UK
EXCLUSIVE:
Liz Truss cannabis leaflet from days as a leading Lib Dem returns to haunt her

Liz Truss has been branded a "shapeshifter" who will "say anything to futher her own career" over the pamphlet


By Nigel Nelson

Political Editor
6 Aug 2022

This leaflet edited by Liz Truss when she was a leading Lib Dem at Oxford University has come back to haunt her.

It asks whether cannabis should be legalised - a position the No10 hopeful endorsed then but has since U-turned on.

And she signs it Elizabeth Truss - before she decided the shortened Liz was better for her political career.

Lib Dem Treasury spokesperson Sarah Olney said: “ Liz Truss has changed her position on almost every issue.

“Just like Boris Johnson she will say anything to futher her own career.

“This country deserves so much better than another political shape shifter as next PM.”





Rival Rishi Sunak has taken every opportunity to remind Tory members that Ms Truss was once president of the Oxford uni Lib Dems.

The leaflet Orange Peel dates from 1994 and deals with undergrad issues such as housing, student debt and which crimes worry students most.

She also asks whether cars should be banned from the centre of the city.

Ms Trust did not comment.

Earlier, she declined to say whether her campaign was involved in the leaking of a video in which Rishi Sunak spoke about working to divert funding from deprived urban areas towards more prosperous towns.

Thousands of dead fish are washing up along a California river. It's because of a massive wildfire and flash floods, the Karuk Tribe says


By Raja Razek and Christina Maxouris, CNN
Sat August 6, 2022

This image, courtesy of the Karuk Tribe Department of Natural Resources, shows dead fish at a small tributary of the Klamath River, near Happy Camp, California, on August 5, 2022.

(CNN)"Tens of thousands" of dead fish have washed up along the Klamath River in the area of Happy Camp in northern California this week -- a phenomenon that's tied to a dangerous combination of flash flooding and the McKinney Fire that's burning in the area, according to Craig Tucker, a policy advocate for the Karuk Tribe.

The blaze, which has killed at least four people, erupted on July 29 in the Klamath National Forest near the Oregon border. It's the largest wildfire in California so far this year.

Meanwhile, intense thunderstorms and heavy rains that rolled through the region this week prompted a flash flood warning for Klamath River from the National Weather Service on Tuesday. Officials warned that areas that had been burned by the wildfire were at higher risk of floods and mudflows -- because of the lack of vegetation that would have otherwise been there to help absorb the water.

According to the US Geological Survey, "fast-moving, highly destructive debris flows" caused by heavy rainfall are "one of the most dangerous post-fire hazards."


California's McKinney fire has destroyed nearly 90 homes and is only 30% contained

According to a news release from the Karuk Tribe, their preliminary observations suggest "massive debris flows" following the flash floods in areas impacted by the blaze are the cause for the dead fish.

"We know the dissolved oxygen in the river plummeted two nights in a row as these pulses of mud hit the main stem of the river, so it is very clear to us that we had a high intensity fire and then we had a flash flooding event kind of come behind the fire and it just rushed ash and debris and mud into the river," Tucker told CNN on Saturday.

"Virtually everything in the river died," he said, adding that they don't yet know for how many miles of the river the dead fish stretch as the area is still largely restricted because of the blaze.

"We are trying to work with the incident command for these wildfires to do a real assessment," Tucker said. "We see there are thousands of fish floating downstream, but we really are having a difficult time figuring out how bad it is."
Dead fish have been seen as far as 20 miles from the source of the debris flow, the tribe's news release said.

"The severity of the event is impossible to characterize until biologists can make direct observations in currently restricted areas," the release said, adding it's unknown how this might affect the fall migration of Chinook salmon, which is just starting.

The fire, which has been burning in Siskiyou County for more than a week, has scorched more than 60,000 acres of land and was 30% contained as of Saturday morning as hot, dry and breezy conditions continued, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Its cause is under investigation, officials said.

Roger Waters Tells CNN Why Biden Is A War Criminal, Says Host Needs To Read More

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

 AUGUST 6, 2022  

BY RACHEL BRODSKY

10

Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters is currently on his This Is Not A Drill tour, which CNN recently covered in a segment with anchor Michael Smerconish. During Smerconish’s interview with Waters, the host questioned the overtly political elements of Waters’ set, particularly one where Waters displays a “War Criminals” montage with a photo of Joe Biden. “Well, he’s fueling the fire in the Ukraine, for a start,” Waters replied. “That’s a huge crime. Why won’t the United States Of America encourage [Volodymyr] Zelensky to negotiate, obviating the need for this horrific, horrendous war?”

“But you’re blaming the party who got invaded,” Smerconish responded. “You’ve got it reversed.”

“Well, any war, when did it start? What you need to do is look at the history, and you can say, ‘Well, it started on this day.’ You could say it started in 2008… This war is basically about the action and reaction of NATO pushing right up to the Russian border, which they promised they wouldn’t do when [Mikhail] Gorbachev negotiated the withdrawal of the USSR from the whole of Eastern Europe.”

“What about our role as liberators?” Smerconish countered.

“We have no role as liberators,” Waters replied, and the two men proceeded to go back and forth debating World War II history. “I would suggest to you, Michael, that you go away and read a bit more, and then try and figure out what the United States would do if the Chinese were putting nuclear-armed missiles into Mexico and Canada?”

From there, they got into it over the Chinese, Taiwan, and who in the world is more of a global threat. The conversation gets pretty heated, but they still seem to like each other by the end.

 Check it out below.

RIP 

The Seekers singer Judith Durham dies aged 79 as devastated bandmates pay tribute

The Australian star and music icon died in Alfred Hospital in Melbourne on Friday night after suffering complications from a long-standing lung disease, it has been confirmed

Francesca Librae

6 AUG 2022

Judith Durham, Australia's folk music icon who achieved global fame as the lead singer of The Seekers, has died age 79.

The singer passed away in Alfred Hospital in Melbourne on Friday night after major complications brought on by a long battle with lung disease

Judith shot to fame when her song Georgy Girl became an international hit and went on the rack up huge success throughout the 60s, including I'll Never Find Another You, and A World of Our Own.




She made her first recording at 19 and joined The Seekers in 1963. The group of four became the first Australian band to achieve major chart and sales success in the U.K. and the United States, eventually selling 50 million records.

The singer has suffered a long battle with lung disease (Image: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Universal Music Australia announced her death Friday, saying she had a brief stay in a hospital and ultimately died from a chronic lung disease.

Her bandmates Keith Potger, Bruce Woodley and Athol Guy said in tribute: “Our lives are changed forever losing our treasured lifelong friend and shining star.

"Her struggle was intense and heroic - never complaining of her destiny and fully accepting its conclusion. Her magnificent musical legacy Keith, Bruce and I are so blessed to share.”

Her bandmates paid a gushing tribute (Image: PA)

Tributes continue to pour in for the beloved singer, with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese describing Durham as a national treasure and an Australian icon.

He tweeted: “Judith Durham gave voice to a new strand of our identity and helped blaze a trail for a new generation of Aussie artists.

“Her kindness will be missed by many, the anthems she gave to our nation will never be forgotten.”

Tributes continue to pour in for the beloved singer, including Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (Image: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

In her home state Victoria, Premier Dan Andrews said Durham had conquered the music world both in Australia and overseas.

He said: "With her unique voice and stage presence leading The Seekers, the band became one of Australia's biggest chart toppers."

Judith's sister, Beverley Sheehan, added, "Judith's joy for life, her constant optimism, creativity and generosity of spirit were always an inspiration to me".

Arts minister Tony Burke added: "Once, the best known Australian voice was Judith Durham's.

"With The Seekers and solo Judith earned her place as an icon of our music", he added.

 

Judith Durham Last Emotional Interview Before Death, 

Rest In Peace Angel 😭

Aug 6, 2022

Mulinde Henry

Tributes are flowing for beloved Australian entertainer Judith Durham who died “peacefully” aged 79 following a long health battle.

The former lead singer of The Seekers, who garnered international fame for her immense talent, died in Melbourne on Friday evening in palliative care.

She had been admitted to Alfred Hospital and died as a result of complications from a longstanding chronic lung disease.

The singer, songwriter and musician formed The Seekers with Athol Guy, Bruce Woodley and Keith Potger in 1962.

With hits like Georgy Girl and The Carnival Is Over, they became the first Australian pop group to achieve major chart success in the UK and US, paving the way for other stars like Olivia Newton-John.

The Seekers hold the record for the biggest concert crowd in the southern hemisphere, with about 200,000 people attending a show in March 1967.

They were named joint Australians of the Year in 1967.

Durham eventually left the group and had a successful solo career, though she continued to reunite with The Seekers over the years.

The Seekers members were each honoured as Officers of the Order of Australia in 2014.

Durham’s bandmates took to social media to share a tribute to her “magnificent musical legacy”.

“Our lives are changed forever losing our treasured lifelong friend and shining star,” they said.

“Her struggle was intense and heroic — never complaining of her destiny and fully accepting its conclusion.

Her sister Beverley Sheehan also spoke of the closeness they shared.

“Judith’s joy for life, her constant optimism, creativity and generosity of spirit were always an inspiration to me,” she said.

Durham’s family has asked for privacy at this time.

UN watchdog warns of 'nuclear disaster' from shelling at Zaporizhzhia plant in Ukraine

Praveena Somasundaram, 

Aug 07 2022
AP

The United Nations nuclear chief warned of a potential "nuclear disaster" after shelling of Europe's largest atomic power plant, once again urging Russia and Ukraine to allow a mission of experts access to the facility to help secure it.

The shelling of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine highlights the potential for "catastrophic consequences" from attacks on and near the facility, Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said in a statement on Saturday.

“Military action jeopardising the safety and security of the Zaporizhzya nuclear power plant is completely unacceptable and must be avoided at all costs,” Grossi's statement said.

After the shelling Friday (NZT Saturday), Russia and Ukraine placed blame on one another for the attack. The facility near the front lines of fighting, has been under Russian control since March, but is still staffed by Ukrainians.

In an address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky noted the shelling on Zaporizhzhia as another reason Russia should be recognised as a "state sponsor of terrorism," which he has repeatedly called for.

Zelensky also argued for sanctions against Russia's nuclear industry.

“This is purely a matter of safety,” he said. “The one who creates nuclear threats to other nations is definitely not capable of using nuclear technologies safely.”

In turn, Russia's ministry of defence has accused Ukraine of the attack, stating that protection by Russian-backed forces was the reason the plant was not more extensively damaged.

The shelling damaged two power lines and a water pipeline, leaving more than 10,000 residents without water and electricity, the defence ministry's statement said.


A Russian serviceman guards in an area of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station in territory under Russian military control, southeastern Ukraine. (File photo)

Russia originally seized the facility after one of its projectiles caused a fire in the plant's complex, igniting concerns about the safety of Ukraine's four nuclear sites that have continued in the months since.

“The Ukrainian staff operating the plant under Russian occupation must be able to carry out their important duties without threats or pressure undermining not only their own safety but also that of the facility itself,” Grossi said in his statement.


The American Nuclear Society (ANS) supported Grossi's calls to halt attacks on the facility and to send a mission there, condemning the shelling in a statement Saturday.

“It is unjustifiable for a civil nuclear facility to be used as a military base or be targeted in a military operation,” said the organisation's president, Steven Arndt, and chief executive, Craig Piercy

.
AP
This image made from a video shows Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Enerhodar,
Ukraine on October 20, 2015.

The shelling on Friday (NZT Saturday) did not damage any of Zaporizhzhia's six reactors and did not release radioactive material to the environment, according to Grossi, but the plant sustained damage elsewhere.

He added that an IAEA mission to the nuclear power plant would allow inspectors to assess it and gather information independent of reports from Ukraine and Russia.

But the situation around Zaporizhzhia is likely to grow more, not less perilous, according to the British ministry of defence because the heaviest fighting is shifting in the power plant's direction

.
HIRO KOMAE/AP
Rafael Grossi, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The IAEA has been working for months to ensure the safety of Ukraine's nuclear sites. In April, Gross led a mission to the country's Chernobyl plant – the site of one of the world's worst nuclear disasters in 1986 – after Russian-backed forces withdrew from it in March.

He led a follow-up mission to the site in early June, with experts who assessed its status and provided training on radiation monitoring equipment. A similar mission to Zaporizhzhia, Grossi said, is “crucial” for its security.

“But this will need the cooperation, understanding and facilitation from both Ukraine and Russia,” he said, adding that UN Secretary General António Guterres supported the agency's plan.

Grossi was in New York on Monday for the 10th Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons review conference. In his keynote speech, he discussed the IAEA's “seven pillars” of nuclear safety and security, which include facilities' physical integrity, reliable communication with regulators and the ability for staff to work safely.

Those pillars, Grossi said in his statement, had been violated at Zaporizhzhia – during the latest shelling, and in the months since Russia's invasion.

“We can't afford to lose any more time,” he said. “For the sake of protecting people in Ukraine and elsewhere from a potential nuclear accident, we must all set aside our differences and act, now.”


The Washington Post

Parts of the Great Barrier Reef Show Highest Coral Cover in 36 Years

By Good News Network
-Aug 4, 2022

Australian Institute of Marine Science 2022 Report

The northern and central Great Barrier Reef have recorded their highest amount of coral cover since the Australian Institute of Marine Science began monitoring 36 years ago.

Published today, the group’s Annual Summary Report on Coral Reef Condition for 2021/22 shows another year of increased coral cover across much of the Reef—with increases of 7-9 percent in several areas.

In the 87 representative reefs surveyed between August 2021 and May 2022 with a Long-Term Monitoring Program, average hard coral cover in the region north of Cooktown increased to 36% (from 27% in 2021) and to 33% in the central Great Barrier Reef (from 26% in 2021).

However, average coral cover in the southern region was down 4% in that same period.

AIMS CEO Dr. Paul Hardisty said the results in the north and central regions were a sign the Reef can recover, but warns about the increased frequency of coral bleaching events, which are a coral’s response to stressful conditions such as heat. A condition from which they still can survive.

LOOK: Spectacular Coral Event This Year Spawns Hope–And Billions of Babies For Great Barrier Reef

Dr. Hardisty said their understanding of how the ecosystem responds to bleaching is still developing.

“The 2020 and 2022 bleaching events, while extensive, didn’t reach the intensity of the 2016 and 2017 events and, as a result, we have seen less mortality,” he said in a release.

These latest results demonstrate the Reef can still recover in periods free of intense disturbances.

RELATED: Scientists ‘Elated’ After Finding Massive Coral Reef—The First Reef to Be Discovered in 120 Years

AIMS monitoring program team leader Dr Mike Emslie said the 2022 results built on the increases in coral cover reported for 2021, with most of the increase continuing to be driven by fast-growing Acropora corals.

A third of the gain in coral cover recorded the previous year in the south was lost last year due to ongoing crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks, according to the report, which is the largest, longest, and most comprehensive information source on the health of the Great Barrier Reef.

CHECK OUT: Climate-Resilient Coral Reefs Able to Cope With 2ºC of Global Warming

Japan, US to be judged by history for interfering in China's internal affairs, Japanese scholars say as tensions in Taiwan Straits worry Okinawans

By Xing Xiaojing

Published: Aug 06, 2022 

Xinhua

People take part in a protest in Okinawa, Japan, May 15, 2022, the 50th anniversary of Okinawa's reversion to Japan from the control of the United States. Photo:Xinhua

Japanese scholars blamed Japan and the US for escalating situation across Taiwan Straits and slammed the Japanese government for having no regard for the safety of people in Okinawa amid the rising regional tension by failing to refute US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's "egregious mistake" of visiting Taiwan island and blatantly interfering in the Taiwan question.

Japan and the US have no right to intervene in the Taiwan question and will be criticized by history if they do as "Taiwan is the territory of China, neither Japan's nor the US'," Yasukatsu Matsushima, a scholar and political activist from Okinawa, told the Global Times on Saturday, noting that anger is growing in Okinawa over the "risky" nature of Pelosi's provocation.

The remarks by Matsushima, a professor from Ryukoku University, came after China on Friday announced eight countermeasures in response to Pelosi's visit to the island of Taiwan, including canceling China-US theater commanders talk, defense policy coordination talks and a military maritime security consultative mechanism.

The communication channels between the Chinese and US militaries have been "virtually severed," raising the risk of an accidental clash in the region, reported the Nihon Keizai Shimbun. It said that the escalation of tensions across the Taiwan Strait has added to the anxiety of Okinawans, considering the Yonaguni Island, the westernmost point of Okinawa, is only 111 kilometers away from Taiwan island.

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) are conducting large-scale live-fire military drills of around the island of Taiwan after Pelosi's visit to the island Tuesday night.

Okinawan political activist Yuzo Takayama told the Global Times on Saturday that 70 percent of the US military bases in Japan are located in Okinawa, and if the US military bases become targets due to its provocative actions, Okinawans will inevitably suffer great harm.

"An important feature of the drills is to prevent the intervention of external forces, which can be seen from the areas and subjects of the drills. For example, the two areas in the north are close to Okinawa, and the area in the south can control or block the Bashi Channel, which is the only route to and from the South China Sea, and this will to some extent deter external interference in the Taiwan question," Meng Xiangqing, a professor at the National Defense University, was quoted by CCTV News as saying.

The two northern areas of the drills are close to Okinawa, which means that the US forces stationed in Okinawa are also subject to deterrence, said the Nihon Keizai Shimbun.

In the 77 years since the end of the World War II, the US military and the Japanese Self-Defense Force have conducted exercises in the waters and airspace of Okinawa and its surrounding areas, promoted the construction of US military bases and even Self-Defense Force bases, and tried to turn the Okinawa into a battlefield again, which will undoubtedly cause great harm, Matsushima told the Global Times.

If emergency situation really happens in Japan, the Japanese government may not be able to protect the safety of its own people, said Matsushima. "If the 'what happens to Taiwan' affects Okinawa, I don't think the Japanese government will protect the people here at all," he said.

Matsushima noted that it is the US that has raised regional tensions, and Japan, as a follower of the US, did not refute Pelosi's grave mistake of visiting Taiwan, should also be blamed. These actions just show that the Japanese government has no regard for the safety and daily life of the Okinawan people.

On Wednesday, Japan with other Group of Seven members and the European Union issued a statement that accused China over the Taiwan question. The next day, talks between the Chinese and Japanese foreign ministers, which were reportedly scheduled for Thursday afternoon on the sidelines of ASEAN events in Phnom Penh, were cancelled.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met with Pelosi during her visit to Japan on Friday and criticized China's military drills around the island.

In response, Hua Chunying, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said at a press conference on Friday that Japan is historically responsible for its serious wrongdoing on the Taiwan question and the country is in no position to make unwarranted remarks on the question.

"Neither the US nor Japan has publicly recognized Taiwan as a 'country,' which means that Japan and the US agree that 'Taiwan is part of China'," said Takayama, noting that the two countries' 'blatant intervention in the Taiwan issue is undoubtedly meddling in other countries' internal affairs, which has no basis in international law.

What the US really wants is to ensure its military "presence" in East Asia and an "unstable" security environment in the region, which is also the purpose of Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, he said.

Given the history, "at least the Okinawan people don't think the Japanese government will guarantee the safety of its people in an emergency," he said.

ZIONIST CULTURAL GENOCIDE

Hundreds of Israeli settlers break into Al-Aqsa Mosque amid high tensions

File photo

JERUSALEM, Sunday, August 07, 2022 (WAFA) – Hundreds of Israeli settlers escorted by Israeli police broke today into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied Jerusalem and performed rituals across its courtyards, according to witnesses. The provocative tours are still going on until this moment.

This comes amid calls by so-called Temple Mount groups, who seek to destroy Al-Aqsa Mosque and replace it with a Jewish temple, on their followers to be present at the Muslim holy place today to mark the Tisha B’av holiday, a day of fasting marking the alleged destruction of the two Jewish temples more than two thousand years ago.

WAFA correspondent said groups of Israeli settlers led by extremist Israeli rabbi Yehuda Glick entered the holy site in groups starting at about 7:00 am, noting that other groups of settlers are still waiting near the Moroccan Gate to be allowed gradually into the holy site.

The settlers were reportedly confronted by a handful of Palestinian Muslim worshipers who held a night vigil inside the compound in an attempt to foil the Israeli raids into the holy site.

Earlier today, Israeli occupation forces arrested two Palestinians at one of the gates leading to the compound. The two were not yet identified.

Israeli police also imposed strict restrictions on the entry of Palestinians to the compound and placed strict restrictions on the entry of Muslim worshipers to the compound during the presence of Israeli settlers there.

Since 2003, the Israeli occupation authorities have allowed settlers into the compound almost on a daily basis, with the exclusion of Friday, the Muslim day of rest and worship.

The Islamic Waqf, the Jordanian authority in charge of the holy sites in Jerusalem, has repeatedly described the settlers' presence in Al-Aqsa Mosque as "provocative", saying that Palestinian worshippers and guards at Al-Aqsa feel uncomfortable with the presence of Israeli police and settlers touring the Islamic holy site.

Israel captured East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa Mosque is located, during the Six-Day War in 1967 in a move never recognized by the international community.

M.N

ZIONIST ETHNIC CLEANSING

UN Special Coordinator is concerned about the escalation in Gaza, calls for avoiding further escalation

A 5-year-old girl killed in an Israeli attack on Gaza. (WAFA Images)

JERUSALEM, Saturday, August 6, 2022 (WAFA) – The United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, last night expressed concern about the rising escalation in the Gaza Strip.

“I am deeply concerned by the ongoing escalation” in the Gaza Strip, said Wennesland in a statement, stressing that “I am deeply saddened by reports that a five-year-old child has been killed in these strikes. There can be no justification for any attacks against civilians.”

The UN Special Coordinator warned that “the continuing escalation is very dangerous,” calling on all sides to avoid further escalation.

“The progress made in gradually opening Gaza since the end of the May escalation risks being undone, leading to even greater humanitarian needs at a time when global resources are stretched and international financial support for a renewed humanitarian effort in Gaza will not be easily available,” he said.

“The UN is fully engaged with all concerned in an attempt to avoid a further conflict which would have devastating consequences, mainly for civilians,” said Wennesland, adding, “The responsibility is with the parties to avoid this from happening.”

Eleven people were killed in two days of Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, including the 5-year-old baby.

Bodies of 8 martyrs, including a child, pulled from the rubble in Rafah on third day of Israeli aggression

GAZA, Sunday, August 07, 2022 (WAFA) – The bodies of eight Palestinians, including a child and two women, who were killed in an Israeli airstrike last night on a house in the city of Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip, were pulled out of the rubble by civil defense teams and citizens later during the night, according to local and media sources.

Latest figures by the Ministry of Health show that the number of Palestinians killed since the beginning of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip on August 05 has risen to 32, including 6 children, while 253 others have been injured, including 96 children, 30 women and 12 elderly.

WAFA correspondent said the bodies of the eight martyrs were pulled out from the rubble of the al-Mudallal family house which was levelled to the ground by Israeli airstrikes. He said the bodies of the 8 martyrs, including a 14-year-old child and two women, were pulled out after hours of hard work by civil defense teams and ordinary civilians.

He said three of the martyrs were identified as Khaled Saeed Mansour, Ziad Ahmad al-Mudallal and Ra’fat Saleh Sheikh Eid, adding that nearly 40 Palestinians wounded in the Israeli attack were evacuated to hospitals, and that the condition of some of them was described as critical.

The Israeli airstrike also caused destruction and physical damage to neighboring homes and facilities.

M.N

9 Palestinians killed in Israeli airstrikes on Jabalia, Rafah, death toll hits 24

GAZA, Saturday, August 06, 2022 (WAFA) – Nine Palestinians were killed and many others wounded in a fresh round of Israeli strikes on Jabalia refugee camp, north of the Gaza Strip, and on Rafah refugee camp, south of the enclave, according to local sources.

So far, the number of casualties caused by the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip has reached 24, according to the Ministry of Health, while the number of wounded has climbed to nearly 203.

WAFA correspondent said Israeli fighter jets attacked a group of civilians in Jabalia refugee camp with at least two missiles, killing six Palestinians, including two children, and injuring many others.

Paramedics told WAFA that most of the injuries were described as critical, noting that some of them were children.

Israeli fighter jets also attacked a house in Rafah, killing two civilians and causing the injury of many others. The wounded were rushed to Abu Yousef Al-Najjar Hospital for medical treatment.

M.N

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING NIGERIAN STYLE

Nigeria: Strike - Parents Should Beg Lecturers, Nigerian Govt Has No Money to Meet ASUU's Demands - KeyamoShare

By Bakare Majeed

AUGUST 6, 2022

Mr Keyamo says the federal government would not borrow money to meet the demands of the striking lecturers.

The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, has said the federal government has no money to meet the demands of the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

Mr Keyamo, newly appointed as the spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaigns, asked parents to beg ASUU members to return to classes because the federal government would not borrow money to meet the demands of the lecturers.

He said this on Friday during an interview on 'Politics Today', a programme on Channels Television

Mr Keyamo said the meetings ASUU had with the Nimi Briggs committee were done without the input from the Ministry of Finance and other agencies with roles to play in the implementation of the recommendations.

The minister said the federal government could not meet the financial implications of the Briggs committee, hence the need for fresh negotiation.

He described the proposals in Brigg's committee report as "unrealistic", adding that other unions in the education sector are also opposed to the content of the report.

"At a point, we set up the Nimi Briggs committee to receive the complaints of ASUU and look into how the report could be accommodated within the framework of the finances of the government.

"When the committee began to sit with ASUU, there were critical institutions of government that were supposed to be in those meetings. National Salaries Income and Wages Commission, Budget Office of the Federation, Head of Service, Ministry of Finance. ASUU at a time rejected these agencies from sitting down with them.

"How can you sit down with the Ministry of Education without those with the purse of government? Without those who know ... how people are to be paid? That was what ASUU did with the Briggs Committee. They sat down and fixed their own salaries and emoluments with the Ministry of Education without the other critical stakeholders."

'Parents should beg ASUU'

Mr Keyamo said that he is willing to beg on air if that would placate the lecturers to return to school.

"The proposal ASUU is talking about is N1.2 trillion. I will tell the parents, go and beg ASUU. Like the president said, those who know them should appeal to their sense of patriotism.

"Do you want me to kneel down and beg ASUU on air as a parent also? I can kneel down to beg them. The nation cannot grind to a halt because we want to take care of the demands of ASUU," he said.

He added that the additional wage bill proposed by ASUU is about N560 billion in addition to the normal N412 billion that FG was already paying for salaries and emolument.

Strike

Government-owned universities have been locked since 14 February when ASUU declared strike over the federal government's inability to meet several agreements signed.

On Monday, ASUU extended the strike for another four weeks, citing government's failure to conclude the process of renegotiating the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement, deploy the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS), pay outstanding arrears of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) and others.

Read the original article on Premium Times.