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US diplomatic convoy attacked in Sudan amid new truce appeal
KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) - Washington’s top diplomat said Tuesday that a U.S. Embassy convoy came under fire in Sudan and denounced “indiscriminate military operations” as the country’s armed forces and a powerful rival unleashed heavy weapons in urban areas for a fourth day.
The convoy of clearly marked embassy vehicles was attacked on Monday, and preliminary reports link the assailants to the Rapid Support Forces, the paramilitary group battling Sudan’s military, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters. Everyone in the convoy was safe, Blinken said.
The Sudanese military said the attack took place in Sudan’s restive Darfur region.
The convoy attack, along with earlier assaults on aid workers and the EU envoy’s residence in the capital of Khartoum, signaled further descent into chaos since the battle by two rival generals for control of Africa’s third-largest country erupted over the weekend.
More than 185 people have been killed and more than 1,800 wounded, according to U.N. figures, which did not include a breakdown of civilians and combatants. The Sudan Doctors’ Syndicate said Tuesday that at least 144 civilians were killed and more than 1,400 wounded since Saturday.
The overall death toll could be much higher because clashes in Khartoum have prevented the removal of bodies in some areas.
The two sides have been using tanks, artillery and other heavy weapons in densely populated areas.
Late Monday, fighter jets swooped overhead and anti-aircraft fire lit up the skies as darkness fell. Fighting resumed early Tuesday around each side’s main bases and at strategic government buildings — all of which are in residential areas.
Satellite images from Maxar Technologies taken Monday showed damage across Khartoum, including security service buildings. Tanks stood guard at a bridge over the White Nile River and other locations in the capital.
Satellite images from Planet Labs PBC, also taken Monday, showed some 20 damaged aircraft at Khartoum International Airport, which also has a military side. Some had been completely destroyed, with one still belching smoke. At the El Obeid and Merowe air bases, north and south of Khartoum, several fighter jets were among the destroyed aircraft.
Top diplomats have urged the two rival generals — armed forces chief Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan and RSF leader Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo — to halt fighting, so far to no avail.
The Sudanese military said Tuesday that more troops would join the battle and that it would “widen the scope of its operations” against the RSF.
The State Department said late Monday that Blinken spoke by phone separately with the two generals.
“I made very clear (in my calls) that any attacks or threats or dangers posed to our diplomats were totally unacceptable,” Blinken told reporters at the Group of Seven wealthy nations meeting in Japan on Tuesday,
He appealed for an immediate 24-hour cease-fire, as a foundation for a longer truce and a return to negotiations. “Indiscriminate military operations have resulted in significant deaths and injuries, recklessly endangering civilians, diplomats, including U.S. personnel, and humanitarian personnel,” he said.
Burhan and Dagalo, former allies who jointly orchestrated an October 2021 coup, have dug in, demanding the other’s surrender. The violence has raised the specter of civil war just as Sudanese were trying to revive the drive for a democratic, civilian government after decades of military rule.
The Sudanese military blamed the RSF, which grew out of the notorious Janjaweed militias in Sudan’s Darfur region, for the attack on the U.S. convoy and an earlier assault on the home of the EU envoy in Khartoum. The military said the convoy was attacked in al-Fasher, the capital city of North Darfur province.
The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell tweeted Monday that the EU ambassador to Sudan “was assaulted in his own residency,” without providing further details.
The RSF denied involvement in the attack on the ambassador’s home, instead blaming the military. However, a Western diplomat in Cairo said the residence was ransacked by armed men in RSF uniforms. No one was hurt but the armed men stole several items, said the diplomat who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not allowed to talk to media.
Under international pressure, Burhan and Dagalo had recently agreed to a framework agreement with political parties and pro-democracy groups, but the signing was repeatedly delayed as tensions rose over the integration of the RSF into the armed forces and the future chain of command.
Both generals have a long history of human rights abuses and their forces have cracked down on pro-democracy activists.
Only four years ago, Sudan inspired hope after a popular uprising helped depose long-time autocratic leader Omar al-Bashir.
But the turmoil since, especially the 2021 coup, has frustrated the democracy drive and wrecked the economy. A third of the population — around 16 million people — now depends on humanitarian assistance in the resource-rich nation.
___
Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press writers Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Matthew Lee in Karuizawa, Japan, contributed to this report.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | 2023-04-18T08:19:49+00:00 | kttc.com | https://www.kttc.com/2023/04/18/us-diplomatic-convoy-attacked-sudan-amid-new-truce-appeal/ |
Mother could face charges after her 6-year-old allegedly shot Virginia teacher, police chief says
The mother of a 6-year-old boy who authorities say shot his teacher at a Virginia elementary school could face charges, Newport News police Chief Steve Drew said Tuesday.
"I think that is certainly a possibility," Drew told "CNN This Morning," a day after police confirmed the boy took the firearm from his home and brought it to school in his backpack Friday before allegedly opening fire in a classroom at Richneck Elementary School, wounding a teacher and sending her to the hospital.
Drew has spoken with the commonwealth attorney multiple times, he said, but emphasized the investigation remains ongoing.
"We need to check with Child Protective Services on any history. We need to check with the school system on any behavioral issues they might have and put those together," he said. "There's still 16, 17 children that we want to work with a child psychologist to get some statement from."
"And at the end of the day, when that's all compiled together and the facts and what the law supports, the Commonwealth's attorney will make the decision if there are any charges forthcoming ... towards the parents," Drew said.
Before police revealed the gun was legally purchased by the 6-year-old's mother, Andrew Block, an associate professor at the University of Virginia Law School, told CNN there was a scenario where the parents could be held criminally liable if the weapon belonged to them and they did not keep it properly locked up. But in Virginia, that's only a Class 1 misdemeanor, Block said.
Video below: Vigil held for Virginia teacher shot by 6-year-old student
Without more information, "it's hard to know if there's criminal liability or not, and who should have it," said Block, former director of the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice.
The boy was taken into police custody Friday, and Drew said Monday he was under a temporary detention order and was being evaluated at a hospital.
Police received the call that a teacher — later identified as first-grade teacher Abigail Zwerner, 25 — had been shot at 1:59 p.m. Friday, Drew said. When officers entered the classroom where the shooting happened five minutes later, they saw the boy was being physically restrained by a school employee.
The 6-year-old was combative and struck the employee restraining him and officers took control, escorting him out of the building and into a police car, police said.
The teacher was "providing class instruction when the child displayed a firearm, pointed it at her and fired one round," Drew said at Monday's news conference. "There was no physical struggle or fight."
Zwerner has been praised by city officials for her response. Despite being shot in the chest through her hand, she made sure all her students made it out of the classroom just after the shooting, Drew said. She was the last to leave her classroom, making her way to the administration office.
"Abby was faithful as a teacher," Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones said. "She ensured that everyone was accounted for and that she was the last one to leave."
Though her injuries were earlier described as life-threatening, Zwerner has been in stable condition, authorities have said.
A GoFundMe page organized by Zwerner's twin sister has raised more than $65,000 since it was created Monday, donations that will go toward her recovery.
"Abby, my family, and I are humbled by the outpouring of support we've received in the days following the event," Zwerner's sister wrote. "Thank you for all of the prayers, well wishes, and words of kindness." | 2023-01-11T14:50:13+00:00 | kcci.com | https://www.kcci.com/article/6-year-old-allegedly-shot-virginia-teacher/42445976 |
China's leader is poised to become the first 3-term president in Chinese history By John Ruwitch Published October 13, 2022 at 3:09 AM MDT Facebook Twitter Email China's President Xi Jinping has been in power for a decade. What's been the impact of his policies? Copyright 2022 NPR | 2022-10-13T09:38:01+00:00 | kunm.org | https://www.kunm.org/2022-10-13/chinas-leader-is-poised-to-become-the-first-3-term-president-in-chinese-history |
TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — An outstanding University of Arizona senior thought she would pursue a career among the stars when she was an undergraduate. Over the last few years, however, another passion started to churn.
In her conversation with KGUN 9, she thanks her travels, classes and experiences with helping her chart a future — one where she can help communities live healthier lives because of solid laws and policy.
Bryn Bowen came to Tucson from Hendersonville, NC. She said the lauded school of astronomy first drew her to the desert, but life, with its twists and turns, drew her to clubs like Model United Nations (MUN) and internships with attorneys offices.
"I just found those really rewarding, because they felt like they had a real-world impact with the work that they do," Bowen said.
"I would say (the experiences were) challenging in many ways, but they're rewarding in a sense of directly contributing to the world and the community around you."
Bowen said she's excited to head to a new home in Washington D.C. She will join the Department of Justice as a paralegal specialist. Bowen said she's eager to work with mentors she met as an intern in the department's Environment and Natural Resources Division.
"Governments are really going to be key to getting changes in environmental law and policy that are going to be needed as the climate continues to change," Bowen said. "Just as much as you can criticize laws and policies, it's key to really understand them and how they operate."
Bowen added that she feels her trips with her UArizona Honors College peers opened her horizons to other cultures and approaches to environmental sustainability. One trip to Italy, she said, stands out as a gift she won't soon forget.
"It really was coincidental that we ended up going to visit these temples (in Paestum) that day," she said. "We went to Sorrento on the Amalfi Coast later that day, too, which is a really fun place to have a birthday."
Another memory helped shape Bowen's passion. She visited Mexico to train to host a MUN conference with high school students in Arizona and in Mexico -- the only bi-national summit of its kind between the two countries, she said.
In this new chapter of her story, Bowen said she's keeping one lesson in mind. She called it a reflection that helped her when she was new to the Old Pueblo.
"I just need to remember that I can always make connections and have opportunities, as long as I really seek them out and enjoy the time that I have where I am."
——-
José Zozaya is an anchor and reporter for KGUN 9. Before arriving in southern Arizona, José worked in Omaha, Nebraska where he covered issues ranging from local, state and federal elections, to toxic chemical spills, and community programs impacting immigrant families. Share your story ideas and important issues with José by emailing jose.zozaya@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. | 2023-05-09T12:42:43+00:00 | kgun9.com | https://www.kgun9.com/spiritofsoaz/outstanding-university-of-arizona-senior-bryn-bowen-sustaining-the-future |
California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein says she won't seek reelection in 2024.
At 89, she's the oldest sitting member of Congress, serving 30 years in the Senate.
In her retirement announcement Tuesday afternoon, she promised to seek "as much for California as I can through the end of next year when my term ends."
"Each of us was sent here to solve problems. That's what I've done for the last 30 years, and that's what I plan to do for the next two years," she said in a statement.
Feinstein told reporters Tuesday that she's not yet endorsing a candidate for her seat but that a decision could come in the next few months.
Democratic Reps. Adam Schiff and Katie Porter have announced their 2024 Senate bids for her seat. Reps. Ro Khanna and Barbara Lee may also be considering a run to replace Feinstein.
Feinstein is hailed for her historic firsts
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer applauded Feinstein for her impactful career in the chamber, breaking "innumerable glass ceilings" along the way. Feinstein, for example, was the first woman to chair the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and later, the first woman to serve as the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
"As the longest-serving senator from California, Dianne Feinstein's long, distinguished career stands out for the sheer width and breadth of what she accomplished," Schumer said in a statement. "Throughout her career she has always been pragmatic in her approach to every issue and has our country and her beloved California top of mind."
She served a host of other firsts: the first woman president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, the first woman mayor of San Francisco and the first woman elected senator of California.
She has a lengthy legislative record
One of Feinstein's major pieces of legislation that she authored was the Federal Assault Weapons Ban, enacted in 1994. The law prohibited the sale, manufacturing and import of military-type assault weapons; it expired in 2014.
While serving as the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee she released a five-year review of the CIA's detention and interrogation programs. In the report's executive summary, Feinstein wrote that it was her "personal conclusion that, under any common meaning of the term, CIA detainees were tortured" during a time period that followed the 9/11 attacks.
In 2020, Feinstein received criticism from liberal groups following the confirmation hearings for President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett. She hugged Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham at the conclusion of the Senate Judiciary panel's hearings, saying, "This has been one of the best set of hearings that I've participated in."
For the remainder of her term, Feinstein said she plans to focus on "passing commonsense legislation to fight the epidemic of gun violence, preserving our pristine lands and promoting economic growth."
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2023-02-15T16:27:59+00:00 | wyomingpublicmedia.org | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2023-02-14/sen-dianne-feinstein-says-she-wont-run-for-reelection-in-2024 |
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan’s defense minister on Wednesday said the island will respond to incursions into its airspace by Chinese warplanes and drones, but gave no details on specific actions.
Responding to questions from legislators, Chiu Kuo-cheng said China’s newly aggressive stance had changed what Taiwan would define as a “first strike” that would necessitate a response.
China stepped up its military exercises, fired missiles into waters near Taiwan and sent warplanes across the dividing line in the Taiwan Strait in response to an August visit to the island by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the highest-ranking American official to visit Taiwan in 25 years.
China denies the existence of the median line in the Taiwan Strait and challenged established norms by firing missiles over Taiwan into Japan’s exclusive economic zone.
“We initially said we do not make the first strike ... if they haven’t done the first strike, which means firing a projectile or a missile," Chiu said. “But the situation has obviously changed.”
Asked by legislator Lo Chih-cheng of the governing Democratic Progressive Party if an incursion into Taiwanese airspace by a Chinese warplane would count as a first strike, Chiu responded in the affirmative.
Taiwan has thus far responded to Chinese incursions into its air defense identification zone by issuing warnings, scrambling jets and activating anti-air missile defenses.
The growing frequency of such incursions has spurred a push in Taiwan to optimize its geographical advantages in resisting a much more powerful foe through asymmetrical warfare, such as the use of mobile weapons systems suited to repelling an invasion force.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has also brought a new focus on China's vow to bring Taiwan under its control, by force if necessary.
The vast majority of Taiwanese reject the idea of coming under control of China's authoritarian one-party Communist system. Russia's failure to achieve its military goals in Ukraine has been a shot in the arm for those advocating for Taiwan's counteroffensive against China's attempts at diplomatic, cultural and economic isolation.
A former Japanese colony, Taiwan separated from mainland China in 1949 as Mao Zedong's Communists forced Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists to relocate across the 180-kilometer (110-mile) -wide Taiwan Strait. China has never renounced its threat to invade and cut off all ties with Taiwan's government following the election of pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen in 2016.
Also Wednesday, Deputy Economics Minister Chen Chern-chyi said the government was prepared to ensure adequate supplies of food, energy and other critical goods, including those crucial for the high-tech manufacturing industry, in the event of Chinese aggression.
China's military drills in August were largely seen as a rehearsal for a potential blockade of the island, a move that would spark a global financial crisis and by law trigger a response from the U.S., Taiwan's chief ally.
“We have a system. We do inventory every month," Chen told lawmakers. “We will insure we have a certain period of stockpile in Taiwan, including food, including critical supply, minerals, chemicals and energy of course.”
Chen also said Taiwan was firm in safeguarding trade secrets and key national technologies and ensuring its top scientific talent is not poached by China. Export controls are in place to ensure Taiwanese products cannot be used in the Chinese military, he said, adding those measures were being constantly updated in consultation with allied nations and any loopholes were swiftly plugged.
“Those measures, we will implement very firmly,” Chen said. | 2022-10-05T09:54:30+00:00 | springfieldnewssun.com | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/nation-world/taiwan-vows-to-respond-to-chinas-military-flight-incursions/34P55VPFU5AF3GNIIX4IDOYQPU/ |
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (AP) — Nine people were injured Monday evening when gunfire erupted along a beachside promenade in Hollywood, Florida, sending people frantically running for cover along the crowded beach on Memorial Day.
Several of the wounded were taken to a children’s hospital, police spokesperson Deanna Bettineschi said.
The nine people hurt included six adults and three children, according to Yanet Obarrio Sanchez, a spokesperson for Memorial Healthcare System. All of the victims were in stable condition, she said.
Bettineschi said four children between the ages of 1 and 17 were hit, along with five adults between 25 and 65. One was in surgery late Monday while the others were stable, she said. It was not immediately clear if the hospital was counting a 17-year-old as an adult.
Bettineschi said the shooting happened shortly before 7 p.m. A fight broke out, at least one gun was pulled and shots were fired. At least one person was in custody, but police were looking for more suspects.
Police Chief Chris O’Brien said thousands of people were in the area and dozens of police officers responded, including some who were nearby.
“It’s unfortunate we have law-abiding citizens who come to our beaches and that gets interrupted by a group of criminals,” he said.
The shooting happened on the Hollywood Oceanfront Broadwalk near a convenience store, a Ben & Jerry’s ice cream store and a Subway sandwich shop.
Alvie Carlton Scott III said he was on the beach when he suddenly heard numerous gunshots. He said he hid behind a tree and then fled the area after a police officer told people to run.
Jamie Ward, who was also on the broadwalk, said several young men were fighting in front of the stores when one pulled a gun and started shooting.
Videos posted on Twitter on Monday evening showed emergency medical crews responding and providing aid to multiple injured people.
Police said there would be a heavy presence of officers as the investigation continues. Officials also set up an area for family members to reunite.
“Thank you to the good samaritans, paramedics, police and emergency room doctors and nurses for their immediate response to aid the victims of today’s shooting,” Hollywood Mayor Josh Levy said in a statement.
Hollywood Beach is a popular beach destination about 11 miles (17 kilometers) south of Fort Lauderdale and 20 miles (32 kilometers) north of Miami. The beach was expected to see more visitors than usual because of the Memorial Day holiday. | 2023-05-30T12:00:39+00:00 | cenlanow.com | https://www.cenlanow.com/national/3-children-6-adults-injured-in-memorial-day-shooting-at-florida-beach/ |
STOCKHOLM, Dec. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Marianne Nilsson representing Swedbank Robur Fonder, Liselott Ledin representing Alecta and Ola Peter Gjessing representing CBNY Norges Bank have announced that they are leaving ASSA ABLOY's Nomination Committee before the 2023 Annual General Meeting.
The Nomination Committee will now contact the shareholders that are next in turn on the shareholder list and offer them a seat on the Nomination Committee.
Stockholm 23 December, 2022
ASSA ABLOY AB (publ)
For further information, please contact:
Anders Mörck,
Chairman of the Nomination Committee,
Phone: +46 706 46 52 11,
Anders.Morck@latour.se
This is information that ASSA ABLOY AB is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact persons set out above, at 10.15 CET on 23 December 2022.
About ASSA ABLOY
The ASSA ABLOY Group is the global leader in access solutions. The Group operates worldwide with 51,000 employees and sales of SEK 95 billion. The Group has leading positions in areas such as efficient door openings, trusted identities and entrance automation. ASSA ABLOY's innovations enable safe, secure and convenient access to physical and digital places. Every day, we help billions of people experience a more open world.
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SOURCE ASSA ABLOY | 2022-12-23T10:17:54+00:00 | wbrc.com | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2022/12/23/changes-assa-abloys-nomination-committee/ |
DOVER, Del., July 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Chesapeake Utilities Corporation (NYSE: CPK) will host a conference call on Thursday, August 4, 2022, at 4:00 p.m. ET to discuss the Company's financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022. The earnings press release will be issued on Wednesday, August 3, 2022, after market close.
To participate in this call, dial 877.224.1468 and reference Chesapeake Utilities Corporation's 2022 Second Quarter Financial Results Conference Call.
To access the replay recording of this call, please visit the Events & Presentations section of the Investors page on www.chpk.com.
Chesapeake Utilities Corporation
Chesapeake Utilities Corporation is a diversified energy delivery company, listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Chesapeake Utilities Corporation offers sustainable energy solutions through its natural gas transmission and distribution, electricity generation and distribution, propane gas distribution, mobile compressed natural gas utility services and solutions, and other businesses. For more information, visit www.chpk.com.
Please note that Chesapeake Utilities Corporation is not affiliated with Chesapeake Energy, an oil and natural gas exploration company headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
For more information, contact:
Alex Whitelam
Head of Investor Relations
awhitelam@chpk.com
215.872.2507
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SOURCE Chesapeake Utilities Corporation | 2022-07-18T19:20:50+00:00 | kcbd.com | https://www.kcbd.com/prnewswire/2022/07/18/chesapeake-utilities-host-second-quarter-2022-earnings-conference-call-august-4th/ |
CHICAGO — Jaret Anderson-Dolan scored twice and the Los Angeles Kings beat the Chicago Blackhawks 2-1 on Sunday night.
Anderson-Dolan had an open net for his rebound of Fiala’s shot 9:29 into the game, easily sending it past Mrazek to cap a 2-on-1 to put Los Angeles up 1-0.
The 23-year-old made it 2-0 at 6:07 of the second as his soft wrist shot from the left circle befuddled Mrazek as it went by his blocker.
Anderson-Dolan had his first two-goal game, and came in his 84th NHL games. They were the 11th and 12th of his career, further cementing his spot in the lineup after replacing the injured Brendan Lemieux in mid-November. Lemieux has since returned, but Anderson-Dolan’s two way play has kept him in the lineup.
Copley faced only three shots in the first period, and the Blackhawks barely picked up the pace thereafter, even with two power plays.
TALKS WITH KANE, TOEWS EXPECTED
Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson said he expects to sit down with star forwards Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, each of whom have no-trade contracts, and agent Pat Brisson within the next two weeks, and no later than mid-February. The trade deadline is March 3.
“To get a sense of where everyone’s at, what they’re feeling, as we approach the (trade) deadline,” Davidson said on NBC Sports Chicago. “We their thoughts on what they intend to do. They’re in full control of their destinies. We’ll get a better sense of that in short order.”
Davidson said mid-February was necessary “as a buffer” if either player wants to be moved. Both Kane and Toews are in their last contract year and have a $10.5-million cap hit.
UP NEXT
Kings: At Philadelphia on Tuesday night to continue a six-game trip.
Blackhawks: At Vancouver on Wednesday night to open a three-game trip.
___
AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL and https://www.twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2023-01-23T03:32:11+00:00 | washingtonpost.com | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nhl/anderson-dolan-scores-2-kings-beat-blackhawks-2-1/2023/01/22/7c391a92-9ac8-11ed-93e0-38551e88239c_story.html |
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — We may not talk about Bruno, but we can see Mirabel, live and in person.
Mirabel, the star of the animated hit Disney film, “Encanto,” made her in-person debut on Sunday at Walt Disney World in Florida.
Character performers portraying Mirabel are part of a procession that moves through the Magic Kingdom park throughout the day, Disney officials said in a blog post.
The “Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade” procession also includes the characters of Miguel from the film, “Coco,” as well as Nick and Judy from the film, “Zootopia.”
“Encanto” won the Oscar for best animated feature film at this year’s Academy Awards. The film produced the earwormy, hit song, “We Don't Talk About Bruno." | 2022-06-26T18:53:26+00:00 | expressnews.com | https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/We-may-not-talk-about-Bruno-but-we-can-see-17266747.php |
Thursday, June 1st 2023, 11:13 am
Oklahoma City released the annual count of the city's homeless population, acknowledging more than 1,400 people experiencing homelessness in the city.
According to the city, 1,436 people were counted, slightly up from 1,339 in 2022.
As part of the count, officials released demographics for the city's homeless population:
Despite the jump in the number of people experiencing homelessness, some officials said it may not mean that homelessness is growing in the city.
“We believe last year’s count was artificially low,” executive director of the Homeless Alliance Dan Straughan said. “The 2022 count took place the first week of March, rather than the usual last week of January timeframe. There are lots of variables that impact the count, including weather and time of the month. I believe that we may have encountered several of those factors last year.”
As part of Key to Home, the city's new initiative to end homelessness, the city and service providers said they hope to reduce the number of chronic homeless people by 75% by 2025 through an innovative encampment rehousing initiative.
June 1st, 2023
June 28th, 2023
June 28th, 2023
June 28th, 2023 | 2023-06-29T03:25:06+00:00 | news9.com | https://www.news9.com/story/6478c5bfdecea8072a1fef54/oklahoma-city-releases-annual-count-of-homeless-population |
Google veteran to lead cross-functional, company-wide operations building increased value for customers through best-in-class services
NEW YORK, Feb. 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Innovid Corp. (NYSE: CTV), an independent advertising platform for delivery, personalization and measurement of converged TV across linear, Connected TV (CTV) and digital, today announced the promotion of Ken Markus to the newly created position of Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective February 7, 2023.
As COO, Markus will be responsible for managing cross-functional, company-wide operations and ensuring that all departments are aligned with the company's strategic goals and objectives. His primary focus will be strengthening Innovid's position as a leading converged TV platform. Teams reporting to Markus include client operations, creative services, technical services, measurement services, compliance and certifications, and global IT.
"Ken has been an integral part of Innovid's success during his 8 years at the company, and we are thrilled to have him take on this new role," said Zvika Netter, CEO of Innovid. "His deep understanding of the business, clients, industry, and people make him the perfect choice to lead our operations and help drive our mission forward. I look forward to Ken's continued contributions and collaboration across a broader set of employees, clients, and partners."
Markus previously served as Innovid's Chief Client Officer (CCO), where he was responsible for growing and scaling the company's global client services organization. In this role, he led Innovid's efforts to connect brands more deeply with their customers through personalized video experiences, while bolstering the company's current offering to traditional advertising agencies. Under Markus' leadership, Innovid saw significant growth and retention across Fortune 500 brands, leading agencies and all client verticals. Prior to his role as CCO, Markus was Senior Vice President of Global Operations and Client Services at Innovid, served as Head of Scale Operations and Services for gTech Ads at Google, and also held positions at Condé Nast, SiriusXM Satellite Radio, and Time Inc.
"Innovid is at such an exciting moment in its growth in the converged TV marketplace and I am honored to take on this new role as COO as we continue to strengthen our operations as the industry leader in CTV," said Ken Markus, COO of Innovid. "I look forward to working closely with our teams to create, deliver and measure video experiences across all devices and media, and help brands connect more deeply with their customers."
Markus will lead operational alignment and will partner with David Helmreich, Innovid's recently announced Chief Commercial Officer, who leads commercial alignment across Innovid's revenue-related functions, including sales, marketing, and client support worldwide. Together, they drive the company's mission to deliver an independent advertising platform for delivery, personalization and measurement of converged TV.
For more information about Innovid, visit https://www.innovid.com/.
About Innovid
Innovid (NYSE: CTV) powers advertising delivery, personalization, and measurement across linear, connected TV (CTV) and digital for the world's largest brands. Through a global infrastructure that enables cross-platform ad serving, data-driven creative, and measurement, Innovid offers its clients always-on intelligence to optimize advertising investment across channels, platforms, screens, and devices. Innovid is an independent platform that leads the market in converged TV innovation, through proprietary technology and exclusive partnerships designed to reimagine TV advertising. Headquartered in New York City, Innovid serves a global client base through offices across the Americas, Europe, and Asia Pacific. To learn more, visit Innovid.com or follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter.
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Chris Harihar
chris@crenshawcomm.com
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SOURCE INNOVID | 2023-02-09T14:16:04+00:00 | kcrg.com | https://www.kcrg.com/prnewswire/2023/02/09/innovid-names-ken-markus-chief-operating-officer/ |
The Biden administration will provide thousands of cluster munitions to Ukraine, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Friday, vowing the U.S. will not leave Ukraine defenseless and that Kyiv has promised to use the controversial munitions carefully.
The decision comes on the eve of the NATO summit in Lithuania, where President Joe Biden is likely to face questions from allies on why the U.S. would send a weapon into Ukraine that more than two-thirds of alliance members have banned because it has a track recordfor causing many civilian casualties.
The munitions — which are bombs that open in the air and release scores of smaller bomblets — are seen by the U.S. as a way to get Kyiv critically needed ammunition to help bolster its offensive and push through Russian front lines. U.S. leaders debated the thorny issue for months, before Biden made the final decision this week.
Sullivan defended the decision, saying the U.S. will send a version of the munition that has a reduced “dud rate,” meaning fewer of the smaller bomblets fail to explode. The unexploded rounds, which often litter battlefields and populated civilian areas, cause unintended deaths.
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“We recognize the cluster munitions create a risk of civilian harm from unexploded ordnance,” he told a White House briefing. “This is why we’ve deferred the decision for as long as we could. But there is also a massive risk of civilian harm if Russian troops and tanks roll over Ukrainian positions and take more Ukrainian territory and subjugate more Ukrainian civilians, because Ukraine does not have enough artillery. That is intolerable to us.”
According to the International Committee of the Red Cross, some cluster munitions leave behind bomblets that have a high rate of failure to explode — up to 40% in some cases. The rate of unexploded ordnance for the munitions that will be going to Ukraine is under 3% and therefore will mean fewer unexploded bombs left behind to potentially harm civilians.
U.S. & World
A convention banning the use of cluster bombs has been joined by more than 120 countries that agreed not to use, produce, transfer or stockpile the weapons and to clear them after they’ve been used. The United States, Russia and Ukraine are among those who have not signed on.
Ryan Brobst, a research analyst for the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said that while the majority of NATO members have signed on to the cluster munitions ban, several of those nearest Russia — Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Romania and Turkey — have not.
“The most important of those are Poland and Romania,” Brobst said, noting that the U.S. weapons will probably go through those countries en route to Ukraine. “While some allies raise objections, this is not going to prevent (cluster munitions) from being transferred into Ukraine.”
The cluster munitions are included in a new $800 million package of military aid the U.S. will send to Ukraine. Friday’s package, which will come from Pentagon stocks, will also include Bradley and Stryker armored vehicles and an array of ammunition, such as rounds for howitzers and the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, officials said.
Providing the cluster bombs will also ease the pressure on limited U.S. ammunition stockpiles. The U.S. has been taking massive amounts of 155 mm rounds from Pentagon stocks and sending them to Ukraine, creating concerns about eating into American stores. The cluster munitions, which are fired by the same artillery as the conventional 155 mm, will give Ukraine a highly lethal capability and also allow them to strike more Russian targets using fewer rounds.
At a Pentagon briefing Thursday, Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said the Defense Department has “multiple variants” of the munitions and “the ones that we are considering providing would not include older variants with (unexploding) rates that are higher than 2.35%.”
He said the U.S. “would be carefully selecting rounds with lower dud rates, for which we have recent testing data.”
So far the reactions from allies have been muted. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg stressed on Friday that the military alliance takes no position on cluster munitions and it is a decision that allies will make. And Germany, which has signed the ban treaty, said it won’t provide the bombs to Ukraine, but expressed understanding for the American position.
“We’re certain that our U.S. friends didn’t take the decision about supplying such ammunition lightly,” German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit told reporters in Berlin. “We need to remember once again that Russia has already used cluster ammunition at a large scale in its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine.”
Oleksandra Ustinova, a member of Ukraine’s parliament who has been advocating that Washington send more weapons, noted that Ukrainian forces have had to disable mines from much of the territory they are winning back from Russia. As part of that process, Ukrainians will also be able to catch any unexploded ordnance from cluster munitions.
“We will have to de-mine anyway, but it’s better to have this capability,” Ustinova said.
The last large-scale American use of cluster bombs was during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, according to the Pentagon. But U.S. forces considered them a key weapon during the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, according to Human Rights Watch. In the first three years of that conflict, it is estimated the U.S.-led coalition dropped more than 1,500 cluster bombs in Afghanistan.
Proponents of banning cluster bombs say they kill indiscriminately and endanger civilians long after their use
Marta Hurtado, speaking for the U.N. human rights office, said Friday “the use of such munitions should stop immediately and not be used in any place.”
“We will urge the Russian Federation and Ukraine to join the more than 100 states that have ratified the convention of cluster munitions and that effectively ban their use,” she added.
____
AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee and Associated Press writers Geir Moulson, Ellen Knickmeyer, Lorne Cook, Nomaan Merchant and Frank Jordans contributed to this report. | 2023-07-07T20:56:27+00:00 | nbcmiami.com | https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/national-international/the-us-will-provide-cluster-munitions-to-ukraine-as-part-of-a-new-military-aid-package/3067607/ |
An insightful and timely podcast that explores which states get gender equity right and which fall behind
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The State of: Women (TSOW) podcast debuts November 15, co-hosted by actress, comedian, and writer Gina Brillon and TV host and correspondent Kimberly Brooks. The series kicks off with a Facebook Live party streamed on November 15th from 12pm-1pm PST here. Join the celebration with TSOW co-hosts Gina and Kimberly as they interview special guests Emerge President A'shanti F. Gholar and How Women Lead CEO and Founder Julie Castro Abrams. The event will feature DJ Simmy, TSOWpod trivia, and unreleased clips from the premier podcast.
The State of: Women podcast will compare U.S. states championing women's rights to those that fall short. Gina and Kimberly have lively and solution-oriented conversations, share personal stories, and examine the differences in gender equity on important health, economic and legal issues state-by-state. The show will illuminate inequities in policy and practice and share how to take action and make a difference. The trailer to the podcast can be streamed here.
"Laughter is a powerful tool in driving change," said TSOWpod co-host and stand-up comedian Gina Brillon. "Kimberly and I hope this podcast will help people understand their state and country better, while also giving them a much-needed laugh."
The State of: Women is a new podcast with episodes airing every Tuesday, produced by Population Media Center, Clamor, and Reasonable Volume. The podcast will be available on Apple, Spotify, Google, Amazon, and anywhere podcasts are distributed. Conversations will dive into topics such as women in power, trans rights, workplace sexual harassment, reproductive freedom, and more.
"As a journalist (and human), it's nearly impossible not to find yourself deep in the current of a negative news cycle,'' said TSOWpod co-host Kimberly Brooks. "But it's also important to focus on the ways we can take care of ourselves so we have the energy and clarity to help make change in our communities. This podcast does a great job of bridging reality with education and hope."
During the podcast, Gina and Kimberly break down the states where gender rights are being protected, the states where progress is needed, and what needs to be done to achieve lasting gender equity nationally.
"With the reversal of Roe, it has never been clearer that equity is out of reach for millions of women, especially women of color, and that our rights are an uneven patchwork, unfairly determined by where you live," said Lisa Caruso, Population Media Center's Head of U.S. Content. "Thanks to the incredibly talented duo of Gina and Kimberly, The State of: Women will inform and inspire listeners to take action so that the fight for equity can continue."
Kimberly Brooks is a career journalist, speaker, and mental wellness advocate, whose voice of compassion and disarming personality has often allowed people to open up a bit farther, dig a bit deeper, or laugh a little louder. This has led to scores of moving interviews with people around the world — including a sit-down with her first television boss, Oprah Winfrey, in their documentary "O Girls" [fusion.tv]. After beginning her television journey at Harpo Productions, Kimberly produced at NBC, anchored at Fusion TV, and most recently was an anchor and correspondent for programs across ABC News including "ABC News Live" and "Nightline Weekend." Kimberly is a graduate of both Northwestern University and Columbia University in New York City, where she received her Masters in Journalism.
Gina Brillon was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. The Puerto Rican actress, comedian, writer, and mom has been a standup comic since she was 17 years old. Her sophomore 1-hour special Gina Brillon: The Floor is Lava (Amazon Prime Video) won a Gracie Award and was nominated for an Imagen Award. She's appeared on The View, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and Jimmy Kimmel Live. You have seen her on Kevin Can Wait on CBS and The Conners on ABC. In 2012, she became the first (and only) Latina winner of NBC's Stand up for Diversity Showcase. The following year, she was a "New Face" at the Montreal Just For Laughs Festival. Gina and co-host Katherine G. Mendoza also dole out advice on their podcast Mess In Progress: The Homegirls Guide to Self-Help. Most recently, Gina was the first Latina comedian to be a Finalist in season 16 of America's Got Talent. She also stars in the 2023 Disney+ holiday comedy Dashing Through the Snow.
The State of: Women is created, produced, and distributed by Population Media Center (PMC), a global non-profit impact content producer. PMC develops and produces original entertainment content for social and environmental good. In the U.S., PMC's social impact entertainment (SIE) content also includes Crossing the Line, a podcast that tells stories from the frontline in the fight for reproductive freedom. PMC is most well-known in the U.S. for creating Hulu's hit TV series East Los High, which aired for five seasons and was nominated for six Emmy® awards, with an all-Latinx cast and diverse writers room ahead of Hollywood's diversity mandates. PMC makes shows that remake our world.
Reasonable Volume is an LA-based, bespoke audio production house specializing in podcasts and narrative audio. Its production partners and clients include Crooked Media, Clamor, Critical Frequency, Godfrey Dadich Partners, and LAist Studios. The team also produces flagship podcasts for Microsoft, WeTransfer, and Github, among others. The company is founded by two women with deep experience in narrative journalism—NPR veteran Elise Hu and WIRED Magazine alum Rachel Swaby. Its mission is to amplify marginalized voices and produce talent in the audio space.
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SOURCE Population Media Center | 2022-11-14T11:26:58+00:00 | uppermichiganssource.com | https://www.uppermichiganssource.com/prnewswire/2022/11/14/population-media-center-premieres-new-podcast-state-women-hosted-by-comedian-gina-brillon-journalist-kimberly-brooks/ |
Paxos will provide unprecedented level of disclosure for digital assets, consistent with federally required disclosures of the most conservative regulated products
NEW YORK, July 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Paxos, the leading regulated blockchain infrastructure platform, has disclosed the specific financial instruments backing its regulated stablecoins USDP and BUSD. Moving forward, Paxos will provide these detailed disclosures on a monthly basis in addition to its attestations. These reports provide the CUSIP of all instruments backing USDP and BUSD, showing that Paxos only backs its stablecoins with cash, overnight loans secured only by US Treasuries, and US Treasuries with a less than 90 day maturity. The monthly reserve reports are available on the Paxos website.
As a Trust Company chartered by the New York State Department of Financial Services ("NYDFS"), Paxos is legally required to hold all regulated stablecoin reserves in bankruptcy remote, fully-segregated accounts and in only cash & cash equivalents. Paxos-issued stablecoins have and always will be fully backed by a dollar. This design ensures that stablecoin holders will always be able to access their funds and redeem their stablecoins, as assets are not co-mingled with Paxos corporate funds. Additionally, Paxos cannot change its reserve composition without explicit approval from the NYDFS. The new monthly reserve reports underscore Paxos' commitment to transparency, trust and full dollar backing. No other stablecoin issuer provides this level of detail and full US dollar backing.
Charles Cascarilla, Paxos CEO and Co-Founder, commented, "The only way we can build trust in stablecoins and grow the adoption of this important technology globally is by continuing to embrace robust oversight and providing unprecedented transparency. Our stablecoins are a dollar backed by cash and equivalents and these enhanced disclosures underscore this point. Paxos has always offered the safest US dollar-backed stablecoins."
The recent volatility of crypto markets demonstrates the importance of full 1:1 dollar backing for stablecoins plus oversight by a primary prudential regulator. While many firms claim to offer stability and safety, without regulatory oversight from a primary prudential regulator, consumers cannot be assured that their funds and assets are safe, fully segregated and bankruptcy remote. The NYDFS recently issued stablecoin guidance that provides a foundational framework for the structure and issuance of stablecoins. Notably, Paxos stablecoins meet this regulatory guidance.
To learn more about Paxos and its regulated infrastructure and products, visit www.paxos.com.
Paxos is the leading regulated blockchain infrastructure platform. Its products are the foundation for a new, open financial system that can operate faster and more efficiently. Today, trillions of dollars are locked in inefficient, outdated financial plumbing that is inaccessible to millions of people. Paxos is replatforming the financial system to enable assets to instantaneously move anywhere in the world, at any time, in a trustworthy way.
Paxos uses technology to tokenize, custody, trade and settle assets. It builds enterprise blockchain solutions for institutions like PayPal, Interactive Brokers, Mastercard, MercadoLibre, Nubank, Bank of America, Credit Suisse and Societe Generale. Paxos is a top-funded fintech company with more than $540 million raised from leading investors including Oak HC/FT, Declaration Partners, Founders Fund, Mithril Capital and PayPal Ventures. With offices in New York, London and Singapore, Paxos takes a global approach to modernizing the financial system.
Media Contact: Becky Mcclain, bmcclain@paxos.com
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SOURCE Paxos | 2022-07-08T10:28:03+00:00 | newschannel10.com | https://www.newschannel10.com/prnewswire/2022/07/08/paxos-leads-digital-asset-industry-by-becoming-first-issuer-disclose-full-monthly-reserve-holdings-backing-usdp-busd-regulated-stablecoins/ |
$1.2 Million Awarded to Nation's Most Promising Young Scientists and Their Schools in the Regeneron Science Talent Search 2023
WASHINGTON, Jan. 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Society for Science (the Society) today announced the top 300 scholars in the Regeneron Science Talent Search 2023, the nation's oldest and most prestigious science and math competition for high school seniors. The 300 scholars will be awarded $2,000 each and their schools will be awarded $2,000 for each enrolled scholar.
The Regeneron Science Talent Search scholars were selected from 1,949 applications from 627 high schools across 48 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and four other countries. Scholars were chosen based on their outstanding research, leadership skills, community involvement, commitment to academics, creativity in asking scientific questions and exceptional promise as STEM leaders demonstrated through the submission of their original, independent research projects, essays and recommendations. The 300 scholars hail from 194 American and international high schools in 35 states and China.
The full list of scholars can be viewed here: Top 300 STS Scholars
"Congratulations to the top 300 scholars in this year's Regeneron Science Talent Search," said Maya Ajmera, President and CEO, Society for Science and Publisher, Science News. "The enthusiasm and quality of projects from this year's participants were just outstanding. Each year, I am tremendously impressed by the ingenuity that the students bring to the competition. Their hard work, creativity and perseverance should be applauded."
The Regeneron Science Talent Search recognizes and empowers our nation's most promising young scientists who are generating innovative solutions to solve significant global challenges through rigorous research and discoveries. It provides students with a national stage to present new ideas and challenge conventional ways of thinking. Now in its one hundred and first year, Society for Science has played a significant role in educating the public about scientific discoveries as well as in identifying future leaders in science, technology, engineering and math. Regeneron has sponsored the Science Talent Search since 2017 as part of its deep commitment to STEM education and to supporting young scientists.
This year, research projects cover topics from analyzing the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war, to developing eco-friendly biofuel, and improving methods used to detect diseases and neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's, bladder cancer, monkeypox, autism and more. Other students chose to focus on social issues, such as exploring ways to reduce social media-induced emotional distress and violence, as well as studying how mask mandates impact how accurately people can recognize emotion on others' faces. With a total of 21 research categories, the top 5 categories among scholars' projects this year include:
"We celebrate this year's scholars for their exceptional work and unmatched motivation to use the power of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to make a meaningful mark on the world," said Christina Chan, Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications & Citizenship at Regeneron. "Through our partnership with the Society for Science, it is our goal that the Regeneron Science Talent Search elevates young scientists and underscores the significance of STEM in solving society's biggest challenges. We commend the scholars' inspirational and thought-provoking projects and look forward to what the future has in store for each of these budding innovators."
On January 24, 40 of the 300 scholars will be named Regeneron Science Talent Search finalists. The finalists will then compete for more than $1.8 million in awards during a week-long competition in Washington, D.C., taking place March 9-15.
For over eight decades the Science Talent Search has rewarded talented high school seniors who dedicate countless hours to original research projects and present their results in rigorous reports that resemble graduate school theses. Collectively, STS alumni have received millions of dollars in scholarships and gone on to be awarded Nobel Prizes, Fields Medals, MacArthur Fellowships and numerous other accolades.
Important Dates for 2023:
- Top 40 Finalists Announced: January 24, 2023
- Regeneron STS Finals Week: March 9-15, 2023
- Public Exhibition of Projects: March 12, 2023
- Winners Announced at Awards Ceremony: March 14, 2023
Resources:
About the Regeneron Science Talent Search
The Regeneron Science Talent Search, a program of Society for Science since 1942, is the nation's oldest and most prestigious science and math competition for high school seniors. Each year, nearly 2,000 student entrants submit original research in critically important scientific fields of study and are judged by leading experts in their fields. Unique among high school competitions in the U.S. and around the world, the Regeneron Science Talent Search focuses on identifying, inspiring and engaging the nation's most promising young scientists who are creating the ideas that could solve society's most urgent challenges.
In 2017, Regeneron became only the third sponsor of the Science Talent Search to help reward and celebrate the best and brightest young minds and encourage them to pursue careers in STEM as a way to positively impact the world. Through its 10-year, $100 million commitment, Regeneron nearly doubled the overall award distribution to $3.1 million annually, increasing the top award to $250,000 and doubling the awards for the top 300 scholars to $2,000 and their schools to $2,000 for each enrolled scholar to inspire more young people to engage in science.
Learn more at https://www.societyforscience.org/regeneron-sts/.
About Society for Science
Society for Science is a champion for science, dedicated to promoting the understanding and appreciation of science and the vital role it plays in human advancement. Established in 1921, Society for Science is best known for its award-winning journalism through Science News and Science News Explores, its world-class science research competitions for students, including the Regeneron Science Talent Search, the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair and the Broadcom MASTERS, and its outreach and equity programming that seeks to ensure that all students have an opportunity to pursue a career in STEM. A 501(c)(3) membership organization, Society for Science is committed to inform, educate and inspire. Learn more at www.societyforscience.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (Society4Science).
Media Contact
Gayle Kansagor, Society for Science
703-489-1131, gkansagor@societyforscience.org
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SOURCE Society for Science | 2023-01-10T18:44:10+00:00 | wsfa.com | https://www.wsfa.com/prnewswire/2023/01/10/americas-top-300-teen-scientists-selected-achievements-stem-innovation-leadership-nations-oldest-most-prestigious-high-school-competition/ |
Historically Black Colleges and Universities — known as HBCUs — are enjoying a resurgence of attention for their football programs. It's led to increased TV contracts and landing some star players.
Copyright 2022 WBHM 90.3 FM
Historically Black Colleges and Universities — known as HBCUs — are enjoying a resurgence of attention for their football programs. It's led to increased TV contracts and landing some star players.
Copyright 2022 WBHM 90.3 FM | 2022-09-09T21:24:17+00:00 | wlrn.org | https://www.wlrn.org/2022-09-09/hbcus-are-enjoying-a-resurgence-of-attention-for-their-football-programs |
A man was reportedly arrested and a controlled explosion was performed outside Buckingham Palace, after the suspect allegedly threw what is believed to be shotgun cartridges onto the palace grounds in London.
The BBC reported that an area around the palace was blocked off at around 6 p.m. BST on Tuesday after the man approached security gates at the palace and threw the items.
British law enforcement said a male suspect was arrested on "suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon," according to the BBC.
Sky News UK reported that the suspect was quickly detained at around 7 p.m. BST. The items allegedly thrown by the suspect were taken in for an assessment by police.
Police also said the man was in possession of a "suspicious bag," according to a statement obtained by Sky News UK.
British police did not immediately release more details to the media. There were no reports of any shots fired or injuries to anyone in the area.
SEE MORE: Prince Harry to attend coronation, Meghan and kids won't
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | 2023-05-02T20:53:34+00:00 | krtv.com | https://www.krtv.com/man-arrested-outside-buckingham-palace-controlled-explosion-performed |
Richard Hill, 75, of Twin Falls died Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023, at Bridgeview Estates. Arrangements are under the care of Rosenau Funeral Home, Twin Falls.
Earl Kent “Tiny” Petterson, 77, of Burley died Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023, at his home. Arrangements are under the care of Rasmussen-Wilson Funeral Home, Burley.
Patricia Mary Voloshen, 82, of Dietrich died Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023, at her home. Arrangements are under the care of Demaray Funeral Service - Shoshone Chapel.
Mary Ellen Williamson, 72, of Shoshone died Monday, Feb. 13, 2023, at St. Luke's Medical Center in Boise. Arrangements are under the care of Demaray Funeral Service - Shoshone Chapel.
Charles A. Dana Jr., 91, of Twin Falls died Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023, at his home. Arrangements are under the care of Farmer Funeral Chapel, Buhl.
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Vickie Kay Franklin, 66, of Twin Falls died Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023, at her home. Arrangements are under the care of Parke's Maguic Valley Funeral Home, Twin Falls.
Delainie Justice Glodowski, 29, died Monday, Feb. 13, 2023, by suicide after battling depression. Arrangements are under the care of Farnsworth Mortuary & Crematory, Jerome.
Claude “Tom” Hopkins, 83, of Twin Falls died Monday, Feb. 13, 2023, at his residence. Arrangements are under the care of White-Reynolds Funeral Chapel, Twin Falls. | 2023-02-15T03:25:21+00:00 | magicvalley.com | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/death-notices/article_809a48d0-aca3-11ed-9e54-a7a3b61ab04c.html |
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DALLAS (AP) — Marcus Carr had 17 points and five assists as seventh-ranked Texas, playing again without suspended coach Chris Beard, beat Stanford 72-62 on Sunday.
Carr sparked an eight-point frenzy in a 48-second span early in the second half that put the Longhorns ahead to stay, and he later ended their long shooting drought at the home of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks. Timmy Allen and Si'Jabari Rice each had 15 points for the Longhorns (9-1).
Michael Jones had 17 points for Stanford (4-7).
It was the second game the Longhorns played without Beard, who was arrested and spent nearly 11 hours in jail Monday on a felony domestic violence charge. The woman who called police to his home said he choked, bit and hit her during an argument. Beard’s attorney has said the coach is innocent.
Texas officials suspended Beard indefinitely without pay, elevated assistant Rodney Terry to acting head coach and have declined to comment on Beard’s case since. The only mention of Beard in the team’s game notes for the Stanford game was on the third page, a copy of the university’s one-paragraph statement from Monday announcing the suspension.
The Longhorns started slow against Stanford, just like they did Monday night when they trailed at halftime and needed overtime to beat Rice 87-81. They didn’t need as long to get on track this time, though they still had some late struggles.
Carr made a second-chance, tiebreaking 3-pointer after Allen had a layup blocked to put Texas up 34-31 right after halftime. He then had a defensive rebound that led to a 3 by Tyrese Hunter before his steal and pass ahead to Dylan Disu for a one-handed slam.
The Longhorns had as much as a 58-42 lead after Hunter’s 3 with 11 1/2 minutes left before missing 11 shots in a row. Stanford went on a 13-1 run and was within 59-55, but it never got closer after Carr made the drought-ending jumper with 6:08 left.
Terry is in his second stint as a Longhorns assistant. He also has previous head coaching experience at Fresno State and UTEP. Beard is two seasons into a guaranteed seven-year contract that pays him more than $5 million per year.
BIG PICTURE
Stanford: The Cardinal have struggled despite have so much experience — they returned eight of their top nine rotation players from last season. They are 0-2 in Pac-12 play and 1-5 overall against teams from major conferences after losing to Texas for the second year in a row in the Pac-12 Coast To Coast Challenge. The Longhorns won 60-53 last December in Las Vegas.
Texas: The Longhorns have been ranked as high as No. 2 in the AP poll this season, but they are trying now to get their feet back under them after a difficult week.
UP NEXT
Stanford plays another neutral-site game, Thursday against Loyola Chicago in Santa Cruz, California.
Texas is home against Louisiana-Lafayette on Wednesday night.
___
AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25 | 2022-12-18T21:45:29+00:00 | lmtonline.com | https://www.lmtonline.com/sports/article/Carr-helps-No-7-Texas-beat-Stanford-72-62-17662694.php |
(iSeeCars) – Electric vehicles are the future of transportation. States like California and Massachusetts have announced that all new vehicles sold in both states will be electric by 2035. Automakers have also announced aggressive EV mandates, including Volkswagen and General Motors, which will stop selling internal-combustion-engined vehicles by 2035.
According to IHS Markit, electric vehicles accounted for 3.00 percent of all new car registrations in 2021, up from 1.8 percent in 2020. While that number is expected to increase in 2022 due to record gas prices and the emergence of many new electric vehicle models that entered the market.
So which states are ahead of the curve when it comes to electric vehicle adoption? Here is a ranking of states by their share of electric cars:
- California, which is a leader in the EV movement as the first state to announce a zero- emission vehicle mandate, has the highest share of EVs accounting for 23.2 percent of the country’s EVs.
- The top four states: California, Texas, Florida, and Arizona account for nearly half of the country’s EVs.
- Washington and Oregon, have a disproportionately high share of used EVs. Washington accounts for 1.6 percent of all used cars on the road, and accounts for 3.4 percent of the country’s used EV share. Oregon accounts for 1.5 percent of all used cars on the road and accounts for 2.7 percent of the country’s used EV share.
- North Dakota, Alaska, South Dakota, and Wyoming, which are all mountainous states, have the lowest share of EVs.
There are currently 16 states that have followed California’s lead as a Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) state. ZEV states have regulations in place to achieve long-term emission reduction goals by requiring manufacturers to supply the cleanest cars possible. These states include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington. ZEV states generally have more EVs than non-ZEV states since more EVs are generally available to consumers in ZEV states. However, more states are expected to adopt California’s emission standards to become ZEV states, which will likely spur EV adoption even further.
More from iSeeCars.com:
Methodology:
iSeeCars.com analyzed over 16.3 million 1-5 year old used car sales sold in May 2021 – April 2022. The percentage share of EV sales within each state was calculated and used to rank all US states.
About iSeeCars:
iSeeCars.com is a car search engine that helps shoppers find the best car deals by providing key insights and valuable resources, like the iSeeCars VIN check reports and Best Cars rankings. iSeeCars.com has saved users over $342 million so far by applying big data analytics powered by over 25 billion (and growing) data points and using proprietary algorithms to objectively analyze, score and rank millions of new cars and used cars.
This article, the States with the Most Electric Cars, originally appeared on iSeeCars.com | 2022-07-16T19:10:44+00:00 | wnct.com | https://www.wnct.com/news/national/which-states-have-the-most-electric-cars-2/ |
WASHINGTON — Actress Shannen Doherty is giving everyone an intimate look at her latest health battle.
The "Beverly Hills, 90210" and "Charmed" star announced in Feb. 2020 that she was battling a recurrence of breast cancer that had progressed to stage four. Doherty, 52, revealed Tuesday that a CT scan back in January found she had brain metastases. According to the Mayo Clinic, the condition occurs when cancer cells spread from their original site to the brain.
"January 12, the first round of [brain] radiation took place. My fear is obvious. I am extremely claustrophobic and there was a lot going on in my life," Doherty wrote alongside a video that showed her tearing up moments before the treatment.
She went on to thank her doctors and the team at Cedar Sinai.
"But that fear…. The turmoil….. the timing of it all…. This is what cancer can look like," Doherty said.
During a March appearance at 90s Con, which would have been two months after starting brain cancer treatment, Doherty was asked how she was doing and said "I'm feeling great, thank you! … This crowd is amazing!"
In April, Doherty filed for divorce from her husband, Kurt Iswarienko, after 11 years of marriage.
Doherty revealed her initial breast cancer diagnosis in the spring of 2015. At the time, the actress was outspoken about her diagnosis and documented her cancer battle on social media. When the cancer came back, she said she wanted to keep it a secret to prove she could still work. The actress was working on the "90210" reboot at the time.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. | 2023-06-07T18:16:57+00:00 | newscentermaine.com | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/nation-world/shannen-doherty-brain-cancer-diagnosis-treatment/507-e4dfefd9-d820-4a06-ac91-c1c0fea8500c |
An airline ground crew worker in Alabama died after being "ingested into the engine" of a parked plane on Saturday, said the National Transportation Safety Board.
In a statement provided to NPR, the NTSB said it has opened an investigation into the death. The incident involved an Embraer 170 aircraft, a medium-range jet that can hold about 70 passengers, which had flown from Dallas Fort-Worth to the Montgomery Regional Airport.
The victim, whose name has yet to be released, was employed by Piedmont Airlines, a subsidiary of American Airlines that operates at more than 80 airports. Neither company responded to NPR's request for comment.
"We are saddened to hear about the tragic loss of a team member of the AA/Piedmont Airlines," said Wade A. Davis, the airport's executive director. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this difficult time."
The airport grounded all flights for five hours after the incident, which occurred around 3 p.m. on New Year's Eve.
People briefed on the matter told Reuters that the engine was running at the time of the incident. The NTSB confirmed the parking brake on the aircraft was also set.
More details on the death will be released in a preliminary report in two to three weeks, the NTSB said.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2023-01-03T19:07:55+00:00 | delawarepublic.org | https://www.delawarepublic.org/npr-headlines/npr-headlines/2023-01-03/an-airline-worker-died-after-being-ingested-into-the-engine-of-a-plane-ntsb-says |
Envelopes of what is believed to be human feces were sent to each Republican member of the Ohio Senate, according to a spokesperson for the majority caucus.
As first reported by The Columbus Dispatch, some deliveries were caught by postal workers in Cleveland and Akron, while others were discovered by employees that work in the mailroom of the Ohio Statehouse. None of the 25 envelopes made their way directly to a senator’s office.
John Fortney, spokesperson for the Ohio Senate Republican caucus, said the U.S. postal inspector, Ohio State Highway Patrol, and sergeant-at-arms are all investigating.
Fortney called the senders “pathetic, little cowards” and added that "They should’ve just sent a selfie, because it’s the same thing. I’d be more than happy to explain it to them in a parking lot or cornfield of their choice.”
Officials have not confirmed if there was a message that accompanied the packages and Fortney said the motive behind the deliveries was unclear.
“It is another manifestation of the angry society in which we live,” said Sen. Kirk Schuring (R-Canton). “People are mad for a wide variety of reasons that spread across the entire political spectrum.”
Fortney said the Ohio State Highway Patrol has been notified and that the safety of every senator — on both sides of the aisle — as well as senate staff and Statehouse employees, remains a priority.
Copyright 2022 The Statehouse News Bureau. To see more, visit The Statehouse News Bureau. | 2022-07-09T22:58:00+00:00 | wksu.org | https://www.wksu.org/government-politics/2022-07-09/envelopes-of-feces-sent-to-ohio-republican-senators-sparks-federal-investigation |
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Wyndham Clark shoots 1-over 72 in round four of the Mexico Open at Vidanta
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May 01, 2022
By PGATOUR.COM
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May 01, 2022
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Highlights
Wyndham Clark makes birdie on No. 13 at Mexico Open
In the final round of the 2022 Mexico Open at Vidanta, Wyndham Clark makes a 12-foot birdie putt on the par-3 13th hole.
Wyndham Clark hit 13 of 18 greens in regulation during his final round at the Mexico Open at Vidanta, finishing at even for the tournament. Clark finished his day tied for 67th at even par; Jon Rahm is in 1st at 17 under; Brandon Wu, Kurt Kitayama, and Tony Finau are tied for 2nd at 16 under; and Davis Riley is in 5th at 15 under.
On the 445-yard par-4 third, Clark had a bogey after hitting the green in 3 and two putting, moving Clark to 1 over for the round.
After a 318 yard drive on the 603-yard par-5 sixth, Clark chipped his third shot to 7 feet, which he rolled for one-putt birdie on the hole. This moved Clark to even for the round.
On the 585-yard par-5 14th, Clark had a birdie after hitting the green in 2 and two putting. This moved Clark to even-par for the round.
Clark got a bogey on the 505-yard par-4 16th, getting on the green in 4 and one putting, moving Clark to 1 over for the round.
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Please enter a valid email address. | 2022-05-02T13:18:06+00:00 | pgatour.com | https://www.pgatour.com/roundrecap/2022/mexico-open-at-vidanta/round-4/wyndham-clark.html |
Guiding Eyes For the Blind in our region is looking for more volunteers. They help raise seeing-eye dogs and say the need for guide dogs is greater as rates of diabetes and other issues rise.
Puppy training is a volunteer job. Food and medical expenses are covered. The trainers work to make sure the dogs have exceptional house manners, are comfortable and not distracted by other animals and don't beg for food.
Guiding Eyes For The Blind is having an open house on 10/12/22 from 6-8pm at St. John's Lutheran Church Hall, 55 Pleasant Avenue, Lancaster, NY 14086. | 2022-09-08T21:49:33+00:00 | wkbw.com | https://www.wkbw.com/news/local-news/guiding-eyes-for-the-blind-in-need-of-more-volunteers |
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — The first visit by an Australian foreign minister to China in four years is raising hopes that Australia will make progress on ending trade sanctions and freeing two Australian citizens detained in China.
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But Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong cautioned on Tuesday before leaving that some of the thorny issues between the countries will take time to resolve.
Still, diplomacy experts welcomed the visit as a positive move following years of frosty relations.
Wong will meet with her counterpart, Wang Yi, in Beijing this week as Australia and China mark 50 years of diplomatic relations. The visit will include a new round of talks on foreign and strategic issues after the talks were suspended in 2018.
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“There has been a lot of speculation in the last 24 hours or more about what will happen,” Wong told reporters. “I will say this: the expectation should be that we will have a meeting, and that dialogue itself is essential to stabilizing the relationship. Many of the hard issues in the relationship will take time to resolve in our interests.”
She said she didn't want to speculate on outcomes because it could have an impact on Australia's leverage in the talks.
“In relation to consular cases, to save you asking the question, obviously I will be raising consular cases, as I always do, just as I will continue to advocate for the trade impediments to be lifted," Wong said.
Australia has been pushing for the release of spy novelist Yang Hengjun, who China accused of espionage, and journalist Cheng Lei, who China accused of sharing state secrets.
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China does not recognize dual citizenship and Chinese-born defendants such as Yang and Cheng are often not afforded the same treatment as other foreign nationals, particularly when facing espionage charges.
Wong's trip signals a continued thaw in relations between the two nations since Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese won an election victory in May, replacing the more conservative Scott Morrison in the top role.
Albanese and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit last month in Bali, the first such formal meeting between the leaders of the two nations in six years.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said China hopes the visit will build on the momentum toward improved ties established at the Bali summit.
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China hopes the two countries will “push bilateral relations back to the right track and achieve sustainable development,” Mao said at a daily briefing this week.
Relations between Australia and China have been poor for several years after China imposed trade barriers and refused high-level exchanges in response to Australia enacting rules targeting foreign interference in its domestic politics and calling for an independent inquiry into the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jennifer Hsu, a research fellow at the Lowy Institute think tank, said the resumption of diplomatic dialogue was a welcome development.
She said she could “see the wheels starting to move with regards to a number of issues pertaining to Australia and China.”
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“It would be great if a breakthrough happens but these things take time," Hsu said.
She noted that China could reap some economic benefit from relaxing its trade sanctions on Australian goods. | 2022-12-20T05:50:04+00:00 | seattlepi.com | https://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/Australian-visit-to-China-raises-hopes-on-trade-17665711.php |
With negotiations over avoiding a default on the country's credit limit stalled, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy told reporters Thursday that the GOP-led House may move its own bill.
"If the president doesn't act, we will," McCarthy said, indicating he's nearing agreement among his members on a plan. He said the House could vote on legislation that is modeled on a letter he sent earlier in the week to Biden that proposed lowered spending levels and floated adding several policy proposals to a package to increase the debt ceiling.
"I don't know what more I can do," McCarthy said, again urging the president to agree to another meeting to discuss a deal. He then appeared to take a jab at the 80-year-old president's age, saying, "I would bring the lunch to the White House, I would make it soft food if that's what he wants."
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen informed Congress the country reached its borrowing limit in January, but said the department could use "extraordinary measures" to continue paying the nation's bills until those were exhausted, likely sometime this summer.
When McCarthy was elected speaker in January after 15 ballots of voting on the House floor, one demand he agreed to in order to get support from a bloc of conservatives was not to allow any House vote to raise the debt ceiling without attaching spending cuts. Democrats railed on this approach, saying it amounted to "hostage taking" and threatens a historic default that would roil financial markets.
The speaker and the president met on Feb. 1 and both agreed the discussion was productive, but talks have been essentially frozen since that session, with Biden insisting the speaker outline what spending cuts he wants and the speaker saying the president's refusal to meet again could negatively impact the economy.
New push to add policy proposals to bipartisan deal
This week McCarthy appeared to shift his focus from emphasizing federal spending cuts that Democrats have dismissed and instead suggesting several policy changes that could give him some sort of political win to hold up in the talks if one or more were accepted in some form.
McCarthy has insisted that a so-called "clean" bill to increase the debt ceiling can't pass the House. In his Tuesday letter to Biden, he argued, "you are on the clock" and that it was time for another sit-down meeting.
McCarthy's letter included a familiar push to reduce nondefense spending, but it also suggested three other ideas: returning unspent COVID relief funds to the Treasury, adding work requirements for some on federal assistance programs and attaching measures to lower energy costs, such as permitting reforms for new energy projects.
In a letter back to McCarthy, the president pressed the speaker to release a GOP budget, noting he released his own — and suggested the two could sit down after the two-week spring congressional recess, once that budget is released.
My letter in response to Speaker McCarthy. pic.twitter.com/veNZtqmEkK
— President Biden (@POTUS) March 28, 2023
When asked Tuesday about a meeting with the speaker in the absence of a Republican budget blueprint, the president said, "Well, I don't know what we're going to meet on."
He added: "The deal was, we'd each put down our budget."
Schumer: 'Speaker McCarthy just says let's meet. But what are they going to do, discuss the weather?'
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., continued to press House Republicans to agree to a clean extension of the debt limit, noting a similar measure was approved three times under then-President Donald Trump. He said it's time for the GOP to put detailed plans on the table before another negotiating session, saying, "you can't sit down and discuss something if you don't have a plan. Speaker McCarthy just says let's meet. But what are they going to do, discuss the weather?"
Rep Kevin Hern, R-Okla., who chairs the Republican Study Committee (RSC), a large group of House conservatives, told reporters he could support a bill that included the proposals the speaker outlined, saying those policy ideas emanated from the RSC's own proposal.
He said House Republicans moving their own bill would be a "response to what the president said — 'show me what you've got' — so if you put a bill out there and you get 218 votes, then you're showing him."
Hern said the timeline for when a deal needs to be finalized could hinge on the Treasury Department's tax receipts in mid-April and after that, efforts to reach a deal could accelerate.
The Oklahoma Republican said he thought adding work requirements that would target those adults receiving federal assistance between 18-49 years old without dependents or disabilities would help address labor shortages employers cite as a reason for the lagging economy.
One GOP proposal that may have bipartisan support is included in the the House Republicans' energy package, which passed largely along party lines on Thursday. It includes a provision to accelerate permitting of new energy projects. Some Democrats, including West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, support reforms to the current process.
The speaker and other GOP leaders stressed this week they want to separate any discussion of the budget from the debt limit talks. Republicans vowed in their campaign to retake the majority that they would pass a budget that would balance within 10 years, but several GOP lawmakers admit that process will take more time — and with a 5-seat majority, some admit it will be a major task to get one through the House.
Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., said he hoped the GOP budget process would wrap up "hopefully at the end of September" and in terms of the debt limit and the budget "we look at them as two separate conversations."
NPR's Barbara Sprunt contributed to this story.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2023-03-30T22:04:56+00:00 | kunm.org | https://www.kunm.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-03-30/as-debt-ceiling-talks-stall-speaker-mccarthy-says-gop-may-move-its-own-bill |
The Justice Department simulation is meant to show how many barriers formerly incarcerated people face after they are released. (Story aired on Weekend All Things Considered on July 8, 2023.)
Copyright 2023 WBHM 90.3 FM
The Justice Department simulation is meant to show how many barriers formerly incarcerated people face after they are released. (Story aired on Weekend All Things Considered on July 8, 2023.)
Copyright 2023 WBHM 90.3 FM | 2023-07-11T10:23:37+00:00 | kosu.org | https://www.kosu.org/u-s-news/u-s-news/2023-07-11/a-reentry-simulation-program-shows-reality-of-life-after-prison |
MILWAUKEE — If you're still having a tough time finding the formula your baby needs, you might consider the liquid version of the brand you use. It may not work for every family, but health experts say it's a safe option and at many stores, it seems to be a lot more available.
One reason for that is that liquid formula wasn't impacted by the recent Abbott formula recall.
"It was one plant in Michigan in Sturgis that was making powdered formula. So, their liquid production was able to continue," said Jennifer Crouse, Clinical Nutrition Manager with Children's Wisconsin. "Abbott does have other plants around the country that are still making liquids."
Crouse explains liquid ready-to-feed formula is just as safe as powdered, but may not be as popular.
"A lot of people do typically use powdered formula. It's a cheaper option for most families that use a lot of formula," she said.
Liquid formula also has a shorter shelf-life. Once opened, most containers need to be refrigerated and used within 48 hours.
If you decide to try out a liquid formula, ask your pediatrician for coupons to cut down the cost. Crouse says every baby's feeding needs are different and switching between powdered and liquid formula may not work for your baby.
"Not all kids tolerate change. Some kids are just really sensitive and any kind of change can be difficult for them," said Crouse.
Crouse says if you are using both liquid and powdered formula, stick with the same brand or an equivalent and talk with your doctor, especially if you have a baby with an allergy or sensitive stomach.
This story was first reported by Kristin Byrne at WTMJ in Milwaukee. | 2022-05-24T14:39:50+00:00 | ktvq.com | https://www.ktvq.com/news/national/liquid-baby-formula-not-impacted-by-recall-but-may-not-be-first-choice-for-families |
On June 30th, Kim Baker's GLAMAZON Beauty cosmetic line will be the first Black-owned brand of any kind to be available for purchase on ShopHQ.
ATLANTA, June 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Legendary beauty icon Kim Baker is making history with the launch of her GLAMAZON Beauty cosmetic line on ShopHQ - June 30th. Glamazon Beauty is a premier cruelty-free, high-quality beauty line catering to all skin types and features an array of nourishing face, lip and eye products such as hydrating lip gloss, vegan foundation and concealer.
"ShopHQ is excited to announce GLAMAZON Beauty as their newest retail partner in this monumental month celebrating Juneteenth," states a ShopHQ senior executive. "GLAMAZON Beauty will be the first Black-owned beauty brand to launch on Shop HQ on Thursday, June 30th 2022."
Kim states: "I am excited to align with ShopHQ and make history by becoming the very first Black-owned beauty brand to launch on its network." "Together we are creating the change we wish to see in the world."
In addition to being the Founder and CEO of Glamazon Beauty, Kim is also a celebrity makeup artist whose client roster includes Angela Bassett, Toni Braxton, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Tom Cruise. She entered the beauty world as a 13-year-old model, later garnering huge success as a plus size model in the 90's. 30 years later Kim continues to be a trendsetting innovator and a legendary figure in the world of beauty.
"I established the GLAMAZON Beauty brand out of my frustration in not being able to find products that match my skin tone and that felt weightless. I wanted a skin-like finish to look and feel like myself but a little prettier."
Follow ShopHQ's Facebook (@ShopHQOfficial) and Instagram page (@ShopHQ) to catch Kim Baker live on June 29th. A full suite of GLAMAZON Beauty cosmetic products will be immediately available on ShopHQ.com, on June 30th.
GLAMAZON Beauty offers efficacious products that allow all women to feel empowered, confident, and the best version of their authentic self.
Kim Baker is a New York-based commercial makeup artist who works with celebrities and models. During her 20-year modeling career, she was influenced by many leading makeup artists such as Fran Cooper, Sam Fine, Reggie Wells, Quietfire, Kevyn Aucoin and Paul Star.
In 2006, Kim received her big break when she worked with Hollywood A-listers Tom Cruise and actor Ving Rhames for the Mission Impossible movie press junket. Since then, her clientele has included NASCAR driver Danica Patrick, songstress Toni Braxton, singer John Legend, actress Dakota Fanning and radio personality Angela Yee as well as countless TV shows, including America's Next Top Model and Project Runway.
ShopHQ is an ultra-fun, digital retailer offering exciting brands and unique products to customers around the country. Our television network delivers entertainment shopping to millions of homes while our ever-growing mobile, online and social channels invite you to shop, share and smile the day away.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE GLAMAZON Beauty | 2022-06-23T19:21:39+00:00 | kmvt.com | https://www.kmvt.com/prnewswire/2022/06/23/celebrity-makeup-artist-kim-bakers-glamazon-beauty-cosmetic-line-is-making-history-first-black-owned-brand-launch-global-retailer-shophq/ |
Bloomington Animal Shelter adopts out 85 animals after cry for help with overcrowding
The Bloomington Animal Shelter is feeling the love after expressing its dire need for more adoptions.
When the shelter announced adoption fees were waived through the end of July thanks to an anonymous donor, it has adopted out 85 animals — though it also has taken in 40 animals in the same amount of time.
It’s still overcrowded, said Virgil Sauder, director of Bloomington Animal Care and Control. But it’s getting better.
“It’s been great to see that support,” Sauder said. “When it comes to running a shelter, it’s not just us here at Animal Care and Control. Everyone in the community has a part.”
Previously:Bloomington Animal Shelter overcrowded, will euthanize more unless relief is found
The shelter announced on Facebook July 16 it was in crisis, with 94 dogs and 224 cats overcrowding its South Walnut Street location.
A few days after the announcement, Sauder told The Herald-Times the shelter would likely have to increase its euthanasia rate if more animals — dogs, in particular - weren’t adopted. When the shelter becomes overcrowded — which happens somewhat often, but rarely to this extent — staff have housed dogs in offices and bathrooms to try and save as many animals as possible.
Almost immediately after the shelter’s cry for help, community members came together to ease the burden. Within two days of announcing the waived adoption fees, the shelter adopted out 50 animals.
Eight more animals were adopted at the shelter’s adoption event at Switchyard Brewing Company July 23. Another adoption event will take place at Switchyard Aug. 5.
“As people are more comfortable being out and about, we’re trying to figure out where we can plug ourselves into the community to get our animals out there,” Sauder said.
The shelter also had several new foster parents join its program and received plenty of donations that will go toward food, toys and bedding. Additionally, Pets Alive, the spay and neuter clinic that partners with the shelter, has been working overtime to get as many animals ready for adoption as possible, Sauder said.
As of July 25, the shelter still had 47 dogs listed for adoption, according to the Bloomington Animal Care and Control website.
In addition to adoption events, the shelter often relies on social media engagement to keep the community involved from afar and encourage more adoptions. On Sunday, another Facebook post from the shelter asked followers to ask their children what they should name their incoming animals — “because let’s face it, kids come up with the best pet names,” the post read.
The post received nearly 150 comments, from cutesy names such as Bean and Buttercup to more eccentric suggestions such as Wheat Thin and McShagger.
More information about the shelter and its adoptable animals is available at bloomington.in.gov/animal-shelter.
Reach reporter Christine Stephenson at cstephenson@heraldt.com. | 2022-07-27T12:04:17+00:00 | heraldtimesonline.com | https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/news/local/2022/07/27/overcrowded-bloomington-animal-shelter-has-85-pets-adopted/65382234007/ |
(WXIN) — A homicide investigation is underway in New Zealand after a family found the remains of two children inside suitcases they bought from a storage facility in an online auction.
The family alerted police to the discovery last week after finding the remains inside the suitcases. New Zealand police characterized the find as “extremely upsetting.”
The family who bought the suitcases doesn’t have anything to do with the remains, police said, and is cooperating with the investigation. Police have asked the media to “respect their privacy at this difficult time.”
Police said the family was “understandably distressed” by the discovery, which was made in the South Auckland suburb of Manurewa.
An examination of the remains found that the suitcases contained the remains of two elementary school-aged children, police revealed Wednesday.
“Early indications suggest these children may have been deceased for a number of years before being found last week,” said Detective Inspector Tofilau Faamanuia Vaaelua.
“Formal identification procedures are still ongoing, which means police are not yet able to comment on the identities of the children,” he said.
Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the children and how their remains ended up at the storage facility.
“We are continuing to treat this matter very seriously and we are determined to hold the person, or persons, responsible for the deaths of these children to account,” Vaaelua said. | 2022-08-18T12:38:00+00:00 | wric.com | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/remains-of-2-children-found-inside-suitcases-bought-from-storage-facility-auction-in-new-zealand/ |
Retail sales slip at start of key holiday shopping season
WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans cut back sharply on retail spending last month as the holiday shopping season began with high prices and rising interest rates forcing families, particularly lower income households, to make harder decisions about what they buy.
Retail sales fell 0.6% from October to November after a sharp 1.3% rise the previous month, the government said Thursday. Sales fell at furniture, electronics, and home and garden stores.
Consumer spending has been resilient ever since inflation first spiked almost 18 months ago, but the capacity of Americans to continue spending in a period of high inflation may be beginning to ebb. Inflation has retreated from the four-decade high it reached this summer but remains elevated, enough to erode the spending power of Americans. Prices rose 7.1% in November from a year ago.
“The weakness in sales comes despite the boost to real incomes from the continued sharp falls in gasoline prices in recent weeks, and suggests that higher borrowing costs, slower employment growth and an unusually low saving rate are now catching up with consumers,” said Andrew Hunter, senior U.S. economist at Capital Economics.
Consumer spending is still likely to grow at a solid pace in the final three months of the year, Hunter said, but he expects a sharp drop early next year.
Sales plunged 2.3% at auto dealers, and slipped 0.6% at sporting goods stores and 0.1% at general merchandise stores, a category that includes large chains such as Walmart and Target. Sales at online and catalog stores fell 0.9%.
The steep 2.5% decline in sales at home and garden stores likely reflects the sharp decline in home sales due rapid interest rate hikes in the U.S., which have put homes increasingly out of reach for more Americans.
Solid hiring, rising pay, and enhanced savings from government financial support during the pandemic have enabled most Americans to keep up with rising prices. Yet many are now digging into their savings to maintain the same level of spending. The saving rate declined to its second-lowest level on record in October.
Americans are also putting more purchases on their credit cards. Total credit card debt jumped 15% in the July-September quarter, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the biggest jump in 20 years.
The low- to middle-income shopper is starting to show signs of stress. Craft supplies chain Jo-Ann Stores Inc. said Tuesday it is pausing its quarterly dividend after seeing its shopper pull back this fall. Sales at stores opened at least a year fell 8% in the quarter ended Oct. 22.
“It’s clear that consumers are increasingly pressured by inflation and are being more selective with their purchases in the current holiday season, prioritizing household essentials over many discretionary activities,” said Wade Miquelon, Jo-Ann’s president and CEO. “These budget-conscious consumers have been under a prolonged period of stress for many months now, and they are getting more selective.”
However, the good news, Miquelon said, is that inflationary trends are subsiding even as the U.S. potentially heads into “something more typical of a recessionary environment in the short term.”
Black Friday weekend, which kicks off the holiday shopping season, was strong this year, said Sonia Lapinsky, managing director in the retail practice at consultancy AlixPartners.
Yet, Lapinsky noted, people are buying less overall as goods become more expensive.
“Inflation is going to continue to put pressure on the wallet, " Lapinsky said. “I think consumers are going to hunker down.”
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D’Innocenzio reported from New York.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | 2022-12-15T14:51:13+00:00 | kalb.com | https://www.kalb.com/2022/12/15/retail-sales-slip-start-key-holiday-shopping-season/ |
BISMARCK, N.D., April 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- MDU Resources Group, Inc. (NYSE: MDU) today announced the anticipated board of directors for Knife River Holding Company, effective upon completion of the planned separation of MDU Resources' construction materials subsidiary into an independent, publicly traded company. The separation is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2023.
Knife River's post-separation board is expected to consist of six directors, including five independent directors. These individuals are anticipated to move from MDU Resources' board of directors to Knife River's board:
- Karen B. Fagg, former vice president of DOWL HKM and former chair, CEO and majority owner of HKM Engineering Inc. Fagg is expected to chair Knife River's board.
- German Carmona Alvarez, global president of applied intelligence of Wood PLC and formerly a senior vice president and global digital practice leader of NEORIS and executive vice president of finance, information technology and shared services at CEMEX.
- Thomas Everist, president and chair of The Everist Co., an investment and land development business that until 2017 was a construction materials company, and a former director of Raven Industries Inc.
- Patricia L. Moss, formerly vice chair, president and CEO of Cascade Bancorp and Bank of the Cascades, and a director of First Interstate BancSystem Inc.
These individuals are anticipated to be new directors on Knife River's board:
- William J. Sandbrook, former chairman, president and CEO of U.S. Concrete. Sandbrook currently is a director of Comfort Systems USA and chairman and co-CEO of Andretti Acquisition Corp.
- Brian R. Gray, president and CEO of Knife River.
"We are pleased to have the future board of directors identified for Knife River as we continue making progress toward the anticipated separation, which is expected to optimize value for shareholders," said Dennis W. Johnson, chair of the board of MDU Resources.
Fagg, who is expected to become chair of the board of Knife River, said, "We are excited that we have talented, experienced directors ready to strategically guide Knife River as it becomes a stand-alone, publicly traded company, and look forward to the addition of Bill Sandbrook, with his deep knowledge of the construction materials industry."
Additional information about Knife River's anticipated directors can be found on MDU Resources' website at www.mdu.com/about-us/knife-board and within the amended Form 10 registration statement for Knife River, which is available on the SEC website at www.sec.gov and on MDU Resources' website at https://investor.mdu.com/financials/sec-filings. The company expects to update the registration statement in subsequent amendments as information is finalized prior to the spinoff. These amendments also will be available on the websites.
MDU Resources announced in August 2022 that it intends to spin off Knife River to optimize value for stockholders as it works toward creating two pure-play, publicly traded companies. The spinoff is subject to certain customary conditions, including final approval by MDU Resources' board of directors and the SEC's declaration that the Form 10 registration statement is effective. Under the planned separation, MDU Resources' stockholders will retain their current shares of MDU Resources stock and receive a pro rata distribution of 80.1% or more of outstanding shares of Knife River stock. The separation is expected to be tax free to MDU Resources and its stockholders for federal income tax purposes.
About MDU Resources
MDU Resources Group, Inc., a member of the S&P MidCap 400 and the S&P High-Yield Dividend Aristocrats indices, is Building a Strong America® by providing essential products and services through its regulated energy delivery and construction materials and services businesses. For more information about MDU Resources, visit www.mdu.com or contact the Investor Relations Department at investor@mduresources.com.
About Knife River
Knife River Corporation mines aggregates and markets crushed stone, sand, gravel and related construction materials, including ready-mix concrete, asphalt and other value-added products. It also distributes cement and asphalt oil. It performs integrated contracting services. For more information, visit www.kniferiver.com.
Forward-Looking Statement
The information in this release includes certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The forward-looking statements contained in this release, including statements about the planned separation of Knife River Corporation, the anticipated future board of directors for Knife River, the future state of MDU Resources and future stock performance, are expressed in good faith and are believed by the company to have a reasonable basis. Nonetheless, actual results may differ materially from the projected results expressed in the forward-looking statements. For a discussion of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements, refer to Item 1A-Risk Factors in MDU Resources' most recent Form 10-K.
Media Contacts: Laura Lueder, MDU Resources manager of communications and public relations, 701-530-1095
Tony Spilde, Knife River senior director of communications, 541-213-0947
Investor Contact: Brent Miller, director of financial projects and investor relations, 701-530-1730
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SOURCE MDU Resources Group, Inc. | 2023-04-08T20:57:55+00:00 | kalb.com | https://www.kalb.com/prnewswire/2023/04/07/mdu-resources-announces-anticipated-board-directors-knife-river/ |
WALLA WALLA, Wash. (AP) _ Banner Corp. (BANR) on Thursday reported fourth-quarter profit of $54.4 million.
On a per-share basis, the Walla Walla, Washington-based company said it had net income of $1.58. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring costs, came to $1.68 per share.
The results surpassed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of four analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $1.56 per share.
The regional bank posted revenue of $178.6 million in the period. Its adjusted revenue was $172.1 million, also surpassing Street forecasts. Three analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $167.2 million.
For the year, the company reported profit of $195.4 million, or $5.67 per share. Revenue was reported as $628.4 million.
Banner shares have fallen 3% since the beginning of the year. In the final minutes of trading on Thursday, shares hit $61.32, a decrease of nearly 6% in the last 12 months.
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This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on BANR at https://www.zacks.com/ap/BANR | 2023-01-19T22:51:01+00:00 | sfgate.com | https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Banner-Q4-Earnings-Snapshot-17728916.php |
Here’s a look at how the Miami Dolphins (9-8) and Buffalo Bills (13-3) match up in six key areas ahead of Sunday’s wild-card round playoff game at Highmark Stadium (1 p.m., CBS):
When the Dolphins run: Miami found something on the ground against Buffalo in their 32-29 loss in Orchard Park on Dec. 17. The Dolphins ran for 188 yards on the Bills’ stout run defense, which was the second-highest total the Dolphins had in a game and second-most the Bills allowed in one this regular season. If only coach Mike McDaniel would’ve stuck with the ground game longer and in more short-yardage situations that Saturday night.
The only problem is Raheem Mostert, who had 136 of those yards in that game, appears unlikely to play with a severely broken thumb suffered in last week’s win over the New York Jets. On the other hand, backfield mate Jeff Wilson Jr. wasn’t available last time in Buffalo, so now he’ll be able to go. Salvon Ahmed was solid spelling Mostert in that last outing, with six carries for 43 yards and a touchdown. But the availability of left tackle Terron Armstead will be huge in determining if the Dolphins can run against the Bills’ defensive front.
That unit had the league’s fifth-ranked run defense throughout the regular season. Defensive tackle Ed Oliver and linebackers Matt Milano and Tremaine Edmunds play a big part in that. Former Dolphin Jordan Phillips is a rotational defensive tackle and has his status in question for Sunday. Edge: Bills
[ RELATED: Dolphins Deep Dive: Here’s how Miami can beat the Bills, and playoff game predictions ]
When the Bills run: The Dolphins might just be the top NFL defense against the traditional ground game and stopping opposing running backs, but they are awful against scrambling quarterbacks. And that is always an issue when facing Buffalo and Pro Bowl signal-caller Josh Allen. In the last meeting, Allen ran for 77 yards on 10 carries, constantly extending drives with his legs and adding an extra element Miami has to defend.
The running backs for Buffalo: A pair of South Florida products in Devin Singletary (FAU, American Heritage-Delray High ) and James Cook (Miami Central High). Singletary had 42 yards on 13 carries, and Cook went for 34 yards on five attempts last time. Center Mitch Morse, a Pro Bowl selection, anchors the offensive line.
Christian Wilkins, in leading the Dolphins’ fourth-ranked run defense, has been unblockable. He finished the regular season with 98 tackles, most by any NFL defensive lineman since 1994. The combination of Wilkins and Zach Sieler has been outstanding against the run. Dolphins linebackers will have to be aware of Allen’s scrambling ability, possibly keeping a spy on him. That responsibility could also end up falling on safeties Jevon Holland or Eric Rowe at times. Edge: Dolphins
When the Dolphins pass: Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was ruled out due to the concussion protocol on Wednesday. Miami is approaching the early part of the practice week as if third-string rookie Skylar Thompson will be the starter while backup Teddy Bridgewater deals with a dislocated pinky finger on his throwing hand. Thompson started the Dolphins’ playoff-clinching win over the Jets and went without a critical mistake, which was enough as he relied on the defense, run game and clutch leg of kicker Jason Sanders for the 11-6 win.
But simply avoiding mistakes won’t be enough against the Bills. One-hundred fifty-two yards without a touchdown on 20-of-31 passing won’t get it done with Allen on the other side. If Thompson starts again, he’ll have to get Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle more than five targets apiece while continuing to utilize rangy tight end Mike Gesicki, whom he found for four connections and 46 yards, including his long pass of the afternoon for 32 yards. If Bridgewater can elevate himself to start, his veteran presence on the road could give the Dolphins a slightly better shot. Armstead’s availability will be pivotal in protecting the blind side of either quarterback.
The Bills lost future Hall of Fame edge rusher Von Miller earlier in the season, but they still have former University of Miami standout Greg Rousseau at defensive end. The secondary, of course, is headlined by safety Jordan Poyer and cornerback Tre’Davious White. That unit will be playing for Damar Hamlin as he recovers from his frightening cardiac arrest suffered on the field Jan. 2. Dean Marlowe started in place of Hamlin, who was already replacing Michah Hyde, last week against New England. Edge: Bills
When the Bills pass: It’s all about stopping the Pro Bowl combination of Allen and wide receiver Stefon Diggs. Allen threw for 35 touchdowns, 14 interceptions and 4,283 yards, completing 63 percent of passes. Diggs had 108 receptions, 1,428 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2022. Then, Miami still has to worry about receivers Gabriel Davis, Isaiah McKenzie and Cole Beasley, tight end Dawson Knox — and Singletary and Cook can catch out of the backfield.
It’s a lot to have to defend, when you also consider Allen is a threat to run after he drops back. Xavien Howard will need to be an elite version of himself against Diggs and not what has been seen in coverage most of this season. He’s had the groin injuries and recent knee issue to deal with. Kader Kohou will have to step up, and Holland will have to play with range and make plays on the back end. Last matchup, Rowe was inactive, and Verone McKinley played significant defensive snaps.
This would be a great time to have the pass rush ignite this defense between Jaelan Phillips, Bradley Chubb and Melvin Ingram. Left tackle Dion Dawkins will be responsible for protecting Allen’s blindside, but again, it’s important to keep contain on Allen so he doesn’t beat you with his legs. The Dolphins must get him down when they get a shot at him. Edge: Bills
Special teams: Nyheim Hines just had a pair of kickoff return touchdowns in Buffalo’s win over the Patriots that helped Miami get into the postseason. The Dolphins have struggled on kick and punt coverage, so keep an eye on that.
Sanders lifted the Dolphins into the playoffs with his 50-yard field goal with 18 seconds remaining against the Jets. Punter Thomas Morstead has been a plus for an otherwise mostly struggling special teams unit. Bills kicker Tyler Bass has made 27 of 31 field goals. The Dolphins actually had one of their better games on special teams last time in Buffalo, but the Bills have a lot of momentum with their unit after their Week 18 effort. Edge: Bills
Intangibles: It’s the possibility of Hamlin being back on the sideline for Buffalo after being discharged from his hospitalization that just leads one to believe it will be impossible for Miami to go into Highmark Stadium and pull off this upset.
Bills Mafia will have that place rocking, and there will be a lot of emotion invested in this one. At least it’ll be good for a lot of young Dolphins to take in that playoff atmosphere. Edge: Bills
PREDICTION: Bills 30, Dolphins 13 | 2023-01-12T03:58:52+00:00 | sun-sentinel.com | https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-dolphins/fl-sp-dolphins-furones-who-has-edge-bills-20230112-mvfd24dgebbetogvgou7bnfiia-story.html |
(WFLA) — Trick-or-treaters aren’t the only ones who can score free food on Halloween.
Restaurants across the country are offering free and discounted treats to celebrate the spooky season. Here are 25 scary-good deals for your fright night plans.
7-Eleven
Hosting a Halloween party? 7Rewards and Speedy Rewards members can take advantage of a buy one-get one free deal on large pizzas on Oct. 31. The convenience chain also has $5 large pizzas on Halloween weekend (Oct. 28 through Oct. 30).
Applebee’s
You can score a free plate of boneless wings with any to-go or delivery order totaling $30 or more. Just place the order on the Applebee’s website or the Applebee’s mobile app, using the code “SPOOKY22” at checkout. The chain also brought back their Spooky Sips cocktails for the season. You can try a Dracula’s Juice or Tipsy Zombie for $6.
Baskin-Robbins
If you’re craving something sweet, Baskin-Robbins is offering 31% off all scoops, all day on Halloween.
Boston Market
Boston Market’s Halloween Party Special runs from Oct. 29 to Oct. 31. You can get $10 off a family meal, plus double Rotisserie Rewards points.
Burger King
Now through Halloween, use the “ghost detector” in the BK mobile app to search for a ghost in your house. You’ll get two Ghost Pepper Whopper sandwiches and two small fries for $10 if you find one.
Chipotle
Chipotle is bringing back its “Boorito” promotion. Chipotle Rewards members can score a $6 entrée by dressing up in a costume and visiting the restaurant on Halloween. The offer runs from 3 p.m. until the store closes.
Chuck E. Cheese
Looking for something to do with the kids? Children dressed in costume can get 10 free Chuck E. Cheese play points on Halloween. The chain is also offering 30 minutes free game play when you buy 60 minutes or more.
Corner Bakery
On Halloween, Corner Bakery loyalty rewards members can score a free sweet treat with their purchase, like cookies, muffins, or pastries. New rewards members will also get $5 off their next purchase.
CVS
CVS is offering a buy one-get one 50% off promotion on Teal Pumpkin Project items. Those include non-food treats and buckets for children with food allergies who can’t eat traditional Halloween candy, but still want to get in on the fun.
Dunkin’
Dunkin’ rewards members can score free food through Oct. 31. The chain is offering a free breakfast sandwich, Bagel Minis, or an order of Munchkins donut holes when you buy a large or medium drink.
Haagen Dazs
You can score a free mini cup or cone of ice cream by visiting a Haagen Dazs ice cream shop on Halloween. Just put on your costume before you head to the store and claim your free treat via the Haagen Dazs app.
IHOP
Now through Halloween, IHOP is offering free Scary Face Pancakes to kids when you buy an adult entrée. The offer is valid from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
Krispy Kreme
You can get a free donut of your choice if you stop by a Krispy Kreme store in costume on Halloween. Look out for the illuminated “Hot Light” if you want donuts at their freshest.
McAlister’s Deli
This deal’s for the whole family. McAlister’s rewards members can get up to two kids meals for free with the purchase of an adult entrée through Oct. 31. Use the code HALLOWEEN22 to redeem this offer online.
Noodles & Company
On Oct. 31, Noodles rewards members can get a free small entrée with the purchase of a regular one.
Publix
Publix said to expect “no tricks, just treats!” when visiting the grocery chain on Halloween. Kids in costume can go trick-or-treating inside the store from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
QDOBA Mexican Eats
QDOBA Rewards Members get a buy one entrée, get one free deal on Oct. 31. This offer can be redeemed in-store or online.
TGI Fridays
On Halloween, TGI Fridays is offering discounts on wings and drinks. You can get wings for 50 cents each, which is nearly half-off the regular price. If you combine this deal with the restaurant’s Happy Hour (3 p.m. to 6 p.m.), you can also score half-priced appetizers and discounted drinks.
Ordering to-go? You can get a 25% off Party Platters and Family Meals when ordering off the TGI Fridays website. Just use the code SPOOKY25.
Taco Bell
Taco Bell is offering free chips and nacho cheese sauce with the purchase of a Double Steak Grilled Cheese Burrito in the Taco Bell app through Oct. 31. You can also claim a free Doritos Locos Taco as part of the “Steal a Base, Steal a Taco” promotion.
Wendy’s
This Halloween weekend, Wendy’s has a different deal for each day.
- Oct. 29: Free small chili with any purchase
- Oct. 30: Spicy chicken sandwich is buy one, get one free
- Oct. 31: Free junior bacon cheeseburger with any purchase
You must order through the Wendy’s mobile app to redeem these daily deals.
Zaxby’s
Zaxby’s customers can take advantage of a buy one, get one free deal when they order boneless wings through the restaurant’s mobile app. This offer is valid all day on Oct. 31. | 2022-10-30T00:02:03+00:00 | fox44news.com | https://www.fox44news.com/news/national-world-news/heres-where-you-can-score-freebies-and-discounted-treats-this-halloween/ |
Police officers, paramedics head to court in Elijah McClain’s death
DENVER (AP) — A group of police officers and paramedics charged in the death of a 23-year-old Black man who was forcibly restrained and injected with a powerful sedative are scheduled to appear in court Friday to enter pleas to the allegations.
They were indicted by a state grand jury on manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and other charges in 2021. Two years earlier, Elijah McClain died after being stopped while walking down the street in the Denver suburb of Aurora. A 911 caller had reported a man who seemed “sketchy.”
An amended autopsy report released last year concluded that McClain would have most likely survived but for the administration of a dose of ketamine that was higher than recommended for someone his size. However, the manner of McClain’s death was still listed as undetermined, not a homicide.
McClain’s death fueled renewed scrutiny about the use of the ketamine and led Colorado’s health department to issue a rule limiting when emergency workers can use it.
Experts in emergency medicine say prosecutions of paramedics are rare. However, in Illinois, two paramedics who strapped a Black man facedown on a stretcher after police requested an ambulance last month have been charged with murder.
Other arraignments have been delayed for Officers Randy Roedema, Nathan Woodyard and Jason Rosenblatt, and fire department paramedic Jeremy Cooper and Lt. Peter Cichuniec.
A grand jury indicted them after Democratic Gov. Jared Polis ordered Attorney General Phil Weiser to open a criminal investigation into the case. There had been renewed national interest in McClain’s death as protesters rallied over the killing of George Floyd in 2020. In 2021, the city of Aurora agreed to settle a lawsuit brought by McClain’s parents for $15 million.
McClain, a massage therapist, was unarmed and had not been accused of committing any crime. According to the indictment, he was walking home from a grocery store in 2019 after buying iced tea wearing a ski mask, months before the pandemic made face coverings common. The encounter quickly escalated, with McClain initially losing consciousness after a chokehold was applied by police. McClain, whom relatives say wore the mask because anemia made him cold, complained he couldn’t breathe as three officers held him handcuffed on the ground, and he vomited several times.
Polis ordered the state investigation after a former district attorney said he could not file charges because an autopsy could not determine how McClain died. His death helped inspire a sweeping police accountability law in Colorado, a ban on chokeholds and restrictions on the use of the sedative ketamine.
The amended autopsy report released in September said McClain died as the result of complications of ketamine administration after being forcibly restrained. In it, Dr. Stephen Cina, a pathologist, said he could not rule out that changes in McClain’s blood chemistry, like an increase in lactic acid, due to his exertion while being restrained by police contributed to his death but concluded there was no evidence that injuries inflicted by police caused his death. The indictment said McClain had low oxygen and too much acid in his blood.
Family and friends described McClain as a gentle and kind introvert who volunteered to play his violin to comfort cats at an animal shelter. His pleading words captured on police body camera video — “I’m just different” — painfully underscored his apparent confusion at what was happening.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | 2023-01-20T18:22:39+00:00 | wlox.com | https://www.wlox.com/2023/01/20/police-officers-paramedics-head-court-elijah-mcclains-death/ |
MIAMI (WSVN) - After the Miami-Dade County Public School Board agreed to make October LGBTQ History Month, a new law has ignited controversy for the board.
Sexual orientation has become a taboo topic in Florida classrooms, so it comes as no surprise that recognizing October as LGBTQ history month was controversial at the Miami-Dade School Board meeting on Wednesday.
“The history of my community, the LGBTQ community, goes well beyond the discussion of sex and should be welcomed and cherished in schools,” said a man at the meeting, “and yet we worry about controversy in our history lessons. Let me be clear, history is built out of controversy.”
“Why is the Miami-Dade School Board considering an agenda item, today, that would directly violate my parental rights?” said a woman. “If it gets approved, I can sue all of you because you’re violating my rights.”
Dozens of people spoke for and against the issue, even the line outside got contentious.
School board member Lucia Baez-Geller sponsored the bill.
“I know this has been used as a political wedge issue, and I hope that we don’t continue to single out different communities or different minority groups and using them as a political issue,” said Geller.
Last year, the school board passed acknowledging LGBTQ History Month, 7-to-1.
Christi Fraga was the lone vote against.
“I think endorsing and putting it out as something that everyone has to participate in does start to cross a line of imposition onto family values,” said Fraga.
This time around, the proposal has the Parental Rights in Education bill as a challenger.
The law doesn’t allow teachers to talk about gender identity with students from kindergarten to third grade.
“Kind of like we do a Hispanic heritage month, it means you talk about it, and how do you honor it? You have to celebrate it and do activities that will commemorate, and that’s why I believe it’s in direct violation of the law that passed in the legislature,” said Fraga.
Dr. Marta Perez, who lost her re-election to Governor Ron DeSantis’ pick Monica Colucci had harsh words on the topic.
“Terrible scare mongering has happened in this item that is horrible,” said Perez.
The proposal is also seeking to allow 12th grade students to learn about two landmark marriage equality Supreme Court cases: Obergefell vs. Hodges, which recognizes same sex marriage and Bostock vs. Clayton County, which prohibits employers from firing someone on the basis of sexual identity.
“This is not an item about what your beliefs are. It is simply about recognizing the struggle of our LGBTQ community and allowing them to have the dignity and respect they deserve, which is something that our district already does,” said Geller.
The school board attorney said approving LGBTQ History Month would not go against the Parental Education Rights bill because it does not mandate any instruction.
The school board has yet to make a decision, as of 6:17 p.m., Wednesday.
Copyright 2022 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | 2022-09-07T23:37:01+00:00 | wsvn.com | https://wsvn.com/news/local/miami-dade/m-dcps-decision-to-make-october-lgbtq-history-month-sparks-controversy-at-school-board-meeting/ |
Updated April 11, 2023 at 1:40 PM ET
Several states say they are stocking up on medications used to induce abortions as a major abortion pill appears poised to potentially become unavailable in the U.S.
New York has become the latest state to announce it's stocking up on abortion pills. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Tuesday that the state is preparing to purchase a five-year supply of misoprostol, a drug used in combination with another pill that is now the subject of legal battles in federal courts. The New York State Department of Health is buying 150,000 misoprostol doses.
In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom's office said Monday that it's made plans to secure an emergency stockpile of up to 2 million pills of misoprostol.
Officials say California currently has more than 250,000 of the pills already on hand, which were purchased for about $100,000. That's enough pills to cover an estimated 12,000 misoprostol-only abortions, according to a spokesman for Newsom, and the state is prepared to purchase more.
"While California still believes Mifepristone is central to the preferred regimen for medication abortion, the State negotiated and purchased an emergency stockpile of Misoprostol in anticipation of Friday's ruling by far-right federal judge Matthew Kacsmaryk to ensure that California remains a safe haven for safe, affordable, and accessible reproductive care," Newsom's office said in a statement provided to NPR.
Meanwhile, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healy said Monday afternoon that her state has stockpiled some 15,000 mifepristone pills or more than a year's worth of doses. Last week, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced his state had prepared a stockpile of about three years' worth of mifepristone.
In the United States, most medication abortions involve two drugs: mifepristone followed by misoprostol, a protocol approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2000. A coalition of anti-abortion-rights groups are suing the FDA, seeking to force mifepristone to be pulled from the market.
Last Friday, Kaczmaryk, a Trump-appointed federal judge in Texas with a long history of ties with conservative activists, ruled that the FDA should halt its approval. His nationwide order is scheduled to go into effect this Friday unless the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals intervenes.
More than half of abortions in the U.S. are now medication abortions, and the vast majority of those involve the two-drug protocol, which is considered the gold standard here. But the second medication in that regimen, misoprostol, also can be used alone to induce abortion.
Researchers say the single-drug approach is slightly less effective and can be more painful for patients, but misoprostol alone is endorsed by the World Health Organization as an effective option.
Newsom's office says the pills were secured through the state's CalRx prescription drug program, and California is providing information about its purchase agreement to other states that may be interested in taking similar action.
Pharmacies facing shortages will be directed to a state website where they can find information about how to request pills from the misoprostol supply.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2023-04-11T19:07:10+00:00 | kcbx.org | https://www.kcbx.org/npr-top-news/npr-top-news/2023-04-10/with-abortion-pill-access-uncertain-states-strike-deals-to-stock-up |
The Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday that it recalled four types of Three Coins dried mushrooms for possible Salmonella contamination.
The mushrooms were sold in the following states: Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
The following packages are under recall notices:
1) Three Coins Dried Mushrooms Slices – Item #: 01051- Nam Meo Soi -S- 2.5 oz
2) Three Coins Dried Mushrooms Slices – Item #: 01276- Nam Meo Soi -L- 10.5 oz
3) Three Coins Dried Mushrooms Whole – Item #: 01052- Nam Meo Nguyen -S- 2.5 oz
4) Three Coins Dried Mushrooms Whole – Item #: 01277- Nam Meo Nguyen -L- 10.5 oz
Consumers can return the items to the point of purchase for a full refund.
The FDA said no illnesses have been reported in connection to the recalled products.
The FDA says that Salmonella causes diarrhea, fever and cramps. The illness usually lasts four to seven days and typically those who are infected usually do not require any treatment.
Justin Boggs is a writer for the E.W. Scripps National Desk. Follow him on Twitter @jjboggs or on Facebook. | 2022-08-31T17:24:23+00:00 | tmj4.com | https://www.tmj4.com/news/national/fda-recalls-dried-mushrooms-due-to-possible-salmonella-contamination |
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — The city of Springfield has released audio from a November 2nd, 2022 closed session discussion. In the meeting, alderman were given information about outstanding debt the Wyndham owed to City Water Light and Power (CWLP).
At the time, the property owners were in discussions with New-York based developer Good Homes Corporation. The city was concerned the deal would fall through if the Wyndham's approximately $1-million in CWLP debt was not resolved. The project was ultimately stopped by city council's vote to deny a zoning ordinance request.
During the November 2nd closed session, city staff warned if the property owners declared bankruptcy, the city could risk not recovering any of the debt. This is because the city would be second in line during bankruptcy proceedings, after the lender holding the property's mortgage.
Mayor Jim Langfelder told WAND News the property owners ultimately agreed to pay $1.2-million in electricity usage, while the city paid $250,000 in meter and demand charges. He said there are preliminary discussions happening that would allow the Wyndham to remain open with new ownership.
WAND News will continue updating this developing story.
Copyright 2023. WAND TV. All rights reserved. | 2023-02-25T00:29:27+00:00 | wandtv.com | https://www.wandtv.com/news/city-releases-closed-session-audio-over-wyndham-debt-debate/article_caba4308-b49f-11ed-be8e-173c34e3f682.html |
Snapchat is rolling out parental controls that allow parents to see their teenager's contacts and report to the social media company — without their child's knowledge — any accounts that may worry them.
The goal, executives say, is to enable parents to monitor their child's connections without compromising teens' autonomy. Named Family Center, the new suite of tools released Tuesday requires both caregiver and teen to opt in.
"It allows parents to see who's in their teen's universe," said Nona Farahnik, director of platform policy for Snap, the company that makes Snapchat. "It offers parents the ability to ask who someone might be, how they might know a contact, which prompts those kinds of real-time conversations about who teens are talking to."
Farahnik says Family Center is modeled on real-life parenting.
"If your teen is headed to the mall, you might ask who they're going with. 'How do you know them? Are you guys on a sports team together? Do you go to school together?'" said Farahnik. "But you won't be sitting there at the mall with them listening to their conversations."
Similarly, parents cannot see the content that their teen is sending or receiving on Snapchat. They can only view whom their child has communicated with in the past seven days. Snapchat is popular with young people, partially because messages on the platform disappear within 24 hours.
The company says it consulted with safety experts and academics and conducted focus groups with parents to develop Family Center and it plans to roll out more features in the coming months. The tool is only for parents of kids under 18.
With Family Center, Snap follows other social media platforms, including Instagram, that recently have boosted parental controls. By at least one survey, Snapchat is the second-most popular social network among teens. The first, TikTok, offers "Family Sharing," which gives parents a few ways to limit the videos shown to their kids.
"I think these platforms want to show that they can take steps to protect kids, that they can self-regulate and that they're capable of doing it themselves without getting the government involved," said Irene Ly, policy counsel for Common Sense Media, which reviews apps, games and media for families.
Bipartisan legislation in Congress would require more sweeping changes targeted at protecting kids on social media, however lawmakers have yet to vote on the measures.
Advocate: Social media networks should be 'safer by design' for kids
Parental controls can be helpful to some families, says Josh Golin, executive director of FairPlay, an advocacy group focused on improving online safety for children. But they require parents to have the time, energy and commitment to figure out social media tools and use them regularly.
"Are you going to spend 20 minutes a day figuring out what's going on in Snap and another 20 minutes on TikTok and another 20 on Instagram?" he said. "I don't think that parents particularly want to be spending their time this way. What they would prefer to see is that these platforms take real steps to be safer by design."
For example, Golin says, it should be easier for kids to put down their phones and take a break from social media.
"As a 12-year-old, you might feel like, 'Oh my God, my life is going to be over if I don't communicate with my friend today on Snapchat,'" Golin said. "I don't think that we should be giving kids rewards and badges and things for using online platforms more. That's not fostering intentional, thoughtful use. I think that's fostering compulsion and only benefits the company."
Snap's terms of use require a child to state that they're 13 or older before signing up for the service. Snap says it screens for underage users in compliance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act.
"We have millions of young people already on Snap, including millions who are under 13 and shouldn't even be there in the first place," said Golin.
He says the companies could do a better job of verifying their users' ages, rather than taking users at their word.
Ly, of Common Sense, says companies also could look at how their algorithms amplify content that might be harmful for children.
For example, Ly said, a kid might interact with a post that encourages healthy eating for a fitness routine. But algorithms created to show users more of what they like could quickly lead that child down a rabbit hole of misinformation about disordered eating or other harmful eating habits.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2022-08-09T14:32:27+00:00 | wlrn.org | https://www.wlrn.org/news/2022-08-09/snapchats-new-parental-controls-try-to-mimic-real-life-parenting-minus-the-hovering |
Entering in the 80th minute on a rain-soaked field that looked like a torn-up recreational park, Jordan Morris thought back to youth soccer in Seattle.
Morris went on to score in the first minute of second-half stoppage time, offsetting Alexander Larín’s 35th-minute goal past poorly positioned Ethan Horvath and giving the United States a 1-1 draw at El Salvador in a soggy World Cup warmup Tuesday night.
“These are kind of some of the fields I used to play on as a kid,” Morris said. “Being from Seattle, obviously, it’s not the mud — the rain. I love playing in the rain. So I was just embracing that moment. I think the team as a group just embraced the challenge.”
El Salvador was close to ending a 30-year, 19-game winless streak against the U.S. in this CONCACAF Nations League match. Among the players on the bubble for a Cup roster spot, Morris leapt over Larin to head Luca de la Torre’s cross past goalkeeper Mario González seconds into six minutes of stoppage time.
Morris scored his 11th international goal, his first since November 2019 and first since tearing his left ACL in February 2021.
Players were covered in mud soon after kickoff in San Salvador. Both teams finished a man short.
“The group grows with moments like this,” U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter said. “After the game, Jordan Morris walks into the locker room and everyone starts cheering. Everyone’s uniform is a dark brown color, the shoes are a mess, the staff is all dirty. This is what builds teams.”
American winger Paul Arriola was ejected in the 70th, nine minutes after entering, when he made a sliding tackle that caught Larín on a shin and flipped him. Mexico’s César Ramos, among 36 referees selected for the World Cup, immediately showed the first straight red card against an American since Michael Orozco in the 2016 Copa América third-place match against Colombia.
El Salvador’s Ronald Rodríguez was sent off in the 79th for knocking down Yunus Musah as the midfielder tried to run onto a through ball.
Just two warmups remain for the Americans, exhibitions in Europe on Sept. 23 and 27, likely against Asian opponents. The U.S. opens the World Cup against No. 18 Wales on Nov. 21, faces No. 5 England in a Black Friday matchup four days later and finishes the first round against No. 21 Iran on Nov. 29.
Larín scored after Nelson Bonilla crossed from the right attacking flank to the other side of the field. Larín ran down the ball, took a touch and from a wide angle curled the ball around right back Reggie Cannon. Horvath left his near post completely open, and the ball went past him for Larín’s sixth international goal. Horvath was so far away, he barely moved, and his head drooped.
Horvath, competing for three roster spots along with Matt Turner, Zack Steffen and Sean Johnson, made his eighth international appearance and first in a year. It was his first start for club or country since March 20, highlighting the Americans’ most unsettled goalkeeping pool since the 1980s. Steffen (Manchester City), Turner (joining Arsenal next month) and Horvath (Nottingham Forest) all could be club backups when the U.S. gathers in Qatar.
The U.S. had entered with 19 wins, one loss and six draws against El Salvador, the lone defeat at Estadio Cuscatlán in an exhibition on Feb. 19, 1992. El Salvador coach Hugo Pérez was on the field for the U.S. that night.
Cuscatlán was mostly empty with a crowd of 6,313 after being filled with about 29,000 fans for the opening World Cup qualifier against the U.S. last September, a 0-0 draw.
On a night Christian Pulisic captained the U.S. and played with new blond streaks in his hair, Haji Wright started in the latest audition for Cup roster spots at forward in a competition with Jesús Ferreira, Ricardo Pepi, Josh Sargent, Jordan Pefok and Daryl Dike.
“It’s always difficult when players get an opportunity and don’t fully capitalize on it,” Berhalter said. “It’s not nice for a coach. It’s not nice for the player. It’s not nice for the group. We were all rooting for Haji to be a force. We purposely played more direct in the first half because we thought he could be the force that would unsettle them. And it just wasn’t his night tonight. That doesn’t rule him out for anything in the future. We don’t work like that.”
NOTES: Berhalter is planning a training camp for Major League Soccer players after their teams get eliminated, perhaps having youth national team players join to fill out the group. He also will talk to MLS teams about load management.
___
More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2022-06-15T14:06:12+00:00 | wboy.com | https://www.wboy.com/sports/ap-sports/morris-stoppage-time-goal-gives-us-1-1-draw-at-el-salvador/ |
Laramie Rangers center fielder Mason Branch, left, gets ready to low-five coach Aaron Lozano while rounding third base after his home run in the fifth innings on Tuesday, May 9, 2023, during the first game of a doubleheader at Torrington.
The American Legion Post 14 Laramie Rangers baseball team was able to take advantage of optimal spring weather earlier this week to fit in a couple of doubleheaders on the road.
The AA Rangers (6-6) traveled to Douglas and Torrington, two A teams that also had its season openers.
The Rangers first played Douglas on Sunday for a couple of close contests, losing to the Cats 5-4 before bouncing back for an 8-7 win. On Tuesday, Laramie won the first game against Torrington 7-3 before losing to the Tigers 5-0.
In the first game against Douglas, Laramie jump out to a 4-0 lead after three runs in the second inning and another in the third. But the Rangers were held scoreless the rest of the way while the Cats rallied with a run in the bottom of the fourth and four runs in the sixth.
Aidan Buchanan took the loss on the mound after going 5 2/3 innings and allowing nine hits, five runs (four earned) with four strikeouts and no walks.
The Rangers had eight hits, led by shortstop Sam Hoyt going 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run, first baseman Jace Moniz at 2-for-3 with a run and center fielder Diego Herrera going 2-for-4 with a run. Left fielder Brandon Chavez also had a double.
The Rangers and Douglas took a 4-4 tie into the fifth inning, and the Cats took a 7-4 lead with three runs in the bottom of the frame. Laramie rallied with four runs in the top of the seventh for the win.
Laramie had seven players record at least a hit with Branch, playing center field in the nightcap, tallying three RBIs, Chavez knocking a home run and left fielder Reese McIntyre hitting a double. The Rangers used four pitchers with Herrera getting the win and Chavez the save.
The Rangers notched four extra-base and 10 total hits in the first game against Torrington, led by home runs from Branch and catcher Tayton Moore. Hoyt had a pair of doubles and McIntyre also had a double. Laramie scored three runs in the first to help jump out to a 4-1 lead and stayed in front for the rest of the game.
Chavez got the win on the mound with a 10 strikeout effort and holding the Tigers to three hits and three runs (two earned) with four walks in 4 1/3 innings of work. Moniz earned the save with two walks and four strikeouts in the final 2 2/3 innings.
The tables were turned on Laramie in the second game when Torrington starting pitcher Nolan Long tossed a complete-game shutout with four hits, four walks and seven strikeouts.
The Rangers countered with Branch on the mound, and he went six innings with four hits, five runs, three walks and eight strikeouts. Three errors also stymied Laramie as only two of those runs were earned. | 2023-05-12T01:56:28+00:00 | wyomingnews.com | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/high_school/laramie_high/rangers-split-against-douglas-and-torrington/article_7f930d8e-f053-11ed-b826-976ac7dc6b81.html |
(NEXSTAR) – Summer vacation is supposed to be about rest and relaxation. But in reality, it sometimes ends up being about overpriced tourist traps, crowded streets or delayed flights.
How can you avoid that fate? We asked Clint Henderson, frequent traveler and managing editor at The Points Guy, for some guidance.
First off, make sure you pick the right location to jet off to. If you’re looking for peace and tranquility, there are some destinations you may want to avoid in 2023.
“The ‘White Lotus’ effect is real,” Henderson said, referring to the popular HBO series that portrays luxury travel in Hawaii and Sicily, Italy.
“Pretty much anytime you put a location in a film or a popular TV series, it’s going to become really popular,” he explained. “In fact, it’s tough to even get a hotel room sometimes now in Sicily.”
It’s not just Sicily — The Points Guy is seeing huge demand for pretty much all European destination this year, Henderson said. Some spots have made moves to restrict overtourism, like the Amalfi Coast’s new driving restrictions and the reservation system implemented at the idyllic Calanques trails and beaches in the south of France.
Elsewhere on France’s coastline, near Normandy’s Etretat, an abundance of tourists is believed to be contributing to erosion and strain on wastewater treatment infrastructure.
Back here in the U.S., Hawaii’s leaders are also looking at ways to limit or pace out tourist access to popular sites, like the Hana Highway, Waimea Bay and Shark’s Cove. Also victim to the “White Lotus” effect, hotel prices are especially high on the Hawaiian islands this summer, Henderson said.
Japan is also in demand this year, Henderson said, because it recently reopened to tourism after a prolonged COVID shutdown. But because airlines haven’t picked up all the Japan routes in 2020, flight prices remain exorbitantly high.
Similarly, it’s difficult to find flights from the U.S. to China for under $3,000, Henderson said.
Basically the only deals to be had, Henderson explained, are from low-cost airlines that are launching new routes, like TAP Air Portugal adding more flights to Lisbon, Aer Lingus to Dublin, and Norse Atlantic Airways to Oslo. Flying mid-week can also help shave off some dollars from the ticket price.
If your heart is set on one of the aforementioned hot spots, a tweak in timing could save your trip.
“I’m planning trips to Europe, but I’m waiting till September and October. Shoulder season is my favorite time to travel. You get better deals, there’s more availability of hotel rooms and places are less crowded,” said Henderson.
That’s not very helpful for people who are bound by kids’ school schedules or otherwise have to travel during the peak June-to-August summer timeframe, Henderson acknowledged. For those families, he suggested it’s a good time to cash in any credit card points or airlines miles you might have to help save money.
In any case, prepare for sticker shock when planning your vacation this summer.
“I priced flights, just anecdotally, between New York and Rome, and a flight that could should cost $600 is $1,000, $2,000, even $3,000 in coach,” Henderson said.
He attributed the huge jump in prices to several factors, including inflation and supercharged demand. Many people who put their travel plans on hold in 2020 and 2021 and getting back out there.
“Last summer, we called it ‘sold-out summer.’ This season, we’re calling it ‘sold-out summer,’ plus ‘sold-out fall’, plus ‘sold-out spring,'” Henderson said. “We are seeing continuing insane demand for travel.”
A small silver lining when it comes to travel costs in 2023: rental cars are cheaper than they’ve been in several years, Henderson said. Demand has softened and rental companies have been able to restore their fleets.
National parks around the U.S., while still popular, also aren’t as overcrowded as they were during the pandemic, he said.
On top of that, gas prices are also cheaper than they were this time last year — so maybe it’s time for a road trip instead? | 2023-04-29T18:09:31+00:00 | wjhl.com | https://www.wjhl.com/news/national/crowds-high-prices-and-the-white-lotus-effect-worst-places-to-travel-this-summer/ |
Datadog Audit Trail provides detailed audit event access, alerting and reporting capabilities that are critical for compliance and operational workflow management
NEW YORK , June 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Datadog, Inc. (NASDAQ: DDOG), the monitoring and security platform for cloud applications, today announced the general availability of Datadog Audit Trail, a new service that enables customers to audit all changes within the Datadog platform. Together with Datadog Sensitive Data Scanner and role-based access control (RBAC), Datadog Audit Trail helps businesses build a more complete compliance strategy for their observability data by mitigating the risk of significant data breaches, unauthorized user access and unintended configuration changes.
Regulatory requirements such as FedRAMP, GDPR and HIPAA require businesses to audit their platform activity on an ongoing basis, which can become time consuming and resource intensive. Datadog Audit Trail provides a unified view to give customers full visibility into user and API actions across the platform, allowing teams to report and alert on changes and fulfill their audit and compliance demands quickly and easily.
As organizations continue to increase their investments in cloud migration, automation and CI/CD integrations, it becomes critical to monitor for and respond rapidly to any unintended access, configuration and billing changes in their setup. Audit events—such as changes to monitors, dashboards, or data retention and RBAC policies—are key to diagnosing and mitigating such incidents.
"With Datadog Audit Trail, we were able to quickly find and lock down suspicious activity across certain access keys, helping us ensure sensitive information remained protected across the stack and meet our compliance and security goals," said Doug Reading, Engineering Manager, Observability at Zendesk.
"It can be a very manual and painful process to dig for the right information in event logs and troubleshoot when some critical Datadog configuration gets changed," said Pranay Kamat, Group Product Manager at Datadog. "Datadog Audit Trail simplifies this process. Teams can now collaborate on audit requests without leaving the Datadog platform. This reduces the time it takes to build, report and remediate important and time-sensitive events."
Datadog Audit Trail solves customer pain points by enabling organizations to:
- Retain all observability audit events to enable compliance: Enable organizational compliance by keeping all audit events for 90 days, with additional options for long-term archival.
- Respond to audit requests easily: Analyze trends and usage details with out-of-the-box dashboards and reporting capabilities.
- Monitor critical events: Stay alerted when critical observability configuration changes are made or unusual access activity is detected.
Datadog Audit Trail is generally available today and pricing information can be found here. Learn more about the offering here: https://www.datadoghq.com/product/audit-trail/.
Datadog is the monitoring and security platform for cloud applications. Our SaaS platform integrates and automates infrastructure monitoring, application performance monitoring and log management to provide unified, real-time observability of our customers' entire technology stack. Datadog is used by organizations of all sizes and across a wide range of industries to enable digital transformation and cloud migration, drive collaboration among development, operations, security and business teams, accelerate time to market for applications, reduce time to problem resolution, secure applications and infrastructure, understand user behavior and track key business metrics.
This press release may include certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended including statements on the benefits of new products and features. These forward-looking statements reflect our current views about our plans, intentions, expectations, strategies and prospects, which are based on the information currently available to us and on assumptions we have made. Actual results may differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements and are subject to a variety of assumptions, uncertainties, risks and factors that are beyond our control, including those risks detailed under the caption "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in our Securities and Exchange Commission filings and reports, including the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 6, 2022, as well as future filings and reports by us. Except as required by law, we undertake no duty or obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events, changes in expectations or otherwise.
Contact
Dan Haggerty
press@datadoghq.com
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SOURCE Datadog, Inc. | 2022-06-23T20:32:16+00:00 | kswo.com | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2022/06/23/datadog-launches-audit-trail-help-businesses-achieve-their-compliance-governance-objectives/ |
Which turtleneck dress is best?
Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean you can’t wear a dress. A turtleneck dress is both comfortable and cozy. Depending on its color, it could even brighten up those dreary winter days and spark some joy when you see your reflection. Turtleneck dresses are easy to style because they can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion or your mood. The best turtleneck dress is the Ninovino Women’s Turtleneck Ribbed Knit Long Sleeve Slim Fit Sweater Dress.
What to know before you buy a turtleneck dress
Warmth
Consider what kind of warmth you need from your clothes when looking for the right dress. Most turtleneck dresses have long sleeves and keep you warm. If you’re someone who already gets warm easily, or you live in a place that doesn’t get cold, it’s worth factoring that into your decision whether to get one. Some dresses are made of thinner material and can be layered if need be, while others are essentially like wearing a big heavy sweater.
Style
If you’ve never worn one before, you might be wondering how to style a turtleneck dress. Depending on the fit and the material, you have lots of options. Some look nice over leggings with tall boots, while others go well with tights and nice heels or flats. Think of your potential outfits as a composition that needs balance, and go from there.
Need vs. want
You don’t have to buy something only because you need it, but need can be useful in pointing you in the right direction. A turtleneck dress is generally stretchy and comfortable, balancing casual comfort with chic fashion. But it’s also practical, since it can keep you warm. Consider how a dress like this will fill a gap in your wardrobe.
What to look for in a quality turtleneck dress
Fit
Some turtleneck dresses are fitted, hugging your figure, flattering and modest at the same time. These tend to be made of thinner material and are easy to layer with your outerwear. Other styles are much more loose and drapey, casual and relaxed. They usually come in a thicker knit that enhances the cozy vibe.
Color
Even if it’s the type of dress normally associated with winter and colder weather, there’s no reason you can’t wear a turtleneck dress in fun colors or interesting patterns. Look at options that offer a variety of colors and try something bold. Bright colors are often especially delightful on cold, gray days.
Length
Turtleneck dresses come in a variety of lengths. Some are midi and go about halfway down the calves. Others are knee length or hit at mid-thigh. If you tend to run hot, a shorter dress can be an easy way to regulate your body temperature and offset how warm the dress is. If you need the warmth, a longer dress might suit you better, especially if it’s easy to layer with other warm garments.
How much you can expect to spend on a turtleneck dress
A turtleneck dress can cost anywhere from $20-$40.
Turtleneck dress FAQ
How do I style a turtleneck dress?
Very easily. Leggings, tights and skinny jeans can work well. Chunky boots or shoes, high heels or flats all look great, too. Depending on the type of dress you get, you can wear a thick sweater or coat on top.
Can I wear a turtleneck dress even if I’m busty?
You absolutely can! Having a certain body type does not mean you can’t wear certain things. All that matters is that you like what you’re wearing and it makes you feel great.
What’s the best turtleneck dress to buy?
Top turtleneck dress
NinovinoTurtleneck Ribbed Knit Long Sleeve Sweater Dress
What you need to know: This slim-fit midi-length dress is super flattering and comfortable to wear.
What you’ll love: With a variety of colors and colorblock options, it’s easy to find something to suit your wardrobe and your winter vibe. The neck comes up high enough to keep you warm.
What you should consider: It only goes up to size XXL and can only be washed by hand in cold water.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top turtleneck dress for the money
Urban CoCo Long Sleeve Turtleneck Bodycon T-Shirt Dress
What you need to know: This is the perfect mid-thigh length for anyone looking for a turtleneck dress.
What you’ll love: Featuring soft material composed primarily of viscose, this dress looks great with knee-high boots or chunky wedges with a leather jacket on top. There are lots of color options and the snug fit will keep you cozy.
What you should consider: It only goes up to size XL and will shrink if washed in hot water and dried on hot.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Millchic Turtleneck Long Lantern Sleeve Sweater Dress
What you need to know: This short, blousy dress is perfectly comfy.
What you’ll love: Easy to wear with leggings or thrown over a long flowy skirt, this short turtleneck dress comes in a wide rib knit for visually appealing texture. The lantern sleeves are stylish and elegant and the color choices are phenomenal.
What you should consider: It only goes up to size XL and can only be washed by hand.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | 2022-06-10T10:39:13+00:00 | keloland.com | https://www.keloland.com/reviews/br/apparel-br/shirts-tops-br/best-turtleneck-dress/ |
METUCHEN, N.J., Aug. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Feutune Light Acquisition Corporation (NASDAQ: FLFVU) (the "Company"), a newly organized blank check company incorporated as a Delaware business company, today announced that commencing on August 8, 2022, holders of the units sold in the Company's initial public offering may elect to separately trade the Company's Class A Common Stock shares, warrants, and rights included in the units. The Class A Common Stock shares, warrants and rights that are separated will trade on The Nasdaq Global Market ("NASDAQ") under the symbols "FLFV," "FLFVW," and "FLFVR." Those units not separated will continue to trade on NASDAQ under the symbol "FLFVU." Holders of units will need to have their brokers contact Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, the Company's transfer agent, in order to separate the units into Class A Common Stock shares, warrants and rights. The units began trading on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol "FLFVU" on June 16, 2022. The offering was made only by means of a prospectus. Copies of the prospectus relating to this offering may be obtained by accessing the SEC's website, www.sec.gov.
This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.
About Feutune Light Acquisition Corporation
Feutune Light Acquisition Corporation is a newly organized blank check company formed as a Delaware corporation for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization, or similar business combination with one or more businesses. The Company is actively searching and identifying suitable business combination targets but has not selected any business combination target. The company's efforts to identify a prospective target business will not be limited to a particular industry or geographic region, although the Company is prohibited from undertaking initial business combination with any entity that is based in or have the majority of its operations in China (including Hong Kong and Macau).
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, risks and changes in circumstances, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's registration statement, as amended from time to time, and prospectus for the offering filed with the SEC. Such forward-looking statements include the successful consummation of the Company's initial public offering or exercise of the underwriters' over-allotment option. The Company expressly disclaims any obligations or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Company's expectations with respect thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based.
Company Contact
Feutune Light Acquisition Corporation
Yuanmei Ma
Chief Financial Officer
48 Bridge Street, Building A
Metuchen, New Jersey 08840
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SOURCE Feutune Light Acquisition Corporation | 2022-08-03T21:36:28+00:00 | witn.com | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/08/03/feutune-light-acquisition-corporation-announces-separate-trading-its-class-common-stock-shares-warrants-rights-commencing-august-8-2022/ |
Don't take away high school elective opportunities. They are crucial for positive student growth and development
I was painfully shy when I started high school but luckily. I had the opportunity to take elective classes that helped me to come out of my shell. Performing in drama class helped me get over my fear of public speaking. Competing at the state and national levels in DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) furthered my self-confidence. Participating in the student council and becoming one of the yearbook editors developed my leadership skills. Learning Spanish enabled me to study abroad and travel the world.
I am now a high school English Language Development teacher and I see that the quality and range of the electives we offer mean as much for my students as they did for me. My students love learning about their cultures and developing their sense of identity through Chicano and Black Studies, ballet folklorico, and mariachi classes. They look forward to exploring their creative and artistic sides through art, photography, drama, jewelry, and ceramics. They enjoy learning foreign languages, culinary arts, film criticism, and much more. These electives help my students discover their interests and grow into well-rounded citizens.
In November, the Legislative Education Study Committee (LESC) proposed that New Mexico adopt new graduation requirements that look more like admission standards for an Ivy League university than criteria to graduate high school. Our students would be required to take math, science, social studies, and English during all four years of high school. As presented in November, to make room for this change, students will only have to take two electives during their entire high school career, instead of 7.5, like they do now.
New Mexico already has one of the lowest graduation rates in the country; we are one of only two states that consistently graduates less than 80% of their students. Eliminating courses that engage and empower our young people while supporting their overall development might put us on an even more downward slope. We must recognize the characteristics of a well-rounded and contributing citizen and build upon that, not take away from it. Some of the proposed changes could hinder some students from staying in school and ultimately graduating. This would translate to higher rates of crime and substance abuse, as well as more of a need for socialservices. We will all feel the effects of this.
More and more universities are recognizing that a student’s academic performance only tells part of their story and many degree-granting institutions are no longer requiring standardized test scores for admission. These schools are looking at the whole student to determine whether or not they’re likely to be successful on their campus. High school graduation requirements need to focus on how to provide all students with plenty of engaging electives that will help shape them into well-rounded citizens with a variety of interests. These requirements must encourage students to develop into versatile young adults with a variety of skills and passions.
Many of our students in New Mexico would never have the opportunity to throw a pot in ceramics, learn the guitar, or create a business plan if it weren’t for their high school elective classes. I sure wouldn’t have.
The LESC needs to consider helping develop our students into whole and fulfilled citizens when proposing new graduation requirements. Our students deserve nothing less.
Rachel Woods is a National Board Certified, 9-12 grade ELD teacher at Albuquerque High School. She is a Ph.D student at UNM and a Teach Plus New Mexico Policy Fellow. | 2022-12-12T23:19:36+00:00 | currentargus.com | https://www.currentargus.com/story/opinion/columnists/2022/12/12/dont-take-away-high-school-elective-opportunities/69721001007/ |
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A bill up for a final vote in West Virginia’s Senate could make the state the first to pass new legislation restricting access to abortions after the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling removing its protected status as a constitutional right.
Senators are set to meet Friday afternoon for a third reading of the bill, which some complained was not vetted in any of the chamber’s committees. If passed, it would head to the Republican governor, who has signaled he favors a statewide ban.
Gov. Jim Justice said during a media briefing earlier this week that the abortion bill “is so important, it’s off the chart. We need modernization to our law, and what we have on the books is ancient.” He didn’t indicate whether he would sign the bill that passed the House, and the governor’s office didn’t immediately return an email Thursday requesting comment on that version.
The House of Delegates passed the bill that would mandate prison time for medical providers who perform abortions earlier this week after allowing exemptions for victims of rape and incest up to 14 weeks of pregnancy.
The exemption also requires victims to report their assault to law enforcement. The bill provides other exceptions for an ectopic pregnancy, a “nonmedically viable fetus” or a medical emergency.
The vote in the GOP-dominated House on Wednesday came amid a protest from dozens inside the Capitol and followed a raucous public hearing in which most speakers — given just 45 seconds each to voice their opinions or be cut off — opposed the bill.
A parade of 90 speakers stepped to the microphone, including 12-year-old Addison Gardner of Buffalo Middle School, who posed a vivid hypothetical situation for lawmakers.
“If a man decides that I’m an object and does unspeakable and tragic things to me, am I, a child, supposed to carry and birth another child?” she said. “Am I to put my body through the physical trauma of pregnancy? Am I to suffer the mental implications? A child who had no say in what was being done with my body. Some in here say they are pro-life. What about my life? Does my life not matter to you?”
The legislation advancing in a special session called by Justice to “clarify and modernize” the state’s abortion laws would make providing an abortion a felony publishable by up to 10 years in prison.
After the Supreme Court ruling in June, West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey said abortion was banned in the state because of an 1800s-era law that had been unenforceable while abortion was federally protected. But on July 18, a Charleston judge barred the state from enforcing the ban, ruling it had been superseded by a slew of conflicting modern laws such as a ban on abortion after 20 weeks.
During hours of House debate, the sound of screams and chants from protesters outside the chamber rang throughout the room. “Face us!” the crowd yelled.
“What’s ringing in my ears is not the noise of the people here,” said one of the bill’s supporters, Republican Del. Brandon Steele of Raleigh County. “It’s the cries of the unborn, tens of thousands of unborn children that are dead today. … Their blood screams from the ground today that you end this scar on our state, that you remove this curse from this land that was put upon us by a court so long ago.”
Some of those speaking at the public hearing cried, including a woman who said getting an abortion saved her life and a mother who said her teenage daughter was raped last year at a sleepover.
Women’s Health Center of West Virginia Executive Director Katie Quiñonez was cut off and asked to step down as she started to talk about the abortion she got when she was 17 and just months from graduating high school.
“I chose life,” she said, raising her voice to speak over the interruption. “I chose my life, because my life is sacred.”
As security approached to escort her away from the podium, she walked past them, down the chamber aisle and out the doors. People sitting in the gallery stood up to clap and cheer.
___
For AP’s full coverage of the Supreme Court ruling on abortion, go to https://apnews.com/hub/abortion. | 2022-07-29T03:58:29+00:00 | seattletimes.com | https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/after-abortion-ruling-wva-could-become-1st-to-pass-new-bill/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
NEWPORT, RI (AP) — Surprise! Joni Mitchell is back onstage.
The folk legend performed her first full-length concert on Sunday at the Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island, The Boston Globe reported. Mitchell has contended with health complications since suffering an aneurysm in 2015, and her last full show was in late 2002, according to reports.
Seated in a wingback chair and wearing a blue beret and sunglasses, Mitchell joined festival headliner Brandi Carlile and a bevy of other artists, including Wynonna Judd, Allison Russell and Marcus Mumford. It was Mitchell’s first Newport festival performance since 1969.
This was, Carlile explained, a recreation of the “Joni Jam” musical gatherings that have brought famous friends like Elton John to Mitchell’s Los Angeles home in recent years.
And Mitchell wasn’t there to just to sing. Halfway through the 13-song set, she played an electric guitar solo, which was her first time playing guitar in public since her aneurysm, Carlile said.
The ensemble played Mitchell’s most familiar songs (“Circle Game,” “Big Yellow Taxi”) and a few of her favorites (“Love Potion No. 9,” “Why Do Fools Fall in Love”).
After their rendition of “Both Sides Now,” Carlile was fighting back tears. Addressing the audience, she asked: “Did the world just stop?” | 2022-07-26T00:50:30+00:00 | seattletimes.com | https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/joni-mitchell-78-graces-stage-after-nearly-2-decades-away/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Filming on the Western movie "Rust" could resume this week in Montana, the production company said Wednesday, in the aftermath of the fatal shooting of a cinematographer during a rehearsal with actor Alec Baldwin on the original production in New Mexico.
Baldwin will continue his involvement as an actor and coproducer, and Rust Move Productions attorney Melina Spadone said via a representative that filming will restart Thursday at the Yellowstone Film Ranch.
The production company finalized a settlement last month with New Mexico workplace safety regulars over "serious" violations, agreeing to a $100,000 fine to resolve a scathing safety review that detailed unheeded complaints and misfires on set before cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed in October 2021.
Plans to resume filming were outlined last year by widower Matthew Hutchins in a proposed settlement to a wrongful death lawsuit that would make him an executive producer on a rebooted “Rust.”
Prosecutors in Santa Fe are pressing forward with involuntary manslaughter charges against actor Baldwin and a weapons supervisor Hannah Gutierrez-Reed. Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed have pleaded not guilty.
Baldwin was pointing a pistol at Hutchins during a rehearsal when the gun when off, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.
Baldwin has said the gun went off accidentally and that he did not pull the trigger. An FBI forensic report found the weapon could not have fired unless the trigger was pulled.
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham this month signed a new $360,000 allowance for prosecution of the case. Evidentiary hearings are scheduled in early May in state District Court to decide whether to proceed toward trial. Baldwin has indicated that he won't attend those hearings.
Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies says her office is pursuing justice in the death of Hutchins and wants to show that no one is above the law when it comes to firearms and public safety. She says the Ukrainian-born cinematographer's death was tragic and preventable.
"Rust" safety coordinator and assistant director David Halls pleaded no contest in March to a conviction for unsafe handling of a firearm and a suspended sentence of six months of probation.
Souza, the director, has said he'll return to the “Rust” production to honor the legacy of Halyna Hutchins.
Parts of a documentary about Hutchins' life will be filmed simultaneously with “Rust.”
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP | 2023-04-20T03:53:47+00:00 | springfieldnewssun.com | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/nation-world/rust-movie-reboots-after-alec-baldwin-shooting/XP3TS5GHIZCD7DWUM7WEMNJ674/ |
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Golden State Warriors have decided to go through with completion of a trade to acquire Gary Payton II from Portland despite concerns that arose surrounding the guard’s health following offseason surgery for a core muscle injury that sidelined him until last month.
A person with direct knowledge of the situation said Sunday that the Warriors spoke to the NBA about how the Trail Blazers handled the deal and information about the medical situation for Payton, whose physical Friday brought up issues that put the trade in jeopardy. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because no details of the negotiations and discussions were made public.
The defending champions had until Sunday night to make a decision whether to rescind the swap that sent center James Wiseman to Detroit. Golden State also will receive unprotected 2026 and ‘28 second-round draft picks from Portland while giving up Memphis’ 2026 second-round pick and its own 2028 second-round selection to Portland.
The Pistons traded forward Saddiq Bey to the Hawks and the Blazers acquire forward Kevin Knox II from the Detroit along with three conditional second-round picks from the Hawks.
The 30-year-old Payton played a key role as a defensive stopper for Golden State during last season’s title run and would immediately provide backcourt depth with Stephen Curry sidelined at least until after the All-Star break with a left leg injury.
Payton’s status for the rest of the season is unclear. He played against Golden State in a win Wednesday night at Portland before rejoining his former team ahead of the trade deadline a day later. Payton is averaging 4.1 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists over 15 games.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2023-02-13T22:17:44+00:00 | localsyr.com | https://www.localsyr.com/sports-news/ap-warriors-go-through-with-four-team-trade-acquiring-payton/ |
DARTMOUTH, NS, Feb. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Acadian Plant Health™ today announced 'Sea Beyond,' the company's newly branded vision designed to transition the biostimulant industry with technological solutions that respond to an agricultural production system highly stressed by climate change.
"Our 'Sea Beyond' launch is our new vision, leadership, and commitment to providing innovative and sustainable solutions for global agriculture," says Nelson Gibson, President Acadian Plant Health. "We are challenging conventional thinking to 'Sea Beyond' the way the biostimulant industry delivers agricultural solutions that respond to the growing global demand for food and climate stress."
The announcement builds on the company's leadership position in the global biostimulant sector, to become the leading crop abiotic stress management company with patented seaweed core technology. Acadian Plant Health research and development delivers sea-to-land, science-based solutions, proven to alleviate crop stress from factors like drought, heat, chill, salinity and nutrient deficiencies, while still maintaining and improving the productivity of the crop. Acadian Plant Health products are designed and created as unique active ingredient solutions that will both stand-alone and fit into other technologies to solve key agricultural challenges.
"The more we spoke with our customers, the more we realized that there is a misconception of 'either/or' when it comes to performance and sustainability," says Gibson. "There is a perception that you couldn't get the yield you needed with 'eco-friendly' products. But we're challenging this conventional thinking. Working together with our industry partners, our biostimulants promise stronger yielding crops in a sustainable manner, which we have been proving with science for the past 40 years," says Gibson. "What we must do as an industry now is see beyond the current state of the agricultural inputs industry and offer solutions that provide high value, crop productivity technology that shifts from a peripheral add-on to an essential component of Sustainable Agriculture. The world is changing, and we know things must change on a global basis. One company can't do it alone. We must work together to advance sustainability for the benefit of plant and planet."
Acadian Plant Health is a division of Acadian Seaplants Limited™ – the largest independent marine plant harvesting, cultivation, and extraction company in the world. Acadian is an international leader in sustainable, science-based biological solutions for high-value crops. The company is committed to launching patented innovative products, with a focus on sustainability and regenerative agriculture. Acadian Plant Health products are used in over 100 crops in more than 80 countries worldwide.
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SOURCE Acadian Plant Health | 2023-02-06T14:06:12+00:00 | wsfa.com | https://www.wsfa.com/prnewswire/2023/02/06/acadian-plant-health-launches-newly-branded-vision-immediate-innovative-solutions-support-sustainable-global-food-production/ |
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — The main challenger trying to unseat Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in this month’s presidential election cuts a starkly different figure than the incumbent who has ruled the country for two decades.
Where Erdogan is a mesmerizing orator, the unassuming Kemal Kilicdaroglu is soft spoken. Erdogan is also a master campaigner who uses state resources and events to reach supporters while Kilicdaroglu talks to voters in videos recorded in his kitchen. As the polarizing Erdogan has grown increasingly authoritarian, Kilicdaroglu has built a reputation as a bridge builder and vows to restore democracy.
The contrasts are reflected in the two men’s political paths. Erdogan’s staying power has kept him in office first as prime minister then as president since 2003. Kilicdaroglu (pronounced KEH-lich-DAHR-OH-loo) has not won a general election since taking the helm of his secular, center-left Republican People’s Party, or CHP, in 2010.
But that could change on May 14, when Turkey holds its most hotly contested presidential election in years. Opinion surveys give Kilicdaroglu, 74, a slight lead over Erdogan, even though analysts warn of the perils of writing off a president with potent political skills. If neither candidate wins more than 50% of the votes, the election will go to a May 28 runoff.
Divisions within the opposition have long helped the 69-year-old Erdogan hold on to power, but this time around Kilicdaroglu is running as the candidate of a united bloc known as the Nation Alliance, which unified six diverse parties, including nationalists and Islamists. Kilicdaroglu has also clinched the pro-Kurdish party’s tacit support.
Adding to Kilicdaroglu’s chances for victory are a faltering economy and high inflation that have been blamed on Erdogan’s unconventional economic policies. Another factor is the devastating earthquake in February that killed more than 50,000 people and exposed years of government negligence.
Erdal Karatas, a barber in Istanbul, used to support Erdogan but has switched allegiances amid the economic downturn and inflation and will vote for Kilicdaroglu.
Erdogan’s “first 10 years were really successful, but in the last 10 years he has veered off course. We can call it power-poisoning,” he said. “We take out loans to pay for debts and credit cards. Our income does not cover our expenses.”
The Nation Alliance has vowed to roll back Erdogan’s efforts to concentrate vast powers in the president’s hands. The coalition has also pledged to reinstate a parliamentary democracy with checks and balances, to return to more conventional economic policies and to fight corruption.
“These elections are about rebuilding Turkey, ensuring that no child goes to bed hungry. They are about ensuring gender equality,” Kilicdaroglu said at a rally in the CHP stronghold of Izmir, in western Turkey. “These elections are about reconciliation and not conflict. And these elections are about bringing democracy to Turkey.”
In another stark difference with the incumbent, Kilicdaroglu has said he aims to serve just one term and then retire to spend time with his three grandchildren. If elected, he plans to move to the modest presidential palace in Ankara that was home to past presidents, instead of the 1,150-room palace that Erdogan built.
Under Kilicdaroglu, analysts say, Turkey is likely to adopt a more pro-European and pro-NATO stance, while still preserving Turkey’s economic ties with Russia.
Erdogan Toprak, a CHP legislator and longtime friend of Kilicdaroglu, said without Kilicdaroglu’s patience and consensus-building skills, a united opposition would not have emerged. The bloc includes former Erdogan allies.
“He does not hold grudges,” Toprak said. “He attaches great importance to compromise, and he displays tolerance. That’s what created the Nation Alliance.”
Forming the alliance “required a lot of patience and self-sacrifice.” Kilicdaroglu “showed the self-sacrifice and patience … even though he got a lot of criticism from within the party.”
The social democrat politician who has built a reputation for honesty and integrity was born in 1948 in Tunceli province, in eastern Turkey, to a deed officer father and a homemaker mother.
He is the fourth of seven children from an Alevi family, an Islamic tradition that is distinct from the Sunni, Shia and Alawite sects and whose members have faced discrimination in the overwhelmingly Sunni country.
An economist by training, Kilicdaroglu headed Turkey’s social security organization before joining the CHP and winning a seat in parliament in 2002 — the same year Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development party came to power.
He grabbed public attention after exposing corruption allegations against ruling party members and became CHP’s leader after the resignation of former party head Deniz Baykal, who died this year.
Under Kilicdaroglu’s leadership, the CHP, which was established in 1923 by the modern Turkish Republic’s founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, has shed its rigid secular, nationalist stance and recently opened up to minority Kurds and to more conservative sections of society. It has assured pious women that their rights to wear Islamic-style headscarves will be upheld.
Steered by Kilicdaroglu, the party managed to unseat ruling party mayors in Istanbul and Ankara in 2019 by launching an effective local election campaign. Until then, the party had lost all parliamentary and presidential elections under Kilicdaroglu. The popular mayors of Ankara and Istanbul have campaigned on his behalf.
Kilicdaroglu is prone to fumbles, however. On April 1, he was forced to apologize after he was photographed accidentally treading on a prayer rug. Erdogan, who has relentless mocked Kilicdaroglu over the years, used the incident to portray his rival as disrespectful to religious values.
Erdogan frequently refers to Kilicdaroglu as “Bay Kemal” or “Mr. Kemal” to portray him as a elitist political figure who is out of touch with people from Turkey’s conservative, impoverished heartland, even though Kilicdaroglu comes from a low-income background. Kilicdaroglu has embraced the nickname in response, frequently referring to himself as “Bay Kemal.”
Many have speculated that his Alevi background could cost Sunni votes. Kilicdaroglu spoke about his Alevi heritage for the first time in a video address in April, when he called on young voters to put an end to divisive sectarianism politics.
Unlike Erdogan, whose control of mainstream media allows him to dominate the airwaves, Kilicdaroglu has been trying to woo voters with videos recorded from his modest kitchen and posted on social media. Images of his kitchen are now being used as background for video conference calls.
In 2017, Kilicdaroglu grabbed international attention when he walked for 25 days from Ankara to Istanbul in a “March for Justice” to protest the conviction of one of his lawmakers and a large-scale government crackdown on critics following a 2016 coup attempt.
The politician survived an attack in 2016 when Kurdish rebels fired a missile at a convoy he was traveling in. Three years later, he escaped another attack by suspected Erdogan supporters while attending the funeral of a soldier slain in clashes with the rebels.
“Turkey is going through a difficult period,” Toprak said. Kilicdaroglu, “who is not power-hungry, will overcome this troubled period through reconciliation and tolerance. The country has a one-man rule problem. That will go away.”
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Associated Press writers Zeynep Bilginsoy and Mehmet Guzel in Istanbul contributed to this report. | 2023-05-03T00:29:48+00:00 | kdvr.com | https://kdvr.com/news/nationalworld-news/ap-international/challenger-in-turkey-presidential-race-offers-sharp-contrast/ |
A train carrying ethanol derailed and caught fire in western Minnesota Thursday morning, prompting an evacuation for residents near the crash site in the city of Raymond, Minn.
The Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office was notified of the derailment at about 1:00 a.m. local time, according to a statement. The BNSF-operated train derailed on the western edge of the city but was still within Raymond, Minn., city limits.
About 22 cars carrying ethanol and corn syrup derailed, and four are on fire, BNSF told NPR in a statement. The cause of the derailment is under investigation.
"There are no other hazardous materials on the train and no injuries as a result of the incident," the railroad said.
Authorities established a half-mile evacuation area around the crash site, and law enforcement officials and other emergency responders assisted, the sheriff's office said. Residents with nowhere else to go went to an emergency collection site in nearby Prinsburg, Minn.
Raymond has a population of about 900 people and is about 100 miles west of Minneapolis.
The "site remains active as the fire is being contained," the sheriff's office said. BNSF personnel are on site and working with first responders.
The main track is blocked, and it's unclear when it will be reopened, BNSF said.
Mayor and assistant fire chief Ardell Tensen told member station Minnesota Public Radio that the derailment was so loud that some firefighters heard the cars crashing together along the tracks. Firefighters were letting some of the ethanol burn out, but much of the fire had been extinguished as of 6 a.m. local time.
"We didn't know if they were going to blow up," Tensen told MPR News, which is why the city decided to evacuate residents nearby.
Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the Federal Railroad Administration is on the ground in Raymond and will be involved in the investigation.
Another BNSF train carrying corn syrup derailed earlier this month in Arizona. Both derailments come on the heels of two high-profile Norfolk Southern derailments — one carrying toxic chemicals that derailed near East Palestine, Ohio, and another in Ohio with no toxic chemicals on board.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2023-03-30T15:22:36+00:00 | mainepublic.org | https://www.mainepublic.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-03-30/a-train-carrying-ethanol-derails-and-catches-fire-in-minnesota-forcing-evacuations |
How to reduce your risk of mosquito outbreaks and West Nile exposure
Beyond getting your property squared away, also remember to protect yourself from the potential of being bitten.
TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — Cases of the West Nile Virus are slowly starting to emerge from around the Gem State.
On Thursday, Canyon County reported its first confirmed case of the virus. Thankfully so far, the West Nile Virus has not made its way into deep southern Idaho, but experts say it’s only a matter of time.
“We have not found it in our county (Twin Falls) yet, but we are still looking for it. Other counties do have it and we are expecting it to show up at some point,” said Aaron Ursenbach – Manager of the T.F. Pest Abatement District.
With the expectations of “when” and not “if” - The Twin Falls County Pest Abatement District says there are many preventive actions you can take to make sure the virus doesn’t emerge on your property.
“It’s going to be getting hot here in the next couple days, next week we’re looking at about 100 degrees, or greater. With water and (high) temperatures you’re going to have mosquitoes. So please remember that if you have and standing water in your backyards… get rid of that standing water. It doesn’t matter if it’s a cup or a flowerpot or something like that… you need to get rid of it,” said Ursenbach.
Pretty much anything that can hold water; from old tires, pet water dishes, puddles, and even bird baths, It’s all potential breeding grounds for mosquitos.
Beyond getting your property squared away, also remember to protect yourself from the potential of being bitten.
“Long sleeves and bug repellent, that way if there are mosquitoes in an area it protects you from getting bit because we do not want West Nile showing up in our area. Especially in a human case,” said Ursenbach.
If you do suspect you have been infected with the West Nile Virus, contact your local health care provider or your local health department.
“You’re not going to be able to see it in the environment, you’re not going to be able to tell in animals but if you’re starting to see any flu-like symptoms definitely reach out to your health department or your local physician, because they’re going to help you out… they’ll be able to do a test for you,” said Ursenbach.
Besides homeowners doing their part, officials also want to remind those who own large parcels of land to keep a constant eye on livestock watering holes - as well as all low-lying areas where water can pool.
Copyright 2023 KMVT. All rights reserved. | 2023-07-07T21:59:08+00:00 | kmvt.com | https://www.kmvt.com/2023/07/07/how-reduce-your-risk-mosquito-outbreaks-west-nile-exposure/ |
AL KHOR, Qatar (AP) — Soccer powerhouses Belgium and Germany made early exits at the World Cup on Thursday, which many considered a wild day in group play.
Back-to-back early exits at the World Cup have Germany coach Hansi Flick wanting to go back to basics.
The four-time champions were again eliminated from the group stage four years after their embarrassing display as defending champions in Russia.
Something has to change, Flick said after a 4-2 victory over Costa Rica on Thursday that still wasn’t enough to secure a spot in the round of 16.
“I believe for the future of German football we need to do things differently in training,” said Flick, who took over as coach after last year’s European Championship. “For years we are talking about new goalkeepers and wingbacks, but Germany was always able to defend well. We need the basics.
“For the future, for the next 10 years, it is very important to focus on the new generation of players.”
It was only eight years ago that Germany won its fourth World Cup title, beating an Argentina team led by Lionel Messi in his prime in the final at the Maracana Stadium. With that victory, Germany became the only European team to win a World Cup in either North or South America.
In Qatar, it was an opening loss to Japan that set the stage for the disappointing finish this time. Germany was beaten 2-1 in that match last week, and followed it with a 1-1 draw against Spain.
That gave the Germans a chance in its last match at Al Bayt Stadium, and for a few minutes during the simultaneous final group matches on Thursday, it was enough. At halftime, for example, Germany was beating Costa Rica and Japan was losing to Spain — results that would have put the Germans into the round of 16.
It was Japan’s 2-1 victory over the Spaniards that essentially cost the Germans a chance to play at least one more match in Qatar.
Flick cited Spain as an example for his country to follow.
“Spain is very good in defense,” he said, even though the 2010 World Cup champions ultimately lost to Japan at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha. “It focuses on training young players. They know the tactics well.”
It all started so well for Germany on Thursday with Serge Gnabry scoring a 10th-minute header and Spain taking an early lead against Japan.
Both matches were turned upside down in the second half.
Yeltsin Tejeda evened the score in the 58th minute and Juan Vargas scrambled another in the 70th, putting Costa Rica ahead 2-1 and all of a sudden on target to advance.
“There were a lot of individual mistakes and these are things that make me very angry,” Flick said.
But Germany substitute Kai Havertz made it 2-2 in the 73rd minute and then restored Germany’s lead in the 85th. Another substitute, Niclas Füllkrug, added the fourth.
Costa Rica had lost its opening game against Spain 7-0. The team then put on a much better display and beat Japan 1-0.
“We are not what we saw in our first game,” Costa Rica coach Luis Fernando Suarez said. “We had to go back to what made us qualify for the World Cup.”
Spain will take on Morocco, who took the top spot in Group F after defeating Canada 2-1, ESPN reported.
Belgium, ranked No. 2 in the world and finished third at the World Cup four years ago, was also eliminated from the world's biggest sporting event after a goalless tie against Croatia, who will play Japan in the round of 16, The Washington Post reported.
HISTORY MADE
The match was also notable because French referee Stéphanie Frappart became the first woman to officiate a men’s World Cup match.
RECORD SET
Manuel Neuer played in his 19th World Cup match to set a record for a goalkeeper — overtaking German great Sepp Maier and Brazil keeper Cláudio Taffarel.
GINTER’S WAIT
Matthias Ginter was participating in his third World Cup, but going into the match against Costa Rica he had yet to play a single minute at any of those tournaments. That all changed when he came on as a substitute in the 89th minute. | 2022-12-02T21:40:51+00:00 | kgun9.com | https://www.kgun9.com/news/world/germany-out-of-world-cup-despite-4-2-win-over-costa-rica |
Rebel Wilson announces birth of first baby via surrogate
Published: Nov. 7, 2022 at 3:27 PM CST|Updated: 8 minutes ago
(CNN) – “Pitch Perfect” star Rebel Wilson is a new mom.
She announced the birth of her daughter, Royce Lillian, on Instagram.
The photo of her daughter in a pink onesie has taken many by surprise.
She thanked her surrogate who she said carried and birthed the baby with grace and care.
The actress went public in June that she was in a relationship with fashion designer Ramona Agruma.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | 2022-11-07T21:36:57+00:00 | wsfa.com | https://www.wsfa.com/2022/11/07/rebel-wilson-announces-birth-first-baby-via-surrogate/ |
A Black teenager who authorities say was shot by an 84-year-old White homeowner after going to the wrong Kansas City address has received a positive prognosis but still faces a long road to recovery as his family fights for justice in his case, according to his attorneys.
"Thursday night, doctors were scraping off bullet fragments off his brain. Saturday, he was released from the hospital," Yarl family attorney Lee Merritt told CNN Tuesday night, calling Ralph's recovery a miracle.
Ralph, 16, rang a doorbell on April 13 and was shot in the head and arm by the homeowner, who opened fire through a locked glass door without any words exchanged, according to statements in a probable cause document obtained by CNN.
Homeowner Andrew Lester -- who faces two felony charges, for assault in the first degree and armed criminal action -- told police he opened fire because he thought the teen was trying to break in and he was "scared to death" due to the boy's size, according to the document.
Lester turned himself in at a detention center Tuesday, then hours later was released on $200,000 bond. He is expected to be arraigned Wednesday afternoon, according to Merritt.
CNN has not been able to reach the homeowner. CNN has yet to determine whether Lester has an attorney.
On Tuesday, Ralph's attorney and aunt challenged the notion that the boy's size could have been intimidating.
Ralph stands at 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighs 140 pounds, Merritt said Tuesday night.
"He's the least imposing kid that I've come across," Merritt said. "He is a 16-year-old musician. He is not known for his physical prowess."
Ralph's aunt also questioned how the boy could have looked threatening.
"There is no way you can see fear when you look at that kid -- if you really look at him, and not just the color of his skin. There is no way you can see fear," Spoonmore said Tuesday morning.
Police responded just before 10 p.m. that night after receiving reports of a shooting. They arrived to find Ralph wounded in the street. The boy had gone to neighbors looking for help after he was shot, according to police.
Merritt said the boy's prognosis is "very, very positive,"
"He has a prognosis of a full recovery, minus scarring and long term, maybe, CTE and Post Traumatic Brain Injury symptoms," Merritt said Tuesday night.
Still, the teenager -- who plays bass clarinet and is a band leader in school -- faces a long road to recovery, both emotionally and physically, according to his aunt.
"He lost a part of himself that day. A lot has changed since that happened. The way in which he's gonna walk through this world, it's gonna be totally different because of what happened," Ralph's aunt Faith Spoonmore said.
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said he believes Ralph was racially profiled by the shooter.
"To pretend that race is not a part of this whole situation would be to have your head in the sand," Lucas said. "This boy was shot because he was existing while Black."
Clay County Prosecuting Attorney Zachary Thompson has previously said, "There was a racial component to this case," but did not elaborate.
Questions over Lester's release
Questions remain over why Lester was released a few hours after being detained the night of the April 13 shooting.
Lester was taken into custody and then released less than two hours later that night, two representatives at the Kansas City Police Department detention unit previously told CNN.
Merritt told CNN Tuesday night that he hasn't received a satisfactory answer as to why the suspect wasn't arrested until Tuesday -- days after the shooting.
"I share the outrage and the concern of many in asking why," Mayor Lucas told CNN Tuesday morning.
"In Missouri, you can have a 24-hour hold. It is clear here that this was two or three hours, where they questioned the suspect. He was able to go back home that evening," he added.
Prosecutor Thompson has said previously that Lester was released because police recognized that more investigative work needed to be done.
On the night of the shooting, the boy was asked to pick up his siblings and mistakenly went to 1100 NE 115th Street instead of 1100 NE 115th Terrace, police and Ralph's family have said.
When he arrived at the house, Ralph said he rang the doorbell and waited a while before a man eventually opened the door and immediately shot him in the head, causing him to fall, the probable cause statement says. While the teenager was still on the ground, the man then fired again, shooting him in the arm, Ralph told police.
Lester told police he opened his interior door and "saw a black male approximately 6 feet tall pulling on the exterior storm door handle," according to the document.
"He stated he believed someone was attempting to break into the house, and shot twice within a few seconds of opening the door," the probable cause statement reads.
The boy told police he did not pull on the door, according to the probable cause statement.
Kansas City Councilman Eric Bunch said the interaction should not have ended in gunfire, whether Ralph had intended to knock on Lester's door or not.
"You have a right to walk up to someone's door and ring their bell," Bunch said.
"This is a stand your ground state, and I think that unfortunately leads often to cases like this. Add in implicit bias, and you have a recipe for disaster," Bunch said.
It remains unclear whether "Stand your ground" laws will play a role in Lester's case. The laws allow people to respond to threats or force without fear of criminal prosecution in any place where a person has the right to be.
Merritt told CNN he doesn't believe such a defense would apply, saying Ralph was never a threat.
"Those are self-defense statutes," Merritt said Tuesday morning. "Those are saying that you have the right to protect yourself against force exerted against you ... He was never confronted with force. Ralph never even tried the door handle. He rang the doorbell, and he waited."
Over $3 million raised for Ralph
The GoFundMe page started to help the Yarl family with medical expenses had garnered more than $3 million from more than 80,000 separate donations by Tuesday night -- up from $2 million the night before.
"Ralph is currently at home with the family. He can ambulate and communicate. A true miracle considering what he survived," Spoonmore posted in an update on the page.
"Each day is different. He has a long road ahead. However, we are very thankful that he is still here with us. I've been taking the time to read the emails and comments to Ralph. It warms our hearts to see him smile at all the kind words. Thank you so much for loving Ralph," she added.
The shooting fueled protests in Kansas City and spurred a "Unity Walk" in support of Ralph Tuesday by an estimated 1,500 students at Staley High School, where the teenager was a junior, CNN affiliate KMBC reported.
President Joe Biden spoke with Ralph and his mother, Cleo Nagbe, by phone on Monday evening, a White House official told CNN, saying the conversation also covered their families, their love of music and Ralph's dream of pursuing a chemical engineering degree at Texas A&M University.
"The president also committed to keeping up his fight against gun violence," the official said.
Vice President Kamala Harris also spoke with Ralph Tuesday afternoon, according to Merritt.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | 2023-04-19T09:01:43+00:00 | albanyherald.com | https://www.albanyherald.com/news/recovery-of-black-teen-allegedly-shot-by-white-homeowner-after-ringing-wrong-doorbell-is-a/article_259b89f6-3741-5a71-9b52-229adb90664a.html |
‘Obamacare’ will still cover prevention for HIV, other illnesses amid court battle
(AP) - The government can keep enforcing “Obamacare” requirements that health insurance plans cover preventative care — such as HIV prevention, some types of cancer screenings and other illnesses — while a legal battle over the mandates plays out, under a court agreement approved Tuesday.
The pact approved by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals preserves — at least for now — cost-free preventive care coverage for millions of Americans under the Affordable Care Act.
That coverage was thrown into question by a March ruling from a federal judge in Texas, who said some of the preventive care requirements under former President Barack Obama’s 13-year-old health care law are unconstitutional.
The ruling by U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor had nationwide effects. The Biden administration had argued last week at the appeals court that the ruling should be stayed while appeals are pursued.
The agreement was filed with the court Monday. In it, the plaintiffs in the case, including a Christian dentist who opposes coverage for contraception and HIV prevention on religious grounds, agreed to a broad stay nationwide. In return, during the appeal process, the handful of plaintiffs would be allowed to provide insurance plans that don’t include the preventive care. If O’Connor’s ruling were reversed, they would have to provide the coverage, but they would not be penalized for having dumped the coverage during appeals.
O’Connor’s March ruling deals with requirements for coverage driven by recommendations by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. The judge ruled that because the task force is made up of volunteers, enforcing its recommendations violates the Constitution’s Appointment Clause, which lays out how government officials can be appointed.
Not all preventive care was threatened by O’Connor’s ruling. An analysis by the nonprofit KFF foundation found that some screenings, including mammography and cervical cancer screening, would still be covered without out-of-pocket costs because the task force recommended them before the health care law was enacted in March 2010.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | 2023-06-13T16:35:49+00:00 | ktiv.com | https://www.ktiv.com/2023/06/13/obamacare-will-still-cover-prevention-hiv-other-illnesses-amid-court-battle/ |
TOKYO, Oct. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- T.E.S.T Co., Ltd. and a professional photographer Tomooh Nozawa from Hi cheese Co., Ltd. have developed "NOZON," a magnetic hanger designed for use in the fashion industry as a photographing support tool. Its sales starts on the NOZON website ( https://nozon.shop/en ) from October 7, 2022.
Images: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/release/202209297442?p=images
- Anyone Can Easily Photograph Clothing for Online Stores
The problem with conventional shooting methods is that it takes time, technique, cost, and space to convey the detail and feel of clothing materials to customers. By placing NOZON inside the clothing and hanging it from the wall with magnets, gravity creates natural wrinkles and drapes, allowing users to take pictures that bring out the nuances of clothes.
- Time Saving and High Quality
When developing NOZON from the prototype to the final product, many aspects including accessories and product specs were considered thoroughly. NOZON comes in three sizes, S, M and L, to support various types of garments. To attach steel plates to walls, pushpins or double-sided tape can be used depending on the material. Once the steel plates are attached, use NOZON to fix garments to the wall and get ready for the photo shoot. Natural wrinkles and draping occur with gravity, making it possible to shoot photos of the garments with its styles intact. Subtle adjustments to the positioning of the garments are easily performed with magnets.
- Not Just for Photo Shoot
Since garments do not have to be hanged, walls in stores or event booths can be utilized to save space. Also, garments can be displayed without using torso or full body mannequins.
- How to Use NOZON
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RTdrZc67UU
- Sales starts on the NOZON website on October 7.
URL: https://nozon.shop/en
Price: USD250
NOZON promotional video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_N3wM0lliWU
Official Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/nozon_official/
- How NOZON Started
With the expansion of EC sales and social media usage in the fashion industry, the importance of photo shoot -- not only of models wearing products, but also product photography presenting the product on the internet in an easy-to-understand format -- is also increasing. Pro photographer Nozawa got an inspiration to develop NOZON as inquiries increased from his clients and colleagues if there was any way to take product photos more easily with better results.
- Problem Solving for Photography
When photographing clothes using hangers, mannequins, or flatly laid images, the problem was taking time, technique, cost and space. There was clearly a limit in showing the detail and feel of the material in the best state possible to customers with conventional photography.
- Solution from Trial and Error
To solve this problem, Nozawa applied the shooting technique using magnets that he practiced during his studio days and created prototypes by attaching magnets to frames made of wood. Using the prototypes, Nozawa tried shooting against the background of paper pasted on a steel plate, and the photos turned out to be something close to what he envisioned. And after a few more years of trial and error, the current shape has been achieved.
View original content:
SOURCE T.E.S.T Co., Ltd. | 2022-10-07T06:39:37+00:00 | kcbd.com | https://www.kcbd.com/prnewswire/2022/10/07/test-hi-cheese-co-sell-nozon-worlds-first-magnetic-hanger-photographing-clothes-make-apparel-photos-simple-beautiful-everyone/ |
US natural gas prices spike to 14-year high. Here’s why
By Matt Egan, CNN Business
US natural gas prices have skyrocketed to levels unseen since 2008, a spike that threatens to offset the benefits of falling prices at the gas pump.
Natural gas futures surged 7% on Tuesday to close at $9.33 per million British thermal unit (BTU), the highest closing price since August 1, 2008.
Although natural gas futures cooled off a touch on Wednesday, they remain up about 70% just since the end of June. And natural gas is up a staggering 525% since closing at $1.48 in June 2020 when Covid-19 had shut much of the US economy down.
The summer spike is being driven in part by high demand as scorching temperatures through much of the country force Americans to crank up the air conditioning. That in turn has chipped away at relatively low inventory levels.
“We’ve had this perma-heat wave cooking the United States,” said Robert Yawger, vice president of energy futures at Mizuho Securities.
As temperatures drop this fall and winter, the natural gas spike signals sticker shock for families. Not only is natural gas a leading fuel source for the electric grid, it’s the most popular way to heat homes in America.
“Depending on the weather, it could be a challenging winter,” said Rob Thummel, senior portfolio manager at Tortoise Capital Advisors. “But not as challenging as in Europe. They are at risk of running out of natural gas. We aren’t.”
Europe’s natural gas prices are seven times higher
Europe’s natural gas crisis is being driven by its reliance on energy from Russia, which has slashed natural gas flows to Europe in response to Western sanctions.
The European Union has been forced to lay plans to ration natural gas, a drastic step that will hurt families and businesses. Natural gas prices have skyrocketed so high in Europe that it threatens to send the continent’s economy into recession.
For context, Europe’s natural gas prices are trading at levels equivalent to about $70 per million BTUs, according to Andy Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates. That is roughly seven times higher than prices in the United States.
But that is little consolation to Americans grappling with high prices at the grocery store, clothing stores and at restaurants.
Even as natural gas prices surge, oil prices have tumbled, helping to drive gasoline prices sharply lower. The national average for regular gasoline has dropped 64 days in a row, according to AAA.
Exports pick-up to Europe
Analysts say Europe’s natural gas crisis is contributing to the higher natural gas prices in America, although it’s not the main driver.
“Higher global prices are trickling down to the US. Natural gas has become a global commodity with the emergency of LNG,” said Thummel.
The United States has stepped up its exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe in an effort to mitigate the impact of the loss of Russian gas.
“Every spare molecule we can find, we are shipping to the eurozone,” said Yawger.
US natural gas production is lagging behind
But the bigger issue for US natural gas is the fact that inventory levels are below historical averages, leaving the market with less of a buffer and driving up prices.
“We entered this year at beaten-down levels and we never caught up,” Yawger said.
Supply has failed to keep up with strong demand for gas. Thummel pointed to how US oil and gas producers are under pressure from Wall Street to spend less on expensive drilling projects and more on dividends and buybacks to shareholders.
“We need more US natural gas production. The production levels are too low,” Thummel said.
The good news is that higher prices should, eventually, incentivize more production. And investors are not betting today’s high prices will continue. The futures market indicates natural gas prices should be almost 50% lower at this point next year.
Then again, very few people thought a year ago natural gas prices would be at 2008 levels. And yet here we are.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | 2022-08-17T19:15:30+00:00 | kyma.com | https://kyma.com/cnn-business-consumer/2022/08/17/us-natural-gas-prices-spike-to-14-year-high-heres-why-2/ |
NEW YORK – Amid the bright lights and electronic billboards across New York's Times Square, city authorities are posting new signs proclaiming the bustling crossroads a “Gun Free Zone.”
The sprawling Manhattan tourist attraction is one of scores of “sensitive” places — including parks, churches and theaters — that will be off limits for guns under a sweeping new state law going into effect Thursday. The measure, passed after a U.S. Supreme Court decision in June expanded gun rights, also sets stringent standards for issuing concealed carry permits.
New York is among a half-dozen states that had key provisions of its gun laws invalidated by the high court because of a requirement for applicants to prove they had “proper cause” for a permit. Gov. Kathy Hochul said Friday that she and her fellow Democrats in the state Legislature took action the next week because the ruling “destroyed the ability for a governor to be able to protect her citizens from people who carry concealed weapons anywhere they choose.”
The quickly adopted law, however, has led to confusion and court challenges from gun owners who say it improperly limits their constitutional rights.
“They seem to be designed less towards addressing gun violence and more towards simply preventing people from getting guns — even if those people are law-abiding, upstanding citizens, who according to the Supreme Court have the rights to have them,” said Jonathan Corbett, a Brooklyn attorney and permit applicant who is one of several people challenging the law in court.
Under the law, applicants for a concealed carry permit will have to complete 16 hours of classroom training and two hours of live-fire exercises. Ordinary citizens would be prohibited from bringing guns to schools, churches, subways, theaters and amusement parks — among other places deemed “sensitive” by authorities.
Applicants also will have to provide a list of social media accounts for the past three years as part of a “character and conduct” review. The requirement was added because shooters have sometimes dropped hints of violence online before they opened fire on people.
Sheriffs in some upstate counties said the additional work for their investigators could add to existing backlogs in processing applications.
In Rochester, Monroe County Sheriff Todd Baxter said it currently takes two to four hours to perform a pistol permit background check on a “clean” candidate. He estimate the new law will add another one to three hours for each permit. The county has about 600 pending pistol permits.
“It’s going to slow everything down just a bit more,” he said.
In the Mohawk Valley, Fulton County Sheriff Richard C. Giardino had questions on how the digital sleuthing would proceed.
“It says three years worth of your social media. We’re not going to print out three years of social media posts by everybody. If you look at my Facebook, I send out six or 10 things a day,” said the sheriff, a former district attorney and judge.
The list of prohibited spaces for carrying guns has drawn criticism from advocates who say it's so extensive it will make it difficult for people with permits to move about in public. People carrying a gun could go into private business only with permission, such as a sign posted on the window.
Giardino has already started giving out signs to local businesses saying people can carry legal firearms on the premises. Jennifer Elson, who owns the Let’s Twist Again Diner in Amsterdam, said she put up the sheriff’s sign, along with one of her own reading in part “per our governor, we have to post this nonsense. If you are a law abiding citizen who obtained a legal permit to carry, you are welcome here.”
“I feel pretty strongly that everybody’s constitutional rights should be protected,” she said.
But in Times Square, visited by about 50 million tourists annually, and many less crowded places carrying a gun will be illegal starting Thursday.
New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams said Tuesday she looked forward to seeing authorities move to “protect New Yorkers and visitors who frequent Times Square.”
One lawsuit challenging provisions of the law argued the rules make it hard for license holders to leave home without violating the law. A federal judge is expected to rule soon on a motion challenging multiple provisions of the law, which was filed on behalf of a Schenectady resident who holds a license to carry.
The Supreme Court ruling also led to a flurry of legislation in California to tighten rules on gun ownership, including a new law that could hold gun dealers and manufacturers responsible for any harm caused by anyone they have “reasonable cause to believe is at substantial risk” of using a gun illegally.
Earlier this month, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker signed into law a measure that would require gun permit applicants to undergo personal interviews with a licensing authority.
New Jersey required people to get training before receiving a permit and would require new residents to register guns brought in from out of state.
Hawaii, which has the nation’s lowest number of gun deaths, is still weighing its options. Since the Supreme Court's ruling, the state has only granted one new gun permit.
While New York does not keep statewide data on pistol permit applications, there are reports of long lines at county clerks' office and other evidence of a surge in applications before the law takes effect.
In the Mohawk Valley, Pine Tree Rifle Club President Paul Catucci said interest in the club's volunteer-run safety courses “blew right up” late this summer.
“I had to turn hundreds of them away,” he said.
___
Maysoon Khan is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues. Follow Maysoon Khan on Twitter.
___
Hill and Khan contributed from Albany, New York. | 2022-08-30T19:56:23+00:00 | local10.com | https://www.local10.com/news/politics/2022/08/30/new-york-to-restrict-gun-carrying-after-supreme-court-ruling/ |
By JACK DURA (Associated Press)
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A bison severely injured a Minnesota woman on Saturday in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, the National Park Service said in a statement on Tuesday.
Park officials reported she was in serious but stable condition after suffering “significant injuries to her abdomen and foot.”
The woman was taken to a Fargo hospital after being transported by ambulance to a hospital in Dickinson, about 30 miles (48.28 kilometers) east of Painted Canyon, a colorful Badlands vista popular with motorists, where she was injured at a trailhead.
The attack is under investigation; exact details are unknown. Park Superintendent Angie Richman did not immediately respond to an email requesting information.
On Monday, a bison charged and gored a 47-year-old Phoenix woman in Yellowstone National Park. She sustained significant injuries to her chest and abdomen and was taken by helicopter to an Idaho Falls hospital.
Park officials reminded visitors that bison are large, powerful and wild, and can turn quickly and easily outrun people. Bulls can be aggressive during the rutting season from mid-July through August. Park regulations require visitors stay at least 25 yards (23 meters) away from large animals. | 2023-07-19T09:31:24+00:00 | sun-sentinel.com | https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2023/07/18/bison-attack-visitors-in-north-dakota-and-wyoming-national-parks/ |
Former FBI dive team leader Bobby Chacon issued a warning Tuesday regarding OceanGate's missing Titanic tourist submarine, urging experts to refrain from putting "a lot of faith" in the widely echoed 40 hours of remaining air time estimation.
OCEANGATE TITAN SUBMARINE OPERATED BY VIDEO GAME CONTROLLER, CEO SAYS
"The first thing I would do is caution people to not put a lot of faith in this '40 hours left.' Those calculations are estimates based on normal working conditions," Chacon explained during an appearance on "America Reports."
"If a person is injured, or they're stressed, or they're panicking, their air consumption increases. So those numbers of available hours go down. So if people are injured on that vessel, if they're panicked on that vessel, they're going to use more oxygen or more air more quickly."
The former FBI dive team leader continued, explaining that the widespread estimation that OceanGate's submarine has 40 hours of oxygen left is the "best case estimate" in "normal" operating conditions, "which we don't have here," Chacon noted.
"In the phase of the dive that lost contact, which is where we think the malfunction occurred, was on the descent, which is the increasing pressure. So, you have to start assuming that whatever went wrong was due to the increasing pressure," he detailed.
COAST GUARD SAYS MISSING OCEANGATE TITAN SUB HAS AROUND 40 HOURS OF OXYGEN LEFT
"You can make certain assumptions about what caused the malfunction. In this case, I would assume that the increasing pressure, there was some kind of compromising of the integrity of that hull at some point that allowed the pressure to cause a malfunction. And that's the worst case scenario."
The company’s website says that the Titan has life support capabilities sufficient to sustain its five-person crew for 96 hours. According to the Coast Guard, the submersible departed the Canadian research vessel Polar Prince on Sunday morning for its trip to the Titanic, and the ship lost contact with the sub after about 1 hour and 45 minutes.
OceanGate’s expeditions to the Titanic departed from St. John’s, Newfoundland, to the wreck of the Titanic about 370 miles away. The trips take eight days, and each dive to the wreck and ascent to the surface reportedly takes roughly eight hours.
The last known position of the submarine is alleged to be somewhere over the Indian Ocean, making rescue efforts extremely difficult given the "vastness" of the water, Chacon noted.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT OCEANGATE’S MISSING SUBMARINE
"The ocean is a vast place. 70% of the earth is covered by water. And so, you know, people think, ‘oh, we should be able to find this,’ but they don't understand the vastness and how things move… The currents are different on the top than the bottom and then the mid-water column." the former FBI dive team leader explained.
"There is still hope for a miracle. But as each hour passes and there's no new news, the chance that we need a miracle increases," he grimly concluded.
Fox News' Greg Norman contributed to this report. | 2023-06-20T21:32:25+00:00 | foxbangor.com | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/national/former-fbi-diver-says-40-hours-of-oxygen-is-best-case-estimate-in-missing-titanic/article_638b8afe-7e5c-582c-9d79-7aebeedf2ed7.html |
Deal to merge two airlines facing federal antitrust lawsuit
March 7, 2023 - 9:44 am
Updated March 7, 2023 - 3:15 pm
The Biden administration sued to block JetBlue Airways’ $3.8 billion purchase of Spirit Airlines, saying Tuesday that the deal would reduce competition and drive up air fares for consumers.
The Justice Department said the tie-up would especially hurt cost-conscious travelers who depend on Spirit to find cheaper options to JetBlue and other airlines.
Attorney General Merrick Garland held a news conference to announce the antitrust lawsuit — a sign of the importance that the administration places on stopping further consolidation in the airline industry.
“If allowed to proceed, this merger will limit choices and drive up ticket prices for passengers across the country” and “eliminate Spirit’s unique and disruptive role in the industry,” he said.
If the JetBlue-Spirit merger is approved by regulators, the new JetBlue would become the second busiest commercial air carrier serving Harry Reid International Airport behind Southwest Airlines.
The Justice Department lawsuit, filed in federal district court in Boston, stressed that the deal would mean the end of the nation’s biggest “ultra-low-cost carrier.” Those are airlines that generally provide the cheapest fares but also tend to charge more fees.
The Justice Department lawyers said Spirit’s demise would eliminate about half of all ultra-low-cost seats in the market. It cited a Spirit estimate that average fares fall 17% when it enters a route, and a JetBlue calculation that fares rise 30% when Spirit leaves a route.
The airlines vowed to continue fighting to salvage their agreement.
JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes said the merger would boost competition by making his New York-based airline bigger and better able to go up against American, United, Delta and Southwest. He blamed the DOJ for airline consolidation.
“We believe the DOJ has got it wrong on the law here and misses the point that this merger will create a national low-fare, high-quality competitor to the Big Four carriers which — thanks to their own DOJ-approved mergers — control about 80% of the U.S. market,” Hayes said.
JetBlue and Florida-based Spirit have anticipated a legal challenge for weeks. The Justice Department had previously requested additional documents and depositions about JetBlue’s proposal to buy Spirit, the nation’s biggest budget airline. Negotiations over a possible settlement failed.
As signals grew that the government would challenge the tie-up, JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes and other company executives launched a pre-emptive campaign to make its argument that the deal would help consumers by creating a stronger competitor to the four larger carriers.
Hayes said he was disappointed but not surprised at the lawsuit.
“We said when we got the offer approved by the Spirit shareholders last year that we didn’t think we would close until the first half of 2024, expecting a trial,” he said on “CBS Mornings.”
The lawsuit is the latest by the Biden administration to seek to block mergers in industries including health care, sugar refining, video gaming and publishing. It has already lost the health care and sugar battles.
“They don’t seem to be afraid of losing cases. They’re hoping that if they win some, that will set a precedent and help them deter other mergers that they view as anti-competitive,” said Florian Ederer, an antitrust expert at Yale University. He thinks the government has a strong case against the JetBlue deal.
The Justice Department was under pressure from Democratic lawmakers and consumer advocates who complained about a wave of earlier mergers. In 2021, the administration took a more aggressive approach, suing to kill a limited partnership between JetBlue and American Airlines in the Northeast. A federal judge in Boston is expected to issue a ruling soon, after a non-jury trial last fall.
JetBlue and Spirit would control a little over 9% of the domestic air-travel market, far smaller than American, Delta, United and Southwest. JetBlue executives repeatedly said their deal was not like Pepsi buying Coca-Cola — a line that Hayes repeated Tuesday.
However, their concentration is much higher on certain routes in the East. The Justice Department lawsuit said the two account for nearly 50% of the traffic between Boston and Miami and Fort Lauderdale, and nearly 90% between Boston and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The Justice Department sued to block the last megadeal, American’s 2013 merger with US Airways, then reached a settlement that required the carriers to give up some gates and takeoff and landing slots at several major airports. Before that, the government allowed Delta to buy Northwest, United to merge with Continental, and it later let Southwest buy AirTran.
Last year, JetBlue torpedoed a deal between Spirit and Frontier Airlines, then beat Frontier in a bidding war. Frontier CEO Barry Biffle argued that regulators would block a JetBlue-Spirit deal but not a tie-up with his airline, a similar discount carrier.
To counter Biffle’s argument, JetBlue agreed to pay Spirit shareholders $400 million plus $70 million to the company if the merger dies for antitrust reasons.
The largest union for flight attendants, the Association of Flight Attendants, reiterated its support for the merger Tuesday, which it said would lift pay and benefits for Spirit crews that it represents.
But the American Economic Liberties Project, which opposes corporate consolidation, praised the Justice Department for seeking to block the deal, saying it would let JetBlue “gobble up a low-cost competitor” and boost prices.
New York, Massachusetts and the District of Columbia joined the federal lawsuit. Florida dropped its review of the merger after the airlines agreed to expand in Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and other airports in the state. | 2023-03-08T01:12:11+00:00 | reviewjournal.com | https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/deal-to-merge-two-airlines-facing-federal-antitrust-lawsuit-2740095/ |
Comedian DC Young Fly took to social media and broke his silence regarding his long-time girlfriend Jacky Oh’s untimely death.
In a lengthy Instagram post he wrote, “I wasn’t in no rush to post this because I wanted it to be a dream so bad but every hour I’m reminded of realty so I wanna make sure I applaud you in the proper manner You are the GREATEST MOTHER I KNOW your soul was beautiful Yu always wanted the best for others and I admired how our family love each other!!! Never had to worry about our kids loving each other cause you were on top of Dat!!! You kno we GOD fearing and we are grounded by the spirit we never question the HIGHER POWER we roll wit the punches and continue to live righteous will always tell our kids how much an amazing person you were especially a GREAT MOTHER!!!” he said.
“You know how our last convo went I prayed for Yu and now we are here.. but it’s ok we willll continue to pray and hold on to our FAITH because that’s alll we kno!! Love you forever and our kids are super strong they helpin me wit my tranquility no Kap!!!!! U wit me forever The QUEEN of my children will always have a spot in my heart and the paradise (Yu gon get me for Dat but it’s true) LOVE YOU FOREVER jus know we goinn harder than ever and GOD is in control and he got us covered ,” he continued.
What we know so far
According to reports, Jacky Oh, 32, was found unresponsive on May, 31 at the Homewood Suites by Hilton Miami Downtown/Brickell where she was staying during her “mommy makeover.” She was pronounced dead later that night at the hospital, according to the Miami Police Department report procured by The Times.
DON’T MISS…
Additional Details Emerge Regarding ‘Wild ‘N Out’ Star Jacky Oh’s Death
DC Fly Speaks Out Via Instagram Regarding Jacky Oh’s Death ‘You Are The Greatest Mother I Know’ was originally published on hellobeautiful.com | 2023-06-09T17:10:34+00:00 | wtlcfm.com | https://wtlcfm.com/3536686/dc-fly-speaks-out-via-instagram-regarding-jacky-ohs-death-you-are-the-greatest-mother-i-know/ |
AVERY COUNTY, N.C. — Avery County has announced an agreement with Mitchell County Animal Rescue to provide animal welfare services following public outcry over a lack of support for neglected animals.
The county, which has no publicly-funded animal control service, will start sending animals involved in cruelty cases to the rescue for housing. Eventually, the rescue will provide more animal services for Avery County.
The county has long been under scrutiny for its lack of animal welfare programs. Nonprofit organizations like Avery County Animal Support have provided animal services on a volunteer basis in the absence of taxpayer-funded ones.
Volunteers with Avery County Animal Support are critical of the county's new plan to contract services, rather than creating ones of their own. The organization claims cruelty cases represent a small portion of a vast amount of neglected animals.
"We've taken in almost 500 animals in two years in two days," Avery County Animal Support volunteer Ellie Lecka said. "Only 16 of those were considered cruelty case animals by our sheriff's office."
In addition to the new agreement with Mitchell County Animal Rescue, Avery County plans to hire an animal cruelty investigator dedicated to cruelty cases.
A new animal shelter is also slated to be constructed on the Mayland Community College property with the purpose of allowing Mitchell County Animal Rescue to house animals in two locations. Avery County officials said this comes after a verbal agreement with the college's board of trustees.
The county has not detailed a timeline for any action outlined in its plan. WCNC Charlotte requested more information from Avery County, but the county declined to comment. | 2023-03-01T04:17:44+00:00 | wcnc.com | https://www.wcnc.com/article/life/animals/avery-county-contract-animal-welfare-services-mitchell-county/275-58cca4a2-61e6-491d-86c9-06f8579efc60 |
- Money mules constitute up to 0.3% of accounts at U.S. financial institutions, or an estimated $3 billion in fraudulent transfers
- This estimate is considered low as most mule accounts go undetected
- New research shows emerging attack methods using hybrid bots enable criminals to open mule accounts at scale
- One out of every 100 money mule accounts are created by a bot
NEW YORK, June 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BioCatch, the global leader in behavioral biometrics, released new research on the size and scale of the growing money mule problem for U.S. financial institutions. During the first half of 2022, BioCatch data reveals that money mule accounts represent up to 0.3 percent of accounts held by financial institutions, and an estimated $3 billion in fraudulent financial transfers.
According to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), there are 124 million U.S. households that had a member with at least one bank account, although consumers own an average of 5.3 bank accounts across all types of financial institutions. Applying BioCatch findings to the estimated 657 million bank accounts in the United States, this translates to approximately two million mule accounts and nearly $3 billion in fraudulent transfers in a year. Further, the research found that the average mule transaction value is $1,500 – a comparatively low number to avoid detection by traditional means.
BioCatch uncovered a likely reason behind the rise in new mule account creation: the use of hybrid bots that can open new accounts at scale. This is an emerging trend that BioCatch observed for over a year through monitoring of user behavior in the account opening process. To avoid the robust bot detection capabilities deployed by most banks, criminals developed hybrid bots that enable some parts of the application to be filled in manually by a human and other parts to be completed in an automated fashion. For example, criminals typically use a script to fill in such data as a Social Security number or phone number, while there is human intervention with the pasting of data in other PII fields such as address and keystroke entries.
"Our researchers determined that one percent of mule accounts are created by bots," said Gadi Mazor, CEO at BioCatch. "Financial institutions should expect that the use of bots in the account opening process will continue to grow, as they are a critical link in the fraud supply chain enabling criminals to cash out at the end of the money laundering process. However, mule activity can be detected at all stages of a customer's banking journey through behavioral biometrics."
Mule accounts are a global problem, and not only isolated to the United States. For example, in the UK, 156 million consumer bank accounts translates to 468,000 mule accounts and $702 million (or £550 million) in fraudulent transfers. According to Europol, more than 90 percent of money mule transactions are linked directly to cybercrime. Cybercriminals open mule accounts using stolen or synthetic identities, or criminals work with accomplices who use their personal information either wittingly or unwittingly to open money mule accounts. The rise in mule activity is particularly alarming with account holders under the age of 30. Last year, UK fraud prevention non-profit Cifas reported a 76 percent increase in accounts of those aged 21 to 30 that demonstrated classic signs of mule activity.
Detecting mule activity has long been a challenge for financial institutions, recent research by Aite-Novarica shows that more than 80% of fraud executives interviewed believe that more can and should be done to mitigate the risk of mule activities in the industry.
"If mule activity continues to be neglected as a risk that is actively mitigated by a well-defined and formally ordained program, then faster payments and the trends among fraudsters to target clients with scams such as BEC and Authorized Push Payments will fuel significant growth in fraud," said Trace Fooshee, Senior Analyst Fraud and AML at Aite-Novarica. "This could also lead to a wider variety of more pernicious crimes ranging from terrorism to human trafficking."
In February, BioCatch announced it received a U.S. patent for its innovative, first-in-class Mule Account Detection solution, which monitors user interactions to identify mule bank accounts used for money laundering or terrorism funding. Based on real-time monitoring of user behavior and continuous monitoring of the account, BioCatch's solution can determine whether the online banking account is being utilized as a mule account to illegally receive and transfer money. In addition to the Mule Account Detection patent, BioCatch holds 70 registered patents for its behavioral biometric and cybersecurity solutions across the United States, UK and Europe.
For more information on mule detection, download a joint BioCatch and Aite-Novarica case study here: The Emerging Case for Proactive Mule Detection: Going on the Offense to Defend Reputational Risk.
BioCatch is the leader in Behavioral Biometrics, a technology that leverages machine learning to analyze an online user's physical and cognitive digital behavior to protect individuals online. BioCatch's mission is to unlock the power of behavior and deliver actionable insights to create a digital world where identity, trust and ease seamlessly co-exist. Today, BioCatch counts over 25 of the top 100 global banks as customers who use BioCatch solutions to fight fraud, drive digital transformation and accelerate business growth. BioCatch's Client Innovation Board, an industry-led initiative including American Express, Barclays, Citi Ventures, and National Australia Bank, helps enable BioCatch to identify creative and cutting-edge ways to leverage the unique attributes of behavior for fraud prevention. With over a decade of analyzing data, more than 70 registered patents, and unparalleled experience, BioCatch continues to innovate to solve tomorrow's problems. For more information, please visit www.biocatch.com
Contact:
Sarah Horowitz
sarah.horowitz@teamlewis.com
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SOURCE BioCatch | 2022-06-21T13:57:47+00:00 | kwtx.com | https://www.kwtx.com/prnewswire/2022/06/21/money-mules-3-billion-problem-us-banks/ |
NEW YORK, Feb. 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- As legend has it, in 1807 the writer Washington Irving referred to the bustling urban center, New York City, as "Gotham," translated from "Goat's Town" in Old English. In recent years, residents within New York City's five boroughs have – unbeknownst – accurately embraced their city as "GOAT" – the greatest of all time.
Since the December 2022 release of "Stroock Presents: GOAT Town," a podcast examining zoning and land use regulation in New York City, Special Counsel John Egnatios-Beene has been welcoming elite industry professionals from the New York real estate and land use world to engage in a critical examination of laws governing the City's growth and development.
Within the series, John and his guests apply a planning and a practical lens when examining diverse areas such as:
- Affordable Housing
- The Office Market (Post-COVID)
- Industrial/Manufacturing in the 2020s
- Public Spaces
- The Death of Retail
- Climate Change
- Zoning
- Waterfront Regulation
- Open Streets/Restaurants
- Policy and Politics (local, state and national)
- Mass Transit
Listen to all episodes of "Stroock Presents: GOAT Town" here.
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SOURCE Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP | 2023-02-04T01:05:49+00:00 | waff.com | https://www.waff.com/prnewswire/2023/02/03/stroock-presents-goat-town-podcast-examining-zoning-land-use-regulation-new-york-city/ |
LONDON (AP) — A civil rights group urged U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Thursday to follow through on promises made to thousands of people of Caribbean descent who were wrongly targeted as illegal migrants in the so-called Windrush scandal that emerged five years ago.
The Black Equity Organisation submitted a petition signed by more than 50,000 people that criticized the “painfully slow” response by the government and the decision by Home Secretary Suella Braverman to scrap several recommendations for immigration agency improvements that her predecessor accepted.
“We urge your government to stick to the promises made — there is still an opportunity to show that you and your ministers are serious about righting past wrongs,” a letter to Sunak said. “To do anything less sends a clear message that the suffering of the Windrush generation was in vain and the hostile environment still exists.”
The group is named for the Empire Windrush, the ship that brought the first 500 Caribbean migrants to British shores in 1948 to help rebuild after World War II. Tens of thousands of migrants from the region who arrived legally in the U.K. until 1973 later found themselves facing a government crackdown on illegal immigrants.
Scores lost jobs, homes and the right to free medical care because they didn’t have the paperwork to prove their status. Some were detained and others deported.
After British news media uncovered the scandal in 2018, the government apologized and offered compensation, but the group said payments are inadequate for the harm done and the process is “bureaucratic and overly complicated.”
“It is unconscionable that some Windrush victims who should have been compensated died before their cases were resolved and payments made,” the group said. “Many others are still fighting to receive their payments.”
The Home Office said it remains “committed to righting the wrongs of Windrush” and has paid or offered more than 64 million pounds ($80 million) to people affected.
A government watchdog in 2020 found “institutional ignorance and thoughtlessness” were partly to blame for the scandal and made 30 recommendations to improve the office overseeing immigration.
Braverman said in January that she said she would scrap two recommendations that would increase independent scrutiny of migration policies and a third to hold reconciliation events with Windrush survivors.
The Conservative government has been under fire from human rights groups for its controversial migration bill that would bar asylum claims by anyone who reaches the U.K. by unauthorized means and would deport migrants back home or to a third country. | 2023-04-07T00:09:27+00:00 | pahomepage.com | https://www.pahomepage.com/news/international/uk-criticized-for-failures-in-windrush-immigration-scandal/ |
More than 500 authors have signed a letter supporting members of the HarperCollins Union, who are currently on strike. The signees include HarperCollins' own authors and those associated with other publishers, including names such as Barbara Kingsolver, Jacqueline Woodson, Kwame Alexander, and more.
The letter was sent to HarperCollins Publishing CEO Brian Collins and HarperCollins Children's Books President Suzanne Murphy on Thursday morning.
"We stand with the people who mold and champion our work and ask that they be compensated justly and fairly for their labor," the letter reads. "Our hope is that HarperCollins will not be satisfied with meeting an industry standard that is far too low to retain top talent."
Union members at HarperCollins, one of the biggest publishers in the country, have been on strike since November 10, and have been working without a contract since April. The workers are demanding stronger union protections, better family leave policies, and better pay. According to a recent report done by the New York City Mayor's office looking at the economic impact of the publishing industry, the median annual salary for an editor is $85,000.
NPR has reached out to HarperCollins for a comment.
The approximately 250 workers striking come from different departments at HarperCollins – editorial, design, marketing, and more. In the letter, authors acknowledge that the strike has negatively impacted their book releases and has led to decreased sales. "We express deep concern about the long-term impact on our books and careers if the strike continues," the letter states. " Your refusal to reach an agreement with the union hurts us, your creators."
The signed authors have also committed to omit HarperCollins editors from submission lists until an agreement is reached.
The striking workers at HarperCollins are part of a broader wave of white-collar workers taking action in their workplace. Adjunct professors at the New School have been on a weeks-long strike. And on Thursday, workers at The New York Times staged a one-day strike.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2022-12-08T18:01:40+00:00 | delawarepublic.org | https://www.delawarepublic.org/npr-headlines/npr-headlines/2022-12-08/hundreds-of-authors-give-support-to-striking-workers-at-harpercollins |
LEBANON, Va. – It was the type of game you would expect when the two softball teams picked first and second in the Hogoheegee District preseason coaches poll do battle.
In the end, Alexis Horne did the damage for the Lebanon Pioneers as she launched a two-run homer in the sixth inning to secure a 3-1 victory over Patrick Henry on Tuesday at Shelia Adams Field.
“Oh my gosh, this feels so great,” Horne said. “My adrenaline is still going for this win. It was really big for us.”
Lebanon’s Erin Rasnake and Patrick Henry’s Abigail Street dueled in the circle, with both putting up zeros for the first five innings.
The Rebels broke through in the top of the sixth inning as Payton Monahan used some alert baserunning to score on Emily Fogleman’s groundout.
“We made a mistake there, we should have never let her get to third,” said Lebanon coach Dennis Price. “Smart move by her, she kept running instead of going back to third. They did a great job of getting the ball in play to score the run, it worked out perfect for them.”
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It appeared that one run may be enough for Street, who had struck out 12 through the first five innings.
“You never know,” Patrick Henry coach Tami Counts said. “Lebanon has a good ball team. With only four hits, and several mistakes, it’s going to be hard to beat any team and especially to expect to win against a team like Lebanon. [Rasnake] pitched well and they played awesome defense.”
Morgan Varney beat out an infield single to start the sixth for the Pioneers. Madison Hill laid down a sacrifice bunt to get her to second. Lily Gray then snuck a hit through the right side, scoring Varney with the tying run.
After a strikeout, Horne ripped the two-out, two-run homer to left-center for Lebanon.
“I just knew I had to get a hit somewhere,” Horne said. “I just wanted to get Lily home. I was swinging at anything, I knew I had to get it down.”
It was the first home run of the season for Horne and it couldn’t have come at a better time.
“That homer was huge,” Price said. “One of my seniors, a starter back from last year. She’s played against some of the best teams in Virginia and Tennessee. Horne didn’t get rattled, she stepped up to the plate, she put the bat on the ball and she has power. She hits the ball hard and it took off and went over the fence.”
Patrick Henry (2-7, 1-1) tried to rally in the seventh. With one out, Makayla Hall singled to right, but Rasnake induced two grounders to third to end the game.
“We didn’t hit the ball like we wanted to, but Patrick Henry has an outstanding pitcher,” Price said. “Games like this make you better. It’s just one game, it’s still early, but I’m proud of the girls and happy for them.”
Patrick Henry plays at Rural Retreat on Thursday and Lebanon (6-3, 3-0) is off the rest of the week. | 2022-04-20T04:21:06+00:00 | heraldcourier.com | https://heraldcourier.com/sports/horne-s-two-run-blast-lifts-lebanon-softball-past-rebels-3-1/article_c040b670-c05b-11ec-b17c-ab48f875aa9b.html |
RTR Vehicles, the performance collaboration between Ford and professional drifter Vaughn Gittin Jr., this week revealed its first take on the redesigned 2024 Mustang.
RTR specializes in performance and styling upgrades for a range of Ford vehicles, with some of its previous packages taking power levels up to 750 hp.
The company’s offerings for the 2024 Mustang start with a Spec 2 package that consists of aerodynamic and suspension upgrades, custom wheels, and parts for the interior.
The Spec 2 package is designed to fit the full 2024 Mustang lineup, including the Dark Horse, and includes items such as a hood vent, a front splitter, side skirts, rear splitters (curtaining the rear diffuser), and a trunk lid spoiler.
Also included is a grille insert with RTR’s signature illuminated intakes, which for the 2024 Mustang adopt a new 3D effect thanks to multi-element lighting. The package also includes body graphics and custom badges that signal to onlookers they’re looking at an RTR-enhanced Mustang.
For the chassis, upgrades include adjustable sway bars, adjustable dampers, a rear damper mount kit, lowering springs, and a set of RTR’s own 20-inch wheels. The wheels come wrapped in Nitto NT555 G2 tires measuring 275/35 at each corner.
Moving inside, RTR offers a shift knob, floor mats, and a serialized dash plaque bearing Gittin Jr.’s signature.
No powertrain upgrades have been announced, but the 2024 Mustang offers plenty of performance in stock form. The base EcoBoost comes with a 315-hp 2.3-liter turbo-4, while the GT offers a 5.0-liter V-8 with 480 hp in standard guise or 486 hp with an available active exhaust option. The Dark Horse shares the Mustang GT’s 5.0-liter V-8 but gets a 500-hp tune. Buyers can choose between a 6-speed manual or a 10-speed automatic on all versions.
Many of the Spec 2 parts are available individually or they can be purchased as a package starting at $12,495. They will be available when the 2024 Mustang hits dealerships this summer, RTR said.
Pricing for the 2024 Mustang starts at $32,515, including a $1,595 destination charge.
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- Hennessey takes 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor to 500 hp for $24,950 | 2023-05-26T22:57:38+00:00 | pahomepage.com | https://www.pahomepage.com/automotive/internet-brands/rtr-vehicles-reveals-first-take-on-2024-ford-mustang/ |
Hendricken baseball energized by battery of Alex Clemmey and Braeden Campbell
PROVIDENCE — Braeden Campbell is a wrestler. That suggests he carries a certain level of toughness.
It’s an attribute that’s served him well this spring in another sport. Bishop Hendricken’s catcher has a more difficult assignment than most in the Division I ranks.
Campbell succeeded Brandyn Durand behind the plate for the Hawks. That meant handling a professional prospect once a week — Campbell has started and batted leadoff in each of Alex Clemmey’s outings this season. The latest occurred Wednesday in an 8-1 victory over Moses Brown.
Campbell absorbed more than one foul tip off his body at McCulloch Field. Some confusion with the signs saw one pitch miss his glove and hit nothing but flesh. Fastballs up to 98 mph and sliders snapping toward the dirt aren’t easy to corral when they’re pinpoint, let alone when they occasionally stray from the intended target.
“You’ve got to ice,” Campbell said. “Advil helps. Especially after today — I'll probably be pretty sore.”
Durand was a premier multisport athlete who had committed to Kentucky to play baseball — a shoulder injury and subsequent surgery sent him to a Florida junior college. But that’s the type of physical talent who worked with a fellow SEC commit in 2022. Clemmey is headed for Vanderbilt if he doesn’t sign a contract this summer, and he turned in five more hitless innings against the Quakers.
More:Pitcher Alex Clemmey's back in form as Hendricken tops Lincoln
“Throughout the whole season for me, he’s been huge,” Clemmey said. “He’s just a wall back there. I can’t thank the kid enough.”
Campbell and Clemmey were travel-ball teammates in their early teenage years. Natives of North Kingstown and Middletown, respectively, came together at a younger age before being pulled apart by competitive circumstances. Campbell settled in as Bishop Hendricken’s left fielder before moving back behind the plate during tryouts in March.
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He found a much different pitcher than the one he caught previously. Clemmey has gained significant velocity over the course of his high school years, the sort of arsenal that has him firmly on the Major League Baseball draft radar in July. He’s up to 71 strikeouts and has allowed just five hits in 30⅔ innings this season.
“You can’t think, ‘I’ve got to get this pitch, I’ve got to get that pitch,' " Campbell said. “It’s all about trusting your mechanics and trusting the way it works. You’ve got to beat it to the spot.”
Campbell’s preseason preparation was somewhat limited. He captured bronze at February's state meet in the 160-pound class and helped the Hawks to third place in the team standings. Pitchers and catchers convened less than a week after the New England Championships in early March.
More:Hendricken ace Alex Clemmey projected to go in top 65 picks in MLB draft
That meant some late nights for Campbell in January and February. He would grind through wrestling practice, grab a quick shower and head to an indoor facility to catch Clemmey’s bullpen sessions or work on his own. Campbell set up a pitching machine, cranked it to maximum velocity and attempted to simulate what he expected to see this spring.
“Turn that thing up as high as it can go,” Campbell said. “Get back there and work on it. See the speed, move side to side, block — everything.”
Bishop Hendricken (14-1) was off and running after Cole Hambly’s two-run single in the top of the first. Griffin Crain’s triple down the line in left and Ryan Thompson’s solo homer to deep left doubled the lead through the top of the third. Crain finished with three hits and Thompson scored a pair of runs.
The Quakers (3-13) denied the Hawks a fourth straight shutout by scratching a run in the bottom of the seventh. Davis Johnson broke up the combined no-hit bid with a leadoff triple to deep left-center and Quinn Faria’s one-out bouncer to the left side put the hosts on the board. Johnson — a Notre Dame commit — and Aidan Aggarwal both reached safely twice.
Bishop Hendricken 8, Moses Brown 1
Bishop Hendricken 211 101 2 — 8 11 1
Moses Brown 000 000 1 — 1 1 0
Alex Clemmey, Ben Picone (6) and Braeden Campbell. Tucker DeWolf, Cam Lussier (6), Jack Elice (7) and Davis Johnson. HR — Ryan Thompson (BH).
On Twitter: @BillKoch25 | 2023-05-18T10:45:07+00:00 | providencejournal.com | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/sports/high-school/2023/05/18/hendricken-catcher-campbell-gets-to-work-with-pro-prospect-clemmey-once-a-week/70230098007/ |
BEIJING, July 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- To encourage Gen Zers to take a closer look at the history of China and use their wisdom to bring cultural relics to life, the second episode of season two of the China Daily series Youth Power, "Chinese Civilization: Generation A meets Generation Z", was broadcast online on July 30.
In the episode, Gen Zers from China, France and the United States gathered in Henan Museum in Henan province, central China, to explore treasures handed down by generations past, drawing from them lessons for the contemporary world.
"China's civilization is one of the four greatest civilizations and the only surviving one," said AlexandreGuery, a French Gen Zer who lives in China. "It gave so many technologies to the world, including gunpowder, printing and paper making."
One item in the museum that left him full of wonder was an 8,000-year-old bone flute.
The Gen Zers who gathered in the museum said they believed that in an age of globalization it is important for young people to learn about history and the origins of one's cultures. They discussed the increasing appreciation of Chinese traditional culture, the pros and cons of turning ancient relics into cultural and creative products, and the reasons for the vitality of Chinese civilization. They also discussed whether cultural relics lost abroad should be returned to China.
"In the 1920s the Tianlongshan Grottoes suffered a large excavation," said Ruan Kexin, a PhD candidate in the School of Archaeology and Museology, Peking University. "More than 240 statues were stolen. Almost all the heads and even the whole bodies of statues were taken away and transported abroad. It was also a very great loss for the cultural heritage of our country."
However, after nearly a century overseas the statues were finally returned to China, he said.
"Allowing more people from other countries to see our cultural relics and feel our culture can help the Chinese culture to go global and strengthen its international influence. Instead of the unregulated movement of artifacts, this can be achieved through the regulated exchange of cultural relics."
Jennifer Courtney Holstein, 26, from the United States, said it was sad that cultural relics are missing from China.
"In the case of the Old Summer Palace in Beijing, a lot of the things were 'lost' or stolen or looted. You can't really imagine what it used to be like, because so much of it was destroyed or taken away."
Zhong Yutong, the episode host, said: "We now know what bad things have happened before and we should do everything we can to ensure they don't happen again."
He encouraged Gen Zers to express their ideas on breathing new life into historic relics, with the aim of ensuring that these memories become part of present-day thinking.
Through stories, music and dance, Gen Zers breathed life into the relics in Henan Museum, retelling stories of the past. One of the invitees, Wang Licheng, 17, created a song related to the museum's cultural relics, after he went into various stories and explored the culture.
"I was inspired by the relics themselves and the accompanying information on the walls," Wang said. "I wasn't sure what everything meant. There were some expressions and characters I couldn't even understand, so I almost felt as though I wasn't fully Chinese."
Chen Shihua, a 17 year-old who is about to start her college life at Peking University, performed a dance from the show "Poetic Dance: The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting" that reinterprets the renowned artistic work "A Panorama of Mountains and Rivers".
"This performance showcased the aesthetic value and classical beauty of the Song Dynasty," Chen said. "The classical beauty of traditional China has a very important place in today's world. And its beauty needs to be cherished."
Zhang Yun, a graduate of the Communication University of China in Beijing and the author of the illustrated series "Guardian", talked about the inspiration of her creation, which presents the traditional culture of the Miao nationality in the form of paintings.
"This is a unique form of artistic expression that reflects the spiritual beliefs and philosophies of all ethnic groups in ancient China."
Zhang said she would like to further explore all kinds of traditional culture in China and to present it to young people from all over the world, hoping that through it they can better understand and appreciate Chinese culture.
Youth Power, organized by China Daily, aims to build a global platform for communication and exchange focusing on the interests and ideas of Generation Z. The program comes in the form of interviews, forums and speeches, with topics related to anything of current interest in the world.
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SOURCE China Daily; Youth Power | 2022-07-31T14:08:22+00:00 | wbrc.com | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2022/07/31/china-daily-series-youth-power-invites-gen-zers-bring-cultural-relics-life/ |
Help scientists around the world understand and protect birds in this global event
Every February, bird lovers around the world gather to observe and count birds in their area to help scientists understand bird migration, conservation efforts and more during an event known as the Great Backyard Bird Count. This year’s event will take place Feb. 17-20 and it’s easy to get involved. With minimal equipment and your smartphone or computer, you can help scientists around the world get a better understanding of the birds we share our world with.
In this article: Woodlink Going Green Platform Bird Feeder, National Audubon Society “Birds of North America” and Rite in the Rain Weatherproof Soft-Cover Pocket Notebook.
How to participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count
The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is a joint venture between the Audubon Society, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Birds Canada to help study and preserve vital bird populations. Amateur and professional birdwatchers are invited to contribute to the study individually or in groups. Simply decide on a location to watch birds and observe the environment for at least 15 minutes at least once over the four days of the event.
As you watch, identify all the birds you see or hear and record them using an app or on a printed GBBC checklist. To get started, go to http://www.birdcount.org/participate/ to learn more.
Great Backyard Bird Count apps
The Great Backyard Bird Count recommends two apps to count birds during the event: Merlin Bird ID or eBird.
If you’re new to birdwatching, or if this is your first year participating in the count, Merlin is the recommended app to use. The Merlin app, from the Cornell Lab, guides you through a brief series of questions to help you identify birds. Merlin can also help identify birds based on photos you take or recordings of birdsong. The app is available in 11 languages to help get more people involved in birdwatching.
For more advanced birders, or those who have participated in the GBBC before, try using the eBird app or website. This app lets you start a checklist of bird sightings and add them directly to the global database of bird records. GPS tracking can help you record where you went and how long you explored so you can focus on birdwatching. At the end of your count, tap “Stop” and enter the data about your birdwatching session.
If you prefer to tally your bird count on paper and enter your data later, you can use https://ebird.org/gbbc/submit to upload your sightings. Remember to include your location, the date of your observation and its duration, as well as the birds you saw. Data from both apps and the desktop version of eBird all go to the same Cornell database for analysis.
Best birdwatching products
Woodlink Going Green Platform Bird Feeder
Attract a wide variety of birds for your count with this simple feeder, which can be filled with a mix of birdseed for broader appeal. It’s made in the USA from recycled plastic and a durable powder-coated metal screen.
Sold by Amazon
More Birds Bird Health and Ruby Hummingbird Feeder
This hummingbird feeder is designed to optimize comfortable feeding for all hummingbird species. Made from BPA-free and recyclable materials, it features four bee-deterring ports and holds 10 ounces of nectar.
Kaytee Waste Free Wild Bird Food
Feed your wild birds without making a mess of your lawn or deck with this seed mix, which contains 40% hull-less sunflower seeds. Sunflower seeds attract lots of birds, and they’re especially popular with cardinals and finches.
Sold by Petco
National Audubon Society “Birds of North America”
Identify the birds in your yard or on your hike with this trusted reference guide. It features more than 3,500 color photographs of more than 800 species of birds, along with information on the bird’s range, nesting habits, conservation status and more.
Sold by Amazon
The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America
This regional guide from bird authority David Sibley features 650 bird species that can be found east of the Rocky Mountains. Sibley guides are available for the Western region as well to help you identify feathered visitors no matter where in the USA you live.
Sold by Amazon
Vortex Diamondback HD 10×42 Binoculars
These high-quality binoculars offer 10x magnification for excellent image quality and color. The multi-coated, 42-millimeter lenses resist smudging, scratching and dirt. Adjustable eyecups, a tripod mount and a center focus wheel help create a universally comfortable viewing experience.
Sold by Dick’s Sporting Goods and Amazon
Rite in the Rain Weatherproof Soft-Cover Pocket Notebook
Whether you’re birdwatching outdoors or from the comfort of your home, this all-weather notebook lets you track your findings and sketch what birds you see. If the wood-based paper gets wet, it can still be written on with a standard pencil.
Sold by Amazon
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Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | 2023-02-17T10:50:37+00:00 | qcnews.com | https://www.qcnews.com/reviews/br/fashion-accessories-br/backpacks-br/take-part-in-the-global-great-backyard-bird-count-with-these-apps-and-items/ |
ST. LOUIS, May 25, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Connectria, an Amazon Web Services (AWS) Premier Consulting Partner and leading AWS managed services provider, with a specialization in hybrid architecture for IBM Power Systems and AWS, is now an AWS Training Partner (ATP).
85% of leaders report shortages in the workforce skills needed to capitalize on their cloud investment. Around the globe, organizations are seeking employees who have AWS cloud skills and knowledge to help transform their businesses. AWS Training Partners, like Connectria, can resell AWS-delivered training to provide your organization tools and educational resources to help meet your needs.
Why Companies Are Working with AWS Partners for Cloud Training
More and more organizations are embracing cloud technologies to transform their businesses. Employees with the necessary cloud skills are in high demand. According to Forrester, organizations who upskill their workforce with AWS Training and Certification experience faster delivery on cloud projects, higher staff retention among knowledgeable employees, and over 200% ROI on their AWS Cloud investment over three years.
Only ATPs are trusted by AWS to offer, deliver, and/or incorporate official AWS Training, including classroom and digital offerings. Whether your team prefers to learn from live instructors, on-demand courses, or both, ATPs offer a breadth of AWS Training options for learners of all levels.
"The AWS Training Partner Program is a great way to help teams close the cloud skills gap and further demonstrates the key role that Partners play in developing the AWS cloud ecosystem," said James Roarty, Connectria, VP of Cloud Sales.
As a trusted AWS Training Partner, Connectria offers a range of AWS Training solutions that includes instructor-led training, digital training, and prepaid AWS Certification exam vouchers. Connectria can help organizations develop the skills to accelerate migration, innovate faster, and build modern applications on AWS. Ultimately, enabling teams to do more in the cloud.
Why Connectria
Connectria delivers an extensive portfolio of managed and professional services built on more than 25 years of experience designing and supporting mission-critical infrastructure that businesses rely on every day. By becoming a true extension of your team, our mission is to drive meaningful impact and deliver innovative, reliable, and secure solutions that help you connect the dots between today's technology and tomorrow's possibilities.
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SOURCE Connectria | 2023-05-25T14:07:46+00:00 | wafb.com | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2023/05/25/connectria-joins-aws-training-partner-atp-program-help-companies-develop-aws-skills/ |
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Aug. 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Responding to an urgent radio appeal for stuffed animals to lift the spirits of young patients at Children's Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs, local nonprofit organization Save the Storks quickly sprang into action this week, partnering with Beverly Hills Teddy Bear to deliver 500 plush toys. Save the Storks CEO Diane Ferraro, Board Chairman Herb McCarthy, and additional staff members presented the stuffed animals to Children's Hospital Colorado on Wednesday, August 3.
Based in Colorado Springs, Save the Storks provides compassion, education and holistic care to women facing unplanned pregnancies. Believing that choosing life doesn't end at birth, Save the Storks supports women and their children through all stages of life, providing practical and emotional support.
"At Save the Storks, it's our desire to see children of all ages thrive," said Ferraro. "It's a privilege to serve, even in a small way, the Colorado Springs community in support of the phenomenal work being carried out by Children's Hospital Colorado."
MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES AND VISUALS:
- Diane Ferraro, CEO of Colorado Springs-based nonprofit organization Save the Storks, is available for interviews
- Photos and video are available of the stuffed animal delivery that took place on Wednesday, August 3, at Children's Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs
About Save the Storks
Save the Storks' mission is to create a story of hope and empowerment for every woman in an unplanned pregnancy. A nonprofit that began in 2012, with headquarters in Colorado and staff across America, Save the Storks is 100% funded through the support of donors. It equips, educates and trains pregnancy resource centers and churches across the United States to help them empower women to choose life. Save the Storks has captured the imagination of millions with its innovative mobile medical units, known as the Stork Bus. Today there are more than 76 Stork Buses on the road in 28 states.
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SOURCE Save the Storks | 2022-08-04T21:39:30+00:00 | wymt.com | https://www.wymt.com/prnewswire/2022/08/04/responding-local-appeal-save-storks-hand-delivers-500-plush-toys-young-patients-childrens-hospital-colorado-colorado-springs/ |
WILLS POINT, Texas — J.B. "Jim" Lathem, 82, of Wills Point, Texas, passed in peace on March 21, 2023 - the first, full day of his favorite season, spring. He was held by his wife and daughter as he transitioned from this life into the next.
A memorial service will be held Wednesday, April 19, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. at Russell Memorial Methodist, in Wills Point, TX.
J.B. was born at home to Julia May and Jim Bob in 1940, near Rainey's Chapel. He was the middle of three children, graduating as salutatorian from Edgewood High School in 1959. His classmates recalled his boundless curiosity and dedicated participation in FFA. Jim enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1963, and was sent to Fort Benning to serve his country, and earned accolades in good conduct and sharpshooting. After his discharge, he attended the University of Texas at Austin, graduating with a B.A. in Business Administration in 1968.
In 1969, with $100 in his pocket, he drove his '49 coupe to an employment agency in Dallas. With the promise of 50% of his first paycheck, he began his career with State Farm Insurance. While living in the "big city," Jim was introduced to Barbara through a mutual friend. They married in 1970, and soon relocated to Bloomington for a position in time and motion studies in work-measurement at State Farm's corporate office. It was there, in Central Illinois, where they raised their daughter and excelled in their careers.
Jim was active as a Master Mason with Normal Lodge #673. He was an avid apiarist or, as he would say, "A fancy word for beekeeper." Jim had a number of hives on his urban homestead in Normal, and he and his daughter would extract, process, and bottle the honey for sale at local farmer's markets on weekends. He had exceptional skills and expertise in cultivating flora and fauna alike. Jim was an active member and judge for the African Violet Society; his basement, which he personally dug out and finished, was perfumed with succulents, African violets, and orchids. His hands always busy, he spent his down-time on business trips learning to knit. A lifelong learner, he earned his M.S. in Applied Computer Science from Illinois State University in 1995. A fiercely independent and creative critical-thinker, he raised his daughter, Angela, to be the same.
Thoughts turned home to Texas; in 2002, State Farm honored his 33 years of service. In 2003, they relocated to their new home in Wills Point. Jim hoped to spend the remainder of his Earth-side days living, building, and harvesting at "The Oaks." This, as everything Jim set out to do, was accomplished.
Jim was preceded in death by: parents, siblings, kinfolk, and friends. He is survived by his brother, Joseph; wife, Barbara; daughter, Angela (Sam) Lathem-Ballard; and cherished granddaughter, Norah - born at home, just as he was.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Jim's honor to The Friends of the Van Zandt County Sarah Norman Library.
The family shares their appreciation of Parkland Medical Center physicians and chaplains who supported Jim's care and comfort in his final days. | 2023-04-17T18:47:42+00:00 | pantagraph.com | https://pantagraph.com/obituaries/j-b-jim-lathem/article_11179acd-0573-582b-980d-7f5ccaecacb9.html |
Which canoe is best?
Picture being out on the water in a canoe, living your best life. It’s easily imagined and achieved with the right direction. Before you buy a canoe, it’s important to know the purpose for your boat and how often you plan to use it. If you want to hit the water in a moderately priced but high-quality canoe, the Old Town Canoe Sportsman Discovery Solo is a great choice.
What to know before you buy a canoe
Style
There are several ways to categorize canoes.
- Recreational: These are great for families or friends who want to take an easy cruise and paddle on flat water. They are built to be stable and easy to maneuver.
- Racing: Built for speed and competition, these are on the high end of canoe prices.
- River: These are designed to get pummeled by whitewater rapids and everything else a river brings.
- Tripping: Sometimes these are called touring canoes because they have the space that lets you and a friend to go on longer trips
- Sporting: This sort of boat is ideal for fishing or hunting and is designed with space to carry your gear.
- Multipurpose: Also known as versatile, multipurpose canoes can be used for any reason: fishing, camping or just out for a cruise.
Size
- Length: Standard canoes are around 16-17 feet long. Shorter ones are easy to maneuver and take anywhere, but longer models are great for lengthy trips. Plus, once you get the speed up they are easier to paddle.
- Width: The wider your canoe is, the more stable it will be. However, thinner canoes are easier to paddle and weigh less.
- Depth: Deeper boats allow more weight but since the sides are longer, they are also more influenced by the wind. A shallower canoe isn’t as affected by the breeze but can let in water if it’s overweight.
Material
- Plastic: A lightweight, durable and cheap material for canoes.
- Aluminum: This was once used commonly because it is strong and durable, but because of its weight, it’s falling out of popularity.
- Fiberglass: Lighter than aluminum and durable, it is also easy to repair.
- Kevlar: Stronger and lighter than fiberglass, it is expensive and typically used on high-end canoes.
- Carbon fiber: Similar to Kevlar, this is also strong, lightweight and used on higher-priced models.
What to look for in a quality canoe
Hull
The shape of your hull affects how your boat moves; the entry line is where the hull cuts water. The sharper the entry line, the faster and easier you move through the water. A blunt end is better for rapids because it helps keep water out.
The bottom of the boat has its own variations.
- Flat: This style is good for a stable ride on flat water but can be turned over easily due to how high it sits above the surface.
- Round: A bottom like this improves speed and stability during movement, but there is not much initial stability.
- Shallow-arch: This bottom is an improved version of the flat and round combined. It has better initial and secondary stability.
- V: This version has a pronounced centerline, is maneuverable and also has good initial and secondary stability.
Side shape
- Tumblehome: The sides curve inward and make it easier to touch the water.
- Flare: The canoe sides flare out to keep the water from getting in.
- Straight: This side shape is in the middle of flare and tumblehome.
Seats
Many canoes come with anywhere from one to three seats, two-seaters being the most common. You can customize and upgrade your seats to make your ride on the water more comfortable.
Other features
- Rocker: This is the upward curve from tip to tail. A higher rocker is more maneuverable and a lower rocker is faster. Most are somewhere between.
- Gunwales: These are the side rails. They need to be strong because they will take a beating.
- Freeboard: The distance between the gunwales and the waterline. The greater the freeboard the dryer you’ll be, but the easier wind will catch. The opposite is true as the freeboard gets smaller.
- Thwarts: Wood, aluminum or fiberglass supports that shape and stabilize the canoe.
How much you can expect to spend on a canoe
You can get a good pre-owned canoe or budget canoe for under $500 but a high-end canoe is going to be around $3,000-$4,000. However, there are also middle-range canoes that cost anywhere from $650-$1,500.
Canoe FAQ
What is the difference between a canoe and a kayak?
A. Canoes have an open top, while kayaks have a closed deck with a hole for the occupant to sit in. Also, kayaks are easier to learn, while canoes are more stable and less likely to flip.
How do I store my canoe?
A. They should be stored upside down in a dry place, sitting on the gunwales.
What’s the best canoe to buy?
Top canoe
Old Town Canoe Sportsman Discovery Solo
What you need to know: This is a single-person recreational boat with plenty of room for fishing or hunting gear.
What you’ll love: The seats and armrests let you enjoy a comfortable ride no matter what your purpose. The boat has cup holders built in, adjustable foot braces and a lightweight hull for easier transfer.
What you should consider: It’s meant for a single person and might be too wide for some.
Where to buy: Sold by Dick’s Sporting Goods
Top canoe for the money
What you need to know: This three-person canoe can be used for fishing or other recreational fun.
What you’ll love: It has handles on the sides and a skeg that improves tracking. It also has two cup holders that double as fishing rod holders and two ditty trays in the rear for storage.
What you should consider: This boat is only 13 feet long and may feel too small for three people.
Where to buy: Sold by Dick’s Sporting Goods
Worth checking out
Old Town Canoe Saranac 146 DLX
What you need to know: This is a family-friendly recreational boat that can hold up to 750 pounds.
What you’ll love: This flat-bottom boat has straight sides, making it stable. It has two padded seats with backs and cup holders. There is also a center bench to provide storage and an extra passenger seat.
What you should consider: It’s almost 80 pounds assembled and over 14 feet long, making it difficult to maneuver solo.
Where to buy: Sold by Dick’s Sporting Goods
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | 2022-06-02T22:17:50+00:00 | nwahomepage.com | https://www.nwahomepage.com/reviews/br/sports-fitness-br/water-sports-br/best-canoe/ |
BEAUMONT, Texas (AP) — A man filed a lawsuit Thursday accusing a Texas police officer of using excessive force while restraining him in jail and inflicting injuries that left him paralyzed from the chest down.
The lawsuit on behalf of Christopher Shaw seeks unspecified damages from Beaumont police Officer James Thomas Gillen, the city, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and the jail’s medical contractor.
The lawsuit centers on events from Shaw’s June 12, 2020, arrest on a misdemeanor public intoxication charge.
According to the lawsuit, after a trip to a local hospital to exclude other reasons for Shaw’s slurred speech, Gillen took him to the Jefferson County Correctional Facility. At one point when Shaw refused to comply with commands, jailers restrained him against a wall. Gillen grabbed Shaw, flipped him into the air and body-slammed him head-first on the concrete floor, leaving him paralyzed.
A hospital examination showed that Shaw suffered several spinal fractures that have left him paralyzed from the chest down, the lawsuit alleges.
“Mr. Shaw’s life has been greatly impacted in the worst way,” said his attorney, Harry Daniels of Atlanta. “He was once an able-bodied young man before he was assaulted. He can no longer stand or walk. He is a prisoner of his own body. He spends a majority of his day in bed due to the fact he doesn’t have the resources to hire a full-time caregiver.
“Additionally, he cannot afford the much-needed physical therapy and treatment that he needs that could give him a chance to make a full recovery,” Daniels said.
A spokeswoman for the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas, which provides legal representation to law enforcement officers, declined to comment on the lawsuit. The city of Beaumont didn’t immediately reply to a message seeking comment. | 2022-07-15T05:37:59+00:00 | kdvr.com | https://kdvr.com/news/nationalworld-news/ap-us-news/lawsuit-alleges-texas-police-officer-paralyzed-man-in-jail/ |
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AMSTERDAM (AP) — Associated Press photographer Evgeniy Maloletka won the World Press Photo of the Year award on Thursday for his harrowing image of emergency workers carrying a pregnant woman through the shattered grounds of a maternity hospital in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, in the chaotic aftermath of a Russian attack.
The Ukrainian photographer’s March 9, 2022, image of the fatally wounded woman, her left hand on her bloodied lower left abdomen, drove home the horror of Russia’s brutal onslaught in the eastern port city early in the war.
The 32-year-old woman, Iryna Kalinina, died of her injuries a half-hour after giving birth to the lifeless body of her baby, named Miron.
“For me, it is a moment that all the time I want to forget, but I cannot. The story will always stay with me,” Maloletka said in an interview before the announcement.
“Evgeniy Maloletka captured one of the most defining images of the Russia-Ukraine war amid incredibly challenging circumstances. Without his unflinching courage, little would be known of one of Russia’s most brutal attacks. We are enormously proud of him,” AP Senior Vice President and Executive Editor Julie Pace said.
AP Director of Photography J. David Ake added: “It’s not often that a single image becomes seared into the world’s collective memory. Evgeniy Maloletka lived up to the highest standards of photojournalism by capturing the ‘decisive moment,’ while upholding the tradition of AP journalists worldwide to shine a light on what would have otherwise remained unseen.”
Maloletka, AP video journalist Mystyslav Chernov and AP producer Vasilisa Stepanenko, who are also Ukrainian, arrived in Mariupol just as Russia’s full-scale invasion, which began on Feb. 24, 2022, sparked Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II. They stayed for more than two weeks, chronicling the Russian military pounding the city and hitting hospitals and other civilian infrastructure. An AP investigation found that as many as 600 people may have been killed when a Mariupol theater being used as a bomb shelter was hit on March 16 last year.
The three were the only international journalists left in the city when they finally managed a risky escape.
World Press Photo Foundation Executive Director Joumana El Zein Khoury told the AP that jury members decided quickly Maloletka’s image should win the prestigious prize.
She said it was “apparent from the beginning that it needed to win. All the jury members said it really from the beginning of the judging. And why? Because it really shows how war and especially in this case, the Ukrainian war, affects not only one generation, but multiple generations.”
Maloletka said the team believed it was important to remain in Mariupol, despite the danger, “to collect the people’s voices and collect their emotions and to show them all around the world.”
A series of photos by Maloletka from besieged Mariupol won the European regional World Press Photo Stories award that was announced in March. Maloletka’s images from Mariupol also have been honored with awards including the Knight International Journalism Award, the Visa d’or News Award and the Prix Bayeux Calvados-Normandie.
“I think it is really important that specifically a Ukrainian won the contest showing the atrocities against civilians by Russian forces in Ukraine,” he said. “It is important that all the pictures we were doing in Mariupol became evidence of a war crime against Ukrainians.”
In the three other global categories announced Thursday, two-time World Press Photo winner Mads Nissen of Denmark won Photo Story of the Year for his series for Politiken and Panos Pictures, titled “The Price of Peace in Afghanistan,” about daily life in Afghanistan in 2022.
Anush Babajanyan of Armenia won the Long-Term Project award for “Battered Waters” for VII Photo and National Geographic Society, and Egyptian photographer Mohamed Mahdy won the Open Format award for “Here, The Doors Don’t Know Me.”
“The four global winners represent the best photos and stories from the most important and urgent topics of 2022,” Brent Lewis, global jury chair, and New York Times photo editor said in a statement. “They also help to continue the tradition of what it is possible to do with photography, and how photography helps us to see the universality of the human condition.”
The four global winners were selected from more than 60,000 entries submitted by 3,752 entrants from 127 countries.
Regional winners announced earlier included Maya Levin for her image for AP of Israeli police beating mourners carrying the coffin of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was fatally shot while covering an Israeli military raid in the West Bank. Following international pressure, Israeli defense forces admitted it was likely that one of their soldiers shot the prominent correspondent. The IDF denied that the shooting was intentional and declared the case closed.
Pulitzer Prize-winning AP photographer Emilio Morenatti, who lost a leg while reporting in Afghanistan, was awarded an honorable mention for a series of images of people in Ukraine who have undergone amputations as a result of the Russian invasion.
___
Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine | 2023-04-20T16:01:23+00:00 | myfox8.com | https://myfox8.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-image-of-mariupol-hospital-attack-wins-world-press-photo/ |
Wilson Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation Center saves fawn’s life
MARQUETTE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WLUC) -- During Thanksgiving week, the Lowes store in Marquette Township had a special visitor. A baby fawn somehow found its way inside the home improvement store.
Apart from the fawn being scared to death, she was caught by a member of the DNR and brought to the Wilson Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Chocolay Township. While members helped rehabilitate the fawn, she was given the name Daisy.
“I was brought a fawn that had somehow made it into the Lowes store here in Marquette. I had got wildlife calls before of animal wildlife that has made it into the garden center,” said Wilson Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation Center Director Kyann Clarke.
Daisy is now done with her rehabilitation, and she has returned to the wildlife home.
For more information on the Wilson Creek, Wildlife Rehabilitation Center click here.
Copyright 2022 WLUC. All rights reserved. | 2022-11-24T02:05:11+00:00 | uppermichiganssource.com | https://www.uppermichiganssource.com/2022/11/24/wilson-creek-wildlife-rehabilitation-center-saves-fawns-life/ |
People can start pouring into The Salt Shed next week for outdoor summer concerts, as the new music venue situated in Chicago's historic Morton Salt factory begins its operations Tuesday.
The performance and community space, located at 1357 N. Elston Ave., will welcome artists like Fleet Foxes, Mt. Joy and Jorja Smith throughout the season.
Here's the lineup so far:
- Aug. 2: Makaya McCraven, Sons of Kemet and Nubya Garcia
- Aug. 3: Fleet Foxes with Uwade
- Aug. 10: Sharon Van Etten, Angel Olsen and Julien Baker with Quinn Christopherson
- Aug. 12: Andrew Bird and Iron and Wine with Meshell Ndegeocello
- Aug. 13: Lake Street Drive with Madison Cunningham
- Aug. 15: Lord Huron with First Aid Kit
- Aug. 16: Courtney Barnett, Alvvats and The Betts
- Aug. 20: Mt. Joy with Wilderado
- Aug. 21: Mt. Joy with Wilderado
- Aug. 25: Jorja Smith
- Sept. 22: Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit with Shemekia Copeland
- Sept. 23: Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit with Shemekia Copeland
- Sept. 24: Death Cab for Cutie with Low
Showtimes and general admission tickets are available here.
With renovations still underway indoors, all performances will be set outside this year, but The Salt Shed said the indoor venue will be opening in 2023. | 2022-07-29T01:03:53+00:00 | nbcchicago.com | https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/the-salt-shed-opens-next-week-at-chicagos-morton-salt-complex-as-a-new-music-venue/2901317/ |
Milliman PPFI plans saw $123 billion in funded status improvement thanks to monthly market rebound
SEATTLE, July 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Milliman, Inc., a premier global consulting and actuarial firm, today released the latest results of its Public Pension Funding Index (PPFI), which analyzes data from the nation's 100 largest public defined benefit pension plans.
During June, the Milliman 100 PPFI funded ratio rose from 73.7% as of May 31 to 75.8% as of June 30, the result of a $123 billion improvement in funded status. The PPFI plans saw aggregate investment returns of 2.9% for the month and gained market value of approximately $147 billion, partially offset by a net negative cash flow of about $9 billion. Individual plans' estimated June returns ranged from 1.0% to 5.2%.
"Although markets have been fairly volatile over the past year, the 75.8% funded ratio at the end of this June is modestly higher than the 74.0% we saw at the end of June 2022," said Becky Sielman, co-author of Milliman's PPFI. "This is good news for the many plans whose fiscal year ends on June 30."
For more information and to view the full Milliman 100 Public Pension Funding Index, go to http://www.milliman.com/ppfi/. To see Milliman's full range of annual Pension Funding Studies, go to https://www.milliman.com/en/retirement-and-benefits/pension-funding-studies. To receive regular updates of Milliman's pension funding analysis, contact us at pensionfunding@milliman.com.
About Milliman
Milliman is among the world's largest providers of actuarial, risk management, and technology solutions. Our consulting and advanced analytics capabilities encompass healthcare, property & casualty insurance, life insurance and financial services, and employee benefits. Founded in 1947, Milliman is an independent firm with offices in major cities around the globe. Visit us at milliman.com.
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SOURCE Milliman, Inc. | 2023-07-19T21:59:07+00:00 | waff.com | https://www.waff.com/prnewswire/2023/07/19/milliman-analysis-public-pension-funded-ratio-climbs-758-end-june/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell has been hospitalized after tripping at a local hotel on Wednesday evening, a spokesman for the senator said.
The Kentucky senator, 81, was attending a private dinner in Washington when he tripped. He was admitted to a hospital for treatment, spokesman Doug Andres said.
McConnell's office did not provide additional detail on his condition or how long he may be absent from the Senate.
In 2019, the GOP leader tripped and fell at his home in Kentucky, suffering a shoulder fracture. At the time, he underwent surgery to repair the fracture in his shoulder. The Senate had just started a summer recess and he worked from home for some weeks as he recovered.
First elected in 1984, McConnell in January became the longest-serving Senate leader when the new Congress convened, breaking the previous record of 16 years.
The taciturn McConnell is often reluctant to discuss his private life. But at the start of the COVID-19 crisis he opened up about his early childhood experience fighting polio. He described how his mother insisted that he stay off his feet as a toddler and worked with him through a determined physical therapy regime. He has acknowledged some difficulty in adulthood climbing stairs.
The Senate, where the average age is 65, has been without several members recently due to illness.
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., 53, who suffered a stroke during his campaign last year, was expected to remain out for some weeks as he received care for clinical depression. And Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., 89, said last week that she had been hospitalized to be treated for shingles.
The Democratic absences have proven a challenge for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who is already navigating a very narrow 51-49 majority.
The Republicans, as the minority party, have had an easier time with intermittent absences. It is unclear if McConnell will be out on Thursday and if that would have an effect on scheduled votes. South Dakota Sen. John Thune is the Senate’s No. 2 Republican.
——-
This story has been corrected to show that Sen. Dianne Feinstein is 89, not 90.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP | 2023-03-09T08:57:48+00:00 | springfieldnewssun.com | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/nation-world/senate-gop-leader-mitch-mcconnell-hospitalized-after-fall/KBAONU2DHNGHJHWPH7I47UF6EU/ |
Football coach shot 10 times while shielding players from gunfire, police say
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (WJXT) – A football coach in Florida was shot 10 times while trying to protect his young players from a drive-by shooting Saturday night.
He survived with serious injuries, but sadly, a 13-year-old boy died in the shooting.
Police in Jacksonville said the teen was killed moments after leaving a football tryout. In total, five people were in the car: the 13-year-old, the coach, an 11-year-old boy who was seriously injured, a 14-year-old boy who was uninjured, and a 15-year-old boy who was uninjured.
The boy who died was identified as Prince Holland.
Police said the 21-year-old coach, who was driving, tried to shield the players as bullets rang out.
Police are still looking for the person responsible for the drive-by shooting. The coach, who is awake and alert in the hospital, told police he doesn’t know who shot him.
Investigators are working with the surviving teens to try to piece the puzzle together. They are also looking at evidence from the scene, such as shell casings and surveillance video.
Copyright 2022 WJXT via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | 2022-12-08T19:14:06+00:00 | atlantanewsfirst.com | https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2022/12/08/football-coach-shot-10-times-while-shielding-players-gunfire-police-say/ |
GENEVA (AP) — The International Committee of the Red Cross has conducted at least five visits to Ukrainian prisoners of war since Russia invaded Ukraine, a Russian diplomat said Thursday while insisting that “practical arrangements” were holding up a trip to a prison where dozens of POWs died.
Gennady Gatilov, Russia’s ambassador in Geneva, said it was unreasonable to think Red Cross teams could visit all 6,000 Ukrainian POWs. Some critics say the Geneva-based ICRC has not done enough to try to obtain access to Russian detention centers.
The humanitarian organization said Sunday that it has an 11-person team ready to visit any POWs in separatist-held areas of Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, including those held at the Olenivka prison.
Russian and Ukrainian authorities accused the other of a July 29 attack that destroyed a barracks at the separatist-run prison. At least 53 Ukrainian POWs died and dozens more were wounded, according to Russian and separatist authorities.
The international Red Cross would “check on the conditions of internment and treatment, deliver essential supplies, and ensure the prisoners of war can contact their families," the organization said.
The Red Cross reiterated it has been unable to visit all the sites it wanted to in connection with the war in Ukraine.
“Blaming the ICRC for being denied full and immediate access does not help prisoners of war or their families,” it said.
Gatilov suggested that security concerns were responsible for delaying another possible visit to the prison in Olenivka, a settlement controlled by the Moscow-backed Donetsk People’s Republic.
“What the ICRC wants is security for these visits,” he said. “Sometimes … it’s not easy to provide that sort of security because the shelling is continuing, and specifically the shelling of the area of Olenivka.”
“Our counterparts in the Red Cross, they understand. They still believe that they can do this,” he said. “They will do this in the future. And the only thing we need is just to discuss the practical arrangements for this visit. From the point of view of security, first of all."
Alexander Pchelyakov, a spokesman for the Russian mission in Geneva, later specified the five dates that ICRC teams already had made to Ukrainian POWs: in Crimea’s Sevastopol on April 11, May 19 and August 4; on May 19 in Olenivka and the Azov Sea coastal town of Novoazovsk; and a July 28 trip to Mulino, a rural area in Russia near the city of Nizhny Novgorod.
In comments that diverged from the findings of U.N. human rights experts and other independent monitors, Gatilov claimed that Ukrainian prisoners of war were “treated quite well” while Russians held by Ukrainian authorities have been subject to torture and “psychological” and “physical” pressure that violates the Geneva Conventions.
A U.N. team of experts last month cited testimonies of beatings, electric shocks and forced nudity in Russian detention facilities.
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Follow AP's coverage of the war in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine | 2022-10-20T16:50:47+00:00 | expressnews.com | https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/Russian-official-says-practical-issues-delay-17522321.php |
HANGZHOU, China, Nov. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BEST Inc. (NYSE: BEST) ("BEST" or the "Company"), a leading integrated smart supply chain solutions and logistics services provider in China and Southeast Asia, today announced that it will release its unaudited financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2022, after the U.S. market closes on Wednesday, November 16, 2022.
The Company will hold a conference call to discuss the financial results at 8:00pm U.S. Eastern Time on Wednesday, November 16, 2022, or 9:00am Beijing Time on Thursday, November 17, 2022.
Participants may access the call by dialling the following numbers:
A replay of the conference call will be accessible through November.23, 2022 by dialling the following numbers:
Please visit the Company's investor relations website http://ir.best-inc.com/ to view the earnings release prior to the conference call. A live and archived webcast of the conference call and a presentation will also be available at the same site.
ABOUT BEST INC.
BEST Inc. (NYSE: BEST) is a leading integrated smart supply chain solutions and logistics services provider in China and Southeast Asia. Through its proprietary technology platform and extensive networks, BEST offers a comprehensive set of logistics and value-add services, including freight delivery, supply chain management and global logistics services. BEST's mission is to empower business and enrich life by leveraging technology and business model innovation to create a smarter, more efficient supply chain. For more information, please visit: http://www.best-inc.com/en/.
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SOURCE BEST Inc. | 2022-11-07T10:18:21+00:00 | wlox.com | https://www.wlox.com/prnewswire/2022/11/07/best-inc-announce-third-quarter-2022-financial-results-november-16-2022/ |
On Thursday, President Joe Biden will sign a bipartisan bill aimed at driving down costs of shipping goods overseas, a measure his administration has touted as a weapon in its fight against historic inflation.
Biden plans to hold a White House signing ceremony with lawmakers and executives, including Tractor Supply Company CEO Hal Lawton, Jo-Ann Stores CEO Wade Miquelon and Zippy Duval, President of the American Farm Bureau Federation, according to a White House official.
The bill is intended to alleviate supply-chain bottlenecks at sea that were worsened by a spike in demand during the pandemic. It directs the Federal Maritime Commission to prevent ocean carriers from unreasonably refusing to fill open cargo space with U.S. exports and investigate late fees charged by shippers.
Retailers and agricultural exporters said their shipping costs have skyrocketed, which Lawton and Miquelon told Biden in a video released last week by the White House.
“There are nine — nine major ocean line shipping companies that ship from Asia to the United States,” Biden said last week during an event at the Port of Los Angeles. “These companies have raised their prices by as much as %1,000.”
Ocean-freight carriers pulled in estimated profits of $150 billion in 2021 — a nine-fold annual jump.
The signing comes as the hottest US inflation in four decades is showing no signs up of letting up. Federal Reserve official raised their main interest rate by three quarters of a percentage point Wednesday, its largest hike since 1994, as it tries to crush inflation.
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
©2022 Bloomberg L.P. | 2022-06-15T23:10:29+00:00 | seattletimes.com | https://www.seattletimes.com/business/biden-to-sign-ocean-shipping-bill-into-law-amid-inflation-fight/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_world |
The Washington Commanders released Carson Wentz on Monday, an expected move that puts an end to the one-season experiment with the veteran quarterback that did not work out.
After giving up draft picks to acquire him in a trade with Indianapolis last March, the Commanders were able to get out of the final two years of Wentz’s contract without any salary cap penalty.
Wentz threw for 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions in eight games, going 2-5 as the starter sandwiched around a broken finger that sidelined him for several weeks.
When Taylor Heinicke struggled late in the season, coach Ron Rivera turned back to Wentz, who had three interceptions in a loss to Cleveland that contributed to knocking Washington out of playoff contention.
From that point forward, Rivera gave no thought to handing the job back to Wentz. Rookie Sam Howell started the regular-season finale and goes into offseason workouts as the starting QB.
Wentz, on the other hand, faces a very uncertain future at age 30. If signed, he would join his fourth NFL team in as many seasons after flaming out in Philadelphia, Indianapolis and Washington.
The Commanders also released veteran safety Bobby McCain, whose presence was made redundant by the emergence of Darrick Forrest. McCain’s release saves roughly $2.32 million in salary cap space.
McCain, 29, had four interceptions in 34 games over two seasons with Washington but none in 2022 for a defense that often played with three safeties on the field at once.
The Commanders must next decide what to do about standout defensive tackle Daron Payne, who led the team with a career-high 11½ sacks and could get a big payday in free agency. Putting the franchise tag on him at a price of $18.9 million — much less than the money saved by cutting Wentz — is one option.
If Payne is back, Washington’s defense will again have high expectations, especially with Chase Young fully healthy after recovering from a torn ACL in his right knee.
The Commanders are expected to change more on offense than defense after hiring two-time Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl-winning assistant Eric Bieniemy as coordinator and assistant head coach. That includes at quarterback after Wentz was shown the door.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | 2023-02-27T23:20:07+00:00 | cbs42.com | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/ap-commanders-release-quarterback-carson-wentz-after-one-season/ |
'Housing for people not profit': How this Phoenix group is bringing attention to rising rent
Phoenix-based arts and advocacy organization Fuerte Arts Movement kicked off its campaign to raise awareness about rising rent with an unveiling party for its “Rent is Too High” poster winners.
Posters submitted to the contest reflected concerns about rising rent in the Phoenix area, which saw rent prices increase by almost 30% in 2021, more than double the U.S. increase.
One hundred copies of each of the four winning posters will be placed on street poles and in coffee shops, said Xenia Orona, the co-executive director of Fuerte Arts Movement. Initially, the posters will be distributed near their office space in downtown Phoenix, but they hope to expand to “every neighborhood where rent is a burden,” said Dominique Medina, Fuerte Arts Movement’s digital organizer.
“Of course, that’s going to be mostly communities of color and low-income communities,” Orona said.
Gabrielle Booth's first-place poster depicts a Phoenix skyline against a sunset backdrop that reads "Welcome to Phoenix: Valley of the Hedge Funds."
Jhanz Marco and Xavier Martinez tied for second place. Marco's poster portrays a parent and child being forced to leave their house, which is being taken by a giant pig. Martinez's poster is a colorful depiction of a collection of houses, individuals and cactuses that reads "Housing for People Not Profit."
Erin Taylor, 24, a Phoenix resident and recent graduate of Northern Arizona University, won the contest’s third place prize.
Artist draws from personal struggle affording rent
The poster she created reflected her experience struggling to afford housing after graduating from college. “Most of my friends, they’re not out of their parent’s house, and they’ve been stressed out about it,” she said. “They’re working jobs, but they're not able to afford a place to live. They can’t get out of bad situations.”
“It feels like we’re all just looking up at the sky trying to shoot for the moon, trying to jump through all of these hoops to get something that should be basic,” she said.
In the poster she created, two individuals — one depicting herself, and the other depicting a friend — stare up at a "rent"-labeled moon placed against an orange sky. One of them crouches down to gaze at the moon through a telescope.
Another figure stares, panicked, at a piece of paper that reads “Payment Plan” and “Job 1, Job 2.”
“He’s freaking out, like ‘what are we supposed to do, how are we supposed to get there, am I supposed to get five roommates?’”
“The colors are very dark and moody,” she said. “I wanted to make it seem more dystopian. It’s kind of grim right now. We got promised all of this stuff, and then we get there and we can’t access it.”
“We had a plan, you go to college, you graduate, you find a job, and then you can pay for housing, but we can’t. And that’s a big problem right now, and it’s terrible,” she said.
Taylor emphasized the importance of art in the campaign's strategy. “Even people who aren’t savvy about politics, they can see it, they know what it’s about, they can relate to it,” she said. “If you have a talk, there’s a lot of jargon thrown around. But if somebody sees a picture of something, they know right away what’s going on.”
'Housing is a human right'
Shalanndra (Shelly) Benally, who submitted a poster to the contest, echoed a similar message.
“A lot of people are visual learners,” she said. “Giving the visual aid is really helpful, especially since social media’s super prevalent in how not only myself, but everybody my age gets their news and updates.”
Similar to Taylor, Benally was inspired by the experience of struggling to afford a place to live as a young adult who recently graduated from college. She was drawn to the language Fuerte Arts Movement used in their contest outreach, that “housing is a human right,” and centered this message in the poster she created.
Campaign seeks to repeal rent control ban
A goal of Fuerte’s “Rent is Too High” campaign is to repeal an Arizona law that bans cities and towns from implementing rent control. During a panel discussion before the Aug. 5 award ceremony, Arizona House Rep. Christian Solorio, D-Phoenix, discussed a bill he introduced in the state Legislature in June.
HB 2401 would have repealed Section 33-1329 of the Arizona Revised Statutes, which says that counties, cities and towns in Arizona do not have the power to control rents, because that right has been preempted by the state. The bill did not receive a committee hearing.
“It’s a big, broad-sweeping blanket piece of legislation that doesn’t account for the needs of the individual communities,” said panel member and Arizona political consultant Petra Morrison, referring to Section 33-1329. “What’s good for south Phoenix, or what’s good for Phoenix in general, the people who live in Phoenix know what that is."
“We’re going to take that to the Arizona legislators next year,” said Alyssa Barreda, the program lead on Fuerte's “Rent is Too High” campaign. In the meantime, the organization is going to continue to bring attention to the state's rising rent prices, she said.
Fuerte will begin putting up the winning posters at local businesses in downtown Phoenix in the next two weeks.
Madeleine Parrish covers equity issues for The Arizona Republic. Reach her at madeleine.parrish@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter @maddieparrish61. | 2022-08-18T17:11:10+00:00 | azcentral.com | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2022/08/18/fuerte-arts-movement-contest-winners-bring-attention-rising-rents/10128591002/ |
LEADING GOLF SIMULATOR FRANCHISE MODEL EXCEEDS PROJECTED GROWTH IN 2022
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- X-Golf America, an entertainment golf simulator concept, has swelled to more than 100 locations, marking the milestone of surpassing growth projections for the calendar year. With more than 60 open locations and more than 40 in development, X-Golf America has expanded its presence to 32 states in the US and fostered 22 multi-unit ownership groups.
"We have gone beyond what would be considered an emerging franchise concept to an established one as the leading brand in the indoor golf marketplace," said President and CEO of X-Golf America Ryan D'Arcy. "Strategic growth, with over 50 percent of our footprint coming from multi-unit ownership, is a testament to the power of the system. We are committed to continue expanding our reach in new and existing markets, while focusing on innovations to continue our progression as an organization."
The new locations will feature X-Golf America's proprietary technology with state-of-the-art simulators and software, as well as a full bars and restaurants. Offering tee times, private lessons, tournaments and events, X-Golf has the ability to cater to all skill levels.
In addition to new venue signings, notable X-Golf accomplishments in 2022 range across digital innovations and strategic development plans, including the launch of a connected environment with national tournaments allowing players to compete across state lines and time zones. Players can compete to win once-in-a-lifetime prizes, including exotic trips, golf equipment and rounds of golf with social media superstar, Paige Spiranac. New skill-based challenges will also be released this winter to enhance offerings and further player engagement.
The state-of-the-art indoor golf simulators give players unparalleled realism through a combination of camera systems, infrared lasers, impact sensors and advanced gaming software. Their dedicated kiosks offer visitors the ultimate golfing entertainment experience with virtual reality gaming, food and beverages, competitions, leagues, golf lessons, memberships and more. Furthermore, the short game and putting capabilities allows players to fully experience a round from tees to greens with acute accuracy.
X-Golf began developing simulators in Korea in 2005, first launching its American franchise operations in 2016. Since then, the company has successfully opened and maintained more than 60 franchisees across the country and more than 40 signed agreements for future locations.
X-Golf is the developer of a high-end golf simulator, the centerpiece of an entertaining indoor golf and bar-restaurant concept. The technology is the most comprehensive indoor golf tracking system available, giving customers the ability to accurately replicate all golf shots, including short game. Measuring ball speed, launch, direction, and spin along with club path, impact, and speed, the X-Golf system performs over 6,000 calculations per second. Additionally, every location offers a full-service bar and restaurant serving beer, wine, liquor and a number of food options. Since first opening in 2016, X-Golf has successfully maintained 60+ locations and plans to double in size again in 2023. For additional information, visit www.playxgolf.com.
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SOURCE X-Golf America | 2022-09-29T20:39:47+00:00 | kxii.com | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/09/29/x-golf-america-surpasses-100-locations/ |
Eds: This story was supplied by The Conversation for AP customers. The Associated Press does not guarantee the content.
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(THE CONVERSATION) For most American Jews today, Shavuot is not exactly a big-ticket holiday. Observance lags behind springtime Passover, and it pales in comparison to Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, the fall “high holidays.”
But 150 years ago, Shavuot was the one day when everybody wanted to be in synagogue: It was a day to celebrate children.
As a scholar of American religion and Judaism, I have written about how the history of religious education reveals the changing ways that American Jews have imagined Judaism itself. The history of Shavuot, which begins at sundown on May 25 in 2023, offers a fascinating illustration of these dynamics.
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The ‘milk’ of Torah
In ancient times, Shavuot was an agricultural pilgrimage festival, a time to bring offerings of first grains and fruits to the temple in Jerusalem.
After the Romans destroyed the temple in 70 C.E., Jewish leaders redesignated Shavuot as a holiday that would primarily commemorate the revelation of the Torah. According to Jewish tradition, God gave these teachings to Moses on Mt. Sinai as he led the Israelites through the desert.
Jews have traditionally described the Torah as the word of God – a text potent with significance. Shavuot became a time to celebrate the study of the Torah and its many rabbinic commentaries, including the Mishnah and the Talmud.
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Shavuot has long been marked by customs that include “Tikkun Leil Shavuot,” gathering with others to study Torah late into the night. And it has been celebrated with dairy-based foods like blintzes and cheesecakes – treats that signify, among other ideas, that the Torah is the “milk” that nourishes the Jewish people.
Old holiday, new world
Jews began to establish communities in North America beginning in the 17th century. On Shavuot, they continued the long-standing custom of celebrating the revelation of the Torah with synagogue services and late-night study.
By the mid-late 19th century, however, many American Jews had begun to neglect these traditional observances. Some felt increasingly uneasy with a holiday that rested on the premise of biblical revelation. At the time, an academic field called biblical criticism was growing and gaining influence. These academics analyzed the Bible’s development as a historical text, identifying it as an anthology of human writers. This left many religious people wrestling with the traditional idea of scripture as the divine word of God.
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What, then, to do with Shavuot? A new ceremony introduced by Jews in Europe in the early 1800s offered a promising alternative: confirmation.
Beginning in the mid-19th century, American Jews began to reimagine Shavuot as the time for grandiose celebrations of children’s graduation from Jewish Sunday Schools. On the morning of Shavuot or the closest weekend to it, the students being confirmed, usually 12 or 13 years old, would dress up in fine clothes and parade to the front of their synagogue sanctuaries.
Each child would typically carry elaborate bouquets of flowers, which were essential to the pageantry. Different blooms symbolized religious virtues of the children. White lilies, for example, symbolized innocence and purity, and were often incorporated into the children’s bouquets, as well as into elaborate floral decorations that bedecked the synagogue interior.
Participants would recite declarations of their belief in the one God of the Jewish people and give speeches that confirmed their commitments to Judaism. They would be tested on their “catechisms,” short books that recorded questions and answers about religion that children were expected to memorize. To mark the children’s coming of age, rabbis would confer a blessing, welcoming them as adult members of the congregation.
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The ceremony would conclude with parties and celebrations and elaborate gifts, particularly for the offspring of wealthier families.
‘Fitting in’ with Christianity
For many American Jews, confirmation was appealing as a gender-inclusive coming-of-age ritual. In some congregations, it replaced the bar mitzvah, a ceremony that was traditionally restricted to boys when they reached age 13. In other synagogues, confirmation was introduced as a supplemental ceremony held at the end of the school year.
Confirmation was not, however, a traditionally Jewish practice. It was a Christian ceremony for coming of age that Jews adopted in the 19th century – first in Europe and then across the Atlantic.
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In the U.S., confirmation ceremonies appealed to Jews because they offered a prime moment to show outsiders that Judaism could “fit in” to an American culture dominated by Protestant Christianity. The American Jewish Reform movement, which in the 19th century became the largest American Jewish denomination, believed that Judaism should be adapted so that it was more relevant to contemporary life.
Reform Jews celebrated confirmation with spectacular floral displays, musical accompaniments and extravagant decorations. These grand spectacles were designed to draw huge crowds to the synagogue – not only Jews, but non-Jewish visitors as well. Jews were sensitive to how Christian outsiders perceived their religion, and Shavuot became a day to show that Jewish ceremonies could rival the grandest holiday celebrations put on by Christian churches.
Not only that, but confirmation also quelled American Jewish anxieties about the future. By putting children promising their commitments to the Jewish people at the center of the stage, confirmation ceremonies reassured American Jews that the next generation was committed to Jewish life.
Confirmation today
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As the 20th century dawned, the concerns of American Jewish educators began to shift. Over 2.5 million Jewish immigrants arrived in the U.S. between 1881 and 1924, including many who were committed to traditional Jewish practice. The demographics of American Judaism were changing, and American Jewish education began to change, too.
In the Reform movement, educators re-embraced aspects of Jewish tradition that they had previously rejected. They put down their English-language catechisms and returned to teaching Hebrew. They returned to the bar mitzvah too, expanding the ceremony so that girls too could have their own special Jewish day.
Confirmation didn’t go away, but it was reorganized as a ceremony for older children. By deferring confirmation so that it aligned more with graduation from high school, Jewish educators sought to incentivize children to remain in Jewish education throughout their teenage years.
Today, many American synagogues still celebrate confirmations around Shavuot, though they are no longer billed as the highlight of the Jewish year. The echoes of the 19th century still linger, however, in every American synagogue where Shavuot is a time for young people to don white robes and confirm their commitments to Judaism – and not only a holiday to study Torah and enjoy a cheesecake buffet.
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The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. The Conversation is wholly responsible for the content. | 2023-05-22T13:54:47+00:00 | seattlepi.com | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/shavuot-the-jewish-holiday-that-became-all-about-18112029.php |
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