of people die in detention after arrests while intoxicated

“Alcoholism is a disease, it is not a crime, and it certainly should not be punished with death.” This is a message from Jeannette Rogers, whose son, Corey, died in custody in Halifax in 2016.

He is one of 61 people who, according to a CBC investigation, have died after being detained for public drunkenness or a related offense since 2010.

In many cases, the investigation found that those arrested were not being properly monitored or that their deteriorating state of health was not taken into account.

Today, CBC investigative reporter Kristin Annable shares some of the stories of those who have died and explains how deaths like these could be prevented.

21:09Dozens of people die in custody after public arrests while intoxicated

Today in History: January 6

1936: Barbara Hanley becomes the first woman in Canada to be elected mayor when she wins the general election in the town of Webbwood, in northern Ontario.

1974: The Global Television Network, Canada’s third-largest English-language television network, begins programming in southern Ontario.

1978: The Sun Life Assurance Company sparked a storm of controversy in Quebec when it announced its intention to move its head office from Montreal to Toronto.

2012: Prime Minister Stephen Harper appoints seven new senators, including Betty Unger, the first woman elected to run for the upper chamber. Unger, who filled a vacant position in Alberta, was selected by more than 300,000 people for a Senate seat in a 2004 poll in that province.

International headquarters

Pelicans star Zion Williamson walks away from the squad

by Rodney N. on January 6, 2022

NEW ORLEANS

The New Orleans Pelicans have agreed to allow star forward Zion Williamson to continue his rehabilitation of a broken foot away from the team’s headquarters.

Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin said on Wednesday the club agreed that “in order to put Zion in the best position to be successful, he will be rehabilitating away from the team at this time. there so that he can concentrate on the task at hand. “

Williamson, who averaged 27 points, a team-high and was an All-Star last season, was attempting to resume training in mid-December following an injury during the summer. But imaging of his foot revealed a setback and the club said at that point Williamson would stop practicing and focus on healing.

â€œAs you can imagine, this has been a very difficult process for me,â€ Williamson said in a written statement released by the club. “I know there is work to be done in my recovery before I can safely return to the field, but I will continue to dedicate the time necessary so that I can return to the field with my team and represent the fans of Pelicans and the city of New Orleans at the highest level.

â€œBasketball means everything to me,â€ added Williamson, â€œand I am grateful to the Pelicans organization and all those who have surrounded me with love and support on this journey – my family, my friends. friends, my teammates, coaches, staff, fans and everyone who stood behind me and raised me when I needed it most.

The Pelicans have gone 13-25 without Williamson this season, but are only 2-1 / 2 games behind Sacramento for the last place in the Western Conference with just over half of the season remaining.

The Pelicans will then play Thursday night when they host Golden State.

___

More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Non profit living

Community hero: saving animals, a long-standing ambition for a resident of Ramona

by Rodney N. on January 5, 2022

Jeanne Cannon says she doesn’t feel like a hero, but she’s saved and trained enough animals over the years to deserve praise.

Now around 70, the longtime Ramona resident has spent 30 years saving animals, primarily for the non-profit Help for the Homeless Pets.

Cannon, a mother of three grown children, said she got involved with the organization after meeting its founder Bea Hoskins. Cannon was working at Ramona Animal Hospital when Hoskins brought a dog from Newfoundland for an exam.

â€œI loved him and adopted him,â€ said Cannon, who discovered she had a lot in common with Hoskins and formed a friendship that spanned 30 years. “Bea invests a lot of money and effort in the animals she takes in and she mainly welcomes dogs with special needs, small ones.”

Hoskins said the dog was one of two Newfoundlanders who were thrown from a van in front of her as she picked pomegranates on a property near Highland Valley Road.

â€œShe is a true compassionate and caring friend who has never let me down,â€ Hoskins said of Cannon. â€œHe’s someone you can count on in the worst of times. We have always leaned on each other’s shoulders. He’s someone you don’t meet every day.

In addition to saving animals in Ramona and neighboring communities, Hoskins has rescued dogs and cats as far as Siberia. Cannon has helped save stray animals in Mexico. Sometimes dogs with special needs that have been injured or abused are brought to the United States.

But these days, Cannon mostly gathers supplies due to health concerns.

Hoskins said Cannon was rewarded, along with the other volunteers, for working tirelessly and without pay.

â€œEvery little money we have goes to animals,â€ said Hoskins, who founded Help for the Homeless Pets in Ramona in 1993. â€œWe never hired any employees.â€

Cannon said she always had an affinity for animals, even though her parents never had more than one small dog. As a girl, she played with a farm set instead of dolls.

â€œIt’s always been in my blood from the start, even though I wasn’t raised that way,â€ she said.

By the time Cannon met Hoskins, she had already been living in Ramona for a decade with her husband, Jerry. While the couple were building their home in Ramona, they acquired a number of animals, including horses, pigs, sheep and chickens. By the time their house was built two years later, they had set up a whole farm.

â€œThe animals just kept on multiplying and when we moved here to four acres we ended up taking things that people didn’t want anymore,â€ Cannon said. â€œMy husband called them drive-bys. People were dropping off animals.

â€œWe had pets and we did wildlife rescues for a while and had some exotics. Our barn was always full and we had a variety of things. I had lots of interesting wildlife including skunks and raccoons. These are animals that have improved and have for the most part been released. “

As their menagerie grew, local school children visited his home to take lessons on his animals. Cannon would teach them vocabulary words, such as the difference between nocturnal and daytime, and also how to care for animals and be responsible pet owners.

Hoskins said she felt blessed to have met Cannon and a few others who genuinely care about animals and can be counted on to help them. Even if it means getting up in the middle of the night to set a living trap for a lost or abandoned animal.

â€œThe rewards are when these animals recover and trust people again,â€ Hoskins said. â€œNot all of them do. If we can find loving homes for them, that’s the rewarding part. These are the highlights. “

For a decade, Cannon also helped the San Diego Humane Society bring animals to nursing homes. Cannon told the elderly how she acquired the animals and how she took care of them.

When her daughter, Lisa, was 11 and involved in a 4-H club, she wanted to learn how to breed guide dog puppies. As Cannon learned more about training guide dogs, she became a leader. Thanks to Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc. in San Rafael, Cannon took dog owners to stores and other places to teach them how to get dogs to behave in public.

She volunteered with guide dogs for the blind for 18 years. Lisa also continued to breed dogs with her husband after her marriage, and together the family has raised over 20 guide dogs.

In addition to his work with animals, Cannon has also contributed to other causes. One provided respite care to caregivers of terminally ill patients through the Elizabeth Hospice. Cannon said her 14 years volunteering with Elizabeth Hospice has been a rewarding experience.

One day, she met a woman at the checkout of a grocery store who told her about the Heart to Heart organization and its mission to help people in Romania who had lost their homes and jobs and were without food or clothes.

Cannon organized a clothes drive, recruiting local schools who held contests to see who could make the most clothes.

â€œThe kids would get rid of last year’s wardrobe anyway,â€ Cannon recalls. â€œFor a month, we put the clothes together and separated them into boys ‘and girls’ clothes, tops and bottoms, and approximate sizes. We put them in boxes of bananas that I continued to collect in grocery stores. “

Eventually, Cannon said they had enough clothing to fill a large storage unit. With financial help from the local wireless technology company Qualcomm, they put the clothes in a shipping container and shipped them to Romania.

â€œI have had many wonderful opportunities to live a life of love and I am blessed to have encountered these things,â€ said Cannon, noting that the first congregational church in Ramona that she attends has a motto of living a life of love. love life. â€œAnd that’s also my mission statement to be who I am. It suits us perfectly.

Over the years, Cannon has said that she has parted ways with many animals, but she still has four pigs, a few goats and alpacas, a llama, a deer, a miniature horse and an emu in addition to a few dogs and cats.

“If I was young and could live my life, that’s all I would do is continue to save animals that need a home,” she said, adding that she appreciates the help she receives from her husband. “This is my main reason for being, is to help animals and we have done a lot of it over the years.”

How to help

Anyone interested in helping Help for the Homeless Pets, a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit, can send donations to PO Box 1406, Ramona, CA 92065.

Animal adoptions are organized in conjunction with the AmazingDogs.org website at least twice a month at the Poway PetCoach store and at a private residence in Carlsbad, Hoskins said. Adoption event schedules are posted on the website.

For more information call 760-789-4483 or email [email protected]

History organization

Watch: Vehicles drive through the snow-capped Zojilla Pass as the temperature drops to -27 degrees

by Rodney N. on January 5, 2022

The border roads organization took to Twitter to share a video of the movement of vehicles through the Zojilla Pass. In freezing cold, the overland route to Ladakh is kept open.

Thick blankets of snow blanketed the entire area, as the video shows. Apart from a door, nothing else is visible in the area. Vehicles can be seen turning the bend and passing through the middle of a snowy area.

â€œThe BRO Karmayogis are busy making history by guarding the Mighty Zojila Pass – the overland route to Ladakh is kept open in January in temperatures dropping down to -27 Â° C,â€ the caption of the tweet read.

Watch the video here:

To follow @BROinde
The BRO Karmayogis are busy making history by keeping the Mighty Zojila Pass – the overland route to Ladakh is kept open in January in temperatures dropping down to -27 Â° C. Please share and let people know. India the feat of the indomitable human spirit against harsh climatic conditions. pic.twitter.com/uoMbSMRVxp

– ð‘¹ð’ð’‚ð’…ð’” ð‘¶ð’“ð’ˆð’‚ð’ð’Šð’”ð’‚ð’•ð’Šð’ð’ (@BROindia) January 3, 2022

The video has garnered over 9 lakhs of views so far. Netizens praised BRO for its efforts to keep the road open. â€œWe are very proud of BRO India. You keep creating miracles and making the world known about India’s will and doing amazing projects, â€one user commented.

Taming Zojila – Jan 02 22.

The second day of 2022 saw 72 vehicles pass through the pass for the first time.
This stupendous feat could only be achieved thanks to the intimidating courage of Karmyogis who held on despite everything.

BROTHER à¤¤à¥‹ à¤¸à¤¬à¤®à¥à¤®à¤•à¤¿à¤¨ à¤¹à¥ˆà¥¤@PMOIndia pic.twitter.com/zMxJMBjTkL

– ð‘¹ð’ð’‚ð’…ð’” ð‘¶ð’“ð’ˆð’‚ð’ð’Šð’”ð’‚ð’•ð’Šð’ð’ (@BROindia) January 2, 2022

#Karmyogis of the Vijayak Project of @BROinde work hard day and night in such a difficult time to keep #Zojila open collar despite the coldest temperatures down to -27 degrees and heavy snowfall: Satyam Rathore, OC 55 RCC de 762 BTF@prasarbharti @ddnewsladakh @DDNewslive pic.twitter.com/LliZZke56H

– Radio News Kargil (@radionews_kargi) January 3, 2022

Earlier, BRO said the pass remained open until December 31 of last year to keep Ladakh connected.

#Zojila_pass

BRO Karmyogis has kept the mighty Zojila Pass open until December 31 of this year to keep Ladakh connected.

94 vehicles crossed the pass yesterday.

Despite the blizzards and temperatures dropping down to -10 Â° C, the brave BROs have pledged to keep the pass open longer this time around. pic.twitter.com/dml4fOp3Ct

– ð‘¹ð’ð’‚ð’…ð’” ð‘¶ð’“ð’ˆð’‚ð’ð’Šð’”ð’‚ð’•ð’Šð’ð’ (@BROindia) January 1, 2022

Zojila Pass is located at an elevation of 11,578 feet on the Srinagar-Kargil-Leh National Highway and remains closed during winters due to heavy snowfall, cutting off the Ladakh region of Kashmir, according to the PTI report.

Canadian army

As Covid policies divide America, Ontario doubles (again)

by Rodney N. on January 4, 2022

The verdict of the health experts: Too little, too late, told you.

Public health experts across the country had warned for weeks that Omicron’s outsized transmissibility would fuel a surprising new wave of infections at a time when Covid-tired families – boosted or not – were planning to come together.

Sabina Vohra-Miller, health advocate and co-founder of the Vohra Miller Foundation, was among those who sounded the alarm and called for advice and restrictions.

â€œWe know people are going to get together over the holidays. And it’s going to cause exponential growth. I mean, there is already exponential growth,â€ she told POLITICO on December 15.

“We have to be proactive, not wait for things to get out of hand. It’s so much harder to take back control when it’s already past that point.”

At the time, Ontario had registered 1,808 new cases. Two days before Christmas the number rose to 5,790. On New Year’s Eve it reached 16,790.

Hints of a January crackdown, the kind of which seemed unthinkable just a month ago, have sprung just before the holidays. Canadians have been advised not to travel abroad. The schoolchildren were ordered to bring everything home.

The Liberals and New Democrats in the House of Commons shortened their in-person seats in mid-December, adopting a hybrid configuration as they warned of a dangerous new variant spreading like wildfire. The same parties quickly banned MPs from traveling abroad during the holidays.

In a nation obsessed with hockey, players of all skill levels have become canaries in a coal mine.

The December epidemics hit most of Canada’s NHL teams, whose games have been postponed. The annual World Junior Tournament, held just after Christmas in Edmonton and Red Deer, was called off after a handful of positive tests on multiple teams. The biggest youth hockey tournament on the planet, the annual Bell Capital Cup in Ottawa, was next on the chopping block.

Duty free shops have been reduced to ghost towns. â€œI’ve heard in some stores that they would make one or two sales a day,â€ said Barbara Barrett, executive director of the Frontier Duty Free Association. She blamed federal travel advisories for reduced traffic and “dismal” morale among its members.

Meanwhile, millions of Americans – and Canadians too – tuned in to dozens of college and pro football games attended by tens of thousands of unmasked fans – none were put off by the record number of daily cases across the country. (Ontario’s shutdown includes a cap of 10 on outdoor gatherings, down 66,829 from last weekend’s Orange Bowl.)

Innovative Research Group pollster Greg Lyle found in a december poll that Canadians were losing confidence in governments’ handling of Covid. But as fears of the virus escalated, respondents were “more likely to view provincial public health restrictions as too loose (34%) than too strict (23%).”

Lyle’s conclusion: â€œClearly the pressure was on governments to do something, and something would include tighter restrictions. “

In Quebec, Premier FranÃ§ois Legault has imposed his province’s second curfew against the pandemic – a last resort attempt to slow the skyrocketing spread that has unfolded like a lead ball among civil liberties advocates.

Quebec also called on the military to help with a booming vaccination campaign. Federal Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair confirmed Monday that members of the Canadian Armed Forces have been deployed to the province.

Most provinces are facing peaks in similar cases. Many have delayed the return to in-person learning. Alberta and British Columbia have postponed the trials. Newfoundland and Labrador reduced the capacity of gymnasiums and restaurants.

Prime Minister Trudeau’s response echoes what he has told Canadians since the start of the pandemic: â€œWe support you. “

The PM has organized dozens of appeals with premiers since March 2020. He won an election in part by offering vaccine warrants for the federal public service and travelers on planes and trains.

Top federal ministers spent time on Monday tweeting eligibility information for lockdown support programs approved by Parliament in the final hours before a six-week winter break that ends Jan.31. Canadians who cannot work due to capacity restrictions can request weekly payments of C $ 300 – a revamped and targeted version of an old benefit of C $ 2,000 per month.

Trudeau’s critics say these measures do not address capacity issues in provincial health systems. The federal government gave billions to the provinces last year in the form of an expanded Canada health transfer, but premiers complained that a one-time increase was not enough. They called for sustained increases in annual funding to the tune of C $ 35 billion.

Provinces have fought hard against testing capacity limits. Ontario distributed millions of rapid antigen tests in December through its network of government-owned liquor stores, but government-administered PCR tests are harder to find. They are now reserved for symptomatic people at high risk. Anyone else who experiences symptoms is presumed positive.

Trudeau Liberals insist they are constantly buying and delivering rapid tests across Canada – a total of 112 million of them, according to the latest data available. But the provinces are always hungry for more. Alberta recently requested 30 million over three months.

Federal-provincial disputes over how to manage a pandemic often turn into disputes over jurisdiction and who is responsible for what.

The so-called Team Canada approach, in which Premiers mainly held their tongue instead of attacking Ottawa, lasted much of the first two years of the Covid era. But this wave of high-stakes infections is a test of tenuous relationships.

The skyrocketing number of cases and limited testing capacity virtually everywhere has sparked debate over whether the number of base cases should even guide decisions about the new restrictions. Amid the early data suggesting that most Omicron infections are relatively mild, there’s an open question around dinner tables: If it’s next to impossible to avoid Omicron, is it even that bad?

A key indicator is the number of hospitalizations, but even that produces asterisks. More Covid-positive patients are popping up in hospital beds for unrelated reasons and adding to the total – a gap that official Ontario calculators will soon be able to accommodate. Hospitalizations also lag behind infections, meaning the disease is still ahead of the data.

The real mark of Omicron’s impatience will likely be found in the intensive care units. Most civil servants are cautiously optimistic, the variant is significantly smoother than Delta, although their inevitable caveat is that a prolonged spike in cases could still overwhelm most health systems.

Ontario’s new restrictions take effect Wednesday. The province’s health advisers say they believe the wave will peak later this month. “We anticipate a very short, rapid and rapid approach to this epidemic and its impact on the health system,” Chief Medical Officer of Health Kieran Moore said on Monday.

A crumbling healthcare system is the worst-case scenario for any province, and Ford’s desperate appeal could save lives. But there is another factor at play.

Ontario voters go to the polls in June. The measure that matters most to the Prime Minister that day is at the ballot box. A disastrous wave of infections that leaves a helpless province searching for a culprit could spell the end of the Ford era after just one term.

While Ford’s shutdown saves lives, it could save its own skin, too.

International headquarters

Kivnon USA sets up its North American headquarters in Farmington Hills, Michigan

by Rodney N. on January 4, 2022

Mike Kotzian, Managing Director of Kivnon USA, recently opened the company’s North American office in Farmington Hills, Michigan. Kivnon is a leading supplier of automated guided vehicles headquartered in Spain and growing rapidly in North America.

Kotzian shared that so many Midwestern manufacturers have added to the Michigan site selection. Located at 37640 Hills Tech Dr. Operation will feature the robots and serve as headquarters in the United States. According to Kotzian, “Whether it is kits for the assembly of the automotive industry or intralogistics, we are happy to deploy our teams throughout North America to provide the best service and product delivery. faster than any other supplier â€.

Kotzian is currently building a strong team of industry professionals, from sales engineers to installation experts. He said, â€œThe return on investment (return on investment) for AGV begins with delivery and installation. Most AGV suppliers are over a year behind schedule. In Kivnon, customers who order standard products by March 31, 2022 will be delivered by Q3 2022. We are the only company to guarantee a ROI start-up time in 2022.

Kivnon is an international company dedicated to mobile robotics. Since its founding as a family business in 2009, the company has offered its customers innovative and high-tech solutions for the implementation of AGV and AMR. The company continues to grow with complete projects including installation service and technical support.

Kivnon will be exhibiting at MODEX 2022 in Atlanta from March 28-31 at booth # C5488.

About Kivnon:

Kivnon offers a wide range of autonomous vehicles (AGV / AMR) and accessories for the transport of goods, using magnetic navigation or mapping technologies, which adapt to any environment and industry. The company offers an integral solution to customers. Kivnon products are characterized by their robustness, safety, precision and high quality. Each product has been designed with a user-friendly philosophy creating a pleasant working experience that is simple to install and intuitive.

Mike Kotzian, Managing Director of Kivnon USA based in Farmington Hills, Michigan, said, â€œKivnon advises, installs, maintains and provides exceptional after-sales service. We consolidate our commitment to technological innovation and the continuous improvement of all products. Kotzian can be reached on LinkedIn.

The company offers a wide range of mobile robotics solutions automating different applications in the automotive, food, logistics and warehousing, manufacturing and aerospace industries. Follow Kivnon on Twitter @KivnonUSA.

Media contact
Company Name: Kivnon
Contact: Mike Kotzian
E-mail: Send an email
Call: (810) 220-9304
Address:37640 Hills Tech Drive
City: Farmington Hills
State: MID
Country: United States
Website: https://www.kivnon.com/

Non profit living

Clinic works tirelessly during pandemic to help impoverished patients

by Rodney N. on January 4, 2022

BRUNSWICK COUNTY (WWAY) – A local clinic run by volunteers is working to keep their patients and their community safe in the fight against COVID-19.

Studies show that people living in rural communities are twice as likely to die from COVID-19 as those living in metropolitan areas. The New Hope Clinic offers free medical care, tests, vaccines and, yes, hope to anyone living below 150% of the poverty line in Brunswick County.

The New Hope Clinic serves between 500 and 600 residents of Brunswick County living below the poverty line and unable to afford health care. Dr. James Boston worked with the clinic for more than two decades, treating chronic illnesses of the uninsured until they were eligible for Medicare at age 65.

â€œIf you have uncontrolled diabetes at 65, you can be on dialysis, you can be blind, you can have lost your limbs,â€ he said. “It is therefore important that those people who do not have access to health care have health care. “

The non-profit clinic is run by six staff members and over 100 medical volunteers who return because they care about their patients. During her years as CEO, Sheila Roberts says she has seen doctors and patients form special bonds here. For the most part, it is their only source of care.

â€œIt’s really telling for some people who haven’t had certain experiences in life,â€ she said. â€œYou just want to bring everyone home with you. “

Already a staple of health care in Brunswick County, when the pandemic hit, the New Hope Clinic was one of the first free clinics in North Carolina to get vaccinated. Boston remembers its patients being hesitant. During his years in the clinic, some were more willing to listen to him than other providers.

According to Boston, â€œSome people will trust above all if they have seen me for about a year, they might have some trust in what I’m trying to explain to them. But it is a process.

Feeling a responsibility to the community in which they volunteered, the staff spent endless hours educating and talking with the locals. They finally vaccinated more than 2,000 people in early 2021.

â€œFrom February to May, with a huge one, we called them Sheila’s Army,â€ said New Hope Pharmacy Director Hailey Murray, â€œbut with lots of volunteers, we ran vaccination clinics on the car park.”

And although the pandemic has dried up many resources the nonprofit usually relied on and reduced the number of volunteers able to help, Murray said those who canâ€¦. do. Many continue to help in addition to their full-time health care jobs.

â€œBecause we thought it was the right thing to do,â€ she explained. “And I think a lot of us during the pandemic had to do something to feel like we were helping instead ofto wring our hands. I feel very strongly that I need to be of service in my community. And that’s a great way for me to do it.

History organization

Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians has ‘no regrets’ adding Antonio Brown, saying he cares about WR

by Rodney N. on January 3, 2022

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – A day after former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Brown jogged off the field amid the Bucs 28-24 win over the New York Jets, resulting in his dismissal from the team, Bucs coach Bruce Arians said he has no regrets about bringing Brown into the organization.

“I have no regrets. I just hope for the best for him,” Arians said on Monday, acknowledging that it was difficult for him to see Brown break out on the sidelines in such a chaotic fashion. After teammates Mike Evans and OJ Howard tried to calm him down, Brown stripped off his shirt and pads, threw his gloves and undershirt in the stands, and ran through the end zone shirtless as the two teams were in the field.

A MetLife Stadium security guard told ESPN he thought it was a fan who jumped onto the pitch. The officer also told ESPN that once inside the tunnel, Brown asked state soldiers to go to the airport, but they were unable to accommodate his request. So he received another means of transport to the airport and did not return home with the team.

“It was very difficult. I wish him good luck. If he needs help, I hope he receives it. It is very difficult. Because I care about him,” Arians said.

Arians still doesn’t know why Brown, who has a history of violent outbursts, manic behavior and even admitted to mental health issues, left the field.

“I care about him very much. I hope he is doing well,” he said.

Arians said he did not speak to Brown after leaving the field – only before leaving it. He was unwilling to divulge the details of this interaction – only that the conversation had at no time involved Brown’s injured ankle.

An NFL Network report said Brown was upset because he didn’t think he could continue playing his ankle, that he injured himself in Week 6, causing him to miss five games, as well. than three more games due to his suspension imposed by the league to produce a fake COVID-19 vaccination card.

“I don’t know he was [injured]”said the Arians.

Did he say he was hurt?

â€œNo,â€ said the Arians.

“It’s pretty obvious what happened. He left the field and that’s it,” Arians said. “We had a conversation and he left the field.”

Brown was cleared to play last week and recorded a 10-catch-for-101-yard performance against the Carolina Panthers. But he also twisted his ankle again. Still, he was medically cleared to play against the Jets on Sunday.

Arians has indicated that he will never force a player to play due to injury and that if a player feels too injured to continue, that player should speak to the coaching staff, who will then alert them.

Arians said he had not spoken to Brown or his representatives since leaving.

When asked if Arians had any triggering moments that led to Brown’s explosion, Arians replied, “None at all.”

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January 2022

“Extreme inequality”

Protests against Canada’s vaccine mandate

Reactions to Hockey Canada Women’s Olympic Team Announcement

Rivals to blue line pairing

“Often LGBTQ people tend to be underemployed simply because of the conditions in our state, but we also believe in equality and fairness for all. We want everyone in Nebraska to have the ability to blossom fully,” Aryn said. Okay.

A Saudi hospitality project will allow visitors to walk in the footsteps of the royal family, in palaces steeped in history

Don’t miss any story, start your day with KRON4.com

Robinson retired after a trade with the Giants

Petitions of the week

The Business Activity Exception of the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act

The Chicago Police’s Sell or Destroy Policy

These and others petitions of the week are below:

Detroit Department of Water and Sewer Announces New Director Position Focused on Opportunity and Inclusion

Chicago Cubs, Scott Boras have a long history of trading barbs

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SNOWMAGEDDON: City declares ‘major snowstorm condition’

TDSB’s move to online teaching instead of Snow Day is ‘disappointing’

Can public vehicles have a right of way?

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Kemp agrees to multi-year contract extension with Dodgers

Diplomatic talks on several fronts to ease ongoing tensions

“Not the Ukraine of six or seven years ago”

An invasion poses an economic risk

A psychological campaign

The best passports to hold in 2022 are:

Police, fire and ambulance services across Canada hit by staff shortage due to COVID-19

Omicron disrupts workforce across country

Go for a tumble

In short

Families of victims of flight PS752 frustrated by RCMP role in Ukrainian investigation

Novak Djokovic refused entry to Australia after vaccine exemption

Front Burner: dozens of people die in detention after arrests while intoxicated

Today in History: January 6