Free Balochistan is the ultimate aim of all Baloch martyrs – News Intervention

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In general, on the issue of respect for human rights, governments across the world seem to claim that their constitutions and laws protect full fundamental rights of the people or its citizens, but on the other hand, they also formulate legal regulations that do not guarantee the most important and basic democratic, political and economic rights of the people, and also establish an iron fence around human rights through laws that duplicate government claims.

According to some experts and educators, in all societies where political and economic systems and state structures have been established on the basis of national and class oppression and the exploitation of human beings by human beings, despite all government claims, the question of human rights in such societies has turned into a question of the fundamental rights of human groups. And nations and classes that have been victimised or forced into exploitation on national, ethnic, class and other grounds under a particular system and law becomes a cause of concern.

This exploitative practice made it clear that the issue of the restoration of rights in the colonial and capitalist system is not a matter of all human beings but about the dignified existence of the subjugated nations and the oppressed class and the working people, because the supreme forces are also a minority of human beings.

In this regard the promotion of human rights without identifying the disenfranchised forces sometimes obscures the real issues and the question of the rights of the oppressed and downtrodden people on which the ruling forces are also increasingly propagating human rights.

But when the question of fundamental economic and political rights of subjugated nations and peoples arise, the laws that the ruling powers call the protectors of human rights that are used to suppress the national and class question, and then this ruling ideology of violating fundamental rights is called national interest, and those who do not accept it are considered traitors and beheaded.

The current crisis situation in Balochistan is also demanding an accurate identification of the basic political and economic rights of the people here. And the real problem is that the Baloch national question does not emerge accurately.

Although the manifestation of missing persons, enforced disappearances, retrieval of mutilated bodies and irreparable loss of life and property to civilians in the operations of the forces are considered as human rights violations, they are in fact violations of basic Baloch national political and democratic rights but also the superficial expression of which only bringing it to the fore in its original form can accurately identify the basic problem.

In this regard, Baloch political circles have repeatedly stated that the real problem of Balochistan is not just the ongoing security operations here and the human tragedy that has arisen from it, but the fundamental question is the Baloch national right to sovereignty. Which has been trampled on since day one.

And with the passage of time, instead of shrinking and shrinking, this chain seems to be so widespread today that the whole of Balochistan has now taken the form of resistance, a glimpse of this is the conscious struggle of the Baloch nation that has come to the fore in shape of Baloch sacrificial attacks .

The Baloch have an enemy that lacks positive human values and traditions. It would be unrealistic to expect them to abide by the laws of war, like living nations in war situations. A beast cannot be expected to abide by human and moral values and international law.

In the struggle for independence, the Baloch nation has presented the testimonies of such gigantic personalities that language and pen seem incapable of speaking or writing on them. It is not possible to cover their character, their greatness with words and in this the Baloch sacrificial martyrs are also included.

Many nations in the world have succeeded in achieving their national independence through such bloody series and today this stage is also being faced by the Baloch nation.

The Baloch nation is second to none in the known history of the world for fulfilling its duty before history. Today, the Baloch nation is creating history through sacrifices without any hesitation, which is the hallmark of living nations. In front of the international community, Baloch has to some extent proved to the world that Balochistan is a disputed region and it is one of the biggest and most important issues in the world which cannot be ignored for long.

Today we have the Baloch national voice in every corner of the world. In every country of the world there are names of Baloch nation. The issue of Baloch is being discussed several corners of the world. This is a great achievement and credit for this success goes to the great personalities who have sacrificed their lives for Baloch national liberation.

There is no dearth of such leaders, teachers, comrades in the history of the world who have made their dead proud and gave new life to the young generation and comrades with their ideas and teachings. There is no shortage of the Baloch martyrs who have proved through their sacrifices that the only destination of their conscious struggle is an independent Balochistan.

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Free Balochistan is the ultimate aim of all Baloch martyrs - News Intervention

Five reasons everyone should study the Russian revolution – Red Flag

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The Russian Revolution of 1917 changed everything. Heres why, over 100 years later, its still vital to study this momentous event.

It was the first time workers seized state power

In October 1917, the working class in Russia went further than any have before or since: they took power away from the capitalist government and replaced it with control by and for workers.

This new form of government was based on the soviets, or workers councils.

The soviets were a different kind of representative body from the privileged, unaccountable parliaments of capitalism. Delegates were elected from workplaces. They remained in the workforce, were paid the same wage as a skilled worker and were subject to immediate recall. This meant they were directly known and accountable to the people who elected them.

These soviets were set up during the February revolution, which overthrew the tsarist dictatorship. They developed as a way to organise, debate and push forward the struggle.

District and city-wide soviets authorised an eight-hour working day and democratisation of the army. Soldier and peasant soviets were established. Inside workplaces, factory committees organised everything from maintenance work to political meetings.

Crucially, these democratic organisations overcame the capitalist divide between politics and the economy. Real power in capitalism is not held by elected representatives, but by corporate boards and billionaires. Parliament rarely encroaches on their control of the economy, and when it does, the capitalist class can overpower it.

Based in the factories, the power of the soviets rested on workers control over production. It directly challenged the capitalists rule. When, in March, the Petrograd city soviet signed a deal with an employers organisation for an eight-hour day, this recognised a reality that had basically been enforced already at the point of production by workers themselves.

In August, when the right-wing general Kornilov tried to crush the revolution, railway and telegram workers were able to use their control over transport and communication to sabotage the attempted coup.

By democratising the workplace, the revolution had a profound effect on everyday life. Every factory or soldiers barracks was turned into a place of debate and discussion. Old assumptions were shaken. In a deeply sexist society, women became increasingly involved in political organising.

Initially the soviets operated alongside the capitalist Provisional Government, made up of the unelected remnants of the old tsarist parliament. In October, this capitalist government was overthrown and replaced by soviet power, demonstrating that it is possible for workers to lead a socialist revolution and run society in their own interests.

The new soviet state embarked on a series of path-breaking reforms in health care, education and work. It made major advances in the rights of women and LGBTI people. And it ended Russia s involvement in the imperialist slaughter of the First World War.

Russias revolution shows that workers power is the path to the radical change we need.

It shows us the role of a revolutionary party

This revolution could never have succeeded without the Bolshevik party.

The Bolsheviks were a revolutionary socialist party. They were the most radical of the political forces in Russia. They called for an end to the capitalist Provisional Government and for all power to be transferred to the soviets of workers, soldiers and peasants.

At the start of the revolution, support for the Bolsheviks and their radical politics was a minority position in the workers movement. The largest parties in the soviets were the moderate socialists who argued for continued political support for the Provisional Government. This left power in the hands of the capitalists.

Even at the heights of struggle, workers can hold onto ideas absorbed through years of capitalist oppression. Most of the time, workers and other ordinary people get little say over how society is run. Bosses and managers make decisions about working life, economic decisions are made by corporate boards and government policies decided by politicians and state bureaucrats. When most people think of who has the power to reshape society, they look to the government. Within the working class, this reinforces reformism, which seeks to implement socialism through parliamentary institutions.

These ideas persisted even after the February revolution, and they were backed up by the arguments of the moderate socialists. While most workers distrusted the unelected elites in the Provisional Government, the moderate parties argued for compromise, even taking leading positions in the government.

The continued support for the Provisional Government meant many of the aspirations of the revolutionary workers, soldiers and peasants went completely unfulfilled. Russias involvement in the violent slaughter of the First World War continued, and land stayed in the hands of rich landlords.

It took the intervention of a revolutionary party like the Bolsheviks to overcome the influence of the moderate socialists.

Over decades, the Bolsheviks and their central leader, Lenin, had built the party through intervention into the struggles and debates of the Russian working class movement. Navigating the ups and downs of class struggle and state repression, the Bolsheviks debated other political currents, made connections with worker militants and struggled alongside them.

This meant that in 1917 they were in a position to intervene into the heightened debates and struggles of the revolution. This struggle exposed the flaws of the moderate socialists and demonstrated to the masses that the Bolsheviks were right: the Provisional Government had to be overthrown and replaced with soviet rule.

The Bolsheviks were able to grow from a party of a few thousand, in the minority in the soviets and with many of their best leaders in exile, into a mass party of the working class with around a quarter of a million members and a majority in the soviets. Through each twist and turn, they advanced the case for workers power, culminating in the successful insurrection in October. This overthrew the capitalist state and established a government of soviets: the first time workers had ever taken state power.

The history of the Bolsheviks shows that workers can organise to fight for revolutionary socialist politics. It shows that with organisations like that, revolutions can win out against their enemies. Thats the kind of organisation we need to build today.

It shows why we need internationalist politics

Marx and Engels Communist Manifesto ends with a famous call for international solidarity: Workers of the world, unite! In their lifetime they established an organisation bringing together the workers movements of different countries, known as the First International.

In the capitalist system, blocs of capital compete against each other in the drive for profits. This competition drives ever larger blocs to seek out new markets and resources in opposition to their rivals. On a global scale, this results in a world divided between imperialist powers.

Working class internationalism is a recognition of the fact that workers have no stake in this competition. Siding with our nation only binds us to our exploiters, while dividing us from workers in other countries.

In the decades prior to the Russian Revolution, such internationalism seemed to be uncontested among socialists. Working class parties were part of an international socialist movement and allied together under the banner of the Second International. This international stood against the growing threat of war, which characterised the start of the 20th century.

But when the war broke out in 1914, this movement was shattered. Most of the parties of the Second International abandoned their internationalist principles. They joined with their nations ruling classes in support of sending workers to the imperialist slaughter.

The Bolsheviks were one of the few to stand against this nationalist fervour, calling for a workers revolution to end the war. They led resistance to the war wherever they could, while the brutal reality of battle radicalised workers and pushed them into further revolt. Internationally, they worked to cohere anti-war socialists and lay the basis for the re-emergence of a revolutionary socialist movement.

Just as the globally interconnected system had created a world war, the shared experience of its horrors created the basis for a world revolution. Towards the end of the war, this began to become a reality.

The victory of revolution in Russia transformed global politics. Revolution spread to Western Europe, and mass revolts spread across the world. This world revolution was crucial to the success of the revolution in Russia. Capitalism is a global system, and Russia was an underdeveloped, mostly rural society. The Bolsheviks knew that if their revolution didnt spread, then it was doomed. A socialist society could never be built in poverty-stricken Russia alone. Their only hope was revolt elsewhere.

Revolts did break out outside of Russia, but ultimately they failed, held back by the weakness of the revolutionary movements. The revolution was isolated, surrounded by capitalist reaction.

Socialism must be an anti-imperialist, internationalist movement, based on building solidarity among workers all over the world. It cant be built in a single country at the expense of others.

Its defeat shaped the next century of politics

This isolation laid the basis for a defeat that still reverberates today.

In Russia, production collapsed and with it the power of the working class. The soviets remained in name only, with the democratic life that animated them destroyed by poverty and starvation. Increasingly it was the state bureaucracy that took charge of society.

Stalin became the political leader of this growing bureaucracy, eventually leading a counter-revolution that destroyed the revolutions gains. A vicious campaign of state terror and repression targeted political opponents. All opposition was outlawed, and political and economic power was concentrated in the hands of the bureaucracy.

This counter-revolution had devastating results in Russia, but the impact on world politics was even more destructive. While they overturned the core ideas of Marxism, the new bureaucracy continued to claim the name. Socialism came to be associated with the Stalinist regime, rather than the international struggle of the working class.

After the Russian Revolution, revolutionary workers parties had gained a mass working class membership and following, with people inspired by the example of revolt. These Communist parties were now transformed into tools of the new Russian ruling class. These parties became a barrier to workers liberation. In Germany, the Communist Partys policies ruined the possibility of an effective struggle against Hitler.

Stalinism has also held back generations of activists from properly exploring socialist ideas. Marxism has been both distorted and discredited by its association with Stalins regime. This has cut off activists from the legacy of revolutionary working class politics, which remains the only solution we have to the horrors of global capitalism.

Only by really studying and understanding how Stalinism distorted and betrayed the legacy of the revolution can we rescue the revolutions lessons and build on its achievements.

The high point of working class politics remains the Russian Revolution. As long as we continue to struggle against capitalism, we need to return to and study it, to learn from its successes, understand its defeat and rebuild today the vital tradition of revolutionary socialism.

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Five reasons everyone should study the Russian revolution - Red Flag

Latinx residents fear the toll coronavirus is taking on their lives and community – CNN

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She looked to her husband for help. He immediately called an ambulance -- and Briones was admitted at a hospital in South Texas, where she stayed for almost a month to recover from what she came to learn was Covid-19. She described contracting the virus as the worst experience she's ever had.

"It's just a horrible experience to go through," she told CNN, through tears. "I wish upon no one to go through it."

Briones is one of thousands of people who identify as Latinx who have suffered from the Covid-19 pandemic.

And as coronavirus cases continue to rise across the US, many Latinos say they are growing more concerned for their lives and their community.

Texas border communities hit hard

In Texas' Hidalgo County -- where 92.5% of the county's 860,000 residents identify as Latinx -- data shows just how hard Covid-19 has hit the Latinx community.

"Several months ago, I warned of a potential tsunami if we did not take this more seriously," Hidalgo County Judge Richard F. Corez said in a news release. "The tsunami is here."

County officials have said in notifications to residents in the past few weeks that hospitals have reached capacity. Residents are strongly encouraged to stay home, as health care facilities race to add more ICU beds in anticipation for more people with complications from the virus.

The South Texas Medical System in Weslaco -- which is also near the border -- converted conference rooms and shelf spaces to ICU areas as it continues to see an influx of coronavirus patients. They also set up a tent to handle any overflow patients, where they can treat up to 20 additional patients on top of the other areas inside the emergency department.

Wesley Robinson, the assistant chief nursing officer of the South Texas Health System, told CNN the medical system "began seeing patients arrive on July 1, by July 3 they were incredibly sick -- now we're at the point where we've reached well over 100% capacity."

Some experts point to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's decision to prematurely reopen the state's economy as a reason why the virus spread so quickly.

"And that is because at the time that the (Trump) administration insisted on opening the economy where they weren't prepared," Dr. Joseph B. McCormick, an epidemiologist at the Brownsville campus of the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, told CNN. "We didn't fit any of the criteria that were recommended when the economy was open."

McCormick said Texas was doing a "pretty good job until everybody decided it was time to reopen the economy."

"And we were not prepared to do that because we didn't have the wherewithal to do the contact tracing," he added. "We didn't have testing to be able to do this."

McCormick emphasized how Covid-19 doesn't just affect someone when they've tested positive -- the virus can have longlasting effects on a person.

'Frontline troops' more at risk

Domingo Garcia, president of the League of United Latin American Citizens, told CNN he's seen his own employees and their families suffer from Covid-19. Even some of his own family members have tested positive for the virus, he said.

The organization, one of the largest and oldest Hispanic organizations, has been working to help its members combat the effects of the virus. The latest effort included asking Abbott to mandate masks in public spaces across the state, a move he made this month.

"The Latino workforce is the essential frontline troops," Garcia said. "They're the ones that are picking the vegetables that we have. They're the ones that are working at the meat packing plants to make sure that you have a steak at your table. They're the ones that are working in the construction areas to make sure our freeways stay open and clear. They're the ones that are the truck drivers. They're the ones that the grocery stores."

Because Latino workers "can't work from home and they're getting sick," he said. "They're out."

He said he's worried about the longterm effects this will have on the community.

"From a health perspective, we're seeing many grandparents and parents pass away, hospitals bursting at the seams in Houston. They've already reached capacity," he said. "This requires immediate federal and state intervention. It can not be done by a nonprofit organization like LULAC. It's going to require a community wide effort."

Frankie Miranda, president of the Hispanic Federation, a national Latino organization that supports Hispanic families and communities, said Latinos are "dying at a higher rate because we have no other choice."

A lack of access to adequate health care

"And that means they don't get the health care primary checkups they need to detect illnesses, and then those illnesses, ultimately with this pandemic, can be more than a serious health challenge, they can become deadly," he said.

According to McCormick, many Latino workers in these essential jobs are also less likely to visit a doctor for a multitude of reasons, including a lack of health insurance or lack of time. But the community also has a high percentage of people with underlying conditions, McCormick said, noting diabetes in Hispanics is especially "quite high."

Dr. Rojelio Mejia, an infectious disease scientist at Baylor College of Medicine, said morbidities -- like diabetes, smoking, obesity and high blood pressure -- which are prevalent in Latinx communities, contribute to the challenges with Covid-19.

"Just looking at the population itself, there's a higher percentage of people who have more comorbidities," Mejia told CNN. "And then when they get, if they get exposed, they get infected, they can have a worse outcome than someone who doesn't have these morbidities or is not a Latino person and they have relatively good health."

For San Antonio native Beverly Barboza-Guerrero, visiting the doctor after being diagnosed with coronavirus in early June didn't really help.

She had followed all proper protocols, but after a social-distanced trip to South Padre Island, she began feeling the symptoms. She visited the emergency room twice, but had no luck getting advice from doctors to help her feel better.

"I mean, we try to think back, like, what did we do wrong?" the 30-year-old told CNN, recalling her symptoms. She said she felt 10 times worse than when she had the flu in November.

"It just felt like I couldn't breathe in," she said. "It felt like if I go to sleep, like I'm not going to wake up. Like, it just felt, it felt ugly," she said. "(One day) I woke up and I told my wife, I need to go to the hospital. There's something not right. I need to go to the hospital. I really cannot breathe."

The ER doctor, she said, told her to "to just take Tylenol and just make sure you're resting, you know, make sure you're quarantining."

Another issue people are encountering, especially in Latinx communities, is false negatives for Covid-19.

In response to the surge in coronavirus cases in these hotspots, including south Texas, the Department of Health and Human Services announced Tuesday the launch of new testing sites in three hotspots -- Jacksonville, Florida; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and Edinburg, Texas.

Briones said she hopes people make the effort to stay home and educate themselves about the virus.

"You need to do it, you know," she said, "because I have a feeling it's going to be for a long while, we're going to be like this."

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Latinx residents fear the toll coronavirus is taking on their lives and community - CNN

Fourth of July house party in Washtenaw Co. tied to 43 coronavirus cases – Detroit Free Press

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More than 40 coronavirus cases in Saline are linked to a Fourth of July party.

The Washtenaw County Health Department has identified 43 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 66 exposed contacts from a house party July 2-3 in the Saline area, according to a news release. The exposed contacts do not count immediate family members from the same household.

Most of the confirmed cases are in people ages 15-25, according to the health department.

The health department is asking anyone who attended the gathering or knows they were exposed to self-quarantine for 14 days and monitor themselves for symptoms.

An investigation into the outbreak is ongoing, according to the health department. The gathering has led to exposure at retail stores, restaurants, businesses, canoe liveries, clubs, camps, athletic teams, and a retirement community.

There are also at least two northern Michigan exposures, an out-of-state exposure, and one neighboring county exposure, according to the health department. However, public exposures outside the initial gathering are currently considered low-risk exposures.

This is a very clear example of how quickly this virus spreads and how many people can be impacted in a very short amount of time, Jimena Loveluck, health officer with Washtenaw County Health Department, said in a news release. We cannot hope to accomplish our goal of containing COVID-19 and preventing additional cases, hospitalizations and deaths without full community support and cooperation.

More:

13 coronavirus cases linked to Playhouse strip club in Romulus

2 more coronavirus positive cases linked to Royal Oak sports bar

The Saline Fourth of July outbreak isn't the only recent outbreak tied to a large gathering.

The Health Department of Northwest Michigan is advising attendees of a large Fourth of July celebration at Torch Lake Sandbar to monitor themselves for symptoms after several people have tested positive.

The department asks anyone who attended the party to monitor themselves for symptoms and seek testing if symptoms develop and self-quarantine for 14 days.

An outbreak at an East Lansing bar made national news after more than 150 people got sick.

Harper's Restaurant and Brew Pub has led to 158 confirmed coronavirus cases as of July 2. Of the 158 reported, 131 reported they went to the bar at some point between June 12-June 30.

The outbreak at the bar led to cases reported across the state in Ingham, Wayne, Oakland, Clinton, St. Clair, Isabella, Macomb, Livingston, Ottawa, Eaton, Shiawassee, Kalamazoo, Manistee, Berrien, and Calhoun counties.

Meredith Spelbring is a news intern with the Detroit Free Press. Reach her at mspelbring@freepress.com or on Twitter @mere0415.

Read or Share this story: https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/07/13/saline-fourth-july-party-coronavirus-outbreak/5427368002/

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Fourth of July house party in Washtenaw Co. tied to 43 coronavirus cases - Detroit Free Press

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s leadership tested by coronavirus – The Texas Tribune

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One evening last week, after making one of his most consequential decisions yet in Texas response to the coronavirus, Gov. Greg Abbott settled in for his pandemic routine: a rapid-fire round of local TV interviews from his campaigns satellite studio in Austin.

In the hours since hed issued a statewide mask mandate, Abbott had taken a familiar shellacking from both sides of the aisle: the Democrats who had wanted the mask requirement weeks earlier, and some Republicans who had not wanted it at all.

An anchor with KIII in Corpus Christi offered a measure of sympathy.

Governor, I must tell you I wouldnt trade jobs with you for anything, he said, drawing chuckles from Abbott.

You articulate it well, Abbott later said. I get it from both sides.

Four months of unprecedented emergency have forced the cautious, measured governor into a leadership test like no other. While he has steered the state through major crises before Hurricane Harvey, multiple mass shootings no other has required the sustained, high-stakes decision-making that this one has, leaving Abbott with countless, constant choices that have immediate impact on millions of Texans. Abbott is leaning hard on his executive power and a small circle of advisers as the biennial Legislature remains on the sidelines.

If the virus has presented a leadership test, Abbotts metrics are getting worse. COVID-19 has already killed at least 3,013 Texans and is spreading rapidly, infecting new people and filling hospitals with the sick. Hospitals are beginning to get overwhelmed. Despite an early reopening, the states economy continues to struggle, with an unemployment rate in double digits and budgets facing major shortfalls. Even by the metrics Abbott has said he is focused on the percentage of COVID-19 patients who require hospitalization, and the share of tests coming back positive Texas is headed in an alarming direction. While Texas at first fared better than many other states, it is now a national hotspot.

For most of the pandemic, Abbott has been met with persistent criticism from Democrats and a small but vocal faction of his GOP, but lately his Republican skeptics have begun to grow in number.

Critics point to ever-changing, sometimes serially confusing top-down guidance. Facing down a public health emergency, the governor has more than once reversed himself, making virus mitigation decisions that some say came too late and others say should not have been made at all.

Abbotts defenders praise him for remaining characteristically calm during a dark hour for the state. Democrats plead with him to act on the advice of public health experts, many of whom urge further shutdown of the economy, and to allow local leaders to issue stricter guidelines than the statewide regulations. A growing group in his own party questions both his choices and his authority to make them.

Politically, Abbott who does not face re-election until 2022 has little to fear on his own. But he sits atop a Texas GOP that has plenty to worry about in November, with polls showing Joe Biden in striking distance of President Donald Trump and Democrats making a massive push farther down the ballot.

Abbott entered the pandemic with plenty of political capital as the states most popular Republican leader. While Abbott maintained a generally high approval rating during the first few months of the pandemic, his rating fell seven percentage points from April to June in University of Texas polling.

The second-term governor, who often seems reluctant to take political risks, is forging his legacy through a crisis that he is singularly positioned to address. With the Legislature out of session, and after he limited the power of the states mayors and county judges, Abbott has almost complete authority to make critical decisions about the states response. That means he owns the decisions that lead to lost jobs and lost lives.

The summer will prove a critical chapter: Can he change the states course, or will it careen further toward disaster?

Theres so much at stake here weve got to get it right. We dont have a whole lot of time, said state Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin, a nurse and leader in the states minority party. And I dont believe the governor has shown the leadership we need. I realize its a tough job, but the buck stops with him. The Legislature is not in session. Hes the one thats running the ship.

In a public health crisis, government at all levels has a role to play: federal health agencies issuing guidance; states wrangling data; mayors and city councils communicating with their constituencies.

But Abbott came to the public health crisis with an already-tense relationship with local leaders. The GOP-dominated state government he heads clashes routinely with Democratic leaders in the states biggest cities and counties, over issues ranging from property taxes to paid sick leave requirements. As the coronavirus began to spread in China and then to Europe, the governor was bickering with Austins leaders about people experiencing homelessness.

Still, in March, as cases of the new coronavirus began to pop up in Texas cities, Abbott was uncharacteristically deferential to local officials.

Amid calls for a statewide stay-at-home order, a spokesman for the governor said in mid-March that cities and counties have done a very good job of doing what is right for their municipalities.Abbott ordered the states bars and restaurants to close, but resisted calls for a more comprehensive directive that Texans stay at home, insisting local officials have the authority to implement more strict standards. I would applaud them for doing so.

By the end of the month, though, with case counts surpassing 3,000 and states across the country battering down, Abbott finally took statewide action: He ordered Texans to remain in place except for essential activities like grocery shopping.

Was this the stay-at-home order Democrats and health experts had been agitating for? He didnt call it that.

Asked to clarify, the governor dithered, using language that experts said confused the public and undermined the seriousness of the situation.

Well candidly, when people talk in terms of shelter in place, what shelter in place really means as a term of art, would mean that wherever you may be at a particular time, you need to take shelter immediately right there. Whether you are at your home or some other location or in a roadside ditch, wherever you may be, youre supposed to take shelter because of something like a tornado would be coming. ... This is not a stay-at-home strategy. A stay-at-home strategy would mean that you have to stay at home, you cannot leave home under any circumstances, he told reporters.

Whatever it was called, experts agree it helped deter the spread of the virus. During the month of April, cases were on a steady but manageable rise, with Texas typically adding fewer than 1,000 new cases each day. Other mitigation measures, like barring elective medical procedures, kept hospitals freed up for a crush of patients that didn't materialize at the time. Abbott mostly steered clear of the culture wars that emerged, leaving Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to defend a ban on nearly all abortions.

But many in Abbotts own party were growing restless. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick was making national headlines for telling Fox News there are more important things than living. The president had said he wanted the economy opened up and raring to go by Easter.

No sooner had Abbott shut the state down than he began to talk about reopening. He named a strike force of business leaders to advise him on his reopening plan, along with a group of medical advisers including Dr. John Zerwas, the executive vice chancellor for health affairs at the University of Texas System, state health Commissioner John Hellerstedt and Mark McClellan, a former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Abbott announced businesses would reopen in phases starting May 1, with the second phase coming as early as May 18 if all went well.

We need to see two weeks of data to confirm no flare-up of COVID-19, he said.

He also laid out tough enforcement measures fines of up to $1,000, jail sentences of up to 180 days.

Experts praised Abbotts plan for its promise to open businesses slowly, in measured phases. But they noted that unlike in some states, there were few specific health metrics that controlled further reopenings. Experts warned that the pandemic could spiral out of control.

Just hours after he had promised a measured approach, the governor hinted to a Houston TV station that he might allow more businesses to reopen even before the May 18 date some experts had cautioned was too early.

On the evening of April 30, with restaurants and malls set to reopen the next day, Texas reported its highest death toll yet: 50 people. But Abbott remained cautiously optimistic, pointing to two key metrics hospitalization rate, the share of COVID-19 patients who required hospital care; and positivity rate, the percentage of coronavirus tests that showed presence of the virus which remained in a manageable range. The governor had made clear from the start that cases would rise when the state reopened; his goal was not to prevent all spread, but to open slowly enough that hospitals could care for all the people who fell ill.

As Democrats and public health experts warned he was moving too fast, many in Abbotts own party urged him to move yet more quickly. Restaurants were open in limited capacity, but not bars or hair salons. What was the difference, critics demanded, between a waiter serving a meal and a bartender pouring a cocktail? Two hardline conservative lawmakers got haircuts at an illegally open salon in Houston, daring the governor to insist on the penalties hed warned about. In Dallas, a salon owner named Shelley Luther earned praise from Fox News, hundreds of thousands in donations from like-minded shutdown skeptics and a weeklong jail term after she repeatedly defied court orders to close her business until state law permitted her to open.

The governor backpedaled rapidly. He revised his coronavirus executive orders so that violators could not be forced to serve jail time. His team contacted Luther not to order her to close, but to seek her advice on how salons could open safely and soon. Abbott said salons could reopen May 8, more than a week before his target date for phase two. The slow reopening he promised had begun to speed up already and the penalties that were supposed to ensure compliance were beginning to disappear.

Heeding Luthers example, and watching their own bottom lines plummet amid the shutdown, bar owners started to wonder about their own strategy.

This one lady did it, and she got a lot of attention and now all the salons are open, bar owner Emil Bragdon told the Tribune in May. Is that something we have to do? Because if we have to do that, we'll do it.

The economic advisors on Abbotts strike force began to press for bars to open, too. After a substantial amount of conversation with medical advisors, Abbotts team agreed that the bars could open so long as they followed social distancing protocols, Zerwas recalled.

It would prove to be a major misstep one Abbott said he regrets.

Young people crowded into bars, and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission was slow to enforce regulations or yank licenses. Cases began to rise among young people. Weeks later, with cases surging, Abbott shut the bars back down.

Clearly what happened is the bars, when they opened, did not comply. In hindsight, it wouldve been quite a challenge for them to comply, Zerwas said. We took a leap of faith on that.

Meanwhile, Abbotts tentative truce with local leaders was eroding, and the usual antagonism reemerged.

As Texas remains a hotspot for the virus, local leaders are pleading with him to either order more shutdowns or allow them to do it for their own communities.

Even some fellow Republicans, like Lubbock Mayor Dan Pope, have criticized Abbott for tying their hands with his statewide order. In an interview, Pope acknowledged it has been a little tough to keep up with the states evolving rules. But, Pope said, "we're in unprecedented times."

"I know how difficult COVID-19 has been locally and I can only imagine how difficult it is at the state level," Pope said, describing his citys relationship with the state as very strong at this point.

Clay Jenkins, the Democratic county judge in Dallas, said when he was navigating fears of an Ebola outbreak in 2014, he was in touch with former Gov. Rick Perry cellphone to cellphone at least once every day. This emergency has been different from any other hes weathered, Jenkins said, because the virus became politicized.

In this public health emergency, local officials have been left to guess at Abbotts intentions. Jenkins said he hasnt spoken to Abbott in more than a month.

Nowhere has the friction between state and local leaders been more visible than on the issue of masks.

After the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began recommending masks in April, Abbott encouraged Texans to wear masks, but often appeared in public without wearing one himself. And when Abbott allowed businesses to reopen May 1, he stripped local leaders like mayors and county judges of the ability to mandate stronger restrictions, including the wearing of masks. His statewide standards were not a floor but a ceiling.

Local leaders in big cities like Houston and Dallas began to chafe under the states firm hand, agitating to impose the mask requirements that public health experts call essential. Abbott made it clear mask mandates would not be acceptable and the Texas attorney general threatened lawsuits against cities and counties that passed them.

We strongly recommend that everyone wear a mask, Abbott said in May. However, its not a mandate. And well make clear that no jurisdiction can impose any type of penalty or fine for anyone not wearing a mask.

That push and pull continued for weeks as case counts began to surge following the Memorial Day Weekend. The virus began to spread more rapidly in Texas than ever before, a trend Abbott attributed in part to young people gathering at the bars he had opened. For weeks, the governor remained optimistic, pointing to hospitals abundant capacity to serve the sick even as their ranks began to grow exponentially.

In June, with the virus rocketing through San Antonio, Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff tried a workaround: Instead of ordering residents to wear masks, he required businesses to require them.

To the surprise of local officials, Abbott praised Wolff. He finally figured that out, Abbott said.

The riddle of the mask mandate earned Abbott immediate criticism: Either the governor had been intentionally misleading or confusing to the point of negligence, allowing local leaders to stumble in the dark for weeks.

I thought, my God, its not a scavenger hunt, Vivian Ho, a health economist at Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine, said of the mask order. Have you listened to the physicians who said that masks help? If you did, then you wouldve announced this yourself much earlier. You dont hide important facts about protecting peoples health.

That same week, Abbott acknowledged that the virus was spreading at an unacceptable rate. Days later he paused the states reopening process, closed bars again, and told Texans theres never a reason for you to have to leave your home.

Still, he left open the restaurants many Texans were leaving their homes for. And that weekend he appeared before a gathering of hundreds at a Dallas church. Another featured guest: Mike Pence, the vice president.

The next week, Abbott reversed himself again: Under mounting political pressure, and watching the exponential rise of case counts, Abbott issued a mask order for most of the state. Accompanying it was the fine after a warning that he had previously prohibited local officials from issuing.

To public health experts, and to many of the governors critics on the left, it was the right decision, but it had come far too late.

Jenkins, who was the first in the state to issue a stay-at-home mandate for his county, said he expects that pattern to repeat itself.

The crush of new cases and the continual unfortunate bad news that were getting every day will force the governor to listen to the doctors recommendations, Jenkins said. The key thing is how fast will that happen? Because every day that we wait is more damage to our economy, more people getting sick, and the longer its gonna take to pull out of the tail spin.

While some Republican state lawmakers have become more vocal against Abbotts response, the governor still has defenders in the Legislature.

We have a Governor who uses facts, not fear, to drive decision-making, and thats never been a more critical leadership attribute than during this challenging season, state Sen. Kelly Hancock, R-North Richland Hills, told The Texas Tribune.

But some conservatives question Abbotts authority to issue sweeping disaster orders. At least six county GOPs have censured him for his handling of the pandemic, including those in Montgomery and Denton Counties, two of the partys biggest strongholds. Many of those resolutions have called for delegates to the state GOP convention to consider a broader censure of the governor a striking but largely symbolic move.

Republican lawmakers have begun to agitate for more say in the states response, with some pushing for a special session of the Legislature to consider coronavirus responses.

"It should not be the sole responsibility of one person to manage all of the issues related to a disaster that has no end in sight, state Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, wrote last week.

Patrick Svitek contributed reporting.

Disclosure: The University of Texas System and Rice University have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's leadership tested by coronavirus - The Texas Tribune

How Canada is fighting Covid-19: Ramping up PPE production, travel ban from the U.S. and Bonnie Henry – CNBC

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Justin Trudeau, Canada's prime minister, wears a protective mask while arriving for a news conference in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on Wednesday, July 8, 2020.

David Kawa | Bloomberg | Getty Images

CNBC is looking at how countries around the world have tackled Covid-19. By talking to a wide range of experts, as well as everyday citizens, we're taking stock of what's gone well and what hasn't. So far, there have been more than 10 million cases worldwide of Covid-19 and more than 500,000 people have died, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The United States has reported more than 3 million cases and more than 130,000 deaths, the most of any country. Canada, the first country in our series, has confirmed more than 105,000 cases with more than 8,000 deaths.

Hospital preparedness

Many of Canada's leading hospitals were generally prepared for an influx of Covid-19. There were initial concerns about a lack of personal protective equipment back in April, but the country quickly ramped up production. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau noted that Canadian companies are producing so much PPE to fight Covid-19 that the country is almost at the point of being self-sufficient.

"We did really quickly retool our manufacturing supply chain," said Zayna Khayat, a health strategist at Toronto-based SE Health and an adjunct professor of health sector strategy at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. "We never had domestic capacity for things like masks, gowns and vents, so it's been good to see us get there."

A man waves a Canadian flag as first responders parade down hospital row in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in a salute to healthcare workers on April 19, 2020, amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Cole Burston | AFP | Getty Images

"Covid-19 is ongoing, but so far the hospitals have never gotten that saturated," added Dr. Zain Chagla, an associate professor at McMaster University and an infectious disease physician. Even in cities with the most Covid-19 cases, like Toronto, doctors are reporting that the situation doesn't mirror Italy, where hospitals were overwhelmed and couldn't maintain the standard of care.

The cult of Bonnie Henry

Dr. Bonnie Henry, a physician and the provincial health officer of British Columbia, has become a kind of folk hero in Canada during the crisis. "She stands out for really clear messaging and her empathy. When she announced the first death in Canada, she was overcome with emotion," said Andre Picard, a health columnist for The Globe and Mail.

British Columbia Minister of Health Adrian Dix and Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health officer, speak to the media on the novel coronavirus in Vancouver, British Columbia, January 31, 2020.

Don Mackinnon | AFP | Getty Images

Henry has become such a figurehead that when a Vancouver-based shoe company learned that she was a fan, they put out a limited-edition release of shoes to honor her.

Public health experts note that it's important to have a spokesperson who can regularly speak to people about the pandemic in a consistent way. Henry, at least so far, has all the qualities that public health departments typically look for in a public face. Many people find her soft voice to be comforting, and she's taken time to remind Canadians to be good to each other and to come together in the face of a unified threat. She typically ends her calls and presentations with a trademark line:"This is our time to be kind, to be calm and to be safe."

Most important, her communication style seems to be working. British Columbia could have experienced a major outbreak, given that a large chunk of its population travels back and forth to China. But public health experts note that it's been manageable. Thus far, there have been a little more than 3,000 reported Covid-19 cases and less than 200 deaths in the province. "If you look at British Columbia, with its population of millions of people, the fact that they came out relatively unscathed from Covid-19 is a huge testament to her leadership," said Chagla.

The bravery of Canada's providers

Healthcare workers cheer as Toronto first responders parade down hospital row in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in a salute to healthcare workers on April 19, 2020, amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Cole Burston | AFP | Getty Images

Similarly to other countries, Canada has seen hundreds of its medical providers get sick with Covid-19. Ontario, in particular, is reporting rising cases among heath-care workers. Doctors and nurses have spoken out to the local press referring to the situation as scary and alarming, but many are continuing to treat patients despite the risks. Some workers in long-term care facilities have died from the virus.

"It's the job, we go in," said Dr. David Fisman, an epidemiologist and professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto, when asked about the contribution of the country's health-care workers.

"There are so many stories of courage and kindness on the front lines," added Dr. Andrew Boozary, an assistant professor of public health at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health.

People enjoy drinks and food at Amsterdam Brewhouse's patio, as the provincial phase 2 of reopening from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions begins in Toronto, Ontario, Canada June 24, 2020.

Carlos Osorio | Reuters

Experts say that Canada's economic relief package -- and its safety net in general -- is more robust than what the U.S. has offered.

Canadian residents may apply for up to $2,000 in direct monthly payments for a four-month period. That program was open to those who had lost their job or couldn't work because of Covid-19, but has now been expanded to those who earn up to $1,000 per month.

Similarly to the U.S., there were delays with the system, at least initially, but most of the experts agreed that the program has done a lot to support those impacted by the pandemic.

"I am not an economist but the federal transfer program seems to have kept our economy going along OK," said Fisman, the Toronto epidemiologist . "As provinces have controlled their epidemics they have started making new jobs (and) I do think there is a renewed sense of needing to onshore some manufacturing."

"We did a good job ensuring that people had enough financial means to live through lockdowns," added Tazim Virani, an assistant clinical professor at McMaster University. All in, the relief will provide $27 billion in direct support to Canada's citizens and its businesses.

Clear-ish communication

"I think we're a culture of followers," said Picard, "but we need clear rules to follow, at least in public spaces."

The messaging has been "wishy-washy" added Picard. Some blame the fact that Canada's health system functions at a provincial level, rather than at a national level, so guidelines differ across the country.

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau removes his face mask as he visits the Big Rig Brewery, which utilizes the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy given to businesses affected by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Kanata, Ontario, Canada June 26, 2020.

Patrick Doyle | Reuters

Yoni Freedhoff, an associate professor of family medicine at the University of Ottawa, said that regions are setting their own guidelines on wearing masks. In certain areas, these are mandatory where social distancing can't be maintained, and in others mask wearing is advised but not enforced. Some public health experts feels this policy makes sense, because there aren't active Covid-19 outbreaks across the country, but others say there should be consistent rules everywhere.

Travel restrictions

Canada issued a travel ban on March 20 for visitors from the U.S. Since then, thousands have been turned away at the border, particularly those traveling for nonessential reasons. That ban is set to continue until July 21, but it isn't a total ban. Health-care workers are still able to move between the two countries, as well as foreign workers and people with immediate family in Canada visiting for nondiscretionary reasons.

The government has been stricter in recent months about travel, and is now advising against any nonessential trips, but some Canadians feel that the restrictions should have come sooner than mid-March. "We didn't close borders quickly enough," noted Freedhoff, the family medicine physician.

Trucks traverse the Ambassador Bridge, a main trade route linking Canada and the United States, as coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions remain in place, in Windsor, Ontario, Canada July 5, 2020.

Carlos Osorio | Reuters

Fisman, the epidemiologist, agrees that the federal government could get tougher on enforcing the border. But he notes that it's very difficult to restrict movement from the U.S., as people usually find ways to get places when they want to. In addition, the economies of Canada and the U.S. are extremely intertwined. All in, he believes the travel restrictions came at about the right time, given what was known at that stage.

Nursing homes

Canada's health-care system is publicly funded, so care is covered by tax dollars. But the long-term care system relies on a mix of public and private payments, and some people are paying out of pocket. The Commonwealth Fund, a global health research nonprofit, reports that out-of-pocket payments still represent about 15% of overall health spending, and much of that was spent on nonhospital institutions including long-term care homes.

50 crosses have appeared on the side lawn of the Camilla Care Community nursing home on Hurontario at the Queensway. 50 of their residents have died there due to a COVID outbreak.

Richard Lautens | Toronto Star | Getty Images

"It exposed a longstanding problem in that sector," said Picard, the columnist. "It's not a system and it's not properly funded, and there's both poor pay and chronic staffing problems."

Many of the deaths in Canada have been residents of nursing homes. By mid-April, that population alone represented more than half of the overall fatalities, and horrifying reportscirculated about abandoned, desperately ill patients. Most of the experts agreed that this is an opportunity for Canadians to reevaluate how they take care of their aging residents.

"It's been damning," said Boozary. "We have come out of this as a country knowing that we have failed the residents of our long-term care homes." Boozary said that he hopes that Canada emerges from the epidemic with a much better strategy for how to fund care for elderly residents, as well as how to staff facilities.

Migrant workers and inmates

Similarly to the U.S., the pandemic has disproportionately affected Canada's most vulnerable residents.

Some provinces reported outbreaks in prisons, and about 600 migrant workers tested positive on a farm in Canada after arriving in the country in the spring. The government has restricted travel, but it did allow foreign workers to come into the country before picking and growing season. Some workers told CNNearlier this month that the quarantine was poorly handled, and employers put them in risky situations.

"The most recent blowup here has been around miserable treatment of migrant farm workers, who are housed in dormitories and have had big Covid outbreaks," said Fisman. According to Fisman, government health officials could be doing a lot more to protect these workers, including to separate them and stop them working if they start experiencing symptoms.

Masks and testing in Ontario

Women get their nails done, as the provincial phase 2 of reopening from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions begins in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on June 24, 2020.

Carlos Osorio | Reuters

Ontario, a province in Canada, reported a drop in daily tests throughout April, despite seeing an uptick in deaths. That proved to be a worrying trend. In May, news broke that more than 55 million N95 masks stockpiled by Ontario had expired, which raised yet more questions about the readiness to tackle the pandemic.

"There were clearly organizational and political issues," said Fisman.

Overall in Canada, just two provinces -- Ontario and Quebec -- have accounted for more than 90% of the country's Covid-19 cases.

We asked every expert we spoke to for their score out of 10 (1 is the extremely poor and 10 is ideal). It's an extremely subjective measurement, but the average across all of them is 6.5. Some provinces, like British Columbia, scored far higher than others, including Quebec and Ontario.

As Picard put it, many Canadians took heart that the response was better than the U.S. across a variety of fronts, but they recognized that the country was "no Australia."

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How Canada is fighting Covid-19: Ramping up PPE production, travel ban from the U.S. and Bonnie Henry - CNBC

New Study Shows LMB-100 Can Be Even More Effective Paired with Keytruda for Mesothelioma Treatment – MesotheliomaHelp.org

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A new study published by the Science Translational Medicine journal showed that, for a small cohort, LMB-100 could be even more effective when paired with Keytruda for treating patients with mesothelioma. Researchers saw a median survival rate of almost a year, with a handful of clinical trial participants continuing to show progress after more than three years.

Following this success, the National Cancer Institute is currently accepting clinical trial participants for phase 2 of the study.

LMB-100 is an immunotoxin drug designed to help the immune system find and destroy cancer and mesothelioma cells.

Keytruda, an antibody drug used in cancer immunotherapy manufactured by Merck and also known as Pembrolizumab, hasbeen approved by the FDAover the years for several treatments includingsolid tumor cancers and non-small cell lung cancer.

The study showed that patients taking both LMB-100 and Keytruda (pembrolizumab) could result in more effective treatment.

In some of the patients, receiving pembrolizumab after LMB-100 resulted in greater efficacy than what would be expected from pembrolizumab alone, said Raffit Hassan, M.D., Chief of the Thoracic and GI Malignancies Branch at the National Cancer Institute.

Patients diagnosed withmalignant mesotheliomaare encouraged to speak with their oncologist or consult with aMesothelioma Center of Excellenceto determine whether Keytruda or other medications can be an effective treatment,or whether they might be a candidate for aclinical trial. We at MesotheliomaHelp.org arealways availableto assist you.

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New Study Shows LMB-100 Can Be Even More Effective Paired with Keytruda for Mesothelioma Treatment - MesotheliomaHelp.org

Malignant Mesothelioma Market Strategies and Insight Driven Transformation 2020-2025 – Jewish Life News

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Malignant Mesothelioma MarketLatest Research Report 2020:

The Malignant Mesothelioma report provides an independent information about the Malignant Mesothelioma industry supported by extensive research on factors such as industry segments size & trends, inhibitors, dynamics, drivers, opportunities & challenges, environment & policy, cost overview, porters five force analysis, and key companies

Download Premium Sample Copy Of This Report:Download FREE Sample PDF!

In this report, our team offers a thorough investigation of Malignant Mesothelioma Market, SWOT examination of the most prominent players right now. Alongside an industrial chain, market measurements regarding revenue, sales, value, capacity, regional market examination, section insightful information, and market forecast are offered in the full investigation, and so forth.

Scope of Malignant Mesothelioma Market: Products in the Malignant Mesothelioma classification furnish clients with assets to get ready for tests, tests, and evaluations.

Major Company Profiles Covered in This Report

Company I, Company II, Company III, Company IV and more

Malignant Mesothelioma Market Report Covers the Following Segments:

Segment by Type:Type I, Type II, Type III

Segment by Application:Application I, Application II, Application III

North America

Europe

Asia-Pacific

South America

Center East and Africa

United States, Canada and Mexico

Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy

China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia

Brazil, Argentina, Colombia

Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa

Market Overview:The report begins with this section where product overview and highlights of product and application segments of the global Malignant Mesothelioma Market are provided. Highlights of the segmentation study include price, revenue, sales, sales growth rate, and market share by product.

Competition by Company:Here, the competition in the Worldwide Malignant Mesothelioma Market is analyzed, By price, revenue, sales, and market share by company, market rate, competitive situations Landscape, and latest trends, merger, expansion, acquisition, and market shares of top companies.

Company Profiles and Sales Data:As the name suggests, this section gives the sales data of key players of the global Malignant Mesothelioma Market as well as some useful information on their business. It talks about the gross margin, price, revenue, products, and their specifications, type, applications, competitors, manufacturing base, and the main business of key players operating in the global Malignant Mesothelioma Market.

Market Status and Outlook by Region:In this section, the report discusses about gross margin, sales, revenue, production, market share, CAGR, and market size by region. Here, the global Malignant Mesothelioma Market is deeply analyzed on the basis of regions and countries such as North America, Europe, China, India, Japan, and the MEA.

Application or End User:This section of the research study shows how different end-user/application segments contribute to the global Malignant Mesothelioma Market.

Market Forecast:Here, the report offers a complete forecast of the global Malignant Mesothelioma Market by product, application, and region. It also offers global sales and revenue forecast for all years of the forecast period.

Research Findings and Conclusion:This is one of the last sections of the report where the findings of the analysts and the conclusion of the research study are provided.

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Malignant Mesothelioma Market Strategies and Insight Driven Transformation 2020-2025 - Jewish Life News

Here’s what you should know about asbestos in your home – Seattle Times

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You probably dont think about asbestos exposure very often. The EPA banned its use in 1989, and after all the news articles about how asbestos causes cancer and mesothelioma, who would want to use it at all?

But the ban was removed a few years later, and while contractors virtually never use asbestos in residential applications anymore, it remains in millions of homes, especially those built before the 1970s.

Although asbestos in the home usually doesnt pose a day-to-day danger, homeowners need to know the dangers involved in disturbing it, the consequences of asbestos exposure and the proper methods for asbestos removal.

Due to its heat resistance and strength, asbestos was used in a wide variety of construction purposes such as flooring, drywall and insulation. Basement pipe insulation and tape on old duct work are among the most common places youll find dangerous asbestos, because it breaks up over time and all of it is several decades old.

You cant see or smell asbestos. The only way to be sure is to hire an environmental consulting firm or asbestos building inspector for asbestos testing. Theyll take fingernail-sized samples and test them in a laboratory. This work will usually cost between $100 and $700, depending on how extensive the testing is.

Some asbestos materials, such as flooring, are best left undisturbed. If you plan on doing work that involves breaking up, removing or drilling through those materials, though, call an asbestos professional. Asbestos removal is not federally regulated, but most states require licensing.

Deteriorating materials such as tape and pipe insulation should be replaced. A qualified professional will use specialized techniques to seal off the area and prevent any asbestos from escaping. A typical project takes two people eight hours to complete.

Popcorn ceilings installed before 1990 are likely to have asbestos in it. Asbestos popcorn ceiling removal costs between $3 and $10 per square foot two to three times as much as standard popcorn ceiling removal.

Preparing the area and sealing it off from the outside makes up two-thirds of asbestos abatement cost. Expect to pay between $75 and $200 per hour for labor.

Hiring asbestos removal contractors should be done carefully. Asbestos licensing and training regulations vary by state and locality. Learn your local laws and verify that they have the appropriate licenses and, if necessary, the permits required for the job.

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Here's what you should know about asbestos in your home - Seattle Times

US Medical Tourism Market 2020: Analysis Of Sales, Overview, Segmentation And Growth Rate To 2027 – Cole of Duty

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Trusted Business Insights answers what are the scenarios for growth and recovery and whether there will be any lasting structural impact from the unfolding crisis for the U.S. Medical Tourism market.

Trusted Business Insights presents an updated and Latest Study on U.S. Medical Tourism Market 2019-2026. The report contains market predictions related to market size, revenue, production, CAGR, Consumption, gross margin, price, and other substantial factors. While emphasizing the key driving and restraining forces for this market, the report also offers a complete study of the future trends and developments of the market.The report further elaborates on the micro and macroeconomic aspects including the socio-political landscape that is anticipated to shape the demand of the U.S. Medical Tourism market during the forecast period (2019-2029).It also examines the role of the leading market players involved in the industry including their corporate overview, financial summary, and SWOT analysis.

Get Sample Copy of this Report @ U.S. Medical Tourism Market Size, Share, Market Research and Industry Forecast Report, 2026 (Includes Business Impact of COVID-19)

Industry Insights, Market Size, CAGR, High-Level Analysis: U.S. Medical Tourism Market

The U.S. medical tourism market size was valued at USD 6.7 billion in 2018 and is expected to register a CAGR of 8.7% over the forecast period. Though the number of Americans traveling outside U.S. for availing medical treatments is increasing, inbound medical tourism in the country is also witnessing a significant growth.Joint Commission International (JCI) is a nonprofit organization that evaluates healthcare facilities around the world. JCI accreditation is considered the benchmark for quality care in hospitals and clinics. JCI accredits over 15,000 healthcare facilities in U.S. Most hospitals in the country are focusing on creating a medical tourism revenue stream. Thus, these hospitals should build on their already existing portfolio rather than adding new service lines.In U.S., major healthcare facilities, through their international patient departments, are promoting themselves across different countries worldwide. Patients from several countries travel to U.S. for factors such as better quality care, faster treatments, and access to procedures that are unavailable in their home countries.

JCI partners with hospitals, clinics, and academic healthcare centers; health systems and agencies, and government ministries to promote rigorous standards of care and to provide solutions for achieving peak performance. The eligible hospitals receive international accreditation and certification by the JCI. JCI accreditation are considered as a gold standard in the medical tourism industry.

Type Insights of U.S. Medical Tourism Market

Based on type, the market is segmented into inbound and outbound. Inbound medical tourism segment dominated the market in 2018 due to the increasing incidence of cancer, cardiovascular disorders, and other chronic conditions. The country hosts a strong research pipeline for advanced treatment alternatives to conventional procedures such as human genetic engineering. Since 2018, four clinical trials were launched in U.S. to use CRISPR to treat serious medical conditions including cancers such as melanoma and lymphoma.However, U.S. outbound medical tourism is expected to grow at a rapid rate over the forecast period. Availability of additional benefits including better healthcare, latest technologies, innovative medicines, modern devices, better hospitality, and personalized care are some of the drivers of this market. The demand for outbound medical tourism was contributed by Thailands status as one of the most popular tourism destinations in Asia.

Market Share Insights of U.S. Medical Tourism Market

The key industry participants in the U.S. inbound medical tourism marketinclude Cleveland Clinic, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic, The John Hopkins Hospital, TIRR Memorial Hermann, McLean Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Baptist Health South Florida, and Cancer Treatment Centers of America.These hospitals undertake several strategies, including partnerships and collaborations with employers, overseas physicians, and other travel service organizations, to attract medical tourists. For instance, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi partnered with Etihad Airways to offer medical travel packages, thereby promoting Abu Dhabi as a prominent medical travel destination.Some of the key participants in the U.S. outbound medical tourism market include Gleneagles Hospital, Samitivej Hospital, Prince Court Medical Centre, Fortis Hospital, Christus Muguerza Super Specialty Hospital, and Shouldice Hospital. Medical tourists travel from high-cost to low-cost countries for healthcare due to them being uninsured or underinsured and prolonged wait time for appointments in U.S. Thus, cross border healthcare is primarily driven by the need of patients for treatment affordability, no waiting lists, and high quality of care.Several innovative health insurance plans have been developed to support outbound medical tourism in U.S. For instance, Access Baja has been introduced in California in January 2018 to offer coverage options with copayments and low premiums for employees working in U.S., who want access healthcare services in Mexico.In 2019, Sistemas Medicos Nacionales S.A. de C.V. became the first Mexican HMO to receive a healthcare service plan licensed by the State of California. It offers employees living in San Diego county or Tijuana with affordable across-the-border healthcare service plans, which is licensed by the California Department of Managed Health Care, subject to Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act.

Segmentations, Sub Segmentations, CAGR, & High-Level Analysis overview of U.S. Medical Tourism Market Research ReportThis report forecasts revenue growth at country level and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2015 to 2026. For this study, this market research report has segmented the U.S. medical tourism market report based on type:

Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2019 2030)

Inbound

Outbound

Quick Read Table of Contents of this Report @ U.S. Medical Tourism Market Size, Share, Market Research and Industry Forecast Report, 2026 (Includes Business Impact of COVID-19)

Trusted Business InsightsShelly ArnoldMedia & Marketing ExecutiveEmail Me For Any ClarificationsConnect on LinkedInClick to follow Trusted Business Insights LinkedIn for Market Data and Updates.US: +1 646 568 9797UK: +44 330 808 0580

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US Medical Tourism Market 2020: Analysis Of Sales, Overview, Segmentation And Growth Rate To 2027 - Cole of Duty

Grooveyards self-titled album impresses – The Daily Star

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While 'genre-free' bands have existed for quite a while, it is Grooveyard-- a project by Ashifur Rahman Chowdhury, Zunayed Sabbir Ahmed and Dewan Anamul Hasan that truly solidified its merit in the context of this country. The band put out their self-titled album recently, with adoration from band music fans. The seven tracks exhibit seven different flavours, which is a rare feat for an album made by just three people. "We love to mesh different genres", says Ashifur, who was the vocalist of rock band Black at one point, "If you listen to Losing Control, it starts off with a reggae vibe and transitions into more traditional rock. All our musical inspirations growing up has an effect in our sound." Songs like Raining Sun, Edge of the World, Lifeline and Reach out are all proof of just how far the indie music industry has progressed. "Our songs are in English because as lofty as it sounds, we want international reach. We want to travel the world and play music together," says the vocalist. Ashifur emphasised the need to support local acts, for them to grow out of their moulds and reach their true potential. "Bands like Dads in the Park, Eida and Attic are doing exceptionally well, and I am all but sure that this entire scene will be elevated and reach the international audience," he adds. The songs are available in all the major streaming sites, including Spotify and GAAN app. They can also be listened to on Grooveyard's official YouTube channel.

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Grooveyards self-titled album impresses - The Daily Star

Shop local swimwear, whatever your style | Hot Summer Guide | Halifax, Nova Scotia – The Coast Halifax

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The hunt for the perfect suit meets its match with Simone Prisenberg's splurge-worthy swimwear. As owner and operator of Martinique Swim, Prisenberg's cute suits are available at several stores or directly from martiniqueswim.com. Head to the showroom in Cow Bay (by appointment only) for a personalized fitting and consultation, or pick one up at Biscuit General Store (1661 Argyle Street) or Pro Skates (6451 Quinpool Road).

If you want swimwear that's printed, Thief & Bandit (1673 Barrington Street, Suite 200) is the brand for you. Whether you're a stargazer who's into an out-of-this-world pattern or you're channeling Carole Baskin with a cheetah-print bikini, Thief & Bandit's swimwear will make you the life of the pool party. Find them at thiefandbandit.com.

Sueno Swimwear owner Joanne Tranter grew up surrounded by beaches in South Wales, travelling to California and Mexico as she learned to surf, and began making her own bikinis before settling in Black Point. Tranter launched her business in 2012 and since then has been creating bold prints and asymmetrical patterns, available on her Etsy shop or at suenoclothing.com.

Local designers Ana & Zac have partnered with Sueno for a new collection that's minimalist and basic in all the right ways. Check it out at anaandzac.ca/collections/sueno.

Sisters Omeda and Anna launched label Meda Swim in 2015. Its style selection skews simple, but the basic suits are flattering on all body types and are named after different Canadian towns. Their swimsuit models are all friends, mothers, and women they know in real life. Shop at medaswim.com.

Agricola Street shop Sattva Boutique (2453 Agricola Street) stocks swimwear from size-inclusive brand Mimi & August, based out of Montreal. Grab a few of the high-quality Canadian-made suits in store, or check out the full collection online at mimiandaugust.com.

If you're looking for a one-of-a-kind swimsuit, Girl on the Moon's got you. You can literally make your own with patterns from crochet guru Girl On The Moon, AKA Alison Durning. After learning how to make bags and baskets, Durning was hooked on crochet, and began her Etsy business in 2015. Find her on Instagram @girlonthemooncrochet.

Silken Lingerie store in Sunnyside Mall (1595 Bedford Highway) is for people looking for a bit more care in their swimwear-buying experience. Owner Morva Castellani and her staff will help you with a free bra fitting to find the perfect size, and they even offer a specialty selection of D+ cup size swimwear and mastectomy swimwear. silkenlingerie.ca/

If you've had no luck with the usual suspects, try thrifting your next swimsuit. Check out Fat Chance Vintage, Me + You Thrift, or The Bounty Hfx on Instagram to find a pre-loved suit you can rock all summer. Bonus: The Bounty also has a selection of items available at Lost & Found (2383 Agricola Street).

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Shop local swimwear, whatever your style | Hot Summer Guide | Halifax, Nova Scotia - The Coast Halifax

Color Star Technology Announces the Addition of Renowned Musician Larry Carlton to its Color World Online Education Platform – Salamanca Press

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NEW YORK, July 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Color Star Technology Co., Ltd. (Nasdaq CM: HHT) (the "Company," "Color Star," "we" or "HHT") is pleased to announce that Color China Entertainment Limited ("Color China"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Color Star, has just signed a cooperation agreement with a renowned American musician, Larry Carlton. Larry Carlton will take on the role of a Star Teacher on the "Color World" online education platform, created by Color Star.

Larry Carlton, a guitar master in the music industry, was born in Southern California in March 1948. He is a master of American jazz, blues, pop and rock genres on the guitar and has participated in more than 500 music albums, winning the Grammy Award 4 times. Additionally, he is widely acclaimed as one of the most outstanding guitarists in the jazz scene in the second half of the 20th century. In 1981, Larry Carlton won his first Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance for his work on "Theme From Hill Street Blues." He then began working with numerous world-class entertainers, including the legendary blues master B.B King, Jazz Rock Super Group Steely Dan, Hollywood's Sammy Davis Jr. and even Michael Jackson. Overall, Larry Carlton's voracious appetite for music has earned him 19 Grammy nominations and 4 Grammy Awards, a Star of the Rock Hall of Fame in Hollywood, the Titan of Tone award and many others, as well as widespread recognition amongst fellow world class entertainers. His influence can be found in a plethora of genres in today's music scene, with jazz, blues, pop and rock all bearing the mark of Larry Carlton.

Color Star CEO, Sean Liu, said that "in the future, we will cooperate with more top artists and producers in Asia, including music, film, television, animation, dance and other industries. We believe that Color World has the potential to bring richer content to our students."

Color Star plans to continue growing its list of Star Teachers, who will bring their various expertise in music, film, sports, animation, television, presentations, dance, art and other entertainment industries to the Color World platform. Color Star believes that these top celebrities and professionals can pass their precious experiences on to pupils on our platform, helping to instill the desire for knowledge in their hearts.

About Color Star Technology Co., Ltd.

Color Star Technology, is a holding company whose primary business is offering both online and offline innovative education services. Its business operations are conducted through its wholly-owned subsidiaries Color China Entertainment Ltd. and CACM Group NY, Inc. The Company also anticipates providing an after-school tutoring program in New York via its joint venture entity Baytao LLC, and providing online music education via a platform branded "Color World."

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements made herein are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "believe", "expect", "estimate", "plan", "outlook", and "project" and other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. Such forward-looking statements include the business plans, objectives, expectations and intentions of the parties following the completion of the acquisition, and HHT's estimated and future results of operations, business strategies, competitive position, industry environment and potential growth opportunities. These forward-looking statements reflect the current analysis of existing information and are subject to various risks and uncertainties. As a result, caution must be exercised in relying on forward-looking statements. Due to known and unknown risks, our actual results may differ materially from our expectations or projections. All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors. Other than as required under the securities laws, the Company does not assume a duty to update these forward-looking statements. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements: there is uncertainty about the spread of the COVID-19 virus and the impact it will have on HHT's operations, the demand for the HHT's products and services, global supply chains and economic activity in general. These and other risks and uncertainties are detailed in the other public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") by HHT. Additional information concerning these and other factors that may impact our expectations and projections will be found in our periodic filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2019. HHT's SEC filings are available publicly on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. HHT disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Color Star Technology Co., Ltd.Contact: Investor RelationsFinancialBuzzIRinfo@FinancialBuzzIR.comTele: +1-877-601-1879

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Color Star Technology Announces the Addition of Renowned Musician Larry Carlton to its Color World Online Education Platform - Salamanca Press

Darren Wright of Howth Puts Famous Pata Negra On to Boil in the Round Ireland Yacht Race – Afloat

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The Round Ireland Yacht Race is Ireland's classic offshore yacht race starts from Wicklow Sailing Club (WSC) and is organised jointly with the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) and the Royal Irish Yacht Club (RIYC). This page details the very latest updates from the 2008race onwards including the race schedule, yacht entries and the all-important race updates from around the 704-mile course. Keep up to date with the Round Ireland Yacht Race here on this one handy reference page.

Following Government restrictions over COVID-19, a decision on the whetheror not the 2020 race can be held was made on April 9 2020 to reschedule the race toSaturday, August 22nd.

Because of COVID-19, the race had to have a virtual launch party at the Royal Irish Yacht Club for its 21st edition.

In spite of the setbacks, however, a record entry is in prospect for 2020 with 41 boats entered with 23 weeks to go to the race start. The race is also going big onsize and variety to make good on a pre-race prediction that the fleet could reach 60. An Irish offshore selection trial also looks set to be a component part of the 2020 race.

The rescheduling of the race to a news date emphasises the race's national significance, according to Afloat here

704 nautical miles, 810 miles or 1304 kilometres.

3171 kilometres is the estimate of Ireland's coastline by the Ordnance Survey of Ireland.

SSE Renewables are the sponsors of the 2020 Round Ireland Race.

Wicklow SailingClub in association with the Royal Ocean Racing Club in London and The Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dublin.

Off Wicklow Harbour on Saturday, August 22nd 2020.

Monohulls 1300 hrs and Multihulls 13.10 hrs.

Leave Ireland and all its islands (excluding Rockall) to starboard.

It depends on the boat. The elapsed record time for the race is under 40 hours but most boats take five or six days to complete the course.

The Race Tracker is here

The idea of a race around Ireland began in 1975 with a double-handed race starting and finishing in Bangor organised by Ballyholme Yacht Club with stopovers in Crosshaven and Killybegs. That race only had four entries. In 1980 Michael Jones put forward the idea of a non-stop race and was held in that year from Wicklow Sailing Club. Sixteen pioneers entered that race with Brian Coads Raasay of Melfort returning home after six days at sea to win the inaugural race.Read the first Round Ireland Yacht Race 1980 Sailing Instructions here

Skipper Kenny Rumball of the J109 yacht 'Jedi' faced that very problem in the 2018 race. How he dealt with it led to a RORC Award. He describes in detail the MOB recovery procedure he used here

The Round Ireland race record of 38 h 37 min 7 s is held by MOD-70 trimaran Musandam-Oman Sail and was set in June 2016.

George Davids Rambler 88 (USA) holds the fastest monohull race time of two days two hours 24 minutes and 9 seconds set in the 2016 race.

William Power's 45ft Olivia undertook a round Ireland cruise in September 1860. Full details of this first circuit are here

Richard Hayes completed his solo epic round Ireland voyage in September 2018 in a 14-foot Laser dinghy. The voyage had seen him log a total of 1,324 sea miles (2,452 kilometres) in 54 sailing days. in 1961, the Belfast Lough Waverly Durward crewed byKevin and Colm MacLaverty and Mick Clarke went around Ireland in three-and-a-half weeks becoming the smallest keelboat ever to go round. While neither of these achievements occurred as part of the race they are part of Round Ireland sailing history.Full story on these circumnavigationshere.

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Darren Wright of Howth Puts Famous Pata Negra On to Boil in the Round Ireland Yacht Race - Afloat

Jordan attempts to recover taxes, boost economy in wake of coronavirus lockdown – Cleveland Jewish News

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King Abdullah of Jordan said on Sunday that the country was handling outbreaks of COVID-19 and making moves to boost the economy.

We have successfully dealt with the coronavirus, which today is under control in Jordan, he said in a meeting with Jordanian figures, according to AFP.

The king said in a statement that the focus is now on addressing poverty and unemployment brought on by the global pandemic. He added that Jordan would become even stronger after overcoming the coronavirus.

Meanwhile, Jordans Prime Minister Omar al-Razzaz said on Sunday that the government was also going to crack down on tax evasion.

Protecting public money and fighting corruption is a national duty, Razzaz said in a national TV speech, reported Reuters.

As such, the government froze the assets of dozens of companies and businessmen for allegedly evading paying taxes.

It is now trying to recoup such sums after a virus-related lockdown that led to the biggest economic downturn in Jordan 20 years and drastically cut state revenues, the report said.

The post Jordan attempts to recover taxes, boost economy in wake of coronavirus lockdown appeared first on JNS.org.

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Jordan attempts to recover taxes, boost economy in wake of coronavirus lockdown - Cleveland Jewish News

First Look at the Hyper Royal Air Jordan 13 – Footwear News

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The popular Air Jordan 13 sneaker could be releasing in a brand new colorway soon.

According to the sneaker leaker account zSneakerheadz, the upcoming Hyper Royal iteration of Michael Jordans 13th signature basketball sneaker is scheduled to hit shelves on Dec. 19. The model was designed by the industry veteran Tinker Hatfield in the late 90s and MJ debuted the sneakers on the NBA courts during the 1997-98 season.

Playing off of Jordans Black Cat nickname, the silhouette itself incorporates design elements that are inspired a panther including a holographic eye detail by the ankle collar as well as the outsole resembling the cats paw.

This pair features a vibrant blue suede upper thats paired with a black leather toe box and reflective 3M details on the ballistic mesh overlays. The blue hue continues onto the midsole, which boasts a carbon fiber plate and Zoom Air cushioning aimed to give ballers support and responsiveness on the court.

Jordan Brand hasnt announced the release info surrounding the Air Jordan 13 Retro Hyper Royal but the shoe is expected to launch on the SNKRS app and at select Jordan Brand retailers on Dec. 19 for $190.

In related Air Jordan news, the highly-anticipated Off-White x Air Jordan 4 Retro collaboration in the Sail colorway is releasing on July 25 on the SNKRS app and at select retailers for $200. It will arrive exclusively in womens sizing from a 3.5 up to 16.5.

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First Look at the Hyper Royal Air Jordan 13 - Footwear News

Jordan King Warns That Israel’s Annexation Plans Jeopardize Regional Peace – The New York Times

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AMMAN Jordan's King Abdullah warned on Monday that any unilateral Israeli moves to annex territory in the occupied West Bank would fuel instability and dim hopes of a final settlement of the decades-old Arab-Israeli conflict.

The monarch told British lawmakers the only path to a comprehensive and lasting Middle East peace was the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on land captured by Israel in the 1967 war, and with East Jerusalem as its capital.

"Any unilateral Israeli measure to annex lands in the West Bank is unacceptable, as it would undermine the prospects of achieving peace and stability in the Middle East," the monarch was quoted in a palace statement as telling British foreign and defence parliamentary committee members in a virtual meeting.

Jordan has led a diplomatic campaign along with most other European countries that opposes Israeli plans that envisage annexing parts of the occupied West Bank as part of a deal being promoted by U.S. President Donald Trumps administration.

King Abdullah, a staunch U.S. ally, has also in recent months warned that Israeli policies along with Trump's peace plan would lead to conflict and deal a blow to Israeli-Jordanian relations.

Amman lost the West Bank including East Jerusalem to Israel during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. Jordan is the second Arab country after Egypt to sign a peace treaty with Israel and many of its more than 7 million citizens are of Palestinian origin.

(Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi in Amman; Editing by Matthew Lewis)

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Jordan King Warns That Israel's Annexation Plans Jeopardize Regional Peace - The New York Times

Outstanding Teachers of 2020 – West Jordan Journal

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By Jet Burnham | [emailprotected]

Jordan Education Foundation honored 61 teachersone from every school in Jordan Districtas this years Outstanding Educators. JEF members were joined by proud principals, colleagues, family members and even neighbors to surprise the educators with balloons, yard signs, gift bags, honking and cheering outside their homes and schools.

I think the timing could not have been better, said JEF Executive Director Steven Hall, who acknowledged teachers have worked extra hard this year. I think it was an absolute morale boost for all of our teachers, not just the ones who were recognized, but all of the teachers that were able to celebrate. They don't expect pats on the back, but they deserve them.

The 2020 JEF Outstanding Educators from this area are:

Cara Hagman, Columbia Elementary Astros West Jordan

Lorene Fullmer, Copper Canyon Elementary

Heather Saunders, Falcon Ridge School

Clareen Arnold, Fox Hollow Elementary

Sharra Palmer, Hayden Peak Elementary

Amelia Paasi, Heartland Elementary

Marci Law, Jordan Hills Elementary School

Suzette Johnson, Majestic Elementary

Kasey Dahl, Mountain Shadows Elementary School

Tracey Davies, Oakcrest Elementary School

Megan Daly, Oquirrh Elementary

Emily Mitarai, Riverside Elementary School

Kristi Matthews, Terra Linda Elementary

Amy Allen, West Jordan Elementary

Larah Lewis, Westland Elementary School

Amanda Moon, Westvale Elementary

Jose Farias, Joel P Jensen Middle School

Joey Davis, Sunset Ridge Middle School

Carina Whiteside, West Hills Middle School

Jorge Ibanez, West Jordan Middle School

Rae Boren, Copper Hills High School

Michael Jacobson, West Jordan High School

Kari Worthington, JATC North Campus

Trevor Stookey, South Valley School

Local recipients of JEF student scholarships:

Aniuska Semprun, Copper Hills High School

Jacquelinne Bolanos, West Jordan High School

Emily Rhodes, Valley High School

Mitchelle Vallejo, Bingham High School

Ezra McFarland, Riverton High School

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Outstanding Teachers of 2020 - West Jordan Journal

A one-of-a-kind piece: Backboard from Michael Jordan’s ‘Shot’ sold in auction – The Athletic

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Craig Ehlo doesnt mind talking about The Shot now. But for 10 or so years following the 1989 game in which the Cavaliers lost to the Bulls in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series, he didnt like to discuss it, much less watch the replay.

The Shot resurfaced again recently as Episode 3 of ESPNs The Last Dance documentary highlighted one of the more iconic moments of Michael Jordans legacy.

Over the years, Ehlo, now 58, has come to realize he is an important part of NBA history. Even if hes on the wrong side.

I remember my dad told me right after the game that if anybody writes about it or teases you about it, just say, Were you there? Were you the one guarding him? Were you the one that got the opportunity? Ehlo recalled. I mean, thats what we all want is the opportunity. And to be there and, sure, you came up short on that...

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A one-of-a-kind piece: Backboard from Michael Jordan's 'Shot' sold in auction - The Athletic

Neolithic flint tools found in Jordan are ‘earliest human figures’ – The Times

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Archaeologists studying a cache of more than 100 prehistoric flint objects found in Jordan have concluded they are figurines of humans rather than tools as originally thought.

The Spanish researchers said that the 10,000 year-old flints found at Kharaysin, near Amman, have no sign of the wear and tear that would be expected if they were used as scrapers or cutting tools.

Instead, they suggested that their notched violin shapes resemble the humanoid forms of later Neolithic sculptures and, as they were found near burial sites, they may have been used to represent ancestors or the dead.

The Zarqa valley in Jordan has been the site of many Neolithic discoveries

NAHAL EFE PROJECT AND KHARAYSIN PROJECT

The results lead us to suggest that these flint artefacts are figurines that depict the human body in a form not previously documented, the study, published in the

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Neolithic flint tools found in Jordan are 'earliest human figures' - The Times