Monthly Archives: May 2021

Major investment in Northern Territory defence bases – NSW Liberal Party

Posted: May 4, 2021 at 8:03 pm

The Morrison Government will invest $747 million to upgrade four key training areas and ranges in the Northern Territory to enable the Australian Defence Force to conduct simulated training exercises and remain battle ready.

Essential upgrades will be made to four key military training areas and weapon ranges in the Northern Territory, including: Robertson Barracks, Kangaroo Flats, Mount Bundey and Bradshaw.

These Defence training areas and facilities will support greater engagement with our Indo-Pacific neighbours and our allies, and to conduct small and large scale military exercises across a number of different scenarios.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the investment was part of almost $8 billion in defence capital infrastructure works over the next decade in the Northern Territory.

This investment will deliver a jobs boom for the Northern Territory, the Prime Minister said.

We continue to invest more than $270 billion in defence capability across Australia over the next decade, ensuring we have a capable defence force to meet a changing global environment, while backing thousands of ADF men and women with the newest technology and training, the Prime Minister said.

Working with the United States and Indo-Pacific neighbours, we will continue to advance Australias interests by investing in the Australian Defence Force, particularly across Northern Australia.

Our focus is on pursuing peace, stability and a free and open Indo-Pacific, with a world order that favours freedom.

This investment will also maximise local jobs through a targeted industry plan to contract local businesses throughout the entire supply chain. My commitment is keeping Australians safe and keeping Australians in jobs.

Minister for Defence Peter Dutton said this significant investment would ensure the Australian Defence Force continues to deliver world class training and our engagement with allies and other nations through the conduct of joint training exercises, including with the US Marine Rotational Force - Darwin.

This investment is critical to ensuring that our ADF land combat capability is equipped with the cutting edge technology it will require to maintain our competitive advantage, Minister Dutton said.

These works will provide a strong economic benefit to the region, with significant opportunities for the local construction industry and local tradies over a five-year delivery phase program.

Significant opportunities will exist for local Australian industry to bid for almost all of the construction works, planned to be delivered through numerous local sub-contractor packages by Defences local Darwin-based Managing Contractor, Sitzler.

Subject to Parliamentary approvals, construction is expected to commence in the second half of 2021, with completion expected by mid-2026.

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Spanish police bust gang smuggling 7 tonnes of hashish – Yahoo

Posted: at 8:03 pm

The Canadian Press

The latest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 9:00 p.m. ET on Monday May 3, 2021. There are 1,243,242 confirmed cases in Canada. Canada: 1,243,242 confirmed cases (83,544 active, 1,135,356 resolved, 24,342 deaths).*The total case count includes 13 confirmed cases among repatriated travellers. There were 7,546 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 219.82 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 55,325 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 7,904. There were 42 new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 332 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 47. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.12 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 64.05 per 100,000 people. There have been 31,897,888 tests completed. Newfoundland and Labrador: 1,104 confirmed cases (60 active, 1,038 resolved, six deaths). There were five new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 11.49 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 42 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is six. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 1.15 per 100,000 people. There have been 244,507 tests completed. Prince Edward Island: 182 confirmed cases (13 active, 169 resolved, zero deaths). There were zero new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 8.14 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of five new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is one. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people. There have been 144,883 tests completed. Nova Scotia: 2,854 confirmed cases (943 active, 1,844 resolved, 67 deaths). There were 146 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 96.29 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 735 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 105. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 6.84 per 100,000 people. There have been 597,879 tests completed. New Brunswick: 1,954 confirmed cases (143 active, 1,773 resolved, 38 deaths). There were 15 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 18.3 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 96 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 14. There was one new reported death Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of three new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is zero. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.05 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 4.86 per 100,000 people. There have been 304,533 tests completed. Quebec: 352,678 confirmed cases (9,157 active, 332,577 resolved, 10,944 deaths). There were 798 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 106.79 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 6,981 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 997. There were two new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 58 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is eight. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.1 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 127.63 per 100,000 people. There have been 8,359,513 tests completed. Ontario: 473,901 confirmed cases (36,997 active, 428,786 resolved, 8,118 deaths). There were 3,436 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 251.1 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 25,040 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 3,577. There were 16 new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 183 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 26. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.18 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 55.1 per 100,000 people. There have been 14,046,808 tests completed. Manitoba: 39,524 confirmed cases (2,593 active, 35,952 resolved, 979 deaths). There were 251 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 188 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 1,717 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 245. There was one new reported death Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 11 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is two. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.11 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 70.98 per 100,000 people. There have been 689,854 tests completed. Saskatchewan: 41,805 confirmed cases (2,396 active, 38,911 resolved, 498 deaths). There were 207 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 203.28 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 1,628 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 233. There were three new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 22 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is three. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.27 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 42.25 per 100,000 people. There have been 775,458 tests completed. Alberta: 196,910 confirmed cases (23,608 active, 171,212 resolved, 2,090 deaths). There were 2,012 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 533.89 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 13,609 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,944. There were four new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 30 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is four. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.1 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 47.27 per 100,000 people. There have been 4,183,066 tests completed. British Columbia: 131,656 confirmed cases (7,542 active, 122,518 resolved, 1,596 deaths). There were 668 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 146.51 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 5,407 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 772. There were 15 new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 25 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is four. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.07 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 31 per 100,000 people. There have been 2,511,250 tests completed. Yukon: 81 confirmed cases (zero active, 79 resolved, two deaths). There were zero new cases Monday. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of zero new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is zero. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 4.76 per 100,000 people. There have been 9,024 tests completed. Northwest Territories: 52 confirmed cases (seven active, 45 resolved, zero deaths). There were zero new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 15.5 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there has been a total of one new case. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is zero. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people. There have been 18,637 tests completed. Nunavut: 528 confirmed cases (85 active, 439 resolved, four deaths). There were eight new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 215.99 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 64 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is nine. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 10.16 per 100,000 people. There have been 12,400 tests completed. This report was automatically generated by The Canadian Press Digital Data Desk and was first published May 3, 2021. The Canadian Press

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2 ticketed for public health order violation in Regina – Yahoo News Canada

Posted: at 8:03 pm

The Canadian Press

The latest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 9:00 p.m. ET on Monday May 3, 2021. There are 1,243,242 confirmed cases in Canada. Canada: 1,243,242 confirmed cases (83,544 active, 1,135,356 resolved, 24,342 deaths).*The total case count includes 13 confirmed cases among repatriated travellers. There were 7,546 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 219.82 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 55,325 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 7,904. There were 42 new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 332 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 47. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.12 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 64.05 per 100,000 people. There have been 31,897,888 tests completed. Newfoundland and Labrador: 1,104 confirmed cases (60 active, 1,038 resolved, six deaths). There were five new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 11.49 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 42 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is six. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 1.15 per 100,000 people. There have been 244,507 tests completed. Prince Edward Island: 182 confirmed cases (13 active, 169 resolved, zero deaths). There were zero new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 8.14 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of five new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is one. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people. There have been 144,883 tests completed. Nova Scotia: 2,854 confirmed cases (943 active, 1,844 resolved, 67 deaths). There were 146 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 96.29 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 735 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 105. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 6.84 per 100,000 people. There have been 597,879 tests completed. New Brunswick: 1,954 confirmed cases (143 active, 1,773 resolved, 38 deaths). There were 15 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 18.3 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 96 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 14. There was one new reported death Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of three new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is zero. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.05 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 4.86 per 100,000 people. There have been 304,533 tests completed. Quebec: 352,678 confirmed cases (9,157 active, 332,577 resolved, 10,944 deaths). There were 798 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 106.79 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 6,981 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 997. There were two new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 58 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is eight. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.1 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 127.63 per 100,000 people. There have been 8,359,513 tests completed. Ontario: 473,901 confirmed cases (36,997 active, 428,786 resolved, 8,118 deaths). There were 3,436 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 251.1 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 25,040 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 3,577. There were 16 new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 183 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 26. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.18 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 55.1 per 100,000 people. There have been 14,046,808 tests completed. Manitoba: 39,524 confirmed cases (2,593 active, 35,952 resolved, 979 deaths). There were 251 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 188 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 1,717 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 245. There was one new reported death Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 11 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is two. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.11 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 70.98 per 100,000 people. There have been 689,854 tests completed. Saskatchewan: 41,805 confirmed cases (2,396 active, 38,911 resolved, 498 deaths). There were 207 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 203.28 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 1,628 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 233. There were three new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 22 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is three. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.27 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 42.25 per 100,000 people. There have been 775,458 tests completed. Alberta: 196,910 confirmed cases (23,608 active, 171,212 resolved, 2,090 deaths). There were 2,012 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 533.89 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 13,609 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,944. There were four new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 30 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is four. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.1 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 47.27 per 100,000 people. There have been 4,183,066 tests completed. British Columbia: 131,656 confirmed cases (7,542 active, 122,518 resolved, 1,596 deaths). There were 668 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 146.51 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 5,407 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 772. There were 15 new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 25 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is four. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.07 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 31 per 100,000 people. There have been 2,511,250 tests completed. Yukon: 81 confirmed cases (zero active, 79 resolved, two deaths). There were zero new cases Monday. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of zero new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is zero. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 4.76 per 100,000 people. There have been 9,024 tests completed. Northwest Territories: 52 confirmed cases (seven active, 45 resolved, zero deaths). There were zero new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 15.5 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there has been a total of one new case. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is zero. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people. There have been 18,637 tests completed. Nunavut: 528 confirmed cases (85 active, 439 resolved, four deaths). There were eight new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 215.99 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 64 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is nine. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 10.16 per 100,000 people. There have been 12,400 tests completed. This report was automatically generated by The Canadian Press Digital Data Desk and was first published May 3, 2021. The Canadian Press

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Emily at the Edge of Chaos Peering over the precipice [MOVIE REVIEW] – Easy Reader

Posted: at 8:02 pm

Emily Levine in Emily at the Edge of Chaos. Photo courtesy of Kino Lorber.

Emily at the Edge of Chaos is the personal journey of the brilliant mind of Emily Levine. First conceived as a one-woman play for the Ensemble Studio Theatre in New York in 2009, Levine continued to hone and sharpen her theme, never straying far from her initial thesislife is a never-ending paradigm shift. What brought it on is an interesting personal story.

Emily Levine was a successful stand-up comedian in the early seventies, a time when the number of female comedians could be counted on one hand. Harvard-educated, Levine was independent, defiant, and played second fiddle to no one. To say she was a brilliant intellectual is giving her short shrift.

I knew Emily Levine. Her mind was endlessly curious, her wit incisive, her ideas on a different plane than us mere mortals. And, she was incredibly nice and approachable. She was a marvel of inclusivity, always wanting to know more about you; focusing not on herself but on those around her. Dazzlzed by her wit and intellect, she had the ability to make me feel smarter.

If there are three stages of life, we met during her third stage by which time she was a famous TED lecturer.

After her stand-up career in the late 70s, she became a very in-demand and successful television writer in the 80s. She could balance stories, punch-up, rewrites and still find time to host radio shows and make guest appearances on television news panels. She became a pundit on prestigious platforms using humor to educate. She discovered that physics, particularly the teachings and examples of Isaac Newton, could explain everything in the universe, particularly hers, in logical and rational terms. This was Emily 2.0, as she would later say.

But in the 90s, Emilys universe was upended. Her body and her mind began to change and her doctors were unable to explain what was happening. Her previously incisive mind became foggy. She was no longer Emily. She had fallen into a black hole.

Remarkably it took until 2007 to get properly diagnosed. A pituitary tumor had caused a condition called Acromegaly, resulting in her brain fog and body abnormalities, such as feet, hands, and head that grew in size. When finally the tumor was removed, she, as she points out, was on the way to finding the Emily she once knew.

Emily Levine and her scientific advisors in Emily at the Edge of Chaos. Photo courtesy of Kino Lorber.

From this point on, both privately and theatrically, both in plays and TED lectures, Emily sought answers. And she found some of those answers in Quantum Physics and Chaos Theory. Newton wasnt wrong, he just wasnt always right. As a matter of fact, and this is the part I clearly understood, nothing is black or white, right or wrong, logical or irrational. Based on her new, enhanced understanding of physics, the universe could be all those things at the same time. Thus was born Emily 3.0.

The brilliance of this theatrical documentary which is, at once, a stand-up act, a play, and a lecture on physics using clever animated cut-outs of historical figures such as Isaac Newton (John Lithgow), Werner Heisenberg (Richard Blackburn), Aristotle (Richard Lewis), Sigmund Freud (Leonard Nimoy), and Ayn Rand (Lily Tomlin) to illustrate the theories that she explains. Animated photo cut-outs of renowned present-day physicists who also acted as advisors lead us farther down the trail.

And all of this is also to illustrate the paradigm shift we are experiencing in society. Much like the undiagnosed disease she suffered from, she posits that America, too, has a form of acromegaly. We are divided against ourselves; our extremities (red states and blue states) are getting more pronounced; we recently suffered from a leader whose head kept getting bigger; we see things only in the Newtonian either/or universe rather than the Quantum Physics And-And logic.

Emily at the Edge of Chaos proposes that we can and should look at life as a possible paradigm shift. We can be right and wrong. Or, as Emily states, We can go from the Divided States to the United States; from e pluribus to unum.

My husband and I were lucky enough to see an early rendition of this work in progress as she explained to the audience where the animation would go. She uses clips of that long-ago audience in this film intermingled with more recent footage. (And if you know Larry and/or me, you can find us in there.) This was almost 10 years ago and Emily spent that time, in between her highly regarded TED lectures, trying to raise the money to get this film produced the way she wanted it. Her primary producer, Wendy Apple, passed away in 2017. Emily, whose health had been irreparably damaged by the acromegaly, undiagnosed for so long, was always in fragile health but continued working tirelessly. Certainly the gods were not smiling when she was diagnosed with lung cancer. Sadly she passed away in February 2019. It is hoped that she had been able to see a rough cut of the film before she died, but if not, Im sure this is the way she had hoped it would turn out. We should all be grateful to have touched a bit of Emilys genius. I know I am.

See this short, 61 minute film, on the Varsity Film Site.

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Emily at the Edge of Chaos Peering over the precipice [MOVIE REVIEW] - Easy Reader

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Becerril wins 2-0 at Real Burgos CF and takes all three points Explica .co – Explica

Posted: May 3, 2021 at 7:02 am

05/02/2021 at 11:04 PM CEST

The Real Burgos could not beat the Becerril, who won 2-0 during the match held this Sunday in the Mariano haro. The Becerril came with the intention of increasing his score after drawing 1-1 in the last duel held against the Cebrerena and at the moment he had a streak of three consecutive draws. On the visitors side, the Real Burgos CF he was defeated 4-1 in the last game he played against La Baeza and accumulated three consecutive defeats in the competition. After the game, the churro team is eighth, while the Real Burgos it is eleventh at the end of the duel.

The first team to score was the churro team, which opened the scoring with a goal from Eloy just a few minutes after the opening whistle, at minute 1. He again scored the Becerril, which increased the score by means of another as much of Eloy, who thus achieved a double in minute 5, thus ending the first half with the result of 2-0.

Neither team managed to score in the second half, so the match ended with a 2-0 score.

The coach of the Becerril gave entrance to Kike, Ismael, Yes bad, Adri Y France for Jimenez, Eloy, Ruben Vallejo, Kuko Y Carlos, Meanwhile he Real Burgos gave the green light to M, David Y Carlos Left, which came to replace Filipe, Temio Y Pedro Dango.

The referee sanctioned three players with a yellow card. He showed a yellow card to Jimenez, of Becerril and two to Marijuan Y Taborda of Real Burgos.

At the moment, the Becerril he gets 24 points and the Real Burgos with 19 points.

On the next day the Becerril will play against The farm away from home and the Real Burgos CF will play his match against him Pearanda Bracamonte in their stadium.

Data sheetBecerril:Sevi, Jimnez (Kike, min.46), Diego Martn, Sierra, Carlos (France, min.81), Varo, Merino, Blanco, Rubn Vallejo (Simal, min.71), Eloy (Ismael, min.71) and Kuko (Adri, min.78)Real Burgos CF:Alex Campos, Temio (David, min.61), Taborda, Sedano, scar, Marijuan, Pedro Dango (Carlos Izquierdo, min.74), Moreno, Alex Reyes, Filipe (M, min.46) and PazStadium:Mariano haroGoals:Eloy (1-0, min. 1) and Eloy (2-0, min. 5)

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Chernobyl First Responder Reflects On Lessons Learned 35 Years After Explosion – Here And Now

Posted: at 7:01 am

In April 1986 35 years ago this week some 30 people were killed when a reactor exploded at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine.

It is considered the worst nuclear disaster in history, in terms of both cost and casualties. Radioactive particles were released in a cloud that drifted over most of Europe, causing devastating environmental, public health and socio-economic impacts.

Dr. Alla Shapiro, author of Doctor on Call: Chernobyl Responder, Jewish Refugee, Radiation Expert, was a first responder in the Soviet Union during that crisis. She writes about the experience in a recent USA Today op-ed.

Shapiro worked as a pediatrician at a hospital in Kyiv, not far from Chernobyl, when the meltdown happened. She says she learned about the nuclear accident from her father, who called to warn her.

But no one at the hospital officially learned of what exactly happened until 13 days after the explosion, she says.

Children, bussed in from the disaster zone, started pouring into her hospital. They had persistent coughs and psychological symptoms stemming from anxiety and fear, she says.

The hospital staff was completely unprepared to treat radiation exposure, Shapiro recalls. Training on the topic wasnt part of their education at medical school or during residency. So doctors mainly treated patients based on their own intuition, she says.

That intuition told them they needed to put vulnerable children on oxygen. Tents filled with kids on oxygen tanks were set up outside the hospital, she remembers, and medical staff would play with the children to keep them calm.

Meanwhile, Shapiro got her then-3-year-old daughter to a safe location. She, however, was sent to the contamination zone two or three times with no clear instructions and no protective gear.

I know that I was exposed to radiation, but I have no idea what doses of radiation I received because we were not given that device that measures the radiation, she says. This was the reality that we faced.

More than two decades later, she was diagnosed with colon cancer while she was working in the United States. She believes it was a late effect of radiation exposure.

A variety of long-term health complications have been attributed to the nuclear explosion. The Chernobyl Forum, a group of United Nation agencies, assessed the different health impacts from the devastation and found childhood thyroid cancer to be the leading exposure-related illness.

Fortunately, Shapiro says shes doing well today. Over the past 35 years, shes made it her mission to develop countermeasures and medications for radiation exposure. She moved to the U.S. and began working on solutions with the Food and Drug Administration.

There are actionable ways to prepare for a nuclear disaster, she says. Physicians and medical students should have mandatory training for diagnosing and treating nuclear exposure, she advises.

Years after the incident, Mikhail Gorbachev called the Chernobyl disaster perhaps the real cause of the collapse of the Soviet Union. The silence and secrecy from Soviet officials defined the aftermath of the explosion.

Government officials, instead of scientists, were providing the information, she says.

The Soviet Union collapsed five years following the events at Chernobyl.

Shapiro says the governments role in downplaying disaster and telling lies ultimately propelled the tragedy something many with lingering illnesses are still reeling from today.

Emiko Tamagawaproduced and edited this interview for broadcast withJill Ryan.Serena McMahonadapted it for the web.

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Read next on IOL Fix Eskom for the sake of jobs and SA’s economy – IOL

Posted: at 7:01 am

By Zingiswa Losi May 1, 2021

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South Africas economy is facing its worst crisis in a century with unemployment at more than 40% and rising. Women and the youth bear the brunt of this economic stagnation with unemployment rates of 46.5% and 57.2%, respectively.

The economy, as measured by the GDP, shrunk by 7% in 2020. To put this figure in perspective, the analysis of Statistics South Africa underscores the fact that this is the biggest annual fall in output since 1946.

While Covid-19 has worsened an already bad situation, in our account of the deepening socio-economic crisis that is currently engulfing South Africa, we can partially attribute it to the misguided macroeconomic policy framework that has been implemented over the years.

Corruption and mismanagement coupled with this neo-liberal anti-state macroeconomic framework that defunded Eskom over the years are the source of load shedding. The lack of investment led to a deteriorating infrastructure and as a result load shedding.

The crisis-ridden state of Eskom has dented investor and consumer confidence. It has squeezed workers of their meagre wages and threatens to suffocate fragile industries, in particular mining. It has interrupted the economy at a time when the government is struggling to deal with the countrys debt-GDP ratio and trying to alleviate the debt-service costs. Recent load shedding cost the economy up to R5 billion daily.

Eskom with debts of about R424bn and rising is the ticking time bomb threatening to collapse the entire economy. The country is fast running out of options. Not only are the jobs of 44 000 workers at Eskom at risk, but the entire economy will implode and take 14 million South African workers with it. Given this potential collapse of Eskom and the devastating impact that it will have on workers, Cosatu has expressed its willingness to support key interventions to ensure the survival of the power utility and the economy.

In December at Nedlac, government and social partners adopted the Cosatu drafted Eskom Social Compact that sets out clear interventions to help with reducing Eskoms dangerously high debt to a sustainable level and fixing the power utility on condition that government and Eskom take the toxic ideas of retrenchments and privatisation off the table.

Sorting out Eskom and ensuring a reliable and affordable energy is critical if South Africa is to succeed in fixing the economy and overcoming the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

South Africa will not be able to achieve the necessary levels of economic growth with load shedding continuing to be an albatross around the economys neck. This also means the country risks losing out in the upturns in global commodity cycles, something that contributed immensely to the economic growth of the early 2000s and helped reduce government revenue shortfalls recently.

Fixing Eskom cannot be bogged down by ideological contestations like the futile concept of unbundling. Unbundling is a sideshow that has no role in fixing Eskom because it will not address the real causes of load shedding.

Rooting out corruption should be central in fixing Eskom. Outsourced operations are some of the channels through which Eskom is haemorrhaging scarce resources.

We need a review of all Service Level Agreements (SLAS) and contracts at Eskom because some of them have produced poor quality outputs. The idea of outsourcing of functions was introduced to save costs but in reality, they are a source of corruptive inflation of costs and looting. A comprehensive public audit of all Eskom contracts and expenditure should be instituted and must include coal supply contracts.

We insist that before any consideration of investing any funds at Eskom, the power utility must provide an analysis of the SLAS and contracts pertaining to outsourcing with a view to revoking those that haemorrhage resources and to implement insourcing.

We need a concrete plan on how Eskom plans to rationalise and align the generally huge packages of its senior management. It is unacceptable that even the regular bailouts given to Eskom incorporate these huge executive remuneration structures and exorbitant board fees. The question of performance or productivity is never raised, despite the fact that Eskom has been failing at a huge cost to the fiscus.

There must be worker representation on Eskoms Board. Worker representation will help to build trust and enable workers to highlight problems at the highest level for intervention. The PIC, which manages workers funds, is already exposed at Eskom to the tune of R95bn from the GEPF and R9bn from the UIF in Eskom bonds.

Workers have a responsibility to safeguard and salvage their investments. Coal suppliers and IPP generation contractors must reduce their excessive prices, or their contracts should be cancelled, and Eskoms generation mandate must be expanded by the minister to allow it to grow its own renewable energy generation capacity.

A comprehensive debt recovery plan must also be implemented to recover the R37bn owed by departments, SOES, municipalities, communities (including Soweto) and consumers at large. There must be no exceptions.

The economic growth and welfare of the nation needs a working Eskom and a reliable and affordable supply of electricity. Cosatus mandate is to protect every workers job and pension, therefore, we remain available as constructive partners to work with all social partners to save and fix the power utility for the sake of jobs and the economy.

* Zingiswa Losi is the president of Cosatu.

** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of IOL and Independent Media.

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Super Heroes Take to the High Seas on New Disney Cruise Line Ship – Marvel Entertainment

Posted: at 6:58 am

When the brand new vessel joining the Disney Cruise Line fleet, Disney Wish, sets sail in summer 2022, families of all ages will discover a mesmerizing new world created especially for them. Onboard, guests will find a celebration of Disneys rich legacy of enchanting storytelling including the ever-expanding Marvel Universe!

Along with classic Disney, Pixar and Star Wars characters, Marvel Super Heroes will also find their way onto the ship in new, exciting ways creating a unique experience for guests aboard. Whether youre looking to dine alongside the Avengers or suit up for the next adventure, there will be something for everyone, and every Marvel fan, on the Disney Wish. You never know who youll bump into, or what you might be recruited to do!

The Disney Wish will debut brand-new family restaurants, including Worlds of Marvel, the first-ever Marvel cinematic dining adventure. Guests will play an interactive role in an action-packed Avengers mission that unfolds around them, complete with a worldly menu inspired by the Marvel Cinematic Universe. At Worlds of Marvel, families will find dishes inspired by locations like Wakanda, Sokovia, and New York City while dining in the midst of an immersive Avengers technology showcase.

Outfitted with state-of-the-art Pym Tech and decked out in signature Stark-itecture style, the venue will offer surprises in all shapes and sizes. Additionally, be on the lookout for fan-favorite Avengers and an infamous foe.

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Met warns of thundery rain, strong winds and high seas – Gulf Times

Posted: at 6:58 am

Weather inshore until 6pm on Monday will be hazy and partly cloudy to cloudy with chances of scattered rain that can become thundery at places at times, the Department of Meteorology said in its daily weather report. The Met Dept warned also of sudden strong winds with thundershowers. Offshore, it will be hazy and cloudy to partly cloudy with chance of scattered rain that can be thundery at times, the report added, warning of expected thundery rain associated with strong winds and high sea.Wind inshore will be southeasterly to northeasterly 08 to 18 knot reaches to 30 knot with thundery rain.Offshore, it will be mainly southeasterly to northeasterly 08 to 18 knot gusting to 30 knot at places with thundery rain.Visibility will be 4 to 8/3 kilometers or less at times.Sea state inshore will be 2 to 3 feet, rises to 5 feet with thundery rain, while offshore it will be 3 to 5 feet, rises to 9 feet at places with thundery rain.

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Russia’s Illegal Restriction of Navigation in the Black Sea – Lawfare

Posted: at 6:58 am

Russia recently announced that it was closing off portions of the Black Sea off the Crimean Peninsula and near the Kerch Strait to foreign warships and other state vessels from April 24 to Oct. 31. The announcement was immediately condemned by both Kyiv and Washington. U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price expressed deep concern over Moscows declaration, denouncing the move as another unprovoked escalation in Russias ongoing efforts to undermine and destabilize Ukraine. The closures come at a time when Russia is significantly building up its forces in Crimea and around the Ukrainian border on a scale not seen since it invaded Crimea in 2014, although there are reports that the Kremlin has ordered the withdrawal of some of its troops from the border.

Closure Areas in the Black Sea

All ships, including warships and other state vessels, enjoy a right of innocent passage through foreign territorial seas under Article 17 of the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). A passage is innocent if it is not prejudicial to the peace, good order or security of the coastal state. A passage is considered to be prejudicial to the peace, good order or security of the coastal state if a ship engages in one of the activities listed in Article 19, such as intelligence collection and weapons exercises.

The coastal state may adopt laws and regulations relating to innocent passage, which conform to international law, for the reasons specified in Article 21, but, under Article 24, these laws and regulations cannot hamper, deny or impair the right of innocent passage. Under Article 25, the coastal state may, however, take the necessary steps in its territorial sea to prevent passage that is not innocent. In addition, Article 25 allows the coastal state, without discrimination in form or fact among foreign ships, to suspend temporarily in specified areas of its territorial sea the innocent passage of foreign ships if such suspension is essential for the protection of its security, including weapons exercises. The suspension will take effect only after it has been duly published.

The authority of the coastal state to suspend innocent passage, however, is not unlimited. On April 24, Russia announced that it was closing off portions of the Black Sea to foreign warships and other state vessels 24/7 for a period of six months. Russias announced closure is problematic for several reasons. First, under UNCLOS, the suspension of innocent passage must be temporary. The combination of a closure that extends 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for six months is not considered temporary. Second, the suspension cannot discriminate in form or fact among foreign ships. Russias declaration applies only to warships and other state vessels and therefore discriminates in fact among types of foreign ships. Third, the suspension of innocent passage must be essential for the security of the coastal state. Russia has not publicly indicated why it is closing off portions of the Black Sea. In short, Russias purported suspension of passage to foreign warships and other state vessels operating off the coast of Crimea appears inconsistent with international law.

To the extent that the closure area extends beyond the 12 nautical mile boundary of its territorial sea, the Worldwide Navigational Warning Service states that Russia may establish temporary warning areas only to advise ships and aircraft that it is conducting activities beyond its territorial sea that may pose a hazard to navigation and overflight. Such warning areas are not exclusion zones. Ships and aircraft retain the right to transit through these zones recognizing that there is an increased risk in doing so. Beyond the territorial sea, under UNCLOS Article 89, no state may subject any part of the high seas, including the exclusive economic zone (EEZ), to its sovereignty. Seaward of the territorial sea, all ships and aircraft enjoy high seas freedoms of navigation and overflight and other internationally lawful uses of the seas related to these freedoms, including military activities. To the extent the Russian closure area purports to close portions of the Black Sea that are beyond the 12 nautical mile boundary, it is inconsistent with international law.

Kerch Strait

The current Russian Notice to Mariners blocks access to the Kerch Strait, which connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Azov. This closure violates the 2003 bilateral agreement between Russia and Ukraine, which recognizes the importance of the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait to the economic development of both Ukraine and Russia. The treaty notes that all disputes concerning the Azov-Kerch area of water should be resolved peacefully. Article 2 of the agreement acknowledges that the Sea of Azov features both Russian and Ukrainian ports and recognizes that Russian and Ukrainian flagged ships enjoy freedom of navigation through the Kerch Strait and within the Sea of Azov. It also recognizes freedom of navigation for foreign flagged commercial ships transiting the strait to or from a Russian or Ukrainian port within the Sea of Azov, as well as for foreign flagged warships transiting to such a port with the permission of either Russia or Ukraine. Russias unilateral and abrupt closure of the Kerch Strait blocks Ukraines access to two of its strategic ports in the Sea of Azov, without consultation with Ukraine, in violation of Russias obligations under the bilateral agreement.

Although the status of the Kerch Strait is unsettled, we suggest Russias closure of the strait violates Article 38 of UNCLOS because the Kerch Strait is considered a strait used for international navigation under Article 37. The strait is completely overlapped by the territorial seas of Ukraine and Russia and connects two areas of EEZs in the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea. It is also used extensively by ships engaged in international trade, logging nearly 19,500 transits in 2017. The waterway, therefore, meets both the geographic and functional criteria of an international strait where the right of transit passage applies. Article 44 stipulates that coastal states may not suspend transit passage. Thus, Russias closure of the strait and access to the Sea of Azov is in contravention of UNCLOS if the Kerch Strait is governed by the transit passage regime. Two of the principal users of the straitUkraine and members of the European Unionagree that the right of transit passage applies in the Kerch Strait.

Kerch Strait passage is further complicated by Russias illegal construction of the Kerch Bridge in 2018 across the strait, which connects mainland Russia and the Crimean Peninsula. The bridges span limits the height of vessels that may enter the strait and is controlled entirely by Russia, thereby impeding transits. In 2018, Russia employed the bridge and a large container ship to block Ukrainian vessels from entering the strait, triggering a military confrontation that spurred legal cases filed by Ukraine at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea and the Permanent Court of Arbitration. The European Union and the United States have denounced the illegal construction of the bridge and in October 2020 and April 2021 they imposed additional sanctions on Russian entities and individuals tied to the construction of the bridge.

The European Parliament asserted in a 2018 resolution that transit passage applies through the Kerch Strait. The resolution condemns the construction of the Kerch Bridge and the laying of underwater cables in the strait without the consent of Ukraine as a clear violation of Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity. Specifically, the bridge limits the size of ships that can transit the strait to an air draft of less than 33 meters and a length of less than 160 meters. This means that Panamax-class vessels, which accounted for more than 20 percent of all ship traffic through the strait before the construction of the bridge, now cannot enter the Sea of Azov. The resolution additionally condemns Russias practice of blocking and inspecting Ukrainian and foreign-flagged commercial vessels going through the strait, including more than 120 ships registered in the European Union, which were bound to or from Ukrainian ports. The European Parliament views Russias actions as a breach of international maritime law, and it condemned the illegal construction of the Kerch Bridge and Russias infringement of navigational rights, which hamper the right of transit passage through the strait.

As one of the bordering states, Ukraine also maintains that the transit passage regime applies to the Kerch Strait. On Sept. 16, 2016, Ukraine served Russia with a Notification and Statement of Claim under Annex VII to UNCLOS referring to a dispute concerning coastal state rights in the Black Sea, Sea of Azov and Kerch Strait. In its memorial, Ukraine requested the Arbitral Tribunal to adjudge and declare that, inter alia, Russia violated UNCLOS, Article 2, through its unauthorized and unilateral construction of submarine power cables, a submarine gas pipeline and the Kerch Bridge across the Kerch Strait; and that Russia violated UNCLOS, Articles 38 and 44, by impeding transit passage through the Kerch Strait. Regarding the status of the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait, Ukraine specifically denies that it had treated these waters as common internal waters either before or after the execution of the 2003 agreement. Rather, Ukraine asserts that it has applied the regime of transit passage to the strait, as reflected in a 2001 note verbale and 2002 note verbale (paragraph 242). On this basis, Ukraine requested the Arbitral Tribunal to order the Russian Federation to, inter alia, provide Ukraine with appropriate public assurances and guarantees that Russia would not hinder transit passage through the Kerch Strait.

Annexation of Crimea

Russias current closure areas in the Black Sea and control of the Kerch Strait are tactics tied to its ongoing occupation and annexation of Crimea. In 2014, Russia illegally invaded and annexed Crimea in violation of Article 2(4) of the U.N. Charter. Russias continued occupation of Ukrainian territory contravenes international law and the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, in which Russia pledged to respect the independence and sovereignty and the existing borders of Ukraine. The memorandum also requires Russia to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine.

Ukraine, the United States and the European Union do not recognize the Russian annexation of Crimea and view the ongoing Russian presence in and control of the region as an illegal occupation in violation of Ukraines sovereignty and international law. Similarly, the Council of Europe indicated that the referendum organized in Crimea in March 2014 was unconstitutional under both the Crimean and Ukrainian constitutions and that the outcome of the referendum and Russias illegal annexation of Crimea have no legal effect. The Russian occupation of Crimea has likewise been condemned by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. Given that Russia does not have a lawful territorial claim to Crimea, it lacks legal authority to close the territorial sea of Ukraine off the coast of Crimea. And under Article 2 of the U.N. Charter, Ukraine has complete sovereignty over its territorial sea. Russias purported closure of the Black Sea off the coast of Crimea constitutes a threat or use of force against the territorial integrity and political independence of Ukraine, in violation of Article 2(4) of the U.N. Charter.

Conclusion

The international community cannot acquiesce to continued encroachment of Ukrainian sovereignty and escalating Russian aggression in the Black Sea region. Ukraines sovereignty over its territorial seas and access to its ports in the Sea of Azov are just as critical to its national security as is its sovereignty over Crimea. Access to the Kerch Strait, as well as freedom of navigation throughout the Black Sea, are essential to the security of the Black Sea states, all European nations and the United States. Notwithstanding the serious economic impacts of hampering navigation in the Black Sea and access to the Sea of Azov, the Russian closure areas limit military operations of the United States and its European and NATO allies. Russia is violating international law and its own regional agreements regarding the status of Ukraines sovereign territory, the Kerch Strait and the Sea of Azov. There should be greater consequences for these actions.

The ongoing arbitration may reinforce Ukraine and the international communitys criticism of Russias illegal actions, generate further diplomatic costs and increased sanctions, and spur increased naval deployments to the region and freedom of navigation assertions by the United States and NATO. These responses to aggression exert greater pressure on Russia and reinforce the rule of law and freedoms of navigation and overflight in the Black Sea region. Russia is a bully, and the only way to stop a bully is to confront it. NATO must take a firmer stance against Russia and compel Moscow to unwind its war against Ukraine.

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