NaviLens

From the BBC:

“The codes helping visually-impaired people shop”

(Coco Pops was used in the trial and Special K will follow in January as part of a general rollout)

A new, colourful kind of barcode technology, developed by a Spanish firm, is being adopted for the first time in food packaging in the UK. It aims to help blind and partially-sighted people identify products in shops, and access health and safety information about food. "I generally don't go shopping anymore because I can't do it without any kind of help," explains Beth Fowler, who is 19 years-old. "Because I can't see, practically… most things." She is a pupil at St Vincent's School in Liverpool, a specialist school for people with sensory impairment. "Shopping in supermarkets is a complete and utter pain," adds Marcia Shaw, 20, a recent graduate from the school, who is sight-impaired too. The store layouts keep changing, and you have to get help from assistants to find what you need, she explains. But new technology is being rolled out that may help provide a solution to some of these problems. The school has been taking part in a trial with cereal manufacturer Kellogg's. The company has been testing out colourful barcodes on its packaging that mobile phone cameras can easily pick up using an app.

Normal barcodes, or QR codes, can be challenging for blind and partially-sighted people, because it takes a lot of dexterity to focus and frame them correctly, at close range, on a phone's camera. These colourful ones can be detected at a distance of up to three metres, and in low-light conditions. The technology is developed by a company from Murcia, Spain called NaviLens. Its codes are already in use in Spain across public transport networks and museums. The New York City Subway system also uses it. Heathrow Airport in London began a trial, but this was postponed due to the pandemic. All Kellogg's cereal packets will eventually display the code, starting with Special K cereal in January. "With the new app I can just pick the food off the shelf and scan it," explains Beth, "and read all the information, like ingredients, for example. Everything that a sighted person could see is made accessible." Many pupils at St Vincent's School also have food allergies, explains Dianne Waites, who teaches Braille and assistive technology at the school, so this technology is even more vital for them.

Braille is a universal language that relies on physical touch, text is read by running your fingers over indentations on a surface. These indentations can be embossed on to food packaging, but take up a lot of space to convey limited information. Only around 10% of blind and visually impaired people actually use Braille, according to the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB). All medicines in the UK must have the name of the medicine displayed in Braille on the labelling, and patient information leaflets must be available to the blind and partially sighted. But at the moment the vast majority of food products don't have Braille on their packaging, and there is no legal or regulatory requirement for them to include it. Because the NaviLens digital codes trigger audio notes, the amount of information that can be conveyed is potentially limitless. In addition to allergy warnings - like traces of nuts and the presence of gluten - the full range of information about ingredients, like fat and glucose composition, for example, can also be offered. This kind of information can already be accessed across all products if you are shopping online - however when you are choosing products in a physical shop on the High Street, it's a different matter - customers also want to access the information at home when cooking.

(The NaviLens codes are already in use on the New York metro system)

There are a few other technologies already on the market aiming to address similar problems. Google's Lookout app uses Artificial Intelligence to identify products through image recognition. This means no barcode or similar marker is necessary on the product packaging itself, but results are not perfect. Meanwhile, Supersense, developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), is an app that reads out in a computer voice any text that you hover the camera over, and it can also read standard barcodes on food packages. And Be My Eyes allows users to call volunteers for assistance, who can describe in real time what they see in front of them on a video call. In 2018, Procter & Gamble introduced tactile markings on its Herbal Essences products so that people can distinguish between shampoo and conditioner. Sure deodorants, manufactured by Unilever, introduced Braille labelling this year.

Breakfast-only solution However, with a proliferation of technologies companies may choose to invest in very different solutions, meaning a confused picture for consumers. So, for now, those who download the NaviLens app will find it only helps them fill a small but important part of their shopping basket - breakfast. The RNIB surveyed its members and found that more than 95% want more assistive technology on products that can be accessed through phones. "I describe my mobile phone as my Swiss Army Knife," explains Marc Powell, strategic accessibility lead for the RNIB, who is registered blind. He says his phone allows him to access all kinds of information which he struggled to get hold of before, from bus timetables to courier delivery arrival times. "There hasn't been technology available before that provides this amount of information all at once," he says.  "Standards need to start to change, we all have equal rights to access information, to independence. Technology is playing its part in making that happen." Beth at St Vincent's school agrees it would make a really big difference to her life if the technology was adopted more widely. "If we put accessible labels on bleach and medication, why shouldn't they be on food?" she says. "They can't put Braille on everything, but with these barcodes, it shouldn't be a massively difficult thing."

^ This sounds like a really good way for the Blind and Hard-Of-Sight to be more independent (in grocery stores, pharmacies, the Subway, etc.) and that is the main thing that is needed – more independence. ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-57679943

Tuesday!

 

50: 26th Amendment

The 26th Amendment

The 26 Amendment lowered the legal voting age in the United States from 21 to 18. The long debate over lowering the voting age began during World War II and intensified during the Vietnam War, when young men denied the right to vote were being conscripted to fight for their country. In the 1970 case Oregon v. Mitchell, a divided U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Congress had the right to regulate the minimum age in federal elections, but not at the state and local level. Amid increasing support for a Constitutional amendment, Congress passed the 26th Amendment in March 1971. The states promptly ratified it, and President Richard M. Nixon signed it into law that July.

The 26th Amendment: “Old Enough to Fight, Old Enough to Vote” During World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt lowered the minimum age for the military draft age to 18, at a time when the minimum voting age (as determined by the individual states) had historically been 21. “Old enough to fight, old enough to vote” became a common slogan for a youth voting rights movement, and in 1943 Georgia became the first state to lower its voting age in state and local elections from 21 to 18.

Did you know? According to the U.S. Census Bureau, young voters (age 18 to 24) were the only group to show a statistically significant increase in turnout in 2008, despite an overall increase of some 5 million voters.

Jennings Randolph, then a Democratic congressman from West Virginia, introduced federal legislation to lower the voting age in 1942; it was the first of 11 times that Randolph, who was later elected to the Senate, would introduce such a bill in Congress. The driving force behind Randolph’s efforts was his faith in America’s youth, of whom he believed: “They possess a great social conscience, are perplexed by the injustices in the world and are anxious to rectify those ills.”

Presidential & Congressional Support for the 26th Amendment Dwight D. Eisenhower, who led the U.S. armed forces to victory in Europe in 1945, later became the first president to publicly voice his support for a constitutional amendment lowering the minimum voting age. In his 1954 State of the Union address, Eisenhower declared: “For years our citizens between the ages of 18 and 21 have, in time of peril, been summoned to fight for America. They should participate in the political process that produces this fateful summons.”

In the late 1960s, with the United States embroiled in a long, costly war in Vietnam, youth voting rights activists held marches and demonstrations to draw lawmakers’ attention to the hypocrisy of drafting young men who lacked the right to vote. In 1969, no fewer than 60 resolutions were introduced in Congress to lower the minimum voting age, but none resulted in any action. The following year, when Congress passed a bill extending and amending the Voting Rights Act of 1965, it contained a provision that lowered the voting age to 18 in federal, state and local elections. Though he signed the bill into law, President Richard M. Nixon issued a public statement declaring that he believed the provision to be unconstitutional. “Although I strongly favor the 18-year-old vote,” Nixon continued, “I believe–along with most of the Nation’s leading constitutional scholars–that Congress has no power to enact it by simple statute, but rather it requires a constitutional amendment.”

Supreme Court Decision on the 26th Amendment In the 1970 case Oregon v. Mitchell, the U.S. Supreme Court was tasked with reviewing the constitutionality of the provision. Justice Hugo Black wrote the majority decision in the case, which held that Congress did not have the right to regulate the minimum age in State and local elections, but only in federal elections. The issue left the Court seriously divided: Four justices, not including Black, believed Congress did have the right in state and local elections, while four others (again, not including Black) believed that Congress lacked the right even for federal elections, and that under the Constitution only the states have the right to set voter qualifications.

Under this verdict, 18- to 20-year-olds would be eligible to vote for president and vice president, but not for state officials up for election at the same time. Dissatisfaction with this situation–as well as public reaction to the protests of large numbers of young men and women facing conscription, but deprived of the right to vote–built support among many states for a Constitutional amendment that would set a uniform national voting age of 18 in all elections.

Passage, Ratification and Effects of the 26th Amendment On March 10, 1971, the U.S. Senate voted unanimously in favor of the proposed amendment. After an overwhelming House vote in favor on March 23, the 26th Amendment went to the states for ratification. In just over two months–the shortest period of time for any amendment in U.S. history–the necessary three-fourths of state legislatures (or 38 states) ratified the 26th Amendment. It officially went into effect on July 1, 1971, though President Nixon signed it into law on July 5, 1971. At a White House ceremony attended by 500 newly eligible voters, Nixon declared: “The reason I believe that your generation, the 11 million new voters, will do so much for America at home is that you will infuse into this nation some idealism, some courage, some stamina, some high moral purpose, that this country always needs.”

Though newly minted young voters were expected to choose Democratic challenger George McGovern, an opponent of the Vietnam War, Nixon was reelected by an overwhelming margin–winning 49 states–in 1972. Over the next decades, the legacy of the 26th Amendment was a mixed one: After a 55.4 percent turnout in 1972, youth turnout steadily declined, reaching 36 percent in the 1988 presidential election. Though the 1992 election of Bill Clinton saw a slight rebound, voting rates of 18- to 24-year-olds remained well behind the turnout of older voters, and many lamented that America’s young people were squandering their opportunities to enact change. The 2008 presidential election of Barack Obama saw a voter turnout of some 49 percent of 18- to 24 year-olds, the second highest in history.

Text of the 26 Amendment

Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States, who are 18 years of age or older, to vote, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state on account of age.

Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

https://www.history.com/topics/united-states-constitution/the-26th-amendment

50: 18 Voters

 

Celebrating The 4th

From News Nation:

“After year of pandemic cancellations, Americans celebrate July Fourth with a bang”

Americans marks the nation’s 245th birthday on Sunday with fireworks that may look brighter, hotdogs that may taste juicier and marching bands that may sound jauntier after the coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of nearly all celebrations last year. As always, fireworks displays are the highlight of the July Fourth holiday. Two of the biggest pyrotechnic shows in the country will blast off over the National Mall in Washington, and over a mile stretch of New York City’s East River, separating Manhattan from the boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn.

Some classic July Fourth events such as Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest in Brooklyn’s Coney Island remained scaled back to allow for social distancing in recognition of the continued threat of the COVID-19, which has killed more than 600,000 Americans. The more aggressive Delta variant has raised alarms about the potential for another surge among the unvaccinated. Even so, this holiday was a time for Americans to show their patriotism and to celebrate a fresh sense of freedom in a personal sense by mingling with friends once again and enjoying summer’s simple pleasures. But this year’s July Fourth was not entirely carefree. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security warned state and local police last week of a heightened threat of violence by domestic extremist groups amid relaxed COVID-19 restrictions and the July Fourth holiday.

It was expected to be the busiest July Fourth road travel holiday on record – with an estimated 43.6 million Americans behind the wheel, or 5% more than a previous record set in 2019, the American Automobile Association said. Aleksandra Magidoff, a 12-year-old from Brooklyn, traveled to a New Jersey suburb to reconnect with a lifelong friend and her family. They were among the more than 3.5 million people who have moved out of New York, once the U.S. epicenter of COVID-19, since the pandemic started in the spring of 2020. “I’m so excited – I can talk to them and celebrate with them and just socialize!” said Magidoff, who was fully vaccinated under the enormous blue whale model at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. The girls planned to gorge on “a bunch of hamburgers and hotdogs” before taking in the fireworks show at a New Jersey fairgrounds, she said. Last July Fourth she watched fireworks from her apartment building’s rooftop while under pandemic lockdown, allowed to celebrate with only her immediate family.

In Washington, masks must be worn by any unvaccinated people who are among the 1,000 people attending President Joe Biden’s July Fourth celebration on the White House lawn with essential workers and military families, officials said. The president hosts the event three days after his visit to Surfside, Florida, to console families whose loved ones were in a condo tower that collapsed on June 24. Several Florida communities have canceled their July Fourth fireworks out of respect for those impacted by the tragedy, city officials said. Elsewhere in Washington, marching bands stepped off on Sunday in a traditional parade on Capitol Hill’s Barracks Row. As darkness falls, the National Mall was expected to draw big crowds to a 17-minute fireworks display set off from both sides of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

On New York’s East River, 50 pyrotechnicians have spent days loading more than 65,000 shells on five barges to wow audiences watching the spectacular show either in person or on television. The display is presented by Macy’s department store. Lighting up the night’s sky not only delights crowds but also promises to restore a lifeline this year for the businesses that supply the 16,000 July Fourth fireworks displays that typically occur in cities and towns. Last year, only a “scant few” went on with the show, said Julie Heckman, executive director of the American Pyrotechnics Association. “Approximately 70% are scheduled to return, and many will be bigger and better than pre-pandemic levels,” Heckman said. But for some July Fourth was somber. In addition to the pall cast over the country by the pandemic and the Florida building collapse, the U.S. West faces a heightened risk of wildfires after a scorching heatwave and extremely dry conditions. And nationwide supply chain glitches tied to the pandemic have jacked up prices of everything from household items to fireworks.

^ This 4^th of July is definitely much better than last year’s. ^

https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/after-year-of-pandemic-cancellations-americans-celebrate-july-fourth-with-a-bang/

Cyprus Wildfire

From the BBC:

“Cyprus: Nations send help for worst wildfire in decades”

(A child in Ora village, near Larnaca, looks as smoke rises from a wildfire. Photo: 3 July 2021)

Several nations have sent firefighting aircraft to help Cyprus tackle a huge wildfire described by officials as the worst in the country's history. Greece, Italy and Israel have pledged help, and British troops stationed on the island are already involved. The blaze, fanned by strong winds, is spreading through the southern Limassol district and has forced the evacuation of several villages. On Sunday, four people were confirmed to have died in the fire. The victims are believed to be Egyptian farm workers reported missing after their car was destroyed by the blaze. Local media said their bodies were found about 400m from their burnt-out vehicle near the village of Odos. Interior minister Nicos Nouris told reporters on Sunday: "All the indications support the fact that these are the four missing persons we have been searching for since yesterday."

President Nicos Anastasiades described the fire - in the foothills of the Troodos Mountains - as "a tragedy". In a tweet, he said it was "the largest fire since 1974" - referring to the year Cyprus was divided following a Turkish invasion - and had caused loss of life. He pledged that the government would "provide immediate assistance to the victims" and their families. Mr Anastasiades visited a relief centre in the village of Vavatsinia on Sunday morning, before travelling on to other affected areas. Meanwhile, police have arrested a 67-year-old man on suspicion of arson. A witness saw a man driving away from the village of Arakapas, north-east of Limassol, at the same time the fire started on Saturday, police said.

Cyprus has been experiencing a week-long heatwave, with temperatures reaching up to 40C (104F). Experts say that climate change is expected to increase the frequency of extreme weather events, such as heatwaves. However, linking any single event to global warming is complicated. Vassos Vassiliou, a community leader in Arakapas, said the blaze had "passed through like a whirlwind" and "destroyed everything". Firefighters are racing to prevent it from spreading to the Machairas National Forest Park. "It is the worst forest fire in the history of Cyprus," Director of the Department of Forests Charalambos Alexandrou told local television.

The European Commission's head of crisis management, Janez Lenarcic, said a co-ordinated response was under way. The EU's emergency Copernicus satellite is tracking the blaze, the commission said. Israel's firefighting authority said its planes were due to land in Larnaca, and they would then join other international crews in tackling the blaze. Several aircraft are already tackling the flames, assisted by British troops stationed on the island. The British Royal Air Force, which has a base at Akrotiri near Limassol, tweeted images of its helicopters taking part in the effort. "We stand shoulder to shoulder with the Republic of Cyprus as we work together to overcome this tragedy," said the commander of British Forces Cyprus, Maj Gen Rob Thomson.

^ I have friends near this in Cyprus. They are fine for now, but keeping an eye on the wildfire. ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57710048

Independence Day

Fourth of July – Independence Day

The Fourth of July—also known as Independence Day or July 4th—has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1941, but the tradition of Independence Day celebrations goes back to the 18th century and the American Revolution. On July 2nd, 1776, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence, and two days later delegates from the 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence, a historic document drafted by Thomas Jefferson. From 1776 to the present day, July 4th has been celebrated as the birth of American independence, with festivities ranging from fireworks, parades and concerts to more casual family gatherings and barbecues. The Fourth of July 2020 is on Saturday, July 4, 2020.

A History of Independence Day:   When the initial battles in the Revolutionary War broke out in April 1775, few colonists desired complete independence from Great Britain, and those who did were considered radical. By the middle of the following year, however, many more colonists had come to favor independence, thanks to growing hostility against Britain and the spread of revolutionary sentiments such as those expressed in the bestselling pamphlet “Common Sense,” published by Thomas Paine in early 1776.  On June 7, when the Continental Congress met at the Pennsylvania State House (later Independence Hall) in Philadelphia, the Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee introduced a motion calling for the colonies’ independence.  Amid heated debate, Congress postponed the vote on Lee’s resolution, but appointed a five-man committee—including Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania and Robert R. Livingston of New York—to draft a formal statement justifying the break with Great Britain.

Did you know? John Adams believed that July 2nd was the correct date on which to celebrate the birth of American independence, and would reportedly turn down invitations to appear at July 4th events in protest. Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died on July 4, 1826—the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.

On July 2nd, the Continental Congress voted in favor of Lee’s resolution for independence in a near-unanimous vote (the New York delegation abstained, but later voted affirmatively). On that day, John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail that July 2 “will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival” and that the celebration should include “Pomp and Parade…Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other.”  On July 4th, the Continental Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence, which had been written largely by Jefferson. Though the vote for actual independence took place on July 2nd, from then on the 4th became the day that was celebrated as the birth of American independence.

Early Fourth of July Celebrations:   In the pre-Revolutionary years, colonists had held annual celebrations of the king’s birthday, which traditionally included the ringing of bells, bonfires, processions and speechmaking. By contrast, during the summer of 1776 some colonists celebrated the birth of independence by holding mock funerals for King George III as a way of symbolizing the end of the monarchy’s hold on America and the triumph of liberty.  Festivities including concerts, bonfires, parades and the firing of cannons and muskets usually accompanied the first public readings of the Declaration of Independence, beginning immediately after its adoption. Philadelphia held the first annual commemoration of independence on July 4, 1777, while Congress was still occupied with the ongoing war. George Washington issued double rations of rum to all his soldiers to mark the anniversary of independence in 1778, and in 1781, several months before the key American victory at the Battle of Yorktown, Massachusetts became the first state to make July 4th an official state holiday. After the Revolutionary War, Americans continued to commemorate Independence Day every year, in celebrations that allowed the new nation’s emerging political leaders to address citizens and create a feeling of unity. By the last decade of the 18th century, the two major political parties—the Federalist Party and Democratic-Republicans—that had arisen began holding separate Fourth of July celebrations in many large cities.

Fourth of July Fireworks:    The first fireworks were used as early as 200 BC. The tradition of setting off fireworks on the 4 of July began in Philadelphia on July 4, 1777, during the first organized celebration of Independence Day. Ship’s cannon fired a 13-gun salute in honor of the 13 colonies. The Pennsylvania Evening Post reported: “at night there was a grand exhibition of fireworks (which began and concluded with thirteen rockets) on the Commons, and the city was beautifully illuminated.” That same night, the Sons of Liberty set off fireworks over Boston Common.

Fourth of July Becomes a Federal Holiday:     The tradition of patriotic celebration became even more widespread after the War of 1812, in which the United States again faced Great Britain. In 1870, the U.S. Congress made July 4th a federal holiday; in 1941, the provision was expanded to grant a paid holiday to all federal employees.  Over the years, the political importance of the holiday would decline, but Independence Day remained an important national holiday and a symbol of patriotism. Falling in mid-summer, the Fourth of July has since the late 19th century become a major focus of leisure activities and a common occasion for family get-togethers, often involving fireworks and outdoor barbecues. The most common symbol of the holiday is the American flag, and a common musical accompaniment is “The Star-Spangled Banner,” the national anthem of the United States.

https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/july-4th

4th Of July!

Poor German Caregiving

From the DW:

“Caregivers face difficult labor conditions in Germany”

Switzerland and Austria have increased regulation of their national in-home nursing sectors. In Germany, however, caregivers are rarely afforded regular breaks and are often expected to work unpaid overtime. "Polish nurses are desperate to leave Germany for Switzerland," the caregiver Izabela Marcinek told DW. She herself spent years working as a caregiver after arriving in Germany and has since found work in Switzerland. "The differences are immense," said Marcinek, who is 58, "especially when it comes to regulated working hours."

In the German domestic-nursing sector, she added, overextended caregivers are rarely afforded regular breaks, and are often expected to work unpaid overtime. Fortunately for her, Marcinek now tends to a 93-year-old Swiss woman, working the agreed 42 hours a week — no more, no less. For the past 10 years, caregivers in Switzerland have fought hard for better working conditions. It has paid off. In 2015, Swiss-based Polish nurse Agata J. went to court over outstanding pay for overtime and on-call shifts. She won, with the court forcing her employer to pay her 13,000 Swiss francs (€11,900/$14,000). "It was a groundbreaking verdict," Elvira Wiegers, of the Swiss Union of Public Service Personnel (VPoD), told DW after assisting Agata J. in her court case. A similarly groundbreaking court ruling was delivered on June 24, when Germany's Federal Labour Court ruled that caregivers — most of whom are female and hail from Central and Eastern Europe — must receive the minimum wage when on call. As most nurses are in-home caregivers, who are available around the clock, this could mean getting paid for up to 24 hours a day. Up to 300,000 German families who employ caregivers now face the prospect of significantly higher labor costs. Developments in Switzerland could shed some light on what employers in Germany might now expect, but German caregivers have a long way to go to secure the conditions their counterparts have in neighboring countries.

(Polish caregiver Agata J)

Improving caregiver conditions

After the 2015 court ruling, Switzerland's government devised a standardized caregiver labor contract, which stipulates that nurses must work no more than 44 hours a week, are entitled to one and a half days off per week and should earn 25%-50% of their hourly wage when on nighttime stand-by — depending on how often they are summoned each night. Switzerland's individual cantons are tasked with implementing labor standards. But not all are going along with the changes. "More progressive cantons have adopted the rules," Wiegers said. "Others have not." She added that further court cases have drawn greater public attention to the fraught situation. Nurses have also joined together to form alliances, she said. Even so, the problem of unpaid overtime persists. Gradually, however, there is a growing awareness that on-call services must be remunerated, she said. The regulations mean that families who wish to hire caregivers need deep pockets. Recruitment agencies connecting nurses and Swiss families now charge 4,200-7,400 francs, depending on region and the nature of the care. Families can save such fees by hiring caregivers themselves. In Switzerland, nurses make 2,300-2,700 francs per month after tax, somewhat more than they would earn in Germany, where the cost of living is lower.

(Izabela Marcinek)

Marcinek was hired directly by her client's family. "The first two months, I snapped pictures of my timesheets, sending them to authorities for monitoring purposes," she said. If her client is in need, she will tend to her. If the unexpected visits become a regular occurrence, Marcinek has the recourse to ask her Swiss employers to adapt her contract accordingly.

'Off the books' Most of Austria's 60,000 caregivers are self-employed. Technically, they could push for better working conditions. But only "recruiting agencies can really leverage that kind of power," Csilla, from neighboring Slovakia, told DW. She asked not to use her surname. Csilla has worked in Austria for 20 years — initially, without a contract. She has been technically self-employed since Austria introduced a law to better regulate the in-home nursing sector in 2007. "Things are better now, though half of my hours remain off the books," she said. Self-employed caregivers are now fully registered and entitled to insurance, yet can claim neither overtime nor on-call availability pay. Nursing jobs are allocated through special agencies, who decide how much caregivers are paid per day. Daily rates range from €50 to €80 before taxes. Low-income pensioners are entitled to state subsidies.

Germans are looking to Austria as an example of how to better regulate the nursing sector. "Traditional labor contracts do not do justice to in-home carework," Daniel Schlor, the chair of the VHBP, Germany's association for in-home care, told DW. "Our legal system does not currently capture live-in work models," said Schlor, who represents recruiting agencies. He said Germany needed rules similar to those in place in Austria. But Wolfgang Mazal, a professor of labor and social law at Vienna University, told DW that Germany should not emulate Austria. In-home caregivers who are "bound by instructions" should be regarded as conventional employees, rather than self-employed agents, Mazal said. He cited a 2011 ruling by Austria's Supreme Court of Justice that had arrived at this very conclusion. "It is scandalous that such a verdict is being ignored," he said. Legal complaints by Austrian caregivers are not being taken seriously, he added.

(Professor Wolfgang Mazal)

Legal action has significantly improved conditions for Swiss caregivers. "When we learned about exploitative labor practices, we used to wait until a contract was up before going to court," Wiegers said. Now, labor activists are educating caregivers, informing them which rights they hold and how they can enforce them. Alas, with a significant pay gap persisting across Europe, may employers will continue recruiting nurses from poorer countries — and asking them to tend to clients around the clock. Csilla said this was certainly the case in Austria. "First, agencies recruited women from the Czech Republic and Slovakia, then they recruited Romanians and Bulgarians, and now they are seeking women from Moldova and Ukraine," she said.

^ Germany needs to over-haul its Caregiver Regulations otherwise the Polish, Romanian and other EU workers currently in that section of the German Health Care System will simply go to another EU country where they can get better working conditions. That will leave the Germans to have to deal with their elderly themselves. ^

https://www.dw.com/en/caregivers-face-difficult-labor-conditions-in-germany/a-58141238

20 Years: Afghanis

From Reuters:

“'What was the point?' Afghans rue decades of war as U.S. quits Bagram”

As American troops left their main military base in Afghanistan on Friday, marking a symbolic end to the longest war in U.S. history, locals living in the shadow of the base and in nearby Kabul were left ruing the past and bracing for what comes next. Violence has been raging throughout Afghanistan in the weeks since President Joe Biden announced troops would withdraw unconditionally by Sept. 11. With peace talks in Qatar stuttering, and roughly a quarter of the country's districts having fallen to the Taliban in recent weeks according to one study, many are concerned that chaos looms. Malek Mir, a mechanic in Bagram who saw the Soviet Army and then the Americans come and go, said he had was left with a deep sense of sadness at the futility of a foreign presence. "They came with bombing the Taliban and got rid of their regime - but now they have left when the Taliban are so empowered that they will take over any time soon," he said. "What was the point of all the destruction, killing and misery they brought us? I wish they had never come."

More than 3,500 foreign troops have been killed in a two- decade war, which has claimed over 100,000 civilians since 2009 alone, according to United Nations records. Some, however, say the presence of foreign troops distorted Afghanistan's economy and that it is time for the country to stand on its own. "The Americans leave a legacy of failure, they've failed in containing the Taliban or corruption," said Sayed Naqibullah, a shop owner in Bagram. "A small percentage of Afghans got so rich, while the vast majority still live with extreme poverty. "In a way, we're happy they've gone ... We're Afghans and we'll find our way." In the nearby capital, the news was a fresh reminder of the growing panic that has been gripping many parts of Afghan society, particularly in urban areas, since Biden announced the withdrawal in April. "All the people are worried that if foreign forces leave Afghanistan, the Taliban will take over. Then what will we do?" asked Zumarai Wafa, a Kabul shopkeeper. Wafa and others described a slump in business and signs of many urban residents trying to flee the country, with hundreds lined up outside embassies seeking visas.

Medical student Muzhda, 22, who asked to be identified by only one name for security reasons, said her family had decided to leave the country because of the deterioration in security. She said she wondered what future awaited women if the Taliban came back to power and restricted access to education for women, as they did during their previous time in power. The Taliban say they have changed and that they will make provisions for women's rights in line with cultural traditions and religious rules. Still, Muzhda said she feels bereft and let down by the American departure. "The withdrawal of foreign troops in the current situation is irrational," she said. "It is now clear that the Americans came here for their own purposes, not to help and cooperate with Afghanistan." "I'm very sad and disappointed, I had many dreams that will not come true."

^ After 20 years the US and our Allies have only accomplished 2 things in Afghanistan: killing Bin Ladin (who was actually hiding in plain view in Pakistan) and giving the Taliban 20 years to rearm, resupply and grow stronger in numbers. While I know it is right for America and the rest of the world to finally leave Afghanistan it means thousands upon thousands of Afghani women will be beaten and killed by the Taliban for waiting basic civil rights and anyone who helped the West will also be beaten and killed by the Taliban. I believe the Taliban will take over all of Afghanistan within 6 months after September 11, 2021. Of course Afghanistan will not only have to deal with the collapse (for a 3^rd time) of the country and also the Taliban, but also ISIS which also operates in the country. If I was Afghani I would flee to Pakistan or another country (even though many would have already done that after the 1979 Soviet Invasion and the 1996 Taliban takeover.) While there is a slim chance of America coming back (the way we did in Iraq) I wouldn’t gold my breath. ^

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/what-was-point-afghans-rue-decades-war-us-quits-bagram-2021-07-03/

Restaurants Struggle

From MT:

“Moscow Restaurants Struggle to Stay Afloat Under New Virus Restrictions”

All of the city's eateries now require customers to present QR codes proving they have been vaccinated, negative PCR tests or proof of recovery from Covid-19. Tilda Food & Bar, a tiny gastropub in central Moscow that’s usually bursting at the seams, has been empty almost every day this week since the Russian capital introduced strict new rules for diners in an attempt to halt the spread of the highly infectious Delta variant of the coronavirus.  “Usually at this time we have a full house,” manager Margarita Dubrovskaya told The Moscow Times on Thursday at lunchtime as she surveyed tables and chairs devoid of customers.

From June 28, all Moscow restaurants and cafes have required visitors to present QR codes proving they have been vaccinated, negative PCR tests taken within the past 72 hours or proof of recent recovery from Covid-19.  In a city with just 16% of residents vaccinated, the new requirements are a disaster for the hospitality industry. While people without QR codes can still sit on terraces until July 12, many restaurants, including Tilda, have limited options for outdoor seating .The problem is being exacerbated by glitches in the system, with foreigners living in the capital who have been vaccinated with Sputnik V or recovered  from the virus reporting difficulty obtaining their QR codes through Moscow's government portal website. Russia on Friday said it would not impose a new lockdown despite reporting a record number of coronavirus deaths for the fourth day in a row.

Outside Tilda, Dubrovskaya greeted guests and seated them at her only pavement table. “We had a bunch of regulars come yesterday and sit outside, some were just standing and drinking,” she said.  Tinkoff Bank estimates that restaurant revenues fell by at least 50% on the first day of the introduction of the rules, according to the RBC news website. Some Moscow restaurants are ignoring the new requirements and continuing to serve customers as usual.  Lilit Ambartsumyan, 31, is general director of the Shu-Shu Georgian restaurant and bar in Moscow, which is welcoming all customers regardless of their QR-code status.  “The government’s requirements are complete nonsense and we are not going to discriminate between vaccinated and unvaccinated customers,” Ambartsumya told Moscow Times. Shu-Shu has already received its first fine after officials in civilian clothing visited when they saw an Instagram post  announcing the restaurant would be breaking the rules. Fines range from 100,000 ($1,363) to 500,000 rubles.  Ambartsumyan remains undeterred.  “We and 11 other restaurateurs are in the process of filing a petition to the Moscow authorities because something needs to change otherwise our businesses will die,” she said. Despite the decision to stay open to all customers, Ambartsumyan said Shu-Shu has still suffered losses.  “We have lost about 70% of our revenue just this week,” Ambartsumyan said. Tatiana Yatskova, owner of the Pravilnoye Prostranstvo (Right Space) coffee shop, is also refusing to follow Sobyanin’s QR code requirements.  "I'm not afraid of being fined. I will appeal to them. It's illegal to fine us,” Yatskova said.  On the coffee shop’s Instagram page, Yatskova called the new laws “fascist.”  "Maybe there are other restaurant owners who want to join us, but they are afraid. Do not hesitate, join us!" Yatskova said.

When Moscow went into strict lockdown in April 2020, many restaurants were forced to close or switch to delivery only with limited staff. “That’s how it started last year, at first there were less people and then the next thing you know we had to close because delivery wasn’t enough to justify the costs for us,” said Tilda’s Dubrovskaya.   Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin has introduced a rescue package to help Moscow restaurants cover the losses, including subsidies for small and medium-sized businesses and allowing restaurants leasing premises from the government to defer rent.  However, restaurant managers say the measures are mostly symbolic.  “We cannot defer rent because only a small percentage of restaurants actually rent from the city, most of us are left to fend for ourselves,” Ambartsumyan said.  Dubrovskaya said she had tried and failed to apply for subsidies during lockdown.  “We had to collect a lot of documents and still didn’t get anything so we’re not counting on any government support,” she said.

^ Covid infections, hospitalizations and deaths continue to rapidly increase throughout Russia because the vast majority of Russians will not get vaccinated since they don’t trust the Russian-made and secretive Vaccines. If Russians had access to the Moderna or Pfizer Covid Vaccines I think more would get vaccinated and so more would live. As for the restaurants in Moscow: I understand the difficult situation they are in – especially with little to no outside help and the Government System not working correctly. ^

https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2021/07/02/moscow-restaurants-struggle-to-stay-afloat-under-new-virus-restrictions-a74407

Troubles Decision

From the BBC:

“Troubles prosecutions: Reaction to decision to drop cases against ex-soldiers”

(Members of the families of some of those killed on Bloody Sunday spoke to the press about the decision)

Victims' families, politicians and other prominent figures have been responding to the decision not to prosecute two Army veterans facing murder charges over incidents in Londonderry in 1972. The cases involve individuals known as Soldier F and Soldier B. Soldier F was to be prosecuted over the deaths of James Wray and William McKinney on Bloody Sunday as well as five attempted murder charges. The case against Soldier B relates to the death of 15-year-old Daniel Hegarty, who was shot twice in the head in Londonderry in July 1972, and the wounding of his cousin Christopher. On Friday the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) said the test of prosecution was longer passed after it had reviewed evidence that was due to be used. Families of the victims have pledged to fight the decision.

Michael McKinney, brother of Bloody Sunday victim William McKinney

"We shall challenge this decision as far as we can," said Mr McKinney. "This issue is far from concluded. We will fight on."

James Wray, brother of Bloody Sunday victim Liam Wray

"Not surprised but disappointed obviously," said Mr Wray (above, right, pictured with other members of the Wray family). "Our fear was that the prosecution case against Soldier F would be dropped. "The decision today does not make Jim any less murdered than he was in 1972."

John Kelly, brother of Bloody Sunday victim Michael Kelly

"It's a day of devastation . The fact that justice has been denied to the people of Derry, to the families - highly disappointed. "But one point is we're never going to give up. We'll find some way of seeing [Soldier] F in a court of law."

Michelle O'Neill, Sinn Féin vice-president

The deputy first minister said it was a "bad day for justice". "The message is clear, British state forces who gunned down peaceful protestors and a child in Derry acted with impunity and will be allowed by the state to get away with murder. "We will continue to stand by the Bloody Sunday and Hegarty families."

Gregory Campbell, DUP MP

The East Londonderry MP said the victims' families were unlikely to find closure by way of the courts. "It is going to be almost impossible, in my view and in the view of many, as years go on and we get further and further and memories become even more distant, to get to an accurate recreation of what happened, and how it happened, and thereby then try and bring closure to families who desperately want it," he said.

Colum Eastwood, SDLP leader

The Foyle MP said he was devastated for the Bloody Sunday and Hegarty families. "What this is saying to the world is the British government can with impunity murder its own citizens and get away with it," he said. "That's an astonishing thing to say to people, it is absolutely wrong. I know these families very well and they will not stop campaigning for justice." He said "proper judicial process" were now needed.

Doug Beattie, Ulster Unionist Party leader

The soldier-turned-politician said the victims' families would join the thousands of Troubles victims who "never saw justice". "The justice system has not worked and dealing with legacy has not worked and it's difficult to see how we are going to get out of where we are now," he said. "There's nobody today should be raising banners and screaming and shouting and saying this is great news - the reality is there's still families suffering in regards to this."

Stephen Farry, Alliance Party deputy leader

The North Down MP said the government should reflect on "flawed investigations" into Troubles cases. The "first thought" should be with victims' families on what was a "difficult and stressing day" for them, he said.

Simon Coveney, Irish foreign minister

A spokesperson for Mr Coveney said the Irish foreign affairs department was keeping in contact with the McKinney, Wray and Hegarty families on behalf of the Irish government. "This is deeply upsetting for all the families involved who have spent so many years in pursuit of justice for their loved ones and our thoughts are with all of them today," said the spokesperson. "All victims' families must have access to an effective investigation and to a process of justice in accordance with the law and regardless of the perpetrator."

Louise Haigh, shadow Northern Ireland secretary

The Labour MP said: "The ongoing failure to deliver a process to deal with the legacy of the past remains an open wound which is failing victims and their families. "This decision is further proof that we urgently need to see a comprehensive process which has the trust of victims, searches for the truth and upholds the rule of law. "Only such a process, agreed with the people and communities of Northern Ireland, will help Northern Ireland deal with the terrible legacy of the past."

Johnny Mercer, former minister for veterans

The Conservative MP said the decision "highlighted the government's shame" and there were "no winners in this". "I feel for the families who have gone down this path for a long time. "And of course I feel for the veterans who have had their lives ruined by repeated investigations into what went on in Northern Ireland. "Successive governments have promised to sort out legacy - they haven't."

Denis Bradley, former NI Policing Board vice-chairman

The former NI Policing Board vice-chairman said "victims have to accept that they will not achieve the justice that they once felt they might". "I think what is clear after today, and even more clear with every one of these cases, is that the judicial system cannot deal with our past. "The other thing they have to come to terms with is that society moves on and loses interest and you're left with your own pain and grief."

^ Every single person (Northern Irish Catholic, Northern Irish Protestant, British Soldier, British Government Official, etc.) that attacked and or murdered innocent men, women or children or those that helped cover-up the crimes needs to be brought to justice. The victims need to finally be placed above the attackers and the murderers. That has not happened in 50+ years. ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-57697100

Commonsense Refunds

From News Nation:

“US set to make airlines refund fees for delayed bags”

The Biden administration plans to require airlines to refund checked baggage fees if the bags get seriously delayed. The proposal would also require refunds for fees on extras such as internet access if the airline fails to provide the service during the flight.  An administration official said the U. S. Department of Transportation will issue the proposal in the next several days, and it could take effect by next summer. Airlines made nearly $5.8 billion from checked-bag fees in 2019, the last year before the pandemic crushed air travel. Currently, according to the Transportation Department, passengers are entitled to a refund if they paid a baggage fee and the airline loses their baggage, though airlines may have varying polices on what constitutes “officially” lost bags. Most airlines will declare a bag lost five to 14 days after the flight, but if an airline “unreasonably refuses” to do so after the bag has been missing for “an unreasonable period of time,” the Transportation Department could step in with enforcement action against the airline.

^ These both sound like no-brainers to me. If the airline loses a bag you had to pay extra for you should get the money refunded. If you pay for the Internet and there’s no Internet you should get the money refunded. It says a lot about our airlines and the Travel Industry as a whole that there even needs to be these kinds of official policies in-place before the airline will even consider to do what is right. ^

https://www.newsnationnow.com/business/us-set-to-make-airlines-refund-fees-for-delayed-bags/

Royals Defaced

From the BBC:

“Statues of Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II torn down in Canada”

A prominent statue of Queen Victoria has been torn down by protesters in Canada as anger grows over the deaths of indigenous children at residential schools. The protesters cheered as the statue at the legislature in Manitoba's capital Winnipeg was toppled on Thursday. A smaller statue of Queen Elizabeth II was also upended nearby. Local media say police used a stun gun to arrest a man at the scene but the protest was largely peaceful. The toppling of the statues came on Canada Day, an annual celebration on 1 July that marks the country's founding by British colonies in 1867. The recent discoveries of unmarked indigenous Canadian graves at residential schools had prompted calls for national celebrations to be called off. The British government condemned the toppling of the two statues. "We obviously condemn any defacing of statues of the Queen," a spokesman said. "Our thoughts," the spokesman added, "are with Canada's indigenous community following these tragic discoveries and we follow these issues closely and continue to engage with the government of Canada with indigenous matters."

More than 150,000 indigenous Canadian children were taken from their families and forced to attend the schools during the 19th and 20th Centuries with the aim of forcibly assimilating them into society. An estimated 6,000 children died while attending these schools. Students were often housed in poorly built, poorly heated and unsanitary facilities. Municipalities across Canada cancelled celebrations and statues of figures involved with residential schools have been vandalised or removed. In Winnipeg, thousands took to the streets to honour victims of residential schools and rally support for indigenous communities. A group of protesters had marched on the Manitoba Legislature as part of a demonstration against the deaths of indigenous Canadian children at residential schools.

Monarch of the UK, Canada and other territories from 1837 until her death in 1901, Queen Victoria was on the throne during the founding of the Canadian confederation. The British Crown negotiated treaties with indigenous First Nations in Canada and the government enacted its residential schools policy during her reign. At the protest in Winnipeg, the statue of Queen Victoria was daubed in red paint while a sign saying "we were children" was left nearby. A survivor of a residential school, Belinda Vandenbroeck, told Canadian broadcaster CBC she felt no remorse about the toppling of the statue, which she had had no part in. "She [Queen Victoria] means nothing to me except that her policies and her colonialism is what is dictating us right to this minute as you and I speak," Ms Vandenbroeck said. Symbols of empire, colonialism and slavery have been targeted by protesters at demonstrations against racial injustice across the globe in the past year. Those demonstrations exploded worldwide following the death of African-American man George Floyd in May 2020.

The stories behind the statues targeted in protests Last year, several prominent statues of Confederate leaders and slave owners were torn down and vandalised in the US, generating heated debate about monuments. Similar scenes were seen in the UK, where Black Lives Matter demonstrators tore down a statue of slave trader Edward Colston and threw it into a harbour during a protest in the city of Bristol.

^ I am all for the removal of Confederate statues and monuments, but by peaceful means and not by vigilante protesters – many who don’t even understand history. I am ok with the peaceful removal of other statues and monuments for various reasons. I am not sure about these statues of Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II though. I understand that Queen Victoria is the British Government symbol of bad to some because during her reign these Residential Schools were forced upon the Indigenous Canadians. I also understand that Queen Elizabeth II is the Canadian Government symbol for bad to some because during her reign these Residential Schools continued to exist.  I do think, however, that those kinds of statues and monuments need to be removed peacefully and kept in museums and in other places so that we remember that we once celebrated these men/women and their deeds. If you simply destroy them then you make them into symbols instead of lessons. ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-57693683

White House 4th

From USA Today:

“July 4th at the White House is an annual tradition. Here’s how it started.”

President Joe Biden will host first responders, military service members, essential workers and their families for a cookout and fireworks display on the White House lawn this Fourth of July, revisiting traditional celebrations hosted by predecessors Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford and George W. Bush. The celebration will reflect Americans' reemergence from the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic that shut down the country last year. More than 1,000 guests are expected to attend the event, the largest of Biden's presidency.

Here's how past administrations celebrated the holiday: Jefferson, the nation's third president, was the first to celebrate Independence Day at the White House in 1801. He marked the occasion with horse races, a parade and a festival, according to the White House Historical Association. Jefferson opened the oval saloon – now the Blue Room – to citizens, diplomats, civil and military officers and chiefs of the Cherokee Nation. The festivities were accompanied by the Marine Band. The annual celebration started by Jefferson continued throughout the 19th century. Abraham Lincoln, the 16th U.S. president, allowed African American schools and churches, as well as other religious groups, to hold a picnic on the White House South Grounds amid the Civil War in 1864. Lincoln attended as a guest.

The Marine Band Often a familiar backdrop during events at the White House, the Marine Band has been an Independence Day fixture since the 19th century. On July 4, 1825, President John Quincy Adams took in a Marine Band performance before listening to a recitation of the Declaration of Independence at the U.S. Capitol and receiving guests at the White House. President Grover Cleveland appeared at a Fourth of July concert in 1886 with his new wife, Frances Folsom.

Polk brings the fireworks James K. Polk, the nation's 11th president, was first to introduce the annual July Fourth fireworks display to Washington, according to the WHHA. Beginning in 1845, Polk opened the White House to an Independence Day reception each year. During the inaugural event, temperance associations throughout Washington hosted dinners on the western grounds of the property. There were readings of the Declaration of Independence, speeches and the singing of temperance songs. Guests viewed the evening fireworks show near the present-day Ellipse. A newspaper proclaimed that “nothing of the kind half so brilliant was ever before seen in this city.” The show ended tragically when spectators were struck by rogue fireworks, killing one and injuring about a dozen others.

Veterans honored at the White House It is not unusual for the president and his family to leave Washington around the July Fourth holiday. Despite his absence, President Richard Nixon invited a group of Vietnam War veterans and White House staff to celebrate the Fourth on the South Lawn in 1969. The guests reportedly enjoyed fireworks. A more raucous event occurred the year after. In 1970, Nixon and his supporters planned a bipartisan “Honor America Day” rally on the National Mall to lift spirits amid the Vietnam War, as well as other social issues of the day. Instead, the day was marked by demonstrations from protesters, some of whom jumped in the Reflecting Pool. In response, unidentified counterprotesters fired tear gas into the crowd, according to the Washingtonian.

Reagan’s South Lawn celebration President Ronald Reagan attended a traditional picnic and fireworks show on the White House South Lawn in 1981, according to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum. The  president had survived an assassination attempt months earlier.

Obama’s annual concert on the White House lawn  July Fourth was an opportunity for President Barack Obama to honor members of the U.S. military and their family members with an annual concert organized by the United Service Organizations. Thousands attended the events. Obama kicked off the last Independence Day of his presidency in 2016 with a White House barbecue and a concert in the East Room. Rapper Kendrick Lamar and singer Janelle Monae performed for military members and administration staff.

Trump’s ‘Salute to America’ U.S. President Donald Trump, left, and First Lady Melania Trump watch a flyover as they attend the Salute to America event on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Saturday, July 4, 2020. Amid a surge of coronavirus cases last year, President Donald Trump hosted a "Salute to America" at the White House to commemorate July Fourth. First responders, doctors and nurses were among guests invited to a gala on the White House South Lawn. A military band, flyovers, parachute jumpers and fireworks entertained attendees.   Despite warnings by public health officials to avoid large gatherings, Trump, first lady Melania Trump and many guests did not wear masks during the event.

^ An interesting look into the White House’s 4^th of July celebrations. ^

https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/news/politics/2021/07/02/july-4th-white-house-celebrations-throughout-history/5338280001/

Murderers Over Victims

From the BBC:

“Troubles cases: The victims and those accused of their deaths”

(Soldiers on the ground in Derry in January 1972)

The prosecution of two former soldiers for Troubles murders, including two on Bloody Sunday, are to be halted. The case against Soldier F for the murder of James Wray and William McKinney on Bloody Sunday in Londonderry in 1972 will not proceed, Northern Ireland's Public Prosecution Service (PPS) said. The prosecution of another veteran, Soldier B, for the murder of 15-year-old Daniel Hegarty in Derry later in 1972, will also not proceed, the PPS said. BBC News NI looks at what we know about those killed and the men investigated for their deaths.

James Wray

Aged 22, James Wray was described by friends as outgoing and worked in a city bar and dancehall at weekends. He had worked in England for some time and was engaged to an English girl. On Sunday, 30 January 1972, along with his entire family, he attended a civil rights march in his home city of Derry. Mr Wray's death, like that of fellow demonstrators Gerard McKinney and William McKinney, happened during the chaos as people ran for cover. An initial investigation headed by Lord Widgery shortly after the shootings, and which many dismissed as a whitewash, said there was no photographic evidence of what had happened to Mr Wray, but he had been in the general vicinity of where soldiers claimed that civilians had opened fired. The Saville Report into the events of Bloody Sunday, published in 2010, said Mr Wray, who posed no great danger, was shot twice in the back and there were four soldiers who could have fired at him - soldiers E, F, G or H. The second shot was probably fired as he lay wounded, said Saville, meaning there could have been "no possible justification". In 2019, the PPS said there was enough evidence to prosecute Soldier F for his murder, and for that of William McKinney. On Friday it was announced the former soldier will now not face trial.

William McKinney

A keen amateur photographer, William McKinney, who worked as a printer at the Derry Journal newspaper, had set out to film the Bloody Sunday march on a camera he had received as a Christmas present. "Willie was not a stone-thrower, a bomber or a gunman. He had gone to the civil rights march in the role of amateur photographer," said the newspaper's tribute to him. The 27-year-old was the oldest of 10 and was engaged to be married. The Widgery Report put William McKinney's death in the same category as another of the day's victims, Gerald McKinney (no relation) - both men had been shot without justification. Up to five more people were injured by the same group of soldiers. Lord Saville said there were four soldiers - E, F, G or H - who could have fired at Mr McKinney and another victim, Jim Wray.

Soldier F  Soldier F gave evidence anonymously to the Saville Inquiry in 2003 and admitted firing 13 rounds on Bloody Sunday. His assertion that there were "gunmen and bombers killed" was rejected in Lord Saville's report. The Saville Inquiry stated that there was "no doubt" Soldier F had shot father-of-six Paddy Doherty, who was unarmed. Lord Saville also found there was "no doubt" Soldier F had shot an unarmed Bernard McGuigan on Bloody Sunday as he went to the aid of Patrick Doherty, waving a white handkerchief. At the Saville Inquiry, Soldier F admitted he had shot 17-year-old Michael Kelly - but he said that he had only fired at people with bombs or weapons. However, Lord Saville concluded Mr Kelly was unarmed. The Saville Inquiry found that both William McKinney and James Wray could have been shot by Soldier F and three other soldiers. The inquiry report also stated Soldier F had changed his story over the years. Following the PPS decision in March 2019, the veteran had been facing prosecution for the murders of James Wray and William McKinney and a further five charges of attempted murder in relation to Bloody Sunday. Pre-trial proceedings against Soldier F had commenced prior to Friday's decision that he will no longer face trial.

Daniel Hegarty

Fifteen-year-old Daniel, who was a labourer, was shot twice in the head during an Army operation in the Creggan area of Derry on 31 July 1972. It was during Operation Motorman, the name given to a military operation by the Army to reclaim "no-go areas" set up by republican paramilitaries in towns across Northern Ireland, then the largest British military operation since the Suez Crisis of 1956. Daniel's cousin Christopher Hegarty, then aged 17, was wounded in the same incident. In 2011, an inquest jury unanimously found Daniel posed no risk and had been shot without warning. At that inquest, Christopher said that he, Daniel and his brother, Thomas Hegarty, walked past an armed soldier in a doorway in Creggan Heights in the early hours of Operation Motorman. He said the soldier did not shout at them and none of the three were carrying anything. Mr Hegarty said that when they were about 12 yards away, the soldier opened fire. Daniel's sister Margaret Brady told the inquest how her mother continued to set a place for him at the table and call him for dinner for months after his death. The jury rejected claims that warnings had been shouted to the two teenagers before they were shot. An initial inquest was held in 1973 and recorded an open verdict. A second inquest was ordered by the Attorney General in 2009 following an examination by the Historical Enquiries Team. In 2007, the British government apologised to the Hegarty family after describing Daniel as a terrorist.

Soldier B A decision was taken not to prosecute Soldier B in 2016. But, in May 2018, the High Court quashed that determination following legal action by the Hegarty family. In April 2019, the PPS announced that the military veteran, referred to as Soldier B, was to be charged with the murder of Daniel Hegarty. He was further accused of intentionally wounding Daniel's cousin Christopher Hegarty. Last year the former soldier lost a legal challenge against being prosecuted for the murder. The Soldier B case had not yet progressed to court. He also now will no longer face trial.

^ Sadly, this does not surprise me. The British Government in London and the Northern Irish Protestant Government in Belfast has never taken the innocent deaths of the Catholics seriously. They (the British Government, the British Military and the Northern Irish Protestants) worked together to murder innocent and unarmed Catholic civilians from 1968-1998 and then worked for decades to cover-up their crimes. You can even see that cover-up here in this (and other articles) where the British Soldiers are protected while their victims aren’t. The only way to bring any justice to these (and all the other) murders committed by the British Military and covered-up for decades by the British Government is to have a non-British independent investigation and then have anyone accused be tried by a non-British independent court. Otherwise the whole “justice” system is merely a farce that only continues to protect the murderers and blame the victims. ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-foyle-west-57692600