Even as the severity of Omicron remains unclear, a research team from Imperial College, London after conducting a huge study on Friday said that there is no evidence to suggest cases of new variant are less severe than Delta. &nbsp;

The team suggested the findings on the basis of the proportion of people testing positive, who had symptoms or went to the hospital. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amid-threat-of-omicron-wave-americans-rush-to-get-covid-19-boosters-437648" hreflang="en">Amid threat of Omicron wave, Americans rush to get COVID-19 boosters</a>

It may be too soon to say how hospitalisations will play out in the UK. &nbsp;

The study showed that having Covid earlier provides only 19% protection against Omicron while getting two doses of a vaccine made it just 20%. &nbsp;&nbsp;

A booster dose, however, helped by blocking around 55% to 80% symptomatic cases. &nbsp;

From November 29 to December 11, the team analysed all PCR test-confirmed cases of coronavirus in England. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-france-fears-dominance-of-omicron-covid-variant-in-2022-canada-lifts-travel-ban-437815">As France fears dominance of Omicron Covid variant, Canada lifts travel ban</a>

It was one of the most expansive examinations of Omicron's potential to infect people. &nbsp;

The proportion of new Covid variant, Omicron, seems to be doubling among Covid cases in every two days up to December 11, the team said. &nbsp;

It means every person infected with new variant passed it on to over three other people. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Even as the severity of Omicron remains unclear, a research team from Imperial College, London after conducting a huge study on Friday said that there is no evidence to suggest cases of new variant are less severe than Delta.

Even as the severity of Omicron remains unclear, a research team from Imperial College, London after conducting a huge study on Friday said that there is no evidence to suggest cases of new variant are less severe than Delta. The team suggested the findings on the basis of the proportion of people testing positive, who had symptoms or went to the hospital. Also Read: Amid threat of Omicron wave, Americans rush to get COVID-19 boosters It may be too soon to say how hospitalisations will play out in the UK. The study showed that having Covid earlier provides only 19% protection against Omicron while getting two doses of a vaccine made it just 20%. A booster dose, however, helped by blocking around 55% to 80% symptomatic cases. From November 29 to December 11, the team analysed all PCR test-confirmed cases of coronavirus in England. Also Read: As France fears dominance of Omicron Covid variant, Canada lifts travel ban It was one of the most expansive examinations of Omicron's potential to infect people. The proportion of new Covid variant, Omicron, seems to be doubling among Covid cases in every two days up to December 11, the team said. It means every person infected with new variant passed it on to over three other people. (With inputs from agencies)

No evidence to suggest new variant Omicron less severe than Delta, reveals UK study

In what can be considered as a Christmas present for the world, NASA is looking to launch its new space telescope on coming Friday, which also happens to be 'Christmas Eve'. &nbsp;&nbsp;

On Friday, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said that the agency will blast off the $10 billion James Webb Space Telescope on December 24. &nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/long-extinct-volcano-on-mars-perseverance-rovers-new-discoveries-a-treasure-trove-for-future-scientists-437540" hreflang="en">'Long-extinct volcano on Mars?': Perseverance rover's new discoveries a treasure trove for future scientists</a>

In the endeavour, a European Ariane rocket will lift it from French Guiana. &nbsp;

Considered to be the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope, the Webb was supposed to soar on Saturday. &nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
This just in from the Kourou Spaceport: The team is still hard at work encapsulating the <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAWebb?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASAWebb</a> telescope for launch. We will keep you posted. <a href="https://t.co/9bBxoy6IJD">https://t.co/9bBxoy6IJD</a>
— NASA (@NASA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1471993888239988748?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

At first, the launch was jolted by a clamp during preparations, which led to a four-day delay and then a bad communication link on the rocket postponed it by another two days. &nbsp;

After a last round of testing, US and European space officials signed off on Friday on the date of launch. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientist-find-reason-why-solar-storms-decreased-in-last-decade-437485" hreflang="en">Scientist find reason why solar storms decreased in last decade</a>

Liftoff has been scheduled for 7.20 am EST. Due to holidays, Nelson expects a small crowd at the launch site. "Since it's Christmas Eve, all the congressional delegations that were going down, all of that has evaporated," Nelson told The Associated Press. &nbsp;

On the mega project, NASA has partnered with the European and Canadian space agencies. &nbsp;

Nelson said, “There's so much riding on this." &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In what can be considered as a Christmas present for the world, NASA is looking to launch its new space telescope on coming Friday, which also happens to be 'Christmas Eve'.

In what can be considered as a Christmas present for the world, NASA is looking to launch its new space telescope on coming Friday, which also happens to be 'Christmas Eve'. On Friday, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said that the agency will blast off the $10 billion James Webb Space Telescope on December 24. Also Read | 'Long-extinct volcano on Mars?': Perseverance rover's new discoveries a treasure trove for future scientists In the endeavour, a European Ariane rocket will lift it from French Guiana. Considered to be the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope, the Webb was supposed to soar on Saturday. This just in from the Kourou Spaceport: The team is still hard at work encapsulating the @NASAWebb telescope for launch. We will keep you posted. https://t.co/9bBxoy6IJD — NASA (@NASA) December 18, 2021 × At first, the launch was jolted by a clamp during preparations, which led to a four-day delay and then a bad communication link on the rocket postponed it by another two days. After a last round of testing, US and European space officials signed off on Friday on the date of launch. Also Read: Scientist find reason why solar storms decreased in last decade Liftoff has been scheduled for 7.20 am EST. Due to holidays, Nelson expects a small crowd at the launch site. "Since it's Christmas Eve, all the congressional delegations that were going down, all of that has evaporated," Nelson told The Associated Press. On the mega project, NASA has partnered with the European and Canadian space agencies. Nelson said, “There's so much riding on this." (With inputs from agencies)

Finally, NASA to launch $10 billion James Webb Space Telescope on Christmas Eve

To get your day started, here are some stories. US police officer testified at manslaughter trial for killing Daunte Wright while the Iran deal talks hit pause as Tehran’s negotiator heads home for consultations. You can also read about Taliban managing to prepare new Afghan budget amid concerns of extreme poverty and Canada lifting travel ban as France fears dominance of Omicron Covid variant.&nbsp;

Please click on the headline to read the full story.

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-police-officer-testifies-at-manslaughter-trial-for-killing-daunte-wright-437812">US police officer testifies at manslaughter trial for killing Daunte Wright</a>

<img alt="Brief 2" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1e9b44c4-faa1-4261-9d0b-36f242cdc3d6" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Wright.jpg" />

In an emotional testimony, the police officer, who shot and killed Daunte Wright, testified at manslaughter trial in the United States.&nbsp;The suburban Minneapolis cop said that she didn't plan to use deadly force that day. Before the defence rested case, she was the final witness.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-nuke-deal-talks-hit-pause-again-as-tehrans-negotiator-heads-home-for-consultations-437819">Iran deal talks hit pause as Tehran’s negotiator heads home for consultations</a>

<img alt="Brief 5" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8ad4b401-2999-4e6c-b79f-ef444d167d24" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Deal.jpg" />

Talks being held for reviving 2015 Iran nuclear deal have again hit the pause button as the crucial meeting had to be adjourned on Friday.&nbsp;After a round, which witnessed a hike in tensions as Iran raised new demands, the negotiator from Tehran returned home for consultations.&nbsp;According to European diplomats, it was ‘a disappointing pause'.

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/amid-concerns-of-extreme-poverty-taliban-manages-to-prepare-new-afghan-budget-437814">Amid concerns of extreme poverty, Taliban manages to prepare new Afghan budget</a>

<img alt="Brief 3" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="dbcb3d6f-83ca-47a3-833a-70e0f4510ba0" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/HG1.JPG" />

Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan heartbreaking reports of poverty in the nation have been emerging. However, in the latest development, Afghanistan's finance ministry has managed to draft a national budget under the Taliban government.

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-france-fears-dominance-of-omicron-covid-variant-in-2022-canada-lifts-travel-ban-437815">As France fears dominance of Omicron Covid variant, Canada lifts travel ban</a>

<img alt="Brief 5" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f35788b5-3905-4a4e-b85c-f09ed43b63e3" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/HG2.JPG" />

As the Omicron variant takes over the world, French Prime Minister has warned that the new variant can become the dominant one in France from the start of 2022.

&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Germany faces massive fifth wave of COVID-19 due to Omicron variant

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/germany-faces-massive-fifth-wave-of-covid-19-due-to-omicron-variant-437817/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

To get your day started, here are some stories. US police officer testified at manslaughter trial for killing Daunte Wright while the Iran deal talks hit pause as Tehran’s negotiator heads home for consultations.

To get your day started, here are some stories. US police officer testified at manslaughter trial for killing Daunte Wright while the Iran deal talks hit pause as Tehran’s negotiator heads home for consultations. You can also read about Taliban managing to prepare new Afghan budget amid concerns of extreme poverty and Canada lifting travel ban as France fears dominance of Omicron Covid variant. Please click on the headline to read the full story. US police officer testifies at manslaughter trial for killing Daunte Wright In an emotional testimony, the police officer, who shot and killed Daunte Wright, testified at manslaughter trial in the United States. The suburban Minneapolis cop said that she didn't plan to use deadly force that day. Before the defence rested case, she was the final witness. Iran deal talks hit pause as Tehran’s negotiator heads home for consultations Talks being held for reviving 2015 Iran nuclear deal have again hit the pause button as the crucial meeting had to be adjourned on Friday. After a round, which witnessed a hike in tensions as Iran raised new demands, the negotiator from Tehran returned home for consultations. According to European diplomats, it was ‘a disappointing pause'. Amid concerns of extreme poverty, Taliban manages to prepare new Afghan budget Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan heartbreaking reports of poverty in the nation have been emerging. However, in the latest development, Afghanistan's finance ministry has managed to draft a national budget under the Taliban government. As France fears dominance of Omicron Covid variant, Canada lifts travel ban As the Omicron variant takes over the world, French Prime Minister has warned that the new variant can become the dominant one in France from the start of 2022. Watch: Germany faces massive fifth wave of COVID-19 due to Omicron variant ×

Morning news brief: Daunte Wright trial, Iran deal talks and more

Talks being held for reviving 2015 Iran nuclear deal have again hit the pause button as the crucial meeting had to be adjourned on Friday. &nbsp; &nbsp;

After a round, which witnessed a hike in tensions as Iran raised new demands, the negotiator from Tehran returned home for consultations. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The talks look to salvage deal with world powers. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hundreds-of-scientists-ask-biden-to-cut-the-us-nuclear-arsenal-437617" hreflang="en">Hundreds of scientists ask Biden to cut the US nuclear arsenal</a>

According to European diplomats, it was ‘a disappointing pause'. The negotiators in Vienna seem to be 'rapidly reaching the end of the road’. But do point to have 'some technical progress’ so far. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Expressing frustration, a senior US Official involved in the talks, on condition of anonymity, said, “It was better than it might have been, it was worse than it should have been, which leaves us in an uncertain position as to whether we can get to where we need to go in the short time that we have left to get there." &nbsp; &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/french-lawmakers-visit-taiwan-to-show-support-in-the-face-of-chinas-belligerence-437776" hreflang="en">French lawmakers visit Taiwan to show support in the face of China’s belligerence</a>

The negotiators look to resume quickly, but no date has been confirmed yet.&nbsp;Wan Qun, China's chief negotiator, said the talks will 'resume hopefully before the end of the year’. &nbsp; &nbsp;

The European Union diplomat, Enrique Mora, who also chaired the talks, said, “I hope it will be during 2021”. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Talks being held for reviving 2015 Iran nuclear deal have again hit the pause button as the crucial meeting had to be adjourned on Friday. After a round, which witnessed a hike in tensions as Iran raised new demands, the negotiator from Tehran returned home for consultations.

Talks being held for reviving 2015 Iran nuclear deal have again hit the pause button as the crucial meeting had to be adjourned on Friday. After a round, which witnessed a hike in tensions as Iran raised new demands, the negotiator from Tehran returned home for consultations. The talks look to salvage deal with world powers. Also Read: Hundreds of scientists ask Biden to cut the US nuclear arsenal According to European diplomats, it was ‘a disappointing pause'. The negotiators in Vienna seem to be 'rapidly reaching the end of the road’. But do point to have 'some technical progress’ so far. Expressing frustration, a senior US Official involved in the talks, on condition of anonymity, said, “It was better than it might have been, it was worse than it should have been, which leaves us in an uncertain position as to whether we can get to where we need to go in the short time that we have left to get there." Also Read: French lawmakers visit Taiwan to show support in the face of China’s belligerence The negotiators look to resume quickly, but no date has been confirmed yet. Wan Qun, China's chief negotiator, said the talks will 'resume hopefully before the end of the year’. The European Union diplomat, Enrique Mora, who also chaired the talks, said, “I hope it will be during 2021”. (With inputs from agencies)

Iran nuke deal talks hit pause again as Tehran’s negotiator heads home for consultations

In an emotional testimony, the police officer, who shot and killed Daunte Wright, testified at manslaughter trial in the United States on Friday. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The suburban Minneapolis cop said that she didn't plan to use deadly force that day. &nbsp;

On being questioned by prosecutor, the cop, Kim Potter, went in tears and said, at times "I didn't want to hurt anybody," and finally, "I'm sorry it happened." &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-us-man-booted-out-of-plane-for-wearing-thong-as-face-mask-437791" hreflang="en">Watch | US man booted out of plane for wearing thong as face mask</a>

The 49-year-old cop said that she looked to use Taser to subdue Wright when he pulled away from the officers and was getting back in his car, but accidently shot him once with handgun. &nbsp;

Not just this, the cop said that she wouldn't have pulled over his car if she had not been training another officer. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Before the defence rested case, Potter was the final witness. The cop said that she shot Wright in a moment of chaos on April 11 at Brooklyn Center. She and other officers were looking to arrest him over an outstanding warrant for a weapons violation. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/defense-contractor-tried-to-give-classified-information-to-russia-us-says-437795" hreflang="en">Defense contractor tried to give classified information to Russia, US says</a>

According to prosecutors, Potter was an experienced officer, who had got training in use of Taser and deadly force. Her actions were unreasonable. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Meanwhile, attorneys of the police officer, who has quit, said that she made a mistake. But could be justified in using deadly force if she had meant to as another officer was also at risk of being dragged by Wright's car. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In an emotional testimony, the police officer, who shot and killed Daunte Wright, testified at manslaughter trial in the United States on Friday. The suburban Minneapolis cop said that she didn't plan to use deadly force that day.

In an emotional testimony, the police officer, who shot and killed Daunte Wright, testified at manslaughter trial in the United States on Friday. The suburban Minneapolis cop said that she didn't plan to use deadly force that day. On being questioned by prosecutor, the cop, Kim Potter, went in tears and said, at times "I didn't want to hurt anybody," and finally, "I'm sorry it happened." Also Read: Watch | US man booted out of plane for wearing thong as face mask The 49-year-old cop said that she looked to use Taser to subdue Wright when he pulled away from the officers and was getting back in his car, but accidently shot him once with handgun. Not just this, the cop said that she wouldn't have pulled over his car if she had not been training another officer. Before the defence rested case, Potter was the final witness. The cop said that she shot Wright in a moment of chaos on April 11 at Brooklyn Center. She and other officers were looking to arrest him over an outstanding warrant for a weapons violation. Also Read: Defense contractor tried to give classified information to Russia, US says According to prosecutors, Potter was an experienced officer, who had got training in use of Taser and deadly force. Her actions were unreasonable. Meanwhile, attorneys of the police officer, who has quit, said that she made a mistake. But could be justified in using deadly force if she had meant to as another officer was also at risk of being dragged by Wright's car. (With inputs from agencies)

US police officer testifies at manslaughter trial for killing Daunte Wright

Growing up in Minnesota, Tyler Graf knew almost nothing about his birth mother. And what little he knew, he said, stung.

His adoption papers listed her name, Hilda del Carmen Quezada; her age, 26; the date, March 2, 1983; and the hospital where she gave birth to him in central Chile. The documents also included a judge’s note saying Quezada gave him up because she had little money and “other children to support.”

“I never thought that any excuse would be good enough,” said Graf, who is now a firefighter in Houston. “I carried that animosity, that chip on my shoulder, my whole life.”

The claim that his mother willingly gave him up hurt, Graf said, until he learned this year that he is one of hundreds — possibly thousands — of Chilean adoptees taken from their parents without their consent during the country’s military dictatorship.

Quezada, it turned out, had not surrendered her son; she was told the baby, born three months premature, had died.

“Two weeks after the birth, they told me he had died,” Quezada said. “I asked for the body and they refused, saying it was too small.”

Investigators looking into coercive adoptions in Chile since the first cases came to light in 2014 have come to a stunning conclusion: The practice was widespread during the rule of Gen. Augusto Pinochet, who actively encouraged overseas adoptions to reduce poverty in the 1970s and 1980s. The process was abetted by a vast network of officials — including judges, social workers, health professionals and adoption brokers — who forged documents and are widely assumed to have taken bribes.

More than 550 adoptees have reconnected with their birth families in recent years. But investigators say the scheme, which is still being uncovered, most likely involved many more children.

Judicial officials in Chile are investigating roughly 650 cases of irregular adoptions, a phenomenon the Ministry of Justice called in a statement “extremely serious.”

Mario Carroza, a Chilean judge who opened a criminal inquiry into the adoptions in 2018, said investigators were looking into the circumstances of about 8,000 overseas adoptions that took place from 1970 to 1999. Carroza said the number of cases under scrutiny could reach 20,000.

In October, Sweden began an investigation into the irregular adoptions, responding to pressure from Chilean adoptees raised in the country who have used DNA testing to establish their connections to birth parents in Chile who have been missing a child.

Pinochet seized power in 1973, in a bloody coup that toppled Chile’s left-wing president. He then led a brutal regime in which the country’s economy grew as thousands of opponents were executed, disappeared, detained, tortured and exiled.

Years after the general’s death in 2006, Chileans have been horrified to learn how pervasive coercive adoptions became on his watch.

“The history of human rights violations during the dictatorship is known: the torture, political prisoners, repression, but this one has been largely invisible,” said Boris Barrera, a member of Congress who led a legislative investigation into the matter in 2018.

Reports of coercive adoptions in Chile predate the dictatorship. But the practice became chillingly common starting in the late 1970s, as the Pinochet government explicitly began promoting adoptions during a period of economic crisis, said Karen Alfaro Monsalve, a professor at Chile’s Austral University who has researched the history of the coercive adoptions.

“What we ultimately had was an outflow of poor children who were seen as a stumbling block to achieve the country’s economic development,” Alfaro Monsalve said. “Pinochet had a type of forced migration that helped control population growth and enable the country’s neoliberal shift.”

The abusive practice came under scrutiny in 2014 after the Chilean investigative news agency CIPER published an article on a handful of coercive adoptions, documenting the roles played by a priest and a doctor. In the years that followed, as scores of adoptees raised in Chile and abroad set out to trace their roots, many using DNA ancestry tests, a disturbing pattern came into sharper focus.

Hundreds of women came forward with similar accounts of unexpectedly losing their babies soon after giving birth. Some were told they were stillborn, while others said government officials took custody of them.

The congressional committee led by Barrera culminated in a call for the Chilean government to establish a truth and reparations commission and to build a DNA database to enable adoptees and biological families to connect. But so far no one has been charged in connection with the abductions.

Judicial officials have tempered expectations by noting that statutes of limitations will make it hard to bring individuals to justice.

Constanza del Río, one of the founders of Nos Buscamos, an organization that helps adoptees who were trafficked, said the government’s failure to investigate the crimes more diligently was inexcusable.

“We don’t have the next 25 years for them to investigate at turtle pace because we have mothers who are dying,” she said. “Justice may come, but it will be too late.”

Quezada, 65, who has three daughters, never made peace with the loss of her son. She mourned him every year on his birthday, she said. Decades later, she could still picture the prominent black eyes that stared back at her from an incubator the last time she saw him.

When news articles about illegal adoptions began circulating, Quezada was horrified, she said, but she never allowed herself a glimmer of hope — until her phone rang one day last May.

The caller was Marisol Rodríguez, the founder of Hijos y Madres del Silencio — Children and Mothers of Silence — a volunteer organization that has facilitated the reconnection of more than 250 families severed by coerced adoptions.

Rodríguez explained to Quezada the unlikely chain of events that led to the call. Years ago, Rodríguez said, her son, who was a firefighter, had gone to Houston for a training exercise. There he struck a friendship with an American firefighter who said he had been adopted from Chile.

The son offered to try to track down his new friend’s birth parents, and returned to Chile with copies of his adoption file. Once he was home, he turned the documents over to Rodríguez’s group, which saw in the file telltale signs of a coerced adoption.

Quezada was dumbfounded.

“I couldn’t digest the information,” she said. “I couldn’t grasp what was happening.”

But shock gave way to a burning desire to make up for lost time. Days after learning the news, Quezada made a video call, and laid eyes on her son as an adult for the first time.

“Every muscle in my body tightened up and squeezed the tears in my eyes,” Graf recalled. “I felt like I had been hit by a bat and was seeing stars.”

Within weeks, Quezada boarded an airplane for the first time in her life and flew to Houston. In a reunion arranged by a local journalist, Quezada surprised her son, who crumpled into his mother’s arms.

“It was the closest hug,” Graf recalled. “They just left us alone in each other’s arms and we hugged and she kissed me and we just stood there crying.”

Some Chilean adoptees have found a very different response after tracking down a birth parent. Maria Diemar, who was raised in Sweden after being flown from Chile as a baby in 1975, spent years hunting down clues that eventually led her to track down her birth family in southern Chile.

She learned that her mother, who had worked as a live-in maid when she was born, had been forced to give up the baby by her employer at the time. News that her missing daughter was trying to make contact was unwelcome because, Diemar was told, her mother was in an abusive relationship with a man who did not know about the birth.

That did not deter Diemar from digging into the case of her younger brother, Daniel, who was also adopted from Chile. The boy’s mother, too, had been told he died during birth. The two have grown close in recent years, which Diemar counts as a victory.

“It has meant so much to travel to Chile with Daniel, to share the story of our upbringing, our childhood, and just to be in the country where we were supposed to be,” she said. “It’s very healing to do this together.”

Diemar said she had little faith that the investigations underway in Chile and Sweden would lead to prosecutions.

“But I think it’s important that the history books say that this happened,” she said. “These were crimes.”

Since reconnecting with his mother, Graf has experienced emotional whiplash. There have been flashes of anger, moments of gratitude and feelings of indignation.

But ultimately, reconnecting with his birth mother was so healing and clarifying that he created an organization to supply free kits from the company MyHeritage DNA to adoptees and families who believe they may have had a stolen baby.

“We’re making up for 38 years of lost time,” he said. “Time we can’t get back.”

Growing up in Minnesota, Tyler Graf knew almost nothing about his birth mother. And what little he knew, he said, stung. His adoption papers listed her name, Hilda del Carmen Quezada; her age, 26; the date, March 2, 1983; and the hospital where she gave birth to him in central Chile.

Growing up in Minnesota, Tyler Graf knew almost nothing about his birth mother. And what little he knew, he said, stung. His adoption papers listed her name, Hilda del Carmen Quezada; her age, 26; the date, March 2, 1983; and the hospital where she gave birth to him in central Chile. The documents also included a judge’s note saying Quezada gave him up because she had little money and “other children to support.” “I never thought that any excuse would be good enough,” said Graf, who is now a firefighter in Houston. “I carried that animosity, that chip on my shoulder, my whole life.” The claim that his mother willingly gave him up hurt, Graf said, until he learned this year that he is one of hundreds — possibly thousands — of Chilean adoptees taken from their parents without their consent during the country’s military dictatorship. Quezada, it turned out, had not surrendered her son; she was told the baby, born three months premature, had died. “Two weeks after the birth, they told me he had died,” Quezada said. “I asked for the body and they refused, saying it was too small.” Investigators looking into coercive adoptions in Chile since the first cases came to light in 2014 have come to a stunning conclusion: The practice was widespread during the rule of Gen. Augusto Pinochet, who actively encouraged overseas adoptions to reduce poverty in the 1970s and 1980s. The process was abetted by a vast network of officials — including judges, social workers, health professionals and adoption brokers — who forged documents and are widely assumed to have taken bribes. More than 550 adoptees have reconnected with their birth families in recent years. But investigators say the scheme, which is still being uncovered, most likely involved many more children. Judicial officials in Chile are investigating roughly 650 cases of irregular adoptions, a phenomenon the Ministry of Justice called in a statement “extremely serious.” Mario Carroza, a Chilean judge who opened a criminal inquiry into the adoptions in 2018, said investigators were looking into the circumstances of about 8,000 overseas adoptions that took place from 1970 to 1999. Carroza said the number of cases under scrutiny could reach 20,000. In October, Sweden began an investigation into the irregular adoptions, responding to pressure from Chilean adoptees raised in the country who have used DNA testing to establish their connections to birth parents in Chile who have been missing a child. Pinochet seized power in 1973, in a bloody coup that toppled Chile’s left-wing president. He then led a brutal regime in which the country’s economy grew as thousands of opponents were executed, disappeared, detained, tortured and exiled. Years after the general’s death in 2006, Chileans have been horrified to learn how pervasive coercive adoptions became on his watch. “The history of human rights violations during the dictatorship is known: the torture, political prisoners, repression, but this one has been largely invisible,” said Boris Barrera, a member of Congress who led a legislative investigation into the matter in 2018. Reports of coercive adoptions in Chile predate the dictatorship. But the practice became chillingly common starting in the late 1970s, as the Pinochet government explicitly began promoting adoptions during a period of economic crisis, said Karen Alfaro Monsalve, a professor at Chile’s Austral University who has researched the history of the coercive adoptions. “What we ultimately had was an outflow of poor children who were seen as a stumbling block to achieve the country’s economic development,” Alfaro Monsalve said. “Pinochet had a type of forced migration that helped control population growth and enable the country’s neoliberal shift.” The abusive practice came under scrutiny in 2014 after the Chilean investigative news agency CIPER published an article on a handful of coercive adoptions, documenting the roles played by a priest and a doctor. In the years that followed, as scores of adoptees raised in Chile and abroad set out to trace their roots, many using DNA ancestry tests, a disturbing pattern came into sharper focus. Hundreds of women came forward with similar accounts of unexpectedly losing their babies soon after giving birth. Some were told they were stillborn, while others said government officials took custody of them. The congressional committee led by Barrera culminated in a call for the Chilean government to establish a truth and reparations commission and to build a DNA database to enable adoptees and biological families to connect. But so far no one has been charged in connection with the abductions. Judicial officials have tempered expectations by noting that statutes of limitations will make it hard to bring individuals to justice. Constanza del Río, one of the founders of Nos Buscamos, an organization that helps adoptees who were trafficked, said the government’s failure to investigate the crimes more diligently was inexcusable. “We don’t have the next 25 years for them to investigate at turtle pace because we have mothers who are dying,” she said. “Justice may come, but it will be too late.” Quezada, 65, who has three daughters, never made peace with the loss of her son. She mourned him every year on his birthday, she said. Decades later, she could still picture the prominent black eyes that stared back at her from an incubator the last time she saw him. When news articles about illegal adoptions began circulating, Quezada was horrified, she said, but she never allowed herself a glimmer of hope — until her phone rang one day last May. The caller was Marisol Rodríguez, the founder of Hijos y Madres del Silencio — Children and Mothers of Silence — a volunteer organization that has facilitated the reconnection of more than 250 families severed by coerced adoptions. Rodríguez explained to Quezada the unlikely chain of events that led to the call. Years ago, Rodríguez said, her son, who was a firefighter, had gone to Houston for a training exercise. There he struck a friendship with an American firefighter who said he had been adopted from Chile. The son offered to try to track down his new friend’s birth parents, and returned to Chile with copies of his adoption file. Once he was home, he turned the documents over to Rodríguez’s group, which saw in the file telltale signs of a coerced adoption. Quezada was dumbfounded. “I couldn’t digest the information,” she said. “I couldn’t grasp what was happening.” But shock gave way to a burning desire to make up for lost time. Days after learning the news, Quezada made a video call, and laid eyes on her son as an adult for the first time. “Every muscle in my body tightened up and squeezed the tears in my eyes,” Graf recalled. “I felt like I had been hit by a bat and was seeing stars.” Within weeks, Quezada boarded an airplane for the first time in her life and flew to Houston. In a reunion arranged by a local journalist, Quezada surprised her son, who crumpled into his mother’s arms. “It was the closest hug,” Graf recalled. “They just left us alone in each other’s arms and we hugged and she kissed me and we just stood there crying.” Some Chilean adoptees have found a very different response after tracking down a birth parent. Maria Diemar, who was raised in Sweden after being flown from Chile as a baby in 1975, spent years hunting down clues that eventually led her to track down her birth family in southern Chile. She learned that her mother, who had worked as a live-in maid when she was born, had been forced to give up the baby by her employer at the time. News that her missing daughter was trying to make contact was unwelcome because, Diemar was told, her mother was in an abusive relationship with a man who did not know about the birth. That did not deter Diemar from digging into the case of her younger brother, Daniel, who was also adopted from Chile. The boy’s mother, too, had been told he died during birth. The two have grown close in recent years, which Diemar counts as a victory. “It has meant so much to travel to Chile with Daniel, to share the story of our upbringing, our childhood, and just to be in the country where we were supposed to be,” she said. “It’s very healing to do this together.” Diemar said she had little faith that the investigations underway in Chile and Sweden would lead to prosecutions. “But I think it’s important that the history books say that this happened,” she said. “These were crimes.” Since reconnecting with his mother, Graf has experienced emotional whiplash. There have been flashes of anger, moments of gratitude and feelings of indignation. But ultimately, reconnecting with his birth mother was so healing and clarifying that he created an organization to supply free kits from the company MyHeritage DNA to adoptees and families who believe they may have had a stolen baby. “We’re making up for 38 years of lost time,” he said. “Time we can’t get back.”

‘Time we can’t get back’: Stolen at birth, Chilean adoptees uncover their past

In a bizarre incident, a 49-year-old man has been arrested by Italian police on Saturday for possession of over one million files of child pornography. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The man, who is a musician in the coastal city of Ancona in Italy's Marche region, had numerous photographs and videos, depicting children in objectionable acts with adults. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/why-apps-suddenly-want-to-protect-kids-437369" hreflang="en">Why apps suddenly want to protect kids</a>

In a statement, the police said that the man had been collecting the images for over 20 years. &nbsp;

"The man kept the files inside various hard disks, optical media and a smartphone, where they were meticulously divided into different folders sorted by type of photo or video and age of the victims," the police added. &nbsp;

Although the musician used to give lessons to minors, there was no evidence of any kind of abuse, cops said. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/portugal-france-begin-vaccinating-younger-children-437896" hreflang="en">Portugal, France begin vaccinating younger children</a>

Around the world, child pornography has been banned by several countries. Many people have been arrested for possessing such images and videos. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Last year, Italian police had busted a child pornography ring, which circulated illicit material through an instant messaging platform. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The Italian police had slammed opened dozens of doors with arrest warrants, after putting together intel received through various sources. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In a bizarre incident, a 49-year-old man has been arrested by Italian police on Saturday for possession of over one million files of child pornography. The man, who is a musician in the coastal city of Ancona in Italy's Marche region, had numerous photographs and videos, depicting children in objectionable acts with adults.

In a bizarre incident, a 49-year-old man has been arrested by Italian police on Saturday for possession of over one million files of child pornography. The man, who is a musician in the coastal city of Ancona in Italy's Marche region, had numerous photographs and videos, depicting children in objectionable acts with adults. Also Read: Why apps suddenly want to protect kids In a statement, the police said that the man had been collecting the images for over 20 years. "The man kept the files inside various hard disks, optical media and a smartphone, where they were meticulously divided into different folders sorted by type of photo or video and age of the victims," the police added. Although the musician used to give lessons to minors, there was no evidence of any kind of abuse, cops said. Also Read: Portugal, France begin vaccinating younger children Around the world, child pornography has been banned by several countries. Many people have been arrested for possessing such images and videos. Last year, Italian police had busted a child pornography ring, which circulated illicit material through an instant messaging platform. The Italian police had slammed opened dozens of doors with arrest warrants, after putting together intel received through various sources. (With inputs from agencies)

49-year-old Italian man nabbed with 1 mn child pornography files

In a string of inaugurations in Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for 594-km Ganga Expressway in Shahjahanpur district on Saturday. &nbsp;

The six-lane expressway will stretch from Bijauli village in Meerut to Judapur Dandu village in Prayagraj. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/studying-uks-omicron-trend-experts-warn-india-could-see-14-million-daily-covid-cases-437838" hreflang="en">Studying UK's Omicron trend, experts warn India could see 1.4 million daily Covid cases</a>

The expressway, which can be expanded to eight lanes, will be built at a cost of over Rs 362,300 million. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The state-of-the-art highway will pass through Meerut, Hapur, Amroha, Sambhal, Bulandshahr, Budaun, Unnao, Shahjahanpur, Hardoi, Rae Bareli, Pratapgarh and Prayagraj districts of the state. &nbsp;

After the work gets completed, it will become the longest expressway in the state of Uttar Pradesh as it will connect the western regions with the eastern ones. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-city-srinagar-freezes-at-minus-6-degrees-hit-by-a-severe-cold-wave-437850" hreflang="en">Indian city Srinagar freezes at minus 6 degrees; hit by a severe cold wave</a>

What is special about this highway is that it will also have a 3.5-km-long air strip, which will prove beneficial in assisting emergency take-off and landing for Indian Air Force planes for security operations. It will be constructed on the expressway in Shahjahanpur. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Not just this, an industrial corridor has also been proposed to be built along the expressway. It will give immense boost to the socio-economic development of the area. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In a string of inaugurations in Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for 594-km Ganga Expressway in Shahjahanpur district on Saturday.

In a string of inaugurations in Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for 594-km Ganga Expressway in Shahjahanpur district on Saturday. The six-lane expressway will stretch from Bijauli village in Meerut to Judapur Dandu village in Prayagraj. Also Read: Studying UK's Omicron trend, experts warn India could see 1.4 million daily Covid cases The expressway, which can be expanded to eight lanes, will be built at a cost of over Rs 362,300 million. The state-of-the-art highway will pass through Meerut, Hapur, Amroha, Sambhal, Bulandshahr, Budaun, Unnao, Shahjahanpur, Hardoi, Rae Bareli, Pratapgarh and Prayagraj districts of the state. After the work gets completed, it will become the longest expressway in the state of Uttar Pradesh as it will connect the western regions with the eastern ones. Also Read: Indian city Srinagar freezes at minus 6 degrees; hit by a severe cold wave What is special about this highway is that it will also have a 3.5-km-long air strip, which will prove beneficial in assisting emergency take-off and landing for Indian Air Force planes for security operations. It will be constructed on the expressway in Shahjahanpur. Not just this, an industrial corridor has also been proposed to be built along the expressway. It will give immense boost to the socio-economic development of the area. (With inputs from agencies)

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi lays foundation stone for 594-km Ganga Expressway

A rescue worker in Florida was in for a shock recently when the official found two alligators hanging from an SUV window at the site of an accident. &nbsp;

Although witnessing injured persons is normal for rescue workers called in at any accident site, but sometimes they also do get surprised. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-orangutan-parenting-the-kids-can-get-their-own-dinner-437873" hreflang="en">In Orangutan parenting, the kids can get their own dinner</a>

On social media, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) revealed that an officer was called to the scene of a car accident, which involved "two people and two alligators." &nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" height="572" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FMyFWC%2Fposts%2F274026401426074&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" width="500"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

In a statement on Facebook, the department wrote, "When our officer was asked to assist with a vehicle accident involving two people and two alligators, he wasn’t sure what to expect. Once on scene, he saw a 6 ½ -foot and 8-foot-long alligator hanging from the rear window of an SUV resting on its side. The officer immediately removed them from the vehicle and, just to be safe, secured their mouths using electrical tape." &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/california-to-investigate-google-for-treatment-of-black-female-workers-437825" hreflang="en">California to investigate Google for treatment of Black female workers</a>

The post added, "After interviewing the individuals, one of them finally admitted to killing the alligators while fishing, and then both suspects loaded the gators into the SUV for transport." &nbsp;

Both the alligators were found dead while the two individuals involved in the accident have been charged accordingly. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A rescue worker in Florida was in for a shock recently when the official found two alligators hanging from an SUV window at the site of an accident. Although witnessing injured persons is normal for rescue workers called in at any accident site, but sometimes they also do get surprised.

A rescue worker in Florida was in for a shock recently when the official found two alligators hanging from an SUV window at the site of an accident. Although witnessing injured persons is normal for rescue workers called in at any accident site, but sometimes they also do get surprised. Also Read: In Orangutan parenting, the kids can get their own dinner On social media, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) revealed that an officer was called to the scene of a car accident, which involved "two people and two alligators." × In a statement on Facebook, the department wrote, "When our officer was asked to assist with a vehicle accident involving two people and two alligators, he wasn’t sure what to expect. Once on scene, he saw a 6 ½ -foot and 8-foot-long alligator hanging from the rear window of an SUV resting on its side. The officer immediately removed them from the vehicle and, just to be safe, secured their mouths using electrical tape." Also Read: California to investigate Google for treatment of Black female workers The post added, "After interviewing the individuals, one of them finally admitted to killing the alligators while fishing, and then both suspects loaded the gators into the SUV for transport." Both the alligators were found dead while the two individuals involved in the accident have been charged accordingly. (With inputs from agencies)

A bizarre accident? US official finds two alligators in SUV at mishap site

Thefts and robberies have always been a cause of concern&nbsp;for several retailers in the US but not anymore as many of these businesses have employed protective measures to check the nuisance. &nbsp;

This holiday season may be less painful for retailers and bring cheer for all. With this thought in mind, the businesses have deployed coiled wire and other measures to deter criminals from carrying out thefts and smash-and-grab-type robberies. &nbsp;

A yellow&nbsp;coiled wire similar to something one can see guarding a prison has been placed outside the Grove shopping centre in Los Angeles. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-us-man-booted-out-of-plane-for-wearing-thong-as-face-mask-437791" hreflang="en">Watch | US man booted out of plane for wearing thong as face mask</a>

"If somebody’s running, trying to get through something quickly, they are going to have to navigate it and get tangled up," Josh Nielsen, vice president, Adamson Police Products, told ‘Newsnation Now’ this week. &nbsp;

A Safeway supermarket in San Francisco has installed automatic gates, placed barriers around its self-checkout area and blocked off empty checkout aisles to stop potential thieves from fleeing the store with goods, as per the San Francisco Chronicle. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Not just this, the police in different cities are also making concerted efforts to check these criminal activities. &nbsp;

In San Francisco, cops have come up with new traffic patterns near high-end retailers to make it harder for thieves to commit crimes and race away, reported NBC News. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/finally-nasa-to-launch-10-billion-james-webb-space-telescope-on-christmas-eve-437832">Finally, NASA to launch $10 bn James Webb Space Telescope on Christmas Eve</a>

San Francisco Police Chief William Scott said, "We will do what we need to do to put an end to this madness." &nbsp;&nbsp;

The National Retail Foundation (NRF) industry group, in mid-November, said, "organised retail crime now costs retailers an average of $700,000 per $1 billion in sales, and three-fourths of retailers saw an increase in ORC in 2020, according to NRF’s 2020 Organised Retail Crime Survey." &nbsp;&nbsp;

The group added, "The report found that half of retailers are allocating additional technology resources to deter theft, while rest are allocating capital to specific loss prevention equipment." &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Thefts and robberies have always been a cause of concern for several retailers in the US but not anymore as many of these businesses have employed protective measures to check the nuisance.

Thefts and robberies have always been a cause of concern for several retailers in the US but not anymore as many of these businesses have employed protective measures to check the nuisance. This holiday season may be less painful for retailers and bring cheer for all. With this thought in mind, the businesses have deployed coiled wire and other measures to deter criminals from carrying out thefts and smash-and-grab-type robberies. A yellow coiled wire similar to something one can see guarding a prison has been placed outside the Grove shopping centre in Los Angeles. Also Read: Watch | US man booted out of plane for wearing thong as face mask "If somebody’s running, trying to get through something quickly, they are going to have to navigate it and get tangled up," Josh Nielsen, vice president, Adamson Police Products, told ‘Newsnation Now’ this week. A Safeway supermarket in San Francisco has installed automatic gates, placed barriers around its self-checkout area and blocked off empty checkout aisles to stop potential thieves from fleeing the store with goods, as per the San Francisco Chronicle. Not just this, the police in different cities are also making concerted efforts to check these criminal activities. In San Francisco, cops have come up with new traffic patterns near high-end retailers to make it harder for thieves to commit crimes and race away, reported NBC News. Also Read: Finally, NASA to launch $10 bn James Webb Space Telescope on Christmas Eve San Francisco Police Chief William Scott said, "We will do what we need to do to put an end to this madness." The National Retail Foundation (NRF) industry group, in mid-November, said, "organised retail crime now costs retailers an average of $700,000 per $1 billion in sales, and three-fourths of retailers saw an increase in ORC in 2020, according to NRF’s 2020 Organised Retail Crime Survey." The group added, "The report found that half of retailers are allocating additional technology resources to deter theft, while rest are allocating capital to specific loss prevention equipment." (With inputs from agencies)

US retailers gear up to combat thefts, robberies with protective measures

In order to seek better medical care for COVID-19 patients in jail, numerous inmates rioted and set fire at a prison in southern Thailand, the officials said on Friday. &nbsp;

As per Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin, around 400 inmates at main provincial prison at Krabi went violent on Thursday night. It happened when a core group demanded that inmates infected with coronavirus be removed from the facility for better treatment. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amid-threat-of-omicron-wave-americans-rush-to-get-covid-19-boosters-437648" hreflang="en">Amid threat of Omicron wave, Americans rush to get COVID-19 boosters</a>

Police Maj Gen Chaiwat Ouikham said that they began destroying property in sleeping area and setting fire, as per the ‘Bangkok Post’ newspaper. &nbsp;&nbsp;

As the riot escalated, around 300 police and other security personnel were sent to the facility. &nbsp;

After overnight negotiations, provincial Governor Puthipong Sirimat finally agreed to send 14 inmates with severe Covid symptoms for treatment. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germany-warns-of-massive-fifth-wave-as-omicron-cases-surge-in-europe-437731" hreflang="en">Germany warns of 'massive fifth wave' as Omicron cases surge in Europe</a>

The three inmates, who had tried to climb over the prison wall, were injured after being hit with rubber bullets. No deaths were reported in the incident. &nbsp;

After calm was restored on Friday, provincial heath staff provided ATK tests for inmates and found that around 200 were infected, said Puthipong. &nbsp;

In an attempt to ease overcrowding, female inmates were being sent to other prisons. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In order to seek better medical care for COVID-19 patients in jail, numerous inmates rioted and set fire at a prison in southern Thailand, the officials said on Friday.

In order to seek better medical care for COVID-19 patients in jail, numerous inmates rioted and set fire at a prison in southern Thailand, the officials said on Friday. As per Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin, around 400 inmates at main provincial prison at Krabi went violent on Thursday night. It happened when a core group demanded that inmates infected with coronavirus be removed from the facility for better treatment. Also Read: Amid threat of Omicron wave, Americans rush to get COVID-19 boosters Police Maj Gen Chaiwat Ouikham said that they began destroying property in sleeping area and setting fire, as per the ‘Bangkok Post’ newspaper. As the riot escalated, around 300 police and other security personnel were sent to the facility. After overnight negotiations, provincial Governor Puthipong Sirimat finally agreed to send 14 inmates with severe Covid symptoms for treatment. Also Read: Germany warns of 'massive fifth wave' as Omicron cases surge in Europe The three inmates, who had tried to climb over the prison wall, were injured after being hit with rubber bullets. No deaths were reported in the incident. After calm was restored on Friday, provincial heath staff provided ATK tests for inmates and found that around 200 were infected, said Puthipong. In an attempt to ease overcrowding, female inmates were being sent to other prisons. (With inputs from agencies)

To seek better care for COVID-19 patients in Thailand jail, inmates riot, set fire

Democrats have less than a month left controlling Virginia before Republicans take over the House of Delegates and the governor’s mansion. With the clock ticking, many in the party want to seize what they see as a fleeting opportunity: protecting abortion rights by codifying them into state law.

But Democratic leaders in the state Senate have dismissed the idea — and not on policy grounds or over concerns about political messaging. Several of the chamber’s members don’t want to change their vacation plans.

One senator is traveling in Africa. Others are in Europe. And the majority leader is headed to Hawaii.

“They’re not going to be able to get back; flights are booked this time of year,” the majority leader, Richard L. Saslaw, said from California, where he was en route to the Aloha State. The state’s General Assembly does not allow proxy or remote voting, and Democrats’ paper-thin majority in the state Senate requires all members to be present to pass contentious legislation.

“We discussed it,” Saslaw said. “There are too many people out of town.”

As abortion rights stand on a national precipice, with the Supreme Court likely to roll back or overturn Roe v. Wade next year, Democrats have issued dire warnings about the potential consequences, which could include at least 22 states moving swiftly to ban or severely restrict abortion access. The party’s options are limited at the federal and state levels, but many of its lawmakers have vowed to do whatever they can to protect the right to an abortion.

Yet as the intraparty dispute in Virginia shows, the party’s leaders are often wary about confronting the issue head-on. Congressional Democrats have been unable to pass legislative proposals to protect abortion federally, and President Joe Biden has yet to utter the word “abortion” publicly.

Many lawmakers in the party, as they continue to grapple with the pandemic and economic uncertainty, seem unwilling to prioritize abortion rights to the degree that some Democrats believe is necessary given the threats from the Supreme Court and conservative state legislatures.

In Virginia, where Gov. Ralph Northam has long been a champion of abortion rights, Democrats’ 21-19 majority in the state Senate includes moderates and one member who opposes abortion rights.

But beyond abortion politics, there is a split in Richmond between younger and more activist Democrats in the state House, and Senate Democrats who adhere more to the old “Virginia way” of doing state business. They are less willing to embrace extraordinary measures that go beyond the state’s regular legislative sessions, which are held only at the beginning of each year and are finished for 2021.

Sally Hudson, a Democratic delegate from Charlottesville, said she worried that the administration of Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, would roll back expansions of reproductive health care access, like the abortion pills that became available by mail in the state in October.

“We’ve got two years to do our job each term, and I don’t know why we wouldn’t use all the time to do our jobs during that term,” Hudson said. “If not for Roe, for what?”

Abortion rights activists say the situations in Virginia and Washington underscore a lack of true commitment from Democrats, who have spent years campaigning on preserving the constitutional right to an abortion.

“The Democratic Party is clueless right now about the abortion access crisis, and it’s really dispiriting to see them trumpeting the same old rallying cries,” said Erin Matson, a founder of Reproaction, an abortion rights advocacy group.

Democrats in the Virginia Senate argue that it would be impossible to call the chamber back to Richmond in the next month, and that even if they did, there was no guarantee that the party would have enough votes.

“You’re in the holiday season — some people are making plans of being away,” said Creigh Deeds, a Democratic state senator from Bath County. “What’s your reality of getting people to Richmond, and what’s realistic to pass that we haven’t already passed?”

It is an echo of Democrats’ rationale in Congress, where their proposals stand little chance of becoming law under the Senate’s current legislative rules, which require 60 votes to proceed. A liberal group of senators trying to change those procedures to enact voting rights legislation has been thwarted by a few centrist Democrats.

In Virginia, Democrats considered taking action in November as they reeled from their electoral losses but decided against it. Then a series of Supreme Court rulings and hearings on abortion rights heightened the urgency for Democrats, with Republicans set to take the House majority Jan. 12. Youngkin will be inaugurated as governor three days later.

Tarina Keene, the executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia, an abortion rights group, said she had first proposed a postelection legislative session to address abortion rights in the two days immediately after the November election, when Democrats were stunned by Republicans’ victories in the state.

Keene said part of her argument to Virginia Democrats was that Republicans in other states, facing the imminent loss of statehouse control, had used lame-duck sessions to cement an advantage for themselves before Democrats took office.

“We definitely mentioned to folks that they would do that to us,” Keene said. “We’ve seen in it North Carolina and in Wisconsin,” she said. “Those are two very recent examples of what they’re willing to do to undermine the other side.”

Katherine White, who runs Network NoVA, a collective of dozens of liberal organizations in the Washington suburbs, has begun a campaign to pressure Virginia’s Democratic senators to return to Richmond.

She said Democrats’ overconfidence that their candidate for governor, Terry McAuliffe, would win had left them unprepared for the question of protecting abortion rights.

“There was no plan to go big and go bold, because they didn’t plan on losing,” she said.

Since Virginia Democrats took control of Richmond in early 2020, they have fulfilled their promises to roll back Republican-enacted abortion restrictions. But they have left the door open for Youngkin to place administrative roadblocks in the way of abortion access.

Youngkin downplayed his opposition to abortion rights in his general-election campaign. But in June, he was caught on an undercover video taken by a Democratic activist, saying he would go “on offense” if he won and Republicans took control of the House of Delegates.

A Youngkin spokesperson said the governor-elect’s previous remarks on abortion spoke for themselves. Youngkin has said that changing abortion law is not on his “Day 1” agenda, but he also reiterated last month that he would support a ban on most abortions after 20 weeks.

Still, despite the potential for changes to the state’s abortion laws, Saslaw dismissed the prospect of convening his chamber before the incoming governor’s inauguration. He said the possibility had been discarded in November by Democratic state senators — many of whom, including him, have campaigned on pledges to protect abortion rights.

“They didn’t want to do it,” he said Wednesday.

Even before the current Supreme Court cases from Mississippi and Texas that could weaken or overturn Roe v. Wade, many abortion rights supporters believed their movement faced an existential crisis.

This year, states have enacted 106 abortion restrictions, the most passed since Roe was decided in 1973, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a liberal research group.

Of the 15 states where Democrats control both state legislative chambers and the governor’s office, Virginia, Colorado, New Mexico and New Jersey are the only ones that have not enshrined a woman’s right to an abortion into law. Other states, like California and New York, have gone even further, positioning themselves as refuges for women barred from seeking abortions elsewhere.

In Virginia, Saslaw’s position has angered Democratic state delegates, who during a Sunday night conference call pressed Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn to push to bring both chambers back into session.

Filler-Corn told them that she would happily bring them back to Richmond but that Saslaw was strident in his opposition, according to several delegates who participated in the call. Filler-Corn, in a statement issued by her spokesperson, said there was “no consensus” among House Democrats about convening before Youngkin’s inauguration.

Kathleen Murphy, a Democratic delegate from McLean, predicted that women would become outraged next year if Youngkin moved to restrict abortion access.

“This can be taken away from all of us, from all women, just because the Senate has made it clear that they will not come back to deal with the issue in a timely way,” she said.

Democrats have less than a month left controlling Virginia before Republicans take over the House of Delegates and the governor’s mansion. With the clock ticking, many in the party want to seize what they see as a fleeting opportunity: protecting abortion rights by codifying them into state law.

Democrats have less than a month left controlling Virginia before Republicans take over the House of Delegates and the governor’s mansion. With the clock ticking, many in the party want to seize what they see as a fleeting opportunity: protecting abortion rights by codifying them into state law. But Democratic leaders in the state Senate have dismissed the idea — and not on policy grounds or over concerns about political messaging. Several of the chamber’s members don’t want to change their vacation plans. One senator is traveling in Africa. Others are in Europe. And the majority leader is headed to Hawaii. “They’re not going to be able to get back; flights are booked this time of year,” the majority leader, Richard L. Saslaw, said from California, where he was en route to the Aloha State. The state’s General Assembly does not allow proxy or remote voting, and Democrats’ paper-thin majority in the state Senate requires all members to be present to pass contentious legislation. “We discussed it,” Saslaw said. “There are too many people out of town.” As abortion rights stand on a national precipice, with the Supreme Court likely to roll back or overturn Roe v. Wade next year, Democrats have issued dire warnings about the potential consequences, which could include at least 22 states moving swiftly to ban or severely restrict abortion access. The party’s options are limited at the federal and state levels, but many of its lawmakers have vowed to do whatever they can to protect the right to an abortion. Yet as the intraparty dispute in Virginia shows, the party’s leaders are often wary about confronting the issue head-on. Congressional Democrats have been unable to pass legislative proposals to protect abortion federally, and President Joe Biden has yet to utter the word “abortion” publicly. Many lawmakers in the party, as they continue to grapple with the pandemic and economic uncertainty, seem unwilling to prioritize abortion rights to the degree that some Democrats believe is necessary given the threats from the Supreme Court and conservative state legislatures. In Virginia, where Gov. Ralph Northam has long been a champion of abortion rights, Democrats’ 21-19 majority in the state Senate includes moderates and one member who opposes abortion rights. But beyond abortion politics, there is a split in Richmond between younger and more activist Democrats in the state House, and Senate Democrats who adhere more to the old “Virginia way” of doing state business. They are less willing to embrace extraordinary measures that go beyond the state’s regular legislative sessions, which are held only at the beginning of each year and are finished for 2021. Sally Hudson, a Democratic delegate from Charlottesville, said she worried that the administration of Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, would roll back expansions of reproductive health care access, like the abortion pills that became available by mail in the state in October. “We’ve got two years to do our job each term, and I don’t know why we wouldn’t use all the time to do our jobs during that term,” Hudson said. “If not for Roe, for what?” Abortion rights activists say the situations in Virginia and Washington underscore a lack of true commitment from Democrats, who have spent years campaigning on preserving the constitutional right to an abortion. “The Democratic Party is clueless right now about the abortion access crisis, and it’s really dispiriting to see them trumpeting the same old rallying cries,” said Erin Matson, a founder of Reproaction, an abortion rights advocacy group. Democrats in the Virginia Senate argue that it would be impossible to call the chamber back to Richmond in the next month, and that even if they did, there was no guarantee that the party would have enough votes. “You’re in the holiday season — some people are making plans of being away,” said Creigh Deeds, a Democratic state senator from Bath County. “What’s your reality of getting people to Richmond, and what’s realistic to pass that we haven’t already passed?” It is an echo of Democrats’ rationale in Congress, where their proposals stand little chance of becoming law under the Senate’s current legislative rules, which require 60 votes to proceed. A liberal group of senators trying to change those procedures to enact voting rights legislation has been thwarted by a few centrist Democrats. In Virginia, Democrats considered taking action in November as they reeled from their electoral losses but decided against it. Then a series of Supreme Court rulings and hearings on abortion rights heightened the urgency for Democrats, with Republicans set to take the House majority Jan. 12. Youngkin will be inaugurated as governor three days later. Tarina Keene, the executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia, an abortion rights group, said she had first proposed a postelection legislative session to address abortion rights in the two days immediately after the November election, when Democrats were stunned by Republicans’ victories in the state. Keene said part of her argument to Virginia Democrats was that Republicans in other states, facing the imminent loss of statehouse control, had used lame-duck sessions to cement an advantage for themselves before Democrats took office. “We definitely mentioned to folks that they would do that to us,” Keene said. “We’ve seen in it North Carolina and in Wisconsin,” she said. “Those are two very recent examples of what they’re willing to do to undermine the other side.” Katherine White, who runs Network NoVA, a collective of dozens of liberal organizations in the Washington suburbs, has begun a campaign to pressure Virginia’s Democratic senators to return to Richmond. She said Democrats’ overconfidence that their candidate for governor, Terry McAuliffe, would win had left them unprepared for the question of protecting abortion rights. “There was no plan to go big and go bold, because they didn’t plan on losing,” she said. Since Virginia Democrats took control of Richmond in early 2020, they have fulfilled their promises to roll back Republican-enacted abortion restrictions. But they have left the door open for Youngkin to place administrative roadblocks in the way of abortion access. Youngkin downplayed his opposition to abortion rights in his general-election campaign. But in June, he was caught on an undercover video taken by a Democratic activist, saying he would go “on offense” if he won and Republicans took control of the House of Delegates. A Youngkin spokesperson said the governor-elect’s previous remarks on abortion spoke for themselves. Youngkin has said that changing abortion law is not on his “Day 1” agenda, but he also reiterated last month that he would support a ban on most abortions after 20 weeks. Still, despite the potential for changes to the state’s abortion laws, Saslaw dismissed the prospect of convening his chamber before the incoming governor’s inauguration. He said the possibility had been discarded in November by Democratic state senators — many of whom, including him, have campaigned on pledges to protect abortion rights. “They didn’t want to do it,” he said Wednesday. Even before the current Supreme Court cases from Mississippi and Texas that could weaken or overturn Roe v. Wade, many abortion rights supporters believed their movement faced an existential crisis. This year, states have enacted 106 abortion restrictions, the most passed since Roe was decided in 1973, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a liberal research group. Of the 15 states where Democrats control both state legislative chambers and the governor’s office, Virginia, Colorado, New Mexico and New Jersey are the only ones that have not enshrined a woman’s right to an abortion into law. Other states, like California and New York, have gone even further, positioning themselves as refuges for women barred from seeking abortions elsewhere. In Virginia, Saslaw’s position has angered Democratic state delegates, who during a Sunday night conference call pressed Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn to push to bring both chambers back into session. Filler-Corn told them that she would happily bring them back to Richmond but that Saslaw was strident in his opposition, according to several delegates who participated in the call. Filler-Corn, in a statement issued by her spokesperson, said there was “no consensus” among House Democrats about convening before Youngkin’s inauguration. Kathleen Murphy, a Democratic delegate from McLean, predicted that women would become outraged next year if Youngkin moved to restrict abortion access. “This can be taken away from all of us, from all women, just because the Senate has made it clear that they will not come back to deal with the issue in a timely way,” she said.

Protect abortion rights? Virginia Democrats’ vacation plans get in the way.

Author

Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Gandharv Walia

Home

Live Tv

Latest

World

India

Business

Entertainment

Sports

Opinions

Videos

Photos

Gravitas

Lifestyle

Science

Tech

Rajasthan News in Hindi: In-depth coverage of Rajasthan Crime, Political News, Education, Rajasthan Weather Update and Latest Rajasthan News on Zee News Rajasthan.