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Reporters Without Borders criticises the legislation saying it has negative chapters that constitute a violation of press freedom.

Algerias parliament has approved a new media law that tightens control over the work of journalists and imposes new restrictions.

While the government said the law is key to ensuring the free exercise of media activity under legal controls, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said the law included negative chapters that constitute a violation of press freedom.

The law bans the Algerian media from receiving any funding or material assistance from any foreign entity.

Communications Minister Mohamed Bouslimani said the law aims to enshrine freedom and pluralism of the press, and protect it from all forms of deviation.

The new law de facto excludes dual nationals from the right to own or contribute to the ownership of a media outlet in Algeria.

Some chapters are positive, some others represent a violation of press freedom, such as revealing sources to the judiciary, if requested, restricting access to any funding, Khaled Drareni, the representative of RSF in North Africa, said.

Unlike the old law that required formal authorisation from the Ministry of Communication to create a newspaper, the new one is much easier in that it says journalists can set up a media outlet by only making a statement.

Earlier this month, a court in Algeria sentenced Ihsane El Kadi, a prominent journalist, to five years in prison. Ihsane, a vocal critic of the government who was arrested on December 24, has been accused of receiving foreign funding.

El Kadis arrest was also condemned by human rights organisations such as Amnesty International and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

Read more here:
Algeria parliament approves law tightening control over the media - Al Jazeera English

The former head of the general counsel of the FBI, James Baker, met with Clinton lawyer Mr. Sussmann and helped him pass the false claim that the Trump org was secretly communicating with the Russian Alpha Bank. James Baker then took a similar role with social media giant Twitter. By determining what should be censored or highlighted, he was able to control a large segment of the flow of national news. His influence, and that of other top government officials now in the corporate world, had the ability to control what is reported and not reported. Twitters hierarchy included more than 12 former FBI agents who had an incredible influence on the national reporting of the news. Before Elon Musk took over Twitter, 99 percent of the employees gave donations to the Democrat party. It was obvious that this social media site favored a socialist view.This infiltration of Democrat government operatives in the media has had a profound effect on the type of flow of information that reaches the American public. Without the free dissemination of all viewpoints on an issue, citizens are robbed of making an educated decision on the direction of our nation.

The head of any nation that seizes control of the media is frightening as this leader is on the way to becoming a powerful dictator. At this juncture in our history, journalists have been primarily taught by university programs that are extremely progressive leaning. Conservative-leaning students are either not accepted into these programs or are weeded out by the political woke demands of the program. This gives rise to a strong positive bias toward the left and a negative one against conservatives.

Most news reported by the media today supports far-left ideas, while news that is not supportive of the left is buried. This biased press encourages the administration to accumulate more power which leads to more censorship of any political opposition and, thus, greater power. This creates an arrogant presidential leader who walks away from answering pertinent questions that should be answered.

The control of the press by one political group leads to propagandizing the people, which is essential to creating a one-party government. A courageous free press is essential to keep any government on the right course to protect the peoples freedom and economic prosperity. They do not buy the regimes public relation campaign to retain power.

The government controls the media by inserting certain ex-government officials into power positions in the media, thus allowing them to control the message. This takeover of media corporations by ex-officials to do the bidding of the administration is a censorship of free speech. They can do this because of their control over breaking stories and which stories are covered.

These public relations techniques were initiated by Sigmund Freuds nephew, Edward Bernay, and used by Josef Goebbels in Nazi Germany to shape public opinion. They were effective in Nazi Germany as well as in selling products in our modern consumer advertising world and presently in mainstream politics.

Our nation no longer possesses a free press. It should not matter if a progressive or conservative party is in power. The function of the press is to report all the viable news to the public. The integrity of the reporter to state all the accurate news regardless of political implications is essential for a functioning republic.

Once the mass media chooses sides in the political arena by censoring the news and embellishing the positives of their allies, the media becomes an arm of the ruling class. In a representative government, a corrupt mass media that has sold its integrity for political favors serves as an accomplice in undermining the democratic process. In essence, the media becomes a propaganda bureau for the ruling party. This arrangement cannot coexist within a constitutional republic.

This sell-out by the mass media can only be rectified by morally courageous people correcting the record. This will encourage other honest reporters to overcome their fears of being canceled. Through their tenacity in asking specific and difficult questions, reporters can keep politicians on both sides of the aisle honest. These comprehensive and penetrating questions will initially prevent politicians and spokesmen from talking in generalities and preventing them from circling back to cleverly repeat another avoidance message.

By uncovering the true stories of what is happening, individual journalists will start unraveling the lies of the party in power. This will allow better understanding by citizens of the politicians motivation and allow the citizens to choose the best candidates to represent them and preserve our constitution.

Instead of slick, false public relations techniques that can undermine truth, honest facts will defeat a potential dictator. This will protect all the positive institutions that have kept the country strong for the people.

Domenick Maglio, PhD. is a columnist carried by various newspapers, an author of several books, and owner/director of Wider Horizons School, a college prep program. Dr. Maglio is an author of weekly newspaper articles, INVASION WITHIN, and a new just published book entitled IN CHARGE PARENTING In a PC World. You can visit Dr. Maglio at http://www.drmaglio.blogspot.com.

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Government Control of the Media = Totalitarianism - Hernando Sun

Officials encourage people to protect themselves from mosquito bites by using bug spray. Harris County Public Health confirmed bug spray is one of the best ways to keep mosquitoes away as warmer weather arrives.

Local health officials say warmer weather means cookouts, swimming, and other outdoor activities, but also means a lot more mosquitoes.

Barbie Robinson is the Harris County Health Executive Director and said the Houston-area has the perfect conditions for a higher risk of mosquito-borne illnesses in humans and animals.

"We're prone to hurricanes, tropical storms, and wet conditions, as well as hot weather," she said. "And these types of conditions lead to an increase in mosquito problems in populations."

Robinson said mosquitos are considered the most dangerous insects in the world because of the way they can spread disease. The West Nile or Zika virus are examples of viruses most prominent in hot and humid areas like Houston.

Other officials warn that this year will likely see more mosquito problems than the last. County Mosquito Control Director Max Vigilant said Houston has seen a fluctuation in mosquito populations for the past few years.

"Usually, when we see this pattern, it's always like a two-year increase," he said. "So I'm looking at 2023, where our numbers may be higher than what 2022 presented to us."

Last year, five cases of mosquito-borne viruses were reported in Harris County. Of the five, one man in his 80s died form the West Nile Virus.

Health officials provided various ways residents can reduce mosquito activity around their homes and avoid mosquito-borne illnesses.

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Ways to reduce mosquito activity around your home Houston ... - Houston Public Media

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Remarks as delivered:

Mr. Secretary, you and I were federal prosecutors on border states; we've known each other for a long time. When you took office, we were securing the border.

You said that you have operational control. Well, last month your border patrol chief Mr. Ortiz testified before this committee that DHS does not have operational control of the border, and I agree with him.

In my 20 years in Congress, as a former chair of this committee, and as a federal prosecutor tasked with securing the border in Texas, I've never seen this border more out of control. And I believe it's because on day one you rescinded the Migrant Protection Protocols otherwise known [as] Remain in Mexico.

At at that time two years ago, you said it was necessary to terminate this program that was working because, quote, it [had] unjustifiable human costs" associated with it. But I ask you:

Is it justifiable thatmigrant encounters have risen to 5 million people since you took office?

Is it justifiable thatmore than 100,000 Americans have died from fentanyl flowing across the border?

Is it justifiable that98 suspected terrorists attempted to enter the homeland last year alone and who knows how many have made it in? When I was chairman, I wanted that stat every week I got briefed.

Is it justifiable thatat least 12,000 criminals attempted to enter the homeland last year, 1,000 with assault-related charges and 62 with homicide-related charges?

Is it justifiable to human costs thatat least 853 migrants died trying to make the dangerous journey across the border last year the most on record in the history of this country? ...

Is it justifiable thatin my state, first responders found stacks of bodies" that's a quote abandoned by human smugglers in a trailer who suffocated to death?

Are these human costsjustifiablebecause they align with your political agenda?

Because I dont think ANY of these things NONE of this is justifiable.

This is the biggest human trafficking crisis of my lifetime. And you, sir, are complicit with it.

Ive been down [to the border] so many times, but now it's completely out of control. And what are we going to do with five million people who have no legal status in this country? How do you deal with this problem? They're going to live in the shadows. Where are they going to go? The women [and] the girls are going to be sex-trafficked, and the young men are going to go to MS-13. That's going to be their family.

You know it, and I know you know it. Because you know better. You're a smart man. You were a U.S. attorney like me.

Thats why I'm supporting our bill that we're going to mark up to try to get control of this thing once and for all.And as Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, I'm going to [introduce a bill to] compel this administration to renegotiate Remain in Mexico.

You know, in the final analysis, sir, your job is a solemn one. It's probably one of the most important cabinet jobs because your job is to protect the American people from threats. Your job is to secure borders, air, land, and sea.

And in my judgment and it's hard for me to say this, I've known you for quite some time but you have failed in your job.And I think you know this.

And I agree with our border patrol agents. [One] of the most profound things that I saw in your tenure [was] when you went down to the border and the border patrol agents turned their backs on you because, quote, "you have turned your back on them."

I think that speaks volumes about your tenure in office. For God's sake, work with us to get this done. It is out of control. And it's at great human cost, and none of it is justifiable.

One rescission one stroke of the pen rescinding Migrant Protection Protocol/Remain in Mexico was the direct cause and effect. And your agents on the border tell me this.

"What caused this crisis?" I ask. It's because the president rescinded Remain in Mexico. Because [immigrants coming illegally] couldn't get in the United States before that, and now they get in and it's catch and release all over again, and now we have this crisis at the border.

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McCaul Remarks at Homeland Security Hearing with Mayorkas ... - House.gov

Commonwealth of VirginiaOffice of the Attorney General

Jason S. MiyaresAttorney General

202 North 9th StreetRichmond, Virginia 23219804-786-2071FAX 804-786-1991Virginia Relay Service800-828-1120

For media inquiries only, contact:Victoria LaCivita(804) 588-2021This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

1st Adult & Pediatrics Healthcare to Pay $3 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations

LYNCHBURG, Va. 1st Adult & Pediatrics Healthcare Services, headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, has agreed to pay $3,000,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by engaging in fraudulent billing activities between January 2017 and May 2021 with regards to pediatric in-home health, personal care, and related services.

From 2017 and continuing through May 2021, 1st Adult & Pediatrics billed Virginia Medicaid for reimbursements for in-home health care services for pediatric patients who were actually hospitalized at the time the in-home services were billed. In addition, 1st Adult & Pediatrics routinely billed Virginian Medicaid for home health services that were not actually provided.

Those who take advantage of Virginians during some of their most vulnerable times must be held accountable. Thanks to the excellent work done by my office and our federal partners, this organization will have to answer for its illegitimate billing methods that exploited hospitalized pediatric patients, said Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares.

The Medicaid and Medicare systems are important safety nets for many in our communities, especially vulnerable patients, like the seriously ill children involved in this case. We must do our part to keep them free of waste, fraud, and abuse, Principal Deputy United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee said today. I am grateful for our partnership with the Virginia Medicare Fraud Control Unit and the Department of Health and Human Services in resolving this matter.

Providers that submit false Medicaid claims disregard their legal requirement to bill for services legitimately and, simultaneously, cheat the program on which their patients greatly rely, stated Special Agent in Charge Maureen R. Dixon of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). In collaboration with fellow agencies, HHS-OIG is committed to preventing and detecting fraud in taxpayer-funded health care programs.

The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act against 1st Adult & Pediatrics. Under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the settlement if the government takes over the case and reaches a monetary agreement with the defendant. In this case, the United States and Commonwealth of Virginia intervened in the whistleblowers case and obtained default prior to settlement. The case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Patterson & Williams v. 1st Adult & Pediatrics Healthcare Services, Inc., Civil Action No. 6:19-cv-68.

The resolutions obtained in this matter were the result of a coordinated effort among the United States Attorneys Office for the Western District of Virginia, the Office of the Virginia Attorney Generals Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and the Department of Health and Human Services.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Lugar and the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Division investigated the matter.

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.

The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit is funded 75% by a grant from the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, with 25% matching funds from the Commonwealth of Virginia.

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April 19, 2023 - 1st Adult & Pediatrics Healthcare to Pay $3 Million to ... - Attorney General of Virginia