Records show James Dunn was convicted twice for defrauding federal government agencies. He registered his school board training, which he described as an alternative to “woke” programs, with the Texas Education Agency this fall.

Source: TEA considers rule change after approving felon to train school boards | The Texas Tribune

Over the weeklong period ending Wednesday, the nation’s most populous county recorded 147 deaths — up 37% from the prior week’s tally of 107. Since Oct. 2, there have been 875 COVID-19 deaths reported countywide. L.A. County’s COVID death toll number in the last week is nearly as high as that for all of California from flu in the past two and a half months. Since Oct. 2, 160 flu-related deaths have been reported statewide, including 31 in L.A. County.

Source: Weekly L.A. County COVID deaths top summer surge – Los Angeles Times

“We told girls to have proper hijab but they didn’t and they wore dresses like they are going to a wedding ceremony,” he said. “Girls were studying agriculture and engineering, but this didn’t match Afghan culture. Girls should learn, but not in areas that go against Islam and Afghan honor.”

He added that work was underway to fix these issues, and universities would reopen for women once they were resolved. The Taliban made similar promises about high school access for girls, saying classes would resume for them once “technical issues” around uniforms and transport were sorted out, but girls remain shut out of classrooms.

Source: Taliban minister defends ban on women’s university studies – Los Angeles Times

HISTORY’S FIRST RECORDED AUTHOR WAS a woman named Enheduanna. Born sometime in the latter half of the 23rd century BC, Enheduanna was the high priestess of the ancient Mesopotamian city of Ur. It was a political role as well as a religious one; as the daughter of a powerful king, Enheduanna was no stranger to affairs of the state. In her writing, she wielded her pen for peace, working to unite a fractured kingdom.

Source: History’s First Named Author Was a Mesopotamian Priestess – Atlas Obscura

Source: Sunak government threatens to block Scottish gender recognition law | Transgender | The Guardian… | for much deliberation

Source: Documentary about the 1920s Volga famine is prohibited in Russia but broadcasted on YouTube · Global Voices

• Liberia has abundant mineral resources and legislation aimed at preventing the most environmentally destructive forms of mining but little capacity to enforce those regulations.
• In the gold mining camp of Sam Beach, Mongabay observed damaged forests and rivers as a result of poorly regulated mining operations.
• Traditional landowners say they have little ability to participate in negotiations when mining agreements are made, while the community faces the environmental and social fallout of a mining boom.

Source: In Liberia, a gold boom leads to unregulated mining and ailing rivers

Source: Heavenly Aromatic Apple Cookies for N. Cookie Exchange Day! – Tanooki Homemade Cafe