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CASCADE, Idaho — The Sixty fire is burning in Cascade and is close to several structures. The Valley County Sheriff's Office has issued an evacuation notice, deputies are manning a check point for people at Timber Rim and Grey Ln., and residents on Timber Rim are being urged to leave the area.
According to the Idaho Department of Lands, the fire is close to the Timber Rim subdivision that is south of Sixty Lane, near Cascade in the Round Valley area.
As of Sunday, July 30, the fire was 5 to 10 acres. The fire department has two engine air tankers and a helicopter. Another crew of 20 is expected to arrive tomorrow.
The department also mentioned that people should never fly drones near wildfires because if a drone is flying, they must ground their aircrafts. No word on how the fire started.
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Stream Live for FREE on FIRE TV: Search ‘KTVB’ and click ‘Get’ to download. | https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/local-sixty-fire-burning-in-mccall/277-d8585536-b80f-4f3f-a16e-9ff82e91c6c7 | 2023-07-31T04:36:30 | 1 | https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/local-sixty-fire-burning-in-mccall/277-d8585536-b80f-4f3f-a16e-9ff82e91c6c7 |
Search for Julian Sands scaled back on 12th day since he went missing on Mt. Baldy
As the search on Mt. Baldy for actor Julian Sands entered its 12th day, rescuers began to scale back their efforts, authorities have announced.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, which is leading the search, said Wednesday it is continuing to look for the missing actor by using only air units, such as sheriff’s helicopters and drones.
Since Sands was reported missing on Jan. 13, the department had been scouring the Mt. Baldy area with both air and ground crews, though some ground missions were intermittently called off due to avalanche risks and dangerous trail conditions.
Julian Sands is one of the two hikers who went missing in the San Gabriel Mountains. The actor’s family has released a statement as the search continues.
The department said air crews are using RECCO devices, a rescue technology that uses harmonic radar systems to detect clothing equipped with RECCO reflectors. The device is commonly used to find people buried by an avalanche or lost hikers.
No evidence of Sands’ whereabouts has been found throughout the search.
On Tuesday, rescuers found another hiker, 75-year-old Jin Chung of Los Angeles, who had gone missing on Mt. Baldy on Sunday. He was hospitalized for “weather-related injuries” and a leg injury.
Around the time Sands was reported missing, a flurry of storms had recently blanketed Mt. Baldy with snow. The icy conditions led officials to issue warnings to hikers of all skill levels. The peak is considered one of the most dangerous to climb in the United States.
Sands, 65, is known for his work in “A Room With a View” (1985), “Warlock” (1989) and dozens of other films and TV series, including “24” and “Dexter.” Born in the United Kingdom, Sands lives in North Hollywood and is an avid mountaineer, having climbed peaks in the Andes and Swiss Alps.
Producer Cassian Elwes said he has been praying for Julian Sands, ‘a very close family friend who was an adventurer in everything he did.’
Amid a litany of hopeful messages for the missing actor from Hollywood figures, Sands’ family issued a statement on Monday, thanking the sheriff’s department and rescue crews for “braving conditions on the ground and in the air to bring Julian home.”
“We are deeply touched by the outpouring of love and support,” the statement read.
Julian Sands, a 65-year-old British actor, has been missing since last week in the Mt. Baldy area and is being searched for in the SoCal mountains.
Sands’ brother told BBC News this week that he has already said his goodbyes to Julian.
“I have come to terms with the fact he’s gone and for me that’s how I’ve dealt with it,” Nick Sands said in the BBC report published Wednesday. “We are all still hoping I guess, but I know he’s gone in my mind and because of that I’ve already said my goodbyes.”
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You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. | https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2023-01-25/search-for-actor-julian-sands-on-mt-baldy-is-scaled-back-to-air-only | 2023-07-31T04:36:30 | 0 | https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2023-01-25/search-for-actor-julian-sands-on-mt-baldy-is-scaled-back-to-air-only |
BEIJING — The Fangbiaogan Real Estate Agency in the southern city of Nanning is still waiting for China’s post-COVID rebound.
“People are worried,” said Cai. “They feel safer holding onto their savings instead of spending them.”
Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s government is making ambitious promises to drag the economy out of that crisis of confidence aggravated by tension with Washington, wilting exports, job losses and anxiety among foreign companies about an expanded anti-spying law.
Its most striking pledge: To support entrepreneurs who generate jobs and wealth but have felt under attack over the past decade as the ruling Communist Party built up state-owned industry, tightened control over business and pressured them to pay for its technology and industrial ambitions.
China has an “urgent need” to “boost confidence in the outlook for the private economy,” the Cabinet said in a July 19 announcement.
Entrepreneurs and investors are waiting to see what tax, spending or other steps the ruling party might take — and whether it will rein in state companies that dominate banking, energy and other industries and that economists say are stifling growth.
The ruling party took action after the economy grew by just 0.8% in the three months ending in June from the previous quarter, down from 2.2% growth in January-March. That is equal to a 3.2% annual rate, among China’s weakest in decades.
With households anxious about possible job losses, retail sales growth slid to 3.1% in June from the previous month’s 12.7%.
“Policymakers have underestimated the difficulty in boosting the confidence of households and private companies,” Macquarie economists Larry Hu and Yuxiao Zhang said in a report. China needs a “reset in macro and regulatory policies to make them more pro-growth and pro-business,” they said.
The ruling party’s Politburo followed up on July 24 with a statement promising to shore up economic growth and support real estate, which has struggled since Beijing clamped down on debt levels in China’s biggest industry. Stock markets in Hong Kong and China surged on the news but fell back as investors waited to see what Beijing might do.
“I’ve seen lots of policies like this, but none were carried out,” said Cai, the real estate broker.
China’s leaders want the prosperity generated by free enterprise but also are requiring businesses to invest in political initiatives that include developing computer chips and narrowing the wealth gap between China’s elite and the poor majority. Regulators shut down an internet-based tutoring industry and imposed limits on children playing online games.
Skeptical businesspeople and economists expect little more than fine-tuning.
“We doubt this marks a fundamental shift in the way that the leadership views the role of private firms,” Julian Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economics said in a report.
The country’s No. 2 leader, Premier Li Qiang, and Cabinet ministers spent the first half of this year meeting visiting CEOs including Apple Inc.’s Tim Cook and Elon Musk of Tesla Ltd. in a charm offensive aimed at reviving investor interest.
Despite that, foreign companies are on edge following unexplained raids on two consulting firms and a due diligence firm. The expansion of an anti-spying law and a push for self-reliance in technology also are seen as risks. Foreign investment into China fell 2.7% from a year earlier in the first half of 2023, according to official data.
A survey by the British Chamber of Commerce in China found 70% of foreign companies want “greater clarity” before making new investments. The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China said its members are shifting investments to Southeast Asia and other targets.
Exports in June fell 12.% from a year earlier after interest rate hikes to cool inflation dampened U.S. and European consumer demand.
A furniture dealer in the central city of Taiyuan said her sales were down 20-30% compared with during the pandemic. The merchant, who would give only her family name, Ma, said her customers are salaried urban workers who still were recovering from anti-virus measures that shut down companies.
“We have lost money so far this year,” said Ma, who was unaware of the ruling party’s promise of support.
An official survey found unemployment among young people in cities spiked to a record 21.3% in June.
A researcher at Peking University, Zhang Dandan, wrote in the business news magazine Caixin the true rate might be almost 50% if young people who are paid by parents to work around the house while they try to find other jobs or have given up looking are included.
The party’s decision to reverse one of its signature policies and ease controls imposed in 2020 to rein in surging debt in real estate reflect the urgency of the problem. Those curbs triggered a wave of hundreds of bankruptcies among developers and dragged on business activity.
Still, the property industry’s problems persist. Developers have renegotiated payments to banks and bondholders, but financial analysts say they face another cash crunch if sales fail to pick up. The biggest, Evergrande Group, still is trying to resolve more than $300 billion in debt.
Tech tycoon Ma Huateng, the publicity-shy co-founder of games and social media giant Tencent Holding, broke his media silence and issued a statement praising the July 19 announcement as a “clear and in-depth understanding” of challenges for entrepreneurs.
Tencent, operator of the popular WeChat message service, is a target of anti-monopoly and data security crackdowns launched by Beijing in 2020 to tighten control over tech industries. Its share price has fallen by half, wiping out more than $400 billion in stock market value.
The statement “raised earnest expectations for high-quality development of private enterprises,” Ma wrote on a state TV blog.
The party has tried to shift money to the public by pressuring successful companies including e-commerce giant Alibaba Group to raise wages and reduce charges. But the party has avoided giving money straight to households through Western-style social welfare programs.
The chief economist of state-owned Bank of China International Ltd. suggested a politically sensitive alternative: Hand ownership of state-owned companies that are the core of the ruling party’s strategic plans to the Chinese public.
Their dividends would “create wealth effects for residents, stimulating increased income and consumption,” Xu Gao wrote in a commentary published by a Beijing think tank, the Center for China and Globalization.
The party has given no sign it might consider that. It has not clarified the status of law and consulting firms and other companies under the anti-spying rules, which have left many uncertain about whether gathering information on business conditions is prohibited.
Another risk factor: More abrupt policy changes as Xi, China’s most powerful leader in decades, pursues his economic, social and strategic ambitions.
“There is little to prevent private firms from being targeted again down the road,” said Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economics.
___
AP researcher Yu Bing contributed. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/07/30/china-economy-technology-entrepreneurs-jinping/8970e91e-2f52-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html | 2023-07-31T04:36:35 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/07/30/china-economy-technology-entrepreneurs-jinping/8970e91e-2f52-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html |
SEATTLE, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Monport Laser has been at the forefront of laser engraving innovation, spearheading the development of cutting-edge laser engravers and cutters. Building upon its world-leading expertise in the laser engraving industry, the company is now ready to captivate the market with its latest breakthroughs. In August, Monport Laser is scheduled to announce a range of new laser engraving machines, specifically engineered to handle various materials.
After six months of relentless effort from Monport's development technical team, their eagerly anticipated product will finally be revealed to all laser creators in early August of this year. The development of this innovative machine began with thousands of customer survey questionnaires for laser marking machines, rigorous testing, and product designer assessments. Engineers conducted over a dozen rounds of machine sample screening and in the final design stage, they took the unusual step of bringing in external senior personnel and engraving novices to carry out engraving tests for an entire month. This dedication to improvement and openness to feedback ensures a professional and user-friendly final fiber laser.
Monport GP Fiber Laser Series is not only Lightweight but Compact
Laser engraving machines have long faced difficulties when it comes to laser focusing, causing technical support headaches. Monport's latest innovation in marking machine can answer all these troubles. The new product boasts an electric and manual double lifting focus method, designed to make laser focusing seamless and improve the final engraving result. With this cutting-edge technology, users can operate without any barriers, and achieve the perfect, professional engraving effect.The electric lifting focus is suitable for beginners while the manual focus is the best for experienced users. This new integrated fiber laser is truly versatile in achieving any special engraving effects needed.
Breaking away from the conventional split type designs flooding the market, Monport introduces a game-changing one-piece design for their latest marking machine. This ingenious development not only saves valuable space but also ensures portability becomes a breeze. Bella, a senior developer at Monport Laser, proudly declared, "Our exceptional team of female developers has personally experienced the convenience of this machine. They effortlessly moved it from one studio to another, adjusting the base's height for easy handling right off the table. The commitment to a user-friendly experience is not just a mere claim."
In striking comparison to other conventional 33kg machines, Monport GP Series Fiber Series introduces their groundbreaking 20-22 kg all-in-one machine, setting a new industry standard for its exceptional lightness. The machine boasts rounded leading corners, diligently crafted to prevent unwanted bumps and damage during handling and transportation. Monport's thoughtful consideration extends further with the addition of a dustproof board, ensuring optimal performance and longevity. Endowed with an exceptional user-friendly experience and multifunctional capabilities, this machine embodies Monport Laser's unwavering dedication to continuous upgrades, always keeping the user at the forefront.
Monport GI Series MOPA Lasers Redefine Color Fast Marking
Monport's exciting product launch not only includes the highly anticipated new additions to the GP Series but also showcases the cutting-edge GI Series color engraving fiber machine. This JPT MOPA fiber laser is built to last, offering precision, durability, and longevity that surpasses expectations. With its remarkable laser cutting capability, it can effortlessly cut up to 0.05 mm with each pass, achieving an astonishing accuracy of ±0.1 microns.
Extensive Support and Remarkable Fiber Accessories
Complementing the multitude of advantages offered by their cutting-edge machine, Monport Laser goes above and beyond by providing customers with comprehensive support and unparalleled expandability. The new fiber series from Monport introduces a range of accessories designed to elevate the engraving experience. One notable addition is the safety shells, embedded with radiation protection and noise reduction functions, creating a secure and tranquil environment for users.
As a testament to their commitment to customer satisfaction, Monport Laser also includes 10 different test materials, ranging from metal rings to key chains and cards made from various metal materials, enabling users to explore and experiment with ease.
By empowering businesses and industries, expanding the creative landscape for maker spaces, unleashing innovation, and creating opportunities for growth, Monport Laser is at the forefront of revolutionizing the laser engraving field.
Company: Monport Laser
Contact email: official@monportlaser.com
Pre-sales Phone: (+1)332-251-1208
Monport Laser Website: https://monportlaser.com/
Monport Adress: Monport Tech Inc. 300 LENORA ST 878, SEATTLE, WA, 98121-2411, UNITED STATES
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SOURCE Monport Laser | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/monport-laser-unveils-new-gp-series-gi-series-fiber-lasers-redefine-precision-performance/ | 2023-07-31T04:36:34 | 0 | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/monport-laser-unveils-new-gp-series-gi-series-fiber-lasers-redefine-precision-performance/ |
MOUNTAIN HOME, Idaho — Jessa Love is 6 years old. She looks like your typical happy little girl, but Jessa is a true warrior.
The Mountain Home girl battled leukemia for over two years. She was diagnosed just days before her fourth birthday. She spent 113 days in the hospital, had 61 chemotherapy infusions, and 21 spinal taps.
After a grueling two years of treatment, Jessa had the chance to ring the bell at St. Luke's on her 6th birthday in August of 2022. Her mom is so proud.
"She defeated a lot of odds, and she is here today, and she finally gets to experience life just like any other kid," Jessa's mom, Laura Smith said with a smile.
The past year has been incredible for Jessa. She has been so busy making up for lost time. She got to go back to school last year, and this summer she has been regaining the childhood she lost. Her mom tells us she mastered her cartwheel, is swimming without her floatie, and is now jumping off the highest ladder at the pool. She will be 7 next month.
This summer has also been special for another reason. Jessa got to go on her Make-A-Wish Idaho trip to Disneyworld.
"I liked the Avatar rides the best," Jessa said.
It was the trip of a lifetime. She loved every minute of it. When it was time to fly home to Idaho, something really special happened.
"On our last flight from Las Vegas to Boise, we just had an incredible crew," Smith said.
One of the Southwest flight attendants heard about Jessa beating cancer and had big plans for her.
"He had let my mom know that he wanted to pull Jessa up to the front of the plane and do a little announcement," Smith said.
That's just what he did. When the flight was getting ready to land in Boise, he called Jessa up near the cockpit. The flight attendant announced to everyone onboard that Jessa had beat cancer and wished her well in the future.
"He also said keep your head up, keep your chin up, and keep fighting," Jessa said.
Then she got a huge round of applause from all the passengers.
"It was just an incredible experience, just having that many people, that many strangers, love your child in that moment. They were so proud of her and wanted the best for her," Smith said. "It's a memory that we will always remember, and we will never forget the flight crew and the passengers that were on that flight that day. It was just the perfect way to end Jessa's journey and to end her whole trip."
Little did Laura and Jessa know that memorable flight was just the beginning. Laura made a TikTok of what happened, and that video of Jessa and the flight attendant went viral all over the country! It spread like wildfire on social media, Southwest Airlines shared it, and it was even featured on NBC's Today Show.
"It's been crazy watching this whole thing blow up," Smith said. "I never expected it to go as far as it did, but I'm glad it did. It just reassures that there are people who still believe in kindness and love and miracles, and that's what Jessa is, she's a miracle."
A miracle who has inspired her family and friends, her community, and now, the world.
"I'm excited to see how many lives this video continues to touch, and how many people continue to be moved by Jessa," Smith said.
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Stream Live for FREE on FIRE TV: Search ‘KTVB’ and click ‘Get’ to download. | https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/outreach/sevens-hero/local-7s-hero-6-year-old-mountain-home-girl-beats-cancer-touching-video-of-her-being-celebrated-goes-viral/277-e49eb458-124e-4904-b1fd-8ec4e075c428 | 2023-07-31T04:36:36 | 1 | https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/outreach/sevens-hero/local-7s-hero-6-year-old-mountain-home-girl-beats-cancer-touching-video-of-her-being-celebrated-goes-viral/277-e49eb458-124e-4904-b1fd-8ec4e075c428 |
PORTLAND, Maine — A primordial sea animal that lives on the tidal mudflats of the East Coast and serves as a linchpin for the production of vital medicines stands to benefit from new protective standards.
Drug and medical device makers are dependent on the valuable blue blood of the crabs — helmet-shaped invertebrates that have scuttled in the ocean and tidal pools for more than 400 million years — to test for potentially dangerous impurities. The animals are drained of some of their blood and returned to the environment, but many die from the bleeding.
Recent revisions to guidelines for handling the animals should keep more alive through the process, regulators said. The animals — not really true crabs but rather more closely related to land-dwelling invertebrates such as spiders and scorpions — are declining in some of their East Coast range.
“They were here before the dinosaurs,” said Glenn Gauvry, president of Ecological Research & Development Group, a Delaware-based nonprofit that advocates for horseshoe crab conservation. “And they’re having problems because the new kids on the block, us, haven’t learned to appreciate the elders.”
The harvest of horseshoe crabs, which are also caught for bait in the commercial fishing industry, has emerged as a critical issue for conservationists in recent years because of the creature’s role in coastal ecosystems. The crabs’ eggs are vitally important food for a declining subspecies of a bird called the red knot — a rust-colored, migratory shorebird listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
The birds, which migrate some 19,000 miles (30,577 kilometers) roundtrip from South America to Canada and must stop to eat along the way, need stronger protection of horseshoe crabs to survive, said Bethany Kraft, senior director for coastal conservation with the Audubon Society. Kraft and other wildlife advocates said the fact the guidelines for handling crabs are voluntary and not mandatory leaves the red knot at risk.
“Making sure there is enough to fuel these birds on this massive, insanely long flight is just critical,” Kraft said. “There’s very clear linkage between horseshoe crabs and the survival of the red knot in the coming decades.”
The horseshoe crabs are valuable because their blood can be manufactured into limulus amebocyte lysate, or LAL, that is used to detect pathogens in indispensable medicines such as injectable antibiotics. The crabs are collected by fishermen by hand or via trawlers for use by biomedical companies, then their blood is separated and proteins within their white blood cells are processed. It takes dozens of the crabs to produce enough blood to fill a single glass tube with its blood, which contains immune cells sensitive to bacteria.
There are only five federally licensed manufacturers on the East Coast that process horseshoe crab blood. The blood is often described by activist groups as worth $15,000 a quart (liter), though some members of the industry say that figure is impossible to verify.
Regulators estimate about 15% of the crabs die in the bleeding process. In 2021, that meant about 112,000 crabs died, said Caitlin Starks, a senior fishery management plan coordinator with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. The bait fishery for horseshoe crabs, which are used as bait for eels and sea snails, killed more than six times that, she said.
Still, the fisheries commission in May approved new best management practices for the biomedical industry’s harvesting and handling of the crabs. Those include minimizing exposure to sunlight and keeping crabs cool and moist, Starks said.
“The goal is to give the crabs that are bled a better chance of surviving and contributing to the ecosystem after they are released,” she said.
That’s exactly what the new guidelines will do, said Nora Blair, quality operations manager with Charles River Laboratories, one of the companies that manufactures LAL from horseshoe crab blood. Blair was a member of a working group that crafted the updated guidelines alongside other industry members, conservationists, fishery managers, fishermen and others.
Blair said the industry is working toward a synthetic alternative — an outcome conservationists have been pushing for years. However, for now the wild harvest of horseshoe crabs remains critically important to drug safety, Blair said.
“The critical role of horseshoe crab in the biopharmaceutical supply chain and coastal ecosystem makes their conservation imperative,” he said.
The Atlantic horseshoe crab, the species harvested on the East Coast, ranges from the Gulf of Maine to Florida. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the species as being “vulnerable” based on a 2016 assessment.
One of the most important ecosystems for horseshoe crabs is the Delaware Bay, an estuary of the Delaware River between Delaware and New Jersey. The bay is where the crabs breed and the red knots feed.
The density of horseshoe crab eggs in the bay is nowhere near what it was in the 1990s, said Lawrence Niles, an independent wildlife biologist who once headed New Jersey’s state endangered species program. Meanwhile, the population of the rufa red knot, the threatened subspecies, has declined by 75% since the 1980s, according to the National Park Service.
The birds need meaningful protection of horseshoe crab eggs to be able to recover, Niles said. He tracks the health of red knots and horseshoe crabs and has organized a group called Horseshoe Crab Recovery Coalition to advocate for conservation measures.
Niles and volunteers he organizes have been counting the horseshoe crab eggs since the 1980s and tagging birds since the 1990s. In mid-June, as he was wrapping up this year’s tracking in southern New Jersey, he described the eggs as “good and consistent” through the month.
“What we want is the harvest to stop, the killing to stop, and let the stock rebuild to its carrying capacity,” Niles said.
The horseshoe crabs have been harvested for use as bait and medicine from Florida to Maine over the years, though the largest harvests are in Maryland, Delaware, Massachusetts and Virginia. According to federal fishery statistics, the crabs were worth about $1.1 million in total at the docks in 2021.
That figure is dwarfed by seafood species such as lobsters and scallops, which are routinely worth hundreds of millions of dollars. However, horseshoe crab fishers are dedicated stewards of a fishery that supplies a vital product, said George Topping, a Maryland fisherman.
“Everything you do in life comes from horseshoe crab blood. Vaccines, antibiotics,” he said. “The horseshoe crab stocks are healthy.”
___
Associated Press photographer Matt Rourke in Pickering Beach, Delaware, and video journalist Rodrique Ngowi in Middle Township, N.J., contributed to this report.
___
Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP’s climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/07/30/horseshoe-crab-decline-blood-harvest-birds/eda9aac2-2f4f-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html | 2023-07-31T04:36:41 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/07/30/horseshoe-crab-decline-blood-harvest-birds/eda9aac2-2f4f-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html |
NANJING, China, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Nanjing Leads Biolabs Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Leads Biolabs" or "Company") announced today that the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have approved its first-in-human Investigational New Drug (IND) applications for LBL-034, an anti-GPRC5D/CD3 bispecific antibody invented by Leads Biolabs with global intellectual property rights, for the treatment of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. Currently, no GPRC5D-targeting antibody has been approved for marketing.
This is a first-in-human, single-arm, multicenter, open-label, dose-escalation and expansion clinical study, and plans to enroll patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma who have failed prior therapies including but not limited to at least one proteasome inhibitor (PI), one immunomodulator (IMiD) as well as other standard treatments. This study aims to evaluate the safety and tolerability of LBL-034, determine the recommended Phase II dose and assess its efficacy in patients with multiple myeloma.
"Despite recent progress and continuous advancements in multiple myeloma, the time between recurrences has been steadily decreasing, particularly as the number of treatment lines increases. This ultimately leads to emergence of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, reaffirming its status as an incurable malignant tumor that poses a serious threat to human life. In light of this challenging reality, the urgent need for more effective and innovative treatment options has never been more evident." said Dr. Charles Cai, Chief Medical Officer of Leads Biolabs, "LBL-034 adopts a unique molecular design, which enables the drug to specifically bind to GPRC5D-expressing tumor cells with high affinity, and reduces the risk of non-specific activation of T-cells, thereby enhancing anti-tumor efficacy and reducing potential risk of immunotoxicity. LBL-034 demonstrated robust anti-tumor activities and good safety profile in pre-clinical studies. We adhere to our tradition of innovation and aim to deliver an important, novel and effective treatment option for patients with poor prognosis of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma."
About GPRC5D:
G Protein-Coupled Receptor Class C Group 5 Member D (GPRC5D) is a C-type 7-channel transmembrane receptor protein. GPRC5D is low expressed in normal human tissues but specifically overexpressed in multiple myeloma. The intensity of GPRC5D expression is an independent prognostic factor in multiple myeloma, and its overexpression is significantly associated with reduced overall survival. Therefore, GPRC5D may be an important potential target for the treatment of plasma cell diseases such as multiple myeloma.
About multiple myeloma:
Multiple myeloma is a malignant plasma cell disease caused by abnormal proliferation of clonal plasma cells, accounting for 10-15% of hematologic malignancies and about 1.4% of all malignancies. It is the second most common hematological malignancy in adults after non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and mostly occurs in the elderly. According to the data released by the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of new cases and deaths of multiple myeloma worldwide in 2020 were 176,000 and 117,000 respectively, and the number of new cases and deaths of multiple myeloma in China were 21,000 and 16,000 respectively. Currently, multiple myeloma is still an incurable malignant tumor, and the five-year survival rate of patients is approximately 24.8% in China, 33.3% in Japan, and 46.7% in the United States. In recent years, with the successful development of proteasome inhibitors (PIs), immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs), selective nuclear output inhibitors, CD38-targeted antibodies, bispecific antibodies, and CAR-T cell therapies, the tumor response rate and survival prognosis have been significantly improved. However, multiple myeloma remains an unmet clinical need for more effective treatments.
About LBL-034:
LBL-034 is a humanized IgG1 subtype asymmetric bispecific antibody targeting both GPRC5D and CD3 and Leads Biolabs fully owns the worldwide intellectual property rights. LBL-034 induces T-cell-mediated killing of myeloma cells by redirecting CD3+ T-cells to myeloma cells expressing GPRC5D.
LBL-034 has the potential to be a transformative best-in-class GPRC5D-targeted immunotherapy for multiple myeloma. Clinical studies are planned to evaluate the safety and efficacy of LBL-034 in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.
Nanjing Leads Biolabs Co., Ltd. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company founded in Nanjing by a team of senior U.S.-trained antibody drug developers. Since 2014, Leads Biolabs has been dedicated to the discovery and development of novel antibody drugs with independent intellectual property rights for the treatment of oncology and other major diseases of high unmet medical needs, particularly the challenges in cancer immunotherapy. Our extensive R&D pipeline consist of more than twenty novel tumor immunotherapy molecules based on monoclonal and bispecific antibody technology platforms. Leads Biolabs is committed to providing safe, effective, accessible and affordable new drugs to address the unmet needs of patients around the world.
For more information, please visit: https://www.leadsbiolabs.com
Business contact: bd@leadsbiolabs.com
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SOURCE LEADS BIOLABS | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/nmpa-fda-approved-first-in-human-clinical-trial-applications-evaluate-lbl-034-an-anti-gprc5dcd3-bispecific-antibody-developed-by-leads-biolabs-relapsedrefractory-multiple-myeloma/ | 2023-07-31T04:36:41 | 1 | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/nmpa-fda-approved-first-in-human-clinical-trial-applications-evaluate-lbl-034-an-anti-gprc5dcd3-bispecific-antibody-developed-by-leads-biolabs-relapsedrefractory-multiple-myeloma/ |
DENVER — As Denver neared triple-digit temperatures, Ben Gallegos sat shirtless on his porch swatting flies off his legs and spritzing himself with a misting fan to try to get through the heat. Gallegos, like many in the nation’s poorest neighborhoods, doesn’t have air conditioning.
The 68-year-old covers his windows with mattress foam to insulate against the heat and sleeps in the concrete basement. He knows high temperatures can cause heat stroke and death, and his lung condition makes him more susceptible. But the retired brick layer, who survives on about $1,000 a month, says air conditioning is out of reach.
“Take me about 12 years to save up for something like that,” he said. “If it’s hard to breathe, I’ll get down to emergency.”
As climate change fans hotter and longer heat waves, breaking record temperatures across the U.S. and leaving dozens dead, the poorest Americans suffer the hottest days with the fewest defenses. Air conditioning, once a luxury, is now a matter of survival.
As Phoenix weathered its 27th consecutive day above 110 degrees (43 Celsius) Wednesday, the nine who died indoors didn’t have functioning air conditioning, or it was turned off. 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.
“The temperature differences ... between lower-income neighborhoods, neighborhoods of color and their wealthier, whiter counterparts have pretty severe consequences,” said Cate Mingoya-LaFortune of Groundwork USA, an environmental justice organization. “There are these really big consequences like death. ... But there’s also ambient misery.”
Some have window units that can offer respite, but “in the dead of heat, it don’t do nothing,” said Melody Clark, who stopped Friday to get food at a Kansas City, Kansas, nonprofit as temperatures soared to 101. When the central air conditioning at her rental house broke, her landlord installed a window unit. But it doesn’t do much during the day.
So the 45-year-old wets her hair, cooks outside on a propane grill and keeps the lights off indoors. At night she flips the box unit on, hauling her bed into the room where it’s located to sleep.
As far as her two teenagers, she said: “They aren’t little bitty. We aren’t dying in the heat. ... They don’t complain.”
While billions in federal funding have been allocated to subsidize utility costs and the installation of cooling systems, experts say they often only support a fraction of the most vulnerable families and some still require prohibitive upfront costs. Installing a centralized heat pump system for heating and cooling can easily reach $25,000.
President Joe Biden announced steps on Thursda y to defend against extreme heat, highlighting the expansion of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which funnels money through states to help poorer households pay utility bills.
While the program is critical, said Michelle Graff, who studies the subsidy at Cleveland State University, only about 16% of the nation’s eligible population is actually reached. Nearly half of states don’t offer the federal dollars for summer cooling.
“So people are engaging in coping mechanisms, like they’re turning on their air conditioners later and leaving their homes hotter,” Graff said.
As temperatures rise, so does the cost of cooling. And temperatures are already hotter in America’s low-income neighborhoods. Researchers at the University of San Diego analyzed 1,056 counties and in over 70%, the poorest areas and those with higher Black, Hispanic and Asian populations were significantly hotter. That's in part because those neighborhoods lack tree coverage.
At noon on Friday, Katrice Sullivan sat on the porch of her rented house on Detroit’s westside. It was hot and muggy, but even steamier inside the house. Even if she had air conditioning, Sullivan said she’d choose her moments to run it to keep her electricity bill down.
The 37-year-old factory worker sometimes sits in her car with the air conditioner running. “Some people here spend every dollar for food, so air conditioning is something they can’t afford,” she said.
In the federal Inflation Reduction Act, billions were set aside for tax credits and rebates to help families install energy-efficient cooling systems, but some of those are yet to be available. Rebates are the kind of state and federal point-of-sale discounts that Amanda Morian has looked into for her 640-square-foot home.
Morian, who has a 13-week-old baby susceptible to hot weather, is desperate to keep her house in Denver's Globeville suburb cool. She got estimates from four different companies for installing a cooling system, but every project was between $20,000 and $25,000, she said. Even with subsidies she can’t afford it.
Instead, she bought thermal curtains, ceiling fans and runs a window unit. At night she tries to do skin-to-skin touch to regulate the baby’s body temperature.
“All of those are just to take the edge off, its not enough to actually make it cool. It’s enough to keep us from dying,” she said.
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Watch 13 ON YOUR SIDE for free on Roku, Amazon Fire TV Stick, and on your phone. | https://www.ktvb.com/article/tech/science/climate-science/record-heat-waves-illuminate-plight-poorest-americans-suffer-without-air-conditioning/69-57be38b3-e8c4-4d74-bdd5-0456e292a605 | 2023-07-31T04:36:42 | 1 | https://www.ktvb.com/article/tech/science/climate-science/record-heat-waves-illuminate-plight-poorest-americans-suffer-without-air-conditioning/69-57be38b3-e8c4-4d74-bdd5-0456e292a605 |
Partnership adds cryptocurrency as a payment option for merchants using Optty's universal payment platform
SINGAPORE, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Optty, the world's first universal payments platform, today announced a new partnership with Triple-A, a licensed crypto payment gateway, to add cryptocurrency as a payment option on the platform. As the central hub connecting and streamlining a robust global network of Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) providers, this milestone marks the launch of Optty's sixth payment architecture, further expanding viable payment options for merchants and convenience for their end customers.
Sign-up and integration with Optty is free. To get started, please visit: https://www.optty.com/merchant-account
"As the world's first true universal payments platform, Optty is agnostic and supportive of payments inclusion, a unique position that is designed to help retailers offer more choice than ever at checkout," said Natasha Zurnamer, CEO and founder of Optty. "With one simplified integration, not only can retailers access over 90 BNPLs and local payment methods in over 120 countries — they can now switch on crypto payments, a natural progression in our aim to simplify payments for retailers all over the world."
The first crypto payment gateway to be licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore, Triple-A is also licensed in Europe, through Banque de France's ACPR, and registered with the United States Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). Through the collaboration with Triple-A's white label crypto payment gateway, Optty enables retailers and merchants to offer a wide range of payment methods. This allows them to test and learn which payment types best resonate with their customers.
Tapping into diverse consumer payment preferences
With Optty's vast global network of gateways that license the company's unique payment stacks, merchants and retailers can now leverage Triple-A's gateway to accept cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Tether (USDT), and USD Coin (USDC). Triple-A's crypto payment gateway is compatible with all crypto wallets, allowing customers to make hassle-free payments using their preferred wallet.
Through real-time crypto-to-fiat conversions facilitated by Triple-A, retailers can receive payments in cryptocurrencies without the need to manage them on their balance sheets and constantly monitor fluctuating exchange rates. Retailers enjoy next-day local currency bank settlements in 50+ currencies, enabling quick access to funds in their preferred currency. Additionally, businesses have the option to offer their customers the convenience of paying through Binance Pay.
Optty already offers Buy Now Pay Later, Debit and Credit, Digital Wallets, Peer to Peer payments, and bank transfer options, and the addition of crypto enables merchants to tap into the spending power of 420 million crypto owners worldwide. Optty plans to further expand payment architectures to a total of nine by the end of 2023.
"We are excited to partner with Optty and bring crypto payments to their merchants," said Eric Barbier, CEO of Triple-A. "This collaboration will help merchants take advantage of the growing demand for cryptocurrency payments, without the hassle of managing crypto assets on their balance sheets."
Disruption through simplification
Previously, retailers and merchants would need to spend a great deal of time and money on complex, one-by-one payment integration processes. Optty changed all this by eliminating it, revolutionizing the way merchants access payments methods globally. Available across ecommerce, IVR, and in-store, it is a true PaaS that offers retailers a simplified integration while providing a seamless and direct commercial partnership channel, enabling an application process with every payment provider in the solution.
About Optty
As a PaaS, Optty is the world's first true universal payments platform that integrates over 90 installment (BNPL) brands — more than any other existing single integration solution globally — and offers six payment architectures, soon to be nine by the end of 2023. Its payments-, partner- and channel-agnostic approach delivers wide payments connectivity globally to schemes, acquirers, gateways and retailers alike and offers a full white-label, customisable interface with hierarchy built in for network expansion ease.
For more information, please visit: https://www.optty.com/
About Triple-A
Triple-A is a licensed crypto payment gateway that helps businesses increase their revenue by enabling crypto payments and payouts, giving them access to the spending power of the fast-growing 420m+ cryptocurrency users.
Triple-A's white label crypto payments solutions allow businesses from all industries to leverage the benefits of the growing crypto market without being exposed to volatility risk or having to handle or convert digital currencies. Their solutions are compatible with all wallets, easy to integrate and offer instant confirmation, locked-in exchange rates and chargeback protection.
Licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and trusted by over 15,000 businesses, Triple-A makes accepting crypto payments simple for businesses across the globe.
For more information, please visit https://triple-a.io/.
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SOURCE Optty | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/optty-partners-with-triple-a-expand-payment-architectures-into-cryptocurrencies/ | 2023-07-31T04:36:47 | 0 | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/optty-partners-with-triple-a-expand-payment-architectures-into-cryptocurrencies/ |
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” “The Lost Flowers of Alice Hunt” with Sigourney Weaver and Quavo’s album “Rocket Power” are among the new television, movies, music and games headed to a device near you
NEW MOVIES TO STREAM
— James Gunn’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” reaches an appropriately sincere, satirical and cornball finale in “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.” The film, one of the few non-”Barbie” or “Oppenheimer” summer hits, arrives Wednesday on Disney+ having already grossed $844 million in worldwide ticket sales. Gunn’s underdog superhero trilogy culminates with a tale focused on a backstory for Rocket, Bradley Cooper’s wise-cracking raccoon, and a showdown with a supervillain (Chukwudi Iwuji) hellbent on repopulating Earth with a “perfect” species. In my review, I praised the conviction of Gunn’s soupy sci-fi spectacle, writing: “Whatever this sweet, surreal sci-fi shamble is that Gunn has created, everyone here seems to believe ardently in it.”
— “Oppenheimer” isn’t the only movie around returning to Los Alamos. Steve James, the acclaimed documentarian of “Hoop Dreams,” in “A Compassionate Spy” details the story of physicist Ted Hall, a brilliant 18-year-old Harvard student when he was recruited to work on the Manhattan Project and went on to pass nuclear information to the Soviets. He confessed in 1998, a year before his death. Hall, one of several scientists to leak information from the atom bomb project, maintained he did it for the good of humanity and to prevent a nuclear monopoly. “A Compassionate Spy” debuts Friday, Aug. 4 on video-on-demand and in theaters.
— “Turn Every Page: The Adventures of Robert Caro and Robert Gottlieb,” a documentary of the decades-long collaboration between the “Power Broker” author and his revered editor is a stirring and affection portrait of two literary giants. The film, directed by the editor’s daughter, Lizzie Gottlieb, will begin streaming Tuesday on the Criterion Channel, just weeks after the death of Gottlieb, who edited novels by Toni Morrison, John Cheever, Joseph Heller and many others. In my review of the film, I wrote: “Civil wars over semicolons and heated debate over the word ‘looms’ would not, on the face of it, seem like the stuff of a gripping big-screen movie. But make no mistake about it, ‘Turn Every Page’... is as much a rock ’em, sock ’em clash of heavyweights as found in any blockbuster.”
NEW MUSIC TO STREAM
— Quavo will release “Rocket Power,” his first album since fellow Migos member Takeoff was shot and killed outside a bowling alley in November 2022. Quavo introduced the new LP with a trailer that features a massive CGI rocket preparing to launch into space. In a statement, he shared: “Through the process of healing I’ve learned to turn tragedy into triumph. I had to dig deep into my purpose and find the power to keep striving.” This summer, Quavo and Future shared a new song, “Turn Your Clic Up,” which followed recent singles “Greatness” and “Honey Bun.” Shortly before his death, Quavo and Takeoff had shared their joint LP, “Only Built for Infinity Links.”
— Rick Springfield, whose hits include “Human Touch,” and, of course, “Jessie’s Girl,” is putting out his 21st album, “Automatic.” Written and produced by Springfield, the collection features 20 new songs. “My goal was solid three-minute tunes with the biggest hooks I could come up with,” he said in a news release. Springfield previewed his sound by releasing the title track and “She Walks With the Angels.” The album is dedicated to Matty Spindel, a friend and soundman of 25 years who died in 2022. Springfield will be hitting the road this summer on the I Want My ’80s Tour.
NEW SERIES TO STREAM
— Hip-hop is markings its 50th anniversary and Paramount+ will stream a documentary called “Mixtape” beginning Tuesday. The film explores how before the hip-hop genre had radio play, streaming or social media, its songs were often shared via mixtapes. Lil Wayne, DJ Khaled, Fat Joe, 2 Chainz, Big Boi and KRS-One are just a few of the artists featured in the doc about mixtape culture.
— The half-hour critically acclaimed comedy “Reservation Dogs” returns for its third and final season on Wednesday on FX on Hulu. The series follows four Indigenous teens who, when we first meet them in season one, are reeling from the death of their friend Daniel. Daniel’s dream was to leave rural Oklahoma for California. The group decides the best way to honor Daniel is by fulfilling his goal and traveling to this magical state he was enamored with. To get there, they’ll steal and scheme but it’s not an easy road. In this new season, they’ve made it to California but don’t have the means to return home. Now that the friends have achieved Daniel’s wish, they also must decide what to do next with their own lives. The Indigenous representation in “Reservation Dogs” also extends behind-the-camera with each of its writers, directors and crew.
— Netflix’s popular British rom-com drama series “Heartstopper,” starring Joe Locke and Kit Connor returns for its second season on Wednesday. Locke and Connor play Charlie and Nick, two high school schoolmates who fell in love in season one. The series has been praised for its portrayal of LGTBQ+ characters.
— Sigourney Weaver and Alycia Debnam-Carey co-star in “The Lost Flowers of Alice Hunt” for Prime Video. The story is based on a novel of the same name by Holly Ringland. Debnam-Carey plays Alice, who as a young girl, moved in with her grandmother June – played by Weaver – after a family tragedy. June is a flower farmer and teaches Alice how flowers can be used as a form of self-expression. The story spans two decades and follows Alice into adulthood. The series debuts Friday, Aug. 4 on the streamer.
NEW VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY
— Dungeons & Dragons has seen a boom in popularity over the last few years, with a hit movie, live-streamed games and a major supporting role on “Stranger Things.” But it’s been a while since we’ve gotten a true D&D video game. That drought ends with Baldur’s Gate 3. You begin as just some poor sap with an evil parasite stuck in your brain, but once you round up the typical gang of wizards, brawlers, clerics and rogues, the fate of D&D’s sprawling Forgotten Realms is in your hands. Developer Larian Studios, best known for the terrific Divinity: Original Sin, has shown it has the chops to create stirring role-playing adventures, and has promised that this one could take up to 200 hours to fully explore. You can pick up your sword or wand Thursday on PC, or hold out for the PlayStation 5 version in September.
___
Catch up on AP’s entertainment coverage here: https://apnews.com/entertainment. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/07/30/the-stream/ffd97afe-2d76-11ee-a948-a5b8a9b62d84_story.html | 2023-07-31T04:36:48 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/07/30/the-stream/ffd97afe-2d76-11ee-a948-a5b8a9b62d84_story.html |
More experienced principals leave the profession at higher rates
WASHINGTON, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Roughly 1 in 10 (11 percent) public school principals left the profession between the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years, according to data from the National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS) released today by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the statistical center within the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES).
"Principal attrition is higher in public schools than it was 5 years ago, and veteran public school leaders with more years of experience leave the profession at higher rates than those with less experience," said NCES Commissioner Peggy G. Carr. "Principals are critical supports for a school's teachers and learners, and the country needs leaders in every school who are committed to the success of each student. These data are a valuable snapshot for those at the district and state levels who must address the issue of principal turnover in their schools."
Approximately 80 percent of 2020-21 public school principals remained at the same school one year later ("stayers"), which was lower than the percentage of 2016-17 public school principals who were still at their school 1 year later (82 percent). Six percent of 2020-21 public school principals moved to a different school ("movers"), and 11 percent left the principalship ("leavers"). For private school principals in 2020-21, approximately 83 percent remained at the same school during the following school year, 2 percent moved to a different school, and 10 percent left the principalship.
Additionally, among 2020-21 public school principals who somewhat or strongly agreed they would leave the principalship as soon as possible if they could get a higher paying job (about 25 percent), approximately 73 percent stayed the following school year, while about 15 percent left the profession.
"These data are critical to understanding patterns of principal attrition," said NCES Associate Commissioner Chris Chapman. "We are able to observe how principal attrition has changed over the years, as well as how principal attrition and mobility vary based on characteristics of the principals and their schools."
The report released today includes selected findings from the Principal Follow-up Survey (PFS), a longitudinal component of the National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS), which is a nationally representative survey of public and private K-12 schools, principals, and teachers in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Data were collected from January 2022 through June 2022. The sample included about 6,500 public school principals and about 1,800 private school principals, for a total sample size of about 8,300 principals.
The data were collected as a follow-up to the 2020-21 NTPS to provide attrition and mobility information about principals in K-12 public and private schools. The purpose was to ascertain how many principals from the 2020-21 school year still worked as a principal in the same school 1 year later ("stayer"), how many had moved to become a principal in another school ("mover"), and how many were no longer working as a principal ("leaver").
Key Findings
- Of all public school principals in 2020-21, 11 percent left the profession by the 2021-22 school year. This was higher than in 2016-17, when 10 percent of all public school principals had left the profession since 2015-16, but not measurably different from the 2012-13 school year, when 12 percent of all public school principals had left the profession since the previous school year, or from 2008-09, when 12 percent of all public schools had left the profession since the previous school year.
- Of all public school principals in 2020-21 with more than 10 years of experience as a principal at any school, 15 percent left the profession by the 2021-22 school year. Of those principals with 10 years or more experience as a principal in their current school, 16 percent left the profession.
- A higher percentage of school principals 55 years of age or older left the profession compared to principals between 45-54 years of age.
- Among the 9 percent of 2020-21 public school principals with a salary of less than $75,000, 76 percent remained at the same school during the 2021–22 school year, 7 percent moved to a different school, and 13 percent left the principalship.
- Among the 33 percent of 2020-21 public school principals with a salary of $115,000 or more, 81 percent remained at the same school during the 2021-22 school year, 6 percent moved to a different school, and 10 percent left the principalship.
- Among the 62 percent of 2020-21 private school principals with a salary of less than $75,000, 81 percent remained at the same school during the 2021-22 school year, 3 percent moved to a different school, and 10 percent left the principalship.
- Among the 13 percent of 2020-21 private school principals with a salary of $115,000 or more, 85 percent remained at the same school during the 2021-22 school year, 3 percent moved to a different school, and 8 percent left the principalship.
The National Center for Education Statistics, a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, is the statistical center of the U.S. Department of Education and the primary federal entity for collecting and analyzing data related to education in the U.S. and other nations. NCES fulfills a congressional mandate to collect, collate, analyze, and report complete statistics on the condition and progress of American education; conduct and publish reports; and review and report on education activities internationally.
Follow NCES on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube and subscribe to the NCES Newsflash to receive email notifications when new data is released.
The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) is the independent and nonpartisan statistics, research, and evaluation arm of the U.S. Department of Education. Its mission is to provide scientific evidence on which to ground education practice and policy and to share this information in formats that are useful and accessible to educators, parents, policymakers, researchers, and the public.
CONTACT: Josh Delarosa, National Center for Education Statistics, ARIS.NCES@ed.gov
James Elias, Hager Sharp, jelias@hagersharp.com
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SOURCE National Center for Education Statistics | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/roughly-one-ten-public-school-principals-left-profession-2021-22-school-year/ | 2023-07-31T04:36:54 | 1 | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/roughly-one-ten-public-school-principals-left-profession-2021-22-school-year/ |
The Bank of England finds itself in a tricky position leading up to this week’s policymaking committee meeting, alongside its counterpart, the Bank of Japan.
Admittedly, the BOE has seen some positive developments in recent weeks. Most notably, the better-than-expected inflation data released on July 19 raised hopes of a more favorable disinflation trajectory ahead, leading to a decrease in market interest rates, which were already being influenced by optimism about a soft landing in the US.
However, these positive notes are insufficient to offset the following inconvenient realities:
• The UK still holds the highest inflation rate among G7 economies at 7.9%.
• Despite 12 consecutive interest-rate hikes, and in an unusual policy step so deep into a hiking cycle, the BOE was forced in June to increase its last rate hike from 25 basis points to 50 basis points.
• Its forward policy guidance challenge is a multiple of what others face on account of the greater domestic economic and financial sensitivities.
• In response to political and other pressures, the BOE announced an external review of its “forecasting and related processes during times of significant uncertainty.”
These challenges are particularly perplexing for a central bank that was the first among its counterparts (the ECB and the Fed) to acknowledge its mistake in characterizing inflation as “transitory.” It was also the first to initiate its rate-hiking cycle to combat high inflation, and it remains the most transparent about the growth and inflation challenges ahead.
The reality is that the Bank of England faces a more acute set of tests compared to the other two major central banks, due to four main factors:
• Stronger resistance to further real wage erosion among segments of the labor force, evidenced by the combination of the highest nominal wage growth and widespread industrial action.
• Disruptions in external trading relations post-Brexit that slow supply chains and make them less cost-effective.
• A lower degree of internal economic flexibility contributing to longstanding productivity challenges.
• Limited government support for supply-side enhancement in comparison with the efforts of the US and, to a lesser extent, the euro zone.
The combination of these factors implies that it is unlikely that the BOE will experience significant accelerated relief in the months ahead. Also, as it does not as yet receive sufficient support from the government and other sources to enhance supply, the central bank faces an uncomfortable policy choice between tolerating too-high inflation for too long — or essentially going it alone in an even more pronounced manner, risking a deeper mortgage crisis that could unsettle the country economically, financially and socially.
One potential advantage for the BOE in the G7 is that it does not face the policy challenge of its Japanese counterpart, which, in the quarters ahead, must exit a protracted regime of yield curve control (YCC) causing economic and financial distortions. While this is an inherently difficult and uncertain policy maneuver that, if mishandled, can undermine domestic financial stability and economic wellbeing, it risks providing limited relief to the Bank of England. Because by contributing to higher government bond yield in advanced countries and possible forced selling by Japanese investors of foreign securities, a mishandling of the YCC exit by the Bank of Japan could complicate the already complex situation facing the UK.
More From Bloomberg Opinion:
• ECB Sets the Stage for a September Rate-Hike Pause: Marcus Ashworth
• The Fed Shouldn’t Settle for Above-Target Inflation: The Editors
• BOJ Yields Some Control, But Also Throws a Curve: Daniel Moss & Gearoid Reidy
This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.
Mohamed A. El-Erian is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. A former chief executive officer of Pimco, he is president of Queens’ College, Cambridge; chief economic adviser at Allianz SE; and chair of Gramercy Fund Management. He is author of “The Only Game in Town.”
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion
©2023 Bloomberg L.P. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/07/31/bank-of-england-faces-more-acute-issues-than-the-fed-and-ecb/a6d88cb2-2f59-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html | 2023-07-31T04:36:54 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/07/31/bank-of-england-faces-more-acute-issues-than-the-fed-and-ecb/a6d88cb2-2f59-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html |
MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – Ten people were injured after two boats collided in Manatee County Sunday.
According to West Manatee Fire Marshal Rodney Kwiatkowski, between the two boats, there were 11 people aboard at the time of the collision, five children and six adults.
Officials said during the crash, a 41-year-old woman sustained head lacerations from the impact, and nine others were taken to the hospital for “minor injuries.”
At this time, it’s unclear how old the victims are, the severity of their injuries, or how the two boats collided.
West Manatee Fire Rescue, Manatee County EMS, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Manatee County Marine Rescue and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office responded to the incident.
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/local-news/manatee-county/10-injured-in-boat-collision-in-manatee-county-officials-say/ | 2023-07-31T04:36:55 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/news/local-news/manatee-county/10-injured-in-boat-collision-in-manatee-county-officials-say/ |
A U.S. District Court in Mississippi on Tuesday temporarily blocked a voting law in the state that was supposed to go into effect July 1. The law, known as Senate Bill 2358, creates new restrictions for who can assist someone while voting by mail.
Voting rights and disability rights advocates, who filed the lawsuit, argue Mississippi's law violates a federal protection that allows a voter to choose who helps them cast a ballot.
In his order striking down the law, U.S. District Court Judge Henry Wingate wrote, "voting polls are expected to extend outstretched hands of welcome and provide unfettered access to conscientious citizens anxious to enjoy 'participatory democracy'- whether those citizens be among the vulnerable and the disabled."
SB 2358, which was signed into law earlier this year, set new limits on who can collect and transmit a ballot that was mailed to someone else. In Mississippi, the state's absentee-by-mail voting program is for limited groups of voters — people out of town on Election Day, people 65 or older and people with a temporary or permanent physical disability.
Under the new law, though, only election officials, postal workers, a family member or household member or a caregiver would be able to assist these voters in mailing back their ballot. The law also set new criminal penalties. Under SB 2358, not following these restrictions is punishable by imprisonment of up to one year in county jail and/or a fine of up to $3,000.
Opponents of Mississippi's law say voters should be able to choose who helps them vote — including a friend or someone from a community organization.
Ahmed Soussi, a staff attorney with the Southern Poverty Law Center, said in a written statement that "Mississippians may now continue to assist voters without the fear of prosecution."
"We are glad that the Court recognized the federal guarantee to voters with a disability or language barrier to select a person of their choice to provide them assistance," he said. "What is important now is to make sure everyone who is eligible to vote does vote in the upcoming elections."
Supporters of the Mississippi law argued it was necessary to prevent ballot harvesting, which is when someone collects and returns other people's ballots.
Many Republicans have argued this practice leads to vote stealing and fraud, which studies have found to be extremely rare in United States elections.
Mississippi Republican Gov. Tate Reeves said in a video address earlier this year that across the country "bad actors have used ballot harvesting to take advantage of elderly and vulnerable voters." He said the practice is an effort to undermine the democratic process.
"Senate Bill 2358 is now law and Mississippi's elections are safer because of it," Reeves said.
However, Judge Wingate wrote that state and local election officials were "unable to provide any data illustrating whether Mississippi has a widespread ballot harvesting problem" when asked in court.
"Seemingly, no fact-findings or committee-finding investigations or legislative committee inquiries have focused upon this perceived threat," he wrote. "This may explain why the definitional approach of the statute is so barren."
The court's injunction blocking SB 2358 applies to Mississippi's upcoming general election in November — as well as the state's August primary, which is currently underway.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.ijpr.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-07-26/a-mississippi-law-limits-who-can-help-mail-in-voters-a-federal-court-struck-it-down | 2023-07-31T04:36:56 | 1 | https://www.ijpr.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-07-26/a-mississippi-law-limits-who-can-help-mail-in-voters-a-federal-court-struck-it-down |
NatWest Group Plc got all the bad publicity last week after a political storm over its dealings with a provocative client led its chief executive officer to resign. But UK rival Barclays Plc was a bigger loser in the stock market and is still among the lowest valued major banks in Europe.
Barclays’s second-quarter results last Thursday didn’t paint a much worse picture than UK and European rivals in the areas where investors were most focused: margins on lending and losses on problem loans. But there is one area where it does look weaker than most peers — except for Deutsche Bank AG — and that is returning cash to shareholders.
Banking is often a complex and hard-to-predict business, but the one sure way to get investors past their qualms is to regularly hand out healthy dividends and share buybacks. Both Barclays and Deutsche Bank increased cash returns in the second quarter, but the amounts still lag the payouts from others.
Investors have been focused on the margins banks make on the difference between lending rates and funding costs because these have been boosted by rapid interest-rate rises. The question has increasingly become about when net interest margins will peak and even start to decline. Banks in the UK and across Europe have been able to hold off lifting the rates they pay to depositors for months because of the excess money from central banks still sloshing around the system.
Barclays, like Deutsche Bank and NatWest, said that net interest margins were likely to decline in the second half, but there was a positive slant to the story. Barclays cut its forecast for full-year margins in its UK business to about 3.15% from more than 3.2%. But the change was partly driven by borrowers repaying credit cards and mortgage debt or refinancing home loans early at affordable fixed rates. In the face of higher rates, customers are doing sensible things that make them less risky — Barclays said this should mean fewer losses on bad loans.
The bigger picture on net interest margins for these three and others that reported last week — Lloyds Banking Group, BNP Paribas SA in France, Banco Santander SA in Spain and UniCredit SpA in Italy — is that they are still going to be significantly better this year and next year than they were in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic led to a flood of central bank funding to support economies.
And the theme of low losses on lending is true across Europe too: Default rates remain at relatively low levels and are forecast to rise only slightly in the next couple of years. Several banks improved their outlooks for economic growth and unemployment this quarter, suggesting they expect a soft landing in the fight against inflation.
Barclays and Deutsche Bank stand out from rivals in having large global investment banks and trading businesses — although the more highly valued BNP has that too. Like many US rivals, Barclays and Deutsche Bank are trying to convince investors that these businesses are more stable and reliable than they think. Barclays, however, reported one of the biggest declines in bond-trading revenue among peers in the second quarter versus the same period last year: In dollar terms only Goldman Sachs Group Inc. was worse than Barclays. The UK bank’s equities-trading revenue also fell heavily, in line with Morgan Stanley and better than JPMorgan Chase & Co., but worse than everyone else.
Investors don’t like volatility and Barclays’s quarterly trading revenue is now more volatile than any US or European peer, according to Andrew Coombs, analyst at Citigroup.
Still, all investment banks’ revenue is volatile to some degree and yet Barclays and Deutsche Bank shares are less loved than many. Worse, Barclays trades at a greater discount to book value than its forecast return on equity suggests it should. Another way of saying this is that investors think Barclays has a much higher cost of equity than peers, even more than Deutsche Bank.
The bottom line is that BNP, Lloyds, and UniCredit have billions of excess capital to return to shareholders. NatWest is doing £1.8 billion of buybacks this year. Barclays added a £750 million buyback to the £500 million it completed in the first half, while Deutsche Bank launched only its second buyback in years with a €450 million plan.
Both banks are trying to become more efficient and hope to lift their payouts over time: Deutsche Bank has pledged to return €8 billion in dividends and buybacks by 2026. Investors just aren’t buying it yet from either bank.
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This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.
Paul J. Davies is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering banking and finance. Previously, he was a reporter for the Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times.
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion
©2023 Bloomberg L.P. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/07/31/barclays-and-deutsche-bank-aren-t-delivering-the-goods/a6b58dfc-2f59-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html | 2023-07-31T04:37:00 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/07/31/barclays-and-deutsche-bank-aren-t-delivering-the-goods/a6b58dfc-2f59-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html |
The new social media site Threads is less than a month old and it has already amassed tens of millions of users. Facebook parent Meta launched the Twitter-rival earlier this month and it's quickly become a place where people can follow celebrities, news organizations and politicians.
This has some voting rights groups worried. That's because Threads is yet to outline a plan to curb election disinformation on the site.
Vote.org, one of the largest get-out-the-vote organizations in the country, sent a letter to Meta asking that it "release a robust plan to ensure the platform has strong election policies in place from the start." The letter was co-signed by 11 other voting rights groups, including End Citizens United, RepresentUs and Public Citizen.
"If you have that many people, you have a great responsibility to the people that are on the platform," said Andrea Hailey, CEO of Vote.org. "What we're asking for here is a real plan, knowing that we're only a few months out from presidential primaries, and that very soon the presidential election will be on our doorstep."
The voting rights groups say they have cause for concern. During the past few elections, disinformation involving voter registration, polling places and political candidates was rampant on social media. In 2018, the Cambridge Analytica scandal exposed how that company used Facebook to target and manipulate swing voters. And in 2020, mentions of "stolen election" and "voter fraud" skyrocketed after Joe Biden won the presidency.
"Misinformation, like social media itself, has gotten considerably more sophisticated," said Bond Benton, communications associate professor who studies misinformation at Montclair State University. "There are ways that you can manipulate and game the system to get misinformation seen by a lot of people very rapidly. And if you're not investing to prevent and curtail that, it's going to find its way through."
Meta has election disinformation policies for Facebook and Instagram, but it hasn't published any specifically for Threads. A company spokesman told NPR that Facebook's rules apply to Threads. So, for example, people can't post false claims about voter registration. He also said Meta is looking at additional ways to address misinformation in future updates to the Threads app.
The voting rights groups say Threads needs a stand-alone policy. Otherwise, it's unclear how the rules will be implemented and enforced. They say this is especially urgent given reports that Meta has made staff cuts to its teams that work on election disinformation.
Meta has been explicit that it doesn't want Threads to be like Twitter, where people's feeds have been dominated with news and politics. Days after the Threads launch, Meta executive Adam Mosseri posted on the site saying the company wasn't going to do anything to encourage politics and news.
But with the 2024 election cycle already ramping up and the first Republican primary debate just weeks away, Vote.org's Hailey said Threads won't be able to escape politics.
"As we see large growth week over week, they're likely to be in a position to have an effect on elections," Hailey said. "So, you just want to make sure that information up there is accurate."
Vote.org and the other voting rights groups say they want Meta to provide information on how it plans to allocate resources, create rules and policies, and ensure people receive accurate information about elections on Threads.
Hailey said the group has yet to get a response from the company.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.ijpr.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-07-27/metas-threads-needs-a-policy-for-election-disinformation-voting-groups-say | 2023-07-31T04:37:02 | 0 | https://www.ijpr.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-07-27/metas-threads-needs-a-policy-for-election-disinformation-voting-groups-say |
BEIJING — Chinese factory activity contracted in July as export orders shrank, a survey showed Monday, adding to pressure on the ruling Communist Party to reverse an economic slowdown.
“China’s manufacturing PMI remained in contraction, albeit a softer pace, as the drag from the external sector deepened,” Erin Xin of HSBC said in a report. That puts “more pressure on Beijing to support growth through both fiscal and monetary measures.”
Chinese leaders are trying to revive economic activity by promising to support entrepreneurs who generate jobs and wealth. But they have yet to give details possible tax cuts or spending and have avoided announcing a large-scale stimulus.
Demand for Chinese exports weakened after U.S. and European interest rates were raised to cool record-breaking inflation. At home, consumers are uneasy about possible job losses and are putting off big purchases. Real estate sales, an economic engine, are weak after the government tightened control on the industry’s use of debt.
An index of export orders weakened to 46.3 from June’s 46.4, well below the 50-point contraction level, according to the statistics bureau and the China Federation of Logistics & Purchasing.
Economic growth slid to 0.8% over the previous quarter in the three months ending in June from 2.2% in the January-March period. That is equal to annual growth of 3.2%, which would be among China’s weakest in decades. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/07/31/china-manufacturing-economy-export/ce0f693c-2f58-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html | 2023-07-31T04:37:06 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/07/31/china-manufacturing-economy-export/ce0f693c-2f58-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html |
Huge hikes in the prices of food and other daily essentials are coming to an end. That’s the message coming loud and clear from the big European retailers and consumer-goods companies.
For example, Unilever Plc, the owner of Dove and Marmite, said it faced €400 million ($438.5 million) of materials inflation in the second half of its current fiscal year, down from €1.6 billion in the first half. Among the items that have eased in price are plastics and packaging, as well as palm oil, which is used in cleaning, personal care and beauty products.
But there are still pain points, for example, cocoa, sugar and robusta coffee. If you look at Nestle SA’s basket of agricultural commodities, you’ll see costs are still on average 29% higher now than between 2015 and 2019.
There are also question marks over the direction of dairy prices and of wheat, the latter of which had fallen sharply before Russia recently withdrew from the agreement allowing Ukraine to ship grain through the Black Sea.
Despite these pressures, it looks like the hefty hikes that consumers have endured since late 2021 are largely over. The impact on recent earnings from higher prices was largely from actions already taken. There will be far fewer upward revisions in the months to come. Where they do happen, they will be selective and more modest.
As prices have gone up, the amount of goods sold has fallen, as consumers have switched to cheaper private-label products or turned to the German discounters, Aldi and Lidl. This should now reverse. Unilever said it was already seeing sales volume recover in its beauty and wellbeing division, as well as in its personal care unit, both of which are now much less impacted by inflation. Home-care products should be the next to follow this pattern.
So, consumer-goods groups should now be able to ride a wave of volume-driven sales growth, right? Well, it’s not that simple.
It’s true that when prices stabilized and in some cases fell after the last bout of inflation, in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, Unilever and Nestle did see sales volumes recover. But not all shoppers switched back to buying household names — many stuck with supermarket brands, given the level of trust in these companies, and the hard discounters, which are primarily private label.
Over a decade ago manufacturers turned to special offers to pass back the benefits of lower input costs and stimulate demand. There are signs this is happening again. In the UK, deals recently went up year on year for the first time since July 2021, according to data provider Kantar. Just over a quarter of products are now sold on promotion, it said.
Already, companies including Danone SA and Nestle are increasing the amount of money they set aside for special offers to make their products more affordable amid the broader inflationary backdrop and entice shoppers back to their brands.
What’s more, against easing commodity pressures, food retailers could start to agitate for reductions, too. Tesco Plc, Britain’s biggest supermarket, is pushing suppliers for lower prices so that it can take a lead on competitiveness.
Two years ago, Walmart Inc. said it would use its scale to swim against the tide of rising prices. It would not be surprising to see it take this stance in the US again, as it seeks to hold onto those customers who have turned to it amid the squeeze on incomes. In France, Carrefour SA has begun rebuilding scale in its domestic market, with its first acquisition in 20 years, of the Cora and Match banners from the Louis Delhaize group for €1.05 billion. This, together with its improved performance, should give it more clout with suppliers, as they prefer to give their best deals to retailers on the front foot.
For grocers, prices rising less ferociously brings other challenges. Amid inflation, they can all expand their sales at the same time. But amid disinflation, or even eventually deflation, they must compete more aggressively to maintain their top line and protect profits.
In intensely competitive markets, such as the UK and France, supermarkets need a weak player to steal share from. Right now, in France that is Casino Guichard Perrachon SA, which last week revealed a €1.3 billion net loss amid a rescue deal with Czech investor Daniel Kretinsky. In the UK, Tesco and rival J Sainsbury Plc pretty much have their pick. Asda Group Ltd. and Wm Morrison Supermarkets Ltd. are in private hands and saddled with heavy borrowings against a backdrop of rising interest rates. Iceland Foods is also indebted, while Waitrose is struggling to keep its shelves full.
Of course, Aldi and Lidl haven’t gone away and will be keen not to lose the customers who flocked to it in the cost-of-living crisis. But at least there are some soft targets.
And that’s badly needed, because while consumers may see light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to inflation, for the companies that cater to them, the challenges are only just beginning.
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More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion
©2023 Bloomberg L.P. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/07/31/groceries-are-getting-cheaper-food-price-inflation-is-taming-for-shoppers/a6c5efd0-2f59-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html | 2023-07-31T04:37:12 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/07/31/groceries-are-getting-cheaper-food-price-inflation-is-taming-for-shoppers/a6c5efd0-2f59-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The largest dam removal project in United States history is underway along the California-Oregon border — a process that won’t conclude until the end of next year with the help of heavy machinery and explosives.
The demolition is part of a national movement to return the natural flow of the nation’s rivers and restore habitat for fish and the ecosystems that sustain other wildlife. More than 2,000 dams have been removed in the U.S. as of February, with the bulk of those having come down within the last 25 years, according to the advocacy group American Rivers.
The removal of four hydroelectric dams along the Klamath River is the movement’s greatest triumph and its greatest challenge. When demolition is completed by the end of next year, more than 400 miles (644 kilometers) of river will have opened for threatened species of fish and other wildlife. By comparison, the 65 dams removed in the U.S. last year combined to reconnect 430 miles (692 kilometers) of river.
The project will empty three reservoirs over about 3.5 square miles (9 square kilometers) near the California-Oregon border, exposing soil to sunlight in some places for the first time in more than a century.
For the past five years, Native American tribes have gathered seeds by hand and sent them to nurseries with plans to sow the seeds along the banks of the newly wild river. Helicopters will bring in hundreds of thousands of trees and shrubs to plant along the banks, including wads of tree roots to create habitat for fish.
This growth usually takes decades to happen naturally. But officials are pressing nature’s fast-forward button because they hope to repel an invasion of foreign plants, such as starthistle, which dominate the landscape at the expense of native plants.
“Why not just let nature take its course? Well, nature didn’t take its course when dams got put in. We can’t pretend this gigantic change in the landscape has not happened and we can’t just ignore the fact that invasive species are a big problem in the west and in California,” said Dave Meurer, director of community affairs for Resource Environmental Solutions, the company leading the restoration project. “Our goal is to give nature a head start.”
A power company, known today as PacifiCorp, built the dams starting in 1918 to generate electricity. The dams halted the natural flow of the river and disrupted the lifecycle of salmon, a fish that spends most of its life in the Pacific Ocean but returns to the chilly mountain streams to lay eggs. The fish are culturally and spiritually significant to a number of Native American tribes, who historically survived by fishing the massive runs of salmon that would come back to the rivers each year.
A combination of low water levels and warm temperatures in 2002 led to a bacterial outbreak that killed more than 34,000 fish, mostly Chinook salmon. The loss jumpstarted decades of advocacy from Native American tribes and environmental groups, culminating last year when federal regulators approved a plan to remove the dams.
“The river is our church, the salmon is our cross. That’s how it relates to the people. So it’s very sacred to us,” said Kenneth Brink, vice chairman of the Karuk Tribe. “The river is not just a place we go to swim. It’s life. It creates everything for our people.”
The project will cost $500 million, paid for by taxpayers and PacifiCorps ratepayers. Crews have mostly removed the smallest of the four dams, known as Copco No. 2. The other three dams are expected to come down next year after the reservoirs behind them are drained. That will leave some homeowners in the area without the picturesque lake they have lived on for years.
The Siskiyou County Water Users Association, which formed about a decade ago to stop the dam removal project, filed a federal lawsuit. But so far they have been unable to stop the demolition.
“I think it’s a huge mistake,” association President Richard Marshall said. “Unfortunately it’s a mistake you can’t turn back from.”
The water level in the lakes will drop between 3 feet and 5 feet (1 meter to 1.5 meters) per day over the first few months of next year. Crews will follow that water line, taking advantage of the moisture in the soil to plant seeds from more than 98 native plant species including wooly sunflower, Idaho fescue and Blue bunch wheat grass.
Tribes have been invested in the process from the start. Resource Environmental Solutions hired tribal members to gather seeds from native plants by hand. The Yurok Tribe even hired a restoration botanist.
Each species has a role to play. Some, like lupine, grow quickly and prepare the soil for other plants. Others, like oak trees, take years to fully mature and provide shade for other plants.
“It’s a wonderful marriage of tribal traditional ecological knowledge and western science,” said Mark Bransom, CEO of the Klamath River Renewal Corporation, the nonprofit entity created to oversee the project.
The previous largest dam removal project was on Washington state’s Elwha River, which flows out of Olympic National Park into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Congress in 1992 approved the demolition of the two dams on the river constructed in the early 1900s. After two decades of planning, workers finished removing them in 2014, opening about 70 miles (113 kilometers) of habitat for salmon and steelhead.
Biologists say it will take at least a generation for the river to recover, but within months of the dams being removed, salmon were already recolonizing sections of the river they had not accessed in more than a century. The Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, which has been closely involved in restoration work, is opening a limited subsistence fishery this fall for coho salmon, its first since the dams came down.
Brink, the Karuk Tribe vice chair, hopes similar success will happen on the Klamath River. Multiple times per year, Brink and other tribal members participate in ceremonial salmon fishing using handheld nets. In many years, there have been no fish to catch, he said.
“When the river gets to flow freely again, the people can also begin to worship freely again,” he said.
___
Associated Press writer Eugene Johnson in Seattle contributed. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/07/31/klamath-dams-removal-tribes-restoration-seeds/a8792a74-2f57-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html | 2023-07-31T04:37:18 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/07/31/klamath-dams-removal-tribes-restoration-seeds/a8792a74-2f57-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html |
DUNEDIN, New Zealand — Hanging on the edge of the stunning South Island, in one the world’s more remote countries, sat a scenic, minor-league sized city founded by Scottish immigrants.
Cab driver: “Yes – and no.”
Welcome to Dunedin, which at a latitude of 45.88 degrees South is the southernmost city to ever host a match in a soccer World Cup, men’s or women’s.
It may also be among the quirkiest spots, a place of contradictions. Locals have been excited to host the Women’s World Cup, but not necessarily to go see a game.
With the city about to host its last game of the Women’s World Cup on Tuesday, Netherlands vs. Vietnam with first place in Group E on the line for the Dutch, it’s time for a little tour of what soccer at the bottom of the world has looked like.
QUIET FANDOM
During Dunedin’s time in the soccer spotlight, there’s been the usual hum of life here: People returning home from work and University of Otago students enjoying beers in the octagonal heart of downtown, fittingly named the Octagon.
“New Zealanders have their own way of showing interest or passion,” said 78-year-old Ron Palenski, historian and a renowned New Zealand sports writer. “Their support is more low-key.”
People here don’t need to deck themselves out in team apparel to be considered fans, it’s all about what’s in the heart.
“When it’s a New Zealand team, I am just a devoted fan,” Dunedin resident and retired neuroscience professor Ruth Napper said. “It doesn’t matter what it is. I think it’s about being a small country at the bottom of the world that, you know, we’ve got to stand up and be noticed. And I think on a sports field, we punch above our weight.”
Dunedin’s six matches have all taken place in the covered Forsyth Barr Stadium, nicknamed the Glasshouse, and also known as Dunedin Stadium. Not unlike the cab driver’s “yes and no” answer, while it provides shelter from rain and wind, the stadium has open sides and provides little insulation from the cold.
And while tickets for New Zealand’s match against Switzerland sold out, filling the stadium’s 25,947 seats, attendance at the other matches has ranged from just under 7,000 to about 13,700.
SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY
Southern hospitality isn’t just in the United States. Dunedin is known for its welcoming vibe. People are approachable here, the style is casual and many stay because they love it.
“I came down here on a trip and basically never left,” said Dan Hendra, Dunedin City Council’s events team leader, who arrived 20 years ago and is originally from Auckland, on New Zealand’s North Island. “I fell in love with the place and how friendly everyone was. The hospitality and friendliness and welcoming of the locals is awesome. That’s why I live here.”
Certainly, it’s a place to get away from it all.
The city of about 130,000 residents is roughly 2,650 miles (4,265 kilometers) from Antarctica, around the distance from New York City to Los Angeles. Souvenir shops sell items that read, “Dunedin: the Riviera of the Antarctic” and “Dunedin: Bottom of the World.”
Founded in 1848, it’s often called the Edinburgh of the South, as its name originates from “Dun Eideann,” the Scots-Gaelic word for Scotland’s capital city, Edinburgh. Like Scotland, there’s a wildness to the area, and nature is a big draw.
On non-game days, Women’s World Cup tourists have explored the Otago Peninsula’s rolling green hills, grassy cliffs and deep turquoise waters, where they watched blue penguins emerge from the surf each night to nest along the beach.
Blue penguins, or kororā in the Māori language, are the world’s smallest penguins, averaging about 10 to 12 inches (25-30 centimeters) tall and weighing two or three pounds (about 1 kilogram). The area also is home to seals, sea lions, albatross and other native birds.
“It’s great to show off what we have down here and what we are as a city,” Hendra said. “Given that we are the wildlife capital of the country, that’s something that we are really proud of and love to showcase.”
GAME DAY
The sports scene in Dunedin is influenced by the University of Otago, which was founded in 1869 and now boasts 21,000 students. The Glasshouse, which often hosts rugby matches and other sporting events, has a university student section known as “the Zoo,” which “creates a buzzing atmosphere,” according to 22-year-old Barnaby Kelly.
Mostly, what those students watch is rugby – the most popular sport in this area and New Zealand by a long way. Dunedin was a host city for the Rugby World Cup in 2011.
Nestled in a quiet upstairs space at the Dunedin Railway Station is the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame, opened in 1990.
Prominently displayed are photos and memorabilia from revered athletes in rugby, cycling, golf, tennis and more. But soccer? There’s only one display — a 6-by-3 glass case.
Even 13-year-old Izabella Christofoletti, who plays soccer for her school and a club team, and has been a ball girl for several Women’s World Cup matches, can talk about how soccer lags behind rugby in interest. Soccer “is not a well-known sport amongst different areas, so it’s good (the tournament) is here because it creates knowledge of it,” she said.
Nonetheless, when New Zealand played its last match against Switzerland on Sunday, a painful 0-0 tie that knocked the Football Ferns out of the tournament, the fans finally turned out and made noise, stomping their feet and cheering at every chance on goal for the Ferns.
Even though the result wasn’t what they wanted, New Zealand players were proud of their fans.
“I think there’s nothing better than Kiwis and especially in Dunedin and a sold-out crowd,” New Zealand midfielder Malia Steinmetz said. “You could hear it, you could feel it. I think they pushed us through a lot in that game.”
___
Ellen McIntyre is a student in the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism at Penn State.
—-
AP Women’s World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-womens-world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2023/07/30/womens-world-cup-dunedin-new-zealand-scotland/57842ddc-2f55-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html | 2023-07-31T04:37:24 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2023/07/30/womens-world-cup-dunedin-new-zealand-scotland/57842ddc-2f55-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html |
ST. ANTHONY, Idaho — Idaho mother Lori Vallow Daybell faces up to life in prison without parole Monday as she is sentenced in the murders of her two youngest children and a romantic rival in a case that included bizarre claims that her son and daughter were zombies and that she was a goddess sent to usher in the Biblical apocalypse.
Vallow Daybell was found guilty in May of killing her two youngest children, 7-year-old Joshua “JJ” Vallow and 16-year-old Tylee Ryan, as well as conspiring to kill Tammy Daybell, her fifth husband’s previous wife.
The husband, Chad Daybell, is awaiting trial on the same murder charges. Vallow Daybell also faces two other cases in Arizona — one on a charge of conspiring with her brother to kill her fourth husband, Charles Vallow, and one of conspiring to kill her niece’s ex-husband. Charles Vallow was shot and killed in 2019, but her niece’s ex survived an attempt later that year.
Monday’s sentencing will take place at the Fremont County Courthouse in St. Anthony, Idaho. Judge Steven W. Boyce is expected to hear testimony from several representatives of the victims, including Vallow Daybell’s only surviving son, Colby Ryan.
The case began in July 2019, when Vallow Daybell’s brother, Alex Cox, shot and killed her estranged husband, Charles Vallow, in a suburban Phoenix home. Cox told police he acted in self defense. He was never charged in the case and died later that year of what authorities determined were natural causes.
Vallow Daybell was already in a relationship with Chad Daybell, a self-published author who wrote doomsday-focused fiction loosely based on Mormon teachings. She moved to Idaho with her kids and brother to be closer to him.
The children were last seen alive in September 2019. Police discovered they were missing a month later after an extended family member became worried. Their bodies were found buried in Chad Daybell’s yard the following summer.
Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow married in November 2019, about two weeks after Daybell’s previous wife, Tammy, was killed. Tammy Daybell initially was described as having died of natural causes, but an autopsy later showed she had been asphyxiated, authorities said.
Defense attorney Jim Archibald argued during the trial that there was no evidence tying Vallow Daybell to the killings, but plenty showing she was a loving, protective mother whose life took a sharp turn when she met Chad Daybell and fell for his “weird” apocalyptic religious claims. He suggested that Daybell and Vallow Daybell’s brother, Alex Cox, were responsible for the deaths.
Daybell told her they had been married in several previous lives and she was a “sexual goddess” who was supposed to help him save the world by gathering 144,000 followers so Jesus could return, Archibald said.
Vallow Daybell’s former friend Melanie Gibb testified during the trial that Vallow Daybell believed people in her life had been taken over by evil spirits and turned into “zombies,” including JJ and Tylee. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/2023/07/31/lori-vallow-daybell-doomsday-plot-sentence/77ec2334-2f57-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html | 2023-07-31T04:37:31 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/2023/07/31/lori-vallow-daybell-doomsday-plot-sentence/77ec2334-2f57-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html |
MIAMI — An employee of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, Carlos De Oliveira, is expected to make his first court appearance Monday on charges accusing him of scheming with the former president to hide security footage from investigators probing Trump’s hoarding of classified documents.
De Oliveira faces charges including conspiracy to obstruct justice and lying to investigators. He’s scheduled to appear before a magistrate judge in Miami nearly two months after Trump pleaded not guilty in the case brought by special counsel Jack Smith.
The developments in the classified documents case come as Trump braces for possible charges in another federal investigation into his efforts to cling to power after he lost the 2020 election. Trump has received a letter from Smith indicating that he is a target of that investigation, and Trump’s lawyers met with Smith's team last week.
An attorney for De Oliveira declined last week to comment on the allegations. Trump has denied any wrongdoing and said the Mar-a-Lago security tapes were voluntarily handed over to investigators. Trump posted on his Truth Social platform last week that he was told the tapes were not “deleted in any way, shape or form.”
Prosecutors have not alleged that security footage was actually deleted or kept from investigators.
Nauta has also pleaded not guilty. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon had previously scheduled the trial of Trump and Nauta to begin in May, and it’s unclear whether the addition of De Oliveira to the case may impact the case’s timeline.
The latest indictment, unsealed on Thursday, alleges that Trump tried to have security footage deleted after investigators visited in June 2022 to collect classified documents Trump took with him after he left the White House.
Trump was already facing dozens of felony counts — including willful retention of notional defense information — stemming from allegations that he mishandled government secrets that as commander-in-chief he was entrusted to protect. Experts have said the new allegations bolster the special counsel's case and deepen the former president’s legal jeopardy.
Video from Mar-a-Lago would ultimately become vital to the government’s case because, prosecutors said, it shows Nauta moving boxes in and out of a storage room — an act alleged to have been done at Trump’s direction and in effort to hide records not only only from investigators but Trump’s own lawyers.
Days after the Justice Department sent a subpoena for video footage at Mar-a-Lago to the Trump Organization in June 2022, prosecutors say De Oliveira asked a information technology staffer how long the server retained footage and told the employee “the boss” wanted it deleted. When the employee said he didn’t believe he was able to do that, De Oliveira insisted the “boss” wanted it done, asking, “What are we going to do?”
Shortly after the FBI searched Mar-a-Lago and found classified records in the storage room and Trump’s office, prosecutors say Nauta called a Trump employee and said words to the effect of, “someone just wants to make sure Carlos is good.” The indictment says the employee responded that De Oliveira was loyal and wouldn’t do anything to affect his relationship with Trump. That same day, the indictment alleges, Trump called De Oliveira directly to say that he would get De Oliveira an attorney.
Prosecutors allege that De Oliveira later lied in interviews with investigators, falsely claiming that he hadn’t even seen boxes moved into Mar-a-Lago after Trump left the White House.
____
Richer reported from Boston. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/07/31/carlos-de-oliveira-trump-classified-documents-maralago/6df85306-2f58-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html | 2023-07-31T04:37:37 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/07/31/carlos-de-oliveira-trump-classified-documents-maralago/6df85306-2f58-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html |
ATLANTA — A Georgia prosecutor is expected to seek a grand jury indictment in the coming weeks in her investigation into efforts by Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the former president’s 2020 election loss.
Willis has strongly hinted that any indictment would come between July 31 and August 18. One of two grand juries seated July 11 is expected to hear the case.
If Trump is indicted by a Georgia grand jury, it would add to a growing list of legal troubles as he campaigns for president. Trump is set to go to trial in New York in March to face state charges related to hush-money payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign. And he has another trial scheduled for May on federal charges related to his handling of classified documents. He has pleaded not guilty in those cases.
The Justice Department is also investigating Trump’s role in trying to halt the certification of 2020 election results in the run-up to the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol. Trump said he's been told he's a target of that investigation, which likely has some overlap with the one in Georgia.
Details of the Georgia investigation that have become public have fed speculation that Willis is building a case under the Georgia Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, which would allow her to charge numerous people in a potentially wide-ranging scheme.
Here are six investigative threads Willis and her team have explored:
The Georgia investigation was prompted by the Jan. 2, 2021 phone call Trump made to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Trump suggested the state’s top elections official could help “find” the votes needed to put him ahead of Democrat Joe Biden in the state.
“All I want to do is this: I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have,” Trump is heard saying on a recording of the call, which was leaked to news outlets. “Because we won the state.”
Trump has insisted he did nothing wrong and has repeatedly said the call was “perfect.”
Trump also called other top state officials in his quest to overturn his 2020 election loss, including Gov. Brian Kemp, then-House Speaker David Ralston, Attorney General Chris Carr and the top investigator in the secretary of state’s office.
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, also called Raffensperger shortly after the November election. Raffensperger said at the time that Graham asked whether he had the power to reject certain absentee ballots, which Raffensperger has said he interpreted as a suggestion to toss out legally cast votes.
Graham has denied wrongdoing, saying he just wanted to learn about the signature verification process.
Biden won Georgia by a margin of fewer than 12,000 votes. Just over a month after the election, on Dec. 14, 2020, a group 16 Georgia Democratic electors met in the Senate chamber at the state Capitol to cast the state’s Electoral College votes for him. They each marked paper ballots that were counted and confirmed by a voice roll call.
That same day, in a committee meeting room at the Capitol, 16 prominent Georgia Republicans — a lawmaker, activists and party officials — met to sign a certificate falsely stating that Trump had won and declaring themselves the state’s “duly elected and qualified” electors. They sent that certificate to the National Archives and the U.S. Senate.
Georgia was one of seven battleground states that Trump lost where Republican fake electors signed and submitted similar certificates. Trump allies in the U.S. House and Senate used those certificates to argue for delaying or blocking the certification of the election during a joint session of Congress.
Prosecutors in Fulton County have said in court filings that they believe Trump associates worked with state Republicans to coordinate and execute the plan.
The multi-state effort was ultimately unsuccessful. Despite public pressure from Trump and his supporters, then-Vice President Mike Pence refused on Jan. 6, 2021, to introduce the unofficial pro-Trump electors. After the attack on the U.S. Capitol put a violent halt to the certification process, lawmakers certified Biden's win in the early hours of Jan. 7, 2021.
At least eight of the fake electors have since reached immunity deals with Willis’ team. And a judge last summer barred Willis from prosecuting another one, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, because of a conflict of interest.
Republican state lawmakers held several hearings at the Georgia Capitol in December 2020 to examine alleged problems with the November election. During those meetings, former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani and other Trump allies made unproven claims of widespread election fraud.
They alleged that election workers tallying absentee ballots at State Farm Arena in Atlanta had told outside observers to leave and then pulled out “suitcases” of unlawful ballots and began scanning them. The Trump allies played clips of surveillance video from the arena to support their allegations. State and federal officials investigated and said there was no evidence of election fraud at the site.
Some Trump allies also said thousands of people who were ineligible — including people convicted of felonies, people under the age of 18, people who had voted in another state — had cast votes in Georgia. The secretary of state’s office has debunked those claims.
Two of the election workers seen in the State Farm Arena surveillance video, Ruby Freeman and her daughter Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, said they faced relentless harassment online and in person as a result of the allegations made by Trump and his allies.
Giuliani last week conceded that statements he made about the two election workers were false.
In a bizarre episode detailed by prosecutors in court filings, a woman traveled from Chicago to Georgia and met with Freeman on Jan. 4, 2021. The woman initially said she wanted to help Freeman but then warned that Freeman could go to prison and tried to pressure her into falsely confessing to committing election fraud, prosecutors wrote in court filings last year.
Trump-allied lawyer Sidney Powell and others hired a computer forensics team to copy data and software on election equipment in Coffee County, some 200 miles southeast of Atlanta, according to invoices, emails, security video and deposition testimony produced in response to subpoenas in a long-running lawsuit.
The county Republican Party chair at the time — who also served as a fake elector — greeted them when they arrived at the local elections office on Jan. 7, 2021, and some county elections officials were also on hand during the daylong visit. The secretary of state’s office has said this amounted to “alleged unauthorized access” of election equipment and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is looking into it at the secretary of state’s request.
Two other men who have been active in efforts to question the 2020 election results also visited Coffee County later that month and spent hours inside.
U.S. Attorney BJay Pak, the top federal prosecutor in Atlanta, abruptly resigned two days after Trump called Raffensperger and a day after a recording of that call was made public. During that conversation, Trump called Pak a “never-Trumper,” implying that he didn’t support the president.
In December 2020, then-U.S. Attorney General William Barr asked Pak to investigate allegations by Giuliani and other Trump allies of widespread election fraud. Pak, who had been appointed by Trump in 2017, reported back that he had found no evidence of such fraud.
In August 2021, Pak told the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, which was investigating Trump’s post-election actions, that he resigned on Jan. 4, 2021, after learning from Department of Justice officials that Trump did not believe enough was being done to investigate allegations of election fraud and wanted him gone as U.S. attorney. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/07/31/trump-2020-election-georgia-grand-jury-investigation/1c9a2c58-2f5a-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html | 2023-07-31T04:37:43 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/07/31/trump-2020-election-georgia-grand-jury-investigation/1c9a2c58-2f5a-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html |
SYDNEY — Linda Caicedo is fast-becoming the biggest story of the biggest Women's World Cup to date.
The goal against Germany was even more remarkable considering there were doubts Caicedo, who recovered after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer at age 15, would be able to play after an episode in training earlier in the week.
In a video released by Colombian media outlet DSPORT, she was seen holding her chest and then voluntarily going to the ground.
Head coach Nelson Abadía said it was a culmination of stress and fatigue, adding there was “no problem.” There was a similar explanation on Sunday after another incident involving Caicedo.
There’d been no signs of lingering effects when she stepped around two German defenders in the 52nd minute and lashed a shot into the top corner for one of the goals of the tournament so far.
But then, in the 83rd, she dropped to her knees behind the play before lying face down on the grass as Colombia’s medical staff went to her aid.
Scenes like this are extremely rare in soccer’s top flight.
And given the World Cup is being held during the winter months in Australia and New Zealand, excessively high temperatures cannot be blamed. The evening temperatures in Sydney have been around 57 degrees Fahrenheit (14 Celsius).
Again, Colombia’s staff dismissed concerns about the teenager’s health.
“We know that Linda had some problems in the past, but nothing to be worried about,” assistant coach Angelo Marsiglia said. “She was very tired of course. She had a bit of acceleration in her heart, but this wasn’t a problem.”
Caicedo continued to play after receiving on-field assistance on Sunday night before being substituted off in stoppage time, with Marsiglia saying she was “exhausted.”
With a goal in each of her opening two games at the tournament, Caicedo is rising to expectations at her first World Cup. She is showing no signs of being weighed down by her billing as one of the brightest talents in women’s soccer.
With more eyes than ever on the tournament, there will be greater scrutiny on her health as the competition progresses.
Any more obvious episodes of fatigue or exhaustion are likely to raise welfare concerns.
Player health and injury recovery at the Women’s World Cup ultimately comes down to the medical staff of each national team.
While FIFA has its own medical team at the World Cup to offer advice as needed, soccer’s world governing body said each team’s doctor has autonomy and ultimate responsibility for their players.
Caicedo once feared she’d never play high-level soccer again after her cancer diagnosis. At that point she had already made her debut for the senior national team and pro team América de Cali.
But she recovered and joined Real Madrid in February. Last year she led Colombia’s Under-17 squad, who were runners-up at the U-17 Women’s World Cup, and also appeared for the Under-20 squad.
In her debut at the senior World Cup, Caicedo also scored in Colombia’s 2-0 win over South Korea.
Colombia’s second win all but secured the team a spot in the knockout stage. Las Cafeteras will advance unless they lose to Morocco by at least four goals on Thursday and Germany draws or beats South Korea the same day.
___
Zeke Palermo, a student at the University of Georgia’s Carmical Sports Media Institute, contributed to this report from Sydney.
___
James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson
___
More AP Women’s World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-womens-world-cup | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/soccer/2023/07/30/womens-world-cup-colombia-caicedo-health/4086fca8-2f51-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html | 2023-07-31T04:37:49 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/soccer/2023/07/30/womens-world-cup-colombia-caicedo-health/4086fca8-2f51-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html |
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. | https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/ct-ap-nascar-richmond-20230731-76sa5ydnr5h77dcd2luloaesfu-story.html | 2023-07-31T04:37:54 | 0 | https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/ct-ap-nascar-richmond-20230731-76sa5ydnr5h77dcd2luloaesfu-story.html |
MANILA, Philippines — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was holding talks with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Monday in a sign of improving ties after a stormy period between the EU and his predecessor over human rights.
The talks between von der Leyen and her delegation with Filipino officials were also expected to cover the Philippines’ chances of retaining special trade incentives depending on its adherence to international conventions on human and labor rights and good governance.
In February, a group of European parliamentarians said Manila’s chances of retaining those incentives, including slashed tariffs for a wide array of products, would increase if a long-detained opposition leader is freed and the Philippines rejoins the International Criminal Court.
The European Union trade incentives under the so-called Generalized Scheme of Preferences, or GSP Plus, for the Philippines and seven other developing countries are anchored on their adherence to more than two dozen international conventions on human and labor rights, environmental protection and good governance.
The trading incentives, which the Philippines started to enjoy in 2014, would end in December and the government could reapply within a two-year period to retain them, the European lawmakers said then.
But the Philippines came under intense EU criticism during former President Rodrigo Duterte’s six-year term, mainly because of the bloody anti-drugs crackdown he oversaw that left more than 6,000 mostly petty suspects dead. Marcos succeeded Duterte in June last year.
The killings sparked an International Criminal Court investigation as a possible crime against humanity. Duterte withdrew the Philippines from the ICC in 2018, but its prosecutor has proceeded to investigate the widespread deaths that occurred in the years when the country was still part of the court based in The Hague.
Duterte then often lashed at the EU’s criticisms of his brutal anti-drugs crackdown with profanity-laced outbursts.
European parliamentarians have also repeatedly demanded the release of opposition leader and former senator Leila de Lima, Duterte’s most vocal critic who was arrested and detained in 2017 on drug charges she said were fabricated by Duterte and his officials to stop her from investigating the killings.
Hannah Neumann, who led the European delegation in a visit to the Philippines in February, told a news conference then that rights conditions under the Marcos administration were “better than it was under Pres. Duterte” in reply to a question. “There are a lot of announcements that could indeed improve things if they’re implemented.”
The delegates then welcomed Marcos’ “commitment to change the focus of the ‘war on drugs’ away from a punitive approach towards prevention and rehabilitation.”
But they said extrajudicial killings have reportedly persisted and underscored the need for all the killings to be investigated and the perpetrators held to account to fight impunity.
Asked if a decision to release de Lima and rejoin the ICC would boost the Philippines’ chances of continuing to enjoy the EU trading incentives, Neumann said that would be “a strong sign in which direction the country wants to move.”
“The European Parliament has been quite clear that whoever wants to have preferential access to the European market needs to uphold social standards, human rights standards, environmental standards,” she said. “This is not going to go away.” | https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/07/30/european-commission-philippines-president-human-rights/24114160-2f55-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html | 2023-07-31T04:37:55 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/07/30/european-commission-philippines-president-human-rights/24114160-2f55-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html |
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Across the world, we’ve seen the stark effects of what amounts to an ongoing planetary emergency. Recent heat waves scorched through North America, Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. They triggered wildfires on both sides of the Mediterranean, and blazes that incinerated millions of hectares of land in Canada. A record monsoon flooded parts of north India. A spike in ocean temperatures baffled and alarmed scientists, while one recent study suggested that global warming was bringing a major circulation system in the Atlantic Ocean to collapse. Meanwhile, in the southern hemispheric winter, fewer stretches of the Antarctic sea are freezing over.
“Climate change is here. It is terrifying. And it is just the beginning,” Guterres said at the briefing, where he described “children swept away by monsoon rains, families running from the flames [and] workers collapsing in scorching heat.”
A study published last week by a coalition of scientists found that the extreme heat waves of recent months would be “virtually impossible” without the effects of man-made climate change. Friederike Otto, co-leader of the group of researchers and a climate scientist at Imperial College London, told my colleagues that their findings should come as no surprise, and that we won’t know what the “new normal” of life in the era of climate change will look like until the world actually stops burning fossil fuels.
“This could be even a cold year in the summers to come. This is not what we need to get used to,” Otto said. “We need to get used to this, and worse.”
Despite the visceral evidence of a changing planet, and all the entreaties of U.N. officials and climate scientists, there’s little political unanimity on what must come next. Governments across the world have put forward plans and commitments to drastically slash emissions and decarbonize their economies. But the measures needed to stave off planetary warming beyond a threshold considered by scientific consensus to be catastrophic for the planet are still proving to be a tough sell. Right-wing parties across the West are exploiting public disquiet over green policies.
Last week, as wildfires blazed through the Italian island of Sicily, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the conditions provoked by extreme weather as “a test” of her nation’s capacity and resilience. But not long before, Meloni had beamed into an election rally in Spain for the far-right Vox party, a like-minded ally, where she called on the continent’s “patriots” to resist the “climate change fanaticism” of their leftist and liberal opponents.
Vox’s leadership is known for their climate science denialism and they fared disappointingly in elections this month. But the party has previously capitalized in local polls on farmer discontent over water conservation policies and branded the country’s 2021 Climate Change law as “the law for the return to caves and poverty.”
In Italy, where Meloni’s faction holds sway in a right-wing coalition, similar noises are common. Guido Crosetto, the country’s defense minister, complained in a recent interview that Europe’s climate-focused policymakers were creating a security risk for the continent. “Once we have destroyed a quarter of European industry to give it to China, how do you think people will react?” Crosetto asked. “As a reaction, everyone will hate any good environmental intention, associating the battles on the climate with the deadweight loss of jobs.”
The European Union has arguably done more than any other polity to shift its societies toward renewable energy. But the transition has surfaced many thorny political debates. Governments in countries such as Poland and Hungary bristle over E.U. strictures on the usage of coal. The anger of Dutch farmers over new mandates for nitrogen emissions may shape the upcoming election campaign in the Netherlands. In Germany, the continent’s leading automakers have launched an insurrection against the E.U. plan to phase out sale of all fossil-fuel-powered vehicles by the middle of the next decade, while the country’s ruling coalition avoided implosion in June after it watered down legislation on heating homes. The country’s far-right Alternative for Germany party, which is in the climate skeptic camp, happens to be surging in the polls.
Unlike in the United States, where much of the Republican base still seems to reject the basic facts surrounding climate change, Europe’s far-right parties are positioning themselves as pragmatic realists. “While no longer openly climate crisis deniers, they denounce the inequalities and the harm caused to industry they say are exacerbated by climate policies,” wrote Nathalie Tocci, a former E.U. foreign policy adviser.
This “greenlash,” she explained, is having tangible effects and may slow down the continent’s decarbonization efforts. Sensing the adverse political currents, technocratic centrist leaders like French President Emmanuel Macron and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo called in May for a pause to the implementation of the E.U.’s environmental standards.
Henry Olsen, a right-leaning columnist at The Washington Post, argued that a more “sensible” policy would focus on technological innovation and offsetting the costs of the energy transition, as opposed to rapid decarbonization. “This inevitably means talking about climate change more as a problem to be managed than as a crisis that requires a total restructuring of the economy,” he wrote last week.
But it’s hard to ignore the gravity of the moment. “We are at war, we will rebuild what we lost, we will compensate those who were hurt,” Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told reporters last week, as fires scorched through his country’s tourist-clogged islands. “The climate crisis is already here, it will manifest itself everywhere in the Mediterranean with greater disasters.”
In remarks at the U.N. climate summit in Egypt last year, the center-right Greek premier said it was possible to push a climate agenda that both reckoned with what’s happening to the planet, while also not exacting a great toll on the public. “Personally I see no tension between safeguarding the present and investing in the future,” he said. “Our people will not support us otherwise.” | https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/07/31/climate-change-political-right-action-heat-wave-global-boiling/ | 2023-07-31T04:38:01 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/07/31/climate-change-political-right-action-heat-wave-global-boiling/ |
Man found shot near First Avenue, Speedway in Tucson
Published: Jul. 30, 2023 at 9:29 PM MST|Updated: 7 minutes ago
TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) - A man was found shot near North First Avenue and East Speedway Boulevard in Tucson late Sunday, July 30.
The Tucson Police Department confirmed the victim suffered serious injuries.
The TPD said officers were in the area searching for a suspect.
The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to call 911 or 88-CRIME.
Be sure to subscribe to the 13 News YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@13newskold
Copyright 2023 13 News. All rights reserved. | https://www.kold.com/2023/07/31/man-found-shot-near-first-avenue-speedway-tucson/ | 2023-07-31T04:38:49 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/2023/07/31/man-found-shot-near-first-avenue-speedway-tucson/ |
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Authorities are maintaining an exclusion zone around an air force base in central Greece where wildfires have triggered powerful explosions at an ammunition depot.
The blasts late Thursday at the 111th Combat Wing base facilities — among the largest in the country — shattered windows in nearby towns and prompted an evacuation of more than 2,000 people, while fighter jets nearby were moved to another base.
A civilian traffic ban and evacuation order remained in effect in a 3-kilometer (2-mile) radius of the blast site.
Fueled by successive heat waves and strong gusts of wind, wildfires have raged around Greece and other Mediterranean countries over the past two weeks, scorching dozens of square kilometers of land outside Athens, on the island of Rhodes and elsewhere.
The ammunition depot blasts were broadcast live on local television reports, near the central city of Volos, one showing a ground-shaking fireball emerging from a mountainous area.
After the evacuations were ordered, residents were rushed onto private boats mobilized by the coast guard and taken to a conference center in Volos, some 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) from the weapons depot.
A drop in temperatures and calmer winds assisted firefighters early Friday, and all major fires were contained at midday (0600 EST/1000 GMT), Fire Service officials said.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/ap-top-news/2023/07/28/as-crews-contain-europe-fires-pope-francis-sounds-alarm-on-climate-threat-to-our-common-home | 2023-07-31T04:39:25 | 1 | https://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/ap-top-news/2023/07/28/as-crews-contain-europe-fires-pope-francis-sounds-alarm-on-climate-threat-to-our-common-home |
ARIES (March 21-April 19). At first it seems like the day is a heap of actionable items with your name on them. But once you sort problems into the categories “mine” and “theirs,” you’ll find that you don’t have as much to worry about as you thought.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You’ll feel compelled to take on a mystery. You may not know quite where you’re going with the project, and that’s what makes it so fun. You’ll stick with the work until it tells you what it wants to be.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Awkward realness is better than smooth fakeness. Be wary of nonspecific or robotic interactions. You’re unique and will appreciate attention that speaks to your distinctive qualities, or at least seems based on the moment instead of on a script.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). You’ll be reminded that it’s within your power to decide what things mean. Society’s definition may fit, but all things being equal, you’d rather put your own spin on it. Perspective is a custom job.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Life is about living, not about judging. You’re living just the way you like it, with so many interesting things going on in your life that the only business you have the time to mind is your own.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You are persuasive without meaning to be. Knowing that people will notice and copy what you do, you’re careful to choose actions that, if exponentially multiplied, would have a positive impact on the world.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). When one person plays many roles in your life, it puts both of you in a precarious position. Be like a director casting a whole company of players on the stage of your life. The more the merrier.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Either your creativity takes a turn toward the romantic or your romance gets creative, but the result is the same: love is art. Each interaction is unique and you’re fully there for the experience.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Because you’re an open-minded, curious, lifelong learner, most days you add to your knowledge and skills without even trying to. Now a more concentrated effort will be fortunate. A special training will have a lucrative end.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You’re holding on to something unnecessarily. Drop it and move on. This might be about forgiveness. Everyone has learned their lesson and it won’t come up again. Lighter, brighter and more playful times are ahead.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). There’s much going on in the world that you can’t do anything about, and listening to it will only drain your energy. Pay attention to your inner broadcast. This is the program that will inspire your brilliant ideas.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). The small task and the large task are equally difficult, so take on the one that will make the biggest positive difference to your mood. Your intuition will nudge you toward a challenge that’s just the right size.
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (July 31). Your cosmic birthday gift is fierce commitment, both from you to what you care about and from other people toward you. More highlights: You’ll win all the votes. A large group carries on a project you started while you head to the next exciting adventure. Small changes in your routine consistently executed over months bring your dream to you. Taurus and Capricorn adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 13, 37, 16, 3 and 8. | https://www.inquirer.com/entertainment/horoscopes/horoscopes-july-31-2023-20230731.html | 2023-07-31T04:40:18 | 0 | https://www.inquirer.com/entertainment/horoscopes/horoscopes-july-31-2023-20230731.html |
Dear Abby | Parents make surprising choice following divorce
My ex lived with my parents for seven years.
DEAR ABBY: I am 49 and have been divorced for 20 years. When we first separated, my ex moved in with my parents while I struggled to raise my four kids. He stayed there for seven years. He moved out until a year and a half ago. Again, my parents have allowed him back in!
While I understand that they shouldn’t have had to cease contact because of the divorce, I don’t feel it’s right for him to be living there. This has caused an ongoing rift between my family and me because I have let them know that it hurts me.
My parents pretty much told me my feelings don’t matter. I was homeless living in my car for a few weeks while it was bitter cold and snowing. But I’m not supposed to be upset that he’s nice and warm, eating prepared meals, showering and using their vehicles for next to nothing? He has had a full-time job for 10 years.
I feel my parents are disrespectful, hurtful and rude toward me. What are your thoughts about what I should do or how to handle this? — PERTURBED IN PENNSYLVANIA
DEAR PERTURBED: My thought is that when you and your ex-husband divorced, your parents sided with him, and you have every right to your feelings. Being told that your feelings do not matter had to have been devastating.
The way to handle this would be to stay as far from your parents as possible and figure out how to have a rewarding life on your own. Take that path — and spend as little time as possible looking backward because you really have no other choice. Success would be the best revenge.
** ** **
DEAR ABBY: I’m 26, and I have never been in a long-term relationship. I have used dating apps and have dated several times, but nothing seems to stick after the third one. This year, I have put myself out there more by going to Meetup groups and to religious services.
When I browse Instagram or Facebook, I see content that makes me feel guilty and disappointed. It’s depressing to see people I know getting engaged or married. When I was in high school, most of my classmates went to prom, while I stayed at home.
I’m beginning to wonder if I’ll never find a good quality life partner or if I’m meant to be single forever. I’m afraid there may be something wrong with me. What can I do to move forward?
— UNCOUPLED IN MINNESOTA
DEAR UNCOUPLED: You may be focusing too much on your goal and not enough on enjoying the experience. Dating is a sifting process. It can be tedious and depressing, and it doesn’t always result in meeting Prince Charming. Because you haven’t yet met The One doesn’t mean the alternative is winding up in a convent. Move forward by teaching yourself to enjoy the present, and you may find you have better luck. | https://www.inquirer.com/life/dear-abby-parents-make-surprising-choice-following-divorce-20230731.html | 2023-07-31T04:40:24 | 1 | https://www.inquirer.com/life/dear-abby-parents-make-surprising-choice-following-divorce-20230731.html |
Civil rights groups representing plaintiffs in a high-profile congressional redistricting case are urging a federal court in Alabama to reject a controversial new map, seen here, in Montgomery, Alabama, on July 18 crafted by the Republican-dominated legislature, saying it perpetuates a violation of the nation’s landmark voting rights law. — AP Photo/Kim Chandler
Civil rights groups representing plaintiffs in a high-profile congressional redistricting case are urging a federal court in Alabama to reject a controversial new map crafted by the Republican-dominated legislature, saying it perpetuates a violation of the nation’s landmark voting rights law.
In a late-night court filing Friday, the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund and multiple attorneys asked a three-judge panel to direct an official to devise a new map that complies with the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
The plaintiffs in the case said legislators who drew and approved the maps didn’t comply with a court mandate to create a second congressional district where Black voters have an opportunity to elect their preferred candidates.
Instead, they argued, lawmakers were “focused on pleasing national leaders whose objective is to maintain the Republican Party’s slim majority in the US House.”
State officials, who have defended the map as fair, have until August 4 to respond to the new filings.
The dispute has drawn national attention after critics accused Alabama legislators of openly defying the US Supreme Court and its directive to give Black voters more political power in the state.
And the outcome of the legal battle in Alabama – along with court skirmishes in several other states over congressional redistricting – could help determine whether Republicans retain their slim majority in the House after next year’s elections.
In this case, the Republican supermajority in the Alabama legislature approved a new map on July 21, weeks after the US Supreme Court said that an existing map – with just one majority-Black congressional district out of seven in a state where Black residents make up 27% of the population – likely violated the decades-old federal voting law by diluting the voting power of Black residents. The high court, by a 5-4 majority, affirmed a lower court decision that had ordered the state to redraw the congressional maps to include a second majority-Black district or “something quite close to it.”
But the map approved this month and signed into law by Alabama’s GOP Gov. Kay Ivey instead boosted the share of Black voters in the majority-White 2nd Congressional District from roughly 30% to nearly 40%. It also reduced the Black voting-age population in the state’s only majority-Black district to around 50% from about 55%.
Voting rights experts say the state has a history of racially polarized voting, making it harder for candidates favored by Black voters to win in a district where Black residents account for less than 50% of the voting-age population.
“The new CD2 … does not provide Black voters a realistic opportunity to election their preferred candidate in any but the most extreme situations,” the plaintiffs argued in the new filings.
In Alabama, most Black voters have supported Democrats. If the federal judges approve a map with a second majority-Black district, that could result in two Democrats representing the state in the House.
House Republicans hold just a narrow edge on Democrats, and the Supreme Court’s decision in the Alabama case has given Democrats fresh optimism that their side will prevail in legal fights aimed at increasing the share of Black voters in congressional districts in Louisiana, Georgia and several other states.
In a sign of the high political stakes, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has weighed in on the debate and told reporters that he spoke to Alabama lawmakers as they met for the special session to redraw the map to comply with the court order.
The Justice Department filed a so-called “statement of interest” on Friday but did not side with any party in the dispute. The agency outlined factors the judges should consider in its analysis and called on the court to impose its own map if it determines that the one drawn by lawmakers violated the Voting Rights Act.
A court hearing on objections to the legislature’s map is set for August 14.
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Updated July 29, 2023 at 11:35 AM ET
Two Supreme Court decisions are changing the way students, educators and even the Biden administration are approaching higher education.
The first ruling ended affirmative action for public and private colleges. It declared that race conscious admissions programs at both Harvard and the University of North Carolina violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
The second put a halt to President Biden's student loan cancellation plan. Now the Biden administration is trying to find new ways to make college more accessible. The administration recently unveiled a new student loan repayment plan that will save borrowers thousands of dollars by keeping monthly payments low and preventing interest from accumulating.
This week, the administration's focus is on affirmative action: The U.S. Department of Education has opened a civil rights investigation into the practice of legacy admissions at Harvard University, and on Friday, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona visited Wesleyan University, which recently got rid of legacy admissions.
Legacy admissions are on the chopping block
The federal inquiry comes after to three Boston-based groups — the Chica Project, the African Community Economic Development of New England and the Greater Boston Latino Network — filed a complaint with the Education Department against Harvard. It accuses the university of discriminating against Black, Hispanic, Asian and other non-white undergraduate applicants by showing preference for those who have family relationships with donors or alumni.
In a statement to NPR, Harvard spokesperson Nicole Rura said the university is reviewing its admissions policy to ensure it is "complying with the law and to carry forward Harvard's longstanding commitment to welcoming students from a wide range of backgrounds, perspectives, and life experiences."
Ivory Toldson, the national director of Education Innovation and Research at the NAACP, said that legacy admissions compromise a university's ability to create a diverse student body. He said if colleges are committed to diversity, they should not be favoring applicants from wealthier backgrounds.
"Now that race conscious admissions has been outlawed by the Supreme Court, you have to look at other ways to achieve diversity," Toldson said during an interview for Morning Edition.
Toldson said legacy admissions should be abolished.
The impact of legacy admissions policies on a student body
A study released this week by the Harvard School of Economics showed that richer applicants are getting a leg up in the college admissions process. Students from affluent backgrounds are twice as likely to get into top colleges than students from more middle class backgrounds, even if the students have similar GPAs and SAT scores.
Admissions data cited in documents that were part of the affirmative action case revealed that nearly 70% of the university's legacy applicants were white — including applicants who have relationships with donors, those who are children of faculty or staff, and athletes applicants. And while legacy applicants make up less than 5% of applicants to Harvard, the data showed they constitute around 30% of the applicants admitted each year, the ruling cited.
Some schools have gotten rid of legacy admissions altogether.
Wesleyan University, a private liberal arts college in Connecticut that has a 16% acceptance rate, recently eliminated its legacy admissions policy. Wesleyan President Michael Roth told NPR's Leila Fadel, during an interview for Morning Edition, the decision to end the policy was a direct response to the Supreme Court ruling that effectively ended affirmative action as part of college admissions.
"It became clear to me that any advantage you give to incumbents, to people who already have advantages, is a glaring sign of unfairness," Roth said.
Other schools have done the same. The University of Minnesota Twin Cities also ended legacy admissions this month, and Colorado passed a state law banning the practice at all public colleges and universities.
"Not getting in" is just one concern for students
Whitney Gouche is vice president of a nonprofit called EMERGE that serves high-achieving students from low-income areas in Texas. She said her students feel discouraged by the recent Supreme Court decision.
"We've explained to our students, that regardless of the decision, you still belong here, she said. "You have the merits to be a successful student at this campus."
Convincing students to apply isn't the easiest task — concerns about high cost are also on students' minds. Even if they get in, it could cost about $70,000 in tuition for an elite college like Wesleyan.
Roth said that while admitted students who qualify for financial aid will receive it at Wesleyan, the university has to do more to convince students to apply in the first place.
"We have to be very aggressive in recruiting students from places that haven't typically looked at schools like Wesleyan," Roth said.
Roth said that ending legacy admissions won't solve the more widespread problem of education disparities in the United States.
"Legacy admissions is attractive to talk about, but the real issues are elsewhere," Roth said.
This story was edited by Erika Aguilar.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.ijpr.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-07-26/colleges-are-ending-legacy-admissions-to-diversify-campuses-post-affirmative-action | 2023-07-31T04:41:12 | 0 | https://www.ijpr.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-07-26/colleges-are-ending-legacy-admissions-to-diversify-campuses-post-affirmative-action |
CHENGDU, China, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- On July 29, in the Men's Nanquan of Wushu tournament, China's athlete Cao Maoyuan won the first gold medal at the 31st FISU World University Games with a score of 9.770.
Cao Maoyuan stood on the podium, showcasing his glory to the world. The medal around his neck, accompanied by a radiant medal ribbon, caught everyone's attention. But what makes this seemingly ordinary medal ribbon so remarkable? It's the embodiment of Chengdu's cultural charm. According to Hu Guangjun, the director of the Chengdu Shu Brocade Research Institute, the medal ribbon for this edition of the Games has ingeniously incorporated the millennia-old weaving techniques of Shu brocade. Adorned with iconic symbols of Chengdu's historical and cultural significance, such as hibiscus flowers and sun birds, the ribbon exudes a captivating luster. This transforms China's intangible cultural heritage into a tangible "Rongguang" (the brilliance of Chengdu) that can be truly appreciated.
Shu brocade weaving skills are China's national intangible cultural heritage. Dating back to the Han Dynasty, Shu brocade has been a vital "protagonist" in trade along the Silk Road, earning its place as a cultural emblem of Chengdu and a symbol of cultural exchange between the East and West. With the unveiling of the first medal of the Games, Chengdu proudly showcases this cherished cultural business card to the world once again.
This outstanding cultural business card was produced in the workshop of Chengdu Shu Brocade Research Institute in Shuangliu District. According to Hu Guangjun, the location of the Chengdu Shu Brocade Research Institute in Shuangliu stems from its long history of silk culture. During the Three Kingdoms period, renowned strategist Zhuge Liang resided in Gemo Village, Shuangliu, where he emphasized the significance of Shu brocade by stating, "In the current circumstances of impoverishment and an empty treasury, we rely solely on Shu brocade for the necessary materials to confront our enemies." This highlights the historical importance of Shu brocade at that time. Moreover, a piece of Shu brocade known as "Lianzhu Loong Pattern Brocade" was excavated from the 226th tomb of Astana in Turpan, Xinjiang in the last century. The relic clearly records its origin in Shuangliu, bearing witness to the flourishing and prosperous Shu brocade industry in the Shuangliu region during the Tang Dynasty.
To infuse traditional Shu brocade with a fashionable touch, Hu Guangjun collaborated with a design team composed of Ma Liwa, a teacher, and students from the College of Chinese & ASEAN Arts at Chengdu University. Together, they tirelessly refined and revised the design, from pattern creation to machine production. This meticulous process took nearly six months to complete. Moreover, the transformation of mulberry silk into the medal ribbons required over 70 intricate steps.
Apart from the medal ribbons, the Chengdu Shu Brocade Research Institute has introduced a range of Games-related merchandise crafted from Shu brocade fabrics, including mirrors and bucket hats. These products seamlessly blend traditional culture with contemporary fashion elements, showcasing the progressive charm of Shu brocade. As a result, they have captured the attention of many young individuals who are now eager to explore and appreciate the beauty of Shu brocade.
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Caption: Medal Ribbon of Chengdu FISU Games
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SOURCE The Chengdu Shu Brocade Research Institute | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/chengdu-fisu-games-first-gold-medal-awarded-medal-ribbon-showcasing-chengdus-cultural-essence/ | 2023-07-31T04:41:12 | 1 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/chengdu-fisu-games-first-gold-medal-awarded-medal-ribbon-showcasing-chengdus-cultural-essence/ |
Jadarrius Rose, the unarmed Black man who was attacked by a police dog in Ohio on July 4, described being “terrified” and fearing for his life during the assault in an interview with CNN.
Rose, 23, was driving a commercial semi-truck when he failed to pull over for an inspector trying to stop him for a missing mud flap, according to the Ohio Highway Patrol case report and footage released by the agency.
When Rose kept driving, the inspector called for backup. Then, video released by authorities shows police pursuing Rose, who does eventually pull over but does not exit the truck.
Rose told CNN that he first called his mother from the truck. “She told me if I know I didn’t do anything wrong, to pull over, so that’s what I did,” he said. Looking in his rearview mirror, he saw responding police officers “had guns pointed at me, so I didn’t feel safe at all.”
He then called 911 to ask what he should do. “I was just trying to figure out if they could help me,” he said. “I was scared, i didn’t understand why they had guns pointed at me, I didn’t know the reason for them pulling me over at the time.”
Rose, still on the phone with 911, said he drove back on the highway, continuing what became a three-county pursuit.
Rose said the 911 operator instructed him to follow officers’ directions, so he ultimately pulled over and exited the truck with his hands up. He said that while a state trooper instructed him to walk toward him, a police officer from the Circleview Police Department told him to “stay on the ground or you’ll get bit” – conflicting instructions that left him unsure what to do.
“I just stopped in the middle, because I didn’t know what was gonna happen,” he said. “I was afraid that something would happen, and it did happen.”
Despite repeated warnings from a state trooper to not release the K-9, former officer Ryan Speakman turned the dog on Rose. It’s not clear if Speakman heard the trooper’s warnings.
Video shows that at the moment of the dog attack, Rose was on his knees.
Speakman was fired by the Circleville Police Department after a review of the incident.
“When the dog was biting me I just was terrified,” Rose said. “I thought I was going to lose my life. I was in pain. I really couldn’t see what the other officers was doing because the dog was biting me and I was just in fear of my life. And I just was screaming in pain, and I just didn’t want to die. Like, I didn’t want to die in the hands of police.”
Ben Crump, a prominent civil rights attorney who has previously represented Randy Cox, Ajike Owens, and the family of George Floyd, is representing Rose.
Describing the video showing the dog attack Rose, Crump said, “He’s trying to do whatever he can do to survive the stop. That’s what Black people want to do when they interact with police, just survive.”
“He’s putting his hands up, he’s trying to do everything they said, he’s trying to do everything they tell him to do, putting your hands up is the universal sign of surrender, but yet that officer still orders the dog to attack him.”
Crump and Nana Watson, president of the Columbus branch of the NAACP, both reflected on the optics of a dog being unleashed on a Black man.
“This harkens back to the 1960s when unarmed Black people, who are not a threat at all, to the police, are still attacked by police dogs,” said Crump. “It’s disturbing that this officer did that in light of all the cameras that he knew was out there.”
A police review board is investigating the incident. Its findings are expected to be released next week, the mayor and police chief said.
‘What if I’m next?’
For Rose’s mother Carla Jones, his frantic phone call immediately summoned images of other Black people who have been the victims of police violence.
“I was nervous out of my mind,” she told CNN. “I was scared that he was gonna be killed.”
“I thought about Tyre Nichols,” she said, referencing the Black driver who died after being beaten by Memphis police in January. Crump is also representing Nichols’ family.
“I was like, I don’t wanna lose my son,” Jones said. “I thought about that incident. What if I’m next?”
Crump also pointed out the parallels between Rose’s case and Nichols’. Rose is originally from Memphis, he said.
“It’s the fear of most Black people in America, that when the police pull them over, that it’s possible that they could be the next hashtag,” said the attorney. “And the fact that they live in Memphis, Tennessee, where Tyre Nichols, an unarmed black motorist was completely compliant, but yet he got brutalized to the point of where he lost his life.”
Crump said the Rose family is exploring legal remedies, including suing the Circleville Police Department.
The Circleville PD fired Speakman 22 days after the July 4 incident, following a Use of Force Review Board investigation.
Chief Shawn Baer said in a statement that Speakman’s actions “did not meet the standards and expectations we hold for our police officers.”
In the same statement, the department said it’s “policy for the use of canines was followed in the apprehension and arrest.”
Rose was treated for dog bites at a hospital and didn’t need stitches, he told CNN. He’s seeing a psychologist to help process that day.
He has been charged with failure to comply, a felony. The family hopes the charge will be dropped. Rose was also terminated by Western Express, the trucking company, on the day of his arrest, according to Crump.
“Jadarrius Rose represents many young Black men in America,” the lawyer said. “Trying to do the right thing, trying to be gainfully employed, trying to just mind his business, but yet, why would they pull those many guns on him over a missing mud flap?”
Jones said that above all else, she is “grateful” that her son survived.
“So thankful that my son is still living because he could have went another way – he could have been another tale,” she said.
“So I’m thankful and I’m just grateful to God, that God kept him.” | https://www.phillytrib.com/news/i-thought-i-was-going-to-lose-my-life-jadarrius-rose-describes-being-attacked-by/article_a103843e-2f3d-11ee-833a-97f4146b82ef.html | 2023-07-31T04:41:14 | 0 | https://www.phillytrib.com/news/i-thought-i-was-going-to-lose-my-life-jadarrius-rose-describes-being-attacked-by/article_a103843e-2f3d-11ee-833a-97f4146b82ef.html |
HONG KONG, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Akeso Inc. ("Akeso", the "Company"; 9926.HK), a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing first-in-class and best-in-class innovative medicines globally, today announced that it is expected that the Company will record a profit of not less than RMB2.3 billion for the six months ended June 30, 2023. This is the first time for the Company to achieve half-year profits.
The turnaround from loss to profit during the Reporting Period was mainly attributable to:
- In respect of Ivonescimab (AK112, PD-1/VEGF) independently developed by the Company, the Company has entered into the collaborative and licensing agreement with Summit Therapeutics (details of which are set out in the announcement of the Company dated December 6, 2022). The Company has received the total upfront payment equivalent to US$500 million in full during the first quarter of 2023 (details of which are set out in the announcements of the Company dated January 26, 2023 and March 6, 2023). Part of such upfront payment was recognized as licensing fee income which significantly contributed to the revenue of the Company for the Reporting Period, and amounted to approximately RMB2.9 billion. The revenue recognition of the remaining portion of the upfront payment will be recognized as revenue in batches going forward.
- In respect of the Company's innovative product 开坦尼® (cadonilimab, PD-1/CTLA-4), since its launch in June 2022, it has recorded significant increase of the patients as well as product sales, which reflects the excellent clinical value of cadonilimab. In addition, 安尼可®(penpulimab, PD-1) also continued to contribute to the growth in the Company's product sales revenue during the Reporting Period.
- The Company has continued to optimise its cost management capabilities in a scientific and efficient way and has achieved better results in cost control while accelerating innovative products development and pipelines advancement.
About Akeso
Akeso (HKEX: 09926) is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to the discovery, development, manufacturing, and commercialization of innovative medicines with high unmet medical needs worldwide. Founded in 2012, the Company has established a comprehensive in-house drug development platform (ACE Platform) and know-how, including R&D, clinical development, CMC (Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls), and commercialization capabilities.
With fully integrated multi-functional platform, Akeso is internally working on a robust pipeline of over 30 innovative assets in the fields of cancer, autoimmune disease, inflammation, metabolic disease, and other major therapeutic areas. 19 assets have entered clinical stage. Leveraging in-house developed bispecific platform technology ("Tetrabody technology"), the Company has advanced four potential first-in-class bispecific antibody drugs into market or clinical development, including cadonilimab (PD-1/CTLA-4), ivonescimab (PD-1/VEGF), PD-1/LAG-3, TIGIT/TGF-Beta bispecific antibodies. In June 2022, cadonilimab was approved by the NMPA and became the first commercialized PD-1 based bispecific drug globally. Another Akeso internally discovered and developed oncology product, penpulimab (a PD-1 antibody), was granted marketing approval in China in August 2021. In December 2022, the Company out-licensed breakthrough bispecific antibody, ivonescimab (PD-1/VEGF bi-specific antibody, AK112), with up to US$5 Billion total potential deal value to Summit Therapeutics for development and commercialization in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Japan.
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SOURCE Akeso, Inc. | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/akeso-inc-published-2023-interim-results-positive-profit-alert/ | 2023-07-31T04:41:17 | 1 | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/akeso-inc-published-2023-interim-results-positive-profit-alert/ |
SEATTLE, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Monport Laser has been at the forefront of laser engraving innovation, spearheading the development of cutting-edge laser engravers and cutters. Building upon its world-leading expertise in the laser engraving industry, the company is now ready to captivate the market with its latest breakthroughs. In August, Monport Laser is scheduled to announce a range of new laser engraving machines, specifically engineered to handle various materials.
After six months of relentless effort from Monport's development technical team, their eagerly anticipated product will finally be revealed to all laser creators in early August of this year. The development of this innovative machine began with thousands of customer survey questionnaires for laser marking machines, rigorous testing, and product designer assessments. Engineers conducted over a dozen rounds of machine sample screening and in the final design stage, they took the unusual step of bringing in external senior personnel and engraving novices to carry out engraving tests for an entire month. This dedication to improvement and openness to feedback ensures a professional and user-friendly final fiber laser.
Monport GP Fiber Laser Series is not only Lightweight but Compact
Laser engraving machines have long faced difficulties when it comes to laser focusing, causing technical support headaches. Monport's latest innovation in marking machine can answer all these troubles. The new product boasts an electric and manual double lifting focus method, designed to make laser focusing seamless and improve the final engraving result. With this cutting-edge technology, users can operate without any barriers, and achieve the perfect, professional engraving effect.The electric lifting focus is suitable for beginners while the manual focus is the best for experienced users. This new integrated fiber laser is truly versatile in achieving any special engraving effects needed.
Breaking away from the conventional split type designs flooding the market, Monport introduces a game-changing one-piece design for their latest marking machine. This ingenious development not only saves valuable space but also ensures portability becomes a breeze. Bella, a senior developer at Monport Laser, proudly declared, "Our exceptional team of female developers has personally experienced the convenience of this machine. They effortlessly moved it from one studio to another, adjusting the base's height for easy handling right off the table. The commitment to a user-friendly experience is not just a mere claim."
In striking comparison to other conventional 33kg machines, Monport GP Series Fiber Series introduces their groundbreaking 20-22 kg all-in-one machine, setting a new industry standard for its exceptional lightness. The machine boasts rounded leading corners, diligently crafted to prevent unwanted bumps and damage during handling and transportation. Monport's thoughtful consideration extends further with the addition of a dustproof board, ensuring optimal performance and longevity. Endowed with an exceptional user-friendly experience and multifunctional capabilities, this machine embodies Monport Laser's unwavering dedication to continuous upgrades, always keeping the user at the forefront.
Monport GI Series MOPA Lasers Redefine Color Fast Marking
Monport's exciting product launch not only includes the highly anticipated new additions to the GP Series but also showcases the cutting-edge GI Series color engraving fiber machine. This JPT MOPA fiber laser is built to last, offering precision, durability, and longevity that surpasses expectations. With its remarkable laser cutting capability, it can effortlessly cut up to 0.05 mm with each pass, achieving an astonishing accuracy of ±0.1 microns.
Extensive Support and Remarkable Fiber Accessories
Complementing the multitude of advantages offered by their cutting-edge machine, Monport Laser goes above and beyond by providing customers with comprehensive support and unparalleled expandability. The new fiber series from Monport introduces a range of accessories designed to elevate the engraving experience. One notable addition is the safety shells, embedded with radiation protection and noise reduction functions, creating a secure and tranquil environment for users.
As a testament to their commitment to customer satisfaction, Monport Laser also includes 10 different test materials, ranging from metal rings to key chains and cards made from various metal materials, enabling users to explore and experiment with ease.
By empowering businesses and industries, expanding the creative landscape for maker spaces, unleashing innovation, and creating opportunities for growth, Monport Laser is at the forefront of revolutionizing the laser engraving field.
Company: Monport Laser
Contact email: official@monportlaser.com
Pre-sales Phone: (+1)332-251-1208
Monport Laser Website: https://monportlaser.com/
Monport Adress: Monport Tech Inc. 300 LENORA ST 878, SEATTLE, WA, 98121-2411, UNITED STATES
View original content:
SOURCE Monport Laser | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/monport-laser-unveils-new-gp-series-gi-series-fiber-lasers-redefine-precision-performance/ | 2023-07-31T04:41:18 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/monport-laser-unveils-new-gp-series-gi-series-fiber-lasers-redefine-precision-performance/ |
CHENGDU, China, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- On July 29, in the Men's Nanquan of Wushu tournament, China's athlete Cao Maoyuan won the first gold medal at the 31st FISU World University Games with a score of 9.770.
Cao Maoyuan stood on the podium, showcasing his glory to the world. The medal around his neck, accompanied by a radiant medal ribbon, caught everyone's attention. But what makes this seemingly ordinary medal ribbon so remarkable? It's the embodiment of Chengdu's cultural charm. According to Hu Guangjun, the director of the Chengdu Shu Brocade Research Institute, the medal ribbon for this edition of the Games has ingeniously incorporated the millennia-old weaving techniques of Shu brocade. Adorned with iconic symbols of Chengdu's historical and cultural significance, such as hibiscus flowers and sun birds, the ribbon exudes a captivating luster. This transforms China's intangible cultural heritage into a tangible "Rongguang" (the brilliance of Chengdu) that can be truly appreciated.
Shu brocade weaving skills are China's national intangible cultural heritage. Dating back to the Han Dynasty, Shu brocade has been a vital "protagonist" in trade along the Silk Road, earning its place as a cultural emblem of Chengdu and a symbol of cultural exchange between the East and West. With the unveiling of the first medal of the Games, Chengdu proudly showcases this cherished cultural business card to the world once again.
This outstanding cultural business card was produced in the workshop of Chengdu Shu Brocade Research Institute in Shuangliu District. According to Hu Guangjun, the location of the Chengdu Shu Brocade Research Institute in Shuangliu stems from its long history of silk culture. During the Three Kingdoms period, renowned strategist Zhuge Liang resided in Gemo Village, Shuangliu, where he emphasized the significance of Shu brocade by stating, "In the current circumstances of impoverishment and an empty treasury, we rely solely on Shu brocade for the necessary materials to confront our enemies." This highlights the historical importance of Shu brocade at that time. Moreover, a piece of Shu brocade known as "Lianzhu Loong Pattern Brocade" was excavated from the 226th tomb of Astana in Turpan, Xinjiang in the last century. The relic clearly records its origin in Shuangliu, bearing witness to the flourishing and prosperous Shu brocade industry in the Shuangliu region during the Tang Dynasty.
To infuse traditional Shu brocade with a fashionable touch, Hu Guangjun collaborated with a design team composed of Ma Liwa, a teacher, and students from the College of Chinese & ASEAN Arts at Chengdu University. Together, they tirelessly refined and revised the design, from pattern creation to machine production. This meticulous process took nearly six months to complete. Moreover, the transformation of mulberry silk into the medal ribbons required over 70 intricate steps.
Apart from the medal ribbons, the Chengdu Shu Brocade Research Institute has introduced a range of Games-related merchandise crafted from Shu brocade fabrics, including mirrors and bucket hats. These products seamlessly blend traditional culture with contemporary fashion elements, showcasing the progressive charm of Shu brocade. As a result, they have captured the attention of many young individuals who are now eager to explore and appreciate the beauty of Shu brocade.
Image Attachments Links:
Link: https://iop.asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=441679
Caption: Medal Ribbon of Chengdu FISU Games
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SOURCE The Chengdu Shu Brocade Research Institute | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/chengdu-fisu-games-first-gold-medal-awarded-medal-ribbon-showcasing-chengdus-cultural-essence/ | 2023-07-31T04:41:23 | 0 | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/chengdu-fisu-games-first-gold-medal-awarded-medal-ribbon-showcasing-chengdus-cultural-essence/ |
NANJING, China, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Nanjing Leads Biolabs Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Leads Biolabs" or "Company") announced today that the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have approved its first-in-human Investigational New Drug (IND) applications for LBL-034, an anti-GPRC5D/CD3 bispecific antibody invented by Leads Biolabs with global intellectual property rights, for the treatment of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. Currently, no GPRC5D-targeting antibody has been approved for marketing.
This is a first-in-human, single-arm, multicenter, open-label, dose-escalation and expansion clinical study, and plans to enroll patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma who have failed prior therapies including but not limited to at least one proteasome inhibitor (PI), one immunomodulator (IMiD) as well as other standard treatments. This study aims to evaluate the safety and tolerability of LBL-034, determine the recommended Phase II dose and assess its efficacy in patients with multiple myeloma.
"Despite recent progress and continuous advancements in multiple myeloma, the time between recurrences has been steadily decreasing, particularly as the number of treatment lines increases. This ultimately leads to emergence of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, reaffirming its status as an incurable malignant tumor that poses a serious threat to human life. In light of this challenging reality, the urgent need for more effective and innovative treatment options has never been more evident." said Dr. Charles Cai, Chief Medical Officer of Leads Biolabs, "LBL-034 adopts a unique molecular design, which enables the drug to specifically bind to GPRC5D-expressing tumor cells with high affinity, and reduces the risk of non-specific activation of T-cells, thereby enhancing anti-tumor efficacy and reducing potential risk of immunotoxicity. LBL-034 demonstrated robust anti-tumor activities and good safety profile in pre-clinical studies. We adhere to our tradition of innovation and aim to deliver an important, novel and effective treatment option for patients with poor prognosis of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma."
About GPRC5D:
G Protein-Coupled Receptor Class C Group 5 Member D (GPRC5D) is a C-type 7-channel transmembrane receptor protein. GPRC5D is low expressed in normal human tissues but specifically overexpressed in multiple myeloma. The intensity of GPRC5D expression is an independent prognostic factor in multiple myeloma, and its overexpression is significantly associated with reduced overall survival. Therefore, GPRC5D may be an important potential target for the treatment of plasma cell diseases such as multiple myeloma.
About multiple myeloma:
Multiple myeloma is a malignant plasma cell disease caused by abnormal proliferation of clonal plasma cells, accounting for 10-15% of hematologic malignancies and about 1.4% of all malignancies. It is the second most common hematological malignancy in adults after non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and mostly occurs in the elderly. According to the data released by the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of new cases and deaths of multiple myeloma worldwide in 2020 were 176,000 and 117,000 respectively, and the number of new cases and deaths of multiple myeloma in China were 21,000 and 16,000 respectively. Currently, multiple myeloma is still an incurable malignant tumor, and the five-year survival rate of patients is approximately 24.8% in China, 33.3% in Japan, and 46.7% in the United States. In recent years, with the successful development of proteasome inhibitors (PIs), immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs), selective nuclear output inhibitors, CD38-targeted antibodies, bispecific antibodies, and CAR-T cell therapies, the tumor response rate and survival prognosis have been significantly improved. However, multiple myeloma remains an unmet clinical need for more effective treatments.
About LBL-034:
LBL-034 is a humanized IgG1 subtype asymmetric bispecific antibody targeting both GPRC5D and CD3 and Leads Biolabs fully owns the worldwide intellectual property rights. LBL-034 induces T-cell-mediated killing of myeloma cells by redirecting CD3+ T-cells to myeloma cells expressing GPRC5D.
LBL-034 has the potential to be a transformative best-in-class GPRC5D-targeted immunotherapy for multiple myeloma. Clinical studies are planned to evaluate the safety and efficacy of LBL-034 in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.
Nanjing Leads Biolabs Co., Ltd. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company founded in Nanjing by a team of senior U.S.-trained antibody drug developers. Since 2014, Leads Biolabs has been dedicated to the discovery and development of novel antibody drugs with independent intellectual property rights for the treatment of oncology and other major diseases of high unmet medical needs, particularly the challenges in cancer immunotherapy. Our extensive R&D pipeline consist of more than twenty novel tumor immunotherapy molecules based on monoclonal and bispecific antibody technology platforms. Leads Biolabs is committed to providing safe, effective, accessible and affordable new drugs to address the unmet needs of patients around the world.
For more information, please visit: https://www.leadsbiolabs.com
Business contact: bd@leadsbiolabs.com
View original content:
SOURCE LEADS BIOLABS | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/nmpa-fda-approved-first-in-human-clinical-trial-applications-evaluate-lbl-034-an-anti-gprc5dcd3-bispecific-antibody-developed-by-leads-biolabs-relapsedrefractory-multiple-myeloma/ | 2023-07-31T04:41:25 | 1 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/nmpa-fda-approved-first-in-human-clinical-trial-applications-evaluate-lbl-034-an-anti-gprc5dcd3-bispecific-antibody-developed-by-leads-biolabs-relapsedrefractory-multiple-myeloma/ |
SEATTLE, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Monport Laser has been at the forefront of laser engraving innovation, spearheading the development of cutting-edge laser engravers and cutters. Building upon its world-leading expertise in the laser engraving industry, the company is now ready to captivate the market with its latest breakthroughs. In August, Monport Laser is scheduled to announce a range of new laser engraving machines, specifically engineered to handle various materials.
After six months of relentless effort from Monport's development technical team, their eagerly anticipated product will finally be revealed to all laser creators in early August of this year. The development of this innovative machine began with thousands of customer survey questionnaires for laser marking machines, rigorous testing, and product designer assessments. Engineers conducted over a dozen rounds of machine sample screening and in the final design stage, they took the unusual step of bringing in external senior personnel and engraving novices to carry out engraving tests for an entire month. This dedication to improvement and openness to feedback ensures a professional and user-friendly final fiber laser.
Monport GP Fiber Laser Series is not only Lightweight but Compact
Laser engraving machines have long faced difficulties when it comes to laser focusing, causing technical support headaches. Monport's latest innovation in marking machine can answer all these troubles. The new product boasts an electric and manual double lifting focus method, designed to make laser focusing seamless and improve the final engraving result. With this cutting-edge technology, users can operate without any barriers, and achieve the perfect, professional engraving effect.The electric lifting focus is suitable for beginners while the manual focus is the best for experienced users. This new integrated fiber laser is truly versatile in achieving any special engraving effects needed.
Breaking away from the conventional split type designs flooding the market, Monport introduces a game-changing one-piece design for their latest marking machine. This ingenious development not only saves valuable space but also ensures portability becomes a breeze. Bella, a senior developer at Monport Laser, proudly declared, "Our exceptional team of female developers has personally experienced the convenience of this machine. They effortlessly moved it from one studio to another, adjusting the base's height for easy handling right off the table. The commitment to a user-friendly experience is not just a mere claim."
In striking comparison to other conventional 33kg machines, Monport GP Series Fiber Series introduces their groundbreaking 20-22 kg all-in-one machine, setting a new industry standard for its exceptional lightness. The machine boasts rounded leading corners, diligently crafted to prevent unwanted bumps and damage during handling and transportation. Monport's thoughtful consideration extends further with the addition of a dustproof board, ensuring optimal performance and longevity. Endowed with an exceptional user-friendly experience and multifunctional capabilities, this machine embodies Monport Laser's unwavering dedication to continuous upgrades, always keeping the user at the forefront.
Monport GI Series MOPA Lasers Redefine Color Fast Marking
Monport's exciting product launch not only includes the highly anticipated new additions to the GP Series but also showcases the cutting-edge GI Series color engraving fiber machine. This JPT MOPA fiber laser is built to last, offering precision, durability, and longevity that surpasses expectations. With its remarkable laser cutting capability, it can effortlessly cut up to 0.05 mm with each pass, achieving an astonishing accuracy of ±0.1 microns.
Extensive Support and Remarkable Fiber Accessories
Complementing the multitude of advantages offered by their cutting-edge machine, Monport Laser goes above and beyond by providing customers with comprehensive support and unparalleled expandability. The new fiber series from Monport introduces a range of accessories designed to elevate the engraving experience. One notable addition is the safety shells, embedded with radiation protection and noise reduction functions, creating a secure and tranquil environment for users.
As a testament to their commitment to customer satisfaction, Monport Laser also includes 10 different test materials, ranging from metal rings to key chains and cards made from various metal materials, enabling users to explore and experiment with ease.
By empowering businesses and industries, expanding the creative landscape for maker spaces, unleashing innovation, and creating opportunities for growth, Monport Laser is at the forefront of revolutionizing the laser engraving field.
Company: Monport Laser
Contact email: official@monportlaser.com
Pre-sales Phone: (+1)332-251-1208
Monport Laser Website: https://monportlaser.com/
Monport Adress: Monport Tech Inc. 300 LENORA ST 878, SEATTLE, WA, 98121-2411, UNITED STATES
View original content:
SOURCE Monport Laser | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/monport-laser-unveils-new-gp-series-gi-series-fiber-lasers-redefine-precision-performance/ | 2023-07-31T04:41:30 | 1 | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/monport-laser-unveils-new-gp-series-gi-series-fiber-lasers-redefine-precision-performance/ |
Partnership adds cryptocurrency as a payment option for merchants using Optty's universal payment platform
SINGAPORE, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Optty, the world's first universal payments platform, today announced a new partnership with Triple-A, a licensed crypto payment gateway, to add cryptocurrency as a payment option on the platform. As the central hub connecting and streamlining a robust global network of Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) providers, this milestone marks the launch of Optty's sixth payment architecture, further expanding viable payment options for merchants and convenience for their end customers.
Sign-up and integration with Optty is free. To get started, please visit: https://www.optty.com/merchant-account
"As the world's first true universal payments platform, Optty is agnostic and supportive of payments inclusion, a unique position that is designed to help retailers offer more choice than ever at checkout," said Natasha Zurnamer, CEO and founder of Optty. "With one simplified integration, not only can retailers access over 90 BNPLs and local payment methods in over 120 countries — they can now switch on crypto payments, a natural progression in our aim to simplify payments for retailers all over the world."
The first crypto payment gateway to be licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore, Triple-A is also licensed in Europe, through Banque de France's ACPR, and registered with the United States Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). Through the collaboration with Triple-A's white label crypto payment gateway, Optty enables retailers and merchants to offer a wide range of payment methods. This allows them to test and learn which payment types best resonate with their customers.
Tapping into diverse consumer payment preferences
With Optty's vast global network of gateways that license the company's unique payment stacks, merchants and retailers can now leverage Triple-A's gateway to accept cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Tether (USDT), and USD Coin (USDC). Triple-A's crypto payment gateway is compatible with all crypto wallets, allowing customers to make hassle-free payments using their preferred wallet.
Through real-time crypto-to-fiat conversions facilitated by Triple-A, retailers can receive payments in cryptocurrencies without the need to manage them on their balance sheets and constantly monitor fluctuating exchange rates. Retailers enjoy next-day local currency bank settlements in 50+ currencies, enabling quick access to funds in their preferred currency. Additionally, businesses have the option to offer their customers the convenience of paying through Binance Pay.
Optty already offers Buy Now Pay Later, Debit and Credit, Digital Wallets, Peer to Peer payments, and bank transfer options, and the addition of crypto enables merchants to tap into the spending power of 420 million crypto owners worldwide. Optty plans to further expand payment architectures to a total of nine by the end of 2023.
"We are excited to partner with Optty and bring crypto payments to their merchants," said Eric Barbier, CEO of Triple-A. "This collaboration will help merchants take advantage of the growing demand for cryptocurrency payments, without the hassle of managing crypto assets on their balance sheets."
Disruption through simplification
Previously, retailers and merchants would need to spend a great deal of time and money on complex, one-by-one payment integration processes. Optty changed all this by eliminating it, revolutionizing the way merchants access payments methods globally. Available across ecommerce, IVR, and in-store, it is a true PaaS that offers retailers a simplified integration while providing a seamless and direct commercial partnership channel, enabling an application process with every payment provider in the solution.
About Optty
As a PaaS, Optty is the world's first true universal payments platform that integrates over 90 installment (BNPL) brands — more than any other existing single integration solution globally — and offers six payment architectures, soon to be nine by the end of 2023. Its payments-, partner- and channel-agnostic approach delivers wide payments connectivity globally to schemes, acquirers, gateways and retailers alike and offers a full white-label, customisable interface with hierarchy built in for network expansion ease.
For more information, please visit: https://www.optty.com/
About Triple-A
Triple-A is a licensed crypto payment gateway that helps businesses increase their revenue by enabling crypto payments and payouts, giving them access to the spending power of the fast-growing 420m+ cryptocurrency users.
Triple-A's white label crypto payments solutions allow businesses from all industries to leverage the benefits of the growing crypto market without being exposed to volatility risk or having to handle or convert digital currencies. Their solutions are compatible with all wallets, easy to integrate and offer instant confirmation, locked-in exchange rates and chargeback protection.
Licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and trusted by over 15,000 businesses, Triple-A makes accepting crypto payments simple for businesses across the globe.
For more information, please visit https://triple-a.io/.
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SOURCE Optty | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/optty-partners-with-triple-a-expand-payment-architectures-into-cryptocurrencies/ | 2023-07-31T04:41:31 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/optty-partners-with-triple-a-expand-payment-architectures-into-cryptocurrencies/ |
NANJING, China, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Nanjing Leads Biolabs Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Leads Biolabs" or "Company") announced today that the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have approved its first-in-human Investigational New Drug (IND) applications for LBL-034, an anti-GPRC5D/CD3 bispecific antibody invented by Leads Biolabs with global intellectual property rights, for the treatment of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. Currently, no GPRC5D-targeting antibody has been approved for marketing.
This is a first-in-human, single-arm, multicenter, open-label, dose-escalation and expansion clinical study, and plans to enroll patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma who have failed prior therapies including but not limited to at least one proteasome inhibitor (PI), one immunomodulator (IMiD) as well as other standard treatments. This study aims to evaluate the safety and tolerability of LBL-034, determine the recommended Phase II dose and assess its efficacy in patients with multiple myeloma.
"Despite recent progress and continuous advancements in multiple myeloma, the time between recurrences has been steadily decreasing, particularly as the number of treatment lines increases. This ultimately leads to emergence of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, reaffirming its status as an incurable malignant tumor that poses a serious threat to human life. In light of this challenging reality, the urgent need for more effective and innovative treatment options has never been more evident." said Dr. Charles Cai, Chief Medical Officer of Leads Biolabs, "LBL-034 adopts a unique molecular design, which enables the drug to specifically bind to GPRC5D-expressing tumor cells with high affinity, and reduces the risk of non-specific activation of T-cells, thereby enhancing anti-tumor efficacy and reducing potential risk of immunotoxicity. LBL-034 demonstrated robust anti-tumor activities and good safety profile in pre-clinical studies. We adhere to our tradition of innovation and aim to deliver an important, novel and effective treatment option for patients with poor prognosis of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma."
About GPRC5D:
G Protein-Coupled Receptor Class C Group 5 Member D (GPRC5D) is a C-type 7-channel transmembrane receptor protein. GPRC5D is low expressed in normal human tissues but specifically overexpressed in multiple myeloma. The intensity of GPRC5D expression is an independent prognostic factor in multiple myeloma, and its overexpression is significantly associated with reduced overall survival. Therefore, GPRC5D may be an important potential target for the treatment of plasma cell diseases such as multiple myeloma.
About multiple myeloma:
Multiple myeloma is a malignant plasma cell disease caused by abnormal proliferation of clonal plasma cells, accounting for 10-15% of hematologic malignancies and about 1.4% of all malignancies. It is the second most common hematological malignancy in adults after non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and mostly occurs in the elderly. According to the data released by the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of new cases and deaths of multiple myeloma worldwide in 2020 were 176,000 and 117,000 respectively, and the number of new cases and deaths of multiple myeloma in China were 21,000 and 16,000 respectively. Currently, multiple myeloma is still an incurable malignant tumor, and the five-year survival rate of patients is approximately 24.8% in China, 33.3% in Japan, and 46.7% in the United States. In recent years, with the successful development of proteasome inhibitors (PIs), immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs), selective nuclear output inhibitors, CD38-targeted antibodies, bispecific antibodies, and CAR-T cell therapies, the tumor response rate and survival prognosis have been significantly improved. However, multiple myeloma remains an unmet clinical need for more effective treatments.
About LBL-034:
LBL-034 is a humanized IgG1 subtype asymmetric bispecific antibody targeting both GPRC5D and CD3 and Leads Biolabs fully owns the worldwide intellectual property rights. LBL-034 induces T-cell-mediated killing of myeloma cells by redirecting CD3+ T-cells to myeloma cells expressing GPRC5D.
LBL-034 has the potential to be a transformative best-in-class GPRC5D-targeted immunotherapy for multiple myeloma. Clinical studies are planned to evaluate the safety and efficacy of LBL-034 in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.
Nanjing Leads Biolabs Co., Ltd. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company founded in Nanjing by a team of senior U.S.-trained antibody drug developers. Since 2014, Leads Biolabs has been dedicated to the discovery and development of novel antibody drugs with independent intellectual property rights for the treatment of oncology and other major diseases of high unmet medical needs, particularly the challenges in cancer immunotherapy. Our extensive R&D pipeline consist of more than twenty novel tumor immunotherapy molecules based on monoclonal and bispecific antibody technology platforms. Leads Biolabs is committed to providing safe, effective, accessible and affordable new drugs to address the unmet needs of patients around the world.
For more information, please visit: https://www.leadsbiolabs.com
Business contact: bd@leadsbiolabs.com
View original content:
SOURCE LEADS BIOLABS | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/nmpa-fda-approved-first-in-human-clinical-trial-applications-evaluate-lbl-034-an-anti-gprc5dcd3-bispecific-antibody-developed-by-leads-biolabs-relapsedrefractory-multiple-myeloma/ | 2023-07-31T04:41:36 | 0 | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/nmpa-fda-approved-first-in-human-clinical-trial-applications-evaluate-lbl-034-an-anti-gprc5dcd3-bispecific-antibody-developed-by-leads-biolabs-relapsedrefractory-multiple-myeloma/ |
More experienced principals leave the profession at higher rates
WASHINGTON, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Roughly 1 in 10 (11 percent) public school principals left the profession between the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years, according to data from the National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS) released today by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the statistical center within the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES).
"Principal attrition is higher in public schools than it was 5 years ago, and veteran public school leaders with more years of experience leave the profession at higher rates than those with less experience," said NCES Commissioner Peggy G. Carr. "Principals are critical supports for a school's teachers and learners, and the country needs leaders in every school who are committed to the success of each student. These data are a valuable snapshot for those at the district and state levels who must address the issue of principal turnover in their schools."
Approximately 80 percent of 2020-21 public school principals remained at the same school one year later ("stayers"), which was lower than the percentage of 2016-17 public school principals who were still at their school 1 year later (82 percent). Six percent of 2020-21 public school principals moved to a different school ("movers"), and 11 percent left the principalship ("leavers"). For private school principals in 2020-21, approximately 83 percent remained at the same school during the following school year, 2 percent moved to a different school, and 10 percent left the principalship.
Additionally, among 2020-21 public school principals who somewhat or strongly agreed they would leave the principalship as soon as possible if they could get a higher paying job (about 25 percent), approximately 73 percent stayed the following school year, while about 15 percent left the profession.
"These data are critical to understanding patterns of principal attrition," said NCES Associate Commissioner Chris Chapman. "We are able to observe how principal attrition has changed over the years, as well as how principal attrition and mobility vary based on characteristics of the principals and their schools."
The report released today includes selected findings from the Principal Follow-up Survey (PFS), a longitudinal component of the National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS), which is a nationally representative survey of public and private K-12 schools, principals, and teachers in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Data were collected from January 2022 through June 2022. The sample included about 6,500 public school principals and about 1,800 private school principals, for a total sample size of about 8,300 principals.
The data were collected as a follow-up to the 2020-21 NTPS to provide attrition and mobility information about principals in K-12 public and private schools. The purpose was to ascertain how many principals from the 2020-21 school year still worked as a principal in the same school 1 year later ("stayer"), how many had moved to become a principal in another school ("mover"), and how many were no longer working as a principal ("leaver").
Key Findings
- Of all public school principals in 2020-21, 11 percent left the profession by the 2021-22 school year. This was higher than in 2016-17, when 10 percent of all public school principals had left the profession since 2015-16, but not measurably different from the 2012-13 school year, when 12 percent of all public school principals had left the profession since the previous school year, or from 2008-09, when 12 percent of all public schools had left the profession since the previous school year.
- Of all public school principals in 2020-21 with more than 10 years of experience as a principal at any school, 15 percent left the profession by the 2021-22 school year. Of those principals with 10 years or more experience as a principal in their current school, 16 percent left the profession.
- A higher percentage of school principals 55 years of age or older left the profession compared to principals between 45-54 years of age.
- Among the 9 percent of 2020-21 public school principals with a salary of less than $75,000, 76 percent remained at the same school during the 2021–22 school year, 7 percent moved to a different school, and 13 percent left the principalship.
- Among the 33 percent of 2020-21 public school principals with a salary of $115,000 or more, 81 percent remained at the same school during the 2021-22 school year, 6 percent moved to a different school, and 10 percent left the principalship.
- Among the 62 percent of 2020-21 private school principals with a salary of less than $75,000, 81 percent remained at the same school during the 2021-22 school year, 3 percent moved to a different school, and 10 percent left the principalship.
- Among the 13 percent of 2020-21 private school principals with a salary of $115,000 or more, 85 percent remained at the same school during the 2021-22 school year, 3 percent moved to a different school, and 8 percent left the principalship.
The National Center for Education Statistics, a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, is the statistical center of the U.S. Department of Education and the primary federal entity for collecting and analyzing data related to education in the U.S. and other nations. NCES fulfills a congressional mandate to collect, collate, analyze, and report complete statistics on the condition and progress of American education; conduct and publish reports; and review and report on education activities internationally.
Follow NCES on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube and subscribe to the NCES Newsflash to receive email notifications when new data is released.
The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) is the independent and nonpartisan statistics, research, and evaluation arm of the U.S. Department of Education. Its mission is to provide scientific evidence on which to ground education practice and policy and to share this information in formats that are useful and accessible to educators, parents, policymakers, researchers, and the public.
CONTACT: Josh Delarosa, National Center for Education Statistics, ARIS.NCES@ed.gov
James Elias, Hager Sharp, jelias@hagersharp.com
View original content:
SOURCE National Center for Education Statistics | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/roughly-one-ten-public-school-principals-left-profession-2021-22-school-year/ | 2023-07-31T04:41:38 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/roughly-one-ten-public-school-principals-left-profession-2021-22-school-year/ |
Partnership adds cryptocurrency as a payment option for merchants using Optty's universal payment platform
SINGAPORE, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Optty, the world's first universal payments platform, today announced a new partnership with Triple-A, a licensed crypto payment gateway, to add cryptocurrency as a payment option on the platform. As the central hub connecting and streamlining a robust global network of Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) providers, this milestone marks the launch of Optty's sixth payment architecture, further expanding viable payment options for merchants and convenience for their end customers.
Sign-up and integration with Optty is free. To get started, please visit: https://www.optty.com/merchant-account
"As the world's first true universal payments platform, Optty is agnostic and supportive of payments inclusion, a unique position that is designed to help retailers offer more choice than ever at checkout," said Natasha Zurnamer, CEO and founder of Optty. "With one simplified integration, not only can retailers access over 90 BNPLs and local payment methods in over 120 countries — they can now switch on crypto payments, a natural progression in our aim to simplify payments for retailers all over the world."
The first crypto payment gateway to be licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore, Triple-A is also licensed in Europe, through Banque de France's ACPR, and registered with the United States Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). Through the collaboration with Triple-A's white label crypto payment gateway, Optty enables retailers and merchants to offer a wide range of payment methods. This allows them to test and learn which payment types best resonate with their customers.
Tapping into diverse consumer payment preferences
With Optty's vast global network of gateways that license the company's unique payment stacks, merchants and retailers can now leverage Triple-A's gateway to accept cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Tether (USDT), and USD Coin (USDC). Triple-A's crypto payment gateway is compatible with all crypto wallets, allowing customers to make hassle-free payments using their preferred wallet.
Through real-time crypto-to-fiat conversions facilitated by Triple-A, retailers can receive payments in cryptocurrencies without the need to manage them on their balance sheets and constantly monitor fluctuating exchange rates. Retailers enjoy next-day local currency bank settlements in 50+ currencies, enabling quick access to funds in their preferred currency. Additionally, businesses have the option to offer their customers the convenience of paying through Binance Pay.
Optty already offers Buy Now Pay Later, Debit and Credit, Digital Wallets, Peer to Peer payments, and bank transfer options, and the addition of crypto enables merchants to tap into the spending power of 420 million crypto owners worldwide. Optty plans to further expand payment architectures to a total of nine by the end of 2023.
"We are excited to partner with Optty and bring crypto payments to their merchants," said Eric Barbier, CEO of Triple-A. "This collaboration will help merchants take advantage of the growing demand for cryptocurrency payments, without the hassle of managing crypto assets on their balance sheets."
Disruption through simplification
Previously, retailers and merchants would need to spend a great deal of time and money on complex, one-by-one payment integration processes. Optty changed all this by eliminating it, revolutionizing the way merchants access payments methods globally. Available across ecommerce, IVR, and in-store, it is a true PaaS that offers retailers a simplified integration while providing a seamless and direct commercial partnership channel, enabling an application process with every payment provider in the solution.
About Optty
As a PaaS, Optty is the world's first true universal payments platform that integrates over 90 installment (BNPL) brands — more than any other existing single integration solution globally — and offers six payment architectures, soon to be nine by the end of 2023. Its payments-, partner- and channel-agnostic approach delivers wide payments connectivity globally to schemes, acquirers, gateways and retailers alike and offers a full white-label, customisable interface with hierarchy built in for network expansion ease.
For more information, please visit: https://www.optty.com/
About Triple-A
Triple-A is a licensed crypto payment gateway that helps businesses increase their revenue by enabling crypto payments and payouts, giving them access to the spending power of the fast-growing 420m+ cryptocurrency users.
Triple-A's white label crypto payments solutions allow businesses from all industries to leverage the benefits of the growing crypto market without being exposed to volatility risk or having to handle or convert digital currencies. Their solutions are compatible with all wallets, easy to integrate and offer instant confirmation, locked-in exchange rates and chargeback protection.
Licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and trusted by over 15,000 businesses, Triple-A makes accepting crypto payments simple for businesses across the globe.
For more information, please visit https://triple-a.io/.
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SOURCE Optty | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/optty-partners-with-triple-a-expand-payment-architectures-into-cryptocurrencies/ | 2023-07-31T04:41:43 | 1 | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/optty-partners-with-triple-a-expand-payment-architectures-into-cryptocurrencies/ |
More experienced principals leave the profession at higher rates
WASHINGTON, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Roughly 1 in 10 (11 percent) public school principals left the profession between the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years, according to data from the National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS) released today by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the statistical center within the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES).
"Principal attrition is higher in public schools than it was 5 years ago, and veteran public school leaders with more years of experience leave the profession at higher rates than those with less experience," said NCES Commissioner Peggy G. Carr. "Principals are critical supports for a school's teachers and learners, and the country needs leaders in every school who are committed to the success of each student. These data are a valuable snapshot for those at the district and state levels who must address the issue of principal turnover in their schools."
Approximately 80 percent of 2020-21 public school principals remained at the same school one year later ("stayers"), which was lower than the percentage of 2016-17 public school principals who were still at their school 1 year later (82 percent). Six percent of 2020-21 public school principals moved to a different school ("movers"), and 11 percent left the principalship ("leavers"). For private school principals in 2020-21, approximately 83 percent remained at the same school during the following school year, 2 percent moved to a different school, and 10 percent left the principalship.
Additionally, among 2020-21 public school principals who somewhat or strongly agreed they would leave the principalship as soon as possible if they could get a higher paying job (about 25 percent), approximately 73 percent stayed the following school year, while about 15 percent left the profession.
"These data are critical to understanding patterns of principal attrition," said NCES Associate Commissioner Chris Chapman. "We are able to observe how principal attrition has changed over the years, as well as how principal attrition and mobility vary based on characteristics of the principals and their schools."
The report released today includes selected findings from the Principal Follow-up Survey (PFS), a longitudinal component of the National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS), which is a nationally representative survey of public and private K-12 schools, principals, and teachers in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Data were collected from January 2022 through June 2022. The sample included about 6,500 public school principals and about 1,800 private school principals, for a total sample size of about 8,300 principals.
The data were collected as a follow-up to the 2020-21 NTPS to provide attrition and mobility information about principals in K-12 public and private schools. The purpose was to ascertain how many principals from the 2020-21 school year still worked as a principal in the same school 1 year later ("stayer"), how many had moved to become a principal in another school ("mover"), and how many were no longer working as a principal ("leaver").
Key Findings
- Of all public school principals in 2020-21, 11 percent left the profession by the 2021-22 school year. This was higher than in 2016-17, when 10 percent of all public school principals had left the profession since 2015-16, but not measurably different from the 2012-13 school year, when 12 percent of all public school principals had left the profession since the previous school year, or from 2008-09, when 12 percent of all public schools had left the profession since the previous school year.
- Of all public school principals in 2020-21 with more than 10 years of experience as a principal at any school, 15 percent left the profession by the 2021-22 school year. Of those principals with 10 years or more experience as a principal in their current school, 16 percent left the profession.
- A higher percentage of school principals 55 years of age or older left the profession compared to principals between 45-54 years of age.
- Among the 9 percent of 2020-21 public school principals with a salary of less than $75,000, 76 percent remained at the same school during the 2021–22 school year, 7 percent moved to a different school, and 13 percent left the principalship.
- Among the 33 percent of 2020-21 public school principals with a salary of $115,000 or more, 81 percent remained at the same school during the 2021-22 school year, 6 percent moved to a different school, and 10 percent left the principalship.
- Among the 62 percent of 2020-21 private school principals with a salary of less than $75,000, 81 percent remained at the same school during the 2021-22 school year, 3 percent moved to a different school, and 10 percent left the principalship.
- Among the 13 percent of 2020-21 private school principals with a salary of $115,000 or more, 85 percent remained at the same school during the 2021-22 school year, 3 percent moved to a different school, and 8 percent left the principalship.
The National Center for Education Statistics, a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, is the statistical center of the U.S. Department of Education and the primary federal entity for collecting and analyzing data related to education in the U.S. and other nations. NCES fulfills a congressional mandate to collect, collate, analyze, and report complete statistics on the condition and progress of American education; conduct and publish reports; and review and report on education activities internationally.
Follow NCES on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube and subscribe to the NCES Newsflash to receive email notifications when new data is released.
The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) is the independent and nonpartisan statistics, research, and evaluation arm of the U.S. Department of Education. Its mission is to provide scientific evidence on which to ground education practice and policy and to share this information in formats that are useful and accessible to educators, parents, policymakers, researchers, and the public.
CONTACT: Josh Delarosa, National Center for Education Statistics, ARIS.NCES@ed.gov
James Elias, Hager Sharp, jelias@hagersharp.com
View original content:
SOURCE National Center for Education Statistics | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/roughly-one-ten-public-school-principals-left-profession-2021-22-school-year/ | 2023-07-31T04:41:49 | 0 | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/roughly-one-ten-public-school-principals-left-profession-2021-22-school-year/ |
Six migrant workers were struck Sunday afternoon by an SUV in a Walmart parking lot in North Carolina from what police are calling "an intentional assault with a vehicle."
"All six were transported to Atrium Health – Lincoln with various injuries. None of the injuries appear to be life threatening," the Lincolnton Police Department said in a Facebook post.
Police say they're still looking for the vehicle and driver involved in the incident, which they said took place at 1:17 pm ET. In the Facebook post, they describe the vehicle as an older model SUV with a luggage rack, and the driver as an older white male.
The motive for the attack is also still under investigation. Police told NPR via telephone late Sunday there is no further information.
Lincolnton is a small city of some 11,800 people located about an hour outside of Charlotte.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.apr.org/2023-07-30/an-suv-strikes-6-migrant-workers-in-walmart-parking-lot-in-north-carolina | 2023-07-31T04:42:15 | 0 | https://www.apr.org/2023-07-30/an-suv-strikes-6-migrant-workers-in-walmart-parking-lot-in-north-carolina |
CHENGDU, China, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- On July 29, in the Men's Nanquan of Wushu tournament, China's athlete Cao Maoyuan won the first gold medal at the 31st FISU World University Games with a score of 9.770.
Cao Maoyuan stood on the podium, showcasing his glory to the world. The medal around his neck, accompanied by a radiant medal ribbon, caught everyone's attention. But what makes this seemingly ordinary medal ribbon so remarkable? It's the embodiment of Chengdu's cultural charm. According to Hu Guangjun, the director of the Chengdu Shu Brocade Research Institute, the medal ribbon for this edition of the Games has ingeniously incorporated the millennia-old weaving techniques of Shu brocade. Adorned with iconic symbols of Chengdu's historical and cultural significance, such as hibiscus flowers and sun birds, the ribbon exudes a captivating luster. This transforms China's intangible cultural heritage into a tangible "Rongguang" (the brilliance of Chengdu) that can be truly appreciated.
Shu brocade weaving skills are China's national intangible cultural heritage. Dating back to the Han Dynasty, Shu brocade has been a vital "protagonist" in trade along the Silk Road, earning its place as a cultural emblem of Chengdu and a symbol of cultural exchange between the East and West. With the unveiling of the first medal of the Games, Chengdu proudly showcases this cherished cultural business card to the world once again.
This outstanding cultural business card was produced in the workshop of Chengdu Shu Brocade Research Institute in Shuangliu District. According to Hu Guangjun, the location of the Chengdu Shu Brocade Research Institute in Shuangliu stems from its long history of silk culture. During the Three Kingdoms period, renowned strategist Zhuge Liang resided in Gemo Village, Shuangliu, where he emphasized the significance of Shu brocade by stating, "In the current circumstances of impoverishment and an empty treasury, we rely solely on Shu brocade for the necessary materials to confront our enemies." This highlights the historical importance of Shu brocade at that time. Moreover, a piece of Shu brocade known as "Lianzhu Loong Pattern Brocade" was excavated from the 226th tomb of Astana in Turpan, Xinjiang in the last century. The relic clearly records its origin in Shuangliu, bearing witness to the flourishing and prosperous Shu brocade industry in the Shuangliu region during the Tang Dynasty.
To infuse traditional Shu brocade with a fashionable touch, Hu Guangjun collaborated with a design team composed of Ma Liwa, a teacher, and students from the College of Chinese & ASEAN Arts at Chengdu University. Together, they tirelessly refined and revised the design, from pattern creation to machine production. This meticulous process took nearly six months to complete. Moreover, the transformation of mulberry silk into the medal ribbons required over 70 intricate steps.
Apart from the medal ribbons, the Chengdu Shu Brocade Research Institute has introduced a range of Games-related merchandise crafted from Shu brocade fabrics, including mirrors and bucket hats. These products seamlessly blend traditional culture with contemporary fashion elements, showcasing the progressive charm of Shu brocade. As a result, they have captured the attention of many young individuals who are now eager to explore and appreciate the beauty of Shu brocade.
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Caption: Medal Ribbon of Chengdu FISU Games
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SOURCE The Chengdu Shu Brocade Research Institute | https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/chengdu-fisu-games-first-gold-medal-awarded-medal-ribbon-showcasing-chengdus-cultural-essence/ | 2023-07-31T04:43:02 | 1 | https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/chengdu-fisu-games-first-gold-medal-awarded-medal-ribbon-showcasing-chengdus-cultural-essence/ |
Bernarda Pera 2023 Citi Open Odds
Bernarda Pera will open play in the Citi Open versus Leylah Annie Fernandez (in the round of 32). In her last match she was beaten by Diana Shnaider in the quarterfinals to end a good performance at the Hamburg. Pera has +5000 odds to win this tournament at Rock Creek Park Tennis Center.
Find all the latest odds for the 2023 Citi Open and place your bets with a new user bonus from BetMGM.
Pera at the 2023 Citi Open
- Next Round: Round of 32
- Tournament Dates: July 28 - August 7
- Venue: Rock Creek Park Tennis Center
- Location: Washington, District of Columbia
- Court Surface: Hard
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Pera's Next Match
In the round of 32 of the Citi Open, on Tuesday, August 1 (at 12:00 PM ET), Pera will meet Fernandez.
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Pera Stats
- In her previous tournament, the Hamburg, Pera was defeated in the quarterfinals by No. 101-ranked Shnaider, 1-6, 6-2, 4-6.
- Pera is 24-24 over the past year, with zero tournament victories.
- In 14 tournaments on hard courts over the past 12 months, Pera has gone 13-14.
- Through 48 matches over the past 12 months (across all court surfaces), Pera has played 22.5 games per match. She won 49.2% of them.
- On hard courts, Pera has played 27 matches over the past year, and she has totaled 22.5 games per match while winning 49.0% of games.
- As far as serve/return winning percentages over the past 12 months, Pera has won 64.5% of her games on serve, and 33.7% on return.
- Pera has won 29.1% of her return games on hard courts over the past 12 months. Meanwhile, she has claimed 67.7% of her service games during that timeframe.
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wafb.com/sports/betting/2023/07/28/bernarda-pera-citi-open-betting-odds/ | 2023-07-31T04:43:17 | 1 | https://www.wafb.com/sports/betting/2023/07/28/bernarda-pera-citi-open-betting-odds/ |
BEIJING (AP) — The Fangbiaogan Real Estate Agency in the southern city of Nanning is still waiting for China’s post-COVID rebound.
Home sales are 30-40% below last year’s depressed level after the economy barely grew in the latest quarter, according to the owner, who would give only his surname, Cai. He has cut staff by 80% to 40 employees. Their income from sales commissions has fallen as much as 90%.
“People are worried,” said Cai. “They feel safer holding onto their savings instead of spending them.”
Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s government is making ambitious promises to drag the economy out of that crisis of confidence aggravated by tension with Washington, wilting exports, job losses and anxiety among foreign companies about an expanded anti-spying law.
Its most striking pledge: To support entrepreneurs who generate jobs and wealth but have felt under attack over the past decade as the ruling Communist Party built up state-owned industry, tightened control over business and pressured them to pay for its technology and industrial ambitions.
China has an “urgent need” to “boost confidence in the outlook for the private economy,” the Cabinet said in a July 19 announcement.
Entrepreneurs and investors are waiting to see what tax, spending or other steps the ruling party might take — and whether it will rein in state companies that dominate banking, energy and other industries and that economists say are stifling growth.
The ruling party took action after the economy grew by just 0.8% in the three months ending in June from the previous quarter, down from 2.2% growth in January-March. That is equal to a 3.2% annual rate, among China’s weakest in decades.
With households anxious about possible job losses, retail sales growth slid to 3.1% in June from the previous month’s 12.7%.
“Policymakers have underestimated the difficulty in boosting the confidence of households and private companies,” Macquarie economists Larry Hu and Yuxiao Zhang said in a report. China needs a “reset in macro and regulatory policies to make them more pro-growth and pro-business,” they said.
The ruling party’s Politburo followed up on July 24 with a statement promising to shore up economic growth and support real estate, which has struggled since Beijing clamped down on debt levels in China’s biggest industry. Stock markets in Hong Kong and China surged on the news but fell back as investors waited to see what Beijing might do.
“I’ve seen lots of policies like this, but none were carried out,” said Cai, the real estate broker.
China’s leaders want the prosperity generated by free enterprise but also are requiring businesses to invest in political initiatives that include developing computer chips and narrowing the wealth gap between China’s elite and the poor majority. Regulators shut down an internet-based tutoring industry and imposed limits on children playing online games.
Skeptical businesspeople and economists expect little more than fine-tuning.
“We doubt this marks a fundamental shift in the way that the leadership views the role of private firms,” Julian Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economics said in a report.
The country’s No. 2 leader, Premier Li Qiang, and Cabinet ministers spent the first half of this year meeting visiting CEOs including Apple Inc.’s Tim Cook and Elon Musk of Tesla Ltd. in a charm offensive aimed at reviving investor interest.
Despite that, foreign companies are on edge following unexplained raids on two consulting firms and a due diligence firm. The expansion of an anti-spying law and a push for self-reliance in technology also are seen as risks. Foreign investment into China fell 2.7% from a year earlier in the first half of 2023, according to official data.
A survey by the British Chamber of Commerce in China found 70% of foreign companies want “greater clarity” before making new investments. The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China said its members are shifting investments to Southeast Asia and other targets.
Exports in June fell 12.% from a year earlier after interest rate hikes to cool inflation dampened U.S. and European consumer demand.
A furniture dealer in the central city of Taiyuan said her sales were down 20-30% compared with during the pandemic. The merchant, who would give only her family name, Ma, said her customers are salaried urban workers who still were recovering from anti-virus measures that shut down companies.
“We have lost money so far this year,” said Ma, who was unaware of the ruling party’s promise of support.
An official survey found unemployment among young people in cities spiked to a record 21.3% in June.
A researcher at Peking University, Zhang Dandan, wrote in the business news magazine Caixin the true rate might be almost 50% if young people who are paid by parents to work around the house while they try to find other jobs or have given up looking are included.
The party’s decision to reverse one of its signature policies and ease controls imposed in 2020 to rein in surging debt in real estate reflect the urgency of the problem. Those curbs triggered a wave of hundreds of bankruptcies among developers and dragged on business activity.
Still, the property industry’s problems persist. Developers have renegotiated payments to banks and bondholders, but financial analysts say they face another cash crunch if sales fail to pick up. The biggest, Evergrande Group, still is trying to resolve more than $300 billion in debt.
Tech tycoon Ma Huateng, the publicity-shy co-founder of games and social media giant Tencent Holding, broke his media silence and issued a statement praising the July 19 announcement as a “clear and in-depth understanding” of challenges for entrepreneurs.
Tencent, operator of the popular WeChat message service, is a target of anti-monopoly and data security crackdowns launched by Beijing in 2020 to tighten control over tech industries. Its share price has fallen by half, wiping out more than $400 billion in stock market value.
The statement “raised earnest expectations for high-quality development of private enterprises,” Ma wrote on a state TV blog.
The party has tried to shift money to the public by pressuring successful companies including e-commerce giant Alibaba Group to raise wages and reduce charges. But the party has avoided giving money straight to households through Western-style social welfare programs.
The chief economist of state-owned Bank of China International Ltd. suggested a politically sensitive alternative: Hand ownership of state-owned companies that are the core of the ruling party’s strategic plans to the Chinese public.
Their dividends would “create wealth effects for residents, stimulating increased income and consumption,” Xu Gao wrote in a commentary published by a Beijing think tank, the Center for China and Globalization.
The party has given no sign it might consider that. It has not clarified the status of law and consulting firms and other companies under the anti-spying rules, which have left many uncertain about whether gathering information on business conditions is prohibited.
Another risk factor: More abrupt policy changes as Xi, China’s most powerful leader in decades, pursues his economic, social and strategic ambitions.
“There is little to prevent private firms from being targeted again down the road,” said Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economics.
___
AP researcher Yu Bing contributed. | https://www.seattletimes.com/business/skepticism-prevails-as-chinese-leaders-promise-to-back-private-businesses-to-spur-slowing-economy/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_nation-world | 2023-07-31T04:43:17 | 1 | https://www.seattletimes.com/business/skepticism-prevails-as-chinese-leaders-promise-to-back-private-businesses-to-spur-slowing-economy/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_nation-world |
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A primordial sea animal that lives on the tidal mudflats of the East Coast and serves as a linchpin for the production of vital medicines stands to benefit from new protective standards.
But conservationists who have been trying for years to save a declining bird species — the red knot — that depends on horseshoe crabs fear the protections still don’t go far enough.
Drug and medical device makers are dependent on the valuable blue blood of the crabs — helmet-shaped invertebrates that have scuttled in the ocean and tidal pools for more than 400 million years — to test for potentially dangerous impurities. The animals are drained of some of their blood and returned to the environment, but many die from the bleeding.
Recent revisions to guidelines for handling the animals should keep more alive through the process, regulators said. The animals — not really true crabs but rather more closely related to land-dwelling invertebrates such as spiders and scorpions — are declining in some of their East Coast range.
“They were here before the dinosaurs,” said Glenn Gauvry, president of Ecological Research & Development Group, a Delaware-based nonprofit that advocates for horseshoe crab conservation. “And they’re having problems because the new kids on the block, us, haven’t learned to appreciate the elders.”
The harvest of horseshoe crabs, which are also caught for bait in the commercial fishing industry, has emerged as a critical issue for conservationists in recent years because of the creature’s role in coastal ecosystems. The crabs’ eggs are vitally important food for a declining subspecies of a bird called the red knot — a rust-colored, migratory shorebird listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
The birds, which migrate some 19,000 miles (30,577 kilometers) roundtrip from South America to Canada and must stop to eat along the way, need stronger protection of horseshoe crabs to survive, said Bethany Kraft, senior director for coastal conservation with the Audubon Society. Kraft and other wildlife advocates said the fact the guidelines for handling crabs are voluntary and not mandatory leaves the red knot at risk.
“Making sure there is enough to fuel these birds on this massive, insanely long flight is just critical,” Kraft said. “There’s very clear linkage between horseshoe crabs and the survival of the red knot in the coming decades.”
The horseshoe crabs are valuable because their blood can be manufactured into limulus amebocyte lysate, or LAL, that is used to detect pathogens in indispensable medicines such as injectable antibiotics. The crabs are collected by fishermen by hand or via trawlers for use by biomedical companies, then their blood is separated and proteins within their white blood cells are processed. It takes dozens of the crabs to produce enough blood to fill a single glass tube with its blood, which contains immune cells sensitive to bacteria.
There are only five federally licensed manufacturers on the East Coast that process horseshoe crab blood. The blood is often described by activist groups as worth $15,000 a quart (liter), though some members of the industry say that figure is impossible to verify.
Regulators estimate about 15% of the crabs die in the bleeding process. In 2021, that meant about 112,000 crabs died, said Caitlin Starks, a senior fishery management plan coordinator with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. The bait fishery for horseshoe crabs, which are used as bait for eels and sea snails, killed more than six times that, she said.
Still, the fisheries commission in May approved new best management practices for the biomedical industry’s harvesting and handling of the crabs. Those include minimizing exposure to sunlight and keeping crabs cool and moist, Starks said.
“The goal is to give the crabs that are bled a better chance of surviving and contributing to the ecosystem after they are released,” she said.
That’s exactly what the new guidelines will do, said Nora Blair, quality operations manager with Charles River Laboratories, one of the companies that manufactures LAL from horseshoe crab blood. Blair was a member of a working group that crafted the updated guidelines alongside other industry members, conservationists, fishery managers, fishermen and others.
Blair said the industry is working toward a synthetic alternative — an outcome conservationists have been pushing for years. However, for now the wild harvest of horseshoe crabs remains critically important to drug safety, Blair said.
“The critical role of horseshoe crab in the biopharmaceutical supply chain and coastal ecosystem makes their conservation imperative,” he said.
The Atlantic horseshoe crab, the species harvested on the East Coast, ranges from the Gulf of Maine to Florida. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the species as being “vulnerable” based on a 2016 assessment.
One of the most important ecosystems for horseshoe crabs is the Delaware Bay, an estuary of the Delaware River between Delaware and New Jersey. The bay is where the crabs breed and the red knots feed.
The density of horseshoe crab eggs in the bay is nowhere near what it was in the 1990s, said Lawrence Niles, an independent wildlife biologist who once headed New Jersey’s state endangered species program. Meanwhile, the population of the rufa red knot, the threatened subspecies, has declined by 75% since the 1980s, according to the National Park Service.
The birds need meaningful protection of horseshoe crab eggs to be able to recover, Niles said. He tracks the health of red knots and horseshoe crabs and has organized a group called Horseshoe Crab Recovery Coalition to advocate for conservation measures.
Niles and volunteers he organizes have been counting the horseshoe crab eggs since the 1980s and tagging birds since the 1990s. In mid-June, as he was wrapping up this year’s tracking in southern New Jersey, he described the eggs as “good and consistent” through the month.
“What we want is the harvest to stop, the killing to stop, and let the stock rebuild to its carrying capacity,” Niles said.
The horseshoe crabs have been harvested for use as bait and medicine from Florida to Maine over the years, though the largest harvests are in Maryland, Delaware, Massachusetts and Virginia. According to federal fishery statistics, the crabs were worth about $1.1 million in total at the docks in 2021.
That figure is dwarfed by seafood species such as lobsters and scallops, which are routinely worth hundreds of millions of dollars. However, horseshoe crab fishers are dedicated stewards of a fishery that supplies a vital product, said George Topping, a Maryland fisherman.
“Everything you do in life comes from horseshoe crab blood. Vaccines, antibiotics,” he said. “The horseshoe crab stocks are healthy.”
___
Associated Press photographer Matt Rourke in Pickering Beach, Delaware, and video journalist Rodrique Ngowi in Middle Township, N.J., contributed to this report.
___
Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP’s climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content. | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/blue-blood-from-horseshoe-crabs-is-valuable-for-medicine-but-a-declining-bird-needs-them-for-food/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_nation-world | 2023-07-31T04:43:24 | 1 | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/blue-blood-from-horseshoe-crabs-is-valuable-for-medicine-but-a-declining-bird-needs-them-for-food/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_nation-world |
Bjorn Fratangelo 2023 Citi Open Odds
Bjorn Fratangelo has a match against Gael Monfils coming up next in the Citi Open round of 64. Fratangelo is +10000 to win at William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center.
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Fratangelo at the 2023 Citi Open
- Next Round: Round of 64
- Tournament Dates: July 28 - August 7
- Venue: William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center
- Location: Washington, District of Columbia
- Court Surface: Hard
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Fratangelo's Next Match
Fratangelo will play in the Citi Open round of 64 after getting past Alexis Galarneau 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, and now matches up against Monfils on Monday, July 31 at 8:15 PM ET.
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Fratangelo Stats
- Fratangelo is coming off a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 victory over No. 162-ranked Galarneau in the qualifying round on Sunday.
- Fratangelo is 1-1 over the past year, with zero tournament wins.
- In one hard-court tournaments over the past year, Fratangelo is 1-1 in matches.
- In his two matches over the past year, across all court types, Fratangelo has averaged 33.5 games.
- On hard courts, Fratangelo has played two matches over the past 12 months, and he has totaled 33.5 games per match while winning 47.8% of games.
- Over the past 12 months, Fratangelo has been victorious in 14.7% of his return games and 81.8% of his service games.
- As far as serve/return winning percentages on hard courts over the past 12 months, Fratangelo has won 81.8% of his games on serve and 14.7% on return.
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BERLIN (AP) — A leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany on Friday urged members of the country's main opposition conservative bloc to break down a “firewall” meant to isolate his party, which is at record levels in polls.
The 10-year-old Alternative for Germany, or AfD, gathered in the eastern city of Magdeburg for a convention stretching over the next two weekends at which it plans to choose candidates and set its policy platform for next June's European Parliament election.
Recent polls put support for AfD at 19-22%, behind only the main conservative opposition bloc. Earlier this week, the latter's main leader, Friedrich Merz, insisted that there would be no cooperation even at the local level between his Christian Democratic Union and AfD, after his apparent suggestion that they might work together prompted criticism from fellow conservatives.
AfD co-leader Tino Chrupalla told delegates that “polls aren't results” and they should view recent surveys with “humility.” But he pointed to his party's prospects of winning three state elections in eastern regions next year, and said that “we could take on government responsibility.”
The first AfD candidates recently won elections in eastern Germany to lead a county administration and become the full-time mayor of a municipality.
Chrupalla mocked Merz, who recently described his conservative bloc as an “alternative for Germany with substance.” He said that “we are the original," and argued that Merz has recognized “it was wrong to put up a firewall against our party."
“I call on all patriots in the CDU: tear down this ... wall,” he said.
Chrupalla spent large parts of his speech assailing the environmentalist Green party, part of the center-left coalition of Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and also underlined his party's opposition to weapons deliveries to Ukraine and sanctions against Russia. He asserted that today's European Union is “responsible for a disastrous migration policy, with sanctions policies that are harmful to the economy.”
The AfD convention will, probably several days in, address the party's position on the EU and whether Germany should leave. The party's other co-leader, Alice Weidel, told ZDF television Friday that it favors a dismantling of EU areas of responsibility, but didn't specify whether the bloc should be dissolved.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/ap-top-news/2023/07/28/german-far-right-leader-urges-conservatives-to-break-down-firewall-against-his-party | 2023-07-31T04:43:26 | 1 | https://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/ap-top-news/2023/07/28/german-far-right-leader-urges-conservatives-to-break-down-firewall-against-his-party |
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was holding talks with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Monday in a sign of improving ties after a stormy period between the EU and his predecessor over human rights.
Von der Leyen arrived in Manila Sunday night for the first such top-level visit in nearly six decades of relations with the Philippines. Her visit is aimed at strengthening diplomatic, trade, security and overall relations, European and Philippine officials said, adding that she came at Marcos’s invitation.
The talks between von der Leyen and her delegation with Filipino officials were also expected to cover the Philippines’ chances of retaining special trade incentives depending on its adherence to international conventions on human and labor rights and good governance.
In February, a group of European parliamentarians said Manila’s chances of retaining those incentives, including slashed tariffs for a wide array of products, would increase if a long-detained opposition leader is freed and the Philippines rejoins the International Criminal Court.
The European Union trade incentives under the so-called Generalized Scheme of Preferences, or GSP Plus, for the Philippines and seven other developing countries are anchored on their adherence to more than two dozen international conventions on human and labor rights, environmental protection and good governance.
The trading incentives, which the Philippines started to enjoy in 2014, would end in December and the government could reapply within a two-year period to retain them, the European lawmakers said then.
But the Philippines came under intense EU criticism during former President Rodrigo Duterte’s six-year term, mainly because of the bloody anti-drugs crackdown he oversaw that left more than 6,000 mostly petty suspects dead. Marcos succeeded Duterte in June last year.
The killings sparked an International Criminal Court investigation as a possible crime against humanity. Duterte withdrew the Philippines from the ICC in 2018, but its prosecutor has proceeded to investigate the widespread deaths that occurred in the years when the country was still part of the court based in The Hague.
Duterte then often lashed at the EU’s criticisms of his brutal anti-drugs crackdown with profanity-laced outbursts.
European parliamentarians have also repeatedly demanded the release of opposition leader and former senator Leila de Lima, Duterte’s most vocal critic who was arrested and detained in 2017 on drug charges she said were fabricated by Duterte and his officials to stop her from investigating the killings.
Hannah Neumann, who led the European delegation in a visit to the Philippines in February, told a news conference then that rights conditions under the Marcos administration were “better than it was under Pres. Duterte” in reply to a question. “There are a lot of announcements that could indeed improve things if they’re implemented.”
The delegates then welcomed Marcos’ “commitment to change the focus of the ‘war on drugs’ away from a punitive approach towards prevention and rehabilitation.”
But they said extrajudicial killings have reportedly persisted and underscored the need for all the killings to be investigated and the perpetrators held to account to fight impunity.
Asked if a decision to release de Lima and rejoin the ICC would boost the Philippines’ chances of continuing to enjoy the EU trading incentives, Neumann said that would be “a strong sign in which direction the country wants to move.”
“The European Parliament has been quite clear that whoever wants to have preferential access to the European market needs to uphold social standards, human rights standards, environmental standards,” she said. “This is not going to go away.” | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/eu-leader-pays-rare-visit-to-philippines-after-stormy-ties-with-past-president-over-human-rights/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_nation-world | 2023-07-31T04:43:30 | 0 | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/eu-leader-pays-rare-visit-to-philippines-after-stormy-ties-with-past-president-over-human-rights/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_nation-world |
Brandon Nakashima 2023 Citi Open Odds
After bowing out in the round of 16 of the Truist Atlanta Open in his most recent tournament (knocked out by Christopher Eubanks), Brandon Nakashima will begin the Citi Open against Aleksandar Vukic (in the round of 64). Nakashima currently has +2000 odds to win this tournament at William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center.
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Nakashima at the 2023 Citi Open
- Next Round: Round of 64
- Tournament Dates: July 28 - August 7
- Venue: William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center
- Location: Washington, District of Columbia
- Court Surface: Hard
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Nakashima's Next Match
Nakashima will open up at the Citi Open by matching up with Vukic in the round of 64 on Tuesday, August 1 (at 12:00 PM ET).
Nakashima has current moneyline odds of -250 to win his next matchup against Vukic. Check out the latest odds for the entire field at BetMGM.
Brandon Nakashima Grand Slam Odds
- US Open odds to win: +6600
- Citi Open odds to win: +2000
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Nakashima Stats
- In his last match, Nakashima lost 7-6, 4-6, 5-7 versus Eubanks in the Round of 16 of the Truist Atlanta Open.
- Nakashima is 26-21 over the past year, with two tournament wins.
- Nakashima is 22-14 on hard courts over the past 12 months, with two tournament titles.
- Over the past year (across all court surfaces), Nakashima has played 47 matches and 25.9 games per match.
- In his 36 matches on a hard surface over the past 12 months, Nakashima has averaged 24.1 games.
- As far as serve/return winning percentages over the past 12 months, Nakashima has won 82.6% of his games on serve, and 19.7% on return.
- When it comes to serve/return winning percentages on hard courts over the past 12 months, Nakashima has won 83.5% of his games on serve and 20.4% on return.
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TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Millions of Shiite Muslims in Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and around the world on Friday commemorated Ashoura, a remembrance of the 7th-century martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Hussein, that gave birth to their faith.
In Afghanistan, the Taliban cut mobile phone services in key cities holding commemorations for fear of militants targeting Shiites, whom Sunni extremists consider heretics. Security forces in neighboring Pakistan as well stood on high alert as the commemorations there have seen attacks in the past.
Not all Shiites, however, were to mark the day Friday. Both Iraq and Lebanon planned their remembrances for Saturday, which will see a major suburb of Beirut shut down and the faithful descend on the Iraqi city of Karbala, where Hussein is entombed in a gold-domed shrine.
Shiites represent over 10% of the world’s 1.8 billion Muslims and view Hussein as the rightful successor to the Prophet Muhammad. Hussein’s death in battle at the hands of Sunnis at Karbala, south of Baghdad, ingrained a deep rift in Islam and continues to this day to play a key role in shaping Shiite identity.
Over 1,340 years after Hussein’s martyrdom, Baghdad, Tehran, Islamabad and other major capitals in the Middle East were adorned with symbols of Shiite piety and repentance: red flags for Hussein’s blood, symbolic black funeral tents and black dress for mourning, processions of men and boys expressing fervor in the ritual of chest-beating and self-flagellation with chains.
In Iran, where its theocratic government views itself as the protector of Shiites worldwide, the story of Hussein's martyrdom takes on political connotations amid its tensions with the West over its advancing nuclear program.
Iranian state television aired images of commemorations across the Islamic Republic, tying the event to criticizing the West, Israel and the U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani in 2020. Anchor Wesam Bahrani on Iran's state-run English-language broadcaster Press TV referred to America as the “biggest opponent of Islam” and criticized Muslim countries allied with the U.S.
Men wore black, rhythmically beating their chests in mourning or using flails to strike their backs. Some wore red headbands, as black and red banners bore Hussein's name. Some sprayed water over the mourners in the intense heat.
The commemoration in Iran also comes as Tehran prepares for the one-year anniversary of the death of Mahsa Amini. Her death launched protests nationwide in Iran that reportedly saw more than 500 protesters killed and some 20,000 others detained. Authorities have begun stepping up their enforcement of mandatory hijab, or headscarf, laws for women in recent weeks.
In Pakistan, authorities stepped up security as an Interior Ministry alert warned “terrorists” could target Ashoura processions in major cities. The main Ashoura processions will be held in the eastern city of Lahore in the Punjab province, where thousands of police officers have been deployed. Processions also will be held in Karachi and elsewhere.
___
Associated Press writers Munir Ahmed in Islamabad and Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/ap-top-news/2023/07/28/millions-of-shiite-muslims-across-the-world-commemorate-the-mourning-day-of-ashoura | 2023-07-31T04:43:32 | 1 | https://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/ap-top-news/2023/07/28/millions-of-shiite-muslims-across-the-world-commemorate-the-mourning-day-of-ashoura |
Danielle Collins 2023 Citi Open Odds
Danielle Collins will begin the Citi Open in Washington, District of Columbia versus Liudmila Samsonova in the round of 32. She was knocked off by Belinda Bencic in the round of 64 of the Wimbledon (her most recent tournament). Collins has +2800 odds to win this tournament at Rock Creek Park Tennis Center.
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Collins at the 2023 Citi Open
- Next Round: Round of 32
- Tournament Dates: July 28 - August 7
- Venue: Rock Creek Park Tennis Center
- Location: Washington, District of Columbia
- Court Surface: Hard
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Collins' Next Match
In her opening match at the Citi Open, on Monday, July 31 (at 12:00 PM ET) in the round of 32, Collins will face Samsonova.
Collins has current moneyline odds of +100 to win her next contest against Samsonova. Check out the latest odds for the entire field at BetMGM.
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Collins Stats
- Collins is coming off a loss in the Round of 64 at the Wimbledon, at the hands of No. 14-ranked Bencic, 6-3, 4-6, 6-7.
- Collins has not won any of her 14 tournaments over the past 12 months, with an overall record of 18-14.
- Collins has a match record of 17-11 on hard courts over the last 12 months.
- Through 32 matches over the past 12 months (across all court types), Collins has played 23.5 games per match. She won 51.8% of them.
- In her 28 matches on hard courts over the past year, Collins has played 23.3 games per match.
- Collins, over the past 12 months, has won 71.0% of her service games and 32.6% of her return games.
- Collins has claimed 71.2% of her service games on hard courts and 34.3% of her return games over the past 12 months.
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Hailey Baptiste 2023 Citi Open Odds
Play progresses at the Citi Open, with Hailey Baptiste in the round of 32 against Karolina Pliskova. Baptiste's odds are +8000 to win this tournament at Rock Creek Park Tennis Center.
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Baptiste at the 2023 Citi Open
- Next Round: Round of 32
- Tournament Dates: July 28 - August 7
- Venue: Rock Creek Park Tennis Center
- Location: Washington, District of Columbia
- Court Surface: Hard
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Baptiste's Next Match
Baptiste will be in the Citi Open round of 32 after beating Peyton Stearns 7-6, 6-2, and now matches up against Pliskova on Tuesday, August 1 at 12:00 PM ET.
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Baptiste Stats
- Baptiste beat No. 59-ranked Stearns 7-6, 6-2 on Sunday to make the .
- The 21-year-old Baptiste is 3-8 over the past 12 months and is still seeking her first tournament victory.
- Baptiste is 0-6 on hard courts over the past year.
- Baptiste, over the past year, has played 11 matches across all court surfaces, and 18.5 games per match.
- On hard courts, Baptiste has played six matches over the past 12 months, and she has totaled 18.5 games per match while winning 32.4% of games.
- Baptiste, over the past year, has won 58.2% of her service games and 19.6% of her return games.
- Baptiste has been victorious in 51.3% of her service games on hard courts and 20.5% of her return games over the past year.
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Lauren Davis 2023 Citi Open Odds
Lauren Davis has a match versus Sloane Stephens coming up next in the Citi Open round of 32. Davis is +6600 to win at Rock Creek Park Tennis Center.
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Davis at the 2023 Citi Open
- Next Round: Round of 32
- Tournament Dates: July 28 - August 7
- Venue: Rock Creek Park Tennis Center
- Location: Washington, District of Columbia
- Court Surface: Hard
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Davis' Next Match
After defeating Ashlyn Krueger 1-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the qualification final, Davis will meet Stephens in the round of 32 on Monday, July 31 at 2:40 PM ET.
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Davis Stats
- In the qualifying round on Sunday, Davis beat No. 123-ranked Krueger, 1-6, 6-3, 7-5.
- Davis has won one of her 20 tournaments over the past year, with an overall record of 26-19.
- Davis has won one tournament over the past 12 months on hard courts, with a match record of 20-11 on that surface.
- Davis has played 21.4 games per match in her 45 matches over the past year across all court types.
- On hard courts, Davis has played 31 matches over the past 12 months, and 21.2 games per match.
- Davis has won 33.9% of her return games and 62.1% of her service games over the past year.
- On hard courts, Davis, over the past year, has claimed 66.1% of her service games and 35.0% of her return games.
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Mackenzie McDonald 2023 Citi Open Odds
After reaching the quarterfinals at the Hall of Fame Open (before being knocked out by Alex Michelsen in his last match), Mackenzie McDonald will begin play in the Citi Open versus Diego Schwartzman in the round of 64. McDonald is +3300 to win it all at William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center.
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McDonald at the 2023 Citi Open
- Next Round: Round of 64
- Tournament Dates: July 28 - August 7
- Venue: William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center
- Location: Washington, District of Columbia
- Court Surface: Hard
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McDonald's Next Match
In his opening match at the Citi Open, McDonald will face Schwartzman on Monday, July 31 at 4:00 PM ET in the round of 64.
McDonald is listed at -190 to win his next matchup against Schwartzman. Check out the latest odds for the entire field at BetMGM.
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McDonald Stats
- McDonald is coming off a defeat in the quarterfinals at the Hall of Fame Open, at the hands of No. 190-ranked Michelsen, 3-6, 3-6.
- The 28-year-old McDonald is 31-29 over the past year and is still seeking his first tournament victory.
- McDonald is 23-19 on hard courts over the past year.
- McDonald has played 24.1 games per match in his 60 matches over the past year across all court surfaces.
- In his 42 matches on hard courts over the past year, McDonald has played 23.8 games per match.
- McDonald, over the past year, has won 76.3% of his service games and 26.0% of his return games.
- McDonald has been victorious in 78.0% of his service games on hard courts and 27.1% of his return games over the past 12 months.
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Madison Keys 2023 Citi Open Odds
Madison Keys faces Qinwen Zheng to open play in the Citi Open in Washington, District of Columbia (in the round of 32). In the Wimbledon (her last tournament), she reached the quarterfinals before falling to Aryna Sabalenka. Keys' monyeline odds to win the tournament at Rock Creek Park Tennis Center are +900, the No. 3 odds in the field.
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Keys at the 2023 Citi Open
- Next Round: Round of 32
- Tournament Dates: July 28 - August 7
- Venue: Rock Creek Park Tennis Center
- Location: Washington, District of Columbia
- Court Surface: Hard
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Keys' Next Match
In the round of 32 of the Citi Open, on Tuesday, August 1 (at 12:00 PM ET), Keys will meet Zheng.
Keys is listed at -160 to win her next matchup versus Zheng. Check out the latest odds for the entire field at BetMGM.
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Keys Stats
- In her previous tournament, the Wimbledon, Keys was eliminated in the quarterfinals by No. 2-ranked Sabalenka, 2-6, 4-6.
- In 18 tournaments over the past year, Keys has gone 32-17 and has won one title.
- Keys is 17-13 on hard courts over the past 12 months.
- Keys has played 20.8 games per match in her 49 matches over the past 12 months across all court types.
- In her 30 matches on a hard surface over the past year, Keys has averaged 21.1 games.
- Keys has won 37.1% of her return games and 71.5% of her service games over the past year.
- Keys has won 34.1% of her return games on hard courts over the past year. Meanwhile, she has been victorious in 69.3% of her service games during that timeframe.
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Marcos Giron 2023 Citi Open Odds
After bowing out in the round of 64 of the Wimbledon in his previous tournament (eliminated by Marton Fucsovics), Marcos Giron will begin the Citi Open versus Radu Albot (in the round of 64). Giron's odds are +4000 to win this tournament at William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center.
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Giron at the 2023 Citi Open
- Next Round: Round of 64
- Tournament Dates: July 28 - August 7
- Venue: William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center
- Location: Washington, District of Columbia
- Court Surface: Hard
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Giron's Next Match
In his opener at the Citi Open, Giron will face Albot on Monday, July 31 at 3:55 PM ET in the round of 64.
Giron is listed at -250 to win his next matchup against Albot. Check out the latest odds for the entire field at BetMGM.
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Giron Stats
- Giron came up short in his most recent match, 6-7, 3-6, 6-4, 4-6 versus Fucsovics in the Round of 64 of the Wimbledon on July 6, 2023.
- In 27 tournaments over the past year, Giron has yet to win a title, and his record is 29-27.
- Giron has a match record of 19-17 on hard courts over the last 12 months.
- Giron has played 24.4 games per match in his 56 matches over the past year across all court surfaces.
- In his 36 matches on a hard surface over the past 12 months, Giron has averaged 23.7 games.
- Giron has won 22.0% of his return games and 78.2% of his service games over the past year.
- On hard courts over the past 12 months, Giron has been victorious in 19.7% of his return games and 77.7% of his service games.
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Maxime Cressy 2023 Citi Open Odds
After bowing out in the round of 16 of the Truist Atlanta Open in his last tournament (eliminated by Jeffrey John Wolf), Maxime Cressy will open the Citi Open versus Alexander Shevchenko (in the round of 64). Cressy has +4000 odds to win this tournament at William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center.
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Cressy at the 2023 Citi Open
- Next Round: Round of 64
- Tournament Dates: July 28 - August 7
- Venue: William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center
- Location: Washington, District of Columbia
- Court Surface: Hard
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Cressy's Next Match
In the round of 64 of the Citi Open, on Monday, July 31 (at 1:15 PM ET), Cressy will meet Shevchenko.
Cressy is listed at -200 to win his next contest versus Shevchenko. Check out the latest odds for the entire field at BetMGM.
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Cressy Stats
- In his previous tournament, the Truist Atlanta Open, Cressy was beaten in the Round of 16 by No. 46-ranked Wolf, 6-7, 3-6.
- Cressy is 16-30 over the past year, with no tournament victories.
- Cressy is 15-20 on hard courts over the past year.
- Cressy, over the past 12 months, has played 46 matches across all court types, and 26.9 games per match.
- On hard courts, Cressy has played 35 matches over the past 12 months, and he has totaled 26.2 games per match while winning 49.9% of games.
- As far as serve/return winning percentages over the past 12 months, Cressy has won 83.4% of his games on serve, and 12.8% on return.
- When it comes to serve/return winning percentages on hard courts over the past year, Cressy has won 85.6% of his games on serve and 13.5% on return.
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wafb.com/sports/betting/2023/07/28/maxime-cressy-citi-open-betting-odds/ | 2023-07-31T04:44:17 | 0 | https://www.wafb.com/sports/betting/2023/07/28/maxime-cressy-citi-open-betting-odds/ |
Michael Mmoh 2023 Citi Open Odds
Michael Mmoh begins the Citi Open after his Truist Atlanta Open came to a close with a defeat to Lloyd Harris in the qualification final. Mmoh's first opponent is Bradley Klahn (in the round of 64). Mmoh is +8000 to win this tournament at William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center.
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Mmoh at the 2023 Citi Open
- Next Round: Round of 64
- Tournament Dates: July 28 - August 7
- Venue: William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center
- Location: Washington, District of Columbia
- Court Surface: Hard
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Mmoh's Next Match
In his opener at the Citi Open, Mmoh will play Klahn on Monday, July 31 at 1:20 PM ET in the round of 64.
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Mmoh Stats
- In his last tournament, the Truist Atlanta Open, Mmoh was eliminated in the qualifying round by No. 202-ranked Harris, 2-6, 7-6, 6-7.
- Mmoh has not won any of his 11 tournaments over the past year, with an overall record of 13-13.
- Mmoh has a match record of 10-10 on hard courts over the last 12 months.
- Mmoh, over the past year, has played 26 matches across all court surfaces, and 27.4 games per match.
- Mmoh, in 20 matches over the past year on hard courts, has played 25.2 games per match and won 51.5% of them.
- Over the past 12 months, Mmoh has been victorious in 25.5% of his return games and 75.4% of his service games.
- Mmoh has claimed 74.5% of his service games on hard courts and 29.6% of his return games over the past 12 months.
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Sloane Stephens 2023 Citi Open Odds
After exiting in the round of 64 of the Wimbledon in her last tournament (knocked out by Donna Vekic), Sloane Stephens will begin the Citi Open against Lauren Davis (in the round of 32). Stephens' odds are +2800 to win this tournament at Rock Creek Park Tennis Center.
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Stephens at the 2023 Citi Open
- Next Round: Round of 32
- Tournament Dates: July 28 - August 7
- Venue: Rock Creek Park Tennis Center
- Location: Washington, District of Columbia
- Court Surface: Hard
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Stephens' Next Match
In her opener at the Citi Open, on Monday, July 31 (at 2:40 PM ET) in the round of 32, Stephens will meet Davis.
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Stephens Stats
- Stephens last played on July 6, 2023, a 6-4, 5-7, 4-6 defeat by No. 21-ranked Vekic in the Round of 64 of the Wimbledon.
- The 30-year-old Stephens is 20-19 over the past year and is still looking for her first tournament win.
- Stephens has a match record of 11-13 on hard courts over the last 12 months.
- Stephens has played 21.3 games per match in her 39 matches over the past 12 months across all court types.
- In her 24 matches on hard courts over the past 12 months, Stephens has played 20.8 games per match.
- Over the past year, Stephens has won 64.4% of her service games, and she has won 37.7% of her return games.
- Stephens has won 35.1% of her return games on hard courts over the past 12 months. Meanwhile, she has claimed 62.3% of her service games during that timeframe.
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wafb.com/sports/betting/2023/07/28/sloane-stephens-citi-open-betting-odds/ | 2023-07-31T04:44:30 | 0 | https://www.wafb.com/sports/betting/2023/07/28/sloane-stephens-citi-open-betting-odds/ |
Sofia Kenin 2023 Citi Open Odds
Sofia Kenin begins the Citi Open after her Wimbledon finished with a loss to Elina Svitolina in the round of 32. Kenin's opener is versus Magdalena Frech (in the round of 32). Kenin currently has +3300 odds to win this tournament at Rock Creek Park Tennis Center.
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Kenin at the 2023 Citi Open
- Next Round: Round of 32
- Tournament Dates: July 28 - August 7
- Venue: Rock Creek Park Tennis Center
- Location: Washington, District of Columbia
- Court Surface: Hard
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Kenin's Next Match
In the round of 32 of the Citi Open, on Tuesday, August 1 (at 12:00 PM ET), Kenin will play Frech.
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Kenin Stats
- In her most recent match, Kenin came up short 6-7, 2-6 against Svitolina in the Round of 32 of the Wimbledon.
- The 24-year-old Kenin is 18-21 over the past year and is still looking for her first tournament title.
- Kenin has a record of 10-15 on hard courts over the last 12 months.
- Through 39 matches over the past year (across all court surfaces), Kenin has played 21.1 games per match. She won 50.5% of them.
- On hard courts, Kenin has played 25 matches over the past 12 months, and she has totaled 21.4 games per match while winning 49.6% of games.
- As far as serve/return winning percentages over the past year, Kenin has won 70.0% of her games on serve, and 31.1% on return.
- Kenin has won 28.9% of her return games on hard courts over the past year. Meanwhile, she has claimed 69.7% of her service games during that timeframe.
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On this day in history, July 31, 1965, 'Harry Potter' creator J.K. Rowling is born
From an early age, Britain's J.K. Rowling aspired to be a writer
J.K. Rowling, the pen name of Joanne Rowling, was born on this day in history on July 31, 1965.
The British author is the creator of the wildly popular and critically acclaimed Harry Potter book series, about a young sorcerer-in-training, as Britannica.com and other sources note.
The "K" stands for Kathleen, her paternal grandmother’s name, according to Rowling's official website.
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY, JULY 30, 1956, ‘IN GOD WE TRUST’ IS DECLARED NATIONAL MOTTO
"It was added at her publisher’s request, who thought a book by an obviously female author might not appeal to the target audience of young boys," the source noted.
Rowling grew up in Gloucestershire in England and in Chepstow, Gwent, in Southeast Wales, according to the official J.K. Rowling website.
Peter, her father, was an aircraft engineer at the Rolls Royce factory in Bristol and her mother, Anne, was a science technician in the chemistry department at Wyedean Comprehensive — the school that young Rowling attended, the same site indicated.
Her mother was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis when Rowling was just a teenager.
"She wrote her first book at the age of six – a story about a rabbit called Rabbit."
Her mother passed away in 1990 before the Harry Potter books were published, the same source also said.
HARRY POTTER ‘BOOK ARTIST’ WHO REMOVES J.K. ROWLING'S NAME IS WITHIN HIS RIGHTS: LEGAL EXPERTS
From an early age, Rowling aspired to be a writer.
"She wrote her first book at the age of six — a story about a rabbit called Rabbit. When she was 11, she wrote a novel about seven cursed diamonds and the people who owned them," said Bloomsbury Publishing’s website.
She pursued French and Classics at the University of Exeter.
It’s been reported that Rowling first had the idea for Harry Potter while she was delayed on a train traveling from Manchester to King’s Cross in London in 1990, according to Bloomsbury Publishing.
"Over the next five years, she began to plan out the seven books of the series. She wrote mostly in longhand and amassed a mountain of notes, many of which were on scraps of paper," the same source recounted.
After she completed her first book while training as a teacher, "Harry Potter" was accepted for publication by Bloomsbury.
Rowling arrived in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1993 with three chapters of "Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone" in her suitcase, said Bloomsbury Publishing.
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY, JUNE 30, 1936, ‘GONE WITH THE WIND’ IS PUBLISHED
After she completed her first book while training as a teacher, "Harry Potter" was accepted for publication by Bloomsbury.
"Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone" — its title in the U.S. is "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" — quickly became a bestseller in 1997.
Succeeding titles were "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" (1998), "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" (1999), "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" (2000), "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" (2003), and "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" (2005).
The seventh and final novel in the series, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," was released in 2007.
"Because Harry survived the attack, he is famous in the wizarding world."
"Rowling's phenomenal seven-book fantasy series [is] about adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his adventurous and magical years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," said Scholastic.
"Each of the seven books chronicles a year in Harry’s life at Hogwarts."
Storylines focus on Harry’s struggle against the evil wizard, Lord Voldemort, who killed Harry’s parents and also tried to kill Harry when he was a baby, the same source indicated.
"Because Harry survived the attack, he is famous in the wizarding world. At Hogwarts, Harry forms everlasting friendships, falls in love, faces immense challenges, endures incredible loss and learns to overcome many magical, social and emotional hurdles," chronicles Scholastic.
Rowling’s creative works were also brought to the big screen.
A film version of Rowling’s first book was released in November 2001.
Directed by Chris Columbus, it starred Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint.
"Harry forms everlasting friendships, falls in love, faces immense challenges, endures incredible loss and learns to overcome many magical, social and emotional hurdles."
More films in the series were subsequently released: "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" (2002), "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" (2004), and "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" in 2005.
A fifth movie, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," was released in 2007.
The film version of the sixth installment in the series, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," was released in 2009.
The final film for the seventh book in the series was released in two installments: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" Part 1 (2010) and Part 2 (2011), according to Biography.com.
Rowling’s first novel for adults, "The Casual Vacancy," was published in 2012.
She also published the crime novels "The Cuckoo's Calling" (2013), "The Silkworm" (2014), "Career of Evil" (2015) and "Lethal White" (2018) under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith, the British Council notes.
In 2016, Rowling made her screenwriting debut with the film "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," which was the first in a series of new adventures featuring Magizoologist Newt Scamander and set before the time of Harry Potter, according to the official J.K. Rowling website.
The second film, "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald," was released in 2018 and the third, "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore," was released in 2022.
There are five major Harry Potter-themed parks and attractions around the world.
J.K. Rowling has been married to Dr. Neil Murray since 2001. It is her second marriage, according to reports.
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She is the mother of a son, David, born in 2003 and a daughter, Mackenzie, born in 2005.
She is also reportedly the mom of an older daughter, Jessica, born in 1993.
Fans can get a reality experience at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter both in the U.S. and abroad.
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There are five major Harry Potter-themed parks and attractions around the world located in Orlando, Florida; Hollywood, California; Beijing, China; Osaka, Japan; and Leavesden, England.
Rowling has said of her childhood, "I lived for books. I was your basic common or garden bookworm, complete with freckles and National Health spectacles." | https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/this-day-history-july-31-1965-harry-potter-creator-j-k-rowling-born | 2023-07-31T04:44:40 | 0 | https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/this-day-history-july-31-1965-harry-potter-creator-j-k-rowling-born |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The largest dam removal project in United States history is underway along the California-Oregon border — a process that won’t conclude until the end of next year with the help of heavy machinery and explosives.
But in some ways, removing the dams is the easy part. The hard part will come over the next decade as workers, partnering with Native American tribes, plant and monitor nearly 17 billion seeds as they try to restore the Klamath River and the surrounding land to what it looked like before the dams started to go up more than a century ago.
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The demolition is part of a national movement to return the natural flow of the nation’s rivers and restore habitat for fish and the ecosystems that sustain other wildlife. More than 2,000 dams have been removed in the US as of February, with the bulk of those having come down within the last 25 years, according to the advocacy group American Rivers.
The removal of four hydroelectric dams along the Klamath River is the movement’s greatest triumph and its greatest challenge. When demolition is completed by the end of next year, more than 400 miles (644 kilometers) of river will have opened for threatened species of fish and other wildlife. By comparison, the 65 dams removed in the US last year combined to reconnect 430 miles (692 kilometers) of river.
The project will empty three reservoirs over about 3.5 square miles (9 square kilometers) near the California-Oregon border, exposing soil to sunlight in some places for the first time in more than a century.
For the past five years, Native American tribes have gathered seeds by hand and sent them to nurseries with plans to sow the seeds along the banks of the newly wild river. Helicopters will bring in hundreds of thousands of trees and shrubs to plant along the banks, including wads of tree roots to create habitat for fish.
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This growth usually takes decades to happen naturally. But officials are pressing nature’s fast-forward button because they hope to repel an invasion of foreign plants, such as starthistle, which dominate the landscape at the expense of native plants.
“Why not just let nature take its course? Well, nature didn’t take its course when dams got put in. We can’t pretend this gigantic change in the landscape has not happened and we can’t just ignore the fact that invasive species are a big problem in the west and in California,” said Dave Meurer, director of community affairs for Resource Environmental Solutions, the company leading the restoration project. “Our goal is to give nature a head start.”
A power company, known today as PacifiCorp, built the dams starting in 1918 to generate electricity. The dams halted the natural flow of the river and disrupted the lifecycle of salmon, a fish that spends most of its life in the Pacific Ocean but returns to the chilly mountain streams to lay eggs. The fish are culturally and spiritually significant to a number of Native American tribes, who historically survived by fishing the massive runs of salmon that would come back to the rivers each year.
A combination of low water levels and warm temperatures in 2002 led to a bacterial outbreak that killed more than 34,000 fish, mostly Chinook salmon. The loss jumpstarted decades of advocacy from Native American tribes and environmental groups, culminating last year when federal regulators approved a plan to remove the dams.
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“The river is our church, the salmon is our cross. That's how it relates to the people. So it's very sacred to us,” said Kenneth Brink, vice chairman of the Karuk Tribe. “The river is not just a place we go to swim. It's life. It creates everything for our people.”
The project will cost $500 million, paid for by taxpayers and PacifiCorps ratepayers. Crews have mostly removed the smallest of the four dams, known as Copco No. 2. The other three dams are expected to come down next year after the reservoirs behind them are drained. That will leave some homeowners in the area without the picturesque lake they have lived on for years.
The Siskiyou County Water Users Association, which formed about a decade ago to stop the dam removal project, filed a federal lawsuit. But so far they have been unable to stop the demolition.
“I think it’s a huge mistake,” association President Richard Marshall said. “Unfortunately it’s a mistake you can’t turn back from.”
The water level in the lakes will drop between 3 feet and 5 feet (1 meter to 1.5 meters) per day over the first few months of next year. Crews will follow that water line, taking advantage of the moisture in the soil to plant seeds from more than 98 native plant species including wooly sunflower, Idaho fescue and Blue bunch wheat grass.
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Tribes have been invested in the process from the start. Resource Environmental Solutions hired tribal members to gather seeds from native plants by hand. The Yurok Tribe even hired a restoration botanist.
Each species has a role to play. Some, like lupine, grow quickly and prepare the soil for other plants. Others, like oak trees, take years to fully mature and provide shade for other plants.
“It's a wonderful marriage of tribal traditional ecological knowledge and western science,” said Mark Bransom, CEO of the Klamath River Renewal Corporation, the nonprofit entity created to oversee the project.
The previous largest dam removal project was on Washington state’s Elwha River, which flows out of Olympic National Park into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Congress in 1992 approved the demolition of the two dams on the river constructed in the early 1900s. After two decades of planning, workers finished removing them in 2014, opening about 70 miles (113 kilometers) of habitat for salmon and steelhead.
Biologists say it will take at least a generation for the river to recover, but within months of the dams being removed, salmon were already recolonizing sections of the river they had not accessed in more than a century. The Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, which has been closely involved in restoration work, is opening a limited subsistence fishery this fall for coho salmon, its first since the dams came down.
Brink, the Karuk Tribe vice chair, hopes similar success will happen on the Klamath River. Multiple times per year, Brink and other tribal members participate in ceremonial salmon fishing using handheld nets. In many years, there have been no fish to catch, he said.
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“When the river gets to flow freely again, the people can also begin to worship freely again,” he said.
___
Associated Press writer Eugene Johnson in Seattle contributed. | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/31/business/work-begins-largest-us-dam-removal-project-tribes-look-future-growth/ | 2023-07-31T04:44:40 | 1 | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/31/business/work-begins-largest-us-dam-removal-project-tribes-look-future-growth/ |
Zachary Svajda 2023 Citi Open Odds
The Citi Open continues in Washington, District of Columbia, with Zachary Svajda in the round of 64 versus Max Purcell. Svajda has +10000 odds to win this tournament at William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center.
Find all the latest odds for the 2023 Citi Open and place your bets with a new user bonus from BetMGM.
Svajda at the 2023 Citi Open
- Next Round: Round of 64
- Tournament Dates: July 28 - August 7
- Venue: William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center
- Location: Washington, District of Columbia
- Court Surface: Hard
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Svajda's Next Match
Svajda will play Purcell in the round of 64 on Tuesday, August 1 at 12:00 PM ET, after getting past Brandon Holt 7-6, 3-0 in the qualification final.
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Svajda Stats
- Svajda advanced over Holt 7-6, 3-0 on Sunday to make the .
- In nine tournaments over the past 12 months, Svajda is 10-8 and has yet to win a title.
- In six tournaments on hard courts over the past 12 months, Svajda has gone 9-5.
- Svajda has played 22.9 games per match in his 18 matches over the past year across all court surfaces.
- On hard courts, Svajda has played 14 matches over the past 12 months, and he has totaled 22.8 games per match while winning 53.6% of games.
- Svajda has won 23.5% of his return games and 69.0% of his service games over the past year.
- On hard courts, Svajda, over the past year, has claimed 62.5% of his service games and 26.1% of his return games.
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wafb.com/sports/betting/2023/07/28/zachary-svajda-citi-open-betting-odds/ | 2023-07-31T04:44:43 | 0 | https://www.wafb.com/sports/betting/2023/07/28/zachary-svajda-citi-open-betting-odds/ |
Today is Monday, July 31, the 212th day of 2023. There are 153 days left in the year.
Today’s Birthdays: Actor Don Murray is 94. Jazz composer-musician Kenny Burrell is 92. Actor France Nuyen is 84. Actor Susan Flannery is 84. Singer Lobo is 79. Actor Geraldine Chaplin is 79. Former movie studio executive Sherry Lansing is 79. Singer Gary Lewis is 78. Former Massachusetts governor William Weld is 78. Actor Susan Wooldridge is 73. Tennis Hall of Famer Evonne Goolagong Cawley is 72. Jazz composer-musician Michael Wolff is 71. Former Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick is 67. Actor Dirk Blocker is 66. Entrepreneur Mark Cuban is 65. Rock musician Bill Berry (R.E.M.) is 65. Actor Wally Kurth is 65. Actor Wesley Snipes is 61. C Musician Fatboy Slim is 60. Rock musician Jim Corr is 59. Author J.K. Rowling is 58. Actor Dean Cain is 57. Actor Jim True-Frost is 57. Actor Ben Chaplin is 54. Actor Loren Dean is 54. Actor Eve Best is 52. Country singer-musician Zac Brown is 45. Actor-producer-writer B.J. Novak is 44. NHL center Evgeni Malkin is 37. Hip-hop artist Lil Uzi Vert is 29. Actor Rico Rodriguez is 25.
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In 1715, a fleet of Spanish ships carrying gold, silver and jewelry sank during a hurricane off the east Florida coast; of some 2,500 crew members, more than 1,000 died.
In 1775, General George Washington ordered Major Benjamin Tupper to take 300 men and destroy Boston Light house. The men overwhelmed the British but the tides left them stranded on the island and vulnerable to British reinforcements. Nonetheless, the soldiers defeated the British a second time on the Little Brewster Island before returning to the mainland.
In 1777, during the Revolutionary War, the Marquis de Lafayette, a 19-year-old French nobleman, was made a major-general in the American Continental Army.
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In 1919, Germany’s Weimar Constitution was adopted by the republic’s National Assembly.
In 1945, Pierre Laval, premier of the pro-Nazi Vichy government in France, surrendered to US authorities in Austria; he was turned over to France, which later tried and executed him.
In 1953, Sen. Robert A. Taft of Ohio, known as “Mr. Republican,” died in New York at age 63.
In 1957, the Distant Early Warning Line, a system of radar stations designed to detect Soviet bombers approaching North America, went into operation.
In 1970, “The Huntley-Brinkley Report” came to an end after nearly 14 years as co-anchor Chet Huntley signed off for the last time; the broadcast was renamed “NBC Nightly News.”
In 1971, Apollo 15 crew members David Scott and James Irwin became the first astronauts to use a lunar rover on the surface of the moon.
In 1972, Democratic vice-presidential candidate Thomas Eagleton withdrew from the ticket with George McGovern following disclosures that Eagleton had once undergone psychiatric treatment. Massachusetts Correction Officer Alfred Baranowski and Correction Officer James Souza were shot and killed during an escape attempt by a convicted murderer from the Norfolk Prison. The state’s maximum-security facility in Lancaster were named after them.
In 1973, Delta Air Lines Flight 723 missed the runway in Logan International Airport amid low visibility and struck a sea wall. The crash, the worst commercial aviation disaster in New England, would eventually take the lives of all 89 people on board.
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In 1981, a seven-week-old Major League Baseball strike ended.
In 1991, President George H.W. Bush and Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev signed the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty in Moscow.
In 2003, the Vatican launched a global campaign against gay marriages, warning Catholic politicians that support of same-sex unions was “gravely immoral” and urging non-Catholics to join the offensive.
In 2013, President Barack Obama’s national security team acknowledged for the first time that, when investigating one suspected terrorist, it could read and store the phone records of millions of Americans. Voters in Zimbabwe went to the polls in national elections that were won by President Robert Mugabe amid opponents’ allegations of fraud.
In 2018, Jury selection began in the trial of Paul Manafort, President Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman; he was accused of failing to report tens of millions of dollars in Ukrainian political consulting fees. (Manafort was sentenced to a total of seven and a-half years in prison after being convicted at trial in Virginia and pleading guilty in Washington to two conspiracy counts.) Actor Alan Alda revealed that he has Parkinson’s disease, telling “CBS This Morning” that he’d been diagnosed three and a half years ago.
In 2020, a federal appeals court overturned the death sentence of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, saying the judge who oversaw the case didn’t adequately screen jurors for potential biases. (The Supreme Court later reimposed the sentence.)
Last year, Bill Russell, the NBA great who anchored a Boston Celtics dynasty that won 11 championships in 13 years — the last two as the first Black head coach in any major US sport — and marched for civil rights with Martin Luther King Jr., died at age 88. Nichelle Nichols, who broke barriers for Black women in Hollywood when she played communications officer Lt. Uhura on the original “Star Trek” television series, died at 89.
Advertisement | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/31/metro/today-history-july-31-bill-russell-nichelle-nichols-die-same-day/ | 2023-07-31T04:44:49 | 1 | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/31/metro/today-history-july-31-bill-russell-nichelle-nichols-die-same-day/ |
MIAMI — An employee of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, Carlos De Oliveira, is expected to make his first court appearance Monday on charges accusing him of scheming with the former president to hide security footage from investigators probing Trump’s hoarding of classified documents.
De Oliveira, Mar-a-Lago’s property manager, was added last week to the indictment with Trump and the former president’s valet, Walt Nauta, in the federal case alleging a plot to illegally keep top-secret records at Trump’s Florida estate and thwart government efforts to retrieve them.
De Oliveira faces charges including conspiracy to obstruct justice and lying to investigators. He’s scheduled to appear before a magistrate judge in Miami nearly two months after Trump pleaded not guilty in the case brought by special counsel Jack Smith.
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The developments in the classified documents case come as Trump braces for possible charges in another federal investigation into his efforts to cling to power after he lost the 2020 election. Trump has received a letter from Smith indicating that he is a target of that investigation, and Trump’s lawyers met with Smith’s team last week.
An attorney for De Oliveira declined last week to comment on the allegations. Trump has denied any wrongdoing and said the Mar-a-Lago security tapes were voluntarily handed over to investigators. Trump posted on his Truth Social platform last week that he was told the tapes were not “deleted in any way, shape or form.”
Prosecutors have not alleged that security footage was actually deleted or kept from investigators.
Nauta has also pleaded not guilty. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon had previously scheduled the trial of Trump and Nauta to begin in May, and it’s unclear whether the addition of De Oliveira to the case may impact the case’s timeline.
The latest indictment, unsealed on Thursday, alleges that Trump tried to have security footage deleted after investigators visited in June 2022 to collect classified documents Trump took with him after he left the White House.
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Trump was already facing dozens of felony counts — including willful retention of notional defense information — stemming from allegations that he mishandled government secrets that as commander-in-chief he was entrusted to protect. Experts have said the new allegations bolster the special counsel’s case and deepen the former president’s legal jeopardy.
Video from Mar-a-Lago would ultimately become vital to the government’s case because, prosecutors said, it shows Nauta moving boxes in and out of a storage room — an act alleged to have been done at Trump’s direction and in effort to hide records not only only from investigators but Trump’s own lawyers.
Days after the Justice Department sent a subpoena for video footage at Mar-a-Lago to the Trump Organization in June 2022, prosecutors say De Oliveira asked a information technology staffer how long the server retained footage and told the employee “the boss” wanted it deleted. When the employee said he didn’t believe he was able to do that, De Oliveira insisted the “boss” wanted it done, asking, “What are we going to do?”
Shortly after the FBI searched Mar-a-Lago and found classified records in the storage room and Trump’s office, prosecutors say Nauta called a Trump employee and said words to the effect of, “someone just wants to make sure Carlos is good.” The indictment says the employee responded that De Oliveira was loyal and wouldn’t do anything to affect his relationship with Trump. That same day, the indictment alleges, Trump called De Oliveira directly to say that he would get De Oliveira an attorney.
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Prosecutors allege that De Oliveira later lied in interviews with investigators, falsely claiming that he hadn’t even seen boxes moved into Mar-a-Lago after Trump left the White House.
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Richer reported from Boston. | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/31/nation/mar-a-lago-worker-charged-trumps-classified-documents-case-make-first-court-appearance/ | 2023-07-31T04:44:58 | 1 | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/31/nation/mar-a-lago-worker-charged-trumps-classified-documents-case-make-first-court-appearance/ |
Gabe Camarillo of 1430 ESPN Radio and BarkBoard.com joins the Bulldog Insider to talk with Andrew Marden about the start of fall camp this week.
Gabe Camarillo of 1430 ESPN Radio and BarkBoard.com joins the Bulldog Insider to talk with Andrew Marden about the start of fall camp this week. | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/bulldog-sports/bulldog-insider-conversation-gabe-camarillo-2/ | 2023-07-31T04:45:11 | 0 | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/bulldog-sports/bulldog-insider-conversation-gabe-camarillo-2/ |
IDENTIFIED: Man found dead in Sanger canal Arrest made in Visalia man stabbed to death, police … IDENTIFIED: Skateboarder hit and killed in Selma Teen shot after flashing fake glock-style gun at …
Arrest made in Visalia man stabbed to death, police … IDENTIFIED: Skateboarder hit and killed in Selma Teen shot after flashing fake glock-style gun at …
Bulldog Insider conversation: Gabe Camarillo Video Bulldog Insider feature: Levelle Bailey Video Surf’s Up! Will Kelly Slater’s Surf Ranch in Lemoore … Video Savannah Bananas take over Chukchansi Park Video
Bulldog Insider feature: Levelle Bailey Video Surf’s Up! Will Kelly Slater’s Surf Ranch in Lemoore … Video Savannah Bananas take over Chukchansi Park Video
Surf’s Up! Will Kelly Slater’s Surf Ranch in Lemoore … Video Savannah Bananas take over Chukchansi Park Video
by: Scott Bemis Posted: Jul 30, 2023 / 07:31 PM PDT Updated: Jul 30, 2023 / 07:33 PM PDT Scott Bemis recently spent some time with the Bulldog kickers.
Everything you need to start crocheting at home If you want to start crocheting at home, put yarn, needles and several other supplies on your shopping list.
Every smart thermostat essential you need to learn A smart thermostat could be the answer to several problems. Read on to learn what makes them a brilliant addition to your home.
How to protect your home from harsh weather One of the biggest tasks you face as a homeowner is your never-ending battle with Mother Nature. | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/bulldog-sports/bulldog-insider-feature-just-for-kicks/ | 2023-07-31T04:45:17 | 1 | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/bulldog-sports/bulldog-insider-feature-just-for-kicks/ |
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE) – Levelle Bailey is coming off of an impressive season in 2022.
Bailey, a senior linebacker at Fresno State, led the Bulldogs in team tackles one year ago with 88 (54 solo). He is a veteran on defense entering 2023.
“Our younger guys in the linebacker room always give me some type of mention of me being the old man in the room,” laughed Bailey, a fifth-year player. “To be that old man, I definitely have to be that leader.”
Levelle Bailey started all 14 games for the Bulldogs last season. In six of those games, he led the team in tackles. He recorded ten tackles against both Oregon State and against UConn.
“Levelle Bailey. We have quite a few guys that have been around a long time,” said Fresno State head coach Jeff Tedford. “Most of our defense is coming back. So they have a lot of influence on what goes on.”
Levelle Bailey is coming off of a season in which he was honorable mention all-Mountain West.
“Definitely make the first team, all-Mountain West team,” said Bailey, when asked about his personal goals for 2023. “The last three years I have been honorable mention, and I definitely want to try to get that first team.
“After first team, try to get Defensive Player of the Year.” | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/bulldog-sports/bulldog-insider-feature-levelle-bailey/ | 2023-07-31T04:45:23 | 1 | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/bulldog-sports/bulldog-insider-feature-levelle-bailey/ |
ATLANTA (KSEE) – On July 30th, 1996, Team USA played China in the gold medal game for women’s softball at the Olympics.
Softball made its debut as an Olympic sport in 1996.
And Team USA won the inaugural gold medal, beating China, 3-1. The U.S. scored all of its runs in the third inning, the first of which was by Laura Berg. She touched home plate on a home run by teammate Dot Richardson.
Laura Berg was one of four Fresno State Bulldogs on the Team USA roster at the 1996 Olympics, joining Kim Maher, Julie Smith and Shelly Stokes.
Margie Wright, then the head coach at Fresno State, was an assistant coach on the Olympic team that won gold. | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/bulldog-sports/this-day-in-bulldog-history-july-30th/ | 2023-07-31T04:45:29 | 0 | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/bulldog-sports/this-day-in-bulldog-history-july-30th/ |
SEATTLE, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Monport Laser has been at the forefront of laser engraving innovation, spearheading the development of cutting-edge laser engravers and cutters. Building upon its world-leading expertise in the laser engraving industry, the company is now ready to captivate the market with its latest breakthroughs. In August, Monport Laser is scheduled to announce a range of new laser engraving machines, specifically engineered to handle various materials.
After six months of relentless effort from Monport's development technical team, their eagerly anticipated product will finally be revealed to all laser creators in early August of this year. The development of this innovative machine began with thousands of customer survey questionnaires for laser marking machines, rigorous testing, and product designer assessments. Engineers conducted over a dozen rounds of machine sample screening and in the final design stage, they took the unusual step of bringing in external senior personnel and engraving novices to carry out engraving tests for an entire month. This dedication to improvement and openness to feedback ensures a professional and user-friendly final fiber laser.
Monport GP Fiber Laser Series is not only Lightweight but Compact
Laser engraving machines have long faced difficulties when it comes to laser focusing, causing technical support headaches. Monport's latest innovation in marking machine can answer all these troubles. The new product boasts an electric and manual double lifting focus method, designed to make laser focusing seamless and improve the final engraving result. With this cutting-edge technology, users can operate without any barriers, and achieve the perfect, professional engraving effect.The electric lifting focus is suitable for beginners while the manual focus is the best for experienced users. This new integrated fiber laser is truly versatile in achieving any special engraving effects needed.
Breaking away from the conventional split type designs flooding the market, Monport introduces a game-changing one-piece design for their latest marking machine. This ingenious development not only saves valuable space but also ensures portability becomes a breeze. Bella, a senior developer at Monport Laser, proudly declared, "Our exceptional team of female developers has personally experienced the convenience of this machine. They effortlessly moved it from one studio to another, adjusting the base's height for easy handling right off the table. The commitment to a user-friendly experience is not just a mere claim."
In striking comparison to other conventional 33kg machines, Monport GP Series Fiber Series introduces their groundbreaking 20-22 kg all-in-one machine, setting a new industry standard for its exceptional lightness. The machine boasts rounded leading corners, diligently crafted to prevent unwanted bumps and damage during handling and transportation. Monport's thoughtful consideration extends further with the addition of a dustproof board, ensuring optimal performance and longevity. Endowed with an exceptional user-friendly experience and multifunctional capabilities, this machine embodies Monport Laser's unwavering dedication to continuous upgrades, always keeping the user at the forefront.
Monport GI Series MOPA Lasers Redefine Color Fast Marking
Monport's exciting product launch not only includes the highly anticipated new additions to the GP Series but also showcases the cutting-edge GI Series color engraving fiber machine. This JPT MOPA fiber laser is built to last, offering precision, durability, and longevity that surpasses expectations. With its remarkable laser cutting capability, it can effortlessly cut up to 0.05 mm with each pass, achieving an astonishing accuracy of ±0.1 microns.
Extensive Support and Remarkable Fiber Accessories
Complementing the multitude of advantages offered by their cutting-edge machine, Monport Laser goes above and beyond by providing customers with comprehensive support and unparalleled expandability. The new fiber series from Monport introduces a range of accessories designed to elevate the engraving experience. One notable addition is the safety shells, embedded with radiation protection and noise reduction functions, creating a secure and tranquil environment for users.
As a testament to their commitment to customer satisfaction, Monport Laser also includes 10 different test materials, ranging from metal rings to key chains and cards made from various metal materials, enabling users to explore and experiment with ease.
By empowering businesses and industries, expanding the creative landscape for maker spaces, unleashing innovation, and creating opportunities for growth, Monport Laser is at the forefront of revolutionizing the laser engraving field.
Company: Monport Laser
Contact email: official@monportlaser.com
Pre-sales Phone: (+1)332-251-1208
Monport Laser Website: https://monportlaser.com/
Monport Adress: Monport Tech Inc. 300 LENORA ST 878, SEATTLE, WA, 98121-2411, UNITED STATES
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SOURCE Monport Laser | https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/monport-laser-unveils-new-gp-series-gi-series-fiber-lasers-redefine-precision-performance/ | 2023-07-31T04:45:29 | 0 | https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/monport-laser-unveils-new-gp-series-gi-series-fiber-lasers-redefine-precision-performance/ |
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A local citizen expressed his frustration after a field he contacted Fresno city officials about caught fire Sunday afternoon.
According to the Fresno City Fire Department, around 2 p.m. they responded to Herndon and Weber Avenues for a grassfire.
Fire officials say due to wind, the fire spread from the grass onto some outbuildings that were ultimately lost.
Fresno Fire advises the public to avoid these fires from occurring to trim their grass or contact the city to let them know of the hazard.
Resident Jose Velasquez whose home was next to the fire says he contacted code enforcement and the city months ago about the hazard the dry field posed but despite his efforts, he did not receive any response.
“I’ve called multitudes of times since April to get the field disced because I told them it was a fire hazard. I got no response from any of them. I’ve called my council member, got no response from them,” said Velasquez.
Now, Velasquez is getting ready to contact the mayor to address the issue as the sheds and supplies he used for his business are lost.
“I’m getting ready to contact the mayor himself to see if he can address this issue on why I have to deal with the fire and a deductible I have to pay to get it fixed… I’ve lost my business, I’ve lost supplies that I use,” he explained.
Velasquez continues by saying how this incident could have been avoided.
“I think the city can be more responsive to complaints or issues brought up by the citizens of the city. If they would do that, this would not have happened… They could’ve responded to this a long time ago and they chose not to,” he said.
The Fresno Fire Department is actively investigating the cause of the fire. | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/local-news/ive-lost-my-business-grass-fire-ignites-near-fresno-home/ | 2023-07-31T04:45:35 | 1 | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/local-news/ive-lost-my-business-grass-fire-ignites-near-fresno-home/ |
NANJING, China, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Nanjing Leads Biolabs Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Leads Biolabs" or "Company") announced today that the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have approved its first-in-human Investigational New Drug (IND) applications for LBL-034, an anti-GPRC5D/CD3 bispecific antibody invented by Leads Biolabs with global intellectual property rights, for the treatment of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. Currently, no GPRC5D-targeting antibody has been approved for marketing.
This is a first-in-human, single-arm, multicenter, open-label, dose-escalation and expansion clinical study, and plans to enroll patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma who have failed prior therapies including but not limited to at least one proteasome inhibitor (PI), one immunomodulator (IMiD) as well as other standard treatments. This study aims to evaluate the safety and tolerability of LBL-034, determine the recommended Phase II dose and assess its efficacy in patients with multiple myeloma.
"Despite recent progress and continuous advancements in multiple myeloma, the time between recurrences has been steadily decreasing, particularly as the number of treatment lines increases. This ultimately leads to emergence of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, reaffirming its status as an incurable malignant tumor that poses a serious threat to human life. In light of this challenging reality, the urgent need for more effective and innovative treatment options has never been more evident." said Dr. Charles Cai, Chief Medical Officer of Leads Biolabs, "LBL-034 adopts a unique molecular design, which enables the drug to specifically bind to GPRC5D-expressing tumor cells with high affinity, and reduces the risk of non-specific activation of T-cells, thereby enhancing anti-tumor efficacy and reducing potential risk of immunotoxicity. LBL-034 demonstrated robust anti-tumor activities and good safety profile in pre-clinical studies. We adhere to our tradition of innovation and aim to deliver an important, novel and effective treatment option for patients with poor prognosis of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma."
About GPRC5D:
G Protein-Coupled Receptor Class C Group 5 Member D (GPRC5D) is a C-type 7-channel transmembrane receptor protein. GPRC5D is low expressed in normal human tissues but specifically overexpressed in multiple myeloma. The intensity of GPRC5D expression is an independent prognostic factor in multiple myeloma, and its overexpression is significantly associated with reduced overall survival. Therefore, GPRC5D may be an important potential target for the treatment of plasma cell diseases such as multiple myeloma.
About multiple myeloma:
Multiple myeloma is a malignant plasma cell disease caused by abnormal proliferation of clonal plasma cells, accounting for 10-15% of hematologic malignancies and about 1.4% of all malignancies. It is the second most common hematological malignancy in adults after non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and mostly occurs in the elderly. According to the data released by the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of new cases and deaths of multiple myeloma worldwide in 2020 were 176,000 and 117,000 respectively, and the number of new cases and deaths of multiple myeloma in China were 21,000 and 16,000 respectively. Currently, multiple myeloma is still an incurable malignant tumor, and the five-year survival rate of patients is approximately 24.8% in China, 33.3% in Japan, and 46.7% in the United States. In recent years, with the successful development of proteasome inhibitors (PIs), immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs), selective nuclear output inhibitors, CD38-targeted antibodies, bispecific antibodies, and CAR-T cell therapies, the tumor response rate and survival prognosis have been significantly improved. However, multiple myeloma remains an unmet clinical need for more effective treatments.
About LBL-034:
LBL-034 is a humanized IgG1 subtype asymmetric bispecific antibody targeting both GPRC5D and CD3 and Leads Biolabs fully owns the worldwide intellectual property rights. LBL-034 induces T-cell-mediated killing of myeloma cells by redirecting CD3+ T-cells to myeloma cells expressing GPRC5D.
LBL-034 has the potential to be a transformative best-in-class GPRC5D-targeted immunotherapy for multiple myeloma. Clinical studies are planned to evaluate the safety and efficacy of LBL-034 in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.
Nanjing Leads Biolabs Co., Ltd. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company founded in Nanjing by a team of senior U.S.-trained antibody drug developers. Since 2014, Leads Biolabs has been dedicated to the discovery and development of novel antibody drugs with independent intellectual property rights for the treatment of oncology and other major diseases of high unmet medical needs, particularly the challenges in cancer immunotherapy. Our extensive R&D pipeline consist of more than twenty novel tumor immunotherapy molecules based on monoclonal and bispecific antibody technology platforms. Leads Biolabs is committed to providing safe, effective, accessible and affordable new drugs to address the unmet needs of patients around the world.
For more information, please visit: https://www.leadsbiolabs.com
Business contact: bd@leadsbiolabs.com
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SOURCE LEADS BIOLABS | https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/nmpa-fda-approved-first-in-human-clinical-trial-applications-evaluate-lbl-034-an-anti-gprc5dcd3-bispecific-antibody-developed-by-leads-biolabs-relapsedrefractory-multiple-myeloma/ | 2023-07-31T04:45:35 | 0 | https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/nmpa-fda-approved-first-in-human-clinical-trial-applications-evaluate-lbl-034-an-anti-gprc5dcd3-bispecific-antibody-developed-by-leads-biolabs-relapsedrefractory-multiple-myeloma/ |
Partnership adds cryptocurrency as a payment option for merchants using Optty's universal payment platform
SINGAPORE, July 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Optty, the world's first universal payments platform, today announced a new partnership with Triple-A, a licensed crypto payment gateway, to add cryptocurrency as a payment option on the platform. As the central hub connecting and streamlining a robust global network of Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) providers, this milestone marks the launch of Optty's sixth payment architecture, further expanding viable payment options for merchants and convenience for their end customers.
Sign-up and integration with Optty is free. To get started, please visit: https://www.optty.com/merchant-account
"As the world's first true universal payments platform, Optty is agnostic and supportive of payments inclusion, a unique position that is designed to help retailers offer more choice than ever at checkout," said Natasha Zurnamer, CEO and founder of Optty. "With one simplified integration, not only can retailers access over 90 BNPLs and local payment methods in over 120 countries — they can now switch on crypto payments, a natural progression in our aim to simplify payments for retailers all over the world."
The first crypto payment gateway to be licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore, Triple-A is also licensed in Europe, through Banque de France's ACPR, and registered with the United States Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). Through the collaboration with Triple-A's white label crypto payment gateway, Optty enables retailers and merchants to offer a wide range of payment methods. This allows them to test and learn which payment types best resonate with their customers.
Tapping into diverse consumer payment preferences
With Optty's vast global network of gateways that license the company's unique payment stacks, merchants and retailers can now leverage Triple-A's gateway to accept cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Tether (USDT), and USD Coin (USDC). Triple-A's crypto payment gateway is compatible with all crypto wallets, allowing customers to make hassle-free payments using their preferred wallet.
Through real-time crypto-to-fiat conversions facilitated by Triple-A, retailers can receive payments in cryptocurrencies without the need to manage them on their balance sheets and constantly monitor fluctuating exchange rates. Retailers enjoy next-day local currency bank settlements in 50+ currencies, enabling quick access to funds in their preferred currency. Additionally, businesses have the option to offer their customers the convenience of paying through Binance Pay.
Optty already offers Buy Now Pay Later, Debit and Credit, Digital Wallets, Peer to Peer payments, and bank transfer options, and the addition of crypto enables merchants to tap into the spending power of 420 million crypto owners worldwide. Optty plans to further expand payment architectures to a total of nine by the end of 2023.
"We are excited to partner with Optty and bring crypto payments to their merchants," said Eric Barbier, CEO of Triple-A. "This collaboration will help merchants take advantage of the growing demand for cryptocurrency payments, without the hassle of managing crypto assets on their balance sheets."
Disruption through simplification
Previously, retailers and merchants would need to spend a great deal of time and money on complex, one-by-one payment integration processes. Optty changed all this by eliminating it, revolutionizing the way merchants access payments methods globally. Available across ecommerce, IVR, and in-store, it is a true PaaS that offers retailers a simplified integration while providing a seamless and direct commercial partnership channel, enabling an application process with every payment provider in the solution.
About Optty
As a PaaS, Optty is the world's first true universal payments platform that integrates over 90 installment (BNPL) brands — more than any other existing single integration solution globally — and offers six payment architectures, soon to be nine by the end of 2023. Its payments-, partner- and channel-agnostic approach delivers wide payments connectivity globally to schemes, acquirers, gateways and retailers alike and offers a full white-label, customisable interface with hierarchy built in for network expansion ease.
For more information, please visit: https://www.optty.com/
About Triple-A
Triple-A is a licensed crypto payment gateway that helps businesses increase their revenue by enabling crypto payments and payouts, giving them access to the spending power of the fast-growing 420m+ cryptocurrency users.
Triple-A's white label crypto payments solutions allow businesses from all industries to leverage the benefits of the growing crypto market without being exposed to volatility risk or having to handle or convert digital currencies. Their solutions are compatible with all wallets, easy to integrate and offer instant confirmation, locked-in exchange rates and chargeback protection.
Licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and trusted by over 15,000 businesses, Triple-A makes accepting crypto payments simple for businesses across the globe.
For more information, please visit https://triple-a.io/.
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SOURCE Optty | https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/optty-partners-with-triple-a-expand-payment-architectures-into-cryptocurrencies/ | 2023-07-31T04:45:42 | 0 | https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/optty-partners-with-triple-a-expand-payment-architectures-into-cryptocurrencies/ |
More experienced principals leave the profession at higher rates
WASHINGTON, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Roughly 1 in 10 (11 percent) public school principals left the profession between the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years, according to data from the National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS) released today by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the statistical center within the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES).
"Principal attrition is higher in public schools than it was 5 years ago, and veteran public school leaders with more years of experience leave the profession at higher rates than those with less experience," said NCES Commissioner Peggy G. Carr. "Principals are critical supports for a school's teachers and learners, and the country needs leaders in every school who are committed to the success of each student. These data are a valuable snapshot for those at the district and state levels who must address the issue of principal turnover in their schools."
Approximately 80 percent of 2020-21 public school principals remained at the same school one year later ("stayers"), which was lower than the percentage of 2016-17 public school principals who were still at their school 1 year later (82 percent). Six percent of 2020-21 public school principals moved to a different school ("movers"), and 11 percent left the principalship ("leavers"). For private school principals in 2020-21, approximately 83 percent remained at the same school during the following school year, 2 percent moved to a different school, and 10 percent left the principalship.
Additionally, among 2020-21 public school principals who somewhat or strongly agreed they would leave the principalship as soon as possible if they could get a higher paying job (about 25 percent), approximately 73 percent stayed the following school year, while about 15 percent left the profession.
"These data are critical to understanding patterns of principal attrition," said NCES Associate Commissioner Chris Chapman. "We are able to observe how principal attrition has changed over the years, as well as how principal attrition and mobility vary based on characteristics of the principals and their schools."
The report released today includes selected findings from the Principal Follow-up Survey (PFS), a longitudinal component of the National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS), which is a nationally representative survey of public and private K-12 schools, principals, and teachers in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Data were collected from January 2022 through June 2022. The sample included about 6,500 public school principals and about 1,800 private school principals, for a total sample size of about 8,300 principals.
The data were collected as a follow-up to the 2020-21 NTPS to provide attrition and mobility information about principals in K-12 public and private schools. The purpose was to ascertain how many principals from the 2020-21 school year still worked as a principal in the same school 1 year later ("stayer"), how many had moved to become a principal in another school ("mover"), and how many were no longer working as a principal ("leaver").
Key Findings
- Of all public school principals in 2020-21, 11 percent left the profession by the 2021-22 school year. This was higher than in 2016-17, when 10 percent of all public school principals had left the profession since 2015-16, but not measurably different from the 2012-13 school year, when 12 percent of all public school principals had left the profession since the previous school year, or from 2008-09, when 12 percent of all public schools had left the profession since the previous school year.
- Of all public school principals in 2020-21 with more than 10 years of experience as a principal at any school, 15 percent left the profession by the 2021-22 school year. Of those principals with 10 years or more experience as a principal in their current school, 16 percent left the profession.
- A higher percentage of school principals 55 years of age or older left the profession compared to principals between 45-54 years of age.
- Among the 9 percent of 2020-21 public school principals with a salary of less than $75,000, 76 percent remained at the same school during the 2021–22 school year, 7 percent moved to a different school, and 13 percent left the principalship.
- Among the 33 percent of 2020-21 public school principals with a salary of $115,000 or more, 81 percent remained at the same school during the 2021-22 school year, 6 percent moved to a different school, and 10 percent left the principalship.
- Among the 62 percent of 2020-21 private school principals with a salary of less than $75,000, 81 percent remained at the same school during the 2021-22 school year, 3 percent moved to a different school, and 10 percent left the principalship.
- Among the 13 percent of 2020-21 private school principals with a salary of $115,000 or more, 85 percent remained at the same school during the 2021-22 school year, 3 percent moved to a different school, and 8 percent left the principalship.
The National Center for Education Statistics, a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, is the statistical center of the U.S. Department of Education and the primary federal entity for collecting and analyzing data related to education in the U.S. and other nations. NCES fulfills a congressional mandate to collect, collate, analyze, and report complete statistics on the condition and progress of American education; conduct and publish reports; and review and report on education activities internationally.
Follow NCES on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube and subscribe to the NCES Newsflash to receive email notifications when new data is released.
The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) is the independent and nonpartisan statistics, research, and evaluation arm of the U.S. Department of Education. Its mission is to provide scientific evidence on which to ground education practice and policy and to share this information in formats that are useful and accessible to educators, parents, policymakers, researchers, and the public.
CONTACT: Josh Delarosa, National Center for Education Statistics, ARIS.NCES@ed.gov
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SOURCE National Center for Education Statistics | https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/roughly-one-ten-public-school-principals-left-profession-2021-22-school-year/ | 2023-07-31T04:45:49 | 0 | https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/roughly-one-ten-public-school-principals-left-profession-2021-22-school-year/ |
As work begins on the largest US dam removal project, tribes look to a future of growth
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The largest dam removal project in United States history is underway along the California-Oregon border — a process that won’t conclude until the end of next year with the help of heavy machinery and explosives.
But in some ways, removing the dams is the easy part. The hard part will come over the next decade as workers, partnering with Native American tribes, plant and monitor nearly 17 billion seeds as they try to restore the Klamath River and the surrounding land to what it looked like before the dams started to go up more than a century ago.
The demolition is part of a national movement to return the natural flow of the nation’s rivers and restore habitat for fish and the ecosystems that sustain other wildlife. More than 2,000 dams have been removed in the U.S. as of February, with the bulk of those having come down within the last 25 years, according to the advocacy group American Rivers.
The removal of four hydroelectric dams along the Klamath River is the movement’s greatest triumph and its greatest challenge. When demolition is completed by the end of next year, more than 400 miles (644 kilometers) of river will have opened for threatened species of fish and other wildlife. By comparison, the 65 dams removed in the U.S. last year combined to reconnect 430 miles (692 kilometers) of river.
The project will empty three reservoirs over about 3.5 square miles (9 square kilometers) near the California-Oregon border, exposing soil to sunlight in some places for the first time in more than a century.
For the past five years, Native American tribes have gathered seeds by hand and sent them to nurseries with plans to sow the seeds along the banks of the newly wild river. Helicopters will bring in hundreds of thousands of trees and shrubs to plant along the banks, including wads of tree roots to create habitat for fish.
This growth usually takes decades to happen naturally. But officials are pressing nature’s fast-forward button because they hope to repel an invasion of foreign plants, such as starthistle, which dominate the landscape at the expense of native plants.
“Why not just let nature take its course? Well, nature didn’t take its course when dams got put in. We can’t pretend this gigantic change in the landscape has not happened and we can’t just ignore the fact that invasive species are a big problem in the west and in California,” said Dave Meurer, director of community affairs for Resource Environmental Solutions, the company leading the restoration project. “Our goal is to give nature a head start.”
A power company, known today as PacifiCorp, built the dams starting in 1918 to generate electricity. The dams halted the natural flow of the river and disrupted the lifecycle of salmon, a fish that spends most of its life in the Pacific Ocean but returns to the chilly mountain streams to lay eggs. The fish are culturally and spiritually significant to a number of Native American tribes, who historically survived by fishing the massive runs of salmon that would come back to the rivers each year.
A combination of low water levels and warm temperatures in 2002 led to a bacterial outbreak that killed more than 34,000 fish, mostly Chinook salmon. The loss jumpstarted decades of advocacy from Native American tribes and environmental groups, culminating last year when federal regulators approved a plan to remove the dams.
“The river is our church, the salmon is our cross. That’s how it relates to the people. So it’s very sacred to us,” said Kenneth Brink, vice chairman of the Karuk Tribe. “The river is not just a place we go to swim. It’s life. It creates everything for our people.”
The project will cost $500 million, paid for by taxpayers and PacifiCorps ratepayers. Crews have mostly removed the smallest of the four dams, known as Copco No. 2. The other three dams are expected to come down next year after the reservoirs behind them are drained. That will leave some homeowners in the area without the picturesque lake they have lived on for years.
The Siskiyou County Water Users Association, which formed about a decade ago to stop the dam removal project, filed a federal lawsuit. But so far they have been unable to stop the demolition.
“I think it’s a huge mistake,” association President Richard Marshall said. “Unfortunately it’s a mistake you can’t turn back from.”
The water level in the lakes will drop between 3 feet and 5 feet (1 meter to 1.5 meters) per day over the first few months of next year. Crews will follow that water line, taking advantage of the moisture in the soil to plant seeds from more than 98 native plant species including wooly sunflower, Idaho fescue and Blue bunch wheat grass.
Tribes have been invested in the process from the start. Resource Environmental Solutions hired tribal members to gather seeds from native plants by hand. The Yurok Tribe even hired a restoration botanist.
Each species has a role to play. Some, like lupine, grow quickly and prepare the soil for other plants. Others, like oak trees, take years to fully mature and provide shade for other plants.
“It’s a wonderful marriage of tribal traditional ecological knowledge and western science,” said Mark Bransom, CEO of the Klamath River Renewal Corporation, the nonprofit entity created to oversee the project.
The previous largest dam removal project was on Washington state’s Elwha River, which flows out of Olympic National Park into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Congress in 1992 approved the demolition of the two dams on the river constructed in the early 1900s. After two decades of planning, workers finished removing them in 2014, opening about 70 miles (113 kilometers) of habitat for salmon and steelhead.
Biologists say it will take at least a generation for the river to recover, but within months of the dams being removed, salmon were already recolonizing sections of the river they had not accessed in more than a century. The Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, which has been closely involved in restoration work, is opening a limited subsistence fishery this fall for coho salmon, its first since the dams came down.
Brink, the Karuk Tribe vice chair, hopes similar success will happen on the Klamath River. Multiple times per year, Brink and other tribal members participate in ceremonial salmon fishing using handheld nets. In many years, there have been no fish to catch, he said.
“When the river gets to flow freely again, the people can also begin to worship freely again,” he said.
___
Associated Press writer Eugene Johnson in Seattle contributed.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/business-news/as-work-begins-on-the-largest-us-dam-removal-project-tribes-look-to-a-future-of-growth/ | 2023-07-31T04:47:33 | 1 | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/business-news/as-work-begins-on-the-largest-us-dam-removal-project-tribes-look-to-a-future-of-growth/ |
Erratic winds challenge firefighters battling two major California blazes
MOJAVE NATIONAL PRESERVE, Calif. (AP) — A massive wildfire burning out of control in California’s Mojave National Preserve was spreading rapidly amid erratic winds, while firefighters reported progress against another major blaze to the southwest that prompted evacuations.
The York Fire that erupted Friday near the remote Caruthers Canyon area of the vast wildland preserve crossed the state line into Nevada on Sunday and sent smoke further east into the Las Vegas Valley.
Wind-driven flames 20 feet (6 meters) high in some spots charred more than 110 square miles (284 square kilometers) of desert scrub, juniper and Joshua tree woodland, according to an incident update. There was zero containment.
“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,” the update said. No structures were threatened.
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 community of Aguanga that is home to horse ranches and wineries.
Gusty winds and the chance of thunderstorms into Monday will heighten the risk of renewed growth, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said in a statement.
One firefighter was injured in the blaze, which was 5% contained.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wsaz.com/2023/07/31/erratic-winds-challenge-firefighters-battling-two-major-california-blazes/ | 2023-07-31T04:47:38 | 0 | https://www.wsaz.com/2023/07/31/erratic-winds-challenge-firefighters-battling-two-major-california-blazes/ |
Blue blood from horseshoe crabs is valuable for medicine, but a declining bird needs them for food
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A primordial sea animal that lives on the tidal mudflats of the East Coast and serves as a linchpin for the production of vital medicines stands to benefit from new protective standards.
But conservationists who have been trying for years to save a declining bird species — the red knot — that depends on horseshoe crabs fear the protections still don’t go far enough.
Drug and medical device makers are dependent on the valuable blue blood of the crabs — helmet-shaped invertebrates that have scuttled in the ocean and tidal pools for more than 400 million years — to test for potentially dangerous impurities. The animals are drained of some of their blood and returned to the environment, but many die from the bleeding.
Recent revisions to guidelines for handling the animals should keep more alive through the process, regulators said. The animals — not really true crabs but rather more closely related to land-dwelling invertebrates such as spiders and scorpions — are declining in some of their East Coast range.
“They were here before the dinosaurs,” said Glenn Gauvry, president of Ecological Research & Development Group, a Delaware-based nonprofit that advocates for horseshoe crab conservation. “And they’re having problems because the new kids on the block, us, haven’t learned to appreciate the elders.”
The harvest of horseshoe crabs, which are also caught for bait in the commercial fishing industry, has emerged as a critical issue for conservationists in recent years because of the creature’s role in coastal ecosystems. The crabs’ eggs are vitally important food for a declining subspecies of a bird called the red knot — a rust-colored, migratory shorebird listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
The birds, which migrate some 19,000 miles (30,577 kilometers) roundtrip from South America to Canada and must stop to eat along the way, need stronger protection of horseshoe crabs to survive, said Bethany Kraft, senior director for coastal conservation with the Audubon Society. Kraft and other wildlife advocates said the fact the guidelines for handling crabs are voluntary and not mandatory leaves the red knot at risk.
“Making sure there is enough to fuel these birds on this massive, insanely long flight is just critical,” Kraft said. “There’s very clear linkage between horseshoe crabs and the survival of the red knot in the coming decades.”
The horseshoe crabs are valuable because their blood can be manufactured into limulus amebocyte lysate, or LAL, that is used to detect pathogens in indispensable medicines such as injectable antibiotics. The crabs are collected by fishermen by hand or via trawlers for use by biomedical companies, then their blood is separated and proteins within their white blood cells are processed. It takes dozens of the crabs to produce enough blood to fill a single glass tube with its blood, which contains immune cells sensitive to bacteria.
There are only five federally licensed manufacturers on the East Coast that process horseshoe crab blood. The blood is often described by activist groups as worth $15,000 a quart (liter), though some members of the industry say that figure is impossible to verify.
Regulators estimate about 15% of the crabs die in the bleeding process. In 2021, that meant about 112,000 crabs died, said Caitlin Starks, a senior fishery management plan coordinator with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. The bait fishery for horseshoe crabs, which are used as bait for eels and sea snails, killed more than six times that, she said.
Still, the fisheries commission in May approved new best management practices for the biomedical industry’s harvesting and handling of the crabs. Those include minimizing exposure to sunlight and keeping crabs cool and moist, Starks said.
“The goal is to give the crabs that are bled a better chance of surviving and contributing to the ecosystem after they are released,” she said.
That’s exactly what the new guidelines will do, said Nora Blair, quality operations manager with Charles River Laboratories, one of the companies that manufactures LAL from horseshoe crab blood. Blair was a member of a working group that crafted the updated guidelines alongside other industry members, conservationists, fishery managers, fishermen and others.
Blair said the industry is working toward a synthetic alternative — an outcome conservationists have been pushing for years. However, for now the wild harvest of horseshoe crabs remains critically important to drug safety, Blair said.
“The critical role of horseshoe crab in the biopharmaceutical supply chain and coastal ecosystem makes their conservation imperative,” he said.
The Atlantic horseshoe crab, the species harvested on the East Coast, ranges from the Gulf of Maine to Florida. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the species as being “vulnerable” based on a 2016 assessment.
One of the most important ecosystems for horseshoe crabs is the Delaware Bay, an estuary of the Delaware River between Delaware and New Jersey. The bay is where the crabs breed and the red knots feed.
The density of horseshoe crab eggs in the bay is nowhere near what it was in the 1990s, said Lawrence Niles, an independent wildlife biologist who once headed New Jersey’s state endangered species program. Meanwhile, the population of the rufa red knot, the threatened subspecies, has declined by 75% since the 1980s, according to the National Park Service.
The birds need meaningful protection of horseshoe crab eggs to be able to recover, Niles said. He tracks the health of red knots and horseshoe crabs and has organized a group called Horseshoe Crab Recovery Coalition to advocate for conservation measures.
Niles and volunteers he organizes have been counting the horseshoe crab eggs since the 1980s and tagging birds since the 1990s. In mid-June, as he was wrapping up this year’s tracking in southern New Jersey, he described the eggs as “good and consistent” through the month.
“What we want is the harvest to stop, the killing to stop, and let the stock rebuild to its carrying capacity,” Niles said.
The horseshoe crabs have been harvested for use as bait and medicine from Florida to Maine over the years, though the largest harvests are in Maryland, Delaware, Massachusetts and Virginia. According to federal fishery statistics, the crabs were worth about $1.1 million in total at the docks in 2021.
That figure is dwarfed by seafood species such as lobsters and scallops, which are routinely worth hundreds of millions of dollars. However, horseshoe crab fishers are dedicated stewards of a fishery that supplies a vital product, said George Topping, a Maryland fisherman.
“Everything you do in life comes from horseshoe crab blood. Vaccines, antibiotics,” he said. “The horseshoe crab stocks are healthy.”
___
Associated Press photographer Matt Rourke in Pickering Beach, Delaware, and video journalist Rodrique Ngowi in Middle Township, N.J., contributed to this report.
___
Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP’s climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/business-news/blue-blood-from-horseshoe-crabs-is-valuable-for-medicine-but-a-declining-bird-needs-them-for-food/ | 2023-07-31T04:47:39 | 0 | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/business-news/blue-blood-from-horseshoe-crabs-is-valuable-for-medicine-but-a-declining-bird-needs-them-for-food/ |
China factory activity shrinks in July, adding to pressure to reverse economic slump
BEIJING (AP) — Chinese factory activity contracted in July as export orders shrank, a survey showed Monday, adding to pressure on the ruling Communist Party to reverse an economic slowdown.
A purchasing managers’ index issued by the national statistics agency and an industry group improved to 49.3 from June’s 49 on a 100-point scale but was below the 50-point level that shows activity contracting.
“China’s manufacturing PMI remained in contraction, albeit a softer pace, as the drag from the external sector deepened,” Erin Xin of HSBC said in a report. That puts “more pressure on Beijing to support growth through both fiscal and monetary measures.”
Chinese leaders are trying to revive economic activity by promising to support entrepreneurs who generate jobs and wealth. But they have yet to give details possible tax cuts or spending and have avoided announcing a large-scale stimulus.
Demand for Chinese exports weakened after U.S. and European interest rates were raised to cool record-breaking inflation. At home, consumers are uneasy about possible job losses and are putting off big purchases. Real estate sales, an economic engine, are weak after the government tightened control on the industry’s use of debt.
An index of export orders weakened to 46.3 from June’s 46.4, well below the 50-point contraction level, according to the statistics bureau and the China Federation of Logistics & Purchasing.
Economic growth slid to 0.8% over the previous quarter in the three months ending in June from 2.2% in the January-March period. That is equal to annual growth of 3.2%, which would be among China’s weakest in decades.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/business-news/china-factory-activity-shrinks-in-july-adding-to-pressure-to-reverse-economic-slump/ | 2023-07-31T04:47:45 | 0 | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/business-news/china-factory-activity-shrinks-in-july-adding-to-pressure-to-reverse-economic-slump/ |
Skepticism prevails as Chinese leaders promise to back private businesses to spur slowing economy
BEIJING (AP) — The Fangbiaogan Real Estate Agency in the southern city of Nanning is still waiting for China’s post-COVID rebound.
Home sales are 30-40% below last year’s depressed level after the economy barely grew in the latest quarter, according to the owner, who would give only his surname, Cai. He has cut staff by 80% to 40 employees. Their income from sales commissions has fallen as much as 90%.
“People are worried,” said Cai. “They feel safer holding onto their savings instead of spending them.”
Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s government is making ambitious promises to drag the economy out of that crisis of confidence aggravated by tension with Washington, wilting exports, job losses and anxiety among foreign companies about an expanded anti-spying law.
Its most striking pledge: To support entrepreneurs who generate jobs and wealth but have felt under attack over the past decade as the ruling Communist Party built up state-owned industry, tightened control over business and pressured them to pay for its technology and industrial ambitions.
China has an “urgent need” to “boost confidence in the outlook for the private economy,” the Cabinet said in a July 19 announcement.
Entrepreneurs and investors are waiting to see what tax, spending or other steps the ruling party might take — and whether it will rein in state companies that dominate banking, energy and other industries and that economists say are stifling growth.
The ruling party took action after the economy grew by just 0.8% in the three months ending in June from the previous quarter, down from 2.2% growth in January-March. That is equal to a 3.2% annual rate, among China’s weakest in decades.
With households anxious about possible job losses, retail sales growth slid to 3.1% in June from the previous month’s 12.7%.
“Policymakers have underestimated the difficulty in boosting the confidence of households and private companies,” Macquarie economists Larry Hu and Yuxiao Zhang said in a report. China needs a “reset in macro and regulatory policies to make them more pro-growth and pro-business,” they said.
The ruling party’s Politburo followed up on July 24 with a statement promising to shore up economic growth and support real estate, which has struggled since Beijing clamped down on debt levels in China’s biggest industry. Stock markets in Hong Kong and China surged on the news but fell back as investors waited to see what Beijing might do.
“I’ve seen lots of policies like this, but none were carried out,” said Cai, the real estate broker.
China’s leaders want the prosperity generated by free enterprise but also are requiring businesses to invest in political initiatives that include developing computer chips and narrowing the wealth gap between China’s elite and the poor majority. Regulators shut down an internet-based tutoring industry and imposed limits on children playing online games.
Skeptical businesspeople and economists expect little more than fine-tuning.
“We doubt this marks a fundamental shift in the way that the leadership views the role of private firms,” Julian Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economics said in a report.
The country’s No. 2 leader, Premier Li Qiang, and Cabinet ministers spent the first half of this year meeting visiting CEOs including Apple Inc.’s Tim Cook and Elon Musk of Tesla Ltd. in a charm offensive aimed at reviving investor interest.
Despite that, foreign companies are on edge following unexplained raids on two consulting firms and a due diligence firm. The expansion of an anti-spying law and a push for self-reliance in technology also are seen as risks. Foreign investment into China fell 2.7% from a year earlier in the first half of 2023, according to official data.
A survey by the British Chamber of Commerce in China found 70% of foreign companies want “greater clarity” before making new investments. The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China said its members are shifting investments to Southeast Asia and other targets.
Exports in June fell 12.% from a year earlier after interest rate hikes to cool inflation dampened U.S. and European consumer demand.
A furniture dealer in the central city of Taiyuan said her sales were down 20-30% compared with during the pandemic. The merchant, who would give only her family name, Ma, said her customers are salaried urban workers who still were recovering from anti-virus measures that shut down companies.
“We have lost money so far this year,” said Ma, who was unaware of the ruling party’s promise of support.
An official survey found unemployment among young people in cities spiked to a record 21.3% in June.
A researcher at Peking University, Zhang Dandan, wrote in the business news magazine Caixin the true rate might be almost 50% if young people who are paid by parents to work around the house while they try to find other jobs or have given up looking are included.
The party’s decision to reverse one of its signature policies and ease controls imposed in 2020 to rein in surging debt in real estate reflect the urgency of the problem. Those curbs triggered a wave of hundreds of bankruptcies among developers and dragged on business activity.
Still, the property industry’s problems persist. Developers have renegotiated payments to banks and bondholders, but financial analysts say they face another cash crunch if sales fail to pick up. The biggest, Evergrande Group, still is trying to resolve more than $300 billion in debt.
Tech tycoon Ma Huateng, the publicity-shy co-founder of games and social media giant Tencent Holding, broke his media silence and issued a statement praising the July 19 announcement as a “clear and in-depth understanding” of challenges for entrepreneurs.
Tencent, operator of the popular WeChat message service, is a target of anti-monopoly and data security crackdowns launched by Beijing in 2020 to tighten control over tech industries. Its share price has fallen by half, wiping out more than $400 billion in stock market value.
The statement “raised earnest expectations for high-quality development of private enterprises,” Ma wrote on a state TV blog.
The party has tried to shift money to the public by pressuring successful companies including e-commerce giant Alibaba Group to raise wages and reduce charges. But the party has avoided giving money straight to households through Western-style social welfare programs.
The chief economist of state-owned Bank of China International Ltd. suggested a politically sensitive alternative: Hand ownership of state-owned companies that are the core of the ruling party’s strategic plans to the Chinese public.
Their dividends would “create wealth effects for residents, stimulating increased income and consumption,” Xu Gao wrote in a commentary published by a Beijing think tank, the Center for China and Globalization.
The party has given no sign it might consider that. It has not clarified the status of law and consulting firms and other companies under the anti-spying rules, which have left many uncertain about whether gathering information on business conditions is prohibited.
Another risk factor: More abrupt policy changes as Xi, China’s most powerful leader in decades, pursues his economic, social and strategic ambitions.
“There is little to prevent private firms from being targeted again down the road,” said Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economics.
___
AP researcher Yu Bing contributed.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/business-news/skepticism-prevails-as-chinese-leaders-promise-to-back-private-businesses-to-spur-slowing-economy/ | 2023-07-31T04:47:52 | 1 | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/business-news/skepticism-prevails-as-chinese-leaders-promise-to-back-private-businesses-to-spur-slowing-economy/ |
Stock market today: Asia shares gain after Wall St rally as investors pin hopes on China stimulus
BANGKOK (AP) — Shares were mostly higher in Asia on Monday after Wall Street got back to climbing following more encouraging profit reports and the latest signal that inflation is loosening its chokehold on the economy.
Sentiment also has been boosted by revived hopes for more stimulus from Beijing for the sluggish Chinese economy. Chinese factory activity contracted in July as export orders shrank, a survey showed, adding to pressure on the ruling Communist Party to reverse an economic slowdown.
A purchasing managers’ index issued by the national statistics agency and an industry group improved to 49.3 from June’s 49 on a 100-point scale but was below the 50-point level that shows activity contracting.
“The PMI surveys suggest that China’s economic recovery continued to lose momentum in July,” Julian Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economics said in a commentary. “Looking forward, policy support is needed to prevent China’s economy from slipping into a recession, not least because external headwinds look set to persist for a while longer.”
The Hang Seng in Hong Kong rose 1.5% to 20,208.78 while the Shanghai Composite index advanced 0.6% to 3,296.58.
Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 index was up 1.1% at 33,133.39. In Seoul, the Kospi climbed 0.7% to 2,626.86.
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 edged 0.1% lower, to 7,399.00 and the SET in Bangkok was up 0.6%. The Sensex in India was little changed.
On Friday, the S&P 500 rose 1% to 4,582.23, closing out its ninth winning week in the last 11. The Dow added 0.5% to 35,459.29 and the Nasdaq climbed 1.9% to 14,316.66 as Big Tech stocks led the market.
Stocks have been rising recently on hopes high inflation is cooling enough to get the Federal Reserve to stop hiking interest rates. That in turn could allow the economy to continue growing and avoid a long-predicted recession.
A report on Friday bolstered those hopes, saying the inflation measure the Fed prefers to use slowed last month by a touch more than expected. Perhaps just as importantly, data also showed that total compensation for workers rose less than expected during the spring. While that’s discouraging for workers looking for bigger raises, investors see it adding less upward pressure on inflation.
The hope among traders is that the slowdown in inflation means Wednesday’s hike to interest rates on by the Federal Reserve will be the final one of this cycle. The federal funds rate has leaped to a level between 5.25% and 5.50%, up from virtually zero early last year. High interest rates work to lower inflation by slowing the entire economy and hurting prices for stocks and other investments.
Though critics say the stock market’s rally may have gone too far, too fast, hopes for a halt to rate hikes helped technology stocks and others seen as big beneficiaries from easier rates to rally and lead the market Friday.
Microsoft, Apple and Amazon each rose at least 1.4% and were the three strongest forces pushing upward on the S&P 500.
Companies also continued to deliver stronger profits for the spring than analysts expected. Roughly halfway through the earnings season, more companies than usual are topping profit forecasts, according to FactSet.
Intel rose 6.6% after reporting a profit for the latest quarter, when analysts were expecting a loss.
Food giant Mondelez International climbed 3.7% after reporting stronger results for the spring than expected. The company behind Oreo and Ritz also raised its forecasts for financial results for the full year.
In other trading on Monday, U.S. benchmark crude oil gave up 42 cents to $80.16 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It gained 49 cents to $80.58 on Friday.
Brent crude, the international standard, shed 47 cents to $83.94 a barrel.
The U.S. dollar rose to 141.87 Japanese yen from Friday’s 141.01 yen. The euro slipped to $1.1012 from $1.1019. ___
AP Business Writer Joe McDonald in Beijing contributed.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/business-news/stock-market-today-asia-shares-gain-after-wall-st-rally-as-investors-pin-hopes-on-china-stimulus/ | 2023-07-31T04:47:58 | 1 | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/business-news/stock-market-today-asia-shares-gain-after-wall-st-rally-as-investors-pin-hopes-on-china-stimulus/ |
(ABC 6 News)- The high school girls soccer team in Albert Lea held a car wash to raise money for the upcoming season.
The money made from the carwash goes to the team for things like transportation and new gear.
They said the turnout was amazing and they raised just over $2,000. | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/car-wash-for-albert-lea-soccer-team/ | 2023-07-31T04:48:04 | 1 | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/car-wash-for-albert-lea-soccer-team/ |
Community in Rochester for people who are ‘bored’
(ABC 6 News) – If you’re struggling trying to figure how to spend your free time, or looking for something fun to do, a group in Rochester could be your answer.
The Rochester Bored Humans Association was started in 2019 but really gained traction in the summer of 2020.
The purpose is for individuals to meet up and connect with each other.
Members communicate through a discord server where they plan activities and it’s still growing.
“The first month or two we had about 200 or 300 people, by the end of 2022 we had 1,000 people and then as of today we have about 1,500,” RBHA founder Alex Glandville said.
The discord is free and open for anyone interested.
If you want to learn more about RBHA or even join the discord, click HERE. | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/community-in-rochester-for-people-who-are-bored/ | 2023-07-31T04:48:10 | 0 | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/community-in-rochester-for-people-who-are-bored/ |
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RGV FC has two players sent off in 2-1 loss to FC Tulsa
TULSA, Oklahoma (Friday, July 21, 2023) – Rio Grande Valley FC (5-6-9) snapped their unbeaten streak as they dropped the match at FC Tulsa (7-7-7) 2-1...
Weslaco Intermediate All-Star Headed to Little League Regional Tournament
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Weslaco Intermediate All-Star Headed to Little League Regional Tournament
Weslaco All-Stars competing at Southwest Regional Tournament in Sugarland | https://www.krgv.com/videos/thursday-s-weather-6-p-m-10 | 2023-07-31T04:48:19 | 1 | https://www.krgv.com/videos/thursday-s-weather-6-p-m-10 |
Mar-a-Lago worker charged in Trump’s classified documents case to make first court appearance
MIAMI (AP) — An employee of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, Carlos De Oliveira, is expected to make his first court appearance Monday on charges accusing him of scheming with the former president to hide security footage from investigators probing Trump’s hoarding of classified documents.
De Oliveira, Mar-a-Lago’s property manager, was added last week to the indictment with Trump and the former president’s valet, Walt Nauta, in the federal case alleging a plot to illegally keep top-secret records at Trump’s Florida estate and thwart government efforts to retrieve them.
De Oliveira faces charges including conspiracy to obstruct justice and lying to investigators. He’s scheduled to appear before a magistrate judge in Miami nearly two months after Trump pleaded not guilty in the case brought by special counsel Jack Smith.
The developments in the classified documents case come as Trump braces for possible charges in another federal investigation into his efforts to cling to power after he lost the 2020 election. Trump has received a letter from Smith indicating that he is a target of that investigation, and Trump’s lawyers met with Smith’s team last week.
An attorney for De Oliveira declined last week to comment on the allegations. Trump has denied any wrongdoing and said the Mar-a-Lago security tapes were voluntarily handed over to investigators. Trump posted on his Truth Social platform last week that he was told the tapes were not “deleted in any way, shape or form.”
Prosecutors have not alleged that security footage was actually deleted or kept from investigators.
Nauta has also pleaded not guilty. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon had previously scheduled the trial of Trump and Nauta to begin in May, and it’s unclear whether the addition of De Oliveira to the case may impact the case’s timeline.
The latest indictment, unsealed on Thursday, alleges that Trump tried to have security footage deleted after investigators visited in June 2022 to collect classified documents Trump took with him after he left the White House.
Trump was already facing dozens of felony counts — including willful retention of notional defense information — stemming from allegations that he mishandled government secrets that as commander-in-chief he was entrusted to protect. Experts have said the new allegations bolster the special counsel’s case and deepen the former president’s legal jeopardy.
Video from Mar-a-Lago would ultimately become vital to the government’s case because, prosecutors said, it shows Nauta moving boxes in and out of a storage room — an act alleged to have been done at Trump’s direction and in effort to hide records not only only from investigators but Trump’s own lawyers.
Days after the Justice Department sent a subpoena for video footage at Mar-a-Lago to the Trump Organization in June 2022, prosecutors say De Oliveira asked a information technology staffer how long the server retained footage and told the employee “the boss” wanted it deleted. When the employee said he didn’t believe he was able to do that, De Oliveira insisted the “boss” wanted it done, asking, “What are we going to do?”
Shortly after the FBI searched Mar-a-Lago and found classified records in the storage room and Trump’s office, prosecutors say Nauta called a Trump employee and said words to the effect of, “someone just wants to make sure Carlos is good.” The indictment says the employee responded that De Oliveira was loyal and wouldn’t do anything to affect his relationship with Trump. That same day, the indictment alleges, Trump called De Oliveira directly to say that he would get De Oliveira an attorney.
Prosecutors allege that De Oliveira later lied in interviews with investigators, falsely claiming that he hadn’t even seen boxes moved into Mar-a-Lago after Trump left the White House.
____
Richer reported from Boston.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/political-news/mar-a-lago-worker-charged-in-trumps-classified-documents-case-to-make-first-court-appearance/ | 2023-07-31T04:48:33 | 0 | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/political-news/mar-a-lago-worker-charged-in-trumps-classified-documents-case-to-make-first-court-appearance/ |
Trump could be indicted soon in Georgia. Here’s a look at that investigation
ATLANTA (AP) — A Georgia prosecutor is expected to seek a grand jury indictment in the coming weeks in her investigation into efforts by Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the former president’s 2020 election loss.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis began investigating more than two years ago, shortly after a recording was released of a January 2021 phone call Trump made to Georgia’s secretary of state.
Willis has strongly hinted that any indictment would come between July 31 and August 18. One of two grand juries seated July 11 is expected to hear the case.
If Trump is indicted by a Georgia grand jury, it would add to a growing list of legal troubles as he campaigns for president. Trump is set to go to trial in New York in March to face state charges related to hush-money payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign. And he has another trial scheduled for May on federal charges related to his handling of classified documents. He has pleaded not guilty in those cases.
The Justice Department is also investigating Trump’s role in trying to halt the certification of 2020 election results in the run-up to the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol. Trump said he’s been told he’s a target of that investigation, which likely has some overlap with the one in Georgia.
Details of the Georgia investigation that have become public have fed speculation that Willis is building a case under the Georgia Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, which would allow her to charge numerous people in a potentially wide-ranging scheme.
Here are six investigative threads Willis and her team have explored:
THE PHONE CALLS
The Georgia investigation was prompted by the Jan. 2, 2021 phone call Trump made to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Trump suggested the state’s top elections official could help “find” the votes needed to put him ahead of Democrat Joe Biden in the state.
“All I want to do is this: I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have,” Trump is heard saying on a recording of the call, which was leaked to news outlets. “Because we won the state.”
Trump has insisted he did nothing wrong and has repeatedly said the call was “perfect.”
Trump also called other top state officials in his quest to overturn his 2020 election loss, including Gov. Brian Kemp, then-House Speaker David Ralston, Attorney General Chris Carr and the top investigator in the secretary of state’s office.
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, also called Raffensperger shortly after the November election. Raffensperger said at the time that Graham asked whether he had the power to reject certain absentee ballots, which Raffensperger has said he interpreted as a suggestion to toss out legally cast votes.
Graham has denied wrongdoing, saying he just wanted to learn about the signature verification process.
FAKE ELECTORS
Biden won Georgia by a margin of fewer than 12,000 votes. Just over a month after the election, on Dec. 14, 2020, a group 16 Georgia Democratic electors met in the Senate chamber at the state Capitol to cast the state’s Electoral College votes for him. They each marked paper ballots that were counted and confirmed by a voice roll call.
That same day, in a committee meeting room at the Capitol, 16 prominent Georgia Republicans — a lawmaker, activists and party officials — met to sign a certificate falsely stating that Trump had won and declaring themselves the state’s “duly elected and qualified” electors. They sent that certificate to the National Archives and the U.S. Senate.
Georgia was one of seven battleground states that Trump lost where Republican fake electors signed and submitted similar certificates. Trump allies in the U.S. House and Senate used those certificates to argue for delaying or blocking the certification of the election during a joint session of Congress.
Prosecutors in Fulton County have said in court filings that they believe Trump associates worked with state Republicans to coordinate and execute the plan.
The multi-state effort was ultimately unsuccessful. Despite public pressure from Trump and his supporters, then-Vice President Mike Pence refused on Jan. 6, 2021, to introduce the unofficial pro-Trump electors. After the attack on the U.S. Capitol put a violent halt to the certification process, lawmakers certified Biden’s win in the early hours of Jan. 7, 2021.
At least eight of the fake electors have since reached immunity deals with Willis’ team. And a judge last summer barred Willis from prosecuting another one, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, because of a conflict of interest.
FALSE CLAIMS OF ELECTION FRAUD
Republican state lawmakers held several hearings at the Georgia Capitol in December 2020 to examine alleged problems with the November election. During those meetings, former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani and other Trump allies made unproven claims of widespread election fraud.
They alleged that election workers tallying absentee ballots at State Farm Arena in Atlanta had told outside observers to leave and then pulled out “suitcases” of unlawful ballots and began scanning them. The Trump allies played clips of surveillance video from the arena to support their allegations. State and federal officials investigated and said there was no evidence of election fraud at the site.
Some Trump allies also said thousands of people who were ineligible — including people convicted of felonies, people under the age of 18, people who had voted in another state — had cast votes in Georgia. The secretary of state’s office has debunked those claims.
ALLEGED ATTEMPTS TO PRESSURE ELECTION WORKER
Two of the election workers seen in the State Farm Arena surveillance video, Ruby Freeman and her daughter Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, said they faced relentless harassment online and in person as a result of the allegations made by Trump and his allies.
Giuliani last week conceded that statements he made about the two election workers were false.
In a bizarre episode detailed by prosecutors in court filings, a woman traveled from Chicago to Georgia and met with Freeman on Jan. 4, 2021. The woman initially said she wanted to help Freeman but then warned that Freeman could go to prison and tried to pressure her into falsely confessing to committing election fraud, prosecutors wrote in court filings last year.
ELECTION EQUIPMENT ACCESSED
Trump-allied lawyer Sidney Powell and others hired a computer forensics team to copy data and software on election equipment in Coffee County, some 200 miles southeast of Atlanta, according to invoices, emails, security video and deposition testimony produced in response to subpoenas in a long-running lawsuit.
The county Republican Party chair at the time — who also served as a fake elector — greeted them when they arrived at the local elections office on Jan. 7, 2021, and some county elections officials were also on hand during the daylong visit. The secretary of state’s office has said this amounted to “alleged unauthorized access” of election equipment and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is looking into it at the secretary of state’s request.
Two other men who have been active in efforts to question the 2020 election results also visited Coffee County later that month and spent hours inside.
U.S. ATTORNEY RESIGNATION
U.S. Attorney BJay Pak, the top federal prosecutor in Atlanta, abruptly resigned two days after Trump called Raffensperger and a day after a recording of that call was made public. During that conversation, Trump called Pak a “never-Trumper,” implying that he didn’t support the president.
In December 2020, then-U.S. Attorney General William Barr asked Pak to investigate allegations by Giuliani and other Trump allies of widespread election fraud. Pak, who had been appointed by Trump in 2017, reported back that he had found no evidence of such fraud.
In August 2021, Pak told the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, which was investigating Trump’s post-election actions, that he resigned on Jan. 4, 2021, after learning from Department of Justice officials that Trump did not believe enough was being done to investigate allegations of election fraud and wanted him gone as U.S. attorney.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/political-news/trump-could-be-indicted-soon-in-georgia-heres-a-look-at-that-investigation/ | 2023-07-31T04:48:39 | 0 | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/political-news/trump-could-be-indicted-soon-in-georgia-heres-a-look-at-that-investigation/ |
Two Rochester artists featured in Red Wing Area Tour
(ABC 6 News) – The Red Wing Area Tour happens every year during the last weekend of July.
It featured many artists in the area and the community was welcome to stop by the studio.
In its second year, it expanded to include Lake City as well.
This opened the door for two artists from Rochester to have their work part of the showcase.
Willow Gentile and Jesus Rodriguez were two of 37 artists featured in this year’s tour.
Gentile has a studio in Lake City and it was one of 12 stops for the community to see.
“It’s been fantastic, it’s been really exciting, and it’s been really fun to participate and get people in through the door from all over,” Gentile said.
She had a variety of paintings, lino block printing, and sculptures for sale.
Jesus Rodriguez had pottery on display.
“If you notice most of it is kind of your functional ware, plates, cups, I do some vases things like that, bowls,” Rodriguez said.
It was a good turnout at the Willow Gentile studio and gallery.
The two-day event is put on by the Anderson center and Red Wing Arts. | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/two-rochester-artists-featured-in-red-wing-area-tour/ | 2023-07-31T04:48:46 | 0 | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/two-rochester-artists-featured-in-red-wing-area-tour/ |
Denmark seeks to legally prevent burnings of Quran or other religious scriptures
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.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/us-world-news/denmark-seeks-to-legally-prevent-burnings-of-quran-or-other-religious-scriptures/ | 2023-07-31T04:48:52 | 1 | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/us-world-news/denmark-seeks-to-legally-prevent-burnings-of-quran-or-other-religious-scriptures/ |
Idaho mom Lori Vallow Daybell faces sentencing in deaths of 2 children and her romantic rival
ST. ANTHONY, Idaho (AP) — Idaho mother Lori Vallow Daybell faces up to life in prison without parole Monday as she is sentenced in the murders of her two youngest children and a romantic rival in a case that included bizarre claims that her son and daughter were zombies and that she was a goddess sent to usher in the Biblical apocalypse.
Vallow Daybell was found guilty in May of killing her two youngest children, 7-year-old Joshua “JJ” Vallow and 16-year-old Tylee Ryan, as well as conspiring to kill Tammy Daybell, her fifth husband’s previous wife.
The husband, Chad Daybell, is awaiting trial on the same murder charges. Vallow Daybell also faces two other cases in Arizona — one on a charge of conspiring with her brother to kill her fourth husband, Charles Vallow, and one of conspiring to kill her niece’s ex-husband. Charles Vallow was shot and killed in 2019, but her niece’s ex survived an attempt later that year.
Monday’s sentencing will take place at the Fremont County Courthouse in St. Anthony, Idaho. Judge Steven W. Boyce is expected to hear testimony from several representatives of the victims, including Vallow Daybell’s only surviving son, Colby Ryan.
The case began in July 2019, when Vallow Daybell’s brother, Alex Cox, shot and killed her estranged husband, Charles Vallow, in a suburban Phoenix home. Cox told police he acted in self defense. He was never charged in the case and died later that year of what authorities determined were natural causes.
Vallow Daybell was already in a relationship with Chad Daybell, a self-published author who wrote doomsday-focused fiction loosely based on Mormon teachings. She moved to Idaho with her kids and brother to be closer to him.
The children were last seen alive in September 2019. Police discovered they were missing a month later after an extended family member became worried. Their bodies were found buried in Chad Daybell’s yard the following summer.
Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow married in November 2019, about two weeks after Daybell’s previous wife, Tammy, was killed. Tammy Daybell initially was described as having died of natural causes, but an autopsy later showed she had been asphyxiated, authorities said.
Defense attorney Jim Archibald argued during the trial that there was no evidence tying Vallow Daybell to the killings, but plenty showing she was a loving, protective mother whose life took a sharp turn when she met Chad Daybell and fell for his “weird” apocalyptic religious claims. He suggested that Daybell and Vallow Daybell’s brother, Alex Cox, were responsible for the deaths.
Daybell told her they had been married in several previous lives and she was a “sexual goddess” who was supposed to help him save the world by gathering 144,000 followers so Jesus could return, Archibald said.
Vallow Daybell’s former friend Melanie Gibb testified during the trial that Vallow Daybell believed people in her life had been taken over by evil spirits and turned into “zombies,” including JJ and Tylee.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/us-world-news/idaho-mom-lori-vallow-daybell-faces-sentencing-in-deaths-of-2-children-and-her-romantic-rival/ | 2023-07-31T04:48:59 | 0 | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/us-world-news/idaho-mom-lori-vallow-daybell-faces-sentencing-in-deaths-of-2-children-and-her-romantic-rival/ |
NEW YORK — It's the food collaboration none of us expected or probably wanted, really. But they've done it anyway.
In honor of National Mustard Day on August 5th, French's and Skittles have teamed up to create the first-ever French's Mustard flavored Skittles.
Fun-sized packs will be given away for free while supplies last via an online sweepstakes and at in-person pop-up events in Atlanta, Washington D.C., and New York City.
You will also have a chance to taste French's Mustard Skittles and snag some branded swag when French's hits the road on a multi-stop tour up the East Coast in the 'Mustard Mobile,' a bright yellow custom-designed vintage bus complete with giant Mustard Skittles on top.
Locations are included here:
- Monday, July 31: Atlanta – Ponce City Market from 11 AM - 3 PM
- 675 North Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30344
- Wednesday, August 2: Washington D.C. – City Center from 11 AM - 3 PM
- 825 10th St NW, Washington, DC 20001
- · Saturday, August 5: New York City – Hudson River Parkfrom 11 AM – 3 PM
- 555 12th Ave, New York, NY 10036
"Skittles is always looking to inspire moments of everyday happiness and deliver unexpected ways for fans to experience the brand," said Ro Cheng, Marketing Director at Mars. "That's why we've teamed up with French's to create the first-of-its-kind Skittles that combines their tangy mustard flavor with our iconic chewy texture to deliver this unique summer treat for National Mustard Day." | https://www.wtsp.com/article/life/food/mustard-flavored-skittles-frenchs-collaboration-national-mustard-day-2023/523-5e17b519-319e-4ac7-a8a2-99236adb6c03 | 2023-07-31T04:49:02 | 0 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/life/food/mustard-flavored-skittles-frenchs-collaboration-national-mustard-day-2023/523-5e17b519-319e-4ac7-a8a2-99236adb6c03 |
Med City FC talk pulling off “the double”, forever etching themselves in history
(ABC 6 News) — Med City FC’s 4-0 shutout victory over MNUFC MLS Next in the inaugural MN Super Cup championship gave them the right to call themselves the best pre-professional soccer club in Minnesota. ABC 6 Sports Reporter Richard Denson recaps the Mayhem’s victory with reaction from midfielder Lucas Hart and head coach Neil Cassidy. | https://www.kaaltv.com/sports/local-sports/med-city-fc-talk-pulling-off-the-double-forever-etching-themselves-in-history/ | 2023-07-31T04:49:05 | 0 | https://www.kaaltv.com/sports/local-sports/med-city-fc-talk-pulling-off-the-double-forever-etching-themselves-in-history/ |
MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Editor's note: The shark used as the main image for this article was not the one involved in the incident.
A man is recovering at a hospital after he was attacked by a shark in Manatee County, officials say.
The man, who is described as being in his early 20s, was bitten in the lower leg by the shark near Bean Point on the north end of Anna Maria Island, a spokesperson for the West Manatee Fire Rescue told 10 Tampa Bay Monday evening.
After he was attacked, someone who was with the man applied a tourniquet to his injury, fire rescue says.
The man was then reportedly brought into Kingfish Boat ramp where he was transported by Manatee County emergency medical services to a hospital.
"His condition is unknown at this time and we are uncertain as to the type of shark or circumstances leading up to the bite," the spokesperson for WMFR said in a statement.
The investigation of the shark bite remains ongoing, officials say.
Shark encounters have been making headlines lately in Florida, so what should you do if ever spot a shark while out in the water?
Although shark bites are uncommon, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says there are some ways to reduce the risk of being bitten or attacked, such as always staying in groups since sharks are more likely to bite a solitary individual and not wandering too far from the shore.
Get the full list of tips here.
In 2022, there were a total of 57 confirmed unproved cases worldwide, according to the Florida Museum. The website says that the U.S. leads the world in the number of unproved bites in the world with Florida being the state with the most bites.
10 Tampa Bay's BriShon Mitchell contributed to this report. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/manateecounty/man-shark-attack-anna-maria/67-1ca03cde-b586-46b3-ba51-f636110c080f | 2023-07-31T04:49:08 | 1 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/manateecounty/man-shark-attack-anna-maria/67-1ca03cde-b586-46b3-ba51-f636110c080f |
Vikings end stalemate with Danielle Hunter by giving edge rusher a big pay raise
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings have given outside linebacker Danielle Hunter a hefty pay raise, paving the way for the team’s best pass rusher to participate in practice after a months-long contract stalemate.
The Vikings announced Sunday on their website that they reached a new deal with Hunter, the three-time Pro Bowl pick with 71 sacks who will turn 29 in three months.
Hunter reported to training camp last week on schedule after skipping the offseason program and mandatory minicamp, but he has yet to join his teammates on the field. Head coach Kevin O’Connell said Saturday that Hunter has been “in the building” and that they’ve been in “daily dialogue” about his physical and mental preparation.
“Danielle Hunter is a very special player, and as soon as we can get him out here, you guys will see him out here,” O’Connell said.
Hunter’s previous contract called for a $4.9 million base salary. According to NFL Network, he’ll make $17 million guaranteed this year with an opportunity to earn an additional $3 million in incentives. Hunter will still hit the free agent market after the season, unless he and the team strike a deal on an extension in the meantime.
Hunter’s presence will be vital for a Vikings defense that has been one of the NFL’s worst over the past three years. They allowed the second-most yards and the fourth-most points in the league in 2022, despite decent production by their primary edge rushers. Hunter had 10 1/2 sacks, Za’Darius Smith had 10 sacks and backups D.J. Wonnum and Patrick Jones had four sacks apiece.
Smith was since traded to Cleveland in a cost-cutting move, leaving Hunter as the only proven pass rusher on the roster. Marcus Davenport was signed as a free agent to push for a starting spot, but this remains one of the biggest questions surrounding the team this season.
“I think Danielle’s a phenomenal player,” said defensive coordinator Brian Flores, who was hired to replace the fired Ed Donatell. “I look forward to working with him.”
Under Donatell, Hunter often found himself as a standup rusher in a three-point stance. The Vikings with Flores are aiming to get back to turning Hunter loose with his hand in the ground more often.
“Veteran players, they’ve seen a lot of defense, coverages, fronts, stunts. I think terminology will probably be the one thing that’s a little bit different, maybe, but some of it, there’s some crossover from some things he’s heard in the past so I don’t think it’ll take long for him to get up to speed,” Flores said. “At the end of the day, we’re telling him to go get the quarterback. There’s really not much to that. So I think he’ll be just fine.”
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.kaaltv.com/sports/national-sports/vikings-end-stalemate-with-danielle-hunter-by-giving-edge-rusher-a-big-pay-raise-2/ | 2023-07-31T04:49:11 | 0 | https://www.kaaltv.com/sports/national-sports/vikings-end-stalemate-with-danielle-hunter-by-giving-edge-rusher-a-big-pay-raise-2/ |
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rowdies have a former player who is calling the shots for everything the team does during games and training sessions -- and no, we're not talking about Neill Collins.
Unfortunately, that ship has sailed for a couple of weeks now after the now-former head coach departed the club to begin his European managerial career with English League One side Barnsley FC.
But not all is bad in Tampa Bay after the team announced its new head coach Nicky Law, who also happens to be a former player for the team.
He got off to the best possible start with the Rowdies after a dominant 3-0 win over FC Tulsa on Saturday night at Al Lang Stadium. That game saw all goals come in the second half thanks to defender Forrest Lasso, midfielder Charlie Dennis and striker J.J. Williams.
"The message at halftime was kind of just to speed things up and play with a little more tempo," Law said during his first news conference as the Rowdies' head coach. "As the [second] half went on, we did have a lot of the ball and we did tire [Tulsa] out. Obviously, I would just like to have a little more pace and tempo in [the game]."
Law signed a contract to lead the team until the end of the current 2023 season, but this isn't his first rodeo with the club.
Halfway through last season, Tampa Bay signed Law via trade with Indy Eleven, a move that also saw homegrown player Juan Tejada leave the team.
Law proved to be an influential player for the Rowdies as he established himself as a starter for the remainder of the season and helped the team reach the Eastern Conference final for a third consecutive year.
However, in the offseason, Law and Tampa Bay agreed to part ways for him to become a player-coach for MLS Next Pro expansion side Huntsville.
Now that he's back at Al Lang Stadium, Law admitted that the first training practices felt odd as he was still friends with most of the players on the roster and wore the green and yellow jersey at this point last year.
He'd only had a few training sessions with the team before they played against Tulsa, but the support of the entire club is helping him settle into his new position.
"These guys have had a hell of a two weeks and they've been great," Law said. "I have to thank the staff [because] they've been unbelievable this week with me and the help they've given me and the support has been phenomenal.
"I will remember it forever. I couldn't have asked for more from the players and staff."
Moving forward, the former Premier League player said he plans to not only keep the winning culture in Tampa Bay, but also the attractive, high-paced attacking style of soccer that fans became accustomed to when Collins was in charge.
Law added that playing under Collins has also convinced him to keep on playing a system with the Rowdies where offense always comes first.
"The second half kind of looked how I remember from my time [as a Rowdies player]," he said. "[We have to keep] dominating teams, [play at a] high tempo, attacking. That's how I want this team to look moving forward.
"Hopefully that gives them confidence and it'll give me confidence. I think that first [win] is huge and [I'm] just delighted to get it. I'm excited to see where we can go."
Saturday's win for the Rowdies was the first one since Collins' last game in charge.
The team now sits in third place of the USL Eastern Conference with 38 points, trailing second-place Charleston Battery who have 39 points with a game more played and leaders Pittsburgh Riverhound SC who have 41 points with two games more played.
This is what makes the next game for Law and Tampa Bay more important as the team is set to take on Pittsburgh on Saturday, Aug. 5.
Fans can catch their new head coach back at Al Lang Stadium on Aug. 12. For ticket information, click here. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/sports/soccer/rowdies-new-head-coach-nicky-law/67-0e1f3d8a-d147-4575-8279-902aa5c6ff13 | 2023-07-31T04:49:14 | 1 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/sports/soccer/rowdies-new-head-coach-nicky-law/67-0e1f3d8a-d147-4575-8279-902aa5c6ff13 |
Erratic winds challenge firefighters battling two major California blazes
MOJAVE NATIONAL PRESERVE, Calif. (AP) — A massive wildfire burning out of control in California’s Mojave National Preserve was spreading rapidly amid erratic winds, while firefighters reported progress against another major blaze to the southwest that prompted evacuations.
The York Fire that erupted Friday near the remote Caruthers Canyon area of the vast wildland preserve crossed the state line into Nevada on Sunday and sent smoke further east into the Las Vegas Valley.
Wind-driven flames 20 feet (6 meters) high in some spots charred more than 110 square miles (284 square kilometers) of desert scrub, juniper and Joshua tree woodland, according to an incident update. There was zero containment.
“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,” the update said. No structures were threatened.
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 community of Aguanga that is home to horse ranches and wineries.
Gusty winds and the chance of thunderstorms into Monday will heighten the risk of renewed growth, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said in a statement.
One firefighter was injured in the blaze, which was 5% contained.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/31/erratic-winds-challenge-firefighters-battling-two-major-california-blazes/ | 2023-07-31T04:51:36 | 0 | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/31/erratic-winds-challenge-firefighters-battling-two-major-california-blazes/ |
Nancy Black Tribune Content Agency
Linda Black Horoscopes
Today’s Birthday (07/31/23). Career victories come naturally this year. Making domestic changes and upgrades this summer inspires an autumn flurry of communications and networking. Winter brings exciting professional opportunities and creative projects, before springtime beckons exploration, investigation and discovery. You’re becoming an influencer in your field.
To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.
Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is an 8 — New professional doors or markets appear to be opening. Grab an opportunity for a fun and lucrative project. Advance to realize your plans.
Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is a 9 — Explore new cultures, flavors and philosophies. Discover opportunities or treasure hiding underneath a change. Monitor news and conditions. Find creative solutions in your investigations.
Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is an 8 — Energize efforts contributing to joint accounts. Study money and review resources. Share the load to advance. Collaborate with your partner for common gain.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is a 9 — Ally forces. Together you can get farther, faster and with more fun. Romantic connections develop naturally. Share a mutual attraction. Share your insights and ideas.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is a 9 — Physical action gets results. Get support from friends. Build to fulfill a long-term dream. Envision beautiful results. Get out in nature and move your body.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is an 8 — Give in to creative impulses for delightful results. A playful attitude can lead to unexpected solutions. Practice your arts, hobbies and passions. Connect and share.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is an 8 — Nurture yourself and family with home comforts and diversions. Beautify your spaces. Fill with delicious flavors and fragrances. Relax together and enjoy the connection.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is an 8 — You’re especially brilliant and creative. Write and sketch your ideas. Articulate your vision to take it to the next level. Network and collaborate with talented friends.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is a 9 — Keep up the good work. Lucrative opportunities are worth pursuing. Quick action can net an extra prize. Long-lasting gain is possible. Stash the surplus.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is a 9 — Pursue personal passions. Your confidence is contagious. Savor your favorite activities, views and people. Use your energy wisely to contribute to growth. Nurture yourself.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is a 7 — Peaceful privacy suits your mood and leads to productivity. Enjoy your secret sanctuary. Strategize and prepare for what’s ahead. Complete one phase and begin another.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is an 8 — Keep developing team strategies. Connection with friends feeds your spirit. Don’t take anyone for granted. Discuss shared dreams, possibilities and options. Have fun together.
Astrologer Nancy Black continues her mother Linda Black’s legacy horoscopes column. She welcomes comments and questions on Twitter, @LindaCBlack. For more astrological interpretations like today’s Gemini horoscope, visit Linda Black Astrology by clicking daily horoscopes, or go to www.nancyblack.com.
©2023 Nancy Black. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. | https://www.mlive.com/news/2023/07/daily-horoscope-for-july-31-2023.html | 2023-07-31T04:51:36 | 0 | https://www.mlive.com/news/2023/07/daily-horoscope-for-july-31-2023.html |