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Owners of units in a Florida oceanfront condo building that collapsed with deadly consequences were just days away from a deadline to start making steep payments toward more than $9 million in major repairs that had been recommended nearly three years earlier. That cost estimate, from the Morabito Consultants engineering firm in 2018, meant owners at Champlain Towers South were facing payments of anywhere from $80,000 for a one-bedroom unit to $330,000 or so for a penthouse, to be paid all at once or in installments. Their first deadline was July 1. One resident whose apartment was spared, Adalberto Aguero, had just taken out a loan to cover his $80,000 bill.  “I figured I would pay it off after they fixed the building. I didn’t want to pay it off before because you never know,” said Aguero, adding that he pulled paperwork to make the installment payments a day after Thursday’s collapse. “I said cancel everything.” An itemized bill sent by the condo board in April to owners of the building’s 136 units showed that much of the planned work was in the pool area and the façade. Installing new pavers and waterproofing the pool deck and building entrance would cost $1.8 million, with another $1 million going to “structural repairs” and “planter landscaping,” according to a condo board email obtained by The Associated Press. A line item of “miscellaneous repairs” that included work on the garage was estimated to cost $280,000. Total costs assessed, including many items that appeared to be for aesthetic purpose: $15 million. In this image, released by the Miami-Dade Fire Department, rescuers search for survivors in the rubble of the Champlain Towers South building in Surfside, Florida, on June 25, 2021.Engineers and construction experts say the Morabito documents that focused just on the structural work make clear there were several major repairs that needed to be done as soon as possible. Other than some roof repairs, that work had not begun, officials said. The cost estimate emailed by Morabito Consultants to Surfside officials was among a series of documents released as rescue efforts continued at the site of the collapsed building, where more than 150 people remained unaccounted for. At least nine people were killed in the collapse, authorities said Sunday. Another 2018 Morabito report submitted to the city said waterproofing under the pool deck had failed and had been improperly laid flat instead of sloped, preventing water from draining off. “The failed waterproofing is causing major structural damage to the concrete structural slab below these areas. Failure to replace the waterproofing in the near future will cause the extent of the concrete deterioration to expand exponentially,” the report said. The firm recommended that the damaged slabs be replaced in what would be a major repair. That came as news to Susana Alvarez, who lived on the 10th floor of the doomed tower and said a Surfside official assured residents in a 2018 meeting that there was no danger. It wasn’t clear who that official was. “The Town of Surfside told us the building was not in bad shape. That is what they said,” Alvarez said on National Public Radio’s Weekend Edition program. “No one ever told us that building was in such bad shape.” A daughter of Claudio Bonnefoy, a resident from Chile who is missing, said it appears that someone ignored key signals the building was in danger. “This is starting to make me angry because reports from years ago reporting serious structural damage to the building are little by little being known,” said the daughter, Pascale Bonnefoy. “It seems this was predictable because the technicians alerted [others about it] and nobody did anything.” The Morabito firm said in a statement that it was hired in June 2020 by Champlain Towers South to begin the 40-year recertification process required of all buildings in Miami-Dade County that reach that age. The Champlain building was constructed in 1981. “At the time of the building collapse, roof repairs were under way, but concrete restoration had not yet begun,” the statement said. An attorney for the Champlain Towers South condominium association, which was in charge of the repair work, did not immediately respond Sunday to an email seeking comment. Surfside officials also did not respond to an email seeking comment. A new batch of emails from building officials and condo board members that were made public Sunday has added to the mystery.  In one email, a Surfside official praised the building’s board for plans to start the 40-year recertification process early after attending a November 2018 meeting. “This particular building is not due to begin their forty year until 2021 but they have decided to start the process early which I wholeheartedly endorse and wish that this trend would catch on with other properties,” said Surfside Building Official Ross Prieto.  A few months later, a board member wrote to Prieto that workers next door were digging “too close to our property, and we have concerns regarding the structure of our building.” Prieto wrote back to monitor a nearby fence, the building’s pool and adjacent areas for damage. Surfside has hired Allyn Kilsheimer of KCE Structural Engineers to consult on the Champlain Towers disaster. Surfside officials say Kilsheimer has worked on numerous such cases, including the World Trade Center after the 9/11 attacks and the collapse of a pedestrian bridge at Florida International University. Stephanie Walkup, an engineering professor at Villanova University, said it will take time to pinpoint the cause — or series of causes — that brought down Champlain Towers South. “The ultimate cause of the collapse may have been related to design error, construction error, deterioration or other event,” Walkup said in an email. “We all want answers and engineers will want to learn from this collapse as we have others, but we want to make sure we have the right ones,” she added.  
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The Biden administration’s $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure agreement on spending to rebuild roads, bridges and other projects faces a critical week that could determine the scope of U.S. infrastructure investment. Michelle Quinn reports.
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Classified documents from Britain’s defense ministry containing details about a British warship and Russia’s potential reaction to its passage through the Black Sea have been found at a bus stop in southern England, the BBC reported on Sunday.The BBC said the documents, almost 50 pages in all, were found “in a soggy heap behind a bus stop in Kent early on Tuesday morning” by a member of the public, who wanted to remain anonymous.The Ministry of Defense said it had been informed last week of “an incident in which sensitive defense papers were recovered by a member of the public”. “The department takes the security of information extremely seriously and an investigation has been launched. The employee concerned reported the loss at the time. It would be inappropriate to comment further,” a spokesperson said. The BBC reported that the documents, which included emails and PowerPoint presentations, related to British warship Defender, which sailed through waters off the Crimean peninsula which Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014 last week.Russia said on Wednesday it had fired warning shots and dropped bombs in the path of the ship to chase it out of what the Kremlin says are its territorial waters but which Britain and most of the world say belong to Ukraine.It later summoned the British ambassador in Moscow for a formal diplomatic scolding over what it described as a provocation.Britain rejected Russia’s account of the incident. It said it believed any shots fired were a pre-announced Russian “gunnery exercise”, and that no bombs had been dropped.It confirmed the destroyer had sailed through what it said were Ukrainian waters, describing its path as “innocent passage” in accordance with international law of the sea.The BBC said the documents suggested the ship’s mission was conducted in the expectation that Russia might respond aggressively.”What do we understand about the possible ‘welcome party’…?” asked an official at Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ), the UK’s tri-service headquarters at Northwood, according to the BBC.  
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At his first rally since leaving the White House, former President Donald Trump on Saturday lambasted the Biden administration’s immigration policies and urged his supporters to help Republicans take back majorities in Congress.While Trump has made speeches at Republican events since his election defeat by Democratic President Joe Biden, the rally in a state he carried in the 2020 election marks a return to the kind of freewheeling mass gatherings that have been critical to retaining the support of his base.Trump left office in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters, shortly after a speech in which he repeated his false claims that his election defeat was the result of fraud. He survived a second impeachment and has kept a broad influence over the Republican Party, in part by leaving open the question of whether he will run for office again in 2024.On Saturday, to a crowd of thousands of cheering supporters, Trump highlighted some of his regular list of grievances, with criticism of U.S. elections and a particular focus on the rising number of immigrants crossing into the United States along its southern border.”We will take back the House, we will take back the Senate, and we will take back America, and we will do it soon,” he said.Democrats’ thin majorities in both chambers of Congress will be on the line in the 2022 midterm elections and history favors Republicans’ chances of gaining seats in those contests.Trump’s return to a big rally marks the start of public events lashing out at elected Republicans who he views as having crossed him.In Ohio he campaigned for former White House aide Max Miller, who has launched a primary challenge against Representative Anthony Gonzalez, one of the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump on a charge of inciting the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol that left five dead including a Capitol Police officer.Trump has vowed to campaign against all 10. He has also endorsed a challenger to Sen. Lisa Murkowski, the only one of the seven Senate Republicans who voted to convict him in his January impeachment trial who is up for reelection in 2022.The Ohio event in Wellington, about 64 kilometers southwest of Cleveland, was the first of three public appearances. Next is a trip to the U.S.-Mexico border with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on June 30 and a rally in Sarasota, Florida, on July 3.Supporters said they hoped Trump would use such events to help unify the party behind like-minded candidates for Congress.”Continuing these rallies is extremely important,” said Jessica Dicken, a 30-year-old stay-at-home mom from southeast Ohio, adding Trump could be “a voice for the more conservative movement here in Ohio and across the nation.”‘We’ll lose our country’Trump has continued to feud with other senior Republicans. He has lashed out at former Vice President Mike Pence, who he falsely claims could have stopped Congress from certifying Biden’s victory on Jan. 6, as well as at Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell for calling Trump “practically and morally responsible” for that day’s violence.Pence defended his actions in a Thursday speech at the Ronald Reagan library.”There’s more at stake than our party and our political fortunes in this moment,” Pence said. “If we lose faith in the Constitution, we won’t just lose elections — we’ll lose our country.”Trump’s repeated false claims of election fraud have taken hold of Republican voters. Some 53% of Republicans believe Trump won the 2020 election and blame his loss on illegal voting, and one quarter of the overall public agreed that Trump won, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found.Republican strategist Matt Dole said both Trump and those vying to stay close to him benefited from such public displays of bonhomie. Some of the candidates now seeking his endorsement have made disparaging comments about Trump in the past.”These are marriages of convenience,” said Dole, who is based in Ohio. “Donald Trump is using these opportunities to keep his name out there, to keep the base motivated.”  
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Thousands of Peruvians supporting socialist Pedro Castillo and right-wing rival Keiko Fujimori took to the streets Saturday amid swirling uncertainty over the result of a tight June 6 presidential election that has been held up by legal challenges.Castillo supporters marched in downtown Lima toward Plaza San Martín, a block from the headquarters of the electoral jury, with giant banners and photos of the socialist candidate, calling for his apparent election win to be confirmed.A few blocks away, thousands of others supporting Fujimori paraded with Peruvian flags and banners that read “no to fraud,” arriving at the Plaza Bolognesi, where a stage had been set up ahead of the expected arrival of the conservative.Castillo holds a slender 44,000-vote lead over Fujimori with all ballots counted. But his right-wing rival has sought to disqualify votes, largely in rural areas that backed the leftist, making claims of fraud with little evidence.Castillo’s Free Peru party has denied the allegations of fraud while international election observers have said the vote was carried out cleanly. The U.S. State Department described the process as a “model of democracy.”A supporter wears a shirt with an image of Peru’s presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori that reads, “Always with you,” in Lima, Peru, June 26, 2021.In Fujimori’s march were members of various right and center-right parties, as well as retired military personnel who have backed her fraud claims. Many had banners saying “no to communism,” a criticism they often aim at Castillo.In the rival camp, many wore the same wide-brimmed hats Castillo has used in the campaign. Some wore outfits from the country’s Andean regions and danced, while others carried whips as used by rural “ronderos,” or civil police.Castillo, 51, a former elementary school teacher and the son of peasant farmers, plans to redraft the country’s constitution to give the state a more active role in the economy and take a larger share of profits from mining companies.The already tense election process was plunged into disarray this week after one of the four magistrates on the jury reviewing contested ballots quit after clashing with the other officials over requests to nullify votes.Replacement sworn inOn Saturday the electoral jury swore in a replacement to allow the process to restart, key to restoring stability in the copper-rich Andean nation, which has been rattled by the tight vote.”Electoral justice cannot be paralyzed or blocked, much less in this phase of the process,” said the president of the National Elections Jury, Jorge Salas. “These interruptive arts will not prosper.”The election jury will restart its work reviewing contested ballots Monday, a spokeswoman for the body said. It must complete the review before an official result can be announced.The polarized election has deeply divided Peruvians, with poorer rural voters rallying behind Castillo and wealthier urban voters from Lima supporting Fujimori, the daughter of jailed ex-President Alberto Fujimori.The demonstrations came despite calls from health authorities to avoid crowds, with the country battling the most deadly per capita COVID-19 outbreak in the world.
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The New York Times reported early Saturday that a three-year-old engineer’s report on the 13-story condominium building in the southern U.S. state of Florida that partially collapsed Thursday said the building had “major structural damage” on the concrete slab below the pool deck.  In addition, the engineer observed “abundant” cracking and crumbling in the walls, beams and columns of the parking garage located under the building, according to the newspaper. The report, The Times said, was the basis for “a multimillion-dollar repair project that was set to get underway soon.”The newspaper said municipal officials released the engineer’s report late Friday. Miami Officials Say 4 Confirmed Dead, 159 Still Missing in Building CollapseSearch and rescue efforts focused on collapsed portion of apartment complexThe 2018 report did not give any evidence that the building was about to collapse but it did say “most of the concrete deterioration needs to be repaired in a timely fashion.”The Washington Post, citing a study conducted last year, reported the building was constructed on reclaimed wetlands on the barrier island that makes up the Miami Beach area and has been gradually sinking since the 1990s. It is unclear if those factors contributed to the incident. Rescue workers used heavy equipment Friday to search for survivors in the rubble of the collapsed building after officials said four people were confirmed dead and 159 people remain missing.The rescuers in the Miami suburb of the Town of Surfside used cranes as well as their own hands to dig through debris.Officials from the city of Miami and surrounding Dade County held a news briefing earlier Friday at the scene, just north of Miami. The collapse happened about 1:30 a.m. local time Thursday. Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava told reporters rescue officials were still searching for survivors, along with additional victims in the collapsed portion of the building. She said 129 people have been confirmed safe, adding that the numbers are very fluid. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Raide Jadallah said the entire building has been cleared and checked so rescue operations can focus on the rubble. He said 130 firefighters are working at the site. Miami-Dade Police Director Freddy Ramirez said his office is working with the local medical examiner’s office to identify victims. U.S. President Joe Biden has approved an emergency declaration for the site, which will allow the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate relief efforts and supply additional funds. The president spoke with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Friday and said the federal government stands ready to provide additional resources if needed. Information from The Associated Press and the Reuters news service contributed to this report.
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The U.S. Pacific Northwest is experiencing a heat wave.  It’s a potentially dangerous situation for a region of the country where many proudly boast about living without air conditioning.Temperatures this weekend are expected to rise as much as 30 degrees higher than normal levels.  The trend is expected to continue into next week.  In the states of Washington and Oregon, officials have lifted COVID-19 capacity restrictions on cooling centers, pools, movie theaters and shopping malls.  US Facing Triple Weather ThreatsUS experiencing varying, but intense weather conditionsMeanwhile, many stores have sold all their air conditioners and fans.  
 
Seattle is forecast be above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) this weekend. In Portland, Oregon, it’s likely to be 108 degrees Fahrenheit (42 Celsius) Sunday, which would break a record of 107 F (42 Celsius) in 1981.Seattle has reached 100 Fahrenheit just three times in recorded history, according to the National Weather Service. There’s a possibility it could surge Monday above the record of 103 Fahrenheit (39 Celsius).“We know from evidence around the world that climate change is increasing the frequency, intensity and duration of heat waves,” University of Washington Professor Kristie Ebi, who studies global warming, told the Associated Press. “We’re going to have to get used to this going forward.”The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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A rare tornado struck along the Czech Republic’s southern border on Thursday evening, destroying parts of some towns as strong storms swept through the area and injured at least 150 people, emergency services and media reported.A Czech Television meteorologist said the tornado, reported in towns around Hodonin, along the Austrian border and 270 kilometers southeast of Prague, may have reached F3-F4 levels, with winds hitting 267-322 kph in the latter level.That would make it the strongest in the central European country’s modern history and the first tornado since 2018.Photos on social media and news websites showed houses and some churches with destroyed roofs, broken windows, and fallen trees and destroyed cars along streets after the storms hit.BREAKING: Tornado causes major damage in the Czech Republic pic.twitter.com/TdSm87Z4gG— BNO News (@BNONews) June 24, 2021A spokesperson for the South Moravia region’s ambulance service told CTK news agency up to 150 people were injured.Czech TV reported around seven small towns were “massively” damaged, citing an emergency services spokesperson. An official of one municipality, Hrusky, said half of the town was practically leveled to the ground.Interior Minister Jan Hamacek wrote on Twitter the situation in the area was serious and all emergency services units were at work. Search and rescue teams were also headed to the towns. 
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Hundreds of Thai pro-democracy protesters took to the streets on Thursday, calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and constitutional changes that would curb the influence of the country’s powerful monarchy.The rally, which defied a ban on public gatherings due to the pandemic, comes as Prayuth’s government faces public criticism over its handling of coronavirus outbreaks, a slow economic recovery and a vaccine policy that involves a company owned by King Maha Vajiralongkorn.“The constitution must come from the people,” protest leader Jatupat “Pai Daodin” Boonpattararaksa told the crowd in the capital, Bangkok.Youth-led demonstrations last year attracted hundreds of thousands of people across the country, but they stalled after security forces began cracking down on rallies, detaining protest leaders and after new waves of COVID-19 infections broke out.Protesters had broken traditional taboos by criticizing the king, risking prosecution under a strict lese majeste law that makes insulting or defaming the king, queen, heir and regent punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Most of the protest leaders have been released on bail.In March, several dozen were injured when police fired water cannon, tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse a protest.Thursday’s rally, which also included some former Prayuth supporters, marks the day when Thailand declared an end to absolute monarchy on June 24, 1932.“In 89 years since the end of absolutism we have not got anywhere,” Jatupat said.About 2,500 police officers had been deployed to maintain order, said the deputy head of Bangkok police, Piya Tavichai.“A gathering at this time in not appropriate because it could lead to further spread of the virus.”
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Who was responsible for a blast in Ethiopia’s Tigray region that killed over 40 people? Plus, Iran’s human rights record is condemned by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. And a look at Somalia’s first woman Taekwondo Olympian.
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New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday the COVID-19 State of Emergency, originally declared in March of 2020, will expire Thursday.Cuomo made the announcement during a news briefing, and from his Twitter account, where he wrote, “New York’s COVID-19 State of Emergency will end tomorrow [Thursday]. Fighting COVID and vaccinating New Yorkers are still top priorities, but the emergency chapter of this fight is over.”The governor had lifted most of the COVID-19-related restrictions for the state on June 15. Lifting the state emergency will allow state and local governments to decide about their own respective public health measures, without being over-ruled by the governor. It also will end the governor’s ability to issue executive orders in areas usually reserved for the state legislature.The governor said more than 71% of all state residents over the age of 18 have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, and more than 63% are fully vaccinated.Cuomo did say the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 guidelines would remain in effect, including wearing masks on public transportation, including airplanes, at airports, and train and bus stations. 
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While tourists usually enjoy beautiful sandy beaches and clear waters along the Northern Coast of Egypt, they are set for an additional attraction this year with the launch of the first locally manufactured car-shaped vehicle that can drive over water. Manufactured by three friends, the vehicle is mainly produced using local material and by local talent apart from the engine, which comes from Japan. The friends have produced 12 vehicles and received many orders upon the reveal of the vehicle. Each vehicle takes three weeks to produce and is priced between $19,000 and $44,500. (Reuters)  
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The U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan is more than halfway finished, yet the country is plagued with violence as the Taliban extend their reach. This, as the Afghan president meets with U.S. President Joe Biden later this week. VOA’s Carolyn Presutti reports from the White House.
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Fighting continues to rage across Afghanistan where security forces reversed some of the recent advances by the Taliban. Plus, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken returns to Europe Wednesday. His first stop: Berlin. And, what needs to be done to prepare for the next pandemic?
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A $500 million U.S. fund to compensate relatives of 346 people killed in two fatal Boeing 737 Max crashes has opened, the claim administrators told Reuters on Tuesday. The fund, which opened on Monday, is part of a settlement with the U.S. Justice Department. Boeing Co. in January agreed to pay $500 million to compensate the heirs, relatives and beneficiaries of the passengers who died in Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 in 2018 and 2019. Each eligible family will receive nearly $1.45 million, and money will be paid on a rolling basis as claim forms are submitted and completed, said administrators Ken Feinberg and Camille Biros in a joint statement. Families have until October 15 to complete claim forms. The Justice Department and Boeing declined to comment. The fund is part of a $2.5 billion Justice Department settlement reached in January with Boeing after prosecutors charged the company with fraud over the certification of the 737 Max following a Lion Air crash on Oct. 29, 2018, and an Ethiopian Airlines disaster on March 10, 2019. FILE – Dozens of grounded Boeing 737 Max aircraft are seen parked at Grant County International Airport in Moses Lake, Washington, Nov. 17, 2020.The settlement allowed Boeing to avoid criminal prosecution but did not impact civil litigation by victims’ relatives that continues. In July 2019, Boeing named Feinberg and Biros to oversee the distribution of a separate $50 million to the families of those killed in the crashes, and the new fund’s distribution follows a similar formula. While Boeing has mostly settled Lion Air lawsuits, it still faces numerous lawsuits in Chicago federal court by families of the Ethiopian crash asking why the Max continued flying after the first disaster. The DOJ settlement includes a fine of $243.6 million and compensation to airlines of $1.77 billion over fraud conspiracy charges related to the plane’s flawed design. The Justice Department said in January, “Boeing’s employees chose the path of profit over candor by concealing material information from the FAA concerning the operation of its 737 Max airplane and engaging in an effort to cover up their deception.” Some lawmakers say the government did not go far enough, while Boeing says it has taken numerous steps to overhaul its safety culture. Congress ordered a major overhaul of how the FAA certifies new airplanes in December and directed an independent review of Boeing’s safety culture. The 737 Max was grounded for 20 months after the two fatal crashes. The FAA lifted the order after Boeing made software upgrades and training changes. Last month, Boeing agreed to pay a $17 million FAA fine after it installed equipment on more than 700 Boeing 737 Max and NG aircraft that contained sensors that were not approved. “The FAA will hold Boeing and the aviation industry accountable to keep our skies safe,” FAA Administrator Steve Dickson said. 
 
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Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Tuesday said, for the first time, that he will support long-debated changes to the military justice system that would remove decisions on prosecuting sexual assault cases from military commanders.  In a statement obtained by The Associated Press, Austin said he supported taking those sexual assault and related crimes away from the chain of command and letting independent military lawyers handle them. The Pentagon has long resisted such a change, but Austin and other senior leaders are slowly acknowledging that the military has failed to make progress against sexual assault and that some changes are needed. Austin pledged to work with Congress to make the changes, saying they would give the department “real opportunities to finally end the scourge of sexual assault and sexual harassment in the military.” His public support for the shift has been eagerly awaited, sending a strong signal to the military and boosting momentum for the change. The statement came a day before Austin testifies to the House Armed Services Committee amid escalating pressure from Congress to take concrete steps to address sexual assault. Austin’s memo, however, does not express any view on legislation that would make broader changes to the military justice system and require that independent lawyers handle all major crimes. Senator’s proposal Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat from New York, has the support of 66 senators for a bill that would have independent prosecutors handle felonies that call for more than a year in prison. But other key lawmakers and leaders of the military services have balked at including all major crimes, saying stripping control of all crimes from commanders could hurt military readiness, erode command authority, and require far more time and resources. FILE – Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., speaks during a news conference in New York, March 14, 2021.Until now, Austin said publicly that he was open to changes recommended by an independent review commission that he had appointed to take a look at sexual assault and harassment in the military. The panel said sexual assault, sexual misconduct, domestic violence, stalking, retaliation, child sexual assault and the wrongful distribution of photos should be removed from the chain of command. In the statement, Austin finally makes public that he supports the change, and says those additional crimes should be included because there is a strong correlation between them and the prevalence of sexual assault. According to a Defense official, Austin has reservations, like those expressed by his senior leaders, about the more expansive change outlined in Gillibrand’s bill. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations. Military leaders hesitant In recent weeks, military service secretaries and chiefs, in memos to Austin and letters to Capitol Hill, said they were wary about the sexual assault change and laid out greater reservations on more broadly revamping the military justice system. FILE – Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley speaks during a briefing at the Pentagon, May 6, 2021.General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said removing commanders from prosecution decisions “may have an adverse effect on readiness, mission accomplishment, good order and discipline, justice, unit cohesion, trust, and loyalty between commanders and those they lead.” In a letter to Senator James Inhofe of Oklahoma, ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Milley acknowledged that the military hadn’t made sufficient progress in combating sexual assault. He has repeatedly said, though, that he’s open to the sexual assault change. The independent review panel on Monday presented Austin with an expansive set of recommendations to combat sexual assault in the military, including prevention, command climate, victim care and support. “Generally, they appear strong and well-grounded,” Austin said in his statement. “I have directed my staff to do a detailed assessment and implementation plan for my review and approval.” Next steps Austin said he will present his recommendations to President Joe Biden in the coming days. But he also noted that the changes will require additional personnel, funding and authorities. The ones that can be done under existing authority will be given priority, he said, and other changes may take more time and will need help from Congress. “As I made clear on my first full day in office, this is a leadership issue. And we will lead,” he said. “Our people depend upon it. They deserve nothing less.” In a recent interview with the AP, Gillibrand said the wider change is necessary to combat racial injustice within the military, where studies have found that Black people are more likely to be investigated and arrested for misconduct. Gillibrand has argued against limiting the change to sexual assault, saying it would be discriminatory and set up what some call a “pink” court to deal with crimes usually involving female victims. “I’m deeply concerned that if they limit it to just sexual assault, it will really harm female service members. It will further marginalize them, further undermine them, and they’ll be seen as getting special treatment,” she told the AP. 
 
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Iran’s president-elect says he won’t negotiate over limiting Tehran’s ballistic missile program. Plus, the latest on Monday’s elections in Ethiopia. And a look at ‘screenlife’ films, where everything the viewer sees happens on a computer or smartphone screen. 
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