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Rep. George Santos set to appear in federal court on fraud, money laundering charges
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. Rep. George Santos is set to return to court Friday for the first time since pleading not guilty last month to charges that he duped donors, stole from his campaign, collected fraudulent unemployment benefits and lied to Congress about being a millionaire.
The New York Republican, known for fabricating key parts of his life story, is free awaiting trial. He is scheduled to go before U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert in a Long Island courthouse at noon. The hearing is expected to focus on the timing of future court dates as the case against the Republican congressman moves forward.
Federal prosecutors have charged Santos with 13 counts of wire fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds and making false statements to Congress. He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
Taken together, the allegations suggest Santos relied on “repeated dishonesty and deception to ascend to the halls of Congress and enrich himself,” according to U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace.
Santos has condemned the federal investigation as a “witch hunt,” vowing to not only remain in Congress but to seek reelection. Republican leaders have urged Santos not to run again but have deferred efforts to expel the freshman representative that could narrow their slim majority.
Federal prosecutors say Santos misused funds that he raised for his campaign on personal expenses, including designer clothes and credit cards.
He is also accused of lying about his finances on congressional disclosure forms and obtaining unemployment benefits while making $120,000 as regional director of an investment firm, which was later shut down over allegations that it was a Ponzi scheme.
As part of his bond agreement, Santos must notify the court if he plans to travel outside of New York or Washington, D.C. He said he received permission to do so this week before flying to El Paso, Texas, where he called for increased border security and brushed off questions about the federal investigation.
“I might have my fair share of embroilments that the media seems to like,” he said. “That’s fair, but I ran to get stuff done.”
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | 2023-06-30T09:23:19+00:00 | wnem.com | https://www.wnem.com/2023/06/30/rep-george-santos-set-appear-federal-court-fraud-money-laundering-charges/ |
Arizona is experiencing its worst drought in 1,200 years, but in one place there's too much water. Hundreds of homes in Flagstaff are threatened by brief monsoon thunderstorms on wildfire burn scars.
Copyright 2022 NPR
Arizona is experiencing its worst drought in 1,200 years, but in one place there's too much water. Hundreds of homes in Flagstaff are threatened by brief monsoon thunderstorms on wildfire burn scars.
Copyright 2022 NPR | 2022-07-26T23:04:46+00:00 | kgou.org | https://www.kgou.org/science-technology-and-environment/science-technology-and-environment/2022-07-26/hundreds-in-northern-arizona-are-facing-flooding |
With new central reservation system integration, Best Western® Hotels & Resorts and SureStay Hotel Group® brands can use Oracle Hospitality's cloud-based PMS to improve hotel operations and guest service
AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BWH Hotel Group, one of the world's largest hotel companies, is the first to integrate its central reservation system (CRS) with Oracle Hospitality OPERA Cloud property management system (PMS) through the Oracle Hospitality Integration Platform. This makes it easy for any hotel within the BWH Hotel Group portfolio – including Best Western Hotels & Resorts and SureStay Hotel Group properties – to adopt OPERA Cloud to simplify and improve operations while delivering great guest service. The Best Western Plus Alfa Aeropuerto in Spain is already live and benefitting from this offering.
"Innovation has always been a priority at BWH Hotel Group, and in today's world as guest expectations are changing and hoteliers are forced to adapt to new ways of working, our focus on innovation is more important than ever before," said Greg Adams, Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Officer, BWH Hotel Group. "We are committed to helping all our properties by offering access to the latest technologies, so we are proud to partner with Oracle. Together with Oracle, we were the first global hotel chain to complete a native integration between our proprietary central reservation system and OPERA Cloud. With this integration, our hotel owners will be able to easily adopt the modern cloud-based PMS to better manage their operations, boost revenue, and alleviate strain on their staff."
Enhanced operations for hotels of all sizes
BWH Hotel Group spans nearly 100 countries with nearly 4,500 properties, including brands such as WorldHotels™ Collection, Best Western Hotels & Resorts, and SureStay Hotel Group. Oracle Hospitality technology is used across hundreds of BWH Hotel Group properties today.
Built on the Oracle Hospitality Integration Platform (OHIP), the connection between BWH Hotel Group's central reservation system and OPERA Cloud now allows member hotels to connect all hotel operation information on a single platform. With configurable workflows, OPERA Cloud helps hotels operate with greater efficiency, reduce operating expenses, and optimize staffing. The affordable system is intuitive and easy to use, making associate onboarding faster and easier. And as OPERA Cloud is mobile-enabled to run on tablets and smartphones, members and hotel staff can access it anywhere.
"BWH Hotel Group is one of the most iconic hotel brands worldwide, serving every level of the market," said Alex Alt, general manager of Oracle Hospitality. "With this integration, Oracle is extending our long collaboration with BWH Hotel Group to enable its hotels to move to the cloud to adapt, run more efficiently, and better serve their guests among a sea of industry and consumer expectation changes."
About BWH Hotel Group®
BWH Hotel Group is a leading, global hospitality network comprised of three hotel companies, including WorldHotels™ Collection, Best Western® Hotels & Resorts and SureStay Hotel Group®. The global network boasts approximately 4,500 hotels in over 100 countries and territories worldwide*. With 18 brands across every chain scale segment, from economy to luxury, BWH Hotel Group suits the needs of developers and guests in every market.
*Numbers are approximate, may fluctuate, and include hotels currently in the development pipeline.
About Oracle Hospitality
Oracle Hospitality brings more than 40 years of experience in providing technology solutions to independent hoteliers, global and regional chains, gaming, and cruise lines. Our hardware, software, and services enable customers to act on rich data insights that deliver personalized guest experiences, maximize profitability, and encourage loyalty.
About Oracle
Oracle offers integrated suites of applications plus secure, autonomous infrastructure in the Oracle Cloud. For more information about Oracle (NYSE: ORCL), please visit us at oracle.com.
Trademarks
Oracle, Java, and MySQL are registered trademarks of Oracle Corporation.
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SOURCE Oracle | 2022-08-03T12:27:24+00:00 | kmvt.com | https://www.kmvt.com/prnewswire/2022/08/03/bwh-hotel-group-makes-oracle-opera-cloud-available-all-hotels/ |
Scientists got their first up-close look at what’s eating away part of Antarctica’s Thwaites ice shelf, nicknamed the Doomsday Glacier because of its massive melt and sea rise potential, and it’s both good and bad news.
Using a 13-foot pencil-shaped robot that swam under the grounding line where ice first juts over the sea, scientists saw a shimmery critical point in Thwaites’ chaotic breakup, “where it’s melting so quickly there, there’s just material streaming out of the glacier,” said robot creator and polar scientist Britney Schmidt of Cornell University.
Before, scientists had no observations from this critical but hard-to-reach point on Thwaites. But with the robot named Icefin lowered down a slender 1,925-foot (587-meter) hole, they saw how important crevasses are in the fracturing of the ice, which takes the heaviest toll on the glacier, even more than melting. “That’s how the glacier is falling apart. It’s not thinning and going away. It shatters,” said Schmidt, lead author of one of two studies in Wednesday’s journal Nature.
That fracturing “potentially accelerates the overall demise of that ice shelf,” said Paul Cutler, the Thwaites program director for the National Science Foundation who returned from the ice last week. “It’s eventual mode of failure may be through falling apart.”
The work comes out of a massive $50 million multi-year international research effort to better understand the widest glacier in the world. The Florida-sized glacier has gotten the nickname the “Doomsday Glacier” because of how much ice it has and how much seas could rise if it all melts — more than 2 feet (65 centimeters), though that’s expected take hundreds of years.
The melting of Thwaites is dominated by what’s happening underneath, where warmer water nibbles at the bottom, something called basal melting, said Peter Davis, an oceanographer at British Antarctic Survey who is a lead author of one of the studies.
“Thwaites is a rapidly changing system, much more rapidly changing than when we started this work five years ago and even since we were in the field three years ago,” said Oregon State University ice researcher Erin Pettit, who wasn’t part of either study. “I am definitely expecting the rapid change to continue and accelerate over the next few years.”
Pennsylvania State University glaciologist Richard Alley, who also wasn’t part of the studies, said the new work “gives us an important look at processes affecting the crevasses that might eventually break and cause loss of much of the ice shelf.”
The good news: Much of the flat underwater area they explored is melting much slower than they expected. The bad news: That doesn’t really change how much ice is coming off the land part of the glacier and driving up sea levels, Davis said.
Davis said the melting isn’t nearly the problem at Thwaites that glacier retreat is. The more the glacier breaks up or retreats, the more ice floats in water. When ice is on ground as part of the glacier it isn’t part of sea rise, but when it breaks off land and then goes onto water it adds to the overall water level by displacement, just as ice added to a glass of water raises water level.
And more bad news: This is from the eastern, larger and more stable part of Thwaites. Researchers couldn’t safely land a plane and drill a hole in the ice in the main trunk, which is breaking up much faster. And they also found staircase-like steps, those crevasses, in parts of the more stable eastern side where the break-up is far faster and worse.
The key to seeing exactly how bad conditions are on the glacier would require going to the main trunk and looking at the melting from below. But that would require a helicopter to land on the ice instead of a heavier airplane and would be incredibly difficult, said studies co-author Eric Rignot of the University of California Irvine.
The main trunk’s glacier surface “is so messed up by crevasses it looks like a set of sugar cubes almost. There’s no place to land a plane,” NSF’s Cutler said.
Ted Scambos of the National Snow and Ice Data Center, who wasn’t part of the studies, said the results add to understanding how Thwaites is diminishing.
“Unfortunately, this is still going to be a major issue a century from now,” Scambos said in an email. “But our better understanding gives us some time to take action to slow the pace of sea level rise.”
When the skinny robot wended its way through the hole in the ice – made by a jet of hot water – the cameras showed not just the melting water, the crucial crevasses and seabed. It showed critters, especially sea anemones, swimming under the ice.
“To accidentally find them here in this environment was really, really cool,” Schmidt said in an interview. “We were so tired that you kind of wonder like, ‘am I really seeing what I’m seeing?’ You know because there are these little creepy alien guys (the anemones) hanging out on the ice-ocean interface.
“In the background is like all these sparkling stars that are like rocks and sediment and things that were picked up from the glacier,” Schmidt said. “And then the anemones. It’s really kind of a wild experience.”
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Follow AP’s climate and environment coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment
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Follow Seth Borenstein on Twitter at @borenbears
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Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP’s climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content. | 2023-02-16T01:50:38+00:00 | ktalnews.com | https://www.ktalnews.com/news/u-s-world/ap-skinny-robot-documents-forces-eroding-doomsday-glacier/ |
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — An Ethiopian rebel group has proposed a humanitarian truce to facilitate assistance to hungry people in the country’s Oromia region as it warns of famine.
The Oromo Liberation Army has been engaged in a deadly conflict with the Ethiopian government, which has labeled it a terror group. The OLA statement on Wednesday came as the Horn of Africa faces severe drought due to multiple seasons of failed rains as well as conflict in some areas.
The OLA offered “to cooperate with a declaration of humanitarian truce to allow humanitarian agencies to deliver assistance to affected areas,” the statement by spokesman Odaa Tarbii said. The group added it will open a humanitarian corridor if the truce fails, “or until such is negotiated as the government of Ethiopia drags its feet.”
A spokesman for Ethiopia’s federal government, Legesse Tulu, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Oromia, the largest of Ethiopia’s federal states, is one of the most severely affected drought areas in the country.
The United Nations humanitarian agency this month said more than 20 million people in Ethiopia are estimated to be in need of assistance this year, nearly three-quarters of them women and children.
“Ethiopia is facing its worst drought in the past 40 years, and the impact is being felt in more areas in the south and east of the country,” the agency said, noting worsening levels of malnutrition and the deaths of more than 3 million livestock.
The OLA statement asserted that women and children are “dying of hunger every day.” Ethiopian officials have denied deaths from starvation.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed appeared to criticize a U.N. effort to ship grain from Ukraine to Ethiopia, saying that “they want to portray a picture that we are being starved.”
But the head of a local non-governmental organization in one of the country’s worst affected areas, Konso zone, told The Associated Press hunger is widespread. He spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.
“Our area, Konso zone, was well known for its canals and terraces that helped to feed us for generations,” he said. “But this year, a severe drought has occurred that is claiming the lives of children and tens of thousands of cattle. We are not getting the aid that we want, and we are desperate for humanitarian aid.” | 2022-08-17T15:01:30+00:00 | lmtonline.com | https://www.lmtonline.com/news/article/Ethiopian-rebels-propose-humanitarian-truce-amid-17379242.php |
TOKYO (AP) — U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Japan’s finance minister agreed Tuesday to cooperate in dealing with challenges from the war in Ukraine and promoting free trade, sustainable energy and food security.
Yellen was visiting Tokyo on Tuesday for talks ahead of a meeting of the Group of 20′s financial leaders on the Indonesian island of Bali later in the week.
Before beginning her meeting with Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki, she stressed the importance of effective sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine and said she hoped to gain the support of Japan and other nations in seeking a price cap on Russian oil that would limit funding going to Moscow's military.
“Our governments have common viewpoints and interests on many of the most pressing priorities affecting our national interests as well as global stability and prosperity. And when we work together, we are each more effective,” she said.
Suzuki welcomed Yellen, saying: “At this time, when the international community faces so many challenges, it is more important than ever for the U.S. and Japan to work together.”
A joint statement issued Tuesday after the talks pledged support for Ukraine in coping with its economic challenges. It also said both sides had welcomed efforts to pursue price caps “where appropriate.”
A price cap would be aimed at curbing the war's impact on gas and energy prices. Japan, which imports almost all its oil, has suffered an energy crunch recently partly because of the war in Ukraine and a weakening of the yen against the U.S. dollar.
The U.S. Federal Reserve’s moves to curb inflation hovering at a four-decade high by raising interest rates have helped pushed the U.S. dollar higher against many currencies. That includes the euro and the Japanese yen. With the yen trading at 20-year lows, Japan has seen costs skyrocket for many imports, including oil, gas and coal.
The statement from the Treasury Department said Japan and the U.S. will also “consult closely on exchange markets and cooperate as appropriate on currency issues."
The talks Tuesday had scant immediate impact on exchange rates, with the dollar gaining to 137.25 yen from 136.10 yen.
Yellen is making her first visit to Asia as treasury secretary. She was chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve from 2014-2018.
On Monday, she attended the wake for former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was assassinated on Friday. Abe, the nation’s longest serving prime minister, was shot Friday by a man who emerged from a crowd, firing a homemade weapon.
Yellen, sitting across from a table from Suzuki, offered her condolences, saying Abe had left a legacy of “revitalizing Japan’s economy and leadership position.”
In their statement, Japan and the U.S. expressed support for a new World Bank fund to help finance pandemic prevention and urged other creditor nations, such as China, to help countries like crisis stricken Sri Lanka deal with their debt problems.
After the G-20 meetings, Yellen is due to visit South Korea.
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Yuri Kageyama is on Twitter https://twitter.com/yurikageyama
Credit: Yuri Kageyama
Credit: Yuri Kageyama | 2022-07-12T07:48:24+00:00 | daytondailynews.com | https://www.daytondailynews.com/nation-world/us-japan-vow-joint-efforts-on-ukraine-trade-food-crisis/5OJLWWIQGRB2FJ2CE4RPWITYOY/ |
Greenville County Coroner's Office responding to crash in Travelers Rest
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Greenville County Coroner's Office responding to crash in Travelers Rest
The Greenville County Coroner's responded Wednesday night to a crash, officials said.An official with the coroner's office said one person was killed in the crash on North Poinsett Highway near Tubbs Mountain Road, in Travelers Rest.The Travelers Rest Police Department said the road is closed due to the collision, and posted a photo on its Facebook page.A WYFF News 4 crew was headed to the scene.
TRAVELERS REST, S.C. —
The Greenville County Coroner's responded Wednesday night to a crash, officials said.
An official with the coroner's office said one person was killed in the crash on North Poinsett Highway near Tubbs Mountain Road, in Travelers Rest.
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The Travelers Rest Police Department said the road is closed due to the collision, and posted a photo on its Facebook page.
A WYFF News 4 crew was headed to the scene.
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You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. | 2022-09-29T01:10:35+00:00 | wyff4.com | https://www.wyff4.com/article/greenville-county-coroner-crash-travelers-rest/41433960 |
Jan. 6 panel deepens probe to Trump Cabinet, awaits Thomas
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House Jan. 6 committee said Sunday it will interview more former Cabinet secretaries and is prepared to subpoena conservative activist Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, who's married to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, as part of its investigation of the Capitol riot and Donald Trump's role.
Lawmakers said they are deepening their inquiry after a series of eight hearings in June and July culminating in a prime-time session Thursday, with plans to interview additional witnesses and reconvene in September to resume laying out their findings to the public.
“We anticipate talking to additional members of the president’s Cabinet,” said Rep. Liz Cheney, the committee's vice chair. “We anticipate talking to additional members of his campaign. Certainly, we’re very focused as well on the Secret Service.”
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Cheney, R-Wyo., did not identify the Trump administration officials who might come forward, but the committee has previously made clear its interest in speaking with those believed to have considered invoking a constitutional process in the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office after the riot on Jan. 6, 2021, when hundreds of Trump’s supporters violently stormed the Capitol and interrupted the certification of Joe Biden’s election.
The committee has aired testimony from former Attorney General William Barr, who said he told Trump that widespread voter fraud claims were “bull——” and had “zero basis.” In last week’s hearing, the committee played testimony from then-Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia, who said he urged Trump to call a Cabinet meeting to discuss an orderly transition of power.
Pope lands in Canada, set for apologies to Indigenous groups
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Pope Francis began a historic visit to Canada on Sunday to apologize to Indigenous peoples for abuses by missionaries at residential schools, a key step in the Catholic Church’s efforts to reconcile with Native communities and help them heal from generations of trauma.
Francis kissed the hand of a residential school survivor as he was greeted at the Edmonton, Alberta, airport by Indigenous representatives, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mary Simon, an Inuk who is Canada’s first Indigenous governor general.
The gesture set the tone of what Francis has said is a “penitential pilgrimage” to atone for the role of Catholic missionaries in the forced assimilation of generations of Native children — a visit that has stirred mixed emotions across Canada as survivors and their families cope with the trauma of their losses and receive a long-sought papal apology.
Francis had no official events scheduled Sunday, giving him time to rest before his meeting Monday with survivors near the site of a former residential school in Maskwacis, where he is expected to pray at a cemetery and apologize.
Francis exited the back of his plane with the help of an ambulift, given his strained knee ligaments have forced him to use a wheelchair. The simple welcome ceremony took place in airport hangar, where Indigenous drums and chanting broke the silence. As Trudeau and Simon sat beside Francis, a succession of Indigenous leaders and elders greeted the pope and exchanged gifts. At one point, Francis kissed the hand of residential school survivor Elder Alma Desjarlais of the Frog Lake First Nations as she was introduced to him.
Russia says strike on Ukrainian port hit military targets
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian defense officials insisted Sunday that an airstrike on the Ukrainian port of Odesa hit only military targets, but the attack tested an agreement on resuming grain shipments that the two countries signed less than a day before the assault.
Long-range missiles destroyed a docked Ukrainian warship and a warehouse holding Harpoon anti-ship missiles supplied by the U.S., Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said at a daily briefing.
Speaking late Saturday in his nightly televised address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the attack on Odesa “destroyed the very possibility” of dialogue with Russia.
Under the grain-shipment agreement obtained by The Associated Press, both Kyiv and Moscow agreed not to target vessels and port facilities involved in the initiative, including the ports of Odesa, Chernomorsk and Yuzhny.
The Ukrainian military said the attack involved four cruise missiles, two of which were shot down by Ukrainian air defenses.
Crews protect homes as California fire burns near Yosemite
JERSEYDALE, Calif. (AP) — A destructive wildfire near Yosemite National Park burned out of control through tinder-dry forest on Sunday and had grown into one of California's biggest blazes of the year, forcing thousands of residents to flee remote mountain communities.
Some 2,000 firefighters battled the Oak Fire, along with aircraft and bulldozers, facing tough conditions that includes steep terrain, sweltering temperatures and low humidity, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire.
“It's hot out there again today," Cal Fire spokesperson Natasha Fouts said Sunday. “And the fuel moisture levels are critically low.”
Crews on the ground protected homes as air tankers dropped retardant on 50-foot (15-meter) flames racing along ridgetops east of the tiny community of Jerseydale.
Light winds blew embers ahead into tree branches “and because it's so dry, it's easy for the spot fires to get established and that's what fuels the growth,” Fouts said.
Alex Jones' defamation trial finally set to begin in Texas
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Jury selection is set for Monday in a trial that will determine for the first time how much Infowars host Alex Jones must pay Sandy Hook Elementary School parents for falsely telling his audience that the deadliest classroom shooting in U.S. history was a hoax.
The trial in Austin, Texas — where the conspiracy theorist lives and broadcasts his show — follows months of delays. Jones has racked up fines for ignoring court orders and he put Infowars into bankruptcy protection just before the trial was originally set to start in April.
At stake for Jones is another potentially major financial blow that could put his constellation of conspiracy peddling businesses into deeper jeopardy. He has already been banned from YouTube, Facebook and Spotify over violating hate-speech policies.
The trial involving the parents of two Sandy Hook families is only the start for Jones; damages have yet to be awarded in separate defamation cases for other families of the 2012 massacre in Newtown, Connecticut.
The lawsuits do not ask jurors to award a specific dollar amount against Jones.
Milley: China more aggressive, dangerous to US, allies
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — The Chinese military has become significantly more aggressive and dangerous over the past five years, the top U.S. military officer said during a trip to the Indo-Pacific that included a stop Sunday in Indonesia.
U.S. Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the number of intercepts by Chinese aircraft and ships in the Pacific region with U.S. and other partner forces has increased significantly over that time, and the number of unsafe interactions has risen by similar proportions.
“The message is the Chinese military, in the air and at sea, have become significantly more and noticeably more aggressive in this particular region,” said Milley, who recently asked his staff to compile details about interactions between China and the U.S. and others in the region.
His comments came as the U.S. redoubles efforts to strengthen its relationships with Pacific nations as a counterbalance to China, which is trying to expand its presence and influence in the region. The Biden administration considers China its “pacing threat" and America's primary long-term security challenge.
Milley's trip to the region is sharply focused on the China threat. He will attend a meeting of Indo-Pacific chiefs of defense this coming week in Australia, where key topics will be China's escalating military growth and the need to maintain a free, open and peaceful Pacific.
Semiconductor bill unites Sanders, the right — in opposition
WASHINGTON (AP) — A bill to boost semiconductor production in the United States has managed to do nearly the unthinkable — unite the democratic socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders and the fiscally conservative right.
The bill making its way through the Senate is a top priority of the Biden administration. It would add about $79 billion to the deficit over 10 years, mostly as a result of new grants and tax breaks that would subsidize the cost that computer chip manufacturers incur when building or expanding chip plants in the United States.
Supporters say that countries all over the world are spending billons of dollars to lure chipmakers. The U.S. must do the same or risk losing a secure supply of the semiconductors that power the nation's automobiles, computers, appliances and some of the military's most advanced weapons systems.
Sanders, I-Vt., and a wide range of conservative lawmakers, think tanks and media outlets have a different take. To them, it's “corporate welfare." It's just the latest example of how spending taxpayer dollars to help the private sector can scramble the usual partisan lines, creating allies on the left and right who agree on little else. They are positioning themselves as defenders of the little guy against powerful interest groups lining up at the public trough.
Sanders said he doesn't hear from people about the need to help the semiconductor industry. Voters talk to him about climate change, gun safety, preserving a woman's right to an abortion and boosting Social Security benefits, to name just a few.
One thing voters agree on: Fresh voices needed in politics
NEW YORK (AP) — As he campaigns for a Manhattan congressional seat against fellow Democrats twice his age, 38-year-old Suraj Patel harnesses the frustration of his generation toward those who have held office for decades.
In his telling, Reps. Jerry Nadler, 75, and Carolyn Maloney, 76, are part of a crop of Democrats who rose to power in the 1990s only to fail on issues ranging from guns to climate change and abortion. The redistricting process that merged their congressional districts offers a chance for new leadership, Patel says.
“If we keep doing the same thing over and over and expecting different result: That’s not just the definition of insanity," he said. "That’s also the definition of incumbency.”
More than 1,100 miles to the west in the presidential testing ground of Iowa, Republican Jeremiah Bronson was also considering whether someone other than 76-year-old Donald Trump might carry his party into the future. Bronson expressed growing interest in 55-year-old Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
“He seems to be on the same page with conservatives around the country,” Bronson, 39, said as he dined on barbecued pork sandwiches with a half-dozen other Story County Republicans.
Yellen downplays US recession risk as economic reports loom
WASHINGTON (AP) — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Sunday said the U.S. economy is slowing but pointed to healthy hiring as proof that it is not yet in recession.
Yellen spoke on NBC's “Meet the Press” just before a slew of economic reports will be released this week that will shed light on an economy currently besieged by rampant inflation and threatened by higher interest rates. The data will cover sales of new homes, consumer confidence, incomes, spending, inflation, and overall output.
The highest-profile report will likely be Thursday, when the Commerce Department will release its first estimate of the economy's output in the April-June quarter. Some economists forecast it may show a contraction for the second quarter in a row. The economy shrank 1.6% in the January-March quarter. Two straight negative readings is considered an informal definition of a recession, though in this case economists think that's misleading.
Instead, the National Bureau of Economic Research — a nonprofit group of economists — defines a recession as “a significant decline in economic activity that is spread across the economy and lasts more than a few months.”
Yellen argued that much of the economy remains healthy: Consumer spending is growing, Americans' finances, on average, are solid, and the economy has added more than 400,000 jobs a month this year, a robust figure. The unemployment rate is 3.6%, near a half-century low.
Big Papi a big hit at his Baseball Hall of Fame induction
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. (AP) — David Ortiz promised to speak from the heart. As usual, Big Papi delivered.
His megawatt smile tinged with a tad of emotion, the former Boston Red Sox slugger was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday — after his daughter Alexandra sang the national anthiem — and was humbled by his surroundings.
“I want to thank God for giving me the opportunity to be here today and for giving me the joy of being able to travel this path, this path that has allowed me to be here today and hopefully inspire everyone to believe in yourself,” Ortiz said.
Ortiz was greeted by a raucous crowd chanting “Papi! Papi!" as many fans made the four-hour drive from the vicinity of Fenway Park to attend the festivities.
When he took the stage, Ortiz pointed skyward as is his wont in special moments, a way of honoring his late mother, who died two decades ago after a car accident. | 2022-07-25T05:56:54+00:00 | wcfcourier.com | https://wcfcourier.com/news/national/ap-news-in-brief-at-12-04-a-m-edt/article_1b5fa3ec-2752-5295-a93c-7e173d56c76d.html |
MADISON, Wis., July 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Exact Sciences Corp. (Nasdaq: EXAS), a leading provider of cancer screening and diagnostic tests, today announced that the company plans to release its second quarter 2022 financial results after the close of the U.S. financial markets on August 2, 2022. Following the release, company management will host a webcast and conference call at 5 p.m. ET to discuss financial results and business progress.
Second quarter 2022 webcast & conference call details
An archive of the webcast will be available at www.exactsciences.com. A replay of the conference call will be available by calling 800-770-2030 domestically or +1 647-362-9199 internationally. The access code for the replay of the call is 4437608. The webcast, conference call, and replay are open to all interested parties.
About Exact Sciences Corp.
A leading provider of cancer screening and diagnostic tests, Exact Sciences relentlessly pursues smarter solutions providing the clarity to take life-changing action, earlier. Building on the success of Cologuard® and Oncotype® tests, Exact Sciences is investing in its product pipeline to support patients before and throughout their cancer diagnosis and treatment. Exact Sciences unites visionary collaborators to help advance the fight against cancer. For more information, please visit the company's website at www.exactsciences.com, follow Exact Sciences on Twitter @ExactSciences, or find Exact Sciences on Facebook.
Contact:
Megan Jones
Exact Sciences Corp.
meganjones@exactsciences.com
608-535-8815
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SOURCE Exact Sciences Corporation | 2022-07-08T10:33:55+00:00 | kfyrtv.com | https://www.kfyrtv.com/prnewswire/2022/07/08/exact-sciences-schedules-second-quarter-2022-earnings-call/ |
WHITE, Rinda Mae
Age 104, of Ross, Ohio, passed away on January 6, 2023, at Westover Retirement Community in Hamilton. She was born on May 26, 1918, in Hazard, Kentucky, the daughter of Henry and Mary Jane (Couch) Morgan. She was married over 60 years to Bill White who preceded her in death. For over 23 years, she was employed as the housekeeping manager at Miami University in Oxford. Rinda loved spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great, great grandchildren. She is survived by her daughter, Josephine (JC) Couch; two grandchildren, Scheryl (Clint) Moore and Jason (Laura) Couch; five great-grandchildren, Matt (Kristen) Moore, Morgan Moore, Drew (Abby) Couch, Tyler Couch, and Lindsey Couch; two great-great-grandchildren, Ezra and Maddox Moore; and many other loving relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; five brothers, Tad, Fred, Logan, Elhanon, and Henry Morgan; and four sisters, Lillie Fields, Nannie Baker, Della Couch, and Rebecca Keen. Visitation will be held at Charles C. Young Funeral Home, 4032 Hamilton Cleves Road, Ross, OH, on Tuesday, January 10, 2023, from 12-noon until the time of the funeral service at 2 p.m. Burial will follow in New London Cemetery in Shandon, Ohio. If desired, memorials may be made to St. Jude Children's Hospital or to Hospice of Cincinnati. Online condolences at
www.charlesyoungfuneralhome.com
Funeral Home Information
Charles C. Young Funeral Home - Ross | 2023-01-08T07:28:19+00:00 | springfieldnewssun.com | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/obituaries/white-rinda/42QEQMXH5JH5RGFLPBXX4F3XX4/ |
- Crypto owners can now shop for real-life goods using digital currency
- Retailers are offered new possibilities with crypto go-to-market strategy, including new revenue stream, wider customer base and more
- Launch accompanied by collaboration with The Open Network (TON), which was inherited from Telegram
LOS ANGELES, June 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- GM.co, the world's largest B2C crypto-exclusive e-commerce marketplace officially launches today, offering the Web 3 community the opportunity to buy and sell real-world items using cryptocurrency. Since launching its BETA platform in March, more than 1,000 listings have been added to the site, including collectibles, apparel, luxury goods, experiences and more.
The platform is the brainchild of Julian Chow, Daniel Whyte, Lori Liu and Ferhat Dogru who are also the co-founders of Phantom Network (PxN), an NFT project and Web3 tech company. "The idea of a decentralised marketplace, built on the blockchain where crypto-holders can buy and sell goods is something the Web3 community has been asking for a long-time. Our mission is to be the go-to marketplace for forward-thinking shoppers and sellers alike, while providing the most secure e-commerce platform run on blockchain. Based on the positive feedback we've received so far, we're confident we're on track," said GM.co Co-founder and CEO, Julian Chow.
Vibrant marketplace retailing products and experiences
A notable differentiation is the exotic and unique offerings such as a Mech pilot training, a luxurious omakase yacht experience, and the soon-to-be-launched 'PROTHESIS' that holds a Guinness World Record for the largest tetrapod exoskeleton.
"As a company focused on bringing what used to be only seen in Sci-Fi to life, it seemed only natural that we would market our products first on such a forward looking platform. We are excited to be one of the first few brands onboard and for the possibilities ahead in this journey," said Jonathan Tippett, Founder, CEO, Mech Test Pilot of Exosapien Technologies.
Centered around Web 3 Community
To coincide with today's launch, GM.co also announced a collaboration with The Open Network (TON), a decentralised and open internet, created by the community using a technology designed by Telegram.
TON boasts an impressive community with over 1 million subscribers and followers across various social platforms, along with a $2.3bn market capitalisation. Together, GM.co and TON will pioneer mutually beneficial integrations, granting TON's extensive community access to decentralised commerce.
For more information, please visit GM.co.
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SOURCE GM.co | 2023-06-15T15:46:32+00:00 | kswo.com | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/06/15/gmco-worlds-largest-b2c-crypto-exclusive-e-commerce-marketplace-launches/ |
AVERAGE HIGH FOR JULY 4TH: 82°
AVERAGE LOW FOR JULY 4TH: 57°
MONDAY’S SUNRISE: 5:37 AM
MONDAY’S SUNSET: 8:47 PM
Happy Monday! It is a cold but clear start to the day. Plenty of sunshine for our Fourth of July and we stay dry. Temperatures rise today into the mid 80s. Clouds increase this evening but we still stay dry. We turn mostly cloudy overnight and lows are in the low 60s. Tuesday starts off dry but mostly cloudy. Showers and thunderstorms develop for the afternoon and evening. A majority of the Twin Tiers is under a marginal risk which is a 1 out of 5 with 1 being the lowest. This means an isolated strong to severe storm is possible. Main threats are damaging wind and large hail. It will also be breezy and humid throughout the day.
Stray showers linger into early Wednesday with the Twin Tiers drying out throughout the morning. The rest of the day remains a mix of sun and clouds type of day. Thursday is also a mix of sun and clouds day and we stay dry. Highs through midweek stay in the low to mid 80s. Shower and thunderstorm chances return for Friday as a cold front moves in. Ahead of the cold front we will see humid conditions. Sunshine returns just in time for the weekend. Saturday is mostly sunny and plenty of sunshine is with us for Sunday. It is going to be a dry weekend with near average temperatures.
Have a great Fourth of July!
MONDAY: SUNNY, CLOUDS INCREASE LATE
HIGH: 85 LOW: 63
TUESDAY: MOSTLY CLOUDY, SCATTERED SHOWERS/ISO. STORMS & BREEZY
HIGH: 84 LOW: 63
WEDNESDAY: SUN & CLOUDS, STRAY SHOWER EARLY
HIGH: 80 LOW: 56
THURSDAY: SUN & CLOUDS
HIGH: 83 LOW: 61
FRIDAY: MOSTLY CLOUDY. CHANCE SHOWERS
HIGH: 82 LOW: 60
SATURDAY: MOSTLY SUNNY
HIGH: 79 LOW: 54
SUNDAY: SUNNY
HIGH: 80 LOW: 55
Chief Meteorologist Shelby Clark: Facebook I Twitter I Instagram
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Meteorologist Nick Guzzo: Facebook I Twitter I Instagram
Meteorologist Jacob Matthews: Facebook I Twitter | 2022-07-04T12:56:53+00:00 | mytwintiers.com | https://www.mytwintiers.com/news-cat/local-news/plenty-of-sunshine-today-clouds-increase-this-evening/ |
ORO VALLEY, Ariz. (KGUN) — Oro Valley Parks and Recreation will hold a mental health conversation with local fire and police officials and mental health experts.
“Participating in this event will be the most important component in terms of us moving forward so that we have better direction from our community,” said Oro Valley Director of Parks and Recreation, Kristy Diaz-Trahan.
6-year-old, Kain Johnson, said going to the park makes him happy.
“I like to play on that little obstacle course over there and I like the swings,” said Johnson.
Diaz-Trahan said she hopes more people in the community will utilize parks and recreational spaces for not only their physical health but their mental well-being too.
“People can go to a park or a community event to create connections that really improves a lot of brain activity,” said Diaz-Trahan.
Diaz-Trahan also added that with an uptick in mental health problems since the pandemic, she looked for a community-driven solution for the people of Oro Valley.
“We have to start somewhere,” said Diaz Trahan. “Meaningful access to resources, to me, that’s really key.”
The goal for the event is for the community to have an open conversation about mental health, voice any concerns they have and to get advice from mental health professionals.
The community conversation will be held at Oro Valley’s Council Chambers at 6 p.m. on August 9.
——-
Faith Abercrombie is a reporter for KGUN 9. Faith joined the KGUN 9 team in July of 2022 after graduating Arizona State University in May. Share your story ideas with Faith by emailing faith.abercrombie@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, or Twitter. | 2022-08-09T13:33:31+00:00 | kgun9.com | https://www.kgun9.com/news/local-news/oro-valley-parks-and-recreation-to-hold-a-community-mental-health-conversation |
SAN DIEGO, Nov. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CV Sciences, Inc. (OTCQB:CVSI) (the "Company", "CV Sciences", "our", "us" or "we"), a preeminent supplier and manufacturer of hemp cannabidiol (CBD) products, today announced that it will release financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2022, before the stock market opens on Monday, November 14, 2022. The Company will hold a conference call with the investment community at 7:00 a.m. Pacific Time (10:00 a.m. Eastern Time) that same day.
The webcast of the conference call will be available on the Investor Relations section of the Company's website at https://ir.cvsciences.com/news-events or directly at https://viavid.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1580314&tp_key=ff2ed96878. The webcast will be archived for approximately 30 days. Investors interested in participating in the live call can also dial (877) 407-0784 from the U.S. or international callers can dial (201) 689-8560. Please dial the conference telephone number 15 minutes prior to the start time due to increased demand for conference calls.
A telephone replay will be available approximately two hours after the call concludes and will be available through Monday, November 21, 2022, by dialing (844) 512-2921 from the U.S. or (412) 317-6671 from international locations, and entering confirmation code 13734140.
CV Sciences, Inc. (OTCQB:CVSI) operates two distinct business segments: a consumer product division focused on manufacturing, marketing and selling plant-based dietary supplements and CBD products to a range of market sectors; and a drug development division focused on developing and commercializing CBD-based novel therapeutics. The Company's PlusCBD™ products are sold at select retail locations throughout the U.S. and it is one of the top-selling brand of hemp-derived CBD in the natural products market, according to SPINS, the leading provider of syndicated data and insights for the natural, organic and specialty products industry. CV Sciences follows all guidelines for Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and the Company's products are processed, produced, and tested throughout the manufacturing process to confirm strict compliance with company standards and specifications. With a commitment to science, PlusCBD™ product benefits in healthy people are supported by human clinical research data, in addition to three published clinical case studies available on PubMed.gov. PlusCBD™ was the first hemp CBD supplement brand to invest in the scientific evidence necessary to receive self-affirmed Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status. CV Sciences, Inc. has primary offices and facilities in San Diego, California. Additional information is available from OTCMarkets.com or by visiting www.cvsciences.com.
This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements and information, as defined within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and is subject to the Safe Harbor created by those sections. This material contains statements about expected future events and/or financial results that are forward looking in nature and subject to risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements by definition involve risk and uncertainties.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
ir@cvsciences.com
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SOURCE CV Sciences, Inc. | 2022-11-08T21:52:12+00:00 | kcrg.com | https://www.kcrg.com/prnewswire/2022/11/08/cv-sciences-inc-announce-third-quarter-2022-results-november-14-2022/ |
Seven sheriff’s deputies in Virginia have been charged with second-degree murder in the death of a Black man with a history of mental illness who died after the officers smothered him as he lay on the ground in handcuffs and leg shackles at a hospital, his family’s lawyer and a county prosecutor said on Wednesday.
The man, Irvo Otieno, 28, of Henrico County, Virginia, whose family emigrated from Kenya when he was 4 years old, appeared to have died from asphyxiation, or oxygen deficiency, on March 6 at Central State Hospital in Dinwiddie County, his family’s lawyer, Mark Krudys, said in an interview. His family says Otieno was deprived of medication while in jail that he needed for his mental illness.
Three other people who were employed at Central State Hospital at the time of Otieno’s death have also been charged with second-degree murder, the Dinwiddie County prosecutor’s office said in a statement Thursday.
The seven deputies from the Henrico County Sheriff’s Office “have been placed on administrative leave” until the case is closed, Sheriff Alisa Gregory of Henrico County said in a statement.
“The events of March 6, at their core, represent a tragedy because Mr. Otieno’s life was lost,” Gregory said, noting that her office was cooperating with the investigation of the Virginia State Police.
The Dinwiddie County prosecutor, Ann Cabell Baskervill, said in court Wednesday that Otieno had suffocated from the weight of the seven deputies smothering him, CBS 6 News reported.
“There is video footage of exactly what happened, and he was not agitated and combative,” Baskervill said of Otieno. “He was held down on the ground, pinned on the ground for 12 minutes by all seven of our defendants charged here.”
She did not immediately respond to emails and calls seeking comment Wednesday.
The Central State Hospital employees facing charges were identified by the prosecutor’s office as Darian M. Blackwell, 23, of Petersburg; Wavie L. Jones, 34, of Chesterfield; and Sadarius D. Williams, 27, of North Dinwiddie. It was not immediately clear in court records if they had lawyers.
The authorities have identified the deputies involved as Randy Joseph Boyer, 57, of Henrico; Dwayne Alan Bramble, 37, of Sandston; Jermaine Lavar Branch, 45, of Henrico; Bradley Thomas Disse, 43, of Henrico; Tabitha Renee Levere, 50, of Henrico; Brandon Edwards Rodgers, 48, of Henrico; and Kaiyell Dajour Sanders, 30, of North Chesterfield.
Court records did not list the names of lawyers representing some of the deputies. The records show that court hearings were scheduled Wednesday to appoint lawyers for some of them.
Cary Bowen, who is representing Branch and did not respond to calls and an email seeking comment, told reporters outside the courthouse in Dinwiddie County on Wednesday that the prosecutor “has taken a very aggressive position here, and it’s pretty unusual to go about things the way it’s been done,” ABC 8 News reported.
Bowen added in court that the deputies had struggled to restrain Otieno, whom he described as “physically very robust” and as having a history of mental health struggles.
The Henrico Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 4, the local police union, said on Facebook that while the death of Otieno was tragic, “we also stand behind the seven accused deputies.” The organization also emphasized that the Virginia State Police had not yet finished its investigation, and that the medical examiner had not released a cause of death as of Wednesday.
“With these things in mind, and cognizant of every accused’s presumption of innocence, we support our brothers and sisters, and hope for a quick resolution that clears their names,” the union said.
The medical examiner’s office did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment Wednesday night.
The case is the latest example of an encounter between law enforcement and a person with a mental illness that ended in violence or death. According to a Washington Post database that tracks police shootings in the United States, 21% of people killed by law enforcement since 2015 had a known mental illness. The death of Otieno also came as law enforcement agencies across the country face increasing scrutiny over arrests that have turned deadly. Earlier this year, Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man pulled over in a traffic stop, was beaten by Memphis police officers for roughly three minutes on the evening of Jan. 7, and died three days later.
Otieno was a well-known athlete growing up in Henrico, Krudys said, and began having mental health struggles as a young adult.
Krudys declined to share more details about Otieno’s mental health condition.
On March 3, Otieno appeared to be experiencing mental health distress and walked to a neighbor’s lawn, where he picked up some solar-powered lights laid out on the property, Krudys said.
A neighbor called the Henrico Police Department, whose officers placed Otieno under an emergency custody order before taking him to a hospital “for further evaluation,” the police said in a statement.
At the hospital, police said last week, Otieno was “physically assaultive” toward officers, who arrested him, took him to the Henrico County Jail and charged him with three counts of assault on a law enforcement officer and one count each of disorderly conduct in a hospital and vandalism.
Otieno’s family disputes that he was violent at the hospital.
While Otieno was in jail, his mother, Caroline Ouko, tried to bring him medication for his mental illness, though officials initially would not allow her to drop it off, Krudys said. Later, the jail accepted one medication, he added. Officials at the jail told her that Otieno would see a doctor in a few days, he said.
“The more time that passes without you getting your meds,” Krudys said, “the more distressed you become.”
On March 6, Otieno was taken from the jail to the state hospital, where, the prosecutor said, the deputies smothered him.
Krudys said that he was continuing to gather details about what had occurred while Otieno was detained.
“I mean, it’s a very harsh treatment for somebody that’s obviously in a very confused state,” Krudys said of the deputies’ actions.
It’s unclear what prompted the struggle between the deputies and Otieno on March 6 at the state hospital, Krudys said, but footage inside the building appears to have captured the encounter.
That footage has not been released, and the Virginia Department of Behavioral and Developmental Services, which oversees the state-run hospital in Dinwiddie County, did not respond to calls seeking comment Wednesday night.
Otieno’s family plans to see the video for the first time Thursday, Krudys said. Ben Crump, the lawyer representing Nichols’ family, will be at a news conference attended by the family.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times. | 2023-03-18T07:18:33+00:00 | twincities.com | https://www.twincities.com/2023/03/16/7-virginia-deputies-charged-with-murder-in-death-of-man-at-hospital-3/ |
Quad summit in Australia canceled after Joe Biden shortens Asia trip
By Angus Watson and Simone McCarthy, CNN
Sydney (CNN) — A planned summit of Quad leaders from the United States, India, Australia, and Japan in Sydney next week has been canceled after US President Joe Biden pulled out of his visit, Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Wednesday, adding that talks could still proceed as leaders visit Japan.
Biden was slated to gather with Albanese, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio on May 24 for a meeting of the informal security dialogue, which is widely seen as a counter to China’s aggressive posture in the region.
The late hour cancellation — which also saw Biden pull out of a visit to Papua New Guinea — comes as US seeks to energize its security ties in the Pacific amid rising competition with China.
But Washington’s fractious domestic politics has curtailed what would have been a significant visit to Asia by a US president.
Biden had been planning to travel to Sydney for the summit as part of a weeklong Asia tour that was set to begin in Hiroshima, Japan for a Group of Seven (G7) leader summit, and include a stopover in Papua New Guinea for a meeting with Pacific Island leaders.
Biden will still travel to Japan starting Wednesday, but he canceled the additional legs of the trip, due to the ongoing debt ceiling negotiations in Washington, the White House confirmed Tuesday.
The Quad leaders would instead have discussions in Japan, where all four leaders would be over the weekend, Albanese said Wednesday, adding that no time had been confirmed.
“The Quad is an important body and we want to make sure that it occurs at leadership level and we’ll be having that discussion over the weekend,” the Australian leader said.
The meeting would be the third in-person leaders gathering for the Quad, known formally as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, which was founded over 15 years ago but has seen increased prominence in recent years.
The leaders were expected to discuss deepening their cooperation on a range of issues from critical and emerging technologies, climate change, maritime domain awareness, according to a statement released by the White House last month.
Albanese said the other Quad leaders could still visit Sydney next week and that discussions are underway.
The Australian leader also hinted at Biden’s frustration that events on Capitol Hill had forced his hand.
Biden and Albanese spoke over the phone early Wednesday, in which Biden expressed his disappointment “at some of the actions of some members of Congress and the US Senate,” Albanese said.
“It is behaviour that clearly is not in the interests of the people of the United States, but it’s also because the US has a critical role as the world’s largest economy. It has implications for the global economy as well, this hold up of the debt ceiling that they’re engaged with,” Albanese said.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | 2023-05-17T04:24:32+00:00 | localnews8.com | https://localnews8.com/news/national-world/cnn-world/2023/05/16/quad-summit-in-australia-canceled-after-joe-biden-shortens-asia-trip/ |
LONDON – Two senior clergymen in Jerusalem have consecrated the holy oil that will be used to anoint King Charles III during his coronation, as the Anglican Church seeks to underscore the monarchy’s long history and the royal family’s links to the Middle East.
The oil was consecrated Friday morning at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the traditional site of Christ’s crucifixion and burial, Buckingham Palace said in a statement. The ceremony was conducted by His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, head of the Greek Orthodox Church in Jerusalem, and the Most Rev. Hosam Naoum, the Anglican archbishop in Jerusalem.
The oil was pressed from olives harvested on the Mount of Olives, which plays a prominent role in the Bible, and has been perfumed with sesame, rose, jasmine, cinnamon, neroli, benzoin, amber oil and orange blossoms, the palace said.
Charles’ paternal grandmother, Princess Alice of Greece, is buried at the Monastery of Mary Magdalene on the Mount of Olives.
“This demonstrates the deep historic link between the coronation, the Bible and the Holy Land,” the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, said in the statement. “From ancient kings through to the present day, monarchs have been anointed with oil from this sacred place.”
Charles will be formally crowned on May 6 at Westminster Abbey in London, during a ceremony the palace says will combine elements of tradition with modern touches that highlight the changing face of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.
Charles became king on Sept. 8 following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who reigned for more than 70 years. | 2023-03-04T02:03:52+00:00 | wsls.com | https://www.wsls.com/news/world/2023/03/04/oil-for-charles-iiis-coronation-consecrated-in-jerusalem/ |
Oil tanker breaks down in Egypt’s Suez Canal, briefly disrupting traffic in the global waterway
CAIRO (AP) — A tanker transporting crude oil broke down in a single-lane part of Egypt’s Suez Canal on Sunday, briefly disrupting traffic in the global waterway, Egyptian authorities said.
The Malta-flagged Seavigour suffered a mechanical malfunction at the 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) mark of the canal, said George Safwat, a spokesperson for Egypt’s Suez Canal Authority. The tanker was transiting the canal from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea
In a phone interview with a local television station, Adm. Ossama Rabei, head of the Suez Canal Authority, said the tanker broke down in a single-lane part of the waterway, disrupting the transit of eight other vessels behind it.
Hours later, Rabei said in a statement that navigation at the canal had returned to normal after three tugboats towed the tanker to a double-lane part at the 17 kilometers (10.5 miles) mark. He said that the Seavigour ‘s crew was working on repairing the malfunction but did not share further details.
The Seavigour was built in 2016, and is 274 meters (899 feet) long and 48.63 meters (159 feet) wide, according to MarineTraffic, a vessel tracking service provider
Sunday’s incident was the latest case of a vessel reported stuck in the vital waterway. A flurry of ships ran aground or broke down in the Suez Canal over the past few years.
On May 25, a Hong Kong-flagged ship briefly blocked the canal. On March 5, a Liberia-flagged ship ran aground in the two-lane part of the waterway. Both vessels were refloated hours later.
In March 2021, the Panama-flagged Ever Given, a colossal container ship, crashed into a bank on a single-lane stretch of the canal, blocking the waterway for six days and disrupting global trade.
The canal, which opened in 1869, provides a crucial link for oil, natural gas and cargo. About 10% of world trade flows through the canal, a major source of foreign currency for the Egyptian government.
According to the Suez Canal Authority, last year, 23,851 vessels passed through the waterway, compared to 20,649 vessels in 2021. The revenue from the canal in 2022 reached $8 billion, the highest in its history.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | 2023-06-04T10:18:27+00:00 | kob.com | https://www.kob.com/news/business-money/oil-tanker-breaks-down-in-egypts-suez-canal-briefly-disrupting-traffic-in-the-global-waterway/ |
SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) – No one wants to be sick at work, but for some New Mexico workers, earning paid sick leave is a challenge. But thanks to a bill passed in 2021, New Mexicans will soon have a right to paid sick leave.
Called the “Healthy Workplaces Act,” the bill was passed during the 2021 legislative session. As of July 1, 2022, the new law will go into effect. State officials in charge of administering the law say it’s ultimately intended to help both employees and employers.
“New Mexico is not alone in recognizing that paid sick leave can benefit employees and employers. 15 other states and almost 150 other countries around the world enacted laws requiring some form of paid sick leave.” Kimberly Souders, the acting director of the Labor Relations Division for the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions, said in a presentation to employers.
And because paid sick leave can help reduce turnover and keep employees operating at their best, “it really is good for business,” Souders said.
Employee rights
The act requires all private New Mexico businesses to pay earned sick leave to employees. Starting July 1, 2022, this will apply to all businesses, regardless of the size of the business.
New Mexico-based employees are granted this right, as long as they work within the state of New Mexico. That means even if their employer is based in another location, if they’re a New Mexico-based worker, an employee is eligible for paid sick leave.
This applies to full-time, part-time, and even seasonal workers. There are a few exceptions. For example, the law does not apply to employees on tribal land. And independent contractors are not considered employees for the purpose of the new law.
Many private businesses already have time off policies that comply with this new law. So don’t be surprised if you don’t see many changes at your workplace. But for some, this will be a relatively large change in how they receive sick leave.
Minimum earned leave
The new law requires private employers to give employees at least one hour of sick leave per 30 hours worked. Employers can give more, but that’s the minimum under the new law. Overtime hours count towards your total hours worked as well.
Under the law, employees are allowed to use their earned hours all at once. Or, they can use their hour’s several pieces at a time.
What can the earned hours be used for?
Because the earned hours are for sick leave, employees can’t simply use them for vacation. Instead, the law lays out a list of permitted uses.
Obviously, the earned leave can be used for medical care. This includes if the employee is seeking treatment for medical issues as well as taking leave to help care for their family members.
Preventative medical care is allowed. As is using the time to attend meetings at a child’s school, if the meeting is related to the child’s health. You can also use the time to deal with issues related to domestic abuse or sexual assault.
If you only use a day worth of sick leave, your employer can’t ask for documentation to prove you used it according to the permitted uses. But if you use more than that at once, you may be required to prove you used the leave for medical purposes.
And it’s worth noting that you don’t have to use other types of leave before using your state-granted sick leave. And state law says it’s not your job to find someone to cover for you if you do use your sick leave — so your boss isn’t allowed to decline your sick leave simply because there’s no one to cover your shift.
What happens if you don’t use the hours?
If you don’t use up your earned sick leave hours before your employment ends, you might lose those hours. After all, the new law does not require employers to pay for unused hours. That applies whether you’re fired, retire, or end your employment under any other circumstance.
If you feel like your employer isn’t letting you take leave
“Retaliation is illegal under the Healthy Workplaces Act, and we take it seriously,” Souders said. “It is against the law.”
“Retaliation” happens when your employer takes an adverse action — such as making a threat or demoting you — for anything that is allowed under the new law. It could even be something as small as giving you a less favorable work schedule after you try to use your sick leave.
But be aware, that state law still allows workplaces to discipline employees based on company policy. “Legitimate discipline is one thing, retaliation is another and it comes with penalties under the law,” Souders said.
The state’s Labor Relations Division is tasked with investigating complaints from employees.
*Editor’s Note: The information in this story was sourced primarily from New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions. This is not an exhaustive list of the law’s exceptions, nor is it legal advice. | 2022-07-01T14:48:32+00:00 | everythinglubbock.com | https://www.everythinglubbock.com/news/state-regional/what-you-need-to-know-about-new-mexicos-new-paid-sick-leave-law/ |
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — A park in Dayton will soon see improvements after the city obtained funding for the project.
According to a release, MacIntosh Park, located at 882 East Riverview Avenue in Dayton, will be rehabilitated. The announcement came from the city of Dayton as city officials approved a contract to utilize funds of the Dayton Recovery Plan on Wednesday, Feb. 22.
The upcoming project to the Dayton park will feature construction on the parking lot, plus repairing the curb and sidewalk at the park. The site does not currently have a certain space for parkgoers, but the project will create 70 spaces for vehicles to park, the release says.
Double Jay Construction, LLC. was chosen for the contract and the Department of Public Works for the city of Dayton will oversee the project.
The price tag on the park project is valued at $365,000. Construction is expected to wrap up by Monday, July 3, 2023, according to the city of Dayton. | 2023-02-23T03:09:59+00:00 | wdtn.com | https://www.wdtn.com/news/local-news/funding-to-provide-improvements-to-macintosh-park-in-dayton/ |
CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — If reality TV drama isn’t entertaining enough on its own, why not throw the contestants into stressful survival situations as well? There are over a dozen different survival and adventure game shows, but which one holds West Virginia’s interest the most?
Out of the nine survival game shows ranked by American Casino Guide, the show “Naked and Afraid” was most searched for in West Virginia, a show where a pair of survivalists are left in the wilderness with nothing except a single item that they are allowed to bring with them. Contestants who can survive 21 days in the wild get to walk away with $5,000.
“Naked and Afraid” has had at least one West Virginian on the show — Trenton Harper of Coalton, West Virginia in Randolph County appeared on Season 4 Episode 5 of Naked and Afraid.
“Naked and Afraid” was the fourth most searched survival game show according to the survey. “Survivor” was the most searched show in the country by a large margin, beating the number two ranked show “The Challenge” by over two million searches. | 2023-05-17T19:43:49+00:00 | wboy.com | https://www.wboy.com/entertainment-news/what-is-west-virginias-favorite-survival-game-show/ |
Allthenticate is eliminating passwords, smartcards, authentication codes, and key fobs and replacing them with a modern, mobile experience.
HOUSTON, Texas and SANTA BARBARA, Calif., June 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Allthenticate, a unified authentication and access control company, announces its seed funding of $3,133,337, "elite" in hacker speak, led by Silverton Partners with participation from Amplify and Ping Identity.
Allthenticate's mission is to make security products that are fun, easy to use, and ridiculously secure. Its current services let organizations use their smartphones to unlock and log in to everything: doors, computers, websites, and servers. Allthenticate helps organizations upgrade their security infrastructures while reducing management overhead, increasing visibility into their organization, and letting them build highly-customized security policies. These policies can be made as user-friendly as possible without compromising security – doors unlock as you walk up to them, computers unlock by simply pressing [Enter], and websites login automatically based on the proximity of the phone. Only in security-critical instances will users be prompted for a secure biometric or a PIN, as determined by its users.
Dr. Chad Spensky, founder and CEO, said, "The Internet desperately needs an authentication overhaul. Our current ecosystem is cumbersome, limits innovation, and has numerous security shortcomings. I have dedicated my career to this problem and feel very fortunate to have the support to continue to develop our technology and bring it to the masses. The feedback from our early customers has been incredibly positive, which is only compounding the excitement here at Allthenticate."
Allthenticate has taken an exclusive license from MIT to the core technology, originally developed for the Department of Defense by Chad and his team during their tenure at MIT Lincoln Laboratory. Allthenticate's fully-distributed architecture is unique in the authentication industry. The system was meticulously designed to remove any single points of failure and to distribute trust across the ecosystem. Each user is in full control of their cryptographic keys, which are securely stored in their phone's hardware, and each organization controls their own small piece of the network. This design allows Allthenticate's technology to scale without putting the world's infrastructure at risk of a cyberattack and without compromising users' privacy.
Silverton's managing partner, Morgan Flager, announced, "Silverton has a long history of working with leaders who have pushed boundaries in identity, governance, and access management. Upon meeting Chad and Rita, we recognized Allthenticate's technology as having the potential to be paradigm-shifting for the industry. What the team has accomplished with modest financial resources to date is impressive. We are excited and honored to partner with Allthenticate to accelerate our shared vision of creating a safer and more secure world without passwords."
"We're excited to support the Allthenticate team in their mission to accelerate a truly passwordless future, and what that means for the opportunity to improve and modernize the security stack for enterprises everywhere. Companies use a range of products and often staple together solutions across password management, authentication, and access — Allthenticate creates a seamless command center for all of this," declared Connor Sundberg from Amplify.
The new funding will help expand engineering efforts and commercial operations, as well as establishing strategic partnerships and integrations.
ALLTHENTICATE CONTACT
NAME: Rita Mounir
TITLE: Co-founder, Chief Operating Officer
EMAIL: rita@allthenticate.com
PHONE: (805) 209-9387
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SOURCE Allthenticate | 2022-06-21T15:11:29+00:00 | wafb.com | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/06/21/allthenticate-raises-elite-3133337-seed-round-free-world-passwords-key-fobs/ |
ST. LOUIS — In many cities, no one knows where the lead pipes lie underground. That's important because lead pipes contaminate drinking water. After the lead crisis in Flint, officials in Michigan accelerated efforts to locate their pipes, a first step toward removal.
But other places are moving more slowly.
That means as billions of dollars in new federal funding becomes available to address the problem, some places are in a better position than others to quickly apply for funds and start digging.
Those that wait are at risk of being left behind.
“The issue right now is we want to reduce the time that vulnerable folks are living with lead exposure,” said Eric Schwartz, co-CEO of BlueConduit, which uses computer modeling to help communities predict where their lead pipes are.
In Iowa, for example, only a handful of cities have located their lead water lines and so far only one – Dubuque – has asked for newly-available federal funds to remove them. State officials still expressed confidence they will find their lead lines by the federal government’s 2024 deadline and communities will have time to apply for funds.
Lead in the body can lower IQ, stunt development and cause behavior problems in children. Lead pipes can leach into drinking water. Removing them eliminates the threat.
There are millions of lead pipes in the ground, installed decades ago, that carry tap water to homes and businesses. They are concentrated in the Midwest and Northeast but are present across much of the country. Scattershot record keeping means many cities don’t know which of their water pipes are made of lead versus PVC or copper.
Some places like Madison and Green Bay, Wisconsin, have managed to remove theirs. But it’s an expensive problem and historically there’s been little federal funding to address it.
“The lack of resources has been a huge issue,” said Radhika Fox, head of the Environmental Protection Agency office of water.
President Joe Biden signed an infrastructure bill last year that finally provided a big boost, allocating $15 billion over five years to assist communities with lead pipes. It's not enough to solve the problem, but will help.
Communities that avoid the issue or wait too long may not be eligible.
“If you don’t get your act together and you don’t submit an application, you’re not going to get the money,” said Erik Olson of the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Local officials can start replacement work before they complete a detailed inventory, but it helps to have an estimate of where lead pipes are, said Eric Oswald, director of Michigan’s drinking water division.
“We need to know that they have identified the lead service lines before we’re going to fund the removal process,” he said.
SCANDAL AFTER SCANDAL
Lead pipes have caused harm for decades. In recent years, residents in Newark, New Jersey, and Benton Harbor, Michigan, were forced to use bottled water for basic needs like cooking and drinking, after tests revealed elevated levels of lead. Flint, a majority-Black community where officials initially denied there were lead problems, focused national attention on the health crisis. Public trust in tap water fell afterwards, especially in Black and Hispanic communities.
Sri Vedachalam, director of water equity and climate resilience at Environmental Consulting & Technology Inc., said he hopes communities are replacing pipes for residents’ benefit.
“But realistically, if it is to avoid embarrassment, that’s still a win,” he said.
There is some indication that embarrassment has been a motivator. Michigan and New Jersey passed tough measures to combat lead in drinking water, including speeding up the mapping process, after downplaying high lead levels. But things are moving more slowly in some other states like Iowa and Missouri that haven’t experienced similar headline-grabbing crises.
Earlier in August, the EPA instructed communities how to document their pipes. Money will flow according to the needs of each state, Fox said. There is technical assistance available and also easier terms for disadvantaged communities.
Water testing in Hamtramck, a city of nearly 30,000 surrounded by Detroit, has periodically revealed worrisome levels of lead. The city assumes most of its pipes are made of the problem metal and work is underway to replace them.
“We’ve been doing street after street,” said city manager Max Garbarino.
Pipe replacement is so sought after in Michigan that communities have applied for more funds than will be immediately available.
EQUITY CONCERNS
EPA distributed early funds using a formula that doesn’t consider the number of lead pipes in each state. So some states received far more money per lead pipe than others. The agency is working to correct that for future years. Michigan is hopeful that if states don’t spend their money, it will eventually flow to them.
Schwartz of BlueConduit said officials should be sure not to skip pipe inspections in poor neighborhoods, to ensure inventories are accurate. Otherwise if there is better documentation in wealthy areas, they might receive replacement funding more quickly even if they don’t need it as much.
Dubuque, a city of about 58,000 on the Mississippi River, wants more than $48 million to replace roughly 5,500 of its pipes that contain lead. Mapping work started years ago and previous officials ensured that it was properly updated, anticipating it would one day be a federal requirement. They were right.
Christopher Lester, manager of the city’s water department, said those past efforts made applying for funds easy.
“We’re fortunate to have the inventory developed. We don’t need to try and play catch up,” Lester said. | 2022-08-26T23:57:12+00:00 | wgrz.com | https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/nation-world/lead-pipe-replacement/507-36cf57a6-87f2-4dd2-90ae-c7ec8417f6b6 |
LeBron James is expected to miss most of March with an injured tendon in his right foot, the Los Angeles Lakers said on Thursday.
If that timetable holds, the Lakers will have to find a way to stay in the playoff race without the league's all-time scoring leader.
The Lakers did not disclose the full extent of the injury, saying it was a tendon issue and that he will be "reevaluated in approximately three weeks." If James misses three more weeks, starting with Thursday, that would keep him out for at least 10 of the Lakers' final 19 games.
James was hurt in the Lakers' win at Dallas on Sunday. He has already missed two games with the injury, with the Lakers splitting those contests.
“In the short term, we'll all have to pull in the same direction,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said after his team — without James and Anthony Davis — beat Oklahoma City 123-117 on Wednesday.
At 30-33, the Lakers are 11th in the Western Conference standings, one game from the No. 10 spot — and the last spot in the play-in round. They're also just 2 1/2 games back of sixth place, and the final guaranteed playoff spot.
That's good news, and so is what's left for the Lakers on the schedule. Only seven of their final 19 games are against teams that currently have records over .500 — with several games against other teams jostling for position in the West postseason chase. The Lakers start a five-game homestand Friday against Minnesota.
James leads the Lakers in scoring at 29.5 points per game. He said at the All-Star break last month that the team’s closing stretch this season would be some of the most important games he has played — noting he didn’t want to miss the postseason for a second consecutive year.
The Lakers are 6-10 without him in the lineup this season, and 24-23 in games he has appeared.
If the timetable does not significantly change, this would be only the third time in James' 20-year career that he misses at least 10 consecutive games. He missed a 20-game stretch late in the 2020-21 season with an ankle sprain, and a 17-game stretch in the 2018-19 season with a groin injury. Those stints both came since he joined the Lakers; he never had that long of an extended absence during his times with Cleveland or Miami.
James has logged nearly 65,000 minutes in regular-season and playoff games since entering the league — almost 20,000 more than any other player in that span.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2023-03-03T12:17:14+00:00 | clickorlando.com | https://www.clickorlando.com/sports/2023/03/02/lakers-say-lebron-james-has-tendon-injury-out-3-weeks/ |
BEIJING, June 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- After five years' effort and construction, the Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) was finally inaugurated on June 22 and is scheduled to open on July 2, representing a new cultural landmark in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).
Five years ago, on June 29, 2017, Chinese President Xi Jinping was present at the signing ceremony for the cooperation agreement between the mainland and the HKSAR on the development of the museum at the West Kowloon Cultural District.
In a show of his care and interest in the city's cultural and art development, Xi visited the district hours after he had arrived for a three-day inspection tour during the 20th anniversary celebrations of Hong Kong's return to the motherland.
Xi said that he hoped the HKSAR would carry forward traditional culture and play a role in facilitating and promoting cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and the West, and between Hong Kong and the mainland.
A window into Chinese culture
The already-thriving traditional Chinese culture of Hong Kong, known as "the Pearl of the Orient," is further boosted by HKPM's inauguration.
With elements such as red doors decorated with golden doornails, the museum embodies the excellence of traditional Chinese culture and asserts its aspiration to become one of the world's leading cultural institutions, committed to the study and appreciation of Chinese art and culture, while advancing dialogue among civilizations through international partnerships.
More than 900 treasures from the collection of the Palace Museum in Beijing will be placed on rotating display for the inaugural exhibitions. Some of these pieces are being shown in Hong Kong for the first time, while others have never been shown in public before, according to the HKPM.
In addition to physical institutions such as museums, Hong Kong has also been a stage for different styles of traditional Chinese theater. Inscribed onto the first national list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2006 and UNESCO's Representative List in 2009, Cantonese Opera is among the most popular.
In August 2017, in order to preserve its intangible cultural heritage, Hong Kong unveiled the first representative list of 20 items, ranging from performing arts like Cantonese Opera to festival events such as the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance and the traditional craftsmanship of the Bamboo Theatre Building Technique.
A fusion of East and West
Hong Kong is a place where Chinese and Western cultures blend, tradition and modernity are fused, and the old and new merge to present a unique contrast.
President Xi emphasized in 2018 that through its cultural diversity, Hong Kong will continue to play a special role in promoting East-West cultural exchange, facilitating mutual learning among civilizations, and building people-to-people bonds.
As an international business and financial center featuring openness and diversity, Hong Kong is home to some 600,000 non-Chinese residents, many of whom have resided in the city for decades.
Arthur de Villepin is one of them. He runs a gallery on Hollywood Road in the Central district on Hong Kong Island, with his father Dominique de Villepin, who served as France's prime minister from 2005 to 2007.
In an interview with China Media Group (CMG), the pair said that they had dedicated the Villepin gallery's inaugural exhibition to the late Chinese-French abstract painter Zao Wou-Ki, hailing him as a good example of "reconciliation between East and West."
The younger de Villepin expressed his confidence that "art and culture will both grow dramatically" in the city, and that the way "China will reveal itself to the world through its people with art is going to be extraordinary."
A city that tells China's stories
During a meeting with a Hong Kong delegation, President Xi said that the city, as a cosmopolitan metropolis, can tap into its extensive connections with the world, spread the best of traditional Chinese culture, and tell China's stories.
TV presenter Janis Chan is one such storyteller. In the documentary "No Poverty Land," she and her team spent three months visiting 10 areas on the Chinese mainland to introduce China's poverty relief efforts, which were not widely known to the world.
The work has won praise from viewers in Hong Kong, the mainland and beyond, winning for Chan the title of Best Female Host at the TVB Anniversary Awards 2021 in Hong Kong, and the role model of "Touching China 2021" on the mainland.
Following these honors, she told the media that it was her who was touched. "Every person we interviewed represents the remarkable character of the Chinese people."
In a recent interview with CMG, Chan said she will document more stories about China to let audiences at home and abroad know about the nation's development.
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SOURCE CGTN | 2022-06-30T17:03:54+00:00 | ksla.com | https://www.ksla.com/prnewswire/2022/06/30/cgtn-hong-kong-25-years-cultural-bond-between-china-world/ |
The Oklahoma City Zoo welcomed its first African lion cubs in 15 years and wants help naming them.
Dunia, a 7-year-old African lion, gave birth to three females and one male on Sept. 26. People can vote for one of three groups of names on the zoo's website.
"The last time there were lion cubs at the Zoo, we held a naming contest and we're continuing with tradition!" the zoo wrote on its Facebook page. "We need help naming Dunia's little lion cubs and we are asking all of our fans to cast their vote."
The zoo said Dunia and her cubs are in good health and are spending time bonding in their indoor dens at Lion Overlook. In the coming weeks, the cubs will receive their vaccinations and gradually be introduced to the other lions at the zoo.
Though not currently endangered in Africa, African lions are considered "vulnerable" by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, with about 75% of their populations in decline, according to the World Wildlife Fund. Habitat loss, prey decline and conflict with humans continue to threaten African lions, of which there are around 23,000 left in the wild.
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan, a team of experts who manage species populations in zoos and aquariums, advised the zoo that Dunia should breed with the zoo's male lion, Hubert.
Voting will close Monday at midnight and the winning names will be announced Wednesday on the zoo's Facebook page.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2022-11-07T18:55:15+00:00 | kpcc.org | https://www.kpcc.org/npr-news/2022-11-07/oklahoma-city-zoo-welcomed-its-first-lion-cubs-in-15-years-you-can-help-name-them |
SAN FRANCISCO, July 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Routable, a modern and intuitive business payments platform with a focus on mass payouts, today announced its new Cross-Border Payments® solution which allows businesses to pay their vendors and contractors across 220+ countries. Routable's Cross-Border Payments solution enables companies to pay a growing global network of key third parties, permitting companies to expand their business globally while also easily onboarding thousands of new vendors and contractors. This is a competitive advantage for rapidly-growing companies that are looking for the right global payouts solution to take them from 1000's to 100,000's of payments a month.
"We work with companies that are scaling rapidly, with an increasing need to pay gig workers and vendors around the globe," said Omri Mor, co-founder and CEO of Routable. "This is particularly important for companies in the growing gig economy and marketplace spaces. Now, companies can rely on one seamless payout experience for both their domestic and global payout needs, and continue to grow their network of vendors and gig workers – no matter where they are located."
Key highlights of Routable's comprehensive Cross-Border Payments® include:
- Simplified global payouts – An intuitive and automated solution for both your domestic and global payouts, eliminating the need for multiple payment systems and complicated workflows.
- Complete global coverage – Send money to over 220 countries and territories with flexible payment options including International ACH and SWIFT, speeds, and currencies while maintaining full visibility into each payment.
- Built to support your teams – Deliver the ideal payouts experience for your finance, operations, and engineering teams with multiple options including handling payouts straight from your dashboard, or using a no-code CSV upload feature or build the ultimate payouts experience with a REST API.
- Real-time two-way sync into accounting software – Routable handles syncing your bill and payment details so customers can focus on global expansion. Integration into Netsuite is available now, with more coming soon.
- Transform your onboarding process – Onboard your vendors globally straight from your dashboard in seconds.
The majority of traditional cross-border payment solutions are built to support single peer-to-peer cross-border transactions or are often built to handle the traditional AP use case. Routable's Cross-Border Payments solution supports multiple payment methods and speeds with competitive transaction fees, making it possible for businesses to power global mass payouts at scale.
"Creating a payout experience that keeps our boutiques and business owners happy is essential to our business," said Sunil Gowda, Co-founder and CEO of Garmentory. "With Routable's Cross-Border Payments solution, I can now onboard and pay thousands of partners across the globe quickly with multiple options. Having full visibility into the payments process is essential to keeping our community of indie boutiques and designers growing."
The launch of Cross-Border Payments gives Routable customers access to the industry's leading B2B mass payouts solution while still offering a simple, flexible and secure payments infrastructure.
For more information, please visit www.routable.com.
Routable's secure B2B payments solution helps finance teams automate and simplify the payables process from invoice receipt to settlement. With support for your existing workflows and the flexibility to scale transactions from 100 to 100,000+, the platform was purpose-built to handle mass payouts while reducing time spent on manual tasks.
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SOURCE Routable | 2022-07-26T09:33:20+00:00 | wsfa.com | https://www.wsfa.com/prnewswire/2022/07/26/routable-launches-cross-border-payments-empower-businesses-scale-payouts-globally/ |
If you thought Black Friday specials from lululemon were a sight to behold, well, the athletic apparel brand has a holiday gift in store for you in the form of some end-of-year scores that you need to get a move on for.Lululemon has great finds in all categories from Christmas Eve through Wednesday as part of their End of Year specials, or as they are calling it in Canada, Boxing Day specials. What is Boxing Day?While the United States has Black Friday and Cyber Monday right after Thanksgiving, other nations like the United Kingdom and Canada have Boxing Day the day after Christmas. The holiday has evolved throughout the years. During the Victorian era, Boxing Day became an occasion for people to donate to those less fortunate. It has also become a shopping holiday where people can score great finds from brands like lululemon right after Christmas.Lululemon End of Year specialsWe went ahead and identified some great specials to take advantage of at lululemon for the next several days and have also broken them down by women, men and accessories below. SHOP ALL THE SPECIALS HEREWomen’s Specialslululemon leggings are some of the best in the athleisure business. Some great finds are available on leggings right now. See some of the picks below.There’s also great scores on tops from long sleeve shirts to even a court dress to wear on the tennis court. Can’t see them? Click hereShop all lululemon women’s specials hereMen’s Specialslululemon also has a cult men's following, particularly around the ever-popular ABC Pants. But if you’re not looking for pants, there are other great finds to choose from their Pace Breaker shorts or their GridLiner hoodies. Shop all lululemon men’s specials hereAccessories SpecialsHow about a backpack, socks or scarves? It’s not just about the clothing items at lululemon. There are hundreds of other specials listed.Shop all lululemon accessories specials here
If you thought Black Friday specials from lululemon were a sight to behold, well, the athletic apparel brand has a holiday gift in store for you in the form of some end-of-year scores that you need to get a move on for.
Lululemon has great finds in all categories from Christmas Eve through Wednesday as part of their End of Year specials, or as they are calling it in Canada, Boxing Day specials.
What is Boxing Day?
While the United States has Black Friday and Cyber Monday right after Thanksgiving, other nations like the United Kingdom and Canada have Boxing Day the day after Christmas.
The holiday has evolved throughout the years. During the Victorian era, Boxing Day became an occasion for people to donate to those less fortunate.
It has also become a shopping holiday where people can score great finds from brands like lululemon right after Christmas.
Lululemon End of Year specials
We went ahead and identified some great specials to take advantage of at lululemon for the next several days and have also broken them down by women, men and accessories below.
SHOP ALL THE SPECIALS HERE
Women’s Specials
lululemon leggings are some of the best in the athleisure business. Some great finds are available on leggings right now. See some of the picks below.
There’s also great scores on tops from long sleeve shirts to even a court dress to wear on the tennis court.
Can’t see them? Click here
Wunder Under High-Rise Tight 25" Full-On Luxtreme
Invigorate High-Rise Tight 25
Wunder Train High-Rise Tight 25
InStill High-Rise Crop 23
It's Rulu Run Long Sleeve Shirt
lululemon Align Long Sleeve Shirt
Shop all lululemon women’s specials here
Men’s Specials
lululemon also has a cult men's following, particularly around the ever-popular ABC Pants.
But if you’re not looking for pants, there are other great finds to choose from their Pace Breaker shorts or their GridLiner hoodies.
ABC Relaxed-Fit Crop Pant
ABC Skinny-Fit Pant 34" Warpstreme
ABC Pant Classic 34" Warpstreme
ABC Jogger Tall *Warpstreme
Pace Breaker Short 7" Linerless
lululemon lab Fleece Crew Pullover
Shop all lululemon men’s specials here
Accessories Specials
How about a backpack, socks or scarves? It’s not just about the clothing items at lululemon. There are hundreds of other specials listed.
LiftOS Commuter Backpack 20L
The Mat 5mm Made With FSC-Certified Rubber
Shop all lululemon accessories specials here | 2022-12-24T14:09:58+00:00 | wesh.com | https://www.wesh.com/article/lululemon-boxing-day-end-of-year/42318968 |
Which hanging planter is best?
Lifting plants into the air with a hanging planter is a dramatic and effective way to give them more sunlight, save floor space and create an eye-catching display all at once. Hanging planters come in all shapes, sizes and designs for every budget.
If you’re looking for a durable and attractive hanging planter for a reasonable price, the Bouqlife Set of 3 Macrame Plant Hangers With Pots is the best option.
What to know before you buy a hanging planter
Instead of using indoor plant stands, you can save floor space by opting for a hanging planter. Hanging planters are useful for growing kitchen herbs and low-maintenance indoor plants or even displaying beautiful artificial plants.
Materials
The most common materials for hanging planters include plastic and ceramic pots. Other options include melamine and fiberglass. Plastic is the lightest and cheapest, though it can degrade if used outdoors for long periods. Ceramic pots are often handmade and feature unique decorative elements, though heavy and breakable. Melamine and fiberglass are less common but offer more resilience while still being lightweight.
Cotton rope, leather and metal hanging structures are standard tools used to hang planters. Macrame, rope and leather all add flexibility to the structure, which lets you swap out pots as you desire or as your plants grow over time. Metal structures don’t allow for flexibility, but they provide a more sturdy structure.
Mounting hardware
Before you can lift your plant into the air, you need to pick out anchors, screws and hooks fit to support your planter. You can choose anchors based on the estimated weight of your overall structure.
Location
Where you hang your plants determines how well they will grow. Consider how much sunlight your plant needs, whether you want to hang it from the wall or the ceiling and how much room it will take up when it grows. Also, take into account how easy it is to reach for watering and pruning. If it’s a trailing plant, be sure there is ample space below.
What to look for in a quality hanging planter
High-quality hanging planters are useful for many reasons. They lift your plants out of reach of pets, young children and walkways. They also give plants more of the sunlight that they need to survive. Quality hanging planters can also turn your everyday houseplants into art.
Drainage
Like any houseplant, hanging plants need drainage. Look for pots with a drainage hole at the bottom. Some may include a rubber plug or stopper. Those are handy if you plan to water your plant over the sink and then plug it up again before setting it back in its hanging structure.
If your planter doesn’t have a drainage hole, you can keep the plant in its original nursery pot and set it inside the decorative pot for easy removal on watering day.
Room to grow
It’s a good rule of thumb to find a planter that measures roughly two inches wider in diameter than your current plant. This ensures there is room for the plant to grow without the risk of shocking the roots with too much water in extra soil.
Most plants need repotting about every two years. Flexible hanging structures help to adapt your planter as your plant grows. Rope and leather planters are flexible and can usually accommodate many sizes of pots as you continue to re-pot your plant through the years.
Stability
Shop for a hanging planter that can hold your plant and pot steady, even after a full watering. Also, look for one that holds your pot level when hung. Some flexible planters might take some adjusting to fit correctly. Other hanging planters use shelving or metal rings to stabilize the pot.
Tips for hanging
- Hang close to a window. No matter where a plant lives, it needs light. Houseplants, in particular, tend to receive less than ideal sunlight. Hanging planters can help by hoisting the plant up off the ground and in better view of the light source. To keep your plants healthy and ensure their foliage grows full, hang planters near windows to receive direct or indirect sunlight according to their needs.
- Double-check your anchor. The anchor you choose to support your hanging planter needs to be strong enough to hold even when the soil is soaked through after watering. If in doubt, choose a larger anchor.
- Choose trailing plants. Many plants look good in hanging planters, but trailing plants look especially stunning as they cascade all around the planter. If you want to create a floating garden with as much greenery as possible, opt for plants that droop over their pots for a dramatic effect.
- Adjust your plant care routine. Hot air rises, and plants that hang closer to the ceiling may need more water than the rest of your houseplants. Check the soil more frequently to see if you need to adjust your watering schedule. Ensure your hanging plants can drain properly and that there is no standing water inside the pot.
How much you can expect to spend on a hanging planter
You can expect to pay between $10-$60 for a hanging planter. Pricing is dependent on materials, size and the number of planters included in the set.
Hanging planter FAQ
How do I prevent my hanging plants from dripping water?
A. There are a few ways to prevent your hanging plants from dripping onto the floor or furniture below it.
- You can remove the plant and carry it over to the sink when it’s time to water. This is the most foolproof option, regardless of whether your planter has a drainage hole. It ensures the excess water drains into the sink before setting it back in its planter.
- You can water your plant in its hanging planter and use a drip tray inside the planter. If you go for this option, be sure not to overwater. The drip tray inside will act as a catch-all to collect excess water, though it’s not foolproof.
- You can use a planter with no drainage hole and water it directly in its planter. Water will only spill out if you overwater your plant. However, this method is more prone to root rot since the water has nowhere to drain.
How do I hang a hanging planter?
A. Hanging it from pure drywall or adhesive hooks won’t cut it for this project. To hang a planter that won’t fall, mount it to a stud or structural beam. Use an anchor that’s strong enough to hold the weight of your hanging structure, the pot and the plant. Account for extra weight since plants are heavier after you water them.
What’s the best hanging planter to buy?
Top hanging planter
Bouqlife Macrame Plant Hangers with Pots, Set of 3
Our take: This cotton macrame planter set is minimal enough to complement any decor and flexible enough to accommodate various-sized plants as they grow.
What we like: The set includes three sizes of plastic pots with drainage holes and saucers and three handcrafted macrame planter holders and hooks. Choose between plain white pots and speckled ones.
What we dislike: The medium and small hangers are similar in length compared to the large hanger.
Where to buy: Available at Amazon
Top hanging planter for the money
Augshy Macrame Plant Hanger, Two-Pack
Our take: These round ceramic planters with wooden bead accents add a classy touch to any home for an affordable price.
What we like: These planters come with a simple natural rope hanging structure, S-hooks and anchors. The macrame is environmentally friendly and is very durable. It’s also got long straps. Choose between seven colors and two sizes.
What we dislike: They don’t work well for heavier plants.
Where to buy: Available at Amazon
Worth checking out
Umbra Triflora Hanging Planter
Our take: This triple hanging planter makes it simple to hang three plants in front of a window with a steel rod and modern, durable planters.
What we like: These melamine planters are shatter-resistant and more durable than ceramic or plastic. The modern lines of the steel hanging structure add an industrial-chic look to your decor. It’s available in five color combinations. You can choose between a set of three or five hanging planters.
What we dislike: These planters are fixed on a steel rod, so they must be hung together as a set.
Where to buy: Available at Amazon
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Katy Palmer writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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© 2023 BestReviews. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC | 2023-06-28T20:59:06+00:00 | sun-sentinel.com | https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2023/06/28/show-off-your-plants-with-these-hanging-planters-5/ |
NEW YORK, June 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Concern Worldwide provides critical humanitarian support as the world's displacement crisis reaches an all-time high, with 1 in every 78 people on earth forced to flee their homes and 32.5 million refugees - that is, people who have fled the country - globally.
In Chad, Concern is responding to the immediate needs of refugees from neighboring Sudan. Due to the ongoing conflict, Chad has recently taken in over 30,000 refugees. Concern's team is responding by providing shelter, essential household items, mobile health clinics, nutrition support, and WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene).
Working with some of the more than 700,000 Rohingya refugees in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, Concern's work has included screening and treating children and vulnerable older people for malnutrition, achieving cure rates of above 80%. Concern also provided workshops to 5,000 pregnant and breastfeeding mothers and caregivers about nutrition and personal hygiene and has run hundreds of cooking demonstrations for over 12,000 caregivers.
Across the Horn of Africa, many communities across Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia are facing hunger and food insecurity at unprecedented levels. For internally displaced communities or refugees living in host communities (especially in Ethiopia and Sudan), getting food and other life-saving items is even more of a challenge as rations have become more expensive to acquire, and humanitarian organizations in the area are underfunded. With a range of services, Concern reached 1.5 million people across the Horn of Africa with life-saving programs in the last year alone.
Across Concern's 25 countries of operation, many serve as host countries to forcibly displaced populations or have a displacement crisis of their own due to conflict, climate change, and food insecurity. Concern US Chief Executive Officer, Colleen Kelly, said: "Concern continues to address the immediate needs of those caught in increasingly protracted displacement crises that pose a significant threat to our global sustainable development goals."
About Concern Worldwide
Concern Worldwide is an international humanitarian organization working to end extreme poverty, whatever it takes. For 55 years, Concern has helped transform lives with emergency response and long-term development programs designed to address the root causes of extreme poverty in vulnerable communities around the world. www.concernusa.org
CONNECT WITH US
If you would like to speak to a team member or organize media interviews, please contact us using the details below.
Media Contact: Candance Patel-Taylor, Vice President of Communications at Candance.pateltaylor@concern.net or 212-557-8000.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Concern Worldwide US | 2023-06-20T12:04:30+00:00 | witn.com | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2023/06/20/concern-worldwide-marks-world-refugee-day-by-responding-growing-global-displacement-crisis/ |
Ski jumping governing bodies from the United States and Norway have forged an unprecedented partnership.
Norway is a traditional power in the sport, leading the world with 12 Olympic golds and 36 medals overall. At the Beijing Games in February, Marius Lindvik of Norway won Olympic gold in ski jumping on the large hill.
“Our goal is to solidify Norway’s position as the most important ski jumping nation in the world,” said Bråthen, the national team leader for Norwegian ski jumping. “Combining the resources of the U.S. and Norway will help fulfill our intense desire to be a leader pushing the sport of ski jumping to the highest possible level worldwide.”
The U.S. won its only ski jumping Olympic gold medal at the first Winter Olympics in 1924. American Anders Haugen left the games without any hardware, but 50 years later was awarded bronze after a scoring error was confirmed.
“Our mutual goal is to make our sport more relevant and exciting for young women and men around the world,” said Tom Bickner, who chairs the Salt Lake City-based USA Nordic Sport board of directors.
The International Ski Federation said the partnership will also assist other ski jumping teams around the world.
“FIS applauds the unprecedented agreement between Norway and the United States to collaborate toward achieving athletic greatness,” said Sandro Pertile, ski jumping race director for the governing body.
Italy will host the 2026 Olympics, where venues will be very spread out in the northern part of the country, including Trentino for ski jumping.
___
More AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/winter-olympics and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2022-08-24T14:31:10+00:00 | washingtonpost.com | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/us-and-norway-forge-unprecedented-ski-jumping-partnership/2022/08/24/e14c6fa8-23ac-11ed-a72f-1e7149072fbc_story.html |
Proposed service changes for Mountain Metro in Fall 2023
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - Mountain Metropolitan Transit (MMT) announced it’s implementing new service enhancements beginning Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023.
These enhancements include:
- NEW - Route 20: MMT proposes a new route that would operate along South Nevada Ave, departing from the Downtown Terminal at the top and the middle of the hour on Saturdays and Sundays to address the weekend on-time performance of Routes 10 and 11.
- Route 23 & 24: MMT proposes to relocate the turnaround location for Routes 23 and 24 to use the newly completed roundabout at Tutt Blvd and South Carefree. This new stop will be located on South Carefree and Tutt Blvd to improve on-time performance.
- Route 34: MMT proposes to add bus stops on Route 34 to Austin Bluffs Pkwy on Union Blvd at the underpass of Austin Bluffs Pkwy. These stops will provide access to the VA Clinic facility.
- Route 37: MMT proposes to address on-time performance on Route 37 by removing the Integration Loop service on each inbound trip. Integration Loop will continue to be served on each outbound Route 37 trip.
MMT is accepting public comment. Public comments can be submitted by email to transitinfo@coloradosprings.gov, by calling (719) 385-7433, or by faxing (719) 385-5419.
Comments will be accepted through July 20, 2023. | 2023-06-30T20:29:10+00:00 | krdo.com | https://krdo.com/news/2023/06/30/proposed-service-changes-for-mountain-metro-in-fall-2023/ |
Corentin Moutet 2023 Mallorca Championships Odds
The field is shrinking at the Mallorca Championships, with Corentin Moutet heading into a quarterfinal against Adrian Mannarino. Moutet's monyeline odds to win it all at Country Club Santa Ponsa are +1400.
Find all the latest odds for the 2023 Mallorca Championships and place your bets with a new user bonus from BetMGM.
Moutet at the 2023 Mallorca Championships
- Next Round: Quarterfinals
- Tournament Dates: June 23 - July 1
- Venue: Country Club Santa Ponsa
- Location: Mallorca, Philippines
- Court Surface: Grass
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Moutet's Next Match
Moutet has advanced to the quarterfinals, where he will play Mannarino on Thursday, June 29 at 6:00 AM ET (after beating Roberto Carballes Baena 6-3, 7-6).
Want to bet on Moutet? Head to BetMGM using our link for a bonus bet special offer for new players!
Moutet Stats
- Moutet defeated Carballes Baena 6-3, 7-6 on Tuesday in the Round of 16.
- The 24-year-old Moutet is 19-15 over the past year and is still seeking his first tournament victory.
- Moutet has not won any of his three tournaments on grass over the past 12 months, with a record of 2-2 on that surface.
- Moutet has played 26.2 games per match in his 34 matches over the past 12 months across all court types.
- Moutet, over the past 12 months, has played four matches on grass, and 25.8 games per match.
- Over the past 12 months, Moutet has won 74.9% of his service games, and he has won 23.8% of his return games.
- Moutet has claimed 86.3% of his service games on grass over the past 12 months and 15.4% of his return games.
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | 2023-06-28T03:40:36+00:00 | newschannel10.com | https://www.newschannel10.com/sports/betting/2023/06/23/corentin-moutet-mallorca-championships-betting-odds/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — It was supposed to be a red wave that former President Donald Trump could triumphantly ride to the Republican nomination as he prepares to launch another White House run.
Instead, Tuesday night’s disappointing results for the GOP are raising new questions about Trump’s appeal and the future of a party that has fully embraced him, seemingly at its peril, while at the same time giving new momentum to his most potent potential rival.
Indeed, some allies were calling on Trump to delay his planned announcement next week, saying the party’s full focus needs to be on Georgia, where Trump-backed football great Herschel Walker’s effort to unseat Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock is headed to a runoff that could determine control of the Senate once again.
“I’ll be advising him that he move his announcement until after the Georgia runoff,” said former Trump adviser Jason Miller, who spent the night with the former president at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida. “Georgia needs to be the focus of every Republican in the country right now,” he said.
Trump sought to use the midterms as an opportunity to prove his enduring political influence after losing the White House in 2020. He endorsed more than 330 candidates in races up and down the ballot, often elevating inexperienced and deeply flawed candidates. He reveled in their primary victories. But many of their positions, including echoing Trump’s lies about a stolen 2020 election and embracing hardline views on abortion, were out of step with the political mainstream.
Trump did notch some big wins Tuesday, particularly in Ohio, where his pick for the Senate, “Hillbilly Elegy” author JD Vance, sailed to easy victory after Trump’s endorsement catapulted him to the front of a crowded primary pack. In North Carolina, Rep. Ted Budd, an early Trump pick, kept an open Senate seat in GOP hands.
But Trump lost some of the night’s biggest prizes, particularly in Pennsylvania, where Dr. Mehmet Oz, who only narrowly won his Senate primary with Trump’s backing, lost to Democrat John Fetterman. Trump-backed candidates also lost governors’ races in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Maryland, and a Senate race in New Hampshire, though Trump seemed to celebrate the latter, bashing Republican Dan Bolduc for trying to moderate his stances by backing off his embrace of Trump’s election lies.
“Had he stayed strong and true, he would have won, easily,” Trump said on his social media network. “Lessons Learned!!!” (Trump also cheered the loss of Colorado Republican Senate hopeful Joe O’Dea, who had said he thought it was time for the party to move on from Trump.)
Other high-stakes races in Arizona and Nevada remained too early to call.
Indeed, the Republicans’ biggest victory of the night came in Florida, where Gov. Ron DeSantis cruised to reelection, cementing his status as a rising national Republican star as he eyes his own potential 2024 run.
“I have only begun to fight,” he told supporters in his victory speech.
While Republicans still appear well positioned to flip the House, and could ultimately take the Senate, too, those who had believed frustrations with record inflation, combined with President Joe Biden’s low approval ratings, would deliver swift and decisive victories were pointing fingers in the former president’s direction. The night’s message, they argued: The American people want to move on.
“I mean, we had a historic opportunity and Trump’s recruitment of unelectable candidates blew it for us,” said Scott Reed, a veteran Republican strategist. “Trump’s now lost three elections in a row for the Republican Party and it’s time to snap out of this foolishness.”
Reed argued the party “had everything going for us: money, the issue agenda, Biden being in the tank,” but said Trump’s efforts to keep himself in the spotlight by teasing a run in the race’s final stretch “obviously worked up a lot of independents and Democrats to turn out and vote.”
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a longtime Trump friend and adviser-turned-critic, who is considering his own run for president in 2024, said Republicans “have a fundamental decision to make.”
“We lost in ‘18. We lost in ‘20. We lost in ’21 in Georgia. And now in ’22 we’re going to net lose governorships, we’re not going to pick up the number of seats in the House that we thought and we may not win the Senate despite a president who has a 40% job approval,” he said. “There’s only one person to blame for that and that’s Donald Trump.”
He blamed Trump for elevating deeply flawed candidates, who won their primaries but struggled in the general election.
‘The only animating factor (for him) in determining an endorsement is, ’Do you believe the 2020 election was stolen or don’t you?'” Christie said. “It’s not, ‘Can you raise money?’ It’s not, ‘Do you have an articulatable vision for the future of your state or your district?’ It’s not evidence of past success in communicating to voters. It is a completely self-centered determination.”
Trump, meanwhile, insisted publicly he was happy with the results.
“While in certain ways yesterday’s election was somewhat disappointing, from my personal standpoint it was a very big victory – 219 WINS and 16 Losses in the General – Who has ever done better than that?” he wrote on his Truth Social network Wednesday afternoon.
His spokesman Taylor Budowich also touted Trump’s endorsement record, and said, “As President Trump looks to the future, he will continue to champion his America First agenda that won overwhelmingly at the ballot box last night.”
But Republican strategist David Urban, a former Trump adviser, said the Trump brand is wounded no matter what the former president says.
“Of course, he’s going to claim victory, right? The president touts an accomplishment record that includes victories in uncontested races. He can say whatever he wants. But how do people feel in America? I think people feel not great about the Trump brand right now,” Urban said. “It’s bad.”
Some now worry that if Trump goes forward with his planned announcement next week, he could pave the way for a rerun of Republicans’ 2021 losses in Georgia by dominating the race.
Former Trump press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, who now works for Fox News, advised on air that Trump should hold off on an announcement until after the Georgia Senate runoff.
“I think he needs to put it on pause,” she said. Asked whether Trump should campaign in the state, she said: “I think we’ve got to make strategic calculations. Gov. DeSantis, I think he should be welcomed to the state, given what happened last night. You’ve got to look at the realities on the ground.”
Budowich did not respond to questions about such efforts, but Trump seemed to throw cold water on the advice.
“We had tremendous success,” he told Fox News Digital Wednesday. “Why would anything change?”
Trump’s setbacks, meanwhile, were giving new hope to the long list of potential rivals who have been quietly waiting in the wings and now face the decision of whether to run, too.
That includes DeSantis, who emerged as the night’s obvious winner. “DeFUTURE,” The New York Post declared. In addition to his wide margin of victory, DeSantis carried Democratic stronghold Miami-Dade, and did so without Trump’s endorsement. (Though Trump did tell reporters he’d voted for the governor days after insulting him as “Ron DeSanctimonious.”)
“DeSantis comes out of the election with lot of momentum,” said GOP strategist Alex Conant. “Trump has been weak for a long time but it wasn’t clear who the alternative was. … For the first time, Trump really has a formidable rival within the party.”
Even some Democrats conceded DeSantis’ strength.
Miami-based Democratic strategist Jose Parra said the Trump rival enters the 2024 conversation with “a bunch of wind in his sails” after stronger-than-expected performance across the state — especially in south Florida’s Miami-Dade County.
Speaking at the White House on Wednesday, Biden said his “intention” is to run again. But noting the emerging competition between Trump and DeSantis, he said it would be “fun watching them take on each other.”
__
Associated Press writers Steve Peoples and Farnoush Amiri contributed to this report.
___
Follow the AP’s coverage of the 2022 midterm elections at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections. And learn more about the issues and factors at play in the midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/explaining-the-elections. | 2022-11-10T12:30:37+00:00 | cbs4indy.com | https://cbs4indy.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-trump-urged-to-delay-2024-launch-after-gops-uneven-election/ |
Now that summer is here, kids are likely eating most meals at home.
If you're concerned about your children eating healthy, or simply getting enough food, this is for you.
Neftali Duran is part of a national campaign through Share Our Strength called "Cooking Matters" that educates families how to shop and cook healthy meals on a tight budget.
When going to the grocery store, Duran suggests making a grocery list ahead of time on your phone (so you don't forget it). He also suggests not going to the grocery store on an empty stomach. If possible, he says leave the kids at home so they aren't asking for extra items.
For the healthiest food options, you'll want to shop around the perimeter of the store. That's where you'll find fruits, veggies, milk, meat and eggs.
Make sure you're shopping fruits and veggies that are in season because they'll be the most affordable, but to save even more money, Duran says frozen and canned foods can be a good option.
"Frozen food is an excellent choice to save money as long as you pay attention to the ingredients," Duran said. "Meaning if you're buying frozen carrots, make sure that its ingredients should be only carrots, nothing else. So try to avoid, for example, a frozen veggie mix mixed with teriyaki."
Duran says you also want to make sure you're taking advantage of benefits you may qualify for.
Free summer meals are available nationwide, run by local schools or community groups to help feed kids 18 and under. Another campaign of Share Our Strength called "No Kid Hungry" will help you find meal sites near you. You can text "food" or "comida" at 304-304.
To see if you qualify for snap, call 1-800-221-5689 or visit this website. Duran says many states also participate in what's called "double your bucks" programs, where snap-eligible families are given some extra money to buy fruits and veggies from local farmers markets. | 2023-06-28T18:56:09+00:00 | wsfltv.com | https://www.wsfltv.com/news/national/resources-to-help-your-kids-eat-healthy-on-a-budget |
BERLIN (AP) — Germany announced Monday that it is issuing fines of 5.125 million euros ($5 million) against the operators of the messaging app Telegram for failing to comply with German law.
The Federal Office of Justice said Telegram FZ-LLC hasn’t established a lawful way for reporting illegal content or named an entity in Germany to receive official communication. Both are required under German laws that regulate large online platforms.
German officials said they have repeatedly failed in their attempts to serve papers to Dubai-based Telegram, despite support from authorities in the United Arab Emirates.
A Germany-based law firm has since declared that it represents Telegram, but this wasn’t enough to prevent the fines being issued, the Federal Office of Justice said.
German federal police warned earlier this year that the app is becoming a “medium for radicalization,” used by some to target politicians, scientists and doctors for their role in tackling the coronavirus pandemic.
“The operators of messaging services and social networks bear a particular responsibility for acting against incitement to hatred and violence on their platforms,” Justice Minister Marco Buschmann said in a statement. “These legal requirements and this responsibility can’t be avoided by trying to be unreachable.”
The fine can be appealed.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | 2022-10-17T19:55:58+00:00 | wtmj.com | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/10/17/germany-slaps-messaging-app-telegram-with-5-million-fine-3/ |
PORT TOWNSEND, Wash. — Life can be complicated when you live on a deserted island -- especially when your boat sank last winter.
“Well, that's the thing about living on the island,” said Marty Bluewater. “It is kind of a paradise, but if something goes wrong it can go real wrong.”
Marty lives a life few can imagine.
It’s a life of solitude and peace in one of the most pristine parts of the Northwest -let alone the country. But right now, he’s just worried about getting back home, and getting a new boat put in the water.
‘It's been really inconvenient, but Joe has saved the day by bringing us over in his boat," he said, referring to a friend giving him a ride back to the island paradise that he calls “Fantasy Island.”
Marty Bluewater is 73 years old and lives by himself on Protection Island in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. In fact, he’s the only person who lives on the island.
Fifty-one years ago, Marty and his parents paid $7,000 for a vacation property on Protection Island. It was supposed to be huge development with 1,000 homes, but in the 1980s environmentalists stepped in and requested the island be designated a National Wildlife Refuge.
Marty supported that position, but his family had already purchased the land.
After a long legal battle, the family was offered a settlement and the opportunity of a lifetime. He could stay on the island forever.
“They gave the option of ‘life use.’ At the time I thought, life use? Whatever that means I'll take it,” said Marty with a wide grin. “The fact that I'd end up the only person here, I could've never dreamed that up in a million years.”
A retired Seattle Parks worker and Woodland Park Zoo manager, Marty spends his days far from the rat race of city life. He cuts driftwood to burn for heat. The closest thing to a traffic jam is a flock of seagulls on an unpaved road. After more than half a century here, he is one with nature.
“Now, I just feel like I'm another one of the creatures running around,” he said, “and the way I’ve built my cabin, it feels like my little nest.
Surrounded by soaring bald eagles, noisy seabirds, and seals sunning themselves on rocks, the simple life is for Marty.
“The big thing was when we finally got a toilet in here,” he chuckled. “To actually flush a toilet was a big, momentous time.”
Marty has no electricity. Everything runs on batteries or solar power.
“What I spend on double A and triple A batteries every year is ridiculous,” he said. “Thank God for Costco.”
Marty’s water comes from a well powered by a generator.
Propane heats that water, providing Marty with one of his greatest indulgences.
“I can count maybe no more than twice that I've used the inside shower,” he said, pointing to an exposed outdoor shower he built on the deck of his cabin. “I come out here in the snow. Sometimes I'll come out here in the middle of a clear, starry night and take a shower just for the heck of it.”
If his boat isn't running, friends ferry Marty to the mainland for supplies.
Those friends have become a critical connection to the outside world.
“I don’t get lonely,” he said. “I've got so many friends that come and go, so when I'm here by myself it's because I want to be here by myself.”
But island life does carry its concerns. Last summer a fire broke out on the island that threatened all Marty has worked for.
The cause remains unknown.
“It got pretty close to my cabin which would have been a total disaster and broke my heart completely,” he said.
A few years ago, Marty slipped and broke his ankle.
“Fortunately, my cell phone worked, so I called some people and told them what happened. I was able to make my way to the mainland and they took me to the hospital. Had it been any worse I would have had to call the Coast Guard.”
Most concerning, however, is what he sees as a natural imbalance on the island. He believes eagles are threatening the seabird population.
“That's a problem for two reasons,” Marty said. “Number one because you don't want the seabirds to be endangered. Seventy percent of the seabirds in Puget Sound come here to nest. Also, they broke a lot of hearts and took away this land from a lot of people to preserve this as a seabird sanctuary. So, you can't let the eagles destroy that, as much as we all love eagles.”
Marty lets everyone know he's at home at his cabin when he flies three giant multi-colored flags off the south cliff of his property.
He is the proud protector of Protection Island, and will be the last human to ever live there. When he dies the island becomes the property of the federal government.
“I probably care about this island more than anybody and that will never change,” he said, wiping away a tear. “This island is so important to me for so many reasons. It has been a giant part of my life. That’s beside the point that it’s just a beautiful place to be. It’s a special piece on the earth. I just feel blessed that somehow I got to be a big part of it." | 2022-06-03T02:50:49+00:00 | king5.com | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/protection-island-washington-lone-resident/281-dd466b30-7196-43ae-b6ec-8a927e2ef480 |
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indianapolis Colts quarterback Matt Ryan stood at his locker Wednesday, the disappointment etched all over his face.
Two days after coach Frank Reich announced he was benching the 2016 league MVP, little had changed for the 15-year veteran. He was still upset that just seven games into his Indy career, he’d lost the starting job possibly permanently.
“I’m disappointed personally, but I’m here for the team,” Ryan said in an emotional tone. “As a player, you just always anticipate it’s next week, getting ready and you’re going to go and there is a little bit of that surprise and shock at the decision. That’s a decision they had to make and as a player and teammate you have to move forward and help out wherever you can.”
For Ryan, it was another rare first in what may go down as the strangest and toughest seven-month stretch of his stellar career.
But even the soreness in his separated throwing shoulder couldn’t ease the sting of this week’s reality.
The former Boston College and Atlanta Falcons star will be watching Sunday’s game from the sideline, something the 229-game starter has done only three other times in his NFL career.
The reason this time is simple — turnovers and points.
He’s fumbled a league-high 11 times in seven weeks, has thrown a league-high nine interceptions and has accounted for the most giveaways in the league (12).
The result: Indy’s stagnant offense ranks No. 30 in points per game at 16.1.
“We felt like offensively we were struggling, and why are we struggling? We’re turning it over too much,” Reich said. “It’s not all on Matt, but he’s the quarterback and we’re not scoring enough, turning it over too much.”
Ryan, the most successful quarterback in Falcons history, came to Indy in March following Atlanta’s public entry into the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes.
The rebuilding Falcons were seeking Ryan’s successor and the Colts (3-3-1) eagerly gave up a third-round pick to add someone they thought could stabilize their most unstable position.
With a strong ground game and a top offensive line in Indy, it looked like a natural match.
Players and coaches spoke effusively about Ryan’s ability to command a room and the huddle while team owner Jim Irsay told reporters he thought Ryan could stick around three or four more years.
But with new starters at left tackle and right guard, it didn’t work. Reich made lineup changes, but it didn’t alleviate the relentless pressure Ryan was under. He took 59 hits and 24 sacks.
So the next move was benching Ryan in favor of Sam Ehlinger, the more mobile second-year quarterback who has not thrown a pass in his three NFL appearances. Ryan isn’t even second on the depth chart. He’s listed behind Super Bowl 52 MVP Nick Foles.
Reich declined to say whether Ryan would be the backup if he was healthy.
“It’s a tough situation, tough for everybody,” said Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly, who will be snapping to his ninth starting quarterback in seven seasons. “I love the guy. I’ve said it eight times now, but I get close to all these guys. It sucks, man.”
At age 37 and with one year left on his contract, Ryan also understands he may never play again.
If he doesn’t, it would be an unceremonious exit for someone who’s accomplished plenty in his career.
Atlanta drafted Ryan with the third overall pick in 2008, the successor to Michael Vick. The rookie made an immediate impact, ending Atlanta’s three-year playoff drought.
He earned the first of four Pro Bowl selections in 2010 and won the MVP Award while leading Atlanta to its second Super Bowl appearance and within minutes of its first title. But Tom Brady rallied New England from a 28-3 deficit and the Patriots won in overtime.
Ryan has completed 5,445 of 8,300 passes for 61,473 yards, 376 touchdown passes and led 45 fourth-quarter comebacks. Each rank among the top nine in NFL history and his 123 wins are one short of tying Hall of Famer Fran Tarkenton for 10th all time.
But after two more interceptions last weekend, one turning a Colts scoring chance into a pick-6 at Tennessee, Reich met with Irsay and general manager Chris Ballard and together they opted to end Ryan’s status as the starter.
“In this league, you’ve got to go out there and win games. You’ve got to produce,” Ryan said. “You’ve got to play well. Obviously, I’m disappointed we haven’t played better. I thought we would.”
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More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | 2022-10-27T19:59:20+00:00 | wivb.com | https://www.wivb.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-ryan-surprised-hopeful-after-getting-benched-by-colts/ |
The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol attack detailed former President Trump's "complete dereliction of duty" as he ignored pleas to condemn the violence and call off the mob from his White House Counsel, top aides and members of his own family.
"This man of unbridled destructive energy could not be moved, not by his aides, not by his allies, not by the violent chants of rioters, or the desperate pleas of those facing down the rioters," said Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., during Thursday's prime-time hearing.
The Democrat-led committee shed light on the much-talked about but still murky 187 minutes that stretched from his speech to his supporters at 1:10 p.m. ET to his 4:17 p.m. ET video statement asking them to return home.
The hearing, led by military veterans Reps. Elaine Luria, D-Va., and Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., used witness testimony to piece together Trump's actions the afternoon of Jan. 6, as there was not an official call log from the White House that afternoon and nothing included in the presidential daily diary.
"The chief White House photographer wanted to take pictures because it was, in her words, 'very important for his archives and for history.' But she was told: 'no photographs'," Luria said.
White House counsel and White House officials testified that Trump did not make any calls to the secretary of defense, the attorney general or the secretary of homeland security during the siege.
Although the White House call logs are empty, Trump lawyer and ally Rudy Giuliani's call logs show at least two calls between him and the president that day. The committee also noted that other Trump calls that day are known, including several to Republican senators to urge them to delay the certification of Biden's win.
'I've seen the impact that his words have on his supporters'
A major theme from the hearing was how much television the former president consumed as the chaos and violence unfolded.
"President Trump sat in his dining room and watched the attack on television while his senior-most staff closest advisers and family members begged him to do what is expected of any American president," Luria said. "When lives and our democracy hung in the balance, President Trump refused to act because of his selfish desire to stay in power."
The committee played video clips of news coverage from Fox News, to show what Trump watched in real time as he tuned in from his dining room, just off from the Oval Office. He watched as his supporters, donning red caps and chanting his name, overwhelmed and outnumbered police as they flooded the Capitol grounds and attempted to breach the Capitol.
What was he doing while the Capitol was under siege? See for yourself. Donald Trump is a disgrace to America. pic.twitter.com/tgjdSe2zYZ
— Adam Kinzinger🇺🇦🇺🇸✌️ (@AdamKinzinger) July 21, 2022
At 1:49 p.m. ET, just as D.C. police were declaring a riot at the Capitol, Trump tweeted out a video of his speech at the Ellipse earlier that day and did not comment on the violence.
Kizinger noted that between 1:49 and 2:24, when Trump posted a subsequent tweet, "staff repeatedly came into the room to see him and plead that he make a strong public statement condemning the violence and instructing the mob to leave the Capitol."
The panel shared video testimony from top advisers and his children imploring Trump to call off the attack.
Cassidy Hutchinson, a former White House staffer, has previously testified to a conversation between White House counsel Pat Cipollone and Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.
"I remember [Cipollone] saying something to the effect of, 'Mark we need to do something more. They're literally calling for the vice president to be effing hung.'
Hutchinson recalled Meadow responding: 'You heard him Pat, he thinks Mike deserves it, he doesn't think they're doing anything wrong.' "
Trump eventually relented to calls from his aides and allies and recorded a video in the Rose Garden late that afternoon to tell his supporters to leave the Capitol.
The committee shared a draft of his remarks, which read: "I'm asking for you to leave the Capitol region now and go home in a peaceful way."
But in the video, Trump went off script, and didn't say those words. Instead, he repeated his false claim that the election was stolen and praised the rioters, saying, "Go home, we love you."
Thursday's witnesses were Trump aides who resigned following Jan. 6
Testifying live Thursday were Matthew Pottinger, Trump's deputy national security adviser at the time, and Sarah Matthews, Trump's deputy press secretary. The pair resigned following the events of Jan. 6, dismayed by what they deemed an inadequate response from the president at quelling the violence.
Matthews recalled the 2:24 p.m. ET tweet from Trump that read, in part: "Pence didn't have the courage to do what should have been done."
"I thought that the tweet about the vice president was the last thing that was needed in that moment. And I remember thinking that this was going to be bad for him to tweet this because it was essentially him giving the green light to these people telling them that what they were doing at the Capitol and entering the Capitol was OK, that they were justified in their anger," said Matthews, who described herself as a "life-long Republican".
She added that as a Trump campaign aide, she had seen the impact his words had on his supporters. "They truly latch on to every word and every tweet that he says, and so I think that in that moment for him to tweet out the message about Mike Pence, it was him pouring gasoline on the fire," she said.
Matthews said White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany told her "in a hushed tone" that Trump "did not want to include any sort of mention of peace in that tweet."
She said McEnany told her "it took some convincing on their part those who were in the room and she said that there was a back and forth going over different phrases to find something that he was comfortable with, and it wasn't until Ivanka Trump suggested the phrase 'stay peaceful', that he finally agreed to include it."
Pottinger said he was "disturbed" by Trump's tweet attacking Pence and that it was "the opposite of what we really needed in that moment which was a de-escalation."
The panel described one of Trump's final interactions on Jan. 6, as he departed the White House dining room at 6:27 p.m. ET to go to the residence.
"As he was gathering his things in the dining room to leave, President Trump reflected on the day's events with an unnamed White House employee," Kinzinger said, adding the employee recalled Trump saying: "Mike Pence let me down."
What comes next?
In his closing statement, Kinzinger said Trump abandoned his responsibilities as commander-in-chief on Jan. 6.
"Whatever your politics, whatever you think about the outcome of the election, we as Americans must all agree on this: Donald Trump's conduct on Jan. 6 was a supreme violation of his oath of office and a complete dereliction of his duty to our nation," he said. "It is a dishonor to all those who have sacrificed and died in service of our democracy."
He said when the committee releases its report, it will recommend "changes to laws and policies to guard against another January 6."
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2022-07-22T04:27:12+00:00 | wbfo.org | https://www.wbfo.org/2022-07-22/jan-6-panel-sheds-light-on-the-187-minutes-trump-went-dark-during-capitol-siege |
LONDON, July 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Patsnap's biological sequence database (Bio) statistics show that the occurrence of such special sequences in global patent literature is not insignificant. There are approximately 7.4 million nucleotide sequences, accounting for 7.12% of the total number of nucleotides, and 1.31 million protein sequences, accounting for 7.55%. This indicates a significant number of generic sequences that can affect search results due to the presence of special symbols, posing substantial risks for FTO analyses.
Patsnap's Solution:
Therefore, to mitigate the risk of overlooking these critical sequences, Patsnap's Algorithm Engineering Team has developed a deep learning model using in-house NLP, CV, entity recognition, and coreference resolution technologies.
This model is designed to identify and parse degenerate sequences and their substitutions in sequence listings and full-text patents, and it established a Degenerate Sequence Searching Database as part of our Bio Professional package.
Using a specialized sequence alignment algorithm, this database not only enables the retrieval of such sequences but also provides a true similarity score. Therefore, by performing searches within the degenerate sequence database, we can effectively mitigate the risk of inadvertently overlooking crucial information during freedom to operate (FTO) and novelty searches.
Given the potential scale of variations in degenerate sequences, which can reach the tens of billions, traditional sequence alignment algorithms fail to meet the real-time retrieval demands. Patsnap tackles this challenge by employing a deeply customized sequence alignment algorithm that dynamically loads substitution information for degenerate sequences during the retrieval process, ensuring precise retrieval within reasonable time frames.
During the scanning phase, Patsnap introduces a compression algorithm to construct a seed word table for heuristic searches, significantly reducing unnecessary comparisons and improving retrieval efficiency. When aligning query sequences with target sequences, Patsnap's proprietary algorithm incorporates degenerate substitution information, resulting in more accurate alignment and query results, as well as more intuitive and visually appealing alignment outcomes for different variants of the query sequence and target sequence.
Biological sequences form the bedrock of innovation in biotechnology, with countless advancements revolving around these sequences. However, the unique nature of biological sequences poses a challenge for conventional keyword-based information retrieval methods, often leading to the oversight of crucial information and potential risks.
The sequences presented in patent claims encompass a wide range of variations, not only describing the sequences themselves but also requiring a specific level of homology. As a result, researchers heavily rely on homology sequence alignment algorithms to explore sequence databases, using predefined homology thresholds to ensure comprehensive results. This approach is widely employed in current biological sequence database searches.
Nevertheless, a pressing question remains: can these similar sequence searches genuinely identify all potential target sequences? While these methods have proven effective, their ability to capture every relevant sequence warrants further examination. It is crucial to explore the limitations of current search methodologies and strive for enhanced approaches that leave no potential target sequence undiscovered.
Special Sequences in Patents
Combining similar sequence searches with keyword based results aggregation significantly reduces the risk of overlooking crucial information and FTO issues.
However, sequences in patents differ from those found in other biological databases as they exhibit many "patent-specific" characteristics. To expand the scope of patent protection and create search barriers for competitors, patent drafters often employ a description method similar to the "Markush structure" used in chemistry. By introducing degenerate symbols, wildcards, operators, and other information between positions in the parent sequence, and describing the specific parameters of these symbols through explanatory documents, we refer to them as "Degenerate Sequences."
The image below illustrates a degenerate sequence described in patent claims:
25. The library of any one of claims 1-24, wherein the polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence according to Formula (III):
EVGSYX₁X₂X₃X₄X₅X₆CX₇X₈X₉X₁₀X₁₁X₁₂CX₁₃X₁4SGRSAGGGGTENLYFQGSGGS (SEQ ID NO: 3), wherein X1 is A,D,I,N,P,or Y,x2is A,F,N,S,or V,X3 is A,H,L,P,S,V,or Y,X4 is A,H,S,or Y,X5 is A,D,P,S,V,or Y,X6 is A,D,L,S,or Y, X7is D,P,or V, X8 is A,D,
H,P,S,orT,X9is A,D,F,H,P,or Y,X10 is L,P,or Y,Xl1is F,P,or Y,X12 is A,P,S, or Y, X13 is A,D,N,S,T, or Y,and X14 is A,S, or Y.
26. The library of claim 25, wherein each of the polynucleotides in the library encodes a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence according to Formula (III).
27. The library of any one of claims 1-26, wherein the polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOS: 25-46.
28. The library of any one of claims 1-27, wherein the TBM comprises an antibody light chain variable region.
29. The library of claim 28, wherein the polypeptide further comprises a heavy chain variable region C-terminal to the light chain variable region.
Degenerate sequences themselves do not possess any biological significance; they solely serve the purpose of the patent. However, when combined with the description of the homology range, such an approach not only comprehensively protects innovative achievements but also becomes a "decisive blow" against the current conventional sequence homology search methods. Let's take a look at an example below.
Query sequence:
"EVGSYPAPSDACPSDYFYCDASGRSAGGGGTENLYFQGSGGS"
Target sequence:
"EVGSYXXXXXXCXXXXXXCXXSGRSAGGGG TENLYFQGSG GS"
The similarity score obtained from the BLAST algorithm is only 67%, but the actual similarity is 100%.
This happens because conventional sequence homology alignment algorithms do not consider scenarios involving degenerate sequences during their initial development. Therefore, without special processing, excluding degenerate sequences would lead to two situations when using conventional algorithms:
1) Inability to search for the sequence.
2) Exclusion of sequences due to similarity scores falling below the threshold.
Both scenarios pose significant challenges for sequence searchers, as they not only impede the comparison of sequences with patent claims but also increase the likelihood of overlooking critical sequence information.
Experience Degenerate Sequence Searching Now
In June of 2023, Patsnap's biological sequence Bio database introduced a powerful degenerate sequence search feature, causing a paradigm shift in the patent domain. This disruptive advancement provides researchers with an immensely robust tool that offers an extensive collection of degenerate sequences, allowing users to effortlessly obtain the most accurate and relevant information in their searches.
To schedule a demo or learn more, visit patsnap.com/solutions/bio.
About Patsnap: Founded in 2007, Patsnap is the company behind the world's leading AI-powered innovation intelligence platform. Patsnap provides global businesses with a connected, easy-to-use platform that helps them make better decisions in the innovation process. Customers are innovators across multiple industry sectors, including agriculture and chemicals, consumer goods, food and beverage, life sciences, automotive, oil and gas, professional services, aviation and aerospace, and education.
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SOURCE Patsnap | 2023-07-10T11:32:59+00:00 | kxii.com | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2023/07/10/patsnap-supercharging-fto-search-with-degenerate-sequence-searching/ |
The nearly $2 billion facility to bring jobs and economic investment to Central Louisiana through energy innovation delivering lower-carbon marine fuels
PINEVILLE, La., July 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- SunGas Renewables Inc. ("SunGas Renewables") today announced the formation of Beaver Lake Renewable Energy, LLC ("BLRE"), which will construct a new green methanol production facility in Central Louisiana. A wholly-owned subsidiary of SunGas Renewables, BLRE is expected to generate from the facility nearly 400,000 metric tons of green methanol per year for marine fuel while creating more than 1,150 jobs during construction and more than 100 local jobs during operation.
Green methanol produced by BLRE is expected to be used to fuel A.P. Moller - Maersk's ("Maersk's") fleet of methanol-powered container vessels and will utilize wood fiber from local, sustainably-managed forests. The methanol will have a negative carbon intensity through sequestration of nearly a million tons per year of carbon dioxide produced by the project, which will be executed by Denbury Carbon Solutions.
SunGas Renewables anticipates BLRE will invest approximately $2 billion to construct the project at the former International Paper facility in Rapides Parish. The BLRE facility is expected to begin construction in late 2024 with commercial operations commencing in 2027.
"As the only state in the Gulf South with a climate action plan, Louisiana is a global leader in the energy transition, and companies like SunGas Renewables have taken notice," Gov. John Bel Edwards said. "I applaud SunGas Renewables for pursuing this massive investment that would create quality, high-paying jobs in central Louisiana for our talented workers. If it moves forward, this project will be another milestone in our efforts to grow and diversify our economy. The state will continue to support the company's efforts to bring it to completion."
Emma Mazhari, Head of Energy Markets at Maersk, said, "A.P. Moller - Maersk is excited to be partnering with SunGas Renewables, which is pioneering a truly large-scale pathway to green methanol with its Beaver Lake Renewable Energy facility. We would like to thank SunGas Renewables for showing great leadership and for its commitment to the green transition of energy. This is helping Maersk to deliver valuable services to our customers and is aligned with our aim to reach net zero greenhouse emissions by 2040. Together, as pioneers in the field, SunGas and Maersk are driving a much-needed transition in a heavy pollution industry. We hope that work can be accelerated further in the years to come."
"Using biomass from sustainably managed forestry along with carbon capture allows our project to generate green marine shipping fuel while simultaneously removing carbon from the atmosphere. This new low-carbon marine fuel facility also helps strengthen communities and create sustainable economies right here in Rapides Parish, Louisiana," said Robert Rigdon, CEO of SunGas Renewables. "As we continue our mission to make a meaningful impact in the energy transition, we look forward to collaborating with all our project partners and the State of Louisiana to construct and operate this important project. This incredible effort happening right here in Pineville will be an innovative and industry leading low-carbon energy solution that will help fuel a better world."
In late 2022, SunGas Renewables announced a strategic green methanol partnership with Denmark-based Maersk, the world's second largest container shipping company, to produce green methanol from multiple facilities around the country. Maersk is a leader in decarbonizing marine shipping by using green methanol to fuel its new and growing fleet of methanol powered container vessels. The BLRE project is SunGas Renewable's first facility to produce green methanol for Maersk. SunGas Renewables chose Central Louisiana for the BLRE project due to its long history of sustainably managed forests, available infrastructure to support the facility, and strong local and State support.
About SunGas Renewables
SunGas Renewables, a spin-out of GTI Energy, is taking a leading role in decarbonization through providing its System 1000 renewable syngas product to third parties for renewable hydrogen and biofuels production while also developing and investing in low-carbon biofuels businesses. The SunGas Renewables System 1000™ contains pressurized fluidized bed gasification technology, originally developed by GTI Energy, integrated with other large-scale proven commercial technologies to provide an optimized and reliable green syngas manufacturing platform for production of green methanol for marine fuel, renewable natural gas, green hydrogen and other renewable biofuels from sustainably sourced biomass and wood fiber. SunGas is headquartered in Houston, Texas. For more information, visit www.sungasrenewables.com.
About Maersk
A.P. Moller – Maersk is an integrated logistics company working to connect and simplify its customers' supply chains. As a global leader in logistics services, the company operates in more than 130 countries and employs over 110,000 people world-wide. Maersk is aiming to reach net zero emissions by 2040 across the entire business with new technologies, new vessels, and green fuels.
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SOURCE SunGas Renewables | 2023-07-26T17:37:53+00:00 | wsfa.com | https://www.wsfa.com/prnewswire/2023/07/26/sungas-renewables-announces-beaver-lake-renewable-energy-green-methanol-facility-central-louisiana/ |
ROCHESTER, Minn - Heavy amounts of snow hit neighborhood homes and car dealerships across the city.
Families were hard at work today clearing their driveways and walkways. Erika Añes and her two children were shoveling the hefty snow during the morning.
"It's pretty bad. We got a thick snow this morning. It's hard, it's heavy, but I got a good team here to help me clear our driveway and walkway,” said Añes.
Chevrolet brought our plow trucks and Bobcat machinery to clear the snow off the lot and cars. The Chevrolet staff started working on removing the snow at 8:30 am.
"Thankfully, this morning it's been pretty mild compared to the last few days, but as long as you stay on top of it we'll have the lot ready and have it ready for customers to come in,” said Sales Manager, Nate Kolstad.
The team effort allowed the car dealership to open right on time. | 2023-02-24T01:31:48+00:00 | kimt.com | https://www.kimt.com/news/local/families-and-businesses-in-rochester-deal-with-the-snowy-aftermath-of-the-storm/article_88711c32-b3d3-11ed-88a1-a7d3bf131069.html |
Mexico's men's national team have released a 38-man roster that will take part in three friendlies and two CONCACAF Nations League matches through mid-June.
Included in the roster is 18-year-old Arsenal academy player Marcelo Flores, who officially committed himself to the Mexican national team a day before Tuesday's roster announcement.
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Also eligible for Canada and England, Flores confirmed his allegiance to El Tri after sharing a post on Twitter that read in part: "I will represent Mexico wholeheartedly for the rest of my professional life." The attacking midfielder has made two appearances for Mexico but has yet to earn a place in the XI or minutes in an official competition under manager Gerardo "Tata" Martino.
LA Galaxy dual-national Julian Araujo was also included in the latest call-up. Initially representing the United States at youth level, Araujo was a member of the provisional 2021 Gold Cup roster for the senior U.S. squad before announcing in October 2021 that he had switched to Mexico. The 20-year-old right-back has since made two appearances for El Tri.
Fellow dual-nationals David Ochoa (Real Salt Lake), Jonathan Gomez (Real Sociedad B) and Alejandro Zendejas (Club America) were left out of the current squad after recently being included in Mexico's previous list for a friendly last month.
¡Un verano de fútbol! 🔥 🤪 ⚽️ 🇲🇽
— Selección Nacional (@miseleccionmx) May 17, 2022
Aquí los 3️⃣8️⃣ convocados de Gerardo Martino para los juegos de la Liga de Naciones y #MEXTOUR.
¡A disfrutarlo! 🙌🏻💚
➡️https://t.co/LH0k0PRs11#HechoDeLosMexicanos | #FMFporNuestroFútbol pic.twitter.com/sJIFXbFmMF
Martino's latest squad also features the return of high-profile veteran national team players, including Guillermo Ochoa, Andres Guardado, Hector Moreno, Hector Herrera, Raul Jimenez and Jesus "Tecatito" Corona.
El Tri regulars Hirving "Chucky" Lozano and Rogelio Funes Mori have reportedly been left out due to injury concerns.
Mexico will have a busy slate of games that includes U.S.-based friendlies against Nigeria on May 28 in Arlington, Texas; Uruguay on June 2 in Glendale, Arizona; and Ecuador on June 5 in Chicago. Once finished, El Tri will then kick off their 2022-23 Nations League campaign at home against Suriname on June 11 and away against Jamaica on June 14.
Involvement in the upcoming Liga MX final next week will delay the arrival of at least a few call-ups from either Pachuca (Kevin Alvarez, Luis Chavez, Erick Sanchez), Club America (Ochoa, Jorge Sanchez, Henry Martin) or Tigres (Jesus Angulo, Sebastian Cordova), who remain in the playoff run.
Later this year, Mexico have an additional friendly scheduled against Paraguay on Aug. 31 in Atlanta. According to TUDN's Gibran Araige, Mexico might also face Brazil and Peru in California-based friendlies this September in Pasadena and Santa Clara. | 2022-05-17T20:25:50+00:00 | espn.com | https://www.espn.com/soccer/mexico-mex/story/4668260/arsenals-marcelo-flores-included-in-mexico-roster-for-friendlies-and-nations-league-matches |
WASHINGTON >> More Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week but the total number of people collecting jobless aid is at its lowest level in more than 50 years.
Jobless claims in the U.S. rose by 19,000 to 200,000 for the week ending April 30, the Labor Department reported Thursday. First-time applications generally reflect the number of layoffs.
The four-week average for claims, which softens some of the weekly volatility, rose 8,000 from the previous week to 188,000.
The total number of Americans collecting jobless benefits for the week ending April 23 fell by 19,000 from the previous week, to 1,384,000. That’s the fewest since January 17, 1970.
American workers are experiencing historically strong job security two years after the coronavirus pandemic plunged the economy into a brief but devastating recession. Weekly applications for unemployment aid have been consistently below the pre-pandemic level of 225,000 for most of this year, even as the overall economy contracted.
On Tuesday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that U.S. employers posted a record 11.5 million job openings in March — an unprecedented two job openings for every person who is unemployed. A record 4.5 million Americans quit their jobs in March — a sign that they are confident they can find better pay or improved working conditions elsewhere.
Employers have added an average of more than 540,000 jobs a month for the past year, pushing the unemployment rate down to 3.6%. The Labor Department is expected to report Friday that the economy generated another 400,000 new jobs in April, according to a survey by the data firm FactSet. That would mark an unprecedented 12th straight month that hiring has come in at 400,000 or more.
The only thing hotter than the job market is inflation. On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve intensified its fight against the worst inflation in 40 years by raising its benchmark short-term interest rate by a half-percentage point — its most aggressive move since 2000 — and signaling further large rate hikes to come.
The increase in the Fed’s key rate raised it to a range of 0.75% to 1%, the highest point since the pandemic struck two years ago.
The Commerce Department reported last month that the U.S. economy shrank last quarter for the first time since the pandemic recession struck two years ago, contracting at a 1.4% annual rate, even as consumers and businesses kept spending in a sign of underlying resilience. | 2022-05-05T22:49:10+00:00 | staradvertiser.com | https://www.staradvertiser.com/2022/05/05/news/more-americans-applied-for-jobless-aid-last-week/ |
CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- BondExchange (https://bondexchange.com) is proud to announce a breakthrough in surety technology for insurance agents. BondExchange agents can now embed our proprietary bond online application process, SuretyPro, directly into their agency websites, providing a seamless experience for their customers.
"The embedded SuretyPro application is the first of its kind in the surety industry," says Jackson Cromer, President of BondExchange. "Insurance agent customers can now quote bonds directly on their agent's websites without navigating to another webpage, thus eliminating the confusion caused when being redirected to another site. SuretyPro keeps everything in one place making the agent the solution provider for their customers."
BondExchange first released SuretyPro in February 2022, allowing agents to link to BondExchange's proprietary online surety application. Further upgrades provided a "white-label" experience by adding the agent's branding to the application process, directing their customers straight to custom applications for specific bond requirements, and providing agents with a unique SuretyPro link to share on social media or in email messages. Now, agents can fully integrate the BondExchange application directly into their website.
"SuretyPro has been a wonderful development for our agents. Helping them to increase their efficiency and eliminating the need for them to complete surety bond applications," continued Cromer. "We're thrilled to bring this upgrade to market and believe it will be invaluable to our agency partners."
About BondExchange
Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, BondExchange is the technology leader in the surety industry, servicing thousands of insurance agents across the U.S. BondExchange is licensed in all 50 US states and writes all types of surety bonds for all customer profiles.
Website: https://www.bondexchange.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bond_exchange
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bond-exchange-inc/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bondexchange
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXZyRNBcehs3mPDMQT6XhLA
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SOURCE BondExchange | 2023-03-24T14:52:43+00:00 | wbrc.com | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/03/24/bondexchange-launches-first-embedded-surety-application/ |
As rental rates across the country jump, Butler County tenants and housing-related organizations are beginning to notice higher rent brought on by inflation and housing shortages in the area.
Jeffrey Diver, the Executive Director of Supports to Encourage Low-income Families (SELF) — an organization that’s been tasked with divvying up the county’s $20.4 million in federal COVID-related rent and utility relief — said it’s a “unique time” for rent spikes.
“It’s not every landlord that’s increasing their rents, but many of them are,” Diver said. “And that’s having a great impact on low to moderate income households.”
Diver said SELF clients have been seeing an average of 30 percent increases, from what he’s heard.
Nick Gallant, president of the private landlord organization Butler County Real Estate Investors Association — said rental rates around the county are increasing due to factors outside a landlord’s control.
“While rental rates are increasing, it is mainly due to the limited housing supply and the increased auxiliary expenses these small business owners are faced [with in order] to maintain the home,” Gallant wrote in an email.
Gallant wrote that an increase in housing production would allow for lower rates and more options for renters, and that small landlords have a vested interest in keeping renters long-term in order to avoid high-turnover costs.
“Housing providers usually resist increases, especially big ones,” Gallant wrote. “To avoid them, the best policy is an abundance of housing so providers compete with other providers, rather than residents competing with each other for scarce housing.”
Mindy Muller, chair of the Butler County Housing and Homeless Coalition, said new, affordable housing options have not kept up with the pace of aging and dilapidation of the county’s housing stock over the years.
“There has been an effort to try to eliminate blight, and some of those homes weren’t being cared for anymore and they needed to come down,” Muller said. “But we haven’t replaced and replenished that housing stock that was an affordable place for people to live.”
For renters, a lack of housing supply means that more and more private landlords are being priced out of options, too.
“There are a lot more local landlords getting out of the business because they’re being bought out by these outside landlords that are coming in and buying up the properties,” Muller said. “That’s absolutely happening here.”
Brian Carberry, the senior managing editor at Rent. (also known as rent.com) — a listing service that also collects and compares rental prices on a year-to-year basis — said increases in Butler County are “... very much in line with what you would expect nationally.”
Carberry said this national increase in rent, which began at the end of last summer and is currently peaking, could be the market more or less correcting itself after rents stayed “relatively flat” during the height of COVID’s economic impact.
Factors within the housing market are also contributing to pricier rents, Carberry said. A higher cost of living and higher mortgage rates are pricing more people out of owning a home, which in turn is increasing the short term demand on rental properties and causing rent to go back up.
Meanwhile, lower housing inventories means there are fewer homes to buy or rent, and the rising cost of homes means that the options on the cheaper end of the spectrum are being snatched up.
“There’s a lot at play,” Carberry said. But he does expect the rate increase to be confined to this year. In other words, he believes a renter will not have to pay an additional 20 percent on a lease signed in 2023.
“If people are signing a one-year lease, it’s probably a one-time big increase, and then next year when they sign their lease — assuming things stay steady and there are no external factors that impact the economy — that rate of increase won’t be as significant next year.”
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said May saw the highest increase in the shelter index since 2004. In particular, rent prices across the country rose 0.6 percent for the second month in a row.
Data from Rent. shows large jumps in Butler County’s cities. The average one-bedroom apartment in Hamilton is 20 percent more expensive than it was a year ago, while the average two-bedroom is 13 percent more expensive.
Middletown one-bedrooms saw a year-over-year increase of 16 percent, while Fairfield saw a 36 percent increase.
Angela Winesett, a renter in Hamilton who has been in the same home for two years, said her landlord informed her that her rent will increase by $50, or about nine percent, starting in July.
Winesett, whose pay has been stagnant since a pay bump around the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and predating the inflation spike, said she’ll feel the increase.
“I wanted to go back to my job and tell [them], ‘They raised the rent, so can I get a raise at work?’ But that didn’t work out very well,” Winesett said. “Fifty bucks is fifty bucks, you know? It’s a difference.”
The Journal-News previously reported that SELF helped more clients in May than in any other month since the pandemic began, coinciding with the highest inflation rates in decades.
Diver described the current economic scenario as a “perfect storm” for renters.
“All other costs are going up also; the cost of gasoline, the cost of food, the cost of rent — all of that. Those increases impact the lowest income households more than they do others.”
All households that receive help from SELF will, at some point, be ineligible for further assistance, and Diver said the future is unclear for clients who are reaching that limit.
“We are seeing more households every week that are reaching the limit of the assistance we can provide. What happens after that is anyone’s guess,” Diver said.
Lauren Brindley, a single mother of three who moved to Hamilton after being priced out of Cincinnati last November, said her experience with her private landlord should serve as an example for housing providers in the area who are raising rents above inflation rate.
“Landlords are taking advantage,” Brindley said. “If my landlord can afford to rent this at a reasonable rate because he knows I’m a single mom … there’s no reason for any of these landlords out here to be charging the prices they have.”
Muller said there are “good conversations happening” around increasing affordable housing in the area, and that those conversations have to feature local organizations, housing providers and renters.
“At the end of the day, everyone’s living someplace,” Muller said. “Having a comprehensive approach to how we solve this as a community is critical.”
About the Author | 2022-07-03T09:12:58+00:00 | daytondailynews.com | https://www.daytondailynews.com/local/butler-county-rent-spikes-spurred-by-inflation-housing-shortages/K4R6EHVE6NBFFD4WX4VKK2F3IY/ |
New locations in Bradenton East, Tampa Midtown and Orlando University Expand the Company's Retail Presence to 50 Locations in Florida and 133 Nationwide
WAKEFIELD, Mass., May 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. (CSE: CURA / OTCQX: CURLF) ("Curaleaf" or the "Company"), a leading international provider of consumer products in cannabis, today announced plans to open three new dispensaries in Florida over the coming weeks. Curaleaf's latest expansion will increase the Company's retail footprint to 50 dispensaries in the Sunshine State and 133 locations nationwide.
Curaleaf Bradenton East, located at 4227 E SR 64, is an expansive, 5,000-square-foot retail facility that joins Curaleaf Bradenton as the second dispensary in the Central Florida town. The Company will celebrate the location's soft opening on May 6, followed by a grand opening on May 13, featuring on-demand commissioned poetry by Florida "poet-for-hire" Giovanni Cerro of Gios Typos. New and returning patients will also have access to exclusive promotions and double reward points on purchases.
Curaleaf Tampa Midtown, located at 612 Dale Mabry, will become the Company's sixth location in Hillsborough County. The 5,821-square-foot dispensary's soft opening will take place on May 12, pending regulatory approvals, with a grand opening ceremony to follow on May 20. The celebration will feature half-priced products, opportunities to earn double reward points and a live Potcast recording, hosted by former Tampa Bay Buccaneers lineman Ian Beckles.
Curaleaf Orlando University, located at 11311 University Blvd near the University of Central Florida, will open by the end of May, pending regulatory approvals. The 3,156 square-foot storefront joins Curaleaf Orlando East and Curaleaf Orlando South as the Company's third location in Orange County, Florida.
With a 21+ population expected to surpass 16 million by 2025 and the potential for an expansive adult-use market, Florida presents continuous growth opportunities for the Company. To meet growing patient demand and preferences, Curaleaf has continued to introduce innovative and tailored products, including Select Squeeze, Select X-Bites, Select Nano Bites, BlueKudu Chocolate, Select Live Rosin and its breakthrough vape hardware Cliq by Select. The Company's Florida growth strategy has allowed its statewide market share to increase to fifteen percent and laid the groundwork for future developments.
"Through our latest retail locations in Bradenton East, Tampa Midtown and Orlando University, Curaleaf has successfully opened eight new dispensaries across Florida in 2022 so far. We are pleased to provide more convenient experiences for patients across the Sunshine State through our ongoing expansion initiatives and our diverse selection of high-quality cannabis products," said Matt Darin, President of Curaleaf US.
For more information regarding Curaleaf's latest product offerings in Florida, along with openings and hours of operation, please visit www.curaleaf.com/locations/#florida.
About Curaleaf Holdings, Inc.
Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. (CSE: CURA) (OTCQX: CURLF) ("Curaleaf") is a leading international provider of consumer products in cannabis with a mission to improve lives by providing clarity around cannabis and confidence around consumption. As a high-growth cannabis company known for quality, expertise and reliability, the Company and its brands, including Curaleaf and Select, provide industry-leading service, product selection and accessibility across the medical and adult-use markets. In the United States, Curaleaf currently operates in 22 states with 131 dispensaries, 26 cultivation sites, and employs over 5,600 team members. Curaleaf International is the largest vertically integrated cannabis company in Europe with a unique supply and distribution network throughout the European market, bringing together pioneering science and research with cutting-edge cultivation, extraction and production. Curaleaf is listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol CURA and trades on the OTCQX market under the symbol CURLF. For more information, please visit https://ir.curaleaf.com.
Forward Looking Statements
This media advisory contains forward–looking statements and forward–looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These statements relate to future events or future performance. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward–looking statements or information. Generally, forward-looking statements and information may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or, "proposed", "is expected", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases, or by the use of words or phrases which state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, or might occur or be achieved. More particularly and without limitation, this news release contains forward–looking statements and information concerning the opening of three dispensaries in Florida. Such forward-looking statements and information reflect management's current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the company with respect to the matter described in this new release. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, which are based on current expectations as of the date of this release and subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Additional information about these assumptions and risks and uncertainties is contained under "Risk Factors and Uncertainties" in the Company's latest annual information form filed March 9, 2022, which is available under the Company's SEDAR profile at http://www.sedar.com, and in other filings that the Company has made and may make with applicable securities authorities in the future. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made only as to the date of this press release and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. We caution investors not to place considerable reliance on the forward looking statements contained in this press release. The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the content of this news release.
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SOURCE Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. | 2022-05-06T15:01:08+00:00 | waff.com | https://www.waff.com/prnewswire/2022/05/06/curaleaf-expands-retail-presence-florida-with-three-new-dispensaries/ |
NASA Mars lander InSight falls silent after 4 years
It could be the end of the red dusty line for NASA’s InSight lander, which has fallen silent after four years on Mars.
The lander’s power levels have been dwindling for months because of all the dust coating its solar panels. Ground controllers at California's Jet Propulsion Laboratory knew the end was near, but NASA reported that InSight unexpectedly didn't respond to communications from Earth on Sunday.
“It's assumed InSight may have reached the end of its operations,” NASA said late Monday, adding that its last communication was Thursday. "It’s unknown what prompted the change in its energy."
The team will keep trying to contact InSight, just in case.
InSight landed on Mars in 2018 and was the first spacecraft to document a marsquake. It detected more than 1,300 marsquakes with its French-built seismometer, including several caused by meteoroid strikes. The most recent marsquake sensed by InSight, earlier this year, left the ground shaking for at least six hours, according to NASA.
The seismometer readings shed light on Mars' interior.
Just last week, scientists revealed that InSight scored another first, capturing a Martian dust devil not just in pictures, but sound. In a stroke of luck, the whirling column of dust blew directly over the lander in 2021 when its microphone was on.
The lander's other main instrument, however, encountered nothing but trouble.
A German digging device — meant to measure the temperature of Mars' interior — never made it deeper than a couple of feet, well short of the intended 16 feet. NASA declared it dead nearly two years ago.
InSight recently sent back one last selfie, shared by NASA via Twitter on Monday.
“My power’s really low, so this may be the last image I can send,” the team wrote on InSight's behalf. “Don’t worry about me though: my time here has been both productive and serene. If I can keep talking to my mission team, I will — but I’ll be signing off here soon. Thanks for staying with me.”
NASA still has two active rovers on Mars: Curiosity, roaming the surface since 2012, and Perseverance, which arrived early last year.
Perseverance is in the midst of creating a sample depot; the plan is to leave 10 tubes of rock cores on the Martian surface as a backup to samples on the rover itself. NASA plans to bring some of these samples back to Earth in a decade, in its longtime search for signs of ancient microscopic life on Mars.
Perseverance also has a companion: a mini helicopter named Ingenuity. It just completed its 37th flight and has now logged more than an hour of Martian flight time. | 2022-12-20T21:32:02+00:00 | wmur.com | https://www.wmur.com/article/nasa-mars-lander-falls-silent/42297430 |
AUSTIN — Many poll workers and election judges could carry handguns at polling places under a bill from a North Texas representative that passed in the Texas House on Friday.
The bill from Frisco Republican Rep. Jared Patterson would permit election judges to carry handguns at polling places on Election Day and would allow some poll workers to carry guns during early voting.
The change will “make it clear that law-abiding citizens who are election judges who want to carry to protect themselves and discharge their duties can do so legally without fear of prosecution,” Patterson said during a hearing on the bill in March.
The proposal, House Bill 636, now heads to the Senate for consideration, where a similar bill died in 2021.
The change expands on a portion of Texas’ election code that considers an appointed election judge a government official with the authority of a peace officer or district judge while they preside over a polling place.
Though Texas prohibits guns in polling places, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a nonbinding legal opinion in 2018 that said polling judges could bring firearms to polling places. Patterson’s legislation would enshrine it in law.
Critics of the bill believe it could frighten some voters away from the polls. Guns and armed individuals have long been associated with voter intimidation. Earlier this week, the Brennan Center for Justice and the Giffords Law Center sent a letter to House members urging them to vote against the bill.
“Guns at polling places do nothing to further American democracy and will actually weaken it by creating an environment of intimidation and fear,” the letter said.
A wrinkle in election law required legislation to allow poll workers acting in the capacity of an election judge carry handguns during early voting. Only an appointed election judge could carry a weapon on Election Day. Eligible poll workers and election judges would be required to have a concealed handgun license in order to carry a handgun while working.
Williamson County Election Administrator Chris Davis testified at the Capitol that the bill threatens to disrupt the relationship between school districts and county election officials. In many counties, more than half of polling locations are schools.
“In a post-Uvalde tragedy world, we currently face a very tentative relationship with our schools that are also hosting our polling places,” Davis said.
“We don’t want to wear out that welcome,” he added.
But Patterson said his bill only would allow election workers to carry guns at polling locations where guns are allowed. Restrictions on firearms at schools, universities and businesses that prohibit guns would remain and apply to election judges.
“This isn’t an across-the-board everybody gets guns, we’re arming people outside en masse with guns as people walk in” to polling places, Patterson said. “This is not Nicaragua, this is a very straightforward, simple bill.”
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©2023 The Dallas Morning News. Visit dallasnews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. | 2023-05-06T03:06:40+00:00 | tylerpaper.com | https://tylerpaper.com/guns-at-polls-texas-house-approves-bill-to-arm-election-workers/article_af3bb1be-ebb5-11ed-adc3-0b33273e4859.html |
DENVER – The Tampa Bay Lightning weren't the ones who looked like the two-time defending champions in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday night.
The Colorado Avalanche, playing for the first time in nine nights, raced to 2-0 and 3-1 leads in the first period by punching pucks past otherworldly goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, who had allowed just 2.27 goals per game in these playoffs.
“The first 10 minutes, we weren’t our best,” Lightning forward Patrick Maroon said. “We weren’t our best tonight. But I like the finish in our game, though.”
Well, except for the actual ending.
Colorado withstood Tampa Bay's rally to improve to 13-2 in these playoffs and prevail 4-3 on Andre Burakovsky's goal 1:23 into overtime.
The winner came after a bad turnover by Mikhail Sergachev, whose second-period goal tied it at 3.
Home teams have won 64 consecutive Cup Final games when leading by two or more goals, per ESPN. The last team to blow a two-goal lead and lose was the New York Rangers against Vancouver in 1994.
The Avalanche peppered reigning playoffs MVP Vasilevskiy with plenty of pucks in the first period and Ball Arena was rocking, those $1,000 tickets looking like bargains.
The Avalanche scored a whopping 65 goals in 14 playoff games to reach the Stanley Cup Final — their 6.46 scoring average the best in the playoffs in 30 years —- and they netted two more goals in the first 10 minutes of the first period.
The two-time defending champions' pedigree showed up with Ondrej Palat and Sergachev scoring goals less than a minute apart in the second period against Darcy Keumper, who was playing in his first game since May 31 against Edmonton, to knot things up at 3.
It stayed that way until 1:23 into overtime.
Lightning coach Jon Cooper insisted Vasilevskiy wasn't to blame for the loss, suggesting nobody in a Lightning sweater played better than his goaltender who stopped 22 straight shots before Burakovsky's winner eluded his left skate.
“Vassy, obviously, is a difference maker,” Sergachev said. “He is the best goalie in the world. He’s our best player. So he’s a difference-maker and he can steal games, he can win games by himself. He almost did it tonight.”
Vasilevskiy allowed three goals in a first period of a playoff game for the first time in his career, according to NHL Stats.
The Avalanche's legs were both fast and fresh in their first game in nine days and their first Stanley Cup appearance in 21 years.
Throw in the altitude and the Avalanche's attitude, maybe some choppy ice and definitely some uneven play early on from Vasilevskiy, who allowed uncharacteristic goals like the one Valeri Nichuskin put past him in the first period. That puck was the first to go through Vasilevskiy's legs this entire postseason.
These Avalanche may be the upstarts but they're not fazed by the prospect of having to dethrone the two-time defending champions to hoist Lord Stanley's Cup.
Their confidence, like the thin air in the Mile High City, is sky high.
“I mean why not?” said captain Gabriel Landeskog, whose goal less than eight minutes into the game opened the scoring. "We’re in the Stanley Cup Final. We’ve earned this spot. We put a lot of hard work in. Obviously, we have a lot of respect for these guys — but not too much.”
Sergachev shrugged off the loss, suggesting there was plenty of good things that happened, like coming back to tie it and skate evenly with the fast Avalanche for much of the night.
“It’s the usual stuff. We lost Game 1s before,” Sergachev said. “It’s a series, so we’ll take a day off tomorrow and just chill, clear our heads and practice, go out at Game 2. So nothing changes for us. We’re still a confident group.”
Lightning longtime captain Steven Stamkos said the key Saturday night in Game 2 is not playing catch-up and chasing the quick Avalanche.
“We'll look to get off to a better start next game and play with the lead a little bit,” he said. “That’s a really good hockey team, they got some exceptional players that can make plays and will look to improve.”
Lightning coach Jon Cooper said his players now have a feel for how fast the Avalanche play, and that will help them this weekend.
“They come out pretty strong. We hadn’t seen them in a while, so it was nice to get a feel,” concurred Alex Killorn. "They had some incredible players that do a lot of good stuff on the ice, but I think we understand exactly what they are.”
A formidable opponent that might very well keep the Lightning from becoming the first team to win three Stanley Cups in a row since the New York Islanders won their fourth straight in 1983.
___
Follow Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter at https://twitter.com/arniestapleton
___
More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2022-06-16T05:23:41+00:00 | local10.com | https://www.local10.com/sports/2022/06/16/lightning-look-like-the-upstarts-in-game-1-loss-to-avalanche/ |
First & Goal: Highlights from Sept. 8, 2022
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September 08, 2022 | 2022-09-11T21:54:56+00:00 | krgv.com | https://www.krgv.com/videos/first-and-goal-highlights-from-sept-8-2022 |
The surgery went well, and there’s almost no chance Aaron Pico’s left shoulder could once again pop out of its socket during a fight.
Almost. We’re talking MMA, after all, and anything can happen and often does.
Right on cue, nine days before Pico’s first fight since losing by TKO (shoulder injury) to Jeremy Kennedy last Oct. 1, he got a new opponent: Otto Rodrigues out, James Gonzales in.
No matter, or at least not much. When healthy, Pico believes, nothing and no one can stop him from becoming the Bellator featherweight champion before the year is out.
That quest, rudely interrupted as it was, resumes on Saturday at Bellator 295 in Honolulu.
“All I’m worried about is me,” Pico (10-4), a California native who trains in Albuquerque at Jackson-Wink MMA, said in a phone interview “… And I believe in my heart that this year I will be a world champion.”
In his pursuit of that goal, since Pico signed with Bellator in 2017 at age 20 with no prior MMA experience, there has been no shortage of obstacles.
He lost three of his first seven fights, Bellator having put him in with tough opposition from the start. Amid an impressive six-fight win streak that elevated him in the Bellator featherweight rankings, he had a bout with COVID.
Then came the Kennedy fight, with Pico perhaps on the cusp of the title fight he’d sought. But in the opening seconds, Pico’s left shoulder was dislocated.
Pico somehow made it through the first round. Then, in his corner, his team – in an effort later described by one medical professional as a textbook example of how not to do so – vainly attempted to pop the shoulder back in place.
End of fight. End of win streak. No title shot.
The good news, in terms of that elusive title shot, is that Bellator clearly has recognized the loss to Kennedy for what it was. Pico still ranks as the No. 3 contender to champion Patricio Pitbull’s belt in that organization’s featherweight rankings, behind Adam Borics (No. 1) and Kennedy.
“That’s very encouraging,” Pico said. “You can’t really count that as a loss, and that’s not even a loss in my mind. It was in the first 30 seconds that my shoulder was out, and I still believe I could have won even with the bad shoulder. One hundred percent, I believe that.
“(But) the doctor did his job and felt what he did was necessary, which I can agree with.”
As for the proximity of a title shot should Pico beat Gonzales (10-5) on Saturday, he’s still got Borics – who defeated him by second-round TKO in June 2019 – and Kennedy to deal with.
Meanwhile, Pitbull, who has defeated both Kennedy and Borics, is moving down to fight champion Sergio Pettis for the Bellator bantamweight title. Pitbull has not relinquished the featherweight belt.
However it shakes out, Pico said he believes a rematch with Kennedy is in his future.
“We’re gonna run it back, and Kennedy’s gonna have his hands full,” he said.
First, though there’s Saturday and Gonzales in Honolulu.
Not only does the shoulder feel 100%, Pico said, adjustments in his training regimen in consultation with his conditioning coach – more rest between workouts – have him in a better place than ever before.
“I can see why we backed off,” he said, “because now I feel amazing. … I followed the plan to a T, so I’m smiling going into (this fight).”
THE CARD: Pico will be joined by two former Jackson-Wink fighters, Ray Borg and Patchy Mix, and one current teammate, Davion Franklin, on Saturday’s card at Blaisdell Arena.
Mix (17-1) is scheduled to face Raufeon Stots (19-1) in the night’s bantamweight main event. Mix now trains at Xtreme Couture MMA in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Borg (16-5), of Albuquerque, is scheduled to make his Bellator debut against Japanese veteran Kyogi Horiguchi (31-5) in a bantamweight fight.
“Bellator’s great, been really good, great staff and all that,” Borg said on Wednesday during a Bellator teleconference. “(But) at the end of the day, it’s all the same. It’s still a fight.”
Borg said he’s done most of his training for this fight at Rafael “Barata” de Freitas’ Smartjits Brazilian Jiujitsu Academy.
Franklin (5-1), a heavyweight, will seek to rebound from his first loss when he steps in against Germany’s Kasim Aras (7-1).
ELSEWHERE: On Friday in Prior Lake, Minnesota, Moriarty strawweight Amber Brown (7-6) is scheduled to face Montana’s Marnic Mann (5-1) on an LFA card … On Sunday in Toronto, Albuquerque atomweight Amanda Lovato (3-7), Brown’s FIT-NHB teammate, is scheduled to face Canada’s Isabelle La-Croix (1-0). | 2023-04-20T04:46:04+00:00 | abqjournal.com | https://www.abqjournal.com/2592186/pico-believes-he-can-shoulder-a-title-push.html |
Edna Adan Ismail, a nurse-midwife, hospital founder, and health care advocate who for decades has combated female circumcision and strived to improve women’s health care in East Africa, was named Tuesday as winner of the 2023 Templeton Prize, one of the world’s largest annual individual awards.
“Rooted in her Muslim faith, she receives this year’s award in recognition of her extraordinary efforts to harness the power of the sciences to affirm the dignity of women and help them to flourish physically and spiritually,” said the announcement. Among her achievements: the founding of a hospital and university which have significantly reduced maternal mortality in Somaliland.
The Templeton Prize, valued at nearly $1.4 million, was established in 1973 by philanthropist Sir John Templeton. It honors those “who harness the power of the sciences to explore the deepest questions of the universe and humankind’s place and purpose within it.”
Ismail, the first African woman to win the prize, “has used the teachings of her faith, family, and scientific education to improve the health and opportunities of some of the world’s most vulnerable women and girls,” said Heather Templeton Dill, president of the John Templeton Foundation.
“She has employed her many positions of authority to argue passionately that female circumcision is against the teachings of Islam, and deeply harmful to women.”
Ismail, 85, said she would donate some of her prize money to the U.S.-based Friends of Edna Maternity Hospital, for use in purchasing new equipment, hiring educators, and “training the next generation of health care workers that East Africa so desperately needs.”
Ismail was born in 1937 in Hargeisa, the capital of what was then British Somaliland. Her father was a doctor; due to his influence, she was covertly tutored alongside her brothers until she was 15. A scholarship exam, normally reserved for boys, qualified her to study in Britain, where she received an education in nursing and midwifery.
She returned to her homeland as its first medically trained nurse-midwife. According to the prize announcement, she was the first woman to drive a car in her country and the first appointed to a position of political authority as director of the Ministry of Health.
She later joined the World Health Organization, serving as regional technical officer for maternal and child health from 1987-91 and WHO representative to Djibouti from 1991-97.
She left her international career to return home with a dream of building a hospital. After newly re-formed Somaliland declared its independence in 1991 — though it remains unrecognized by foreign powers — its government offered her a tract of land previously used as a garbage dump.
She sold her assets to build the hospital, and raised more funds worldwide after a profile of her appeared in The New York Times. The Edna Adan Maternity Hospital opened in 2002.
While Somaliland’s health care system was in disarray, the hospital made great strides, dramatically reducing the maternal mortality. Its education program became Edna Adan University in 2010; it has trained more than 4,000 students to become doctors, nurses and other types of health professionals. More than 30,000 babies have been delivered at the hospital, where 80% of the staff and 70% of the students are women.
Despite its lack of international recognition, Somaliland remains self-governing in its territory in northern Somalia.
Ismail is an outspoken critic of female genital mutilation, a painful and sometimes life-threatening practice performed in some Muslim and non-Muslim societies. When she was 8, her mother subjected her to FGM without the knowledge of her father, who was outraged.
As a practicing midwife early in her career, she was confronted with grievous complications during childbirth from the FGM scarring. After attending a 1976 conference in Sudan at which participants from Muslim countries that practiced FGM spoke about its effects, she was inspired to raise the issue at home.
As a director in Somalia’s health ministry, Ismail began to speak out on FGM — initially shocking her audience and attracting threats, but also building widespread interest. She encouraged women to come forward and men to stand up for them.
“Islam forbids female circumcision,” Ismail said in a video filmed for the Templeton Prize. “Every day I’m reliving and remembering, I’m recalling that pain that happened to me when I was 7 or 8 years old. The wounds may heal but the pain never leaves you.”
In some countries, women scarred by FGM are obtaining medical treatment and therapy to overcome or reduce trauma that dates to childhood, but Ismail said this was not a priority in Somaliland.
“We are still struggling to find medical treatment for life-threatening childhood diseases, injuries, and assistance to women during childbirth,” she told The Associated Press via email. “I feel that whatever energy and resources we have should be devoted to help prevent diseases … rather than reversing the trauma that healthy little girls should not have been subjected to in the first place.”
While progress has been made, FGM is still practiced in several countries; cases have come to light in Britain, the United States, and elsewhere. Ismail’s fight to end FGM continues through her international advocacy and at her hospital.
Previous winners of the Templeton Prize include Mother Teresa of Kolkata in 1973, Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa in 2013, and conservationist Jane Goodall in 2021. The 2022 prize went to physicist Frank Wilczek.
___
Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. | 2023-05-16T15:07:30+00:00 | wjhl.com | https://www.wjhl.com/health/ap-health/prominent-foe-of-female-circumcision-wins-prestigious-1-4-million-templeton-prize/ |
Deputies arrest woman for parental kidnapping following highway pursuit in Santa Barbara
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. – Deputies arrested a 39-year-old woman on Thursday morning for parental kidnapping after a vehicle pursuit down Highway 101, according to the SBC Sheriff's Office.
The sheriff's office said the one-year-old girl involved in the kidnapping was not physically injured, and that deputies released her to Social Services at the scene of the arrest.
According to officials, the woman kidnapped the child within the area of Santa Barbara County Social Services in Goleta just before 11:00 a.m. Thursday.
Deputies said they responded to the call and found the Canoga Park woman driving away, but when they tried to pull her over on Calle Real at Camino Del Remedio, the 39-year-old sped off and began the pursuit along southbound Highway 101.
The woman exited off Garden St and led the deputies through city streets, eventually losing the deputies in the area of W. Pedregosa and De La Vina St, according to the sheriff's office.
Officials said the Santa Barbara Police Department then took over, and eventually found the car, woman and child in the 200-block of E. Los Olivos St at 11:18 a.m.
The sheriff's office said officers arrested the 39-year-old without further incident and booked her into the Main Jail for the following: kidnapping (felony), child endangerment (felony), evading (felony), and driving under the influence (misdemeanor).
According to the sheriff's office, the woman's bail amount is pending. | 2023-03-23T22:35:16+00:00 | keyt.com | https://keyt.com/news/crime/2023/03/23/deputies-arrest-woman-for-parental-kidnapping-following-highway-pursuit-in-santa-barbara/ |
Global stocks sink as Europe faces new squeeze on gas supply
By JOE McDONALD
AP Business Writer
BEIJING (AP) — Global stock markets sank Monday as Europe faced a new squeeze on Russian gas supplies.
London and Frankfurt opened lower. Tokyo, Hong Kong and South Korea fell while Shanghai gained. Oil prices rose more than $2 per barrel while the euro edged lower.
Markets were roiled by Russian energy giant Gazprom’s announcement Friday that a suspension of gas supplies through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline would be extended indefinitely. That adds to shortages in Germany and other economies.
In early trading, the FTSE 100 in London lost 1.1% to 7,198.73 and the DAX in Frankfurt tumbled 3.2% to 12,628.44., The CAC 40 in France fell 2% to 6,047.28.
Gazprom’s announcement puts European stocks under “heavy pressure,” said Chris Turner of ING in a report.
Also Friday, U.S. government data showed hiring slowed in August but wages rose sharply. Forecasters said the Federal Reserve might see that as evidence more interest rate hikes are needed to bring down inflation that is at a four-decade high.
“Markets relinquished early optimism for a sense of foreboding,” said Tan Boon Heng of Mizuho Bank in a report.
On Wall Street, the S&P 500 future was off less than 0.1%. That for the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained less than 0.1%.
The Dow also fell 1.1% on Friday after the Labor Department reported the U.S. economy added 315,000 jobs in August. That was down from July’s 526,000, but average hourly pay jumped by an unusually wide margin of 5.2% compared with a year earlier.
The Nasdaq composite lost 1.3%.
In Asia, the Shanghai Composite Index advanced 0.4% to 3,199.91 after the Chinese government tightened controls on movement in the southern business center of Shenzhen following virus outbreaks.
The Nikkei 225 in Tokyo lost 0.1% to 27,619.61 while the Hang Seng in Hong Kong tumbled 1.2% to 19,225.70.
The Kospi in Seoul lost 0.2% to 2,403.68 while Sydney’s S&P-ASX 200 added 0.3% to 6,852.20.
New Zealand and Bangkok declined while Singapore and Jakarta advanced.
European economies face gas shortages after their governments agreed to wind down purchases from Russia to punish the Kremlin for invading Ukraine.
Last week, state-owned Gazprom announced a three-day suspension of gas supplies through Nord Stream 1 due to urgent maintenance work.
On Friday, the company said that would be extended indefinitely. Russia already has reduced supplies to countries that sided with Ukraine.
Meanwhile, traders are uneasily watching the Fed after chair Jerome Powell said Aug. 26 interest rates have to stay elevated to rein in surging inflation. That dashed hopes the Fed might back off due to signs U.S. economic activity is cooling.
The Fed has raised rates four times this year, twice by 0.75 percentage points, triple its usual margin.
Central banks in Europe and Asia also have hiked rates, fueling worries they might derail global economic growth.
The U.S. market has given up much of the gains made in July and August when traders hoped the Fed might ease up.
Traders expect another 0.75 percentage point rate hike at this month’s Fed meeting, according to CME Group.
In energy markets, benchmark U.S. crude gained $2.18 to $89.05 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose 26 cents to $86.87 on Friday. Brent crude, the price basis for international oil trading, added $2.54 to $95.56 per barrel in London. It advanced 66 cents the previous session to $93.02.
The dollar advanced to 140.50 yen from Friday’s 140.13 yen. The euro declined to 99.26 cents from 99.64 cents. | 2022-09-05T09:44:46+00:00 | keyt.com | https://keyt.com/news/2022/09/04/asian-stocks-follow-wall-street-lower-after-us-jobs-report-2/ |
Today in History
Today is Wednesday, Jan. 11, the 11th day of 2023. There are 354 days left in the year.
Today’s Highlight in History:
On Jan. 11, 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed the Grand Canyon National Monument (it became a national park in 1919).
On this date:
In 1913, the first enclosed sedan-type automobile, a Hudson, went on display at the 13th National Automobile Show in New York.
In 1927, the creation of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was proposed during a dinner of Hollywood luminaries at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles.
In 1935, aviator Amelia Earhart began an 18-hour trip from Honolulu to Oakland, California, that made her the first person to fly solo across any part of the Pacific Ocean.
In 1943, the United States and Britain signed treaties relinquishing extraterritorial rights in China.
In 1963, the Beatles’ single “Please Please Me” (B side “Ask Me Why”) was released in Britain by Parlophone.
In 1964, U.S. Surgeon General Luther Terry issued “Smoking and Health,” a report that concluded that “cigarette smoking contributes substantially to mortality from certain specific diseases and to the overall death rate.”
In 1978, two Soviet cosmonauts aboard the Soyuz 27 capsule linked up with the Salyut 6 orbiting space station, where the Soyuz 26 capsule was already docked.
In 1989, nine days before leaving the White House, President Ronald Reagan bade the nation farewell in a prime-time address, saying of his eight years in office: “We meant to change a nation and instead we changed a world.”
In 2003, calling the death penalty process “arbitrary and capricious, and therefore immoral,” Illinois Gov. George Ryan commuted the sentences of 167 condemned inmates, clearing his state’s death row two days before leaving office.
In 2010, Mark McGwire admitted to The Associated Press that he’d used steroids and human growth hormone when he broke baseball’s home run record in 1998.
In 2020, health authorities in the central Chinese city of Wuhan reported the first death from what had been identified as a new type of coronavirus; the patient was a 61-year-old man who’d been a frequent customer at a food market linked to the majority of cases there.
Ten years ago: President Barack Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai met at the White House, where they agreed to speed up slightly the schedule for moving Afghanistan’s security forces into the lead across the country. The government assured the public that Boeing’s new 787 “Dreamliner” was safe to fly, even as it launched a review to find out what caused a fire, a fuel leak and other recent incidents. Italian actress Mariangela Melato (“Swept Away”), 71, died in Rome.
Five years ago: President Donald Trump was quoted as having used bluntly vulgar language during an Oval Office meeting with lawmakers while asking why the U.S. would accept more immigrants from Haiti and African countries rather than places like Norway. Edgar Ray Killen, a 1960s Klan leader who was convicted decades later in the slayings of three civil rights workers, died in prison at the age of 92.
One year ago: Speaking in Atlanta, President Joe Biden called on senators to “stand against voter suppression” by changing Senate rules to pass voting rights legislation that Republicans were blocking from debate and votes. (The legislation failed after two Democrats refused to join others in their party in changing the rules to overcome a Republican filibuster.) Just days after the one-year anniversary of the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, the Justice Department’s top national security official told lawmakers that the department was establishing a specialized unit focused on domestic terrorism.
Today’s birthdays: Former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien (zhahn kray-tee-EHN’) is 89. Movie director Joel Zwick is 81. World Golf Hall of Famer Ben Crenshaw is 71. Singer Robert Earl Keen is 61. Actor Phyllis Logan is 67. Musician Vicki Peterson (The Bangles) is 65. Actor Kim Coles is 60. Actor Jason Connery is 60. Former child actor Dawn Lyn (TV: “My Three Sons”) is 60. Rock musician Tom Dumont (No Doubt) is 55. Movie director Malcolm D. Lee is 53. Singer Mary J. Blige is 52. Musician Tom Rowlands (The Chemical Brothers) is 52. Actor Marc Blucas is 51. Actor Amanda Peet is 51. Actor Rockmond Dunbar is 50. Actor Aja Naomi King is 38. Actor Kristolyn Lloyd is 38. Reality TV star Jason Wahler is 36. Pop singer Cody Simpson is 26. | 2023-01-11T06:14:23+00:00 | expressnews.com | https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/Today-in-History-JAN-11-Wuhan-reports-1st-17691025.php |
Russian envoy says nuclear powers may clash over Ukraine
By JAMEY KEATEN
Associated Press
GENEVA, Switzerland (AP) — A senior Russian diplomat has warned that Western support for Ukraine could trigger an open conflict between nuclear powers. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov was speaking at the United Nations’ conference on disarmament on Thursday. He criticized the U.S. and its allies for openly declaring the goal of defeating Russia in a “hybrid” war. Ryabkov said that it violates their obligations under international agreements and is fraught with expansion of the war in Ukraine. Ryabkov warned that “the U.S. and NATO policy of fueling the conflict in Ukraine” and their ”increasing involvement in the military confrontation is fraught with a direct military clash of nuclear powers with catastrophic consequences.” | 2023-03-02T17:33:28+00:00 | keyt.com | https://keyt.com/news/2023/03/02/russian-envoy-says-nuclear-powers-may-clash-over-ukraine/ |
Darren Criss can't get enough of fatherhood! In April, the 35-year-old actor and his wife, Mia Swier, welcomed their daughter, Bluesy -- and now he's opening up about what it's like being a first-time dad.
“It’s beautiful,” Criss told ET’s Lauren Zima on the red carpet of the 75th annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on Sunday. “Beauty begets beauty.”
For Criss, becoming a father has changed the way he goes into his work. “I think life is always present in the work you do,” the Glee alum said, noting that fatherhood is "wonderful."
“So, it was present when I was a son, as a friend, as a brother, as a husband," he explained. "I bring that to all the things that I do. So sure, a new element of fatherhood is there, but I try and bring my best version of myself to everything I do. So hopefully I’ve enhanced. I’ve levelled up.”
Darren Criss and wife Mia Swier attend the 75th annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 12, 2022 in New York City.
If there is any proof of Criss’ leveling up, it’s in the form of him and his American Buffalo co-stars, Laurence Fishburne and Sam Rockwell, snagging four Tony Award nominations. Although the show did not take home any awards on Sunday, Criss shared that he’s just honored to be part of the production.
“It’s very exciting and we're very thrilled,” he said. “Being in that show is reward enough. I know that might sound like a cliché but just to be back on Broadway doing such a dream play and a dream role with dream guys, it's like that's all that really matters. And no matter what happens tonight, we go back on Tuesday and do it again and so does everybody else here.”
Criss added, “It’s like we're not here for this. This is a fun little part that we get to throw in the middle of our run but everybody's here for the passion for the soul and for the love.”
RELATED CONTENT: | 2022-06-13T23:02:03+00:00 | ktvb.com | https://www.ktvb.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-tonight/darren-criss-opens-up-about-fatherhood-and-how-its-changed-his-approach-to-acting-exclusive/603-d4bd79f7-af52-4a15-8526-58c0b44fcebf |
The Southern Poverty Law Center has labeled the group Moms for Liberty an anti-government extremist organization in its annual report.
Here & Now’s Robin Young speaks with Will Sommer about what’s behind the designation and what the implications are. Sommer is a reporter for The Washington Post and author of “Trust the Plan: The Rise of QAnon and the Conspiracy That Unhinged America.”
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2023-06-08T20:10:55+00:00 | kosu.org | https://www.kosu.org/2023-06-08/moms-for-liberty-labeled-anti-government-extremist-organization-by-southern-poverty-law-center |
Request unsuccessful. Incapsula incident ID: 1164000890008346878-16519827276174921 | 2022-11-02T18:32:35+00:00 | bizjournals.com | https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2022/11/02/fresh-co-winter-park-new-york-florida-restaurant.html |
PODGORICA, Montenegro — Montenegro is preparing to hold a presidential election this weekend, a vote taking place amid a political stalemate that has stalled the small NATO member’s bid to join the European Union and questions about whether the Balkan country will align more closely with Serbia and Russia.
Analysts predict Sunday’s election will not produce a clear winner and that pro-Western incumbent Milo Djukanovic, 61, will face one of several challengers in a runoff two weeks later.
Djukanovic and his Democratic Party of Socialists led Montenegro to independence from Serbia in 2006, and defied Russia to join NATO in 2017. An alliance dominated by parties seeking closer ties with Serbia and Russia ousted DPS from power in 2020.
The presidency is largely ceremonial in Montenegro but the election result holds political weight because of the country’s political turmoil and the war in Ukraine. It is also crucial for the political future of Djukanovic, the longest-serving politician in the Balkans.
Djukanovic dissolved parliament on Thursday, three months after the government fell in a no-confidence vote. The party whose candidate eventually wins the presidency could receive a significant boost in the early parliamentary election ahead of the early parliamentary election that the president is expected to schedule Friday.
Djukanovic’s opponents on Sunday include a leader of the staunchly pro-Serbia and pro-Russia Popular Front party, Andrija Mandic, economist Jakov Milatovic of the newly-formed Europe Now group and former parliament speaker Aleksa Becic.
Observers say Milatovic, who served in the government formed after the 2020 parliamentary vote but later split from the ruling coalition, may stand the best chance of making it into the runoff against Djukanovic.
Who wins could signal Montenegro’s future direction, said Ana Nenezic, executive director of the Center for Monitoring and Research, a think tank. “That is, whether further foreign policy priorities will be focused on unblocking the process of European integration, strengthening cooperation with EU countries and membership in NATO.”
“The success of the clerical-populist parties, or in this case, the candidates, could lead to strengthening of ties with the Eastern powers and a move away from the European perspective,” she said.
Djukanovic, who has served as Montenegro’s president or prime minister since 1991, saw his popularity plummet after DPS narrowly lost the 2020 parliamentary election. But with the current government in disarray, Djukanovic hopes to regain voter support.
“We decide at the presidential election whether Montenegro will continue to develop as a free, modern, civic European state or, contrary to its centuries-old tradition, will accept to serve the interests of others,” Djukanovic said during campaigning.
The political chaos and stalled reforms in a country long seen as the next in line for European Union membership has alarmed U.S. and EU officials, who fear Russia could try to stir trouble in the Balkans to divert attention from the war in Ukraine.
Montenegro’s 620,000 citizens remain deeply divided among supporters of Djukanovic’s policies and those who view themselves as Serbs and want Montenegro to ally itself with Serbia and fellow-Slavic Russia.
The Popular Front party’s Mandic, who was accused of being part of a 2016 coup attempt, has sought to present himself as a conciliatory figure during the campaign, saying his main goal as president would be to bridge the Montenegrin divide.
Milatovic, the economist, has accused Djukanovic and his DPS party of corruption, saying the president’s final removal from power is necessary for Montenegro to move forward.
Montenegro has some 540,000 eligible voters. The country is known for its stunning natural beauty consisting of wild mountains and a popular Adriatic Sea coastline. | 2023-03-17T08:44:15+00:00 | washingtonpost.com | https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/03/17/montenegro-presidential-election-balkans/61d70a1c-c49c-11ed-82a7-6a87555c1878_story.html |
After a 20-point loss and a couple of big moves at the trade deadline, the 3-5 Chicago Bears on Sunday return to Soldier Field to take on quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and the 5-3 Miami Dolphins.
Here’s what you need to know before kickoff (noon, CBS).
Get the Bears latest news | Get Brad Biggs’ 10 thoughts first | Get our free Bears alerts
Halftime: Dolphins lead Bears 21-17
Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders missed a 29-yard field-goal attempt wide left in the final seconds of the first half, but Miami leads the Bears 21-17 at halftime.
The Bears offense operated smoothly in the first half, but the Dolphins answered every single time — except for that miss.
Bears quarterback Justin Fields completed 11 of 15 passes for 94 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 53 yards on seven carries. Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa completed 11 of 13 passes for 162 yards — 12.5 yards per attempt — and a touchdown.
After Fields threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Darnell Mooney to cut the Dolphins lead to 21-17 with two minutes to play, the Dolphins marched to the Bears’ 11-yard line before the defense came up with the stop.
The difference for the Dolphins was a special teams touchdown on the only attempted punt of the half.
Dolphins linebacker Jaelan Phillips blocked Trenton Gill’s punt and Andrew Van Ginkel scooped up the football and returned it 25 yards for a touchdown for a 21-10 lead.
The Bears briefly had a 10-7 lead. With Phillips chasing him, Fields hit tight end Cole Kmet with an 18-yard touchdown pass. Kmet cruised into the end zone with help from a block from Equanimeous St. Brown.
But the Dolphins easily answered again with Tagovailoa’s 3-yard touchdown pass to Tyreek Hill to go up 14-10. Tagovailoa hit Hill with a 25-yard pass and Jaylen Waddle with a 26-yard pass on the drive. The Dolphins got to the 3-yard line after Bears defensive end Dominique Robinson was called for roughing the passer following Tagovailoa’s 4-yard pass to Jeff Wilson Jr.
Bears kicker Cairo Santos made a 32-yard field goal on the opening drive for a 3-0 lead.
Wide receiver Chase Claypool had his first catch with the Bears — a 1-yarder — and also drew a 28-yard pass interference penalty on Dolphins cornerback Keion Crossen. That got the Bears to the 20-yard line, but David Montgomery was stopped for no gain, Fields threw incomplete in the end zone at Mooney and Fields scrambled for 6 yards before the Bears opted to kick.
The Dolphins responded with a 75-yard touchdown drive capped by Raheem Mostert’s 1-yard scoring run. The drive included Tagovailoa’s 18-yard pass to Trent Sherfield on third-and-2 and a 32-yard pass interference penalty on Bears cornerback Kindle Vildor in the end zone against Hill.
Vildor injured his ankle on the play, and the Bears classified him as questionable to return.
Inactives announced
Bears wide receiver/returner Velus Jones Jr. is inactive for Sunday’s game.
Jones, the Bears’ third-round pick this spring, was not on the injury report all week. He played 15 snaps on offense and had eight special-teams plays against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 8.
The Bears acquired wide receiver Chase Claypool this week, and Claypool is expected to get limited snaps on offense. The Bears also have wide receivers Darnell Mooney, Equanimeous St. Brown, N’Keal Harry and Dante Pettis — who doubles as a returner — active.
Pettis replaced Jones on punt returns after Jones muffed two punts, but Jones returned one kickoff against the Cowboys.
Also inactive for the Bears are offensive linemen Alex Leatherwood and Ja’Tyre Carter, tight end Jake Tonges and cornerback Lamar Jackson.
For the Dolphins, wide receivers River Cracraft and Erik Ezukanma, running back Myles Gaskin, quarterback Skylar Thompson and offensive lineman Austin Jackson are inactive.
- 5 things to watch in the Bears-Dolphins game — plus our Week 9 predictions
- Column: Bears say they’re prioritizing winning after trading key players. But there are 3 developmental moves they should make soon.
Concussion discussion
Former Bears defensive end Robert Quinn couldn’t wrap his head around it.
Like the national TV audience on Sept. 29, he saw the arresting images of Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa lying motionless near the 50-yard line with his hands frozen above him in a manner consistent with a brain injury during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
And Quinn saw the scene from the week before, when Tagovailoa hit the ground hard on a hit from a Buffalo Bills defender, shook his head slightly, ran several steps and then stumbled to the ground. Tagovailoa returned to that game after the stumble was chalked up to a back injury and then played against the Bengals four days later.
“I don’t see how people didn’t stop it instantly (against the Bills). He’s walking and he just literally collapsed,” Quinn said. “I’m not in the medical field, but I do know when something doesn’t look right. … I hope Tua approaches the situation and handles the situation as it should be handled. I hope he gets everything he deserves and more. To be put in that situation like that, especially dealing with your brain, that’s the one thing you can’t replace.”
Eye on the future
The NFL, once built on cliches, platitudes and coach-speak, needs to modernize its morsels of motto.
Winning isn’t everything, it’s having a high draft pick. The sport of Vince Lombardi has become the haven of Stephen Ross, and the Bears are clearly in one of those organizational overhauls under GM Ryan Poles and coach Matt Eberflus.
Here are three ideas for the Bears to implement with the focus on player development and growth as Poles, Eberflus and their staffs evaluate what pieces will fit for next season.
Fallout from the Roquan Smith trade
Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson was leaving Halas Hall on Monday afternoon when he caught wind of the staggering news. Linebacker and team captain Roquan Smith had been traded to the Baltimore Ravens. Johnson froze.
For the second consecutive week the Bears had dealt away a respected team leader, playmaker and well-liked teammate. Smith’s exit, five days after defensive end Robert Quinn was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, felt like an uppercut to the jaw after a Week 7 punch to the gut.
“You can be good one day and the next day it can be harder on you,” Johnson said. “There’s really no clear-cut way to process the loss.”
By Wednesday morning, the emotional dip for Bears players was undeniable. Safety Eddie Jackson, who was promoted to take Quinn’s captain role last weekend, came to the team’s walk-through and was taken aback by the silence.
“You could hear a pin drop,” he said.
()
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Toyota and Hyundai this week announced plans to broaden their respective U.S. hydrogen fuel-cell semi truck projects.
The Japanese automaker has been collaborating with truck maker PACCAR for several years on fuel-cell test vehicles, but on Tuesday it an announced an expansion of the joint effort aimed at pushing fuel-cell trucks toward production.
“The expanded agreement supports ongoing development and commercialized zero-emission versions of the Kenworth T680 and Peterbilt 579 models featuring Toyota’s hydrogen fuel cell powertrain kit,” a Toyota press release said, “with initial customer deliveries planned for 2024.”
Both the Kenworth and Peterbilt brands are part of the PACCAR truck family.
The Toyota-PACCAR project builds on years of early efforts involving Kenworth trucks being put to use in California, mainly around ports in Los Angeles and Long Beach to gauge their ability to reduce local emissions and improve air quality. Known as Project Portal, this goes back to 2017.
“We are excited to work with PACCAR to realize a future where Toyota’s industry leading hydrogen fuel cell technology can power heavy-duty trucks that will travel across highways throughout the U.S. with zero emissions,” Christopher Yang, Toyota Motor North America group vice president of business development, said in a statement.
The same day as Toyota’s announcement, Hyundai debuted the version of its Xcient Fuel Cell for the U.S. Hyundai in 2021 announced plans to bring this Class 8 truck to California for testing. The Xcient Fuel Cell launched in 2020 and has already operated in Switzerland, Germany, Israel, South Korea, and New Zealand, covering more than 4 million miles so far, according to a Hyundai press release.
Hyundai brought one of the trucks to the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo in Anaheim, California, a 6×4 tractor (with six wheels, four of them powered) with a pair of 90-kw fuel-cell stacks and a 350-kw electric motor. The Xcient isn’t just hydrogen-powered; as a battery buffer it packs as much battery capacity as a GMC Hummer EV. Hyundai estimates over 450 miles of range when fully loaded, and a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 82,000 pounds.
The release also mentioned an aspiration to “foster partnerships and future businesses to provide fleet operation solutions for hydrogen truck customers,” including some efforts related to its planned EV “Metaplant” in Georgia, which is being built to produce up to 300,000 EVs annually, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis models. Hyundai was light on specifics, but there will certainly be a lot of trucks moving in and out of a plant that large.
Noticeably absent from this week’s announcements, all timed for the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) show in Anaheim, California, was General Motors. In 2021 the U.S. automaker announced a joint effort with truck maker Navistar to build and support 2,000 long-haul hydrogen semis, each with a range of more than 500 miles and 15-minute refueling. At the time, Navistar said test vehicles would start a pilot phase by the end of 2022, with production following in 2024.
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- Could hydrogen fuel-cell tech replace aircraft jet engines?
- Hyundai N performance EV brand teases hydrogen fuel cell tech | 2023-05-09T07:30:23+00:00 | everythinglubbock.com | https://www.everythinglubbock.com/automotive/internet-brands/toyota-and-hyundai-broaden-fuel-cell-semi-plans-for-us/ |
TORONTO, May 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Nickel Creek Platinum Corp. (TSX: NCP) ("Nickel Creek" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the results of its annual general and special meeting of shareholders (the "AGM") that was held on May 31, 2022.
All of the following business items were approved at the AGM by the requisite majority of shareholder votes cast at the meeting:
- setting the size of the Board of Directors at seven;
- electing each management-nominated director;
- approving share-based compensation plan matters; and
- appointing PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as Nickel Creek's auditor
The seven directors of Nickel Creek elected at the AGM are: Michele S. Darling, Mark Fields, Stuart Harshaw, Wayne Kirk, Myron G. Manternach, David Peat and Michel (Mike) Sylvestre. Votes for the directors were cast as follows:
About Nickel Creek Platinum Corp.
Nickel Creek Platinum Corp. (TSX: NCP; OTCQB: NCPCF) is a Canadian mining exploration and development company and its flagship asset is its 100%-owned Nickel Shäw Project. The Nickel Shäw Project is a large undeveloped nickel sulphide project with a unique mix of metals including copper, cobalt and platinum group metals, located in the Yukon, Canada, one of the most favourable jurisdictions in the world. The Nickel Shäw Project has exceptional access to infrastructure, located three hours west of Whitehorse via the paved Alaska Highway, which further offers year-round access to deep-sea shipping ports in southern Alaska. The Company is also investigating other opportunities for shareholder value creation.
The Company is led by a management team with a proven track record of successful discovery, development, financing and operation of large-scale projects. Our vision is to create value for our shareholders by becoming a leading North American nickel, copper, cobalt and PGM producer.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Nickel Creek Platinum Corp. | 2022-05-31T23:14:19+00:00 | wcjb.com | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2022/05/31/nickel-creek-platinum-announces-results-2022-annual-general-special-meeting/ |
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Wisps of fog hung over central Almaty, Kazakhstan, last month as President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev somberly unveiled a monument to those killed a year ago in the worst unrest in the Central Asian nation's three decades of independence.
Words on the stark concrete “Reverence” memorial speak of the need for unity and harmony in the energy-rich country of 19 million.
But a year after calm was restored and a state of emergency lifted on Jan. 20, 2022, both appear elusive. And an official fog still shrouds many of the events surrounding the days known as “Bloody January.”
Despite government promises of accountability as well as promises of economic and political reforms in the former Soviet nation, many Kazakhs say they have not seen meaningful changes or even clarity about what happened to those who were killed and detained in the rioting.
“So many questions remain about what happened,” said Dimash Alzhanov, a Kazakh political analyst and co-founder of the civic movement known as Oyan, Qazaqstan, or “Wake up, Kazakhstan.”
Government video of the memorial's Dec. 23 unveiling in Republic Square, attended by about two dozen officials, showed a subdued ceremony. The scene was starkly different 11 months earlier, when protesters stormed two palatial state buildings on Jan. 5 and set them ablaze.
The Prosecutor General’s office said 238 people were killed; human rights groups say over 10,000 were detained.
The demonstrations began Jan. 2 in western Kazakhstan’s oil-producing region over an increase in state-controlled gas prices as 2022 dawned. Those protests spread and morphed into broad criticisms of corruption, economic inequality and a continuing grip on power and the country’s energy wealth by its long-serving first leader, Nursultan Nazarbayev, and his family. Marchers referred to him by shouting “Old man out!”
Over the course of a week, the initially peaceful gatherings grew violent. Participants in the marches told The Associated Press at the time that armed men, their faces covered and riding with cars without license plates, appeared in Almaty, the former capital, and urged them to storm government buildings, promising guns.
The government, led by Nazarbayev's hand-picked successor Tokayev, responded with “shoot-to-kill” orders, blaming foreign-trained and funded “terrorists.”
At Tokayev’s request, 2,000 mostly Russian peacekeeping troops were sent in by the Collective Security Treaty Organization, a military alliance of six former Soviet states. This raised fears of an intervention by Moscow — weeks before its Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine. Those fears never materialized, with the CSTO pulling out in late January.
Human rights activists allege that Kazakh security troops used excessive force, arbitrary detentions and widespread torture on thousands of detained protesters. They criticized government-published lists of victims for not clarifying the circumstances of their deaths.
Tokayev's administration rejected calls for an international investigation.
It did, however , push through reforms that included strengthening parliament, reducing presidential powers and limiting the presidency to a single seven-year term. Tokayev, who succeeded Nazarbayev in 2019, won a snap presidential election in November with a reported 81% of the vote, ensuring he will stay in office until 2029.
The reforms also stripped Nazarbayev, 82, of his remaining powers over domestic and foreign policy. In September, the capital of the country reverted to the name of Astana, after being renamed Nur-Sultan in his honor in 2019.
Despite those reforms, human rights campaigners and analysts say they see troubling familiar patterns.
“We continue to live in a Soviet-style authoritarian regime, and it hasn’t changed very much since the January events,” Yevgeniy Zhovtis, head of the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law, told AP. “In fact, the January events have led to new issues, linked to torture and civilian deaths and related investigations being closed.”
Kazakh human rights lawyer Tatiana Chernobil, working with the Coalition Against Torture nongovernmental organization, said that while her group received 190 complaints of torture and ill-treatment in 2022, the real number could be much higher.
She said 104 of those cases brought by her organization were dismissed for lack of evidence. The Kazakh ombudswoman, Elvira Azimova, gave a similar figure in November, with state media quoting her as saying about 80% were dismissed before going to court.
In February, the press service of the president said criminal investigations were launched into 170 instances of torture and abuse of power from the unrest. In October, Deputy Prosecutor General Aset Chindaliyev said 17 police officers and 12 security operatives were implicated in criminal cases into the alleged torture of detained protesters.
Chernobil said authorities don't do enough to verify the allegations, noting many people claim they can identify their torturers and have medical records of injuries. Investigators “often stop at questioning the suspects, who claim that they didn’t commit any wrongdoing — and that’s it,” and then conclude the account can't be verified, she said.
According to the United Nations, the burden of proof in torture cases lies with the state. As long as complainants can provide evidence of bodily harm or being held in custody, it is up to authorities to prove torture did not occur.
“In Kazakhstan, we see a lack of compliance with international standards. We see a kind of victim-blaming, laying the burden of proof on those bringing the allegations,” Chernobil said.
Rachel Gasowski, a Central Asia researcher at the International Partnership for Human Rights, said torture allegations in Kazakhstan predate 2022. Cases cited after protests in the oil-producing city of Zhanaozen in 2011 led to neither investigation nor redress for victims, despite recommendations from U.N.-linked rights bodies. A joint report by Kazakh and international groups on torture is to be published this month.
Gasowski said her group was “dismayed” that most cases from the 2022 protests have been closed.
Chernobil expressed cautious optimism about a government decision to transfer jurisdiction in torture cases from the police and state anti-corruption agency to the Prosecutor General’s Office but is unsure if it will bring real change. Her group has stopped demanding an independent investigative body, she said, "because it’s a major question to what extent you can really be independent in Kazakhstan.”
Zhovtis, the activist, said an international probe is needed because most criminal investigations of civilian deaths have been dismissed due to authorities frequently withholding key evidence such as CCTV video, citing national security.
The government list of those killed often omits whether they were accidental deaths, such as from excessive force, or if they were "genuinely terrorists,” Zhovtis said, referencing the government line of foreigners being behind the unrest. The administration has yet to provide any such evidence.
An official in the Prosecutor General’s Office told Kazakhstanskaya Pravda in February that authorities were investigating the deaths of at least six people in custody as the result of “prohibited interrogation methods.”
Some high-ranking officials were accused of involvement in the unrest. Former anti-terrorism chief Karim Masimov, described as a Nazarbayev ally, was detained in January 2022, along with other key security figures and charged with high treason in an ongoing closed trial.
Tokayev speaks often of a “new Kazakhstan” that breaks with the Nazarbayev era, one with accountability and democratization. But Zhovtis sees limits to these promises.
Human rights defenders and independent journalists still face pressure, from online harassment to detentions and physical attacks.
On Saturday, journalist Dinara Yegeubayeva, who plans to run in March 19 parliamentary elections, posted photos of her burned-out car in Almaty.
“Tokayev! Explain! Is this your new Kazakhstan?” she said. Media reports say Yegeubayeva received bomb threats last year, although emergency responders found no evidence of one in her car. A criminal investigation has been opened.
Zhovtis linked the attack to what he called an official unwillingness to allow true political opposition.
Alzhanov, the analyst, said candidates have difficulty registering and gathering signatures from supporters.
He accuses Tokayev's administration of “imitation reforms” for the benefit of the West. He cited the case of opposition figure Zhanbolat Mamai, who has been charged with organizing mass riots and spreading false information in the 2022 protests. He faces up to 10 years in prison on allegations he calls politically motivated.
Despite the challenges, Zhovtis remained optimistic.
“Society is different now. The January events and their coverage in social media networks have played their part, and society has become more open — there is more information and more criticism of the authorities,” he told AP.
He also hopes some opposition and independent candidates could be elected. Authorities allow 30% of parliament seats to be allocated from outside party lists.
“Something is happening. Very slowly, and the regime stays very much the same, but change is happening,” he said. | 2023-01-20T08:05:02+00:00 | sfgate.com | https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/A-year-after-Kazakhstan-s-deadly-riots-questions-17730056.php |
Antitrust cases have declined largely across the board over the last four years; food production companies dominated as the most active defendants; courts enforced a high standard at the pleadings stage
MENLO PARK, Calif., April 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Lex Machina, a LexisNexis company, today releases its annual Antitrust Litigation Report. The report examines trends in antitrust litigation in federal district courts and appellate courts. Focusing on the five-year period from 2018 to 2022, it surveys emerging trends in case filings, venues, judges, law firms, parties, timing metrics, case resolutions, findings, and damages. The report often focuses on different sets of data, e.g., filtering cases in order to provide analytics on DOJ/FTC enforcement contested cases, MDL Master cases, and federal appellate cases.
"Our report revealed several exciting insights about the changing landscape of antitrust litigation," said Ron Porter, Lex Machina's antitrust legal data expert and editor of the report. "Our data and analytics not only showed us that antitrust cases have continued to decline year-over-year for the past four years, our filters revealed that this case filing trend was mirrored in several key subsets of cases. The analytics also highlighted that unlike previous years, food production companies featured prominently as the most active defendants. Moreover, our case resolution and findings analytics indicated that courts continued to expect plaintiffs and defendants to meet a high bar at the pleadings stage."
Highlights from the report include:
- In 2022, 371 antitrust cases were filed, the lowest number of cases filed in any year over the past decade.
- The highest number of antitrust cases was filed in the Northern District of California, while Judge Howell from the District Court for the District of Columbia was the most active judge for antitrust cases.
- A large bulk of the most active plaintiffs were pharmaceutical companies, while food production companies dominated the most active defendants.
- Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan represented plaintiffs in the highest number of antitrust cases filed in the five-year period from 2018 to 2022.
- Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher represented defendants in the highest number of antitrust cases filed in the five-year period from 2018 to 2022.
- For antitrust cases that were appealed to a federal appellate court and terminated from 2018 to 2022 with a decision on the merits of the appeal, 34% were ultimately reversed.
Lex Machina's reports and software enable practitioners to devise data-driven litigation strategies. The metrics in this report can help readers decide who to pursue as clients, whether to file a particular motion, or when to settle (and for how much). This research supplements traditional legal research and anecdotal data for a competitive edge in court.
Register here for a copy of the report: https://pages.lexmachina.com/2023AntitrustReport_LP.html
Antitrust Litigation Report Webcast
Lex Machina is hosting a webcast to discuss the report on April 20, 2023 at noon ET/9am PT with Anna Rathbun (Partner at Latham & Watkins), Ron Porter (Lex Machina's Legal Data Expert in Antitrust Litigation), and Aria Nejad (Lex Machina's in-house counsel). Register for the event or view a recording: https://pages.lexmachina.com/2023AntitrustReportWebcast_LP.html
About LexisNexis Legal & Professional
LexisNexis Legal & Professional® provides legal, regulatory, and business information and analytics that help customers increase their productivity, improve decision-making, achieve better outcomes, and advance the rule of law around the world. As a digital pioneer, the company was the first to bring legal and business information online with its Lexis® and Nexis® services. LexisNexis Legal & Professional, which serves customers in more than 150 countries with 11,300 employees worldwide, is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers.
About Lex Machina
Lex Machina fundamentally changes how companies and law firms compete in the business and practice of law. The company provides strategic insights on judges, lawyers, law firms, parties, and other critical information across 20 federal practice areas and a rapidly growing number of state courts. Lex Machina allows law firms and companies to predict the behaviors and outcomes that different legal strategies will produce, enabling them to win cases and close business.
Lex Machina was named one of "Legal Tech's Most Promising Solution Providers" (CIO Review Awards 2022), "Greater Bay Area Top Workplaces 2022" (The San Francisco Chronicle Top Workplaces in the Bay Area 2022), "Legal Tech Company of the Year 2021" (CIO Review, 2021), "2021 Legal Technology Trailblazer" (National Law Journal Trailblazer Awards, 2021), Winner of the "Media Excellence" Award for Analytics/Big Data (13th Annual Media Excellence Award, 2021). Based in Silicon Valley, Lex Machina is part of LexisNexis, a leading global provider of legal, regulatory, and business information and analytics. For more information, please visit www.lexmachina.com.
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SOURCE Lex Machina | 2023-04-20T16:06:30+00:00 | newschannel10.com | https://www.newschannel10.com/prnewswire/2023/04/20/lex-machina-releases-2023-antitrust-litigation-report/ |
Permission to Practice: Doctors, patients say insurance prior-authorizations put profits over people
Critics want insurers held accountable when delays affect care; Companies argue process saves everyone money
(InvestigateTV) - Reeling from a diagnosis of bone cancer in her right hip, Kathleen Valentini and her husband traveled from North Carolina back to their native New York to seek care.
The hospital had successfully treated her cervical cancer 15 years before, but this time the prognosis Kathleen received in April 2019 was far less optimistic. To treat the aggressive sarcoma, surgeons would need to amputate her right leg, hip and a portion of her pelvis, then she would undergo strong chemotherapy.
The devastating news was worsened by another observation made by the care team: If Kathleen had been seen sooner, the cancer would have most likely been treatable with chemotherapy alone.
“[Her oncologist] said, ‘Had you come here at the very beginning, then it would have been a much easier process,’” Kathleen’s husband Val said in an interview with InvestigateTV.
That beginning was months earlier on February 4, 2019, when her orthopedic doctor ordered an MRI of her hip. She didn’t receive one until nearly six weeks later.
Kathleen’s insurance plan required her physician to obtain “prior-authorization” for the scan — a process used almost unilaterally across the commercial health insurance industry where doctors submit a request and the patient’s insurance plan decides if it will provide coverage.
Approval of these requests often hinges on whether or not a plan determines the test or procedure to be “medically necessary” — with insurance companies defining necessity using their own guidelines.
The request for an MRI submitted by Kathleen’s doctor was initially denied, and the appeal for reconsideration took weeks before the insurance company relented. By then, the cancer had progressed, and Kathleen ultimately underwent the massive amputation and chemotherapy.
In November 2020, Kathleen Valentini lost her cancer battle at age 50, leaving behind her husband and a teenage son.
Physicians across the country say prior authorization policies interfere with their ability to care for their patients and lead to worse health outcomes. Doctors also say the administrative work required to process requests and appeals is an ever-growing burden on them and their staffs.
InvestigateTV analyzed the prior-authorization policies of nearly 100 commercial health insurance companies for some of the most common tests and procedures and found whether a patient needs advanced approval varies not only company to company, but sometimes state to state or even plan to plan.
What’s more, InvestigateTV found in many cases the employees responsible for the initial administrative processing of prior authorization requests are not required to have education or training in the medical field.
For their part, insurers argue requiring prior authorization protects patients and reduces waste in healthcare by cracking down on superfluous tests or procedures.
Companies also say improving technology and innovative processes are steadily reducing the burden of prior authorizations, and any determinations made are only about paying for care — that it’s still up to a patient and their doctor what care is received.
Critics, however, claim insurers are essentially practicing medicine by way of policy and should be legally held to that standard.
“At some point, somebody has to be held accountable,” Val Valentini said.
A Burden on Doctors
Requiring prior authorization — also sometimes referred to as “pre-authorization,” “pre-certification” or “prior approval” — is not a novel cost-management strategy.
Consternation over the practice is also not new.
In 2018, medical trade groups and major players in the insurance industry signed a “Consensus Statement on Improving the Prior Authorization Process,” which outlined pathways for improvement such as more selective application of the process, greater transparency, increased automation and regular reviews to adjust volume.
However, physicians polled by national medical trade groups report the volume and burden of requests required for what many consider to be standard medical care have continued to grow.
In a 2022 American Medical Association survey of physicians, responding doctors reported an average of 45 requests per-physician, per-week, up from an average of 31 per-week reported in the 2018 survey. The previous year’s survey found 84% of respondents said they’d seen an increase in the number of prior authorizations required over the preceding five years.
The Medical Group Management Association found similar results in its own 2022 poll: 79% of the association’s members surveyed reported prior authorization requests had increased over the previous 12 months.
It isn’t just the number of requests doctors say is a burden, either.
According to the AMA survey, physicians and their staffs spend an average of 14 hours, or nearly two business days, processing prior authorization requests and any associated appeals. Nearly two in five physicians said they have a staff member solely dedicated to prior authorization.
“That’s time that we, frankly, just don’t have,” said Dr. Gabe Charbonneau, a Montana family physician and co-founder of the grassroots organization Medicine Forward, which along with the American College of Physicians has made addressing prior-authorization its cornerstone issue.
What does the plan say?
Part of that time burden, according to AMA survey respondents, is due to how challenging it can be to even determine if a patient’s plan requires prior authorization for a specific test, procedure or medication.
In the organization’s 2021 survey, nearly two-thirds of respondents, 62%, said it is at least somewhat difficult to determine if a medical service requires prior authorization. One in 10 classified it as “extremely difficult.”
InvestigateTV attempted to replicate what a medical office experiences by looking at the prior-authorization policies of nearly 100 commercial health insurance companies listed as members of national health insurance trade associations, and whether they required a request for medical tests and procedures that are among the most common according to data from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Lists of medical services requiring prior authorization were available for 96 of those companies, which reporters accessed directly from each insurer’s website and were the most-recent versions the team could find as of May 2022 and again as of January and February 2023.
InvestigateTV then looked at each plan document to determine if each procedure or test did or did not require prior authorization, or if the prior authorization requirement was dependent on certain factors.
According to the documents, requirements for prior authorization for the same kind of medical service can differ by company.
Patients with Elevance (Anthem), EmblemHealth or Aetna plans, for example, generally do not need prior authorization for a basic cardiac stress test, but those with certain United Healthcare plans do.
Most of the major plans require prior authorization for elective spinal fusion, but for patients with Highmark plans, it depends on the specific bones being fused.
Geography can also affect the requirements — even within the same parent company.
For example: InvestigateTV found differences between plans offered through Blue Cross Blue Shield, which has 34 “independent and locally operated” BCBS companies across the country. According to the published lists, prior authorization for outpatient balloon sinus dilation procedures is required for BCBS Oklahoma customers, but not for BCBS Massachusetts.
InvestigateTV also contacted a healthcare information educator in Louisiana, Jacqueline Jones, who replicated a portion of the team’s research.
Jones looked at sub-set of tests and procedures and the plans of some of the nation’s largest insurance companies.
She too found variations between companies for the same type of procedure or test, and sometimes requirements come down to an individual plan.
“In many cases, it depends on the specific health plan the patient may have,” Jones said after her review. “Many health plans today have several different options for the consumer to choose from.”
She noted in some cases, the requirement for prior authorization was dependent on a case-by-case basis — if a patient’s case fit the plan’s clinical guidelines for medical necessity, prior authorization “may” not be necessary.
Clinical Guidelines
Determining “if” a plan requires prior-authorization is a preliminary step along a path doctors say is riddled with road blocks.
“I think the thing that’s most maddening to practicing [doctors] is that we usually know whether we’re going to get the prior authorization approved or not, but it’s still going to require all these hoops to jump through and all this time,” said Dr. Charbonneau, the Montana family physician.
Requests are reviewed by a patient’s plan for general coverage and whether the plan deems the test or procedure necessary for the patient’s condition.
While a patient’s doctor may think what they’ve ordered is appropriate care, the insurance company may disagree — particularly in the initial consideration of a prior authorization request.
“I have lots of examples,” Charbonneau said.
One of those examples was a male patient who, as a 90-pack-per-year smoker, had a high risk for lung cancer. A computed tomography (CT) scan to screen for cancer showed nodules and a suspicious mass in the man’s lungs, and the radiologist who reviewed the scan recommended the patient receive a follow-up scan a month later.
When Charbonneau put in the prior authorization request for the second CT, including the patient’s chart with notes from the radiologist, it was denied.
“The insurance company said, ‘You can’t order another CT, you just did one a month ago,’ and I’m like, ‘Well, pretty clearly, you did not have all the information that I had,’” he said.
He appealed, instigating the next stage of the prior-authorization process called a “peer-to-peer” review, where a patient’s doctor can make his or her case to a doctor employed by the insurance company for why the test or procedure is medically necessary.
“As soon as I started telling the doctor doing the peer to peer: 90-pack-year history, this is what the scan looked like before and why we’re concerned about it, and what the radiologist recommendations were, he was like, ‘Oh, of course, we’re going to cover that,’” Charbonneau said.
But while that case was resolved in the patient’s favor, he said it’s demonstrative of the roadblocks doctors are constantly facing because of prior authorization.
“It wasn’t a surprise that it needed to happen, but we still had to go through those hoops,” he said.
Those hoops — such as the need to go through an appeal process and peer-to-peer review — are the driving force behind what critics say is a core negative consequence of these policies: delays in care.
“There are just so many conditions where our treatments are expensive and necessary to keep people functioning, if you delay or deny those things and don’t have something in place that works to take care of that person, you’re going to potentially create a really big problem,” Dr. Charbonneau said.
A really big problem — such as Kathleen Valentini’s aggressive sarcoma that required radical amputation to treat.
The Valentini family has alleged, both in interviews with InvestigateTV and in court filings, that Kathleen’s MRI getting delayed because of the prior authorization process directly affected her cancer treatment plan.
The American Medical Association agreed with the family, submitting an amicus brief in support of their claim along with other medical groups, and publishing an article titled, “Cancer killed Kathleen Valentini, but prior auth shares the blame.”
According to the 2022 AMA survey, the experience described by the Valentinis is a shared one: 94% of physicians reported prior authorization at least “sometimes” delays their patients’ care, and 89% of physicians said the prior authorization process had a negative effect on patient health outcomes.
One in three reported prior authorization complications has led to a “serious adverse event” for a patient in their care, a quarter said a patient has ended up hospitalized, and 9% of respondents said they’ve had a patient become permanently disabled or die because of the process.
“It’s very hard for anyone to make the case that the current situation with prior authorization is working,” Charbonneau said.
‘Evidence-Based’
Insurance companies’ rationale behind prior authorization policies is “to help patients get the right care, at the right time, in the right setting,” Matt Eyles, president and CEO of America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), the primary trade and lobbying association for the industry, said in his 2018 testimony to Congress.
Despite multiple attempts by InvestigateTV to schedule an interview, AHIP refused to make someone available to respond directly to criticisms about prior authorization, instead sharing the organization’s published literature on the topic.
In his opening statement to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, Eyles gave an overview of the industry’s argument:
“We work with clinicians to help confirm treatment regimens ahead of time and ensure the use of the most cost-effective therapies. Prior Authorization is one example of an effective medical management tool to ensure better smarter care,” he said in his remarks.
AHIP asserts prior authorization is applied to a small percentage of services covered by insurers, and that the process has been effective in addressing “overuse and misuse” of tests and procedures by verifying care is provided in an “appropriate setting” by a “qualified” provider.
“With prior authorization, our members analyze whether a treatment is safe and effective for a particular patient based on the best available clinical evidence,” Eyles continued in his testimony, adding that AHIP is working with others in the health care space to increase efficiency and otherwise improve the process.
AHIP has conducted its own surveys on prior authorization over the last few years, polling its member companies about their use of the utilization management tool.
Some of the survey questions addressed the big-picture criticisms of prior authorization.
For example, in a 2019 AHIP survey of 44 insurers, plans were asked to note the reason behind denials of prior-authorization requests.
“Incomplete clinical information to support authorization request” and was the most common reason given for initial prior authorization denials.
For final denials, the most common reason was “Requested procedure/medication is not clinically appropriate for the patient based on medical literature or clinical guidelines.”
Clinical appropriateness — otherwise known as medical necessity — and how insurers define it is one of the primary sticking points for critics of the current prior authorization landscape: Roughly 31% of AMA survey respondents in 2022 said in their opinion, insurer’s prior-authorization policies are “rarely” or “never” what they consider to be “evidence-based.”
Insurers, on the other hand, unilaterally disagree, with respondents to AHIP’s 2022 prior authorization survey citing a variety of evidence-based resources their plan uses to determine clinical guidelines.
Still, InvestigateTV found the fine-print of health plans sometimes indicates “evidence-based” is not necessarily a fixed term.
When reviewing Anthem-BCBS policies and guidelines for utilization management (UM) — a blanket term for processes like prior authorization — the website requires visitors acknowledge not only that evolving technology means guidelines are subject to change but also:
“These guidelines address the medical necessity of existing, generally accepted services, technologies and drugs. Because local practice patterns, claims systems and benefit designs vary, a local plan may choose whether to implement a particular clinical UM guideline.”
AHIP has publicly said the insurance industry is working to improve the process without affecting quality. One of those improvements, the association said, is the development of web-based portals for submitting requests.
But in a publication sent to InvestigateTV by AHIP, the insurance lobby said doctors’ offices are “lagging” in adopting their end of electronic submission programs.
Charbonneau, the Montana physician, said automation and advances in electronic health records can have the best intentions but still be cumbersome.
He gave the example of putting in a prior authorization request for a particular antibiotic, only to get a response from the patient’s insurer denying his request then recommending the very same medication.
“I saved it because I still don’t know how it happened,” he said. “My nurse actually brought it to me and she’s like, ‘Am I reading this right?’ … So it says: This medication is the one that’s denied. This is the medication that’s recommended. But aren’t they the same thing?’ and I was looking at it, [and] I’m like, ‘Yeah, they are. Exactly. They’re exactly the same thing.”
He said it’s the kind of thing that may have been missed by a system of automated responses, or those being processed at the initial stage by employees without much medical experience.
“I think we need to embrace all kinds of workers in healthcare, but it is important the level of experience and training that you have,” Charbonneau said.
InvestigateTV found numerous examples of job listings for prior authorization processing jobs with minimal needed requirements.
For a “Utilization Management Representative I,” position at Elevance Health, the only required qualifications are a High School diploma or GED and a minimum of 1 year of customer service experience.
The role description notes the employee would not be making clinical decisions and would refer cases “requiring clinical review to a Nurse reviewer.” However, the description states the employee would also conduct a “clinical screening process” and “determine contract and benefit eligibility” — and there is no requirement that a candidate have any experience involving healthcare.
“I think [job listing example like that] is exactly how we were able to get that fax that said, ‘This antibiotic is both denied and approved at the same time,’” Charbonneau said. “I mean, if it had been someone with any medical experience whatsoever, there’s no way that fax would have even been sent.”
Online resumes also show a lack of medical experience for the first-line employees working at insurance companies. For example, prior to taking a preauthorization job, InvestigateTV found employees whose immediate prior job experiences included working as a hardware store clerk and as a services representative at a ranch.
‘I just felt terrible because I couldn’t do anything’
Justin Williams, who now has a 14-year background in health insurance, used to be one of those first-line employees.
Williams posted a video to TikTok in response to a creator asking users to “share a company secret that you can share because you don’t work there anymore” describing his time as someone responsible for the initial processing of prior authorization requests.
“The whole prior authorization process is designed to take as much time as possible,” he alleges in the short clip, going on to say: “It’s all a roadblock designed to save the company money.”
@justinbwilliams_ #stitch with @princessannafit #healthinsurance #priorauthorization #anthem #mafia ♬ original sound - Justin Williams
Williams said in an interview with InvestigateTV that he bases his statements in the video on his time as a “Utilization Management Representative” for Anthem, which has since rebranded to Elevance Health.
His primary job was to process the prior authorization requests that came into his unit as electronic “faxes,” — looking up the customer’s insurance plan and routing the request to a nurse for review.
Over time, however, he said an additional task was added to his team’s workload: Making calls to customers to educate them on various health-coaching programs offered by their plan designed to steer them away from high-cost care like the emergency room and answering return calls about these programs to connect members to coaches.
Eventually, he said these coaching calls began to eat into his and his colleagues’ ability to get through the queue of waiting prior authorization requests.
“You’d spend all your time on these calls, and we’d have no time for faxes,” Williams said. “So we would go into like the weekend, sometimes with like literally thousands and thousands of faxes in our system that didn’t have a home yet.”
In what he referred to as “gallows humor,” he said his team would jest about aiming to get the balance of waiting electronic faxes down from more than 3,000 to a number equivalent to whatever calendar year it happened to be.
Insurance plans typically give a window for the maximum processing time for requests depending on what type of request is involved. Many commit to a decision being made in 10-15 days, which is the legally-required timeframe in many states, and was generally the case where Williams worked.
He said he felt like the company was prioritizing coaching calls over faxes, which made it difficult to manage them and pushed the responses to the end of the timeframe.
“It basically became clear to me that the primary function of the insurance company was not so much getting things done in a timely fashion,” he said.
He said his team also fielded calls from providers attempting to check-in on their prior authorization requests or expedite them — some of them from doctors urgently trying to get approval so their patients could get the care they needed — but Williams said he had few options to provide any kind of assistance.
“We would have desperate providers calling in saying, ‘I need to talk to the nurse working on this, I need to talk to whomever,’ and we would just have to get them over to provider service line, which was pretty hostile. It didn’t actually usually have like a way for them to actually speak with somebody … or just getting them into somebody’s voicemail,” he said.
Eventually, Williams said he felt he could no longer work under the conditions he said he was experiencing.
“It was very frustrating,” he said. “We are told that we want to care about what we do, and we are told we have to do a good job, but the culture doesn’t support that.”
InvestigateTV contacted Elevance Health about Williams’ experience and the job listings similar to his, and received an email response from a spokesperson:
Utilization Management Representatives play an essential role at Elevance Health in taking inbound questions from providers ensuring prior authorizations are routed to our nurse and physician reviewers to determine whether health care services requested are medically appropriate based on many health and safety factors in the case presented. Our utilization management team receives regular training to assist them in managing the intake of prior authorization requests. This role is focused on taking in information for prior authorization from providers and, in some cases, assisting members in navigating and accessing the right resources. The utilization management team coordinates the request, but these associates are not authorized to provide clinical guidance, assessments or evaluations.
Our teams ensure prior authorizations are reviewed in a timely manner and regulators regularly review and have approved our process for prior authorizations across the country. The vast majority of our prior authorization requests, 95%, meet or beat the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) or our additional internal standards for turnaround times. Our nurse and physician reviewers consider the medical information provided and do not have access to cost information when reviewing requests. In addition, we’ve also created programs that help us automate and speed up the prior authorization requests.
Standard of Care
Kathleen Valentini had been referred to an orthopedic doctor after the physical therapy and over-the-counter medication prescribed by her primary care physician had failed to help with the increasing pain in her right hip — pain that was beginning to limit her ability to walk.
The initial denial for an MRI the doctor requested was based on a determination by eviCore, a third-party prior-authorization contractor used by EmblemHealth, that the scan was not medically necessary.
That determination, the denial letter dated Feb. 16, 2019 stated, was because Kathleen had not demonstrated that alternative treatments including physical therapy and medication had failed to alleviate her pain.
“When they denied it, they asked that she do physical therapy first, but they just paid for physical therapy,” Val Valentini said.
That initial denial and the weeks-long wait during the appeal process, led the Valentini family to sue the insurance company and its third-party contractor eviCore for negligence and medical malpractice.
They alleged the insurance company’s decision to initially deny authorization for the MRI on the grounds of Kathleen needing to complete physical therapy was negligent.
“There’s a direct causation,” said Steve Cohen, the Valentinis’ attorney in the case. “They practiced medicine, and they were negligent. They delayed the diagnosis. And as the doctors at Sloan Kettering said, and as our experts have said, that delay caused the delay in diagnosis, and importantly, the delay in treatment, and thus her suffering.”
Further, the Valentinis’ case argued the insurance company — by issuing decisions that influenced the timing and course of Kathleen’s care — was practicing medicine and therefore should be held to a standard of care the same way a physician would be.
“At some point, somebody has to be held accountable,” Val Valentini said. “If a doctor did something that was incorrect, or caused pain and suffering, that’s what happens. Police officers are sued, you know, everybody is sued because that’s the way you hold them accountable.”
In response to an inquiry about the Valentini case, a spokesperson from EmblemHealth said by email: “Due to HIPAA privacy laws, we cannot discuss or share information about the Valentini case.”
EviCore also declined to discuss the case directly, but sent a statement by email as well:
“We care deeply about the health and well-being of patients, and while we can’t comment on the details of the litigation, we can affirm that our work is designed to ensure that patients receive care grounded in the latest clinical evidence as quickly and seamlessly as possible.”
While they didn’t provide comments to InvestigateTV, the companies did file responses in court, moving for dismissal.
A New York district court judge dismissed the Valentinis’ case, in part because there is no law in the state that holds insurers or their sub-contractors to a “duty of care.” The family appealed a portion of the case, but the appeals court upheld the dismissal.
“I had hoped that they would come out with a different decision closer to what we believed, but they didn’t,” Cohen explained after the February ruling. “And they said: ‘this particular set of circumstances since there’s nothing in the statute, and there’s no case law surrounding in health insurance companies or utilization review companies, we are not about to make new law,’ it had to be very narrowly constrained.”
The court’s ruling, in part, hinges on a distinction insurance companies themselves make in their fine-print: That denial of authorization only means the insurer won’t pay for the test or procedure, and that the patient and their doctor have the ultimate say-so in what care is received.
However, research from multiple sources shows that if an insured patient’s plan denies coverage, the patient is very unlikely to pursue that care.
According to the AMA’s 2022 survey, 80% of physicians said the prior authorization process at least “sometimes” leads to patients abandoning care, and 26% reported this occurs “often.”
The Commonwealth Fund, a private research firm focused on health care quality and equity, found in its biennial health survey that regardless of their level of health insurance coverage, 31% of adults have foregone a recommended test, treatment or follow-up appointment because of out-of-pocket costs.
Back in Montana, Dr. Charbonneau said it’s not a hypothetical problem, not only because of fear of costs, but because patients assume there’s no way around a denial.
“A lot of [people] think that like when you hear ‘No,’ that that’s the end,” he said, “and that’s, I think, a pretty normal human experience. If someone in authority says ‘No,’ they must have a good reason for it.”
For Cohen, the fact that denial of a prior authorization can even theoretically alter a patient’s treatment plan means insurers are, for all intents and purposes, practicing medicine — and should be held accountable accordingly.
“There are laws for doctors, dentists, nurses, hospitals, but not for insurance companies, and that’s got to change,” he said. “They need to be held accountable when they make mistakes like this.”
In the absence of laws on the books, Cohen said the ruling in the Valentini case concerns him, because even though the decision doesn’t create a legal precedent, it could guide other courts in similar cases.
“I think it sends a very clear message in terms of the quality of care that people will receive — that insurance companies … they can do what they want,” he said.
Further complicating things, the Valentinis’ insurance plan was not subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), which gave them a wider latitude to sue their insurance company in the first place.
For most people whose insurance is provided by their employer, a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the early 2000s greatly limited both a patient’s ability to sue over actions of a health insurer and the ability of states to pass legislation about health insurance liability, because ERISA pre-empts any state action.
Still, laws surrounding prior authorization and other utilization management aspects of health insurance coverage in general do exist in most states, including in New York where the Valentini case was tried, but fewer than half have requirements for who reviews prior authorization requests, and only 17 have language about clinical guidelines. New York’s statute has neither.
The American Medical Association, which had supported the Valentinis’ case, is pushing for further efforts to address prior authorization and has made it an advocacy priority — particularly when it comes to holding insurers accountable.
“The AMA supports the development of legislative initiatives to assure patients have access to the criteria or rationale used by their health plan for utilization review to determine the necessity and appropriateness of health care services, and to assure that health insurers take responsibility when patients are harmed due to the administrative requirements of the plan,” the association said in an emailed statement.
There have been efforts at the national level to address holding health insurance companies accountable: In 2021 Democrats in the House of Representatives introduced the “Justice for Patients Act,” which would limit forced arbitration by insurers, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is working through a rule making process for certain kinds of health plans that starting in 2026 would require an answer to prior authorization requests within seven days, among other things.
Also on Capitol Hill, prior authorization policies of insurers who provide Medicare Advantage coverage would have been further regulated by the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2022.
An investigation by the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services found instances where companies denied prior authorizations using guidelines outside of Medicare rules. They also found cases errors made by companies during the claims process led to denial of care.
The Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act failed to move through the Senate before the end of the last congress, but Charbonneau, whose group Medicine Forward advocated for passage of the bill, said even if the legislation were to be passed, it will take much more to address what faces the commercially-insured.
“We have to come together and say like we are advocating for human interests,” he said, referring to a collaboration between the medical community and insurance companies. “And maybe we’re not going to get like the whole win at once, but like a series of small wins that continue to build that push us towards this more human future. That’s what we want to fight for.”
Val Valentini said the court’s ruling on his lawsuit was “disappointing, to say the least,” and he said he doesn’t have a lot of faith that Congress will address the issue.
Still, by sharing his wife’s story, he said at least the public may get a look at the inner-workings of a system he says is terribly broken.
“What they’re doing is disgusting,” he said, “and it’s getting worse and worse, it seems.”
Conner Hendricks contributed to this report.
Copyright 2023 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | 2023-03-20T21:19:51+00:00 | wcjb.com | https://www.wcjb.com/2023/03/20/permission-practice-doctors-patients-say-insurance-prior-authorizations-put-profits-over-people/ |
Man overdoses on vitamin D, spends 8 days in hospital
(CNN) - A British man overdosed on vitamin D, and now some medical experts are saying it’s a cautionary tale of going overboard with the supplement.
In a study published Tuesday in the journal BMJ Case Reports, doctors said the man started taking 150,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D every day – 375 times more than the recommended amount in the U.K., which is just 400 IU.
Within a month, the man started having nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, leg cramping, and ringing in the ears.
He stopped taking the supplement, but his symptoms persisted. By the time he was referred to the hospital two months later, he had lost 28 pounds and he was having kidney problems.
The man was diagnosed with vitamin D overdose, which resulted in too much calcium in his blood. He was hospitalized for eight days.
Vitamin D is stored in the liver and fat cells of the body until it is needed. As seen in this case, taking well over the daily recommended dose can build up to toxic levels.
In the U.S., 600 IU per day is recommended for most people.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | 2022-07-06T21:08:10+00:00 | fox5vegas.com | https://www.fox5vegas.com/2022/07/06/man-overdoses-vitamin-d-spends-8-days-hospital/ |
MOSCOW — The death toll from the crash of a Russian warplane into a Russian city rose to 14 on Tuesday, including three people who died when they jumped from a nine-story apartment building to escape a massive blaze, authorities said.
A Su-34 bomber came down Monday in the Sea of Azov port city of Yeysk after one of its engines caught fire during takeoff for a training mission, the Russian Defense Ministry said. It said both crew members bailed out safely, but the plane crashed into a residential area, igniting a huge fire as tons of fuel exploded on impact.
After hours of combing through the charred debris, authorities said 14 people, including three children, were found dead. Another 19 were hospitalized with injuries.
Yeysk, a city of 90,000, is home to a big Russian air base.
The Su-34 is a supersonic twin-engine bomber equipped with sophisticated sensors and weapons that has been a key strike component of the Russian air force. The aircraft has seen wide use during the war in Syria and the fighting in Ukraine. | 2022-10-18T14:47:40+00:00 | abqjournal.com | https://www.abqjournal.com/2541274/death-toll-from-russian-warplane-crash-into-city-rises-to-14.html |
Bobby Ritterbeck Named President, Andrew Deringer Named Chief Financial Officer as Part of Leadership Transition
WILMINGTON, Del., June 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Best Egg, Inc. today announced the appointment of Paul Ricci as the company's new Chief Executive Officer, following the resignation of Jeffrey Meiler. Ricci, who was the founding Chief Financial Officer for the company, brings a wealth of experience, a deep understanding of the organization, and a proven track record of leadership and strategic vision.
As the company's new CEO, Ricci will lead Best Egg into an exciting new chapter, leading strategic growth and innovation. He has an intimate knowledge of Best Egg's operations, having been one of the earliest leaders of the business and an integral contributor to the company's growth and the establishment of its award-winning company culture. The Board and management team are fully supportive of Ricci's ability to build upon the foundation laid by his predecessor and drive the company's strategic plans forward.
Jack Klinck, Executive Chair of Best Egg's Board of Directors, expressed his utmost support for the appointment, stating, "With his deep understanding of the Best Egg business cultivated through his tenure as CFO, Paul has proven himself to be an exceptional leader. He has played a vital role in the company's success, driving continued growth and fostering its award-winning culture. The Board is confident that Paul will seamlessly transition into his new role and lead Best Egg to a future filled with success."
"I am honored and excited to be appointed Chief Executive Officer for Best Egg," said Ricci. "Together, with our exceptional team, we will capitalize on opportunities, exceed customer expectations, and drive sustained growth for the company."
As part of Best Egg's leadership transition, Bobby Ritterbeck has been named President and Andrew Deringer has been named Chief Financial Officer. Ritterbeck and Deringer bring significant leadership experience to their respective roles and will continue to contribute to the company's financial growth and stability in their new positions.
These important management changes reflect Best Egg's commitment to maintaining its trajectory of growth and success. The company's performance remains strong and stable, and no anticipated material changes will result from these appointments.
Klinck added, "The Board appreciates Jeffrey Meiler's exceptional leadership in building a high-performing company and fostering a strong organizational culture. His decision to resign was difficult, but ultimately driven by his belief that it was in his and the company's best interest to hand over the reins to the leadership team to guide Best Egg into its next phase of growth."
About Paul Ricci
Paul Ricci joined Best Egg in 2014 and has served as the company's Chief Financial Officer twice, from 2014 to 2017 and since 2020. He has more than 20 years of experience in financial services and direct-to-consumer marketing, and he has held a variety of finance and leadership positions at growth companies in the financial industry. Paul holds a bachelor's degree from Rutgers University and an MBA with concentrations in Finance and Accounting from Drexel University.
About Best Egg
Best Egg is the leading financial confidence platform that provides flexible solutions to help people with limited savings confidently navigate their everyday financial lives. Best Egg supports customers through a growing suite of personal loan, credit card, flexible rent, and financial health tools. Leveraging real-time customer insights and data engineering, Best Egg gives more people access to the resources they need to be money confident. For more information, visit www.bestegg.com.
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SOURCE Best Egg | 2023-06-27T22:27:07+00:00 | uppermichiganssource.com | https://www.uppermichiganssource.com/prnewswire/2023/06/27/paul-ricci-appointed-chief-executive-officer-best-egg-drive-continued-growth-innovation/ |
Micro Focus a key partner in new AWS Mainframe Modernization service to support complex mainframe modernization projects
SANTA CLARA, Calif., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Micro Focus (LSE: MCRO) (NYSE: MFGP) today announced the general availability of Amazon Web Services' (AWS) Mainframe Modernization service, in which Micro Focus is a key partner. The service is the result of a partnership in which Micro Focus and AWS worked together to guide and assist customers as they modernize their on-premises mainframe workloads to a managed execution environment on AWS.
"This AWS Mainframe Modernization service not only shows our position as a key partner in the ecosystem, but it also illustrates our experience in developing and deploying modernized core applications into AWS," said Neil Fowler, General Manager of Application Modernization and Connectivity at Micro Focus. "Consistent with our platform agnostic position, Micro Focus supports our customers' choice for modernizing their applications, process and infrastructure so they can get full use of the cloud for the development, building, testing and the deployment of mainframe applications. We are proud of our relationship with AWS and we are very pleased that our technology is a key part of the AWS Mainframe Modernization service as another example of our work and expertise in application modernization."
"We have chosen Micro Focus as a key partner enabling our new AWS Mainframe Modernization service because of their proven track record through a combination of successfully delivering thousands of modernization projects over four decades," said Bill Platt, General Manager for Migration Services at AWS.
Recent research shows that application modernization must be continuous and evolving in order to meet the changing needs of today's business climate. Digital transformation demands a flexible and adaptive strategy aimed at improving results and accelerating time to value. Through the Micro Focus Modernization Maturity Model, IT leaders can quickly map their current IT estate to their future business strategy—all while finding the right balance between costs, risk and speed.
More Information
- New Micro Focus blog: The AWS Mainframe Modernization service addresses the Top 5 challenges of moving mainframe applications to cloud
- New AWS blog: Migrate Your Mainframe Applications to the Cloud
- Micro Focus landing page: Modernization and AWS | Micro Focus.
- AWS Mainframe Modernization service landing page: aws.amazon.com/mainframe-modernization.
Micro Focus is one of the world's largest enterprise software providers, focused on solving the IT dilemma—how to balance today's needs with tomorrow's opportunities. We deliver mission-critical technology that helps tens of thousands of customers worldwide manage core IT elements of their business. Strengthened by our strategic services and support organizations, and an extensive partner network, our broad set of technologies for security, IT operations, application delivery, governance, modernization, and analytics provides the innovative solutions organizations need to run and transform— at the same time.
Join Micro Focus on LinkedIn and follow @MicroFocus Twitter.
Contact: microfocus@pancomm.com
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SOURCE Micro Focus | 2022-06-08T19:45:40+00:00 | wlbt.com | https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2022/06/08/micro-focus-expertise-technology-enables-new-amazon-web-services-aws-mainframe-modernization-service/ |
Eli's at-home hormone monitoring technology aims to fill the data gap in women's health
MONTREAL, April 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Eli, a healthcare technology company committed to enhancing women's lifelong health through saliva-based hormone testing, announced today that it raised 5 million CAD in new capital to drive its next phase of growth.
Hormonal changes play a crucial role in women's health, yet accessing this information remains out of reach for most women. Eli aims to bridge this gap by providing daily hormonal data through real-time saliva analysis, allowing women to track hormonal fluctuations throughout their lives to gain better insights into their health. This at-home technology addresses the unmet needs in several key areas, including menopause, fertility, contraception, and endocrine conditions.
"Hormones have an enormous impact on women's health from puberty to menopause. Yet they remain a black box. We are unlocking that box so that women can have data at their fingertips to make informed decisions daily and own their overall health," said Marina Pavlovic Rivas, CEO and Co-founder of Eli.
"Eli has the potential to revolutionize the hormonal health market, and our investors' profile speaks to this," added Marina Pavlovic Rivas. Muse Capital, a venture capital firm in Los Angeles focusing on underserved markets, spearheaded the seed round, accompanied by San Francisco-based RH Capital and Cake Ventures. Other funds with a track record of investing in category-defining businesses and healthcare innovations, such as TELUS Pollinator Fund For Good, Garage Capital, and Leva Capital, also contributed. Longtime supporters, such as Real Ventures, Panache, Vectr, and pan-Canadian consortium MEDTEQ+, reaffirmed their commitment to Eli.
"As investors in women's health, we are thrilled to support Eli Health, whose innovative technology enables continuous hormone testing from the comfort of home," said Rachel Springate, Founding Partner at Muse Capital. "We believe Eli's groundbreaking approach will have a transformative impact on the lives of millions of women worldwide. This is a giant leap forward for women's health, and we are proud to be part of this journey."
Eli's scientific and engineering breakthroughs resulted from years of R&D to make continuous monitoring possible by measuring minuscule amounts of hormones in saliva while keeping the product affordable for long-term use at home. "The process of measuring hormones is incredibly complex. Eli makes it accessible to users in three simple steps: collect a tiny amount of saliva, insert the test in the palm-sized reader, and get results in minutes on the app," added Marina Pavlovic Rivas.
"We see this technology as the missing bridge between the biological and the digital," adds Marina Pavlovic Rivas. "It will allow us to build a large-scale longitudinal dataset of daily hormone levels for the first time in history. Filling this major data gap will help medical and research communities address previously unaddressable needs."
"Having monitored the at-home testing space for years, we are super excited by the company's novel technology to measure small amounts of hormones in saliva and also read results immediately at home, unlike the plethora of urine-based or send-out tests that exist today," said Dr. Alice Zheng, MD, Principal at RH Capital. "This allows for daily testing with timely results that had never been possible before."
The new capital will allow Eli to finalize product development and move through clinical validation and regulatory approvals leading to launch. Since its creation in 2019, Eli has raised a total of 9 million CAD, including a pre-seed round of 1.9 million CAD in 2020.
To learn more about Eli, please visit www.eli.health or join the launch list here.
Eli is a women's health company on a mission to improve lifelong health by continuously monitoring hormones in saliva. Hormones impact overall health every day and at all stages of life. Yet, traditional testing methods and send-out tests only provide infrequent snapshots. In three simple steps, Eli's at-home technology provides personalized hormone profiles continuously to transform how women manage their hormonal health in key areas like menopause, fertility, contraception, and endocrine conditions.
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SOURCE Eli Health | 2023-04-04T10:43:20+00:00 | kmvt.com | https://www.kmvt.com/prnewswire/2023/04/04/eli-health-raises-5m-improve-womens-lifelong-health-with-saliva-based-continuous-hormone-monitoring-technology/ |
Four people killed in crash in Marshalltown
Four people killed in crash in Marshalltown
BREAKING NEWS WE’VE BEEN FOLLOWING THIS MORNING. FOUR PEOPLE ARE DEAD FOLLOWING A CRASH IN MARSHALLTOWN. IT HAPPENED JUST AFTER LAST NIGHT NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF SOUTH SIXTH STREET AND EDGE LINE DRIVE. MARSHALLTOWN POLICE SAY A CAR CRASHED INTO A UTILITY POLE CAUSING, THE CAR TO BURST INTO FLAMES. FOUR PEOPLE WERE IN THE CAR AT THE TIME AND ALL DIED AT THE SCENE. WHAT LED TO THE CRASH REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION THE NAMES OF THE VICTIMS ARE NO
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Four people killed in crash in Marshalltown
Four people are dead following a crash in Marshalltown.It happened just after 11 p.m. Friday near the intersection of South 6th Street and Edgeland Drive. Marshalltown police say a car crashed into a utility pole, causing the car to burst into flames.Four people were in the car at the time. They all died at the scene.What led up to this crash remains under investigation.The names of the victims have not been released.
MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa —
Four people are dead following a crash in Marshalltown.
It happened just after 11 p.m. Friday near the intersection of South 6th Street and Edgeland Drive. Marshalltown police say a car crashed into a utility pole, causing the car to burst into flames.
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Four people were in the car at the time. They all died at the scene.
What led up to this crash remains under investigation.
The names of the victims have not been released. | 2022-11-05T13:41:31+00:00 | kcci.com | https://www.kcci.com/article/four-people-killed-in-crash-in-marshalltown/41874853 |
Citing security concerns, Pakistani authorities ordered over 20 foreign aid groups to cease operations by February.
Aid workers said the move could upend services to the country's neediest people. The groups on the list do everything from providing contraception to women to helping farmers purchase drought-resistant seeds. In addition, the aid workers say, hundreds of local jobs could be threatened.
The notice came in early December. Since then, "there's a sense of panic and confusion" in the nonprofit community, says Mohammed Qazilbash, country director of Oxfam Pakistan.
Pakistan has long viewed foreign aid groups with suspicion, particularly since the CIA recruited a doctor in a vaccination program to help confirm that they'd located Osama Bin Laden, ahead of the commando raid that killed him in 2011. Pakistan linked the doctor to Save the Children and expelled its foreign staff. The charity denied any links to the CIA and the doctor.
The decision showed "disturbing disregard for the well-being of ordinary Pakistanis," says Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, in a statement sent to media on Friday. "The government should be facilitating the vital work of independent groups, not obstructing it with intimidation tactics."
In October 2015, the government began a new registration process for aid groups. An interior ministry official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with ministry policy, says they gave notice to 27 aid groups that the government had rejected their registration applications. Pakistani intelligence agents, which must review each organization, did not clear them, "so we had to reject their applications," he says. He did not say what specific concerns triggered the move.
The interior ministry official said his offices gave the groups 60 days to shut down operations — and 90 days to appeal the decision.
In a statement, the interior ministry said the organizations "have not been approved for registration on account of non-responsiveness, non-substantive projects and security reasons." The statement also said that Ahsan Iqbal, the minister of the interior, "directed that there should not be any hurdles for authentic INGOs [international non-governmental organizations] who are playing [an] important role in {the] development sector."
The statement did not provide further details. Officials would not comment further.
There was some discrepancy in the numbers of organizations ordered to shutter. The Associated Press said 21 organizations were affected, citing an official who also spoke on condition of anonymity.
Most affected groups declined to be identified. They include some of the world's most prominent aid organizations. An official from one of those organizations said she feared that identifying her group would jeopardize the appeals process.
Some groups did confirm that they were ordered to shut down. They ranged from an organization called BRAC, which runs hundreds of schools in impoverished areas, to Action Aid, which helps farmers mobilize to get better services. Another group on the list is the Open Society Foundation in Pakistan, which offers millions of dollars in grants to local charities. [Ed note: The Open Society Foundation has been a financial supporter of NPR.]
This isn't first time aid groups in Pakistan have been uncertain about their fate, says Qazilbash of Oxfam.
In January 2017, authorities shut down about a dozen local groups that worked on women's affairs and human rights. Also this year, authorities shut down two operations of the medical aid group Doctors Without Borders. Those operations were in sensitive border areas, which are off-limits to most foreigners.
Still, for those affected in this latest crackdown, there was a sense of surprise. "It was a big shock for the staff," said Iftikhar Nizami, country director of Action Aid. One of his colleagues was building a house and was in debt. "He came to me and he was crying," Nizami said. "People are in a lot of trouble."
It was not clear if there was a specific trigger that prompted intelligence officials to order the shutdown of so many groups, which collectively, pour millions of dollars into the country.
It may reflect what analysts say is growing paranoia among security officials toward activists, journalists and those critical of the military.
"The recent action against nongovernmental organizations comes amidst a shrinking space for free expression and dissenting voices," said Adams of Human Rights Watch in a statement. "Placing arbitrary restrictions on international groups is likely to increase the climate of fear for domestic organizations."
Retired Lieutenant General Amjad Shoaib says officials believed foreign aid organizations were directing local employees to gather intelligence, possibly working for Pakistan's chief rival, India.
Retired Brig. Haris Nawaz, a military analyst in Pakistan, says intelligence officials believed some international aid groups were spreading "negative propaganda" against Pakistan regarding Balochistan, a province where the army and separatists are engaged in conflict.
Nizami of Action Aid tried to calculate the impact of his organization shutting down: The group sponsors between 9,000 to 10,000 children. They work with 20 local groups to implement projects and have over 50 employees. If their appeal is rejected, they would have to sever ties with communities where they had worked for over 15 years, he says.
Nargis Khan is the policy and communications adviser for the Pakistan Humanitarian Forum, which represents 63 foreign aid groups, including 10 that were ordered to shut down.
"It has a big impact in local communities," she says, on "local people and their jobs. She ticked off sectors that would be hurt: "health, education, livelihood, food, security, water, these operations: there's no kind of handover."
Qazilbash of Oxfam Pakistan said a middle ground could be found. Most groups would appeal the rejection. Existing projects could be handed over to local groups or to the government.
He says the true impact could only be known if the government rejected the groups' appeals to stay in Pakistan.
Only then, he says, "we can start talking about the potential repercussions of them withdrawing from the country."
"But of course," he adds, "it would be good to know what is next."
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2023-04-12T20:53:38+00:00 | kosu.org | https://www.kosu.org/world-news/world-news/2017-12-18/panic-and-confusion-as-pakistan-orders-foreign-aid-groups-to-shut-down |
- San Francisco-based investment technology firm Jacobi Inc. has secured USD $10m Series A Funding led by QIC
- Funding will support the development of the Jacobi platform and the continued growth of its investment management clientele globally.
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Investment technology firm Jacobi Inc. has announced it has raised $10m USD in Series A funding, led by Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC)
Jacobi Inc. (Jacobi) will use funding to further accelerate the development of the Jacobi platform and expand its team and clientele globally.
QIC joins Jacobi's existing investors; Silicon Valley venture capital firms, Illuminate Venture Partners, 8VC and Western Technology Investment (WTI).
Joining the board of Jacobi Inc will be Crystal Russell (QIC) and Bill Miller (Makena Capital).
Founded in 2014, Jacobi provides its technology to some of the world's largest asset management firms including T.Rowe Price, MFS, LGIM and WTW. Its global client base now represents assets under management over US$7 trillion.
Jacobi CEO and Co- Founder, Tony Mackenzie said: "We are proud to be backed by the highly respected global investor QIC as we continue to grow our global business. Our valued client base spans some of the world's leading asset managers, owners, investment consultants, RIA's and family offices. Each of these firms have looked to Jacobi for flexible technology that is purpose built for the multi-asset investor".
Mackenzie added: "Our open-architecture means we can configure our solution to each firm's own investment strategy including their capital market assumptions, data, risk engines and optimization techniques - and combine that with dynamic visualization tools for better end-client engagement."
QIC Principal, Crystal Russell said: "We are delighted to be investing in Jacobi on behalf of the Queensland Business Investment Fund. Jacobi is a home-grown success with an exceptional team, world-class product and a global blue chip client base. The asset management industry is undergoing a widespread digitalization with software driven tools enabling more in-depth portfolio analysis and increased client engagement. Jacobi's product is proving to be a critical tool for some of the world's most sophisticated asset managers."
Jacobi's technology transforms front office-to-end-client investment processes enabling portfolio design, analytics, and client engagement. The cloud-based platform provides a powerful and highly customizable suite of tools for designing, managing and visualizing multi-asset portfolios.
For more information, visit www.jacobistrategies.com.
About Jacobi
Jacobi Strategies (Jacobi) provides cloud-based technology to support the design and management of multi-asset portfolios at scale, streamlining investment workflows and enabling dynamic client engagement. Jacobi's open architecture means the platform is highly flexible with users able to integrate their own models, data, analytics and code. Jacobi provides its technology to top-tier global investment firms including asset owners, asset managers, wealth managers and investment consultants. Headquartered in San Francisco, and with offices in Australia and the United Kingdom, Jacobi is led by a team of investment professionals and world-class engineers.
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SOURCE Jacobi Inc | 2022-09-20T15:38:28+00:00 | kcrg.com | https://www.kcrg.com/prnewswire/2022/09/20/jacobi-secures-series-funding-scale-multi-asset-investment-technology/ |
A U.S. leader in institutional investment and risk-management consulting
BOSTON, Aug. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Agilis Partners LLC, a leading investment, actuarial and risk management group, today announced the completion of its spin-off from River and Mercantile Group Ltd (R&M). Led by the U.S. management team and rebranded as Agilis, the new entity remains focused on serving institutional investor clients. The spinoff includes the entire U.S. consulting team along with the former R&M Chief Investment Officer and team.
Agilis's core business centers around custom solutions delivered through innovative actuarial and investment strategies. This includes, actuarial and investment consulting including OCIO, derivatives management, pension actuarial and administrative services including annuity buyouts and plan terminations and specialty investment management strategies.
"Today marks a new and exciting chapter for our company, and we look forward to embarking on this next chapter with our team," said Tom Cassara, CEO of Agilis. "We remain deeply rooted in our commitment to provide innovative investment and actuarial solutions driven by investors' needs, ultimately improving client outcomes."
"We are always thinking ahead, ensuring that we continue to serve our clients as best we can over the long term," commented Michael Clark, Managing Director of Agilis. "This is a very exciting time in our journey. As Agilis, we are positioned to allow for further innovation and a platform offering best-in-class expertise."
With approximately 40 professionals across the U.S., Agilis is headquartered in Boston, MA, with other offices in New York, NY and Denver, CO.
"As an independent company, we will have enhanced strategic and operational flexibility to put the interests of our clients and our people first, as we continue to provide the high- quality counsel and services we are known for," added Cassara. "We've never been more focused on providing exceptional experiences for our clients and raising the bar on the level of service we deliver."
For more information, please visit us at https://agilis.llc/.
About Agilis
Agilis is the flexibility to find solutions for our clients across the spectrum. Focused on outsourced CIO (OCIO), actuarial and investment consulting, derivatives management, specialty investment management strategies and pension administrative services including annuity buyouts and plan terminations, we find new, innovative and exciting ways to improve the outcomes for our clients. For more information, please visit https://agilis.llc/.
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SOURCE Agilis | 2022-08-08T15:37:25+00:00 | kxii.com | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/08/agilis-completes-spin-off-river-mercantile/ |
Government imposter scams cost consumers $445 million last year
Scammers offering access to grants for upfront fees
InvestigateTV - Scammers are using the promise of federal grants to target unknowing consumers, and according to the Better Business Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission, it cost consumers $445 million in 2021.
Aletta McGriggs was one of the many victims. The scam started when she said an old high school friend contacted her on Facebook. Only it wasn’t her friend, it was a scammer on a fake account trying to lure her in with the promise of a $30,000 government grant.
“I think it’s horrible actually. It’s beyond sad!” McGriggs said.
McGriggs said she felt something was off in her first conversation with the supposed grant representative, but she filled out the application anyway.
The scammer then asked for a $500 “case file” fee.”
So I asked him, okay, well that’s odd because you shouldn’t have to pay anything for a grant,” McGriggs said. “And he said, ‘This is a file, this is just a file to keep your case confidential and to yourself.”
She said she was then sent a copy of a “certificate” filled out with her name. Then came a request for more money, this time a $324 delivery fee.
“I ended up sending it and I borrowed it from my son,” McGriggs said. “That’s what really broke me.”
She said the delivery never came, and when she finally got in touch with the scammer, they asked for almost $4,000 more for taxes.
McGriggs said that’s when she knew she had been scammed.
Josh Planos, Vice President of Communications and Public Relations for the Better Business Bureau, said McGriggs isn’t alone. A 2020 BBB report showed more that 44% of Americans have encountered a government imposter scam.
“The digital age is certainly making it easier to scale your operation if you’re a scammer,” Planos said.
What can you do to protect yourself? Plano suggested looking up any agency making an offer and double checking to insure they are the same entity. He said doing due diligence up front can save you from playing clean up duty on the back.
The BBB regularly releases scam alerts. You can contact them online if you are wary of an offer. You can also report scams to their scam tracker tool to help prevent others from becoming victims.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | 2022-07-20T21:16:05+00:00 | uppermichiganssource.com | https://www.uppermichiganssource.com/2022/07/20/government-imposter-scams-cost-consumers-445-million-last-year/ |
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Rodolfo Castro was suspended for one game by Major League Baseball on Tuesday for having a cellphone in his back pocket during a game last week.
The penalty, which included an undisclosed fine, had been set to take effect Tuesday night when the Pirates hosted Boston. The 23-year-old Castro appealed and can play until the process is complete.
“I just really want MLB to hear my version of the story and make sure they understand my heart behind everything,” Castro said through an interpreter before the game against the Red Sox.
“None of this was intentional, I didn’t mean for any of this to happen,” he said.
Castro’s phone flew from his pocket when he made a head-first dive into third base at Arizona on Aug. 9.
The play drew plenty of attention at the ballpark and beyond in the sports world. Many cringed while others laughed it off as the video clip was seen by millions.
Castro apologized after the game, saying it was an honest mistake. He said he put his oven mitt-like sliding glove in his pocket and forgot about the phone, which now had some cushion.
“I just remember getting dressed, putting my pants on, getting something to eat, using the restroom,” Castro said after the Pirates lost 6-4 to Arizona. “Never did it ever cross my mind that I still had my cellphone on me.”
MLB has cracked down on technology use by players in the wake of the Houston Astros’ cheating scandal. The Astros used live TV feeds to steal opposing teams’ signs on the way to winning the 2017 World Series championship and part of the subsequent season.
Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow and then-manager A.J. Hinch were suspended for the 2020 season. The Astros also were fined $5 million and forfeited their first- and second-round picks in 2020 and 2021.
Castro is hitting .239 in 27 games in his second major league season.
Asked about the penalty, Pirates manager Derek Shelton said “we respect MLB’s decision” and left it at that.
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2022-08-17T02:48:56+00:00 | wnct.com | https://www.wnct.com/sports/pirates-castro-suspended-1-game-for-phone-flap-he-appeals/ |
WFO LUBBOCK Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, June 1, 2022
_____
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Lubbock TX
726 PM CDT Wed Jun 1 2022
...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 745 PM CDT
FOR EAST CENTRAL SWISHER AND SOUTHWESTERN BRISCOE COUNTIES...
At 726 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 6 miles south of
Mackenzie Reservoir, or 8 miles west of Silverton, moving east at 15
mph.
HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and half dollar size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage to
roofs, siding, and trees.
Locations impacted include...
Silverton.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | 2022-06-02T02:10:43+00:00 | sfgate.com | https://www.sfgate.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-LUBBOCK-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17213699.php |
‘Amazing’: 15 sets of twins and 1 set of triplets graduate high school together
WESTFORD, Mass. (WHDH) - More than a dozen twins and a set of triplets graduated from a Massachusetts high school last week.
Westford Academy’s graduation ceremony may have seemed a bit repetitive but that was because the class of 2023 included triplets and 15 sets of twins.
“They hang out together. They play sports together. They do activities together. And they’re all graduating together,” Daniel Twomey, dean of students, said.
The twin brothers and sisters said being a twin has its ups and downs.
“We know how to share because we grew up together. We know how to make friends because we made them together,” said twin Meghan Hall.
While a fellow graduating twin, Graham Stair, added, “She follows me everywhere. I can’t get rid of her.”
The group realized just how special the class was when they started laying out the yearbook - they needed two pages for the twins’ club.
“I think the real impact moment was looking at that page in print in the yearbook. That final moment for me was wow,” Principal James Antonelli said.
And yes, the triplets say they get to pull rank.
“To be the only triplets among all these twins is nice. Strength in numbers,” said Ben Jone, graduating triplet.
Principal Antonelli says the group has a unique bond.
“Five years from now when they come back for their reunion, it’s going to be amazing,” he said.
School officials said next year’s graduating class looks to be a little more typical with just six sets of twins.
Copyright 2023 WHDH via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | 2023-06-07T00:41:38+00:00 | wcjb.com | https://www.wcjb.com/2023/06/06/amazing-15-sets-twins-1-set-triplets-graduate-high-school-together/ |
Storm
Marion, Iowa (KCRG) - Today and the last few days leading up to Christmas should be among the busiest shopping times of the year and a vital one for many small businesses.
This blizzard forced many shoppers to stay inside and change their holiday shopping plans.
Owners of the boutique gift shop “Scout of Marion” say they make 10 percent of their yearly volume in the week running up to Christmas Day.
They stayed open during the storm but many shoppers stayed at home.
The store did see more shoppers come through their doors today.
Nikki Kettlekamp the owner of Scout of Marion said “The storm definitely did impact our our traffic the last few days as you know as expected when we heard that it was coming but we’ve also though had a lot of online orders people calling in and being you know we’re able to pull some orders for them and they could pick them up today so that’s been helpful.”
Kettlekamp says she was surprised how many people *did brave the storm to shop at her store.
Copyright 2022 KCRG. All rights reserved. | 2022-12-25T03:11:41+00:00 | kcrg.com | https://www.kcrg.com/2022/12/25/storm/ |
EL PASO, Texas – The U.S. turned the page on pandemic-era immigration restrictions with relative calm at its border with Mexico as migrants adapted to strict new rules aimed at discouraging illegal crossings and awaited the promise of new legal pathways for entering the country.
A full day after the rules known as Title 42 were lifted, migrants and government officials on Friday were still assessing the effects of a switch to new regulations adopted by President Joe Biden’s administration in hope of stabilizing the Southwest border region and undercutting smugglers who charge migrants to get there.
Migrants are now essentially barred from seeking asylum in the U.S. if they did not first apply online or seek protection in the countries they traveled through. Families allowed in as their immigration cases progress will face curfews and GPS monitoring. And for those expelled from the U.S., they can now be barred from entering the country for five years and face possible criminal prosecution.
Across the river from El Paso, Texas, in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, many migrants watched their cellphones in hopes of getting a coveted appointment to seek entry. The official app to register to enter the U.S. underwent changes this week, as it offers appointments for migrants to enter through land crossings.
Many migrants in northern Mexico resigned themselves to waiting for an appointment rather than approaching the border without authorization.
“I hope it’s a little better and that the appointments are streamlined a little more,” said Yeremy Depablos, 21, a Venezuelan traveling with seven cousins who has been waiting in Ciudad Juárez for a month. Fearing deportation, Depablos did not want to cross illegally. “We have to do it the legal way.”
The U.S. Homeland Security Department said it has not witnessed any substantial increase in immigration.
But in southern Mexico, migrants including children still flocked to railways at Huehuetoca on Friday, desperate to clamor aboard freight trains heading north toward the U.S.
The legal pathways touted by the Biden administration consist of a program that permits up to 30,000 people a month from Haiti, Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela to enter if they apply online with a financial sponsor and enter through an airport.
About 100 processing centers are opening in Guatemala, Colombia and elsewhere for migrants to apply to go to the U.S., Spain or Canada. Up to 1,000 can enter daily through land crossings with Mexico if they snag an appointment on the app.
If it works, the system could fundamentally alter how migrants come to the southern border. But Biden, who is running for reelection, faces withering criticism from migrant advocates, who say he’s abandoning more humanitarian methods, and from Republicans, who claim he’s soft on border security. Two legal challenges already loom over the new asylum restrictions.
Title 42 was initiated in March 2020 and allowed border officials to quickly return asylum seekers back over the border on grounds of preventing the spread of COVID-19. But with the national emergency officially over, the restrictions have ended.
While Title 42 prevented many from seeking asylum, it carried no legal consequences for expulsion like those under the new rules.
In El Paso on Friday, a few dozen migrants lingered outside Sacred Heart Catholic Church and shelter, on streets where nearly 2,000 migrants were camped as recently as Tuesday.
The Rev. Daniel Mora said most of the migrants took heed of flyers distributed by U.S. immigration authorities offering a “last chance” to submit to processing and left. El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser said that 1,800 migrants turned themselves over to Customs and Border Protection on Thursday.
Melissa López, executive director for Diocesan Migrant and Refugee Services at El Paso, said many migrants have been willing to follow the legal pathway created by the federal government, but there is also fear about deportation and possible criminal penalties for people who cross the border illegally.
Border holding facilities in the U.S. were already far beyond capacity in the run-up to Title 42’s expiration.
In Florida, a federal judge appointed by former President Donald Trump has temporarily halted the administration’s plans to release people into the U.S.
Customs and Border Protection said it would comply, but called it a “harmful ruling that will result in unsafe overcrowding” at migrant processing and detention facilities.
A court date has been scheduled on whether to extend the ruling.
Migrant-rights groups also sued the Biden administration on allegations that its new policy is no different than one adopted by Trump — and rejected by the same court.
The Biden administration says its policy is different, arguing that it’s not an outright ban but imposes a higher burden of proof to get asylum and that it pairs restrictions with other newly opened legal pathways.
At the Chaparral port of entry in Tijuana on Friday, a few migrants approached U.S. authorities after not being able to access the appointment app. One of them, a Salvadoran man named Jairo, said he was fleeing death threats back home.
“We are truly afraid,” said Jairo who was traveling with his partner and their 3-year-old son and declined to share his last name. “We can’t remain any longer in Mexico and we can’t go back to Guatemala or El Salvador. If the U.S. can’t take us, we hope they can direct us to another country that can.”
___
Gonzalez reported from Brownsville, Texas; Spagat reported from Tijuana, Mexico. Associated Press writers Colleen Long and Rebecca Santana in Washington; Gisela Salomon in Miami; Christopher Sherman in Mexico City; Gerardo Carrillo in Matamoros, Mexico; Maria Verza in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico; Julie Watson in Tijuana; Morgan Lee in Santa Fe, New Mexico; and Suman Naishadham in Tijuana, Mexico contributed to this report. | 2023-05-13T08:46:19+00:00 | clickorlando.com | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/national/2023/05/13/chaos-on-mexico-border-averted-for-now-as-us-turns-page-in-migration-rules/ |
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Bobby Wagner delivered one of the biggest hits on a person who got onto the field.
The Rams linebacker flattened the protester who ran on the field with a device emitting pink smoke late in the second quarter of Los Angeles’ game against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night.
“I just saw someone running on the field,” Wagner said. “It looked like he wasn’t supposed to be on the field so I saw security was having a problem so I helped them out.”
With less than a minute left in the first half, the person got onto the field and ran across while being chased by security as the pink smoke filled the field.
As the person ran toward the Rams sideline, linebacker Takkarist McKinley came toward him before Wagner came off the sideline and laid him out with a big hit.
“I saw Bobby Wagner taking somebody out,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said. “I thought that was kind of cool to see.”
The protester was taken off the field by security and the game quickly resumed.
Earlier in the game, another person tried to get onto the field with a similar device, but was stopped by security.
___
More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | 2022-10-04T20:46:14+00:00 | wjhl.com | https://www.wjhl.com/sports/us-world-sports/ap-rams-lb-bobby-wagner-flattens-fan-who-gets-on-field/ |
The IT research and advisory firm's new resource suggests prioritizing visibility and a dedicated focus on service recovery to improve end users' satisfaction with the service desk.
TORONTO, May 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - With customer expectations continuing to shift, service desks are under pressure to adapt and meet the increasing demands of their organizations. As a result, service desks are increasingly receiving tickets from end users reporting issues with new applications. The service desk faces several challenges in effectively resolving these issues, however, including a lack of strategy and planning for transitioning support processes to the service desk. To help service desks improve processes, Info-Tech Research Group has published a new research-backed blueprint, Transition Projects Over to the Service Desk.
The new industry blueprint was designed to provide service desk teams with the insights to effectively prioritize and categorize new services for improved service levels and end-user satisfaction. This resource is particularly timely as the current communication between project delivery teams and service desks is often ineffective, resulting in an inefficient knowledge transfer to the service desk.
"Without a project transitioning plan, product support will be very ad hoc," says Mahmoud Ramin, senior research analyst at Info-Tech Research Group. "A service desk is not trained to support the recently released product, and developers are busy with other projects. Therefore, it is essential to prioritize the design of a transition plan to streamline service support and avoid any potential issues."
Info-Tech's research shows that while effective knowledge transfer to the service desk is essential for ensuring successful project delivery, there are several obstacles that can hinder this process. These obstacles include challenges in building the right relationship between the service desk and project teams, leading to a tedious support transition, and siloed service desks with loosely defined tasks and activities that result in inconsistent service delivery, negatively impacting customer satisfaction. Another obstacle is the lack of training on new services, leading to unnecessary ticket escalations and delayed service delivery.
The firm's blueprint recommends creating touchpoints between the service desk and the project delivery team to improve service delivery at strategic points in the project lifecycle. Developing a checklist of action items and including a training plan for service desk agents are also critical components of the strategy and can help ensure efficient and effective service support is delivered following the product launch, enhancing the overall service delivery experience.
"Newly developed or improved services should be transitioned appropriately to the support team," explains Ramin. "Service transitioning should include planning, coordination, and communication. This helps project leaders and support teams ensure that affected end users receive timely and efficient customer support upon a service failure."
Info-Tech advises that organizations involve their service desk teams in project lifecycles to optimize service-level improvement. To facilitate this, the firm has also released a new framework that can help organizations streamline project lifecycles and achieve success in improving service levels:
- Requirements Gathering Activity: Understand the necessary resources and their requirements.
- Design Activity: Empower the resource skills and capabilities to enhance service support.
- Development Activity: Build a collaboration opportunity between the service desk and the project team to provide the service desk with a project description and to update the configuration management database (CMDB) and service catalog accordingly.
- Testing Activity: Develop proper documentation and training, including knowledgebase articles, known errors, and workarounds.
- Deployment & Maintenance/Change Activity: Assist the project team with identifying change requirements and maintenance schedules to streamline service support following the product release.
The new resource highlights that a lack of formal transition processes following project delivery can negatively impact customer satisfaction and project success. There is also emphasis on the importance of visibility and commitment to service recovery in improving end-user satisfaction with the service desk.
For a comprehensive view of the insights and practical guidance from the firm on how to effectively transfer knowledge to the service desk, download the complete Transition Projects Over to the Service Desk blueprint.
For more information about Info-Tech Research Group or to access the latest research, visit infotech.com and connect via LinkedIn and Twitter.
About Info-Tech Research Group
Info-Tech Research Group is one of the world's leading information technology research and advisory firms, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals. The company produces unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. For 25 years, Info-Tech has partnered closely with IT teams to provide them with everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.
Media professionals can register for unrestricted access to research across IT, HR, and software and over 200 industry analysts through the firm's Media Insiders program. To gain access, contact pr@infotech.com.
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SOURCE Info-Tech Research Group | 2023-05-04T22:14:15+00:00 | kmvt.com | https://www.kmvt.com/prnewswire/2023/05/04/info-tech-research-group-unveils-new-blueprint-help-service-desks-overcome-obstacles-boost-end-user-satisfaction/ |
HONOLULU (AP) — Severe turbulence rocked a flight from Phoenix to Honolulu on Sunday, seriously injuring 11 people in what a Hawaiian Airlines official called an isolated and unusual event.
Jon Snook, the airline’s chief operating officer, said the airline hasn’t experienced “an incident of this nature in recent history.” The flight was full, carrying 278 passengers and 10 crew members, he said during an afternoon news conference.
Jim Ireland, director of Honolulu Emergency Medical Services, said 20 people were taken to hospitals, including 11 people deemed to be in serious condition.
At least one person was reported to have been rendered unconscious, but all patients were awake and talking when they arrived at hospitals, he said.
Patients suffered cuts, including to the head, as well as bumps and bruises. Some people were nauseous and vomited as a result of extreme motion, he said. Altogether, 36 people received treatment.
“We are also very happy and we feel fortunate that there were not any deaths or other critical injuries. And we’re also very hopeful that all will recover and make a full recovery,” Ireland said.
Snook said three flight attendants were among those taken to hospitals.
Jacie Hayata Ano was on board Hawaiian Airlines flight 35 traveling home for the holidays when the plane began to shake violently.
“It was just rocky,” Hayata Ano said. “And then, it quickly just escalated to, like, the point where we’re shaking so much that we were, like, pretty much like floating off of our chairs.”
She said the severe turbulence only lasted a few seconds, but that was enough to injure several passengers. Photos from inside the aircraft showed damaged panels on the plane’s overhead, possibly from passengers slamming into it.
She said, “You could see, like, people were hurt around us and things are just everywhere as yeah that’s pretty surreal.”
Snook said there was some internal damage to the aircraft during the turbulence. The seatbelt sign was on at the time, though some of those injured weren’t wearing them, he said.
Thomas Vaughan, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Honolulu, said there had been a weather advisory for thunderstorms that included Oahu and areas that would have included the flight path at the time of the incident.
The airline was aware of the weather forecast and the unstable air and weather conditions, but had no warning the particular patch of air where the turbulence occurred “was in any way dangerous,” Snook said.
He didn’t know how much altitude the plane lost during the turbulence, saying that would be part of an investigation involving the National Transportation Safety Board. The plane’s flight data recorder would provide those details, he said.
The investigation would also address precisely what the passengers and crew were doing at the time, he said.
The Airbus A330-200 began its descent immediately after the turbulence, and the crew declared an emergency due to the number of injuries on board, he said. Air traffic controllers gave the flight priority to land.
The aircraft will undergo a thorough inspection and maintenance, mostly to fix components in the cabin, Snook said.
Snook said he could only speculate whether some passengers hit their heads, but that was likely based on the injuries and the damage to cabin paneling.
“If you don’t have your seatbelt on, you stay where you are as the aircraft goes down, and that’s how those injuries occur,” Snook said.
The investigation will examine what other measures were taken, aside from turning on the “fasten seatbelt” sign, to ensure passengers were buckled in, he said.
In 2019, 37 passengers and flight crew members were injured when an Air Canada flight from Vancouver to Sydney hit intense turbulence about two hours past Hawaii. The Boeing 777-200 was diverted to Honolulu, where the injured received treatment. Thirty people were taken to hospitals, and nine had serious injuries.
Over the Atlantic, a 2017 American Airlines flight from Athens hit severe turbulence along the New York coastline. Seven crew members and three passengers were injured.
Most people associate turbulence with heavy storms. But the most dangerous type is so-called clear-air turbulence. The wind-shear phenomenon can occur in wispy cirrus clouds or even clear air near thunderstorms, as differences in temperature and pressure create powerful currents of fast-moving air.
Planes can sail into clear-air turbulence without warning.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. | 2022-12-19T13:27:45+00:00 | valleycentral.com | https://www.valleycentral.com/news/national-news/11-people-seriously-injured-in-turbulence-on-hawaii-flight/ |
Another typical Tuesday is on deck as we continue through this first full week of June. Near average temperatures with a mix of sun and clouds plus a few spotty showers will be in the forecast for the next few days.
Tuesday will be comfortable with high temperatures in the low to mid 70s. Winds will be very light from the north as a weak short-wave moves across Minnesota into Wisconsin.
As this little wave works into the state, we'll see a few pockets of unsettled air bring us...READ MORE. | 2022-06-07T14:50:07+00:00 | wqow.com | https://www.wqow.com/weather/forecast/a-few-spotty-showers-to-go-with-another-pleasant-june-day/article_fc38feb6-e645-11ec-9814-cf042931d3e5.html |
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Heat and storms are contributing to “a rash of fish kills” in south and central Louisiana, and more are likely, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries said Thursday.
“While fish kills are shocking to experience and can appear devastating,” they aren't an ecological problem, a news release said.
“Heat- and storm-related fish kills have occurred in Louisiana since before recorded history, and the ecosystems have evolved to be resilient and bounce back from them,” department spokesperson Rene LeBreton wrote.
As water heats up, it loses capacity for holding dissolved oxygen. Stagnant water, decaying plants, a long stretch of cloudy weather, and runoff laden with sediment or nutrients can also reduce the amount of available oxygen.
In addition to creating runoff, thunderstorms can mix low-oxygen water at the bottom of a waterway into upper layers, reducing the oxygen there.
Because different species and sizes of fish may require different amounts of oxygen, sometimes only some are killed. In addition, many fish and aquatic animals can swim into fresher waters.
“Decomposers and scavengers, including microbes, crawfish, crabs, fish, alligators, turtles, raccoons, and birds, will do their part in helping to clean up fish carcasses,” LeBreton wrote. And, with fewer predators and more resources available next spring, a “boom year of reproduction ... will surely follow.”
He said fish kills “often lead to a rejuvenated system that is healthy and naturally replenished in the following years.” | 2022-06-16T21:36:25+00:00 | expressnews.com | https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/Heat-storms-cause-fish-kills-in-south-central-17246998.php |
CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Allspring Income Opportunities Fund (NYSE American: EAD), the Allspring Multi-Sector Income Fund (NYSE American: ERC), the Allspring Utilities and High Income Fund (NYSE American: ERH), and the Allspring Global Dividend Opportunity Fund (NYSE: EOD) have each announced a distribution.
The following dates apply to today's distribution declaration for each fund:
Declaration date March 1, 2023
Ex-dividend date March 10, 2023
Record date March 13, 2023
Payable date April 3, 2023
These funds make distributions in accordance with a managed distribution plan that provides for the declaration of monthly distributions (in the case of the Allspring Income Opportunities Fund, the Allspring Multi-Sector Income Fund and the Allspring Utilities and High Income Fund) or quarterly distributions (in the case of the Allspring Global Dividend Opportunity Fund) to common shareholders of the fund at an annual minimum fixed rate of 7% for the Allspring Utilities and High Income Fund, 8% for the Allspring Income Opportunities Fund, 8% for the Allspring Multi-Sector Income Fund, and 9% for the Allspring Global Dividend Opportunity Fund based on the fund's average monthly net asset value (NAV) per share over the prior 12 months. Under the managed distribution plan, distributions are sourced from income and also may be sourced from paid-in capital and/or capital gains. The fund's distributions in any period may be more or less than the net return earned by the fund on its investments and therefore should not be used as a measure of performance or confused with yield or income. Distributions in excess of fund returns will cause the fund's NAV to decline. Investors should not draw any conclusions about the fund's investment performance from the amount of its distribution or from the terms of its managed distribution plan.
The Allspring Income Opportunities Fund is a closed-end high-yield bond fund. The fund's investment objective is to seek a high level of current income. The fund may, as a secondary objective, seek capital appreciation to the extent it is consistent with its investment objective.
The Allspring Multi-Sector Income Fund is a closed-end income fund. The fund's investment objective is to seek a high level of current income consistent with limiting its overall exposure to domestic interest rate risk.
The Allspring Utilities and High Income Fund is a closed-end equity and high-yield bond fund. The fund's investment objective is to seek a high level of current income and moderate capital growth with an emphasis on providing tax-advantaged dividend income.
The Allspring Global Dividend Opportunity Fund is a closed-end equity and high-yield bond fund. The fund's investment objective is to seek a high level of current income. The fund's secondary objective is long-term growth of capital.
For more information on Allspring's closed-end funds, please visit www.allspringglobal.com.
These closed-end funds are no longer available in public offerings and are only offered through broker-dealers on the secondary market. A closed-end fund is not required to buy its shares back from investors upon request. Shares of a fund may trade at either a premium or discount relative to the fund's net asset value, and there can be no assurance that any discount will decrease. The values of, and/or the income generated by, securities held by a fund may decline due to general market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities.
Equity securities fluctuate in value in response to factors specific to the issuer of the security. Debt securities are subject to credit risk and interest rate risk, and high-yield securities and unrated securities of similar credit quality have a much greater risk of default and their values tend to be more volatile than higher-rated securities with similar maturities. Foreign investments may contain more risk due to the inherent risks associated with changing political climates, foreign market instability, and foreign currency fluctuations. Risks of international investing are magnified in emerging or developing markets. Funds that concentrate their investments in a single industry or sector may face increased risk of price fluctuation over more diversified funds due to adverse developments within that industry or sector. Small- and mid-cap securities may be subject to special risks associated with narrower product lines and limited financial resources compared with their large-cap counterparts. Each fund is leveraged through a revolving credit facility and also may incur leverage by issuing preferred shares in the future.
The use of leverage results in certain risks, including, among others, the likelihood of greater volatility of the net asset value and the market price of common shares. Derivatives involve additional risks, including interest rate risk, credit risk, the risk of improper valuation, and the risk of noncorrelation to the relevant instruments they are designed to hedge or closely track. There are numerous risks associated with transactions in options on securities.
Allspring Global Investments™ is the trade name for the asset management firms of Allspring Global Investments Holdings, LLC, a holding company indirectly owned by certain private funds of GTCR LLC and Reverence Capital Partners, L.P. These firms include but are not limited to Allspring Global Investments, LLC, and Allspring Funds Management, LLC. Certain products managed by Allspring entities are distributed by Allspring Funds Distributor, LLC (a broker-dealer and Member FINRA/SIPC). Associated with Allspring is Galliard Capital Management, LLC (an investment advisor that is not part of the Allspring trade name/GIPS firm).
This material is for general informational and educational purposes only and is NOT intended to provide investment advice or a recommendation of any kind—including a recommendation for any specific investment, strategy, or plan.
Some of the information contained herein may include forward-looking statements about the expected investment activities of the funds. These statements provide no assurance as to the funds' actual investment activities or results. Readers must make their own assessment of the information contained herein and consider such other factors as they may deem relevant to their individual circumstances.
ALL-02152023-5ibhwju9
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SOURCE Allspring Global Investments | 2023-03-01T13:56:00+00:00 | kxii.com | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2023/03/01/allspring-closed-end-funds-declare-monthly-quarterly-distributions/ |
WA Spokane WA Zone Forecast for Friday, January 6, 2023
_____
716 FPUS56 KOTX 070733
ZFPOTX
Zone Forecast Product for Eastern Washington and North Idaho
National Weather Service Spokane WA
1132 PM PST Fri Jan 6 2023
WAZ031-071200-
Northeast Blue Mountains-
Including the cities of Anatone and Peola
1132 PM PST Fri Jan 6 2023
.REST OF TONIGHT...Mostly cloudy. Lows in the lower to mid 30s.
South wind 5 to 15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph.
.SATURDAY...Mostly cloudy. A chance of rain in the afternoon.
Highs in the upper 30s to lower 40s. South wind 5 to 15 mph with
gusts up to 25 mph, except south 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to
30 mph in the mountains. Chance of precipitation 20 percent.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy. A chance of rain or snow in the
evening. Snow level 4000 feet. Lows in the lower to mid 30s.
South wind 5 to 15 mph with gusts up to 30 mph, except south
10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph in the mountains. Chance of
precipitation 40 percent.
.SUNDAY...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain or snow. Highs in
the upper 30s to lower 40s. South wind 5 to 15 mph with gusts up
to 25 mph. Chance of precipitation 40 percent.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain or snow. Lows
in the upper 20s to lower 30s. South wind 5 to 15 mph with gusts
up to 25 mph. Chance of precipitation 20 percent.
.MONDAY...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain or snow. Highs in
the upper 30s to lower 40s. Chance of precipitation 50 percent.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain and mountain
snow. Lows in the lower to mid 30s. Chance of precipitation
50 percent.
.TUESDAY...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain and mountain snow.
Highs in the upper 30s to lower 40s. Chance of precipitation
40 percent.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain or snow.
Lows in the lower 30s. Chance of precipitation 20 percent.
.WEDNESDAY...Partly sunny with a 20 percent chance of snow. Highs
in the upper 30s to lower 40s.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain or snow.
Lows in the lower to mid 30s. Temperature rising into the mid 30s
after midnight. Chance of precipitation 40 percent.
.THURSDAY...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain and mountain
snow. Highs in the lower to mid 40s. Chance of precipitation
50 percent.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain and
mountain snow. Lows in the mid 30s. Chance of precipitation
40 percent.
.FRIDAY...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain and mountain snow.
Highs in the upper 30s to lower 40s. Chance of precipitation
20 percent.
$$
WAZ034-035-071200-
Moses Lake Area-Upper Columbia Basin-
Including the cities of Moses Lake, Ephrata, Othello, Quincy,
Ritzville, Grand Coulee, Odessa, Wilbur, and Coulee City
1132 PM PST Fri Jan 6 2023
.REST OF TONIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain, freezing
rain or snow. Lows in the upper 20s to lower 30s. East wind 5 to
10 mph. Chance of precipitation 50 percent.
.SATURDAY...Cloudy with a chance of rain. A chance of freezing
rain or snow in the morning, then snow in the afternoon. Snow
accumulation up to 1 inch. Highs in the mid 30s to lower 40s.
Southeast wind 5 to 15 mph with gusts up to 20 mph. Chance of
precipitation 90 percent.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy. A chance of rain or snow. Lows
in the lower to mid 30s. East wind 5 to 15 mph. Chance of
precipitation 50 percent.
.SUNDAY...Cloudy with a 50 percent chance of rain. Patchy fog.
Highs in the upper 30s to lower 40s. East wind 5 to 15 mph with
gusts up to 20 mph.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of rain.
Patchy fog. Lows in the lower 30s. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
.MONDAY...Rain or snow likely. Patchy fog. Highs in the upper 30s
to lower 40s. Chance of precipitation 70 percent.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of rain.
Patchy fog. Lows in the lower to mid 30s.
.TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...Mostly cloudy with a 20 percent
chance of rain. Patchy fog. Highs in the upper 30s to lower 40s.
Lows in the lower to mid 30s.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of
rain. Patchy fog. Lows in the lower to mid 30s.
.THURSDAY...Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of rain. Highs
in the upper 30s to mid 40s.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of rain.
Patchy fog. Lows in the lower to mid 30s.
.FRIDAY...Mostly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of rain. Highs
in the upper 30s to mid 40s.
$$
WAZ038-071200-
Okanogan Highlands-
Including the cities of Republic, Inchelium, and Wauconda
1132 PM PST Fri Jan 6 2023
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM PST SATURDAY...
.REST OF TONIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of
snow. Lows in the upper 20s to lower 30s.
.SATURDAY...Snow. Snow accumulation up to 1 inch valleys and 1 to
3 inches in the mountains. Highs in the mid to upper 30s. Chance
of precipitation near 100 percent.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Cloudy. Snow likely in the evening, then a
chance of snow overnight. Snow accumulation up to 1 inch valleys
and up to 2 inches in the mountains. Lows in the lower to mid
30s. Chance of precipitation 70 percent.
.SUNDAY...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain or snow. Patchy
fog. Highs in the mid to upper 30s. Chance of precipitation
50 percent.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain or snow.
Patchy fog. Lows in the lower to mid 30s. Chance of precipitation
50 percent.
.MONDAY...Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of snow. Patchy
fog. Highs in the mid 30s to lower 40s.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain or snow.
Patchy fog. Lows in the lower to mid 30s. Chance of precipitation
50 percent.
.TUESDAY...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain or snow. Patchy
fog. Highs in the mid 30s to lower 40s. Chance of precipitation
20 percent.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of snow.
Lows in the upper 20s to lower 30s.
.WEDNESDAY...Mostly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of snow.
Patchy fog. Highs in the mid to upper 30s.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain or snow.
Patchy fog. Lows in the upper 20s to lower 30s. Chance of
precipitation 40 percent.
.THURSDAY...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain or snow. Patchy
fog. Highs in the mid 30s to lower 40s. Chance of precipitation
50 percent.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain or snow.
Lows in the lower to mid 30s. Temperature rising into the lower
30s after midnight. Chance of precipitation 50 percent.
.FRIDAY...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain and mountain snow.
Patchy fog. Highs in the upper 30s. Chance of precipitation
20 percent.
$$
WAZ041-044-071200-
Wenatchee Area-Waterville Plateau-
Including the cities of Wenatchee, Chelan, Entiat, Cashmere,
Waterville, and Mansfield
1132 PM PST Fri Jan 6 2023
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM PST SATURDAY...
.REST OF TONIGHT...Snow and a chance of freezing rain. Snow
accumulation up to 1 inch. Lows in the mid 20s to lower 30s.
Chance of precipitation 90 percent.
.SATURDAY...Snow. A chance of freezing rain in the morning, then
rain in the afternoon. Snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches. Snow
level 2500 feet. Highs in the lower to mid 30s. Gusts up to
20 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation near
100 percent.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Cloudy. Rain or snow likely in the evening,
then a chance of rain or snow overnight. Snow accumulation up to
1 inch. Lows in the upper 20s to lower 30s. Chance of
precipitation 70 percent.
.SUNDAY...Rain or snow likely. Patchy fog. Snow level 2000 feet.
Highs in the 30s. Chance of precipitation 70 percent.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain or snow.
Patchy fog. Snow level 2000 feet. Lows in the upper 20s to lower
30s. Chance of precipitation 40 percent.
.MONDAY...Rain or snow likely. Patchy fog. Light snow
accumulations. Highs in the 30s. Chance of precipitation
70 percent.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain or snow.
Patchy fog. Lows in the upper 20s to lower 30s. Chance of
precipitation 50 percent.
.TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain
or snow. Patchy fog. Highs in the 30s. Lows in the mid 20s to
lower 30s. Chance of precipitation 20 percent.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain or snow.
Lows in the upper 20s to lower 30s. Temperature rising into the
lower 30s after midnight. Chance of precipitation 50 percent.
.THURSDAY...Rain or snow likely. Patchy fog. Moderate snow
accumulations possible. Highs in the 30s. Chance of precipitation
70 percent.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain or snow.
Lows in the lower to mid 30s. Chance of precipitation 50 percent.
.FRIDAY...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain or snow. Patchy
fog. Highs in the mid to upper 30s. Chance of precipitation
20 percent.
$$
WAZ043-071200-
Okanogan Valley-
Including the cities of Omak, Okanogan, Brewster, Bridgeport,
Oroville, Nespelem, and Tonasket
1132 PM PST Fri Jan 6 2023
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM PST SATURDAY...
.REST OF TONIGHT...Snow. Snow accumulation up to 1 inch. Lows
around 30. Chance of precipitation 90 percent.
.SATURDAY...Snow. Rain in the afternoon. Snow accumulation of
2 to 3 inches. Snow level 2000 feet. Highs in the lower to mid
30s. Gusts up to 20 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation
near 100 percent.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Cloudy. Rain or snow likely in the evening,
then a chance of rain or snow overnight. Snow accumulation up to
1 inch. Lows in the lower to mid 30s. Chance of precipitation
70 percent.
.SUNDAY...Cloudy with a chance of rain or snow. Patchy fog. Snow
level 2500 feet. Highs in the mid to upper 30s. Chance of
precipitation 50 percent.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain or snow.
Patchy fog. Snow level 2500 feet. Lows in the lower to mid 30s.
Chance of precipitation 50 percent.
.MONDAY...Rain or snow likely. Patchy fog. Highs in the mid to
upper 30s. Chance of precipitation 70 percent.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain or snow. Lows
in the lower to mid 30s. Chance of precipitation 50 percent.
.TUESDAY...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain or snow. Patchy
fog. Highs in the mid to upper 30s. Chance of precipitation
20 percent.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy. Lows in the lower 30s.
.WEDNESDAY...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain or snow. Highs
in the 30s. Chance of precipitation 20 percent.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain or snow.
Lows in the lower 30s. Chance of precipitation 50 percent.
.THURSDAY...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain or snow. Patchy
fog. Highs in the mid to upper 30s. Chance of precipitation
50 percent.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain or snow.
Lows in the lower to mid 30s. Chance of precipitation 50 percent.
.FRIDAY...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain or snow. Highs in
the mid to upper 30s. Chance of precipitation 20 percent.
$$
WAZ047-071200-
Central Chelan County-
Including the cities of Leavenworth, Plain, and Lake Wenatchee
1132 PM PST Fri Jan 6 2023
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM PST SATURDAY...
.REST OF TONIGHT...Snow. Snow accumulation up to 1 inch valleys
and 1 to 2 inches in the mountains. Lows in the mid 20s to lower
30s. Southeast wind 5 to 15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph in the
mountains. Chance of precipitation 90 percent.
.SATURDAY...Snow. Snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches valleys and
2 to 5 inches in the mountains. Highs in the lower to mid 30s.
Gusts up to 20 mph in the afternoon. Southeast wind 5 to 15 mph
with gusts up to 25 mph in the mountains. Chance of precipitation
near 100 percent.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy. Snow likely in the evening, then
a chance of snow overnight. Snow accumulation up to 1 inch
valleys and up to 1 inch in the mountains. Lows in the upper 20s
to mid 30s. Gusts up to 20 mph in the evening. Chance of
precipitation 70 percent.
.SUNDAY...Rain or snow likely. Patchy fog. Light snow
accumulations. Snow level 2500 feet. Highs in the 30s. Southeast
wind 5 to 15 mph with gusts up to 20 mph in the mountains. Chance
of precipitation 70 percent.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain or snow.
Patchy fog. Snow level 2500 feet. Lows in the mid 20s to lower
30s. Chance of precipitation 50 percent.
.MONDAY...Snow likely. Patchy fog. Light snow accumulations.
Highs in the lower to mid 30s. Chance of precipitation
70 percent.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of snow.
Patchy fog. Lows in the mid 20s to lower 30s.
.TUESDAY...Mostly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of snow. Patchy
fog. Highs in the mid to upper 30s.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain or snow.
Lows in the mid to upper 20s. Chance of precipitation 20 percent.
.WEDNESDAY...Partly sunny with a 40 percent chance of snow.
Patchy fog. Highs in the 30s.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Rain or snow likely. Light snow accumulations.
Lows in the upper 20s to lower 30s. Temperature rising to around
30 after midnight. Chance of precipitation 60 percent.
.THURSDAY...Rain or snow likely. Patchy fog. Light snow
accumulations. Highs in the 30s. Chance of precipitation
70 percent.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Rain or snow likely. Lows in the upper 20s to
lower 30s. Chance of precipitation 70 percent.
.FRIDAY...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain or snow. Patchy
fog. Highs in the 30s. Chance of precipitation 50 percent.
$$
WAZ048-071200-
Western Chelan County-
Including the cities of Stevens Pass, Holden Village,
and Stehekin
1132 PM PST Fri Jan 6 2023
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM PST SATURDAY...
.REST OF TONIGHT...Snow. Snow accumulation up to 1 inch valleys
and 1 to 2 inches in the mountains. Lows in the upper 20s to mid
30s. Chance of precipitation 90 percent.
.SATURDAY...Snow. Snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches valleys and
2 to 5 inches in the mountains. Highs in the 30s. Chance of
precipitation near 100 percent.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy. Snow likely in the evening, then
a chance of snow overnight. Snow accumulation up to 1 inch
valleys and up to 1 inch in the mountains. Lows in the upper 20s
to mid 30s. Gusts up to 20 mph in the evening. Chance of
precipitation 70 percent.
.SUNDAY...Snow. Light snow accumulations. Highs in the mid to
upper 30s. Chance of precipitation 80 percent.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Snow likely. Lows in the upper 20s to lower 30s.
South wind 5 to 15 mph with gusts up to 20 mph in the mountains.
Chance of precipitation 70 percent.
.MONDAY...Snow likely. Light snow accumulations. Highs in the mid
to upper 30s. Chance of precipitation 70 percent.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of snow.
Lows in the mid 20s to lower 30s.
.TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy. A 40 percent chance
of snow. Highs in the upper 30s to lower 40s. Lows in the mid 20s
to lower 30s.
.WEDNESDAY...Partly sunny with a 50 percent chance of snow. Highs
in the mid 30s to lower 40s.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Snow likely. Moderate snow accumulations
possible. Lows in the lower to mid 30s. Temperature rising into
the upper 20s after midnight. Chance of precipitation 70 percent.
.THURSDAY...Snow. Light snow accumulations. Highs in the mid 30s
to lower 40s. Chance of precipitation 80 percent.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Rain or snow likely. Light snow accumulations.
Lows in the lower to mid 30s. Temperature rising to around
30 after midnight. Chance of precipitation 70 percent.
.FRIDAY...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain or snow. Highs in
the mid 30s to lower 40s. Chance of precipitation 50 percent.
$$
WAZ049-071200-
Western Okanogan County-
Including the cities of Mazama, Winthrop, Twisp, Methow,
and Conconully
1132 PM PST Fri Jan 6 2023
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM PST SATURDAY...
.REST OF TONIGHT...Snow. Snow accumulation up to 1 inch. Lows in
the mid 20s to lower 30s. South wind 5 to 15 mph with gusts up to
25 mph in the mountains. Chance of precipitation 90 percent.
.SATURDAY...Snow. Snow accumulation of 2 to 5 inches. Highs in
the lower to mid 30s. Southeast wind 5 to 15 mph with gusts up to
30 mph in the mountains. Chance of precipitation near
100 percent.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Cloudy. Snow likely in the evening, then a
chance of snow overnight. Snow accumulation up to 2 inches. Lows
in the mid 20s to lower 30s. Chance of precipitation 70 percent.
.SUNDAY...Snow likely. Patchy fog. Light snow accumulations.
Highs in the 30s. Southeast wind 5 to 15 mph with gusts up to
25 mph in the mountains. Chance of precipitation 70 percent.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of snow.
Lows in the lower 20s to lower 30s.
.MONDAY...Snow likely. Light snow accumulations. Highs in the
lower to mid 30s. Chance of precipitation 70 percent.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of snow.
Lows in the lower 20s to lower 30s.
.TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a 20 percent
chance of snow. Highs in the 30s. Lows in the lower 20s to lower
30s.
.WEDNESDAY...Partly sunny with a 40 percent chance of snow. Highs
in the lower to mid 30s.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of
snow. Lows in the mid 20s to lower 30s. Temperature rising into
the upper 20s after midnight.
.THURSDAY...Snow likely. Light snow accumulations. Highs in the
lower to mid 30s. Chance of precipitation 70 percent.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Rain or snow likely. Light snow accumulations.
Lows in the mid 20s to lower 30s. Temperature rising into the
upper 20s after midnight. Chance of precipitation 70 percent.
.FRIDAY...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain or snow. Highs in
the 30s. Chance of precipitation 50 percent.
$$
_____
Copyright 2023 AccuWeather | 2023-01-07T07:59:42+00:00 | sfgate.com | https://www.sfgate.com/weather/article/WA-Spokane-WA-Zone-Forecast-17701077.php |
SILVERSTONE, England (AP) — Carlos Sainz Jr. won his first career Formula One race on Sunday with a victory at the British Grand Prix — the most dramatic race so far this season. It began with a frightening first-lap crash and ended with intense wheel-to-wheel battles for the podium positions.
Sainz was in the lead with Charles Leclerc close behind and, while Ferrari at first said they were “free to fight,” the Italian team then asked Sainz to let Leclerc past to avoid losing time to Lewis Hamilton.
But a safety car came out and Ferrari brought Sainz into the pits for fresher, grippier soft tires. Leclerc was left on older, hard tires and Sainz soon passed his teammate to regain the lead and pull away for his first victory in his 150th F1 start.
“Today the win does feel a bit of a relief,” said Sainz. “Honestly, I never stopped believing that this dream was going to come, even though this year has been tough for me.” He had finished second or third 11 times before winning and was a frustratingly close second to Verstappen at the last race in Canada.
Sergio Pérez passed Hamilton and Leclerc after the restart and finished second behind Sainz. Hamilton was briefly second after passing both Pérez and Leclerc in a three-wide move, but he couldn’t hold position and dropped back to fourth.
Hamilton then surged past Leclerc in a fierce fight for third place. He also led laps Sunday for the first time this season.
“I gave it everything,” said Hamilton, who was third in Canada two weeks ago and hoped Mercedes is on a comeback. The team has been unable to challenge Red Bull and Ferrari for wins this season, but an added upgrade to the Mercedes ahead of this weekend was promising.
“We’ve got some improvements to make but this is a huge bonus for us to be on the podium,” Hamilton added.
Leclerc was later seen being spoken to privately by Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto. Leclerc said he was “very, very disappointed” with the result and had discussed with Binotto why the team had left him out on old tires.
“We could have (changed the tires) but I was asked to stay out on track. So that’s what I did,” he told French broadcaster Canal Plus.
Max Verstappen, the defending F1 champion and current standings leader, dropped out of the lead with damage to his Red Bull after running over debris. He struggled for grip and finished seventh.
Pérez said his race was a “great comeback” after he dropped to the back early in the race following damage to his front wing while racing Leclerc and Verstappen.
The race was red-flagged almost as soon as it began when a crash at the first corner left Zhou and Alex Albon needing medical treatment.
Zhou’s car flipped upside-down and cleared a tire barrier before smashing into a fence. Pierre Gasly had knocked George Russell’s Mercedes into Zhou’s back wheel, flipping the Chinese driver’s Alfa Romeo. As drivers tried to avoid that crash, Albon was knocked sideways into the pit wall.
Zhou was treated at the circuit’s medical center, and Alfa Romeo said he was not badly injured, while Williams said Albon had been taken to hospital by helicopter for “precautionary checks.”
Russell, who left his car to rush to Zhou’s aid, was also unable to restart the race.
The “halo” device protecting Zhou’s head was scraped back to bare metal after being dragged through the gravel and a chunk of the air intake behind the driver was torn away.
A group of protesters against the oil industry ran onto the track following the crash and sat down. Northamptonshire police said seven arrests were made over the protest.
Speaking after the race, Hamilton signaled his support for the protesters. “Big up those guys,” he said. Mercedes said Hamilton wasn’t fully aware of the circumstances at that time and was “endorsing their right to protest but not the method that they chose, which compromised their safety and that of others.”
Verstappen had overtaken Sainz at the original start but had to do it all again when the race was restarted after the multi-car crash involving Zhou. Sainz stayed in front at the second start, but Verstappen took the lead on lap 10 when Sainz lost control and ran off the track.
Verstappen soon dropped behind both Ferraris after reporting a possible puncture from debris.
Verstappen said his car was “100% broken” with little grip and compared it to “driving on ice,” but his Red Bull team said it was safe to continue.
The crowd cheered Verstappen’s misfortune as he was passed by the Ferraris. The Dutch driver is unpopular with some British fans after a bitter rivalry with Hamilton for the title last year, when the two crashed at Silverstone.
Former champion Nelson Piquet used a racial slur and homophobic language to describe Hamilton, F1’s only Black driver, in interviews from last year which came to wider attention this week. Verstappen is dating Piquet’s daughter, Kelly, and faced criticism from fans when he said Piquet was not a racist despite using “very offensive” language.
Verstappen retains the championship lead but his advantage over second-place Pérez was cut from 46 points to 34 as Sainz ended a run of six consecutive Red Bull wins. Leclerc is nine points behind Pérez in third.
Two-time champion Fernando Alonso — with 32 race victories, the only other Spanish driver besides Sainz to win in F1 — was fifth for Alpine on Sunday in his best result of the season. Alonso was ahead of Lando Norris for McLaren and then Verstappen. Mick Schumacher, son of seven-time champion Michael Schumacher, picked up his first career points in eighth for Haas, with Sebastian Vettel ninth for Aston Martin.
American team Haas had its first double points finish since 2019 as Kevin Magnussen placed 10th.
___
More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2022-07-03T22:25:41+00:00 | localsyr.com | https://www.localsyr.com/sports/sports-news/sainz-jr-wins-1st-career-f1-race-with-british-gp-victory/ |
CLEVELAND (AP)Baker Mayfield feels the Cleveland Browns deceived him about their offseason plans, which resulted in them trading for Deshaun Watson.
Speaking on a podcast, Mayfield, whose tumultuous four-year run as Cleveland’s quarterback essentially ended when the team acquired Watson in a stunning deal last month with the Houston Texans, said the team was not upfront with him.
”I feel disrespected 100% because I was told one thing and they completely did another,” Mayfield said in an appearance on the ”Ya Never Know” podcast, which was taped last week.
Mayfield struggled while playing most of last season with a torn labrum in his left, non-throwing shoulder, which he injured in Week 2. Cleveland fell way short of expectations, finished 8-9 and missed the playoffs after ending a long postseason drought the previous season.
He underwent surgery right after the season and Browns general manager Andrew Berry publicly indicated the team was planning to bring Mayfield back as the starter while privately investigating whether to add Watson, accused by two dozen massage therapists in Texas of sexual assault and harassment.
When Mayfield learned of the Browns’ interest, he demanded a trade. Watson, who initially turned down Cleveland, then changed his mind, waived his no-trade clause and signed a record-setting $230 million fully guaranteed contract.
While still upset over the way it was handled, Mayfield, the No. 1 overall pick in 2018, said he’s at peace with his time with the Browns.
”I really, truly honesty have no regrets of my time in Cleveland of what I tried to give that place,” he said. ”True Clevelanders and true Browns fans know that, and that’s why I can walk away from the whole situation feeling like I did it.”
Mayfield remains on Cleveland’s roster as the team tries to work out a trade. The tricky part for the Browns is that he’s due to make $18.8 million, and there aren’t many teams willing to take on that salary.
As his performances worsened last season, the 26-year-old Mayfield acknowledged he spent too much time caring about how he was being treated. He said a break from social media helped, but it was hard to block out everything.
Mayfield was booed at FirstEnergy Stadium during a win over Detroit in Week 11 and skipped his postgame news conference.
”When people are so critical of it,” Mayfield said, ”I would love to show up at somebody’s cubicle and just boo the (crap) out of them and watch them crumble. I’d be lying to you if I didn’t say that I get caught up in all the negativity and stuff during the year last year.”
Mayfield reflected on his time with the Browns during the 90-minute interview, his first since the Watson deal was completed.
He feels liberated being out of Cleveland.
”I got my taste of it because I’ve had four different head coaches in four years, a bunch of different coordinators. I’ve had the highs and they always come back,” he said. ”I had great times my rookie year. I didn’t start in the beginning. I came in and had fun in the back half of the year. 2019 sucked. 2020 was great, made the playoffs.
”2021 was miserable. I’m just looking for stabilization right now. I know what I need to do to be the best version of me and be able to lead an organization. I’m in a good place right now. I have no clue where I’m going.”
Seattle and Carolina are still believed to be possible landing spots for Mayfield, who is looking forward to a reset of his career.
”I’m ready for the next chapter, the next opportunity,” he said. ”Because the only thing I’m guaranteed with the next spot is one year, because I have one more year of guaranteed contract. So I have one year wherever I go and it’s my next interview. It’s something to put on my resume for the next job.
”Whether it be I play that year wherever it’s going to be and they extend me for longer, or if it’s that year and I get picked up somewhere else. I know I have this one year to do as much as I possibly can.”
—
More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://apnews.com/hub/pro-32 and https://twitter.com/AP-NFL | 2022-04-14T00:21:40+00:00 | siouxlandproud.com | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/nfl/mayfield-browns-disrespected-deceived-him-about-future/ |
NANJING, China, April 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Tuniu Corporation (NASDAQ:TOUR) ("Tuniu" or the "Company"), a leading online leisure travel company in China, today announced that it filed its annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The annual report can be accessed on the Company´s investor relations website at http://ir.tuniu.com or the SEC´s website at www.sec.gov. The Company will provide a hard copy of its annual report containing the audited consolidated financial statements, free of charge, to its shareholders and ADS holders upon request. Requests should be directed to the Investor Relations Department at Tuniu Building, No.32 Suningdadao, Xuanwu District, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210042, The People´s Republic of China.
About Tuniu Corporation
Tuniu (Nasdaq:TOUR) is a leading online leisure travel company in China that offers integrated travel service with a large selection of packaged tours, including organized and self-guided tours, as well as travel-related services for leisure travelers through its website tuniu.com and mobile platform. Tuniu provides one-stop leisure travel solutions and a compelling customer experience through its online platform and offline service network, including a dedicated team of professional customer service representatives, 24/7 call centers, extensive networks of offline retail stores and self-operated local tour operators. For more information, please visit http://ir.tuniu.com.
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SOURCE Tuniu Corporation | 2023-04-28T02:16:40+00:00 | wbrc.com | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/04/28/tuniu-corporation-files-its-annual-report-form-20-f/ |
The 51st-annual Quad Cities’ CROP Hunger Walk has a whole new route this year — across the new pedestrian path of the I-74 bridge.
The walk will be this Sunday, Oct. 2nd, beginning at the Bass Street Landing plaza in Moline (off River Drive and 17th Street), across the bridge from Moline to Bettendorf and back. Registration begins at 1 p.m. and the walk begins immediately thereafter.
So far, 42 people have registered and $10,784 has been raised. Last year, about 50 people walked (raising $34,000) from the Centennial Bridge in Davenport, to the Government Bridge and back, said event organizer Rick Martin of Davenport.
For many years, the CROP walk started at Modern Woodmen Park in Davenport, and did a six-mile route across the Centennial, through Rock Island’s Broadway district and back.
“I remember that people saying that’s just too far, so it was shortened in 2019,” Martin said. The new route across the new 74 bridge is 2.4 miles total.
CROP Hunger Walks are community-based walk fundraising events held in cities and towns across the U.S. (now about 700 total), created to support the global mission of Church World Service, a faith-based organization transforming communities around the globe through just and sustainable responses to hunger, poverty, displacement and disaster.
After a CROP Hunger Walk ends, one-quarter of the funds raised is returned to the host community to support local hunger-fighting efforts.
The faith-based event usually brings out many church members and varied congregations across the QC area. In the past few years, many Muslims have participated, Martin said, noting last year’s group was half Muslim. In past years, his church (St. Mark’s Lutheran in Davenport) was among the biggest group of walkers.
Martin said the issue of hunger remains a big problem locally.
“In the community, it’s not getting any better it doesn’t seem,” he said. “I know at St. Mark’s, we’ve seen twice as many people this year than we were last year.”
The River Bend Food Bank works with 400+ partner agencies in 23 counties to ensure people facing hunger have reliable access to healthy food. Leading the community-wide effort to eliminate hunger in eastern Iowa and western Illinois, in 2021, the Food Bank distributed more than 22 million meals to children, adults, and seniors through food pantries, schools, senior residences, and community organizations.
The Food Bank has a capital campaign to expand its facility in southwest Davenport.
The additional space will drive growth for the organization and increase its capacity to end hunger in its 23-county service area. This significant expansion, which includes plans to add 25,000 square feet and renovate existing spaces, is happening during the Food Bank’s 40th anniversary, reflecting decades of growth and change.
In the early ‘70s, when Martin first did the CROP walk, it was 20 miles long. “We were kids then,” he said.
Each walker or group is encouraged to raise however much they can, and people can donate without having to walk, Martin (who has raised about $800) said. They also encourage people to bring jars of peanut butter and jelly to the event at Bass Street Landing, to give to food pantries.
To register or for more information, click HERE. | 2022-09-29T19:50:22+00:00 | ourquadcities.com | https://www.ourquadcities.com/news/local-news/51st-qc-hunger-walk-is-this-sunday/ |
The origin of daylight saving time
While Benjamin Franklin jokingly proposed regulations requiring Parisians to become early risers in a 1784 essay, he did not invent daylight saving time. The one-hour shift was introduced in the United States in 1918 under the Standard Time Act to save on fuel costs.
Unfortunately, the body has a rigid internal rhythm. Even a 60-minute shift in that cycle can create havoc on everything from the ability to sleep to appetite. Fortunately, Dr. Michael Huynh, M.D. knows what happens to the body when we “spring forward” and he has some advice to help you combat the effects of losing that hour.
In this article: Hatch Restore, HoMedics SoundSleep White Noise Sound Machine and Nature Made Melatonin.
Why is losing just one hour of sleep so disruptive?
Dr. Huynh said anything that disrupts your sleep cycle can lead to poor sleep. On a typical day, this can be due to behavioral factors, such as watching TV or being on your phone late at night. It can also be a result of taking long naps during the day, your job or the environment where you live. However, in the spring, the culprit is usually daylight saving time.
“Our body’s intrinsic circadian system regulates many bodily systems, including core body temperature, the level of stress hormones and even appetite,” he said. “Losing that hour during daylight saving time can disrupt our circadian rhythm.”
Why is sleep so important?
One prevailing theory of why restful sleep is so critical to overall health is that it’s the time when the brain clears out debris and plaque that build up while we’re awake. Without proper sleep, beta-amyloid protein can accumulate in the brain. This can cause formation of amyloid plaques that are associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
How can people get back into their natural rhythm?
Dr. Huynh said, “The usual first line of treatment is to manipulate the rhythm back into a time frame that aligns the sleep and wake times to the natural environment. Using some of the products, including specific alarm clocks, light filters and medication (such as melatonin) can help achieve that goal.”
Products that help you get back into a natural sleeping rhythm
By consistently using a wake up light, it can help you slip back into your natural circadian rhythm. You can operate this model through an app or touch controls, and it also plays white noises to help keep you asleep all night.
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Feiyold Blue Light-Blocking Glasses
If you use a device at night, a pair of blue light glasses may help you fall asleep more easily. This can help get you back on your regular schedule while also reducing eye fatigue and other problems associated with late-night device viewing.
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Flents Protechs Quiet Time Ear Plugs
If you live in a noisy neighborhood, these earplugs can help block out noises that keep you up. They’re latex-free, come in a large container that holds 50 pairs and have a 33-decibel noise reduction rate.
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HoMedics SoundSleep White Noise Sound Machine
Many people have trouble falling asleep when it’s too quiet. If you need a little background noise, this sound machine has six relaxing options: white noise, thunder, ocean, rain, summer night and brook.
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Eclipse Fresno Modern Blackout Curtains
Besides blocking out between 98% and 99.9% of sunlight that may keep you up, these premium-quality blackout curtains also help reduce unwanted noise and may lower your energy bills.
Sold by Amazon
According to Dr. Huynh, melatonin is a very safe over-the-counter supplement that helps you fall asleep naturally by increasing the level of melatonin in your system. This 240-count jar contains 3-milligram tablets. Sold by Amazon and iHerb
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Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | 2023-03-11T06:27:29+00:00 | kdvr.com | https://kdvr.com/reviews/br/health-wellness-br/massage-relaxation-br/how-to-deal-with-daylight-saving-time-and-its-impacts-on-the-body/ |
Won’t buy an off-road pickup truck variant without eight cylinders under the hood? The Ford F-150 Tremor wasn’t the truck for you, until now.
The 2023 Ford F-150 Tremor gained a standard V-8 and slid the turbo-6 engine aside as a no-cost option. While you might ask what year it is, the people have spoken and they want the V-8, according to Ford.
The vast 2023 Ford F-150 lineup earns a TCC Rating of 6.7 out of 10, besting every competitor thanks to its many configurations (including the Tremor and mack daddy Raptor), its spectacular powertrain choices, its timeless design, and its towing innovations. But the Tremor’s tall rear end presents challenges, no F-150 is available with a front locker, and this truck’s interior still isn’t top of its class.
Here are the pros and cons of the 2023 Ford F-150 Tremor V-8, gleaned after spending a week shuttling kids to activities and towing boats the lake.
Pro: Ford F-150 Tremor gains V-8 engine
Every Tremor had a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V-6 with 400 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque under its hood, until now. For 2023 the standard engine has become the 5.0-liter V-8 with 400 hp and 410 lb-ft mated to the slick-shifting 10-speed automatic and standard with four-wheel drive and a 2-speed transfer case. Ford spokesperson Dawn McKenzie told The Car Connection the V-8 became standard on the Tremor because off-road customers interested in the truck’s capability also wanted a V-8 engine. The V-8 emits an understated deep burble from the dual exhaust system and sounds terrific.
EPA fuel economy ratings for the V-8-powered Tremor check in at 15 mpg city, 20 highway, 17 combined. Those are barely changed from the turbo-6 Tremor’s ratings of 16/20/18 mpg. I averaged 17.8 mpg during a 200-mile highway road trip with the cruise control set at over 70 mph. Around town fuel economy dropped to an average of 14.7 mpg during 92 miles of mixed suburban driving. Turbo-6 trucks do produce more torque, which comes in extremely handy with the turbos huffing for passing power (especially while towing), but they don’t sound as good.
Con: Ford F-150 Tremor’s towing challenge
With 5,000 pounds of fiberglass walleye boat coupled to the rear end, the Tremor didn’t blink with torque coming on strong low in the rev range providing a confident launch. But, due to the off-road suspension and all-terrain tires, the Tremor sits 1.5 inches higher than a standard F-150. This gives the off-road pickup 10.9 inches of ground clearance, but also raises up the rear hitch and tailgate. My Tremor didn’t have a built-in tailgate step and, either I’m getting old or it was a chore to get in and out of that bed. The drop hitch we own with a 6.75-inch drop worked fine when hooking the Tremor up to a 2017 fiberglass walleye boat’s dual-axle trailer, but the drop wasn’t enough for our 1994 deckboat’s dual-axle trailer. The trailer couldn’t be raised up high enough to reach the ball.
The F-150 Tremor isn’t the ideal F-150 for towing duty, but it doesn’t sag like the Raptor due to the rear springs and firmer shocks. Nearly every F-150 aside from the Raptor make better tow rigs if that’s the truck’s mission in life. Should you want to tow with a Tremor be sure to know how large a drop you’ll need with the hitch for the specific trailer.
Pro: Ford F-150 Tremor provides comfortable ride
Aside from the F-150 Raptor with its remote reservoir Fox shocks, the Tremor is the most comfortable F-150 money can buy. With its off-road shocks (monotube front and twin-tube rear), larger 33-inch General Grabber AT tires, and unique Tremor-specific rear hub knuckles and upper control arms, the Tremor soaks up road imperfections on broken pavement better than a standard F-150. Notably the Grabber all-terrain tires are quieter with less of a thrum on the highway than the Goodyear DuraTracs found on the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 ZR2.
Con: Ford F-150 Tremor lacks front locker
The F-150 Tremor can be equipped with a Torsen limited-slip differential up front for $500, but should be standard. A front locking differential isn’t even an option, but it’s standard on the Chevrolet Silverado ZR2, giving the Chevy a bit more ability at clambering up rutted trails without churning up the earth.
Pro: Ford F-150 Tremor tweaks design just enough
Tremors look like an F-150 and aren’t nearly as flashy as the Raptor. They aren’t wider than a standard F-150 except for the larger all-terrain tires. There are some orange exterior trim bits and tow hooks, badging, darkened headlight bezels, and silver front skid plate along with standard dual exhaust system and tips. Inside, orange accents match the exterior, and the leather seats have Tremor stitched into the backs. This isn’t over-the-top stuff, but it’s just enough to stand out from lesser F-150s.
Con: Ford F-150 Tremor features second-class interior
My loaded $74,040 Tremor featured the F-150’s trick folding gear selector and flip-over center armrest turning the interior into a workspace. The clean 12.0-inch digital gauge cluster interface is the same as other F-150s, and the 12.0-inch touchscreen interface is one of the best in the business with a split-screen layout. But the leather, door and center console plastics, shiny plastic trim, and finishes are all second-rate to the Ram 1500. There’s no real metal trim to be found. If the Ram 1500 is first class this is business class, at best.
The 2023 Ford F-150 Tremor remains the best riding and most comfortable F-150 this side of the Raptor, and now it can be had with a V-8 due to customer demand. For those looking for more off-road capability but not wanting to live with a Raptor, the Tremor makes sense, but know how high your trailer can be raised it will be a primary tow vehicle.
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
2023 Ford F-150 Tremor
Base price: $35,690, including $1,995 destination
Price as tested: $74,040
Powertrain: 400-hp 5.0-liter V-8, 10-speed automatic, four-wheel drive
EPA fuel economy: 15/20/17 mpg
The hits: Understated Tremor design tweaks, V-8 engine, comfortable ride
The misses: Not ideal F-150 for towing, lacks front locker, second-class interior
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- Ford Maverick vs Hyundai Santa Cruz: Compare Pickup Trucks | 2023-07-25T10:53:51+00:00 | wearegreenbay.com | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/automotive/internet-brands/test-drive-2023-ford-f-150-tremor-aces-v-8-test-present-towing-challenges/ |
NPR's Ayesha Rascoe asks Ohio State researcher Katie Vinopal about a new study indicating that people with low incomes wait longer for services, on an average day, than those who have higher incomes.
Copyright 2023 NPR
NPR's Ayesha Rascoe asks Ohio State researcher Katie Vinopal about a new study indicating that people with low incomes wait longer for services, on an average day, than those who have higher incomes.
Copyright 2023 NPR | 2023-02-19T14:15:03+00:00 | mtpr.org | https://www.mtpr.org/2023-02-19/people-with-lower-incomes-have-longer-wait-times-for-services-according-to-a-study |
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Protesters in Hungary’s capital blocked main traffic arteries for the second day in a row Wednesday in opposition to a tax overhaul pushed through this week by the country’s right-wing governing party.
Several thousand demonstrators, many of them independent entrepreneurs affected by the new changes, gathered in a main square beside Hungary’s parliament to protest a law passed Tuesday that many fear will result in significant tax hikes. Following the protest, most marched through central Budapest during peak rush-hour traffic.
Hungary’s ruling Fidesz party, led by nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, used its parliamentary supermajority to pass the new law, which targets a popular tax scheme allowing small businesses and individual contractors like hairdressers to pay a low flat tax rate.
Protester Tibor Tarcsay, 33, said his livelihood as a freelance translator is jeopardized by the changes, and he’s not sure how he’ll make ends meet once it takes effect in September.
“I might move abroad,” he said. “In two months, crowds of people are going to be standing in line at charity organizations to get a can of lentils.”
Estimates suggest up to half a million workers in Hungary use the tax scheme known as KATA.
But Hungary’s government says many companies have abused the system by having workers on contracts rather than employing them, thus depriving the country’s budget of between 250 and 300 billion Hungarian forints ($614 million to $736 million) in tax revenues annually.
The protest, which followed the occupation of two bridges Tuesday over the Danube River, was the first sign of popular discontent in Hungary since Orban and his Fidesz party were reelected in a landslide in April.
Hungary has been facing record weakness of its currency against the euro and the dollar, as well as the highest inflation in nearly 25 years. The government is keen to fill gaps in its budget left by major handouts to voters before the election.
Critics of the new tax law say it was passed without consulting affected workers, and pushed through Hungary’s parliament in only a single day.
Balazs Zoltan Biro, 37, works for a food delivery company in Budapest as a bicycle courier. Blocking traffic with other demonstrators at one of Budapest’s busiest intersections, he said he believed civil disobedience was the last resort for opponents of Hungary’s government.
“That they made a decision with the stroke of a pen, without negotiating with those whom it really affects, is not democratic at all,” he said.
Another demonstrator, book editor Marta Nagy, said she was likely to lose all of her clients.
“The worst would be if I have to give up my rented apartment and move home,” she said. “What will I live on?” | 2022-07-13T23:43:57+00:00 | wdtn.com | https://www.wdtn.com/news/business/ap-business/hungarian-workers-block-roads-to-protest-new-tax-law/ |
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KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — An honor guard fired a three-gun salute toward cloudy skies as friends and comrades-in-arms gathered in Kyiv to bid farewell to a Russian woman who was killed while fighting on Ukraine’s side in the war with her native country.
Olga Simonova, 34, was remembered for her courage and kindness at a funeral in the Ukrainian capital on Friday.
Simonova’s coffin was draped in the blue-and-yellow Ukrainian flag, with a cuddly toy lion on top. Her nom de guerre was “Simba,” like the main character in the Disney cartoon “The Lion King.”
Just a few days before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, Simonova spoke to the The Associated Press in a trench in the Donbas region, where she had served for years alongside Ukrainian soldiers fighting against Russian-backed separatists.
Born in the Russian city of Chelyabinsk, Simonova had a keen interest in sports and excelled in both mountain climbing and karate. She said she was always proud to compete for Russia.
But she started feeling uncomfortable about her native country after reading about Russia’s war in Chechnya and its actions in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region and Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014.
Filled with doubts that she “would ever be able to raise the flag of my country, my homeland” again, Simonova made a life-changing decision. She travelled to Ukraine to join the conflict in the Donbas on the Ukrainian side, first as a volunteer fighter, then a paramedic and ultimately as an enlisted member of the Armed Forces.
“I had this internal feeling that I could handle it and that what I was doing was right and necessary, because I can’t turn a blind eye to the situation,” she said. “I just had to buy a one-way ticket. I bought it and I left.”
Simonova said she never hid her Russian origin from her colleagues and gained their trust by showing her commitment to Ukraine on the battlefield. In 2017 she received Ukrainian citizenship.
She became a sergeant and was given command of both infantry and artillery units.
Friends and colleagues said Simonova, who was unmarried and had no children, had recently redeployed from the east to the southern Kherson region, where Ukraine has launched a counteroffensive against Russian forces. They said she died on Sept. 13, after her vehicle hit a land mine.
“She was respected not only as a commander, but as a person,” said Dmytro Karabinovskyi, her former commander and friend. | 2022-09-17T13:39:38+00:00 | ourmidland.com | https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/Ukraine-pays-tribute-to-Russian-woman-who-fought-17448356.php |
MEXICO CITY (AP) — The Mexican government has invoked national security powers to forge ahead with a tourist train along the Caribbean coast that threatens extensive caves where some of the oldest human remains in North America have been discovered.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador is racing to finish his Maya Train project in the remaining two years of his term over the objections of environmentalists, cave divers and archaeologists.
The government had paused the project earlier this year after activists won a court injunction against the route, because it cut a swath through the jungle for tracks without previously filing an environmental impact statement.
But the government invoked national security powers Monday to resume the track laying. López Obrador said Tuesday the delay had been very costly and the decree would prevent the interests of a few from being put above the general good. In November, his government had issued a broad decree requiring all federal agencies to give automatic approval for any public works project the government deems to be “in the national interest” or to “involve national security.”
“I never knew we lived in a country where the president could just do whatever he wants,” said Jose Urbina Bravo, a diver who filed one of the court challenges.
Activists say the heavy, high-speed rail project will fragment the coastal jungle and will run often above the roofs of fragile limestone caves known as cenotes, which — because they’re flooded, twisty and often incredibly narrow — can take decades to explore.
Inside those water-filled caves are archaeological sites that have lain undisturbed for millennia.
The cave systems have mainly been through the efforts of volunteer cave divers working hundreds of yards (meters) inside the flooded caverns. Caves along the Caribbean coast have yielded treasures like Naia, the nearly complete skeleton of a young woman who died around 13,000 years ago.
She was discovered in 2007 by divers and cave enthusiasts who were mapping water-filled caverns north of the city of Tulum, where the train line is heading.
“Just in this one stretch of 60 kilometers (36 miles of planned train tracks), there are 1,650 kilometers of flooded caves full of pure, crystalline water,” said Octavio del Rio, a diver and archaeologist who has been exploring the region for three decades. In 2004, Del Rio himself participated in the discovery and cataloguing of The Woman of Naharon, who died around the same time, or perhaps earlier, than Naia.
“I don’t know what could be more important than this, right?” said Del Rio. “We are talking about the oldest remains on the continent.”
The 950-mile (1,500- kilometer) Maya Train line will run in a rough loop around the Yucatan peninsula, connecting beach resorts and archaeological sites.
The government’s National Institute of Anthropology and History is tasked with protecting relics along the route but its experts largely aren’t able to take the deep, long, extended dives needed to reach the flooded caves. Even near the surface, where most of the government’s archaeological work has been done, there have been stunning discoveries along the proposed path of the train.
Government archaeologist Manuel Perez has acknowledged that an almost fully preserved small Mayan temple — complete with wood roofing — has been located in a cave near the train’s path. He has suggested the route be changed.
But his boss, Diego Prieto, the head of the institute, appeared to rule out changing the path of the train, for which workers have already cut down a 50-yard (meter) wide swath of jungle dozens of miles long. He suggested most of the relics, in the few months left before the train is built, can simply be picked up and moved.
“The problem isn’t the route … even if the route is changed, there are going to be lots of discoveries anyway,” said Prieto. “The problem is the archaeological work to gather the material found, and conserve those structures that should remain on site.”
The caves along the coast were probably dry 13,000 years ago, during the last ice age, and so once sea levels rose at the end of the ice age and they flooded, they acted as time capsules — very fragile ones. The government’s plan is to sink beams and cement columns through the roofs of the caves, probably collapsing them — and the invaluable relics they hold — to support the railway.
That’s not to mention the 42-mile (68-kilometer) swath of jungle that is being cut down to make way for this segment of the train line, in addition to the tons of crushed rocked that will have to be piled atop the soil to create a bed for the 100 mph (160-kilometer-per-hour) train.
Urbina Bravo, a diver and environmentalist who has worked on the Caribbean coast for decades, said “making decisions without the support of science, without the backing of specialists has cost us very dearly” in projects around the world. “We continue and will continue to pay the price for these errors.”
But López Obrador dismisses critics like Del Rio and Urbina as “pseudo-environmentalists” acting on behalf of business interests or political opponents. The president attacks experts, activists and anyone who questions his sudden and unplanned decision to run the railway line through the jungle, which he dismissively calls “acahual,” (roughly, ‘second-growth forest’).
Fernando Vázquez, the spokesman for the government tourism agency building the train line, says “there are people who in essence are not necessarily working in favor of the environment, but rather are specifically activists against the Maya Train.”
Activists say theirs is a labor of love.
To find the Woman of Naharon remains, divers had to snake through almost a half-kilometer of utterly dark, sinuous caverns; the process took months.
But the government archaeologist who is responsible for ensuring the train won’t damage such artifacts, Helena Barba, told local media her team will catalogue all the dozens of sites in the few weeks or months before the heavy machinery rolls in.
That strikes divers and cave explorers as preposterous.
“Quite possibly none of them have the experience or technical preparations to do this kind of dive in the most extensive flooded caves in the world,” Del Rio said.
So obsessed is López Obrador with his pet projects — a huge oil refinery on the Gulf coast, a rail link between the Gulf and a seaport on the Pacific, and the Maya Train — that he issued a decree stating that priority government projects no longer needed environmental impact statements, or EIS, to start work; they could start construction, cut down trees and excavate, and submit an EIS later to justify damage already done.
Urbina and environmentalists and divers challenged that in court, winning an injunction that stopped the jungle rail line between the resorts Cancun and Tulum in mid-May.
Authorities tried to overcome that problem by submitting a hastily-drafted EIS on May 19. Mexico’s Environment Department approved the impact statement just one month later.
The EIS treats the cave systems largely as a construction problem, in the few paragraphs in which it even discusses them. If construction crews come across caves and sinkhole lakes known as cenotes in the train’s path, they will “be able to mitigate” the damages, according to the impact statement.
What that means in plain language is already visible along the highway between Cancun and Tulum where the rail line was originally projected to run as an elevated rail line.
López Obrador changed the plan after stripping trees and laying foundations for the elevated line, purportedly when hotel owners and residents along the coast complained the construction work would affect tourism and their properties. (In fact, the government never explained why the route was suddenly changed or how much the change cost.)
To repair the collapsed cave roof on the highway, Vázquez, the spokesman for the tourism agency, said the government used a quick and intrusive fix.
“This is an engineering solution based on sinking pilot (columns) and pouring a concrete covering,” Vázquez said.
Urbina said the decision to invoke national security powers was “a violation of the law that we fear could do irreversible damage to the jungle.” | 2022-07-19T17:15:11+00:00 | everythinglubbock.com | https://www.everythinglubbock.com/news/international/train-endangers-some-of-mexicos-oldest-pre-historic-sites/ |
With Ticketmaster's Taylor Swift fiasco still on fans' minds, another of the world's biggest stars will soon be selling tickets for a world tour.
Beyoncé announced her hotly anticipated "Renaissance" world tour Wednesday, with a U.S. leg starting July 12. "Renaissance" was the pop icon's seventh studio album, coming out in July of last year to rave reviews.
Buzz and speculation for the tour has been building for months, with the "You Won't Break My Soul" singer apparently auctioning an expensive concert ticket package during an October charity event.
According to Beyoncé's official website, the tour kicks off in Europe in May, with U.S. stops from July through September. Here's a look at each U.S. concert announced so far.
Beyoncé 'Renaissance' tour dates
- July 12: Philadelphia, PA - Lincoln Financial Field
- July 15: Nashville, TN - Nissan Stadium
- July 17: Louisville, KY - Cardinal Stadium
- July 20: Minneapolis, MN - Huntington Bank Stadium
- July 22: Chicago, IL - Soldier Field
- July 26: Detroit, MI - Ford Field
- July 29: East Rutherford, NJ - MetLife Stadium
- July 30: East Rutherford, NJ - MetLife Stadium
- Aug. 1: Boston, MA - Gillette Stadium
- Aug. 3: Pittsburgh, PA - Heinz Field
- Aug. 5: Washington, DC - FedEx Field
- Aug. 9: Charlotte, NC - Bank of America Stadium
- Aug. 11: Atlanta, GA - Mercedes Benz Stadium
- Aug. 16: Tampa, FL - Raymond James Stadium
- Aug. 18: Miami, FL - Hard Rock Stadium
- Aug. 21: St. Louis, MO - Dome at America's Center
- Aug. 24: Phoenix, AZ - State Farm Stadium
- Aug. 26: Las Vegas, NV - Allegiant Stadium
- Aug. 30: San Francisco, CA - Levi's Stadium
- Sept. 2: Los Angeles, CA - SoFi Stadium
- Sept. 3: Los Angeles, CA - SoFi Stadium
- Sept. 11: Vancouver, Canada - BC Place
- Sept. 13: Seattle, WA - Lumen Field
- Sept. 18: Kansas City, MO - Arrowhead Stadium
- Sept. 21: Arlington, TX - AT&T Stadium
- Sept. 23: Houston, TX - NRG Stadium
- Sept. 27: New Orleans, LA - Caesars Superdome
How, when to buy Beyoncé world tour tickets
Beyoncé is using Ticketmaster Verified Fan in an attempt to filter out bots and resellers. A webpage from LiveNation, which merged with Ticketmaster in 2010, says the fan presale is only open to current registered members of the singer's "Beyhive" fan group.
"Renaissance" ticket sales will be staggered into three separate groups, each including seven to ten cities. Each group has a Verified Fan presale, a separate presale for Citi cardholders, and a Verified Fan onsale. The deadlines to register are spread across three weeks.
Registration for Group A (Atlanta, Chicago, East Rutherford, Houston, Inglewood, Las Vegas, Toronto, Vancouver, Washington D.C.) is open through Thursday, Feb. 2 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern. Registration for Group B (Boston, Dallas, Miami, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Seattle, Tampa) is open through Thursday, Feb. 9th at 11:59 p.m. Eastern. Registration for Group C (Charlotte, Detroit, Kansas City, Louisville, Nashville, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, St. Louis) is open through Thursday, Feb.16 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern.
"Registration does not guarantee tickets – we expect there will be more demand than there are tickets available," a LiveNation page tells fans who click the sale registration links. Instead, a lottery process will determine which registered fans get an access code for the sale and which will be on a waitlist.
Fans will find out if they were selected via email the day before the sale or presale they registered for. Waitlisted fans may still get a code if tickets remain. You can sign up by clicking "register" on the tour list on Beyoncé's website.
The process shares many similarities with Swift's "Eras" tour, though the use of separate groups is new. | 2023-02-01T17:08:47+00:00 | kagstv.com | https://www.kagstv.com/article/news/nation-world/beyonce-announces-2023-renaissance-world-tour-dates/507-e6831ad0-4c08-46c7-baa2-6e5ea1fd0dbb |
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