the victorian government is set to distribute three million free N95 and KN95 masks over the coming weeks to try to ease the pressure on the state’s health system.
Speaking outside Victorian parliament, Premier Daniel Andrews announced the free masks would be given out at COVID-19 testing sites, community health sites and across public transport.
Every person who attends COVID-19 testing sites over the next four to six weeks for a COVID-19 test will be given a box of 10 masks.
N95 masks are widely seen as more effectively than cloth masks. (AP)
“We would encourage you to wear those, when you are inside, when you are on public transport,” Andrews said.
He said winter had been “one of the most difficult periods ever” for the state’s health system, and that mask wearing would help reduce pressure on the system.
Andrews said offering free masks was “the common sense thing to do” at this point.
“We’ve got the stock,” he said.
The government is “strongly recommending” masks be worn indoors in Victoria.
Premier Daniel Andrews has announced free masks will be distributed in Victoria. (Nine)
Victorians have been advised that while surgical masks provide protection against airborne viruses such as COVID-19 and influenza, N95 masks offer much better protection because they fit more closely to the wearer’s face.
Andrews confirmed that Victoria is coming towards the end of the current wave of COVID-19.
There are 40,001 known active cases in the state at the moment, including 673 in hospital and 32 in intensive care.
A further 44 deaths in people with the virus have been recorded today.
Authorities on Monday identified the fourth victim in a series of killings of Muslim men in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as the deaths sent ripples of fear through Islamic communities nationwide.
Three of the slayings happened in the last two weeks. Now law enforcement officials are seeking help finding a vehicle believed to be connected to the killings in New Mexico’s largest city. The common elements were the victims’ race and religion, officials said.
Naeem Hussain was killed Friday night, and ambush shootings killed three other Muslim men over the past nine months. Police are trying to determine if the homicides are linked.
The killings have spread fear beyond New Mexico, where Muslims comprise less than 1% of adults in the statewide population of 2.1 million, according to the Pew Research Center.
“The fact the suspect remains at large is terrifying,” Debbie Almontaser, a Muslim community leader in New York, wrote on Twitter. “Who is next?!”
In a phone interview, Almontaser said that a female friend who lives in Michigan and wears the hijab head covering shared with her over the weekend just how rattled she was. “She’s like, ‘This is so terrifying. I’m so scared. I travel alone,’” Almontaser said.
Hussain, 25, was from Pakistan. His death from him came just days after those of Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, and Aftab Hussein, 41, who were also from Pakistan and members of the same mosque.
The earliest case involves the November killing of Mohammad Ahmadi, 62, from Afghanistan.
Aneela Abad, general secretary at the Islamic Center of New Mexico, described a community reeling from the killings, its grief compounded by confusion and fear of what may follow.
“We are just completely shocked and still trying to comprehend and understand what happened, how and why,” she said.
Three of those killed attended the center, and the fourth was well-known in the community, Abad said.
Some people have avoided going out unless “absolutely necessary,” and some Muslim university students have been wondering whether it is safe for them to stay in the city. The center has also beefed up its security, she said.
Police said the same vehicle is suspected of being used in all four homicides — a dark gray or silver four-door Volkswagen that appears to be a Jetta or Passat with dark tinted windows. Authorities released photos hoping people could help identify the car and offered a $20,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
Investigators did not say where the images were taken or what led them to suspect the car was involved in the slayings. Police spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos said in an email Monday that the agency has received tips regarding the car but did not elaborate.
“We have a very, very strong link,” Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said Sunday. “We have a vehicle of interest… We have got to find this vehicle.”
Gallegos said he could not comment on what kind of gun was used in the shootings, or whether police know how many suspects were involved in the violence.
President Joe Biden said he was “angered and saddened” by the killings and that his administration “stands strongly with the Muslim community.”
“These hateful attacks have no place in America,” Biden said Sunday in a tweet.
The conversation about safety has also dominated WhatsApp groups and email groups that Almontaser is on.
“What we’ve seen happen in New Mexico is very chilling for us as a Muslim minority community in the United States that has endured so much backlash and discrimination” since the 9/11 attacks, she said. “It’s frightening.”
Few anti-Muslim hate crimes have been recorded in Albuquerque over the last five years, according to FBI data cited by Brian Levin, director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism and a professor of criminal justice at California State University at San Bernardino .
From 2017 through 2020, there was one anti-Muslim hate crime a year. The highest recent number was in 2016, when Albuquerque police recorded six out of a total of 25 hate crimes.
That largely tracks with national trends, which hit the lowest numbers in a decade in 2020, only to increase by 45% in 2021 in a dozen cities and states, Levin said.
Albuquerque authorities say they cannot determine if the slayings were hate crimes until they have identified a suspect and a motive.
Louis Schlesinger, a forensic psychology professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, said bias killings are often perpetrated by a small group of people, typically young white men. A lone perpetrator is rare.
“These are basically total losers by every dimension, whether it’s social, economic, psychological, what have you,” he said. “They’re filled with hatred for one reason or another and target a particular group that they see, in their mind, to blame for all their problems in life.”
It was not clear whether the victims knew their attacker or attackers.
The most recent victim was found dead after police received a call of a shooting. Authorities declined to say whether the killing was carried out in a similar way to the other deaths.
Muhammad Afzaal Hussain had worked as a field organizer for a local congresswoman’s campaign.
Democratic Rep. Melanie Stansbury issued a statement praising him as “one of the kindest and hardest working people” she has ever known. She said the urban planner was “committed to making our public spaces work for every person and cleaning up legacy pollution.”
As land-use director for the city of Española — more than 85 miles (137 kilometers) north of Albuquerque — Hussain worked to improve conditions and inclusivity for disadvantaged minorities, according to the mayor’s office.
The city staff “has lost a member of our family, and we all have lost a brilliant public servant,” Spanish Major John Ramon Vigil said in a news release.
___
Dazio reported from Los Angeles and Fam from Winter Park, Florida. Associated Press writer Lindsay Whitehurst in Washington and AP news researchers Rhonda Shafner and Jennifer Farrar in New York contributed to this report.
A confectionary brand has been forced to respond after lolly lovers spotted their favorite treat had mysteriously disappeared from shelves.
TikToker @nariman.dein took to the social media platform to ask if a conspiracy is underfoot, revealing she’d been looking for Starburst lollies everywhere with no luck.
“Can someone tell me where these lollies went,” she asked her followers.
“I’ve been looking everywhere in Sydney – Big W, Coles – these lollies don’t exist.”
She said the Starburst lollies were the best and asked if anyone else remembered the treats.
“Is there a conspiracy theory – did they just stop selling them and no one realized?” she asked.
Many of the TikToker’s followers echoed the claims, saying they also couldn’t find them.
“I miss the lollipops the most,” one person said.
Another added: “I love those lollies but they stopped selling them – like what, why?”
A third added: “Starburst is just gone I’ve been looking for them too.”
Someone else said: “No lollies compare to Starburst.”
Others claimed there was limited stock at their local IGA, and another added the range couldn’t be found in New Zealand.
The Starburst range included Chews, Babies, Snakes and lollipops.
A spokesperson from Mars Wrigley, which manufactures Starburst, revealed the true reason the popular treats were so hard to find currently in Australia. And for fans, it isn’t good news.
“We regularly review our Mars Wrigley product range to ensure we’re offering our consumers great tasting products that are also great value for money,” the spokesperson told news.com.au.
“Our STARBURST® products are imported from Europe and like many businesses that are importing products from overseas, the brand has been exposed to supply chain difficulties and rising cost pressures over the last two years.
“After reviewing all options, we’ve made the difficult decision to discontinue the brand in Australia from June 2022.
“As a proud Australian manufacturer for more than 60 years, we are taking this opportunity to prioritize and invest in the brands and products we make locally in Australia such as M&Ms, Maltesers, Skittles, Snickers, Extra and Eclipse.”
BMW Motorrad Motorsport and ZF’s partnership in the FIM Endurance World Championship (FIM EWC) have seen them working together on developing new spring damper elements for the #37 BMW M 1000 RR of BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team in 2022.
BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team
A telescopic front fork made from carbon is in the spotlight of this partnership, with ZF previously developing customized racing clutches and shock absorbers for various BMW racing cars in action in Formula One, the DTM, at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring or in Formula BMW. As of this season, ZF is now also BMW Motorrad Motorsport’s technological partner.
ZF carbon fiber forks
The new telescopic front fork for the #37 BMW M 1000 RR made from carbon fiber composites was developed jointly by BMW Motorrad Motorsport, BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team and ZF. This is the first time that a manufacturer has used a carbon fork in endurance racing.
The outer tube is made exclusively from carbon fiber, while the hybrid inner tube is made from a metal carbon fiber composite. Then there is the topology-optimized metal fork leg, which is glued to the hybrid inner tube.
e new telescopic front fork for the #37 BMW M 1000 RR made from carbon fiber composites
One major advantage of using carbon fiber is obvious, its low weight. This is a factor for efficiency and success in endurance racing in particular. In addition, the rigidity can be changed systematically, which impacts the handling of the motorcycle.
Marc Bongers – BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director
“Using this material and this technology allows us to shift the threshold at which body vibrations occur. One major focus during development was the design of the homogeneous bending loads. The goal being for the throttle response for the rider to be extremely subtle, even under the most extreme strains. And feedback from the riders confirmed that the goal was achieved.”
BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team
Developing new components for motorsport is always a challenge from an engineering perspective.
Henner Fröderking – ZF Engineer
“A large number of functions are squeezed into a very small space, and the requirements are obviously very different from in production. That means that you have to really distance yourself from the solutions used in series production. ZF has a great deal of experience with motorcycle chassis in series production. We were now tasked with finding detailed solutions that are tailor-made for motorsport.”
A motorsport fork must withstand extreme strains, it is an important component for the tuning of the motorcycle – and it must be designed in such a way that rapid spring changes and rapid maintenance, for example, take just a few minutes. The next challenge for engineer Fröderking and his colleagues in this project is the use of carbon fiber.
The carbon-fibre fork from ZF
Henner Fröderking
“You need to handle this material very differently to metal. This starts with the first design of the element calculation, during which you calculate the rigidity. The layer structure also needs to be integrated directly here. This is followed by the validation process, which shows whether the rigidity calculated in theory has been achieved in reality. Everything also needs to be subjected to overload, since safety is the number one priority. This shows whether the calculations were correct. And then the performance of the component also has to meet expectations.”
Marc Bongers
“The handling of a motorcycle is determined by everything that happens between the points of contact of the front and rear tyre. The fork is a key part of the overall package here, because it is important for how the rider feels when braking and cornering. However, this overall package also includes chassis and swingarm, for example. Then there are the practical requirements for the component in fine-tuning. We provided our input with all these various factors, and ZF implemented it with their technologies – and tailored the fork exactly to our extensive requirements.”
BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team
“The whole development process ran so superbly despite the coronavirus-related restrictions, meaning that we were able to roll out the new fork for the first time at Almeria in December 2021, and the results with a product as innovative as this one were so positive right from the start that we made every effort to implement the fork as quickly as possible. Both parties put a lot of energy into the further fine-tuning.”
And the successful roll-out of the fork was followed by another component: ZF and BMW Motorrad Motorsport also joined forces to develop a spring monoshock, which was tested for the first time in January.
The goal was to use both components at the season opener of the FIM EWC at Le Mans in April. ZF’s focus was now on ensuring the supply of parts for racing use.
#37 BMW M 1000 RR of BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team
At the same time, the intense phase of pre-season testing kicked off for the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team and riders Markus Reiterberger (GER), Ilya Mikhalchik (UKR), Jérémy Guarnoni (FRA) and Kenny Foray (FRA). If you want to use a component from the first race, this means you also need to ride with it in every test. This is because this kind of fork requires completing around 4000 kilometers to ensure that it is safe and durable.
Marc Bongers
“We did it, and competed using the new fork and the spring monoshock as of the first race of the season at Le Mans. And at the second race in Spa we got the first 24-hour win for BMW Motorrad which proves that this collaboration is bearing fruit.”
The #37 BMW M 1000 RR’s next outing with the ZF spring damper elements will be this coming weekend at the 8 Hours of Suzuka (JPN), the third round of the FIM EWC 2022.
Australian cricketer Chris Lynn has officially turned his back on the Big Bash League, signing on for the inaugural International League T20 in the United Arab Emirates.
On Monday, Emirates Cricket announced that 54 international cricketers had agreed to participate in the newly-developed T20 league, which makes its debut in January 2023.
Lynn, one of the sport’s most destructive short-format batters, was the only Australian featured on a list headed by Ashes winner Moeen Ali and West Indies veteran Andre Russell.
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The 2023 ILT20 will have 34 matches, with all the teams playing each other twice before four playoffs fixtures across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.
It’s understood the UAE league could offer players up to AU$700,000 for five weeks’ work.
“It’s exciting to see how well the squads are shaping up for the first season of ILT20,” Emirates Cricket General Secretary Mubashshir Usmani said in a statement.
“Each team will consist of 18 players including four UAE players and two other players from ICC Associate countries. The quality of the names announced today is outstanding and so is the interest in our league of top players from all around the world.
“We are very excited that a select number of UAE representative-players, from our current pool, will also be considered and signed on to participate in the league. It is also extremely important to note that these (UAE) players will form part of the team’s playing XI.
“One of the key objectives for ILT20 is to provide opportunities for players from UAE and other Associate nations to perform on the big stage, and, ECB extends its deep appreciation to the six franchises for their support of our vision to grow our game and create stronger, more competitive players.”
The announcement effectively confirms that Lynn, the highest run-scorer in Big Bash history, won’t sign for a BBL franchise this year.
In May, the Brisbane Heat elected not to renew the Queenslander’s $200,000 contract after a couple of underwhelming seasons in the domestic T20 tournament.
Lynn was not only one of the Heat’s foundation players, winning a BBL title with the Brisbane-based club in 2013, he also served as captain for several years.
According to The Agethe 32-year-old was unable to find another club willing to meet his asking price, although he had recently been in talks with the Adelaide Strikers.
The powerful right-hander has scored 3005 Big Bash runs at 34.54 at an imposing strike rate of 148.83.
Chris Lynn of Northamptonshire Steelbacks celebrates after scoring a century. Photo by David Rogers/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
Lynn has been in impeccable form this winter, recently smacking an unbeaten 113 from 57 balls in the T20 Blast to equal his highest individual score and set up a Northamptonshire victory.
Although the loss of Lynn is a massive blow for the BBL, Cricket Australia is reportedly on the verge of brokering a deal with superstar batter David Warner.
According to AustralianWarner has been offered a groundbreaking BBL contract above and beyond any previous player contract.
“I am very hopeful David will play BBL and I am hopeful that all of our best Australian cricketers will play in it,” Australian Cricketers’ Association chief executive Todd Greenberg told the Cricket Et Cetera podcast this week.
“There’s a variety of reasons why. There’s absolutely no doubt that someone like David and others of his ilk could earn more in the coming Australian summer if they were to ply their trade overseas, but there’s a much broader discussion and a bigger picture we are trying to solve here and that’s the discussion I am having with several of our players this week.”
CA is desperate to ensure the sport’s biggest names will make an appearance in the BBL this summer; the competition has been starved of international-quality talent after the last two seasons were plagued by Covid-19.
Earlier this year, The Daily Telegraph reported that broadcaster Channel 7 had launched Federal Court action against CA in a bid to terminate its TV rights deal.
According to the News Corp report, Seven is adamant the cricketers that featured in last summer’s BBL were not of a high enough quality for the competition to meet the standard provisions stipulated in CA’s TV rights contract.
However, the Big Bash has already secured the services of former South African captain Faf du Plessis and Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan, while Australian stars Usman Khawaja, Mitchell Swepson, Nathan Lyon and Alex Carey have also signed for their respective BBL franchises.
Australia’s David Warner. Photo by ISHARA S. KODIKARA / AFPSource: AFP
“These leagues we are talking about at the moment are competing with our Australian domestic summer and that is the first time we’ve faced this, it is a unique challenge,” Greenberg said.
“The second thing is that the reasons they enjoy the benefits and remunerations that they enjoy under this model is because of those that came before them.
“David and others understand … and are very aware that if they play in this competition it increases the opportunity for the next broadcast deal to be secured at a higher number which maybe doesn’t benefit them specifically, but it benefits the next generation of Australian cricketers coming through.
“This is a real test of our players demonstrating the level of partnership.
“They understand they have to get the best players to play, which includes them and the best players from overseas, which is why we’ve agreed in this one-year deal to ensure that there is an international draft and salary cap – an opportunity to bring the best overseas players in.”
Because South Africa has withdrawn from next January’s three-match ODI series against Australia, the country’s international stars will be available for the second half of the BBL.
However, multi-format paceman Mitchell Starc has already decided he won’t be signing for any franchise due to the sport’s busy calendar, and Australian teammates Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins will most likely follow suit.
“I have always enjoyed the BBL when I have played it … but my approach with all franchise cricket hasn’t changed over the last seven years,” Starc told AAP earlier this month.
“My approach to the IPL, BBL, I have looked at the Australian schedule and wanting to be as fit and well-performed for that as I can.
Canberra’s light rail network will become wireless through the Parliamentary Triangle as construction continues into the city’s south, following a joint investment from the federal and ACT governments.
Key points:
Work to raise London Circuit as part of light rail stage 2A is expected to begin soon
Five new vehicles will be added to the network, allowing the light rail to become wireless through the Parliamentary Triangle
Existing vehicles will also be modified under the new joint funding by the federal and ACT governments
It was announced this morning that a contract had been awarded for early works on stage 2 of the network, with five new wire-free light rail vehicles to be introduced from 2024, while the existing vehicles would be retrofitted with onboard batteries.
In a statement, the ACT government said this would enable the vehicles to operate wirelessly along the route’s extension throughout the parliamentary zone, stage 2A to Commonwealth Park and stage 2B towards Woden respectively.
The government said it would also be expanding its light rail depot at Mitchell to facilitate the ongoing maintenance of the fleet, with construction expected to be completed in mid-2024.
Contract for wireless network a ‘critical milestone’
Work will be done to expand the light rail depot at Mitchell, before five new vehicles are introduced to the network.(ABC News: Ian Cutmore)
The government said work to raise London Circuit as part of the construction of light rail stage 2A was expected to commence “soon”.
“This will be followed by the submission of an environmental assessment and works approval application for the stage 2A project, so construction of the light rail line can commence soon after raising London Circuit is complete,” the statement said.
“Canberrans will be able to have their say on the final light rail design early next year, when it goes on public display as part of the works approval application.”
ACT Minister for Transport and City Services Chris Steel said the joint contract with the federal government was a “critical milestone” for the delivery of the light rail extension.
“We need to order new LRVs now, and upgrade our existing fleet and depot, to ensure we have enough vehicles manufactured, delivered, tested and ready to start services to Commonwealth Park when construction of the track is completed,” Mr Steel said.
“Moving to retrofit all existing LRVs with onboard energy systems for wire-free running shows our commitment to delivering light rail, not only to Commonwealth Park, but right through the Parliamentary Triangle to Woden.
“The five new vehicles will be built for Canberra’s future light rail system and will support the same high frequency services on the next stage that have been embraced by Canberrans on the first stage.”
Federal Member for Canberra Alicia Payne said the project would boost local employment.
“The LRV modifications and depot expansion will increase the network’s capability to improve connectivity for people needing to travel for work or to access services and events in the southern part of the city,” she said.
“This project and associated works are expected to support up to 1,000 jobs over its life, which is a significant amount of local employment.”
ALBUQUERQUE, NM — Sharief Hadi, a halal market and cafe owner, left Afghanistan in the 1980s and settled in the United States for what he thought would be a safer life.
But after the murders of four Muslim men in the city in the last few months — including his brother Mohammad Zaher Ahmadi — Hadi’s faith in the American dream is shattered.
“I thought I was living a dream, but it’s no dream. It’s the opposite,” Hadi, 73, said in a phone interview Monday. “They took my brother’s lovely life. I don’t care about my life anymore.”
The spate of murders across the Albuquerque area has stunned the city and shaken the small, close-knit Muslim community, fueling fears of a racist serial killer on the loose.
Albuquerque law enforcement officials believe the killings of 62-year-old Ahmadi, 41-year-old Aftab Hussein, 27-year-old Muhammad Afzaal Hussain and 25-year-old Naeem Hussain might be linked.
People sprinkle dirt over the grave of Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, at Fairview Memorial Park in Albuquerque, NM, on Aug. 5, 2022.Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal via ZUMA Press Wire
Authorities said Sunday they identified a “vehicle of interest” connected to all four slayings, and the FBI is assisting local officials with the investigation. Police said they have not yet determined a motive.
Ahmad Assed, the president of the Islamic Center of New Mexico, a mosque that all four victims attended, said in an interview Monday that he felt “broken” and “devastated,” as did many in a community he described as “disheartened.”
“They feel a certain helplessness, they’re in fear,” Assed said of Muslim community members. “Their whole world has been flipped upside down.”
He added: “Everybody is very deflated and eagerly awaiting some response as to why?”
Assed said the Islamic Center is the heart of social interactions between community members. In the wake of the killings, many local Muslims have chosen to stay home, where they feel safe and “not take chances to come to the mosque,” he said.
Hadi, the halal market owner, echoed that comment. He said that Muslim people in the area appear to be too frightened to go outside for fear of being senselessly gunned down.
“They don’t want to go to the store. They don’t want to go pray. They don’t want to go to the mosque,” Hadi said, his voice rising in anger. He added that his own business has suffered in recent weeks.
Ahmadi was killed on Nov. 7, according to police. Several months later, three more Muslim men were gunned down. Aftab Hussein, who was born in Pakistan, was killed on July 26. Muhammad Afzaal Hussain was found dead on a sidewalk last Monday. Then, just before midnight Friday, Naeem Hussain was found dead, too.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, said it was offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of whoever is behind the killings.
President Joe Biden decried the murders, saying in a tweet Sunday that his “prayers are with the victims’ families, and my Administration stands strongly with the Muslim community.”
“These hateful attacks have no place in America,” Biden added.
The four men all left behind relatives, friends and colleagues who are struggling to understand the bloodshed.
Naeem Hussain’s body was discovered in the parking lot of Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains, a nonprofit that had helped him resettle in Albuquerque. Hussain was born in Pakistan and came to the US as a refugee several years ago seeking better opportunities, according to his brother-in-law, Ehsan Shahalami. He just became a US citizen on July 8.
Shahalami said that during a shopping trip with his wife, children and Hussain last month, Hussain bought a new suit, dress shirt and shoes for his oath of citizenship ceremony.
“He was very excited about that ceremony,” said Shahalami, 37, a Virginia resident. “Because now he was becoming a US citizen. He obviously took pride in that.”
Hussain worked as a truck driver and saved up enough money to buy a truck of his own that he insisted on driving when the pandemic began.“A lot of drivers basically took unemployment because of the Covid situation and when it came to Naeem, he said, ‘You know, the country needs us more than any time right now. So we need to keep driving and try to influence other drivers to keep driving,'” Shahalami said.
“Naeem should be remembered for who he truly was — a genuine, giving man,” Shahalami said. Hussain loved being outdoors, especially camping and fishing, and was known to drive around with fishing rods in his car.
Shahalami said that although it is their wives who are sisters, I considered Hussain a brother and that the two were very close. They spoke regularly and spent the Fourth of July together in Virginia. Hussain had planned to bring his wife from Pakistan to the US after he became a citizen.
“He actually had some good business plans for the future but not knowing of the future obviously,” Shahalami said. “Those plans are no longer.”
Muhammad Afzaal Hussain’s brother, Muhammad Imtiz Hussain, told NBC News that he feels scared for his life, haunted by the knowledge that his brother was gunned down near seemingly normal residential streets — “places my kids go for bike riding.”
The late Hussain was the planning and land use director for the city of Española, roughly 90 miles north of Albuquerque. Vince Baldonado, one of his colleagues, described feeling anxious when Hussain did not show up at the office last Tuesday.
“We were all asking each other, ‘Did you get a call?’ Did you get a text? Is he stuck in traffic?’ We didn’t think the worst… but then we heard.”
Baldonado, 42, eventually learned through another colleague that Hussain had been found dead the night before.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Baldonado said. “I’ve never lost a friend to gun violence. He was my supervisor, my boss, my close friend.”
Baldonado added that he had planned to go fishing and camping with Hussain sometime before the end of the summer. He recalled with affection that Hussain always took an interest in his children, encouraging Baldonado to enroll them in STEM classes.
“He didn’t have a single mean bone in his body,” Baldonado said.
Guad Venegas reported from Albuquerque; Daniel Arkin and Janelle Griffith from New York.
It’s not just you: Google is currently down, with search results failing to load due to server errors like Error 500 and Error 502.
One of the various error messages reads as follows:
ServerError
We’re sorry but it appears that there has been an internal server error while processing your request. Our engineers have been notified and are working to resolve the issue.
Please try again later.
We’ll update this story as more information becomes available.
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Olivia Newton-John’s daughter Chloe Lattanzi moved in with her mother just two weeks before her tragic death on Monday.
The Grease star passed away at age 73 following a lengthy battle with breast cancer, spending her final moments surrounded by friends and family at her home in Southern California.
Until late last month, Chloe and her fiancé James Driskill were living in Portland, Oregon, where they owned a medical cannabis farm.
Chloe Lattanzi (centre) and fiancé James Driskill (left) moved in with her cancer-stricken mother Olivia Newton-John (right) just two weeks before her tragic death on Monday
However on July 25, Chloe excitedly announced on Facebook that the couple were relocating California to be closer to her sickly mother.
‘We officially moved out of our house in Portland. In the truck my man towing the U-Haul [hire trailer],’ the 36-year-old wrote next to a pouty selfie.
‘So excited to get back to my mom! Here’s to a new chapter!!!’ added Chloe, who is Olivia’s only child.
On July 25, Chloe excitedly announced on Facebook that the couple were relocating California to be closer to her sickly mother.
‘We officially moved out of our house in Portland. In the truck my man towing the U-Haul [removalist company],’ the 36-year-old wrote next to this pouty selfie. ‘So excited to get back to my mom! Here’s to a new chapter!!!’ added Chloe, who is Olivia’s only child
Chloe and martial arts expert James opened their cannabis farm back in December 2016, leaving behind their glitzy LA lifestyle for a more laid-back existence in Oregon – where recreational marijuana had become legal.
Chloe had temporarily moved in with her mother during the pandemic just last year – something for which Olivia said she is forever grateful.
‘This has been a dream time, to be able to spend a long time with Chloe. It’s a special time,’ the Xanadu actress told Studio 10 during a recent interview.
Chloe and martial arts expert James opened their cannabis farm back in December 2016, leaving behind their glitzy LA lifestyle for a more laid-back existence in Oregon – where recreational marijuana had become legal
It was reported at the time that Olivia had stumped up a ‘loan’ for the couple to ‘have a fresh start’ by opening their farm.
Olivia welcomed Chloe with her former husband Matt Lattanzi in 1986.
Chloe began her relationship with James in 2009, and the pair announced their engagement just one year later.
It was reported at the time that Olivia had stumped up a ‘loan’ for the couple to ‘have a fresh start’ by opening their farm
Just days before the singer’s death, Chloe uploaded a photo of herself and Olivia posing in matching white outfits alongside the heartfelt caption: ‘I worship this woman. My mother. My best friend. @therealonj.’
It comes as the world mourns the loss of Olivia following her tragic death on Monday.
Just days before the singer’s death, Chloe uploaded a photo of herself and Olivia posing in matching white outfits alongside the heartfelt caption: ‘I worship this woman. My mother. My best friend. @therealonj.’
Aspiring singer Chloe returned to Instagram following her mother’s death on Monday, sharing a gallery of childhood family photos and some recent images of the women posing together.
Aspiring singer Chloe returned to Instagram following her mother’s death on Monday, sharing a gallery of childhood family photos and some recent images of the women posing together
James also shared a raw tribute to his late mother-in-law following her passing, uploading a throwback Instagram photo of himself and Chloe posing arm-in-arm with Olivia.
‘I am so lucky and grateful that I had the opportunity to learn from such an amazing woman. You led an extraordinary life and touched so many, ‘he began his emotional caption of him.
‘You taught me about grace and gratitude, love and light. You were always so generous and kind and I’m filled with joy thinking about spending the rest of my life with your beautiful daughter who also teaches me daily about how to be a more compassionate and forgiving man. Goodbye mom. I love you,’ he continued.
James also shared a raw tribute to his late mother-in-law following her passing, uploading a throwback Instagram photo of himself and Chloe posing arm-in-arm with Olivia. L-R: John Easterling, Chloe Lattanzi, James Driskill and Olivia Newton-John
‘I’ll take care of our weasel,’ he concluded, referring to Chloe.
Olivia, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2017 and twice before in 1992 and 2013, has spent years lobbying the Australian government to approve the use of medicinal cannabis for cancer patients.
Like James and Chloe, Olivia’s husband John Easterling grew medicinal cannabis for his wife on their ranch in the US to ‘help with her symptoms’.
Back in 2020, Olivia recalled the terrifying moment she was first diagnosed with the disease.
Like James and Chloe, Olivia’s husband John Easterling (left) grew medicinal cannabis for his wife on their ranch in the US to ‘help with her symptoms’
In a video announcing her foundation at the time, she said she ‘knew immediately that something was wrong’.
‘I am probably one of those people who’s living beyond cancer, living beyond probably what people expected to happen,’ Olivia said.
Speaking about her diagnosis, she added: ‘I immediately knew something was wrong.
Back in 2020, Olivia recalled the terrifying moment she was first diagnosed with the disease. ‘All this was overwhelming. It was a feeling of dread, terror, the unknown, ‘she said, adding that she decided to be strong for her daughter de ella, Chloe Lattanzi
‘I had a mammogram. The mammogram was benign and I had a needle biopsy that was also benign… I don’t say this to scare women, but you have to just trust your instincts.’
Olivia explained that she then spoke to her doctor and agreed to get a surgical biopsy, and was then diagnosed with breast cancer.
‘All this was overwhelming. It was a feeling of dread, terror, the unknown, ‘she said, adding that she decided to be strong for her daughter, Chloe Lattanzi.
Olivia has tried a variety of therapies, including meditation, acupuncture, massage and plant medicine, to heal her body – in addition to conventional medicine
‘I made the decision that I would be okay. I had to believe I was going to be okay, that my daughter was the most important thing in my life and I would be okay for her,’ she said.
Olivia has tried a variety of therapies, including meditation, acupuncture, massage and plant medicine, to heal her body – in addition to conventional medicine.
‘I have seen the incredible beauty of the plants and their healing abilities… if I hadn’t had that experience, I wouldn’t be sitting here talking to you about kinder therapies… your body wants to heal itself,’ said the medicinal cannabis advocate.
‘That’s why I’m excited to start this foundation.’
Newton-John was best known for her role in the 1978 smash hit musical/romance Grease
Veteran journalist Caroline Wilson has taken aim at the Adelaide media for its response to coverage of the Crows’ infamous 2018 camp amid more calls for club figures responsible at the time to take ownership.
The Crows on Monday night released a lengthy open letter to the club’s fans, apologizing to Eddie Betts, Josh Jenkins and any players who had a “negative experience” at the pre-season camp after shock new revelations emerged last week.
It comes after Adelaide journalist David Penberthy earlier this year slammed Nine’s Sam McClure and Wilson, who’ve both extensively reported on the camp, saying the latter’s coverage was a “miserable way to spend your post-journalistic career.”
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And speaking on Channel 9’s Footy Classified on Monday night, Wilson said she remained “baffled at the collective chip on the shoulder of certain sections of the Adelaide media where that camp was concerned”.
“I don’t know the above mentioned commentator (Penberthy), but I gather he’s flipped around a bit on the camp story since then,” Wilson said.
The Crows camp that ‘ended careers’ | 02:10
“Graham Cornes in his Advertiser column recently tried to portray another side of the story, and talked about more brutal camps of days gone by, and asked where then was the Victoria media piled on. Seriously Graham?
“You boys, all of you, need to grow up, this is so childish. That story would’ve been a massive yarn wherever it’d taken place, and equally condemned. In fact it would’ve been a much bigger story if it had taken place at Collingwood or Richmond. Talk about shooting the messenger.”
The directors of Collective Mind, who organized the camp, Amon Woulfe and Derek Leddie told the Advertiser in February the Crows’ then chief executive Andrew Fagan and the club’s board had “full awareness” of the program.
The story also states the program was approved by senior club figures including coach Don Pyke, head of football Brett Burton, and doctor Marc Cesana who cleared every player as mentally and emotionally fit to attend, and was even pilot tested by one of the coaches.
And while current Crows bosses and the AFL have both apologized following last week’s revelations, McClure, who in 2020 broke the story of the camp’s details, still wasn’t satisfied those who oversaw the controversial pre-season event have taken ownership.
Jenkins full statement on infamous camp | 15:39
“We’ve talked a lot about the potential cover-up and to what extent it went. I know there’s been apologies and elements of contrition, but I stand here today still wondering who is going to take responsibility for some of the things that went on at that camp,” he said.
“They either knew about it and they deliberately lied, or they didn’t know. I’m not sure which one’s worse.”
Fox Footy AFL 360 co-host Gerard Whateley called for all Crows figures in power at the time who’re still at the club to depart.
“I hold to the view that those who were in positions of authority at the time and oversaw this and who have actively participated in the cover-up over four and half years should depart their positions,” he said.
“(Crows director of footy Mark Ricciuto) would be one, but I doubt he’s the only one within that club that would still occupy one of those positions.“
Wilson also hit out at the AFL’s lack of accountability and why it took so long for it to act.
“For Gillon McLachlan to take four years — given the AFL’s known since 2020 what went on — to actually apologize in a stand up at an airport with Channel 7 in an exclusively arranged interview is frankly quite pathetic,” she said.
“Our game betrayed him” Robbo on Betts | 01:02
“Why the AFL did nothing then still baffles me. The cover-up has been astonishing.”
The AFLPA (Players Association) last week indicated it would effectively reopen its investigation into the camp and contact all players for a “better understanding” of what occurred, saying it would’ve taken more immediate action had it known all the information from the outset .
However McClure believes putting the onus on the players to divulge the information is “classic victim blaming” and that more action should’ve been taken at the time.
“The last people who are responsible for what went on at that camp are the players,” he said,
“It is absolute garbage to think that we could sit here and label any of those players as part of the problem. And yet when people come out and speak the truth and show great courage, we suddenly turn around the responsibility on them.
“If the AFLPA wanted to know what was going in that camp, they could’ve asked, because from where we sat, it wasn’t that hard to find out.”
!['We officially moved out of our house in Portland. In the truck my man towing the U-Haul [removalist company],' the 36-year-old wrote next to this pouty selfie. 'So excited to get back to my mom! Here's to a new chapter!!!' added Chloe, who is Olivia's only child](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/08/09/00/61195713-11093385-_We_officially_moved_out_of_our_house_in_Portland_In_the_truck_m-m-13_1660001806824.jpg)
