GLOBAL AWARENESS 101 - Let your VOICE be heard and get involved. OUR future depends on it!
We can do the right thing to create positive change within ourselves and the world around us! I have created this blog with the intention of keeping you informed of news that is affecting humanity and nature throughout the world! There is no better time than the present to become a global participant and not just an innocent bystander. I have provided you with several websites to help empower yourself and a list of global organizations that you can choose from to make a difference.
Imagine there is a bank account that credits your account each morning with $86,400. It carries over no balance from day to day.
Every evening the bank deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to use during the day. What would you do? Draw out every cent, of course?
Each of us has such a bank. It's name is TIME.
Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds.
Every night it writes off as lost, whatever of this you have failed to invest to a good purpose.
It carries over no balance. It allows no over draft. Each day it opens a new account for you. Each night it burns the remains of the day.
If you fail to use the day's deposits, the loss is yours. There is no drawing against "tomorrow."
You must live in the present on today's deposits. Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health, happiness and success!
The clock is running!! Make the most of today.
To realise the value of ONE YEAR, ask a student who failed a grade.
To realise the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who has given birth to a premature baby.
To realise the value of ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper.
To realise the value of ONE HOUR, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.
To realise the value of ONE MINUTE, ask a person who just missed a train.
To realise the value of ONE SECOND, ask someone who just avoided an accident.
To realise the value of ONE MILLISECOND, ask the person who won a silver medal at the Olympics.
Treasure every moment that you have! And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time with. And remember time waits for no one.
Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why its called the present.
written by Michael Angier, founder and CIO (Chief Innovation Officer) of SuccessNet
[source: Talent Development Resources]
A long-time friend called me the other day seeking some support. "Jack" was feeling stuck. He's going through a tough time in his life--financially, professionally and emotionally -- and he was reaching out to a few trusted friends to gain more clarity.
I thought his approach was very smart, and I was honored to be one of the few he called.
Jack didn't want to repeat some familiar and unhelpful patterns and was asking what I thought might be holding him back.
The fact Jack recognized that he was feeling stuck and reached out to ensure he didn't STAY stuck told me he was way ahead of where he had been in the past.
After asking him a few questiõns, I told Jack I believed his biggest challenge was, and has always been, that he was too hard on himself.
He accepted my observation, but he wanted more. Jack wanted to know what it would look like for him to lighten up. He wanted the specific recipe for going easier on himself.
You see, I can easily relate to Jack's issue. I used to put myself down a lot for my mistakes. I often felt stupid, inadequate, guilty and remorseful. I can still fall back into that occasionally. But I catch myself pretty quickly, and I don't stay stuck in it.
Nonetheless, I didn't feel particularly articulate or confident in the answer I gave him. Just how DO we lighten up? How do we forgive ourselves?
I think acceptance is the first step. All too often, we justify and defend instead of acknowledge what we did that didn't work.
Jack wasn't doing this. He was anxious to learn and grow from past mistakes. He's also very grateful for the many good things he DOES have in his life -- a very important thing.
It's also important to recognize that it's a big life. Your current situation is only a chapter in your life -- maybe even a page.
I'm not saying we shouldn't learn from where we are. I'm only suggesting that we keep it in its proper perspective.
If you're being hard on yourself, would you be as hard on others if THEY had made the same mistake? I doubt it. Where is it written that you should be above making mistakes?
And you don't have to understand all the reasons why things are the way they are. It would be nice to understand it all, but you can't always do that.
You can expend all your energy studying the root instead of picking the fruit. Learn what you can and move on. You may only be able to fully understand it later.
Remember that it's our resistance to what is that causes our pain. When we think we shouldn't be in this predicament, that it's not fair or wonder, "How could I have been so stupid," we create pain for ourselves. And in doing so, we perpetuate the stuck icky feeling.
Another thing that will move us onward and upward is to take action each day on improving our situation. We may not be able to change what's happened, but we CAN change how we react to it. When we consistently take positive action to improve upon our difficulties, we feel better about ourselves, and we begin to see progress.
We all need to forgive ourselves for our shortcomings. Jack is one of the kindest, gentlest men I know. He has a big heart. But I'm guessing, like I had done, he bought into other people's criticism and began to question his goodness. In doing so, it made it easy for him to beat up on himself.
For me, I had to learn to develop a thicker skin to protect my soft heart. As a writer and Internet publisher, it's been essential. I tell others, "Develop a thick skin and a soft heart -- and never mix them up."
It also helps to surround ourselves with people who believe in us. Not necessarily people who AGREE with us, but rather people who will tell us the truth without judging us -- people who see the best in us.
By being more aware, by trusting ourselves, by forgiving ourselves and by not taking ourselves too seriously, we can move out of self deprecation and into self confidence. We can lighten up, be gentle with ourselves, break free and achieve the best that's within us.
To think that "I am the mind," is unawareness. To know that mind is only a mechanism just as the body is, to know that the mind is separate.... The night comes, the morning comes: you don't get identified with the night. You don't say, "I am night," you don't say, "I am morning." The night comes, the morning comes, the day comes, again the night comes; the wheel goes on moving, but you remain alert that you are not these things.
The same is the case with the mind. Anger comes, but you forget -- you become anger. Greed comes, you forget -- you become greed. Hate comes, you forget -- you become hate. This is unawareness.
Awareness is watching that the mind is full of greed, full of anger, full of hate or full of lust, but you are simply a watcher. Then you can see greed arising, becoming a great, dark cloud, then dispersing -- and you remain untouched. How long can it remain? Your anger is momentary, your greed is momentary, your lust is momentary. Just watch a little and you will be surprised: it comes and it goes. And you are remaining there unaffected, cool, calm.
The most basic thing to remember is that when you are feeling good, in a mood of ecstasy, don't start thinking that it is going to be your permanent state. Live the moment as joyfully, as cheerfully as possible, knowing perfectly well that it has come and it will go -- just like a breeze comes in your house, with all its fragrance and freshness, and goes out from the other door.
This is the most fundamental thing. If you start thinking in terms of making your ecstatic moments permanent, you have already started destroying them. When they come, be grateful; when they leave, be thankful to existence (God). Remain open. It will happen many times -- don't be judgmental, don't be a chooser. Remain choiceless. Yes, there will be moments when you will be miserable. So what? There are people who are miserable and who have not even known a single moment of ecstasy; you are fortunate. Even in your misery, remember that it is not going to be permanent; it will also pass away, so don't get too much disturbed by it. Remain at ease.
Just like day and night, there are moments of joy and there are moments of sadness; accept them as part of the duality of nature, as the very way things are. And you are simply a watcher: neither you become happiness nor you become misery. Happiness comes and goes, misery comes and goes. One thing remains always there -- always and always -- and that is the watcher, one who witnesses.
Slowly, slowly get more and more centered into the watcher. Days will come and nights will come... lives will come and deaths will come... success will come, failure will come. But if you are centered in the watcher -- because that is the only reality in you -- everything is a passing phenomenon.
Just for a moment, try to feel what I am saying: just be a watcher....
Do not cling to any moment because it is beautiful, and do not push any moment because it is miserable. Stop doing that. That you have been doing for lives. You have not been successful yet and you will never be successful ever. The only way to go beyond, to remain beyond, is to find a place from where you can watch all these changing phenomena without getting identified.
Everything passes, but you remain. You are the reality; everything else is just a dream. Beautiful dreams are there, nightmares are there... But it does not matter whether it is a beautiful dream or a nightmare; what matters is the one who is seeing the dream. That seer is the only reality.
Click On Detroit published June 2, 2026: FBI: NIH scientists accused of smuggling monkeypox into US through Detroit Metro Airport. Two National Institutes of Health researchers were charged Tuesday with conspiracy to smuggle monkeypox into the United States and making false statements to federal law enforcement, according to a federal criminal complaint. (Photo by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)
NBC Montana published June 4, 2026: NIH says it secured lab spaces and reviewed materials after monkeypox smuggling allegation. Two researchers with the National Institutes of Health at Rocky Mountain Laboratory in Hamilton are charged in a federal criminal complaint with conspiracy to smuggle monkeypox into the United States and making false statements to federal law enforcement, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Detroit.
The US House committee on energy and commerce is “examining concerns” about the National Institutes of Health after two NIH scientists were charged with allegedly smuggling mpox into the United States and misleading investigators.
Federal law enforcement alleges that Dr Vincent Munster, 53, a Dutch national and chief of the virus ecology section at the NIH’s Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML) in Montana, and Claude Kwe, 38, a research fellow from Cameroon, transported vials containing monkeypox, now known as mpox, into the country without declaring them to customs and then “lying about it”.
Rocky Mountain Laboratories is an NIH National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (Niaid) facility that contains biosafety level 4 (BSL-4) laboratories, the highest level of biocontainment, where researchers study dangerous pathogens like Ebola and Nipah virus, often using animals such as bats and monkeys.
Munster is a “well-published scientist with approximately 400 publications and 69,000 citations”. Together Munster and Kwe have co-authored 12 reports related to mpox since 2023.
According to a criminal complaint filed on 2 June, the scientists arrived at the Detroit metropolitan airport on 25 January after a nine-day research trip to the Republic of Congo, where they had been studying the mpox strain linked to the country’s current outbreak. Mpox is a viral disease that can cause fever, swollen lymph nodes and a painful rash. In 2024 alone, Africa reported 80,276 suspected cases of mpox and 1,340 deaths from it.
A US attorney’s office press release states that Customs and Border Protection officials questioned the scientists about a “large black plastic case” they were carrying through the airport. The researchers allegedly told officials that the container held “diagnostic and testing equipment”. However, a subsequent inspection reportedly uncovered 113 sealed laboratory vials packed inside styrofoam coolers. When asked for required documentation, Munster allegedly replied: “Yes yes, it’s all in my laptop, but you won’t need them. I do this all the time.”
Authorities say laboratory analysis has so far examined 20 of the vials. Seventeen allegedly contained “inactivated monkeypox virus, one contained chickenpox virus and two contained human DNA”. The contents of the remaining vials have not been publicly identified.
The importation of biological agents, including deactivated samples rendered non-infectious, are subject to strict regulatory requirements in the US. Prosecutors allege that Munster and Kwe required authorisation and documentation to transport such materials on a commercial flight, as well as declaring them upon entry.
Both Munster and Kwe were charged on 2 June with conspiracy to smuggle mpox into the US and giving false statements to federal law enforcement.
Announcing the charges, Jerome Gorgon Jr, a US attorney, said the allegations represented a serious breach of federal law. “These NIH experts apparently broke our laws by smuggling viral pathogens on a packed commercial airplane from an outbreak in the Republic of Congo,” he said. “Let that sink in.”
Marcus Sykes, a special agent of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) office of inspector general, said: “Any deliberate effort to conceal and smuggle biological materials into the United States without proper authorisation is a breach of the public’s trust and could have placed the public at risk.”
Both men pleaded not guilty at a hearing in Missoula, Montana, on 3 June and were released on bail after surrendering their passports.
The case has triggered a congressional review. In a letter to the NIH director, Dr Jay Bhattacharya, dated 16 June, the House committee on energy and commerce requested details about Munster and Kwe’s work, the origin and transport of the biological samples, whether the NIH authorised or was aware of the trip, and the agency’s response after learning of the allegations.
The committee is also seeking a timeline of the NIH’s responses, including any prior compliance concerns involving the researchers, and whether they made false statements to the NIH or other federal agencies.
The criminal charges have also renewed scrutiny of Rocky Mountain Laboratories’ biosafety protocols.
In a 26 May letter to the HHS inspector general, T March Bell, Tim Sheehy, a Republican senator, called for an independent investigation into Rocky Mountain Laboratories’ biosecurity and personnel practices, citing a whistleblower complaint submitted to White Coat Waste. The organization has long criticised Munster’s taxpayer-funded animal research, arguing that it raises ethical, biosafety and national security concerns.
Sheehy pointed to two reported employee exposures to the potentially fatal Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus, one involving a monkey bite and another a failure of protective clothing. Both exposures have since been confirmed by the NIH.
Sheehy also cited claims that Munster retained access to the high-containment lab after being detained by authorities. HHS did not respond to requests for comment.
An NIH spokesperson said the agency was notified of the airport incident in January and immediately implemented established protocols to secure laboratory facilities, research materials and biological samples: “NIH also took appropriate personnel actions and took all relevant steps to confirm that there was no risk at any time to staff or the public in or around the [Rocky Mountain Laboratories] facility,” the spokesperson said.
“This matter is currently under investigation, and NIH is cooperating fully with law enforcement. NIH leadership continues to prioritise biosafety across the agency and promote a culture of accountability, compliance, and responsible scientific research throughout the biomedical research enterprise.”
Munster and Kwe each face a maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment if convicted. Kwe’s lawyer, Benton Martin, said: “Mr Kwe is presumed innocent and we will await further proceedings before commenting further.” Munster did not respond to requests for comment.
CNY Central published June 23, 2026: Court documents reveal disturbing images of child porn on school board VP's iPhone. A criminal complaint revealed the disturbing findings on a phone belonging to the Cazenovia Board of Education Vice President.
Travis J. Longo, 46, is facing charges related to child pornography after investigators found child sex abuse material, or CSAM, on his orange iPhone 17 Pro Max. Those images were recovered on June 18. He is also facing four counts of endangering the welfare of a child after the New York State Police found he "engaged in a pattern of sexually explicit communications with a child under the age of 12."
NewsChannel 9 WSYR Syracuse published June 23, 2026: Video from former Cazenovia school board VP concerned parents months before child porn arrest. A petition is calling for Cazenovia Central School District school board members to resign, with district parents saying they feel their prior concerns about the former vice president, Travis Longo, were ignored.
CNY Central published June 24, 2026: Caz school board VP resigns, stay jailed without bail amid child sex crime accusations.
Graphic warning: Some readers may find the details in this article disturbing. Viewer discretion is advised.
CAZENOVIA, N.Y. -- A criminal complaint revealed the disturbing findings on a phone belonging to the Cazenovia Board of Education Vice President.
Travis J. Longo, 46, is facing charges related to child pornography after investigators found child sex abuse material, or CSAM, on his orange iPhone 17 Pro Max. Those images were recovered on June 18. He is also facing four counts of endangering the welfare of a child after the New York State Police found he "engaged in a pattern of sexually explicit communications with a child under the age of 12."
The criminal complaint, filed in a federal court, revealed that a special agent with the Department of Homeland Security, trained by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, uncovered one photo and three videos of CSAM.
The complaint stated that, in the photo, the child is between 5 and 7 years old. The three videos depict infants. Their faces are seen or partially seen in the image and the videos.
The complaint also noted that investigators found "chats" on Longo's iPhone where he expressed sexual interests in children, including with a male child he knew. Those messages were allegedly sent to other people.
Longo was elected to the Cazenovia School Board of Education in 2024. Upon his arrest on June 18, the rest of the board unanimously voted for Longo to resign. Longo was given a deadline to step down from his position until noon on Monday. The status of his position is unclear as of Monday afternoon.
If Longo did not resign, the board said it would move to pursue New York State Education Law proceedings to have him removed. The board itself cannot remove Longo because his position on the Board of Education is elected
A Cazenovia School Board Meeting scheduled for 5 p.m. ended quickly, with many parents frustrated. The other members of the school board were present briefly before going behind closed doors.
As a result, the parents held their own public hearing to discuss Longo and the allegations against him. One parent demanded that the school do background checks. Another parent, who presented themselves as a former board member, tried to explain the procedure for replacing members of the board who step down or are removed.
The parents' meeting ended just before 6 p.m. A Madison County Sheriff's Deputy, who was there to keep order, thanked the families for remaining calm.
In addition to his position as Vice President of the Cazenovia School Board, Longo was also the founder of Cazenovia Pride. The organization cancelled its festival for this year at the Lorenzo State Historic Site and dissolved as an organization in response to the allegations against Longo.
If convicted, Longo could serve 20 years in prison. He would also have to register as a sex offender.
WWMT-TV published June 27, 2026: Parents face murder, torture, abuse charges after 7-year-old son with "morbid obesity" died. A 7-year-old boy’s death in Flint Township has led to second-degree murder and child abuse charges against his parents after authorities say they found him in distress inside a home with “deplorable conditions.” Damien and Jessica O’Brien are jailed following a monthslong investigation, according to the Genesee County Prosecutor’s Office. Prosecutor David Leyton called the case “very sad.”
ABC12 published June 27, 2026: Neighbor reacts to arrest of Damien and Jessica O’Brien of Flint Twp. after 7-year-old son Casper died at 255 pounds. Parent charged with 2nd-degree murder.
ABC12 published June 25, 2026: Flint Twp. 7-year-old dies weighing 255 lbs.; parents charged with 2nd-degree murder. Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton charged 40-year-old Damien O'Brien and his wife, 41-year-old Jessica O'Brien, with second-degree murder following the death of their 7-year-old son Casper. The boy was 50.5 inches tall and weighed 255 pounds when he died.
FLINT TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WJRT) - The parents of a 7-year-old boy who weighed more than 200 pounds when he died face murder, child abuse and torture charges.
The case began to unfold on Nov. 4, 2025, when a 911 call was made for a young boy in distress at a Flint Township home. He was rushed to a hospital, but he died.
Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton charged 40-year-old Damien O'Brien and his wife, 41-year-old Jessica O'Brien, with second-degree murder following the death of their 7-year-old son Casper. The boy was 50.5 inches tall and weighed 255 pounds when he died.
"On the face of it, this is cruel and extreme suffering from this child caused by the neglect of the parents," Leyton said.
Flint Township Police came to the home on Dania for a report of a child in distress. Casper was taken to Hurley Medical Center, where he died a short time later.
The cause of death was dilated cardiomyopathy, which causes heart failure, with a contributing cause being morbid obesity. The CDC lists a healthy weight for a 7-year-old boy who is 50 and a half inches tall generally ranges between 50 and 73 pounds.
"That is obesity. This child did not have a pediatrician, was only taken to the doctor I believe, according to the police report, once," Leyton said.
Leyton said the father has a good job and the family has real health insurance. The morning the child died, they even called their veterinarian to have their dog treated.
The O'Brien's also have a 5-year-old daughter.
"None of these kids even existed in the eyes of the government. CPS had never been out there, nobody knew about these kids, they had not been to school," says Leyton.
On the day police were at the home in November, the owner of the house stopped by, concerned, believing the house was falling into disrepair. The couple wasn't letting him in the house, instead leaving the rent on the porch.
"I can't think of what else this is, other than extraordinary, terrible neglect. And to me, that is willful and wanton misconduct, which is second-degree murder," Leyton said.
Police described the living conditions in the home as a hoarding situation. ABC12 could not reach the parents' attorney for comment.
The O'Briens are being held at the Genesee County Jail on no bond. They are due back in court July 2.
News 4 Tucson KVOA-TV published May 5, 2026: First Steps on Grass: Hundreds of Lab Beagles Get a Second Chance at Life. Beagles rescued from Wisconsin research, breeding facility get new South Florida homes
CBS TEXAS published May 8, 2026: Pregnant beagles rescued from research facility arrive at North Texas shelter. Several of the 1,500 beagles removed from a Wisconsin research facility have arrived at Saving Hope Rescue in Aledo. Staff say all ten dogs brought in today are pregnant, and some are seniors who spent most of their lives in cages. The rescue group says the dogs are adjusting surprisingly well but are now learning basic behaviors for the first time.
CBS 12 News - WPEC published June 4, 2026: 67 more rescued beagles arrive in Florida for care and adoption. Big Dog Ranch Rescue and Center for a Humane Economy secured the release of 135 more beagles from Ridglan Farms, a biomedical research facility in Wisconsin, as part of its ongoing effort to relocate and rehome dogs from the facility, the organization announced Tuesday.
The latest transfer follows a large-scale rescue on April 29 that saw approximately 1,500 beagles removed and placed with organizations across the country. Of the newly released dogs, 67 were transported to Big Dog Ranch Rescue’s Florida campus on June 3, where they underwent medical care, including spay and neuter procedures, before being made available for adoption nationwide.
The dogs arrived on Wednesday morning at an off-site location in Marshall, Wisconsin, where they will be received and processed before transport. Officials said video from the operation will be released later in the day.
Lauree Simmons, founder and CEO of Big Dog Ranch Rescue, said the effort underscores the impact of coordinated rescue operations and community support.
FOX6 News Milwaukee published June 15, 2026: Ridglan Farms beagles: Big Dog Ranch Rescue secures release of remaining dogs. Ridglan Farms is closing permanently, and the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services is taking new steps to replace animal testing with alternative technology.
LOXAHATCHEE, Fla. — Big Dog Ranch Rescue has reached an agreement to permanently close Ridglan Farms, a Wisconsin-based dog breeding and research facility, and transfer the remaining 475 beagles housed there.
A total of 325 beagles will be transferred from Ridglan Farms to Big Dog Ranch Rescue today and tomorrow. The dogs will be transported to the organization's Florida and Alabama campuses, where they will receive medical care, including spay and neuter procedures, before being placed for adoption. Some of the beagles will also be transferred to partner rescue organizations across the country.
The remaining 150 dogs are expected to be released to Big Dog Ranch Rescue by the beginning of August. Once that transfer is complete, Ridglan Farms will permanently cease its dog breeding, sales, research and testing operations.
"We are very happy to announce that Big Dog Ranch Rescue has negotiated a deal with Ridglan Farms to release all of the remaining dogs to Big Dog Ranch Rescue," Lauree Simmons said.
Simmons, founder and CEO of Big Dog Ranch Rescue, thanked Ridglan Farms for working with the rescue organization to coordinate the transfers and for committing to permanently close its operations.
"As this effort comes to a close, we respectfully ask that the public refrain from further protests directed at Ridglan Farms, its owners, or its employees," Simmons said. "Our focus now should be on supporting these dogs as they transition into their new lives."
The agreement follows a large-scale rescue effort carried out on April 29 that resulted in the relocation of 2,110 beagles from the facility.
Simmons also thanked Big Dog Ranch Rescue supporters, iPaw Rescue and the Robert and Perri Bishop Foundation for helping make the rescue effort possible.
"Most importantly, we are excited for these dogs to begin their new lives," Simmons said. "After spending their lives in a breeding facility, they will now have the opportunity to experience the loving homes they deserve."
Big Dog Ranch Rescue said it will continue advocating for an end to the use of dogs in research and testing and hopes federal agencies discontinue funding studies involving invasive experimentation on dogs.
Founded in 2008, Big Dog Ranch Rescue has rescued more than 90,000 dogs. The organization focuses on rescue, rehabilitation and adoption efforts, as well as animal welfare advocacy, disaster response, spay and neuter initiatives and responsible pet ownership education.
Those interested in adopting one of the rescued beagles or supporting transportation and medical care efforts can visit Big Dog Ranch Rescue's website for more information.
***BONUS related news from 2022***
Grant G published September 13, 2022: Tucker Carlson Tonight- 4,000 Beagles saved from Dr. Tony Fauci’s odious experimental laboratory research. 7/25/22- Daphna Nachminovitch, PETA Senior Vice President, joins Tucker to discuss. Beagles Lives Matter!
CBS News published September 2, 2022: Beagles rescued from research facility find new homes. The Humane Society rescued 4,000 beagles from a now-closed Virginia facility, where they were bred to be sold to labs for research and science experiments, and groups across the country are working to find the pups their forever homes. CBS News correspondent Danya Bacchus reports.
NBCLA published June 18, 2026: Irvine dog trainer convicted of killing, cremating 11 dogs.
CBS LA published June 17, 2026: Irvine animal trainer convicted of killing 11 dogs in his care. An Irvine animal trainer and his girlfriend were convicted of killing 11 dogs in their care and cremating their bodies to conceal how the dogs died.
An Orange County-based dog trainer was convicted of animal cruelty after he was accused of killing 11 dogs and trying to cover up the crimes.
Kwong Chun Sit, 54, of Irvine killed 11 dogs by keeping them in small crates in a hot van, causing fatal heatstroke, according to the prosecutors. Sit was also convicted of attempting to destroy evidence after he allegedly tried to have the dead dogs cremated to conceal their deaths.
Sit's girlfriend, Tingfeng Liu, was convicted of accessory to a felony.
Although the trainer's defense attorney told NBC Los Angeles the deaths were unintentional, his victims expressed unshakable grief for losing their four-legged family members.
Maryann Berkovich, one of the victims, said she left her Pomeranian Cody for a weeks-long training with Sit at his Happy K9 Academy last year. Cody's training appeared to be going along smoothly until Berkovich received a text message that said the dog died in his sleep.
"I was shocked. I was in disbelief. I was devastated," Berkovich said.
Aimee Gutierrez received the almost identical message that said her dog Saint had died, then "lovingly cremated."
"I thought it was a joke," Gutierrez said, recalling Sit's message.
Gutierrez said she never got her dog's ashes nor the $3,000 refund she said Sit had promised her.
"We have the guilty verdict we prayed for, but it came at a cost," she said. "Eleven dogs lost their lives because God knows why."
Investigators recovered the cremated remains of one dog, nine bodies and the remains of two other canines, according to Irvine police. Additional dogs were also recovered at separate crematoriums.
Sit, who faces a maximum of nearly 14 years in prison, was scheduled to be sentenced on July 10.
ABC7 published June 26, 2026: Over 100 dogs found dead, many with bullet holes at Northern California rescue. Investigators recovered 117 intact canine remains, 21 canine skulls and hundreds of additional bones during a second search of a Northern California animal rescue property, dramatically expanding an investigation into alleged animal cruelty and fraud.
HUMBOLDT COUNTY, Calif. -- Investigators recovered 117 intact canine remains, 21 canine skulls and hundreds of additional bones during a second search of a Northern California animal rescue property, dramatically expanding an investigation into alleged animal cruelty and fraud.
The Humboldt County Sheriff's Office announced the findings Friday after completing a second search warrant operation at Miranda's Rescue on Thursday.
County, state and federal investigators searched the grounds this week using ground-penetrating radar before excavating multiple locations where anomalies in the soil were detected. In addition to the 117 intact dogs, investigators recovered several loose microchips that they are now working to match to individual animals.
The sheriff's office said the 117 dogs were in various stages of decomposition. Seventy were X-rayed at the scene, and investigators said many showed evidence of bullet fragments. Most of the recovered dogs were microchipped, and analysts are now reviewing the data to identify them.
USDA veterinarians and forensic specialists examined 70 of the dogs at the scene and preliminarily determined many died from gunshot wounds. The remaining 47 dogs were collected as evidence but were not examined on site because of time constraints.
Investigators also located additional canine remains in another area of the field but determined they were too decomposed to justify excavation. After documenting the site, investigators left those remains in place.
Inside a barn on the property, investigators said they discovered an area they believe was likely used to kill dogs. More than 600 dog collars were also recovered from that location.
The sheriff's office said hundreds of dogs were transferred to the rescue by private citizens and animal shelters over the years and that "a significant number" of those animals remain unaccounted for. About 900 dogs have been sent to the rescue since January 2025, investigators say. Adoption records have only been found for around 100, leaving over 700 animals are still unaccounted for, investigators say.
As for a possible motive, ABC7 Eyewitness News obtained an initial search warrant affidavit about two months that alleges the rescue accepted dogs for hundreds of dollars, and in some cases thousands of dollars per dog, from shelters across California under the promise the animals would be cared for and rehomed. Investigators allege some of those dogs were instead killed to make room for more animals.
The investigation began after a neighbor admitted to trespassing onto the property in April to dig up suspected dead dogs. According to the initial affidavit, eight dogs were recovered, many with apparent gunshot wounds to the head.
Berkeley and Oakland were among several Bay Area shelters that sent hundreds of dogs to the rescue before cutting ties.
More than two months after the investigation began, no charges have been filed against the owner or any employees.
The rescue has repeatedly denied allegations of a money-making scheme but has acknowledged euthanizing some animals because of serious behavioral issues or terminal medical conditions.
Legal experts told ABC7 Eyewitness News that the lack of charges does not necessarily mean they are not coming.
"I wouldn't take the fact that it's been a little while and charges haven't been filed as any indication that they won't be," said Matthew Liebman, a professor of animal law at the University of San Francisco.
Liebman said animal cruelty cases can present unique challenges because investigators often must rely on forensic evidence rather than testimony from victims.
"Animal cruelty cases can be especially difficult to charge and prosecute because there are unique evidentiary challenges that come with animal cruelty cases," Liebman said. "Most notably, the fact that the animals themselves can't testify and can't tell you what's been done to them. Obviously that's even more difficult when the animals are deceased."
Bruce Wagman, a San Francisco attorney who specializes in animal law, said one of the most disturbing allegations in the case may not, by itself, amount to criminal animal cruelty.
"The first thing we heard was there were dogs with bullet holes in their heads. For better or for worse, that's not illegal," Wagman said. "To euthanize an animal in California by a bullet, that alone is not animal cruelty."
That does not necessarily rule out animal cruelty charges, Wagman said.
"Everybody believed there may indeed have been extreme and extensive animal cruelty on the property," Wagman said. "But to prove that is rather hard without eyewitnesses or video evidence."
Liebman said he believes investigators could still have a viable criminal case.
"I think there's a very strong case for charging animal cruelty here," Liebman said. "I'm not privy to the facts that the district attorney has, but in California it is illegal to maliciously and intentionally kill an animal, and it's also illegal to subject an animal to unnecessary suffering."
Animal cruelty is not the only potential legal issue investigators are examining.
According to the search warrant affidavit, investigators allege the rescue accepted dogs and payments from shelters under agreements that the animals would be cared for and placed into homes. Legal experts told ABC7 Eyewitness News the investigation could also involve potential fraud, breach of contract, conspiracy and nonprofit law violations, depending on what investigators ultimately uncover.
Sheriff William Honsal said investigators still have a significant amount of evidence to process before determining whether criminal charges are warranted.
"This investigation is just getting started," Honsal said. "There is a tremendous amount of data to process, witnesses to interview, and evidence to examine."
The sheriff's office said the investigation remains active. Once investigators complete their review, the case will be submitted to prosecutors if there is sufficient evidence to support violations of animal cruelty, fraud or other applicable laws.
A news conference is scheduled for Monday afternoon in Eureka.
FOX 11 Los Angeles published April 11, 2023: Robin the Robot visits FOX 11. The world's first emotionally-intelligent robot, Robin, paid a visit to FOX 11's studio.
Robin was invented by an Armenian and developed in Armenia. (emphasis mine)
CBS News published September 20, 2025: Robot helps hospital patients, nursing home residents feel less lonely. A therapeutic robot named Robin is traveling around nursing homes and hospitals to give emotional support to residents and patients. Robin is programmed to act like a 7-year-old girl and is used in 30 health care facilities across four states. A team of remote operators controls about 70% of Robin's actions, with the remaining 30% being autonomous.
FOX 5 New York published September 15, 2025: Robin the Robot helps sick kids at St. Mary's in Queens. FOX 5 NY's Duarte Geraldino has the story.
Dental anxiety prevents millions of children from receiving necessary oral care. Expper Technologies, a Los Angeles robotics company, deployed 15 therapeutic robots across Children’s Dental FunZone clinics to address this clinical barrier.
This deployment makes Los Angeles a primary location for robot-assisted patient care in the United States. The system, named ‘Robin the Robot’, greets patients and explains upcoming procedures.
“Robin has transformed the energy in Children’s Dental FunZone. Kids are excited, parents are impressed, and it helps us deliver care in a way that feels modern, fun, and welcoming”, said Evelyn Lahiji, Chief Operating Officer, Children’s Dental FunZone.
This interaction reduces physiological stress markers and psychological anxiety in pediatric patients. The company designed the robot to keep children engaged and calm during clinical visits.
Scaling Robotic Infrastructure in Clinics
Large hardware deployments require specialized logistical frameworks. Karen Khachikyan, CEO of Expper Technologies, explained the operational requirements for clinical integration.
“Deploying 15 robots at once taught us that scaling isn’t a robot problem only, it’s an infrastructure problem,” Khachikyan stated. “You need support, staff training programs, fleet maintenance, and monitoring systems all working together.”
The company spent years building this foundation. This preparation allowed the team to manage the 15-site rollout and support enterprise partners at scale.
Quantifying Clinical Outcomes
Healthcare systems require empirical data to adopt new technologies. Expper Technologies is gathering quantitative data to measure changes in patient outcomes and clinic efficiency.
“We run case studies with our partners, and we’re in the process of publishing a study conducted at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital,” Khachikyan explained. The company is also collaborating with Indiana University for additional quantitative research.
“The anecdotes are powerful, but the data is what will let healthcare systems adopt social robotics with confidence and at scale,” Khachikyan noted. This data establishes the foundation for wider clinical adoption.
Adapting AI for Human-Centered Care
Social robots use artificial intelligence to adapt to different patient demographics. In pediatric settings, the software prioritizes anxiety reduction during stressful procedures.
In senior care facilities, the interaction model shifts to provide companionship and cognitive stimulation. The system also supports facility staff by monitoring patients for fall risks and care compliance.
Engineering a technically functional robot requires different methods than designing a socially acceptable character. “You can build a technically impressive robot, but if a patient or a nurse doesn’t want it in the room, none of the engineering matters,” Khachikyan explained.
The company focuses on building human-centered artificial intelligence. “Anticipating emotional states before a patient expresses them is exactly the kind of capability we think about,” Khachikyan stated.
Future Integration in Healthcare
The medical industry is integrating robotics into daily clinical workflows. Expper Technologies plans to expand its 40-robot fleet into rural regions to support areas with limited access to specialized care.
The company expects therapeutic robots to eventually transition into standard residential homes. “We want robots that are kind, compassionate, and caring,” Khachikyan stated.
“If Expper plays even a small role in shaping a future where robots make people feel cared for rather than replaced, we will have done what we set out to do,” Khachikyan concluded. Social robotics will continue to alter the delivery of empathy in clinical and home environments.
CBS Austin published October 14, 2024: Moxi, healthcare robot created in Austin, completes 500k deliveries. The future of human-robot collaboration is taking shape in Austin, Texas.
KCENNews published June 11, 2026: Robot nurses begin working at Odessa hospital in Texas. A Texas hospital has introduced robot assistants designed to deliver supplies and lab samples, helping nurses spend more time with patient care.
ODESSA, Texas (KOSA) - Odessa Regional Medical Center is using three new service robots to help nurses spend more time with patients.
Meet Moxi, the 5-foot, 300-pound service robot now employed at ORMC. It transports medications and supplies throughout the hospital 24 hours a day.
“We are super excited to have Moxi on site, she’s been in the ER all day today, running lab specimens, everybody is really excited to have finally a go-live date,” said Jami Brothers, emergency room director at Odessa Regional Medical Center.
A total of three robots are part of the ORMC team. Staff got together and decided they will name them Cosmo, Wanda, and Timmy, three characters from Nickelodeon’s animated show, ‘The Fairly Odd Parents.’
The robots use locked drawers to securely transport items and scan QR codes around the hospital to navigate. They are equipped with ORMC badges to get in and out of locked areas. The help reduces the steps taken by busy nurses.
“The burden of walking across the hospital, the miles they put on, that falls on them, when in reality, they should be focusing on patient care and impacting the community that they serve within the hospital,” said Joe Griffiths, director of robot operations at Diligent Robotics. “I think that’s what’s so great about Moxi.”
There has been chatter about AI-powered robots slimming the job market. ORMC nurses shot down those rumors.
“Everybody’s like ‘oh, they’re going to take your jobs,’ they’re not,” Brothers said. “They’re a tool to make us better at our jobs so we can spend more time with the patients.”
The robots feature LED lights that shine when they interact with patients and staff. Developers with Diligent Robotics said the heart eyes have a competitive impact.
“The heart eyes are a huge hit, I think when people go by, that’s one of the biggest things I hear is the nurses saying ‘I got heart eyes,’ and someone else says ‘I didn’t get heart eyes,’ it’s always a competition who has the better relationship with Moxi,” Griffiths said.
“I think they are the cutest thing ever when they come down the halls and you see the heart eyes,” Brothers said.
As the region grows, innovations like this are going to help hospitals operate more efficiently while meeting increasing patient demands.
World Economic Forum published October 23, 2021: EP. 3 Social Robots. 10 Years of Emerging Tech. In Episode 3, Henny Admoni, A. Nico Habermann Assistant Professor at Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Institute shares her insights on social robots, which made it onto the 2019 list of Top 10 Emerging Technologies.
This year the World Economic Forum and Scientific American are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Top 10 Emerging Technologies Report. Over the past nine years, experts have made predictions about the emerging technologies expected to have major social, economic and environmental impacts worldwide. But how well did these technologies end up performing, and how will they impact our lives in the years ahead?
In the run up to the 2021 report launch on 16 November, we look back at some of the technologies from the past nine reports with the help of leading experts and ask: did the technology change the world, or did it fail to fulfil its potential? How is it impacting lives today, and where is it headed
At Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, the nurse assistant stopped by a patient's room to pick up some lab samples while dropping off toiletries. Then, as the helper's pixilated blue eyes flashed a heart sign to indicate the task had been completed, it summoned an elevator and quietly rolled off to the hospital's supply room to carry on with its next mission.
Meet Moxi, a robot that is helping medical staff at Cedars-Sinai and roughly two dozen other hospitals around the U.S.
"I don't have to go take my 10,000 steps down into the belly of the hospital to go find things and get it for my patient," Melanie Barone, an associate director at Cedars-Sinai, told CBS News.
"Robots are no longer so sci-fi," Barclays analyst Zornitsa Todorova said recently at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Moxi saves hospital staff time and helps them focus on patient care, according to Diligent Robotics, the Austin, Texas-based maker of Moxi. The company told CBS News there are Moxis at 25 hospitals nationwide.
David Marshall, the chief nursing executive at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, said the 900-bed hospital started using Moxi two years ago to help with backend work, such as moving linens and retrieving medication and patient belongings. Today, the medical facility uses three of the robots.
"We've seen positive, emotional responses that we see from patients, staff, visitors and children. … We had one patient that asked if Moxi could come back and tell her hello after her surgery."
Casey Wilbert, vice president of Rochester Regional Health in Rochester, New York, was an early adopter of Moxi. The 528-bed hospital began using the robot in 2023 and today operates eight of the devices.
"One of the great things about the robots is you're not paying overtime, …they don't take sick days." He told CBS News. "This is the beginning of how we integrate robotics into health care."
Still, such technology has limits, Marshall of Cedars-Sinai emphasizes.
"Robots touch things and people touch people. They could never hold a patient's hand or wipe their brow or help them brush their teeth," he said.
Humanoid robots taking steps
If Moxi highlights how robots are already entering the workforce, the next step is the development of humanoid robots able to do a range of more complex tasks.
Jeff Cardenas, CEO of humanoid robot developer Apptronik, said taking on a more human form allows the technology to adapt to the kind of spaces people occupy at work and at home.
"They have the same footprint as a person does. They can use the same tools. You don't have to change everything for the robot," he said.
Todorova of Barclays — who projects the humanoid robotics segment growing from roughly $2 billion today to $40 billion over the next 10 years, and perhaps as high as $200 billion — expects the machines to help fill labor gaps in defense, agriculture, manufacturing and health care.
Indeed, Darrell West, a manufacturing expert from Brown University, thinks autonomous robots are likely to roll out much faster than many people expect.
"Similar to how industrialization changed the world a hundred years ago, all these digital tools are going to have the same large-scale impact now. And we just have to figure out how to handle that transition so that people don't end up being left behind or getting completely depressed that this robot is doing part of their job," he told CBS News.
The world's richest person, Elon Musk, is pushing hard to speed the introduction of humanoid machines into the workplace and even people's homes. His electric car maker, Tesla, is developing a humanoid robot, dubbed Optimus, that Musk expects to quickly become an important source of labor.
"By the end of this year, I think they will be doing more complex tasks, and probably by the end of next year, I think we'd be selling humanoid robots to the public," he said at the World Economic Forum event in Davos last month. "That's when we are confident it'll have very high reliability — you can basically ask it to do anything you like."
Surgical assistants
Apptroknik's Cardenas wanted to develop humanoid robots after watching his grandparents age with dementia, and he sees their Apollo humanoid robot helping older individuals age more gracefully.
"And at the end of [my grandfather's] life, he had a fall and lost his vision. And so had to rely on 24-hour caretakers. My dream was to build a robot, to build a tool that would help them do all the things that they didn't — that they couldn't — do anymore so that they could age more gracefully and with dignity."
Michael Yip, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at UC San Diego, heads a lab that is developing surgical robots. "I think surgeon assistants are going to be there in 10 years," he told CBS News, adding that "The capacity is there for them to perform autonomously in lower-stakes applications, like soft tissue cutting."
Yip told CBS News that he expects humanoid robots to thrive in health care because it is a people-centered environment.
"In home care, where you have to navigate a home environment, and especially in hospitals where you have to navigate the hospital environment, a human form factor is actually kind of necessary."
NewsNation published June 23, 2026: GM lays off 1,000 workers and adds robots to its assembly line. General Motors has cut 1,000 jobs at its Detroit facility, and it later installed about 50 robots on the assembly line. GM has faced backlash over this, but the company says there's more to it than replacing humans. NewsNation's Nick Smith reports.
General Motors has laid off more than 1,000 jobs at its Factory ZERO plant in Detroit and added 50 new robots on the assembly line.
The move has drawn sharp criticism from the United Auto Workers union.
The machines, called “cobots,” or collaborative robots, are now working alongside the employees who remain at the plant. They help attach body panels to vehicles as they move down the line. According to GM Authority, they use artificial intelligence to anticipate maintenance needs and detect production issues early.
GM says the cobots are to improve safety.
“We’ve been installing cobots across our manufacturing footprint as part of a broader push to bring more advanced technology into our operations,” company spokesperson Kevin Kelly said in a statement. “At Factory ZERO, we are implementing them alongside our team, helping improve safety and ergonomics, while keeping our operations flexible and competitive.”
GM also says the lay-offs are temporary, though it hasn’t said when — or if — the laid-off workers will be brought back. A spokesperson for GM also tells NewsNation the layoffs are “not related to the addition of the cobots.”
“Our manpower is being taken away from us,” UAW Local 22 president James Cotton told Crain’s Detroit Business. He added that the union is “disgusted” that cobots are now in the plant.
The union has filed grievances, and Cotton says he also has safety concerns about robots working next to people.
At a union convention in Detroit, national UAW President Shawn Fain said workers are “in a fight for humanity” and that AI shouldn’t be used to keep gains away from the people doing the work.
GM has been open about its heavier push into automation for months, including a deal with NVIDIA on factory robotics. At an event last year, CEO Mary Barra said that AI lets GM “build smarter vehicles while empowering our workforce to focus on craftsmanship.”
GM isn’t alone — according to Autoblog, Toyota is rolling out humanoid robots at its RAV4 plant in Canada. BMW is also expanding its humanoid robot pilot program.
*******GM in Canada*******
CBC News Toronto published Jan 7, 2026: As GM layoffs loom, local union rep says national leaders must step up. Unifor national isn't doing enough to protect jobs in Canada's auto industry in the face of U.S. tariffs, says the president of Unifor Local 222. CBC’s Christian D'Avino sat down with Jeff Gray ahead of layoffs later this month.
written by Christian D'Avino and Rochelle Raveendran
Thursday January 29, 2026
The day Oshawa, Ont., autoworkers have dreaded for months has arrived, as GM Canada is poised to cut a shift at the city’s plant, costing over a thousand workers their jobs.
Up to 1,200 workers throughout the auto supply chain are expected to complete their final shift on Friday as the company scales back its Canadian operations, according to the union president who represents them.
GM Canada confirmed Thursday approximately 500 of those people are its employees.
“We did everything we could … we’ve made our arguments to General Motors,” said Jeff Gray, Unifor Local 222 president, on Wednesday.
GM is cutting one of three shifts at the plant, which ends at 6:30 a.m. Seniority rules will apply, Gray said — meaning high-seniority members will be bumped to the remaining shifts, while lower-seniority members across all three shifts will lose their jobs.
Gray said these workers will be left in a “heartbreaking” position as they walk into their shift just like any other day, while knowing they won’t have a job next week.
“You feel very nervous and anxious that you can continue to provide a living for yourself and your family,” said Gray.
GM issued a statement Thursday saying it has worked with the union to provide supports for the workers who are being laid off, including what it calls "comprehensive separation packages, retirement support and other benefits."
Spokesperson Ariane Souza Pereira said the plant is going back to two shifts while "continuing preparations to build the next generation of gas‑powered full‑size pickups."
Meanwhile, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said workers who have been laid off will get opportunities in other sectors, including defence and life sciences.
GM caving to Trump, national union says
The Detroit-based automotive manufacturer said it was cutting a shift at the plant in May. That announcement came a month after U.S. President Donald Trump announced tariffs targeting the auto sector.
At the time, spokesperson Jennifer Wright told CBC Toronto that “forecasted demand and the evolving trade environment” were behind the cut.
GM Canada's latest statement doesn't mention tariffs. Still, Unifor National President Lana Payne said GM “has made a clear decision to cave to Donald Trump” in a statement on Thursday.
She said GM is making Oshawa workers “pay for that appeasement with their jobs.”
While GM cuts a shift in Oshawa, the company is adding 250 temporary workers to its plant in Fort Wayne, Ind. Both the Oshawa and Fort Wayne plants build the Chevrolet Silverado.
Layoffs at the Oshawa plant were initially slated to take place in November, but were delayed to the end January.
That delay gave union officials more time to lobby the federal government to secure a trade deal with the United States and push for GM to reverse its shift reduction.
In Thursday's statement, Unifor said it gave GM a "viable plan" to keep the third shift until the union and GM entered contract negotiations this fall — but GM rejected this plan.
When the shift cut was first announced, Unifor said around 2,000 workers would be laid off. Gray said that number has since gone down to between 1,100 and 1,200 workers, due to work done by in-plant representation.
But earlier this month, Gray called on national union leaders to step up their support for workers, saying auto jobs across the province are “disappearing.”
“From the eyes of the membership, the pushback hasn't been enough,” he told CBC Radio’s Metro Morning.
Speaking Wednesday, Gray said the local union will continue to advocate on behalf of workers to bring more jobs to Oshawa.
He said plans are underway to create programming that retrains autoworkers who have been laid off, hosted in the past in Oshawa and other parts of Ontario at locations known as action centres.
This programming may include sessions on resume writing skills and basic computer skills, he said.
“We will do everything in our power to make sure that is up and running as fast as possible and help members through the transition,” Gray said.
I added the map above highlighting Bolivia to the news below.
WION published June 22, 2026: Bolivia On Edge: Emergency Declared As Deadly Protests Push Nation Into Crisis.
TLDR News Global published May 28, 2026: Bolivia’s Protests Explained.
Drop Site News published May 21, 2026: Bolivia Erupts in Protest: Kathryn Ledebur and Ryan Grim Break Down What's Behind the Recent Unrest. Bolivia is facing a deepening political crisis as mass protests, road blockades, and clashes with security forces spread across the country amid economic collapse and growing anger toward the government of right-wing President Rodrigo Paz.
Speaking with Drop Site News from Bolivia, journalist and researcher Kathryn Ledebur says protesters have effectively cut off access to capital La Paz, as Indigenous groups, coca growers, labor unions, and grassroots movements mobilize against austerity measures, fuel price hikes, and exclusion of large sectors of the left from political power.
Bolivia’s president declared a state of emergency on Saturday and deployed soldiers and bulldozers to raze anti-government roadblocks that have paralysed the country.
For more than six weeks, unions, Indigenous groups and coca farmers have marched through cities and blocked roads across the country with rubble, logs and debris in protest against the conservative government.
Major cities have suffered acute shortages of fuel, food and medicine, the economy has lost billions of dollars, and the protests have threatened to topple Bolivia’s first non-socialist government in two decades.
The president, Rodrigo Paz, appeared in a predawn televised address on Saturday to warn protesters they would face “the full force of the law” as he moved to end the crisis.
He declared a 90-day state of emergency, which curbs the right to protest and allows the military to be deployed domestically.
Hours after his address, AFP reporters in the city of El Alto saw squads of soldiers and armed police moving in a convoy as bulldozers moved in to clear roadblocks.
Some residents clapped as they passed. One man handed a bag of bread to a police officer riding in the back of a pickup truck.
“I’m very happy,” Carla Butron, a 39-year-old shopkeeper, told AFP.
“Everything has been difficult here in El Alto during these 50-some days – work, free movement.”
In nearby La Paz, military police and navy personnel guarded the presidential palace and police tactical units were stationed on main squares.
“Bolivians cannot continue to be held hostage by blockades that prevent them from working, studying, receiving medical care, getting supplies and bringing food to their homes,” Paz said in a social media post.
“This state of emergency is not intended to take away normalcy, but to restore it.”
The protesters want Paz to abandon liberal economic reforms and step down, less than a year after he was elected.
The 58-year-old had signalled he was ready to negotiate and, earlier this week, agreed to a deal with one of the country’s major unions to end the crisis.
In exchange for a promise not to privatise state companies and to hold further talks, the Bolivian Workers’ Central union agreed to end their protests.
But some Indigenous groups have vowed to fight on, and more than 40 major roadblocks remain.
“We want him gone. We don’t want him to be the one governing,” Lidia Callisaya, a 42-year-old Aymara leader, told AFP recently.
But some Bolivians are ready to see an end to the disruption.
On the road to La Paz, truck driver Erland Richard Segovia, 49, was hoping to make it to Santa Cruz, farther east.
“They abandoned us on the road, we have to wait. Now, at least we’re seeing that traffic is starting to get back to normal,” he said.
Paz has accused “narcoterrorists” – and in particular former president Evo Morales – of being behind the road-blocking protests.
Morales, a leftist firebrand, Indigenous leader and former coca farmer, was president from 2006 to 2019.
He is in hiding while facing charges of alleged trafficking of a minor, which he denies.
His stronghold is the Chapare region in central Bolivia, which is now a potential flashpoint.
He is protected by thousands of Indigenous supporters who have so far prevented police from arresting him.
Interior minister Marco Antonio Oviedo on Saturday refused to rule out an operation to capture the former leader.
The security forces “will carry out whatever operations are necessary at the appropriate time,” he said, adding that Morales must face the law.
Morales recently told AFP from hiding that Bolivians were rebelling against a conservative government that is “utterly submissive” to the United States.
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