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Winter visitors: Seals popping up on beaches along the Outer Banks – OBXToday.com

Posted on January 9, 2021 by Danzig

A seal stopped for a rest in Kitty Hawk this week. [Photo by Outer Banks - Brindley Beach]

Its that time of year! Several young seals have showed up for a rest this week on the beaches of Kitty Hawk, Nags Head, Duck in Corolla. And while they may look injured, theyre usually fine. Just resting.

This seal rested in the dunes in Kitty Hawk for several days the week of Jan. 4. [Kari Pugh photo]Seals are common winter tourists along local beaches, with at least a dozen taking a break on the Outer Banks since December. After leaving their mothers, young seals venture outside of northern territories in search of food, and often stop here to sun and sleep.

Look who decided to visit one of our ocean front homes today.

Dont worry, these seals often come up to rest and take a brief vacation during their winter travels.

Posted by Outer Banks Brindley Beach onTuesday, January 5, 2021

The OBX Marine Mammal Stranding Network offers the following tips for those who see a resting seal:

Report seal sightings to the OBX Stranding Response Team at 252-455-9654.

Have photos of a seal you sighted on our beaches? Share with the MMSN, adding date, location and your name. Email to [emailprotected]

LEADING OFF: What’s happening in and around the Beaches – The Florida Times-Union

Posted on January 9, 2021 by Danzig

For ShorelinesLibrary book sale

Resolved to do more reading in 2021? Get a head start at the pop-up book sale hosted by the Friends of the Beaches Branch Library (FOBBL) on Saturday, Jan. 9, from 1 to 4 p.m. The sale takes place outside, in front of the Jacksonville Public Library Beaches Branch.

Hundreds of gently used books will be offered, at $.50 each for childrens books and $2 each for teen or adult books. Customers may pay by cash, check or credit card.

You can also join the Friends group. Proceeds from the book sale benefit the FOBBLs efforts to support the Beaches community through promoting and developing programs that enhance the librarys services, resources and facilities.

The Beaches Branch library is located at 600 Third St. in Neptune Beach. Follow the Friends group on Facebook @FOBBL.

Atlantic Beach Mayor Ellen Glasser, Jacksonville Beach Mayor Chris Hoffman and Neptune Beach Mayor Elaine Brown will address the State of the Beaches during the Beaches Watch meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 13 at 7 p.m. The meeting will allow Beaches citizens to hear each of the local mayors talk about the state of their cities: 2020 accomplishments, plans for 2021 and state legislative session priorities for their city. Citizens will also have an opportunity to submit questions to the mayors.

Due to COVID-19 concerns, the meeting will be a virtual meeting and participants can join the meeting via computer or tablet using the Zoom platform, or they can listen to the meeting via phone. The meeting is open to the public. For details on how to join the meeting, visit BeachesWatch.com. For more information call (904) 878-0435 or email info@beacheswatch.com.

Community Hospice & Palliative Care has launched a new program designed to assist those struggling with the loss of a loved one during these difficult times.

Understanding Grief: A Virtual Program for the Newly Bereaved is designed to help people learn that healing is possible after the death of a loved one and there are effective ways to cope with grief and loss. The 90-minute virtual workshop will help attendees: Identify normal responses to loss; identify coping skills that may be helpful; and understand the importance of self-care in the grieving process.

Dates and times:

All Community Hospice & Palliative Care bereavement services are free of charge and are available to anyone in the community for up to 13 months after a loved ones death. Understanding Grief is designed to be most helpful for those who have experienced a loss within the last 90 days, and are at least 18 years old.

Tune in to The BookMark on Friday, Jan. 15 at 7 p.m. for a virtual conversation with award-winning author Olga Grushin and author Karen Fowler as they introduce Grushins new book, The Charmed Wife.

A spellbinding, sophisticated literary fairy tale for the 21st century, The Charmed Wife is part dark epilogue to the renowned tale of Cinderella and part feminist revenge fantasy. Grushin's subversive fourth novel picks up with the eponymous heroine 13 years after her marriage to Prince Charming brought her the seemingly perfect life but the princess wants out. It's a captivating psychological adventure that upends conventional wisdom about one of the most well-known stories in modern history.

Born in Moscow, Grushin moved to the United States at 18, and is the author of three previous novels. Her debut novel, The Dream Life of Sukhanov,'' won the New York Public Library Young Lions Fiction Award, and was one of The New York Times' Notable Books of the Year. Her work has been translated into 16 languages.

Karen Fowler is the author of six novels, including Booker Prize finalist and international bestseller We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, Wits End and The Jane Austen Book Club.

Check the stores Facebook page (@BookmarkBeach) for a link to reserve your spot and meet these award-winning authors. For more information, visit BookmarkBeach.com, email bkmark@bellsouth.net or call (904) 241-9026.

The Beaches Museum will host a volunteer interest meeting on Saturday, Jan. 16 from 10:30 a.m to noon.

Attendees will receive a behind-the-scenes tour of the museum, archives and collections, as well as the History Park, to learn more about the various volunteer opportunities currently available. Registration is required and will be limited in order to maintain social distancing.

For more information, go to BeachesMuseum.org or call (904) 241-5657.

The Beaches Museum has opened a new exhibit, "Breaking Ground: Beyond Bathing Beauties."

The exhibit explores the popular image of beach women as bathing beauties, which only hints at the diverse lives of women at the Beaches. From the first settlers to women of today, this exhibit provides the opportunity to explore the many dynamic roles of women as proprietors, laundresses, civic leaders and more.

The exhibit continues the museums year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment.

A companion event takes place on Saturday, Jan. 30, 2021, and will be a Storytellers program with the groundbreaking female mayors of the Beaches, past and present.

The mayors will discuss their service to the community and the stories behind their motivation to run for office. Learn what it takes to not only survive, but thrive as a female leader at the Beaches.

"Breaking Ground: Beyond Bathing Beauties" is sponsored by Florida Womens Law Group, the Rotary Club of Ponte Vedra and Chao Framing. For more information about this exhibit, visit BeachesMuseum.org or call (904) 241-5657.

Submit events to shorelines@jacksonville.com.

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LEADING OFF: What's happening in and around the Beaches - The Florida Times-Union

Dangerous waves to slam San Diego beaches this weekend – The San Diego Union-Tribune

Posted on January 9, 2021 by Danzig

A powerful swell out of the northwest will slam San Diego County beaches this weekend, producing 4- to 8-foot waves, with sets to 10 feet, at favored breaks, particularly south of Torrey Pines, says the National Weather Service.

The conditions are likely to lead lifeguards to close the Ocean Beach Pier for part of the weekend, for the second weekend in a row.

The greatest threat people face is being caught unaware by a breaking wave and getting knocked down, or even washed out to sea, said Mark Moede, a weather service forecaster. You should not turn your back on the ocean.

The threat is heightened at this time of year. There are fewer lifeguards at the coast. And the ocean is cold. Local sea surface temperatures are in the 56 to 59 degree range.

Lifeguards say you shouldnt turn your back to the ocean during a big swell

(Gary Robbins /The San Diego Union-Tribune )

Moede said the swell will arrive on Friday and will peak on Saturday. The waves will moderate on Sunday, then become dangerously big again on Monday. A high surf advisory will be in effect through 2 p.m. on Tuesday.

A large swell hit greater San Diego last Sunday and hit and, in some cases, knocked over beach-goers in Sunset Cliffs who got too close to the ocean.

Temperatures will be in the seasonal range, topping out at about 65 degrees in San Diego on Friday and Saturday. It could be even chillier at local beaches due to the sea breeze.

San Diego will reach 70 on Sunday when weak Santa Ana winds flow from the mountains to the sea.

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Dangerous waves to slam San Diego beaches this weekend - The San Diego Union-Tribune

In Nags Head, questions over beach nourishment funding – The Outer Banks Voice

Posted on January 9, 2021 by Danzig

By Michelle Wagner | Outer Banks Voice on January 8, 2021

The Dredge Liberty Island pumps sand onto the beach near Jennettes Pier in Nags Head early on Sunday, July 28, 2019. (www.nagsheadnc.gov)

County plans to fund sand pumping efforts in both Southern Shores and Avon by withholding $1.4 million in beach re-nourishment funds from each of the five oceanfront communities was met with some pushback from Nags Head Commissioners at their Jan. 6 meeting while sparking a broader discussion on funding mechanisms for these projects.

During a presentation to commissioners, County Manager Bobby Outten explained that both Southern Shores and Avon need beach nourishment, but that the current $8.5 million in the countys fund falls short of whats needed to help finance the two projects. But, he said, reducing the countys contributions for replenishment efforts to each town by $1.4 million the same amount the towns received in a state grant this fall for beach nourishment projects would free up enough money to do so.

We got lucky, I suppose, at least from my perspective, Outten told the Nags Head Commissioners.

But not everyone appeared to share that view.

Expressing dismay about the loss in revenue, commissioners voiced concern over how the beach nourishment fund which comes from a portion of the occupancy tax is divvied up among the towns, asked about assurances of future funding and wondered whether there was a better source of funding that could be explored other than occupancy tax revenues.

Commissioner Michael Siers, referring to the state grant, contended the county was trying to retrieve grant money that we received for damages from Dorian.

In response, Outten asserted: Thats not correctWe are not taking any of your money. You got a grant that had nothing to do with Dorian or anything else, it was just a grant. We got one as well.

For his part, Commissioner Webb Fuller suggested the county needed a formula that provides some degree of certainty about how much each community is going to receive in the future and asked if funds were being dispersed fairly.

Outten responded that such a formula already exists, one that projects 10 years into the future.

You assume none of that has occurred but the [beach nourishment model] shows you what we are going to give each community into the future, he said. Speaking of equity, the county manager said, every community has skin in the game because everybody is going to be taxed.

Beginning in 2011 with the Nags Head beach nourishment project, the county has contributed roughly 50 percent to each towns sand pumping efforts and also commits money for future maintenance projects. Towns also fund their perspective projects through municipal and service district taxes.

In response to a question by Commissioner Renee Cahoon about whether Avon property owners on the west side of N.C. 12 would be taxed, Outten said the community would likely be faced with a 40-cent tax on oceanside property and a 10-cent tax in other areas of the community to help fund its project.

Outten told commissioners if the county moves forward with its intended plan, You are going to be in exactly the same place, with exactly the same amount of sand, exactly the same amount of everything. You just wont have as much of it funded with Dares money.

He added, If there is a better way to do this, wed love to hear it. Our goal is to take care of the beaches of Dare County as a whole and if there is a better way to do it, we want to do it.

Following Outtens presentation, Commissioner Kevin Brinkley observed that, What the county is doing is, they already spent money out of that fund, but yet hes coming to us now asking for our blessing, our okay, to spend the rest of the money for the projects.

At the conclusion of the discussion, commissioners considered the need to pursue different funding options for beach nourishment and floated the idea of local professionals in the field forming a working group to explore those options. Mayor Ben Cahoon said he would suggest a gathering of the mayors following COVID-19 guidelines to discuss possibilities.

County Manager Outten has made a similar presentation to the Kitty Hawk, Southern Shores and Duck town councils and is expected to go to the Kill Devil Hills Board of Commissioners on Jan. 11. The Dare County Board of Commissioners is expected to take up the matter at its mid-month meeting on Jan. 19.

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In Nags Head, questions over beach nourishment funding - The Outer Banks Voice

Myrtle Beach welcomes new attractions, events and more in 2021 – Attractions Magazine

Posted on January 9, 2021 by Danzig

2021 is setting up to be an exciting year for tourism at Myrtle Beach, S.C. Visit Myrtle Beach recently announced several new developments set to open in the upcoming year. From amusement parks to craft breweries, this destination continues to make impressive expansions.

We recognize that a large number of Americans are eagerly looking forward to a vacation next year, and were thrilled to share these new tourism developments as another reason to safely plan for a trip to Myrtle Beach, said Karen Riordan, president and CEO of Visit Myrtle Beach. Visitors will be able to enjoy the outdoors, world-class family attractions, a variety of great restaurants, and outstanding accommodations along the 60 miles of beautiful coastline Myrtle Beach offers.

Myrtle Beach will welcome a Funplex Amusement Park, located only steps away from the beach. The park will feature seven original rides, including an interactive 360-degree jet simulator ride called Mach Fun. The tropical-themed amusement park is expected to open in Spring 2021.

American Surf Park, South Carolinas first-ever man-made surf park, will begin construction in 2021, with an expected opening in 2022. This surf park will include a surfing lagoon and a large amphitheater.

The Carolina Country Music Festival is scheduled to take place at Myrtle Beach on June 10-13, 2021. Over 30 of country musics biggest stars will perform, including Luke Combs, Kelsea Ballerini, Eric Church and more.

In summer 2021, Le Grand Cirque 2.0 will debut at Myrtle Beach. Broadway at the Beach has teamed up with Dublin Worldwide Productions USA to bring this show to life. It will feature impressive acrobatics within a seated air-conditioned tent. The show will run from June 1 Oct. 3, and tickets are available now.

Huntington Beach State Park officially replaced its nature center, after a lightning strike damaged the previous one. The $1.2 million educational investment features live animal exhibits, a birding area and a classroom.

In its 28th year, the Alabama Theater will host a number of concerts from artists like Little River Band, Josh Turner, Home Free and more.

Homewood Suites by Hilton offers apartment-style hotel suites near the Grand Strand beaches. This resort provides both comfort and proximity to all Myrtle Beach has to offer.

Ocean Lakes Family Campground celebrates its 50th year anniversary in 2021. The Main Office is receiving a renovations and expansions in celebration, complete with a new seating area as well as a new gift shop.

Crooked Hammock Brewery, located at Barefoot Landing, features a food truck and beer garden as well as fire pits, bocce ball courts, corn hole, a playground and more. A full restaurant will also open on the property in spring 2021.

Grand Strand Brewing Company will be located in a two-story downtown building, and will offer handmade beers and food to pair them with. This spot will also open in spring 2021.

For more information, go to VisitMyrtleBeach.com.

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Myrtle Beach welcomes new attractions, events and more in 2021 - Attractions Magazine

Beach erosion is Zoom meeting topic – The Garden Island

Posted on January 9, 2021 by Danzig

WAILUA Its too bad we lost that tree, said a lifeguard on duty at the Lydgate Park tower Thursday. The tree gave a lot of shade.

Located on the windward side of the keiki pond at Morgans Ponds, the beach heliotrope succumbed to beach erosion during the latest surge that produced large north and west swells hitting the islands coastlines.

Cleanup of the fallen tree will probably rest with the Cushnie Construction crews, which started a $385,900 debris-removal project Monday.

Have you noticed changes at your favorite beach, and wonder about the cause? asked the Kauai Climate Action Forum. Is beach erosion threatening your home, your surf spot or other treasured resource.

The Zoom meeting announcement continued by noting that 70% of Kauais beaches are eroding, and over the last century 3.7 miles of beach have been lost. This is further demonstrated by the nearby coastline at the Wailua Park fronting the Kuhio Highway Bryan J. Baptiste Bridge spanning the Wailua River.

The water is up to the path on sections of Ke Ala Hele Makalae, said a Lydgate Park beach-goer, looking at the taped-off, fallen tree. And look at whats washed away near the Pono Kai. Theyve cleaned up most of that.

Sponsored by Zero Waste Kauai, Climate Action Coalition Kauai and Surfrider Kauai, the Kauai Climate Action Forum will focus on Our Changing Beaches, Our Changing Climate, with an appearance by Ruby Pap, the coastal land use extension agent with Hawaii Sea Grant program.

Pap has been based on Kauai for the past eight years with the County of Kauai Planning Department, serving as a liaison between scientists, government agencies, non-government organizations and the community to ensure that current scientific information is made available to the Kauai community and readily accessible for coastal-zone planning, management and educational activities.

The short presentation and community discussion, including a question-and-answer segment, will take place Wednesday, Jan. 13, from 6 to 7 p.m. via Zoom.

Registration is required to participate, and can be done at bit.ly/zwkforum5.

Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.

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Beach erosion is Zoom meeting topic - The Garden Island

4 men arrested in connection with shooting death of 14-year-old Long Beach boy; firearms seized – KTLA

Posted on January 9, 2021 by Danzig

Four men were arrested this week in connection with the shooting death of a 14-year-old Long Beach boy, officials said Friday.

On Dec. 16, Arthur Touch was located in a roadway on the 1400 block of St. Louis Avenue around 8:50 p.m., with apparent gunshot wounds to his upper torso, the Long Beach Police Department said in a news release.

Touch, 14, was pronounced dead at the scene by fire personnel.

Through an investigation, detectives uncovered evidence indicating that a dispute took place between the 14-year-old and four men.

The dispute escalated to a physical assault which led to the victim being shot prior to the suspects fleeing the scene, Long Beach Police said in a statement.

On Wednesday and Thursday, detectives issued search warrants at the following locations: the 2000 block of Linden Avenue, the 400 block of 21st Streetand the 1800 block of Cedar Avenue. They recovered four handguns, seven rifles and ammunition.

The firearms are not believed to be involved with the murder but authorities are continuing their investigation.

The four people were then arrested in connection with Touchs death.

All four suspects were booked on suspicion of one count of murder, the department said. They are each being held in the Long Beach City Jail on $2,000,000 bail.

Any loss of life due to violence is unacceptable, but the murder of a 14-year-old should be an outrage to our entire community, said Chief of Police Robert G. Luna.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact detectives Oscar Valenzuela or Eric Thai at 562-570-7244. Anonymous tips may be submitted through LA Crime Stoppers by calling 800-222-8477 or by visitingwww.LACrimeStoppers.org.

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4 men arrested in connection with shooting death of 14-year-old Long Beach boy; firearms seized - KTLA

Around Town: Speak Up Newport Beach to host webinar on regional housing needs allocation numbers – Los Angeles Times

Posted on January 9, 2021 by Danzig

Speak Up Newport Beach is hosting a webinar on the citys regional housing needs allocation numbers on Jan. 13 from 4 to 5 p.m. Those numbers quantify the need for housing.

Cities are not required to directly build the houses, but must accommodate for it through zoning for residential development. Current draft numbers hold Newport Beach accountable for 4,834 units. The city of Newport Beach submitted its appeal of those numbers in October.

The webinar will include Larry Tucker, the chair of the housing element update committee, and community development director Seimone Jurjis.

To sign up, visit us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Twvq4mg9TiCmrHcNxgUNjA. For more information on the webinar, visit speakupnewport.com/new-housing-units.Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce to install board of directorsThe Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce will conduct its annual board of directors installation via Zoom on Jan. 14 beginning at 5:30 p.m.

J.J. Ballesteros, chairman of the board of directors, will preside over the ceremonies. Mayor Bob Whelan will preside over the installation of the board officers.

The 2021 Laguna Beach board of directors includes Ballesteros, Chairman-Elect Julie Laughton, Vice-Chairman Dave Rubel, Treasurer Doug Vogel and Secretary Paula Hornbuckle-Arnold. Carmelit Green, Mark Meisberger, Reinhard Neubert, Craig Strong, Tyler Russell, Jeff Redeker, Jenna Cassidy and Hasty Honarkar are the other directors.

Cassidy, a new board member, is the partner and principal consultant at Laguna Ventures.

The installation can be viewed post-event at lagnabeachchamber.org.Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce to host virtual updateThe Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce will hold a virtual AM Connect event on Zoom on Jan. 15, beginning at 8 a.m.

The discussion will center around the Chambers past accomplishments, present opportunities and challenges and plans for the future. Guest speakers include Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce Chairman Bruce Berman, Chair-Elect John Villa and immediate past Chairman Sheik Sattaur.

Mayor Kim Carr will also provide a brief city update.

The virtual event is $5 for members and $10 for non-members. Those interested must register in advance at hbchamber.com to receive the Zoom link.

The Pretend City Childrens Museum in Irvine will be hosting a winter parent webinar series through March.

On Jan. 20, parents can join guest experts and the museums education team to discuss wellness and care for both the parent and the family unit as a collective.

Februarys topics discuss race, how to have those conversations with children and building inclusion and diversity. March deals with science, math and technology. It also discusses screens and young children. Sessions will be held on Feb. 3 and 17 and on March 3 and 17. All webinars go from 6 to 7 p.m.

To register, visit eventbrite.com/e/pretend-citys-winter-parent-webinar-series-tickets-135394527677.

The 2021 Newport Beach Garden Tour is celebrating its 25th iteration this year and will take place on May 8.

The annual fundraiser is currently in its planning stages, according to the Sherman Library & Gardens. The Newport Beach Garden Tour showcases six residential gardens every year. The Garden Tour community is currently seeking recommendations.

If selected, home garden owners will permit visitors to wander their gardens from 10 to 3 p.m. on May 8. If the tour needs to go virtual, homeowners then will allow for a professional videographer to film their gardens in mid-to-late April.

To nominate a garden, provide the physical street address, the owners name and contact information to info@slgardens.org or by calling 949-673- 2261, ext. 300.

Support our coverage by becoming a digital subscriber.

Around Town: Speak Up Newport Beach to host webinar on regional housing needs allocation numbers - Los Angeles Times

Young killer whale rescued after stranding on Scottish beach – Livescience.com

Posted on January 9, 2021 by Danzig

A juvenile killer whale was heroically rescued this week after getting stranded on a Scottish beach.

A group of trained medics from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) and helpful locals carried out the rescue Monday (Jan. 4) on Sanday, an island off the coast of Scotland.

Local residents Colin and Heather Headworth first spotted the distressed 11-foot-long (3.4 meters) orca lying in the surf. They called fellow Sanday local and BDMLR area coordinator Emma Neave-Webb, who notified two other fellow marine mammal medics on the island.

"My very first thought when I got the phone call was that it was a common dolphin, because we see them around here this time of year," Neave-Webb told Live Science. "But as soon as I got out of the vehicle, I could hear it squeaking, and I was like, what is that?"

Related: Whale album: Giants of the deep

"[An] orca was the last thing I was expecting; I didn't believe it until I saw the white eye patch," she said.

As soon as Neave-Webb and her team of medics arrived, they checked the health of the whale.

"We were initially quite concerned it was a maternally dependent youngster," she said. "If it is, then we can't rescue it, because it will just starve on its own without its mother."

Killer whale mothers, with help from other females in the pod, provide constant essential care to juveniles until the age of 2, according to National Geographic.

The orca's size indicated it was likely a 3- or 4-year-old male that would have been capable of surviving on its own.

After shouting to local residents for more help, the team immediately set about getting the whale upright in the water to aid the animal's breathing and ensure the blowhole was out of the water.

"The tide was coming in quite quickly, and it [the whale] was starting to get submerged because it was also sinking in the soft sand," Neave-Webb said. "It took four of us just to get it upright; it was really heavy."

As the tide came in, the medics maneuvered the animal onto a special dolphin stretcher.

"Every time a wave came in, we lifted it up and shimmied the stretcher a little further underneath, whilst also trying to line it up in the direction we wanted it to go," she said. "Once we got it under, we were able to lift it with eight people and move it out to deeper waters."

After 15 minutes of being held in place by the rescuers, the orca suddenly headed off in a straight line and disappeared from sight. Some of the team stayed on the beach for a while to make sure the whale didn't get stuck again, but it wasn't seen again.

Neave-Webb said she was cautiously optimistic about the young orca's chances of survival post-rescue.

"It was very vocal, active and alert," she said. "It had obviously been feeding very recently, because it was really healthy. It also did a really big poo on the beach, which was a great sign."

However, the orca does have a challenge ahead: "It needs to find its pod, which we couldn't see, but its vocalizations suggested they were close by," Neave-Webb said.

The entire rescue took just over an hour, but Neave-Webb believes it was only possible because of the team's newly acquired dolphin stretcher and the help of the locals.

"It was a lucky animal to strand on an island with people who knew what they were doing and had the equipment to save it," Neave-Webb said. "It definitely chose the right place to throw itself on the beach."

Originally published on Live Science.

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Young killer whale rescued after stranding on Scottish beach - Livescience.com

Shes A Miracle: Beloved Long Beach ICU Nurse Recounts Her Fight With COVID-19 – CBS Los Angeles

Posted on January 9, 2021 by Danzig

LONG BEACH (CBSLA) St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach is calling it a miracle that a beloved ICU nurse, who has spent decades caring for patients, has survived COVID.

The day before Christmas 66-year-old Merlin Pambuan walked out of St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach to cheers of encouragement and clapping from the people who saved her life. . Her daughter Shantell was at her side.

For 8 months, Pambuan, an ICU nurse at the hospital, had been in the fight of her life against Covid-19.

Honestly I was very, very surprised that there were 100 people waiting for me, and cheering for me, said Pambuan. I said Oh my God, and I start crying.

For 40 years, Pambuan cared for some of the sickest patients in the ICU, until she became a patient herself on April 12 and tested positive for COVID-19.

Before she walked out the door that night I said, Mom you better promise you got to come back home, and she looked at me and I was like, You better promise, and she said, Yeah, yeah OK, recounted Shantell.

Pambuan spent the next three months in the ICU. As her condition worsened, she was intubated, had a feeding tube inserted and was put on a ventilator.

Shantell was eventually allowed to be with her mom and never gave up hope.

Mom has been that champion for me. I have cerebral palsy spastic diplegia I havent been able to walk since birth, Shantell said.

Fellow nurse Pam Fair, who hired and worked closely with Pambaun for decades, said she was there when Pambaun was rushed to the ICU.

When brought her out to take her to the ICU you almost couldnt recognize her she looked that bad. Its hard to explain to people that dont work in a hospital but they become your second family, Fair said.

By October, Pambuan was transferred to a rehab center to learn to walk and talk again.

Im going to fight this Covid. Ive been saying it too many times, Go away. Im going to fight you, Pambuan said.

That same month, she celebrated her 66th birthday in the hospital, with her husband & daughter and finally got to go home.

Shes a miracle, said Shantell. We are sitting here next to each other in our living room.

Pambuan was given Remdesivir right when it was beginning to be used as a treatment for Covid-19.

She is still on oxygen 24/7 and is going through hours of intensive therapy sessions. She doesnt yet know if she will return to her nursing duties.

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Shes A Miracle: Beloved Long Beach ICU Nurse Recounts Her Fight With COVID-19 - CBS Los Angeles

Stardew Valley: Everything You Need To Know About Beach Farming – GameRant

Posted on January 9, 2021 by Danzig

Stardew Valley's new beach farm is a beautiful layout that creates new challenges and obstacles perfect for veteran players.

The new beach farm inStardew Valleyis a layout introduced with the Version 1.5 update. It changes up the game by implementing unique circumstances that the player must work with to raise a successful farm, but knowing what to expect can make farming at the beach much easier.

Some consider the beach farm a secret hard mode inStardew Valleybecause it makes raising crops far more difficult than other farm layouts. It's a great layout for veteranStardew Valleyplayers because of these restrictions, as is the newly introduced Ginger Island and all of its challenges. But accidentally wasting time inStardew Valleycan be very frustrating, so understanding what can and can't be done on the beach farm can make for a much more efficient playthrough rather than crafting unnecessary sprinklers or buying too many seeds.

RELATED:Stardew Valley: How to Get to Ginger Island

Stardew Valleywill actually changepart of the layout of Pelican Town if the beach farm is chosen. Some of the forest on the west side of town has now been replaced by water to accommodate the beach. Much like the river farm, this means that much of the surrounding farmland will be water, which is great for fishing. Though the ocean surrounds the farm on all sides, to get to Marnie's ranch, wooden planks easily connect the two areas and the player can head south like normal. The greenhouse is off to the left out of the way but can be moved to a different location if desired, once it's been restored.

On the south-west end of the farm, a large pier can be found that extends into deeper waters where higher-quality fish swim. To the left is a normal grassy area with some trees and a plot of normal tillable soil. But to use this area, because of the logs,Stardew Valleyplayers will first need to upgrade their axe to at least steel. This is also the only area that sprinklers can be used because sprinklers cannot be placed on the sand.

Tallgrass can still grow on the sand, which can be chopped to create fodder for animals, as well as crops. However, because sprinklers can't be used on the majority of the beach farm, raising crops likely won't be the best source of income. Rather, once the beach is completely cleaned up, there's a massive open area great for buildings, so animal products and artisan goods are likely a better focus. Trees and tea bushes are also an option because they don't require watering, but players may want to focus on getting the greenhouse restored as fast as possible to maximize their profits.

RELATED:Stardew Valley: How to Beat the Volcano Dungeon

Thanks to the 1.5 update toStardew Valley, supply crates can also wash up on the shores of the beach farm, around the piles of driftwood. Though the contents of the crates are completely random, they can feature useful items, depending on how many times the player's home has been upgraded. For example, at no upgrades, some crates can contain geodes or cherry bombs. At one upgrade, players may find oil, sugar, or omni geodes, and at two upgrades, high quality items like mega bombs, mango sticky rice, and deluxe retaining soil can be found inside the supply crates.

There's also a secret tunnel on the beach farm inStardew Valley. To the left of the pond on the west side, on the bottom left corner of the wall, the player can enter a tunnel that will take them to asmall chunk of land on the south. Here, players can use a copper pan to find high-quality items typically found in the mines, such as diamonds.

Stardew Valleyis available now on mobile devices, PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.

MORE:Console Version of Update 1.5 of Stardew Valley Could Be Ready by End of January

Nintendo Allegedly Uses Fan Artwork On Official Super Nintendo World Website

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Stardew Valley: Everything You Need To Know About Beach Farming - GameRant

Long Beach firefighters are now getting the vaccine; what happens if they decline? – Long Beach Post

Posted on January 9, 2021 by Danzig

But as officials in some areas of the country see more health care workers than expected declining the vaccine, whats the city doing to make sure its firefighters are willing to take the shots?

The Los Angeles Times recently reported that up to 50% of health care workers in some areas, like Riverside County, have opted out of taking the vaccine because of concerns about side effects, worries about going first or simple skepticism of science.

The Food and Drug Administration has repeatedly affirmed the vaccines produced by Pfizer and Moderna are safe and effective.

Long Beach says its fared better so farwith 75% of workers in the health care field already vaccinated as of Wednesday with more shots still to be rolled out.

Most firefighters, paramedics and EMTswho are part of that grouphave been getting the vaccine when offered, according to Long Beach health director Kelly Colopy.

Were not seeing a high amount of declination currently in our emergency service providers, she said during a briefing Wednesday.

However, if a firefighter does opt out, they can remain on the job.

Vaccinations are not mandated, though the City strongly encourages its employees to protect themselves by getting the COVID-19 vaccine when its their turn, said Jennifer Rice Epstein, a spokeswoman for the city. All City employees, whether they are vaccinated or not, will continue to practice physical distancing wherever possible, wear face coverings and take other precautions against the virus.

In Los Angeles, the Fire Department has taken to handing out raffle tickets to entice firefightersoffering them a chance of winning prizes like Airbnb gift cards, bikes and entertainment systems if they accept the shot, according to the LA Times.

LBFD Capt. Jack Crabtree said his department hasnt resorted to anything like that, but they did make sure to snap a picture of the fire chief and head of the firefighters union being vaccinated this week.

Leading by example, the department said in a tweet with the photos.

Crabtree, who said he got the shot with no ill-effects except a little soreness in his arm, said the department was scheduled to finish offering the vaccine to all of its firefighters by the end of Thursday.

Numbers werent immediately available on how many had declined, but Mayor Robert Garcia said Wednesday that the rate of local health care workers opting out was, so far, lower than other areas of the state.

Staff writer Valerie Osier contributed to this report.

Long Beach firefighters are now getting the vaccine; what happens if they decline? - Long Beach Post

Virginia Beach Public Utilities offices will relocate to the Lynnhaven Area – WAVY.com

Posted on January 9, 2021 by Danzig

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) On Friday the Virginia Beach Public Utilities Business and Engineering announced their offices are relocating to 2809 S. Lynnhaven Road on Monday, Jan. 11.

Due to the restrictions surrounding COVID-19, Virginia Beach Public Utilities is not currently accepting walk-in customers.

Customers are encouraged to use PU Online Services to avoid delays in reaching our customer service representatives.

If you are unable to access Online Services, you can also submit a request through email at vbwater@vbgov.com.

The city says to make it easier please include your first and last name, a callback number, the service address, and your 16-digit account number if you have it.

Requests submitted through Online Services will take priority over requests submitted through email.

You can skip the wait altogether and see if your question has already been answered at http://www.vbgov.com/PU-FAQ.

Phone numbers for the Public Utilities front office (385-4171) and call center (385-4631) will remain the same.

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Virginia Beach Public Utilities offices will relocate to the Lynnhaven Area - WAVY.com

The EU Is the Military Ally the United States Needs – Foreign Affairs Magazine

Posted on January 9, 2021 by Danzig

Tensions over anemic European defense spending have long suffused transatlantic relationsand since 2014, they have become all-consuming, crowding out other priorities, straining the alliance, and leading to exasperation on both sides of the Atlantic. U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly berated NATO allies for failing to invest more in their militaries, and at big transatlantic gatherings, the issue is the elephant in the room.

President-elect Joe Biden, a committed transatlanticist, will undoubtedly take a less strident tone than his predecessor has done on this issue. But the elephant will still be there, because the European pillar of NATO really is in a sorry state that undermines the alliances credibility. The United States does need more from Europe on defensebut the United Statesalso needs to recognize thatsimplypressing individual member states to increase their spending is just not working.

The European Union has a role to play in the common defense that the United States has long ignored. In fact, the United States has thus far scorned the EUs defense ambitions and viewed the union as a competitor to NATO. Such an approach serves only to weaken both NATO and the EU, and the incoming Biden administration should reverse it.

Only the EU can integrate and transform Europes fragmented and inefficient militaries into a potent pillar of NATO. Supporting its efforts to do so would strengthen not only the U.S. military alliance with Europe but its political one as well. The EU is home to 450 million people, and its economy is the second largest in the world. When Europe is able to act as one through the EUwhether in the realms of global trade, Brexit negotiations, or global regulatory standardsit is a superpower and exactly the potent democratic ally the United States needs. But currently, in the realm of defense, European power amounts to less than the sum of its parts.

The United States needs that to change. And so Washington should drop its long-standing, almost dogmatic opposition to the EUs involvement in defense and work with its European ally to support a collective European defense that will ultimately strengthen NATO.

Defense spending in many NATO countries dipped sharply following the economic crisis in 2008. But events in the year 2014 forced the alliance to reckon with its apparent unreadiness to defend its members territory. Russia breached the Ukrainian border, raising an alarm within the alliance about the possible resurgence of threats from its east. At a summit in Wales, leaders of NATO member states agreed to work toward spending a minimum of two percent of their GDP annually on defense within the decade to follow.

Since that time,European states have increased their spending on defense, butoverall they have fallen well short of thetwo percentgoal.Despite some progress,U.S. leaders havetreated reachingtwo percentas arequirementTrump even insisted onfour percent.But the deadline is now less than four years away, and just ten out of 30 countries have cleared the two percent threshold, up from three in 2014. European member states that did not dramatically increase defense spending during the tenure of a president who threatened to withdraw the United States from NATO are even less likely to do so now, with budgets under pressure from the coronavirus pandemic and an incoming U.S. president they can trust to cover their flank.

Insisting that European states hit two percent by 2024 is setting up the alliance to fail. Not only are these states unlikely to hit the target, but even if they did, the results would likely be underwhelming. The two percent metric is, after all, arbitrary, as it is not tied to specific defense requirements, and is moreover subject to broader economic fluctuations. Greece, for instance, hit two percent only because its GDP contracted so dramatically, increasing its militarys share of the shrinking budget. Indeed, marginal increases in any single countrys defense spending wont automatically help improve the European pillar of NATO, which is plagued with inefficiencies. EU member states in total spend roughly $200 billion annually on defense, on a par with China. But Europe struggles to deploy forces; it runs out of munitions when it fights; and its forces are seldom prepared to fight.

The problem, then, is not really low spending but that European defense spending is fragmented, wasteful, and redundant. For instance, although Germany is the strongest economic power in Europe, few of Germanys attack helicopters are ready for combat. France, by contrast, has a very capable military engaged in active combat operations in the Sahel. But French forces depend on U.S. support for those operations. When European states spend on defense, most of them allocate too little of their budgets to research and development and face stark tradeoffs between acquiring expensive new technologies and simply maintaining the forces they have. As the European defense analyst Sven Biscop of the Egmont Institute assesses, The status of Europes armed forces and their dependence on the US will basically remain unaltered, even if they all spend 2 percent of their GDP.

U.S. leaders have long viewed the EU as just another complicated, multilateral bureaucracy. To the extent that it got involved in defense, Washington imagined, the EU would duplicate and undermine NATOs function. But the EU has transformed since its founding in 1993, becoming something much more like a state than a multilateral organization. Europeans in the EU are EU citizens, subject to EU law, free to live and work where they please in the union. They have their own currency, a de facto national language (English), and a federal government in Brussels.

As the union has drawn together, Europeans have come to perceive defense and foreign policy as more of a collective concern than a national one. Support across Europe for EU defense is extremely high, consistently polling above 70 percent. Within European states, however, there is considerably less support for diverting national resources away from domestic priorities, such as health and education, and toward the high-end weapons systems that are required to marginally improve NATOs collective defense capacity. The lack of national interest in defense spending is therefore not a short-term problem for NATO; it is structural.

The EU has sought to expand its role in defense even as its member states have grown more parochial. In 1999, the EU proposed establishing a 60,000-troop rapid reaction force that could deploy around the world without the United States. More recently, the EU created the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), an initiative designed to facilitate defense cooperation among member states, and a European Defence Fund through which to invest more than $1 billion per year in defense projects.

U.S. leaders have greeted such proposals with disdain, sending their European counterparts nasty letters and casting Washingtons diplomatic weight against EU defense efforts. Many in Washington worry that an empowered EU will not only duplicate NATO but become a French-dominated foe that will undercut the alliance and act against the United States. But that notion is absurd: the EU and NATO share 21 of the same member states. If Paris sought to turn EU defense into a Gaullist tool to untether Europe from the United States, it would need the assent not only of the other EU member states but also of Brussels, whose interests lie in sustaining strong transatlantic relations for as long as the United States remains committed to them.

For decades, the United States and other NATO countries have simply accepted duplication and inefficiency as part and parcel of a 30-member multinational alliance. But the EU offers NATO an effective vehicle for pooling resources and transforming the European defense sector. Rather than simply pushing NATOs member states to spend more, the Biden administration should encourage Europeans to integrate their defense capabilities through the EU.

At the first NATO summit of his administration, President Biden should make clear that the United States has reconsidered its orientation toward EU defense. Biden can support a European Union with strategic autonomy, as its leaders have described their objective, while making clear that doing so does not mean detaching Europes interests from those of the United States so much as reducing the unions dependence on U.S. military protection. American officials should encourage the EUs leaders to invest generously in the European Defence Fund and to upgrade infrastructure so that heavy tanks can better move across Europe.

Empowering the EU in this manner will undoubtedly require organizational adjustments within NATO. But such a necessity should not be viewed in bizarrely apocalyptic termsas an existential threat to the alliance. Rather, the issue is a bureaucratic one that can be overcome with close coordination between the two organizations. The EU should ultimately work hand in glove with the alliance, much the same way a member state would do.

U.S. support for EU defense will not be a panacea, but it will go a long way toward strengthening the European pillar of NATO. If the United States had fully backed EU defense efforts 25 years ago, European defense would likely be much more robust than it is today. Frustrating inefficiencies would doubtless remain, and deadbeat nations would still resist doing their part. But NATO would likely be a stronger alliance and the EU a better global partner to the United States. The Biden administration should encourage this integration process to begin.

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The EU Is the Military Ally the United States Needs - Foreign Affairs Magazine

War in Afghanistan: What has NATO learned from 20 years of fighting? – The Christian Science Monitor

Posted on January 9, 2021 by Danzig

As the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan reaches the two-decade mark this year, NATO officials have made clear that they have bigger fish to fry. In the alliances new Strategy 2030 report, Afghanistan is mentioned just six times.

Yet as NATO positions itself for the next decade, the alliance has been transformed by its experience in Afghanistan and the lessons it learned there.

The cooperation of the 50-plus nations involved was a growth experience for the alliance, says Ian Lesser, executive director of the German Marshall Fund in Brussels. The bloc learned a lot ... in terms of habits of cooperation and interoperability that were tested everyday. Member forces also made use of some high-tech systems that many nations wouldnt have been exposed to in peacetime.

The alliance's lessons in Afghanistan may be in recognizing the corrosive effects of corruption and the ways in which the U.S. and its NATO allies inadvertently encouraged it, says retired Col. John Agoglia.

The billions of dollars that flooded into Afghanistan after the invasion made graft commonplace. We need to understand how we put money into an environment who were giving it to, what are the oversight mechanisms?

Brussels

As Americas longest war reaches the two-decade mark this year, one of President-elect Joe Bidens first orders of business will be figuring out a way forward in Afghanistan and, by extension, a roadmap for NATOs mission in the country.

Neither the Taliban nor Al Qaeda is at the top of Americas national security threat list anymore, and NATO officials, too, have been clear about their belief that they have bigger fish to fry. In the alliances new Strategy 2030 report, Afghanistan is mentioned just six times in 40 densely-packed pages.

The war in Afghanistan is a mission on which the success or failure of NATO was once thought to hinge. In its early days, the war was billed as not only a post-Cold War rebirth of the alliance, but also its 21st-century evolution.

No longer. The new security agenda, according to the report, will be dominated by competing great powers, in which assertive authoritarian states with revisionist foreign policy agendas in other words, China and Russia seek to expand their power and influence.

Yet as NATO prepares for the next decade, its challenges will be tackled by an alliance transformed, for better or worse, by its experience in Afghanistan and the lessons it has learned there. The question, analysts say, will be whether it chooses to heed them.

Afghanistan became NATOs marquee mission with the U.S. invasion in 2001, the first time in history that the alliance invoked Article V, which declares that an attack on one is an attack on all. The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) was ultimately composed of allies from 50-plus countries, including non-NATO partners.

In the early years of the war, the running joke among U.S. forces, however, was that ISAF stood for I saw Americans fight, or I sunbathed at FOBs (forward operating bases, which are heavily fortified and largely safe). The underlying critique was that some allied governments used restrictions called caveats to prevent their troops from carrying out night missions, for example, or from deploying to certain more violent parts of the country and, as a result, U.S. and other fighting forces carried a heavier load.

Still, the cooperation was a growth experience for the alliance, says Ian Lesser, executive director of the German Marshall Fund in Brussels. These caveats did in some ways hinder the ISAFs ability to operate, but it operated nonetheless, and learned a lot by that in terms of habits of cooperation and interoperability that were tested everyday.

At the same time, the experience transformed the militaries of many NATO member nations. In Germany, some 90,000 troops have deployed to Afghanistan over the years. Theres no German general today who doesnt have military or even fighting experience there, says Markus Kaim, senior fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs in Berlin. The same goes, too, for a generation of soldiers in Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and Canada.

Member forces grew accustomed to collaborating on intelligence sharing and mission planning that made use of some high-tech systems that many nations wouldnt have been exposed to in peacetime, says Anthony Cordesman, defense analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. This in turn, led to a much better appreciation for allied capabilities.

And it led to an even greater appreciation for allies themselves including non-NATO partners, many of whom, like Australia and South Korea, took part in the Afghanistan war.

If we think about any military engagement of NATO going forward, well conceptualize it not as 30 member countries of NATO, but as a loose platform that includes other organizations and non-NATO partners as well, Dr. Kaim says. NATO needs partners, he says, because NATO is aware that it cant shy away from deep political changes were seeing.

The NATO 2030 report emphasizes making the bloc a more political alliance, which means making it a place where core security concerns of all sorts are discussed, Dr. Lesser says. The Asia-Pacific region, especially China, is a case in point. Its a recognition that the definition of what bears on Euro-Atlantic security has expanded tremendously.

This focus on great power competition, coupled with the varying levels of disenchantment with missions that dont end cleanly, means that the appetite for launching military operations again anytime soon will differ across the alliance.

It starts with the question of whether NATO members consider Afghanistan a success. Was it worth all the effort, the blood? Most people would likely answer not really, Dr. Kaim says. Militarily, an alliance with impressive weapons uprooted Al Qaeda but did not defeat the Taliban, which, though an effective guerrilla force, was never a highly sophisticated threat. On the nation-building front, You spent an incredible amount of money to achieve remarkably little, Dr. Cordesman says.

Yet the definition of success itself reflects the different strategic cultures within NATO. While America is deeply uncomfortable with the notion of not winning, for many NATO allies, analysts say, it was enough to show solidarity, to be present, and to make a contribution.

More broadly, Afghanistan was seen as the price to pay, and the right thing to do for NATO in return for the reassurance those countries get from the alliance on the bigger existential threats they face, Dr. Lesser says. The fact that theyve been present in Afghanistan is simply part of the insurance policy, and you have to pay these premiums over time.

And even as most members came out of their Afghan experience more cautious about exporting democracy, the 2030 report acknowledges, it also argues that its nonetheless vital that NATO doesnt allow democratic erosion.

For this to happen, NATO must take some key lessons of Afghanistan, including the corrosive effects of corruption and the ways in which the U.S. and its NATO allies may inadvertently encourage it, says retired Col. John Agoglia, former director of both the U.S. Armys Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute and the Counterinsurgency Training Center-Afghanistan, both in Kabul.

The billions of free-flowing Western dollars that flooded into Afghanistan after the invasion made graft and fraud easy and commonplace. We need to understand how we put money into an environment who were giving it to, what are the oversight mechanisms? What could be the second and third order impacts?

Corruption "undermined the legitimacy of the Afghan government, reduced its effectiveness, and created a source of resentment for its own population," which in turn drove Taliban recruitment and made it "much more difficult" for NATO to achieve its key mission goals, "from security to effective governance," Karolina MacLachlan, policy officer at Transparency International in London, wrote in NATO Review.

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At the same time, in bolstering some former Soviet republics to help resist Russian democratic undercutting and influence, as in Afghanistan, we may have to deal with some people who have blood on their hands, some who are corrupt, some who are trying to reform, Colonel Agoglia says. Weve learned a lot about understanding the limits of power, how to shape it as best you can, and how to take what you can get and its not always going to look pretty.

I get the great power competition, but its won and lost in the trenches doing these things so that if you actually do have to go into combat, he adds, you own the day.

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War in Afghanistan: What has NATO learned from 20 years of fighting? - The Christian Science Monitor

NATO Secretary General: ‘The outcome of this democratic election must be respected’ | TheHill – The Hill

Posted on January 9, 2021 by Danzig

Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), called for the results of the 2020 U.S. presidential electionto be "respected" as pro-Trumprioters stormed through the Capitol building Wednesday.

"Shocking scenes in Washington, D.C. The outcome of this democratic election must be respected," Stoltenberg tweeted.

Shocking scenes in Washington, D.C. The outcome of this democratic election must be respected.

President TrumpDonald TrumpCapitol Police officer dies following riots Donor who gave millions to Hawley urges Senate to censure him for 'irresponsible' behavior Kellyanne Conway condemns violence, supports Trump in statement on Capitol riots MORE has so far not released any statements instructing his supporters to leave. Soon after rioters broke into the Capitol, he tweeted out a statement asking them to "Stay peaceful!"

Lawmakers have been evacuated out of the Capitol building. Numerous news outlets have reported that one woman has been shot on Capitol grounds.

Vice President Pence was ushered out of the buildingshortly before themob breached the Capitol.

He later tweeted, "The violence and destruction taking place at the US Capitol Must Stop and it Must Stop Now. Anyone involved must respect Law Enforcement officers and immediately leave the building."

Peaceful protest is the right of every American but this attack on our Capitol will not be tolerated and those involved will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

"Peaceful protest is the right of every American but this attack on our Capitol will not be tolerated and those involved will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," he said in another tweet.

Trump's NATO ambassadorKay Bailey Hutchison had previously stated that the transition to a Biden administration would be "smooth" afterthe former vice president won the presidential election.

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NATO Secretary General: 'The outcome of this democratic election must be respected' | TheHill - The Hill

NATO Secretary General: 2021 will be a pivotal year – NATO HQ

Posted on January 9, 2021 by Danzig

Speaking ahead of a virtual address to German Christian Social Union (CSU) parliamentarians on Wednesday (6 January 2021), Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg explained that 2021 will be a crucial year for NATO. At a press point with Alexander Dobrindt, Chairman of the CSU Parliamentary Group, Mr. Stoltenberg praised Allied armed forces for supporting civilian efforts to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Secretary General also stressed that this year will be an important opportunity to re-energise transatlantic relations and further strengthen the bond between Europe and North America: So we need to stand together, North America and Europe, and I really count on Germany in playing a key role in these efforts.

Mr. Stoltenberg also made clear that 2021 will be a year of decisions for Afghanistan. He welcomed the ongoing peace talks: There are many challenges, and many uncertainties, but of course, peace talks are the only path to peace, the only way forward to a peaceful negotiated solution. We support those efforts. Mr. Stoltenberg added that NATO Defence Ministers will assess the future of NATOs mission in Afghanistan in February.

The Secretary General also stated that 2021 will be an important year for arms control and non-proliferation. He said: We need to make sure when the new START agreement expires next month that we dont end up with a situation where there is no agreement regulating the number of nuclear warheads.

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NATO Secretary General: 2021 will be a pivotal year - NATO HQ

Explained: What is a ‘Major non-Nato Ally’ status? – Times of India

Posted on January 9, 2021 by Danzig

NEW DELHI: A lawmaker on Monday introduced a bill in the US House of Representatives to terminate the designation of Pakistan as a Major non-NATO Ally (MNNA) a status that allows for various benefits such as access to excess US defence supplies and participation in cooperative defence research and development projects. Here is a look at the meaning and advantages of MNNA status. What is the Nato alliance?The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) is an intergovernmental military alliance of 30 North American and European states. The alliance came into existence following the 1949 North Atlantic Treaty. The aim of the alliance is to constitute a system of collective defence whereby members agree to mutual defence in response to an external attack. Who are major non-Nato allies countries?The United States has designated 30 other countries as major non-Nato allies. These non-Nato countries share a strategic working relationship with the US Armed Forces. The MNNA status is granted to countries from Korea to Argentina, depending upon US strategic interests. Brazil was the latest country to b granted this status in 2020 by Donald Trump. The MNNA status was first created in 1987. The initial MNNAs were Australia, Egypt, Israel, Japan, and South Korea. When did Pakistan become MNNA?Pakistan became a part of this group in 2004 under the presidency of George W Bush. In 2017, US representatives Ted Poe and Rick Nolan introduced bill H.R. 3000 to revoke the status of Pakistan as a major non-Nato ally. In the same year, General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, accused Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence of having ties to terror groups. According to a report, the US administration discussed downgrading Pakistan's status as major non-Nato allies as one of the possible responses. What are the benefits availed by MNNA states?While the major non-Nato ally status or its equivalent, does not automatically enjoin a mutual defence pact with the United States (as it does with Nato allies) it still confers a variety of military and financial advantages that otherwise are not obtainable by non-NATO countries, depending on the version of the amendment that is eventually signed by the President. Here is a look at some of the benefits of MNNA status:

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Explained: What is a 'Major non-Nato Ally' status? - Times of India

Danish NATO personnel say farewell to Tapa for the time being – ERR News

Posted on January 9, 2021 by Danzig

At a farewell ceremony at Tapa base, east of Tallinn, Friday morning, commander of the contingent, Lt Col. Thomas Fogh, thanked his Estonian and U.K. colleagues.

Lt Col. Fogh said via a NATO press release that: "Our cooperation with the British-lead Battlegroup and the Estonian Defense Forces (EDF) 1st Brigade has been exemplary."

The British Army's5th Battalion, the Rifles (5 Rifles), an armored infantry battalion, forms the core of the battlegroup at present, and Lt Col. Fogh also handed over responsibilities which had been handled by Danish personnel to 5 Rifles commanding officer, Lt Col. Jim Hadfield.

Lt Col. Fogh said: "Together, we have conducted intensive training and taken part in various military exercises, We have exchanged knowledge and experience, and having had the opportunity to train here in Estonia has been invaluable. Additionally, it has been an honor to be an integrated part of the NATOs defense of Estonia and the Baltic States, and, personally, I am glad that our soldiers have had the opportunity to get to know the people of Estonia, with whom the Danes share a long history."

Around 200 Danish soldiers and officers have been stationed in Tapa across both rotations. Several Danish staff officers are to remain in Estonia, partly to prepare for the return of Danish forces in March 2022, pending final approval by the Danish Parliament.

Long-standing relationship between Denmark and Estonia

Cooperation between Danish and Estonian militaries goes back decades. Danish troops fought alongside Estonians during the 1918-1920 War of Independence and in recent years, troops from both countries have served together in various NATO missions, including in Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan.

According to legend, Denmark's flag, the Dannebrog, first appeared after floating down from the sky at the 1219 Battle of Lindanise, where Danish and German crusaders fought an Estonian army. Lindanise, or Lyndanisse, was an earlier name for Tallinn - itself deriving from a word meaning a Danish fort.

"We have a long history of cooperation with the Estonian military, and that will continue," Lt. Col Fogh. Said, adding that Danish personnel will be taking part in the annual Spring Storm EDF exercise this year, as well as EDF personnel making the return trip to Denmark to take part in a major exercise there.

"We will be sending Danish infantry troops to Estonia this spring, to participate in the annual Spring Storm exercise, and Estonian soldiers will also go to Denmark to take part in Brave Lion, the largest annual field training exercise held in Denmark."

Danish personnel had been presented mission medals by Estonia's Minister of Defense, Jri Luik (Isamaa), just before Christmas.

In addition to the Danes, French and Belgian soldiers have also made up the NATO eFP Battlegroup at various times since it was formed in 2017.

The equivalent eFP battlegroups in Latvia and Lithuania are Canadian- and German-led respectively, while the U.S. heads up the battlegroup in Poland. The groups' formation followed a decision made at the 2016 Warsaw Summit, which took place following the 2014 annexation of the Crimea region by the Russian Federation, and the ongoing insurgency war in eastern Ukraine which started that year. Tapa base has seen major expansion and development since that time.

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Danish NATO personnel say farewell to Tapa for the time being - ERR News

Flawed Cybersecurity Is a Ticking Time Bomb for the Balkans – Foreign Policy

Posted on January 9, 2021 by Danzig

On the night of July 15, 2020, the Balkan nation of North Macedonia was anxiously awaiting the preliminary results of its parliamentary election. Soon after the polls closed, in what was first believed to be a minor technical glitch, the website of the State Election Commission went down.

The polling results were nowhere to be found on the website in the next several hours, as the commission resorted to manually announcing the latest updates on a makeshift YouTube channel. And things didnt get any better in the late hours of the night.

That night, the country suffered the biggest cyberattack in its history. The website of the electoral commission stayed down for the next few days, recovering from a full-scale distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack that paralyzed its functions, as thousands of IP addresses targeted the site. Months later, the authorities probe into the matter has yet to produce any findings about who might have beenbehindthe attack.

While authorities claimed that the cyberattack did not have any serious consequences on the election process and the results themselves, it managed to highlight how fragile the IT systems of government institutions in the country are. A few weeks later, hackers also targeted several ministries, again demonstrating the urgent need for better cybersecurity measures.

The lack of expertise among the staff, insufficient financial resources, and the overall neglect of officials when it comes to the topic of cyberdefense are among the main issues plaguing state institutions across the region. Its not only North Macedonia; many other countries in the region just arent doing enough when it comes to having strong cyberdefense systems. And in most cases, individuals prove to be the weakest link because they have not been trained and educated on how to defend against such attacks.

In March 2020, North Macedonia became NATOs newest member. Looking to boost its overall defense capabilities, the country is now also putting its hopes on NATOs assets and expertise when it comes to improving its cybersecurity.

However, during the last few years, NATO member states across the region have also been hit hard by various cyberattacks. In 2019, neighboring Bulgaria suffered the largest theft of personal data in the region, after its National Revenue Agency was hacked. More than 5 million Bulgarians have had their personal data exposed, and the hacked database was shared on various hacking forums.

Authorities charged a 20-year-old Bulgarian cybersecurity expert for the hack, although the motives behind it remained unclear. The attack illustrated just how weak cybersecurity practices at Bulgarian government institutions were.

With the countrycurrentlyin a political turmoil and facing its next parliamentary elections in March 2021, the cyberattack on the National Revenue Agency could also serve as a warning of whats about to come.

Apart from ransomware attacks, DDoS and malware attacks are some of the most common tools that hackers have been using to target state institutions. In most cases, the damage that these types of attacks can do could be very expensive.

DDoS are one of the most common hacker attacks due to the fact they are relatively simple and inexpensive to implement, compared to other types of attacks, said Ljubica Pendaroska, a Skopje-based privacy and data protection expert.

But the potential harm that they can do could be worth millionscounted in lost earnings, compromised systems, creating distrust in institutions, data theft, and the like.

According to Pendaroska, such threats should constantly keep state institutions on alert and maintain an institutional awareness of the need for highly organized and functional protection systems.

The motives for these cyberattacks can vary. For some, as is the case with ransomware attacks, the gains could be purely financial. Others, however, might have more malicious intentions.

Montenegro, a NATO member since 2017 and an EU hopeful, held elections at the end of August. Fearing a reprisal of meddling attempts like the one that the Balkan country suffered in 2016, when a Russia-backed attempted coup took place, Montenegrin authorities held a jointmissionwith cybersecurity experts from the United States toward the end of 2019.

The mission aimed to prepare both sides for any possible Russian hacking attempts that could target the election processes in the two countries. However, as a recent suspected Russian hacking attack on U.S. government agencies showed, this might not be such an easy taskno matter how developed or technologically advanced a country might be.

This was a cunning cyber-espionage campaign that was very hard to detect. It reveals that the U.S. government needs to enhance its cyberdefenses, said Bilyana Lilly, an assistant policy researcher at Rand Corp.

Even if the U.S. government itself remains vulnerable, Washington is a cyberpower that can aid smaller countries. Various U.S. agencies can assist Bulgaria, Romania, North Macedonia, and other U.S. partners in the region, and they have done so on multiple occasions, Lilly explained.

In the Balkans, a regionknown for its political and economic instability, cyberattacks on state institutions could be used to fuel tensions among the many countries that have ongoing disputes, which could in turn have political and economic consequences.

Cyberwar missions like the one that the United States and Montenegro had last year can be particularly helpful, especially at a time when these cyberattacks are also becoming more advanced and harder to predict.

The institutional mind cannot think like the criminal alone, and, unfortunately, hackers are often one step ahead of the system, Pendaroska argued.

However, the constant aspiration of the institutions should be to invest in and implement appropriate, tested software solutions that will increase the resistance against such attacks, she added.

In the spring and summer of 2019, Romania alsosaw a part of its critical infrastructure in the health sectorclinics and hospitalssuffer several ransomware attacks. In May 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Romanian authorities managed to preventsimilar attacks, with hackers preparing to send coronavirus-themed emails to various hospitals across the country.

Recently, the Romanian capital of Bucharest won the race to host the EUs new research center for cybersecurity, which aims to assist the fight against private and state-sponsored hackers. Having an institution of this caliber in the region would show a strong commitment to building efficient capacities for thwarting cyberattacks.

Determining who is behind cyberattacks isnt always the easiest task; sometimes they come from within as NATO allies attack each other. Turkey and Greece, with a history of mutual confrontations and currently entangledin a spat about oil drilling in the Eastern Mediterranean, exchanged blows in cyberspace in 2020.

Last January, Turkish hackers took down several Greek government websites using massive DDoS attacks. Greek hackers retaliated by attacking Turkish public service websites, as well as several Turkish media outlets.

In both cases, however, it was difficult to prove whether the cyberattacks were state-sponsored or simply carried out by nationalistic hackers on both sides. Either way, the attacks again showed the fragile state of cybersecurity practices in longtime NATO member states such as Greece and Turkey.

These institutions are critical for the country, and attacking them has a political meaning. But still, this does not do anything to prove that the Turkish state is backing the hackers, said Minhac Celik, an Istanbul-based strategic cybersecurity researcher. What the attacks success explains, he added, is that Greek cyberdefenses are weak.

And such weaknesses could cost both sides. In the particular case of Turkey and Greece and their spat over the Eastern Mediterranean, in which many other countries and actors are involved too, vulnerabilities like these could be exploited by outside actors looking to capitalize on the situationincluding malign actors or rogue nations, which could simply deploy various hacker groups and target one of these sides, or maybe both, if that suits their purpose. Russia, which could also have a stake in matter since it is involved in energy projects across the region, could use some of these tactics to undermine stabilitysomething that was also outlined by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo this month.

The various types of cyberattacks that have hit the Balkansfrom meddling in the electoral process to large personal data breaches and targeting the health and other critical sectors amid a pandemicclearly show that authorities across the region need to be much more determined when it comes to strengthening and improving their cyberdefenses.

NATO, on the other hand, maintains that it has all of its cybersecurity capacities available for member states, especially when there are threats aimed at various democratic processes. Any attempts to interfere with democratic elections, including through hacking, are unacceptable, so we must remain vigilant, a NATO official said in a statement.

However, the multiple attacks on various state institutions in member countries during the last few years suggest that NATO definitely needs to do more to counter such threats. With recent cyberattacks in the United States showing that no matter how developed a country is, the consequences of such actions can be vast, other NATO allies could become sitting ducks if there arent sufficient protections in place for all member states.

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Flawed Cybersecurity Is a Ticking Time Bomb for the Balkans - Foreign Policy

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