Peace and family ties

The Secretary-General visited the northern town of Llano Grande, in the Department of Antioquia, along with Colombias President, Ivan Duque, as well as the former FARC-EP commander, Rodrigo Londoo. The town is one of several areas in the country where the former guerillas are being reincorporated into civilian life.

Colombia has 32 Departments, or States. With up to 80 per cent of its population affected, Antioquia was one of the areas most impacted by the more than 50-year conflict.

Llano Grande is a town of 150 inhabitants, where former enemies now live and work together. With the support of the United Nations and the Government, the small village has become a place where peace reigns, and as inconceivable as it may have seemed five years ago, FARC combatants and locals now consider themselves family.

UNMVC

Secretary-General Antnio Guterres visits a clothing workshop that reintegrates former guerrilla fighters into civil society, in Llano Grande, Colombia.

The UN chief walked through the town and was able to talk with its residents who are benefiting from different reincorporation entrepreneurial projects.

I am very pleased to be in Llano Grande and I see first-hand the achievements of peace, Mr. Guterres while visiting the towns tailoring workshop.

There, he spoke with worker Monica Astrid Oquendo, who recently told UN News that the Peace Agreement had brought with it initiatives that have greatly helped their community.

Mr. Guterres also spoke with other workers about their labour and discussed the importance of womens leadership in the peace process.

Meanwhile, a group of former combatants took advantage of the UN Chiefs visit to launch Trpicos, a new coffee brand created by a cooperative with 1,200 members.

Mr. Guterres was very interested in the cultivation process of the plant and the different types of coffee that are produced in Colombia.

Trpicos [Spanish for tropics regions] is a brand whose geography offers special characteristics. The rebellion of the tropics makes this coffee special because it comes from the community, and from people in the process of reincorporation. It not only has a social background but also quality standards. We have carefully selected each grain to be able to achieve high quality and to offer Trpicos to the world, explained Frey Gustavo de Mat, one of its creators.

The Secretary-General also learned of other projects such as a town school, an arepas (Colombian cornmeal cakes) factory, and a soap factory.

Later, in a brief address to the community on the town's soccer field, Mr. Guterres congratulated everyone for their enthusiasm and dedication to these projects, which, he added, have the support of the Government and the international community.

He also acknowledged that the projects have been hampered by financial difficulties and stressed that as such, it will be necessary to redouble efforts to guarantee their sustainability, as well as to involve the private sector to help find solutions.

The UN chief recognized the work of the community in the entire municipality of Dabeiba, of which Llano Grande is part, and in other nearby municipalities, which he praised as an example of integration and reconciliation for receiving ex-combatants with open arms and normalizing democratic life.

This shows true human qualities of teamwork, generosity, hope and courage to build a better future, he added.

After hearing from many more members of the community, Mr. Guterres said they know better than anyone that peace does not come overnight.

It costs work to build it, take care of it, sustain itThere is a paradox: the objective of peace is a society with no enemies, but unfortunately there are enemies of peace, he said expressing his solidarity with the victims and their families.

Since 2017, there have been 30 homicides and four disappearances, mostly men, only in the Department of Antioquia, according to UN reports.

Moreover, throughout the country, more than 300 former combatants have been murdered, with some 25 disappearances. Almost 500 human rights defenders and civic leaders have also lost their lives in violent attacks.

Mr. Guterres said he admired the tenacity and commitment of the people who continue to bet on building peace in Colombia on a day-to-day basis. He also warned that ensuring their security is vital to consolidating peace.

UNMVC/Esteban Vanegas

The reintegration of former FARC combatants into civil society is being facilitated at a site in the small town of Llano Grande in Dabeiba, Colombia.

The Secretary-General reaffirmed the commitment of the United Nations to support the peace process and assured that he will discuss with the Government both the issue of security and housing. We are all going to take advantage of this meeting to enhance our work, he said.

However, he said that he recognized with humility that the Organizations work is secondary and that the essential work in the construction of lasting peace belongs to Colombians.

If this were a film, we would not be candidates for the Oscar for Best Actor, but for the best Supporting Actor, he concluded

Joining Mr. Guterres in Llano Grande was the ex-commander of the FARC-EP, Rodrigo Londoo, who stressed that even though some 300 signatories to the peace deal had been killed, we remain committed.

The visit of the Secretary General, he said, shows that we have made progress and that this is not a failed process. It also refutes the assertions of those who do not believe in this process.

Mr. Londoo also expressed gratitude to Colombian President, Ivn Duque, saying that the leaders presence in Llano Grande is encouraging and a hopeful sign that the Colombian people must continue travelling the path of peace.

In his remarks, President Duque stated that the progress underway in Llano Grande showed the will of his Government to support efforts to build lasting peace.

I think the most important thing that we see today is the rejection of violence We value those who have made the decision to categorically reject the violence that was once justified, the President said, and added: This implies that there is no cause or ideology that justifies murder, kidnapping or any other form of violence that threatens our freedom.

UNMVC

UN Secretary-General Antnio Guterres, left, along with the Colombian President Ivn Duque, during a ceremony in the town of Apartad to mark the fifth anniversary of the Colombia peace agreement.

From Llano Grande, Mr. Guterres and President Duque flew by helicopter to Apartad, in the Urab region, a province dedicated to the cultivation of bananas and where the Government chose to hold a regional commemorative event to mark the fifth anniversary of the peace accord.

Ahead of that event, they visited the regions Territorial Development Programme, which seeks to improve the collaboration of different territorial agencies to achieve more effective sustainable development. With the Governments backing these programmes are supporting a range of reconciliation projects, including the building of a school that will be inaugurated soon.

The celebration event was held in a park and was attended by a large audience comprised of members of the municipality and the national government.

For his part, the Secretary-General highlighted the role of women in the peace process and stressed that their participation can help generate more inclusion.

He went on to express concern about the fact that several regions continue to face increasing insecurity.

The actions of the illegal armed actors diminish the hopes of local communities, as well as jeopardize the prospects for sustainable development, said the Secretary-General.

He concluded that peace requires facing the suffering of the past and reconciliation is the only way to a stable and lasting peace.

Tomorrow on his last day in Colombia, Mr. Guterres will participate in the commemoration of the fifth anniversary of the signing of the Final Peace Agreement in the capital, Bogot. He will also attend the La Paz es Productiva fair.

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UN chief sees firsthand the progress and challenges five years after Colombia's historic peace deal - UN News

The government will proceed with its roundly criticised model for a federal anti-corruption commission but has signalled the bill will only come to parliament if Labor backs it.

With Australias parliament entering what could be the last sitting week before the election, the government is under pressure to deliver the federal integrity commission it has telegraphed, but not delivered, for three years.

One of its backbenchers crossed the floor last week to bring on parliamentary debate on a stronger proposal, advanced by the independent Helen Haines. Bridget Archer was the only government MP to back the Haines proposal but a number of other Liberals want the government to toughen up its proposal.

Metropolitan Liberals are facing electoral pressure because independents are targeting incumbent moderates in the governments blue-ribbon heartland. Independents backed by the activist Climate 200 organisation, which has raised $4m in less than four months, are campaigning locally for climate action and a strong national integrity commission.

But efforts by the attorney general, Michaelia Cash, to secure internal agreement to beef up the governments proposal have met fierce resistance in cabinet. Scott Morrison told reporters on Sunday the government would stick with its original model because it was well-designed and well-considered.

Cash was more equivocal when asked if the proposal might be overhauled to include public hearings during political investigations, which would be a significant strengthening of the model. At this point in time, the bill is as it stands, she said.

Haines is unlikely to move again this week to try to suspend the standing orders to bring on her own proposal for an integrity commission but she is critical of the Coalition blaming Labor for any delay. She said on Sunday if Morrison truly believed in his suboptimal integrity commission he should bring it forward and give parliament an opportunity to amend it.

After she crossed the floor last week, Archer was hauled into a meeting with Morrison, the treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, and the minister for women, Marise Payne. The Tasmanian Liberal backbencher expressed her displeasure at that treatment. I would have preferred not to have the meeting at that time while I was feeling emotional, she said last week.

But the minister for families and social services, and for womens safety, Anne Ruston, defended the prime minister on Sunday. I think its an entirely reasonable proposition when somebody expresses an opinion different to government policy and then acts on it, that the prime minister would seek to find out what their concerns were in an effort to try to resolve them, Ruston told the ABC.

The minister said Morrison had met last week with the two Liberal senators refusing to pass government legislation until the prime minister moved against vaccination mandates as he would have met, Im sure, with every other Liberal party senator who crossed the floor in the time he has been prime minister.

Morrison last week sought to buffer the government against its obvious lack of action on an integrity commission by criticising the New South Wales anti-corruption commission.

After he faced the internal revolt on his own model, the prime minister accused critics of him and the governments integrity commission of wanting a kangaroo court to oversee the federal parliament. Morrison attacked the NSW Icacs inquiry into the former premier Gladys Berejiklian.

Liberals want Berejiklian to run in the seat of Warringah against the incumbent independent, Zali Steggall. Morrison declared anti-corruption commissions should be looking at criminal conduct, not who your boyfriend is.

On Sunday Morrison tried to shift blame to Labor for the lack of progress. He said the government would like to proceed with its proposal but theres no support for our proposal from Labor, or others.

Our proposal has been consulted on, weve had it out there for a long time, we are interested in a fair dinkum commission that looks at criminal conduct, not at who peoples boyfriends are, the prime minister said.

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Labor and others want to have a system, frankly, that is open to all sorts of abuse and game playing and politicking and weve seen that from Labor over the course of this term time and time matters referred off to the Australian federal police, wasting their time.

Cash told reporters the Coalitions proposed integrity commission was a fair and balanced model: It will deal with instances of the most serious criminal corruption at a federal level.

That is what this bill is all about. Its not, as the prime minister said, a political witch-hunt, which the Labor party seem to want it to be.

We have a bill, if Labor indicated they would support the bill, our situation would be very very different, but at this point in time, we have a bill, they dont, all they have is a statement of opposition. Thats their situation.

It is routine for the government to bring forward legislation to the House of Representatives, whether it is likely to pass or not. But Ruston told the ABC: The last thing we want to do is bring a bill into this place and then find out it wont get through.

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Scott Morrison digs in over federal Icac and tries to shift blame to Labor for slow progress - The Guardian

NBA Analysis Network

The Houston Rockets and John Wall came to an agreement where hed sit out while the team favors playing their young backcourt talents during the 2021-22 NBA season. The intent was for Wall to sit out while the team found a trade but theres been no traction on that front.

According to ESPNs Adrian Wojnarowski, Wall has expressed hope to the Rockets organization to be able to return to game action in the near future. Both sides are expected to discuss this possibility on Sunday.

Houston RocketsguardJohn Wallhas expressed his hope to the organization that he can resume playing for the team in the near future, sources tell ESPN.

Wall and the Rockets had agreed on him sitting out until a trade could be found, but the five-time All-Star guard talked to Houston general manager Rafael Stone on Friday about restarting discussions on a return to the active roster, sources said. The two sides are expected to continue talks on Sunday.

LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Teams Interested In Trade For Rockets John Wall But With Caveat

With Wall having two-years, $91 million remaining on his supermax contract he signed with the Washington Wizards, its essentially impossible to find a trade suitor for him. He has arguably the least favorable deal in the NBA given the injury history and disparity in cost versus impact.

The Rockets would surely need to be willing to attach draft assets in order to move on from Walls contract. The Los Angeles Lakers proved willing to take on Russell Westbrooks contract after his strong finish to the 2020-21 season with the Washington Wizards, but there just isnt a market for Wall.

LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Teams Interested In Trade For Rockets John Wall But With Caveat

It will fascinating to see what the resolution is for John Wall and the Houston Rockets. If he wants to play a regular role with a team, hes surely going to have to entertain leaving a lot of money for the 2022-23 season on the table in a buyout negotiation to do it.

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No Progress On John Wall Buyout Return To Rockets Incoming? - NBA Analysis Network

Gaspard was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1967. His parents had fled dictatorship in Haiti and heeded the call of Patrice Lumumba for francophone academics of African descent to settle in newly independent African states, according to a biographical page on the Haitian Embassys website. But the family moved to New York when he was three. After growing up on the Upper West Side and in Queens, Gaspard stayed in New York and attended Columbia.

Gaspard worked his way through city politicsa stint on David Dinkinss 1989 mayoral campaign; chief of staff of the New York City Counciland entered the citys activist circles, moving in the same political trenches that Bill de Blasio did. They cut their teeth during the Crown Heights Riots, where they were both young City Hall staffers, said Bill Hyers, who ran de Blasios mayoral campaign. (The New York Times listed Gaspard as one of three people in de Blasios inner ring as an outside adviser in 2013alongside the mayors wife.) He gained prominence through organized labor, spending nine years at the powerful SEIU 1199.

Gaspards first major foray into national politics found him on the leftier side, working for Howard Deans 2004 campaign. He was someone that really understood organization, Dean said. Four years later, Gaspard stayed at SEIU for the primaries, but backed Obama and joined his team for the general election. Afterward, Gaspard became an assistant to the president and ran the White House Office of Political Affairs. His portfolio was pure politics. That meant early preparations for Obamas reelection, a sort of domestic diplomat within the Democratic Party. When the president goes on a trip to, say, eastern Ohio, the political director needs to make sure he meets with local party officials with sway.

After Gaspard spent a stint as executive director of the Democratic National Committee, Obama nominated him as ambassador to South Africa. This wasnt one of those cushy posts rewarding political allies in countries where there isnt a lot at stake. Gaspard had to deal with South African President Jacob Zuma during a period of institutional patronage, corruption scandals, Nelson Mandelas death, and military and civil unrest in Zimbabwe.

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Where Will Patrick Gaspard Take the Center for American Progress? - The New Republic

The joint forces battling Iran-backed Houthis in the western coast in Yemen have made crucial progress" in driving the rebels from key areas in the provinces of Taez.

The territorial gains came amid heavy clashes with hundreds of Houthi fighters killed as fierce fighting continues for a second week.

Smoke rises from the site of air strikes in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa. Reuters

"On Saturday, Al Amalika troops, part of the joint forces, scored crucial progress when they passed the intersection of Jabal Ras, south-east Hodeidah, and advanced deep in Maqbanah district in the south-west Taez province," Al Amalikah spokesman Aseel Al Sakladi told The National.

He said their forces continued the progress ahead and seized strategic areas in the provinces of Ibb and Taez in the past three days.

The troops also launched a new offensive and advanced from Hays district, southern Hodeidah, towards Jabal Ras district cutting 10 kilometres towards the Al Oudain district, the first district which links Hodeidah with Ibb.

In south-east Hodeidah, the forces, mainly Al Amalikah brigades which comprise 90 per cent of personnel from South Yemen, seized control of Hays and continued pressing towards the south-west of Taez, said Col Mamoon Al Mahjami, a spokesman for the Al Amalikah forces.

"Our forces took full control over the district of Hays in southern Hodeidah last week and pressed from Wadi Sakam ahead, controlling large swathes in the Maqbanah Shamir district, 18 kilometres from the western Taez province," he said.

They also seized control over strategic posts in the district of Maqbanah. The latest was Al Jamal hills, north of the district of northern Taez.

"Our forces will keep pushing towards Taez and Ibb following the recent gains.

About 200 Houthi fighters were killed in a second week of confrontations in Hays, Al Jarahi, Maqbanah and Jabal Ras, Col Al Mahjami said.

Yemeni army reinforcements arrive to join fighters loyal to Yemen's Saudi Arabia-backed government, on the southern front of Marib. AFP

"They also planted big amounts of landmines and IEDs in the main public school and the mosque in our village.

The rebels resorted to destroying road bridges that link areas in southern Hodeidah with Taez and Ibb.

"They blew up more than six bridges between Hays, Jabal Ras districts in Hodeidah and Ibb province," a Jabal Ras resident told The National anonymously, fearing reprisal.

"They also planted big amounts of landmines and IEDs in the main public school and the mosque in our village.

Yemeni military analysts now expect a turning point in the war.

The joint forces have made crucial gains in the western coast and towards provinces of Ibb and Taez and I expect them to change the equation of the war on the ground, Gen That Hussein, a military expert, told The National.

The recent gains are "very crucial" because they were made in strategic areas linking the three provinces of Hodeidah, Ibb and Taez, which inflicted a fatal blow to the Houthi rebels who werent expecting such large-scale offensive from forces that have already defeated them in the south in 2015.

"The recent offensive of the joint forces on the western coast contributed to ease the pressure the Houthis have been putting on Marin front, so the pro-government troops in Marin should invest that and push the rebels back towards Sanaa, the expert said.

Updated: November 28th 2021, 12:17 PM

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Yemen joint forces make 'crucial progress' in driving Houthis from key areas - The National

Cascade Propertieshas partnered withInch & Co.Development Groupin the renovation and construction of the historic FortRitchie Army Basein Cascade, Maryland. Fort RitchieFortis central to Frederick, and Emmitsburg, Maryland, as well as Gettysburg and Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, and Washington D.C. The base was in use throughoutWorld War II and the Cold War, from 1926-1998, when it officially closed itsdoors.TheUS Army activated the Military IntelligenceTraining Center (MITC) on June 19, 1942, and trained 19,600 intelligencetroops, including the RitchieBoys.

On April 7th,2021, JohnKrumpotichbecame the owner of Fort Ritchie and has expressed hisplans to revive Ritchie and the Cascadecommunity by bringing businesses,historic preservation, and housing to the former 500+/- acre Army Post.Krumpotichhas stated that it is aparamount priority torehabilitate the stone structures on-site to maintain its historic integritywhile bringing each building back to life. Furthermore, this plan will support economic development.Washington County Board of County Commissioners President Jeff Cline says it best, Today, more than ever the development of the Fort Ritchie property is prominent in the revitalization of Cascade and surrounding area. Once part of our economic past, Fort Ritchie is now the lead for economic development into the future for Washington County.

The first phase begins with the cosmetic renovation of 58 units. This development, named Whistling Ridge, is nestled in the foot of the mountains and is currently being renovated by Inch & Co.Construction. These homes are planned to be ready for lease come late Fall 2021. Prices forthese34-bedroom duplexes will begin at $1200 a month and will be managed by Inch& Co. Property Management.

Future plans for Fort Ritchie will include 250 new townhomesand 60 condominiums, as well as 103 single-family homes. If youre looking tojustvisit, Fort Ritchie will also offer lodging. You will be able to choosefrom 17 of the newly renovated Barracks and check-in will take place at thebases well-known castle. The remaining 18 Barracks are planned to becomeadditional retail spaces.

When it comes to building an active community, the need forwork and play is within walking distance. Opportunities to kayak, paddleboard,hike, and even get married surround Fort Ritchie. Throughout the community,there will be more than 50,000sqftof office space and more than150,000sqftof retail space. Talk of a local brewery is already in the works and there areplans for a local restaurant, coffee shop, art gallery,and clothing boutique. Hopesfor a self-sustaining community are on the horizon and are also expected to includea medical facility, charterschool, and a farmers market.

Join Fort Ritchie in their upcoming July 17thFireworksShow!

Contact:

CambriaBailey

Marketing Director at Inch & Co.

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Progress at Fort Ritchie in Cascade, Maryland | Washington County - Washington County Government

One thing the pandemic showed us was how much energy humans consume, and how freaked out we are when that consumption slows down or totally stalls. A colleague told me that the air above Wuhan was the clearest its been in decades when the outbreak pretty much shut it down. That dependence on more and more energy use is really the main problem affecting many issues in our society, from homelessness to physical and mental health. And the two-party U.S. political system is a part of the problem. Both sides want to grow the economy, and the only difference seems to be which side gets the money. Every change of administration just funnels the tax dollars into the friends, associates, lobbyists, political backers, and pundits from one side or the other.

So while one side denies human overuse of energy is a problem, the other side thinks we can somehow replace all of the hydrocarbon-based energy with solar panels and wind. The myths of electric cars and recycling are just that: myths. Because electric cars need recharging from utility power (most fired by fuels) the emissions just go up from the power plants instead of from the cars. And And the whole battery industry is based on mining more and more metals. Much recycling just puts mare and more energy into everything we do, from drinking water to buying groceries; remember drinking fountains?

And lets not fool ourselves by attacking the petroleum industry. Petrol is pretty handy stuff, nice compact energy. I used to live off the grid, and it was pretty good to fire up that little generator in the middle of winter or middle of the night. Think about boats, planes, trains and trucks; they are all wonders of human technology. But weve gotten to the point that everything is based on the Gross National Product. Well if it is based on energy consumption from hydrocarbons, the GNP is really a measure of gross national pollution.

We cant just retool factories from one energy source to another, we have to actually consume less. Mass transit is a great idea, but here in Anchorage weve been cutting it and cutting it, so you better have a car if you want to get around with any kind of ease. Weve been promoting automobiles like crazy. Check out C Street sometime; we all roar up to the next stoplight. For any out-of-towners, welcome to the racetrack we call Anchorage.

So whats an earthling with technical knowledge supposed to do about it? For starters, lets teach our children that petroleum is solar energy from photosynthesis going on in the oceans, and coal is solar energy from terrestrial plants (thats why it has so much ash). Most energy we use is just old solar energy thats been stored underground. But we are using it up very fast, and it seems with no end in sight. Life during the pandemic harkened back to an earlier time when we didnt have to travel thousands of miles to see grandma. Here in Alaska, many people just went to fish camp for the summer. So when people wonder what a solar-based economy would look like, I think the pandemic-era economy is a pretty good example. But of course the government went crazy to save the economy, and here we are again.

The younger generations are having to deal with this overconsumption mess, and were not teaching them the basics of photosynthesis and combustion. All humans need to realize that we are using up the ancient solar energy, much faster than we are getting the new stuff every day. Once we understand that basic idea and teach it to our children, they might have a better chance to actually deal with it. But all we seem to teach them is that energy use is good, and that more energy is better.

That brings me to a story. Lets say that the president decided to save energy by growing vegetables, and encouraged people to take mass transit. And many people did grow their own vegetables and took mass transit. So the economy went down because we sold less food and fewer cars. And thats great, isnt it? Or isnt it? We cannot imagine thats great, because we have been taught all our lives that the economy has to go up. So the question is, why does the economy have to go up? One of our presidents had the saying, Its the economy, stupid. Maybe the new saying should be: Its not the economy, stupid, its the planet.

Mark Martinson has worked on a variety of projects throughout Alaska, and currently teaches chemistry part-time at the University of Alaska Anchorage. He owns a solar energy consulting business, Energy Consult.

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To make climate progress, we need to balance the economy with sustainability - Anchorage Daily News

Amid wildfire, drought and extreme heat exacerbated by climate change impacts, Governor Newsom meets with scientists and climate change experts

Governor directs state agencies to examine how the state can accelerate progress toward climate targets

SACRAMENTO Governor Gavin Newsom today hosted a virtual meeting with internationally renowned scientists and climate change experts to discuss Californias ambitious climate goals, efforts to protect communities from harmful pollution and climate impacts, and how to accelerate the states transition to carbon neutrality.

To meet the urgency of the climate crisis, Governor Newsom has requested theCalifornia Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)andCalifornia Air Resources Board (CARB)to accelerate Californias progress toward its nation-leading climate goals. At the Governors request, CARB will evaluate pathways for the state to achieve carbon neutrality by 2035 in advance of the 2045 target including strategies to reduce fossil fuel demand and supply. The CPUC will work to establish a more ambitious greenhouse gas emissionstarget forelectricity procurementby 2030, stepping up the states pace in achieving zero carbon electricity.Earlier this year, the Governor requested CARB analyze pathways to phase out all oil extraction, focusing on benefits in disadvantaged communities and opportunities for job creation and economic growth.

In California, were not asserting our leadership weve proven it. Weve set audacious goals and actually figured out the how, exceeding our targets on renewables ahead of schedule while outperforming the nation in GDP growth over a five-year period, said Governor Newsom. In this spirit, I want to maintain that leadership across the spectrum and I want to accelerate it, because we dont have time to delay.

The Governor was today joined byDr. Ram Ramanathan who serves as Distinguished Professorat the University of California, San Diego Scripps Institution of Oceanography; Professor Marilyn N. Raphael, Director of the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability and a Professor in the Department of Geography at UCLA; andProfessor Noah Diffenbaugh, a Kara J. Foundation Professor and Kimmelman Family Senior Fellow at Stanford University. The wide-ranging discussion touched on topics including climate change trends, efforts to build resiliency to protect communities from extreme weather events like catastrophic wildfires and advancements in clean technology.

California has always led the U.S. and, I would also say, the world, said Professor Raphael. Not everyone is going to come along at the same time, but people will eventually come because the technologythe scalability, will be there. That it is difficult is a given, but I think its doable. We have brilliant minds in this state, we have to find them and put them to work.

Responding to the moving target of climate change is a fundamental challenge individually and collectively, said Professor Diffenbaugh. California has been a real example of integrating, in real-time, our best understanding into decision-making, and I think the last drought was an example of that and were still seeing that right up to today.

Californias climate policies and programs have cut carbon emissions, created jobs and catalyzed innovation. Californias approach to solving the climate crisis builds on a long history of environmental protection and innovation that can only happen here, in California, where the future happens first.

California has exceeded our 2020 greenhouse gas emissions reduction target four years ahead of schedule while growing our economy 26 percent. California was the first state in the nation to implement a phase-out plan to end the sales of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035, implemented a carbon neutrality commitment no later than 2045, and took decisive action to entirely phase out fracking and oil extraction.

Governor Newsoms California Comeback Plan outlines a $3.675 billion climate resilience packageover three yearstoaddress the states multi-faceted climate risks, including preparingfor extreme heat, sea level rise andaddressingenvironmental justice priorities. Governor Newsoms Planalsoadvances a $3.9 billion investment over three years to hit fast forward on Californias Zero Emission Vehicle goals,demonstrating what is possible with sustained focus and creating substantial health and economic benefits, including jobs, for Californians along the way.

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Governor Newsom Holds Virtual Discussion with Leading Climate Scientists on State's Progress Toward Carbon Neutrality | California Governor - Office...

Globally, the demographic transition from high to low fertility and mortality has improved quality of life for billions of people over the past several decades. The average number of children born per woman worldwide decreased from nearly 5 in 1950 to 2.47 by 2020. Improvements in infant and child mortality boosted life expectancy at birth from a global average of 47 years in 1950 to over 72 years today. These gains in fertility and mortality were a result of rising incomes and significant investments and improvements in public health, education, and family planning access18 months into a global pandemic, its becoming increasingly apparent that COVID-19 has disrupted these gains, slowing progress along the demographic transition for those countries in the earliest stages. This World Population Day is therefore an important opportunity to recommit to investments in health and education and resume our progress in improving lives for the worlds poorest and most vulnerable.

Hunger and poverty increased during the pandemic as COVID-19 disrupted markets and limited access to food, leading to a rise in prices that devastated those with little money to spare. The World Bank expects food insecurity to continue or increase into 2022 as the pandemic rages in low-income countries. This is not just a short-term problem: reduced calorie intake can impair cognitive development and harm earning potential throughout the life course. Sadly, extreme climate events and conflict had already been leading to a rise in hunger prior to COVID-19, with an increase in the number of undernourished from 624 million people in 2014 to 688 million in 2019. From 2000 to 2020 the number of children under 5 years suffering from stuntingimpaired growth and development that children experience from poor nutrition, repeated infection, and inadequate psychosocial stimulationdropped from 33 percent to 22 percent, but it will take a dedicated effort to preserve those gains as food insecurity rises and COVID-19 disruptions continue. Already, since the outbreak of COVID-19, over 100million people have been pushed back intoextreme poverty and chronic hunger.

COVID-19 has also disrupted supply chains for essential health tests and medications. According to the World Health Organization, lockdowns and suspension of trade, among other factors, led to decreased supplies of essential malaria commodities, such as long-lasting insecticidal nets, rapid diagnostic tests, and antimalarial medicines. Children under age 5 accounted for 67 percent (274,000) of all malaria deaths worldwide in 2019; those in Africa are particularly vulnerable, as the region was home to 94 percent of malaria cases and deaths that same year. Given that life expectancy gains are driven by improvements in infant and child mortality in the early stages of the demographic transition, these worsening health outcomes are further evidence of lost headway.

Progress in further reducing mortality has been stalled as COVID-19 competes with other health priorities. Prevention and treatment for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have been particularly crowded out. Early evidence showed that Africans living with NCDs like hypertension and diabetes were more likely to suffer severe cases of, and die from, COVID-19. But the link between NCDs and COVID-19 arent just a problem in Africa. A study of COVID-19 fatalities in Italy found that 98.8 percent of deceased patients had at least one comorbidity, and 48.6 percent had at least three comorbidities.

NCDs were on the rise prior to the pandemic, and cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of death globally. And while that means that communicable diseases are no longer the top killer (a good thing), it also means that people are dying prematurely of NCDs when proper interventions could prolong their lives. The majority of people living with diabetes are in low- or middle-income countries but they dont receive the care they need for proper management. The World Health Organization (WHO) expects a long-term upsurge in deaths from NCDs as a result of the pandemic because of problems like closures of population-level screening programs and government or public transport lockdowns hindering access to the health facilities. In a May 2020 WHO survey, responses from 163 Ministries of Health showed that over 40 percent of countries surveyed experienced disruptions to cancer treatment and almost 30 percent experienced disrupted services for cardiovascular emergencies (including heart attack and stroke).

Womens education and family planning programs are the primary drivers of fertility declinethe other key ingredient in the demographic transition. Education suffered across the board as a result of COVID-19 lockdowns, but those children in poorer families suffered most. Globally, 94 percent of students, 1.6 billion children, were out of school at the peak of school closures in April 2020. As of early this year, around 700 million students worldwide were still expected to learn from homes that often lack electricity or caregivers with the time or skill set to guide their childrens education.Girls education is at even greater risk, as girls are more likely to drop out of school.

Family planning and reproductive health has also been harmed. Clinics were closed and supply chains for contraceptivesmany of which are manufactured in Asiawere disrupted. Limited access to family planning and reproductive health led to 1.4 million unintended pregnancies, more medically-unattended births, and an increase in unsafe abortions. Though much of that is back online now, the consequences of those disruptions will reverberate for a lifetime for those who experienced them firsthand. And the problem continues: 44 percent of countries have reported pandemic-related disruptions to family-planning and contraception services in 2021.

Economic hits to developed countries hamper family planning and reproductive health in poorer countries. The United Kingdom has been the largest funder to the UNFPA, and their decision to cut 85 percent of their funds to the UNFPA flagship program for family planning in 2021 shows just how fragile the current global funding structures are. According to Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of the UNFPA, the $180 million withdrawn by the UK could have been used in 2021 to prevent around 250,000 maternal and child deaths, 14.6 million unintended pregnancies, and 4.3 million unsafe abortions.

The extent to which the demographic transition will be stalled by COVID-19 will be determined by how well we bounce back from the pandemic, and how we use the pandemic as opportunity to shape more effective and empowering interventions. While global fertility is lower today than ever, it has only decreased by half a child per woman on average since the early 1990s. That trend is partly driven by slower fertility declines in sub-Saharan Africa over the past two decades compared with earlier, rapid declines in East Asia and Latin America. Kanem recommends that the global community scale up investments in these services by making them an integral part of national recovery plans. In countries with limited fiscal space, the international community must lend more support through debt relief so that governments do not have to divert funds from health care to pay off creditors.

We must also invest in technology and innovation. One area is in supply chain resilience. USAIDsGlobal Health Supply Chain Program-Procurement and Supply Managementproject has been working with country partners for the past five years to strengthen their public health supply chain. The nearly $10 billion project has delivered enough artemisinin-based combination therapies to treat about320.3 millionmalaria infections and more than12.5 millionpatient years of antiretrovirals to treat HIV.

Educational innovation and resources are also sorely needed. Education in rural parts of low-income countries is weak; even when school enrollments are high, students may lack literacy and numeracy. Columbia economist Alex Eble and colleagues conducted aggressive and sustained education interventions that combined assistant teachers delivering after-school supplementary classes, scripted lesson plans, and frequent monitoring focusing on improving teacher practice (coaching). Their study found that such interventions are effective in addressing inequities. In Guinea Bissau, for example, children receiving the intervention scored 58.1 percentage points better than controls on early grade reading and math tests. Eble and colleagues estimate that effective interventions in the Gambia cost $242 per child per year and in Guinea Bissau cost $425 per child per yeara bargain in some respects, but prohibitive in the sense that both funds and political willingness are needed to support such sustained interventions.

Resuming and even accelerating progress along the demographic transition for those countries at the earliest stages can set the populations on a path to reap significant economic benefits from a more mature age structure. Countries with older age structuresfewer child dependents and a larger working-age populationcan reap a demographic dividend of accelerated economic growth, with benefits to health, education, the economy, and political stability, as Kaitlyn Patierno, Elizabeth Leahy Madsen, and Smita Gaith describe in their chapter in my forthcoming edited volume. While the demographic dividend is not automatic and requires a broad set of policies such as investment in human capital and an open macroeconomic climate, the foundation is demographic change, which COVID-19 has affected.

Investing in good health for all even when theres no pandemic would mean better outcomes when pandemics occur. As health scholar Jeremy Youde has said, The COVID-19 pandemic is exposing the differences in pandemic preparednessamong different states, questions about which groups in society get access to testing and treatment, and the weaknesses in our global institutions due to under-funding and restricted organizational agency. These differences extend well beyond COVID-19 to other health issues and need our attention now.

Jennifer D. Sciubbais a Global Fellow with the Wilson Center and author of the forthcoming book, A Research Agenda for Political Demography. You can hear more about her research on her podcast, Everybody Counts, and find her on Twitter @profsciubba.

Sources: Devex, Istituto Superiore di Sanit, Jennifer Sciubba (2021), Journal of Development Economics, Journal of Population Sciences, Journal of Public Economics, Kaiser Family Foundation, NCD Alliance, Policy, Advocacy, and Communication Enhanced for Population and Reproductive Health, Project Syndicate, The International Planned Parenthood Federation, The World Bank, United Nations, United Nations Population Fund, USAID, World Health Organization

Photo Credit Portrait of African health worker wearing surgical face mask and attending to a child patient also wearing a homemade mask for protection in covid-19 pandemic season-concept on child healthcare, courtesy of Yaw Niel/ Shutterstock.com

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World Population Day 2021 Setbacks in Development and Family Planning Slow Progress Along the Demographic Transition - New Security Beat

The U.S. space agency NASA is reporting new progress on Mars for its experimental helicopter and Perseverance explorer. The helicopter, called Ingenuity, completed its ninth flight on the Red Planet on July 5.

NASA described the flight as the most successful so far. This is because Ingenuity broke several new records: for length of flight, speed and distance.

The helicopters movements are controlled by a team operating from NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California. The team said in the ninth flight, Ingenuity traveled for the first time across what it described as unfriendly terrain. The previous flights involved shorter trips over mostly flat terrain.

The helicopter is working together with NASAs Perseverance explorer, or rover. Currently, both are in an area of Mars known as Stah. The area contains rocks, sandy hills and craters.

This kind of terrain can present challenges for Ingenuity, raising the possibility the aircraft could crash during flight or upon landing. The team says one reason for this is that Ingenuity was built to guide itself with an algorithm designed to fly it across mainly flat ground.

The main goal of the Ingenuity experiment was to demonstrate that a helicopter could successfully take off, fly and land on Mars. The aircraft was not built to perform detailed searches and other complex operations. But since Ingenuity has progressed so well in previous tests, NASA controllers decided to push its limits even further.

The team described the latest flight as a nail-biter. But in the end, it reported Ingenuity was alive and well after completing a trip of 625 meters through challenging terrain. The flight lasted 2 minutes and 46 seconds. The aircraft reached a speed of 5 meters per second.

As it flies, Ingenuity captures detailed images of the surface of Mars. NASA says the helicopters ninth flight was designed to provide the first close view of major science targets that (Perseverance) will not reach for quite some time.

The latest images will be studied by the Perseverance team, which will then decide which areas may be most valuable for the rover to visit. Ingenuity is supporting Perseverances goal to collect Martian soil and rocks to help scientists search for signs of ancient life on the planet.

Self-navigation system

NASA also recently announced that Perseverance has started using an improved self-navigation system as it expands its exploration activities across Mars.

So far, the rovers team at JPL has been planning the navigation paths and sending the travel instructions to Perseverance. But now, NASA says the rover will increasingly take charge of the drive by itself -- using a powerful auto-navigation system.

The system, called AutoNav, first creates a three-dimensional, or 3D, map of the terrain ahead. It then identifies any objects in the path and maps the best way to avoid them. JPL controllers say AutoNav can complete this process without any additional direction from them.

Vandi Verma is a senior engineer, rover planner and driver at JPL. She said in a statement the system gives the rover the ability to think while driving. She added: The rover is thinking about the autonomous drive while its wheels are turning.

NASA says that ability, combined with other improvements, might enable Perseverance to hit a top speed of 120 meters per hour. Another NASA rover on Mars, Curiosity, is equipped with an earlier version of AutoNav. On average, it moves about 30 meters per hour.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Bryan Lynn wrote this story, based on reports from NASA. Hai Do was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

____________________________________________

terrain n. a particular kind of land

crater n. a round hole made by an explosive force such as a bomb or an object falling from the sky

challenge n. a difficult task or problem

algorithm n. a set of steps that are followed in order to solve a mathematical problem or to complete a computer process

nail-biter n. an event that is exciting because you do not know how it will end

navigation n. the movement and leading of things, such as ships or vehicles

three-dimensional (3D) adj. having or appearing to have length, depth and height

autonomous adj. independent and having the power to operate automatically without human involvement

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NASAs Helicopter and Rover Make New Progress on Mars - VOA Learning English

1,200 developers gathered over a 6-week period to build apps that make the world a better place and for the chance to win $40,000 in cash and prizes

BEDFORD, Mass., July 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Progress(NASDAQ: PRGS), the leading provider of products to develop, deploy and manage high-impact businessapplications, today announced the winners of its global hackathon, The Worthy Web. The six-week virtual competition attracted nearly 1,200 participants from 83 countries who submitted 52 projects.

Spanning April 7 to May 24, the event challenged developers to build apps for the good of humanity, using Progress industry-leading Progress Telerik and Progress Kendo UI developer tools. Projects were accepted in nine categories and competed for a total of $40,000 in cash and prizes.

Our goal was to inspire developers to use their skills and our technology to turn their ideas for the betterment of the world into reality, said Sara Faatz, Senior Director, Developer Relations, Progress. We are incredibly impressed with the apps we received and the level of innovation the developer community brought to bear. Congratulations to all winners and all participants who invested time and energy in the hackathon. We look forward to seeing the apps created put into action!

The hackathon winners per category are:

Apps were assessed based on their positive impact on the world or the community, quality of the idea, overall execution and implementation and use of the Progress developer tools.

Telerikand Kendo UI developer tools provide the most modern, feature-rich and professionally designed UI components for web, desktop and mobile applications across the popular .NET and JavaScript frameworks. Leading the market for Blazor development, Telerikdeveloper tools include the richest library of truly native UI components for .NET frameworks, enabling developers to quickly build high-impact applications. Teleriks offering also includes reporting and report management solutions, document processing libraries, automated testing and mocking tools. The Kendo UI components help JavaScript developers build eye-catching, high-performance, responsive web applicationsregardless of their JavaScript framework preference.

For more information about the hackathon and its winners, visit https://progress-worthyweb.devpost.com.

Additional Resources

About ProgressProgress (NASDAQ: PRGS) provides the leading products to develop, deploy and manage high-impact business applications. Our comprehensive product stack is designed to make technology teams more productive, and we have a deep commitment to the developer community, both open source and commercial alike. With Progress solutions, organizations can accelerate the creation and delivery of strategic business applications, automate the process by which apps are configured, deployed and scaled, and make critical data and content more accessible and secureleading to competitive differentiation and business success. Over 1,700 independent software vendors, 100,000+ enterprise customers, and a three-million-strong developer community rely on Progress to power their applications. Learn about Progress at http://www.progress.com or +1-800-477-6473.

Progress, Telerik, KendoReact and Kendo UI are trademarks or registered trademarks of Progress Software Corporation and/or one of its subsidiaries or affiliates in the US and other countries. Any other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

Press Contact: Kim Baker Progress +1-781-280-4000 pr@progress.com

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Progress Announces Winners of The Worthy Web Hackathon - GlobeNewswire

SAN FRANCISCO Feeling Curt Casali needed a day off after he caught the night before, the Giants on Saturday recalled Joey Bart from Triple-A Sacramento and inserted him into their lineup for their game with the Washington Nationals at Oracle Park.

Saturdays appearance for Bart will mark his first full Major League game since Sept. 27 of last year when he was in the lineup for San Franciscos regular-season finale.

To make room on the roster, the Giants optioned right-hander Logan Webb to Sacramento. Webb pitched three scoreless innings Friday in the Giants 5-3 win over the Nationals.

Bart was widely considered the Giants top prospect in 2020 but fizzled in his first taste of the big leagues, hitting .233 with a .609 OPS in 33 games. Bart had seven extra-base hits, including five doubles, but also struck out 41 times.

Theres still some swing and miss in there with Joey that may be a concern for him in the short term, but its something that we believe that he can continue to work on and improve upon going forward, Kapler said. There are no concerns about his ability to drive the baseball.

Bart will hit seventh in the order as hell catch Anthony DeSclafani, who is looking to win for the sixth time in his last seven starts.

Theres enough aptitude in there where some of the holes that he had last year are starting to get smaller, and I think hes a better hitter now than he was when we had him in the summer last year, Kapler said. I think hes a better all-around player, and those improvements speak to the type of baseball player that he can be for us, which is kind of an excellent middle-of-the-order, regular bat if he continues to improve.

Bart said hes a better player now for having gone through for the somewhat humbling experience last year. For Sacramento this season, Bart, 24, is hitting .338 with a .981 OPS in 150 plate appearances. He also has eight home runs and 33 RBI. Hes also shown improvement as a catcher

I feel like Ive improved offensively and defensively, Bart said. Im just trying to become a more complete player, swing at better pitches and try to frame the ball better on the defensive side.

Kapler, the Dodgers former farm director, said a players progress from one level to the next isnt always simple.

Sometimes immediate success isnt sustainable, and sometimes whats best for a player is to be not just humbled, but kind of forced into making some adjustments, Kapler said. With Joey, I think he was, to some degree, and I think hes made a lot of those adjustments and has a chance now to show us that those are going to show up at the major league level, at least for now.

I dont think player development is linear by any stretch, I dont think its predictable, and I think everybody develops at their own pace.

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What Gabe Kapler said about Joey Barts progress from last season - Santa Cruz Sentinel

Kyle Larson (57) races around Lucas Wolfe at Port Royal Speedway. (Dan Demarco photo)

PORT ROYAL, Pa. Anyone whos followed the sprint car career of Lucas Wolfe understands his struggles the last two years.

After Wolfe won his fourth Pennsylvania Speedweek title in July of 2019, things took a dramatic nosedive. He injured his back twice during the second half of 2019, went winless in a 410 in 2020, lost his ride with Barshinger Racing that winter, then parted ways with Mark Coldren after trying a change of scenery.

Through all the tribulation, Wolfe is back where he started, racing for Jim and Laura Allebach in the popular No. 5W Pabst Blue Ribbon colors, and is regaining some of his luster in the process.

On Saturday at Port Royal Speedway, Wolfe finished second to Anthony Macri, the tracks winningest driver since the start of last year, and led laps at the Juniata Valley half mile for the second race in a row.

Wolfe now has four straight top eight finishes for the first time since the downturn began in a nasty accident at Lebanon Valley Speedway in West Lebanon, N.Y., on July 14, 2019.

Weve made some progress, Wolfe said. Theres good spots, bad spots, ultimately we need to fine tune some of the weak areas. Part of it is me driving. Part of it is trying to get the car more comfortable for me driving it in different scenarios.

On June 30 during PA Speedweek, Wolfe led 20 of the 30 laps before falling victim to late-race charges by Kyle Larson, Lance Dewease and Danny Dietrich. On Saturday, Wolfe overtook Steve Buckwalter on a restart with 16 laps to go to lead seven circuits before Macri raced to the win.

Of course, Wolfe would have liked to close the deal on those races, but hes equally content hes racing for victories again, and doing so against the likes of Larson, Macri, Dewease, and Dietrich.

That makes it a better gauge, I think, for me to evaluate where were at, what were doing, where were wrong, or whatever, Wolfe said. In those situations, you still have to come up with a way to make it happen, I believe. Just didnt quite have enough for [Saturday].

Wolfe does have one win on the year: a triumph on April 23 at Williams Grove Speedway. A potential second win slipped through the cracks on Saturday when Wolfe couldnt quite discern the most efficient way around the wide racing surface of Port Royal. While Wolfe searched, Macri ran him down and needed just one slide job to take control.

When youre out leading and not totally sure on where to be its a little bit of a tricky spot, said Wolfe, trying to regain his comfortability in clean air.

His runner-up on Saturday gives him four podium finishes in 37 races this year, as well as his third top five over the past four races.

He is coming off a formidable PA Speedweek, too, where he finished sixth in the PA Speedweek points behind Dietrich, Brent Marks, Rico Abreu, Justin Peck and Paul McMahan.

With big races looming, such as the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Sprint Car Series returning to Williams Grove on July 23-24 and the $10,000-to-win Dream Race at Port Royal July 31, Wolfe hopes to continue his comeback trail.

Continuing to run toward the front more consistently is a good thing for me long-term, of course, Wolfe said. Hopefully its something were able to continue, this kind of pace and results, moving forward.

Continued here:

After Another Strong Run, Wolfe Making Progress - SPEED SPORT - SPEED SPORT

Vanderbilt Universitys Green Invest Program partnership with the Tennessee Valley Authority and Nashville Electric Service has been recognized with a 2021 Governors Environmental Stewardship Award, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation announced July 8.

The annual honors are considered the most prestigious environmental and conservation awards in Tennessee and support the governors priorities of job and economic development and health and welfare while also supporting TDECs priorities of public-private partnerships and positive environmental outcomes. Now in its 35th year, the awards program recognizes exceptional voluntary actions that improve or protect the environment and natural resources with projects or initiatives not required by law or regulation.

Launched in January 2020, Vanderbilts Green Invest Program partnership with TVA and NES to procure off-site large-scale renewable energy to help mitigate the campus greenhouse gas emissions served as a model for other companies and schools within the TVA region. In its second phase, a supplemental agreement partnering with Metro Nashville was established in November 2020, showcasing the universitys commitment to collaborating with other leaders in the region to make impactful change.

We invested time and resources to collaborate with TVA and NES to construct this new program because it not only will benefit our city and Middle Tennessee, but it also is scalable across the TVA region, Chancellor Daniel Diermeier said. This project is a tremendous model of how the universitys mission of research and positive societal impact can be brought to bear to address an immediate problem and also serve as the foundation for future innovation and progress.

The program will allow for educational and research opportunities at the renewable energy facilities once theyre openedincluding internships, research studies and outreach events.

The award comes shortly after the announcement of the universitys newest collaboration with nonprofit Climate Vault. This collaboration allows Vanderbilt to address the full extent of its carbon footprint now, achieving carbon neutrality decades ahead of its initial 2050 goal.

The university also continues to accelerate its positive impact in addressing global warming through investments in on-site clean energy, decreased carbon footprint from vehicles, additional green spaces on campus, reduced waste consumption and sustainable infrastructure.

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Vanderbilt wins Governors Environmental Stewardship Award for energy and renewable resources progress - Vanderbilt University News

In football, timing is everything. In the week Alastair Clarkson was effectively put on the market by Hawthorns hurriedly announced succession plan, David Teague could have done with a soft kill to keep the wolves at bay. In the event Carlton were pitted against the might of Geelong. The Blues coach needed everything to go right but as has been the case for much of his tenure, not a lot did.

Teague, nor Carlton for that matter, will not be judged solely on an honourable loss to a top-four side. But taking a scalp like the Cats will have done no harm to Teagues hopes of keeping his job. It was not to be, again, and the prosecutions case against Teague and the credibility of the side he leads is gathering steam.

Though beaten soundly enough at the MCG, the Blues were not terrible. They enjoyed periods of domination, particularly in the first half, but where Teague demanded relentlessness his men conjured clemency. Where Teague demanded the instincts of an assassin, his men were profligate Carlton had 1.13 on the scoreboard at one point while managing to kick 11 consecutive behinds. If Geelong were on the hook at any stage, their temperate hosts ensured they would not stay there for long.

The Blues were pulling off a magic trick that is familiar and all too becoming of a team built on pretence: they were simultaneously playing very well and very poorly. And that is just so Carlton. They threaten to be a good team but are in fact a million miles away from becoming one. Supporting them must feel like a sentence at times.

Teague himself must feel as if he is on death row. Now into his second full season in charge, his time is running out to illustrate some level of progress. His current deal expires at the end of 2022 but unless the Blues finish the season with a flourish he might not be afforded a stay of proceedings.

With Teague certain to be a central topic of discussion in the clubs review of its football department, the added element of Clarksons availability places greater heat on the Carlton incumbent. As long as theyre transparent and clear with me, Im comfortable. I understand it, Teague told the ABC about a possible Carlton move for Clarkson.

Though Clarkson is due to finish up at the Hawks at the end of 2022, a time frame that would fit snugly with Teagues deal should the Blues make a concerted bid for the four-time premiership coach, there are forces at play elsewhere that could bring things forward dramatically.

Clarkson might be on record as committed to seeing out his contract with Hawthorn Im contracted until the end of next year and I am staying here, he said last week but with Collingwood on the hunt, and possibly Gold Coast before too long, advancements for Clarkson will come. With the Hawks coach gettable, Carlton must decide if they want to enter the race for the finest football mind of his generation.

The next four weeks shape as a make-or-break period for Teague. With games against Collingwood, North Melbourne, St Kilda and Gold Coast, the Blues have a chance to assuage the doubters and prove they are making strides forward under Teagues tutelage. Should they continue on their up-and-down trajectory, however, it would be hard to describe Teague as anything other than a dead man walking.

But even a strong finish to 2021 might not be enough to spare him. One thing the Blues wont be doing this season is playing finals football, making it eight years in succession the post-season has been held without Carltons involvement. For a so-called big Melbourne club, this is unacceptable; Teague will have a raft of KPIs attached to his role but the overriding one would be to take the club into the top eight.

Thank you for your feedback.

Despite the promise and expectation, he will have failed to deliver. If they made finals, they have got to continue with David Teague, no doubt, Carlton great Robert Walls told Fairfax at the start of this season. But if they didnt, they will probably have to cast the net and look at whats about.

Which brings the discussion back to Clarkson. Until we know better, we might have to take it as read that he is intent on fulfilling his moral obligation to Hawthorn. At the end of next year, Im hoping to be able to take a breath and see what life looks like, he said. What I call the five Fs family, football, friends, my farm and fitness.

It is unlikely, however, he will be given such peace between now and then. There are clubs out there, Carlton being one of them, that know a man like Clarkson can deliver them an F they want more than anything else: finals.

Originally posted here:

Teagues time running out to illustrate any AFL progress at Carlton - The Guardian

Change can be hard, especially when it comes to attitudes about mental health.

But a program addressing that as well as physical fitness is at least bringing awareness to the forefront within one local police department.

July marks one year since Mentor created its Officer Safety and Wellness Program, paid for with a $33,906 grant from the Department of Justices COPS Office.

Our goal when we started this program was to change the culture of the Mentor Police Department, said Capt. Michael Majernik, who oversees the program. We wanted our employees to realize that mental health issues are real and part of the job. We wanted to give them proper avenues to address these issues.

We also wanted to stress to our employees that mental and physical health are intertwined. We knew we weren't going to change the culture overnight but are happy with the progress we've made so far.

The grant money was used to cover costs including a department-assigned program facilitator and contracts with Lake Health and Crossroads to supply related training and services.

A personal trainer helps promote physical health via exercise routines, alongside training on wellness topics such as proper nutrition, the importance of rest and stress management.

Personal trainer Bobby Kaleal assists Mentor Police Capt. Michael Majernik during a workout as part of the department's Officer Safety and Wellness program.

In addition, Crossroads Health provides training and education related to mental health, assists in building a peer-support system and offers counseling sessions.

Participation in the program is voluntary, but the goal is to get as many officers onboard as possible.

I don't have an exact number of those that have participated, but we have had a good number of officers and staff that have participated in classroom presentations by our peer supporters as well as the physical trainers, Majernik said. A good number of officers have also reached out to the personal trainers to develop workout and diet plans.

Police work leads to post-traumatic stress disorder in an estimated 15 percent of U.S. police officers, according to Blue H.E.L.P., a nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring the service of law enforcers who committed suicide.

There were 239 such deaths nationwide in 2019, and the number had been steadily rising since 2016 when Blue H.E.L.P. records began until 2020. Amid the pandemic, that number dipped to 173.

Job-related stress increases the risk of hypertension, musculoskeletal pain, obesity, cardiovascular disease, panic attacks, phobia and substance abuse, as well as suicide, police Chief Ken Gunsch has said.

Other challenges for police include long hours, unpredictable schedules, exposure to critical incidents, various physical demands and high rates of on-the-job injuries.

The bottom line is law enforcement needs all the support they can get, said Bobby Kaleal of Bodies Done Right, LLC, a consultant for Lake Health who developed the wellness program. We need to help provide them with all the tools to reach their potential mentally, emotionally, physically, nutritionally and psychologically.

The department has applied for another grant to build on the successes made thus far.

However, the program is designed to be sustainable, regardless of whether another grant is available.

We have trained five peer supporters and have one officer who will be certified as a tactical strength and conditioning facilitator in the very near future, Majernik said. This will allow us to continue to build our Wellness Program, with trained personnel on staff.

While the program has been well-received within the department, the effort to end the stigma surrounding mental health continues.

Our goal is to break down that stigma, he said. I think the Wellness Program is starting to chip away at it. It is going to take time, but I think we are making good progress.

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Mentor Officer Safety, Wellness program 'making good progress' after one year - News-Herald.com

Editor's note: BioPharma Dive, as part of our gene therapy coverage, is taking a closer look at inherited diseases for which researchers are developing genetic medicines. We aim to give a brief overview of the pipeline and lay out what could come next for such drugs. This, on sickle cell disease, is our latest.

Sickle cell disease is one of the world's most common inherited blood disorders, though that isn't reflected in the number of treatments for it. Three new drugs hit the market between 2017 and 2019. But before those additions, nearly two decades had passed since the Food and Drug Administration last approved a sickle cell medicine.

Now, a handful of companies are looking to not just treat the disease, but potentially cure it. Their goal, broadly, is to fix the mutations that cause sickle cell through the use of cutting-edge gene editing technologies. One of these treatments has already advanced to the final stage of human testing, and is expected to be submitted for approval late next year or early in 2023.

A one-time, possibly curative treatment would be momentous, as the median life expectancy for someone living with sickle cell is estimated to be between 45 to 55 years in the U.S. The disease also causes strokes, organ damage and episodes of severe pain known as vaso-occlusive crises. Genetic medicines developed by Bluebird bio and by CRISPR Therapeutics and Vertex Pharmaceuticals have shown promising signs that they can mostly eliminate vaso-occlusive crises, although further testing is needed to better understand if they have limitations or if their effects might wear off over time.

Such treatments raise tough questions, though. Gene-based treatments are very expensive and fairly difficult to make, which presents a major problem in sickle cell given that many people with the disease live in lower-income countries. Drug developers like Novartis say they're tailoring their work to address some of these issues, but it's unclear how well they'll be able to remedy long-standing problems of access and equity.

Sickle cell is caused by mutations in the gene that creates hemoglobin, the protein on red blood cells responsible for carrying oxygen.

Patients therefore experience the disease differently depending on their genetic make-up. Those with two copies of the mutated gene have more serious symptoms, like anemia, which happens because sickled red blood cells die much sooner than their healthy counterparts.

Sickled cells are also hard, sticky and misshapen, so they pose the threat of clumping together and causing a stroke.

In more severe cases, the symptoms require patients to get blood transfusions. There are also a few medications available specifically for complications of the disease, in particular the painful episodes that happen when sickled cells clog a blood vessel. The FDA approved a drug called hydroxyurea in the late 1990s for adults experiencing these vaso-occlusive crises. Then it approved another, an oral powder, in 2017.

In 2019, the FDA cleared two more medicines for market: Novartis' Adakveo, which helps reduce the frequency of vaso-occlusive crises, and Global Blood Therapeutics' Oxbryta, which is meant to inhibit red blood cells from sickling and breaking down. Novartis and Global Blood set the monthly list prices for their drugs between $7,000 and $10,400.

Additionally, a cure for sickle cell exists in the form of bone marrow transplants, though the treatments can cause life-threatening side effects and even death.

As with other diseases, genetic medicines for sickle cell are being positioned as long-lasting and, potentially, curative treatments.

If the therapies now showing promise continue to prove effective over time, they could eliminate the long-term symptoms of sickle cell, allowing patients to go without blood transfusions. Lessening or removing the need for blood transfusions would both lower the cost of care as well as avoid the related buildup of iron in the blood, which can require separate treatment.

Gene-based treatments could also prevent vaso-occlusive crises a main reason for hospitalization among sickle cell patients, who sometimes need strong painkillers like opioids.

Some clinical studies of sickle cell gene therapies are enrolling children. However, should any therapy come to market, older children or adults would likely be the first recipients, given the risks and uncertainties.

A handful of companies have ushered genetic medicines for sickle cell into clinical trials, with the majority still in earlier stages. The farthest along is Bluebird's LentiGlobin, which is designed to deliver an engineered version of the gene that codes for hemoglobin.

SOURCE: Companies, clinicaltrials.gov

To make LentiGlobin, Bluebird takes a patient's stem cells, uses special viruses to outfit them with the corrected gene and then reinfuses them.

This is different from the gene-editing approach favored by several other main developers. At least two sets of partners CRISPR and Vertex, and Novartis and Intellia Therapeutics are using the Nobel Prize-winning CRISPR-cas9 technology to get stem cells to produce high levels of what's known as fetal hemoglobin. Fetal hemoglobin is a form of the vital protein, but it stops being produced roughly six months after a person is born. Gene editing, in theory, keeps the switch for this protein on, helping remedy the main problems associated with sickle cell.

Genetic medicines have already shown promise treating sickle cell. A small study of Bluebird's found that, after treatment, hemoglobin levels were close to what's considered normal, and almost no patients experienced vaso-occlusive crises or acute chest syndrome, another symptom of the disease.

CRISPR and Vertex gave a similarly positive update on their program last month. The companies' said that the small group of sickle cell patients given their therapy, named CTX001, had yet to experience vaso-occlusive crises following treatment. Data also suggest their therapy can have a long-lasting effect.

The breakthroughs didn't come without setbacks, however. Bluebird's LentiGlobin program has faced multiple delays tied to manufacturing and safety concerns. In February, the company halted two of its sickle cell studies after one participant developed leukemia and another appeared to have a disease of the bone marrow. Bluebird has since conducted an investigation and determined its therapy was "very unlikely" to be related to the cancer case.

In April, Bluebird said the bone marrow diagnosis had been revised to a condition known as transfusion-dependent anemia.

Bluebird was allowed to resume its sickle cell studies in June. Prior to the study halt, the company had said it planned to ask for approval in late 2022, although that may now be delayed.

Sticking to that timeline would put Bluebird well ahead of rival therapies, according to an analysis by the investment bank Raymond James. The next closest is CRISPR and Vertex's treatment, which Raymond James analysts think could be submitted for approval in two to three years. Testing, after a slower start, is now moving quickly, however.

Behind that, genetic medicines from Aruvant Sciences and partners Sanofi and Sangamo Therapeutics are on track to be filed in three to five years, according to Raymond James.

In the meantime, there are many uncertainties to contend with. Researchers are still trying to understand whether genetic medicine will work for all sickle cell patients, or whether it'll live up to its potential as a lifelong fix for the disease.

Even if these treatments do reach the market, they'll likely still face challenges. For example, therapies currently in development use toxic conditioning regimens to prepare patients' bodies for cell reinfusion, and that may restrict who's able or willing to receive them.

In a recent note, analysts at Stifel wrote that they see the toxic regimens as "limiting the commercial opportunity" for the kinds of treatments being developed by Bluebird, Vertex and CRISPR. "We of course view these events in the context of profound efficacy," the analysts wrote, "but even so, we don't expect the risk/benefit of these agents to resonate with younger, more mild patients."

Excerpt from:

Gene therapy for sickle cell disease: progress and competition - BioPharma Dive

The article Murrysville library program will focus on Turtle Creeks history, recovery (June 25, TribLIVE) stated that in the early 1970s, members of the Turtle Creek Watershed Association began working with the University of Pittsburgh and the state to make the stream more hospitable for aquatic life. An earlier Trib article noted that one of the worst mine drainages is into Brush Creek, which flows into Turtle Creek, in Irwin.

I live downstream from Irwin, and I have had a large turtle (1 foot across) come into my yard from Brush Creek to eat the fish in my pond several times. The turtle was orange from the creek. Also I have had great blue herons, mallard ducks and Canada geese come into my yard from the creek. So the association must be making some headway.

Brush Creek is doing well, but a problem with Turtle Creek is that the Army Corps of Engineers built steep cement sides for flooding stabilization, which doesnt help wildlife but helps to prevent peoples homes from being flooded.

Susan Stiles

North Huntingdon

Link:

Letter to the editor: Progress on Turtle Creek - TribLIVE

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A major development on Thursday in the bankruptcy of the maker of the painkiller OxyContin is one more sign of progress in the long-stalled efforts to resolve the litigation over the opioid crisis.

Attorneys general for a handful of states, including New York, ended their opposition to Purdue Pharmas bankruptcy plan, clearing the way for a $4.5 billion settlement.

The progress comes many years into the effort by state and local governments to hold makers, distributors, and sellers of prescription opioids responsible for the opioid crisis, which killed nearly 500,000 people between 1999 and 2019, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In a cover story in the fall of 2019, Barrons reported that the enormously complex litigation, involving thousands of plaintiffs and a diverse range of defendants, was entering a critical phase.

The Covid-19 pandemic, however, derailed progress, as court dates were canceled and trials postponed.

The CEO of one of the many defendants in the sprawling litigation, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (ticker: TEVA), told Barrons in May 2020 that the postponement of a key trial in New York had pushed off the finalization of a settlement deal.

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Unfortunately in these cases it seems like the lawyers dont really get the final things done until you have some time pressure, and that probably means we wont see a final settlement until we get close to a new, rescheduled New York trial, Teva CEO Kre Schultz said at the time.

That New York trial, the first opioid trial to be held before a jury, has finally started. Opening statements began in late June. There are also trials ongoing in state court in California and in federal court in West Virginia.

Whats more, Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) in late June reached a $230 million settlement with New York state in late June, in advance of the start of the trial. The company said at the time that the settlement wasnt an admission of liability or wrongdoing.

Movement on this trial may advance completion of a final settlement with the plaintiffs, UBS analyst Kevin Caliendo wrote at the time. JNJ has now set a bar here, potentially catalyzing other defendants to reach settlements and failure to do so will not bode well for sentiment.

Those additional settlements have not yet come. Even if they do, theres still a theres a long way to go. The so-called multidistrict litigationa massive proceeding in federal court in Cleveland that brings together thousands of separate casesis working toward a number of trials, including one set to begin in October.

The litigation has been a long-term overhang for shares of some of the defendants. This year, shares of some of the generic drugmakers that are defendants in the cases have fallen, including Teva, which is down 3.7%, and Endo International (ENDP), which is down 46%.

Shares of drug distributors are doing better this year, with AmerisourceBergen (ABC) up 18% and Cardinal Health (CAH) up 6.6%, while the S&P 500 is up 16%.

Write to Josh Nathan-Kazis at josh.nathan-kazis@barrons.com

Read more from the original source:

Purdue Deal Comes Amid Progress on Opioid Litigation. What to Expect Next. - Barron's

This fact sheet will be periodically updated to account for new policy developments. It was last updated on July 8, 2021. Click here to view other fact sheets in this series.

On April 21, 2021, one day after a Minneapolis jury convicted former police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) had opened an investigation into the city of Minneapolis and the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD). The civil probe will assess whether the MPD engages in a pattern or practice of unconstitutional or unlawful policing, marking the first pattern-or-practice investigation under the Biden administration. Less than a week later, Garland announced a second investigation, this time into the Louisville/Jefferson County metro government and the Louisville Metro Police Department, whose police officers shot and killed Breonna Taylor in her apartment while executing a no-knock search warrant.

As the DOJ under the Biden administration ramps up its use of pattern-or-practice investigations, here is what you need to know about this vital tool for bringing about police reform and accountability.

In 1994, in the aftermath of an independent commissions finding that linked the beating of Rodney King to institutional failure within the Los Angeles Police Department, Congress authorized the attorney general to investigate law enforcement agencies for a pattern or practice of conductthat deprives persons of rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States. These investigations, commonly referred to as pattern-or-practice investigations, focus on widespread or systemic misconductas opposed to isolated or sporadic instances of wrongdoingwhich might include routine uses of excessive force; repeated stops, searches, or arrests that are unreasonable; and discrimination based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, disability, or sex. As such, pattern-or-practice investigations differ from criminal civil rights prosecutions of individual law enforcement officers by the DOJ, which focus on specific instances of police misconduct.

The Civil Rights Division of the DOJ first identifies potential subjects for investigation by examining publicly available information, allegations brought by witnesses and complainants, and its own research on common or developing issues in law enforcement nationwide. If the division decides to open a probe, the Special Litigation Section immediately engages a variety of stakeholders in the jurisdiction, including community members and victims of police misconduct, officers at all levels of rank, police unions and affinity groups, and local government leaders. And while no investigation is the same, almost all involve reviewing written policies and systems for accountability, observing officer training and activities, and analyzing data of relevant incidents.

At the end of the probe, the division issues its findings in a public report or letter. If the law enforcement agency is found to have engaged in a pattern of unconstitutional or unlawful policing, the division can negotiate a reform package with the police department to remedy the systemic failures identified during the investigation. A federal court signs off on the legally binding agreement, called a consent decree, and often appoints an independent monitoring team to oversee the implementation of the mandated reforms. Alternatively, the DOJ can offer reform recommendations that are not legally binding in a technical assistance letter or negotiate a memorandum of agreementa court-enforceable contract that is similar to a consent decree but does not require ongoing oversight. If an agreement cannot be reached, the division may look to compel the reforms through civil litigation.

Building on this federal model, a number of states have statutorily empowered their state attorneys general to conduct their own pattern-or-practice investigations. In 2000, California became the first to do so, prompting then-state Attorney General Bill Lockyer to secure a consent decree with the Riverside Police Department a year later. In the wake of national protests against police violence in 2020, Colorado, Virginia, and Nevada passed similar legislation aimed at combating systemic police misconduct. With this newfound authority, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser opened a pattern-or-practice investigation into the Aurora Police Department following the death of Elijah McClain. Similarly, Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring announced that he was investigating patterns or practices of misconduct within the Windsor Police Department after its officers pepper sprayed a Black U.S. Army medic in uniform while holding him at gunpoint during a traffic stop.

Critics of pattern-or-practice investigations have arguedthat the resulting police reform agreements tie the hands of police officers and therefore undermine public safety. But research suggests the opposite to be true. For example, a study from the Harvard Kennedy School found that Los Angeles experienced lower crime rates and a higher quality of enforcement activity after its police department implemented a consent decree.

While some opponents point to data showing crime spikes in certain jurisdictions immediately after they entered into reform agreements, such increases have been temporary and diminished over time. In fact, the Center for American Progress found that in all 10 analyzed jurisdictions that fulfilled a reform agreement, violent crime rates declined in the years thereafter. Moreover, research from the University of Pennsylvania found that the use of consent decreeswhen accompanied by court-appointed monitoringwas linked to a 29 percent reduction in officer-related fatalities.

Kenny Lo is a former research associate for Criminal Justice Reform at the Center for American Progress.

Read more here:

The Facts on Pattern-or-Practice Investigations - Center For American Progress - Center For American Progress