Daily Archives: March 8, 2022

The Launch of Amazon Aware Is Making Sustainability More Accessible – Futurism

Posted: March 8, 2022 at 10:48 pm

Amazon has taken its biggest step into the world of sustainable goods with the launch of Amazon Aware, a collection of clothing, beauty, bed & bath, and household products designed by an in-house team. Theyre dedicated to using recycled or sustainable materials without sacrificing quality or over inflating their price.

Each item created under this label is made with sustainable materials, organic ingredients, or its production is carbon neutral. In some cases, items can fit multiple criteria. A great example of this is, the Amazon Aware Daily Body Wash, which is vegan, never tested on animals during development, and formulated without fragrances. The Amazon Aware Hand Towels are made using organic cotton yarn thats been certified as such using the Global Organic Textile Standards. These towels have also been certified as Made in Green by Oeko-Tex, and carbon neutral by ClimatePartner. These are staples you can use every day, so its great to have a sustainable option thats easily accessible.

To be clear: Amazon isnt casually stamping new products as Amazon Aware without any oversight; each item in this collection has been certified by third-party organizations. The exact certification varies depending on the items category. For example, pieces from the Amazon Aware apparel lines will meet the Organic Content Standard 100, Global Recycled Standard, or High Index Materials Seal, whereas toiletries may be certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. These standards were developed independently, with no input from Amazon. Individual product pages will go further into depth about how or why that item has earned its certification, and clarify how it judges claims of carbon neutrality.

The launch of Amazon Aware is a follow up to the companys Climate Pledge Friendly initiative, which was launched last year. This program was designed to highlight companies designing sustainably made products, or using more efficient packaging. The Climate Pledge Friendly badge isnt itself a certification, its a signifier that an item has been certified by a third-party organization including Fairtrade, Cradle To Cradle, Green Seal, and Ecologo to be more sustainably made than alternatives.

It makes sense that Amazon would use the same principles it established when designing the Climate Friendly Pledge program to apply to products it makes. In fact, some of Amazons recent technology, like its Echo Speaker (4th Gen), have earned the Climate Pledge Friendly badge after being certified by the organization The Carbon Trust to use less CO2 each year. In that case, the Echo can enter a low power state that requires less energy than previous Echo speakers when its not actively in use.

A big part of what makes Amazon Aware so impressive is the volume of items available at launch. There are 104 products across all four categories, with a majority of them falling under the clothing umbrella. Amazon is committed to adding more products (or introducing new categories) in the future, but has not announced any plans on when that will happen.

The main purpose of Amazon Aware is to give shoppers even more sustainable options when searching for staples, but Amazon has also taken steps to address other inequities you may experience when shopping.In the case of apparel, that means offering a wide array of sizes. A pair of mens cropped jeans is available in sizes ranging from 28W x 30L to 42W x 34L, while its Womens Fit and Flare Dress is available in sizes ranging from XX-Small to 7X-Large. Importantly, the price for those items ($44.90 and $39.90 respectively) is the same regardless of the size you choose. From the start, Amazon Aware products are designed to be accessible to everyone. This continues the work Amazon has done with clothing released under its Amazon Essentials brand, which also includes the same emphasis on offering a range of size options.

Amazons focus on accessible pricing is present on all of the products launching under its Amazon Aware branding. All of its beauty products, from vegan body wash to face moisturizer formulated with natural ingredients like avocado and sunflower oil, cost less than $20. Apparel starts at $18.90 for a 100 percent organic cotton T-shirt and tops out at $59 for a 100 percent recycled polyester Sherpa jacket.

Yes, its easy to find products in these categories that cost a lot less, but theyll almost certainly lack the certifications that Amazons alternatives have earned. The point is to give shoppers a more environmentally friendly alternative on the staples they rely on most often while continuing to offer the traditional benefits of shopping on Amazon, like fast shipping and competitive pricing.

We wont know how successful Amazon Aware is for at least a couple of months, but the programs launch signals the online retail giants growing commitment to sustainability. Notably, the companys dominance in the world of e-commerce may encourage its competitors to focus on making attainably-priced sustainable goods to stay competitive.

This post was created by a non-news editorial team at Recurrent Media, Futurisms owner. Futurism may receive a portion of sales on products linked within this post.

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LA Treasurer joins other states in divesting Russian investments – KATC News

Posted: at 10:48 pm

Louisiana State Treasurer John M. Schroder has joined a number of other State Treasurers across the country in an effort to stop the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The treasurers are pledging to divest their state-controlled investments in Russian companies.

"I am sickened by the images of the unprovoked Russian invasion of Ukraine," says Louisiana State Treasurer John M. Schroder. "Louisiana Treasury is joining other states in divesting from any Russian investments in an attempt to do our share in forcing an end to this invasion and crippling the Russian government."

According to Schroder, Louisiana Treasury manages one fund that currently owns international stocks with any exposure to Russia.

The Treasury Department says The Louisiana Education Quality Trust Fund (LEQTF) investment is an index fund managed by Vanguard. The index held less than 1% in Russian stocks. The index removed all Russian stocks on March 7, 2020.

See the full statement from the joint treasurers below:

"We, the undersigned State Treasurers, condemn Russia's unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine. The Russian invasion is a threat to democratic freedoms and global stability and cannot be tolerated. State governments invest a significant amount of public funds with some invested in Russian-domiciled companies. Actions taken by states can help the people of Ukraine by putting additional pressure on the Russian economy to force an end to this invasion. These actions are not only morally imperative, but the current crisis also constitutes a substantial risk for states' investments and our economic security. We cannot continue to invest funds in a way that runs counter to the foreign policy and the national interests of the United States. Moreover, we choose to stand on the side of freedom and security for free and independent democratic countries."

"Therefore, we support efforts at all levels of government and across the public and private sectors, which include cross-functional and multi-agency partnerships, to divest State Treasury and pension funds from investments in Russian-domiciled companies. We are committed to taking steps that include divesting as soon as possible to have the quickest and most meaningful impact on this tragic situation."

Treasurer Kimberly Yee, ArizonaTreasurer Dennis Milligan, ArkansasTreasurer Fiona Ma, CaliforniaTreasurer Dave Young, ColoradoTreasurer Shawn Wooden, ConnecticutTreasurer Colleen Davis, DelawareTreasurer Julie Ellsworth, IdahoTreasurer Michael Frerichs, IllinoisTreasurer Michael Fitzgerald, IowaTreasurer Lynn Rogers, KansasTreasurer Allison Ball, KentuckyTreasurer John Schroder, LouisianaTreasurer Henry Beck, MaineTreasurer Dereck Davis, MarylandTreasurer Deb Goldberg, MassachusettsTreasurer Rachael Eubanks, MichiganTreasurer David McRae, MississippiTreasurer Scott Fitzpatrick, MissouriTreasurer John Murante, NebraskaTreasurer Zach Conine, NevadaTreasurer Monica Mezzapelle, New HampshireTreasurer Elizabeth Muoio, New JerseyTreasurer Tim Eichenberg, New MexicoTreasurer Thomas Beadle, North DakotaTreasurer Robert Sprague, OhioTreasurer Randy McDaniel, OklahomaTreasurer Tobias Read, OregonTreasurer Stacy Garrity, PennsylvaniaGeneral Treasurer Seth Magaziner, Rhode IslandTreasurer Josh Haeder, South DakotaComptroller Glenn Hegar, TexasTreasurer Marlo Oaks, UtahTreasurer Mike Pellicciotti, Washington*Treasurer Sarah Godlewski, WisconsinTreasurer Riley Moore, West VirginiaTreasurer Curt Meier, WyomingTreasurer Carmen Pigler, District of ColumbiaCommissioner of Finance Bosede Bruce, U.S. Virgin Islands

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How the US and Europe helped Ukraine prep for insurgency – ArmyTimes.com

Posted: at 10:48 pm

In recent days, Ukrainian officials and citizens have made it clear: even if the country does fall to Russias massive invasion, the fight wont stop there.

It is high time to proceed to resistance! said defense minister Oleksiy Reznikov in a March 2 Facebook post. I appeal to the citizens who are in the territories temporarily occupied by the enemy. With your help, our army will quickly defeat and drive out the occupiers.

Hunters. Foresters. You know every pathin your area, Reznikov said, adding that guerillas should leave the [Russian] tanks and target logistics convoys. The enemy must feel that every step without invitation on Ukrainian soil may be his last.

Ordinary Ukrainians near or behind enemy lines appear to be listening, resisting through both violent and non-violent means.

For some officials, that means everything is going to plan.

Since 2018, U.S. and European officials have quietly helped Ukraine implement key portions of a total defense framework that military officials call the Resistance Operating Concept, according to a U.S. special operations official who requested anonymity to discuss the project with Military Times. The work took place over time, through interagency meetings in Kyiv and with multinational representation, the official explained.

Special Operations Command-Europe was unable to grant Military Times interview requests for resistance experts due to the ongoing conflict. The Pentagon has adopted a restrictive media posture on the war in Ukraine, denying media embed requests and conducting routine intelligence updates on background.

The Resistance Operating Concept centers around building up the capacity of NATO members and friendly countries to mount an effective civil and military resistance if they were to face Russian invasion.

The ROC also encourages civil disobedience and non-violent resistance in the face of enemy occupation.

Nations supported under the ROC are encouraged to develop the legal and organizational framework for a resistance and bring it under the official control of their armed forces. That makes it easier for resistance forces to receive external training, funding and weapons.

Ukraines total defense project, which is part of a U.S.- and NATO-supported defense reform collaboration that has been ongoing since war began in 2014, resulted in such a framework last year and not a second too soon.

The ROC did help Ukraine self-evaluate [their national defense plan]...and it generated some momentum for Ukraine to catch up with their neighbors in that proper legal structure, explained the U.S. special operations official familiar with the countrys resistance planning. The official added that other countries have also implemented lessons from Ukraines combat experience against Russia in the Donbass region.

Kyivs legislature passed On the Fundamentals of National Resistance in July, according to a release from president Volodymyr Zelenskys office. The legislation included important measures aimed at developing territorial defense and [a] resistance movement, and introducing a system of preparing the population for national resistance.

It also offers legal protections for any civilian in Ukraine who takes up arms against an occupying force, while offering the government options for disavowing or blocking counter-productive resistance.

The law also placed Ukraines highly capable SOF units who have trained extensively with U.S., Canadian and European troops since 2014 in charge of building out and coordinating insurgent forces in the event of occupation.

Its not clear yet whether Ukrainian SOF are organizing and leading insurgent forces amid their ongoing ambushes and raids against Russian columns. But early signs of resistance are appearing as Western nations flood the country with man-portable anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons.

One of many widely shared videos out of the conflict zone depicts a drive-by Molotov cocktail attack on a disabled Russian vehicle under tow.

Videos emerging from Kherson, one of the few cities currently under Russian occupation, show a restive population that regularly protests and impedes occupation forces. One video even showed protestors brawling with Russian troops as a hail of warning shots sounded in the background.

Citizens in Energogar, another town in southern Ukraine, delayed a Russian advance on the towns nuclear power plant when hundreds of residents blocked the road with vehicles, barricades and their own bodies.

Ukrainian officials are doing their best to fan the flames, too.

A new official website the National Resistance Center run by Ukraines Special Operations Forces offers advice and handbooks for would-be insurgents of all stripes. It also disseminates fresh news daily on protests and resistance actions in Russian-occupied areas of the country.

The website includes how-to guides on reporting Russian troop movements, tactical medicine, secure communications, sabotage and more.

A 19-page pocketbook consolidates much of the training material into a single PDF document illustrated with various images of Vault Boy, a symbol from the Fallout video game series where players navigate a post-apocalyptic world through smarts and sabotage.

Notably, the website also instructs everyday citizens on how they can resist Russian occupation without taking up arms.

This portion of a resistance handbook published by Ukraine's Special Operations Forces instructs readers on how to conduct sabotage operations. (Screenshot)

One page instructs office workers in any future Russian occupation administration to work as slowly as possible, spread alarming workplace rumors, do your job badly and misplace documents.

The adoption of total defense isnt unique to Ukraine, though the Eastern European country of more than 40 million is poised to be a test-case of these principles in action.

In recent years, other countries across Europe have quietly updated their national defense plans to lay the groundwork for an insurgency in the case of Russian invasion and occupation.

Countries at the vanguard of resistance planning include Poland, the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania; the Nordic countries of Finland, Norway and Sweden; and other vulnerable states, like Georgia.

Ukraine, should its government fall, will offer insight on a burning question for these countries can a country plant the seeds of insurgency before a full-scale war even begins?

Volunteers of Ukraine's Territorial Defense Forces talk to each other by a damaged vehicle at a checkpoint in Brovary, outside Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, March 1, 2022. Russian shelling pounded civilian targets in Ukraine's second-largest city Tuesday and a 40-mile convoy of tanks and other vehicles threatened the capital tactics Ukraine's embattled president said were designed to force him into concessions in Europe's largest ground war in generations. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

Thats what military planners from countries who have invested heavily in resistance capabilities are closely monitoring, explained the editorial director of West Points Modern War Institute, John Amble, in a recent article.

Ultimately, the questions are whether civilian resistance is a credible means of defending against aggression and, if so, what balance between such an approach and conventional capabilities is appropriate, Amble explained. He noted that the effectiveness of such efforts thus far remain unknown in an operational sense but have certainly been symbolically powerful.

Ukraine is considered one of the countries best-suited for armed resistance among ROC adherents due to its combat experience in the countrys east, explained the special operations official familiar with the countrys resistance planning.

If resistance cant succeed there, some worry it wont succeed anywhere though Ukraine cant rely on NATO military intervention like many other ROC-inspired militaries can.

Meanwhile, planners supporting Ukraine are preparing for what could be a protracted fight.

According to the Washington Post, Ukraines partners are planning how to help establish and support a government-in-exile, which could direct guerrilla operations against Russian occupiers in the event that Kyiv and other cities fall and make continued conventional warfare untenable.

We must win the war, said one Zelenskyy advisor to the Washington Post. There are no other options.

Davis Winkie is a staff reporter covering the Army. He originally joined Military Times as a reporting intern in 2020. Before journalism, Davis worked as a military historian. He is also a human resources officer in the Army National Guard.

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A Trailblazing Engineer Says Invention Is in Everything I Do – Tufts Now

Posted: at 10:48 pm

Karen Panetta developed a knack for computer programming in high school, inspired by the magic that was inside the box. That curiosity would fuel a trailblazing career in engineering as an educator, a researcher, a mentor for young women, and an inventor.

Panetta was recently elected to the National Academy of Inventors, the first woman from Tufts University to earn that honor. She joined Tufts in 1994, rising through the ranks to become the first woman granted tenure in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering; she is now also dean of graduate education for the School of Engineering. Her research includes developing software that uses artificial intelligence to improve medical diagnostics and to enhance robotic vision, for applications such as underwater search-and-rescue.

Panetta also has paved the way for young women to pursue their own engineering paths. She founded the Nerd Girls program in 2000 to encourage young women to pursue engineering and science; today the program is a nationalmultimedia enterprisethat includes the Nerd Girl Nation web series. She was honored for her pioneering work in education with a U.S. Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Math and Engineering Mentoring, presented by President Barack Obama in 2011. She also foundedIEEE Women in Engineering Magazine, of which she is editor-in-chief.

Tufts Nowasked her about her trailblazing career and her advice for young people today.

Tufts Now: What early influences shaped your invention skills?

Karen Panetta: I was always inventing things, like rollercoasters out of paper towel rolls. My dad, who grew up in Medford, worked on heavy construction equipment. He loved to make machinery, which he sold to pay for our college educations.

He saw my aptitude for math and science and thought I should be a civil engineer, but I had no idea what that was. Zero. When it came time for college, he said: You're going to be an engineer.

Thats why, when we used to walk around campus years later, I held his hand. I think students who saw us thought it was a bit funny: The professor is holding her fathers hand! And I wanted to say to them: You know what? I'm very proud. I am a professor, and I wouldnt be here without him.

Why electrical and computer engineering?

I had a knack for computer programming, but I wanted to learn not just programming, but also the magic inside the box. In college, I learned how to build semiconductors, and my dream was to work for Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC). That's what I did, and they also paid for my masters and Ph.D. in exchange for going into teaching. DEC thought that if they put engineers back into colleges as educators, students would have a more realistic education that mapped to real-world issues and challenges. At the time, there were no internships either, but I secured donor funding for the School of Engineerings first career internship coordinator. Now, everyone understands the value of industry experience while youre a student.

Did you have any sense that you were in the vanguard because of your gender?

I knew it was going to be a profession where I would have to make some inroads. When I came to Tufts, there were no women in my field. Career websites said: Electrical engineers work in labs doing math problems and working with soldering irons. I wouldn't have become an electrical engineer if I saw that. The message I took was that I could be a mentor for women studentsI could show them there was so much more to engineering.

What were early reactions to Nerd Girls, and how did the program make a difference?

I received pushback from some people who were thrown off by the name. You call them girls; they're women. And you call them nerds. Back then the definition of nerd had a certain stereotype associated with the name and I wanted to redefine that. I wanted to take ownership of the word and turn it into a positive thing. Most outreach programs show that women can be good teachers, but Nerd Girls went beyond this and emphasized that women can be innovators and leaders. And that helps the students learn there are no limits. All students, including women, can be teachers and business leaders and entrepreneurs.

Looking back, what were pivotal choices you made early in your own career?

Id have to say the most influential was joining the IEEE [Institute of Electronic and Electrical Engineers]. They gave me leadership opportunities, and that made all the difference to my career. I was interacting on committees with medical doctors and biomedical and physicists and mathematicians and learning about other people's research. Ive tried to do that throughout my career: The more perspectives you bring in, the more diverse personalities you bring in, the more robust and creative the solution.

You co-authored a book,Count Girls In: Empowering Girls to Combine Any Interests with STEM to Open Up a World of Opportunityin 2018with KatianneWilliams, E96, who was part of the Nerd Girls. Is there a key message from the book that you want to share with young girls and their parents and teachers?

Its never too early to start. We used to say, Get them in fourth or fifth grade or eighth grade. To that I ask: Did you teach them to read and write when they were in fourth grade? No, you start them from the very beginning. And that's exactly the way math and science need to be taught.

The Presidential Award is the nation's highest award for engineering, science, mathematics, and mentoring in education. What does national recognition mean to you?

It was a very proud moment in my career! But so was being accepted into the National Academy of Inventors. Invention is in everything I do. Even before I came to Tufts, when I was at DEC, I was the co-inventor of the first digital twin of a whole computer. Research Im doing now in artificial intelligence involves developing algorithms that emulate human vision and find ways to visualize sensor information the human eye cant readily see. I believe fundamentally that emulating human systems is the best way to channel my engineering knowledge.

What words of encouragement do you have for young girls and women who are considering engineering?

I use an analogy from sports. If you join a sports team and you lose the game, you don't give up the sport. Engineering is the same way. Failure is part of it, and if you're not failing, then you're probably not doing something right.

Everybody thinks their career is going to be a linear, direct path. It's actually a series of zig zags. So keep pivoting and keep going. Stay away from negative people. Find people who are going to empower you. Surround yourself with encouraging people and ignore the noise. Trust that you have the training you need, and that there are people out there ready to help you get where you want to go.

Laura Ferguson can be reached atlaura.ferguson@tufts.edu.

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Russias Invasion of Ukraine and Implications for the Korean Peninsula – Council on Foreign Relations

Posted: at 10:48 pm

Russias invasion of Ukraine has provided a two-pronged challenge for South Korean diplomacy. The immediate challenge has been the need for South Korea to craft an effective near-term diplomatic response to the invasion in line with the United States and Europe that effectively meets the expectations of both the Korean public and South Koreas allies. The second, more consequential geopolitical challenge is the task of ensuring that the revisionist Russian challenge to the status quo in which a nuclear-armed state desires to revise or erase an existing national border does not set a precedent for North Korea, another nuclear-armed state with revisionist geopolitical aspirations toward South Koreas northern border.

South Koreas policy toward the Russian invasion of Ukraine has provided a revealing Rorschach test for how South Korea sees its international role. In the face of out-of-area regional crises, South Korea has historically kept its head down and has sought to protect its specific economic interests while doing the minimum effort necessary to satisfy demands and expectations from the United States as its main alliance partner. This is arguably the course of action South Korea took in response to Russian aggression in Crimea in 2014, at which time South Korea did not impose sanctions on Russia.

Event in Brigham City to support survivors of polygamy – The Herald Journal

Posted: at 10:46 pm

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United States of AmericaUS Virgin IslandsUnited States Minor Outlying IslandsCanadaMexico, United Mexican StatesBahamas, Commonwealth of theCuba, Republic ofDominican RepublicHaiti, Republic ofJamaicaAfghanistanAlbania, People's Socialist Republic ofAlgeria, People's Democratic Republic ofAmerican SamoaAndorra, Principality ofAngola, Republic ofAnguillaAntarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S)Antigua and BarbudaArgentina, Argentine RepublicArmeniaArubaAustralia, Commonwealth ofAustria, Republic ofAzerbaijan, Republic ofBahrain, Kingdom ofBangladesh, People's Republic ofBarbadosBelarusBelgium, Kingdom ofBelizeBenin, People's Republic ofBermudaBhutan, Kingdom ofBolivia, Republic ofBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswana, Republic ofBouvet Island (Bouvetoya)Brazil, Federative Republic ofBritish Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago)British Virgin IslandsBrunei DarussalamBulgaria, People's Republic ofBurkina FasoBurundi, Republic ofCambodia, Kingdom ofCameroon, United Republic ofCape Verde, Republic ofCayman IslandsCentral African RepublicChad, Republic ofChile, Republic ofChina, People's Republic ofChristmas IslandCocos (Keeling) IslandsColombia, Republic ofComoros, Union of theCongo, Democratic Republic ofCongo, People's Republic ofCook IslandsCosta Rica, Republic ofCote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of theCyprus, Republic ofCzech RepublicDenmark, Kingdom ofDjibouti, Republic ofDominica, Commonwealth ofEcuador, Republic ofEgypt, Arab Republic ofEl Salvador, Republic ofEquatorial Guinea, Republic ofEritreaEstoniaEthiopiaFaeroe IslandsFalkland Islands (Malvinas)Fiji, Republic of the Fiji IslandsFinland, Republic ofFrance, French RepublicFrench GuianaFrench PolynesiaFrench Southern TerritoriesGabon, Gabonese RepublicGambia, Republic of theGeorgiaGermanyGhana, Republic ofGibraltarGreece, Hellenic RepublicGreenlandGrenadaGuadaloupeGuamGuatemala, Republic ofGuinea, RevolutionaryPeople's Rep'c ofGuinea-Bissau, Republic ofGuyana, Republic ofHeard and McDonald IslandsHoly See (Vatican City State)Honduras, Republic ofHong Kong, Special Administrative Region of ChinaHrvatska (Croatia)Hungary, Hungarian People's RepublicIceland, Republic ofIndia, Republic ofIndonesia, Republic ofIran, Islamic Republic ofIraq, Republic ofIrelandIsrael, State ofItaly, Italian RepublicJapanJordan, Hashemite Kingdom ofKazakhstan, Republic ofKenya, Republic ofKiribati, Republic ofKorea, Democratic People's Republic ofKorea, Republic ofKuwait, State ofKyrgyz RepublicLao People's Democratic RepublicLatviaLebanon, Lebanese RepublicLesotho, Kingdom ofLiberia, Republic ofLibyan Arab JamahiriyaLiechtenstein, Principality ofLithuaniaLuxembourg, Grand Duchy ofMacao, Special Administrative Region of ChinaMacedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic ofMadagascar, Republic ofMalawi, Republic ofMalaysiaMaldives, Republic ofMali, Republic ofMalta, Republic ofMarshall IslandsMartiniqueMauritania, Islamic Republic ofMauritiusMayotteMicronesia, Federated States ofMoldova, Republic ofMonaco, Principality ofMongolia, Mongolian People's RepublicMontserratMorocco, Kingdom ofMozambique, People's Republic ofMyanmarNamibiaNauru, Republic ofNepal, Kingdom ofNetherlands AntillesNetherlands, Kingdom of theNew CaledoniaNew ZealandNicaragua, Republic ofNiger, Republic of theNigeria, Federal Republic ofNiue, Republic ofNorfolk IslandNorthern Mariana IslandsNorway, Kingdom ofOman, Sultanate ofPakistan, Islamic Republic ofPalauPalestinian Territory, OccupiedPanama, Republic ofPapua New GuineaParaguay, Republic ofPeru, Republic ofPhilippines, Republic of thePitcairn IslandPoland, Polish People's RepublicPortugal, Portuguese RepublicPuerto RicoQatar, State ofReunionRomania, Socialist Republic ofRussian FederationRwanda, Rwandese RepublicSamoa, Independent State ofSan Marino, Republic ofSao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic ofSaudi Arabia, Kingdom ofSenegal, Republic ofSerbia and MontenegroSeychelles, Republic ofSierra Leone, Republic ofSingapore, Republic ofSlovakia (Slovak Republic)SloveniaSolomon IslandsSomalia, Somali RepublicSouth Africa, Republic ofSouth Georgia and the South Sandwich IslandsSpain, Spanish StateSri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic ofSt. HelenaSt. Kitts and NevisSt. LuciaSt. Pierre and MiquelonSt. Vincent and the GrenadinesSudan, Democratic Republic of theSuriname, Republic ofSvalbard & Jan Mayen IslandsSwaziland, Kingdom ofSweden, Kingdom ofSwitzerland, Swiss ConfederationSyrian Arab RepublicTaiwan, Province of ChinaTajikistanTanzania, United Republic ofThailand, Kingdom ofTimor-Leste, Democratic Republic ofTogo, Togolese RepublicTokelau (Tokelau Islands)Tonga, Kingdom ofTrinidad and Tobago, Republic ofTunisia, Republic ofTurkey, Republic ofTurkmenistanTurks and Caicos IslandsTuvaluUganda, Republic ofUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited Kingdom of Great Britain & N. IrelandUruguay, Eastern Republic ofUzbekistanVanuatuVenezuela, Bolivarian Republic ofViet Nam, Socialist Republic ofWallis and Futuna IslandsWestern SaharaYemenZambia, Republic ofZimbabwe

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Sister Wives fans in shock as they notice Janelle Brown cut rival wife out of family photo in resurfaced… – The US Sun

Posted: at 10:46 pm

JANELLE Brown savagely cut one of her fellow wives out of a family photo in an old episode of the TLC show.

The Sister Wives star recently opened up about the future of her marriage to husband Kody after Christine abandoned the family.

Janelle, 52, threw some shade towards her long-time sister-wife Meri, 51, in a re-surfaced scene from the show.

While rewatching a clip from years past, one fan noticed that the TV star covered up Kody's first wife in a family photo.

In the image, all four wives surrounded the patriarch with a big embrace, however, Janelle used another photo to cover up Meri's face.

The fan shared the snub to Reddit where they opened up the discussion with the caption: "Just noticed that Janelle has Meri covered up in this family photo."

"Thats so f**ked up. can you imagine going to someones house and they have your picture covered?

"Forget it being someone youre close with - but thats just such an a**hole thing to do, keeping the picture out in the open and purposely making it cover someone," a second ranted.

"You dont cover people. just take the entire pic down. jeez."

"It is an awful thing to do," another agreed.

"I love the petty cover-up of meri in the picture," a third laughed.

Another remarked: "She's so mean to Meri," while a fifth commented: "Why wouldn't she just take the whole pic down?

"Or put it on the very bottom shelf as a lame a** attempt that 'hey its STILL up!' Bc that's just awful."

"This is the kind of pettiness I live for," a final joked.

The Brown family has become derailed after Christine, 49, decided to leave the life of polygamy behind and move back to Utah.

After the shocking decision was made, fans were curious as to just how secure the other three wives felt in their marriage to Kody.

Janelle finally opened up about the future of her relationship with the father of 18, as the entire family "questions" their loyalty to polygamy.

During the finale episode of the show, an interviewer asked: "Do you still believe in polygamy?" to which the reality star replied: "Yes I do.

"I'm here. I mean there was a point during Covid where I was like 'okay do I still wanna do this?'

Janelle continued: "And there was a period of time where Kody was away for about six weeks, and I thought 'Wow life is really easy.'

"And I really kind of had to do some soul searching and realize that I want to be here still.

"I'm here."

When Kody was asked in the sneak peek if he questions practicing polygamy, he responded: "I question it all the time."

The TV personality's decision to stay with her husband came after his brutally honest conversation regarding their "love" for one another.

In February, Kody was asked during the Sister Wives One on One"tell-all special ifhe was in love with Janelle.

"I love Janelle," he replied.

But that answer didn't satisfy host Sukanya Krishnan, who pressed him again with the question of if he is in love with Janelle.

After a moment to consider, Kody slightly shook his head from side to side and answered the question without answering it.

"Janelle wouldnt tell you she was in that place with me either if shes being honest," he confessed.

Along with Christine and Janelle, the busy father is also married to Meri, and Robyn, 43 who has been labeled as his "favorite wife."

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Remembering Mongo Faya, famed Cameroonian traditional healer who had 80 wives – Face2Face Africa

Posted: at 10:46 pm

He made headlines in Cameroon in the 1980s when at the age of 35, he married six wives in addition to his already 36 wives. Mongo Faya, who was known as a singer, seer, traditional healer, herbal gynecologist, parapsychologist, and astrologer, married his new six wives at a civil wedding ceremony on July 11, 1987, in the port city of Douala in Cameroon.

At the time, he had about 28 children with his over 30 wives aged between 20 and 24 living under the same roof in a small village north of Yaounde. The Cameroonian musician had also returned from the U.S. where he recorded his latest album, Stop Apartheid.

The well-known polygamists in the country during this time were reportedly envious of Mongo Fayas feat, with some accusing him of using black magic to charm the women. He was unbothered. The traditional healer and seer believed that polygamy was one of the continents ancestral values that ought not to die.

Polygamy is not a battlefield but a business where we live in community with mutual respect and understanding he said, according to reports. I dont do magic, my wives love me how I love them too; it is through this love that tranquility and peace come to me. Love alone can bring peace.

Indeed, polygamy is a centuries-old practice in Africa that has yet to disappear from modern life. It has both cultural and religious origins, and it is generally accepted in about 26 out of 54 African countries, particularly Muslim majority countries. Critics of the practice say that it undermines womens dignity and increases the risks of diseases and poverty. Scores of women have been compelled to live in polygamous marriages, a usual practice among men centuries ago who were in search of large families to cultivate the land. To date, countries such as Algeria, Mali, Niger, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, and so on, generally accept polygamy.

In Cameroon, polygamy has been continuing among traditional rulers, with many marrying as many wives as they desire. Locals believe that men who have many wives and children have supernatural powers and they help boost the economy, DW reported. In recent years, the rising cost of taking care of families, the spread of Christianity and the countrys penal code that reserves jail sentences for adulterous spouses, have been challenging the practice, the report added.

At the time of his death in 2002, reports said that Mongo Faya had 80 wives, and some locals praised him for that. In May 1988, writer Martin Jumbam narrated in the Cameroon Tribune how Mongo Faya and his many wives once held up traffic in the city of Douala. Jumbam wrote that he was in a taxi on his way to work when Mongo Faya appeared on the street with his bushy hair and a piece of yellow cloth leading his squad of women in tow and disrupting traffic.

I saw, filing out, like mating ants, from between two ramshackle houses, a dozen or so slender-looking, gazelle-like, spindle-legged women with wasp-like waists and generous bosoms, all clad in tight-fitting, black jogging attires that left very little else to the imagination.

Before I could ask who those nymphets were, I heard our taxi driver switch off his car engine and was out of the car in a flash, clapping and shouting at the top of his voice, with the other idlers: Mongo Faya! Mongo Faya! Roi des femmes! (King of women!); Empereur des nanas!! (Emperor of chicks!). From every corner, the excited crowd vociferously expressed its admiration for Cameroons much vaunted macho man and lady-killer, Mongo Faya.

A year after this, 15 of his then 45 wives sued him, demanding an additional vehicle for their transport but the matter was solved. Some of Mongo Fayas wives helped him take care of his 15 hectares of plantations in the village of Endom while others owned small shops and hairdressing salons opened for them by Mongo Faya in Douala.

He sometimes appeared on television with some of his wives describing himself as a medicine man who could cure men with erectile dysfunction. He got a lot of clients in his lifetime, reports said. As a singer, Mongo Faya sometimes performed on stage with his wives. He disliked being compared with Nigerian Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti, who also had many wives. Fela is Fela and Mongo Faya is Mongo Faya, Mongo Faya is reported to have said.

Whats more, he never wanted his children to know their mothers, arguing that each child belonged to all of his wives. Not much has been said about his wives and children since he passed away on July 6, 2002, at the central hospital in Yaounde following an illness.

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Remembering Mongo Faya, famed Cameroonian traditional healer who had 80 wives - Face2Face Africa

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I can see the pitfalls of supporting practices such as hijab: Noorjehan Safia Niaz – The Hindu

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Instead of talking about real issues such as education, rights or livelihood, we have allowed the narrative to be hijacked by the right wing, says the activist and co-founder of Bhartiya Muslim Mahila Andolan

Noorjehan Safia Niaz, co-founder of the Bhartiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (BMMA), is a prominent voice in the discourse on Muslim womens rights. Formed in 2007 and with over one lakh women as members, BMMA has actively campaigned for legal reforms and was one of the five petitioners in the triple talaq case, besides filing petitions against polygamy and nikah halala. BMMA has also been pushing for codification of Muslim personal law based on the Constitution and a feminist interpretation of the Koran. Its work has not been easy, particularly with the pushback from a section of civil society. As the hijab controversy rages, Noorjehan shares BMMAs position. Excerpts:

What is your take on the hijab controversy in Karnatakas colleges?

What is happening in Karnataka is a very right-wing Hindutva position against the [Muslim] community. They have been doing it for many years, whether it is Corona jihad or the episodes of lynching. The [Muslim] community has been pushed to the wall. How can you stop students from entering [college] premises? They have a right to educate themselves. While schools have the right to determine what their uniform should be, before enforcing a decision, why could discussions with all stakeholders not be held? Obviously, because the aim was to communalise, polarise, and push the community into a corner.

Does BMMA oppose the hijab as an assertion of identity or that hijab is essential to Islam?

Feminists have questioned the patriarchal, misogynist logic behind the veil, the ghoonghat.We cannot reduce the hijab to a matter of identity or community. Surely, there are other ways of asserting ones identity. That the hijab is essential to Islam is also a superficial, reductionist understanding of the religion. Islam is not about how much of my head is covered, the length of my sleeve, how long is my abaya. Islam is about equality, justice, wisdom, compassion, prayers, fasting; its those values that are the basis of Islam. What is missing in the current debates is the spiritual, cosmological understanding of Islam. The right wings vicious propaganda against the community is also not helping.

The problem lies in [mens] interpretation of religious texts. When we started to read the texts, we realised theres no such thing as triple talaq. On polygamy, too, theres a verse [in the Koran] that says that you can marry more than one woman. But in the same chapter, another verse says that even if its your ardent desire to treat them equally, you cant, so marry only one.

Can the hijab be seen then as a voluntary, cultural practice rather than an enforced one?

The community is diverse, and so are the practices. But in the past decade or so, I have noticed three-year-olds, five-year-olds being made to wear a hijab where is choice in that? Even with adult women, do families really give them a choice? But where is the space to discuss these myriad aspects in such a polarised atmosphere?

Since I am from the community, I can see the pitfalls of supporting practices such as hijab. I recall several instances where Ive had complete strangers young and old men, and once a younger woman walk up to me in public and question my choice of dressing. The impunity, the audacity with which your personal space can be violated!

My sister lives in Bhendi Bazaar the oldest Muslim ghetto in Mumbai and is perhaps the only one there who wears a sari. Women have come to her house and told her she shouldnt be wearing one.

Instead of talking about real issues, the narrative is getting diverted. This is not good for the [Muslim] community; its not good for the country.

Even when BMMA opposed triple talaq, you encountered pushback from various womens groups...

It is understandable that religious groups would oppose us. But secular, liberal feminist groups stood against us and openly condemned our work. Even during the triple talaq debate, they did not stand alongside Muslim womens demand for a just, humane family law. Instead, they chose to side with the conservative religious groups from the [Muslim] community. This time, too, these groups except Shabnam Hashmi have taken the position of reinforcing hijab as a matter of identity. They need to look within; to the damage they are causing the Muslim womans cause.

Pursued her Masters at Tata Institute of Social Sciences

Joined NGO YUVA to work with marginalised Muslim families in Mumbai

Began working for rehabilitation of victimsafter the 1992 Babri-related Mumbai riots

Co-founded BMMA in2007 as an alternative progressive voice for Muslim women

How can this anxiety of playing into the right wings agenda be countered

We must stand against all kinds of fundamentalism. Why cant the secular feminist groups say that though we stand with you [those fighting to be allowed to wear the hijab], we dont agree with you? Why not say I stand with Muslim girls for their right to educate themselves, but this is not what you should be fighting for?

We are clear that we dont stand with Hindu fundamentalists. But we are also keeping our distance from this narrative [that hijab is essential or part of our identity]. Feminist groups have the privilege of language and the ability to take positions. So why not now? Every situation is not black and white, there are shades of grey.

Tell us about BMMAs long-standing demand to codify Muslim personal law?

By 2037, it will be a century of depriving the Muslim community of a codified law. We have been getting bits and pieces Dissolution of Muslim Marriages Act, 1939; Shah Bano [Muslim Women (Protection on Divorce Act), 1986]; and now, triple talaq. Hindus, Christians, Parsis, all religions have had their personal laws codified. But each time we raise issues, we are told that the time is not right or why are you bringing in religion, why do you need separate laws? So, the Muslim woman should not raise her issues?

We are not going to a political party, parties come and go; we are approaching institutions such as courts and the Parliament. Today, it is the BJP, but what did the Congress do [during Shah Bano]? Or, for that matter, what was the Shiv Sena doing 30 years ago? We cant forget what they did to us, and we cant let them forget either.

Have secular feminist groups severed engagement with the government? Are they not paying taxes? Were they not happy when homosexuality was decriminalised by this government? But when we talk of legal reforms for the community, we are told we are stooges of the government!

Now, the government wants to raise the age of marriage for girls from 18 to 21. If the Bill is passed, will the law apply to her [Muslim woman] or will religious laws that allow marriage at 15 years apply?

You say that issues such as hijab are diverting attention from the real concerns of Muslim women. What are those issues that we need to be talking about?

We have been consistently talking about education and livelihood issues. We have just opened a daycare centre in a district outside Mumbai; parents had to pay a small fee to use it, but they are unable to afford even that. At our training programmes, women demand jobs. During the last lockdown, we arranged scholarships for so many children.

What about global stances on the hijab, as in France, for instance? Are there lessons to be learnt from there?

Theres a need for deeper introspection. In a multicultural society with people of diverse faiths, theres always a need for give and take, adaptations, and accommodation. But even as we condemn the right-wing and ultra-secular approach of the French government, what are we doing to ourselves, our religion? Why did we not take up certain issues in the community, allowing instead the right wing to hijack the agenda?

The writer is a Fulbright alumna and Director, Alliance for Knowledge Advancement and Dialog.

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I can see the pitfalls of supporting practices such as hijab: Noorjehan Safia Niaz - The Hindu

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Netflix’s Murder Among the Mormons was inspired by Utah’s oddities – Utah Business – Utah Business

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Tyler Measom has long felt a calling to tell the lore of Utah. In March of 2021, he brought one of the states most famous stories to millions of televisions across the world with Murder Among the Mormons.

The three-part Netflix docuseries tells the story of Mark Hofmanna prolific forger of documents pertaining to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saintsand the series of bombings he committed in the 1980s.

Murder Among the Mormons brought the story to a mainstream audience and made a star out of the late Shannon Flynn, who was interviewed for the series that became one of Netflixs most-watched titles of the spring.

Both Measom and co-director Jared Hesswriter and director of Napoleon Dynamitegrew up in Utah. They began researching the story in 2017 and pitched it to anyone that would listen. They even sent it to Netflix a previous time before the streaming conglomerate accepted their second pitch.

Just researching and pitching the story was a big pushbut once Netflix accepted the project, the work only intensified. It was a labor of love trying to convince people that this is an amazing story, and Im insanely proud of it, Measom says. Not just because of the content, but because it was done. Because I made it. We made this project. We brought it into the world where it wasnt before.

Measom believes he made a documentary series that was very even-handed and fair, one that doesnt take unnecessary shots at the Church or its members and didnt turn the story into more than what it was. I think a lot of people were afraid that this massive Netflix project would throw punches at peoples beloved faithor conversely, I think people wanted the project to pull the rug out from the Churchs upstanding nature, if you willbut it didnt. I just wasnt part of the story, Measom says. We told the story in three hours, mainly focusing on Mark

Hofmann forged many documents in the 1980s, several of them pertaining to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In 2002, the Deseret News reported that the Church had discovered 446 Hofmann forgeries in its collections. Then, in October of 1985, three bombings set the situation in motion.

Two of the bombings killed Steve Christensen and Kathy Sheets, for which Hofmann pleaded guilty to two second-degree murder charges in 1987. The other bombing injured Hofmann himself.

While Measom believes the story told was a fair one, he felt that a series titled Murder Among the Mormonswhere the main storyline is the forgery of Church documentswas always going to be a controversial topic of conversation.

The Church, the setting in Utahthey were the ballpark that allowed Mark to thrive, Measom says. Peoples love of history, peoples love of artifacts, and Ill say itthe culpability and gullibility of individuals in the state of Utah allowed him to thrive. It was the short right porch of Yankee Stadium for a left-handed hitter if you will, and Mark took advantage of that.

Measom believes there will always be people trying to pull the wool over your eyes. There are snake-oil salesmen. There are used car salesmen with an agenda. There are preachers, there are business leaders, there are people trying to take advantage of you, he says. Its pretty easy to get the facts, and most people dontmany people dont. That may be a forger, that may be a spoon bender, it may be a cult leader. And I just think its up to us as individuals to just dig a little bit deeper, and much of my work reflects on that.

Measoms work has largely been influenced by his upbringing in Utah, with the states culture shaping his career in a meaningful way. He started in the film industry at age 17, starting as a gripone of the people who set up equipmentfor movies that would come to Utah for filming, such as the 1996 movie A Life Less Ordinary.

I remember being on that set and just being in awe, Measom says of the movie directed by Danny Boyle. As a kid, I fell in love with movies. I remember seeing Raiders of the Lost Ark and just being wowed by movies and falling in love with them. I thought, This is what I want to do.

Measom attended Utah Valley University, where he studied in the schools small media department. As his website states, He soon grew weary of carrying C-stands and instead desired to have others carry them for him. Measom began to write and direct, starting with a short film and moving on to commercials and industrials.

In 2010, Measom directed Sons of Perdition, a documentary about teenagers who left Warren Jeffs Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The film won a spot in Oprah Winfreys Documentary Club and has a 6.9/10 rating on IMDb. Among Measoms other titles are An Honest Liar (2014) and Biography: I Want My MTV (2019). He has also recently begun hosting a documentary-style podcast on iHeart with Liz lacuzzi titled Was I In a Cult?

For Biography: I Want My MTV, Measom interviewed stars like Billy Idol and Pat Benatar. Getting someone to open up about leaving a religious cult (such as Jeffs) or an ex-husbands forgery and murder plots (as with Hofmanns ex-wife, Dorie) is a completely different story.

I think its just being able to listen to somebody. People are not used to being listened to, Measom says. Its very rare for someone to tell their story without being interrupted by the other person telling their story. And so for me, to interview someone, I interviewed Shannon [Flynn] for Murder Among the Mormons over two successive days. I interviewed Brent Metcalfe for two days. And I think what showed in Murder Among the Mormons.

Nobody really talks about the vulnerability of these older men, Measom says, who were of a generation that didnt show feelings and didnt cry or open up. For them to really show their emotions on screen was beautiful and amazing, and to get them to that place was difficult for them, but also difficult for me, Measom says. Its really hard to sit and listen to someone tell their tale for eight-plus hours. Its exhausting and difficult, but worth it, because I respect their stories.

From movies to podcasts, Measom loves the stories hes been able to tell. His father grew up on a farm, and that same cant-sit-still work ethic rubbed off on Measom. He loves to watch baseball, exercise, and spend time with his family, and he loves his work. Hes constantly thinking about his next project. I love what I do. I love it. Im good at it. It makes me happy. It makes me fulfilled, Measom says.

He also loves Utah, though it sounds like a complicated relationship. Measom views Salt Lake City as if it were a teenager still growing up, fighting with its parents, and finding its legs and voice. Im a progressive individual, Measom says. I believe in progressive ideals. I believe in rights for all individuals. To see that being gerrymandered in this last census and this last redistricting really hurt because Salt Lake is a progressive city. It really is.

Not only is Salt Lake City progressive, but its also forward-thinking, artistic, creative, and interesting, Measom says. And the fact of the matter is, mom and dad cant keep that from happening, he continues. Salt Lake is going to get bigger, and its going to get more progressive, and its going to get more liberal. Its wonderful to see that, and I wish people would just accept that for what it is and wouldnt be so afraid of it.

Measom has left the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and moved away from Utah for the time being, but the states culture, beliefs, religion, and history have still stuck with him.

Most of my work deals with belief and religionit deals with why people believe things, Measom says. Theres a need for me to tell my fiction, my lore, my history, and the myths around my ancestorsa long line of Mormon families. Polygamy is even in my genes, for goodness sake! Like an Irish man who has to tell great tales of the legends of his past, I feel that same way about the legends of the lore of Utah and Mormonism and the great stories around it.

Daily Archives: March 8, 2022

The Launch of Amazon Aware Is Making Sustainability More Accessible – Futurism

LA Treasurer joins other states in divesting Russian investments – KATC News

How the US and Europe helped Ukraine prep for insurgency – ArmyTimes.com

A Trailblazing Engineer Says Invention Is in Everything I Do – Tufts Now

Russias Invasion of Ukraine and Implications for the Korean Peninsula – Council on Foreign Relations

Event in Brigham City to support survivors of polygamy – The Herald Journal

Sister Wives fans in shock as they notice Janelle Brown cut rival wife out of family photo in resurfaced… – The US Sun

Remembering Mongo Faya, famed Cameroonian traditional healer who had 80 wives – Face2Face Africa

I can see the pitfalls of supporting practices such as hijab: Noorjehan Safia Niaz – The Hindu

Netflix’s Murder Among the Mormons was inspired by Utah’s oddities – Utah Business – Utah Business

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