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HELSINKI (AP) — Denmark’s foreign minister said Sunday the government will seek to make it illegal to desecrate the Quran or other religious holy books in front of foreign embassies in the Nordic country.
Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said in an interview with the Danish public broadcaster DR that the burning of holy scriptures “only serves the purpose of creating division in a world that actually needs unity.”
“That is why we have decided in the government that we will look at how, in very special situations, we can put an end to mockery of other countries, which is in direct conflict with Danish interests and the safety of the Danes,” he said.
A recent string of public Quran desecrations by a handful of anti-Islam activists in Denmark and neighboring Sweden have sparked angry demonstrations in Muslim countries.
Løkke Rasmussen said the Cabinet of Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen is determined to find “a legal tool” to prohibit such acts without compromising freedom of expression, but he acknowledged that would not be easy.
“There must be room for religious criticism, and we have no thoughts of reintroducing a blasphemy clause,” he told DR. “But when you stand up in front of a foreign embassy and burn a Quran or burn the Torah scroll in front of the Israeli embassy, it serves no other purpose than to mock.”
His comments followed a statement issued late Sunday by the Danish government saying freedom of expression is one of the most important values in Danish society.
But, it added, the descreation of the Muslim holy book in Denmark has resulted in the nation being viewed in many places around the world “as a country that facilitates insult and denigration of the cultures, religions, and traditions of other countries.”
The government repeated its condemnation of such descecrations, say they are “deeply offensive and reckless acts committed by few individuals” and “do not represent the values the Danish society is built on.”
In Sweden, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said Sunday on Instagram that his government is analyzing the legal situation regarding desecration of the Quran and other holy books, given the animosity such acts are stirring up against Sweden.
“We are in the most serious security policy situation since the Second World War,” Kristersson said.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation has called an emergency remote meeting Monday to discuss the Quran burnings in Sweden and Denmark. | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/world/denmark-seeks-to-legally-prevent-burnings-of-quran-or-other-religious-scriptures/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all | 2023-07-31T02:37:32 | 1 | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/world/denmark-seeks-to-legally-prevent-burnings-of-quran-or-other-religious-scriptures/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
SUZHOU, China, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Transcenta Holding Limited ("Transcenta") (HKEX: 06628), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company with fully-integrated capabilities in discovery, research, development and manufacturing of antibody-based therapeutics, announces that it has received approval from China Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) to initiate Phase II clinical trial of TST002(Blosozumab). This study aims to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of TST002(Blosozumab) after single and multiple intravenous administrations in patients with reduced bone mineral density.
Osteoporosis is a significant health concern for the middle-aged and elderly population in China. It is estimated that by 2050, the number of osteoporosis patients will reach 120 million. Compared with RANKL mAbs, sclerostin mAbs successfully achieve the dual goal of preventing bone loss and rebuilding the bone. Evenity (Romosozumab) of Amgen is the only anti-sclerostin antibody drug that has been approved by the FDA in the United States. Up to the present, there was no anti-sclerostin antibody drug approved in China.
In May 2023, Transcenta presented Phase I unblinded data, which showed that the overall safety and tolerability of TST002 (Blosozumab) in all dose cohorts is favorable. On the efficacy side, all dose cohorts from 200-1,200 mg have shown a clinically meaningful increase in lumbar spine BMD on Day 85 (D85) after a single dose of TST002 (Blosozumab) and comparable to those of Blosozumab single dose study at the similar dose levels. The average increase of lumbar spine BMD at Day 85 (D85) from baseline ranged from 3.52% to 6.20% across dose cohorts, all exceeding the least significant difference (2.77%). The increase of lumbar spine BMD in the placebo group was only 0.30% even with optimal calcium and vitamin D supplemental treatment. In addition, encouraging BMD increase in total hip from 1.30% to 2.24% across dose cohorts were observed after single dose of TST002 (Blosozumab). In comparison, the mean percent change in lumbar spine BMD from baseline to month 12 was 5.4% after one year of Denosumab treatment.1
"We are excited to have received the clearance to move forward from CDE. Our Phase II will assess several regimens of TST002 (Blosozumab) with reduced dosing frequency, bringing us closer to our Phase III. We look forward to fully exploring the differentiated profile of TST002 to address the unmet medical need of the large patient population who suffers from osteoporosis," said Dr. Caroline Germa, Transcenta's Executive Vice President, Global Medicine Development and Chief Medical Officer.
Reference:
1 https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/105/3/e255/5607536
About TST002 (Blosozumab)
TST002 (Blosozumab) is a humanized anti-sclerostin monoclonal antibody as a drug candidate for osteoporosis and other bone loss diseases. It has a dual effect possessing both anabolic and anti-resorptive effects, which stimulates bone formation and inhibits bone absorption, resulting in fast increase in bone mineral density and bone strength. Blocking sclerostin activity in human treated with anti-sclerostin antibody or with naturally occurring genetic deletion has been shown to be an effective approach in increasing bone mineral density (BMD) and reducing bone fracture. Currently there is no approved anti-sclerostin antibody therapy in China yet although Romosozumab from Amgen has been approved in the United States, Europe and Japan.
About Transcenta Holding Limited
Transcenta (HKEX: 06628) is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company with fully integrated capabilities in antibody-based biotherapeutics discovery, research, development and manufacturing.
Transcenta has established global footprint, with Headquarters and Discovery, Clinical and Translational Research Center in Suzhou, Process and Product Development Center and Manufacturing Facility in Hangzhou, and Clinical Development Centers in Princeton, US and in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou of China, and External Partnering Center in Boston and Los Angeles, US. Transcenta has also initiated the construction of the Group Headquarters and the second high-end biopharmaceutical facility with ICB as its core technology in Suzhou Industrial Park. Transcenta is developing 13 therapeutic antibody molecules for oncology and selected non-oncology indications including bone and kidney disorders.
For more information, please visit www.transcenta.com and https://www.linkedin.com/company/transcenta.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release may contain certain forward-looking statements that are, by their nature, subject to significant risks and uncertainties. The words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend" and similar expressions, as they relate to Transcenta, are intended to identify certain of such forward-looking statements. Transcenta does not intend to update these forward-looking statements regularly.
These forward-looking statements are based on the existing beliefs, assumptions, expectations, estimates, projections and understandings of the management of Transcenta with respect to future events at the time these statements are made. These statements are not a guarantee of future developments and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond Transcenta's control and are difficult to predict. Consequently, actual results may differ materially from information contained in the forward-looking statements as a result of future changes or developments in our business, Transcenta's competitive environment and political, economic, legal and social conditions.
Transcenta, the Directors and the employees of Transcenta assume (a) no obligation to correct or update the forward-looking statements contained in this site; and (b) no liability in the event that any of the forward-looking statements does not materialize or turn out to be incorrect.
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SOURCE Transcenta Holding Limited | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/transcenta-anti-sclerostin-monoclonal-antibody-tst002-blosozumab-received-approval-china-cde-initiate-phase-ii-clinical-trial-patients-with-reduced-bone-mineral-density/ | 2023-07-31T02:37:33 | 0 | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/transcenta-anti-sclerostin-monoclonal-antibody-tst002-blosozumab-received-approval-china-cde-initiate-phase-ii-clinical-trial-patients-with-reduced-bone-mineral-density/ |
July keeps sizzling as Phoenix hits another 110-degree day and wildfires spread in California
PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix sizzled through its 31st consecutive day of at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius) and other parts of the country grappled Sunday with record temperatures after a week that saw significant portions of the U.S. population subject to extreme heat.
The National Weather Service said Phoenix was expected to climb to 112 F (44.4 Celsius) before the day was through.
July has been so steamy thus far that scientists calculate it will be the hottest month ever recorded and likely the warmest human civilization has seen. The World Meteorological Organization and the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service on Thursday proclaimed July beyond record-smashing.
The historic heat began blasting the lower Southwest U.S. in late June, stretching from Texas across New Mexico and Arizona and into California’s desert.
On Sunday, a massive wildfire burning out of control in California’s Mojave National Preserve spread rapidly amid erratic winds, while firefighters reported progress against another major blaze to the south that prompted evacuations.
The York Fire that erupted Friday near the remote Caruthers Canyon area of the preserve sent up a huge plume of smoke visible nearly 100 miles (160 kilometers) away across the state line in Nevada.
Flames 20 feet (6 meters) high in some spots have charred more than 110 square miles (284 square kilometers) of desert scrub, juniper and Joshua tree woodland, according to a Sunday update.
“The dry fuel acts as a ready ignition source, and when paired with those weather conditions it resulted in long-distance fire run and high flames, leading to extreme fire behavior,” authorities said. No structures were threatened, but there was also no containment.
To the southwest, the Bonny Fire was holding steady at about 3.4 square miles (8.8 square kilometers) in rugged hills of Riverside County. More than 1,300 people were ordered to evacuate their homes Saturday near the remote community of Aguanga, California.
Triple-digit heat was expected in parts of the central San Joaquin Valley through Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
And in Burbank, California, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Los Angeles, the summer heat may have been responsible for some unusual behavior in the animal kingdom: Police in the city responded to a report of a bear sighting in a residential neighborhood and found the animal sitting in a Jacuzzi behind one of the homes.
As climate change brings hotter and longer heat waves, record temperatures across the U.S. have killed dozens of people, and the poorest Americans suffer the most. Air conditioning, once a luxury, is now a matter of survival.
Last year, all 86 heat-related deaths indoors were in uncooled environments.
“To explain it fairly simply: Heat kills,” said Kristie Ebi, a University of Washington professor who researches heat and health. “Once the heat wave starts, mortality starts in about 24 hours.”
It’s the poorest and people of color, from Kansas City to Detroit to New York City and beyond, who are far more likely to face grueling heat without air conditioning, according to a Boston University analysis of 115 U.S. metro areas.
Back in Phoenix, slight relief may be on the way as expected seasonal thunderstorms could drop temperatures Monday and Tuesday.
“It should be around 108 degrees, so we break that 110 streak,” meteorologist Tom Frieders said. “Increasing cloud cover will put temperatures in a downward trend.”
The relief could be short-lived, however. Highs are expected to creep back to 110 F (43.3 C) Wednesday with temperatures reaching 115 F (46.1 C) by the end of the week.
Phoenix has also sweated through a record 16 consecutive nights when the lows temperature didn’t dip below 90 F (32.2 C), making it hard for people to cool off after sunset.
Meanwhile, Las Vegas continues to flirt with its hottest July ever. The city is closing in on its 2010 record for the average of the high and low each day for July, which stands at 96.2 F (35.5 C).
The extreme heat is also hitting the eastern U.S, as soaring temperatures moved from the Midwest into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, where some places recorded their warmest days so far this year.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.ktre.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ | 2023-07-31T02:37:37 | 1 | https://www.ktre.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ |
PHOENIX — After watching him set up the Diamondbacks to win the game without even getting a hit, the Mariners were more than happy to keep Corbin Carroll off the bases in Sunday’s 4-0 victory.
In Saturday’s 4-3 loss, Carroll, a Seattle native, worked a leadoff walk from Andres Munoz, would’ve stole second with ease had the umpires not called a balk on Munoz, stole third without even drawing a throw and scored what would be the winning run on a single up the middle.
In 100 games this season, Carroll has a .285/.365/.547 slash line with 21 doubles, 21 homers, 57 RBI and 32 stolen bases.
The Mariners haven’t been great at throwing at base stealers this season, hurt by a pitching staff that isn’t great at controlling the running game with pickoff throws and quicker moves to home on pitches.
With the new rules limiting the number of times pitchers can throw over to first base, and larger bases, it’s even more difficult to stop good base stealer or have a chance against an elite base runner like Carroll.
“I don’t know if we can, quite frankly,” Servais said. “That’s why he is the player he is. He has that special tool. It the same with Julio (Rodriguez). I feel whoever is catching and the combination with the pitcher with Julio out there, I still feel like he’s still going to steal the base because everything has to be perfect.”
Carroll is one of the fastest players in MLB, but it’s also his aggressive nature and his ability to get good jumps on stolen bases that makes him elite.
“With a guy like Carroll, your time (to home) has to be 1.2 or 1.1 (seconds) preferable,” Servais said. “You have to get a good pitch to throw on, your catcher has to put it right on the bag, everything has to be right to get him. That’s what makes him a special player when you have that type of explosive tool.”
In the past, there were ways to at least slow down Carroll on the bases. But they were removed with the rule changes.
“Back in the day, you throw over six or seven times, tire him out, get him frustrated,” Servais said. “You’d just keep doing it and doing it and doing it. that entire amount. Let’s get it frustrating. Just keep doing it. Doing it doing it. Yeah. We can’t do that anymore. You’ve really got to make him hit his way on. He’s having a really good year offensively as well, but the walks kill you.”
Carroll went 0 for 4 on Sunday against the team he grew up cheering for as a kid. In the three-game series, he got one hit, drew two walks, scored a run and stole two bases.
The Mariners loved Carroll as a draft prospect. But with the 20th pick that season, they knew he would be off the board by the time they got to pick. Arizona took Carroll with the 16th overall pick. The Mariners took George Kirby at No. 20.
Servais can remember talking with Carroll after a workout at T-Mobile Park when he was in high school.
“I will never forget it,” Servais said. “He’s big now compared to where he was in high school. So my first look was like, ‘OK, this guy is a dude.’ But when you first meet somebody it’s like, do they pass the eye test? Because he was so small, you’re just thinking, Oh, he’s going to be a speed player and he certainly can impact the game that way, but he’s done way more than that with the bat. He impacts the game in a number of different ways. He’s a great young player and I’m happy he’s not in our division.”
Kelenic drops by
Jarred Kelenic (fractured left foot) was in the visiting clubhouse over the weekend at Chase Field, checking in with teammates and the Mariners training staff, including director of high performance Rob Scheidegger.
Kelenic, who is still in a walking boot, is doing his recovery and rehab in Arizona at the team’s facility in Peoria.
He wasn’t sure when he will be out of the walking boot, hoping another few weeks at the most. He was expected to be out at least 4-6 weeks with the injury that he suffered from kicking a water cooler.
Note
The Mariners went 6-1-1 in series in July. The one series loss was to the Tigers coming out of the All-Star break. Of the six series wins, five came against teams with winning records — Rays, Giants, Astros, Blue Jays, Twins and Diamondbacks. Only Arizona doesn’t currently hold a postseason spot. | https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/mariners/mariners-get-close-look-at-seattles-corbin-carroll-during-series-in-arizona/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all | 2023-07-31T02:37:38 | 1 | https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/mariners/mariners-get-close-look-at-seattles-corbin-carroll-during-series-in-arizona/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
Overnight Weather At Your Fingertips
Mostly clear skies tonight, temperatures cooling into the 70s. Another hot day tomorrow, highs around 105°.
EAST TEXAS, Texas (KLTV/KTRE) - Good evening, East Texas! Here is the weather where you live... After highs were in the triple digits for nearly all of East Texas this afternoon, we’ll be cooling into the 80s this evening. Overnight tonight, temperatures will continue to drop a few more degrees and we should start Monday off in the upper 70s. Expect clear to mostly clear skies overnight tonight. I’m at a loss for words to describe the next week beyond saying that it’s going to be a scorcher. Highs every afternoon will range from at least 100-degrees to 105-degrees or higher. We’ll likely see Heat Advisories and possibly Excessive Heat Warnings issued for most of the week.
Skies will trend mostly sunny to partly cloudy each afternoon. Winds in the mornings will be out of the south-southwest, shifting to south-southeast during the evenings. As for rain chances, I’ve added a very low chance for Monday to account for the possibility that an isolated shower or thunderstorm may make its way into the area from the east/out of Louisiana. The highest chance for rain tomorrow will be in Deep East Texas. Beyond that, the rest of the work week looks dry.
As mentioned last night, it does look like we could see rain return to the area next weekend into the early part of the week of August 6-12. It won’t be enough to bring an end to the on-going and worsening drought, but I’ll take something over nothing. Additionally, the Climate Prediction Center is favoring above normal rainfall for East Texas through this same time period, while also keeping us in an area likely to see above normal temperatures. While it doesn’t look like we’ll get much of a break from the heat, at least there will again be a chance for rain in the forecast. Have a great night.
Copyright 2023 KLTV/KTRE. All rights reserved. | https://www.ktre.com/2023/07/31/overnight-weather-your-fingertips/ | 2023-07-31T02:37:43 | 0 | https://www.ktre.com/2023/07/31/overnight-weather-your-fingertips/ |
RENTON — After the Seahawks gave Devon Witherspoon limited reps Friday as he shook off the rust after a two-day holdout, the team’s first pick in the 2023 NFL draft got lots of work Sunday.
Witherspoon, the fifth overall pick out of Illinois, was used often and in a variety of ways — on the outside at left cornerback, in the slot at nickel, and in the dime, or six-defensive back formations.
Which all raises the question — where will he line up when the Seahawks open the season Sept. 10 against the Rams?
Coach Pete Carroll says that’s a query without an answer.
“We’re not settling on that yet,’’ Carroll said. “But we are preparing him to do both (play inside and outside).’’
What doesn’t seem in doubt is that the Seahawks will find some way to get him on the field regularly.
Some might wonder why the Seahawks don’t have a specific spot for Witherspoon given the hefty investment the team made in him. He is their highest draft pick since taking Aaron Curry fourth in 2009.
Carroll said it’s a testament to the strength of the cornerback position, a spot that has only risen in value as the league has increasingly turned toward the pass.
“Here’s really what we’re thinking,’’ Carroll said after Sunday’s practice. “What we’re thinking is we’ve got good depth at corner and we have a chance to work some different combinations. … We’re just trying to find the right combination and see what’s most competitive.’’
That’s actually something Carroll has said since the spring, when the Seahawks began using Witherspoon at the nickel spot during minicamp.
At the time, it was easy to wonder if that was just a couple-day thing to get some info on how he’d look inside.
As camp has opened and Michael Jackson on the right side and Tre Brown on the left have continued to play well — and with the knowledge that Riq Woolen, the starter last year on the right side — will be back eventually, the thought that Witherspoon could indeed play inside has seemed to gain some currency.
Jackson and Brown have taken turns making plays throughout the first four days of camp, each showing no signs of being easily dislodged from their starting roles.
Brown, a third-year player out of Oklahoma who emerged as a starter midway through the 2021 season before suffering a knee injury that lingered into last season, had maybe the best day of anyone Sunday. At one point he broke up a pass from Geno Smith to DK Metcalf in the back of the end zone, and a few minutes later making a juggling interception in the end zone of a Smith pass intended for Will Dissly.
“He had a great day today,’’ Carroll said. “He was all over the place.’’
Jackson and Brown appeared to get every first-team rep as the outside corners, with Witherspoon often working on the left side with the second team. The thought when he was drafted was that Witherspoon would take over the left side to pair with Woolen on the right.
The Seahawks have never used that combination on the field as Woolen suffered cartilage damage in his knee in May and had arthroscopic surgery and has yet to practice. At the time, Carroll said the injury was “a four-to-six-week type of deal.’’
That seemed to indicate he’d be ready for the start of camp. Woolen remains on the Physically Unable to Perform list and Carroll said Sunday it’s unclear when he will be back.
Carroll said Woolen, who tied for the NFL lead in interceptions as a rookie with six, is “really close to being back out.’’ But in a follow-up, Carroll said “it’s not within a couple days but within a couple weeks for sure” that he’ll be back.
That means Jackson and Brown likely will continue to man the outside corner spots with the team figuring out where best to use Witherspoon, while also mixing in Coby Bryant. Bryant, a fourth-round pick a year ago, was the starting nickel last season and typically worked there with the first defense Sunday, playing alongside Witherspoon inside when they went to a six-defensive back alignment.
Playing inside meant Witherspoon lined up a few times across from fellow first-round pick Jaxon Smith-Njigba, a receiver taken 20th overall out of Ohio State.
Smith-Njigba, continuing a strong start to camp, got the better of Witherspoon on one play, when he caught a slant pass for a TD from Smith despite some tight coverage from Witherspoon.
“He was real close on a really good play,’’ Carroll said. “He and Jaxon went at it on a play on the goal line today, which was cool. He’s (Witherspoon) going to get more comfortable and more sure of himself in the next couple of days. Gotta get a couple of days out here with us. But he’s gonna do really well.’’
Notes
— Smith-Njigba also had an impressive TD catch when he tapped his toes down just inbounds in the back of the end zone. “I can’t imagine him not being part of the mix right from the beginning,’’ Carroll said. “… He’s hitting it off really well with Geno right now.’’
— Rookie Olu Oluwatimi got all the reps with the first team at center as the Seahawks continued their rotation there. Veteran free-agent signee Evan Brown worked with the first team for the third and first practices and Oluwatimi the second and fourth. Carroll said Oluwatimi is playing through a wrist injury, as well. For now, Carroll said the rotation will continue with no ETA on when a decision needs to be made on a starter.
— Starting left guard Damien Lewis sat out practice because of illness, Carroll said. That had Phil Haynes — who usually plays on the right side — working with the starters on the left side and third-year vet Jake Curhan working at right guard. Rookie Anthony Bradford, a fourth-round pick out of LSU, has worked solely with the second-team offense so far.
— Free-agent signee Devin Bush, who has consistently worked with the starting defense at weakside linebacker alongside Bobby Wagner in the middle, had one of the day’s highlight plays with a leaping interception in the end zone of a pass intended for Tyler Lockett thrown by Smith. That was one of three picks thrown on the day by Smith, another coming on the final play by Quandre Diggs of a pass intended for Metcalf, though there appeared to be some miscommunication as well.
— Wagner turned in his own highlight-reel play when he lined up in man coverage against running back DeeJay Dallas, who was split wide left and ran a slant-and-go down the sideline to the end zone. Wagner stayed with Dallas step-for-step and got his arm up just at the last second to break up the pass. Wagner also moved quickly to chase down Metcalf on a reverse, holding the play to a gain of just a yard or two. “He’s moving really, really well,’’ said Carroll of Wagner, who turned 33 in June. “He looks like the guy that we’ve always known.’’
— Tight end Noah Fant was activated off the PUP list Sunday. He did little in practice as Carroll said the team will ease him back following a procedure on his knee. But Carroll said Fant got a lot of work in the walk-through. | https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/seahawks/top-pick-devon-witherspoon-was-all-over-the-field-at-seahawks-practice/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all | 2023-07-31T02:37:45 | 1 | https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/seahawks/top-pick-devon-witherspoon-was-all-over-the-field-at-seahawks-practice/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
MIDLAND, Texas — For the last three decades, Denny Park has known one thing: deliver people their mail.
"I’ve worked for the postal service 33 years," Park said. "And I've been out here at Manor Park for about almost 22 years."
And to the residents of Manor Park Retirement home, he’s the best of the best.
Not just as a mailman, but as a friend.
"He really has had an impact," Manor Park resident Barbara Stooksberry said. "He makes a special effort to get to know you as soon as you move into Manor Park. And so he knows everybody. He knows all of us. He takes care of us. And I think he really loves his job and loves people."
He also delivers something that doesn’t come in mailboxes: smiles.
"If I could put a smile on them," Park said. "And a lot of times when they see me, they smile and that makes me smile."
It means a lot to the residents that Park goes above and beyond the line of duty for, and it shows.
"He really does care, and he cares about all of us, and the people out here," Stooksberry said.
But Friday was Park's last day, as he is retiring to spend time with his family.
On his last day, this beloved mailman will not only deliver the mail to his residents, but he’ll deliver to what he now calls his family.
"It's bittersweet," Park said. "These people are family to me out here. They supported me when I was going through hard times. [...] Some of these people are longtime customers, but they're more than a customer. Some are like moms, dads to me."
That’s why the residents at Manor Park wanted Denny’s last day to be special.
And for once, deliver him a surprise.
"Well, we decided when we found out that our longtime mail carrier Denny Park was retiring," Stooksberry said. "We needed to do something special for him. He is very special to us. He has been so kind, so giving and so caring for us older people. And so, we decided we needed to do something special for him."
It was a sendoff he definitely didn’t see coming.
"I was very surprised when all these people showed up," Park said. "This was very surprising. So I'm just very humbled."
And it’s a memory he won’t ever forget.
"I mean this," Park started. "I mean, if this doesn't stand out, I don't know what will."
Denny is heading to Miami tomorrow for a much-deserved vacation.
And he looks to spend the rest of his life raising his kids; one of them being a two-year-old.
But even though Denny’s done delivering mail to his friends at Manor Park, don’t expect him to be a stranger.
"These are wonderful people," Park said. "And that's the main thing I'll be missing, mostly just the people out here. That is going to be the hardest thing for me to learn is missing this."
Just because he isn't the mailman doesn't mean he isn't welcome.
And something tells me Manor Park will once again be a main setting in Denny’s next chapter.
The only difference is he probably won’t be traveling there in his iconic mail delivery truck. | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/beloved-mailman-gets-surprise-retirement-party/513-8cf29c86-975b-438b-990b-a8ab2ffd82a1 | 2023-07-31T02:38:49 | 1 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/beloved-mailman-gets-surprise-retirement-party/513-8cf29c86-975b-438b-990b-a8ab2ffd82a1 |
July keeps sizzling as Phoenix hits another 110-degree day and wildfires spread in California
PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix sizzled through its 31st consecutive day of at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius) and other parts of the country grappled Sunday with record temperatures after a week that saw significant portions of the U.S. population subject to extreme heat.
The National Weather Service said Phoenix was expected to climb to 112 F (44.4 Celsius) before the day was through.
July has been so steamy thus far that scientists calculate it will be the hottest month ever recorded and likely the warmest human civilization has seen. The World Meteorological Organization and the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service on Thursday proclaimed July beyond record-smashing.
The historic heat began blasting the lower Southwest U.S. in late June, stretching from Texas across New Mexico and Arizona and into California’s desert.
On Sunday, a massive wildfire burning out of control in California’s Mojave National Preserve spread rapidly amid erratic winds, while firefighters reported progress against another major blaze to the south that prompted evacuations.
The York Fire that erupted Friday near the remote Caruthers Canyon area of the preserve sent up a huge plume of smoke visible nearly 100 miles (160 kilometers) away across the state line in Nevada.
Flames 20 feet (6 meters) high in some spots have charred more than 110 square miles (284 square kilometers) of desert scrub, juniper and Joshua tree woodland, according to a Sunday update.
“The dry fuel acts as a ready ignition source, and when paired with those weather conditions it resulted in long-distance fire run and high flames, leading to extreme fire behavior,” authorities said. No structures were threatened, but there was also no containment.
To the southwest, the Bonny Fire was holding steady at about 3.4 square miles (8.8 square kilometers) in rugged hills of Riverside County. More than 1,300 people were ordered to evacuate their homes Saturday near the remote community of Aguanga, California.
Triple-digit heat was expected in parts of the central San Joaquin Valley through Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
And in Burbank, California, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Los Angeles, the summer heat may have been responsible for some unusual behavior in the animal kingdom: Police in the city responded to a report of a bear sighting in a residential neighborhood and found the animal sitting in a Jacuzzi behind one of the homes.
As climate change brings hotter and longer heat waves, record temperatures across the U.S. have killed dozens of people, and the poorest Americans suffer the most. Air conditioning, once a luxury, is now a matter of survival.
Last year, all 86 heat-related deaths indoors were in uncooled environments.
“To explain it fairly simply: Heat kills,” said Kristie Ebi, a University of Washington professor who researches heat and health. “Once the heat wave starts, mortality starts in about 24 hours.”
It’s the poorest and people of color, from Kansas City to Detroit to New York City and beyond, who are far more likely to face grueling heat without air conditioning, according to a Boston University analysis of 115 U.S. metro areas.
Back in Phoenix, slight relief may be on the way as expected seasonal thunderstorms could drop temperatures Monday and Tuesday.
“It should be around 108 degrees, so we break that 110 streak,” meteorologist Tom Frieders said. “Increasing cloud cover will put temperatures in a downward trend.”
The relief could be short-lived, however. Highs are expected to creep back to 110 F (43.3 C) Wednesday with temperatures reaching 115 F (46.1 C) by the end of the week.
Phoenix has also sweated through a record 16 consecutive nights when the lows temperature didn’t dip below 90 F (32.2 C), making it hard for people to cool off after sunset.
Meanwhile, Las Vegas continues to flirt with its hottest July ever. The city is closing in on its 2010 record for the average of the high and low each day for July, which stands at 96.2 F (35.5 C).
The extreme heat is also hitting the eastern U.S, as soaring temperatures moved from the Midwest into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, where some places recorded their warmest days so far this year.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wflx.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ | 2023-07-31T02:40:46 | 1 | https://www.wflx.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ |
BEIJING, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- President Xi Jinping visited the site of a section of an ancient road system known as "Shudao" in Guangyuan on July 25, which winds its way through rugged mountains and ancient trees. There, Xi learned about efforts surrounding ecological conservation.
This visit marks Xi's attention to China's ecological development, which has achieved remarkable progress over the past 10 years, said experts.
Witnessing the government's recent remarks on ecology, they believed that the country's road of building a Beautiful China has demonstrated the nation's wisdom in balancing the needs of economic development and improving the environment.
Before heading to Sichuan, Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered a speech at a national conference on ecological and environmental protection held from July 17 to 18.
Xi said that the country's ecological conservation has undergone a historic, transformative and comprehensive changes both in theory and practice, with significant strides made in building a Beautiful China.
Noting that China's economy and society have entered a stage of high-quality development marked by accelerated progress in promoting green and low-carbon growth, Xi called for higher standards, a broader perspective and stronger efforts in planning and advancing ecological and environmental protection on the new journey, as well as writing a new chapter of ecological conservation in the new era.
Xi stressed the need to properly handle the relationships between high-quality development and high-level protection, between tackling major challenges and coordinating governance, between natural recovery and human-assisted restoration, between external constraints and internal driving forces, as well as between "dual carbon" commitments and self-determined actions.
Xi said that the country's ecological conservation has undergone historical, transformative and comprehensive changes both in theory and practice, with significant strides made in building a Beautiful China.
This conference again showed us how importance the central government attaches to ecological protection, an official from environment protection bureau in Wuhai, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, who requested anonymity, told the Global Times on Friday. He said during the past 10 years, ecological protection has become an increasingly important indictor in evaluating government's performance in his city, which was famous for coal production.
"Although planting trees costs more in Inner Mongolia than in other parts of China due to lack of water and dry weather, we learned in the past 10 years that making our city greener brings more benefits than leaving the mountains bare. The city becomes more beautiful, residents are happy, and more tourists visit; also we saw less sandstorms," the official said.
During a press conference on Thursday, Huang Runqiu, China's minister of ecology and environment, highlighted China's achievement on ecological protection over recent years.
From 2013 to 2022, China's average PM2.5 concentration decreased by 57 percent and the number of heavily polluted days decreased by 93 percent, while the nation's GDP doubled during the same period, Huang said. This made China the country with the fastest improvement in air quality worldwide. Specifically, in Beijing, the average PM2.5 concentration decreased from 89.5 micrograms per cubic meter in 2013 to 30 micrograms per cubic meter in 2022, and the number of heavily polluted days decreased from 58 to only 3, said Huang. The United Nations Environment Agency praised this achievement as the "Beijing Miracle."
Lin Boqiang, director of the China Center for Energy Economics Research at Xiamen University, told the Global Times that "China has engaged in a sustained top-down efforts for many years to enhance ecological protection. The central and local governments march together toward the same goal, with continuous environmental policies. Moreover, the country has demonstrated its wisdom in how to balance ecological development and maintain fast economic growth at the same time."
Perfect balance
We should protect nature and preserve the environment like we protect our eyes, and endeavor to foster a new relationship where man and nature can both prosper and live in harmony, President Xi once said.
Xi has given important instructions on the rational utilization and friendly protection of the ecological environment during his numerous visits to the frontlines of ecological protection, such as to the Maanshan forest farm in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the Qilian Mountains, the Shandan Horse Ranch in Gansu, an ecological wetland of the Dianchi Lake in Kunming, and many other places.
In June 2022, Xi visited Yibin, Sichuan Province, where the Jinsha and Minjiang rivers converge into the Yangtze River. He noted that sound ecological conservation along the Yangtze River basin is the precondition for advancing high-quality development in the Yangtze River Economic Belt.
The Yellow River and the Yangtze River are the mother rivers of the Chinese nation. The protection of the mother rivers is a crucial project concerning the great rejuvenation and sustainable development of the Chinese nation, Xi said at the time.
From June 5 to 6 this year, accompanied by officials from Inner Mongolia, Xi was on a fact-finding mission at a nature reserve, a modern agricultural demonstration park, a forest farm and a water resources department in the city of Bayannur.
On June 6, Xi presided over a symposium in Bayannur on strengthening the comprehensive prevention and control of desertification and promoting the construction of crucial ecological projects, including the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program.
Xi, who was then the Party Chief of Zhejiang, put forward the famous "two mountains" concept - clear waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets comparable to the gold and silver of legend - in August 2005 during his visit to Anji county.
Nowadays, residents in the county has sought out ways to make a living that they enjoy, with many becoming businessmen, running their own hostels, shops and tourism companies, thanks to the improved natural environment.
Pan Chunlin, a former miner, who now runs a hostel after local mines were shut down, explained the transformation to the Global Times "My annual income is now hundreds of times higher than before. Today, I can earn in a day what I used to make in one year".
Following the development approach referred to as the "two mountains" concept, in the past decade, Anji has modeled itself into a place known for its beautiful ecology and prosperous green industries, which have completely changed the villagers' lives, Jin Peihua, head of the "Two Mountains" Concept Research Institute affiliated with Huzhou University, said.
Global bellwether
Apart from domestic efforts, China is also making efforts in unifying a global effort on ecological preservation.
The 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, known as COP15, was convened in Kunming, Yunnan Province in 2021.
As the first global conference convened by the United Nations on the topic of ecological civilization, a philosophy proposed by China, it offered a platform for countries to find common ground on "Building a Shared Future for All Life on Earth."
During an official trip to Zimbabwe in 2015, Xi visited a local wildlife sanctuary, where he fed an orphaned elephant. He reiterated China's commitment to wildlife protection and pledged to help Zimbabwe do so by donating equipment and exchanging experience with China.
Recalling Xi's explanation of China's initiatives to breed giant pandas and expand protected areas, Roxy Danckwerts, the founder of the sanctuary, said, "I thought that was very significant that he is making such big strides in his own country."
Bradley Blankenship, a Prague-based American journalist, columnist and political commentator, recently spent a week in Beijing. Speaking with the Global Times, he said that "I must admit that based on the antiquated view of China that many Americans have and discuss publicly, I expected the city to be smoggy and congested. To the contrary, it has beautiful blue skies.
"China has been successful in beautifying Beijing, as well as other cities and towns, by transitioning from coal power to gas, establishing emission standards for coal-fired stations, implementing tougher standards for other industries such as steel and cement and seeking high-quality development with a high-quality ecological environment. These achievements have been so successful that Beijing now stands as an example for mega-cities around the globe, particularly those in the Global South," Blankenship said.
During a visit to Guizhou in June, Manasa R. Tagicakibau, Fiji's Ambassador to China, said China is "so advanced" when it comes to ecological civilization. "You look at the development that's been achieved by Guizhou authorities together with the local people, ethnic minorities and the population at large, in terms of developing the area to make this mountainous area a very safe and harmonious and happy place to live in. I'm impressed."
The ambassador said Guizhou shares a lot of similarities to some of the mountainous regions in Fiji, but there is a lot to be done in Fiji in terms of accessibility and this is an area that Fiji can learn from China.
However, some Western countries, so-called pioneering initiatives on environment protection, take a laissez-afire attitude in face of environment disasters. Recently, Chinese scientists used scientific methods to assess it and concluded that, as of Wednesday, the carbon dioxide emissions from Canadian wildfires have reached approximately 1 billion tons, which has already developed into a global environmental event.
It is worth mentioning that the forest area in China is approximately 2.31 million square kilometers, which is roughly two-thirds of that in Canada. However, the average annual emission of carbon dioxide caused by forest fires in China from 2000-21 was approximately 15 million tons, only 0.2 percent of the global forest fire emissions, demonstrating China's responsible role as a major country, experts noted.
View original content:
SOURCE Global Times | https://www.wflx.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/global-times-xis-footsteps-sichuan-demonstrate-chinas-wisdom-balancing-economic-devt-ecological-protection/ | 2023-07-31T02:40:53 | 0 | https://www.wflx.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/global-times-xis-footsteps-sichuan-demonstrate-chinas-wisdom-balancing-economic-devt-ecological-protection/ |
NEW YORK, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Last Fortress: Underground, a grounding-breaking game set in an apocalyptic bunker, has announced a new and exciting collaboration with the hugely successful superhero TV series, The Boys. This collaboration is set to commence on July 31, offering players a chance to immerse themselves in an action-packed journey alongside these unforgettable heroes.
In this unique collaboration, players will team up with Butcher, Hughie, and Starlight, delving into uncharted territories, unlocking captivating storylines, and battling the relentless zombie horde side by side! Unleash their powers and prepare to explore the outer world with The Boys, as they strive to uncover the truth behind the mysterious zombie surge.
As players embark on this exhilarating quest, exciting rewards await! Take part in the electrifying collaboration to seize exclusive decorations, including the highly coveted "Forerunner Motorcycle" Army Skin, The Boys Emotes, Avatar Frame, Message Frame, Medal, and Nameplate. Furthermore, brace themselves for the unprecedented release of the collab hero skin and the collab fortress skin, adding a touch of uniqueness to their Last Fortress experience.
Whether people are returning players or someone new to the game, now is the perfect time to check out Last Fortress: Underground. Prepare themselves for an unparalleled gaming experience. Don't miss out on the chance to be part of this epic collaboration!
Download Last Fortress now from the App Store or Google Play, and gear up to face the zombie apocalypse hand in hand with the legendary characters of The Boys.
Download Last Fortress:
App Store/Google Play: https://lastfortress.onelink.me/dWAs/cgt9bmhr
Official Website: https://last-fortress.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/LastFortress/100063571239541/
Discord: https://discord.gg/W2yQUz7jWG
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SOURCE Last Fortress: Underground | https://www.wflx.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/last-fortress-underground-embarks-an-epic-collaboration-with-boys/ | 2023-07-31T02:40:59 | 1 | https://www.wflx.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/last-fortress-underground-embarks-an-epic-collaboration-with-boys/ |
Opinion: Why are Trump’s donors paying for his legal fees?
Opinion by Dean Obeidallah
(CNN) — Editor’s note: Dean Obeidallah, a former attorney, is the host of SiriusXM radio’s daily program “The Dean Obeidallah Show.” Follow him on Threads at www.threads.net/@deanobeidallah. The opinions expressed in this commentary are his own. Read more opinion at CNN.
Legal fees for defending yourself in one criminal case can be pricey — I can say that firsthand as a former trial lawyer. Now multiply that in former President Donald Trump’s case by two jurisdictions — New York state and federal court in Florida — totaling 74 felony charges against him.
And Trump may need representation in two other jurisdictions: in Washington, DC, where a federal grand jury deliberates on the special counsel’s investigation of efforts to overturn the 2020 election, and in Fulton County, Georgia, where prosecutors are probing alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election results there after he lost.
Trump’s political action committee, Save America, has spent more than $40 million on legal fees since the start of 2023, a source familiar with the matter told CNN. The PAC also shelled out $16 million-plus on legal costs the previous year, Federal Election Commission records show. Trump’s team says the money is being used to defend the former president as well as some of his aides and allies.
“In order to combat these heinous actions by Joe Biden’s cronies and to protect these innocent people from financial ruin and prevent their lives from being completely destroyed, the leadership PAC contributed to their legal fees to ensure they have representation against unlawful harassment,” Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung told CNN.
These off-the-chart legal costs may help explain this weekend’s reporting from The New York Times that Save America recently requested a refund on a $60 million contribution it made to another group. (It appears that a more accurate name for the PAC should be “Save Trump from Prison.” Trump has pleaded not guilty to charges in both the state and federal cases.)
The enormous costs have apparently become such an issue that Trump’s team is creating a legal defense fund to cover the mounting bills, CNN reported Sunday night, citing two sources familiar with the planning.
Keep in mind Trump began raising funds for the Save America PAC after he lost the 2020 election by seeking — as the Times noted — “small-dollar donations” based on the claim he needed the money to fight widespread fraud in the race. Of course, no evidence of such fraud was ever found.
As time went on, Trump began raising funds for his 2024 campaign. However, he later began diverting a larger percentage of every dollar he raised online away from his election campaign coffers and into the PAC, which is being used to pay for lawyers for him and other people, according to the Times.
As a result, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie — who also is vying for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination — recently slammed Trump’s funneling of money that donors gave to his campaign to pay his personal legal fees as “disgraceful.”
“He’s going to middle-class men and women in this country, and they’re donating $15, $25, $50, $100 because they believe in Donald Trump and they want him to be president again,” Christie said. “They’re not giving that money so he can pay his personal legal fees.”
The Times has reported that campaign finance experts are divided on whether Trump can continue to use the PAC to pay for his personal legal bills, given that he formally became a presidential candidate in November. However, Paul Seamus Ryan, a campaign finance expert, recently told The Washington Post he did not see any “legal red flags” with the PAC paying Trump’s fees.
“At the end of the day it’s up to the donors to decide if that’s the way they want their money spent,” Ryan told the Post. “My sense is if you’re giving money to Trump in 2023, you’re fine with it.”
Christie and Ryan are both right. It is disgraceful that Trump is using funds from small donors that they believed would fund his campaign for his own personal legal woes. But at the same time, I don’t hear any Trump supporters complaining that the money is being used to fund his legal defense.
It may be because Trump repeatedly tells his followers — as he did again at a rally Saturday in Erie, Pennsylvania — that the justice system is “weaponized” against him and next it’s coming for them. Trump bellowed that very point to the crowd Saturday: “They’re not indicting me. They’re indicting you. I’m just standing in the way.” He then added to big cheers, “They want to take away my freedom because I will never let them take away your freedom. I will not let that happen.”
We don’t know how many Trump supporters believe his outrageous — bordering on laughable — words. We are not dealing with people moved by facts — they are only moved by what Trump tells them.
However, back on planet Earth, even Trump grasps that campaign dollars are both limited and precious. In fact, during his rally Saturday, Trump called on the other GOP presidential candidates to end their respective campaigns and rally behind him, declaring, “Every dollar spent attacking me by Republicans is a dollar given straight to the Biden campaign.” He added that his competitors are “wasting hundreds of millions of dollars that Republicans should be using to build a massive vote-gathering operation” to take on Biden in November 2024.
The same obviously can be said about Trump spending more than $56 million and counting in campaign donations for the legal defense of him and others in his orbit. And that is even before his lawyers have prepared for various trials — which can be exorbitantly expensive. And worse for Trump, President Joe Biden raised $72 million in his first quarter of fundraising since announcing his reelection bid in April — double the more than $35 million that the former president brought in during the second quarter of 2023.
Trump will of course paint himself as the victim and raise money from supporters off being indicted. But even Trump knows the more he spends on legal fees, the less he has for his 2024 campaign. The question is how much more money will Trump donors give to keep him out of jail as opposed to helping the GOP win the White House in 2024?
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://kion546.com/cnn-opinion/2023/07/30/opinion-chris-christie-is-right-trumps-use-of-pac-money-to-pay-legal-fees-is-disgraceful-2/ | 2023-07-31T02:41:00 | 1 | https://kion546.com/cnn-opinion/2023/07/30/opinion-chris-christie-is-right-trumps-use-of-pac-money-to-pay-legal-fees-is-disgraceful-2/ |
BEIJING, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- President Xi Jinping visited the site of a section of an ancient road system known as "Shudao" in Guangyuan on July 25, which winds its way through rugged mountains and ancient trees. There, Xi learned about efforts surrounding ecological conservation.
This visit marks Xi's attention to China's ecological development, which has achieved remarkable progress over the past 10 years, said experts.
Witnessing the government's recent remarks on ecology, they believed that the country's road of building a Beautiful China has demonstrated the nation's wisdom in balancing the needs of economic development and improving the environment.
Before heading to Sichuan, Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered a speech at a national conference on ecological and environmental protection held from July 17 to 18.
Xi said that the country's ecological conservation has undergone a historic, transformative and comprehensive changes both in theory and practice, with significant strides made in building a Beautiful China.
Noting that China's economy and society have entered a stage of high-quality development marked by accelerated progress in promoting green and low-carbon growth, Xi called for higher standards, a broader perspective and stronger efforts in planning and advancing ecological and environmental protection on the new journey, as well as writing a new chapter of ecological conservation in the new era.
Xi stressed the need to properly handle the relationships between high-quality development and high-level protection, between tackling major challenges and coordinating governance, between natural recovery and human-assisted restoration, between external constraints and internal driving forces, as well as between "dual carbon" commitments and self-determined actions.
Xi said that the country's ecological conservation has undergone historical, transformative and comprehensive changes both in theory and practice, with significant strides made in building a Beautiful China.
This conference again showed us how importance the central government attaches to ecological protection, an official from environment protection bureau in Wuhai, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, who requested anonymity, told the Global Times on Friday. He said during the past 10 years, ecological protection has become an increasingly important indictor in evaluating government's performance in his city, which was famous for coal production.
"Although planting trees costs more in Inner Mongolia than in other parts of China due to lack of water and dry weather, we learned in the past 10 years that making our city greener brings more benefits than leaving the mountains bare. The city becomes more beautiful, residents are happy, and more tourists visit; also we saw less sandstorms," the official said.
During a press conference on Thursday, Huang Runqiu, China's minister of ecology and environment, highlighted China's achievement on ecological protection over recent years.
From 2013 to 2022, China's average PM2.5 concentration decreased by 57 percent and the number of heavily polluted days decreased by 93 percent, while the nation's GDP doubled during the same period, Huang said. This made China the country with the fastest improvement in air quality worldwide. Specifically, in Beijing, the average PM2.5 concentration decreased from 89.5 micrograms per cubic meter in 2013 to 30 micrograms per cubic meter in 2022, and the number of heavily polluted days decreased from 58 to only 3, said Huang. The United Nations Environment Agency praised this achievement as the "Beijing Miracle."
Lin Boqiang, director of the China Center for Energy Economics Research at Xiamen University, told the Global Times that "China has engaged in a sustained top-down efforts for many years to enhance ecological protection. The central and local governments march together toward the same goal, with continuous environmental policies. Moreover, the country has demonstrated its wisdom in how to balance ecological development and maintain fast economic growth at the same time."
Perfect balance
We should protect nature and preserve the environment like we protect our eyes, and endeavor to foster a new relationship where man and nature can both prosper and live in harmony, President Xi once said.
Xi has given important instructions on the rational utilization and friendly protection of the ecological environment during his numerous visits to the frontlines of ecological protection, such as to the Maanshan forest farm in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the Qilian Mountains, the Shandan Horse Ranch in Gansu, an ecological wetland of the Dianchi Lake in Kunming, and many other places.
In June 2022, Xi visited Yibin, Sichuan Province, where the Jinsha and Minjiang rivers converge into the Yangtze River. He noted that sound ecological conservation along the Yangtze River basin is the precondition for advancing high-quality development in the Yangtze River Economic Belt.
The Yellow River and the Yangtze River are the mother rivers of the Chinese nation. The protection of the mother rivers is a crucial project concerning the great rejuvenation and sustainable development of the Chinese nation, Xi said at the time.
From June 5 to 6 this year, accompanied by officials from Inner Mongolia, Xi was on a fact-finding mission at a nature reserve, a modern agricultural demonstration park, a forest farm and a water resources department in the city of Bayannur.
On June 6, Xi presided over a symposium in Bayannur on strengthening the comprehensive prevention and control of desertification and promoting the construction of crucial ecological projects, including the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program.
Xi, who was then the Party Chief of Zhejiang, put forward the famous "two mountains" concept - clear waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets comparable to the gold and silver of legend - in August 2005 during his visit to Anji county.
Nowadays, residents in the county has sought out ways to make a living that they enjoy, with many becoming businessmen, running their own hostels, shops and tourism companies, thanks to the improved natural environment.
Pan Chunlin, a former miner, who now runs a hostel after local mines were shut down, explained the transformation to the Global Times "My annual income is now hundreds of times higher than before. Today, I can earn in a day what I used to make in one year".
Following the development approach referred to as the "two mountains" concept, in the past decade, Anji has modeled itself into a place known for its beautiful ecology and prosperous green industries, which have completely changed the villagers' lives, Jin Peihua, head of the "Two Mountains" Concept Research Institute affiliated with Huzhou University, said.
Global bellwether
Apart from domestic efforts, China is also making efforts in unifying a global effort on ecological preservation.
The 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, known as COP15, was convened in Kunming, Yunnan Province in 2021.
As the first global conference convened by the United Nations on the topic of ecological civilization, a philosophy proposed by China, it offered a platform for countries to find common ground on "Building a Shared Future for All Life on Earth."
During an official trip to Zimbabwe in 2015, Xi visited a local wildlife sanctuary, where he fed an orphaned elephant. He reiterated China's commitment to wildlife protection and pledged to help Zimbabwe do so by donating equipment and exchanging experience with China.
Recalling Xi's explanation of China's initiatives to breed giant pandas and expand protected areas, Roxy Danckwerts, the founder of the sanctuary, said, "I thought that was very significant that he is making such big strides in his own country."
Bradley Blankenship, a Prague-based American journalist, columnist and political commentator, recently spent a week in Beijing. Speaking with the Global Times, he said that "I must admit that based on the antiquated view of China that many Americans have and discuss publicly, I expected the city to be smoggy and congested. To the contrary, it has beautiful blue skies.
"China has been successful in beautifying Beijing, as well as other cities and towns, by transitioning from coal power to gas, establishing emission standards for coal-fired stations, implementing tougher standards for other industries such as steel and cement and seeking high-quality development with a high-quality ecological environment. These achievements have been so successful that Beijing now stands as an example for mega-cities around the globe, particularly those in the Global South," Blankenship said.
During a visit to Guizhou in June, Manasa R. Tagicakibau, Fiji's Ambassador to China, said China is "so advanced" when it comes to ecological civilization. "You look at the development that's been achieved by Guizhou authorities together with the local people, ethnic minorities and the population at large, in terms of developing the area to make this mountainous area a very safe and harmonious and happy place to live in. I'm impressed."
The ambassador said Guizhou shares a lot of similarities to some of the mountainous regions in Fiji, but there is a lot to be done in Fiji in terms of accessibility and this is an area that Fiji can learn from China.
However, some Western countries, so-called pioneering initiatives on environment protection, take a laissez-afire attitude in face of environment disasters. Recently, Chinese scientists used scientific methods to assess it and concluded that, as of Wednesday, the carbon dioxide emissions from Canadian wildfires have reached approximately 1 billion tons, which has already developed into a global environmental event.
It is worth mentioning that the forest area in China is approximately 2.31 million square kilometers, which is roughly two-thirds of that in Canada. However, the average annual emission of carbon dioxide caused by forest fires in China from 2000-21 was approximately 15 million tons, only 0.2 percent of the global forest fire emissions, demonstrating China's responsible role as a major country, experts noted.
View original content:
SOURCE Global Times | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/global-times-xis-footsteps-sichuan-demonstrate-chinas-wisdom-balancing-economic-devt-ecological-protection/ | 2023-07-31T02:41:02 | 0 | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/global-times-xis-footsteps-sichuan-demonstrate-chinas-wisdom-balancing-economic-devt-ecological-protection/ |
WASHINGTON, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Teamsters Union was served legal notice today that Yellow Corp. is ceasing operations and filing for bankruptcy.
"Today's news is unfortunate but not surprising. Yellow has historically proven that it could not manage itself despite billions of dollars in worker concessions and hundreds of millions in bailout funding from the federal government. This is a sad day for workers and the American freight industry," said Teamsters General President Sean M. O'Brien.
The Teamsters are committed to ensuring members are protected and notified with all the latest information. The International is putting infrastructure in place to help affected members get the assistance they need to find good union jobs throughout freight and other industries.
The situation is developing. Additional details are forthcoming.
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.2 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.
Contact:
Daniel Moskowitz, (770) 262-4971
dmoskowitz@teamster.org
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SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters | https://www.wflx.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/teamsters-notified-that-yellow-corp-operating-companies-have-closed/ | 2023-07-31T02:41:05 | 1 | https://www.wflx.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/teamsters-notified-that-yellow-corp-operating-companies-have-closed/ |
Opinion: Chris Christie is right — Trump’s use of PAC money to pay legal fees is ‘disgraceful’
CNN
Opinion by Dean Obeidallah
(CNN) — Editor’s note: Dean Obeidallah, a former attorney, is the host of SiriusXM radio’s daily program “The Dean Obeidallah Show.” Follow him on Threads at www.threads.net/@deanobeidallah. The opinions expressed in this commentary are his own. Read more opinion at CNN.
Legal fees for defending yourself in one criminal case can be pricey — I can say that firsthand as a former trial lawyer. Now multiply that in former President Donald Trump’s case by two jurisdictions — New York state and federal court in Florida — totaling 74 felony charges against him.
And Trump may need representation in two other jurisdictions: in Washington, DC, where a federal grand jury deliberates on the special counsel’s investigation of efforts to overturn the 2020 election, and in Fulton County, Georgia, where prosecutors are probing alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election results there after he lost.
Trump’s political action committee, Save America, has spent more than $40 million on legal fees since the start of 2023, a source familiar with the matter told CNN. The PAC also shelled out $16 million-plus on legal costs the previous year, Federal Election Commission records show. Trump’s team says the money is being used to defend the former president as well as some of his aides and allies.
“In order to combat these heinous actions by Joe Biden’s cronies and to protect these innocent people from financial ruin and prevent their lives from being completely destroyed, the leadership PAC contributed to their legal fees to ensure they have representation against unlawful harassment,” Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung told CNN.
These off-the-chart legal costs may help explain this weekend’s reporting from The New York Times that Save America recently requested a refund on a $60 million contribution it made to another group. (It appears that a more accurate name for the PAC should be “Save Trump from Prison.” Trump has pleaded not guilty to charges in both the state and federal cases.)
The enormous costs have apparently become such an issue that Trump’s team is creating a legal defense fund to cover the mounting bills, CNN reported Sunday night, citing two sources familiar with the planning.
Keep in mind Trump began raising funds for the Save America PAC after he lost the 2020 election by seeking — as the Times noted — “small-dollar donations” based on the claim he needed the money to fight widespread fraud in the race. Of course, no evidence of such fraud was ever found.
As time went on, Trump began raising funds for his 2024 campaign. However, he later began diverting a larger percentage of every dollar he raised online away from his election campaign coffers and into the PAC, which is being used to pay for lawyers for him and other people, according to the Times.
As a result, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie — who also is vying for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination — recently slammed Trump’s funneling of money that donors gave to his campaign to pay his personal legal fees as “disgraceful.”
“He’s going to middle-class men and women in this country, and they’re donating $15, $25, $50, $100 because they believe in Donald Trump and they want him to be president again,” Christie said. “They’re not giving that money so he can pay his personal legal fees.”
The Times has reported that campaign finance experts are divided on whether Trump can continue to use the PAC to pay for his personal legal bills, given that he formally became a presidential candidate in November. However, Paul Seamus Ryan, a campaign finance expert, recently told The Washington Post he did not see any “legal red flags” with the PAC paying Trump’s fees.
“At the end of the day it’s up to the donors to decide if that’s the way they want their money spent,” Ryan told the Post. “My sense is if you’re giving money to Trump in 2023, you’re fine with it.”
Christie and Ryan are both right. It is disgraceful that Trump is using funds from small donors that they believed would fund his campaign for his own personal legal woes. But at the same time, I don’t hear any Trump supporters complaining that the money is being used to fund his legal defense.
It may be because Trump repeatedly tells his followers — as he did again at a rally Saturday in Erie, Pennsylvania — that the justice system is “weaponized” against him and next it’s coming for them. Trump bellowed that very point to the crowd Saturday: “They’re not indicting me. They’re indicting you. I’m just standing in the way.” He then added to big cheers, “They want to take away my freedom because I will never let them take away your freedom. I will not let that happen.”
We don’t know how many Trump supporters believe his outrageous — bordering on laughable — words. We are not dealing with people moved by facts — they are only moved by what Trump tells them.
However, back on planet Earth, even Trump grasps that campaign dollars are both limited and precious. In fact, during his rally Saturday, Trump called on the other GOP presidential candidates to end their respective campaigns and rally behind him, declaring, “Every dollar spent attacking me by Republicans is a dollar given straight to the Biden campaign.” He added that his competitors are “wasting hundreds of millions of dollars that Republicans should be using to build a massive vote-gathering operation” to take on Biden in November 2024.
The same obviously can be said about Trump spending more than $56 million and counting in campaign donations for the legal defense of him and others in his orbit. And that is even before his lawyers have prepared for various trials — which can be exorbitantly expensive. And worse for Trump, President Joe Biden raised $72 million in his first quarter of fundraising since announcing his reelection bid in April — double the more than $35 million that the former president brought in during the second quarter of 2023.
Trump will of course paint himself as the victim and raise money from supporters off being indicted. But even Trump knows the more he spends on legal fees, the less he has for his 2024 campaign. The question is how much more money will Trump donors give to keep him out of jail as opposed to helping the GOP win the White House in 2024?
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://kion546.com/cnn-opinion/2023/07/30/opinion-chris-christie-is-right-trumps-use-of-pac-money-to-pay-legal-fees-is-disgraceful/ | 2023-07-31T02:41:06 | 1 | https://kion546.com/cnn-opinion/2023/07/30/opinion-chris-christie-is-right-trumps-use-of-pac-money-to-pay-legal-fees-is-disgraceful/ |
WASHINGTON, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Teamsters Union was served legal notice today that Yellow Corp. is ceasing operations and filing for bankruptcy.
"Today's news is unfortunate but not surprising. Yellow has historically proven that it could not manage itself despite billions of dollars in worker concessions and hundreds of millions in bailout funding from the federal government. This is a sad day for workers and the American freight industry," said Teamsters General President Sean M. O'Brien.
The Teamsters are committed to ensuring members are protected and notified with all the latest information. The International is putting infrastructure in place to help affected members get the assistance they need to find good union jobs throughout freight and other industries.
The situation is developing. Additional details are forthcoming.
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.2 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.
Contact:
Daniel Moskowitz, (770) 262-4971
dmoskowitz@teamster.org
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SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/teamsters-notified-that-yellow-corp-operating-companies-have-closed/ | 2023-07-31T02:41:09 | 0 | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/teamsters-notified-that-yellow-corp-operating-companies-have-closed/ |
#VanLife gets electrified: Six places to rent electric camper vans around the globe
By Elissa Garay, CNN
(CNN) — The road trip-meets-camping experience afforded by camper van travel is having a moment.
Interest in these compact recreational vehicles, typically outfitted with home-away-from-home comforts like sleeping spaces and kitchenettes, has surged in recent years, bolstered by social media streams flooded with images and videos depicting idealized, nature-immersive #vanlife travel scenes.
Plus, at the pandemic’s height, such self-contained vans – a sort of hotel room on wheels – were perceived to offer a means of travel that cut away at health risks.
Yet, for the nature-loving travelers who tend to gravitate toward these outdoor adventure-ready vans, there’s a crisis of conscience at play, given that the oversize, gas-guzzling vehicles are known for spewing out carbon emissions, as a worsening global climate crisis unfolds.
Just as movement toward electric vehicles (EVs) has swept the automobile industry—with fossil fuel-powered internal combustion engines being increasingly replaced by battery-powered electric motors—the dawn of a new electrified camper van age is emerging, as well.
“We are indeed starting to see some momentum from the RV [recreational vehicle] industry towards designing and building electric camper vans,” says Kraig Becker, digital editor at RV.com/RV Magazine, citing such projects in the works from big brands like Winnebago and Volkswagen. Those will soon join a niche contingent of DIY custom electric camper van conversions that are already on the market.
Becker says that consumer demand for these electrified camper vans is being driven largely by younger generations who are “looking for a more eco-friendly way to go camping.”
Peter Grunert, coordinating author of Lonely Planet’s new book “Electric Vehicle Road Trips—Europe,” concurs that the vehicles appeal to travelers with eco-sensibility.
“Given that EV camper vans produce zero emissions at the tailpipe, they also allow a sense of environmental consciousness that will be especially appreciated when passing through fragile natural habitats or urban areas,” he says.
Becker says that while barriers like underdeveloped charging infrastructure and limited EV driving range remain, customers are further drawn in by the fact that an electric camper van “is quieter than a gas-powered model, and makes it easier to camp off-grid.”
Other customers, like Montreal-based Nicolas Moreau, 35, who recently traveled through Quebec with his family in an electric camper van rental from Bromont Campervan, says he was most motivated by the savings at the pump.
“We were aiming to not have to spend too much on gas,” he tells CNN Travel.
Indeed, high and fluctuating global gas prices, particularly in European destinations, can tack on considerable expense to any road trip vacation. Recharging a camper van with electricity, rather than fueling up a gas tank, can translate to significant savings on travel costs.
Currently, the Quebec region is one of just a handful of North American destinations where electric camper vans are available. Europe has more, though still limited, inventory.
Camper van rental agencies like Europe-based Goboony and Outdoorsy in the U.S. each offer some electric camper vans for rent. Or, these six pioneering electric camper van rental companies around the globe each promise the benefits of a camper van vacation—all-in-one appeal, nature immersion, and the freedom of unbound travel—minus the hefty carbon footprint.
Quebec, Canada: Bromont Campervan
The Company: Starting this summer, camper van rental company Bromont Campervan, based in Bromont, Canada (an hour outside of Montreal), is offering two electric van rentals. The company aims to convert its entire 14-van fleet to electric by 2025.
The Vans: Bromont rents two converted Ford E-Transit vans on a weekly basis, configured for either two or four passengers. Vans feature appointments like a retractable bed, kitchenette, toilet/shower, fridge, and four-season insulation.
The Journey: Try a weeklong, 450-mile road trip from Quebec City, catching nearby Quebec-region attractions like towering Montmorency Falls, the glacial valley at Jacques-Cartier National Park, or bucolic Ile d’Orleans.
Norway: Norway Overland
The Company: Norway is leading the world in EV ownership and charging infrastructure, with the camper van rental options to match, including several such companies based in Bergen, the Lofoten islands, and beyond.
For something especially unique, check out Norway Overland, which launched this year in the village of Tonstad and rents out fully electric overland pickups fitted with camper shells. They’re well-suited to more rugged off-roading in the Norwegian wilderness, famed for its mountains, fjords, and glaciers.
The Vans: While not exactly vans, Norway Overland rents two Maxus T90 pickups, topped with truck-bed campers. Each vehicle, outfitted with a roof tent for sleeping, shower/toilet, kitchen area, and assorted camping gear, can accommodate up to five passengers.
The Journey: Norway Overland recommends a 380-mile, weeklong journey round-trip from the city of Stavanger, which takes in several fjords, top hiking spots (like to the Pulpit Rock cliff), traditional Norwegian towns (like those in the Setesdal valley), and interior highland scenery.
England: Wild Drives
The Company: Founded in early 2022, Brighton-based Wild Drives offers two upscale, fully converted electric camper vans for outings in the English countryside.
The Vans: The company rents out a converted, two-passenger VW ID Buzz cargo van, as well as a four-passenger Citroen e-Dispatch, each touting sustainably-sourced bamboo finishings, natural fiber insulation, and solar panels, along with kitchenettes and seating/sleeping space.
The Journey: Wild Drives has designed a 155-mile, 7-day itinerary round-trip from England’s hopping Brighton Beach, with loads of suggestions on best charging points, eco-friendly campsites, and nature-immersive attractions and activities, including a sustainable wine tasting, foraging excursion, and stop-off at prehistoric Stonehenge.
California, United States: Simple Campers
The Company: Rental company Simple Campers, based just north of San Francisco, has taken hold of the world’s very first batch of rentable Grounded electric camper vans. The Grounded brand, a Detroit-based start-up helmed by former engineers from Tesla and SpaceX, has been garnering buzz for its vans’ highly customizable modular interiors and comparative affordability; Grounded says more rental camper vans will be available across the U.S. in months to come.
The Vans: Simple Campers now offers a trio of two-passenger Grounded G1 camper vans, which are based on converted Ford E-Transits and inspired by Scandinavian design. Features include solar panels, queen-sized bed, outdoor shower, toilet, fully outfitted kitchen, and various app-based controls (like remote start for heating or air conditioning).
The Journey: Simple Campers recommends heading up California’s Pacific coastline along famed road-trip route Highway 1, just miles away, with nearby highlights like Point Reyes National Seashore and Bodega Bay. Dip into the Russian River Valley, loaded with Sonoma’s top wineries, before spinning back down to the company’s base in Mill Valley, on a roughly 220-mile journey, best done over three days.
Scotland: eDub Trips
The Company: Pioneering electric camper van rental company eDub Trips launched way back in 2013, when it began converting classic 1970s Volkswagen camper vans from standard engines to electric motors. The two-van company (with plans for a third underway for 2024) is based out of England, but launched service in Scotland this year.
The Vans: Book a five-passenger 1979 Volkswagen T2 electric camper van out of Glenfinnan, Scotland, complete with two double beds, kitchenette, and ample storage space.
The Journey: The company suggests exploring the Scottish countryside round-trip from Fort William on a 5-day, 340-mile trip that includes stops in Glenfinnan (chockfull of Harry Potter film scenes, including its famed viaduct), a car ferry to the Isle of Skye, a boat trip on Loch Ness, and more. Bonus: Daily distances on this route are short enough that no additional charging stops would be required beyond the overnight campsite plug-in.
Washington State, United States: PacWesty
The Company: Five-year-old adventure camper van company PacWesty, based on Bainbridge Island in Washington State (under 10 miles from Seattle), launched its zero-emissions initiative with a trio of electric vehicles in 2019. (The company shop is additionally electrifying four VW Westfalia vans, anticipated for 2024 delivery to Bainbridge Island and the company’s new outpost in Palm Springs, California.)
The Vans: PacWesty currently has two four-passenger converted Ram ProMaster 1500s on offer, pop-top models which come with two sleeping areas (an upper tent bunk and convertible sofa bed), kitchenettes, and lots of storage. For longer trips, try their newest two-passenger, off-road-ready Rivian R1T electric pickup truck, tricked out with a rooftop tent and camping kit.
The Journey: PacWesty recommends a 405-mile, 10-day journey round-trip from Bainbridge Island that strings together several nature-immersive stops along Washington State’s Olympic Peninsula, including mountains (hike Hurricane Hill in Olympic National Park), beaches (swim at Rialto Beach), lakes, waterfalls, rain forests, and hot springs.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://kion546.com/entertainment/cnn-style/2023/07/30/vanlife-gets-electrified-six-places-to-rent-electric-camper-vans-around-the-globe/ | 2023-07-31T02:41:12 | 1 | https://kion546.com/entertainment/cnn-style/2023/07/30/vanlife-gets-electrified-six-places-to-rent-electric-camper-vans-around-the-globe/ |
SUZHOU, China, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Transcenta Holding Limited ("Transcenta") (HKEX: 06628), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company with fully-integrated capabilities in discovery, research, development and manufacturing of antibody-based therapeutics, announces that it has received approval from China Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) to initiate Phase II clinical trial of TST002(Blosozumab). This study aims to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of TST002(Blosozumab) after single and multiple intravenous administrations in patients with reduced bone mineral density.
Osteoporosis is a significant health concern for the middle-aged and elderly population in China. It is estimated that by 2050, the number of osteoporosis patients will reach 120 million. Compared with RANKL mAbs, sclerostin mAbs successfully achieve the dual goal of preventing bone loss and rebuilding the bone. Evenity (Romosozumab) of Amgen is the only anti-sclerostin antibody drug that has been approved by the FDA in the United States. Up to the present, there was no anti-sclerostin antibody drug approved in China.
In May 2023, Transcenta presented Phase I unblinded data, which showed that the overall safety and tolerability of TST002 (Blosozumab) in all dose cohorts is favorable. On the efficacy side, all dose cohorts from 200-1,200 mg have shown a clinically meaningful increase in lumbar spine BMD on Day 85 (D85) after a single dose of TST002 (Blosozumab) and comparable to those of Blosozumab single dose study at the similar dose levels. The average increase of lumbar spine BMD at Day 85 (D85) from baseline ranged from 3.52% to 6.20% across dose cohorts, all exceeding the least significant difference (2.77%). The increase of lumbar spine BMD in the placebo group was only 0.30% even with optimal calcium and vitamin D supplemental treatment. In addition, encouraging BMD increase in total hip from 1.30% to 2.24% across dose cohorts were observed after single dose of TST002 (Blosozumab). In comparison, the mean percent change in lumbar spine BMD from baseline to month 12 was 5.4% after one year of Denosumab treatment.1
"We are excited to have received the clearance to move forward from CDE. Our Phase II will assess several regimens of TST002 (Blosozumab) with reduced dosing frequency, bringing us closer to our Phase III. We look forward to fully exploring the differentiated profile of TST002 to address the unmet medical need of the large patient population who suffers from osteoporosis," said Dr. Caroline Germa, Transcenta's Executive Vice President, Global Medicine Development and Chief Medical Officer.
Reference:
1 https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/105/3/e255/5607536
About TST002 (Blosozumab)
TST002 (Blosozumab) is a humanized anti-sclerostin monoclonal antibody as a drug candidate for osteoporosis and other bone loss diseases. It has a dual effect possessing both anabolic and anti-resorptive effects, which stimulates bone formation and inhibits bone absorption, resulting in fast increase in bone mineral density and bone strength. Blocking sclerostin activity in human treated with anti-sclerostin antibody or with naturally occurring genetic deletion has been shown to be an effective approach in increasing bone mineral density (BMD) and reducing bone fracture. Currently there is no approved anti-sclerostin antibody therapy in China yet although Romosozumab from Amgen has been approved in the United States, Europe and Japan.
About Transcenta Holding Limited
Transcenta (HKEX: 06628) is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company with fully integrated capabilities in antibody-based biotherapeutics discovery, research, development and manufacturing.
Transcenta has established global footprint, with Headquarters and Discovery, Clinical and Translational Research Center in Suzhou, Process and Product Development Center and Manufacturing Facility in Hangzhou, and Clinical Development Centers in Princeton, US and in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou of China, and External Partnering Center in Boston and Los Angeles, US. Transcenta has also initiated the construction of the Group Headquarters and the second high-end biopharmaceutical facility with ICB as its core technology in Suzhou Industrial Park. Transcenta is developing 13 therapeutic antibody molecules for oncology and selected non-oncology indications including bone and kidney disorders.
For more information, please visit www.transcenta.com and https://www.linkedin.com/company/transcenta.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release may contain certain forward-looking statements that are, by their nature, subject to significant risks and uncertainties. The words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend" and similar expressions, as they relate to Transcenta, are intended to identify certain of such forward-looking statements. Transcenta does not intend to update these forward-looking statements regularly.
These forward-looking statements are based on the existing beliefs, assumptions, expectations, estimates, projections and understandings of the management of Transcenta with respect to future events at the time these statements are made. These statements are not a guarantee of future developments and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond Transcenta's control and are difficult to predict. Consequently, actual results may differ materially from information contained in the forward-looking statements as a result of future changes or developments in our business, Transcenta's competitive environment and political, economic, legal and social conditions.
Transcenta, the Directors and the employees of Transcenta assume (a) no obligation to correct or update the forward-looking statements contained in this site; and (b) no liability in the event that any of the forward-looking statements does not materialize or turn out to be incorrect.
View original content:
SOURCE Transcenta Holding Limited | https://www.wflx.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/transcenta-anti-sclerostin-monoclonal-antibody-tst002-blosozumab-received-approval-china-cde-initiate-phase-ii-clinical-trial-patients-with-reduced-bone-mineral-density/ | 2023-07-31T02:41:12 | 1 | https://www.wflx.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/transcenta-anti-sclerostin-monoclonal-antibody-tst002-blosozumab-received-approval-china-cde-initiate-phase-ii-clinical-trial-patients-with-reduced-bone-mineral-density/ |
FIRST ALERT FORECAST: Most Widespread Monsoon Storm Chances Tomorrow
TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – Showers & storms will be mostly felt in areas west of I-10/I-19 through tonight. Look for storms to continue to develop in this area throughout the night moving to the WNW. Tomorrow will most likely produce the most widespread storms of Monsoon, for Southeastern AZ. This event will mainly impact areas in South Central & Southeastern AZ. Additionally, there will be a higher likelihood of storms producing excessive rain that could lead to flooding tomorrow. We are also looking forward to possibly our first sub-triple digit day since June 16th to start your week. However, the heat will ramp up throughout the week possibly reaching the 110s by next weekend. Additionally, storm chances will dwindle starting on Tuesday.
MONDAY: Partly cloudy with a high of 99°, much cooler. PM showers & storms.
TUESDAY: Partly cloudy with a high of 101°. Isolated storms.
WEDNESDAY: Mostly clear with a high of 104°.
THURSDAY: Clear with a high of 107°.
FRIDAY: Clear with a high of 109°, near record high temps.
SATURDAY: Mostly clear with a high of 110°, near record high temps.
SUNDAY: Mostly clear with a high of 109°, near record high temps.
Copyright 2023 13 News. All rights reserved. | https://www.kold.com/2023/07/31/first-alert-forecast-most-widespread-monsoon-storm-chances-tomorrow/ | 2023-07-31T02:41:16 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/2023/07/31/first-alert-forecast-most-widespread-monsoon-storm-chances-tomorrow/ |
SUZHOU, China, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Transcenta Holding Limited ("Transcenta") (HKEX: 06628), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company with fully-integrated capabilities in discovery, research, development and manufacturing of antibody-based therapeutics, announces that it has received approval from China Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) to initiate Phase II clinical trial of TST002(Blosozumab). This study aims to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of TST002(Blosozumab) after single and multiple intravenous administrations in patients with reduced bone mineral density.
Osteoporosis is a significant health concern for the middle-aged and elderly population in China. It is estimated that by 2050, the number of osteoporosis patients will reach 120 million. Compared with RANKL mAbs, sclerostin mAbs successfully achieve the dual goal of preventing bone loss and rebuilding the bone. Evenity (Romosozumab) of Amgen is the only anti-sclerostin antibody drug that has been approved by the FDA in the United States. Up to the present, there was no anti-sclerostin antibody drug approved in China.
In May 2023, Transcenta presented Phase I unblinded data, which showed that the overall safety and tolerability of TST002 (Blosozumab) in all dose cohorts is favorable. On the efficacy side, all dose cohorts from 200-1,200 mg have shown a clinically meaningful increase in lumbar spine BMD on Day 85 (D85) after a single dose of TST002 (Blosozumab) and comparable to those of Blosozumab single dose study at the similar dose levels. The average increase of lumbar spine BMD at Day 85 (D85) from baseline ranged from 3.52% to 6.20% across dose cohorts, all exceeding the least significant difference (2.77%). The increase of lumbar spine BMD in the placebo group was only 0.30% even with optimal calcium and vitamin D supplemental treatment. In addition, encouraging BMD increase in total hip from 1.30% to 2.24% across dose cohorts were observed after single dose of TST002 (Blosozumab). In comparison, the mean percent change in lumbar spine BMD from baseline to month 12 was 5.4% after one year of Denosumab treatment.1
"We are excited to have received the clearance to move forward from CDE. Our Phase II will assess several regimens of TST002 (Blosozumab) with reduced dosing frequency, bringing us closer to our Phase III. We look forward to fully exploring the differentiated profile of TST002 to address the unmet medical need of the large patient population who suffers from osteoporosis," said Dr. Caroline Germa, Transcenta's Executive Vice President, Global Medicine Development and Chief Medical Officer.
Reference:
1 https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/105/3/e255/5607536
About TST002 (Blosozumab)
TST002 (Blosozumab) is a humanized anti-sclerostin monoclonal antibody as a drug candidate for osteoporosis and other bone loss diseases. It has a dual effect possessing both anabolic and anti-resorptive effects, which stimulates bone formation and inhibits bone absorption, resulting in fast increase in bone mineral density and bone strength. Blocking sclerostin activity in human treated with anti-sclerostin antibody or with naturally occurring genetic deletion has been shown to be an effective approach in increasing bone mineral density (BMD) and reducing bone fracture. Currently there is no approved anti-sclerostin antibody therapy in China yet although Romosozumab from Amgen has been approved in the United States, Europe and Japan.
About Transcenta Holding Limited
Transcenta (HKEX: 06628) is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company with fully integrated capabilities in antibody-based biotherapeutics discovery, research, development and manufacturing.
Transcenta has established global footprint, with Headquarters and Discovery, Clinical and Translational Research Center in Suzhou, Process and Product Development Center and Manufacturing Facility in Hangzhou, and Clinical Development Centers in Princeton, US and in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou of China, and External Partnering Center in Boston and Los Angeles, US. Transcenta has also initiated the construction of the Group Headquarters and the second high-end biopharmaceutical facility with ICB as its core technology in Suzhou Industrial Park. Transcenta is developing 13 therapeutic antibody molecules for oncology and selected non-oncology indications including bone and kidney disorders.
For more information, please visit www.transcenta.com and https://www.linkedin.com/company/transcenta.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release may contain certain forward-looking statements that are, by their nature, subject to significant risks and uncertainties. The words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend" and similar expressions, as they relate to Transcenta, are intended to identify certain of such forward-looking statements. Transcenta does not intend to update these forward-looking statements regularly.
These forward-looking statements are based on the existing beliefs, assumptions, expectations, estimates, projections and understandings of the management of Transcenta with respect to future events at the time these statements are made. These statements are not a guarantee of future developments and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond Transcenta's control and are difficult to predict. Consequently, actual results may differ materially from information contained in the forward-looking statements as a result of future changes or developments in our business, Transcenta's competitive environment and political, economic, legal and social conditions.
Transcenta, the Directors and the employees of Transcenta assume (a) no obligation to correct or update the forward-looking statements contained in this site; and (b) no liability in the event that any of the forward-looking statements does not materialize or turn out to be incorrect.
View original content:
SOURCE Transcenta Holding Limited | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/transcenta-anti-sclerostin-monoclonal-antibody-tst002-blosozumab-received-approval-china-cde-initiate-phase-ii-clinical-trial-patients-with-reduced-bone-mineral-density/ | 2023-07-31T02:41:16 | 0 | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/transcenta-anti-sclerostin-monoclonal-antibody-tst002-blosozumab-received-approval-china-cde-initiate-phase-ii-clinical-trial-patients-with-reduced-bone-mineral-density/ |
Angels acquire C.J. Cron, Randal Grichuk in trade with Colorado for 2 minor leaguers
By GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Angels reacquired slugger C.J. Cron and outfielder Randal Grichuk in a trade with the Colorado Rockies on Sunday, bolstering their injury-plagued roster with more veteran depth as they fight for a playoff spot.
Los Angeles sent minor league pitchers Mason Albright and Jake Madden to the Rockies in the deal that brought two former Angels first-round draft picks back to the team. Colorado also sent cash along with Cron and Grichuk, who are in the final year of their contracts before unrestricted free agency.
The Angels (55-51) are desperate to end their MLB-worst streaks of seven consecutive losing seasons and eight consecutive non-playoff seasons, but their efforts have been endangered by injuries that have seriously compromised their big league depth.
Los Angeles has a major league-leading 17 players on its injured lists after outfielder Taylor Ward joined the group Sunday before an extra-inning victory in Toronto. Ward was moved to the 60-day injured list later in the day, effectively ending his regular season, with facial fractures after Toronto’s Alek Manoah hit him in the face with a fastball on Saturday.
The 33-year-old Cron spent his first four major league seasons with Los Angeles, hitting 59 of his 186 career homers before getting traded to Tampa Bay in early 2018 for prospect Luis Rengifo, who is still a valuable contributor to the Angels. Cron is batting .260 with 11 homers and 32 RBIs this season for the Rockies as their power-hitting first baseman.
Grichuk was selected by the Angels one pick before Mike Trout in the 2009 draft. Los Angeles traded him to St. Louis before he reached the majors and began a 10-year career with the Cardinals, Toronto and Colorado.
Grichuk is batting .308 with an .861 OPS in 64 games this season for the Rockies. His positional flexibility in the outfield will be valuable for the Angels in the injury absences of Trout, Ward and Jo Adell, leaving Mickey Moniak and Hunter Renfroe as the only healthy outfielders on Los Angeles’ 40-man roster.
Grichuk is making just over $10.3 million this season, while Cron is earning $7.25 million. The moves continue the Rockies’ teardown for the final two months of what’s almost certain to be their fifth consecutive losing season.
The 20-year-old Albright is 11-8 with a 5.36 ERA in three seasons in the low minors. The 21-year-old Madden, a fourth-round pick in 2022, is 2-6 with a 5.46 ERA in 14 starts for Low-A Inland Empire this season.
The Angels have traded a significant amount of minor league talent in recent weeks in their determined effort to make the playoffs during the final season of Shohei Ohtani’s contract.
Los Angeles has acquired six veteran major leaguers — slugger Mike Moustakas, right-handed starter Lucas Giolito, reliever Reynaldo López and infielder Eduardo Escobar along with Cron and Grichuk — in four separate trades since late June.
Trout has been out since July 3 with a broken hand, and third baseman Anthony Rendon was sidelined one day later with a bone bruise after fouling a ball off his shin. Trout and Rendon are making roughly $75 million combined this season.
Ward and veteran infielder Gio Urshela are likely out for the season, while infielder Brandon Drury, rookie catcher Logan O’Hoppe and rookie shortstop Zach Neto have all missed significant time.
Los Angeles is in third place in the AL West, five games behind Texas. The Angels are four games behind Toronto for the final AL wild card, but the Red Sox and Yankees are also between them.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://kion546.com/news/2023/07/30/angels-acquire-c-j-cron-randal-grichuk-in-trade-with-colorado-for-2-minor-leaguers/ | 2023-07-31T02:41:18 | 0 | https://kion546.com/news/2023/07/30/angels-acquire-c-j-cron-randal-grichuk-in-trade-with-colorado-for-2-minor-leaguers/ |
Dream vs. Aces Prediction & Picks: Line, Spread, Over/Under - August 1
The Las Vegas Aces (23-2) will try to build on a seven-game winning stretch when hosting the Atlanta Dream (14-11) on Tuesday, August 1, 2023 at Michelob ULTRA Arena. This game is at 10:00 PM ET on BSSE.
The game has no line set.
Rep your team with officially licensed Dream gear! Head to Fanatics to find jerseys, shirts, and much more.
Dream vs. Aces Game Info & Odds
- When: Tuesday, August 1, 2023 at 10:00 PM ET
- Where: Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada
- TV: BSSE
Check out the latest odds and place your bets on the Aces or Dream with BetMGM Sportsbook. Use our link for the best new user offer, no promo code required!
Dream vs. Aces Score Prediction
Prediction: Aces 90 Dream 76
Spread & Total Prediction for Dream vs. Aces
- Computer Predicted Spread: Las Vegas (-14)
- Computer Predicted Total: 166.3
Dream vs. Aces Spread & Total Insights
- Atlanta's record against the spread is 13-10-0.
- This year, 12 of Atlanta's 24 games have hit the over.
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Dream Performance Insights
- The Dream are fourth in the WNBA in points scored (84.8 per game) and ninth in points allowed (84.6).
- On the glass, Atlanta is third-best in the WNBA in rebounds (36.8 per game). It is ninth in rebounds allowed (35.8 per game).
- In 2023, the Dream are second-worst in the league in turnovers committed (14.5 per game) and sixth in turnovers forced (13.2).
- In 2023 the Dream are fifth in the league in 3-point makes (7.2 per game) and third-best in 3-point percentage (35.9%).
- Defensively, the Dream are fourth in the league in 3-pointers allowed per game at 7.4. They are second-best in 3-point percentage conceded at 32.6%.
- In 2023, Atlanta has attempted 70.9% percent of its shots from inside the arc, and 29.1% percent from beyond it. In terms of made shots, 76.0% of Atlanta's buckets have been 2-pointers, and 24.0% have been 3-pointers.
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wflx.com/sports/betting/2023/08/01/dream-aces-wnba-picks-predictions/ | 2023-07-31T02:41:19 | 1 | https://www.wflx.com/sports/betting/2023/08/01/dream-aces-wnba-picks-predictions/ |
6 migrant workers were hit and injured by an SUV outside a North Carolina Walmart, and authorities are searching for the driver, police say
By Jamiel Lynch and Chenelle Woody, CNN
(CNN) — Six migrant workers were hit and injured by an SUV outside a North Carolina Walmart in what appears to be an “intentional assault” Sunday afternoon, and authorities are looking for the driver involved, police said.
The incident happened after 1 p.m. outside the store in the city of Lincolnton, about 38 miles northwest of Charlotte, according to the Lincolnton Police Department.
All six injured were taken to a local hospital with various injuries, police said, adding that none of the injuries appeared life-threatening.
Police described the driver involved in the incident as “an older white male” who was driving an older model mid-size black SUV with a luggage rack.
The department didn’t provide details on the circumstances of the collision, or what led police to believe it may have been intentional.
“The motives of the suspect are still under investigation,” Lincolnton Police said on Facebook.
Police released surveillance images of a black SUV and asked for the public’s assistance in identifying the vehicle and its driver.
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™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://kion546.com/news/national-world/cnn-national/2023/07/30/6-migrant-workers-were-hit-and-injured-by-an-suv-outside-a-north-carolina-walmart-and-authorities-are-searching-for-the-driver-police-say/ | 2023-07-31T02:41:24 | 0 | https://kion546.com/news/national-world/cnn-national/2023/07/30/6-migrant-workers-were-hit-and-injured-by-an-suv-outside-a-north-carolina-walmart-and-authorities-are-searching-for-the-driver-police-say/ |
Fulton County DA says work is done in Trump probe and ‘we’re ready to go’
By Sara Murray, CNN
(CNN) — Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis reaffirmed in a local news interview that she will announce charging decisions by September 1 in her investigation into efforts by Donald Trump and his allies to overturn Georgia’s 2020 presidential election result, while applauding the ramped-up security measures around the local courthouse.
“The work is accomplished,” Willis told CNN affiliate WXIA at a back-to-school event over the weekend. “We’ve been working for two and half years. We’re ready to go.”
Willis has previously signaled in letters to local officials and those providing security that she would make any charging announcements between July 31 and the end of August. She laid out a variety of security provisions her team plans to take beginning Monday.
Willis’ latest commitment to that time frame comes after a judge scheduled an August 10 hearing on the Trump team’s efforts to disqualify Willis, a Democrat, from the case, toss much of the evidence she has collected and remove another judge in Fulton County from presiding over the case.
In the local news interview, Willis also praised the Fulton County sheriff after barricades recently went up around the county courthouse in anticipation of what the sheriff’s office referred to as “high profile legal proceedings.”
“I think that the sheriff is doing something smart in making sure that the courthouse stays safe,” Willis said. “I’m not willing to put any of the employees or the constituents that come to the courthouse in harm’s way.”
Willis said that people may not be happy with her upcoming announcements and “sometimes when people are unhappy, they act in a way that could create harm.”
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://kion546.com/politics/cnn-us-politics/2023/07/30/fulton-county-da-says-work-is-done-in-trump-probe-and-were-ready-to-go/ | 2023-07-31T02:41:30 | 1 | https://kion546.com/politics/cnn-us-politics/2023/07/30/fulton-county-da-says-work-is-done-in-trump-probe-and-were-ready-to-go/ |
Judge blocks Arkansas law criminalizing libraries and bookstores for providing ‘harmful’ books to minors
By Abby Baggini, CNN
(CNN) — A federal judge on Saturday temporarily blocked portions of an Arkansas law that would have made it a crime for librarians and bookstores to provide minors with materials deemed “harmful” to them.
The law, signed by Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders in March, would have held librarians and book vendors criminally liable for knowingly making available to minors material that would appeal “to a prurient interest in sex.” Under the law, the material would also have to lack “serious literary, scientific, medical, artistic, or political value” and be “patently offensive” under community standards.
The law, known as Act 372, would have taken effect Tuesday but will now remain blocked while the case plays out.
A group of libraries, librarians, several bookstores and publishing groups – including the Arkansas Library Association and the Central Arkansas Library System – filed a lawsuit last month arguing that a section of the law violated the First Amendment. The plaintiffs also challenged another section of the law that would have allowed individuals to challenge libraries over a material’s “appropriateness.”
The plaintiffs argued that the law could make way for the removal of libraries’ “young-adult” and “general” collections with sexual content. They also said it could even lead to a ban of all persons under the age of 18 from entering public libraries and bookstores, due to “the risk of endless criminal prosecution.”
Providing banned materials under the law to a minor would be a Class A misdemeanor and punishable by up to a year of jail or a $2,500 fine.
US District Judge Timothy L. Brooks of the Western District of Arkansas, an Obama appointee, ultimately agreed in his preliminary injunction, citing concerns about potential violations of the First and 14th amendments.
He described the law’s definition of “appropriateness” as “fatally vague,” arguing that it would be too challenging to enforce the law without infringing on constitutionally protected speech. Material deemed “harmful” for the youngest minors may be appropriate for the oldest minors or adults, Brooks said.
A spokeswoman for Sanders said the governor continues to support the law despite the ruling.
“The governor supports laws that protects kids from having access to obscene content and the idea that Democrats want kids to receive material that is literally censored in Congressional testimony is absurd and only appropriate in the radical left’s liberal utopia,” Sanders communications director Alexa Henning said in a statement to CNN.
The ruling is subject to appeal. CNN has reached out to Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin, a Republican, regarding potential next steps.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas, which represented some of the plaintiffs, welcomed the judge’s injunction.
“It’s regrettable that we even have to question whether our constitutional rights are still respected today. The question we had to ask was – do Arkansans still legally have access to reading materials?” Holly Dickson, the executive director of ACLU Arkansas, said in a statement. “Luckily, the judicial system has once again defended our highly valued liberties. We are committed to maintaining the fight to safeguard everyone’s right to access information and ideas.”
Dickson previously called Act 372 “an Arctic breeze on librarians across Arkansas.”
The plaintiffs included 17-year-old Hayden Kirby, who said in a statement that the law would limit her ability to “explore diverse perspectives.” Kirby said she spent time in the library every day throughout middle school.
“To restrict the spaces I’ve accessed freely throughout my life is outrageous to me,” she previously said in a statement. “I want to fight for our rights to intellectual freedom and ensure that libraries remain spaces where young Arkansans can explore diverse perspectives.”
The American Library Association said in a report earlier this year that there were 1,269 demands to censor library books and resources across the country in 2022, marking the highest number of attempted book bans since the association began compiling the data more than 20 years ago.
Free speech organization PEN America found book bans rose during the first half of the 2022-2023 school year, in large part due to state laws in Texas, Florida, Missouri, Utah and South Carolina – which accounted for almost a third of the bans, according to the report from April.
A new law signed in Texas last month banning books containing sexual content that is “patently offensive” was decried by opponents as potentially harmful to childrens’ education.
Last month, President Joe Biden announced he plans to appoint a new federal coordinator to address the increase in book bans enacted across different states.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
CNN’s Jack Forrest, Isabel Yip, Nicole Chavez and Nadia Bidarian contributed to this report. | https://kion546.com/politics/cnn-us-politics/2023/07/30/judge-blocks-arkansas-law-criminalizing-libraries-and-bookstores-for-providing-harmful-books-to-minors/ | 2023-07-31T02:41:36 | 0 | https://kion546.com/politics/cnn-us-politics/2023/07/30/judge-blocks-arkansas-law-criminalizing-libraries-and-bookstores-for-providing-harmful-books-to-minors/ |
Updated July 30, 2023 at 10:09 PM ET
It's the end of the road for one of the nation's largest freight carriers.
Yellow, a trucking company that just three years ago took a $700 million federal pandemic loan, is shutting down, according to the Teamsters union, which represents the company's 22,000 unionized workers.
The company is expected to file for bankruptcy as soon as Monday, according to industry experts, following a recent exodus of customers amid union strife and on top of years of financial troubles.
With 30,000 jobs at stake, it's poised to be the largest trucking bankruptcy in the history of the U.S., experts said. The company, formerly known as YRC Worldwide, is the third largest less-than-truckload carrier by revenue, behind FedEx and Old Dominion. LTL companies move pallet-sized shipments — smaller than a container, but bigger than a parcel.
Yellow has not publicly announced any plans for bankruptcy or a potential shutdown.
Here's what we know.
Employees were told to prepare for a company shutdown
The Teamsters union, which had been locked in contentious negotiations for a new contract with Yellow, said it received a legal notice that Yellow is ceasing operations and filing for bankruptcy, according to a news release posted Sunday night.
"Today's news is unfortunate but not surprising," said Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien. "This is a sad day for workers and the American freight industry."
The union's announcement comes hours after The Wall Street Journal reported that Yellow shut down on Sunday afternoon, citing internal notices sent to customers and employees.
Yellow says it will issue a public statement on Monday about "the state of the company and the operation," according to the industry outlet FreightWaves, which also obtained internal documents.
Yellow has not responded to NPR's requests for comment.
Yellow laid off an unknown number of its employees on Friday, reported FreightWaves, citing a memo sent to staff informing them that the company is "shutting down its regular operations" and "laying off employees at all of its locations."
The same day, Teamsters had advised Yellow employees to "prepare for the worst."
"Yellow appears to be headed to a complete shutdown within the next few days," said Teamsters National Freight Director John Murphy in a Friday memo shared with NPR.
A strike threat delivered the final blow to cash-poor Yellow
The shutdown comes just days after a Teamsters strike at the company was averted. A week ago, a pension fund agreed to extend health benefits for workers at two Yellow operating companies after the carrier missed its $50 million benefits payment to the fund on July 15, the union said.
While the extension held off a July 24 strike, the threat of a walkout that could disrupt operations prompted a wave of Yellow customers to bolt.
"The Teamsters actions induced a high level of variability and uncertainty in the market for Yellow's customers. The market abhors variability and uncertainty," wrote Mike Regan, co-founder of TranzAct Technologies, which manages transportation services for retailers. "Consequently, Yellow lost substantial and much needed volume."
After the strike threat, Yellow's freight volumes fell 80% within the span of a week, according to Jack Atkins, a managing director at the financial services firm Stephens who researches the transportation sector.
At the same time, he said, Yellow's cries that it was running out of cash during union negotiation attempts scared off customers. After fleeing to rival carriers like FedEx and ABF Freight, customers didn't return.
"Both sides bear fault," Atkins said. "Once that freight left, there was nothing left to really restructure," he added. "It was really too late to save the company."
The company has been at risk of bankruptcy for years
Animus between Yellow and Teamsters has grown in recent months, with each party blaming one another for the company's problems.
After the trucking carrier tried to restructure its operations this spring as a cost-saving measure that would allow it to refinance its debt. In June, Yellow sued the union for blocking the restructuring plan it said was "essential to the company's survival." The Teamsters in turn called the lawsuit "baseless," instead blaming Yellow for "decades of gross mismanagement," that included its alleged exhaustion of the $700 million bailout loan.
The company reported a net income of $21.8 million last year. Yellow has $1.3 billion in loan debt due in fall 2024, $729 million of which is owed to the federal government, according to the company's latest quarterly report.
Yellow received a $700 million loan from the government in 2020 as part of a COVID-19 rescue package. In return, the Treasury Department took a 30% stake in the company's shares, which have since plummeted to less than a dollar apiece as of Friday.
In June, a congressional probe found that the Treasury Department's disbursement of the loan was a mistake; the freight company — whose customers included the Department of Defense — did not actually meet the standards to qualify for the business loan because its survival was not "critical to maintaining national security."
"Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Yellow was a financially struggling company that had a long-term non-investment grade (i.e., junk) rating and previous close calls with bankruptcy over the years. The pandemic did not cause Yellow's longstanding problems, nor is the Treasury's loan to the company likely to solve those problems," the Congressional Oversight Commission report read.
A world without Yellow
An end to the Nashville-based company would mean the loss of 30,000 jobs.
In its Sunday statement, the Teamsters union said it's working to help "affected members get the assistance they need to find good union jobs throughout freight and other industries."
Atkins doesn't expect the federal government to come to the rescue this time. While there may be some slight disruptions, the analyst anticipates other freight carriers will have some capacity to absorb Yellow's business because of a recent dent in freight volumes.
"This is not going to create a supply-chain crisis," he said.
Retailers and manufacturers are likely to see higher shipping rates if the company folds, he said. Yellow is known for its low shipping rates compared to its rivals.
Atkins visited the Yellow terminal in Little Rock, Ark., on Sunday to find all gates chained up, a sign of ceased operations.
"They've been in wind-down mode, clearing the network out of all the remaining freight," he said. "This is the end."
NPR's Camila Domonoske contributed to this story.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wvasfm.org/business/business/2023-07-30/the-yellow-trucking-company-meltdown-explained | 2023-07-31T02:41:37 | 0 | https://www.wvasfm.org/business/business/2023-07-30/the-yellow-trucking-company-meltdown-explained |
Brittney Griner away from road-tripping Mercury due to mental health reasons
Griner returned to WNBA after she was imprisoned in Russia
Brittney Griner will not travel with the Phoenix Mercury for their next two games to focus on her mental health, the organization said Saturday.
The All-Star center returned to the WNBA this year after her release from a Russian prison. She was arrested and jailed over a drug charge in Russia that resulted in the U.S. conducting a prisoner swap for her. Convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout was sent back to Russia as part of the deal.
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In her return, Griner has averaged 18.2 points and 6.7 rebounds in 20 games. She missed the entire 2022 season while she was imprisoned overseas.
"The Mercury fully support Brittney and we will continue to work together on a timeline for her return," the Mercury said.
Griner's success on the court hasn’t translated into much winning. Phoenix is 6-17 on the year and fired coach Vanessa Nygaard earlier in the season.
Griner and her Mercury teammates were also confronted at the Dallas airport by a so-called "provocateur." Additionally, the center has been dealing with a hip issue.
Phoenix is on the road against the Chicago Sky and the Indiana Fever.
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Without Griner on Sunday, the Mercury fell to the Sky, 104-85.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. | https://www.foxnews.com/sports/brittney-griner-away-road-tripping-mercury-due-mental-health-reasons | 2023-07-31T02:42:33 | 1 | https://www.foxnews.com/sports/brittney-griner-away-road-tripping-mercury-due-mental-health-reasons |
A flight bound from Boston to for Newark, N.J., was forced to return to Logan International Airport on Sunday evening after authorities received a report saying a passenger aboard the plane had made threats to the safety of the flight, officials said.
Delta Airlines Flight 5770 was scheduled to depart at 5:30 p.m., according to FlightView, but was soon forced to return to the airport after an anonymous caller reported the passenger’s alleged threats to a New Jersey police agency, according to a statement released by David Procopio, a Massachusetts State Police spokesperson.
Massport fire and State Police were waiting when the plane returned to the airport, and troopers escorted the passenger, whose identity was not released, off the plane, according to the statement. The passenger’s two carry-on bags were searched by the State Police Bomb Squad and explosive-detecting K-9s, and no hazards were found. He had no checked bags, according to the statement.
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After the passenger and his bags were removed from the plane, it again departed for Newark, according to the statement.
A Delta spokesperson referred a reporter to Republic Airways, the company that operates Flight 5770 for Delta, which released a statement expressing its apologies to those affected by the delay and for any disruption to their travel plans.
No one has been charged in connection with the incident. An investigation is ongoing. No further information was immediately available Sunday night.
Collin Robisheaux can be reached at collin.robisheaux@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @ColRobisheaux. | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/30/metro/report-threats-forces-new-jersey-bound-flight-return-logan-airport-boston/ | 2023-07-31T02:42:33 | 1 | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/30/metro/report-threats-forces-new-jersey-bound-flight-return-logan-airport-boston/ |
(NewsNation) — While questions remain about a mystery company buying 52,000 acres of land near an Air Force base, a congressman says farmers in the area are being targeted in a lawsuit.
Rep. John Garamendi, D-Calif., has been speaking out over the past five years about the $800 million in land acquisitions by Flannery Associates near Travis Air Force Base in Northern California.
In an interview with NewsNation, Garamendi said he’s been in contact with the families of farmers who handed over their land to Flannery. He said they didn’t want to sell in the first place.
Since no California laws require them to sell, the land was bargained for by both parties at a much higher price. But now, Flannery is suing those families for $510 million, accusing them of conspiring together to inflate the value of the land.
“It’s a suit designed to force the farmers to lawyer up, spend tens of thousands of dollars on lawyering and maybe at the end of the day, bankrupt themselves,” Garamendi said. “In fact, that has happened to at least one family that I know of and I’ve heard rumors that another family simply said we can’t afford the lawyers.”
NewsNation reviewed a copy of the lawsuit. Attorneys for Flannery said they believe “this is a simple case about a group of wealthy landowners who saw an opportunity to conspire, collude, price fix and illegally overcharge Flannery.”
But Garamendi said there was no viable economic reason to justify spending several times more than what the land is worth in the first place.
The suit comes as companies with ties to China have been ramping up efforts to buy American farmland in recent years.
Public records show “Flannery Associates” has invested more than $800 million on more than 50,000 acres of land surrounding the Travis Air Force Base since 2018.
Legal representation for Flannery said the group is controlled by U.S. citizens, with 97% of its capital coming from U.S.-based investors. But after eight months of investigation, federal officials can’t confirm or deny this to be true and have not been able to determine exactly who is backing the company.
The Air Force’s Foreign Investment Risk Review office is currently investigating Flannery Associates. Garamendi said there are valid concerns that Flannery’s land acquisitions could be tied to foreign enemies.
“The fact they chose to buy all three sides of the Travis Air Force Base even raises immediate questions about national security,” Garamendi said. “So, is this Chinese money? We don’t know, but we do know that the Chinese money was being used in North Dakota and we have a very deep suspicion, given the amount of money, given the lack of attention to values, that they simply want to acquire all of this land.”
NewsNation investigated the now thwarted deal with a Chinese-owned company in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Last year, 300 acres of farmland were purchased near the Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota by Chinese-owned Fufeng – a deal that raised red flags about potential spying.
After pushback from the community, the city council ultimately voted to end the project, citing national security risks.
Garamendi said local residents near Travis Air Force Base are riled up, just like the residents in Grand Forks, due to how critical the area is for the U.S. military.
“Travis Air Force Base is absolutely essential. It is the gateway to the Pacific,” Garamendi said, later adding, “A good deal of the munitions that are going to Ukraine also passed through Travis Air Force Base.”
China has been buying up American farmland for years. Nearly 384,000 acres of agricultural land in the U.S. is controlled by China, and the rate at which they are purchasing land is growing, the USDA reports.
Chinese ownership of American farmland has increased 55% in the past five years, with almost 75% of it located in the South and about 16% on the West Coast. | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/news/national/mystery-group-buying-land-near-air-force-base-is-suing-farmers-congressman-says/ | 2023-07-31T02:42:38 | 1 | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/news/national/mystery-group-buying-land-near-air-force-base-is-suing-farmers-congressman-says/ |
Lawmakers negotiating the state’s overdue budget came to a compromise after 8 p.m. Sunday, setting up a Monday vote on the spending plan for the fiscal year that started July 1.
The compromise $56.2 billion budget includes top priorities of both House and Senate leaders and “represents a major step forward for our Commonwealth,” Senate president Karen E. Spilka said in a statement
Senate leaders secured funding to cover tuition for students attending community college nursing programs, and a program to make undocumented high schoolers eligible for in-state tuition rates at public colleges or universities in Massachusetts.
The House also secured some of its priorities, such as funding to make permanent free school meals and a proposal to make phone calls free for the state’s incarcerated people.
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The final budget left out some notable items, too, including a House proposal to make state lottery games available online.
The compromise budget also:
- Sets aside $50 million for free community college across all campuses by fall 2024, including $38 million for free community college programs for students aged 25 or older and for students pursuing degrees in nursing starting in the fall of 2023.
- Creates a two-year ConnectorCare pilot program to expand eligibility, resulting in as many as 70,000 residents becoming newly eligible for more affordable health insurance coverage.
- Codifies a pandemic-era renter protection law, which would slow down the court process in eviction proceedings in cases in which the tenant has applied for rental assistance.
- Dedicates $475 million to Commonwealth Cares for Children funding, scaling back from the $490 million the House proposed. House leaders suggested paying for roughly half the grants using millionaires tax revenue and revenue generated by allowing the lottery to sell its products online, a proposal that did not make it out of negotiations.
- Proposes spending $6.59 billion in K-12 public education funding, an increase of $604 million from last year. It would double the minimum aid level from $30 to $60 per student.
- Sets aside $581 million for a future tax code overhaul, though a concrete plan of how to spend that money has yet to emerge from negotiations.
- Proposes adding two board seats to the MBTA Board of Directors — one dedicated seat for Boston and another to represent other major cities and towns.
- Sketches out a plan of how the state will spend at least $1 billion in projected revenue from the so-called millionaires tax voters passed last fall. It would spend roughly $522 million on education and $477 million on transportation, including $205 million for the MBTA.
State officials have now failed for 13 years straight to have an annual spending plan in place for the start of the fiscal year. Massachusetts is also the only state that was late in completing its plan every year since 2017, a previous Globe review found.
The Legislature’s budget is the tardiest in more than two decades, excluding the chaotic first year of the COVID pandemic. Massachusetts is also one of just four states, along with Oregon, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina, that have yet to enact a fiscal year 2024 budget, according to data released Thursday by the National Conference of State Legislatures.
In an interview Sunday night, House budget chief Aaron Michlewitz said although “we all wanted to get this done by July 1 . . . we certainly got it done in a timely enough fashion.”
When the Legislature does pass a budget deal, Governor Maura Healey will have 10 days to review it.
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“It’s important that we get this done and that we get this to the governor as quickly as possible,” Michlewitz said.
Samantha J. Gross can be reached at samantha.gross@globe.com. Follow her @samanthajgross. | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/30/metro/state-budget-house-senate-compromise-fy24/ | 2023-07-31T02:42:39 | 0 | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/30/metro/state-budget-house-senate-compromise-fy24/ |
Hunter Renfroe hit a two-run home run in the 10th inning and the Angels beat the Blue Jays, 3-2, in Toronto to avoid a three-game sweep.
Los Angeles (55-51) trails Toronto (59-47) by four games in the AL wild-card race. The Red Sox and Yankees are ahead of the Angels.
Renfroe’s 17th home run of the season came off Blue Jays righthander Yimi García (3-4). It was the Angels’ first hit with a runner in scoring position in the series. Los Angeles had gone 0 for 27 before Renfroe’s one-out drive to left with Mike Moustakas on third.
“I wasn’t really trying to hit a homer there,” Renfroe said. “I was trying to just make sure I hit the ball and get the guy in. I wasn’t trying to swing for the fences.”
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With closer Jordan Romano on the injured list with a sore back, Blue Jays manager John Schneider turned to García for the third straight day for the first time all season, but it didn’t work out.
After the game, the Blue Jays announced they acquired righthanded reliever Jordan Hicks from the Cardinals for minor league righties Sem Robberse and Adam Kloffenstein.
Renfroe went 3 for 4 and drove in all three runs. He also hit a bases-loaded sacrifice fly. He is batting .429 (12 for 28) with two homers and five RBI in his past eight games.
Estévez (5-1) pitched the final two innings for the win. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drove in automatic runner Bo Bichette with a leadoff single in the 10th, but the Blue Jays couldn’t tie it.
After the game, Los Angeles reacquired slugger C.J. Cron and outfielder Randal Grichuk in a trade with Colorado that sent minor league pitchers Mason Albright and Jake Madden to the Rockies.
The Angels also placed outfielder Taylor Ward on the 10-day injured list with facial fractures a day after he was hit in the head by a 91-mile-per-hour pitch from Alek Manoah. Angels manager Phil Nevin said Ward did not have vision damage. Surgery is an option, but no decision has been made.
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Reds take over first place
Elly De La Cruz, the 21-year-old sensation, and Joey Votto, who turns 40 in September, helped the Reds rout the NL West-leading Dodgers, 9-0, in Los Angeles to take over sole possession of first place in the NL Central.
De La Cruz hit a two-run homer and went 4 for 5. He also scored twice as the Reds rapped out 14 hits. De La Cruz broke out of the struggles he’s had since the All-Star break, while Votto shook off his offensive funk with a two-run shot. Votto went 2 for 5 with three RBIs.
Graham Ashcraft (6-7) scattered five hits over six innings and struck out two for the win.
Votto, whose 418-foot two-run shot into the Reds bullpen in right field made it 7-0, was robbed of a potential second homer on James Outman’s leaping catch at the top of the wall in right-center in the fifth.
Matt Olson drives in five
Matt Olson drove in five runs with two homers, including a go-ahead, two-run blast in the eighth, and the Braves beat the Brewers, 8-6, in Atlanta to cap their sweep of the high-scoring series.
Olson has 35 homers, the most in the NL, and 88 RBIs, the most in the majors. The only player in the majors with more homers than Olson is Shohei Ohtani, with 39. Ohtani will bring the Angels into Atlanta for a series beginning Monday night.
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The Brewers trail the Reds by a half-game in the NL Central.
Orlando Arcia led off the eighth with a double to left field off Joel Payamps (4-2). With one out, Olson’s tie-breaking homer landed in the Atlanta bullpen in right-center. It was the first earned runs allowed by Payamps, who took a 1.68 ERA into the game, in 18 appearances since June 8.
Kirby Yates (5-0) pitched a scoreless eighth. Raisel Iglesias earned his 20th save by striking out the side in the ninth.
Olson’s three-run homer drove in Ronald Acuña Jr., who singled and stole second, and Austin Riley, who walked, to give the Braves a 5-3 lead in the third.
Carlos Santana, acquired from Pittsburgh on Thursday, hit his first homer with the Brewers in the third to give Milwaukee a 3-2 lead.
Cardinals end Cubs’ run
Steven Matz and two relievers combined on a five-hitter, and the host Cardinals snapped the Cubs’ eight-game winning streak with a 3-0 victory.
Tyler O’Neill, Andrew Knizner, and Paul Goldschmidt drove in runs in the first two innings for the Cardinals before the pitchers took it from there.
Matz (2-7) allowed four hits in six innings with two strikeouts and no walks. He has not allowed an earned run over his last two starts, covering 12 innings.
Giovanny Gallegos tossed two hitless innings. JoJo Romero threw a scoreless ninth to pick up his first save in his 56th career appearance.
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José Ramírez goes deep twice
José Ramírez homered twice and drove in three runs, helping Aaron Civale and the Guardians beat the White Sox, 5-0, in Chicago.
Steven Kwan also homered in manager Terry Francona’s 1,927th win, breaking a tie with Casey Stengel for 13th on the career list.
Civale (5-2), a potential trade target ahead of Tuesday’s deadline, pitched six innings in his second straight win. He allowed three hits, struck out four, and walked two.
Enyel De Los Santos, Trevor Stephan, and Emmanuel Clase each pitched an inning to complete a four-hitter.
Kwan led off the fifth with his fifth homer of the season. Ramírez hit a drive deep to right field for his 17th homer on the year later in the inning and added another long ball in the seventh. | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/30/sports/hunter-renfroe-hits-homer-10th-inning-lift-angels-over-blue-jays/ | 2023-07-31T02:42:45 | 1 | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/30/sports/hunter-renfroe-hits-homer-10th-inning-lift-angels-over-blue-jays/ |
Updated July 30, 2023 at 10:09 PM ET
It's the end of the road for one of the nation's largest freight carriers.
Yellow, a trucking company that just three years ago took a $700 million federal pandemic loan, is shutting down, according to the Teamsters union, which represents the company's 22,000 unionized workers.
The company is expected to file for bankruptcy as soon as Monday, according to industry experts, following a recent exodus of customers amid union strife and on top of years of financial troubles.
With 30,000 jobs at stake, it's poised to be the largest trucking bankruptcy in the history of the U.S., experts said. The company, formerly known as YRC Worldwide, is the third largest less-than-truckload carrier by revenue, behind FedEx and Old Dominion. LTL companies move pallet-sized shipments — smaller than a container, but bigger than a parcel.
Yellow has not publicly announced any plans for bankruptcy or a potential shutdown.
Here's what we know.
Employees were told to prepare for a company shutdown
The Teamsters union, which had been locked in contentious negotiations for a new contract with Yellow, said it received a legal notice that Yellow is ceasing operations and filing for bankruptcy, according to a news release posted Sunday night.
"Today's news is unfortunate but not surprising," said Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien. "This is a sad day for workers and the American freight industry."
The union's announcement comes hours after The Wall Street Journal reported that Yellow shut down on Sunday afternoon, citing internal notices sent to customers and employees.
Yellow says it will issue a public statement on Monday about "the state of the company and the operation," according to the industry outlet FreightWaves, which also obtained internal documents.
Yellow has not responded to NPR's requests for comment.
Yellow laid off an unknown number of its employees on Friday, reported FreightWaves, citing a memo sent to staff informing them that the company is "shutting down its regular operations" and "laying off employees at all of its locations."
The same day, Teamsters had advised Yellow employees to "prepare for the worst."
"Yellow appears to be headed to a complete shutdown within the next few days," said Teamsters National Freight Director John Murphy in a Friday memo shared with NPR.
A strike threat delivered the final blow to cash-poor Yellow
The shutdown comes just days after a Teamsters strike at the company was averted. A week ago, a pension fund agreed to extend health benefits for workers at two Yellow operating companies after the carrier missed its $50 million benefits payment to the fund on July 15, the union said.
While the extension held off a July 24 strike, the threat of a walkout that could disrupt operations prompted a wave of Yellow customers to bolt.
"The Teamsters actions induced a high level of variability and uncertainty in the market for Yellow's customers. The market abhors variability and uncertainty," wrote Mike Regan, co-founder of TranzAct Technologies, which manages transportation services for retailers. "Consequently, Yellow lost substantial and much needed volume."
After the strike threat, Yellow's freight volumes fell 80% within the span of a week, according to Jack Atkins, a managing director at the financial services firm Stephens who researches the transportation sector.
At the same time, he said, Yellow's cries that it was running out of cash during union negotiation attempts scared off customers. After fleeing to rival carriers like FedEx and ABF Freight, customers didn't return.
"Both sides bear fault," Atkins said. "Once that freight left, there was nothing left to really restructure," he added. "It was really too late to save the company."
The company has been at risk of bankruptcy for years
Animus between Yellow and Teamsters has grown in recent months, with each party blaming one another for the company's problems.
After the trucking carrier tried to restructure its operations this spring as a cost-saving measure that would allow it to refinance its debt. In June, Yellow sued the union for blocking the restructuring plan it said was "essential to the company's survival." The Teamsters in turn called the lawsuit "baseless," instead blaming Yellow for "decades of gross mismanagement," that included its alleged exhaustion of the $700 million bailout loan.
The company reported a net income of $21.8 million last year. Yellow has $1.3 billion in loan debt due in fall 2024, $729 million of which is owed to the federal government, according to the company's latest quarterly report.
Yellow received a $700 million loan from the government in 2020 as part of a COVID-19 rescue package. In return, the Treasury Department took a 30% stake in the company's shares, which have since plummeted to less than a dollar apiece as of Friday.
In June, a congressional probe found that the Treasury Department's disbursement of the loan was a mistake; the freight company — whose customers included the Department of Defense — did not actually meet the standards to qualify for the business loan because its survival was not "critical to maintaining national security."
"Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Yellow was a financially struggling company that had a long-term non-investment grade (i.e., junk) rating and previous close calls with bankruptcy over the years. The pandemic did not cause Yellow's longstanding problems, nor is the Treasury's loan to the company likely to solve those problems," the Congressional Oversight Commission report read.
A world without Yellow
An end to the Nashville-based company would mean the loss of 30,000 jobs.
In its Sunday statement, the Teamsters union said it's working to help "affected members get the assistance they need to find good union jobs throughout freight and other industries."
Atkins doesn't expect the federal government to come to the rescue this time. While there may be some slight disruptions, the analyst anticipates other freight carriers will have some capacity to absorb Yellow's business because of a recent dent in freight volumes.
"This is not going to create a supply-chain crisis," he said.
Retailers and manufacturers are likely to see higher shipping rates if the company folds, he said. Yellow is known for its low shipping rates compared to its rivals.
Atkins visited the Yellow terminal in Little Rock, Ark., on Sunday to find all gates chained up, a sign of ceased operations.
"They've been in wind-down mode, clearing the network out of all the remaining freight," he said. "This is the end."
NPR's Camila Domonoske contributed to this story.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.knkx.org/2023-07-30/the-yellow-trucking-company-meltdown-explained | 2023-07-31T02:43:42 | 1 | https://www.knkx.org/2023-07-30/the-yellow-trucking-company-meltdown-explained |
July keeps sizzling as Phoenix hits another 110-degree day and wildfires spread in California
PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix sizzled through its 31st consecutive day of at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius) and other parts of the country grappled Sunday with record temperatures after a week that saw significant portions of the U.S. population subject to extreme heat.
The National Weather Service said Phoenix was expected to climb to 112 F (44.4 Celsius) before the day was through.
July has been so steamy thus far that scientists calculate it will be the hottest month ever recorded and likely the warmest human civilization has seen. The World Meteorological Organization and the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service on Thursday proclaimed July beyond record-smashing.
The historic heat began blasting the lower Southwest U.S. in late June, stretching from Texas across New Mexico and Arizona and into California’s desert.
On Sunday, a massive wildfire burning out of control in California’s Mojave National Preserve spread rapidly amid erratic winds, while firefighters reported progress against another major blaze to the south that prompted evacuations.
The York Fire that erupted Friday near the remote Caruthers Canyon area of the preserve sent up a huge plume of smoke visible nearly 100 miles (160 kilometers) away across the state line in Nevada.
Flames 20 feet (6 meters) high in some spots have charred more than 110 square miles (284 square kilometers) of desert scrub, juniper and Joshua tree woodland, according to a Sunday update.
“The dry fuel acts as a ready ignition source, and when paired with those weather conditions it resulted in long-distance fire run and high flames, leading to extreme fire behavior,” authorities said. No structures were threatened, but there was also no containment.
To the southwest, the Bonny Fire was holding steady at about 3.4 square miles (8.8 square kilometers) in rugged hills of Riverside County. More than 1,300 people were ordered to evacuate their homes Saturday near the remote community of Aguanga, California.
Triple-digit heat was expected in parts of the central San Joaquin Valley through Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
And in Burbank, California, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Los Angeles, the summer heat may have been responsible for some unusual behavior in the animal kingdom: Police in the city responded to a report of a bear sighting in a residential neighborhood and found the animal sitting in a Jacuzzi behind one of the homes.
As climate change brings hotter and longer heat waves, record temperatures across the U.S. have killed dozens of people, and the poorest Americans suffer the most. Air conditioning, once a luxury, is now a matter of survival.
Last year, all 86 heat-related deaths indoors were in uncooled environments.
“To explain it fairly simply: Heat kills,” said Kristie Ebi, a University of Washington professor who researches heat and health. “Once the heat wave starts, mortality starts in about 24 hours.”
It’s the poorest and people of color, from Kansas City to Detroit to New York City and beyond, who are far more likely to face grueling heat without air conditioning, according to a Boston University analysis of 115 U.S. metro areas.
Back in Phoenix, slight relief may be on the way as expected seasonal thunderstorms could drop temperatures Monday and Tuesday.
“It should be around 108 degrees, so we break that 110 streak,” meteorologist Tom Frieders said. “Increasing cloud cover will put temperatures in a downward trend.”
The relief could be short-lived, however. Highs are expected to creep back to 110 F (43.3 C) Wednesday with temperatures reaching 115 F (46.1 C) by the end of the week.
Phoenix has also sweated through a record 16 consecutive nights when the lows temperature didn’t dip below 90 F (32.2 C), making it hard for people to cool off after sunset.
Meanwhile, Las Vegas continues to flirt with its hottest July ever. The city is closing in on its 2010 record for the average of the high and low each day for July, which stands at 96.2 F (35.5 C).
The extreme heat is also hitting the eastern U.S, as soaring temperatures moved from the Midwest into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, where some places recorded their warmest days so far this year.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.weau.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ | 2023-07-31T02:43:42 | 0 | https://www.weau.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ |
St. Paul’s gold-medal-winning gymnast Sunisa Lee made history with her win at the 2020 Olympic Games. On Sunday — the day after the two-year anniversary of her victory in Tokyo — she was honored with a permanent marker in her home city.
Dozens turned out to celebrate and surprise Lee during the unveiling of a bronze bust at Phalen Regional Park that honors her contributions to gymnastics, culture and Hmong American history.
Gov. Tim Walz declared Sunday to be Sunisa Lee Day in Minnesota, and St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter also designated it Sunisa Lee Day in the capital city.
The unveiling was attended by Lee, her parents and siblings, as well as the artist and dozens of supporters, and it took place along the trail behind the Phalen Activity Center parking lot. Lee did not know that the piece was being created and had no idea what it looked like until Sunday.
When the blue tarp covering the statue was lifted, Lee put her hand over her mouth in surprise and said, “It’s incredible! I love it. I give it a 10,” she said, a nifty play on words for the gymnast. A 10 is a perfect score in gymnastics, and Lee recently ended her collegiate career with a total of eight 10s.
Lee spoke after the unveiling and said she was truly honored.
“I keep thinking that what I do is what I love, which is gymnastics,” she said. “it was a dream to one day make it big and go to the Olympics.”
She said she was “truly blessed” with all the support from the community.
“I wouldn’t be here without you guys — from you selling T-shirts and coming to fundraisers and helping with everything and contributing to all of this …. It’s just such an amazing community that I’m so grateful to be a part of. I want to thank my biggest supporters, which are my parents, my family, my coaches and most of all this community,” Lee said. “I’m very excited for this coming year, and I hope I can continue to go out there and do what I do best. I hope to be an inspiration and an advocate for the next generations and other amazing athletes. Thank you again. I’m so excited and I’m super happy. I love it. It’s beautiful. Thank you.”
Lee, 20, became the first Hmong American Olympian when she earned a place on the 2020 U.S. Olympic women’s gymnastics team, then made further history by winning the individual all-around gold medal during the Tokyo Games, which were held in 2021 after being postponed because of the pandemic. She also earned a bronze medal in the uneven bars and a silver medal in the team competition. She followed that by enrolling at Auburn University, and at the 2022 NCAA Championships she won the balance beam and finished second in the all-around. Her sophomore season was interrupted by a kidney issue, and after its completion Lee announced her intention to train for the 2024 Paris Games and end her career at Auburn.
Her father, John Lee, said he was “so proud” of his daughter, that the unveiling was a “historic moment” and that the statue would mark that moment for many years to come.
The artist is Seexeng Lee, a family member who said it was a once-in-a-lifetime moment.
“Thank you, Sunisa for being my inspiration — no, for being our inspiration and a role model for Hmong everywhere. No, I misspoke, for being an inspiration for all of us. You are a gift. This is a gift for you,” he said.
Carter said that to the rest of the world, Lee is “the champion,” but in St. Paul she is “our” champion.
“You make St. Paul proud,” he said. “Thank you for that.”
Carter shared a story that illustrates Lee’s nature, beginning when he was waiting in the airport with dozens of others as she returned from the Olympics.
“The most incredible thing that happened that day really wasn’t the roar of the crowd as Sunisa Lee came out of the airport,” he said. “The most incredible thing to happen that day was that our champion who had just (stepped off a long international flight), who had the weight of the world and the eyes of the world on her, was the last person to leave the airport that day.”
Instead of rushing home, she “saw an airport terminal full of young children with Olympic dreams and made sure to stop and smile and shake hands and take pictures and sign autographs and hug and encourage every single one of them,” he said.
Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan read a proclamation declaring the day Sunisa Lee Day in Minnesota and said that Lee became a dream realized for people from St. Paul, for the Hmong community and for young people around the world.
Lee is the second female athlete to be permanently honored within the St. Paul Parks system, joining female baseball player Toni Stone, whose name adorns Toni Stone Stadium. | https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/30/gold-medalist-sunisa-lee-surprised-by-statue-unveiling-at-phalen-park/ | 2023-07-31T02:44:32 | 0 | https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/30/gold-medalist-sunisa-lee-surprised-by-statue-unveiling-at-phalen-park/ |
As Pam Quirk Becker’s 50th birthday was approaching nearly 20 years ago, her husband and best friend from college were plotting a surprise.
With Pam away from the house, a U-Haul pulled up to Randolph Avenue and Warwick Street, and her husband and two of their children carried into the backyard a 6-foot cow made from an oil drum and milk cans.
“Everyone likes to give Pam fun gifts that they wouldn’t want in their own home,” said her husband, Dave Quirk Becker.
When Pam returned home, she was led to the backyard to find the cow with birthday balloons on it. Pam was udderly delighted.
She recalled her friend saying, “You know, Pam, not everyone would like a cow in their backyard.”
“I was thrilled. Absolutely thrilled. Not everybody wants a big cow, but I love cows. And so this was the perfect gift,” she said. “It’s recycling in a very creative way.”
Rosie, who arrived in 2004, now stands in the front yard.
“It’s a sweet name, and cows are so sweet and docile, and Rosie just seemed like the perfect name for a cow,” Pam said. “She makes people’s lives rosy, that’s for sure.”
Dressing up
Pam and Dave decorate Rosie for holidays and other special occasions, from Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day to the State Fair, Halloween and Thanksgiving. Rosie also dresses up for family milestones like weddings and graduations or to celebrate sports teams or promote political causes. The cow will fly a Ukrainian flag until there is peace, Pam said.
“I’m a big holiday queen and I love to decorate,” Pam said. “I think something was probably coming up like Christmas or Halloween or one of the biggies and I just decided to decorate it, and then it just took off.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Rosie had a mask for every occasion. Pam’s favorite theme is Christmas, when Rosie wears antlers. Dave made those, as well as a turkey tail and a shamrock with a pot of gold and rainbow. Supplies often come from the eclectic Ax-Man Surplus store.
A former architectural drafting teacher, Dave has seen plenty of students’ projects that seem impossible, but Pam has yet to give him an assignment he hasn’t solved.
“We’ve always found a way to make it work,” he said. “Pam’s a creative person, and I make her vision happen.”
The neighborhood
Since moving to the front yard, Rosie has become a Macalester-Groveland neighborhood landmark, showing the way for pizza drivers and attracting high school photography students.
“The cow has been photographed by every high school kid in this area for years and years and years,” Dave said. “It’s been in every yearbook.”
Once, when a family knocked on the door and explained their tradition of sitting on sculptures they encounter, Pam brought out her step stool.
Another time, a neighbor told Pam she “saved” him because his daughter agreed to go to daycare only after he promised they could see Rosie along the way.
Pam, who worked as an early childhood educator, always has liked cows. While she didn’t grow up on a farm, she enjoyed sleepovers at friends’ farms near Watertown, Wisconsin.
Rosie is a Holstein, Pam’s favorite dairy breed.
“I love that black and white in contrast, and they’re just so pretty,” she said.
Cows can be found throughout the Quirk Becker home as neighbors have gifted everything from mobiles and portrait books to salt and pepper shakers.
“People are just so kind and so appreciative. They just really go out of their way to let me know what this means to them and how much joy it brings in their life or how when they drive by it makes them smile,” Pam said. “You know, I’ve lived with it for all these years, and I still enjoy decorating it. I love doing that.” | https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/30/rosie-the-cow-landmark-st-paul-mac-groveland-highland/ | 2023-07-31T02:44:38 | 1 | https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/30/rosie-the-cow-landmark-st-paul-mac-groveland-highland/ |
July keeps sizzling as Phoenix hits another 110-degree day and wildfires spread in California
PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix sizzled through its 31st consecutive day of at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius) and other parts of the country grappled Sunday with record temperatures after a week that saw significant portions of the U.S. population subject to extreme heat.
The National Weather Service said Phoenix was expected to climb to 112 F (44.4 Celsius) before the day was through.
July has been so steamy thus far that scientists calculate it will be the hottest month ever recorded and likely the warmest human civilization has seen. The World Meteorological Organization and the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service on Thursday proclaimed July beyond record-smashing.
The historic heat began blasting the lower Southwest U.S. in late June, stretching from Texas across New Mexico and Arizona and into California’s desert.
On Sunday, a massive wildfire burning out of control in California’s Mojave National Preserve spread rapidly amid erratic winds, while firefighters reported progress against another major blaze to the south that prompted evacuations.
The York Fire that erupted Friday near the remote Caruthers Canyon area of the preserve sent up a huge plume of smoke visible nearly 100 miles (160 kilometers) away across the state line in Nevada.
Flames 20 feet (6 meters) high in some spots have charred more than 110 square miles (284 square kilometers) of desert scrub, juniper and Joshua tree woodland, according to a Sunday update.
“The dry fuel acts as a ready ignition source, and when paired with those weather conditions it resulted in long-distance fire run and high flames, leading to extreme fire behavior,” authorities said. No structures were threatened, but there was also no containment.
To the southwest, the Bonny Fire was holding steady at about 3.4 square miles (8.8 square kilometers) in rugged hills of Riverside County. More than 1,300 people were ordered to evacuate their homes Saturday near the remote community of Aguanga, California.
Triple-digit heat was expected in parts of the central San Joaquin Valley through Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
And in Burbank, California, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Los Angeles, the summer heat may have been responsible for some unusual behavior in the animal kingdom: Police in the city responded to a report of a bear sighting in a residential neighborhood and found the animal sitting in a Jacuzzi behind one of the homes.
As climate change brings hotter and longer heat waves, record temperatures across the U.S. have killed dozens of people, and the poorest Americans suffer the most. Air conditioning, once a luxury, is now a matter of survival.
Last year, all 86 heat-related deaths indoors were in uncooled environments.
“To explain it fairly simply: Heat kills,” said Kristie Ebi, a University of Washington professor who researches heat and health. “Once the heat wave starts, mortality starts in about 24 hours.”
It’s the poorest and people of color, from Kansas City to Detroit to New York City and beyond, who are far more likely to face grueling heat without air conditioning, according to a Boston University analysis of 115 U.S. metro areas.
Back in Phoenix, slight relief may be on the way as expected seasonal thunderstorms could drop temperatures Monday and Tuesday.
“It should be around 108 degrees, so we break that 110 streak,” meteorologist Tom Frieders said. “Increasing cloud cover will put temperatures in a downward trend.”
The relief could be short-lived, however. Highs are expected to creep back to 110 F (43.3 C) Wednesday with temperatures reaching 115 F (46.1 C) by the end of the week.
Phoenix has also sweated through a record 16 consecutive nights when the lows temperature didn’t dip below 90 F (32.2 C), making it hard for people to cool off after sunset.
Meanwhile, Las Vegas continues to flirt with its hottest July ever. The city is closing in on its 2010 record for the average of the high and low each day for July, which stands at 96.2 F (35.5 C).
The extreme heat is also hitting the eastern U.S, as soaring temperatures moved from the Midwest into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, where some places recorded their warmest days so far this year.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kold.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ | 2023-07-31T02:44:47 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ |
BEIJING, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- President Xi Jinping visited the site of a section of an ancient road system known as "Shudao" in Guangyuan on July 25, which winds its way through rugged mountains and ancient trees. There, Xi learned about efforts surrounding ecological conservation.
This visit marks Xi's attention to China's ecological development, which has achieved remarkable progress over the past 10 years, said experts.
Witnessing the government's recent remarks on ecology, they believed that the country's road of building a Beautiful China has demonstrated the nation's wisdom in balancing the needs of economic development and improving the environment.
Before heading to Sichuan, Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered a speech at a national conference on ecological and environmental protection held from July 17 to 18.
Xi said that the country's ecological conservation has undergone a historic, transformative and comprehensive changes both in theory and practice, with significant strides made in building a Beautiful China.
Noting that China's economy and society have entered a stage of high-quality development marked by accelerated progress in promoting green and low-carbon growth, Xi called for higher standards, a broader perspective and stronger efforts in planning and advancing ecological and environmental protection on the new journey, as well as writing a new chapter of ecological conservation in the new era.
Xi stressed the need to properly handle the relationships between high-quality development and high-level protection, between tackling major challenges and coordinating governance, between natural recovery and human-assisted restoration, between external constraints and internal driving forces, as well as between "dual carbon" commitments and self-determined actions.
Xi said that the country's ecological conservation has undergone historical, transformative and comprehensive changes both in theory and practice, with significant strides made in building a Beautiful China.
This conference again showed us how importance the central government attaches to ecological protection, an official from environment protection bureau in Wuhai, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, who requested anonymity, told the Global Times on Friday. He said during the past 10 years, ecological protection has become an increasingly important indictor in evaluating government's performance in his city, which was famous for coal production.
"Although planting trees costs more in Inner Mongolia than in other parts of China due to lack of water and dry weather, we learned in the past 10 years that making our city greener brings more benefits than leaving the mountains bare. The city becomes more beautiful, residents are happy, and more tourists visit; also we saw less sandstorms," the official said.
During a press conference on Thursday, Huang Runqiu, China's minister of ecology and environment, highlighted China's achievement on ecological protection over recent years.
From 2013 to 2022, China's average PM2.5 concentration decreased by 57 percent and the number of heavily polluted days decreased by 93 percent, while the nation's GDP doubled during the same period, Huang said. This made China the country with the fastest improvement in air quality worldwide. Specifically, in Beijing, the average PM2.5 concentration decreased from 89.5 micrograms per cubic meter in 2013 to 30 micrograms per cubic meter in 2022, and the number of heavily polluted days decreased from 58 to only 3, said Huang. The United Nations Environment Agency praised this achievement as the "Beijing Miracle."
Lin Boqiang, director of the China Center for Energy Economics Research at Xiamen University, told the Global Times that "China has engaged in a sustained top-down efforts for many years to enhance ecological protection. The central and local governments march together toward the same goal, with continuous environmental policies. Moreover, the country has demonstrated its wisdom in how to balance ecological development and maintain fast economic growth at the same time."
Perfect balance
We should protect nature and preserve the environment like we protect our eyes, and endeavor to foster a new relationship where man and nature can both prosper and live in harmony, President Xi once said.
Xi has given important instructions on the rational utilization and friendly protection of the ecological environment during his numerous visits to the frontlines of ecological protection, such as to the Maanshan forest farm in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the Qilian Mountains, the Shandan Horse Ranch in Gansu, an ecological wetland of the Dianchi Lake in Kunming, and many other places.
In June 2022, Xi visited Yibin, Sichuan Province, where the Jinsha and Minjiang rivers converge into the Yangtze River. He noted that sound ecological conservation along the Yangtze River basin is the precondition for advancing high-quality development in the Yangtze River Economic Belt.
The Yellow River and the Yangtze River are the mother rivers of the Chinese nation. The protection of the mother rivers is a crucial project concerning the great rejuvenation and sustainable development of the Chinese nation, Xi said at the time.
From June 5 to 6 this year, accompanied by officials from Inner Mongolia, Xi was on a fact-finding mission at a nature reserve, a modern agricultural demonstration park, a forest farm and a water resources department in the city of Bayannur.
On June 6, Xi presided over a symposium in Bayannur on strengthening the comprehensive prevention and control of desertification and promoting the construction of crucial ecological projects, including the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program.
Xi, who was then the Party Chief of Zhejiang, put forward the famous "two mountains" concept - clear waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets comparable to the gold and silver of legend - in August 2005 during his visit to Anji county.
Nowadays, residents in the county has sought out ways to make a living that they enjoy, with many becoming businessmen, running their own hostels, shops and tourism companies, thanks to the improved natural environment.
Pan Chunlin, a former miner, who now runs a hostel after local mines were shut down, explained the transformation to the Global Times "My annual income is now hundreds of times higher than before. Today, I can earn in a day what I used to make in one year".
Following the development approach referred to as the "two mountains" concept, in the past decade, Anji has modeled itself into a place known for its beautiful ecology and prosperous green industries, which have completely changed the villagers' lives, Jin Peihua, head of the "Two Mountains" Concept Research Institute affiliated with Huzhou University, said.
Global bellwether
Apart from domestic efforts, China is also making efforts in unifying a global effort on ecological preservation.
The 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, known as COP15, was convened in Kunming, Yunnan Province in 2021.
As the first global conference convened by the United Nations on the topic of ecological civilization, a philosophy proposed by China, it offered a platform for countries to find common ground on "Building a Shared Future for All Life on Earth."
During an official trip to Zimbabwe in 2015, Xi visited a local wildlife sanctuary, where he fed an orphaned elephant. He reiterated China's commitment to wildlife protection and pledged to help Zimbabwe do so by donating equipment and exchanging experience with China.
Recalling Xi's explanation of China's initiatives to breed giant pandas and expand protected areas, Roxy Danckwerts, the founder of the sanctuary, said, "I thought that was very significant that he is making such big strides in his own country."
Bradley Blankenship, a Prague-based American journalist, columnist and political commentator, recently spent a week in Beijing. Speaking with the Global Times, he said that "I must admit that based on the antiquated view of China that many Americans have and discuss publicly, I expected the city to be smoggy and congested. To the contrary, it has beautiful blue skies.
"China has been successful in beautifying Beijing, as well as other cities and towns, by transitioning from coal power to gas, establishing emission standards for coal-fired stations, implementing tougher standards for other industries such as steel and cement and seeking high-quality development with a high-quality ecological environment. These achievements have been so successful that Beijing now stands as an example for mega-cities around the globe, particularly those in the Global South," Blankenship said.
During a visit to Guizhou in June, Manasa R. Tagicakibau, Fiji's Ambassador to China, said China is "so advanced" when it comes to ecological civilization. "You look at the development that's been achieved by Guizhou authorities together with the local people, ethnic minorities and the population at large, in terms of developing the area to make this mountainous area a very safe and harmonious and happy place to live in. I'm impressed."
The ambassador said Guizhou shares a lot of similarities to some of the mountainous regions in Fiji, but there is a lot to be done in Fiji in terms of accessibility and this is an area that Fiji can learn from China.
However, some Western countries, so-called pioneering initiatives on environment protection, take a laissez-afire attitude in face of environment disasters. Recently, Chinese scientists used scientific methods to assess it and concluded that, as of Wednesday, the carbon dioxide emissions from Canadian wildfires have reached approximately 1 billion tons, which has already developed into a global environmental event.
It is worth mentioning that the forest area in China is approximately 2.31 million square kilometers, which is roughly two-thirds of that in Canada. However, the average annual emission of carbon dioxide caused by forest fires in China from 2000-21 was approximately 15 million tons, only 0.2 percent of the global forest fire emissions, demonstrating China's responsible role as a major country, experts noted.
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SOURCE Global Times | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/global-times-xis-footsteps-sichuan-demonstrate-chinas-wisdom-balancing-economic-devt-ecological-protection/ | 2023-07-31T02:44:54 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/global-times-xis-footsteps-sichuan-demonstrate-chinas-wisdom-balancing-economic-devt-ecological-protection/ |
Senate GOP leaders didn’t want it to get to this point.
They tried and tried to get Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) to lift the holds he’s placed on hundreds of military promotions — which have opened Republicans up to attacks from the Biden administration.
But their efforts have failed, and they are now in a situation where the earliest a resolution might be found is September — when lawmakers will also be busy trying to avoid a government shutdown at the end of the month.
“It’s hung around for a while. I support his goals,” said Sen. John Thune (S.D.), the No. 2 Senate Republican. “The challenge obviously is the mechanism he used to get to the result has created some challenges. We want to figure out a way to resolve it and address that.”
“There are conversations now going on, which is good — between him and the military and others. We’ll have some time in August to work on a path forward, and hopefully we’ll find it,” he said.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has been among those trying to find a resolution, Thune said. Tuberville said he and McConnell discussed the holds Wednesday, hours after the GOP leader froze and felt lightheaded in front of reporters.
“At this point, everybody’s engaged trying to figure out how to solve this,” Thune added.
Tuberville began his holds in early March to protest a new Defense Department policy to reimburse service members who must travel to seek an abortion for those travel expenses.
Six months later, the list of holds has grown to 300. Senate Republicans were hoping to find a solution before leaving Washington for five weeks — five additional weeks during which those military officers will remain in limbo, fueling Democratic attacks and frustrating the Pentagon.
One Senate Republican said finding an offramp agreeable to both Tuberville and those opposed to the holds has become a “recurring discussion” in the Senate GOP conference, and that McConnell has been personally involved in that quest.
“There’s not a lunch that goes by that we don’t talk about it,” the senator said, but added there’s “no chance of a resolution” any time soon.
Aside from the potential political and national security implications of the holds, McConnell is worried about the institutional implications.
The longtime GOP leader recently told reporters at a press conference that he is concerned this could lead to a renewed Democratic effort to change the chamber’s rules.
Despite disagreeing with Tuberville’s tactic, however, he says he recognizes it is the prerogative of any single senator to place a hold on a nominee.
Senators on both sides of the aisle for months have been musing publicly and privately about what it would take to get the Alabama Republican to set his hold aside, but have come up empty at every turn.
Initially, there had been hope that a vote on an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would reverse the abortion travel policy could do the trick, and Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) led the effort.
But more recently, Tuberville has maintained that not only does any vote have to be standalone, but that the Pentagon would have to reverse its policy before any vote could be taken.
Trying to bridge that gap for lawmakers has become a herculean challenge no one has been able to complete.
Tuberville didn’t comment on efforts by Senate GOP leaders to seek a remedy, but he criticized the Biden administration and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) for their lack of outreach in trying to strike a deal. He also hasn’t had any further conversations with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin since their July 17 call and said that the initial series of calls didn’t yield anything productive.
“There’s no conversation from the other side. It’s ‘our way or the highway.’ … How does that help?” Tuberville said. “They’re not worried about it, I guess. … I hate it, for the promotions and all that.”
He added that he has yet to talk to Schumer, who has refused to use up floor time moving the nominees through regular order because he believes it is the Senate GOP’s job to figure a way out of the maze of military holds.
“This is the responsibility of the Republican Senate caucus. … It’s up to them. I think in August, pressure will mount on Tuberville, and I think the Republicans are feeling that heat,” Schumer said late Thursday. “He’s boxing himself into a corner.”
But Democrats are trying to increase that pressure, with President Biden on Thursday night laying into the Alabama Republican and arguing his holds are harming military readiness and creating instability within the ranks of the armed forces.
“This partisan freeze is already harming military readiness, security and leadership, and troop morale,” Biden said in remarks at the Truman Civil Rights Symposium in Washington. “Freezing pay, freezing people in place. Military families who have already sacrificed so much, unsure of where and when they change stations, unable to get housing or start their kids in the new school.”
Senate Democrats also took to the floor before and after the NDAA vote Thursday to criticize their GOP colleague. Since the hold was put into place, Democratic senators have made 12 attempts to move the military promotions in bloc via unanimous request.
Perhaps adding to the difficulty, Tuberville has received a boost in support from voters at home and from conservative corners of the Senate GOP conference who believe he is making the right call, albeit a difficult one.
They also argue that if Senate Democrats truly want to move on some of the nominations, they can start to do so via regular order — a move Democrats have avoided in order to not set precedent.
“Democrats think they have a winning political thing on this. I don’t think they do, and I think Sen. Tuberville morally is in the right position with regard to the issue of abortion,” Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) said. “The [Defense] Department has just as much of a responsibility to find a path forward as any single member does, and I’m not seeing the Department try to work in any fashion other than to simply put pressure on Sen. Tuberville.”
“They’re not trying to find a path forward. They think this is one of those items where if they keep putting pressure on him, he’ll cave, and I don’t think he will,” Rounds continued. “On the issue, he’s correct.” | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/hill-politics/gop-leaders-strike-out-on-getting-tuberville-to-bend/ | 2023-07-31T02:44:54 | 1 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/hill-politics/gop-leaders-strike-out-on-getting-tuberville-to-bend/ |
NEW YORK, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Last Fortress: Underground, a grounding-breaking game set in an apocalyptic bunker, has announced a new and exciting collaboration with the hugely successful superhero TV series, The Boys. This collaboration is set to commence on July 31, offering players a chance to immerse themselves in an action-packed journey alongside these unforgettable heroes.
In this unique collaboration, players will team up with Butcher, Hughie, and Starlight, delving into uncharted territories, unlocking captivating storylines, and battling the relentless zombie horde side by side! Unleash their powers and prepare to explore the outer world with The Boys, as they strive to uncover the truth behind the mysterious zombie surge.
As players embark on this exhilarating quest, exciting rewards await! Take part in the electrifying collaboration to seize exclusive decorations, including the highly coveted "Forerunner Motorcycle" Army Skin, The Boys Emotes, Avatar Frame, Message Frame, Medal, and Nameplate. Furthermore, brace themselves for the unprecedented release of the collab hero skin and the collab fortress skin, adding a touch of uniqueness to their Last Fortress experience.
Whether people are returning players or someone new to the game, now is the perfect time to check out Last Fortress: Underground. Prepare themselves for an unparalleled gaming experience. Don't miss out on the chance to be part of this epic collaboration!
Download Last Fortress now from the App Store or Google Play, and gear up to face the zombie apocalypse hand in hand with the legendary characters of The Boys.
Download Last Fortress:
App Store/Google Play: https://lastfortress.onelink.me/dWAs/cgt9bmhr
Official Website: https://last-fortress.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/LastFortress/100063571239541/
Discord: https://discord.gg/W2yQUz7jWG
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SOURCE Last Fortress: Underground | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/last-fortress-underground-embarks-an-epic-collaboration-with-boys/ | 2023-07-31T02:45:00 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/last-fortress-underground-embarks-an-epic-collaboration-with-boys/ |
MUNCIE, Ind. (WXIN) — A street party in Muncie, Indiana, turned into the scene of a deadly shooting early Sunday morning.
One man died and nearly two dozen others were injured. Of those wounded, 19 were treated at Ball Memorial Hospital’s emergency room, and four were taken to other hospitals. Thirteen victims remained hospitalized in stable condition Sunday afternoon.
After the mass shooting, police announced that there was no further danger to the general public.
”Stranger comes up and decides to take it personal on somebody he knows in the crowd,” said one anonymous man who claimed his nephew was the block party’s disc jockey. “And you can’t fight against an AR. He let loose in the crowd. Everywhere in the crowd.”
The Delaware County coroner identified the deceased victim as 30-year-old Joseph Bonner. There’s no indication if Bonner played an active role in the shooting, whether any other victims are suspected of firing guns, or if any firearms were recovered.
A witness at IU/Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie described a scene of emergency department chaos with more than 100 people descending on the facility — many of whom were victims that were taken to the hospital by private vehicles.
Officers from several agencies — including a Muncie-based FBI agent — secured the crime scene and collected evidence while doctors and nurses treated the wounded from the mass casualty event.
By midday, detectives were still walking the debris-strewn street and parking lot with brown bags filled with collected evidence. A tow truck was also seen hauling away a bullet-riddled red Buick that appeared to have crashed during an attempt to leave the scene.
The Muncie Homecoming Festival committee said the street party where the shooting happened was not part of the official MHF celebration going on this week.
Muncie Parks Superintendent Carl Malone told Nexstar’s WXIN he chaired a neighborhood crime watch meeting last Thursday, and residents expressed fear that this weekend could turn volatile.
”We was a little concerned about violence that we thought might happen,” said Malone, who described Muncie Homecoming as a city-wide welcome home celebration held once every four years for former residents and family members to reconnect with their hometown. ”You had a lot of people congregating in one area, just hanging out and wanting to be part of the neighborhood activities. And then, at that point at time, it got into late night, and when you get into late nights, you usually have some sort of curfew violations, alcohol, guns and drugs seem to be a problem.”
Malone said Muncie has not had a community-wide gun violence initiative since 2015.
”We’ve always had concerns about this area and teenagers involved with handguns,” said Malone, whose niece attended the party. ”She just got out of surgery. She’s doing well. She’s whole. And then my godson was being treated out at Ball Hospital.”
Malone said he will meet with the city’s police leadership Monday morning to review the shooting and plans for keeping Muncie streets safe the rest of the summer.
”The mayor knows my push for gun violence, the lack of gun violence education, the lack of gun violence awareness, the lack of how to report gun violence in and out of our homes,” Malone said. “There’s a way to report crime, there’s a way to report guns, and we just have to report guns in and out of our backpacks and homes.”
Muncie is about 60 miles northwest of Indianapolis. The city is home to about 65,000 people. | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/national-news/1-dead-23-wounded-after-street-party-shooting-in-indiana/ | 2023-07-31T02:45:01 | 1 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/national-news/1-dead-23-wounded-after-street-party-shooting-in-indiana/ |
WASHINGTON, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Teamsters Union was served legal notice today that Yellow Corp. is ceasing operations and filing for bankruptcy.
"Today's news is unfortunate but not surprising. Yellow has historically proven that it could not manage itself despite billions of dollars in worker concessions and hundreds of millions in bailout funding from the federal government. This is a sad day for workers and the American freight industry," said Teamsters General President Sean M. O'Brien.
The Teamsters are committed to ensuring members are protected and notified with all the latest information. The International is putting infrastructure in place to help affected members get the assistance they need to find good union jobs throughout freight and other industries.
The situation is developing. Additional details are forthcoming.
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.2 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.
Contact:
Daniel Moskowitz, (770) 262-4971
dmoskowitz@teamster.org
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SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/teamsters-notified-that-yellow-corp-operating-companies-have-closed/ | 2023-07-31T02:45:06 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/teamsters-notified-that-yellow-corp-operating-companies-have-closed/ |
At 24, Alberto Rodriguez has grandparents younger than Joe Biden. But he’s more interested in the 80-year-old president’s accomplishments than his age.
“People as young as me, we’re all focusing on our day-to-day lives and he has done things to help us through that,” Rodriguez, a cook at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, said of Biden’s support among young voters. Rodriguez pointed specifically to federal COVID-19 relief payments and government spending increases on infrastructure and other social programs.
Voters like him were a key piece of Biden’s winning 2020 coalition, which included majorities of young people as well as college graduates, women, urban and suburban voters and Black Americans. Maintaining their support will be critical in closely contested states such as Nevada, where even small declines could prove consequential to Biden’s reelection bid.
His 2024 campaign plans to emphasize messages that could especially resonate with young people in the coming weeks as the anniversary of the sweeping Inflation Reduction Act approaches in mid-August. That legislation includes provisions that the White House will embrace to argue that Biden has done more than any other president to combat climate change.
Such efforts, however, could collide with Biden’s personal reality — like when he recalled that, while attending a St. Patrick’s Day parade at age 14, he appeared in a photo with President Harry S. Truman.
“Purely by accident — I assume it was an accident — the photographer from the newspaper got a picture of me making eye contact with Harry Truman,” Biden said to chuckles last week at the Truman Civil Rights Symposium in Washington.
In 2020, 61% of voters under age 30 — and 55% of those between 30 and 44 — supported Biden, according to AP VoteCast, a nationwide survey of the electorate.
It’s an age group with which Republicans hope to make inroads. Former President Donald Trump, who is the early front-runner in the GOP presidential primary and is only 3 1/2 years younger than Biden, said Friday, “We are hitting the young person’s market like nobody’s ever seen before.”
Kevin Munoz, a spokesman for Biden’s campaign, referred to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement in arguing that “young people are acutely impacted by the issues front and center in this election, driven by the extreme MAGA agenda.” He said that included inaction on climate change, gun violence and student debt.
“We will meet younger Americans where they are and turn their energy into action,” Munoz said in a statement.
That might not defuse questions about age, though, when it comes to Biden or Trump.
“There’s a frustration and exhaustion that they feel with the rematch,” Terrance Woodbury, co-founder & CEO of the Democratic polling firm HIT Strategies, said of young voters.
“That’s more of a problem than either of those two candidates individually, is that a system can just keep reproducing,” Woodbury added. “And I think a lot of people just find that untenable.”
An April poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that just 25% of Democrats under 45 said they would definitely support Biden in a general election, compared with 56% of older Democrats. A majority of Democrats across age groups said they would probably support him as the party’s nominee, however.
Biden’s campaign is relying heavily on the Democratic National Committee, which during last year’s midterms, hired campus organizers in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona and other battleground states and offered weekly youth coordinating meetings to encourage in-class contacts and “dormstorms.” The DNC sees young people as some of the most critical voters it will need to reach in 2024 and promises “significant investments” to mobilize them. Plans are underway to expand on its work last cycle, including trainings it held on how best to turn out voters.
The Republican National Committee is trying to use Biden’s age against him, posting online videos of Biden seeming frail or making verbal gaffes, such as when he declared in June “God save the queen,” nearly nine months after the death of England’s Queen Elizabeth II.
Rodriguez shrugged off online attacks, “People can make all the hit pieces and memes and TikToks all they want.”
A starker contrast might be between the president and rising Democrats such as 46-year-old California Rep. Ro Khanna and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, 41, one of Biden’s primary rivals in 2020. Neither seriously entertained running for the White House in 2024 and have backed Biden’s reelection.
“The only thing that really matters is your ability to do the job,” Buttigieg, who was 37 when he launched his 2020 presidential bid, said recently on CNN. Khanna told Fox News Channel that age will “obviously” be a 2024 factor, but suggested that Biden’s staff “overprotects” him and “the more he’s out there, the better.”
Other top young Democrats have lined up to back Biden. Florida Democratic Rep. Maxwell Frost, who was elected to Congress last year at 26, is on the Biden campaign’s advisory board, as is Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, 44. New York Rep. Alexandra Ocasio Cortez, 33, recently endorsed Biden.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a progressive who says strong turnout among young voters helped him win a runoff election this spring, said Biden’s policies transcend his age. Johnson noted that the president’s work “around climate justice speaks not just to this generation, but generations to come.”
“The excitement that I believe that we’re going to have is going to speak to the incredible work and organizing that we are committed to doing as a party,” said Johnson, 47. “And we’re looking forward to working with the president over the course of his next four years.”
Still, Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, acknowledged that even the president’s supporters understand how demanding the White House can be.
“People worry about Joe Biden. They worry like you would worry about a beloved father or grandfather,” said Weingarten, 65. “What you normally hear from Democrats is this sense of, ‘OK, I just want him to be OK.’ And you’re hearing just the consternation of, ’This is a hard job.’”
Biden said he “took a hard look” at his age while deciding to seek a second term. But he’s also tried to suggest his age and experience are assets rather than liabilities by joking repeatedly about them. That’s a departure from 2020, when Biden called himself a “transition candidate” and pledged to be a “bridge” to younger Democrats.
Santiago Mayer, the founder of Voters of Tomorrow, which has 20-plus chapters nationwide and works to increase political engagement among young voters, argues that Biden is not defying his past promise by running for reelection, but keeping it.
“He just needs more time,” said Mayer, who graduated from California State University at Long Beach in May. “I think the second term is a very important part of that pledge. He’s building a progressive future for young people and he can’t actually pass the baton until that’s done.”
One key policy piece of Biden’s efforts to appeal to young voters, providing student debt relief, was recently struck down by the Supreme Court. The White House has launched a new effort, but it will take longer.
“Of course it’s going to dampen some of that because people are disappointed,” Weingarten said of the ruling’s effect on enthusiasm for Biden. But she said the decision could also motivate young Biden supporters anxious show their support for the president’s alternative plan.
“It is also about the fight,” Weingarten said “not just about the results.” | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/national-news/joe-biden-the-oldest-sitting-president-needs-young-voters-will-his-age-matter/ | 2023-07-31T02:45:07 | 0 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/national-news/joe-biden-the-oldest-sitting-president-needs-young-voters-will-his-age-matter/ |
(NewsNation) — While questions remain about a mystery company buying 52,000 acres of land near an Air Force base, a congressman says farmers in the area are being targeted in a lawsuit.
Rep. John Garamendi, D-Calif., has been speaking out over the past five years about the $800 million in land acquisitions by Flannery Associates near Travis Air Force Base in Northern California.
In an interview with NewsNation, Garamendi said he’s been in contact with the families of farmers who handed over their land to Flannery. He said they didn’t want to sell in the first place.
Since no California laws require them to sell, the land was bargained for by both parties at a much higher price. But now, Flannery is suing those families for $510 million, accusing them of conspiring together to inflate the value of the land.
“It’s a suit designed to force the farmers to lawyer up, spend tens of thousands of dollars on lawyering and maybe at the end of the day, bankrupt themselves,” Garamendi said. “In fact, that has happened to at least one family that I know of and I’ve heard rumors that another family simply said we can’t afford the lawyers.”
NewsNation reviewed a copy of the lawsuit. Attorneys for Flannery said they believe “this is a simple case about a group of wealthy landowners who saw an opportunity to conspire, collude, price fix and illegally overcharge Flannery.”
But Garamendi said there was no viable economic reason to justify spending several times more than what the land is worth in the first place.
The suit comes as companies with ties to China have been ramping up efforts to buy American farmland in recent years.
Public records show “Flannery Associates” has invested more than $800 million on more than 50,000 acres of land surrounding the Travis Air Force Base since 2018.
Legal representation for Flannery said the group is controlled by U.S. citizens, with 97% of its capital coming from U.S.-based investors. But after eight months of investigation, federal officials can’t confirm or deny this to be true and have not been able to determine exactly who is backing the company.
The Air Force’s Foreign Investment Risk Review office is currently investigating Flannery Associates. Garamendi said there are valid concerns that Flannery’s land acquisitions could be tied to foreign enemies.
“The fact they chose to buy all three sides of the Travis Air Force Base even raises immediate questions about national security,” Garamendi said. “So, is this Chinese money? We don’t know, but we do know that the Chinese money was being used in North Dakota and we have a very deep suspicion, given the amount of money, given the lack of attention to values, that they simply want to acquire all of this land.”
NewsNation investigated the now thwarted deal with a Chinese-owned company in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Last year, 300 acres of farmland were purchased near the Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota by Chinese-owned Fufeng – a deal that raised red flags about potential spying.
After pushback from the community, the city council ultimately voted to end the project, citing national security risks.
Garamendi said local residents near Travis Air Force Base are riled up, just like the residents in Grand Forks, due to how critical the area is for the U.S. military.
“Travis Air Force Base is absolutely essential. It is the gateway to the Pacific,” Garamendi said, later adding, “A good deal of the munitions that are going to Ukraine also passed through Travis Air Force Base.”
China has been buying up American farmland for years. Nearly 384,000 acres of agricultural land in the U.S. is controlled by China, and the rate at which they are purchasing land is growing, the USDA reports.
Chinese ownership of American farmland has increased 55% in the past five years, with almost 75% of it located in the South and about 16% on the West Coast. | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/national-news/mystery-group-buying-land-near-air-force-base-is-suing-farmers-congressman-says/ | 2023-07-31T02:45:13 | 1 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/national-news/mystery-group-buying-land-near-air-force-base-is-suing-farmers-congressman-says/ |
LOS ANGELES (AP) — When viewed through a wide lens, renters across the U.S. finally appear to be getting some relief, thanks in part to the biggest apartment construction boom in decades.
Median rent rose just 0.5% in June, year over year, after falling in May for the first time since the pandemic hit the U.S. Some economists project U.S. rents will be down modestly this year after soaring nearly 25% over the past four years.
A closer look, however, shows the trend will likely be little comfort for many U.S. renters who’ve had to put an increasing share of their income toward their monthly payment. Renters in cities such as Cincinnati and Indianapolis are still getting hit with increases of 5% or more. Much of the new construction is located in just a few metro areas, and many of the new units are luxury apartments, which rent for well north of $2,000.
Median U.S. rent has risen to $2,029 this June from $1,629 in June 2019, according to rental listings company Rent, which tracks rents in 50 of the largest U.S. metropolitan areas. Demand for apartments exploded during the pandemic as people who could work remotely sought more space or decided to relocate to another part of the country.
The steep rent increases have left tenants like Melissa Lombana, a high school teacher who lives in the South Florida city of Miramar, with progressively less income to spend on other needs.
The rent on her one-bedroom apartment jumped 13% last year to $1,700. It climbed another 6% to $1,800 this month when she renewed her lease.
“Even the $1,700 was a stretch for me,” said Lombana, 43, who supplements her teaching income with a side job doing educational testing. “In a year, I will not be able to afford living here at all.”
Lombana’s rent is now gobbling up nearly half her monthly income. That puts her in a category referred to as “cost-burdened” by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, denoting households that pay 30% or more of their income toward rent. Last year, the average rent-to-income ratio per household rose to 30%. This March, it was 29.6%.
Lombana hasn’t had any luck finding a more affordable apartment. While South Florida is one of the metropolitan areas seeing a rise in apartment construction, the units are mostly high-end and not a viable option.
That scenario is playing out across the nation. Developers are rushing to complete projects that were green-lit during the pandemic-era surge in demand for rentals or left in limbo by delays in supplies of fixtures and building materials. Nearly 1.1 million apartments are currently under construction, according to the commercial real estate tracker CoStar, a pace not seen since the 1970s.
Increasing the supply of apartments tends to moderate rent increases over time and can give tenants more options on where to live. But more than 40% of the new rentals to be completed this year will be concentrated in about 10 high job growth metropolitan areas, including Austin, Nashville, Denver, Atlanta and New York, according to Marcus & Millichap. In many areas, the boost to overall inventory will be barely noticeable.
Even within metros where there’ll be a notable increase in available apartments, such as Nashville, most of it will be in the luxury category, where rents average $2,270, nationally. Some 70% of the new rental inventory will be the luxury class, said Jay Lybik, national director of multifamily analytics at CoStar.
That will leave most tenants unlikely to see a big enough reduction in rent to make a difference, industry experts and economists say.
“I think we’re in a period of rent flattening for 12 or 18 months, but it’s certainly not a big rent decline,” said Hessam Nadji, CEO of commercial real estate firm Marcus & Millichap.
“We’re building a multi-decade record number of units,” Nadji said. “It’s going to cause some softening and some pockets of overbuilding, but it’s not going to fundamentally resolve the housing shortage or the affordability problem for renters across the U.S.”
The surge in rents has made it difficult for workers to keep up with inflation despite solid wage gains the past few years and exacerbated a long-term trend. Between 1999 and 2022, U.S. rents soared 135%, while income grew 77%, according to data from Moody’s Analytics.
Realtor.com is forecasting that rents will drop an average of 0.9% this year. But while down nationally, rents are still rising in many markets around the country, especially those where hiring remains robust.
In the New York metro area, the median rent climbed 4.7% in June from a year earlier to $2,899, according to Realtor.com. In the Midwest, rents surged 5.6% in the Cincinnati metro area to $1,188, and 6.9% to $1,350 in the Indianapolis metro area.
The current spike in apartment construction alone isn’t going to be enough to address how costly renting has become for many Americans.
“For the rest of the 2020s rents will continue to grow because millennials are such a big generation and we’re very much in the hole in terms of building housing for that generation,” said Daryl Fairweather, chief economist at Redfin. “It will take many good years of new construction to build adequate housing for millennials.”
The bigger challenge is building more work force housing, because the cost of land, labor and navigating the government approval process incentivize developers to put up luxury apartments buildings.
Expanding the supply of modestly priced rentals would help alleviate the strain from so many new apartments targeting renters with high incomes, “although additional subsidies will be needed to make housing affordable to households with the lowest incomes,” researchers at Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies wrote in a recent report.
Despite the overall pullback in U.S. rents, Joey Di Girolamo, in Pembroke Pines, Florida, worries that he’ll face more sharp rent increases in coming years.
Last year, the web designer left a two-bedroom, two-bath townhome he rented for $2,200 a month to avoid a $600 a month increase. This year, his rent went up by $200, a nearly 10% jump.
“That blew me away,” said Di Girolamo, 50. “I’m just kind of dreading what it’s going to be like next year, but especially 3 or 4 years from now.” | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/national-news/renters-get-relief-from-rising-prices-except-in-certain-us-cities/ | 2023-07-31T02:45:19 | 1 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/national-news/renters-get-relief-from-rising-prices-except-in-certain-us-cities/ |
HELSINKI – Denmark’s foreign minister said Sunday the government will seek to make it illegal to desecrate the Quran or other religious holy books in front of foreign embassies in the Nordic country.
Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said in an interview with the Danish public broadcaster DR that the burning of holy scriptures “only serves the purpose of creating division in a world that actually needs unity.”
“That is why we have decided in the government that we will look at how, in very special situations, we can put an end to mockery of other countries, which is in direct conflict with Danish interests and the safety of the Danes,” he said.
A recent string of public Quran desecrations by a handful of anti-Islam activists in Denmark and neighboring Sweden have sparked angry demonstrations in Muslim countries.
Løkke Rasmussen said the Cabinet of Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen is determined to find “a legal tool” to prohibit such acts without compromising freedom of expression, but he acknowledged that would not be easy.
“There must be room for religious criticism, and we have no thoughts of reintroducing a blasphemy clause,” he told DR. “But when you stand up in front of a foreign embassy and burn a Quran or burn the Torah scroll in front of the Israeli embassy, it serves no other purpose than to mock.”
His comments followed a statement issued late Sunday by the Danish government saying freedom of expression is one of the most important values in Danish society.
But, it added, the descreation of the Muslim holy book in Denmark has resulted in the nation being viewed in many places around the world "as a country that facilitates insult and denigration of the cultures, religions, and traditions of other countries.”
The government repeated its condemnation of such descecrations, say they are “deeply offensive and reckless acts committed by few individuals” and "do not represent the values the Danish society is built on.”
In Sweden, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said Sunday on Instagram that his government is analyzing the legal situation regarding desecration of the Quran and other holy books, given the animosity such acts are stirring up against Sweden.
“We are in the most serious security policy situation since the Second World War,” Kristersson said.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation has called an emergency remote meeting Monday to discuss the Quran burnings in Sweden and Denmark. | https://www.wsls.com/news/world/2023/07/30/denmark-seeks-to-legally-prevent-burnings-of-quran-or-other-religious-scriptures/ | 2023-07-31T02:45:24 | 1 | https://www.wsls.com/news/world/2023/07/30/denmark-seeks-to-legally-prevent-burnings-of-quran-or-other-religious-scriptures/ |
July keeps sizzling as Phoenix hits another 110-degree day and wildfires spread in California
PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix sizzled through its 31st consecutive day of at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius) and other parts of the country grappled Sunday with record temperatures after a week that saw significant portions of the U.S. population subject to extreme heat.
The National Weather Service said Phoenix was expected to climb to 112 F (44.4 Celsius) before the day was through.
July has been so steamy thus far that scientists calculate it will be the hottest month ever recorded and likely the warmest human civilization has seen. The World Meteorological Organization and the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service on Thursday proclaimed July beyond record-smashing.
The historic heat began blasting the lower Southwest U.S. in late June, stretching from Texas across New Mexico and Arizona and into California’s desert.
On Sunday, a massive wildfire burning out of control in California’s Mojave National Preserve spread rapidly amid erratic winds, while firefighters reported progress against another major blaze to the south that prompted evacuations.
The York Fire that erupted Friday near the remote Caruthers Canyon area of the preserve sent up a huge plume of smoke visible nearly 100 miles (160 kilometers) away across the state line in Nevada.
Flames 20 feet (6 meters) high in some spots have charred more than 110 square miles (284 square kilometers) of desert scrub, juniper and Joshua tree woodland, according to a Sunday update.
“The dry fuel acts as a ready ignition source, and when paired with those weather conditions it resulted in long-distance fire run and high flames, leading to extreme fire behavior,” authorities said. No structures were threatened, but there was also no containment.
To the southwest, the Bonny Fire was holding steady at about 3.4 square miles (8.8 square kilometers) in rugged hills of Riverside County. More than 1,300 people were ordered to evacuate their homes Saturday near the remote community of Aguanga, California.
Triple-digit heat was expected in parts of the central San Joaquin Valley through Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
And in Burbank, California, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Los Angeles, the summer heat may have been responsible for some unusual behavior in the animal kingdom: Police in the city responded to a report of a bear sighting in a residential neighborhood and found the animal sitting in a Jacuzzi behind one of the homes.
As climate change brings hotter and longer heat waves, record temperatures across the U.S. have killed dozens of people, and the poorest Americans suffer the most. Air conditioning, once a luxury, is now a matter of survival.
Last year, all 86 heat-related deaths indoors were in uncooled environments.
“To explain it fairly simply: Heat kills,” said Kristie Ebi, a University of Washington professor who researches heat and health. “Once the heat wave starts, mortality starts in about 24 hours.”
It’s the poorest and people of color, from Kansas City to Detroit to New York City and beyond, who are far more likely to face grueling heat without air conditioning, according to a Boston University analysis of 115 U.S. metro areas.
Back in Phoenix, slight relief may be on the way as expected seasonal thunderstorms could drop temperatures Monday and Tuesday.
“It should be around 108 degrees, so we break that 110 streak,” meteorologist Tom Frieders said. “Increasing cloud cover will put temperatures in a downward trend.”
The relief could be short-lived, however. Highs are expected to creep back to 110 F (43.3 C) Wednesday with temperatures reaching 115 F (46.1 C) by the end of the week.
Phoenix has also sweated through a record 16 consecutive nights when the lows temperature didn’t dip below 90 F (32.2 C), making it hard for people to cool off after sunset.
Meanwhile, Las Vegas continues to flirt with its hottest July ever. The city is closing in on its 2010 record for the average of the high and low each day for July, which stands at 96.2 F (35.5 C).
The extreme heat is also hitting the eastern U.S, as soaring temperatures moved from the Midwest into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, where some places recorded their warmest days so far this year.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ | 2023-07-31T02:45:24 | 1 | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ |
Lido Key resident wants vacation rentals gone
SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - Sarasota Police Department is still investigating a shooting that took place on July 24th that sent two people to the hospital with minor injuries. That shooting took place just before 1 a.m. on the corner of Jackson Drive and South Washinton Drive. The home is a vacation rental with Lido Key Vacation Rentals.
Manuel Chepote has lived in the area for over 30 years and explained if it was a different time of day, things could have been worse with people walking around.
“You are walking and then you are killed innocently. No this is terrible. The city has to take charge and do something about that,” said Chepote.
Chepote said the issue is the vacation rentals that he believes are taking over the residential area.
“Where you put 30 people in one house and we have no control over the people that come and go from those houses, who they are, and look what happened,” said Chepote.
Chepote is asking for changes to be made to the rules and regulations of vacation rentals. He said it will help keep residents safe and make sure peaceful neighborhoods aren’t disrupted.
“I wish the city commission will put a stop. Take the license away from all these hotel houses or put a limit. Yes rent it, but no less than a month,” said Chepote.
Cynthia McLaughlin, SPD Communications Specialist, explained this is the first shooting in Lido Key this year.
“We don’t like responding to shootings. We don’t like that occurring in our city. Especially like you mentioned, Lido is a popular vacation destination,” said McLaughlin.
The investigation is ongoing and SPD is encouraging any residents with information or surveillance video to share it with them.
Copyright 2023 WWSB. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2023/07/31/lido-key-resident-wants-vacation-rentals-gone/ | 2023-07-31T02:45:24 | 1 | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2023/07/31/lido-key-resident-wants-vacation-rentals-gone/ |
BEIJING, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- President Xi Jinping visited the site of a section of an ancient road system known as "Shudao" in Guangyuan on July 25, which winds its way through rugged mountains and ancient trees. There, Xi learned about efforts surrounding ecological conservation.
This visit marks Xi's attention to China's ecological development, which has achieved remarkable progress over the past 10 years, said experts.
Witnessing the government's recent remarks on ecology, they believed that the country's road of building a Beautiful China has demonstrated the nation's wisdom in balancing the needs of economic development and improving the environment.
Before heading to Sichuan, Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered a speech at a national conference on ecological and environmental protection held from July 17 to 18.
Xi said that the country's ecological conservation has undergone a historic, transformative and comprehensive changes both in theory and practice, with significant strides made in building a Beautiful China.
Noting that China's economy and society have entered a stage of high-quality development marked by accelerated progress in promoting green and low-carbon growth, Xi called for higher standards, a broader perspective and stronger efforts in planning and advancing ecological and environmental protection on the new journey, as well as writing a new chapter of ecological conservation in the new era.
Xi stressed the need to properly handle the relationships between high-quality development and high-level protection, between tackling major challenges and coordinating governance, between natural recovery and human-assisted restoration, between external constraints and internal driving forces, as well as between "dual carbon" commitments and self-determined actions.
Xi said that the country's ecological conservation has undergone historical, transformative and comprehensive changes both in theory and practice, with significant strides made in building a Beautiful China.
This conference again showed us how importance the central government attaches to ecological protection, an official from environment protection bureau in Wuhai, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, who requested anonymity, told the Global Times on Friday. He said during the past 10 years, ecological protection has become an increasingly important indictor in evaluating government's performance in his city, which was famous for coal production.
"Although planting trees costs more in Inner Mongolia than in other parts of China due to lack of water and dry weather, we learned in the past 10 years that making our city greener brings more benefits than leaving the mountains bare. The city becomes more beautiful, residents are happy, and more tourists visit; also we saw less sandstorms," the official said.
During a press conference on Thursday, Huang Runqiu, China's minister of ecology and environment, highlighted China's achievement on ecological protection over recent years.
From 2013 to 2022, China's average PM2.5 concentration decreased by 57 percent and the number of heavily polluted days decreased by 93 percent, while the nation's GDP doubled during the same period, Huang said. This made China the country with the fastest improvement in air quality worldwide. Specifically, in Beijing, the average PM2.5 concentration decreased from 89.5 micrograms per cubic meter in 2013 to 30 micrograms per cubic meter in 2022, and the number of heavily polluted days decreased from 58 to only 3, said Huang. The United Nations Environment Agency praised this achievement as the "Beijing Miracle."
Lin Boqiang, director of the China Center for Energy Economics Research at Xiamen University, told the Global Times that "China has engaged in a sustained top-down efforts for many years to enhance ecological protection. The central and local governments march together toward the same goal, with continuous environmental policies. Moreover, the country has demonstrated its wisdom in how to balance ecological development and maintain fast economic growth at the same time."
Perfect balance
We should protect nature and preserve the environment like we protect our eyes, and endeavor to foster a new relationship where man and nature can both prosper and live in harmony, President Xi once said.
Xi has given important instructions on the rational utilization and friendly protection of the ecological environment during his numerous visits to the frontlines of ecological protection, such as to the Maanshan forest farm in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the Qilian Mountains, the Shandan Horse Ranch in Gansu, an ecological wetland of the Dianchi Lake in Kunming, and many other places.
In June 2022, Xi visited Yibin, Sichuan Province, where the Jinsha and Minjiang rivers converge into the Yangtze River. He noted that sound ecological conservation along the Yangtze River basin is the precondition for advancing high-quality development in the Yangtze River Economic Belt.
The Yellow River and the Yangtze River are the mother rivers of the Chinese nation. The protection of the mother rivers is a crucial project concerning the great rejuvenation and sustainable development of the Chinese nation, Xi said at the time.
From June 5 to 6 this year, accompanied by officials from Inner Mongolia, Xi was on a fact-finding mission at a nature reserve, a modern agricultural demonstration park, a forest farm and a water resources department in the city of Bayannur.
On June 6, Xi presided over a symposium in Bayannur on strengthening the comprehensive prevention and control of desertification and promoting the construction of crucial ecological projects, including the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program.
Xi, who was then the Party Chief of Zhejiang, put forward the famous "two mountains" concept - clear waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets comparable to the gold and silver of legend - in August 2005 during his visit to Anji county.
Nowadays, residents in the county has sought out ways to make a living that they enjoy, with many becoming businessmen, running their own hostels, shops and tourism companies, thanks to the improved natural environment.
Pan Chunlin, a former miner, who now runs a hostel after local mines were shut down, explained the transformation to the Global Times "My annual income is now hundreds of times higher than before. Today, I can earn in a day what I used to make in one year".
Following the development approach referred to as the "two mountains" concept, in the past decade, Anji has modeled itself into a place known for its beautiful ecology and prosperous green industries, which have completely changed the villagers' lives, Jin Peihua, head of the "Two Mountains" Concept Research Institute affiliated with Huzhou University, said.
Global bellwether
Apart from domestic efforts, China is also making efforts in unifying a global effort on ecological preservation.
The 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, known as COP15, was convened in Kunming, Yunnan Province in 2021.
As the first global conference convened by the United Nations on the topic of ecological civilization, a philosophy proposed by China, it offered a platform for countries to find common ground on "Building a Shared Future for All Life on Earth."
During an official trip to Zimbabwe in 2015, Xi visited a local wildlife sanctuary, where he fed an orphaned elephant. He reiterated China's commitment to wildlife protection and pledged to help Zimbabwe do so by donating equipment and exchanging experience with China.
Recalling Xi's explanation of China's initiatives to breed giant pandas and expand protected areas, Roxy Danckwerts, the founder of the sanctuary, said, "I thought that was very significant that he is making such big strides in his own country."
Bradley Blankenship, a Prague-based American journalist, columnist and political commentator, recently spent a week in Beijing. Speaking with the Global Times, he said that "I must admit that based on the antiquated view of China that many Americans have and discuss publicly, I expected the city to be smoggy and congested. To the contrary, it has beautiful blue skies.
"China has been successful in beautifying Beijing, as well as other cities and towns, by transitioning from coal power to gas, establishing emission standards for coal-fired stations, implementing tougher standards for other industries such as steel and cement and seeking high-quality development with a high-quality ecological environment. These achievements have been so successful that Beijing now stands as an example for mega-cities around the globe, particularly those in the Global South," Blankenship said.
During a visit to Guizhou in June, Manasa R. Tagicakibau, Fiji's Ambassador to China, said China is "so advanced" when it comes to ecological civilization. "You look at the development that's been achieved by Guizhou authorities together with the local people, ethnic minorities and the population at large, in terms of developing the area to make this mountainous area a very safe and harmonious and happy place to live in. I'm impressed."
The ambassador said Guizhou shares a lot of similarities to some of the mountainous regions in Fiji, but there is a lot to be done in Fiji in terms of accessibility and this is an area that Fiji can learn from China.
However, some Western countries, so-called pioneering initiatives on environment protection, take a laissez-afire attitude in face of environment disasters. Recently, Chinese scientists used scientific methods to assess it and concluded that, as of Wednesday, the carbon dioxide emissions from Canadian wildfires have reached approximately 1 billion tons, which has already developed into a global environmental event.
It is worth mentioning that the forest area in China is approximately 2.31 million square kilometers, which is roughly two-thirds of that in Canada. However, the average annual emission of carbon dioxide caused by forest fires in China from 2000-21 was approximately 15 million tons, only 0.2 percent of the global forest fire emissions, demonstrating China's responsible role as a major country, experts noted.
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SOURCE Global Times | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/global-times-xis-footsteps-sichuan-demonstrate-chinas-wisdom-balancing-economic-devt-ecological-protection/ | 2023-07-31T02:45:25 | 1 | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/global-times-xis-footsteps-sichuan-demonstrate-chinas-wisdom-balancing-economic-devt-ecological-protection/ |
NEW YORK, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Last Fortress: Underground, a grounding-breaking game set in an apocalyptic bunker, has announced a new and exciting collaboration with the hugely successful superhero TV series, The Boys. This collaboration is set to commence on July 31, offering players a chance to immerse themselves in an action-packed journey alongside these unforgettable heroes.
In this unique collaboration, players will team up with Butcher, Hughie, and Starlight, delving into uncharted territories, unlocking captivating storylines, and battling the relentless zombie horde side by side! Unleash their powers and prepare to explore the outer world with The Boys, as they strive to uncover the truth behind the mysterious zombie surge.
As players embark on this exhilarating quest, exciting rewards await! Take part in the electrifying collaboration to seize exclusive decorations, including the highly coveted "Forerunner Motorcycle" Army Skin, The Boys Emotes, Avatar Frame, Message Frame, Medal, and Nameplate. Furthermore, brace themselves for the unprecedented release of the collab hero skin and the collab fortress skin, adding a touch of uniqueness to their Last Fortress experience.
Whether people are returning players or someone new to the game, now is the perfect time to check out Last Fortress: Underground. Prepare themselves for an unparalleled gaming experience. Don't miss out on the chance to be part of this epic collaboration!
Download Last Fortress now from the App Store or Google Play, and gear up to face the zombie apocalypse hand in hand with the legendary characters of The Boys.
Download Last Fortress:
App Store/Google Play: https://lastfortress.onelink.me/dWAs/cgt9bmhr
Official Website: https://last-fortress.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/LastFortress/100063571239541/
Discord: https://discord.gg/W2yQUz7jWG
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Last Fortress: Underground | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/last-fortress-underground-embarks-an-epic-collaboration-with-boys/ | 2023-07-31T02:45:32 | 0 | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/last-fortress-underground-embarks-an-epic-collaboration-with-boys/ |
WASHINGTON, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Teamsters Union was served legal notice today that Yellow Corp. is ceasing operations and filing for bankruptcy.
"Today's news is unfortunate but not surprising. Yellow has historically proven that it could not manage itself despite billions of dollars in worker concessions and hundreds of millions in bailout funding from the federal government. This is a sad day for workers and the American freight industry," said Teamsters General President Sean M. O'Brien.
The Teamsters are committed to ensuring members are protected and notified with all the latest information. The International is putting infrastructure in place to help affected members get the assistance they need to find good union jobs throughout freight and other industries.
The situation is developing. Additional details are forthcoming.
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.2 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.
Contact:
Daniel Moskowitz, (770) 262-4971
dmoskowitz@teamster.org
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SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/teamsters-notified-that-yellow-corp-operating-companies-have-closed/ | 2023-07-31T02:45:38 | 0 | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/teamsters-notified-that-yellow-corp-operating-companies-have-closed/ |
Dream vs. Aces Prediction & Picks: Line, Spread, Over/Under - August 1
The Las Vegas Aces (23-2) will try to build on a seven-game winning stretch when hosting the Atlanta Dream (14-11) on Tuesday, August 1, 2023 at Michelob ULTRA Arena. This game is at 10:00 PM ET on BSSE.
The game has no line set.
Rep your team with officially licensed Dream gear! Head to Fanatics to find jerseys, shirts, and much more.
Dream vs. Aces Game Info & Odds
- When: Tuesday, August 1, 2023 at 10:00 PM ET
- Where: Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada
- TV: BSSE
Check out the latest odds and place your bets on the Aces or Dream with BetMGM Sportsbook. Use our link for the best new user offer, no promo code required!
Dream vs. Aces Score Prediction
Prediction: Aces 90 Dream 76
Spread & Total Prediction for Dream vs. Aces
- Computer Predicted Spread: Las Vegas (-14)
- Computer Predicted Total: 166.3
Dream vs. Aces Spread & Total Insights
- Atlanta's record against the spread is 13-10-0.
- This year, 12 of Atlanta's 24 games have hit the over.
Watch live WNBA games without cable on all your devices with a seven-day free trial to Fubo!
Dream Performance Insights
- The Dream are fourth in the WNBA in points scored (84.8 per game) and ninth in points allowed (84.6).
- On the glass, Atlanta is third-best in the WNBA in rebounds (36.8 per game). It is ninth in rebounds allowed (35.8 per game).
- In 2023, the Dream are second-worst in the league in turnovers committed (14.5 per game) and sixth in turnovers forced (13.2).
- In 2023 the Dream are fifth in the league in 3-point makes (7.2 per game) and third-best in 3-point percentage (35.9%).
- Defensively, the Dream are fourth in the league in 3-pointers allowed per game at 7.4. They are second-best in 3-point percentage conceded at 32.6%.
- In 2023, Atlanta has attempted 70.9% percent of its shots from inside the arc, and 29.1% percent from beyond it. In terms of made shots, 76.0% of Atlanta's buckets have been 2-pointers, and 24.0% have been 3-pointers.
Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/sports/betting/2023/08/01/dream-aces-wnba-picks-predictions/ | 2023-07-31T02:45:44 | 0 | https://www.mysuncoast.com/sports/betting/2023/08/01/dream-aces-wnba-picks-predictions/ |
UPPER SOUTHAMPTON TWP., Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- Police in Bucks County are asking for the public's help in identifying two armed robbers who targeted a 7-Eleven early Sunday morning.
It happened at the convenience store on Street Road in Upper Southampton Township at approximately 4:30 a.m.
Police said the suspects used a black semi-automatic handgun during the robbery.
Authorities believe the suspects are also responsible for holding up another 7-Eleven in Montgomery Township about an hour earlier.
The first suspect is described as a man wearing a navy hooded sweatshirt, black pants with a grey stripe down each leg, dark sneakers with white near the sole, a face covering, sunglasses, high-visibility yellow gloves, and using a handgun.
The second suspect is described as a man wearing a navy-colored Reebok hooded sweatshirt with a triangular design, black pants with assorted decorations, eyeglasses, a face covering, and grey gloves.
Anyone with information on either of these suspects is asked to call police. | https://6abc.com/suspect-images-bucks-county-police-armed-robbery-7-eleven/13575233/ | 2023-07-31T02:46:50 | 0 | https://6abc.com/suspect-images-bucks-county-police-armed-robbery-7-eleven/13575233/ |
Updated July 30, 2023 at 10:09 PM ET
It's the end of the road for one of the nation's largest freight carriers.
Yellow, a trucking company that just three years ago took a $700 million federal pandemic loan, is shutting down, according to the Teamsters union, which represents the company's 22,000 unionized workers.
The company is expected to file for bankruptcy as soon as Monday, according to industry experts, following a recent exodus of customers amid union strife and on top of years of financial troubles.
With 30,000 jobs at stake, it's poised to be the largest trucking bankruptcy in the history of the U.S., experts said. The company, formerly known as YRC Worldwide, is the third largest less-than-truckload carrier by revenue, behind FedEx and Old Dominion. LTL companies move pallet-sized shipments — smaller than a container, but bigger than a parcel.
Yellow has not publicly announced any plans for bankruptcy or a potential shutdown.
Here's what we know.
Employees were told to prepare for a company shutdown
The Teamsters union, which had been locked in contentious negotiations for a new contract with Yellow, said it received a legal notice that Yellow is ceasing operations and filing for bankruptcy, according to a news release posted Sunday night.
"Today's news is unfortunate but not surprising," said Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien. "This is a sad day for workers and the American freight industry."
The union's announcement comes hours after The Wall Street Journal reported that Yellow shut down on Sunday afternoon, citing internal notices sent to customers and employees.
Yellow says it will issue a public statement on Monday about "the state of the company and the operation," according to the industry outlet FreightWaves, which also obtained internal documents.
Yellow has not responded to NPR's requests for comment.
Yellow laid off an unknown number of its employees on Friday, reported FreightWaves, citing a memo sent to staff informing them that the company is "shutting down its regular operations" and "laying off employees at all of its locations."
The same day, Teamsters had advised Yellow employees to "prepare for the worst."
"Yellow appears to be headed to a complete shutdown within the next few days," said Teamsters National Freight Director John Murphy in a Friday memo shared with NPR.
A strike threat delivered the final blow to cash-poor Yellow
The shutdown comes just days after a Teamsters strike at the company was averted. A week ago, a pension fund agreed to extend health benefits for workers at two Yellow operating companies after the carrier missed its $50 million benefits payment to the fund on July 15, the union said.
While the extension held off a July 24 strike, the threat of a walkout that could disrupt operations prompted a wave of Yellow customers to bolt.
"The Teamsters actions induced a high level of variability and uncertainty in the market for Yellow's customers. The market abhors variability and uncertainty," wrote Mike Regan, co-founder of TranzAct Technologies, which manages transportation services for retailers. "Consequently, Yellow lost substantial and much needed volume."
After the strike threat, Yellow's freight volumes fell 80% within the span of a week, according to Jack Atkins, a managing director at the financial services firm Stephens who researches the transportation sector.
At the same time, he said, Yellow's cries that it was running out of cash during union negotiation attempts scared off customers. After fleeing to rival carriers like FedEx and ABF Freight, customers didn't return.
"Both sides bear fault," Atkins said. "Once that freight left, there was nothing left to really restructure," he added. "It was really too late to save the company."
The company has been at risk of bankruptcy for years
Animus between Yellow and Teamsters has grown in recent months, with each party blaming one another for the company's problems.
After the trucking carrier tried to restructure its operations this spring as a cost-saving measure that would allow it to refinance its debt. In June, Yellow sued the union for blocking the restructuring plan it said was "essential to the company's survival." The Teamsters in turn called the lawsuit "baseless," instead blaming Yellow for "decades of gross mismanagement," that included its alleged exhaustion of the $700 million bailout loan.
The company reported a net income of $21.8 million last year. Yellow has $1.3 billion in loan debt due in fall 2024, $729 million of which is owed to the federal government, according to the company's latest quarterly report.
Yellow received a $700 million loan from the government in 2020 as part of a COVID-19 rescue package. In return, the Treasury Department took a 30% stake in the company's shares, which have since plummeted to less than a dollar apiece as of Friday.
In June, a congressional probe found that the Treasury Department's disbursement of the loan was a mistake; the freight company — whose customers included the Department of Defense — did not actually meet the standards to qualify for the business loan because its survival was not "critical to maintaining national security."
"Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Yellow was a financially struggling company that had a long-term non-investment grade (i.e., junk) rating and previous close calls with bankruptcy over the years. The pandemic did not cause Yellow's longstanding problems, nor is the Treasury's loan to the company likely to solve those problems," the Congressional Oversight Commission report read.
A world without Yellow
An end to the Nashville-based company would mean the loss of 30,000 jobs.
In its Sunday statement, the Teamsters union said it's working to help "affected members get the assistance they need to find good union jobs throughout freight and other industries."
Atkins doesn't expect the federal government to come to the rescue this time. While there may be some slight disruptions, the analyst anticipates other freight carriers will have some capacity to absorb Yellow's business because of a recent dent in freight volumes.
"This is not going to create a supply-chain crisis," he said.
Retailers and manufacturers are likely to see higher shipping rates if the company folds, he said. Yellow is known for its low shipping rates compared to its rivals.
Atkins visited the Yellow terminal in Little Rock, Ark., on Sunday to find all gates chained up, a sign of ceased operations.
"They've been in wind-down mode, clearing the network out of all the remaining freight," he said. "This is the end."
NPR's Camila Domonoske contributed to this story.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wdiy.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-07-30/the-yellow-trucking-company-meltdown-explained | 2023-07-31T02:46:59 | 0 | https://www.wdiy.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-07-30/the-yellow-trucking-company-meltdown-explained |
How have our expenditure patterns changed since 1950?
Dr. Kamran Afshar takes a look at this and more in his synopsis of the week's economic news and trends across the Lehigh Valley and the nation.
Click here for the latest Lehigh Valley Economic Review.
Listen to Economic Pulse Fridays at 5:44 PM during All Things Considered; Mondays at 7:30 AM during Morning Edition.
(Original air-date: 7/28/23) | https://www.wdiy.org/podcast/economic-pulse-with-dr-kamran-afshar/2023-07-30/economic-pulse-week-of-7-28-23 | 2023-07-31T02:47:05 | 0 | https://www.wdiy.org/podcast/economic-pulse-with-dr-kamran-afshar/2023-07-30/economic-pulse-week-of-7-28-23 |
How have our expenditure patterns changed since 1950?
Dr. Kamran Afshar takes a look at this and more in his synopsis of the week's economic news and trends across the Lehigh Valley and the nation.
Click here for the latest Lehigh Valley Economic Review.
Listen to Economic Pulse Fridays at 5:44 PM during All Things Considered; Mondays at 7:30 AM during Morning Edition.
(Original air-date: 7/28/23) | https://www.wdiy.org/show/economic-pulse-with-dr-kamran-afshar/2023-07-30/economic-pulse-week-of-7-28-23 | 2023-07-31T02:47:11 | 1 | https://www.wdiy.org/show/economic-pulse-with-dr-kamran-afshar/2023-07-30/economic-pulse-week-of-7-28-23 |
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How have our expenditure patterns changed since 1950? Dr. Kamran Afshar takes a look at this and more in his synopsis of the week's economic news and trends across the Lehigh Valley and the nation.
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How have our expenditure patterns changed since 1950? Dr. Kamran Afshar takes a look at this and more in his synopsis of the week's economic news and trends across the Lehigh Valley and the nation. | https://www.wdiy.org/tags/expenditure-patterns | 2023-07-31T02:47:17 | 0 | https://www.wdiy.org/tags/expenditure-patterns |
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How have our expenditure patterns changed since 1950? Dr. Kamran Afshar takes a look at this and more in his synopsis of the week's economic news and trends across the Lehigh Valley and the nation.
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How have our expenditure patterns changed since 1950? Dr. Kamran Afshar takes a look at this and more in his synopsis of the week's economic news and trends across the Lehigh Valley and the nation. | https://www.wdiy.org/tags/goods-and-services | 2023-07-31T02:47:23 | 1 | https://www.wdiy.org/tags/goods-and-services |
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How have our expenditure patterns changed since 1950? Dr. Kamran Afshar takes a look at this and more in his synopsis of the week's economic news and trends across the Lehigh Valley and the nation.
-
How have our expenditure patterns changed since 1950? Dr. Kamran Afshar takes a look at this and more in his synopsis of the week's economic news and trends across the Lehigh Valley and the nation. | https://www.wdiy.org/tags/united-states | 2023-07-31T02:47:30 | 1 | https://www.wdiy.org/tags/united-states |
Much of the Orioles’ rebuild was spent out of the national spotlight, though that’s likely where they preferred their frequent defeats, the all-too-common games where the opposing team put them in an insurmountable hole.
On Sunday, they returned the favor to one of the frequent deliverers of those challenging nights, beating the New York Yankees, 9-3, in front of a national audience on ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball.” The last time Camden Yards hosted a “Sunday Night Baseball” was oAug. 26, 2018, one of the many defeats in a four-year span in which they lost 36 more games than any other organization.
But Baltimore (64-41) has come out the other side as one of baseball’s best teams. By winning Sunday, the Orioles claimed the season series against the Yankees for the first time since 2016, the season of their most recent playoff berth. They’re positioned to end that drought, leading the Tampa Bay Rays by 1 1/2 games in the American League East.
Manager Brandon Hyde treated the game as dicier than the score indicated it was, but the Orioles led comfortably throughout thanks to a seven-run first inning. Baltimore’s first six batters reached against Yankees right-hander Luis Severino, who they had likewise pummeled in a start earlier this month in New York.
After singles by Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson, doubles from Anthony Santander and Ryan O’Hearn, and a walk from Austin Hays, Adam Frazier highlighted the frame with a three-run home run. Batting leadoff for the second straight game, Rutschman came back around for a second time and singled again, driving in Jordan Westburg for the frame’s final run. It was the third time this season the Orioles scored seven runs in an inning against the Yankees (55-50).
Baltimore starter Dean Kremer struck out two in a perfect top of the first, but struggled to work efficiently once provided the large lead. He left the bases loaded in the second and surrendered two deep flyballs to open the third, the first from Jake Bauers landing in the Orioles’ bullpen for a home run and the second hitting the top of Camden Yards’ deep left field wall for a double by Gleyber Torres. Kremer recovered to strike out New York’s next three batters, but Bauers’ double off Kremer in the fourth plated another run.
The Orioles answered with RBI doubles by Henderson and O’Hearn, chasing Severino and leaving him with 16 earned runs allowed and 18 outs recorded across two starts against them this month. But Kremer did not outlast him by much. On his 90th pitch, Giancarlo Stanton singled to center, eventually coming home with Mike Baumann on the mound to leave Kremer with three runs surrendered over four-plus innings.
Baltimore’s bullpen was otherwise spotless over its five innings of work. After an early defensive substitution from Hyde — taking out second baseman Jordan Westburg as part of a series of moves to get Ryan McKenna in center — Shintaro Fujinami, the Orioles’ lone trade acquisition thus far ahead of Tuesday’s deadline, worked two scoreless innings, giving him 4 2/3 scoreless frames and seven strikeouts in his past three outings, and Danny Coulombe followed with a shutout eighth.
Although the Orioles led by six runs throughout, All-Star setup man Yennier Cano warmed up in the bullpen three times, then entered for the ninth. Striking out the side, Cano gave the Orioles’ staff a season-high 18 strikeouts and finished off the victory in front of an announced crowd of 37,429, with the weekend series representing Baltimore’s best draw for a three-game series since July 2016.
This story will be updated. | https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bs-sp-orioles-yankees-sunday-night-baseball-20230731-ayetyvojjzhbdffghebxqvx474-story.html | 2023-07-31T02:48:53 | 0 | https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bs-sp-orioles-yankees-sunday-night-baseball-20230731-ayetyvojjzhbdffghebxqvx474-story.html |
At 24, Alberto Rodriguez has grandparents younger than Joe Biden. But he’s more interested in the 80-year-old president’s accomplishments than his age.
“People as young as me, we’re all focusing on our day-to-day lives and he has done things to help us through that,” Rodriguez, a cook at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, said of Biden’s support among young voters. Rodriguez pointed specifically to federal COVID-19 relief payments and government spending increases on infrastructure and other social programs.
Voters like him were a key piece of Biden’s winning 2020 coalition, which included majorities of young people as well as college graduates, women, urban and suburban voters and Black Americans. Maintaining their support will be critical in closely contested states such as Nevada, where even small declines could prove consequential to Biden’s reelection bid.
His 2024 campaign plans to emphasize messages that could especially resonate with young people in the coming weeks as the anniversary of the sweeping Inflation Reduction Act approaches in mid-August. That legislation includes provisions that the White House will embrace to argue that Biden has done more than any other president to combat climate change.
Such efforts, however, could collide with Biden’s personal reality — like when he recalled that, while attending a St. Patrick’s Day parade at age 14, he appeared in a photo with President Harry S. Truman.
“Purely by accident — I assume it was an accident — the photographer from the newspaper got a picture of me making eye contact with Harry Truman,” Biden said to chuckles last week at the Truman Civil Rights Symposium in Washington.
In 2020, 61% of voters under age 30 — and 55% of those between 30 and 44 — supported Biden, according to AP VoteCast, a nationwide survey of the electorate.
It’s an age group with which Republicans hope to make inroads. Former President Donald Trump, who is the early front-runner in the GOP presidential primary and is only 3 1/2 years younger than Biden, said Friday, “We are hitting the young person’s market like nobody’s ever seen before.”
Kevin Munoz, a spokesman for Biden’s campaign, referred to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement in arguing that “young people are acutely impacted by the issues front and center in this election, driven by the extreme MAGA agenda.” He said that included inaction on climate change, gun violence and student debt.
“We will meet younger Americans where they are and turn their energy into action,” Munoz said in a statement.
That might not defuse questions about age, though, when it comes to Biden or Trump.
“There’s a frustration and exhaustion that they feel with the rematch,” Terrance Woodbury, co-founder & CEO of the Democratic polling firm HIT Strategies, said of young voters.
“That’s more of a problem than either of those two candidates individually, is that a system can just keep reproducing,” Woodbury added. “And I think a lot of people just find that untenable.”
An April poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that just 25% of Democrats under 45 said they would definitely support Biden in a general election, compared with 56% of older Democrats. A majority of Democrats across age groups said they would probably support him as the party’s nominee, however.
Biden’s campaign is relying heavily on the Democratic National Committee, which during last year’s midterms, hired campus organizers in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona and other battleground states and offered weekly youth coordinating meetings to encourage in-class contacts and “dormstorms.” The DNC sees young people as some of the most critical voters it will need to reach in 2024 and promises “significant investments” to mobilize them. Plans are underway to expand on its work last cycle, including trainings it held on how best to turn out voters.
The Republican National Committee is trying to use Biden’s age against him, posting online videos of Biden seeming frail or making verbal gaffes, such as when he declared in June “God save the queen,” nearly nine months after the death of England’s Queen Elizabeth II.
Rodriguez shrugged off online attacks, “People can make all the hit pieces and memes and TikToks all they want.”
A starker contrast might be between the president and rising Democrats such as 46-year-old California Rep. Ro Khanna and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, 41, one of Biden’s primary rivals in 2020. Neither seriously entertained running for the White House in 2024 and have backed Biden’s reelection.
“The only thing that really matters is your ability to do the job,” Buttigieg, who was 37 when he launched his 2020 presidential bid, said recently on CNN. Khanna told Fox News Channel that age will “obviously” be a 2024 factor, but suggested that Biden’s staff “overprotects” him and “the more he’s out there, the better.”
Other top young Democrats have lined up to back Biden. Florida Democratic Rep. Maxwell Frost, who was elected to Congress last year at 26, is on the Biden campaign’s advisory board, as is Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, 44. New York Rep. Alexandra Ocasio Cortez, 33, recently endorsed Biden.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a progressive who says strong turnout among young voters helped him win a runoff election this spring, said Biden’s policies transcend his age. Johnson noted that the president’s work “around climate justice speaks not just to this generation, but generations to come.”
“The excitement that I believe that we’re going to have is going to speak to the incredible work and organizing that we are committed to doing as a party,” said Johnson, 47. “And we’re looking forward to working with the president over the course of his next four years.”
Still, Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, acknowledged that even the president’s supporters understand how demanding the White House can be.
“People worry about Joe Biden. They worry like you would worry about a beloved father or grandfather,” said Weingarten, 65. “What you normally hear from Democrats is this sense of, ‘OK, I just want him to be OK.’ And you’re hearing just the consternation of, ’This is a hard job.’”
Biden said he “took a hard look” at his age while deciding to seek a second term. But he’s also tried to suggest his age and experience are assets rather than liabilities by joking repeatedly about them. That’s a departure from 2020, when Biden called himself a “transition candidate” and pledged to be a “bridge” to younger Democrats.
Santiago Mayer, the founder of Voters of Tomorrow, which has 20-plus chapters nationwide and works to increase political engagement among young voters, argues that Biden is not defying his past promise by running for reelection, but keeping it.
“He just needs more time,” said Mayer, who graduated from California State University at Long Beach in May. “I think the second term is a very important part of that pledge. He’s building a progressive future for young people and he can’t actually pass the baton until that’s done.”
One key policy piece of Biden’s efforts to appeal to young voters, providing student debt relief, was recently struck down by the Supreme Court. The White House has launched a new effort, but it will take longer.
“Of course it’s going to dampen some of that because people are disappointed,” Weingarten said of the ruling’s effect on enthusiasm for Biden. But she said the decision could also motivate young Biden supporters anxious show their support for the president’s alternative plan.
“It is also about the fight,” Weingarten said “not just about the results.” | https://www.ksn.com/news/politics/joe-biden-the-oldest-sitting-president-needs-young-voters-will-his-age-matter/ | 2023-07-31T02:51:16 | 1 | https://www.ksn.com/news/politics/joe-biden-the-oldest-sitting-president-needs-young-voters-will-his-age-matter/ |
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NEW YORK (AP) — After trading Max Scherzer to the Texas Rangers, general manager Billy Eppler insisted the New York Mets are not tearing down their underachieving team.
“I do want to be clear that it’s not a rebuild. It’s not a fire sale,” Eppler said Sunday at Citi Field. “It’s not a liquidation.”
So maybe Justin Verlander will stay put in the end. But now, would he actually choose to be traded?
“I think it largely depends on how the organization views next year. I think Max is a tough sign for trying to go back at it,” Verlander said. “So I’m committed to trying to win a championship here, but if the organization decides that that’s not exactly the direction that they think is a best fit for next year and go for it again next year then yeah, I would be more open to it.”
New York traded Scherzer to AL West-leading Texas for minor league infielder Luisangel Acuña in a high-profile deal both teams announced Sunday after news of the agreement broke Saturday evening.
Acuña, the younger brother of Atlanta star Ronald Acuña Jr., was rated one of Texas’ top prospects. The Mets said he will be optioned to Double-A Binghamton, where he will initially play shortstop.
The 39-year-old Scherzer waived his no-trade clause to complete the deal, and the Mets will send cash to Texas. The three-time Cy Young Award winner also agreed to opt in on the final year of his contract in 2024 at $43.3 million, according to reports that said the Mets will pay about $35 million of the remaining $58 million on the right-hander’s contract.
“A bit surprised with that one,” Verlander said. “Max was obviously an integral part of our team for next season. So when you see that happen, you can’t help but think (about) what’s in store for next year. We play this game to win. We want to win a championship and we want to have the opportunity to do so. It changed my opinion a little bit, so tough to see it happen.”
Eppler said he was engaged in conversation with different teams about Scherzer and that when he talked with him Friday, he mentioned a trade was possible. After pitching Friday night, Scherzer said he wanted to speak with the front office about the direction of the team.
“Obviously, (you) kind of leave the stadium and see some of the comments that he made and wonder what happened because obviously things came together really quickly,” Verlander said.
Following an 11-6 loss to Washington on Saturday night, Mets players wondered who might be dealt next.
Eppler said he texted center fielder Brandon Nimmo after talking to Texas and Scherzer’s agent, Scott Boras, and then met with the outfielder for about 35 minutes Sunday. The Mets re-signed Nimmo to a $162 million, eight-year contract last offseason.
Eppler also spoke to star shortstop Francisco Lindor, who was acquired from Cleveland in January 2021 and signed to a $341 million, 10-year deal.
“They understand,” Eppler said. “It’s not a fire sale and it’s not a liquidation. So they got it.”
The fourth-place Mets (50-55), one of baseball’s biggest disappointments this season under third-year owner Steve Cohen, unloaded Scherzer just days after sending closer David Robertson to Miami for two minor leaguers Thursday night.
Robertson was set to become a free agent after this season, but Scherzer could have turned down a trade or opted in with the Mets next year.
More deals could occur before Tuesday’s deadline, including a potential swap involving the 40-year-old Verlander. The three-time Cy Young Award winner, who also has a no-trade clause, earned his 250th career win Sunday in a 5-2 victory over Washington.
“We’re going to listen but our price points are high,” Eppler said. “We have valuations on our existing personnel and the bar is high to meet it but we are willing in certain circumstances to use Steve’s investment and kind of repurpose that investment to serve the larger goal, which is to build a championship organization.”
Verlander is signed through next season with a potential option for 2025 after agreeing to an $86.7 million, two-year contract in December.
“I have some ability to control my destiny. I’m just a person that likes to gather information. No idea who’s interested, what’s going on, who Billy has been speaking with,” Verlander said. “I just think an open communication with the front office and see what their plans are with me, for the organization. Obviously I’m sure there’s a lot of moving parts happening right now and we’ll see what happens the next couple of days.”
After winning 101 games last year, New York began the season with the highest payroll in major league history at $355 million. The Mets have not been over .500 since June 3 and started the day 18 games behind first-place Atlanta in the NL East and seven games back in the wild-card race with a string of teams to catch.
“We just couldn’t get the consistency clicking,” Eppler said.
The 21-year-old Acuña was batting .315 with seven homers, 51 RBIs and an .830 OPS in 84 games with Double-A Frisco this season. He also had 25 doubles and was leading the Texas League in stolen bases (42) and runs (68).
“Ultra athleticism,” Eppler said. “The arm strength, the hit ability. He’s working on lifting the ball a little bit more and just being able to get the ball airborne a touch more. Strong plate discipline, strong contact skills. Just really excited to get a prospect of his caliber into our system.”
Acuña was the third-ranked prospect in Texas’ farm system and No. 44 overall in the majors, according to MLB Pipeline.
“Right now he’s going to come in and play shortstop right away. But there will probably be some positional versatility,” Eppler said. “I know he’s already played a little second and center field. And so we’ll probably get an opportunity to do that. But I’d like to talk to him about that first.”
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Click now to support or get more information. | https://www.timesleader.com/sports/1615784/after-trading-scherzer-to-texas-gm-billy-eppler-says-the-mets-are-not-rebuilding | 2023-07-31T02:51:16 | 1 | https://www.timesleader.com/sports/1615784/after-trading-scherzer-to-texas-gm-billy-eppler-says-the-mets-are-not-rebuilding |
OXFORD — “We try for these kids. We try to make things a little easier, even if it's for a short time.”
That’s how Anniston Kiwanian Tim Wilson described his civic club’s back-to-school shopping event Sunday at an Oxford clothing store.
Members of Kiwanis, employees of Warren Averett and AOD Federal Credit Union, the Double Dozen club and other volunteers met at Martin’s to shop for school outfits to try to make a few families’ lives a bit easier. The volunteers’ goal was to buy for each child a week's worth of clothes, consisting of shirts, pants, shoes, socks and underwear.
Shoppers had $310 per child to spend this year — more than is typically the case, Wilson said, because Sunday they were buying for fewer kids than in years past.
After kids and grownups had finished shopping together, each child was given a backpack full of school supplies courtesy of Warren Averett. Wilson, who works for Warren Averett, said the backpacks are a service project of the accounting firm.
“That’s something my firm does so we don’t have to spend Kiwanis money to do that. The process of buying school supplies is a fun little shopping outing for us. We do ‘lunch and learns’ every so often, and we have an assembly line and put all of the backpacks together,” Wilson said.
Kids are referred to the club by the Department of Human Resources.
“They don’t have to be abused or neglect cases, they can be strictly financial,” Wilson said.
Anniston Kiwanis held its first back-to-school shopping event in 1983, the brainchild of former Calhoun County Licencing Commissioner Alvin Gibbs. The first events were held at K-Mart before switching to Martin’s.
Funds for back-to-school shopping are raised by Anniston Kiwanis Club’s Pancake Day.
“Everything starts with Pancake Day,” Wilson said. “If we don’t sell tickets, if we don’t sell sponsorships, this doesn’t happen.”
Wilson, who oversees the civic club’s main service project, said the back-to-school shopping event was personal for him.
“The reason I’m a Kiwanian is because of this — period,” Wilson said. “We do a lot of other stuff, but this, this is why I get so emotional about it because it could have been me. My family was one of these families. We were never in DHR, but we were dirt poor. That’s why I’m passionate about it.”
Wilson added: “Ask yourself: ‘How are you going to make a difference in this child’s life today?’ How are you going to do it? That’s the whole purpose of this.”
Editor Timothy Cash: 256-235-3579. On Twitter @ByTimothyCash. | https://www.annistonstar.com/news/anniston/civic-club-tries-to-make-things-a-little-easier-for-kids/article_8972f9ae-2f3c-11ee-8b7b-5773c0dd48a8.html | 2023-07-31T02:51:19 | 1 | https://www.annistonstar.com/news/anniston/civic-club-tries-to-make-things-a-little-easier-for-kids/article_8972f9ae-2f3c-11ee-8b7b-5773c0dd48a8.html |
There were tears, glamour and an enthusiastic audience this weekend at the Miss Alabama Volunteer Pageant, held at the Oxford Performing Arts Center July 27-29.
This mission statement of the pageant’s sponsoring organization emphasizes empowered girls and young woman and a goal of community services.
“A nonprofit organization based in Alabama, Miss Alabama Volunteer is a statewide, service-oriented scholarship program seeking to empower young women through education and opportunity,” the statement reads. “Not only is it the goal of Miss Alabama Volunteer to be an important member of the community, but to also be vital to the education of the young women of our state through awarding cash and in-kind scholarships to contestants who compete in both the Miss and Teen divisions.”
According to pageant mom Lisa Tucker, her daughter grew a lot during her pageant experience.
“My daughter Amelia has really gained confidence during this pageant and it’s beautiful. I’m glad this gave her the opportunity to show her passion for volunteering, speaking well publicly, and show how much she loves others,” she said.
While Tucker’s daughter was a part of the “Miss” category of the pageant, the “Little Miss” Alabama Volunteer category featured many little girls who could be in her daughter’s position in the future.
Little Miss Alabama Volunteer
Beginning night one, the crowd was introduced to the Little Miss Alabama Volunteer division, which itself was divided into four age groups for competition purposes, to crown a winner: The baby division is ages 0-11 months, Tiny Miss is 12-23 months, Petite Miss is 2-3 years old, and Little Miss is 4-6 years old.
Showing off their dresses, smiles and slow walks, the girls were introduced one by one to the audience. The crowd gazed admiringly, and the judges gave out multiple awards based on stage presence, prettiest hair, prettiest smile etc.
The overall winner of the Little Miss Alabama Volunteer pageant was Sophia Rutherford. Her mom, Jessica Rutherford, said her daughter really makes her proud.
“I’m tearing up right now because I’m so proud of her — this is our first state pageant and I couldn’t be more proud of my girl,” she said.
Young Miss and Pre-Teen Miss contestants also enjoyed the pageant experience. — these categories took in girls ages 7 to 12. The winner of Young Miss was Adleigh Caroline Ash; the winner of Pre-Teen Miss was Morgan Lindsey.
As night one came to an ending, the audience, judges, and contestants had clearly enjoyed the spectacle, but the competition was far from over.
Miss Alabama Volunteer, preliminary round
Night two opened with a group performance by all contestants followed by the national anthem. Introduced one by one, 45 contestants competed in the preliminary round. The pageant was divided into three different competitions: Miss Camellia State, Miss Alabama Teen, and Miss Alabama Volunteer. They were essentially three pageants wrapped into one, with the young women being judged in the categories of interview, talent, fitness & wellness, and evening gown.
The announcer made sure the crowd stayed entertained and involved throughout the night. The contestants then showed off talents, fitness & swimwear, and their evening gowns for the night. The audience enjoyed various singing talents, dancing, and piano pieces from the women.
Judges chose these winners in the preliminary categories. The Miss Alabama winners for each category were: fitness & wellness: Livi Thomas, talent: Mary Elizabeth Madden, and evening gown: Livi Thomas. The Miss Teen winners were: talent: Ava Walters, fitness & wellness: Lois Ann Wester, and evening Gown: Ava Walters. Lastly, the Camellia State Teen winner was Susanna Reaves for each category.
The preliminary round determines who will progress to the finals, however, those finalists would not be announced until the last night of the event.
Miss Alabama Volunteer Finals
Former Miss Alabama Teen VolunteerEleanor McCoy tearily talked about what her title meant to her.
“I’m a little emotional right now, but this year has been so full of growth for me. If you saw me last year when I was crowned, you probably would’ve asked yourself why her; but I have been able to figure out how to lead and how to be myself while I’m leading and I hope the next girl experiences that too,” she said.
After McCoy spoke, former Miss Alabama Volunteer Madison Neal talked about her appreciation and growth throughout her reign as titleholder. The audience also heard remarks from former Miss Camellia State Teen winner Halle Sullivan.
While emotions were high, the tension got worse when it was time for the judges to announce the top nine finalists for each pageant division. The nine finalists for Miss Camellia State Teen were: Sadie Stanford, Gracie Vanek, Ella Grace Dicks, Ivy White, Susanna Reaves, Aamari Ward, Linley Griffin, Georgia Busby, and Addy Credille.
The nine finalists for Miss Alabama Teen Volunteer were Meri Kayte Flynn, Aubrey McElvey, Alyster Hamrick, Silvie Miller, Caelyn Dolar, Lona Jo Henderson, Izzy Kate Priest, Ava Walters, and Lois Ann Wester.
The nine finalists for Miss Alabama Volunteer were Livi Thomas, Cate Shirey, Melody Mills, Caroline Clark, Mary Elizabeth Madden, Graci Pennington, Ally Mavar, Sage Little, and Madison Belk.
The finalists’ final competition had them showing off their talents, fitness & swimwear, and their evening gowns.
As the night came to a close, many sponsors and supporters were thanked. According to the website, the Yellowhammer State Scholarships help the organization tremendously and anyone is welcome to donate to the fund.
“Scholarship donations are administered through the Yellowhammer State Scholarship Foundation, Inc., an IRS recognized 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization. Scholarship criteria may be based on donor specifications,” it read.
Before the winners were announced the former titleholders made their final walks with emotion in their hearts and very kind words to say. While each girl thanked their family and friends, they all mentioned their thanks to Sammy Akridge, president and executive director of the pageant organization.
Hard work and determination were very apparent with each contestant, but finally the winners were announced. The overall winner of Miss Alabama Volunteer was Livi Thomas. The crowd cheered as Thomas was awarded her sash and crown. The overall winner of Miss Alabama Teen Volunteer was Ava Walters. The overall winner for Miss Camellia State Teen Volunteer was Susanna Reaves.
All the women wore their heels, crowns, and gowns with beauty and grace. | https://www.annistonstar.com/news/oxford/miss-alabama-volunteer-pageant-held-in-oxford/article_97c0827c-2f34-11ee-a542-8308201c5663.html | 2023-07-31T02:51:26 | 0 | https://www.annistonstar.com/news/oxford/miss-alabama-volunteer-pageant-held-in-oxford/article_97c0827c-2f34-11ee-a542-8308201c5663.html |
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ADELAIDE, Australia — Morocco made history in multiple ways during its 1-0 victory over South Korea in the Women’s World Cup on Sunday.
Defender Nouhaila Benzina became the first player to wear a Hijab in a World Cup game at the senior level, and her teammate Ibtissam Jraïdi scored the Atlas Lionesses’ first World Cup goal. The Moroccans scored in the 6th minute and were able to make it stand up for the remainder of the match.
After a lopsided 6-0 loss against Germany, the victory keeps No. 72-ranked Morocco in contention to advance to the knockout stage of the tournament.
KEY MOMENTS
Morocco scored its first ever World Cup goal in the sixth minute when Ibtissam Jraïdi met a cross from Hanane Aït El Haj with a glancing header toward the far post.
South Korea had the majority of the possession but was unable to translate the advantage into many scoring opportunities. Its best chance at equalizing came in the 87th minute when 16-year-old New Jersey resident Casey Phair pushed a shot just wide of the post. Phair, the youngest player to appear at a World Cup, went on as a late substitute.
WHY IT MATTERS
After dropping its opening match 6-0 to Germany, Morocco’s victory temporarily moves it level with Germany and Colombia on three points ahead of the matchup later Sunday between those teams in Sydney. Morocco becomes the first Arab Nation ever to win a game at a Women’s World Cup and remains in contention to advance to the round of 16.
South Korea is all but eliminated from the tournament after its second loss of the tournament.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
“We are just so pleased our efforts have paid off. This victory is for Morocco and Arabs — it’s the fruit of our hard work.” — Ibtissam Jraïdi, Morocco forward.
“The reality is we were not good enough in both games. Why that was, we have to analyze. The players are much better than they’ve shown in both matches and it really is almost unbelievable that we’ve performed like we have.” — Collin Bell, South Korea coach.
WHAT’S NEXT
Morocco will take on Colombia on the final day of the group stage Thursday in Perth in a match that may decide which of the two teams advances to the round of 16. South Korea will play Germany in Brisbane. The two matches will kick off simultaneously.
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José Ramírez homers twice as Cleveland Guardians beat Chicago White Sox 5-0
Guardians half game behind Minnesota for 1st Place in AL Central
CHICAGO -- — José Ramírez homered twice and drove in three runs, helping Aaron Civale and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Chicago White Sox 5-0 on Sunday.
Steven Kwan also homered in manager Terry Francona’s 1,927th win, breaking a tie with Casey Stengel for 13th on the career list.
Civale (5-2), a potential trade target ahead of Tuesday’s deadline, pitched six innings in his second straight win. He allowed three hits, struck out four and walked two.
“Early on his curveball was really working and then he got comfortable with his cutter and threw his fastball,” Francona said. “He just really knows how to pitch.”
The 28-year-old right-hander is 3-0 with a 2.08 ERA in his last seven starts.
Enyel De Los Santos, Trevor Stephan and Emmanuel Clase each pitched an inning after Civale departed, completing a four-hitter.
Cleveland (53-53) earned a split of the four-game series.
White Sox right-hander Michael Kopech allowed three runs and four hits in five innings. He struck out two and walked five.
Kwan led off the fifth with his fifth homer of the season. After Andrés Giménez struck out swinging, Ramírez hit a drive deep to right field for his 17th homer on the year.
Following a two-out walk by Giménez in the seventh, Ramírez hit another shot to right to give Cleveland a 5-0 lead.
“A game like today is the game everyone wants to get,” Ramírez said through a translator. He added he talked Francona out of giving him a day off.
“The days I have off are the days we’re not playing.”
The Guardians got their first run when Giménez walked with the bases loaded with two outs in the second. Kopech issued four walks and threw a wild pitch in the inning.
“Walks got him,” White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said of Kopech, who has just one win in his last 10 starts.
Chicago (43-64) had runners at second and third with one out in the sixth but Civale escaped after inducing a pair of flyouts.
WHO’S UP?
Chicago pitching coach Ethan Katz said the club’s fifth starter likely will come from the current roster. Relievers Tanner Banks and Jesse Scholtens could get chances after the White Sox traded Lucas Giolito and Lance Lynn to contenders.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Guardians: RHP Cal Quantrill (shoulder inflammation) threw a bullpen session. He has been on the injured list since July 6.
White Sox: C Seby Zavala needed a moment with a trainer after catching a bouncing pitch under his hockey-style mask in the fifth. He remained in the game.
UP NEXT
Guardians: Noah Syndergaard (1-4, 7.16 ERA), acquired last week in a trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers, makes his Guardians debut Monday night at Houston against fellow RHP J.P. France (6-3, 2.87 ERA).
White Sox: The White Sox haven’t named a starter for Tuesday night’s series opener at Texas. RHP Jon Gray (6-5, 3.66 ERA) is scheduled to go for the AL West-leading Rangers.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.cleveland19.com/2023/07/31/jos-ramrez-homers-twice-cleveland-guardians-beat-chicago-white-sox-5-0/ | 2023-07-31T02:51:31 | 1 | https://www.cleveland19.com/2023/07/31/jos-ramrez-homers-twice-cleveland-guardians-beat-chicago-white-sox-5-0/ |
July keeps sizzling as Phoenix hits another 110-degree day and wildfires spread in California
PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix sizzled through its 31st consecutive day of at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius) and other parts of the country grappled Sunday with record temperatures after a week that saw significant portions of the U.S. population subject to extreme heat.
The National Weather Service said Phoenix was expected to climb to 112 F (44.4 Celsius) before the day was through.
July has been so steamy thus far that scientists calculate it will be the hottest month ever recorded and likely the warmest human civilization has seen. The World Meteorological Organization and the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service on Thursday proclaimed July beyond record-smashing.
The historic heat began blasting the lower Southwest U.S. in late June, stretching from Texas across New Mexico and Arizona and into California’s desert.
On Sunday, a massive wildfire burning out of control in California’s Mojave National Preserve spread rapidly amid erratic winds, while firefighters reported progress against another major blaze to the south that prompted evacuations.
The York Fire that erupted Friday near the remote Caruthers Canyon area of the preserve sent up a huge plume of smoke visible nearly 100 miles (160 kilometers) away across the state line in Nevada.
Flames 20 feet (6 meters) high in some spots have charred more than 110 square miles (284 square kilometers) of desert scrub, juniper and Joshua tree woodland, according to a Sunday update.
“The dry fuel acts as a ready ignition source, and when paired with those weather conditions it resulted in long-distance fire run and high flames, leading to extreme fire behavior,” authorities said. No structures were threatened, but there was also no containment.
To the southwest, the Bonny Fire was holding steady at about 3.4 square miles (8.8 square kilometers) in rugged hills of Riverside County. More than 1,300 people were ordered to evacuate their homes Saturday near the remote community of Aguanga, California.
Triple-digit heat was expected in parts of the central San Joaquin Valley through Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
And in Burbank, California, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Los Angeles, the summer heat may have been responsible for some unusual behavior in the animal kingdom: Police in the city responded to a report of a bear sighting in a residential neighborhood and found the animal sitting in a Jacuzzi behind one of the homes.
As climate change brings hotter and longer heat waves, record temperatures across the U.S. have killed dozens of people, and the poorest Americans suffer the most. Air conditioning, once a luxury, is now a matter of survival.
Last year, all 86 heat-related deaths indoors were in uncooled environments.
“To explain it fairly simply: Heat kills,” said Kristie Ebi, a University of Washington professor who researches heat and health. “Once the heat wave starts, mortality starts in about 24 hours.”
It’s the poorest and people of color, from Kansas City to Detroit to New York City and beyond, who are far more likely to face grueling heat without air conditioning, according to a Boston University analysis of 115 U.S. metro areas.
Back in Phoenix, slight relief may be on the way as expected seasonal thunderstorms could drop temperatures Monday and Tuesday.
“It should be around 108 degrees, so we break that 110 streak,” meteorologist Tom Frieders said. “Increasing cloud cover will put temperatures in a downward trend.”
The relief could be short-lived, however. Highs are expected to creep back to 110 F (43.3 C) Wednesday with temperatures reaching 115 F (46.1 C) by the end of the week.
Phoenix has also sweated through a record 16 consecutive nights when the lows temperature didn’t dip below 90 F (32.2 C), making it hard for people to cool off after sunset.
Meanwhile, Las Vegas continues to flirt with its hottest July ever. The city is closing in on its 2010 record for the average of the high and low each day for July, which stands at 96.2 F (35.5 C).
The extreme heat is also hitting the eastern U.S, as soaring temperatures moved from the Midwest into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, where some places recorded their warmest days so far this year.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.cleveland19.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ | 2023-07-31T02:51:33 | 0 | https://www.cleveland19.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ |
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AUCKLAND, New Zealand — Sophie Roman Haug’s hat trick kick-started Norway’s dormant offense and sparked a 6-0 blowout win over the Philippines on Sunday that moved the Norwegians into to the knockout stage of the Women’s World Cup.
The Philippines’ debut run in the tournament came to an end as Norway scored early and often, netting three goals in the first 31 minutes.
Norway’s spot in the round of 16 was secured when Switzerland and New Zealand simultaneously played to a 0-0 draw and the Norwegians. Norway and New Zealand were tied in Group A but Norway advanced on goal differential. New Zealand became the first host country to be eliminated in the group stage in tournament history.
Before the game, Norway had not scored in three consecutive Women’s World Cup matches dating to the quarterfinals of the 2019 tournament.
But Roman Haug one-timed a ball into the net in the sixth minute, and scored again 11 minutes later. Caroline Graham Hansen added a long-distance shot in the 31st minute.
Roman Haug completed the hat trick in injury time.
In the second half, an Alicia Barker own goal in the 48th minute and Guro Reiten’s penalty kick in the 53rd minute extended Norway’s lead to 5-0. Filipina defender Sofia Harrison received a red card in the 67th minute for using excessive force, and the Philippines played the rest of the match a player down.
Eden Park was turned into a makeshift home match for the Philippines, as the Filipina fans screamed in unison any time the Philippines touched the ball, even as the deficit grew.
The Philippines were fresh off of a historic 1-0 win over co-host New Zealand that marked the first Women’s World Cup win for the debutantes.
KEY MOMENTS
Roman Haug got the Norwegians off to a hot start. The first of her two goals was a left-footed volley from inside the six-yard box in the sixth minute. Eleven minutes later, Roman Haug scored a header delivered by a Vilde Boe Risa cross. Roman Haug’s header flew over the reach of Philippines goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel.
Graham Hansen scored on a long-distance strike that curled into the bottom left corner in the 31st minute to give Norway its third goal of the half.
From that point on, Norway was in control.
WHY IT MATTERS
The win advances Norway to the knockout stage after the Norwegians found themselves in last place in Group A heading into the Philippines match.
The Norwegians had yet to score in 2023 before their six-goal eruption.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
“They showed some of their class today with their skill. They picked us apart and won a couple of battles in the air in the box early. We really released the pressure early and allowed them to, sort of, be a little more creative as the game went on,” Philippines head coach Alen Stajcic said.
“We’ve been talking quite a bit about having the first goal, then it will give us energy. We know in our attack, we are strong and have good combination play both on the right side and left side. Today was the day that, when we had the first one, we knew there could be more,” Norway head coach Hege Riise said.
WHAT’S NEXT
Norway will play either Japan or Spain in the round of 16 next Saturday, depending on the results of a game between those Group C teams on Monday.
The inaugural tournament run ends for the Philippines, who needed at least a draw to have a chance of moving on.
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DUNEDIN, New Zealand — New Zealand outshot Switzerland and even moved goalkeeper Victoria Esson into an attack position several times, but failed to break a 0-0 tie Sunday in the Women’s World Cup and became the first host nation to be eliminated in group play in tournament history.
The Football Ferns are co-hosting the World Cup with Australia, which must win Monday against Canada to avoid its own early elimination.
Switzerland advanced to the round of 16. The Swiss also played to a scoreless draw against Norway, but won the group with the draw against New Zealand, coupled with the Norwegians’ simultaneous 6-0 rout of the Philippines.
New Zealand controlled the pace for long stretches of the match and had its chances to score, outshooting Switzerland 12-3. Jacqui Hand knocked a shot off the right post in the 24th minute.
All 25,947 seats at Forsyth Barr Stadiums were filled — the only one of Dunedin’s six tournament matches to sell out. The raucous crowd stomped and cheered all night, to no avail.
The tournament began July 20 with New Zealand upsetting Norway 1-0, but the Ferns failed to score from the 48th minute of that match through two more games. They lost their previous match 1-0 against the Philippines.
KEY MOMENTS
Esson moved into an offensive position several times in the last minutes of the match as New Zealand pressed for a winner. She managed a header off a corner kick but was off target.
WHY IT MATTERS
Switzerland becomes one of two teams from Group A to advance to the round of 16. It’s only the team’s second time in the knockout round — the first was in the Swiss’ only previous Women’s World Cup in 2015.
The New Zealanders’ failure to score put an end to their Women’s World Cup run.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
“Just gutted, I think. Obviously we talked and we were proud of ourselves and what we’ve been able to accomplish, but at the end of the day we wanted to get out of this group stage and we just didn’t. It’s just black and white. So, obviously gutted,” said New Zealand midfielder Malia Steinmetz of the elimination.
“We expected it to be really tough. New Zealand really tried everything they could, and I think we knew how to respond, especially defensively. We did a lot right,” said Inka Grings, Switzerland’s coach.
WHAT’S NEXT
Switzerland will play either Spain or Japan from Group C, pending a match between those teams on Monday to decide the top two places in that group.
New Zealand is done for the Women’s World Cup.
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EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France — Céline Boutier became the third woman from France to win a major championship when she closed with a 3-under 68 for a six-shot victory in the Evian Championship.
The outcome was never really in doubt as Boutier began the final round with a three-shot lead and opened with two birdies. Brooke Henderson of Canada had a 70 to finish second.
Boutier is the first Frenchwoman to win the Amundi Evian Championship, which was designated an LPGA major in 2013. She finished at 14-under 270.
The other two French women to win LPGA majors were Patricia Meunier-Lebouc in the 2004 Kraft Nabisco Championship and Catherine Lacoste, who won the 1967 U.S. Women’s Open as an amateur.
Nasa Hataoka of Japan, who started the final round in second place, could only manage a 70 and tied for third with former U.S. Women’s Open champion Yuka Saso (70), Celine Borge (68) Gaby Lopez (68) and A Lim Kim (69).
Rose Zhang closed with a 68 and tied for ninth, her third top 10 in a major since she turned pro in June.
PGA TOUR
BLAINE, Minn. — Lee Hodges shot 4-under 67 in the final round for a wire-to-wire victory Sunday in the 3M Open and his first PGA Tour victory, setting tournament records with a 260 and a seven-shot win.
The victory gets Hodges into the Masters next year and moved him to No. 33 in the FedEx Cup with one tournament left before the postseason.
Hodges, who led by five at the start of the round, led by three over J.T. Poston going to the par-5 18th. Poston took a risky shot trying to make eagle and went into the water, leading to triple bogey and a 69. He went from second place alone to a three-way for second, costing him $260,000 and 92 points in the FedEx Cup.
Martin Laird and Kevin Streelman also tied for second.
Tony Finau, the defending champion and highest-ranked player at 10th in the FedEx Cup standings participating in this field, shot a 70 to land in a three-way tie for seventh.
PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
BRIDGEND, Wales— Alex Cejka defeated Padraig Harrington with a birdie on the second playoff hole Sunday to win the Senior British Open at Royal Porthcawl.
Cejka, who closed with 5-over 76, birdied the second extra hole to claim his third senior major title after he and Harrington (75) tied at 5-over 289 in miserable wet and windy conditions.
Harrington, who also finished runner-up to Darren Clarke last year, narrowly missed an eagle putt on the first extra hole at No. 18. Returning to the 18th, the Irishman duffed a chip from the back of the green and had to settle for a par.
Cejka began the final round with a double bogey on the first and dropped another shot on the fourth, but battled back to hold a two-shot lead with two holes to play. But he bogeyed the 17th hole, and Harrington caught him with a birdie on the par-5 18th.
Vijay Singh shot 77 and finished two shots out of the playoff. Conditions were so difficult that Y.E. Yang and Rob Labritz were the only players to match par.
KORN FERRY TOUR
GLENVIEW, Ill.— Trace Crowe made a 20-foot birdie on the first extra hole to extend the playoff, then won with a par on the second playoff hole to capture the NV5 Invitational for his first Korn Ferry Tour victory.
Patrick Fishburn made a 30-foot eagle putt on the 18th hole in regulation for a 7-under 64 that got him into the playoff with Crowe, who overcame a triple bogey on the second hole with eight birdies for a 66. They finished at 259.
Crowe had to made a 20-footer to match birdies with Fishburn on the first playoff hole. Back to the 18th, Fishburn took two shots from the bunker and made bogey.
Ryan McCormick birdied the last two holes for a 66 to finish one shot out of the playoff.
OTHER TOURS
Bryan Kim made a 7-foot birdie on the 35th hole and went on to a 2-up victory over Joshua Bai in the rain-delayed U.S. Junior Amateur. The victory gives the 18-year-old Kim, an incoming freshman at Duke, a spot in the U.S. Open next year at Pinehurst No. 2. … Kensei Hirata lost an early lead and rallied for a 1-under 71 for a two-shot victory in the Japan PGA Championship on the Japan Golf Tour. Taiga Semikawa and Takumi Kanaya tied for second. … One week after Brandon Robinson Thompson made the cut in the British Open, he won his first Challenge Tour title on Sunday by closing with a 4-under 67 for a two-shot victory in the Irish Challenge. … Davis Shore closed with a 4-under 67 and won the Osprey Valley Open by one shot over Myles Creighton on the PGA Tour Canada. … Peter Kamis closed with a 2-under 70 for a one-shot victory in the FNB Eswatini Challenge on the Sunshine Tour in South Africa. … Kokona Sakurai shot 6-under 66 and won the Rakuten Super Ladies by one shot on the Japan LPGA.
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FUKUOKA, Japan — Canadian teenager Summer McIntosh should be a star at next year’s Paris Olympics, and she showed why Sunday on the closing day of the swimming world championships in Japan.
The 16-year-old McIntosh won her second gold of the event, taking the 400-meter individual medley after winning the 200 butterfly gold on Friday.
That made up for a slow start for the young Canadian, who finished fourth in the 400 free, where she held the world record until Australia’s Ariarne Titmus took it back. She also took bronze in the 200 free, at least getting a medal.
“Going into tonight I just wanted to see how hard I could push myself,” McIntosh said.
She did just that. Her time of 4 minutes, 27.11 seconds was the third fastest ever, not far off her world record of 4:25.87. She was also the defending world champion. American Katie Grimes took the silver in 4:31.41, with Jenna Forrester of Australia picking up the bronze in 4:32.30.
“It was definitely motivating,” McIntosh said of her first few days. “I try to turn everything that goes wrong into motivation somehow.”
Asked about Paris, she replied: “Right now I’m just thinking about a little break.”
McIntosh should be joined by other young stars in Paris like 21-year-old Frenchman Leon Marchand and Australia’s 22-year-old Kaylee McKeown. Marchand and McKeown each won three individual golds.
The Americans also closed fast.
After winning only four gold medals during the first seven days, they picked up three on the eighth and final day for a total of seven golds and 38 overall. The gold total is still their lowest in a worlds going back for around 20 years. They won only eight in the 2015 worlds.
Australia finished with 13 gold and 20 overall, and China had five gold and 16 overall.
“This is the cherry on top,” said American Regan Smith, part of the winning 4×100 women’s medley relay. “I love racing with these girls and I love relays so much and brining home a gold in the last event for Team USA means so much to me and all of us.”
The Americans finished in 3:52.08, followed by Australia (3:53.37) and Canada (3:54.12).
The United States also won the men’s 4×100 medley in 3:27.20, ahead of China (3:29.00) and Australia (3:29.62), and added another gold with Hunter Armstrong in the 50-meter backstroke (24.05).
Sarah Sjostrom of Sweden made history with her victory in the women’s 50-meter freestyle. The gold gave Sjostrom 21 medals in individual races in the world championships, surpassing Michael Phelps who had 20.
Sjostrom, who set the world record in the semifinals on Saturday, powered home in the final 25 meters for the win, clocking 23.62. Shayna Jack of Australia picked up the silver in 24.10, while Zhang Yufei of China earned the bronze in 24.15.
Ruta Meilutyte of Lithuania set a world record on the way to winning gold in the women’s 50-meter breaststroke in 29.16. She equaled the old world mark of 29.30 the night before in the semifinals.
Meilutyte grabbed the early lead and was never challenged. American Lilly King claimed the silver in 29.94, while Benedetta Pilato of Italy picked up the bronze in 30.04. She shared the old record of 29.30 with Meilutyte.
Ahmed Hafnaoui of Tunisia added the men’s 1,500-meter free gold to the 800 free he won earlier in the worlds, prevailing in an epic battle with American Bobby Finke that went down to the wire.
The 20-year-old Hafnaoui, the defending 400 free Olympic champion, captured the gold in 14:31.54, with Finke clocking 14:31.59 for silver. Sam Short of Australia rounded out the podium with the bronze in 14:37.28.
The mark was just off the world record by Sun Yang of China, 14:31.02, set in 2012. Sun has been suspended for a doping violation.
“Bobby (Finke) is so fast at the end of the race. he pushed us to do the 14.31,” Hafnaoui said. “It was so close to the world record. I mean I enjoyed the race and thanks Bobby for pushing me.”
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RICHMOND, Va. — Chris Buescher was already in good position to qualify for NASCAR’s playoffs.
Now, even something remarkable over the last four races of the regular season won’t keep him out.
Buescher pulled away on a restart with three laps to go to win at Richmond Raceway on Sunday and snag one of the final spots in NASCAR’s playoff field.
Buescher led 88 laps and was ahead by nearly 6 seconds when a caution came out with under 10 laps to go. That erased his lead over Virginia native Denny Hamlin, who was booed by his hometown crowd before the race.
But Hamlin got a poor final restart and Buescher easily pulled away for his first Cup Series win of the season, third of his career.
“I knew that last restart was going to be tough, but I knew we had the speed in this thing,” Buescher said.
He and RFK Racing teammate Brad Keselowski led a combined 190 of the 400 laps in their Fords. Keselowski, now a part owner of the team, led 102 laps on the 0.75-mile oval.
Buescher started 26th and had to drive through the field for the win that locked him into the 16-driver playoff field. Buescher became the 13th race winner this year and there are three playoff spots up for grabs over the next month.
It was the 139th Cup win for primary team owner Jack Roush, second since Keselowski joined the ownership group.
Ford now has 723 wins in NASCAR’s top Cup Series.
“Everybody at RFK Racing who has worked so hard to get us to this point,” said Buescher.
Hamlin, winner last week at Pocono, finished second in a Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. Kyle Busch was third in a Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, followed by the Fords of Joey Logano from Team Penske and Ryan Preece of Stewart-Haas Racing.
“One win is good, but you get three or four or five and then you feel a lot better,” Keselowski said. “It sure beats not having any at all, but we want to keep going. It’s nice to have one car locked in the playoffs. We need to get both cars locked in the playoffs. We have a good points gap, but we want wins and this is where we need to be.”
Keselowski, despite being winless this season, is still mathematically in contention for the playoffs.
The race was slowed just three times by caution flags, with the final yellow sending the leaders to pit road for four tires with eight laps to go. When the green flag was shown again, Buescher used the inside line to pull away for his third career victory.
Hamlin’s bid for the victory ended on the second lap of the final sprint when he drove in too deep in the first turn and slid up the track. He finished 0.549-seconds behind Buescher.
“I got a bad restart,” Hamlin said. “I had to recover too much ground from what I lost on the front stretch. Almost got to the outside, and then in turn four, almost got to the outside again, and then in turn one, I was like ‘I’m just going to ship it in there and try to get to the outside one more time’ and I just carried way too much speed and locked up the left front tires.”
LARSON-HAMLIN
Kyle Larson, angered last week when Hamlin caused him to hit the wall while leading while Hamlin went on to win, was running a few laps down when he nudged Hamlin out of the way with 70 laps to go during Sunday’s race.
Larson, who won at Richmond in April, finished 19th.
“I think he was having a frustrating day,” Hamlin said. “It’s all good.”
SCORCHER
With temperatures in the mid-80s, it was about 15 degrees cooler than Saturday, when the temperature approached 100 and the heat index was at least 105.
Nevertheless, points leader Martin Truex Jr. still struggled.
“It was definitely really, really hot,” he said. “It felt longer than 400 laps. I’ll be honest, when we got to the end of stage two —– I thought there was no way. I thought that was the checkered flag. It just felt really, really long.”
Truex finished seventh.
CLEAN RACE
All 36 cars that started the race were still running at the end.
UP NEXT
The series moves to Michigan where Kevin Harvick, winless so far in this his final season, is the defending champion.
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HOUSTON — Quarterback C.J. Stroud, taken second overall in this year’s draft, isn’t worried that the Panthers picked No. 1 selection Bryce Young as their starter on Day 1 of training camp while the Houston Texans are making him compete for the job.
“I’m happy for him, but his situation is his situation, and my situation is mine,” Stroud said Sunday. “So, I know that I’ve got to work on my end and do whatever I’ve got to do to make this team better. It’s not about the starter (or) who’s not the starter, it’s about getting better for Week 1 against Baltimore.”
Stroud is vying with Davis Mills to be the team’s quarterback. The Texans have split first-team snaps between the two in the first few days of camp.
Houston drafted Stroud after Mills struggled as the team’s starter for the past two years after Deshaun Watson sat out following a trade request before being shipped to Cleveland before last season.
Mills went 5-22-1 in 28 games, including 26 starts, as the Texans were among the NFL’s worst teams.
Stroud is just the third quarterback the Texans have drafted in the first round, joining Watson, taken 12th in 2017 and David Carr, the team’s first draft pick who was taken first overall in 2002.
After using such a high pick on Stroud it’s hard to imagine that he won’t end up as the team’s starter. But for now, new coach DeMeco Ryans is adamant that it’s an open competition between the former Ohio State star and Mills.
While Ryans won’t answer questions about what Stroud will have to do to win the job, he’s had plenty to say about the dedication the 21-year-old has shown since joining the team.
“What you see about C.J. is the work and preparation that he does when he’s not here,” Ryans said. “He’s a true football junkie. He loves football, always watching football, always asking for extra cut-ups from our coaches. I’m so impressed with the mental part of him and just how much he loves the game of football. When a guy has that much love for the game of football, he’s (only) going to continue to get better.”
Stroud was a two-year starter for Ohio State, where he threw for 8,123 yards with 85 touchdowns and just 12 interceptions as the Buckeyes went 21-4. His 85 touchdowns over two seasons broke a Big Ten record held by Drew Brees.
Despite competing with Mills for the job, the rookie said that he and fellow quarterback Case Keenum have both helped him a lot as he’s made the jump from college to the pros.
“I’ve learned everything from Davis,” Stroud said. “Davis and Case are great vets. And just because we may be competing against each other, doesn’t mean that we’re not going to learn from each other. I’ve had a really great time being in the room with those guys.”
Stroud certainly knows what’s at stake for him in this camp, but he’s trying not to let the competition change how he approaches his job day to day.
“I feel like when you try to have a different mindset you confuse yourself,” he said. “So, for me, I just try to keep my head down and I work — just try to work harder and harder every day. Just trying to … be the best person I can be on and off the field.”
As Stroud prepares for his first NFL season, he certainly has plenty of goals. However, his approach to goals has never been to list only lofty, far down the road ones.
“I have goals written down,” he said. “I did it in college and I’ll do it now. But I have a lot of things that I put down, like really small goals. I think the more you can accomplish small goals in your life, the big ones can come kind of natural. And they come as you get the small ones checked off.”
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SANTA CLARA, Calif. — After ending last season with no healthy quarterbacks, the San Francisco 49ers are starting this season trying to juggle practice time for four of them.
Starter Brock Purdy is only participating in two out of every three practices to start camp as he works his way back from offseason elbow surgery. That has allowed Trey Lance and Sam Darnold to split time with the first and second-team offenses when Purdy is sitting and share time as second-teamers when Purdy practices.
Fourth-stringer Brandon Allen has gotten a good share of snaps during team drills so far, working mostly with the third team as the Niners were impressed with his play in the offseason and want to keep him in the mix even though there are three QBs ahead of him on the depth chart.
San Francisco’s reluctance to pare down the QB room comes after injuries at the position derailed the Niners 2022 season. Lance went down with a season-ending ankle injury in Week 2 and was replaced by Jimmy Garoppolo.
Garoppolo then started the next 10 games before breaking his foot, giving Purdy the shot to start as a rookie after being drafted last overall.
Purdy won his first seven starts before injuring his elbow on the opening drive of the NFC title game loss at Philadelphia. Backup Josh Johnson came in and got a concussion, forcing the Niners to play most of the second half with Purdy unable to throw the ball more than a few yards downfield.
While the shuffling might seem to make it harder for receivers to find a rhythm, Brandon Aiyuk said that hasn’t been a concern.
“If I’m getting to my spots, the quarterback is supposed to get it to the exact same spot whether it’s Brock or (Brandon), it doesn’t really matter. What matters is getting to a spot and finding the ball,” he said. “As a receiver you like going out there when you have four guys who can put it right were it needs to be.”
This wasn’t the spot Lance expected to be in after San Francisco traded three first-round picks to draft him third overall in 2021. But Lance started only two games as a rookie behind Garoppolo and played less than five quarters a year ago.
Now he is battling just to be the backup and is uncertain how big a role he will play this season.
“We haven’t had any conversations,” he said. “I find out right before practice or whatever, what the rep count is going to be. I just take advantage of every rep.”
Lance got the first snaps with the starters at practice Sunday with Darnold also working his way in with the first-team offense.
The passing game looked good with the offense taking advantage of a few blown coverages and blitzes. Lance hit tight end George Kittle on a nice deep strike early in practice, found Chris Conley on a TD in the red zone and also had a scramble for a score.
Darnold formed a good chemistry with Aiyuk on some crossing patterns that would have been big plays and also hit Deebo Samuel on a big pass as he tries to live up to the billing that made him the No. 3 overall pick by the Jets in 2018.
Darnold’s 78.2 career passer rating with the Jets and Carolina is the lowest among the 36 QBs with at least 1,000 attempts since he entered the league but he has never had the opportunity to play on an offense as skilled as the 49ers.
“Very talented guy,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “Everyone has really liked working with him. The team loves him. He’s doing some good things out there and getting more and more comfortable every day.”
Purdy will be back with the first team on Monday when the Niners practice in pads for the first time. He took part in practices last Thursday and Friday but is being eased back in after the surgery.
The plan is for Purdy to practice Monday and Tuesday and then get the off day on Wednesday and Thursday’s practice to rest his arm before getting back into practice on Friday.
“I think he’s done great,” Shanahan said. “He’s come back, had no arm troubles. He’s been totally healthy. He’s getting all his timing back and rhythm. I was really impressed with him those first two practices.”
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WESTFIELD – As it turns out, an ankle isn’t the only physical issue that’s keeping Jonathan Taylor off the practice field.
A back injury contributed to the Indianapolis Colts’ disgruntled running back being placed on the physically unable to perform list (PUP) at the start of training camp last Tuesday, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.
The type and severity of the back injury isn’t known.
However, the manner with which Taylor sustained the injury could lead to a change in his status. The Colts are considering placing him on the non-football injury list (NFI) since it occurred while Taylor was working out away from the team prior to camp, the source revealed.
That would represent a more strident stance by the team.
A player on PUP is paid once the regular season begins. That’s not the case with an individual on NFI. Since the injury was sustained away while working out on his own, the team wouldn’t be required to pay a player if and until he was medically cleared and added to the active roster.
After the Colts ended their offseason work in mid-June, they preferred Taylor remain in Indy while completing his rehab from surgery in January on his right ankle. His rehab forced him to miss all of the on-field work.
But Taylor opted to prepare for training camp by working out with his associates in Arizona.
The bottom line: the Colts clearly were aware of the ankle situation, but Taylor never mentioned a back injury until he reported to Grand Park Sports Complex for his pre-camp physical.
Until that time, the team fully expected Taylor to be full-go for camp.
The back injury is the latest complication in what’s been a tumultuous summer for the team’s featured back.
Taylor’s in the final year of his rookie contract that will pay him $4.3 million this season, but is seeking an extension. The team informed Taylor and his agent, Malki Kawa, it would not be extending an offer until the end of the upcoming season, and Taylor subsequently requested a trade.
Jim Irsay and Taylor met for nearly an hour Saturday evening in the owner’s luxury bus that was parked adjacent to the practice fields, and one of the overriding messages to Taylor was no trade would be made.
In a response to FOX59/CBS4 Saturday night, Irsay said, “We will not trade Jonathan Taylor. That is a certainty. Not now or not in October.
“That is the bottom line.’’
Taylor, 24, arguably is the team’s best player and top playmaker on offense.
The 2020 second-round pick rushed for 1,169 yards as a rookie, then unleashed the best season by a Colts’ running back in team history in ’21 with a league-leading and franchise-record 1,811 yards.
Taylor’s production slipped last season – 861 yards – by a high sprain to his right ankle that limited him to 11 games and a dysfunctional offense. | https://cbs4indy.com/news/indianapolis-colts-considering-placing-running-back-jonathan-taylor-on-non-football-injury-list-with-back-issue/ | 2023-07-31T02:52:43 | 0 | https://cbs4indy.com/news/indianapolis-colts-considering-placing-running-back-jonathan-taylor-on-non-football-injury-list-with-back-issue/ |
July keeps sizzling as Phoenix hits another 110-degree day and wildfires spread in California
PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix sizzled through its 31st consecutive day of at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius) and other parts of the country grappled Sunday with record temperatures after a week that saw significant portions of the U.S. population subject to extreme heat.
The National Weather Service said Phoenix was expected to climb to 112 F (44.4 Celsius) before the day was through.
July has been so steamy thus far that scientists calculate it will be the hottest month ever recorded and likely the warmest human civilization has seen. The World Meteorological Organization and the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service on Thursday proclaimed July beyond record-smashing.
The historic heat began blasting the lower Southwest U.S. in late June, stretching from Texas across New Mexico and Arizona and into California’s desert.
On Sunday, a massive wildfire burning out of control in California’s Mojave National Preserve spread rapidly amid erratic winds, while firefighters reported progress against another major blaze to the south that prompted evacuations.
The York Fire that erupted Friday near the remote Caruthers Canyon area of the preserve sent up a huge plume of smoke visible nearly 100 miles (160 kilometers) away across the state line in Nevada.
Flames 20 feet (6 meters) high in some spots have charred more than 110 square miles (284 square kilometers) of desert scrub, juniper and Joshua tree woodland, according to a Sunday update.
“The dry fuel acts as a ready ignition source, and when paired with those weather conditions it resulted in long-distance fire run and high flames, leading to extreme fire behavior,” authorities said. No structures were threatened, but there was also no containment.
To the southwest, the Bonny Fire was holding steady at about 3.4 square miles (8.8 square kilometers) in rugged hills of Riverside County. More than 1,300 people were ordered to evacuate their homes Saturday near the remote community of Aguanga, California.
Triple-digit heat was expected in parts of the central San Joaquin Valley through Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
And in Burbank, California, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Los Angeles, the summer heat may have been responsible for some unusual behavior in the animal kingdom: Police in the city responded to a report of a bear sighting in a residential neighborhood and found the animal sitting in a Jacuzzi behind one of the homes.
As climate change brings hotter and longer heat waves, record temperatures across the U.S. have killed dozens of people, and the poorest Americans suffer the most. Air conditioning, once a luxury, is now a matter of survival.
Last year, all 86 heat-related deaths indoors were in uncooled environments.
“To explain it fairly simply: Heat kills,” said Kristie Ebi, a University of Washington professor who researches heat and health. “Once the heat wave starts, mortality starts in about 24 hours.”
It’s the poorest and people of color, from Kansas City to Detroit to New York City and beyond, who are far more likely to face grueling heat without air conditioning, according to a Boston University analysis of 115 U.S. metro areas.
Back in Phoenix, slight relief may be on the way as expected seasonal thunderstorms could drop temperatures Monday and Tuesday.
“It should be around 108 degrees, so we break that 110 streak,” meteorologist Tom Frieders said. “Increasing cloud cover will put temperatures in a downward trend.”
The relief could be short-lived, however. Highs are expected to creep back to 110 F (43.3 C) Wednesday with temperatures reaching 115 F (46.1 C) by the end of the week.
Phoenix has also sweated through a record 16 consecutive nights when the lows temperature didn’t dip below 90 F (32.2 C), making it hard for people to cool off after sunset.
Meanwhile, Las Vegas continues to flirt with its hottest July ever. The city is closing in on its 2010 record for the average of the high and low each day for July, which stands at 96.2 F (35.5 C).
The extreme heat is also hitting the eastern U.S, as soaring temperatures moved from the Midwest into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, where some places recorded their warmest days so far this year.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kait8.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ | 2023-07-31T02:53:31 | 1 | https://www.kait8.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ |
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Colts running back Jonathan Taylor has a response for the report that the team might move him to the non-football injury list over a back issue. He insists he has no back issue.
“Never had . . . back pain.” Taylor tweeted. “Never reported back pain. Not sure who ‘sources’ are, but find new ones.”
The last part is confusing, because the reports aren’t that Taylor actually has back pain, but that the Colts are considering switching him from the physically unable to perform list to the NFI list because he complained to them of back pain. And with multiple reports to that effect, it means that someone with the Colts is telling multiple reporters about the possibility.
Thus, Taylor should reconsider his strategy on this one. Don’t fire reckless shots at reporters. Focus the ire on the reality that, with both Mike Chappell of Fox 59/CBS 4 and Stephen Holder of ESPN.com reporting the same thing about the NFI possibility, the “sources” are one or more of the people pondering the possibility of playing hardball with Taylor. | https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/jonathan-taylor-denies-having-back-issue | 2023-07-31T02:54:21 | 1 | https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/jonathan-taylor-denies-having-back-issue |
Amid a wave of incidents involving fans at concerts throwing objects at artists, it happened again this weekend.
This time to rapper Cardi B, who returned the favor.
A video from her performance in Las Vegas on Saturday shows someone in the crowd, close to the stage, throwing a drink at Cardi. The rapper then throws her microphone back at the person.
Security got involved, and the rapper reportedly continued with her set.
So far, no charges have been filed against the person who threw the drink at Cardi or against Cardi for throwing her microphone.
Cardi later posted on socialmedia a video where she says, “not the girl who threw the water yelling she’s sorry after.”
This comes after an alarming string of incidents where people keep throwing things on stage, sometimes even hurting performers.
In June, Pop star Bebe Rexha was hit by a cellphone in the face during a show in New York, forcing her to stop the music. The strike left the singer with a black eyeand in need of stitches.
Also in June, country artist Kelsea Ballerini was hit in the face by an object. She too stopped her set before returning with a message to fans.
This month, Harry Styles was also hit in the eye with an object while performing in Vienna, and rapper Drake was hit in the arm by a phone thrown during his concert in Chicago.
SEE MORE: Why do fans keep throwing things at artists during concerts?
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | https://www.lex18.com/cardi-b-throws-microphone-at-concertgoer-after-they-throw-drink-at-her | 2023-07-31T02:54:40 | 0 | https://www.lex18.com/cardi-b-throws-microphone-at-concertgoer-after-they-throw-drink-at-her |
Updated July 30, 2023 at 10:09 PM ET
It's the end of the road for one of the nation's largest freight carriers.
Yellow, a trucking company that just three years ago took a $700 million federal pandemic loan, is shutting down, according to the Teamsters union, which represents the company's 22,000 unionized workers.
The company is expected to file for bankruptcy as soon as Monday, according to industry experts, following a recent exodus of customers amid union strife and on top of years of financial troubles.
With 30,000 jobs at stake, it's poised to be the largest trucking bankruptcy in the history of the U.S., experts said. The company, formerly known as YRC Worldwide, is the third largest less-than-truckload carrier by revenue, behind FedEx and Old Dominion. LTL companies move pallet-sized shipments — smaller than a container, but bigger than a parcel.
Yellow has not publicly announced any plans for bankruptcy or a potential shutdown.
Here's what we know.
Employees were told to prepare for a company shutdown
The Teamsters union, which had been locked in contentious negotiations for a new contract with Yellow, said it received a legal notice that Yellow is ceasing operations and filing for bankruptcy, according to a news release posted Sunday night.
"Today's news is unfortunate but not surprising," said Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien. "This is a sad day for workers and the American freight industry."
The union's announcement comes hours after The Wall Street Journal reported that Yellow shut down on Sunday afternoon, citing internal notices sent to customers and employees.
Yellow says it will issue a public statement on Monday about "the state of the company and the operation," according to the industry outlet FreightWaves, which also obtained internal documents.
Yellow has not responded to NPR's requests for comment.
Yellow laid off an unknown number of its employees on Friday, reported FreightWaves, citing a memo sent to staff informing them that the company is "shutting down its regular operations" and "laying off employees at all of its locations."
The same day, Teamsters had advised Yellow employees to "prepare for the worst."
"Yellow appears to be headed to a complete shutdown within the next few days," said Teamsters National Freight Director John Murphy in a Friday memo shared with NPR.
A strike threat delivered the final blow to cash-poor Yellow
The shutdown comes just days after a Teamsters strike at the company was averted. A week ago, a pension fund agreed to extend health benefits for workers at two Yellow operating companies after the carrier missed its $50 million benefits payment to the fund on July 15, the union said.
While the extension held off a July 24 strike, the threat of a walkout that could disrupt operations prompted a wave of Yellow customers to bolt.
"The Teamsters actions induced a high level of variability and uncertainty in the market for Yellow's customers. The market abhors variability and uncertainty," wrote Mike Regan, co-founder of TranzAct Technologies, which manages transportation services for retailers. "Consequently, Yellow lost substantial and much needed volume."
After the strike threat, Yellow's freight volumes fell 80% within the span of a week, according to Jack Atkins, a managing director at the financial services firm Stephens who researches the transportation sector.
At the same time, he said, Yellow's cries that it was running out of cash during union negotiation attempts scared off customers. After fleeing to rival carriers like FedEx and ABF Freight, customers didn't return.
"Both sides bear fault," Atkins said. "Once that freight left, there was nothing left to really restructure," he added. "It was really too late to save the company."
The company has been at risk of bankruptcy for years
Animus between Yellow and Teamsters has grown in recent months, with each party blaming one another for the company's problems.
After the trucking carrier tried to restructure its operations this spring as a cost-saving measure that would allow it to refinance its debt. In June, Yellow sued the union for blocking the restructuring plan it said was "essential to the company's survival." The Teamsters in turn called the lawsuit "baseless," instead blaming Yellow for "decades of gross mismanagement," that included its alleged exhaustion of the $700 million bailout loan.
The company reported a net income of $21.8 million last year. Yellow has $1.3 billion in loan debt due in fall 2024, $729 million of which is owed to the federal government, according to the company's latest quarterly report.
Yellow received a $700 million loan from the government in 2020 as part of a COVID-19 rescue package. In return, the Treasury Department took a 30% stake in the company's shares, which have since plummeted to less than a dollar apiece as of Friday.
In June, a congressional probe found that the Treasury Department's disbursement of the loan was a mistake; the freight company — whose customers included the Department of Defense — did not actually meet the standards to qualify for the business loan because its survival was not "critical to maintaining national security."
"Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Yellow was a financially struggling company that had a long-term non-investment grade (i.e., junk) rating and previous close calls with bankruptcy over the years. The pandemic did not cause Yellow's longstanding problems, nor is the Treasury's loan to the company likely to solve those problems," the Congressional Oversight Commission report read.
A world without Yellow
An end to the Nashville-based company would mean the loss of 30,000 jobs.
In its Sunday statement, the Teamsters union said it's working to help "affected members get the assistance they need to find good union jobs throughout freight and other industries."
Atkins doesn't expect the federal government to come to the rescue this time. While there may be some slight disruptions, the analyst anticipates other freight carriers will have some capacity to absorb Yellow's business because of a recent dent in freight volumes.
"This is not going to create a supply-chain crisis," he said.
Retailers and manufacturers are likely to see higher shipping rates if the company folds, he said. Yellow is known for its low shipping rates compared to its rivals.
Atkins visited the Yellow terminal in Little Rock, Ark., on Sunday to find all gates chained up, a sign of ceased operations.
"They've been in wind-down mode, clearing the network out of all the remaining freight," he said. "This is the end."
NPR's Camila Domonoske contributed to this story.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.iowapublicradio.org/news-from-npr/news-from-npr/2023-07-30/the-yellow-trucking-company-meltdown-explained | 2023-07-31T02:54:40 | 0 | https://www.iowapublicradio.org/news-from-npr/news-from-npr/2023-07-30/the-yellow-trucking-company-meltdown-explained |
With TCL's latest intelligent algorithm, the enhanced picture quality elevates the experience of movie watching, game play and more
HONG KONG, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- TCL, a leading consumer electronics brand and the world's top two TV brand, is reiterating its display advancement to drive more immersive entertainment experiences for users around the world.
On the successful launches of TCL's all-new QD-Mini LED TVs and QLED TVs, a superior line up of 4K TV's delivering high and precise contrast, stunning brightness, vivid colours and better uniformity, TCL is committed to the development of its AiPQ Processor 3.0, offering next-level picture performance.
AiPQ Processor 3.0 Enhances the Viewing Experience for Movie and TV Lovers
For true film buffs, any time of day is the perfect time to lose yourself in an engrossing, feature-length production. Whether indulging by staying up late or unwinding on a lazy sunny afternoon, the AiPQ Processor 3.0's Ai-Contrast feature intelligently reproduces reality by dynamically optimizing the contrast ratio, analyzing brightness and darkness levels to perfectly balance light and shadows – ensuring the intensity of a scene is upheld whether watching during the day or night. To ensure you never miss a detail of the drama unfolding on your screen, Ai-Clarity analyses the image according to its original resolution, reproducing the final image with precise noise reduction for crystal clear visuals, meaning every detail of an intense film scene is captured. For fans of the fantasy genre, where out-of-this-world colour palettes really bring the story to life, Ai-Colour transforms and strengthens the screen colour gamut, independently rendering different colours to ensure expression is optimized for a truly immersive experience.
For those who prefer to unwind by transporting themselves to other worlds via nature documentaries, Ai-Colour perceives images in the same way the naked eye does by recreating micro colour details seen in the real world. It achieves this by automatically tuning, correcting and enhancing multiple specs including colour temperature, saturation and contrast, to deliver a life-like rendered image with a natural, artistic touch. Thanks to this precise algorithm, wildlife shows have never looked so good, making the viewer feel truly surrounded by nature. What's more, Ai-HDR intelligently decodes multiple HDR formats from HDR 10, to HDR10+ and more, allowing you to TV content exactly as the director intended, with enhanced organic colours and a wider range of brightness and darkness highlights.
Keeping up to Speed – The Benefits of Ai for Sports Viewing and Gaming
For those who never want to miss a moment of the action, Ai-Motion elevates the experience of watching sports by intuitively detecting fast moving objects according to their size and position on the screen, calculating motion in terms of refresh rate and frame number. Be the first to spot the foul or notice if the ball was out thanks to Ai-Clarity's crystal-clear visuals that allow you to enjoy up to 4K experience with content of lower resolutions, so you can capture every pivotal moment.
Gamers will also appreciate Ai-Motion's ability to convert low frame images to high frames, restoring silky-smooth visuals without any blurring or tearing for uninterrupted game play. Further enhancing the gaming experience, Ai-Contrast helps you see more in the dark, unveiling enemies hidden in the shadows during game play.
The outstanding AiPQ Processor 3.0 can be found in the latest select TCL QD-Mini LED TVs now available to purchase across global markets, allowing customers all over the world to discover the benefits of intelligent multi-dimensional optimization.
About TCL Electronics
TCL Electronics (1070.HK) is a fast-growing consumer electronics company and a leader in the global television industry. Founded in 1981, it now operates in more than 160 markets around the world. TCL specializes in the research, development, and manufacturing of consumer electronics products ranging from TVs, audio, and smart home appliances. Visit the TCL website at https://www.tcl.com.
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SOURCE TCL Electronics | https://www.ktre.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/enjoy-smartly-enhanced-entertainment-with-tcl-aipq-processor-30-its-latest-qd-mini-led-tvs/ | 2023-07-31T02:55:01 | 1 | https://www.ktre.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/enjoy-smartly-enhanced-entertainment-with-tcl-aipq-processor-30-its-latest-qd-mini-led-tvs/ |
BEIJING, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- President Xi Jinping visited the site of a section of an ancient road system known as "Shudao" in Guangyuan on July 25, which winds its way through rugged mountains and ancient trees. There, Xi learned about efforts surrounding ecological conservation.
This visit marks Xi's attention to China's ecological development, which has achieved remarkable progress over the past 10 years, said experts.
Witnessing the government's recent remarks on ecology, they believed that the country's road of building a Beautiful China has demonstrated the nation's wisdom in balancing the needs of economic development and improving the environment.
Before heading to Sichuan, Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered a speech at a national conference on ecological and environmental protection held from July 17 to 18.
Xi said that the country's ecological conservation has undergone a historic, transformative and comprehensive changes both in theory and practice, with significant strides made in building a Beautiful China.
Noting that China's economy and society have entered a stage of high-quality development marked by accelerated progress in promoting green and low-carbon growth, Xi called for higher standards, a broader perspective and stronger efforts in planning and advancing ecological and environmental protection on the new journey, as well as writing a new chapter of ecological conservation in the new era.
Xi stressed the need to properly handle the relationships between high-quality development and high-level protection, between tackling major challenges and coordinating governance, between natural recovery and human-assisted restoration, between external constraints and internal driving forces, as well as between "dual carbon" commitments and self-determined actions.
Xi said that the country's ecological conservation has undergone historical, transformative and comprehensive changes both in theory and practice, with significant strides made in building a Beautiful China.
This conference again showed us how importance the central government attaches to ecological protection, an official from environment protection bureau in Wuhai, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, who requested anonymity, told the Global Times on Friday. He said during the past 10 years, ecological protection has become an increasingly important indictor in evaluating government's performance in his city, which was famous for coal production.
"Although planting trees costs more in Inner Mongolia than in other parts of China due to lack of water and dry weather, we learned in the past 10 years that making our city greener brings more benefits than leaving the mountains bare. The city becomes more beautiful, residents are happy, and more tourists visit; also we saw less sandstorms," the official said.
During a press conference on Thursday, Huang Runqiu, China's minister of ecology and environment, highlighted China's achievement on ecological protection over recent years.
From 2013 to 2022, China's average PM2.5 concentration decreased by 57 percent and the number of heavily polluted days decreased by 93 percent, while the nation's GDP doubled during the same period, Huang said. This made China the country with the fastest improvement in air quality worldwide. Specifically, in Beijing, the average PM2.5 concentration decreased from 89.5 micrograms per cubic meter in 2013 to 30 micrograms per cubic meter in 2022, and the number of heavily polluted days decreased from 58 to only 3, said Huang. The United Nations Environment Agency praised this achievement as the "Beijing Miracle."
Lin Boqiang, director of the China Center for Energy Economics Research at Xiamen University, told the Global Times that "China has engaged in a sustained top-down efforts for many years to enhance ecological protection. The central and local governments march together toward the same goal, with continuous environmental policies. Moreover, the country has demonstrated its wisdom in how to balance ecological development and maintain fast economic growth at the same time."
Perfect balance
We should protect nature and preserve the environment like we protect our eyes, and endeavor to foster a new relationship where man and nature can both prosper and live in harmony, President Xi once said.
Xi has given important instructions on the rational utilization and friendly protection of the ecological environment during his numerous visits to the frontlines of ecological protection, such as to the Maanshan forest farm in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the Qilian Mountains, the Shandan Horse Ranch in Gansu, an ecological wetland of the Dianchi Lake in Kunming, and many other places.
In June 2022, Xi visited Yibin, Sichuan Province, where the Jinsha and Minjiang rivers converge into the Yangtze River. He noted that sound ecological conservation along the Yangtze River basin is the precondition for advancing high-quality development in the Yangtze River Economic Belt.
The Yellow River and the Yangtze River are the mother rivers of the Chinese nation. The protection of the mother rivers is a crucial project concerning the great rejuvenation and sustainable development of the Chinese nation, Xi said at the time.
From June 5 to 6 this year, accompanied by officials from Inner Mongolia, Xi was on a fact-finding mission at a nature reserve, a modern agricultural demonstration park, a forest farm and a water resources department in the city of Bayannur.
On June 6, Xi presided over a symposium in Bayannur on strengthening the comprehensive prevention and control of desertification and promoting the construction of crucial ecological projects, including the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program.
Xi, who was then the Party Chief of Zhejiang, put forward the famous "two mountains" concept - clear waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets comparable to the gold and silver of legend - in August 2005 during his visit to Anji county.
Nowadays, residents in the county has sought out ways to make a living that they enjoy, with many becoming businessmen, running their own hostels, shops and tourism companies, thanks to the improved natural environment.
Pan Chunlin, a former miner, who now runs a hostel after local mines were shut down, explained the transformation to the Global Times "My annual income is now hundreds of times higher than before. Today, I can earn in a day what I used to make in one year".
Following the development approach referred to as the "two mountains" concept, in the past decade, Anji has modeled itself into a place known for its beautiful ecology and prosperous green industries, which have completely changed the villagers' lives, Jin Peihua, head of the "Two Mountains" Concept Research Institute affiliated with Huzhou University, said.
Global bellwether
Apart from domestic efforts, China is also making efforts in unifying a global effort on ecological preservation.
The 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, known as COP15, was convened in Kunming, Yunnan Province in 2021.
As the first global conference convened by the United Nations on the topic of ecological civilization, a philosophy proposed by China, it offered a platform for countries to find common ground on "Building a Shared Future for All Life on Earth."
During an official trip to Zimbabwe in 2015, Xi visited a local wildlife sanctuary, where he fed an orphaned elephant. He reiterated China's commitment to wildlife protection and pledged to help Zimbabwe do so by donating equipment and exchanging experience with China.
Recalling Xi's explanation of China's initiatives to breed giant pandas and expand protected areas, Roxy Danckwerts, the founder of the sanctuary, said, "I thought that was very significant that he is making such big strides in his own country."
Bradley Blankenship, a Prague-based American journalist, columnist and political commentator, recently spent a week in Beijing. Speaking with the Global Times, he said that "I must admit that based on the antiquated view of China that many Americans have and discuss publicly, I expected the city to be smoggy and congested. To the contrary, it has beautiful blue skies.
"China has been successful in beautifying Beijing, as well as other cities and towns, by transitioning from coal power to gas, establishing emission standards for coal-fired stations, implementing tougher standards for other industries such as steel and cement and seeking high-quality development with a high-quality ecological environment. These achievements have been so successful that Beijing now stands as an example for mega-cities around the globe, particularly those in the Global South," Blankenship said.
During a visit to Guizhou in June, Manasa R. Tagicakibau, Fiji's Ambassador to China, said China is "so advanced" when it comes to ecological civilization. "You look at the development that's been achieved by Guizhou authorities together with the local people, ethnic minorities and the population at large, in terms of developing the area to make this mountainous area a very safe and harmonious and happy place to live in. I'm impressed."
The ambassador said Guizhou shares a lot of similarities to some of the mountainous regions in Fiji, but there is a lot to be done in Fiji in terms of accessibility and this is an area that Fiji can learn from China.
However, some Western countries, so-called pioneering initiatives on environment protection, take a laissez-afire attitude in face of environment disasters. Recently, Chinese scientists used scientific methods to assess it and concluded that, as of Wednesday, the carbon dioxide emissions from Canadian wildfires have reached approximately 1 billion tons, which has already developed into a global environmental event.
It is worth mentioning that the forest area in China is approximately 2.31 million square kilometers, which is roughly two-thirds of that in Canada. However, the average annual emission of carbon dioxide caused by forest fires in China from 2000-21 was approximately 15 million tons, only 0.2 percent of the global forest fire emissions, demonstrating China's responsible role as a major country, experts noted.
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SOURCE Global Times | https://www.ktre.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/global-times-xis-footsteps-sichuan-demonstrate-chinas-wisdom-balancing-economic-devt-ecological-protection/ | 2023-07-31T02:55:07 | 0 | https://www.ktre.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/global-times-xis-footsteps-sichuan-demonstrate-chinas-wisdom-balancing-economic-devt-ecological-protection/ |
NEW YORK, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Last Fortress: Underground, a grounding-breaking game set in an apocalyptic bunker, has announced a new and exciting collaboration with the hugely successful superhero TV series, The Boys. This collaboration is set to commence on July 31, offering players a chance to immerse themselves in an action-packed journey alongside these unforgettable heroes.
In this unique collaboration, players will team up with Butcher, Hughie, and Starlight, delving into uncharted territories, unlocking captivating storylines, and battling the relentless zombie horde side by side! Unleash their powers and prepare to explore the outer world with The Boys, as they strive to uncover the truth behind the mysterious zombie surge.
As players embark on this exhilarating quest, exciting rewards await! Take part in the electrifying collaboration to seize exclusive decorations, including the highly coveted "Forerunner Motorcycle" Army Skin, The Boys Emotes, Avatar Frame, Message Frame, Medal, and Nameplate. Furthermore, brace themselves for the unprecedented release of the collab hero skin and the collab fortress skin, adding a touch of uniqueness to their Last Fortress experience.
Whether people are returning players or someone new to the game, now is the perfect time to check out Last Fortress: Underground. Prepare themselves for an unparalleled gaming experience. Don't miss out on the chance to be part of this epic collaboration!
Download Last Fortress now from the App Store or Google Play, and gear up to face the zombie apocalypse hand in hand with the legendary characters of The Boys.
Download Last Fortress:
App Store/Google Play: https://lastfortress.onelink.me/dWAs/cgt9bmhr
Official Website: https://last-fortress.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/LastFortress/100063571239541/
Discord: https://discord.gg/W2yQUz7jWG
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SOURCE Last Fortress: Underground | https://www.ktre.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/last-fortress-underground-embarks-an-epic-collaboration-with-boys/ | 2023-07-31T02:55:14 | 0 | https://www.ktre.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/last-fortress-underground-embarks-an-epic-collaboration-with-boys/ |
WASHINGTON, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Teamsters Union was served legal notice today that Yellow Corp. is ceasing operations and filing for bankruptcy.
"Today's news is unfortunate but not surprising. Yellow has historically proven that it could not manage itself despite billions of dollars in worker concessions and hundreds of millions in bailout funding from the federal government. This is a sad day for workers and the American freight industry," said Teamsters General President Sean M. O'Brien.
The Teamsters are committed to ensuring members are protected and notified with all the latest information. The International is putting infrastructure in place to help affected members get the assistance they need to find good union jobs throughout freight and other industries.
The situation is developing. Additional details are forthcoming.
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.2 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.
Contact:
Daniel Moskowitz, (770) 262-4971
dmoskowitz@teamster.org
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SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters | https://www.ktre.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/teamsters-notified-that-yellow-corp-operating-companies-have-closed/ | 2023-07-31T02:55:20 | 0 | https://www.ktre.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/teamsters-notified-that-yellow-corp-operating-companies-have-closed/ |
Chris Buescher finally put RFK Racing in Victory Lane, but can it win a NASCAR title? Vote!
After much-improved performances this season, Chris Buescher finally put Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing (RFK) in Victory Lane with an impressive performance at Richmond on Sunday.
A win seemed to be all that was missing for RFK in 2023 with Buescher and teammate Brad Keselowski already in great position for playoff berths. With the victory, Buescher is now officially in with Keselowski, who led a race-high 102 laps on Sunday before settling for sixth, now a comfortable 133 points above the cut-off line with five regular season events remaining.
But is RFK now a title contender? We want you to tell us!
There are certainly a few indicators that such a statement isn't that big of a stretch. First, Richmond is the sister track of Phoenix, where the NASCAR championship race will be held in November. Keselowski and Buescher led a combined 190 of 400 laps on Sunday.
HEY, WILLIE!Trickle or Nixon? Pick your Dick in this round of quotation trivia
It was the second win for the organization since Keselowski entered the fray prior to last season with Buescher scoring a victory at Bristol last fall as well.
Now, RFK is a proven winner in 2023.
Is that victory enough to spark bigger things once the playoffs begin? That's where you come in.
Last week, we asked if Denny Hamlin was responsible for crashes for Kyle Larson and/or Alex Bowman with an astounding 2,346 responses. A total of 66.9% of you agreed that Hamlin caused both incidents.
As always, you may vote up to once per hour until the poll closes at noon next Sunday. Remember to send all comments to rpritt@gannett.com or tweet them to @RPritt on Twitter. We may run some of our favorites with next week's poll. | https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/sports/nascar/2023/07/30/chris-buescher-richmond-rfk-nascar-championship/70495586007/ | 2023-07-31T02:55:21 | 1 | https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/sports/nascar/2023/07/30/chris-buescher-richmond-rfk-nascar-championship/70495586007/ |
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July keeps sizzling as Phoenix hits another 110-degree day and wildfires spread in California
PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix sizzled through its 31st consecutive day of at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius) and other parts of the country grappled Sunday with record temperatures after a week that saw significant portions of the U.S. population subject to extreme heat.
The National Weather Service said Phoenix was expected to climb to 112 F (44.4 Celsius) before the day was through.
July has been so steamy thus far that scientists calculate it will be the hottest month ever recorded and likely the warmest human civilization has seen. The World Meteorological Organization and the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service on Thursday proclaimed July beyond record-smashing.
The historic heat began blasting the lower Southwest U.S. in late June, stretching from Texas across New Mexico and Arizona and into California’s desert.
On Sunday, a massive wildfire burning out of control in California’s Mojave National Preserve spread rapidly amid erratic winds, while firefighters reported progress against another major blaze to the south that prompted evacuations.
The York Fire that erupted Friday near the remote Caruthers Canyon area of the preserve sent up a huge plume of smoke visible nearly 100 miles (160 kilometers) away across the state line in Nevada.
Flames 20 feet (6 meters) high in some spots have charred more than 110 square miles (284 square kilometers) of desert scrub, juniper and Joshua tree woodland, according to a Sunday update.
“The dry fuel acts as a ready ignition source, and when paired with those weather conditions it resulted in long-distance fire run and high flames, leading to extreme fire behavior,” authorities said. No structures were threatened, but there was also no containment.
To the southwest, the Bonny Fire was holding steady at about 3.4 square miles (8.8 square kilometers) in rugged hills of Riverside County. More than 1,300 people were ordered to evacuate their homes Saturday near the remote community of Aguanga, California.
Triple-digit heat was expected in parts of the central San Joaquin Valley through Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
And in Burbank, California, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Los Angeles, the summer heat may have been responsible for some unusual behavior in the animal kingdom: Police in the city responded to a report of a bear sighting in a residential neighborhood and found the animal sitting in a Jacuzzi behind one of the homes.
As climate change brings hotter and longer heat waves, record temperatures across the U.S. have killed dozens of people, and the poorest Americans suffer the most. Air conditioning, once a luxury, is now a matter of survival.
Last year, all 86 heat-related deaths indoors were in uncooled environments.
“To explain it fairly simply: Heat kills,” said Kristie Ebi, a University of Washington professor who researches heat and health. “Once the heat wave starts, mortality starts in about 24 hours.”
It’s the poorest and people of color, from Kansas City to Detroit to New York City and beyond, who are far more likely to face grueling heat without air conditioning, according to a Boston University analysis of 115 U.S. metro areas.
Back in Phoenix, slight relief may be on the way as expected seasonal thunderstorms could drop temperatures Monday and Tuesday.
“It should be around 108 degrees, so we break that 110 streak,” meteorologist Tom Frieders said. “Increasing cloud cover will put temperatures in a downward trend.”
The relief could be short-lived, however. Highs are expected to creep back to 110 F (43.3 C) Wednesday with temperatures reaching 115 F (46.1 C) by the end of the week.
Phoenix has also sweated through a record 16 consecutive nights when the lows temperature didn’t dip below 90 F (32.2 C), making it hard for people to cool off after sunset.
Meanwhile, Las Vegas continues to flirt with its hottest July ever. The city is closing in on its 2010 record for the average of the high and low each day for July, which stands at 96.2 F (35.5 C).
The extreme heat is also hitting the eastern U.S, as soaring temperatures moved from the Midwest into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, where some places recorded their warmest days so far this year.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kwch.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ | 2023-07-31T02:57:37 | 0 | https://www.kwch.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ |
Friday's massive monsoon storm left nearly 56,000 Tucson Electric Power customers without power. As of Sunday evening at 5:30 p.m., that numberstood at about 700 customers, according to a TEP spokesman.
"We have made significant progress," said TEP representative Joseph Barrios. "We currently have service restored to about 55,000 customers. However, approximately 700 customers still remain without power at this time."
Barrios shared that the storm's impact was widespread, causing damage throughout the area, but he said service for the customers that remain without power would be coming soon.
The nature of the damage from the storm is partly to blame for that.
"This storm caused damage everywhere. Over the last couple of days, we have been responding all over town, and this is now the third big storm we've had in a row," he explained. The previous two storms had primarily affected customers on the Southwest side and in the Catalina Foothills area.
People are also reading…
Barrios mentioned that while downed power poles were a contributing factor, there were also hundreds of work orders for damaged equipment, including downed metal power lines and other pieces of equipment blown down or damaged.
The type of poles TEP installs also played a role in the restoration efforts. Barrios said approximately 80% of the agency's transmission and distribution line structures are wooden, with the remaining 20% being metal. He explained that they typically replace wooden poles with metal ones, except in hard-to-reach locations where wooden poles are necessary to facilitate work.
Barrios emphasized that wind was usually the biggest culprit in causing damage leading to outages. While hail and rain were present during the storm, wind's force was the primary concern.
Eddie Celaya is a breaking news reporter and host of the "Here Weed Go!" podcast. He graduated from Pima Community College and the University of Arizona and has been with the Arizona Daily Star since May 2019. | https://tucson.com/news/local/weather/tep-update/article_6de49900-2f40-11ee-8480-c33c469b0529.html | 2023-07-31T02:59:12 | 1 | https://tucson.com/news/local/weather/tep-update/article_6de49900-2f40-11ee-8480-c33c469b0529.html |
Updated July 30, 2023 at 10:09 PM ET
It's the end of the road for one of the nation's largest freight carriers.
Yellow, a trucking company that just three years ago took a $700 million federal pandemic loan, is shutting down, according to the Teamsters union, which represents the company's 22,000 unionized workers.
The company is expected to file for bankruptcy as soon as Monday, according to industry experts, following a recent exodus of customers amid union strife and on top of years of financial troubles.
With 30,000 jobs at stake, it's poised to be the largest trucking bankruptcy in the history of the U.S., experts said. The company, formerly known as YRC Worldwide, is the third largest less-than-truckload carrier by revenue, behind FedEx and Old Dominion. LTL companies move pallet-sized shipments — smaller than a container, but bigger than a parcel.
Yellow has not publicly announced any plans for bankruptcy or a potential shutdown.
Here's what we know.
Employees were told to prepare for a company shutdown
The Teamsters union, which had been locked in contentious negotiations for a new contract with Yellow, said it received a legal notice that Yellow is ceasing operations and filing for bankruptcy, according to a news release posted Sunday night.
"Today's news is unfortunate but not surprising," said Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien. "This is a sad day for workers and the American freight industry."
The union's announcement comes hours after The Wall Street Journal reported that Yellow shut down on Sunday afternoon, citing internal notices sent to customers and employees.
Yellow says it will issue a public statement on Monday about "the state of the company and the operation," according to the industry outlet FreightWaves, which also obtained internal documents.
Yellow has not responded to NPR's requests for comment.
Yellow laid off an unknown number of its employees on Friday, reported FreightWaves, citing a memo sent to staff informing them that the company is "shutting down its regular operations" and "laying off employees at all of its locations."
The same day, Teamsters had advised Yellow employees to "prepare for the worst."
"Yellow appears to be headed to a complete shutdown within the next few days," said Teamsters National Freight Director John Murphy in a Friday memo shared with NPR.
A strike threat delivered the final blow to cash-poor Yellow
The shutdown comes just days after a Teamsters strike at the company was averted. A week ago, a pension fund agreed to extend health benefits for workers at two Yellow operating companies after the carrier missed its $50 million benefits payment to the fund on July 15, the union said.
While the extension held off a July 24 strike, the threat of a walkout that could disrupt operations prompted a wave of Yellow customers to bolt.
"The Teamsters actions induced a high level of variability and uncertainty in the market for Yellow's customers. The market abhors variability and uncertainty," wrote Mike Regan, co-founder of TranzAct Technologies, which manages transportation services for retailers. "Consequently, Yellow lost substantial and much needed volume."
After the strike threat, Yellow's freight volumes fell 80% within the span of a week, according to Jack Atkins, a managing director at the financial services firm Stephens who researches the transportation sector.
At the same time, he said, Yellow's cries that it was running out of cash during union negotiation attempts scared off customers. After fleeing to rival carriers like FedEx and ABF Freight, customers didn't return.
"Both sides bear fault," Atkins said. "Once that freight left, there was nothing left to really restructure," he added. "It was really too late to save the company."
The company has been at risk of bankruptcy for years
Animus between Yellow and Teamsters has grown in recent months, with each party blaming one another for the company's problems.
After the trucking carrier tried to restructure its operations this spring as a cost-saving measure that would allow it to refinance its debt. In June, Yellow sued the union for blocking the restructuring plan it said was "essential to the company's survival." The Teamsters in turn called the lawsuit "baseless," instead blaming Yellow for "decades of gross mismanagement," that included its alleged exhaustion of the $700 million bailout loan.
The company reported a net income of $21.8 million last year. Yellow has $1.3 billion in loan debt due in fall 2024, $729 million of which is owed to the federal government, according to the company's latest quarterly report.
Yellow received a $700 million loan from the government in 2020 as part of a COVID-19 rescue package. In return, the Treasury Department took a 30% stake in the company's shares, which have since plummeted to less than a dollar apiece as of Friday.
In June, a congressional probe found that the Treasury Department's disbursement of the loan was a mistake; the freight company — whose customers included the Department of Defense — did not actually meet the standards to qualify for the business loan because its survival was not "critical to maintaining national security."
"Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Yellow was a financially struggling company that had a long-term non-investment grade (i.e., junk) rating and previous close calls with bankruptcy over the years. The pandemic did not cause Yellow's longstanding problems, nor is the Treasury's loan to the company likely to solve those problems," the Congressional Oversight Commission report read.
A world without Yellow
An end to the Nashville-based company would mean the loss of 30,000 jobs.
In its Sunday statement, the Teamsters union said it's working to help "affected members get the assistance they need to find good union jobs throughout freight and other industries."
Atkins doesn't expect the federal government to come to the rescue this time. While there may be some slight disruptions, the analyst anticipates other freight carriers will have some capacity to absorb Yellow's business because of a recent dent in freight volumes.
"This is not going to create a supply-chain crisis," he said.
Retailers and manufacturers are likely to see higher shipping rates if the company folds, he said. Yellow is known for its low shipping rates compared to its rivals.
Atkins visited the Yellow terminal in Little Rock, Ark., on Sunday to find all gates chained up, a sign of ceased operations.
"They've been in wind-down mode, clearing the network out of all the remaining freight," he said. "This is the end."
NPR's Camila Domonoske contributed to this story.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.ctpublic.org/2023-07-30/the-yellow-trucking-company-meltdown-explained | 2023-07-31T02:59:59 | 0 | https://www.ctpublic.org/2023-07-30/the-yellow-trucking-company-meltdown-explained |
July keeps sizzling as Phoenix hits another 110-degree day and wildfires spread in California
PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix sizzled through its 31st consecutive day of at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius) and other parts of the country grappled Sunday with record temperatures after a week that saw significant portions of the U.S. population subject to extreme heat.
The National Weather Service said Phoenix climbed to a high of 111 F (43.8 Celsius) before the day was through.
July has been so steamy thus far that scientists calculate it will be the hottest month ever recorded and likely the warmest human civilization has seen. The World Meteorological Organization and the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service on Thursday proclaimed July beyond record-smashing.
The historic heat began blasting the lower Southwest U.S. in late June, stretching from Texas across New Mexico and Arizona and into California’s desert.
On Sunday, a massive wildfire burning out of control in California’s Mojave National Preserve spread rapidly amid erratic winds, while firefighters reported progress against another major blaze to the south that prompted evacuations.
The York Fire that erupted Friday near the remote Caruthers Canyon area of the preserve sent up a huge plume of smoke visible nearly 100 miles (160 kilometers) away across the state line in Nevada.
Flames 20 feet (6 meters) high in some spots have charred more than 110 square miles (284 square kilometers) of desert scrub, juniper and Joshua tree woodland, according to a Sunday update.
“The dry fuel acts as a ready ignition source, and when paired with those weather conditions it resulted in long-distance fire run and high flames, leading to extreme fire behavior,” authorities said. No structures were threatened, but there was also no containment.
To the southwest, the Bonny Fire was holding steady at about 3.4 square miles (8.8 square kilometers) in rugged hills of Riverside County. More than 1,300 people were ordered to evacuate their homes Saturday near the remote community of Aguanga, California.
Triple-digit heat was expected in parts of the central San Joaquin Valley through Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
And in Burbank, California, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Los Angeles, the summer heat may have been responsible for some unusual behavior in the animal kingdom: Police in the city responded to a report of a bear sighting in a residential neighborhood and found the animal sitting in a Jacuzzi behind one of the homes.
As climate change brings hotter and longer heat waves, record temperatures across the U.S. have killed dozens of people, and the poorest Americans suffer the most. Air conditioning, once a luxury, is now a matter of survival.
Last year, all 86 heat-related deaths indoors were in uncooled environments.
“To explain it fairly simply: Heat kills,” said Kristie Ebi, a University of Washington professor who researches heat and health. “Once the heat wave starts, mortality starts in about 24 hours.”
It’s the poorest and people of color, from Kansas City to Detroit to New York City and beyond, who are far more likely to face grueling heat without air conditioning, according to a Boston University analysis of 115 U.S. metro areas.
Back in Phoenix, slight relief may be on the way as expected seasonal thunderstorms could drop temperatures Monday and Tuesday.
“It should be around 108 degrees, so we break that 110 streak,” meteorologist Tom Frieders said. “Increasing cloud cover will put temperatures in a downward trend.”
The relief could be short-lived, however. Highs are expected to creep back to 110 F (43.3 C) Wednesday with temperatures reaching 115 F (46.1 C) by the end of the week.
Phoenix has also sweated through a record 16 consecutive nights when the lows temperature didn’t dip below 90 F (32.2 C), making it hard for people to cool off after sunset.
Meanwhile, Las Vegas continues to flirt with its hottest July ever. The city is closing in on its 2010 record for the average of the high and low each day for July, which stands at 96.2 F (35.5 C).
The extreme heat is also hitting the eastern U.S, as soaring temperatures moved from the Midwest into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, where some places recorded their warmest days so far this year.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wymt.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ | 2023-07-31T02:59:59 | 1 | https://www.wymt.com/2023/07/31/july-keeps-sizzling-phoenix-hits-another-110-degree-day-wildfires-spread-california/ |
With TCL's latest intelligent algorithm, the enhanced picture quality elevates the experience of movie watching, game play and more
HONG KONG, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- TCL, a leading consumer electronics brand and the world's top two TV brand, is reiterating its display advancement to drive more immersive entertainment experiences for users around the world.
On the successful launches of TCL's all-new QD-Mini LED TVs and QLED TVs, a superior line up of 4K TV's delivering high and precise contrast, stunning brightness, vivid colours and better uniformity, TCL is committed to the development of its AiPQ Processor 3.0, offering next-level picture performance.
AiPQ Processor 3.0 Enhances the Viewing Experience for Movie and TV Lovers
For true film buffs, any time of day is the perfect time to lose yourself in an engrossing, feature-length production. Whether indulging by staying up late or unwinding on a lazy sunny afternoon, the AiPQ Processor 3.0's Ai-Contrast feature intelligently reproduces reality by dynamically optimizing the contrast ratio, analyzing brightness and darkness levels to perfectly balance light and shadows – ensuring the intensity of a scene is upheld whether watching during the day or night. To ensure you never miss a detail of the drama unfolding on your screen, Ai-Clarity analyses the image according to its original resolution, reproducing the final image with precise noise reduction for crystal clear visuals, meaning every detail of an intense film scene is captured. For fans of the fantasy genre, where out-of-this-world colour palettes really bring the story to life, Ai-Colour transforms and strengthens the screen colour gamut, independently rendering different colours to ensure expression is optimized for a truly immersive experience.
For those who prefer to unwind by transporting themselves to other worlds via nature documentaries, Ai-Colour perceives images in the same way the naked eye does by recreating micro colour details seen in the real world. It achieves this by automatically tuning, correcting and enhancing multiple specs including colour temperature, saturation and contrast, to deliver a life-like rendered image with a natural, artistic touch. Thanks to this precise algorithm, wildlife shows have never looked so good, making the viewer feel truly surrounded by nature. What's more, Ai-HDR intelligently decodes multiple HDR formats from HDR 10, to HDR10+ and more, allowing you to TV content exactly as the director intended, with enhanced organic colours and a wider range of brightness and darkness highlights.
Keeping up to Speed – The Benefits of Ai for Sports Viewing and Gaming
For those who never want to miss a moment of the action, Ai-Motion elevates the experience of watching sports by intuitively detecting fast moving objects according to their size and position on the screen, calculating motion in terms of refresh rate and frame number. Be the first to spot the foul or notice if the ball was out thanks to Ai-Clarity's crystal-clear visuals that allow you to enjoy up to 4K experience with content of lower resolutions, so you can capture every pivotal moment.
Gamers will also appreciate Ai-Motion's ability to convert low frame images to high frames, restoring silky-smooth visuals without any blurring or tearing for uninterrupted game play. Further enhancing the gaming experience, Ai-Contrast helps you see more in the dark, unveiling enemies hidden in the shadows during game play.
The outstanding AiPQ Processor 3.0 can be found in the latest select TCL QD-Mini LED TVs now available to purchase across global markets, allowing customers all over the world to discover the benefits of intelligent multi-dimensional optimization.
About TCL Electronics
TCL Electronics (1070.HK) is a fast-growing consumer electronics company and a leader in the global television industry. Founded in 1981, it now operates in more than 160 markets around the world. TCL specializes in the research, development, and manufacturing of consumer electronics products ranging from TVs, audio, and smart home appliances. Visit the TCL website at https://www.tcl.com.
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SOURCE TCL Electronics | https://www.wymt.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/enjoy-smartly-enhanced-entertainment-with-tcl-aipq-processor-30-its-latest-qd-mini-led-tvs/ | 2023-07-31T03:00:06 | 0 | https://www.wymt.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/enjoy-smartly-enhanced-entertainment-with-tcl-aipq-processor-30-its-latest-qd-mini-led-tvs/ |
BEIJING, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- President Xi Jinping visited the site of a section of an ancient road system known as "Shudao" in Guangyuan on July 25, which winds its way through rugged mountains and ancient trees. There, Xi learned about efforts surrounding ecological conservation.
This visit marks Xi's attention to China's ecological development, which has achieved remarkable progress over the past 10 years, said experts.
Witnessing the government's recent remarks on ecology, they believed that the country's road of building a Beautiful China has demonstrated the nation's wisdom in balancing the needs of economic development and improving the environment.
Before heading to Sichuan, Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered a speech at a national conference on ecological and environmental protection held from July 17 to 18.
Xi said that the country's ecological conservation has undergone a historic, transformative and comprehensive changes both in theory and practice, with significant strides made in building a Beautiful China.
Noting that China's economy and society have entered a stage of high-quality development marked by accelerated progress in promoting green and low-carbon growth, Xi called for higher standards, a broader perspective and stronger efforts in planning and advancing ecological and environmental protection on the new journey, as well as writing a new chapter of ecological conservation in the new era.
Xi stressed the need to properly handle the relationships between high-quality development and high-level protection, between tackling major challenges and coordinating governance, between natural recovery and human-assisted restoration, between external constraints and internal driving forces, as well as between "dual carbon" commitments and self-determined actions.
Xi said that the country's ecological conservation has undergone historical, transformative and comprehensive changes both in theory and practice, with significant strides made in building a Beautiful China.
This conference again showed us how importance the central government attaches to ecological protection, an official from environment protection bureau in Wuhai, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, who requested anonymity, told the Global Times on Friday. He said during the past 10 years, ecological protection has become an increasingly important indictor in evaluating government's performance in his city, which was famous for coal production.
"Although planting trees costs more in Inner Mongolia than in other parts of China due to lack of water and dry weather, we learned in the past 10 years that making our city greener brings more benefits than leaving the mountains bare. The city becomes more beautiful, residents are happy, and more tourists visit; also we saw less sandstorms," the official said.
During a press conference on Thursday, Huang Runqiu, China's minister of ecology and environment, highlighted China's achievement on ecological protection over recent years.
From 2013 to 2022, China's average PM2.5 concentration decreased by 57 percent and the number of heavily polluted days decreased by 93 percent, while the nation's GDP doubled during the same period, Huang said. This made China the country with the fastest improvement in air quality worldwide. Specifically, in Beijing, the average PM2.5 concentration decreased from 89.5 micrograms per cubic meter in 2013 to 30 micrograms per cubic meter in 2022, and the number of heavily polluted days decreased from 58 to only 3, said Huang. The United Nations Environment Agency praised this achievement as the "Beijing Miracle."
Lin Boqiang, director of the China Center for Energy Economics Research at Xiamen University, told the Global Times that "China has engaged in a sustained top-down efforts for many years to enhance ecological protection. The central and local governments march together toward the same goal, with continuous environmental policies. Moreover, the country has demonstrated its wisdom in how to balance ecological development and maintain fast economic growth at the same time."
Perfect balance
We should protect nature and preserve the environment like we protect our eyes, and endeavor to foster a new relationship where man and nature can both prosper and live in harmony, President Xi once said.
Xi has given important instructions on the rational utilization and friendly protection of the ecological environment during his numerous visits to the frontlines of ecological protection, such as to the Maanshan forest farm in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the Qilian Mountains, the Shandan Horse Ranch in Gansu, an ecological wetland of the Dianchi Lake in Kunming, and many other places.
In June 2022, Xi visited Yibin, Sichuan Province, where the Jinsha and Minjiang rivers converge into the Yangtze River. He noted that sound ecological conservation along the Yangtze River basin is the precondition for advancing high-quality development in the Yangtze River Economic Belt.
The Yellow River and the Yangtze River are the mother rivers of the Chinese nation. The protection of the mother rivers is a crucial project concerning the great rejuvenation and sustainable development of the Chinese nation, Xi said at the time.
From June 5 to 6 this year, accompanied by officials from Inner Mongolia, Xi was on a fact-finding mission at a nature reserve, a modern agricultural demonstration park, a forest farm and a water resources department in the city of Bayannur.
On June 6, Xi presided over a symposium in Bayannur on strengthening the comprehensive prevention and control of desertification and promoting the construction of crucial ecological projects, including the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program.
Xi, who was then the Party Chief of Zhejiang, put forward the famous "two mountains" concept - clear waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets comparable to the gold and silver of legend - in August 2005 during his visit to Anji county.
Nowadays, residents in the county has sought out ways to make a living that they enjoy, with many becoming businessmen, running their own hostels, shops and tourism companies, thanks to the improved natural environment.
Pan Chunlin, a former miner, who now runs a hostel after local mines were shut down, explained the transformation to the Global Times "My annual income is now hundreds of times higher than before. Today, I can earn in a day what I used to make in one year".
Following the development approach referred to as the "two mountains" concept, in the past decade, Anji has modeled itself into a place known for its beautiful ecology and prosperous green industries, which have completely changed the villagers' lives, Jin Peihua, head of the "Two Mountains" Concept Research Institute affiliated with Huzhou University, said.
Global bellwether
Apart from domestic efforts, China is also making efforts in unifying a global effort on ecological preservation.
The 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, known as COP15, was convened in Kunming, Yunnan Province in 2021.
As the first global conference convened by the United Nations on the topic of ecological civilization, a philosophy proposed by China, it offered a platform for countries to find common ground on "Building a Shared Future for All Life on Earth."
During an official trip to Zimbabwe in 2015, Xi visited a local wildlife sanctuary, where he fed an orphaned elephant. He reiterated China's commitment to wildlife protection and pledged to help Zimbabwe do so by donating equipment and exchanging experience with China.
Recalling Xi's explanation of China's initiatives to breed giant pandas and expand protected areas, Roxy Danckwerts, the founder of the sanctuary, said, "I thought that was very significant that he is making such big strides in his own country."
Bradley Blankenship, a Prague-based American journalist, columnist and political commentator, recently spent a week in Beijing. Speaking with the Global Times, he said that "I must admit that based on the antiquated view of China that many Americans have and discuss publicly, I expected the city to be smoggy and congested. To the contrary, it has beautiful blue skies.
"China has been successful in beautifying Beijing, as well as other cities and towns, by transitioning from coal power to gas, establishing emission standards for coal-fired stations, implementing tougher standards for other industries such as steel and cement and seeking high-quality development with a high-quality ecological environment. These achievements have been so successful that Beijing now stands as an example for mega-cities around the globe, particularly those in the Global South," Blankenship said.
During a visit to Guizhou in June, Manasa R. Tagicakibau, Fiji's Ambassador to China, said China is "so advanced" when it comes to ecological civilization. "You look at the development that's been achieved by Guizhou authorities together with the local people, ethnic minorities and the population at large, in terms of developing the area to make this mountainous area a very safe and harmonious and happy place to live in. I'm impressed."
The ambassador said Guizhou shares a lot of similarities to some of the mountainous regions in Fiji, but there is a lot to be done in Fiji in terms of accessibility and this is an area that Fiji can learn from China.
However, some Western countries, so-called pioneering initiatives on environment protection, take a laissez-afire attitude in face of environment disasters. Recently, Chinese scientists used scientific methods to assess it and concluded that, as of Wednesday, the carbon dioxide emissions from Canadian wildfires have reached approximately 1 billion tons, which has already developed into a global environmental event.
It is worth mentioning that the forest area in China is approximately 2.31 million square kilometers, which is roughly two-thirds of that in Canada. However, the average annual emission of carbon dioxide caused by forest fires in China from 2000-21 was approximately 15 million tons, only 0.2 percent of the global forest fire emissions, demonstrating China's responsible role as a major country, experts noted.
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SOURCE Global Times | https://www.wymt.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/global-times-xis-footsteps-sichuan-demonstrate-chinas-wisdom-balancing-economic-devt-ecological-protection/ | 2023-07-31T03:00:12 | 1 | https://www.wymt.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/global-times-xis-footsteps-sichuan-demonstrate-chinas-wisdom-balancing-economic-devt-ecological-protection/ |
NEW YORK, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Last Fortress: Underground, a grounding-breaking game set in an apocalyptic bunker, has announced a new and exciting collaboration with the hugely successful superhero TV series, The Boys. This collaboration is set to commence on July 31, offering players a chance to immerse themselves in an action-packed journey alongside these unforgettable heroes.
In this unique collaboration, players will team up with Butcher, Hughie, and Starlight, delving into uncharted territories, unlocking captivating storylines, and battling the relentless zombie horde side by side! Unleash their powers and prepare to explore the outer world with The Boys, as they strive to uncover the truth behind the mysterious zombie surge.
As players embark on this exhilarating quest, exciting rewards await! Take part in the electrifying collaboration to seize exclusive decorations, including the highly coveted "Forerunner Motorcycle" Army Skin, The Boys Emotes, Avatar Frame, Message Frame, Medal, and Nameplate. Furthermore, brace themselves for the unprecedented release of the collab hero skin and the collab fortress skin, adding a touch of uniqueness to their Last Fortress experience.
Whether people are returning players or someone new to the game, now is the perfect time to check out Last Fortress: Underground. Prepare themselves for an unparalleled gaming experience. Don't miss out on the chance to be part of this epic collaboration!
Download Last Fortress now from the App Store or Google Play, and gear up to face the zombie apocalypse hand in hand with the legendary characters of The Boys.
Download Last Fortress:
App Store/Google Play: https://lastfortress.onelink.me/dWAs/cgt9bmhr
Official Website: https://last-fortress.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/LastFortress/100063571239541/
Discord: https://discord.gg/W2yQUz7jWG
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SOURCE Last Fortress: Underground | https://www.wymt.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/last-fortress-underground-embarks-an-epic-collaboration-with-boys/ | 2023-07-31T03:00:19 | 1 | https://www.wymt.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/last-fortress-underground-embarks-an-epic-collaboration-with-boys/ |
- GM reiterated that it will double EV production in the second half of the year, to 100,000 units, but fixing supply-chain issues is a key to boosting production, which GM says it is working through now.
- Wall Street analysts say fall rollouts of GM's electric Chevy Silverado, Blazer and Equinox will show how well EVs are expanding beyond enthusiasts.
- But spikes in dealers' EV inventory, Tesla's price cuts and Ford's plans to slow its EV ramp-up, are cautionary notes, and some on Wall Street think near-term EV demand will disappoint, which GM executives strongly disagreed with on the company's earnings call.
With unsold electric vehicles backing up on the lots of rivals' dealers, General Motors' electric-vehicle rollout strategy for the fall is shaping up to be a key moment for Detroit when it comes reading an uncertain EV adoption curve.
GM, so far, is acting as if it can withstand a current shakeout in the EV world, says analyst Brian Downey, executive editor of Autotrader, a division of auto-data company Cox Automotive. EV inventories were 92,000 as of June 26, up 350% from mid-2022, as models from automakers newer to the EV market like Kia, Porsche, Jaguar and Hyundai saw sales fall short of expectations and sales of Ford's Mustang Mach E dropped.
But GM reiterated in its earnings this week that it will double production of EVs in the second half of the year, to 100,000 units – including the long-awaited introduction of an electric Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck and EV versions of Chevy's Equinox crossover and Blazer compact sport-utility vehicle. The company says it will reach 400,000 cumulative units of EV production by early 2024 and that its EV business will reach profitability by 2025.
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"It's the popcorn moment," said Dan Ives, analyst at Wedbush Securities. "They have dozens of EV models over the next two to three years. These first models, coming from the 313 area code, will lay the groundwork. It's really the next six to 12 months on which they'll be judged."
Investors liked much of this week's news from GM, because the company raised its 2023 profit guidance for the second time this year, saying its automotive division's free cash flow will be $7 billion to $9 billion, up from $5.5 billion to $7.5 billion. Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas speculated that the company's decision to trim capital spending, which accounted for most of the changed cash-flow forecast, might simply reflect conservatism heading into labor talks with the United Auto Workers union.
Shares dropped 4% after the company's earnings beat Wall Street forecasts, and the stock finished the week down, though GM shareholders have still picked up a double-digit gain on paper year-to-date.
Money Report
GM CEO Mary Barra told analysts on the earnings call that the reduction in capital spending was not related to a call on market demand. "There was no market-driven slowdown," she said.
Wall Street analysts, though, remain unconvinced about near-term EV adoption rates.
"We would continue to advise investors to keep their expectations well managed with respect to the speed of the ramp and the ultimate size and profitability of GM's electric vehicle business. We express this sentiment not just for GM, but for all legacy auto manufacturers," wrote Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jones in a note to clients after the GM earnings.
There is a core EV issue in the numbers: GM sold about 36,000 electric vehicles in the first half of 2023, according to Cox Automotive. With production set to zoom higher, the new models had better sell.
Among analysts who believe the stock is due for a bigger drop, expected EV sales disappointment is among the factors. Deutsche Bank analyst Colin Langan, whose $32 price target represents between a 15%-20% drop from this week's GM share price, said in a note to investors that among the biggest risks to his sell rating is "the successful launch of key EV products such as the Cadillac Lyriq, GMC Hummer EV, Chevy Silverado / GMC Sierra EV, Chevy Equinox EV, and Chevy Blazer EV."
CFRA Research analyst Garrett Nelson said in a note to clients after earnings this week, "We believe the near term earnings drag from GM's EV transition will be significant, and have doubts about its production ramp-up and ultimate demand for its EV models amid growing signs of EV market oversaturation."
Consumers may be more important to watch than investors right now. The models coming out this summer and fall include electric versions of GM's top-selling vehicle, the Silverado, and its No. 3 model, the Equinox crossover (No. 2 is the GMC Sierra, which is basically another iteration of the Silverado). There will also be an EV version of the Chevy Blazer midsize SUV.
Preliminary pricing for the Equinox calls for it to start around $30,000 before a $7,500 federal tax credit. The Blazer's final pricing will be announced by the first week of August, company spokesman Chad Lyons said, and its rollout will begin with its lower and middle-priced trim levels this summer. With gasoline engines, those Blazers start at a suggested retail price around $35,000 for the base level and $42,800 for the RS, well below the company's second quarter average U.S. selling price of $52,248.
The Silverado, like many EVs, is an example of bringing more expensive models to market first, but GM expects to deliver more basic models next year, Lyons said. GM CEO Mary Barra told analysts after its earnings that she is "very confident with where we are in the pricing for the Silverado EV."
The Cadillac Lyriq EV sedan, priced from $58,590 and competing with more expensive products from Jaguar and Audi, came out last year, Cadillac spokeswoman Katie Minter said. GM will also be rolling out the Cadillac Celestiq, a $300,000 model that will be custom designed for each customer.
Paul Jacobson, GM's chief financial officer, cited "pent up demand" for the new Lyriq in a call with analysts after earnings, and also cited the Chevy Bolt, which the company had planned to discontinue only a few months ago but has now decided to bring back. "We can't build enough Bolts right now," Jacobson said.
"People are hanging in there with orders," Jacobson told analysts asking about EV pricing strategy. "I think with some of the challenges identified as we ramp production, we see a lot of consistent strong demand for the products that we're producing."
The moves will help cement GM's place as the EV industry's value choice as the business shakes out, according to Ives, who says he has driven all of the new models and is enthusiastic about the lineup's ability to make GM relevant to younger demographics that look to imports first.
"This is not your grandfather's GM," he said. "Sweet design, massive tech upgrades, great battery life, no range anxieties. People will pull up to the valet parking in them. It's not something you would consider before.''
According to Downey, the goal is to lure customers who have not been attracted to EVs for the sake of technology alone. As EV market leader Tesla has done by cutting prices this year, GM is moving to give EV options to the larger market of consumers who simply want trouble-free cars at attractive prices, he said.
'Hard part' of auto industry EV rollout is just beginning
As the industry wide EV rollout reaches a critical juncture, "GM is positioned well for the hard part," Downey said. "Tesla people are not car buyers. They're tech buyers. The next group of cars will meet people where they are. The next generation doesn't care how cars are powered. They want them to be easy," he said.
The need for more options in the EV market has been highlighted by inventory backups for many kinds of EVs during the second quarter, which largely spared GM, Downey said. (Tesla, which sells direct to consumers, is not included in Cox data tracing dealer inventories). Cox's data shows a 21% year-to-date decline in unit sales through June, for example, for Ford's Mach-E; and a growth stall for Hyundai's Ioniq 5 crossover, as well as a slow start for its Ioniq 6 sedan. The Hyundais have been hurt by high prices and the fact that they are ineligible for federal tax credits because they aren't made in the U.S., Downey said.
Barra expressed confidence across the EV portfolio. "We're seeing with Lyriq, we're seeing with the Hummer truck and SUV ... the Bolt ... these vehicles are getting to the dealers' lots. And if they're not already sold, they've got a list of people who are waiting for them," she said. "For the rare customer who decides they're not going to wait for the vehicle, there are several more waiting in line."
But GM's EV plans come as Ford announced it is slowing down its plans to expand EV production to a 600,000 annual rate. The Mustang Mach-E sold 14,000 units and the F-150 Lightning truck sold 8,757 in the first half of the year, according to Cox. The F-150 EV's sales are about 2.3% of total F-series unit sales as reported by Goodcarbadcar.net.
Ford sent slightly different messaging to investors last week, saying that while it is losing billions to accelerate its EV manufacturing, it will also be ramping production of hybrids, including a hybrid F-150.
Downey says surveys show about half of car buyers would consider going electric. But the market so far is only about 6% electric, he said, as customers wait for the product they want, even as total EV sales rose 47% and brands like Volkswagen, Genesis, Rivian, BMW – and Chevy – all saw sales double.
"This will be the first year U.S. EV sales reach 1 million," Downey said. "That's a lot of 'em."
For GM and Ford, the ultimate question is whether, when breaking apart that one million EV unit sales figure, they can sell all the electric cars and trucks they are currently gearing up to produce. For GM, the answer to that will come into focus beginning this fall. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/business/money-report/a-key-test-for-ev-sales-and-the-adoption-curve-is-coming/4548710/ | 2023-07-31T03:01:05 | 1 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/business/money-report/a-key-test-for-ev-sales-and-the-adoption-curve-is-coming/4548710/ |
While many growth stocks have recovered this year, investors continue to look for attractive dividend picks that can offer steady income and the potential for long-term capital appreciation.
Here are five dividend stocks worth considering, according to Wall Street's top experts on TipRanks, a platform that ranks analysts based on their past performance.
IBM
Tech giant IBM (IBM) recently reported mixed results for the second quarter. While revenue fell short of expectations, the company's earnings smashed estimates due to improved gross margin.
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IBM is transforming its business and focusing on growth areas like hybrid cloud computing and artificial intelligence. It generated free cash flow of over $3.4 billion and paid dividends worth $3 billion in the first six months of 2023. IBM expects to deliver free cash flow of $10.5 billion for the full year.
Earlier this year, IBM increased its quarterly dividend by a modest 0.6% to $1.66, marking the 28th consecutive year of dividend hikes. IBM's dividend yield is about 4.6%.
Following the results, Stifel analyst David Grossman increased his price target for IBM stock to $144 from $140 and reiterated a buy rating. The analyst slightly raised his 2023 and 2024 estimates based on the organic and inorganic growth in the company's software business.
Money Report
"IBM has been a source of funds YTD and remains most appropriate for the dividend sensitive value investor looking for a defensive market hedge," said Grossman.
Grossman is ranked 389th among more than 8,500 analysts tracked by TipRanks. His ratings have been profitable 64% of the time, with each one delivering an average return of 14.4%. (See IBM Blogger Opinions & Sentiment on TipRanks)
Chord Energy
Next up is Chord Energy (CHRD), an oil and gas operator with assets in the Williston Basin. The company rewards shareholders through a quarterly base dividend, a variable dividend and share buybacks.
For the first quarter, Chord declared a total cash dividend of $3.22 per share, including a variable dividend of $1.97 per share.
RBC Capital analyst Scott Hanold sees the possibility of the company exceeding its 75% minimum shareholder payout if excess cash builds and no other accretive acquisition opportunities arise. Hanold expects Chord to declare a variable dividend of $0.15 per share for the second quarter, along with a base dividend of $1.25 per share and share buybacks in the range of $25 million to $30 million.
Ahead of the upcoming results, Hanold lowered his Q2 2023 earnings per share and cash flow per share estimates due to lower benchmark commodity prices, wider price differentials, and lower production. He also reduced his price target for CHRD to $180 from $185 to reflect his new commodity price forecast.
Nonetheless, Hanold is bullish on CHRD and reiterated a buy rating on the stock, saying, "The company's balance sheet is strong and leverage is de-minimis, providing the opportunity to allocate a significant portion of FCF to shareholder returns."
Hanold, who ranks 43rd out of more than 8,500 on Tipranks, has a success rate of 63% and each of his ratings has returned 21.4%, on average. (See Chord Energy Hedge Fund Trading Activity on TipRanks)
Energy Transfer LP
Another RBC Capital analyst, Elvira Scotto, is bullish on dividend stock Energy Transfer (ET), a publicly traded limited partnership that operates a vast pipeline network spanning 41 U.S. states.
On July 25, Energy Transfer announced a quarterly cash distribution of $0.31 per common unit for the second quarter, marking a 0.8% increase compared to the first quarter of 2023. That brings the dividend yield to over 9%. The company is targeting a 3% to 5% growth in its annual distribution.
Heading into second-quarter results, Scotto expects the performance of midstream companies to be affected by lower commodity prices. Nonetheless, the analyst reiterated a buy rating on Energy Transfer stock with a price target of $17.
"We believe ET has one of the most attractive integrated asset bases across our midstream coverage universe and view ET as a compelling investment opportunity, trading at a discount to large cap peers on EV/EBITDA and at a FCF [free cash flow] yield of ~14%," said Scotto.
The analyst thinks that ET is well positioned to generate significant rise in cash flows, which, coupled with its solid balance sheet, could drive higher cash returns through increased distributions to unitholders.
Scotto holds the 53rd position among more than 8,500 analysts on TipRanks. Additionally, 65% of her ratings have been profitable, with an average return of 19.6%. (See Energy Transfer Stock Chart on TipRanks)
EOG Resources
Another energy name this week is EOG Resources (EOG), a crude oil and natural gas exploration and production company. Last year, the company returned $5.1 billion through regular and special dividends, representing 67% of its free cash flow.
For the first quarter of 2023, EOG declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.825 per share, payable on July 31. Moreover, the company repurchased $310 million worth shares in Q1. EOG offers a forward dividend yield of about 2.6%.
Mizuho analyst Nitin Kumar recently revised his estimates for EOG ahead of its upcoming results, to reflect actual pricing and improving Delaware well productivity based on the data from his firm's proprietary database. Kumar's Q2 2023 volume estimates are biased toward the higher end of the outlook range.
The analyst projects that EOG will deliver free cash flow of $753 million in the second quarter, despite his expectation of a 10% fall in aggregate pricing compared to the first quarter.
"Compared to the base dividend burden of ~$484mm and over $5bn of cash on hand at March 31, the company should have excess cash to pursue buybacks opportunistically," said Kumar, who reiterated a buy rating on EOG with a price target of $146.
Kumar ranks 111th among more than 8,500 analysts on TipRanks. His ratings have been profitable 69% of the time, delivering an average return of 22.5%. (See EOG Insider Trading Activity on TipRanks)
Morgan Stanley
Finally, we will look at a dividend stock in the financial sector: Morgan Stanley (MS). Recently, the global financial services giant reported market-beating second-quarter results, as the strength in its wealth management division offset lower trading revenue.
Last month, Morgan Stanley announced that it will hike its quarterly dividend per share to $0.85 from $0.775, commencing with the dividend to be declared in the third quarter of 2023. With this hike, Morgan Stanley's forward dividend yield stands at about 3.6%. The bank's board also reauthorized a $20 billion multi-year share repurchase program, beginning in the third quarter of 2023.
The bank's upbeat second-quarter results prompted BMO Capital analyst James Fotheringham to increase his forward estimates by 1% to 2% and raise his price target for MS stock to $103 from $100. The analyst reiterated a buy rating on the stock, noting that the wealth management division remains the "bright spot."
"Following two lackluster quarters for capital markets, MS noted the emergence of 'green shoots' across its businesses, supportive of a near-term improvement in deal activity," said Fotheringham.
Fotheringham holds the 215th position among more than 8,500 analysts on TipRanks. Additionally, 65% of his ratings have been profitable, with an average return of 12.4%. (See Morgan Stanley Financial Statements on TipRanks) | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/business/money-report/top-wall-street-analysts-are-upbeat-about-these-dividend-stocks/4548576/ | 2023-07-31T03:01:12 | 0 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/business/money-report/top-wall-street-analysts-are-upbeat-about-these-dividend-stocks/4548576/ |
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The city of San Francisco has opened a complaint and launched an investigation into a giant “X” sign that was installed Friday on top of the downtown building formerly known as Twitter headquarters as owner Elon Musk continues his rebrand of the social media platform.
City officials say replacing letters or symbols on buildings, or erecting a sign on top of one, requires a permit for design and safety reasons.
The X appeared after San Francisco police stopped workers on Monday from removing the brand’s iconic bird and logo from the side of the building, saying they hadn’t taped off the sidewalk to keep pedestrians safe if anything fell.
Any replacement letters or symbols would require a permit to ensure “consistency with the historic nature of the building” and to make sure additions are safely attached to the sign, Patrick Hannan, spokesperson for the Department of Building Inspection said earlier this week.
Erecting a sign on top of a building also requires a permit, Hannan said Friday.
“Planning review and approval is also necessary for the installation of this sign. The city is opening a complaint and initiating an investigation,” he said in an email.
Musk unveiled a new “X” logo to replace Twitter’s famous blue bird as he remakes the social media platform he bought for $44 billion last year. The X started appearing at the top of the desktop version of Twitter on Monday.
Musk, who is also CEO of Tesla, has long been fascinated with the letter X and had already renamed Twitter’s corporate name to X Corp. after he bought it in October. One of his children is called “X.” The child’s actual name is a collection of letters and symbols.
On Friday afternoon, a worker on a lift machine made adjustments to the sign and then left. | https://www.wfla.com/news/national/x-logo-installed-atop-twitter-building-spurring-san-francisco-to-investigate-permit-violation/ | 2023-07-31T03:02:33 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/news/national/x-logo-installed-atop-twitter-building-spurring-san-francisco-to-investigate-permit-violation/ |
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A person was rescued in Old Tampa Bay after their Gheenoe boat was found halfway submerged underwater Sunday.
According to the Safety Harbor Fire Department, fire crews were dispatched to Philippe Park after a jet skier spotted the Gheenoe.
Upon inspection, officials said a seat, cooler and other personal items were found floating near the boat.
The fire department said that while the units were launching their boats, the victim was located on the shoreline of the park.
The victim was evaluated for injuries by the Oldsmar Fire Rescue and Sunstar Paramedics. Thankfully, the victim was uninjured.
Crews confirmed that there were no other victims and transported the vessel to the Philippe boat ramp.
The scene was turned over to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
This is a developing story. Stay up to date on the latest from News Channel 8 on-air and on the go with the free WFLA News Channel 8 mobile app. | https://www.wfla.com/news/pinellas-county/boat-found-submerged-in-old-tampa-bay-victim-rescued-officials-say/ | 2023-07-31T03:02:39 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/news/pinellas-county/boat-found-submerged-in-old-tampa-bay-victim-rescued-officials-say/ |
It turns out three-row crossover SUVs can be efficient, but it seemingly must have a Toyota badge on it.
The 2023 Toyota Highlander Hybrid sets an efficiency benchmark that the three-row SUV competition still can’t hit. Refreshed this year, the Highlander doesn’t look very different, but the V-6 engine option is replaced by a turbo-4. Either engine only gets about 24 mpg combined, which is why the Highlander Hybrid I tested is so much more appealing at 35 mpg combined.
With a TCC Rating of 6.8 out of 10, the 2023 Toyota Highlander bests most of the competition including the redesigned 2023 Honda Pilot, which still hasn’t been electrified.
After spending time running the kids to activities and then taking two road trips with the family, I noted some pros and cons of the 2023 Toyota Highlander Hybrid.
Pro: Toyota Highlander Hybrid gets good fuel economy
With the V-6 engine gone, the hybrid powertrain in the Highlander shines even brighter as it’s the smoother, quieter, more pleasant option compared to the new turbo-4. The 2.5-liter inline-4 and electric motor are rated at 243 hp and 186 lb-ft of torque. More importantly, it has EPA fuel economy ratings of 35 mpg city, 34 highway, and 35 combined. In mixed suburban driving I saw an average of 27.7 mpg, while on a highway road trip of 200 miles with the cruise control set at over 70 mph, the Highlander Hybrid averaged 32.2 mpg. Both were a bit shy of EPA ratings, but speed and outside heat were both factors.
Whatever the case, no direct competitor comes close. The V-6-powered Honda Pilot with AWD only musters ratings of 19/25/21 mpg. While there is a Ford Explorer Hybrid, its powertrain isn’t smooth and with AWD, it’s only rated at 23/26/25 mpg.
Con: Toyota Highlander’s volume knob is for passengers
The top-spec Limited and Platinum trims (mine was the latter) continue to feature a 12.3-inch touchscreen, but for some inexplicable reason the volume knob has been relocated from the driver side of the center stack to the passenger side. I’m 5-foot-10, and as a driver it’s quite a reach and borderline unreasonable. A volume toggle switch remains on the steering wheel, but you have to click it for every up or down volume change versus just twisting a knob. It’s annoying.
Pro: Toyota Highlander features a clean digital gauge cluster
This year, Limited and Platinum models swap the analog gauge cluster for a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster. The digital cluster features analog-like gauges for both the tachometer and speedometer, but incorporates various functions such as audio source along with average fuel economy neatly into the interface. It’s not creative like the Ford F-150’s digital gauge cluster, which has been spotted in the upcoming 2024 Ford Explorer refresh, but it’s clean and easy to read at a glance.
Con: Toyota Highlander’s running boards are useless
My $55,647 Platinum model was equipped with the optional $599 running boards. Do not opt for these running boards. Even my 7- and 9-year-old kids immediately complained about the running boards, noting they get in the way of getting in and out of the Highlander. With 8.0 inches of ground clearance, this crossover SUV isn’t that high off the ground, and the running boards make getting in harder.
Pro: Toyota Highlander remains easy to live with
While some competitors are moving to the buttonless era, Toyota’s remembered those of us that like simpler things, like buttons, knobs, and toggles. The climate control system features all three of these things and they bring great joy. While the automotive industry seems infatuated with touchscreens and touch-based controls, the ease of use of hard buttons can’t be argued.
Con: Toyota Highlander infotainment system can’t split-screen
Unfortunately outside of the volume knob for the passenger, all infotainment controls have been relegated to the screen. Gone are the hard buttons to change media sources. Worse, the previous infotainment screen interface, which was also a 12.3-inch display in Limited and Platinum models, featured a split-screen setup. Apple CarPlay could run alongside various functions such as audio source, climate control, or vehicle info. That’s all gone and been replaced by Toyota’s latest operating system also seen in the Tundra pickup and Sequoia SUV. It’s 12.3 inches of one thing, whether it’s CarPlay, a map, audio source, or vehicle settings. Nobody needs that much CarPlay or maps, and it’s a waste of digital real estate.
The Toyota Highlander Hybrid is (for most people) all the vehicle one needs while setting a fuel economy bar the competition can’t reach.
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
2023 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
Base price: $37,635, including $1,335 destination
Price as tested: $55,647
Powertrain: 243-hp hybrid, all-wheel drive
EPA fuel economy: 35/34/35 mpg
The hits: Great fuel economy, easy to live with
The misses: Volume knob placement, useless running boards, infotainment system became less functional
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- Test drive: 2023 Jeep Wagoneer L goes bigger | https://www.wane.com/automotive/internet-brands/test-drive-2023-toyota-highlander-hybrid-goes-the-extra-mpg/ | 2023-07-31T03:03:22 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/automotive/internet-brands/test-drive-2023-toyota-highlander-hybrid-goes-the-extra-mpg/ |
At 24, Alberto Rodriguez has grandparents younger than Joe Biden. But he’s more interested in the 80-year-old president’s accomplishments than his age.
“People as young as me, we’re all focusing on our day-to-day lives and he has done things to help us through that,” Rodriguez, a cook at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, said of Biden’s support among young voters. Rodriguez pointed specifically to federal COVID-19 relief payments and government spending increases on infrastructure and other social programs.
Voters like him were a key piece of Biden’s winning 2020 coalition, which included majorities of young people as well as college graduates, women, urban and suburban voters and Black Americans. Maintaining their support will be critical in closely contested states such as Nevada, where even small declines could prove consequential to Biden’s reelection bid.
His 2024 campaign plans to emphasize messages that could especially resonate with young people in the coming weeks as the anniversary of the sweeping Inflation Reduction Act approaches in mid-August. That legislation includes provisions that the White House will embrace to argue that Biden has done more than any other president to combat climate change.
Such efforts, however, could collide with Biden’s personal reality — like when he recalled that, while attending a St. Patrick’s Day parade at age 14, he appeared in a photo with President Harry S. Truman.
“Purely by accident — I assume it was an accident — the photographer from the newspaper got a picture of me making eye contact with Harry Truman,” Biden said to chuckles last week at the Truman Civil Rights Symposium in Washington.
In 2020, 61% of voters under age 30 — and 55% of those between 30 and 44 — supported Biden, according to AP VoteCast, a nationwide survey of the electorate.
It’s an age group with which Republicans hope to make inroads. Former President Donald Trump, who is the early front-runner in the GOP presidential primary and is only 3 1/2 years younger than Biden, said Friday, “We are hitting the young person’s market like nobody’s ever seen before.”
Kevin Munoz, a spokesman for Biden’s campaign, referred to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement in arguing that “young people are acutely impacted by the issues front and center in this election, driven by the extreme MAGA agenda.” He said that included inaction on climate change, gun violence and student debt.
“We will meet younger Americans where they are and turn their energy into action,” Munoz said in a statement.
That might not defuse questions about age, though, when it comes to Biden or Trump.
“There’s a frustration and exhaustion that they feel with the rematch,” Terrance Woodbury, co-founder & CEO of the Democratic polling firm HIT Strategies, said of young voters.
“That’s more of a problem than either of those two candidates individually, is that a system can just keep reproducing,” Woodbury added. “And I think a lot of people just find that untenable.”
An April poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that just 25% of Democrats under 45 said they would definitely support Biden in a general election, compared with 56% of older Democrats. A majority of Democrats across age groups said they would probably support him as the party’s nominee, however.
Biden’s campaign is relying heavily on the Democratic National Committee, which during last year’s midterms, hired campus organizers in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona and other battleground states and offered weekly youth coordinating meetings to encourage in-class contacts and “dormstorms.” The DNC sees young people as some of the most critical voters it will need to reach in 2024 and promises “significant investments” to mobilize them. Plans are underway to expand on its work last cycle, including trainings it held on how best to turn out voters.
The Republican National Committee is trying to use Biden’s age against him, posting online videos of Biden seeming frail or making verbal gaffes, such as when he declared in June “God save the queen,” nearly nine months after the death of England’s Queen Elizabeth II.
Rodriguez shrugged off online attacks, “People can make all the hit pieces and memes and TikToks all they want.”
A starker contrast might be between the president and rising Democrats such as 46-year-old California Rep. Ro Khanna and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, 41, one of Biden’s primary rivals in 2020. Neither seriously entertained running for the White House in 2024 and have backed Biden’s reelection.
“The only thing that really matters is your ability to do the job,” Buttigieg, who was 37 when he launched his 2020 presidential bid, said recently on CNN. Khanna told Fox News Channel that age will “obviously” be a 2024 factor, but suggested that Biden’s staff “overprotects” him and “the more he’s out there, the better.”
Other top young Democrats have lined up to back Biden. Florida Democratic Rep. Maxwell Frost, who was elected to Congress last year at 26, is on the Biden campaign’s advisory board, as is Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, 44. New York Rep. Alexandra Ocasio Cortez, 33, recently endorsed Biden.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a progressive who says strong turnout among young voters helped him win a runoff election this spring, said Biden’s policies transcend his age. Johnson noted that the president’s work “around climate justice speaks not just to this generation, but generations to come.”
“The excitement that I believe that we’re going to have is going to speak to the incredible work and organizing that we are committed to doing as a party,” said Johnson, 47. “And we’re looking forward to working with the president over the course of his next four years.”
Still, Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, acknowledged that even the president’s supporters understand how demanding the White House can be.
“People worry about Joe Biden. They worry like you would worry about a beloved father or grandfather,” said Weingarten, 65. “What you normally hear from Democrats is this sense of, ‘OK, I just want him to be OK.’ And you’re hearing just the consternation of, ’This is a hard job.’”
Biden said he “took a hard look” at his age while deciding to seek a second term. But he’s also tried to suggest his age and experience are assets rather than liabilities by joking repeatedly about them. That’s a departure from 2020, when Biden called himself a “transition candidate” and pledged to be a “bridge” to younger Democrats.
Santiago Mayer, the founder of Voters of Tomorrow, which has 20-plus chapters nationwide and works to increase political engagement among young voters, argues that Biden is not defying his past promise by running for reelection, but keeping it.
“He just needs more time,” said Mayer, who graduated from California State University at Long Beach in May. “I think the second term is a very important part of that pledge. He’s building a progressive future for young people and he can’t actually pass the baton until that’s done.”
One key policy piece of Biden’s efforts to appeal to young voters, providing student debt relief, was recently struck down by the Supreme Court. The White House has launched a new effort, but it will take longer.
“Of course it’s going to dampen some of that because people are disappointed,” Weingarten said of the ruling’s effect on enthusiasm for Biden. But she said the decision could also motivate young Biden supporters anxious show their support for the president’s alternative plan.
“It is also about the fight,” Weingarten said “not just about the results.” | https://pix11.com/news/us-world-news/joe-biden-the-oldest-sitting-president-needs-young-voters-will-his-age-matter/ | 2023-07-31T03:04:40 | 1 | https://pix11.com/news/us-world-news/joe-biden-the-oldest-sitting-president-needs-young-voters-will-his-age-matter/ |
PHOENIX — Phoenix sizzled through its 31st consecutive day of at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius) and other parts of the country grappled Sunday with record temperatures after a week that saw significant portions of the U.S. population subject to extreme heat.
July has been so steamy thus far that scientists calculate it will be the hottest month ever recorded and likely the warmest human civilization has seen. The World Meteorological Organization and the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service on Thursday proclaimed July beyond record-smashing.
The historic heat began blasting the lower Southwest U.S. in late June, stretching from Texas across New Mexico and Arizona and into California’s desert.
On Sunday, a massive wildfire burning out of control in California’s Mojave National Preserve spread rapidly amid erratic winds, while firefighters reported progress against another major blaze to the south that prompted evacuations.
The York Fire that erupted Friday near the remote Caruthers Canyon area of the preserve sent up a huge plume of smoke visible nearly 100 miles (160 kilometers) away across the state line in Nevada.
Flames 20 feet (6 meters) high in some spots have charred more than 110 square miles (284 square kilometers) of desert scrub, juniper and Joshua tree woodland, according to a Sunday update.
“The dry fuel acts as a ready ignition source, and when paired with those weather conditions it resulted in long-distance fire run and high flames, leading to extreme fire behavior,” authorities said. No structures were threatened, but there was also no containment.
To the southwest, the Bonny Fire was holding steady at about 3.4 square miles (8.8 square kilometers) in rugged hills of Riverside County. More than 1,300 people were ordered to evacuate their homes Saturday near the remote community of Aguanga, California.
Triple-digit heat was expected in parts of the central San Joaquin Valley through Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
And in Burbank, California, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Los Angeles, the summer heat may have been responsible for some unusual behavior in the animal kingdom: Police in the city responded to a report of a bear sighting in a residential neighborhood and found the animal sitting in a Jacuzzi behind one of the homes.
As climate change brings hotter and longer heat waves, record temperatures across the U.S. have killed dozens of people, and the poorest Americans suffer the most. Air conditioning, once a luxury, is now a matter of survival.
Last year, all 86 heat-related deaths indoors were in uncooled environments.
“To explain it fairly simply: Heat kills,” said Kristie Ebi, a University of Washington professor who researches heat and health. “Once the heat wave starts, mortality starts in about 24 hours.”
It’s the poorest and people of color, from Kansas City to Detroit to New York City and beyond, who are far more likely to face grueling heat without air conditioning, according to a Boston University analysis of 115 U.S. metro areas.
Back in Phoenix, slight relief may be on the way as expected seasonal thunderstorms could drop temperatures Monday and Tuesday.
“It should be around 108 degrees, so we break that 110 streak,” meteorologist Tom Frieders said. “Increasing cloud cover will put temperatures in a downward trend.”
The relief could be short-lived, however. Highs are expected to creep back to 110 F (43.3 C) Wednesday with temperatures reaching 115 F (46.1 C) by the end of the week.
Phoenix has also sweated through a record 16 consecutive nights when the lows temperature didn’t dip below 90 F (32.2 C), making it hard for people to cool off after sunset.
Meanwhile, Las Vegas continues to flirt with its hottest July ever. The city is closing in on its 2010 record for the average of the high and low each day for July, which stands at 96.2 F (35.5 C).
The extreme heat is also hitting the eastern U.S, as soaring temperatures moved from the Midwest into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, where some places recorded their warmest days so far this year. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/2023/07/30/phoenix-110-degrees-extreme-heat-california-fires/75effcba-2f46-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html | 2023-07-31T03:04:40 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/2023/07/30/phoenix-110-degrees-extreme-heat-california-fires/75effcba-2f46-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html |
With TCL's latest intelligent algorithm, the enhanced picture quality elevates the experience of movie watching, game play and more
HONG KONG, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- TCL, a leading consumer electronics brand and the world's top two TV brand, is reiterating its display advancement to drive more immersive entertainment experiences for users around the world.
On the successful launches of TCL's all-new QD-Mini LED TVs and QLED TVs, a superior line up of 4K TV's delivering high and precise contrast, stunning brightness, vivid colours and better uniformity, TCL is committed to the development of its AiPQ Processor 3.0, offering next-level picture performance.
AiPQ Processor 3.0 Enhances the Viewing Experience for Movie and TV Lovers
For true film buffs, any time of day is the perfect time to lose yourself in an engrossing, feature-length production. Whether indulging by staying up late or unwinding on a lazy sunny afternoon, the AiPQ Processor 3.0's Ai-Contrast feature intelligently reproduces reality by dynamically optimizing the contrast ratio, analyzing brightness and darkness levels to perfectly balance light and shadows – ensuring the intensity of a scene is upheld whether watching during the day or night. To ensure you never miss a detail of the drama unfolding on your screen, Ai-Clarity analyses the image according to its original resolution, reproducing the final image with precise noise reduction for crystal clear visuals, meaning every detail of an intense film scene is captured. For fans of the fantasy genre, where out-of-this-world colour palettes really bring the story to life, Ai-Colour transforms and strengthens the screen colour gamut, independently rendering different colours to ensure expression is optimized for a truly immersive experience.
For those who prefer to unwind by transporting themselves to other worlds via nature documentaries, Ai-Colour perceives images in the same way the naked eye does by recreating micro colour details seen in the real world. It achieves this by automatically tuning, correcting and enhancing multiple specs including colour temperature, saturation and contrast, to deliver a life-like rendered image with a natural, artistic touch. Thanks to this precise algorithm, wildlife shows have never looked so good, making the viewer feel truly surrounded by nature. What's more, Ai-HDR intelligently decodes multiple HDR formats from HDR 10, to HDR10+ and more, allowing you to TV content exactly as the director intended, with enhanced organic colours and a wider range of brightness and darkness highlights.
Keeping up to Speed – The Benefits of Ai for Sports Viewing and Gaming
For those who never want to miss a moment of the action, Ai-Motion elevates the experience of watching sports by intuitively detecting fast moving objects according to their size and position on the screen, calculating motion in terms of refresh rate and frame number. Be the first to spot the foul or notice if the ball was out thanks to Ai-Clarity's crystal-clear visuals that allow you to enjoy up to 4K experience with content of lower resolutions, so you can capture every pivotal moment.
Gamers will also appreciate Ai-Motion's ability to convert low frame images to high frames, restoring silky-smooth visuals without any blurring or tearing for uninterrupted game play. Further enhancing the gaming experience, Ai-Contrast helps you see more in the dark, unveiling enemies hidden in the shadows during game play.
The outstanding AiPQ Processor 3.0 can be found in the latest select TCL QD-Mini LED TVs now available to purchase across global markets, allowing customers all over the world to discover the benefits of intelligent multi-dimensional optimization.
About TCL Electronics
TCL Electronics (1070.HK) is a fast-growing consumer electronics company and a leader in the global television industry. Founded in 1981, it now operates in more than 160 markets around the world. TCL specializes in the research, development, and manufacturing of consumer electronics products ranging from TVs, audio, and smart home appliances. Visit the TCL website at https://www.tcl.com.
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SOURCE TCL Electronics | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/enjoy-smartly-enhanced-entertainment-with-tcl-aipq-processor-30-its-latest-qd-mini-led-tvs/ | 2023-07-31T03:04:40 | 0 | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/enjoy-smartly-enhanced-entertainment-with-tcl-aipq-processor-30-its-latest-qd-mini-led-tvs/ |