International referee Alan Lewis to retire
Alan Lewis shows yellow to Springbok Bakkies Botha during an international against New ZealandInternational referee Alan Lewis has announced his intention to retire from refereeing at the end of this season. With 45 major international test matches to his credit, including a Rugby World Cup quarter final and games across the RBS 6 Nations Championship and the Tri Nations, Lewis is one of the longest serving IRFU International referees.He also holds the record for matches in European competition with an incredible 83 matches, 71 of which were Heineken Cup matches, including three semi finals and the Heineken Cup Final in 2007.Talking about his decision Alan Lewis said, “Now just feels the right time to finish up. It’s a natural progression and one I have been discussing with my family and Owen Doyle in the IRFU over the past few months. I feel very privileged and honoured to have been involved at this level for so long. I have enjoyed every minute hugely.” Commenting on the recent announcement of the Rugby World Cup referee selection he added, “Of course there’s a twinge of disappointment (at not being selected), I wouldn’t be human if there wasn’t. The main thing now is to wish all match officials great enjoyment and success in New Zealand.” Owen Doyle, IRFU Director of Referees said, “What an extraordinary and successful career Alan has had and his record speaks for itself. He has always brought so much to the game, both on and off the pitch. His dedication and his enthusiasm have been unsurpassed. I am really now looking forward to continuing to work with him, albeit in another capacity. His expertise and communication skills will help enormously in developing the next generation of elite referees.”Caleb Powell, IRFU President commented on hearing the news and said, “Alan has made an immense contribution to our game, both domestically and on the world stage. His commitment and ability serve as a real example to all those aspiring to referee at the highest level.” LATEST RUGBY WORLD MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION DEALS
Referee Alan Lewis shows Bakkies Botha of South Africa (L) the yellow card during their rugby union Test match against New Zealand at Eden Park in Auckland on July 10, 2010. AFP PHOTO/BRENDON O’HAGAN (Photo credit should read BRENDON O’HAGAN/AFP/Getty Images) 
Save this picture!The Float House / Morphosis, Make It RIght © Iwan BaanWritten by Irina VinnitskayaApril 08, 2013 Share ShareFacebookTwitterPinterestWhatsappMailOrhttps://www.archdaily.com/356483/the-debate-over-making-it-right-in-the-lower-ninth-ward Clipboard “COPY” The Debate Over Making It Right in the Lower Ninth Ward ShareFacebookTwitterPinterestWhatsappMailOrhttps://www.archdaily.com/356483/the-debate-over-making-it-right-in-the-lower-ninth-ward Clipboard The Debate Over Making It Right in the Lower Ninth WardSave this articleSaveThe Debate Over Making It Right in the Lower Ninth Ward CopyEver since the New Republic published Lydia DePillis’s piece entitled “If you Rebuild it, They Might Not Come” – a criticism of the progress of Brad Pitt’s Make It Right Foundation – numerous blogs and journals have been in a uproar, defending Make It Right’s efforts at rebuilding the vastly devastated Lower Ninth Ward and presenting a much more forgiving perspective on the progress of the neighborhood since the engineering disaster that exacerbated the effects of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. To date, 86 LEED Platinum homes have been designed and constructed by world-renowned architects including Frank Gehry and Morphosis, at a cost of approximately $24 million. Make It Right has promised to build up to 150 such homes, but DePillis’s article points out how amenities in the neighborhood are low and how the number of residents returning to the neighborhood is dwindling. Make It Right has made a commitment and the debate that ensues questions whether it is going far enough in delivering its promise to rebuilding community.Find out more after the break. Save this picture!Lower Ninth Ward, New Orleans © Irina VinnitskayaSince August 2005, New Orleans and the Lower Ninth Ward in particular has received a massive amount of attention, first for the devastating effects of hurricane, then for the vastly disorganized emergency services and now for its recovery efforts. Many foundations have been established in the city to address the needs of residents who have struggled to recuperate the tragic losses after the destruction of homes, communities, and the disruption of everyday life. Some of these programs have been government sponsored like FEMA. Others, like Make It Right, are privately funded efforts to address specific circumstances. The goals of Make It Right are simple, just take a look at this infographic: regenerate the neighborhood of the Lower Ninth Ward, which not only dislocated a substantial population through the loss of homes, but lost any semblance of stability and security. The emotional trauma cannot be measured in the tangible loss of the neighborhood as a result of faulty levees and severe flooding. Make It Right, when established in 2007, pledged to build 150 homes that former residents could return to – houses that were designed for their specific needs and that were built to sustain natural disasters. Save this picture!Lower Ninth Ward, New Orleans © Irina VinnitskayaA tour through the neighborhood today is startling when realizing that this was once a populated portion of New Orleans; if the pictures don’t tell the full story just take a look at this map produced by WhoData.net. Vast stretches are completely vacant with a few houses scattered throughout. Along some streets, new homes are being constructed, but for the most part what has retained since the flooding are homes with “death marks” scrawled on them by first responders indicating that they are unsuitable for use. These have been abandoned and are gradually decaying from lack of maintenance over the course of seven years. Those that have been destroyed or demolished, a startling number of about 4000, have left hardly a mark on the lots, which are now overgrown with weeds and brush. In some cases, a foundation is visible, a reminder that this land was once occupied by a developed neighborhood. The Lower Ninth is tragically under-serviced and suffice it to say – since we have all bore witness to the news coverage, photos and prolonged debate over recovery efforts – New Orleans and specifically this neighborhood, which once had the highest density of African American home-ownership and incidentally the highest poverty rate in the country, got the short end of the stick in that disaster.In light of how vastly undeveloped this neighborhood has become, DePillis’s criticism and dismay at the slow progress of Make It Right is understandable. The 86 homes, all of which have gained a LEED Platinum rating according to Make It Right, are grouped in a small portion of the Lower Ninth just above Claiborne Avenue along the Industrial Canal. This development stands in large contrast to the rest of the neighborhood. These tree-lined streets are bustling with activity of the residents. The compactness of these new homes, though still sparse in density in relationship to other neighborhoods throughout New Orleans, has a much more exuberant community feel. Rather than living beside an abandoned or dilapidated home, these residents have neighbors and lawns that haven’t been tackled by weeds. They have a solar powered playground and have established community gardens with the help of Make It Right – according to Martin C Pederson of Metropolis Mag in an article entitled “In Defense of Make It RIght”.Save this picture!Lower Ninth Ward, New Orleans © Irina VinnitskayaYet, navigating these streets also has its downside – once you leave the enclave of Make It Right, you return to a much more desolate place. There are few amenities to speak of here. Run a quick search in Google for grocery stores and you will only find three listed. Walmart, which is a mile and a half out of the bounds of the Lower Ninth Ward, technically outside of New Orleans, is the closest store that can provide all of the residents’ needs but is most easily accessible by car. Otherwise there are small grocery stores and gas stations along Clairborne Ave, once a commercial corridor, but these too, are sparse. Amenities have been slow to recuperate here, which is one of the main arguments in DePillis’s piece. So far, while Make It Right has delivered 86 thoughtfully considered, sustainable and resilient homes, it has been unable to reach out to the elements that revitalize a neighborhood – amenities. DePillis brings this to light and questions whether or not these high-design homes are a legitimate use of the foundation’s resources, which has raised $45 million since 2007 and has already spent $24 million according to a rebuttal by Make It Right’s Executive Director, Tom Darden. DePillis poses legitimate questions that address the management of such a vast problem as the redevelopment of a neighborhood struggling with its own high rate of crime and poverty before Hurricane Katrina. But Pederson makes a poignant response to DePillis’s critical analysis of the foundation: “Make It Right was aspirational from the start. It was never about building the most houses, the most expediently; never about rebuilding an entire neighborhood. FEMA and the Road Home were supposed to handle that. It was about building for returning residents 150 affordable LEED Platinum houses by some of the world’s best architects. It was also about creating a model for sustainable development.”Save this picture!Lower Ninth Ward, New Orleans © Irina VinnitskayaPederson makes a fair point that MIR is looking to set an example for redevelopment – aiming for high quality in an addition to already established recovery efforts. The census indicates that the population of the Lower Ninth Ward is growing and even though visually it still appears stark and desolate, people are returning in small numbers. Other programs that DePillis mentions, such as Barnes and Noble founder Leonard Riggio’s plans to build 200 homes on a similar budget, Providence Community Housing which has built 1,800 homes and apartments and lowernine.org which has put 60 families back in their homes for a fraction of MIR’s budget, operate under a different set of guides for reconstruction. There is pessimism abound about the Lower Ninth’s recovery, after al,l New Orleans is always on the verge of natural disasters, battling nature’s intent, yet the city has stayed afloat all these years by its cultural resistance and tradition. Its culture is a reminder that a place is more than its geography and New Orleans, its natives and its transplants, live by that principle. The city is growing, not just as people are moving back, but as new people settle in, drawn by its culture. DePillis’s article certainly hit a nerve with the staunchest defenders of New Orleans, the Lower Ninth Ward and Make It Right. Just as she writes: when the Urban Land Institute proposed relocating people to concentrated areas of redevelopment as the population returned, residents rebelled against the plan wanting to return to their old homes and rebuild.Save this picture!Lower Ninth Ward, New Orleans © Irina VinnitskayaSo far, MIR’s homes have proven to withstand the deadly weather of hurricane season with Hurricane Isaac’s hit last September. But as the number of residents signing up for MIR’s campaign is dwindling, the foundation has opened its roster to first responders and teachers. This may prove to be the jump-start necessary for the neighborhood to introduce the proper amenities for neighborhood redevelopment. Despite DePillis’s criticism and scrutiny and the superseding responses to her piece, MIR is one program among many that are making valiant efforts to recover neighborhoods and communities after the destructive forces of Hurricane Katrina. We are still talking about this seven years after the disaster because these efforts take time, they take money and they take commitment. MIR and its many counterparts have at least shown that the Lower Ninth Ward is a neighborhood worth rebuilding, that environmental and social justice is still a priority and that despite the struggle it is worth the effort.Image gallerySee allShow lessHerzog & de Meuron Breaks Ground on Public “Bathing Lake” in RiehenArchitecture NewsUpdate: Facades+ Performance SymposiumEvent Share “COPY” Architecture News ArchDaily CopyAbout this authorIrina VinnitskayaAuthorFollow#TagsNewsArchitecture NewsUrbanismUrban PlanningCity PlanningResidential ArchitectureHousingMake It RightNew OrleansLouisianaHurricane KatrinaUrbanismResidentialDisaster RecoveryCite: Irina Vinnitskaya. “The Debate Over Making It Right in the Lower Ninth Ward” 08 Apr 2013. ArchDaily. Accessed 11 Jun 2021. 
Jean-Bertrand Aristide campaigns with Dr. Maryse Narcisse.April 23 — Five hundred people packed an Oakland, Calif., church today to welcome Dr. Maryse Narcisse, presidential candidate of Fanmi Lavalas, the party of Haiti’s first democratically elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide.“The U.S., U.N. and other so-called ‘friends of Haiti’ brought about the electoral coup d’etat,” Dr. Narcisse said. “The election of 2015 was thrown out because of widespread election fraud. Then, the rerun in 2016 was stolen again.“But Nou Pap Obeyi (We Will Not Obey) — this is a slogan our people believe in, because Haitians, who overthrew French colonialism and slavery in 1804, will never accept foreign domination.”There was music by the Vukani Mawethu choir and the revolutionary words of drummers Phavia Kujichagulia and Val Serrant. A Black community security service, Community Ready Corps, clad in black uniforms and berets, provided security for the event, protecting the special guest from the real dangers that democracy fighters in Haiti face every day and could face here.Mayors of Richmond and Berkeley, Calif., present proclamations to Dr. Narcisse.Over the past two years, Haiti’s popular movement has fought a relentless campaign for free and fair elections in support of Dr. Narcisse’s candidacy, with tens of thousands in the streets almost daily for many months. They fought to overturn the results of fraudulent elections that gave the presidency to a U.S.-backed, right-wing candidate.A longtime Lavalas militant, as well as a medical doctor, Dr. Narcisse has been in the streets with the people day after day, as they face police bullets, tear gas, water hoses and clubs. “When you give voice to the demands and grievances of the people,” she said, “you win their hearts.”She pointed out that “Haiti is an unequal country, where 1 percent of the population own 45 percent of the wealth, and most live in abject poverty, with high unemployment. The economy is at a standstill. The price of food and fuel keeps going up. There is poisoned water, flooding and deforestation. Over 200,000 children cannot go to school, because most primary schools are private.“There is constant meddling by the U.S. and the United Nations occupation force, creating instability,” Dr. Narcisse continued. “They don’t want us to have our own strong government serving our people. These self-appointed ‘friends of Haiti’ want to hold onto the power so they can serve international interests. That is why they intervene and steal our elections.”The small, right-wing, Haitian elite controls the government, said Dr. Narcisse, and there are signs of a return to the methods of the Duvalier dictatorship, which ruled Haiti from 1957 to 1986. “But in 1986, the people rose up and overthrew Baby Doc Duvalier,” she said. “As in those times, today we are reorganizing, holding large mass meetings, educating and mobilizing our people — because the people want to resist and they will never give up.”The program, organized by the Haiti Action Committee, was a benefit for the Haiti Emergency Relief Fund. See haitiemergencyrelief.org.FacebookTwitterWhatsAppEmailPrintMoreShare thisFacebookTwitterWhatsAppEmailPrintMoreShare this
ChinaHong KongAsia – Pacific Condemning abuses Organized crimeViolence Following the arson attack against The Epoch Times on November 19th, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls again on Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam to restore full press freedom and to put an end to violence against the media. On November 19th, the printing warehouse of The Epoch Times, Hong Kong edition, was the victim of an arson attack perpetrated by four masked individuals armed with batons. The fire was later controlled and no human casualties were reported but a printing press was damaged. The Epoch Times, an US-based media outlet associated with the religious movement Falungong, banned and persecuted in China, has been actively reporting on the Hong Kong protests.“The level of violence against journalists in Hong Kong has reached a point where the simple act of reporting can endanger their lives, which is absolutely unacceptable,” says Cédric Alviani, head of Reporters Without Borders (RSF) East Asia bureau, who urges again Chief Executive Carrie Lam to “uphold without further delay the commitment to protect press freedom that she made in August in her written response to RSF.”Since the beginning of the Hong Kong demonstrations in June, journalists have been under tremendous pressure and many of them were victims of abuse from law enforcement and pro-Beijing mobsters (see chronology of the violence against the press at this link). On September 29th, an Indonesian reporter has permanently lost sight in the right eye after she was hit by a rubber bullet shot by the police. In the RSF World Press Freedom Index, China’s Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong has plummeted from 18th in 2002 to 73rd this year. China itself is ranked 177th out of 180 countries and territories monitored. Follow the news on Asia – Pacific Pakistani TV anchor censored after denouncing violence against journalists Receive email alerts News ChinaHong KongAsia – Pacific Condemning abuses Organized crimeViolence China: Political commentator sentenced to eight months in prison June 2, 2021 Find out more June 7, 2021 Find out more RSF_en News Organisation Mongolia : RSF urges presidential candidates to voice support for press freedom to go further News November 22, 2019 – Updated on November 25, 2019 Following the Epoch Times arson attack, RSF urges the Hong Kong government to address violence against the press News Help by sharing this information June 2, 2021 Find out more
Top StoriesMaradu Flats Case: Supreme Court Lifts Attachment Of Properties Of Jain Housing, Except Land In Chillavannoor Srishti Ojha7 May 2021 8:50 AMShare This – xDemolition of one of the Maradu flats (PTI)The Supreme Court has directed lifting of attachment in respect of properties and bank account of Jain Housing Ltd, its sister concerns and Directors of the companies, except for land in Chillavanoor. The Court clarified that the attachments of the lands in Chillavanoor, Ernakulam will continue and the applicant, Jain Housing is restrained from dealing with the same in any manner. The Bench has also granted liberty to applicant to approach RERA Authorities for registration of other projects naturally to be considered by RERA independently in accordance to law. The order was passed by a division Bench Justice Navin Sinha and Justice Ramasubramanian, observing that Jain Housing, in pursuance of Court’s previous order has deposited 6.12 crores as the first instalment and assured that remaining amount will be positively deposited in stipulated period. The Bench was hearing an application in connection with Maradu flats Demolition case, whereby it had directed one of the four builders: Jain Housing to deposit portion of compensation amount due to owners in 2 equal installation within 4 months. Senior Advocate Siddhartha Dave and Advocate A. Karthik represented the appellant Jain Housing before the Court. The Bench noted submissions of Amicus Curiae Gaurav Agrawal, Senior Counsel Sidhartha Dave for applicant, and Ms Meenakshi Arora for concerned home buyers, Senior Advocate R. Venkataramani, for the State of Kerala and other counsels. The Bench observed that in pursuance previous order Jain housing has deposited 6.12 crores as the first instalment and Mr Dave has submitted that balance amount will be positively deposited in stipulated period. He submitted that application be allowed, the attachment be lifted and RETA be directed to register fresh projects of applicant Jain Housing. The Bench noted submissions of amicus that apart from 6.12 crores deposited under order dated 24/2/2021, an amount of 1.5 crores has been deposed earlier by Jain Housing. ‘Mr Agrawal, was the amount 1.5 or 2 crores’ Bench asked the Amicus. The amicus informed that 2 crores was deposited, 50 lakhs was given to State as administrative expenses, so 1.5 is left with the committee which is in fixed deposits. The Bench stated that 1.5 crores is available out of an earlier deposit of 3 crores, as 50 lakhs has been paid by the Committee to the State government for expenses. ” The total amount so deposited may be disbursed pro rata to flat holders and agreement holders of Jain Housing, which will be 47% of their dues.” the Bench observed. The Bench therefore direct that amount 6.12 + 1.50 crores lying in deposit to the account of Jain housing be disbursed on pro rata basis to Flat owners & agreement holders of jain housing. “In view of the unequivocal commitment reiterated today to comply with the earlier order for depositing the balance amount within the stipulated time, we lift the attachments in respect of the properties and bank accounts of the applicant and its sister concerns and Directors of the companies.” the Bench said. Senior Advocate Meenakshi Arora appearing for the home buyers concerned submitted before the Court, that the interest factor has been troubling them quite a bit. She requested the Court to record that issue of interest as raised by them will be considered in July, so she would at least be able to move an application before the court. ” You move it. We are not going to say anything” the Bench said. “It’s already before the Court. Its been pending since 2019.” Ms Arora said “Ms Arora, if you remember I had said this on earlier occasions , that this litigation will continue before this Court for another 30 years, if we don’t start narrowing down. So let us proceed slowly. Get your money back. The interest will be there, the Court hasn’t shut you out at the moment. ” the Bench remarked. The Court has also allowed Jain Housing’s request to approach the High Court with its prayer seeking quashing of criminal proceedings. The direction was issued after Senior Counsel Dave requested the Court to permit him to withdraw prayer (c) of the application (seeking quashing of criminal proceedings) to seek remedies before the High Court. Supreme Court of India had on 24th Feb, while directing Jain Housing Ltd to deposit a portion of compensation amount due to owners( Rs 12.26 crores), had stated that it will consider Jain Housing’s request for permission to dispose of one of its properties after it deposits the first instalment. The Apex Court, in May 2019 had ordered to remove all the structures which were built in violation of Coastal Regulatory Zone Regulations within the prohibited area of CRZ Category in Maradu Municipality of Ernakulam District in Kerala. The bench comprising Justice Arun Mishra and Justice Navin Sinha observed that the construction activities in the notified CRZ areas can be permitted only in consultation with and concurrence of the Coastal Zone Management Authority. In September that year, the Court had appointed Justice K Balakrishnan Nair, former judge of High Court of Kerala, to head the committee for deciding the actual amount of compensation payable to the owners of flats in the four apartments in Maradu, Kochi, which had been ordered to be demolished for CRZ violations. The Court had issued notice to the four builders – Alfa Venture (P) Ltd, Holy Faith Builders and Developers (P) Ltd, Jain Housing and Construction Ltd and K P Varkey and Builders – in the proceedings, and their properties and bank accounts had been attached.Click Hear To Download/Read OrderTagsSupreme Court Maradu Flats Case Jain Housing Ltd Kerala Justice Navin Sinha Justice Ramasubramanian Next Story
Sponsored Content Print Article Remember America’s heroes on Memorial Day “Debra liked the idea of block printing and realized that she could transfer the images that she used for her needlepoint art to the block,” Pritchett said. “She is now a highly acclaimed block print artist. Her work is incredible.”Hagler was born in Israel and comes from a long line of scribes. She attributes her attention to detail to her lineage, Pritchett said. “Elana’s work is beautiful and meticulous,” she said. “She shared with us that if the scribes made a single mistake, their work had to be thrown away and they had to start over again. It’s much the same with her, especially with her charcoal drawings. Elana said erasing helps her with the development of the process. “The title of Elana’s exhibit is ‘The Ephemeral and the Concrete.’ It is her belief that there are things that are ephemeral that should be ‘concrete.’ ARTIST’S TALK: JCA event lets public learn from artists Plans underway for historic Pike County celebration You Might Like Nutrition Center Crowns Royalty Messenger photo/Jaine Treadwell The Troy Nutrition Center celebrated Valentine’s Day Tuesday, February 14, with the crowning of the 2017 Valentine… read more The artwork of these artist will be long lasting.”The exhibits of Hagler, Riffe and Harrison will hang at the Johnson Center for the Arts through February 27. The JCA is open from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and until 3 p.m. on Saturday. Admission is free. Wiley White visits with artist Debra Riffe during the Art Talk event on Thursday. Inset below, artists Elana Hagler and Belinda Harrison also were on hand for the event. All three have shows on display through the end of February at the Johnson Center for the Arts. An ArtTalk and Artists’ Reception at the Johnson Center for the Arts Thursday night honored Elana Hagler, Debra Riffe and Belinda Harrison. Vicki Pritchett, JCA executive director, said the event was well attended by the community and by Troy University students. “We are always excited to have university students attend our events,” Pritchett said. “At the Johnson Center we strongly support the ‘town and gown’ partnership and look forward to more events like the ArtTalk and Artists’ Reception. Published 3:00 am Saturday, February 18, 2017 Book Nook to reopen
Email the author Pike County Sheriff’s Office offering community child ID kits By The Penny Hoarder Troy falls to No. 13 Clemson Around the WebIf You Have Ringing Ears Do This Immediately (Ends Tinnitus)Healthier LivingMd: Do This Immediately if You Have Diabetes (Watch)Blood Sugar BlasterHave an Enlarged Prostate? Urologist Reveals: Do This Immediately (Watch)Healthier LivingWomen Only: Stretch This Muscle to Stop Bladder Leakage (Watch)Healthier LivingRemoving Moles & Skin Tags Has Never Been This EasyEssential HealthGet Fortnite SkinsTCGThe content you see here is paid for by the advertiser or content provider whose link you click on, and is recommended to you by Revcontent. As the leading platform for native advertising and content recommendation, Revcontent uses interest based targeting to select content that we think will be of particular interest to you. We encourage you to view your opt out options in Revcontent’s Privacy PolicyWant your content to appear on sites like this?Increase Your Engagement Now!Want to report this publisher’s content as misinformation?Submit a ReportGot it, thanks!Remove Content Link?Please choose a reason below:Fake NewsMisleadingNot InterestedOffensiveRepetitiveSubmitCancel Latest Stories By Jaine Treadwell Next UpPritchett said Hagler, from Pike Road, Riffe from Birmingham, and Harrison from Troy are all unique as individuals and as artists. She wanted them to have an opportunity to share their crafts, their stories and their processes with the extended Troy community.“Belinda gave much of the credit for her Variations exhibit to her mentor Pam Smith,” Pritchett said. “She was excited to have her first exhibit in her hometown. Belinda never imagined that she would have an opportunity to show her work. But this is not the first time we’ll she Belinda’s work.”Debra Riff shared the fact that she stated as a needlepoint artist but needlepoint took so long that she could never get enough pieces together for a show. Penny Hoarder Issues “Urgent” Alert: 6 Companies Are…
U.S. NavyBy LUIS MARTINEZ, ABC News(WASHINGTON) — The acting Navy secretary said Wednesday he has ordered a broader investigation into the circumstances of the spread of the novel coronavirus aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, effectively delaying a decision on the Navy’s recommendation that Capt. Brett Crozier be reinstated as the ship’s commander.The announcement of a broader investigation comes days after the Navy’s top leadership had recommended the unprecedented step of reinstating Crozier to command of his ship, and Defense Secretary Mark Esper requested the written results of the Navy’s initial inquiry.“After carefully reviewing the preliminary inquiry into the events surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), the Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Mike Gilday, provided me with his recommendations,” said James McPherson, the acting Secretary of the Navy in a statement. “Following our discussion, I have unanswered questions that the preliminary inquiry has identified and that can only be answered by a deeper review,” said McPherson.“Therefore, I am directing Adm. Gilday to conduct a follow-on command investigation,” he said. “This investigation will build on the good work of the initial inquiry to provide a more fulsome understanding of the sequence of events, actions, and decisions of the chain of command surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt.”The announcement means there will be a delay on any decision regarding Crozier’s future as well as any other potential actions that might result from the investigation into the spread of the virus aboard the ship.Nearly 1,000 sailors among the ship’s crew of more than 4,800 have tested positive for COVID-19 and one sailor died from complications from the disease. On Wednesday, the Navy’s Seventh Fleet announced that hundreds of sailors who had been quarantined on Guam would reboard the ship to swap out with sailors who had remained on board to disinfect the ship.The launching of a broader investigation comes after a meeting on Friday where McPherson and Gilday met with Esper to discuss the results of the Navy’s initial inquiry.A U.S. official told ABC News that at the meeting Gilday had recommended to Esper that Crozier be reinstated to the command he lost a few weeks ago after writing a letter to Navy leadership requesting more help in stemming the spread of coronavirus aboard his ship, but no final decisions resulted from the meeting.Through a spokesman, Esper later announced that he would review a written copy of the Navy’s inquiry before proceeding with any next steps.A senior Defense official told ABC News the Navy’s inquiry is focused on more than just Crozier — it’s examining the complex timeline of communications and response efforts by Navy officers across different commands to help address the coronavirus outbreak on the carrier as it approached a scheduled port of call in Guam. Modly had criticized Crozier for leaving the impression that the Navy was not already speeding up efforts to find adequate quarantine facilities on the island for the more than 4,800 sailors on the carrier.Speaking of the Navy’s initial review into the matter, the official said “the Secretary wants to ensure that the report is thorough and can stand up under the rightful scrutiny of Congress, the media, the families and crew of the Theodore Roosevelt, and the American people.”Should Crozier eventually be reinstated, Navy officials believe it would be the first time a ship’s commander has been reinstated to command after having been relieved because of a loss of confidence.Crozier was relieved of command three weeks ago by Modly, who said the ship’s captain had shown “poor judgment” in writing a letter asking for more Navy assistance to stem an outbreak of the novel coronavirus on his ship.Modly said the letter, later published in a newspaper, created unnecessary worries for the families of sailors aboard the ship and made it sound as if the Navy wasn’t already making preparations to find quarantine facilities for the crew on Guam.Modly resigned a day after he made controversial remarks in Guam to the crew of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt about their fired captain, for being “either too naïve or too stupid” to not think his letter would have become public.Esper named Under Secretary of the Army James McPherson as Modly’s temporary replacement.According to the Navy’s latest figures, the peak number of Roosevelt crew members who tested positive for COVID-19, peaked at 955 sailors, nearly 20% of the 4,865 sailors aboard.Chief Petty Officer Charles Robert Thacker Jr., 41, an aviation ordnanceman from Fort Smith, Arkansas, died from complications from the coronavirus two weeks ago.Crozier has also tested positive for the virus and remains in self-isolation on Guam after experiencing mild symptoms. In Crozier’s letter, published by the San Francisco Chronicle, he requested that 10% of the crew remain aboard the carrier to carry out essential services and that the majority should be placed in quarantine on Guam, where the ship remains in port.As it turns out, more than 85% of the ship’s crew was eventually taken off the ship and placed in quarantine, approaching the number Crozier initially requested. Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Data from HF-radars are used to make the first simultaneous conjugate measurements of the dayside reconnection electric field. A period of 4 h around local magnetic noon are studied during a geospace environment modeling (GEM) boundary layer campaign. The interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) was southward whilst the eastward component (By) was variable. The flow patterns derived from the radar data show the expected conjugate asymmetries associated with IMF By > 0. High-time resolution data (50 and 100 s) enable the flow of plasma across the open/closed field line boundary (the separatrix) to be studied in greater detail than in previous work. The latitude of the separatrix follows the same general trend in both hemispheres but shows a hemispherical difference of 4 degrees, with the summer cusp at higher latitude, as expected from dipole tilt considerations. However, the short-time scale motion of the separatrix cannot be satisfactorily resolved within the best resolution (300 m s(-1)) of the experiment. The orientation of the separatrix with respect to magnetic latitude is found to follow the same trend in both hemispheres and qualitatively fits that predicted by a model auroral oval. It shows no correlation with IMF By. However, the degree of tilt in the Northern (summer) Hemisphere is found to be significantly greater than that given by the model oval. The convection pattern data show that the meridian at which throat flow occurs is different in the two hemispheres and is controlled by IMF By, in agreement with empirically derived convection patterns and theoretical models. The day-side reconnection electric field values are largest when the radar’s meridian is in the throat flow or Parry afternoon flow regions. In the morning or afternoon convection cells, the reconnection electric field tends to zero away from the throat flow region. The reconnection electric field observed in the throat flow region is bursty in nature.
Written by March 6, 2018 /Sports News – National Spurs’ Kawhi Leonard could be nearing return, wants to finish career in San Antonio Beau Lund
FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailPhoto by Antonio Hernandez / ESPN Images(SAN ANTONIO) — San Antonio Spurs star Kawhi Leonard could be nearing a return to the court, he said Wednesday, adding that he would be open to playing his entire career with the Spurs.“I don’t have a set date right now,” Leonard said about his return from a largely lost season. Leonard has played in just nine games this year, sitting out since January 13 to rehab a quadriceps injury.Leonard has been working out with the team for about two weeks, and ESPN says league sources indicate Leonard hopes to return to game action by the end of the month.The handling of Leonard’s injury has complicated the relationship between player and team. Leonard, a free agent after next season, was asked Wednesday whether he wanted to finish his career with San Antonio, saying “yes, for sure.”Leonard is eligible for a five-year contract worth $219 million — called the supermax extension — this summer. He remains under contract for one more season and has a player option for 2019-2020 worth $21.3 million.Leonard’s return would be something of a surprise after head coach Gregg Popovich said last month that time was against Leonard. Copyright © 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.