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LONDON (AP) — An Islamic State supporter was given a whole-life sentence Wednesday for stabbing a British lawmaker to death in revenge for his voting in support for airstrikes on Syria.
Ali Harbi Ali, 26, was convicted Monday of murdering Conservative lawmaker David Amess and preparing terrorist acts. A jury deliberated for just 18 minutes before finding him guilty.
“The defendant has no remorse or shame for what he has done — quite the reverse,” Justice Nigel Sweeney told the court. “This is a murder that struck at the heart of democracy.”
Ali stabbed Amess with a carving knife multiple times on Oct.15 while he was meeting with voters at a church hall in the town of Leigh-on-Sea in eastern England. Ali, a London man with Somali heritage, said he targeted Amess because he backed voting for airstrikes on Syria in 2014 and 2015.
The whole-life sentence means Ali will never be eligible for parole, and will likely spend the rest of his days in prison.
Amess’s family said “there is no elation” following the sentencing and described the crime as “beyond evil.”
“We will wake each day and immediately feel our loss. We will struggle through each day for the rest of our lives,” the family said in a statement. “It breaks our heart to know that our husband and father would have greeted the murderer with a smile of friendship and would have been anxious to help.”
Prosecutors described Ali as a committed, fanatical terrorist and said he spent years plotting an attack on British politicians. Counter-terrorism officers at the Metropolitan Police said they had evidence that he carried out reconnaissance around the Parliament building in London weeks before the murder.
During the trial, Ali told the court he took action in the U.K. to help Muslims in Syria because he couldn’t travel to join the Islamic State group. He also said he did not think he did anything wrong.
He added he had expected to be shot and die at the scene, but decided to drop his knife after seeing that the first police to arrive were not armed with guns.
Amess, 69, had been a member of Parliament since 1983. He was pronounced dead at the scene after the stabbing.
The slaying of Amess shook the nation and prompted questions about security protection for lawmakers because they often meet directly with the public. It came five years after Labour Party lawmaker Jo Cox was shot and stabbed to death by a far-right extremist. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/is-supporter-given-life-sentence-for-murdering-uk-lawmaker/ | 2022-04-14T07:13:09 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/is-supporter-given-life-sentence-for-murdering-uk-lawmaker/ |
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli forces on Wednesday shot and killed three Palestinians, including a teenage boy, the Palestinian Health Ministry said, as Israeli troops continued a days-long operation in the occupied West Bank in response to a spate of deadly attacks.
The three deaths, all in separate incidents, were the latest in a wave of Israeli-Palestinian violence that has erupted as Muslims mark the holy month of Ramadan.
In two cases, the Israeli military said its troops fired at suspects who threw firebombs at soldiers during West Bank operations.
But Palestinian officials said one of the two, lawyer Mohammed Assaf, 34, just happened to inadvertently drive into a battle zone in the northern West Bank town of Beita.
The other was a 14-year-old, killed by Israeli army fire in Husan, a village near Bethlehem, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.
The teen’s death is likely to draw international criticism of Israeli military tactics. Earlier this week, the fatal shooting of an unarmed Palestinian woman drew accusations from European officials that the military was using excessive force.
Murad Shtaiwe, a Fatah party spokesman, said Assaf, the lawyer, was driving relatives to school. They passed through an area where clashes were taking place and Assaf was fatally shot, Shtaiwe said.
“What happened today is a new crime,” he said.
Also, the Israeli police said that in a joint security operation with the army and Shin Bet intelligence agency, troops arrested four suspects in the town of Silwad, near Ramallah. The Palestinian Health Ministry said 20-year-old Omar Muhammad Alyan was killed after he was shot in the chest during the Israeli arrest raid.
The Israeli military did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Palestinian Health Ministry said at least 18 others were injured as a result of the Israeli military’s activities. The military said one soldier was lightly wounded in the clashes and that it arrested 15 people in its raids Wednesday.
Israel has sent troops to comb through Palestinians cities and villages in recent days, looking for suspects or accomplices tied to recent Palestinian attacks on Israelis. Last week, a Palestinian gunman opened fire on a packed Tel Aviv bar, killing three and fleeing the scene, sparking an hours-long manhunt that culminated in his killing by police.
That assault, as well as three other attacks elsewhere in Israel in recent weeks, have killed 14 people, the deadliest outburst of bloodshed against Israelis in years.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s office accused Israel of destabilizing the West Bank, saying the situation “has become dangerous and sensitive and is rapidly deteriorating.”
On Wednesday, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Hafez said the Arab state strongly condemned Israel’s West Bank operations and what he called excessive force against Palestinians. Hafez urged in a statement for “containing such growing and accelerating developments,” which could lead to further escalation and mutual violence.
The tensions have escalated as Muslims mark Ramadan, which this year converges with major Jewish and Christian holidays. In the coming week as Passover and Easter commence, tens of thousands from the three faiths are expected to stream into Jerusalem’s Old City, the emotional heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and a frequent flashpoint for violence.
Unrest in Jerusalem during last year’s Ramadan escalated into an 11-day war between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza.
In the Gaza Strip, Palestinian militant groups called on Palestinian residents of the West Bank and Israel to camp out at Jerusalem’s flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque this weekend.
After a meeting with Hamas’s Gaza leader Yehiyeh Sinwar, the factions called for mass protests to break the Israeli restrictions recently imposed on the city of Jenin and said militants in Gaza were on alert “and ready to take the necessary decisions to protect our land, people, and holy sites.”
Israel’s government has sought to lower the flames by moving ahead on its plan to ease restrictions on Palestinians in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip during the holy month. But, with two of the attackers in the recent violence from Jenin and the surrounding area, Israel has tightened restrictions on movement in and out of the city.
Jenin is considered a stronghold of Palestinian militants. Israeli forces often come under fire when operating in the area. Even the Palestinian Authority, which administers parts of the occupied West Bank and coordinates with Israel on security matters, appears to have little control.
Israel had made numerous arrests in recent days, and in some cases, Palestinians have protested against the raids. Several Palestinians have been killed in the raids or in response to attacks or attempted attacks.
Late Saturday, Palestinian protesters set fire to a West Bank shrine revered by Jews and smashed part of the the tomb inside. On Wednesday, Israel carried out repairs to the site, known to Jews as Joseph’s Tomb, and a day earlier the military said it arrested a suspect linked to the arson. The military said clashes also broke out nearby as the repairs were underway.
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Associated Press writers Tia Goldenberg in Jerusalem and Samy Magdy in Cairo contributed to this report. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/israeli-forces-kill-3-palestinians-in-raids-in-west-bank/ | 2022-04-14T07:13:16 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/israeli-forces-kill-3-palestinians-in-raids-in-west-bank/ |
IRPIN, Ukraine (AP) — Pounding sounds came from a sixth-floor window, along with the risk of falling glass. For once, it was not destruction in the Ukrainian town of Irpin, but rebuilding. Heartened by Russia’s withdrawal from the capital region, residents have begun coming home, at least to what’s left.
Irpin just weeks ago saw desperate scenes of flight. Terrified residents picked their way across slippery planks of a makeshift bridge after a concrete span was destroyed by Ukrainian forces to slow the Russian advance. But on Monday, a long line of cars waited to cross a recently improvised bridge allowing access between the town and the capital, Kyiv.
The early returnees are among the 7 million Ukrainians displaced inside their country by the war. They are crossing paths with the elderly and others who waited out Russia’s assault in cold, damp basements, numbed by the sounds of shelling, and who have emerged into a landscape of ruined tanks and splintered homes.
In colorful Irpin apartment blocks where cafes and salons are still silent, the first signs of life stir amid the shattered glass and scorched walls. It feels like a turning point, even as police officers with flashlights continue to walk through near-empty buildings, looking for bodies and mines.
The Russians left messages in some apartments, according to photos posted in one building’s social media group and shared with The Associated Press. “Hello from the Russians,” read one taunting note written on a piece of paper. “We didn’t want to, you started the war yourself. Sorry if something is wrong :)”
Another message, left in a child’s bedroom, said, “I fed your fish, princess.” The fish are still alive.
Tenant chat groups now full of questions for Irpin’s returnees about the state of their homes.
Upstairs and down a darkened hallway, Olexiy Planida, 34, worked to place a sheet of plastic over a large window facing a damaged playground. This was his first time home since he fled with his wife, two small children and their dog.
The remains of breakfast, including a half-eaten bowl on a high chair, were where they left them. Nearby, pots of flowers had wilted. A stuffed toy lay amid broken glass.
“It hurts,” Planida said. The Russians broke open all the apartment doors and took a laptop, iPad and jewelry, he said. He’s sure it was the Russians because local thieves pick the locks instead.
“I think for a couple of years it can’t be fixed,” Planida said of Irpin’s homes, many of which have suffered similar damage or worse.
He hopes his children, ages 2 and 4, will never see their home the way it is now. He hopes they’ll never remember the war itself, which he and his wife have tried to explain in the gentlest of terms.
“We’re just talking to them like, ‘Hey, some bad guys came to us,’” he said. “They shouldn’t see such things.” Even he was shocked by the ruins in parts of Irpin and in Bucha nearby.
Down the hallway, Oksana Lyul’ka cleared the broken glass from her living room floor, using work gloves to carry pieces as large as dinner plates.
Just months ago the 28-year-old had returned to Ukraine from Cyprus to start a new life closer to home, and she renovated the apartment. Now the structural damage alone is a concern, along with her missing jewelry.
She had arrived at the apartment an hour earlier. Downstairs, she cried.
She fled Irpin on the second day of the war and moved in with her parents. Now she is based in Kyiv, not so far away.
“We can’t make plans for now,” she said. “Our plan is to win the war, and then we will decide what to do with the apartment. It’s not that important now.”
Because the Russians remain in Ukraine they complicate any real recovery, she said. “We all feel pain and it’s hard and it’s terrible, but people are suffering, people are dying, and this is the main problem.”
Near the slowly reviving bridge linking Irpin to the capital, dozens of cars abandoned by fleeing residents were being placed in rows. Some were burned. Some were smashed.
Some vehicles had the remnants of their owners’ last seconds before giving up and going on foot: a coffee thermos. Face masks. Glove compartments left open, documents scattered.
People have started showing up at the lot to look for what they left behind.
Not all find it. One man sat on the curb, holding two photographs, and wept. His brother was gone.
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David Keyton in Stockholm, Sweden contributed.
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Follow the AP’s coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/it-cant-be-fixed-in-shattered-irpin-signs-of-homecoming/ | 2022-04-14T07:13:23 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/it-cant-be-fixed-in-shattered-irpin-signs-of-homecoming/ |
TOKYO (AP) — U.S. and Japanese warships, led by the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group, are conducting their joint naval exercise in waters between Japan and the Korean Peninsula for the first time in five years, in a show of their close military alliance amid growing speculation of North Korea’s missile or nuclear testing later this week.
The U.S. 7th Fleet and Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force said Wednesday they conducted a joint naval exercise at the Sea of Japan on Tuesday and Wednesday. It was the first time the U.S. aircraft carrier held the exercise in the area since 2017 and is seen as an apparent attempt to deter North Korea’s provocation.
Defense experts have warned that North Korea may launch another missile or even conduct a nuclear test as early as this week when Pyongyang marks the birth anniversary of its founding leader Kim Il Sung. Tension is rising in the region ahead of an annual joint military exercise between the United States and South Korea.
Japan has also stepped up joint military exercises with its closest ally, the United States, as well as regional partners in recent years amid rising concern over China’s increasingly assertive military actions in the regional seas.
Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters that the ongoing joint exercise is “aimed at strengthening military cooperation between Japan and the United States, and is not keeping in mind a specific country. … We will continue to strengthen deterrence and response capability of the Japan-U.S. alliance and to do utmost for the defense of our country.”
Details of the exercise will be released by the Japanese Defense Ministry “when the situation allows a disclosure.”
Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force said its destroyer JS Kongo and JS Inazuma, as well as Japanese F-2 fighters joined USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group “in order to strengthen the capability of Japan-US alliance for effective deterrence and response.”
“Our works contribute to the regional peace and stability,” the Japanese navy tweeted.
A Japanese Maritime Self-Defense official said they cannot provide specific dates and locations of the ongoing joint exercise until it’s finished.
Tension has risen in the area over North Korea’s spate of missile tests this year, including its first intercontinental ballistic missile launch in more than four years.
Some experts say the North’s recent missile tests were meant to perfect its weapons technology, boost its leverage in future negotiations with the U.S. and secure stronger internal loyalty. They say North Korea could soon conduct another ICBM launch, a launch of a satellite-carrying rocket or a test of a nuclear device in coming weeks. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/japan-us-hold-navy-drills-off-koreas-amid-nuke-test-worry/ | 2022-04-14T07:13:31 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/japan-us-hold-navy-drills-off-koreas-amid-nuke-test-worry/ |
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he’s “sincerely thankful” to the U.S. for the new round of $800 million in military assistance.
In his daily late-night address to the nation, Zelenskyy also said he was thankful for Wednesday’s visit by the presidents of Poland, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia.
He said those leaders “have helped us from the first day, those who did not hesitate to give us weapons, those who did not doubt whether to impose sanctions.”
In his telephone conversation with U.S. President Joe Biden, Zelenskyy said they discussed the new weapons shipment, even tougher sanctions against Russia and efforts to bring to justice those Russian soldiers who committed war crimes in Ukraine.
Zelenskyy also said work was continuing to clear tens of thousands of unexploded shells, mines and trip wires that were left behind in northern Ukraine by the retreating Russians.
He urged those returning to their homes in those towns to be wary of any unfamiliar object and report it to the police.
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KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR:
— Biden approves$800M in artillery, helicopters for Ukraine
— Ukraine’s detentionof oligarch close to Putin angers Moscow
— France’s Le Pen warnsagainst sending weapons to Ukraine
— Polish, Baltic presidents visit Ukraine in show of support
— Russia has yet to slow a Western arms express into Ukraine
— Forced into a basementin Ukraine, residents began to die
— Go to https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukrainefor more coverage
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OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:
LVIV, Ukraine — The detention of fugitive Ukrainian oligarch Viktor Medvedchuk, the former leader of a pro-Russian opposition party and a close associate of Russian leader Vladimir Putin, has been met with enthusiasm in Kyiv and irritation in Moscow.
Analysts say Medvedchuk will become a valuable pawn in the Russia-Ukraine talks to end the devastating war that the Kremlin has unleashed on its ex-Soviet neighbor.
Medvedchuk was detained on Tuesday in a special operation carried out by Ukraine’s state security service, or the SBU. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has proposed that Russia could win Medvedchuk’s freedom by trading him for Ukrainians now held captive by the Russians.
The 67-year-old oligarch escaped from house arrest several days before the hostilities broke out Feb. 24 in Ukraine. He is facing between 15 years and a life in prison on charges of treason and aiding and abetting a terrorist organization for mediating coal purchases for the separatist, Russia-backed Donetsk republic in eastern Ukraine.
Medvedchuk has close ties with Putin, who is believed to be the godfather of his youngest daughter. His detention has sparked a heated exchange between officials in Moscow and Kyiv.
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KYIV, Ukraine — The presidents of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia visited Ukraine on Wednesday and underscored their support for the embattled country.
The presidents of the four NATO countries on Russia’s doorstep saw heavily damaged buildings and demanded accountability for what they called war crimes carried out by Russian forces. The visit was a strong show of solidarity by the leaders of the countries on NATO’s eastern flank, three of them like Ukraine, once part of the Soviet Union.
They traveled by train to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, to meet Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy and visited Borodyanka, one of the towns near Kyiv where evidence of atrocities was found after Russian troops withdrew to focus on the country’s east.
“The fight for Europe’s future is happening here,” Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said, calling for tougher sanctions, including against Russia’s oil and gas shipments and all the country’s banks.
Appearing alongside Zelenskyy in an ornate room in Kyiv’s historical Mariinskyi Palace, the European leaders — Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, Estonian President Alar Karis, Poland’s Andrzej Duda and Egils Levits of Latvia — reiterated their commitments to supporting Ukraine politically and with transfers of military aid.
Duda described what is happening not as war but as “terrorism,” saying accountability must extend not just to soldiers who committed atrocities but also those who gave the orders.
“We know this history,” Duda said. “We know what Russian occupation means. We know what Russian terrorism means.”
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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has weighed in on growing calls to declare Russia’s actions in Ukraine as genocide, saying it is “absolutely right” that the term is being used given rampant allegations of war crimes and other human rights violations.
Trudeau made the comments during a news conference Wednesday, a day after U.S. President Joe Biden told reporters that Russia’s conduct in Ukraine appeared to his eyes to be a genocide.
While both North American leaders noted that it will be up to lawyers to determine whether Russia’s actions meet the international standard for genocide, they were nonetheless united in welcoming use of the term.
“It’s absolutely right that more and more people be talking and using the word ‘genocide’ in terms of what Russia is doing,” Trudeau said.
The prime minister went on to list a series of war crimes and human rights violations allegedly perpetrated by Russian forces under the direction of President Vladimir Putin, including deliberate attacks on civilians and the use of sexual violence. Trudeau said they’re attacking “Ukrainian identity and culture.”
Canada has dispatched police investigators to help the International Criminal Court collect evidence to ultimately hold Putin and other Russian leaders to account.
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WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Wednesday approved $800 million in new military assistance to Ukraine, including artillery and helicopters, to bolster its defenses against an intensified Russian offensive in the country’s East.
Biden announced the aid after a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to coordinate the delivery of the assistance, which he said included artillery systems, artillery rounds, and armored personnel carriers, as well as helicopters.
“This new package of assistance will contain many of the highly effective weapons systems we have already provided and new capabilities tailored to the wider assault we expect Russia to launch in eastern Ukraine,” Biden said in a statement.
Biden said the U.S. will continue to work with allies to share additional weapons and resources as the conflict continues.
“The steady supply of weapons the United States and its Allies and partners have provided to Ukraine has been critical in sustaining its fight against the Russian invasion,” Biden said. “It has helped ensure that Putin failed in his initial war aims to conquer and control Ukraine. We cannot rest now.”
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UNITED NATIONS — U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says there is no chance at the moment for a humanitarian cease-fire in Ukraine, as the United Nations was seeking.
But he told reporters Wednesday that the U.N. has made a number of proposals to Russia on the possibility of local cease-fires, humanitarian corridors, and the evacuation of civilians, “and we are waiting for an answer.”
Guterres sent U.N. humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths to Moscow and Kyiv as his special envoy to seek a humanitarian cease-fire, but he said, “at the present moment, a global cease-fire in Ukraine doesn’t seem possible.”
He said the U.N. proposals to Russia are aimed at minimizing “the dramatic impact” of Russia’s war against Ukraine on civilians and include creating “a mechanism” involving Russia, Ukraine, the United Nations and eventually other humanitarian bodies to permanently manage local cease-fires, humanitarian access and evacuations to avoid incidents and failures.
As for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s reported comment Tuesday that negotiations with Ukraine are at a “dead end,” Guterres said, “I will remind you that we are in an Easter period and the Easter period is about resurrection.”
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KYIV, Ukraine — A Ukrainian official has rejected Russia’s claims that more than 1,000 Ukrainian troops have surrendered in the besieged southeastern port of Mariupol. Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj.-Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Wednesday that 1,026 troops from the Ukrainian 36th Marine Brigade surrendered at a metals plant in the city.
But Vadym Denysenko, advisor to Ukraine’s Interior Minister, denied the claim in comments to the Current Time TV channel, saying that they haven’t heard anything like that and the battle over the sea port is ongoing.
“According to official data of (Ukraine’s) Defense Ministry and the General Staff, we haven’t heard anything like that,” Denysenko said. “Moreover, I will say … that the battle over the sea port is still ongoing today.”
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PARIS — French far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen warned Wednesday against sending any more weapons to Ukraine, and called for a rapprochement between NATO and Russia once Moscow’s war in Ukraine winds down.
Le Pen, an outspoken nationalist who has long ties to Russia and has supported Vladimir Putin in the past, also confirmed that if she unseats President Emmanuel Macron in France’s April 24 presidential runoff, she will pull France out of NATO’s military command and dial back French support for the whole European Union.
Macron, a pro-EU centrist, is facing a harder-than-expected fight to stay in power, in part because the economic impact of the war is hitting poor households the hardest. France’s European partners are worried that a possible Le Pen presidency could undermine Western unity as the U.S. and Europe seek to support Ukraine and end Russia’s ruinous war on its neighbor.
Asked about military aid to Ukraine, Le Pen said she would continue defense and intelligence support.
“(But) I’m more reserved about direct arms deliveries. Why? Because … the line is thin between aid and becoming a co-belligerent,” the far-right leader said, citing concerns about an “escalation of this conflict that could bring a whole number of countries into a military commitment.”
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WASHINGTON — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has urged China to use its “special relationship with Russia” to persuade Russia to end the war in Ukraine.
Speaking at the Atlantic Council, a nonpartisan think tank, on Wednesday, Yellen said Beijing “cannot expect the global community to respect its appeals to the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity in the future if it does not respect these principles now.”
Yellen’s speech comes a week before the International Monetary Fund-World Bank Group Spring Meetings in Washington. Her direct appeal to China underscores an increasing frustration that the United States and its allies have with a country that has only deepened its ties with Russia since the invasion of Ukraine.
“The world’s attitude towards China and its willingness to embrace further economic integration may well be affected by China’s reaction to our call for resolute action on Russia,” she said.
Yellen said that countries that undermine the sanctions the U.S. and its allies have imposed on Russia will face consequences for their actions. Leaving open the question of what the consequences for flouting the sanctions could be, Yellen said Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine has “redrawn the contours” of the global economy, which includes “our conception of international cooperation going forward.”
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HELSINKI — European Union nations Finland and Sweden reached important stages Wednesday on their way to possible NATO membership as the Finnish government issued a security report to lawmakers and Sweden’s ruling party initiated a review of security policy options.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24 triggered a surge in support for joining NATO in the two traditionally militarily non-aligned Nordic countries, with polls showing a majority of respondents willing to join the alliance in Finland and supporters of NATO in Sweden clearly outnumbering those against the idea.
Finland, a country of 5.5 million, shares the EU’s longest border with Russia, a 1,340-kilometer (833-mile) frontier. Sweden has no border with Russia.
Russia, for its part, has warned Sweden and Finland against joining NATO, with officials saying it would not contribute to stability in Europe. Officials said Russia would respond to such a move with retaliatory measures that would cause “military and political consequences” for Helsinki and Stockholm. One of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s reasons for invading Ukraine was that the country refused to promise that it would not join NATO.
Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin, speaking Wednesday in Stockholm in a joint news conference with her Swedish counterpart Magdalena Andersson, said Finland is ready to make a decision on NATO “within weeks” rather than months following an extensive debate in the 200-seat Eduskunta legislature.
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GENEVA — The head of the World Health Organization slammed the global community Wednesday for its almost singular focus on the war in Ukraine, arguing that crises elsewhere, including his home country of Ethiopia, don’t receive equal consideration, possibly because those suffering aren’t white.
In a press briefing, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he didn’t know “if the world really gives equal attention to black and white lives,” given that the ongoing emergencies in Ethiopia, Yemen, Afghanistan and Syria have garnered only a “fraction” of the global concern for Ukraine.
Tedros said the siege of the Tigray region of Ethiopia by Eritrean and Ethiopian forces was one of the longest in modern history and noted that a recent truce had still not allowed in significant amounts of humanitarian aid. Tedros acknowledged that the situation in Ukraine was globally significant, but questioned if other crises were being accorded enough attention.
“I need to be blunt and honest that the world is not treating the human race the same way,” he said. “Some are more equal than others.”
Tedros noted that there are about 6,000 people living in Tigray with HIV, but authorities have lost track of where they are and that “many of them, we assume they have already died.” Tedros described the situation in Tigray as “tragic” and said he “hopes the world comes back to its senses and treats all human life equally.” He also critiqued the press for its failure to document the ongoing atrocities in Ethiopia, noting that people had been burned alive in the region.
“I don’t even know if that was taken seriously by the media,” he said
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GENEVA — Switzerland is joining a raft of new sanctions targeting people and companies in Russia over President Vladimir Putin’s military campaign in Ukraine, including his two adult daughters.
The Federal Council on Wednesday adopted new measures against Russia and Belarus, a key ally of Moscow, that mirror similar measures adopted last week by the European Union. Switzerland, which has long prided itself on its neutrality, is not among the EU’s 27 member states.
Switzerland had already lined up with previous EU sanctions. The fifth and latest package of measures focuses on finance, transport, and trade — notably bans on imports of coal, wood, cement, seafood, and vodka that “serve as important sources of revenue for Russia,” the government said.
An extra 200 people or entities were also sanctioned including Russian oligarchs and their families, as well as Putin’s adult daughters Katerina Tikhonova and Maria Vorontsova.
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MILAN — Italian energy company ENI said it has a deal to import up to 3 billion cubic meters of liquid natural gas from Egypt this year as Europe seeks to wean itself from Russian natural gas over its invasion of Ukraine.
ENI signed the deal Wednesday with EGAS (Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company), just days after Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi secured a deal to increase gas imports from Algeria to help replace the 29 billion cubic meters Italy imports annually from Russia.
The Algeria deal will add up to 9 billion cubic meters of gas by 2023-24 to the 21 billion cubic meters it already receives, with the increased flows starting in the fall. Russia is Italy’s top supplier of natural gas, which is used to generate electricity, heat and cool homes and power industry.
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LONDON — The Channel Island of Jersey says it is freezing assets connected to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich estimated to be worth over $7 billion.
The Law Offices Department of Jersey, a tax haven long known for drawing large amounts of foreign direct investment, said Wednesday that the assets being targeted were either located in Jersey, or owned by Jersey-incorporated entities.
It said that police also executed a search warrant Tuesday at addresses suspected to be connected to Abramovich’s business activities. It didn’t provide details.
Abramovich, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has been sanctioned by the U.K. government and the European Union. The 55-year-old tycoon has assumed an unofficial role in the negotiations between Ukraine and Russia aimed at ending the war.
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PRAGUE — The Czech Republic has reopened its embassy in the Ukrainian capital that was closed after Russian troops invaded the country.
The Foreign Ministry said the diplomats have returned to Kyiv and the Czech flag is flying again at the embassy.
It said Wednesday’s move is “one of the steps to show our support for Ukraine.”
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BERLIN — Experts commissioned by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe say they found “clear patterns” of violations of international humanitarian law by Russian forces in Ukraine.
OSCE member countries authorized a study in early March, and the three professors chosen to conduct it — Wolfgang Benedek, Veronika Bílková and Marco Sassòli — were selected by Ukraine.
Their report, issued Wednesday, said that if the Russian forces had respected their obligations “in terms of distinction, proportionality and precautions in attack and concerning specially protected objects such as hospitals, the number of civilians killed or injured would have remained much lower.”
The experts found “some violations and problems” in Ukrainian practices, voicing concern about the treatment of prisoners of war.
The report said Russia responded by saying it considered the mechanism under which the experts were appointed “largely outdated and redundant” and declined to appoint a liaison person, referring them to official government statements and briefings.
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LONDON — Britain has announced a new round of sanctions related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, targeting 178 individuals who have helped prop up Kremlin-backed breakaway regions in the eastern part of the country.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said Wednesday that the sanctions were coordinated with the European Union. The move comes after rocket attacks that targeted civilians in eastern Ukraine.
Those sanctioned include Alexander Ananchenko, prime minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, and Sergey Kozlov, the chair of government in the Luhansk People’s Republic. Also targeted are Pavel Ezubov, cousin of Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska, and Nigina Zairova, executive assistant to Russian tycoon Mikhail Fridman.
Truss says Britain is sanctioning “those who prop up the illegal breakaway regions and are complicit in atrocities against the Ukrainian people. We will continue to target all those who aid and abet Putin’s war.’’
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BERLIN — The German government is defending the country’s president after a diplomatic snub by Ukraine.
President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the largely ceremonial head of state, said Tuesday that his presence apparently “wasn’t wanted in Kyiv.” He said his Polish counterpart had suggested that they both travel to Ukraine along with the presidents of the three Baltic countries.
German newspaper Bild quoted an unidentified Ukrainian diplomat as saying that Steinmeier is not welcome in Kyiv at the moment because he had close relations with Russia in the past. Steinmeier was previously Germany’s foreign minister and recently admitted mistakes in policy toward Russia.
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Wednesday she regrets that Steinmeier was unable to visit.
Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany said Chancellor Olaf Scholz would be welcome, but some German lawmakers said the snub to Steinmeier would complicate that.
Government spokesman Wolfgang Buechner defended Steinmeier, saying that he “has clearly taken a stand on Ukraine’s side.” | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/live-updates-allied-leaders-going-to-meet-with-zelenskyy/ | 2022-04-14T07:13:38 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/live-updates-allied-leaders-going-to-meet-with-zelenskyy/ |
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Migrants in South Africa are living in fear of attacks and even death, Amnesty International said Wednesday, days after a Zimbabwean man was burned to death amid renewed violence against foreigners in some poor neighborhoods of Johannesburg.
Zimbabweans, who make up the largest number of migrants in Africa’s most advanced economy, are mostly targeted, according to the human rights group.
Amnesty International accused South African authorities of “inaction” and “a lack of political will” to stem the wave of anti-migrant violence witnessed in recent weeks.
The violence is driven by vigilante groups who blame foreigners from poorer African countries for South Africa’s rampant unemployment, said the report.
South Africa’s unemployment rate has reached 35%, according to figures released this month by StatsSA. The jobless rate for youths is more than 60%, according to the statistics.
A gang in Johannesburg’s poor Diepsloot township stoned and then burned to death Elvis Nyathi, a Zimbabwean, last week when he failed to produce identity documents showing that he was in the country legally, causing outrage in both South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Nyathi was one of seven people — two foreigners and five South Africans — who lost their lives “after attacks and counter-attacks by non-state actors” in the past week, said Amnesty International’s report, describing the deaths as “easily preventable.”
Migrants interviewed in the township by Amnesty said they are living in “constant fear” and “feel unsafe” due to constant harassment from both the police and anti-migrant gangs that move around demanding identity documents from migrants, said the group.
“These attacks represent just the latest wave in a rising tide of violence against migrants in South Africa,” said Amnesty, adding that the assaults are not isolated as they “mirror the heavily-orchestrated, anti-migrant attacks” witnessed in other poor townships in Johannesburg in recent months.
A group calling itself Operation Dudula has held anti-foreigner demonstrations in several South African cities in recent weeks.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa this week criticized the violence.
“We have seen people being attacked, hurt and even killed because of how they looked or because they have a particular accent,” he said in his weekly letter to the nation, appealing for restraint.
In Zimbabwe, authorities say they are engaging the South African government “at all levels,” while the country’s Parliamentarians called for an end to the attacks.
Once one of Africa’s most prosperous economies, Zimbabwe has battled a debilitating economic downturn over the past two decades that critics attribute to economic mismanagement, corruption and poor governance. President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government blames Western-imposed sanctions.
South Africa has said it will no longer renew special permits that allow Zimbabwean migrants to live and work in that country and gave about 250,000 holders of those permits until December this year to apply for regular permits.
It is estimated that as many as 3 million Zimbabweans live in South Africa without proper legal documentation.
Zimbabweans say it is difficult to return home because unemployment is even higher than in South Africa at more than 80%, according to some economists.
“The attacks are deplorable, but they can easily be solved if Zimbabwe fixes its economy,” opposition leader Nelson Chamisa told The Associated Press Wednesday.
“Zimbabweans are forced to run away from their country and live wretched lives elsewhere because they have no future in their own country,” Chamisa said.
Despite the threat of violence in South Africa, many Zimbabweans are still willing to risk sneaking across the border without documentation to try their luck in South Africa to escape the biting conditions at home.
“There is nothing for me here,” said Jonathan Sibanda 21, an unemployed resident of the capital, Harare. “I am willing to take that chance rather than die a slow death here in Zimbabwe.” | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/migrants-to-south-africa-face-threats-says-amnesty-report/ | 2022-04-14T07:13:45 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/migrants-to-south-africa-face-threats-says-amnesty-report/ |
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The presidents of four countries on Russia’s doorstep toured war-ravaged areas near the Ukrainian capital and demanded accountability for what they called war crimes, as Kyiv and Moscow gave conflicting accounts of what happened to a badly damaged missile cruiser that is the flagship vessel of Russia’s fleet in the Black Sea.
Wednesday’s visit by the leaders of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia was a strong show of solidarity from the countries on NATO’s eastern flank, three of them like Ukraine once part of the Soviet Union. They traveled by train to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, to meet with their counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and visited Borodyanka, one of the nearby towns where evidence of atrocities was found after Russian troops withdrew to focus on the country’s east.
“The fight for Europe’s future is happening here,” Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said, calling for tougher sanctions, including against Russian oil and gas shipments and all the country’s banks.
Elsewhere, in one of the most crucial battles of the war, Russia said more than 1,000 Ukrainian troops had surrendered in the besieged southern port city of Mariupol, where Ukrainian forces have been holding out in pockets of the city. A Ukrainian official denied the claim, which could not be independently verified.
And in the Odesa region, Gov. Maksym Marchenko said Ukrainian forces struck the guided-missile cruiser Moskva — the flagship of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet — with two missiles and caused “serious damage.” Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed the ship was damaged but not that it was hit by Ukraine — it said ammunition on board detonated as a result of a fire of as-yet undetermined causes. The entire crew was evacuated, it added; the cruiser typically has about 500 on board.
Russia invaded on Feb. 24 with the goal, according to Western officials, of taking Kyiv, toppling the government and installing a Moscow-friendly one. But the ground advance slowly stalled and Russia lost potentially thousands of fighters. The conflict has killed untold numbers of Ukrainian civilians and forced millions more to flee. It also has rattled the world economy, threatened global food suppliesand shattered Europe’s post-Cold War balance.
A U.N. task force warned on Wednesday that the war threatens to devastate the economies of many developing countries that are facing even higher food and energy costs and increasingly difficult financial conditions. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the war is “supercharging” a crisis in food, energy and finance in poorer countries that were already struggling to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and a lack of access to funding.
A day after he called Russia’s actions in Ukraine “a genocide,” U.S. President Joe Biden approved $800 million in new military assistance to Kyiv, saying weapons from the West have sustained Ukraine’s fight so far and “we cannot rest now.” The munitions include artillery systems, armored personnel carriers and helicopters.
Appearing alongside Zelenskyy in an ornate room in Kyiv’s historic Mariinskyi Palace, Nauseda, Estonian President Alar Karis, Poland’s Andrzej Duda and Latvia’s Egils Levits reiterated their commitment to supporting Ukraine politically and with military aid.
“We know this history. We know what Russian occupation means. We know what Russian terrorism means,” Duda said. He added that both those who committed war crimes and those who gave the orders should be held accountable.
“If someone sends aircraft, if someone sends troops to shell residential districts, kill civilians, murder them, this is not war,” he said. “This is cruelty, this is banditry, this is terrorism.”
In his daily late-night address, Zelenskyy noted that the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court visited the Kyiv suburb of Bucha, which was controlled by Russian forces until recently and where evidence of mass killings and more than 400 bodies were found.
“It is inevitable that the Russian troops will be held responsible. We will drag everyone to a tribunal, and not only for what was done in Bucha,” Zelenskyy said late Wednesday.
He also said work was continuing to clear tens of thousands of unexploded shells, mines and trip wires left behind in northern Ukraine by the departing Russians. He urged people returning to homes to be wary of any unfamiliar objects and report them to police.
Also Wednesday, a report commissioned by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe found “clear patterns of (international humanitarian law) violations by the Russian forces in their conduct of hostilities.” It was written by experts selected by Ukraine and published by the Vienna-based organization, which promotes security and human rights.
The report said there were also violations by Ukraine, but concluded those committed by Russia “are by far larger in scale and nature.”
Residents in Yahidne, a village near the northern city of Chernihiv, said Russian troops forced them to stay for almost a month in the basement of a school, allowing them outside only to go to the toilet, cook on open fires — and bury the dead in a mass grave.
In one of the rooms, they kept a list of those who perished. It had 18 names.
“An old man died near me and then his wife died next,” Valentyna Saroyan said. “Then a man died who was lying there, then a woman sitting next to me. … Another old man looked so healthy, he was doing exercises, but then he was sitting and fell. That was it.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied his troops committed atrocities, saying Tuesday that Moscow “had no other choice” but to invade and would “continue until its full completion and the fulfillment of the tasks that have been set.” He insisted Russia’s campaign was going as planned despite a major withdrawal after its forces failed to take the capitaland suffered significant losses.
Russian troops are now gearing up for a major offensive in the eastern Donbas region, where Moscow-allied separatists and Ukrainian forces have been fighting since 2014.
A key piece of the Russian campaign is Mariupol, which lies in the Donbas and which the Russians have pummeled for weeks.
Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj.-Gen. Igor Konashenkov said 1,026 troops from the Ukrainian 36th Marine Brigade surrendered at a metals factory in the city. But Vadym Denysenko, adviser to Ukraine’s interior minister, rejected the claim, telling Current Time TV that “the battle over the seaport is still ongoing today.”
It was unclear when a surrender may have occurred or how many forces were still defending Mariupol.
According to the BBC, Aiden Aslin, a British man fighting in the Ukrainian military in Mariupol, called his mother and a friend to say he and his comrades were out of food, ammunition and other supplies and would surrender.
Russian state television broadcast footage Wednesday that it said was from Mariupol showing dozens of men in camouflage walking with their hands up and carrying others on stretchers or in chair holds. One man held a white flag. In the background was a tall industrial building with its windows shattered and roof missing, identified by the broadcaster as the Iliich metalworks.
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Stashevskyi reported from Yahidne, Ukraine. Associated Press writer Robert Burns in Washington, and AP journalists around the world contributed to this report.
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Follow the AP’s coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/neighbors-back-ukraine-demand-accountability-for-war-crimes/ | 2022-04-14T07:13:53 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/neighbors-back-ukraine-demand-accountability-for-war-crimes/ |
Lincoln Southwest wins HAC championship
LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - The clock was approaching midnight and temperatures were in the 30s late Wednesday at Den Hartog Field, but the conditions didn’t stop Lincoln Southwest players from extending their celebration of the Heartland Athletic Conference championship. The Silver Hawks defeated Kearney 6-3 to claim the HAC title.
Sophomore left-handed pitcher Thomas Fraley earned the win for LSW. Fraley ended the game with a strikeout, his sixth of the night, prompting multiple players to throw their gloves high into the air. Starting pitcher Jack Shaffer fanned seven batters for LSW (11-7). The Silver Hawks broke a 3-3 tie in the 6th inning on a Fletcher Peterson sacrifice fly. LSW added two more runs later in the inning.
Lincoln Southwest advanced to the HAC Finals with a thrilling, extra-innings win over top-seeded Lincoln East earlier in the day. The Silver Hawks also had a pair of victories on Tuesday.
Lincoln Southwest won the conference title as the tournament’s #5 seed.
Copyright 2022 KOLN. All rights reserved. | https://www.1011now.com/2022/04/14/lincoln-southwest-wins-hac-championship/ | 2022-04-14T07:14:00 | 0 | https://www.1011now.com/2022/04/14/lincoln-southwest-wins-hac-championship/ |
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Armed gangs attacking remote communities in Nigeria’s troubled northwest are now working with extremist rebels who have waged a decade-long insurgency in the country’s northeast, a top government official said Wednesday.
The gunmen and the Islamist rebels are in “an unholy handshake,” Nigeria’s Minister of Information Lai Mohammed told reporters, for the first time confirming a collaboration that security analysts have warned of.
The result of the alliance is the recent deadly train attack near Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, said the minister. Explosives were used to blow up the rail track in that attack in which eight passengers were killed and more than 100 were abducted and remain missing.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country with 206 million people, has been battling violence in its troubled north and an alliance between the two groups could worsen the crisis, analysts told The Associated Press.
The security crisis is dominated by two groups: bandits many of whom are formerly herdsmen now carrying arms and Islamic extremist rebels of the Boko Haram group and its breakaway faction the Islamic State in West Africa Province.
The partnership between the groups “might drive further attacks on innocent civilians and state infrastructure,” said Oluwole Ojewale of the Africa-focused Institute of Security Studies, as the extremists move their insurgency beyond the northeast where they had been largely restricted for many years.
With the military already fighting factions of the extremists, Nigeria’s security situation is already “dangerous enough,” said Confidence MacHarry with the Lagos-based SBM Intelligence security firm.
“Adding Boko Haram to the terror problem in the northwest would greatly stretch the security forces to more than its capacity,” said MacHarry.
Nigeria’s security crisis continued Wednesday with the abduction of four female students by an armed gang that attacked their school in northwest Zamfara state and the killing of 23 persons in northcentral Benue state, local authorities said.
“It is becoming increasingly glaring every day that my people are now an endangered species and so we can no longer wait for help from anywhere,” Benue governor Samuel Ortom said, repeating his appeal for residents to be allowed to bear arms to “defend themselves.”
The persistent violence, including the killing of more than 100 villagers in the northcentral Plateau state during the weekend, has raised further doubts about the Nigerian government’s ability to restore peace in volatile areas despite having declared the armed gangs as terrorist organizations.
The major problem, though, is “the political will and the will to act,” said security analyst MacHarry. “Boosting the capacity of security services to respond to security crisis is one thing, but actually responding to the crisis is another,” he said.
Responding to such criticisms, Nigeria’s Minister of Defence Bashir Magashi said the government is still in control.
“We are really on top of the situation,” Magashi said. “We are planning hard and we will get it out as soon as possible.” | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/nigeria-says-armed-gangs-in-north-are-working-with-militants/ | 2022-04-14T07:14:01 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/nigeria-says-armed-gangs-in-north-are-working-with-militants/ |
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — In Ukraine, allegations mount of sexual violence against women by Russian soldiers. In northern Ethiopia, a woman taken to an Eritrean Defense Forces camp was raped by 27 soldiers and contracted AIDS. In Central African Republic the bodies of a woman and two girls were found days after their kidnapping and rape by armed fighters. And in Iraq, 2,800 Yazidi woman and children have been captives of the Islamic State extremist group for eight years, many subjected to sexual violence.
These are some of the examples raised at a U.N. Security Council meeting Wednesday on accountability for such acts in conflicts by Pramila Patten, the U.N. special representative on sexual violence in conflict, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nadia Murad, a member of Iraq’s Yazidi religious minority forced into sexual slavery in 2014 who escaped her Islamic State captors.
Patten’s opening words were aimed squarely at the U.N.’s most powerful body, which has approved five resolutions that focus on preventing and addressing conflict-related sexual violence. What do those resolutions mean right now, she asked, for a woman in Ukraine, Afghanistan, Myanmar or Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region?
At this time of “great global turbulence marked by multiple crises,” she said, the world has seen “increased militarization, including an epidemic of coups, which have turned back the clock on women’s rights.” And every new war has seen human tragedies “including new waves of war’s oldest, most silences, and least-condemned crime” — sexual violence and rape in those countries and others whose victims “cry out for justice and redress.”
Patten said the gap between commitments by the Security Council, and compliance and reality is evident: The latest U.N. report covering conflicts in 18 countries documents 3,293 U.N.-verified cases of sexual violence committed in 2021, a significant increase of 800 cases compared to 2020. Again, she said, the highest number — 1,016 — were recorded in Congo.
Patten also cited examples in other conflict areas: two women from the Rohingya minority in Myanmar’s Chin state gang-raped by government soldiers resulting in unwanted pregnancies; a woman allegedly raped at gunpoint by Puntland police officer in Somalia where she said “abduction, rape and forced marriage are rampant;” documented cases in Colombia of sexual violence against women ex-combatants and their families; and the torture and killing of a female police officer who was eight months pregnant in Afghanistan’s Ghor province.
The U.N. special representative said the few cases of courts convicting perpetrators “are still the exception that prove the rule of justice denied.” Justice must be delivered in communities as well as courtrooms, and victims must receive reparations to rebuild their shattered lives, she said, stressing that “justice, peace and security are inextricably linked.”
Murad said at moments of global instability — like today’s world shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic, a climate crisis and war — issues like conflict-related sexual violence “tend to be pushed aside as though they are somehow secondary to the real issues.” But she said “the truth is these are precisely the moment when protecting, supporting and investing in women and girls should be urgent priorities.”
History shows that when conflict erupts brutality comes to the fore, and “we are seeing this in Ukraine as we speak, with reports of sexual violence that should alarm us.” Later, she told reporters, “my heart is with the people of Ukraine, especially the women and girls out there that are facing this brutality.”
“Sexual violence is not a side effect of conflict,” Murad said. “It is a tactic of war as old as time.”
Last year, a German court convicted an Islamic State member of genocide in a Yazidi girl’s death in a historic verdict, she said. But despite reams of evidence documenting atrocities IS committed against women and girls, she said the extremist perpetrators have faced few, if any, consequences.
Murad said survivors need “more than moral outrage” and urged the Security Council to vote to refer the Islamic State extremist group to the International Criminal Court to be tried for genocide and sexual violence. against Yazidis. In the meantime, she urged other countries to follow Germany’s example and use the principle of universal jurisdiction to try alleged perpetrators for war crimes.
“If you want to establish deterrence, if you want to assure Yazidi women and survivors everywhere that you stand with us, do not delay justice anymore,” she said.
Britain’s Minister of State Lord Tariq Ahmad, who chaired the meeting, joined her in launching “The Murad Code” which aims to tell investigators, journalists and others in the international community how to support survivors of sexual violence by reducing the burden on them and ensuring that their experiences are recorded safely and strengthen the pursuit of justice.
“The pathway to justice must have obstacles removed,” he said. “So ultimately, it’s all about survivors, that they know what their options are. … They have to be the center of our response.” | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/nobel-laureate-demands-justice-for-sexual-violence-victims/ | 2022-04-14T07:14:08 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/nobel-laureate-demands-justice-for-sexual-violence-victims/ |
BEIJING (AP) — Shanghai released 6,000 more people from the central facilities where they were under medical observation to guard against the coronavirus, the government said Wednesday, though the lockdown of most of China’s largest city was continuing in its third week.
About 6.6 million people in the city of 25 million were allowed to leave their homes Tuesday, but some were restricted to their own neighborhoods. Some housing compounds also appeared to still be keeping residents locked inside, and no further lifting of restrictions was apparent Wednesday.
Officials warn that Shanghai still doesn’t have its latest surge in cases of the omicron variant under control, despite its “zero-tolerance” approach that has seen some residents confined to their homes for three weeks or longer.
China also requires anyone who tests positive or is a close contact of such a person to spend at least a week in centralized observation centers in pre-fabricated buildings or gymnasiums and exhibition halls to limit the spread of the virus.
The city’s health bureau said Wednesday that 6,044 people had been allowed the day before to leave observation centers and return home, although health monitoring will continue.
The number of newly detected daily cases in the city edged upward to 26,338, all but 1,189 of them in people showing no symptoms. With more than 200,000 total cases, the ongoing outbreak is China’s biggest of the pandemic. But the mass testing has caught many asymptomatic cases, and no deaths have been reported in Shanghai.
The lockdown has led to frustration among residents in Shanghai about running out of food and being unable to get deliveries. Censors have diligently scrubbed such material from social media, while state-controlled outlets describe a successful campaign to provide food and other supplies and counseled residents that “persistence is victory.”
Shanghai is also home to China’s busiest port and main stock market, and concerns have been rising about the lockdown’s economic impact.
Figures released Wednesday showed China’s exports rose 15.7% in March over a year earlier while imports were flat due to disruptions from coronavirus outbreaks.
Customs data show exports rose to $276.1 billion despite anti-virus controls in Shanghai and other industrial centers that caused factories to reduce output. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/shanghai-releases-more-from-virus-observation-amid-lockdown/ | 2022-04-14T07:14:15 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/shanghai-releases-more-from-virus-observation-amid-lockdown/ |
PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) — The deployment of South Africa’s military in northern Mozambique has been extended while its role has shifted from aggressively fighting Islamic extremist rebels to a peacekeeping effort, a top general said Wednesday.
About 600 members of the South African National Defence Force have been in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province since October last year and have captured and destroyed several of the extremists’ bases, the chief of the South African mission to Mozambique, Gen. Rudzani Maphwanya said Wednesday.
The South African troops are part of a joint regional force of about 1,000 troops sent by the 16-nation Southern African Development Community to support Mozambique in its battle against the rebels. Other countries contributing troops include Angola, Botswana, Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia.
Rwanda has also deployed about 2,000 troops as part of a bilateral agreement with Mozambique.
Addressing the media in Pretoria on Wednesday, Gen. Maphwanya said the offensive by the regional force inflicted “massive losses” against the insurgents. The operation destroyed several bases and recovered weapons including grenade launchers, machine guns, AK-47 rifles, vehicles and technological devices, he said.
“During this operation, the SAMIM (SADC Mission in Mozambique) forces faced a strong resistance from the terrorists but were able to inflict fatal casualties and disrupt as well as continue to dominate and pursue the terrorists in the operational area,” said Maphwanya.
Many of the rebels have been forced out of their bases, according to South African National Defense Forces Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Lindile Yam.
“A lot has been done to dislodge them,” said Yam, adding that the insurgents are trying to get local residents to join their effort to establish Islamic Shariah law in northern Mozambique. “They are even recruiting children as young as five years old,” he said.
Since 2017, the insurgency in Mozambique has been blamed for more than 3,000 deaths, with more than 800,000 people displaced and more than 1 million in need of food aid, according to the U.N. World Food Program.
A summit of leaders of southern African countries on Tuesday approved the transition of the regional force to a more stabilization role, after its more combative offensive against the rebels. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/south-african-army-extends-mission-against-mozambique-rebels/ | 2022-04-14T07:14:23 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/south-african-army-extends-mission-against-mozambique-rebels/ |
NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — The rival leaders of ethnically divided Cyprus on Wednesday kicked off an initiative to give women an equal say in any renewed push to reunify the eastern Mediterranean island nation.
Greek Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and the leader of the breakaway Turkish Cypriots, Ersin Tatar, inaugurated the plan at a United Nations compound off the defunct Nicosia airport, which is inside a buffer zone that runs for 180 kilometers (120 miles) across the island.
The meeting didn’t appear to go well. Anastasiades said after the event that he was “sincerely saddened” by Tatar’s “steady intransigence” after repeating his demand for recognition of the breakaway north as a sovereign state on par with the internationally recognized Cyprus government before peace talks can resume.
The hard-right Tatar upended a decades-long, U.N.-endorsed understanding between the two sides that any deal would be on the basis of a federation by insisting on a two-state peace deal. Greek Cypriots say they would never accept any arrangement that would formalize the island’s forced partition.
Anastasiades also said Tatar sidestepped his appeal to curb the steady stream of migrants who arrive in the north and cross the porous buffer zone to apply for asylum and European Union protection in the south.
Efforts to reunify Cyprus and potentially unlock the speedy exploitation of natural gas deposits off the island’s southern coastline to European markets have remained stalled since 2017, when the most recent top-level unity negotiations collapsed amid mutual recriminations as to who was to blame.
Cyprus was split in 1974 when Turkey invaded following a coup by supporters of union with Greece. Turkey and Turkish Cypriots accuse the Greek Cypriots of being unwilling to share power in an envisioned federation. On the other hand, Greek Cypriots fear a bid by Turkey to place the entire island under its control through Ankara’s demands for a permanent troop presence, military intervention rights and a Turkish Cypriot veto at all decision-making levels.
The initiative is hoped to be embraced as a small, but notable step forward in helping revive peace talks. It was set in motion following a U.N. Security Council resolution last year calling for the full, equal and meaningful participation of women in the peace process.
According to a U.N. statement, a committee made up of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots has been given the job of bolstering gender equality will reach out to women’s organizations, youth groups and others for their views on including gender perspectives in a renewed peace drive. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/split-cyprus-seeks-equal-say-for-women-in-future-peace-talks/ | 2022-04-14T07:14:30 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/split-cyprus-seeks-equal-say-for-women-in-future-peace-talks/ |
If nations do all that they’ve promised to fight climate change, the world can still meet one of two internationally agreed upon goals for limiting warming. But the planet is blowing past the other threshold that scientists say will protect Earth more, a new study finds.
The world is potentially on track to keep global warming at, or a shade below, 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) hotter than pre-industrial times, a goal that once seemed out of reach, according to a study published Wednesday in the journal Nature.
That will only happen if countries not only fulfill their specific pledged national targets for curbing carbon emissions by 2030, but also come through on more distant promises of reaching net zero carbon emissions by mid-century, the study says.
This 2 degree warmer world still represents what scientists characterize as a profoundly disrupted climate with fiercer storms, higher seas, animal and plant extinctions, disappearing coral, melting ice and more people dying from heat, smog and infectious disease. It’s not the goal that world leaders say they really want: 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) since pre-industrial times. The world will blast past that more prominent and promoted goal unless dramatic new emission cuts are promised and achieved this decade and probably within the next three years, study authors said.
Both goals of 1.5-degrees and 2-degrees are part of the 2015 Paris climate pact and the 2021 Glasgow follow-up agreement. The 2-degree goal goes back years earlier.
“For the first time we can possibly keep warming below the symbolic 2-degree mark with the promises on the table. That assumes of course that the countries follow through on the promises,” said study lead author Malte Meinshausen, a University of Melbourne climate scientist.
That’s a big if, outside climate scientists and the authors, say. It means political leaders actually doing what they promise
The study “examines only this optimistic scenario. It does not check whether governments are making efforts to implement their long-term targets and whether they are credible,” said Niklas Hohne of Germany, a New Climate Institute scientist who analyzes pledges for Climate Action Tracker and wasn’t part of this study. “We know that governments are far from implementing their long-term targets.”
Hohne’s team and others who track pledges have similarly found that limiting warming to 2 degrees is still possible, as Meinshausen’s team has. The difference is that Meinshausen’s study is the first to be peer-reviewed and published in a scientific journal.
Sure, the 2-degree world requires countries to do what they promise. But cheaper wind and solar have shown carbon emissions cuts can come faster than thought and some countries will exceed their promised cuts, Meinshausen said. He also said the way climate action works is starting with promises and then policies, so it’s not unreasonable to take countries at their word.
Mostly, he said, limiting warming to 2 degrees is still a big improvement compared to just five or ten years ago, when “everybody laughed like ‘ha we’ll never see targets on the table that bring us closer to 2 degrees’,” Meinshausen said. “Targets and implemented policies actually can turn the needle on future temperatures. I think that optimism is important for countries to see. Yes, there is hope.”
About 20% to 30% of that hope is due to the Paris climate agreement, but the rest is due to earlier investments by countries that made green energy technologies cheaper than dirty fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas, Meinshausen said.
Yet, even if that’s good news, it’s not all good, he said.
“Neither do we have a margin of error (on barely limiting to 2 degrees) nor do the pledges put us on a path close to 1.5 degrees,” Meinshausen said.
In 2018 the United Nations’ scientific expert team studied the differences between the 1.5- and 2-degree thresholds and found considerably worse and more extensive damages to Earth at 2 degrees of warming. So the world has recently tried to make the 1.5 degrees goal possible.
Earth has already warmed at least 1.1 degrees Celsius (2 degrees Fahrenheit) since pre-industrial times, often considered the late 1800s, so 2 degrees of warming really means another 0.9 degrees Celsius (1.6 degrees Fahrenheit) hotter than now.
Meinshausen’s analysis “looks good and solid, but there are always assumptions that could be important,” said Glen Peters, a climate scientist who tracks emissions with Global Carbon Project.
The biggest assumption is that nations somehow get to promised net zero carbon emissions, most of them by 2050 but a decade or two later for China and India, said Peters, research director of the Cicero Center for International Climate Research in Oslo, Norway.
“Making pledges for 2050 is cheap, backing them up with necessary short-term action is hard,” he said, noting that for most countries, there will be five or six elections between now and 2050.
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Follow AP’s climate coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/climate
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Follow Seth Borenstein on Twitter at @borenbears
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Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP’s climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/study-keeping-climate-pledges-limits-warming-to-2-degrees/ | 2022-04-14T07:14:37 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/study-keeping-climate-pledges-limits-warming-to-2-degrees/ |
GENEVA (AP) — Swiss prosecutors are concluding without any charges a decade-long investigation into alleged money laundering and organized crime linked to late former President Hosni Mubarak’s circles in Egypt, and will release some 400 million Swiss francs ($430 million) frozen in Swiss banks.
The office of the Swiss attorney general said Wednesday that information received as part of cooperation with Egyptian authorities wasn’t sufficient to back up the claims that emerged in the wake of Arab Spring uprisings in 2011 that felled Mubarak’s three-decade rule.
A Swiss investigation into claims that banks in Switzerland were used to squirrel away ill-gotten funds had originally targeted 14 people, including Mubarak’s two sons, as well as dozens of other individuals and entities that had assets totaling some 600 million francs frozen.
More than 210 million francs were already released in an earlier phase of the case, which also could not substantiate the allegations, and Wednesday’s announcement means about 400 million more will be “released and returned to their beneficial owners,” the attorney-general’s office said.
The final part of the Swiss investigation centered on five people, it said, without identifying them.
Swiss prosecutors say they didn’t receive a response to a request for information from “commissions” created in Egypt to analyze financial transfers connected to people under investigation in Egypt — notably the Mubarak family, the office said. Mubarak died in 2020, aged 91.
“As a result, in the absence of evidence relating to potential offenses committed in particular in Egypt, it is not possible to show that the funds located in Switzerland could be of illegal origin,” it said. “The suspicion of money laundering cannot therefore be substantiated based on the information available.”
Swiss banks, reputed for their discretion, have been a favored repository over the years for many wealthy foreigners — including Western industrial tycoons, Russian oligarchs, and autocrats and other leaders and their families and cronies in places as diverse as Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
Swiss authorities have touted a recent crackdown against money laundering through Swiss banks, but advocacy groups and watchdogs say the effort has not succeeded in completely ending such activities. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/swiss-to-unfreeze-430m-as-egypt-money-laundering-probe-ends/ | 2022-04-14T07:14:45 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/swiss-to-unfreeze-430m-as-egypt-money-laundering-probe-ends/ |
LONDON (AP) — Scientists are investigating a puzzling spike in liver disease in children across the United Kingdom, including the cause and whether there are any links between the affected youngsters.
The U.K. Health Security Agency said this week that public health personnel are looking into 74 cases of hepatitis, or liver inflammation, detected in children since January.
The usual viruses that cause infectious hepatitis were not found in the cases, and scientists and doctors are considering other possible causes, including COVID-19, other viruses and environmental factors.
While some types of hepatitis are mild and don’t require treatment, other forms of the disease can become chronic and be fatal.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said doctors in other countries should also report potential infections in case the outbreak is not limited to Britain. It said doctors should be on the lookout for children with jaundice and symptoms including vomiting and stomach problems.
The European agency said most cases involved children ages 2 to 5. It said some children had suffered acute liver failure and a “small number have required liver transplantation.” It said there were no travel links between the affected children.
British officials said none of the affected children were vaccinated against the coronavirus, and they ruled out any links to COVID-19 vaccines.
“One of the possible causes that we are investigating is that this is linked to adenovirus infection,” said Dr. Meera Chand, director of clinical and emerging Infections at the U.K. Health Security Agency.
Adenoviruses are common viruses that cause problems like pink eye, a sore throat or diarrhea. They are often spread between people and by touching contaminated surfaces.
“The current crop of cases of hepatitis in children under the age of 10 years is very unusual,” Will Irving, a professor of virology at the University of Nottingham, said in a statement.
Adults are much more prone to suffer severe disease from hepatitis, and children are not usually affected, he said.
The public health investigation will likely focus on studying patient samples and trying to find potential toxins or viruses that might be responsible, Irving said. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/uk-investigating-puzzling-spike-in-liver-disease-in-children/ | 2022-04-14T07:14:52 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/uk-investigating-puzzling-spike-in-liver-disease-in-children/ |
ROME (AP) — A close associate of Pope Francis on Wednesday defended the Vatican’s decision to have a Russian woman and a Ukrainian woman carry the cross together during a Good Friday procession that will be presided over by the pontiff.
On Tuesday, both the Ukrainian ambassador to the Holy See and the archbishop of Kyiv blasted the choice given Russia’s invasion and war in Ukraine. The women are both nurses who work together at a Rome hospital.
Ukrainian Ambassador Andrii Yurash tweeted that he “understands and shares general concern in Ukraine and many other communities about idea to bring together Ukrainian and Russian women” to carry the cross during part of the procession on Friday.
“Now we are working on the issue trying to explain difficulties of its realization and possible consequences,” the ambassador said.
The torchlit procession at at Rome’s Colosseum is a traditional part of the Vatican’s Holy Week observances.
The Vatican didn’t immediately comment.
Responding to the criticism, the Rev. Antonio Spadaro, a Jesuit priest in Rome who is close to Francis, defended the pairing of the Russian and Ukrainian women for the solemn procession.
“You have to understand one thing” about the pope, Spadaro told Italian state radio network RAI on Wednesday. “He’s a pastor, not a politician.”
Spadaro ventured that the image of the two women carrying the cross together was upsetting “because they represent something that can’t be obtained” now — “peace.”
Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, who is based in Kyiv and heads the Greek-Catholic church in Ukraine, also denounced the pairing.
“I consider this idea inopportune and ambiguous,” Shevchuk said, adding that it “doesn’t take into consideration the context of the Russian military aggression against Ukraine.”
Shevchuk also decried the wording of a meditation that the Vatican had said would be read aloud as the nurses clutch the tall, lightweight cross. It reads, “We want our life back as before. Why all of this? What wrong did we do? Why have you forsaken us? Why have you forsaken our peoples?”
The words, combined with the cross-carrying gesture, “are incomprehensible and even offensive,” the Greek-Catholic prelate said. .
The meditation was scripted based on the experiences of the families of the Russian and Ukrainian women, whose families also plan to participate in the procession, the Vatican has said.
The women, interviewed on Italian state TV earlier in the week, have expressed satisfaction with their role in the procession and stressed their friendship.
The pope did not mention the controversy during his public audience on Wednesday. But he denounced “the armed aggression of these days” as “an outrage against God.”
Francis has pressed for an Easter cease-fire in Ukraine. Easter falls on April 17 for many Christians this year. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/ukraine-upset-by-vatican-inviting-russian-to-carry-cross/ | 2022-04-14T07:15:00 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/ukraine-upset-by-vatican-inviting-russian-to-carry-cross/ |
LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has refused to resign after being fined for breaking his government’s pandemic lockdown rules, saying he would instead redouble his efforts to strengthen the economy and combat Russian aggression in Ukraine.
London police fined Johnson and other people Tuesday for attending a birthday party thrown for the prime minister at his Downing Street offices on June 19, 2020. The penalty made Johnson the first British prime minister ever found to have broken the law while in office.
Gatherings of more than two people were banned in Britain at the time of the birthday party to curb the spread of COVID-19.
“I understand the anger that many will feel that I, myself, fell short when it came to observing the very rules which the government I lead had introduced to protect the public. And I accept in all sincerity that people had the right to expect better,” Johnson said late Tuesday. “And now I feel an even greater sense of obligation to deliver on the priorities of the British people.”
The fine followed a police investigation and months of questions about lockdown-breaking parties at government offices, which Johnson had tried to bat away by saying there were no parties and that he believed no rules were broken.
Opposition lawmakers demanded Johnson’s resignation, arguing the fines given to him and Treasury chief Rishi Sunak were evidence of “criminality” at the heart of government. The opposition argued that the Downing Street gathering demonstrated that Johnson and his supporters believed the rules don’t apply to them.
On Wednesday, a Conservative member of the House of Lords resigned from his role as justice minister, criticizing “repeated rule-breaking and breaches of criminal law in Downing Street.”
“It is not just a question of what happened in Downing Street, or your own conduct,” David Wolfson wrote in a letter to Johnson. “It is also, and perhaps more so, the official response to what took place.”
While the “partygate” scandal poses a threat to Johnson’s government, the world has changed tremendously since the first reports of the parties surfaced late last year.
Johnson has been a leading figure in marshaling international opposition to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and Britain is facing its worst cost-of-living crisis since the 1950s. His supporters are already arguing that whatever the prime minister may have done wrong, now is not time for a leadership contest.
That his Treasury chief also received an undermining fine helps Johnson, since Sunak had been seen as the leading Conservative candidate to succeed Johnson.
But Johnson still faces the possibility of additional fines. He is reported to have attended three other gatherings that the Metropolitan Police Service is still investigating.
He will also have to answer questions about whether he knowingly misled Parliament with his previous statements about the parties, said Jill Rutter, a senior fellow at the Institute for Government in London.
“Governments have to realize that they can’t just make laws and then skirt around them and rationalize themselves that it’s all OK because they’re very important people working at the center of government,” Rutter said.
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Follow all AP stories on the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/uks-johnson-rejects-calls-to-resign-amid-partygate-fine/ | 2022-04-14T07:15:07 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/uks-johnson-rejects-calls-to-resign-amid-partygate-fine/ |
CANBERRA, Australia: (AP) — Australia and the United States are stepping up diplomatic outreach to the Solomon Islands after China signed a security deal with the South Pacific island nation that could lead to Beijing establishing a military presence there.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Wednesday that his minister for International Development and the Pacific, Zed Seselja, had flown to the Solomon Islands the day before for talks with Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare on the April 1 security pact the country agreed to with China.
Seselja said he had asked Sogavare to abandon the Chinese agreement.
“We have asked Solomon Islands respectfully to consider not signing the agreement and to consult the Pacific family in the spirit of regional openness and transparency, consistent with our region’s security frameworks,” Seselja said in a statement.
The trip came the same day that U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman spoke with Solomon Islands Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele about Washington’s plan to reopen an embassy in the capital, Honiara.
The announcement of reopening the embassy, which has been closed since 1993, came in February before the security pact came to light, but amid already growing concerns about Chinese influence in the strategically important country.
A Chinese military presence in the Solomon Islands would put it not only on the doorstep of Australia and New Zealand but also in close proximity to Guam, with its massive U.S. military bases.
At the time he announced the embassy’s reopening, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. was seeking to increase its influence in the Solomon Islands before China becomes “strongly embedded.”
State Department spokesman Ned Price said the call between Sherman and Manele touched on “our joint efforts to broaden and deepen engagement between our countries,” in addition to the embassy plans, but gave no further details.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian defended Beijing’s cooperation with the Solomons as being based on “the principle of mutual respect and mutual benefit” and in line with international law and international practice.
“It is conducive to the social stability and lasting peace and safety of Solomon Islands and will help promote peace, stability and development of Solomon Islands and the rest of South Pacific region,” Zhao told reporters Wednesday at a daily briefing.
“The security cooperation between China and the Solomon Islands does not target any third party or work in opposition to the Solomon Islands’ cooperation with other countries, but will complement the exiting regional cooperation mechanism in a positive way,” he said.
He added that other countries “should view this in an objective and reasonable manner, respect the sovereignty and independent decision of China and the Solomon Islands, avoid provoking confrontation and creating division in the region, and do something conducive to regional stability and development.”
According to a draft of the agreement, which was leaked online, Chinese warships could stop in the Solomons for “logistical replenishment” and China could send police, military personnel and other armed forces to the Solomons “to assist in maintaining social order.”
The draft agreement specifies China must approve what information is disclosed about joint security arrangements, including at media briefings.
The Solomon Islands government have said a draft was initialed two weeks ago and that it would be “cleaned up” and finalized soon.
The Solomon Islands government has said it won’t allow China to build a military base there and China has denied seeking a military foothold in the South Pacific, but the pact set off alarm bells among many Western nations.
Since it was signed, two top Australian intelligence officials — Australian Secret Intelligence Service boss Paul Symon and Office of National Intelligence Director-General Andrew Shearer — have met Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare.
Australia already has a bilateral security pact with the Solomon Islands and Australian police peacekeepers have been in the capital, Honiara, since riots in November.
Morrison said Australia was respectfully and directly communicating with the Solomon Islands on the Chinese security deal.
“The suggestion that somehow, some seem to be making, that the Solomon Islands is somehow under the control of Australia I think is offensive to the Solomon Islands,” Morrison said.
“They are a sovereign nation. I respect their independence and they will make their own decisions about their own sovereignty,” he said.
“What we have been doing is ensuring that they are fully aware of the risks and the security matters that are not only of concern to Australia but islands, Pacific nations across the Pacific,” he added.
Seselja said Australia also welcomed statements from Sogavare that it remains the Solomon Islands’ “security partner of choice, and his commitment that Solomon Islands will never be used for military bases or other military institutions of foreign powers.”
Morrison announced on Sunday that an election will be held in Australia on May 21. He now leads a caretaker government and must consult the opposition on any policy decisions.
Opposition spokeswoman on foreign affairs Penny Wong said the Australian government had failed on the Solomon Islands.
“This is happening on Mr. Morrison’s watch – the warnings have been there for months, the draft agreement public for weeks – but he has failed to front up and explain how Australia is responding,” Wong said in a statement.
“We need to work with the Pacific family and allies to build a region where sovereignty is respected – and where Australia is the partner of choice,” she added. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/western-pressure-mounts-on-solomons-to-quash-pact-with-china/ | 2022-04-14T07:15:14 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/western-pressure-mounts-on-solomons-to-quash-pact-with-china/ |
LONDON (AP) — The head of the World Health Organization has slammed the global community for its focus on the war in Ukraine, arguing that crises elsewhere, including in his home country of Ethiopia, are not being given equal consideration, possibly because those suffering are not white.
WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus questioned “if the world really gives equal attention to Black and white lives,” given that the ongoing emergencies in Ethiopia, Yemen, Afghanistan and Syria have garnered only a “fraction” of the global concern for Ukraine. He was speaking in a virtual press briefing from Geneva on Wednesday.
Last month, Tedros said there is ”nowhere on earth where the health of millions of people is more under threat” than Ethiopia’s Tigray region.
Since a truce was declared in Tigray three weeks ago, about 2,000 trucks should have been able to bring food, medicines and other essentials to the conflict-ridden area, he said. Instead, only about 20 trucks have arrived, said Tedros, a former minister of health in Ethiopia and an ethnic Tigrayan.
“As we speak, people are dying of starvation,” he said. “This is one of the longest and worst sieges by both Eritrean and Ethiopian forces in modern history.”
Tedros acknowledged that the war in Ukraine is globally significant, but asked if other crises are being accorded enough attention.
“I need to be blunt and honest that the world is not treating the human race the same way,” he said. “Some are more equal than others.”
Tedros described the situation in Tigray as “tragic” and said he “hopes the world comes back to its senses and treats all human life equally.” He also critiqued the press for its failure to document the ongoing atrocities in Ethiopia, noting that people had been burned alive in the region. “I don’t even know if that was taken seriously by the media.”
Earlier this year, the government of Ethiopia sent a letterto the World Health Organization, accusing Tedros of “misconduct” after his sharp criticism of the war and humanitarian crisis in the country.
The Ethiopian government said Tedros was using his office “to advance his political interest at the expense of Ethiopia” and said he continues to be an active member of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front; Tedros was Ethiopia’s foreign minister and health minister when the TPLF dominated the country’s ruling coalition. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/who-chief-focus-on-ukraine-shows-bias-against-black-lives/ | 2022-04-14T07:15:22 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/who-chief-focus-on-ukraine-shows-bias-against-black-lives/ |
GENEVA (AP) — The number of new coronavirus cases and deaths reported to the World Health Organization fell for a third consecutive week, a trend likely helped by the dismantling of testing and surveillance programs.
In its latest weekly report on the pandemic, issued late Tuesday, the U.N. health agency said the more than 7 million new cases reported represented a 24% decline from a week earlier. The weekly worldwide number of COVID-19 deaths, was down 18%, at over 22,000.
WHO said the decreases “should be interpreted with caution” as numerous countries where the virus is starting to subside have changed their testing strategies, meaning far fewer cases are being identified.
New cases and deaths are falling in every region of the world, including the Western Pacific, where a surge of infections has triggered severe lockdown measures in China.
WHO said it was monitoring several mutants of the virus descended from the omicron variant, including some recombined forms of existing omicron subvariants.
In a separate statement, the health organization said scientists in Botswana and South Africa have detected new forms of the omicron variant, labeled as BA.4 and BA.5, but aren’t sure yet if they might be more transmissible or dangerous.
To date, the new versions of omicron have been detected in four people in Botswana and 23 people in South Africa. Beyond Africa, scientists have confirmed cases in Belgium, Denmark, Germany and the United Kingdom.
WHO said there was so far no evidence the new sub-variants spread any differently than the original omicron variant.
“There is no cause for alarm with the emergence of the new sub-variants,” Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO’s Africa director, said in a statement. “We are not yet observing a major spike in cases, hospitalizations or deaths.”
The agency called on all countries to sequence at least 5% of their COVID-19 samples; many countries, including Britain, Sweden and the United States, recently scrapped their widespread testing programs as the number of severe cases dramatically declined.
Still, the U.S. will soon mark 1 million COVID-19 deaths, and the virus is continuing to cause concern in China.
Officials warn Shanghaistill doesn’t have its latest surge in omicron-involved cases under control despite a “zero-tolerance” approach that has seen some residents confined to their homes for three weeks or longer.
The lockdown has led to frustration among Shanghai residents about running out of food and unable to get deliveries. Censors have diligently scrubbed complaints from social media.
State-controlled outlets describe a successful campaign to provide food and other supplies and counseled residents that “persistence is victory.”
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Follow AP’s coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/who-covid-cases-and-deaths-fall-for-3rd-consecutive-week/ | 2022-04-14T07:15:29 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/who-covid-cases-and-deaths-fall-for-3rd-consecutive-week/ |
SALADO, Texas (AP) — Nearly two dozen people were injured when tornadoes swept through central Texas as part of a storm system that was expected to spawn more twisters and damaging winds Wednesday.
The storms caused widespread damage Tuesday in Salado, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Austin. Bell County Judge David Blackburn said 23 people were injured, one of them critically. Twelve of the injured were taken to hospitals, Blackburn said.
“There’s not much left,” said Blackburn, the county’s top elected official. “Large trees are uprooted and overturned and stripped. Buildings really reduced to rubble. … Power lines, power poles, are scattered all over the place. It’s pretty devastating.”
Photos on social media showed grapefruit-size hail associated with that storm.
Tornadoes were also spotted Tuesday in Iowa, but there were no reports of serious injuries. In Lincoln, Nebraska, powerful wind gusts knocked down tree limbs and caused some roof damage. A possible tornado also caused damage in the small southern Minnesota town of Taopi near the state’s border with Iowa.
Mower County Sheriff Steve Sandvik said dispatchers began getting calls from residents trapped in their damaged homes not long after a tornado warning siren sounded at 10:30 p.m. Tuesday. There were no reports of serious injuries. Weather service crews were assessing damage in the area Wednesday.
More tornadoes were in the forecast Wednesday for parts of the mid-South and in the Mississippi River Valley, the Storm Prediction Center said.
Hurricane-force winds, intense tornadoes and large hail were possible in Arkansas, Illinois, Tennessee, Missouri, Kentucky, Mississippi, Indiana, Louisiana and Alabama, forecasters said. Little Rock, Arkansas, and Memphis, Tennessee, were among the cities that could see the worst weather Wednesday, the Storm Prediction Center said.
Elsewhere, the North Dakota Capitol, schools, government offices and interstates remained closed Wednesday as a blizzard continued to bear down on the state.
A blizzard warning issued by the National Weather Service remained in effect through Thursday for most of western and central North Dakota where up to 2 feet (60 centimeters) of snow was expected. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/23-injured-in-texas-storms-more-tornadoes-forecast-in-us/ | 2022-04-14T07:15:36 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/23-injured-in-texas-storms-more-tornadoes-forecast-in-us/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — The shooting this week of 10 people by a man who deployed smoke grenades and fired at least 33 shots in a commuter-packed Brooklyn subway car was hardly the first time New Yorkers have grappled with an act of violence.
Over the past 40 years, New York has endured multiple subway and train shootings, bombing attempts, a vehicular attack on pedestrians and the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack.
The suspect in the latest assault was taken into custody Wednesday, about 30 hours after the shooting. The attack left five victims in critical condition and put residents of the nation’s most populous city on edge
A look at some of the attacks in the city over the past four decades:
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1984 SUBWAY SHOOTING
Thirty-eight years ago, a man shot four Black teenson the 2 train in Manhattan at a time of widespread crime in the city, sparking a nationwide debate on racism, gun control, and safety.
Bernhard Goetz said he shot the teens because they were attempting to rob him. The teens had sharpened screwdrivers and asked Goetz for $5. Goetz was charged with attempting to murder the four teens with an unlicensed firearm.
In 1987, Goetz was cleared of the attempted murder charge and spent less than a year in jail for a weapons conviction.
Darrell Cabey, one of the young men shot on the subway, was left paralyzed and suffered brain damage after the shooting. Several years later, he was awarded $43 million in a lawsuit against Goetz. The other three victims recovered from their wounds.
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LONG ISLAND RAIL ROAD SHOOTING
In 1993, a man opened fire on the Long Island Rail Road, killing six people and injuring 19 others.
Passengers charged at shooter Colin Ferguson and held him down as the train pulled into a station.
Ferguson refused an insanity plea and represented himself at his 1995 trial. Under cross-examination, witnesses answered Ferguson’s questions by implicating him, telling Ferguson, “I saw you shoot me.”
Ferguson was convicted on six murder charges and 19 attempted murder charges. He was acquitted of 25 counts of civil rights violations on charges that accused Ferguson, who was Black, of targeting the victims based on their race. The people killed and injured were of multiple races.
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CHELSEA BOMBING
In 2016, a pressure cooker device connected to a cellphone exploded in a Manhattan neighborhood, injuring 30 people. The Chelsea bombing triggered a two-day manhunt that came to a head in a shootout in New Jersey. Theconvicted bomber,Ahmad Khan Rahimi, is now serving a life sentence.
Former Mayor Bill de Blasio said the attack was “an intentional act” and initially called it terrorist-related. During Rahimi’s trial, prosecutors said he attempted to radicalize prisoners after his arrest with terrorist propaganda from speeches and lectures by al-Qaida founder Osama bin Laden and Anwar al-Awlaki, a U.S.-born cleric who inspired attacks on America and was killed in a U.S. airstrike in September 2011.
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TIMES SQUARE SUBWAY BOMBING
In 2017, a man used Christmas lights, matches and a nine-volt battery toignite a pipe bomb under a Times Square subway station. But the bomb, which was strapped to the bomber’s chest, failed to launch. It injured three people and severely burned the bomber.
Akayed Ullah was sentenced to life in prison. Ullah said he was not motivated by religious extremism, but by anger sparked by former President Donald Trump’s anti-immigration rhetoric. Authorities said Ullah was radicalized online by Islamic State group extremists.
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BIKE PATH KILLINGS
In 2017, a New Jersey man allegedly drove a truck on Halloween down a bicycle path along the Hudson River in Manhattan, killing eight people and injuring numerous others.
The truck driver, Sayfullo Saipov, was shot and wounded by police after he reportedly smashed into a school bus and then ran down the highway with a paintball gun while shouting “Allahu akbar.”
He was charged with terrorism and the murder of eight civilians.
Saipov is currently in jail awaiting trial, which has been delayed since 2019.
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FAKE BOMBS IN FULTON STREET STATION
In 2019, a West Virginia man allegedly traveled to the cityto plant two pressure-cooker type devices in lower Manhattan’s Fulton Street subway station, triggering an evacuation in one of the city’s busiest stations and affecting thousands of commuters.
New York City police opened another investigation after a third device was found in the nearby Chelsea neighborhood.
Larry Kenton Griffin was arrested and charged with placing a false bomb. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/a-look-at-acts-of-public-violence-in-nyc-over-past-40-years/ | 2022-04-14T07:15:44 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/a-look-at-acts-of-public-violence-in-nyc-over-past-40-years/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — As the year began, New Yorkers shuddered at a subway crime straight out of urban nightmares — the death of a woman shoved onto the tracks by a disturbed stranger. The city’s new mayor vowed to “make sure New Yorkers feel safe in our subway system.”
But commuters Tuesday morning faced an attack that evoked many riders’ deepest fears. A rush-hour train car filled with smoke as it pulled into a Brooklyn station. Gunshots — at least 33 of them — rang out, wounding at least 10 people.
Frightened riders fled, and so did the gunman.
Authorities on Wednesday afternoon said they arrested a suspect, Frank R. James, 62, in Manhattan’s East Village.
Much is still unknown about the attack, but it was a searing reminder of the city’s unyielding battle with gun violence and the specter of terror-like attacks that hangs over New York City — and particularly the subway system that is its transportation backbone.
Police and security officials have made many attempts to harden the city against such attacks, putting officers on trains and platforms, installing cameras and even doing rare spot checks for weapons on passengers entering some stations.
Yet the sprawling system, with nearly 500 stations, largely remains like the city streets themselves: Too big to guard and too busy to completely secure.
Public officials say the subway system is crucial to the city’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, which saw many New Yorker avoiding mass transitduring its peak. Typical daily subway ridership fell from 5.5 million riders to less than a tenth of that.
But as more people return to offices, ridership is increasing. On Monday, estimated ridership was 3.1 million, according to the MTA, which operates the system.
Even as the gunman was still on the loose Wednesday morning, commuters like Ana Marrero were on their way again.
“You have to be more vigilant of your surroundings. But scared? No,” said Marrero, who has taken the subway to work for 30 years. “You think of the tragedy and the people that were hurt, but you have no other choice and do what you have to do.”
In Brooklyn’s Sunset Park neighborhood, several riders said they prayed for safety as they returned to the 36th Street station, reopened a day after the shot-up trained pulled into it.
“I didn’t want to come to work today,” said Jonathan Frias, a construction worker, “but I had to.”
Dan Dzula, who lives four blocks from the station, stayed home Tuesday after receiving an alert on his phone about the shooting. The next day, he encountered a crowded yet quiet platform on his commute into Manhattan.
“It’s a little spooky,” Dzula said. “I have to be here and I want to. No one likes feeling threatened.”
Gov. Kathy Hochul posted a photo on social media showing her riding a train after the shooting, and Mayor Eric Adams pledged to increase patrols in subway stations.
“We know that this hurts the mindset of many New Yorkers who are afraid of what happened, but we’re a resilient city. We’ve been here before,” Adams told MSNBC on Wednesday.
Even before the attack, the mayor had vowed to increase subway patrols and launch sweeps of subway stations and trains to remove homeless people using them as shelters.
In a rambling video posted on YouTube, James replayed recent speeches by Adams and Hochul and mocked their efforts to address violence as weak and futile.
“Their plan is doomed for failure,” James said in the video.
In the 1980s, New York City’s subways were a symbol of urban disorder: graffiti-covered, crime-plagued and shunned by tourists.
Like the rest of the city, though, the subways have since cleaned up their act. Before COVID-19 hit, the main problem with the trains wasn’t crime but overcrowding and breakdowns related to aging infrastructure.
After the Sept. 11 terror attacks, New Yorkers learned to live with the worry that the subways or other parts of the city could be a terror target.
In 2017, an Islamic State group sympathizer detonated a pipe bomb strapped to his chest in a subway station near the Port Authority Bus Terminal, injuring several bystanders.
That same year, the city began expanding the use of vehicle-blocking sidewalk barriers after two attacks. In one, a man who prosecutors said was also supportive of IS drove a rented truck down a bicycle path along the Hudson River, killing eight people and maiming others. In another, a psychologically disturbed man drove a car at high speed into pedestrians in Times Square, killing one and injuring at least 20.
In 2016, a man who prosecutors said sympathized with Osama bin Laden set off homemade bombs in Manhattan and New Jersey, injuring some bystanders, before being captured in a shootout with police. And in 2010, a man tried to set off a car bomb in Times Square, only to have it fizzle.
Christopher Herrmann, a former city police officer who is now a professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said episodes like Tuesday’s are bound to provoke a new round of anxiety, especially among subway riders.
“With 9/11, you have a specific target: the World Trade Center,” Herrmann said. “A lot of people can wrap their heads around that.”
But the seeming randomness of Tuesday’s attack “really invokes a lot of fear and worry,” he said, “because most people don’t consider themselves a target.”
“There’s a lot of things that happen out of your control,” said Alexi Vizhnay, who considered boarding a ferry across the East River after work Tuesday but decided to take his chances on the quicker subway. “As tragic as it is, all I can do is remind myself to be vigilant and be cautious.”
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Associated Press journalists Jennifer Peltz, Michael R. Sisak, Seth Wenig and Joseph B. Frederick contributed to this report. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/anxieties-resurface-as-gunfire-erupts-on-nyc-subway/ | 2022-04-14T07:15:50 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/anxieties-resurface-as-gunfire-erupts-on-nyc-subway/ |
An Ohio man charged with storming the U.S. Capitol and stealing a coat rack testified that he joined thousands of protesters in ransacking the building last year on what he thought were orders from the president, Donald Trump.
Dustin Byron Thompson, 38, of Columbus, Ohio, said Wednesday he took to websites after being laid off from his exterminator job in March 2020 and in his pandemic doldrums fell under Trump’s sway as he bought into conspiracy theories and “went down the rabbit hole on the internet.”
On trial in U.S. District Court in Washington, Thompson testified that the claim that the election was stolen seemed credible to him because it was coming from the president. His defense team is the first to argue that Trump and those connected to him were responsible for the actions of the mob that day.
“It seems like everyone was attacking him (Trump). He needed someone to stand up for him, and I was trying to do that,” Thompson said.
Under questioning by the prosecution, Thompson acknowledged that he ignored signs he shouldn’t be at the Capitol — broken glass, alarms, chemical irritants in the air — and said he stole the coat rack to keep others from using it as a weapon. He also said he witnessed fierce fighting between police and rioters outside the building, and later ran away from officers. He said he realized weeks later that what he had done was wrong and now feels shame for his actions.
Thompson’s jury trial is the third among hundreds of Capitol riot prosecutions. The first two ended with jurors convicting both defendants on all counts. Thompson’s defense team is the first to argue that Trump and those connected to him were responsible for the actions of the mob that day.
“If the president is giving you almost an order to do something, I felt obligated to do that,” Thompson testified.
Thompson’s lawyer sought subpoenas to call Trump and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani as witnesses, but U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton rejected that request. Jurors on Wednesday began listening to recordings of speeches that Trump and Giuliani delivered at a rally before the riot. They were expected to finish listening to recordings Thursday morning and begin deliberations later in the day.
Thompson’s wife, Sarah Thompson, testified that she voted for Democrat Joe Biden, as well as Democratic presidential nominees Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. She said her husband’s views were more moderate then but shifted during the Trump years as he started encountering conspiracy theories. She said she did not share his views but helped arrange his travel to Washington for the “Stop the Steal” rally near the White House because he had a right to protest and she enjoyed having a quiet house.
Much of the prosecution’s case was built around testimony from several Capitol Police officers placing Thompson at the scene, wearing a bulletproof vest that he said he found, and carrying a coat rack he took from the Senate Parliamentarian’s Office.
More than 770 people have been charged with federal crimes arising from the Jan. 6, 2021, riot. Over 250 of them have pleaded guilty, mostly to misdemeanors. Thompson is the fifth person to be tried on riot-related charges.
On Monday, a jury convicted a former Virginia police officer, Thomas Robertson, of storming the Capitol with another off-duty officer to obstruct Congress from certifying Biden’s 2020 electoral victory. Last month, a jury convicted a Texas man, Guy Reffitt, of storming the Capitol with a holstered handgun.
A judge hearing testimony without a jury decided cases against two other Capitol riot defendants at separate bench trials. U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden acquitted one of them of all charges and partially acquitted the other.
Thompson is charged with six counts: obstructing Congress’ joint session to certify the Electoral College vote, theft of government property, entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly or disruptive conduct in a Capitol building, and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building.
A co-defendant, Robert Lyon, 27, pleaded guilty in March to theft of government property and disorderly conduct. Both counts are misdemeanors punishable by a maximum of one year imprisonment. Walton is scheduled to sentence Lyon on June 3. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/capitol-riot-defendant-i-was-following-trumps-instructions/ | 2022-04-14T07:15:57 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/capitol-riot-defendant-i-was-following-trumps-instructions/ |
GREENWOOD, Miss. (AP) — A former Franciscan friar was convicted Wednesday of sexually abusing a grade school student during the 1990s at a Mississippi Catholic school.
A Leflore County jury deliberated less than an hour before finding Paul West, 62, guilty of one count of sexual battery and one count of gratification of lust, the Greenwood Commonwealth reported.
West was accused of sexually abusing La Jarvis Love, now 39. Circuit Judge Ashley Hines sentenced West to 30 years on the first count and 15 years on the second count, to be served consecutively.
Love began crying when the verdict was read.
“I want to thank the state. I want to thank everybody that represented us,” Love said. “I just want to thank God, the provider, the creator. He restored my faith today. I really appreciate him, and I believe again.”
Gaunt and relying on a walker, West made no comment when escorted by deputies from the Leflore County Civic Center, where the two-day trial was held.
As first reported by The Associated Press in 2019, La Jarvis Love and his cousin, Joshua Love, now 38, had accused West of numerous instances of sexual abuse while they were students at St. Francis of Assisi School in Greenwood.
Both Loves testified Tuesday of repeated abuse by West beginning when they were in the fourth grade. They testified the abuse occurred both at the school and on trips to New York and to Wisconsin, where the Franciscan Friars of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary are based. West was a member of the religious order.
West was also charged with two counts of abusing Joshua Love. It was not immediately clear why the jury did not act on those charges.
A third man, Joshua Love’s younger brother, Raphael Love, also alleged that West sexually abused him. He reported the abuse to church authorities in 1998, after which West returned to Wisconsin and left the order.
Mark Belenchia, volunteer state coordinator for Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said church officials should have taken more decisive action after learning of Rafael Love’s allegations.
“Justice delayed is justice denied,” Belenchia said. “This should have happened 20 years ago.”
West has been held in Mississippi’s Leflore County Jail since September 2020, when he was extradited from his home state of Wisconsin to face two counts of sexual battery and two counts of gratification of lust. He pleaded not guilty.
La Jarvis Love now lives in Senatobia, Mississippi, with his wife and four children. He identified West in the courtroom as his abuser and said this was the first time he had seen him in person in more than 20 years.
La Jarvis Love testified that he was in third grade when he first encountered West, who was his physical education teacher. West later became principal of the school, Love said, and received permission from Love’s grandmother to use corporal punishment, such as paddling.
La Jarvis Love said the sexual abuse began when he was in fourth grade, with touching, groping, and what he called “extra friendly” physical activity. The abuse lasted until eighth grade, he said. He also said West began calling him to his office, showing him pornography on West’s computer, and fondling him. La Jarvis Love testified that the abuse included oral sex and anal penetration.
La Jarvis Love said his grandmother allowed him to work various jobs at the school, which he said gave West more opportunities to abuse him. He said the only person he told about the abuse was his grandmother, who confronted West but was told nothing out of the ordinary was happening.
He said the abuse has left him with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.
When asked by West’s attorney, Wallie Stuckey, why he didn’t tell anyone, La Jarvis Love said he feared West.
“When you’re being groomed, you think everything is OK,” La Jarvis Love said.
Joshua Love, who lives in Greenwood, testified that West set himself up as a mentor and began abusing him when he was in fourth grade. He also said that his grandmother granted West permission to paddle him and said this began in 1996.
Joshua Love said the first instance of abuse he could remember happened in the school cafeteria, where West was going to paddle him for misbehaving. He said West excused the cafeteria workers before taking him to a back room to fondle him.
Joshua Love said the abuse included oral sex, anal penetration and showing him pornography. He also said West attempted to have him and La Jarvis Love perform sex acts on each other during a trip to New York.
Both cousins testified they never spoke to each other about the abuse at the time.
Joshua Love alleged that West threatened to kill him if he told anyone about the abuse. He said he did not know La Jarvis Love had been abused until he told church officials about five years ago.
After Joshua’s testimony, the prosecution rested its case. The defense declined to call witnesses, and West declined to testify. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/former-franciscan-friar-convicted-of-1990s-child-sex-abuse/ | 2022-04-14T07:16:04 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/former-franciscan-friar-convicted-of-1990s-child-sex-abuse/ |
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — The school closures, stay-at-home mandates and curfews that Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine imposed early in the pandemic still infuriate Donald Trump’s most loyal supporters. His dismissal of the former president’s stolen election lieand criticism that Trump “poured gas on the fire” before the U.S. Capitol riot put him at odds with many GOP voters.
But that may not be enough to topple DeWine in the state’s upcoming May 3 primary.
Despite some notable splits with Trump, he is entering the final stretch of the campaign in a strong position to win the GOP’s nomination for another four-year term. He’s facing challenges from three lesser-known conservatives who could essentially split the far-right faithful, with DeWine potentially emerging as a Republican who crossed Trump’s base and managed to survive.
“Whatever happens in the election happens, but this was a crucial time in our history,” DeWine, 75, said in an interview, referring to his management of the pandemic.
The dynamics harken back to an era when Ohio prized middle-of-the-road candidates, making it a bellwether for presidential elections for decades. But that reputation for moderation eroded under Trump, who won the state in the 2016 and 2020 campaigns. The higher-profile race for an open U.S. Senate seat is perhaps more reflective of Ohio’s rightward shift as candidates have spent months trying to out-Trump one another as they seek his coveted endorsement.
So far, the former president has stayed quiet in the governor’s race, a credit to DeWine’s ability to walk a fine line of expressing support for Trump while also keeping him at a distance. Despite their different approach to the pandemic, which Trump sought to minimize, there was only one hint of a genuine rift between the two men.
That was when DeWine suggested in November 2020 that it was time for Trump to acknowledge that Joe Biden had won the White House. Trump’s response was a tweet wondering who would challenge DeWine in this year’s primary. “Will be hotly contested!” Trump predicted.
Former U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci, who served four terms in Congress, was thought to be DeWine’s biggest threat, especially if he could win an endorsement from Trump after getting his backing four years ago in a failed U.S. Senate bid. But some recent polls show Renacci splitting the anti-DeWine vote with Joe Blystone, a farmer who jumped in the race early and built a following in rural Ohio.
Much of the frustration toward DeWine has bubbled up in Republican-dominated rural counties where mask mandates and school shutdowns were met with resistance. Those areas hold the fewest votes yet carry significant weight because Republicans often pile up big enough margins to negate the strong Democratic turnout in the state’s big cities.
“They say in politics people forget things. Down here they haven’t forgotten,” said Dennis Cooper, a member of the Clermont County Republican Party, which overwhelmingly endorsed Renacci over DeWine earlier this year. “It wasn’t just one thing. It was one thing on top of another that made no sense.”
Still, DeWine has a huge fundraising advantage and a network of supporters built from a political career spanning more than 40 years. Both are why more prominent Republicans in the state decided against challenging him even as dissatisfaction grew.
Ryan Stubenrauch, a former DeWine policy adviser who’s now a GOP consultant, thinks the anger is coming from a vocal minority.
“There’s a whole lot of people mad at a lot of things. The last two years have been really rough on people,” he said. “I don’t know if the party has changed or all of our politics have shifted over the last two years.”
One thing that hasn’t changed, he said, is DeWine. “He values life just about over everything,” Stubenrauch said.
He’s an old-school conservative who just months into his first term as governor signed into law what at the time was one of the most stringent abortion restrictionsin the nation.
DeWine has leaned on his pro-life stance to explain why that also includes protecting people from COVID-19. He was widely praised early in 2020 for not downplaying the pandemic when he became the first governor to shut down schools statewide.
But the mood soured among Republicans who quickly tired of mask mandates and health orders that closed many small businesses but allowed large retailers to remain open. They saw him putting in restrictions that ran counter to what they were hearing from Trump and conservative governors such as Ron DeSantis in Florida and South Dakota’s Kristi Noem.
A hostile state Legislature dominated by DeWine’s own party overrode his veto of a bill weakening the governor’s ability to respond to public health emergencies.
Renacci said DeWine prioritized “fear over freedom.”
Some conservatives have vowed never to vote for DeWine again, according to a handful of county GOP chairs, even if that means sitting out in November.
The winner of the Republican primary will face the Democratic nominee, either former Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley or ex-Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley.
“They’re not going to vote again for someone who has disappointed them and not represented them well,” said Shelby County Republican Chairwoman Theresa Kerg. “I think people are frustrated and tired of just accepting whoever is given to them.”
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Associated Press writer Julie Carr Smyth in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/ohios-gop-governor-aims-to-overcome-anger-in-party-base/ | 2022-04-14T07:16:12 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/ohios-gop-governor-aims-to-overcome-anger-in-party-base/ |
Destructive wildfires rage in New Mexico, Colorado
(AP) - Firefighters scouted the drought-stricken mountainsides around a New Mexico village as they looked for opportunities to slow a wind-driven wildfire that a day earlier had burned at least 150 homes and other structures while displacing thousands of residents and forcing the evacuation of two schools.
Homes were among the structures that had burned, but officials on Wednesday did not have a count of how many were destroyed in the blaze that torched at least 6.4 square miles (16.6 square kilometers) of forest, brush and grass on the east side of the community of Ruidoso, said Laura Rabon, spokesperson for the Lincoln National Forest.
Rabon announced emergency evacuations of a more densely populated area during a briefing Wednesday afternoon as the fire jumped a road where crews were trying to hold the line. She told people to get in their cars and go.
So far, two deaths were reported from the fire, which has been fanned by strong winds, according to the New Mexico State Police.
The winds prevented forced a suspension of the aerial attack on the flames and kept authorities from getting a better estimate of how large the fire has grown. But some planes returned to the air as winds subsided late in the day, and seven airtankers and two helicopters have now been assigned to the fire, Forest Service officials said Wednesday evening.
While the cause of the blaze was under investigation, fire officials and forecasters warned Wednesday that persistent dry and windy conditions had prompted red flag warnings for a wide swath that included almost all of New Mexico, half of Texas and parts of Colorado and the Midwest.
Five new large fires were reported Tuesday, and nearly 1,600 wildland firefighters and support personnel were assigned to large fires in the southwestern, southern and Rocky Mountain areas, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
Hotter and drier weather weather coupled with decades of fire suppression have contributed to an increase in the number of acres burned by wildfires, fire scientists say. And the problem is exacerbated by a more than 20-year Western megadrought that studies link to human-caused climate change. The fire season has become year-round given changing conditions that include earlier snowmelt and rain coming later in the fall.
In Ruidoso, officials declared a state of emergency and said school classes were canceled Wednesday as the village — about 140 miles (225 kilometers) northeast of El Paso, Texas — coped with power outages due to down power lines.
The residences that burned were mostly a mix of trailers and single-family homes, and close to 4,000 people were displaced by evacuations that were ordered Tuesday. That number was expected to grow with the latest call for residents to leave.
Village spokeswoman Kerry Gladden said authorities spent part of Wednesday surveying as much damage as possible before the winds kicked up again. Air tankers also were able to drop a few loads of slurry, and more air support was expected Thursday.
“Right now, everybody is just rallying around those who had to be evacuated,” Gladden said. “We’re just trying to reach out to make sure everyone has places to stay.”
Donations were pouring in from other communities in southern New Mexico. State officials said emergency grants have been approved that will provide resources to firefighters and for other emergency efforts.
Ruidoso in 2012 was hit by one of the most destructive wildfires in New Mexico history, when a lightning-sparked blaze destroyed more than 240 homes and burned nearly 70 square miles (181 square kilometers).
Rabon said Wednesday that no precipitation was in the forecast and humidity levels remained in the single digits, which would make stopping the flames more difficult.
“Those extremely dry conditions are not in our favor,” she said.
Another wildfire in the Lincoln National Forest northwest of Ruidoso burned at least 400 acres (1.6 square kilometers) after it was sparked Tuesday by power lines downed by high winds. Crews confirmed Wednesday that 10 structures there were lost.
Elsewhere in New Mexico, wildfires were burning along the Rio Grande south of Albuquerque, in mountains northwest of the community of Las Vegas and in grasslands along the Pecos River near the town of Roswell.
In Colorado, crews were battling wind-whipped grass fires that had destroyed two homes and forced temporary evacuations.
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Montoya Bryan reported from Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Davenport from Phoenix.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/14/destructive-wildfires-rage-new-mexico-colorado/ | 2022-04-14T07:16:14 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/14/destructive-wildfires-rage-new-mexico-colorado/ |
MIAMI (AP) — Police in Miami arrested a 41-year-old woman in the deaths of her two children, aged 3 and 5, after officers responded to repeated hang-up 911 calls from her apartment where they found their tied-up bodies.
“Come get them, I don’t want them anymore,” Odette Lysse Joassaint told officers who responded to the scene on Tuesday night, according to the arrest report. Police said she appeared to be irrational.
The officers entered the apartment and found a 3-year-old boy and a 5-year-old girl. The children were lying in a prone position on the bed with their arms, legs and neck tied, a police report said.
They tried to resuscitate the children until a Miami Fire Rescue crew arrived and pronounced them dead. The woman has been charged with two counts of murder.
Police have not said how many calls were made to 911 or whether she spoke to a dispatcher.
No other details were immediately released. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/police-find-2-dead-kids-in-miami-apartment-mother-arrested/ | 2022-04-14T07:16:18 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/police-find-2-dead-kids-in-miami-apartment-mother-arrested/ |
VICTORVILLE, Calif. (AP) — A Southern California shoe store owner opened fire at two shoplifters, police said, but mistakenly shot a 9-year-old girl about to get her picture with a mall Easter bunny. The store owner fled the state and was arrested in Nevada, authorities said Wednesday.
Marqel Cockrell, 20, was chasing the shoplifters out of the store Tuesday evening at the Mall of Victor Valley in the small city of Victorville when he “fired multiple shots at the shoplifters,” Victorville police said in a statement.
“Cockrell’s shots missed the shoplifters and instead hit the 9-year-old female victim,” the statement said.
The girl, identified by family members as Ava Chruniak, had been getting ready for pictures with the Easter bunny in the mall when the shots were fired, said her grandmother, Robin Moraga-Saldarelli. The girl was left with three gunshot wounds, including two in her arm, Moraga-Saldarelli said.
One bullet fractured a bone.
“And it’s the kind of fracture they can’t surgically fix. She’s going to have to wear a special brace for it, and it’s going to take a lot longer to heal,” she told Fox 11 TV in Los Angeles.
“It’ll be awhile before the bone heals and then we will see the extent of the nerve damage, but she’s a trooper. She really is a tough little kid,” Moraga-Saldarelli told KNBC-TV.
Deputies responding to the reports of gunfire found Ava wounded at about 6:30 p.m., the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said.
She was airlifted to a hospital in stable condition, officials said. The mall’s stores were locked down and customers sheltered inside as deputies searched for the shooter.
Cockrell, a co-owner of the shoe store Sole Addicts, was arrested in his car at about 9 p.m. in Clark County by the Nevada Highway Patrol, Victorville police said.
He was being held Wednesday for lack of $1 million bail at the Clark County Detention Center “on an extraditable warrant, for attempted murder,” Victorville police said. An extradition hearing was scheduled for Thursday and jail and court records did not indicate whether Cockrell had an attorney representing him who could comment on his behalf.
“I’m glad they caught him and he will definitely pay for this. I really hope they throw the book at him,” Moraga-Saldarelli told KNBC-TV.
The mall was closed Tuesday after the shooting and reopened on Wednesday. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/police-girl-shot-as-california-shop-owner-fires-at-thieves/ | 2022-04-14T07:16:25 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/police-girl-shot-as-california-shop-owner-fires-at-thieves/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — Frank James posted dozens of videos ranting about race, violence and his struggles with mental illness. One stands out for its relative calm: A silent shot of a packed New York City subway car in which he raises his finger to point out passengers, one by one.
Even as police arrested James on Wednesday in the Brooklyn subway shooting that wounded 10 people, they were still searching for a motive from a flood of details about the 62-year-old Black man’s life.
An erratic work history. Arrests for a string of mostly low-level crimes. A storage locker with more ammo. And hours of rambling, bigoted, profanity-laced videos on his YouTube channel that point to a deep, simmering anger.
“This nation was born in violence, it’s kept alive by violence or the threat thereof, and it’s going to die a violent death,” says James in a video where he takes on the moniker “Prophet of Doom.”
After a 30-hour manhunt, James was arrested without incident after a tipster — thought by police to be James himself — said he could be found near a McDonald’s on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Mayor Eric Adams triumphantly proclaimed “We got him!” Police said their top priority was getting the suspect, now charged with a federal terrorism offense, off the streets as they investigate their biggest unanswered question: Why?
A prime trove of evidence, they said, is his YouTube videos. He seems to have opinions about nearly everything — racism in America, New York City’s new mayor, the state of mental health services, 9/11, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and Black women.
A federal criminal complaint cited one in which James ranted about too many homeless people on the subway and put the blame on New York City’s mayor.
“What are you doing, brother?” he said in the video posted March 27. “Every car I went to was loaded with homeless people. It was so bad, I couldn’t even stand.”
James then railed about the treatment of Black people in an April 6 video cited in the complaint, saying, “And so the message to me is: I should have gotten a gun, and just started shooting.”
In a video posted a day before the attack, James criticizes crime against Black people and says things would only change if certain people were “stomped, kicked and tortured” out of their “comfort zone.”
Surveillance cameras spotted James entering the subway system turnstiles Tuesday morning, dressed as a maintenance or construction worker in a yellow hard hat and orange working jacket with reflective tape.
Police say fellow riders heard him say only “oops” as he set off one smoke grenade in a crowded subway car as it rolled into a station. He then set off a second smoke grenade and started firing, police said. In the smoke and chaos that ensued, police say James made his getaway by slipping into a R-train going the opposite direction and exited after the first stop.
Left behind at the scene was the gun, extended magazines, a hatchet, detonated and undetonated smoke grenades, a black garbage can, a rolling cart, gasoline and the key to a U-Haul van, police said.
That key led investigators to James, and clues to a life of setbacks and anger as he bounced among factory and maintenance jobs, got fired at least twice, moved among Milwaukee, Philadelphia, New Jersey and New York.
Investigators said James had 12 prior arrests in New York and New Jersey from 1990 to 2007, including for possession of burglary tools, criminal sex act, trespassing, larceny and disorderly conduct.
James had no felony convictions and was not prohibited from purchasing or owning a firearm. Police said the gun used in the attack was legally purchased at an Ohio pawn shop in 2011. A search of James’ Philadelphia storage unit and apartment turned up at least two types of ammunition, including the kind used with an AR-15 assault-style rifle, a taser and a blue smoke cannister.
Police said James was born and raised in New York City. In his videos, he said he finished a machine shop course in 1983 then worked as a gear machinist at Curtiss-Wright, an aerospace manufacturer in New Jersey, until 1991 when he was he was hit by a one-two punch of bad news: He was fired from his job and, soon after, his father whom he had lived with in New Jersey died.
Records show James filed a complaint against the aerospace company in federal court soon after he lost his job alleging racial discrimination, but it was dismissed a year later by a judge. He says in one video, without offering specifics, that he “couldn’t get any justice for what I went through.”
A spokesperson for Curtiss-Wright didn’t immediately respond to a call seeking comment.
James describes going in and out of several mental health facilities, including two in the Bronx borough of New York City in the 1970s.
“Mr. Mayor, let me say to you I’m a victim of your mental health program in New York City,” James says in a video earlier this year, adding he is “full of hate, full anger and bitterness.”
James says he later was a patient at Bridgeway House, a mental health facility in New Jersey, although that could not be immediately confirmed. Messages left with the facility were not returned.
“My goal at Bridgeway in 1997 was to get off Social Security and go back to f—— work,” he says in a video, adding that he enrolled in a college and took a course in computer-aided design and manufacturing.
James says he eventually got a job at telecommunications giant Lucent Technologies in Parsippany, New Jersey, but says he ended up getting fired and returned to Bridgeway House, this time not as a patient but as an employee on the maintenance staff. A message seeking comment was sent to Lucent Technologies.
“I just want to work. I want to be a person that’s productive,” he said.
Touches of that earnest, struggling man showed up after James’ parked car was hit in Milwaukee. Eugene Yarbrough, pastor of Mt. Zion Wings of Glory Church of God in Christ next door to James’ apartment, said James was impressed that the pastor owned up to hitting the car. Neither James nor anyone else was there to see the accident. And James called him up to say so.
“I just couldn’t believe it would be him,” Yarbrough said. “But who knows what people will do?”
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AP reporters Michael Balsamo in Washington, Deepti Hajela in New York, Claudia Lauer in Philadelphia, Todd Richmond in Madison, Wisconsin and Carrie Antlfinger in Milwaukee contributed to this report.
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On Twitter follow Bernard Condon at twitter.com/bernardfcondon, Michael Sisak at twitter.com/mikesisak and Michael Kunzelman at twitter.com/Kunzelman75 and send confidential news tips by visiting https://www.ap.org/tips/. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/prophet-of-doom-subway-suspect-left-ranting-video-clues/ | 2022-04-14T07:16:31 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/prophet-of-doom-subway-suspect-left-ranting-video-clues/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — With his sweeping domestic agenda on hold and images of horror in Ukraine dominating headlines, President Joe Biden is scrounging for ways to demonstrate that he’s still making progress for Americans at a time when many feel the country is heading in the wrong direction.
Six months out from the midterm elections, Biden’s team is betting that smaller, discrete announcements can break through to voters better than talk of transformational plans that are so far only aspirational. And as the global focus is on Ukraine, the White House is eager for Americans to see Biden tackling the kitchen-table issues important to them –- none more so than the searing inflation exacerbated by the Russian invasion.
Last week, that meant aides positioned big rigs outside the White House so Biden could talk about efforts to get more truck drivers on the road. A day later, he welcomed back former President Barack Obama for the signing of an executive order updating the Affordable Care Act. And after that, he signed bipartisan legislation intended to safeguard the U.S. Postal Service’s financial future.
This week, he’s notching his heaviest domestic travel in months. On Thursday, he is to visit Greensboro, North Carolina, to highlight his plans to boost domestic supply chains and high-tech workforces. It comes after a Tuesday stop in Iowa to announce that his administration was granting a waiver to allow more ethanol in gasoline year-round, a move that officials estimated would shave 10 cents per gallon off gasoline prices — but at just 2,300 gas stations out of the nation’s more than 100,000.
The White House says the public focus on the war in Ukraine is “understandable” and it’s realistic about the challenges facing Biden in breaking through.
“While the world needs to understand and see how he is leading on the war, the country needs to see how he is continuing to lead on the economy,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Wednesday. “Being able to continue to speak to our domestic audience about that is a huge priority. And his schedule tells the story of how much of a priority it is.”
All of the policies Biden is touting will have direct impact on American lives — but they also fall far short of the goals that Biden set for himself when taking office. Taken together, they show how the White House is trying to regain momentum at a time when Biden is under pressure to recalibrate his ambitions.
“I think it makes good strategic sense that, if you’re going to be stymied by Congress, you take matters into your own hands,” said Eric Schultz, a communications official in the Obama White House.
It’s a dynamic that Obama himself confronted, particularly in his second term in office, when he used his executive authority to push forward his agenda as much as possible.
“It’s not a coincidence that this strategy emerged when Republicans threw up their hands and decided they didn’t want to be governing partners,” Schultz said.
Schultz said Democrats need to demonstrate they’re making progress even if they’re not passing the sweeping legislation they promised.
“Did we accomplish everything we wanted to? No,” he said. “But did we roll up our sleeves every day and push the needle forward? Yes.”
While there have been successes, notably the confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to be the first Black woman on the Supreme Court, much of Biden’s agenda remains stalemated — or worse.
Lawmakers are struggling to hash out a bipartisan compromise on legislation that’s intended to help the U.S. compete economically with China. Biden’s sweeping Build Back Better legislation is dead in the water, waiting for Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin to decide what, if anything, he’ll support. Immigration reform, gun control legislation and voting reform have fallen out of the national conversation.
That’s left Biden touting the benefits of infrastructure legislation that passed last year — old bridges slated for replacement are a staple of his domestic travels — and looking for other, small policies that can be advanced.
Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, said smaller initiatives are only going to help if they “lay the groundwork for passing much bigger policies.”
“Singles are fine if they’re a prelude to a grand slam,” he said, adding that Democrats face “a motivation challenge” ahead of the midterms. “Democrats are not going to get people to the polls with a lot of singles.”
William Galston, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, said Biden is trying to make the most of a difficult situation.
“He’s doing what he can now that some of his grander plans have been sidetracked,” he said.
Galston recalled a similar strategy when he worked on domestic policy for President Bill Clinton. Before the midterms in 1994, the White House worked on “running up the score” with policy proposals that were less controversial.
“It was just what happened when the White House conceded defeat on its central agenda item,” which was health care reform for Clinton.
“Those smaller victories made absolutely no difference in the midterms. The fact that they were below the radar screen was good news for passing legislation, but bad news for their political effectiveness,” he said. For Biden, “that’s likely to be the case this time, too.” | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/thinking-small-biden-scrounges-for-ways-to-break-through/ | 2022-04-14T07:16:39 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/thinking-small-biden-scrounges-for-ways-to-break-through/ |
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — A Black man face-down on the ground was fatally shot in the back of the head by a Michigan police officer, the violent climax of a traffic stop, brief foot chase and struggle over a stun gun, according to videos of the April 4 incident released Wednesday.
Patrick Lyoya, 26, was killed outside a house in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The white officer repeatedly ordered Lyoya to “let go” of his Taser, at one point demanding: “Drop the Taser!”
Citing a need for transparency, the city’s new police chief, Eric Winstrom, released four videos, including critical footage of the shooting recorded by a passenger in Lyoya’s car on that rainy morning.
“I view it as a tragedy. … It was a progression of sadness for me,” said Winstrom, a former high-ranking Chicago police commander who became Grand Rapids chief in March. The city of about 200,000 people is about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northwest of Detroit.
Video shows Lyoya running from the officer who stopped him for driving with a license plate that didn’t belong to the vehicle. They struggled in front of several homes while Lyoya’s passenger got out and watched.
Winstrom said the fight over the Taser lasted about 90 seconds. In the final moments, the officer was on top of Lyoya, kneeling on his back at times to subdue him.
“From my view of the video, Taser was deployed twice. Taser did not make contact,” Winstrom told reporters. “And Mr. Lyoya was shot in the head. However, that’s the only information that I have.”
State police are investigating the shooting. Kent County’s chief medical examiner, Dr. Stephen Cohle, said he completed the autopsy but toxicology tests haven’t been finished.
The traffic stop was tense from the start. Video shows Lyoya, a native of the Democratic Republic of Congo, getting out of the car before the officer approached. He ordered Lyoya to get back in the vehicle but the man declined.
The officer asked him if he spoke English and demanded his driver’s license. The foot chase began soon after, video shows.
Winstrom didn’t identify the officer, a seven-year veteran who is on paid leave during the investigation.
“Me being from Chicago for the last 20 years, I’ve handled many police shootings myself, so I do have a lot of experience in this,” the chief said. “I was hoping to never have to utilize that experience here.”
Video was collected from Lyoya’s passenger, the officer’s body-worn camera, the officer’s patrol car and a doorbell camera. Prosecutor Chris Becker, who will decide whether any charges are warranted, objected to the release but said Winstrom could act on his own.
Becker said the public shouldn’t expect a quick decision.
“While the videos released today are an important piece of evidence, they are not all of the evidence,” he said.
City Manager Mark Washington warned that the videos would lead to “expressions of shock, of anger and of pain.” Some downtown businesses boarded up their storefronts, and concrete barricades surrounded police headquarters.
Lyoya had two young daughters and five siblings, said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who spoke to his family.
“He arrived in the United States as a refugee with his family fleeing violence. He had his whole life ahead of him,” Whitmer, a Democrat, said.
Prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump, speaking on behalf Lyoya’s family, on Wednesday called for the officer in the shooting to be fired and prosecuted.
“The video clearly shows that this was an unnecessary, excessive, and fatal use of force against an unarmed Black man who was confused by the encounter and terrified for his life,” Crump said in a release.
Crump and Lyoya’s family are expected to hold a news conference Thursday afternoon.
More than 100 people marched to Grand Rapids City Hallbefore a City Commission meeting Tuesday night, chanting “Black lives matter” and “No justice, no peace.”
On Wednesday, several hundred protesters gathered outside the Grand Rapids Police Department following the release of the videos with some cursing and shouting from behind barricades. The group demanded that officials make public the name of the officer in the shooting.
Some businesses cut their hours short Wednesday, closing early. Some boarded up windows. But the demonstration remained non-violent with protesters demanding justice for Lyoya and other Black lives lost in shootings involving police.
Winstrom last week said he met Lyoya’s father, Peter Lyoya, and that they both cried.
“I get it as a father. … It’s just heart-wrenching,” the chief told WOOD-TV.
As in many U.S. cities, Grand Rapids police have been occasionally criticized over the use of force, particularly against Black people, who make up 18% of the population.
In November, the Michigan Supreme Court heard arguments in a lawsuit over the practice of photographing and fingerprinting people who were never charged with a crime. Grand Rapids said the policy changed in 2015.
A downtown street has been designated Breonna Taylor Way, named for the Black woman and Grand Rapids native who was killed by police in Louisville, Kentucky, during a botched drug raid in 2020.
___
White reported from Detroit. AP reporters Corey Williams in West Bloomfield, Michigan; David Eggert in Lansing, Michigan; and John Flesher in Traverse City, Michigan, contributed to this story. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/video-michigan-cop-on-black-mans-back-fatally-shot-him/ | 2022-04-14T07:16:45 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/video-michigan-cop-on-black-mans-back-fatally-shot-him/ |
Firefighters scouted the drought-stricken mountainsides around a New Mexico village on Wednesday as they looked for opportunities to slow a wind-driven wildfire that a day earlier had burned at least 150 homes and other structures while displacing thousands of residents and forcing the evacuation of two schools.
Homes were among the structures that had burned, but officials did not have a count of how many were destroyed in the blaze that torched at least 6.4 square miles (16.6 square kilometers) of forest, brush and grass on the east side of the community of Ruidoso, said Laura Rabon, spokesperson for the Lincoln National Forest.
Rabon announced emergency evacuations of a more densely populated area during a briefing Wednesday afternoon as the fire jumped a road where crews were trying to hold the line. She told people to get in their cars and go.
So far, no deaths or injuries were reported from the fire, which has been fanned by strong winds.
The winds prevented forced a suspension of the aerial attack on the flames and kept authorities from getting a better estimate of how large the fire has grown. But some planes returned to the air as winds subsided late in the day, and seven airtankers and two helicopters have now been assigned to the fire, Forest Service officials said Wednesday evening.
While the cause of the blaze was under investigation, fire officials and forecasters warned Wednesday that persistent dry and windy conditions had prompted red flag warnings for a wide swath that included almost all of New Mexico, half of Texas and parts of Colorado and the Midwest.
Five new large fires were reported Tuesday, and nearly 1,600 wildland firefighters and support personnel were assigned to large fires in the southwestern, southern and Rocky Mountain areas, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
Hotter and drier weather weather coupled with decades of fire suppression have contributed to an increase in the number of acres burned by wildfires, fire scientists say. And the problem is exacerbated by a more than 20-year Western megadrought that studies link to human-caused climate change. The fire season has become year-round given changing conditions that include earlier snowmelt and rain coming later in the fall.
In Ruidoso, officials declared a state of emergency and said school classes were canceled Wednesday as the village — about 140 miles (225 kilometers) northeast of El Paso, Texas — coped with power outages due to down power lines.
The residences that burned were mostly a mix of trailers and single-family homes, and close to 4,000 people were displaced by evacuations that were ordered Tuesday. That number was expected to grow with the latest call for residents to leave.
Village spokeswoman Kerry Gladden said authorities spent part of Wednesday surveying as much damage as possible before the winds kicked up again. Air tankers also were able to drop a few loads of slurry, and more air support was expected Thursday.
“Right now, everybody is just rallying around those who had to be evacuated,” Gladden said. “We’re just trying to reach out to make sure everyone has places to stay.”
Donations were pouring in from other communities in southern New Mexico. State officials said emergency grants have been approved that will provide resources to firefighters and for other emergency efforts.
Ruidoso in 2012 was hit by one of the most destructive wildfires in New Mexico history, when a lightning-sparked blaze destroyed more than 240 homes and burned nearly 70 square miles (181 square kilometers).
Rabon said Wednesday that no precipitation was in the forecast and humidity levels remained in the single digits, which would make stopping the flames more difficult.
“Those extremely dry conditions are not in our favor,” she said.
Another wildfire in the Lincoln National Forest northwest of Ruidoso burned at least 400 acres (1.6 square kilometers) after it was sparked Tuesday by power lines downed by high winds. Crews confirmed Wednesday that 10 structures there were lost.
Elsewhere in New Mexico, wildfires were burning along the Rio Grande south of Albuquerque, in mountains northwest of the community of Las Vegas and in grasslands along the Pecos River near the town of Roswell.
In Colorado, crews were battling wind-whipped grass fires that had destroyed two homes and forced temporary evacuations.
___
Montoya Bryan reported from Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Davenport from Phoenix. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/wind-whips-destructive-wildfires-in-new-mexico-colorado/ | 2022-04-14T07:16:52 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/wind-whips-destructive-wildfires-in-new-mexico-colorado/ |
FARGO, N.D. (AP) — A Florida man linked to dozens of motorized golf cart thefts in the Upper Midwest was sentenced Tuesday to two years in federal prison.
The FBI began investigating Nathan Rodney Nelson in July 2019 after the Cass County Sheriff’s Office in Fargo, North Dakota, asked for help in solving a series of golf cart thefts starting in 2017 in the Dakotas, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Nelson, a former Minnesota resident living in Apollo Beach, Florida, was eventually arrested in June 2020 while he was caught trying to steal golf carts from a dealer in Donalsonville, Georgia. He also was carrying pre-printed serial number labels and burglary tools, according to court documents.
Investigators say he stole at least 63 golf carts in seven states, worth at least $283,500.
Nelson would typically steal carts in pairs from rural Midwestern golf courses, usually at night. He sold many of the carts under the alias Mason Weber, at a cost of about $2,500 each, court documents show.
Defense attorney Lorelle Moeckel said in a sentencing memorandum that her client was not able to keep his business going and pay his bills. He came up with the idea to steal golf carts to solve his financial problems and “from there it became easier and easier for him to stray from his long held moral compass.”
Nelson pleaded guilty in December to interstate transportation of stolen property. His sentencing calls for him to serve three years of supervised release and pay back about $14,000. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/weird/man-gets-2-years-for-multistate-motorized-golf-cart-thefts/ | 2022-04-14T07:16:58 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/weird/man-gets-2-years-for-multistate-motorized-golf-cart-thefts/ |
BY DREW COSTLEY
Polly Glover realized her son had asthma when he was nine months old. Now 26, he carries an inhaler in his pocket whenever he’s out and about in Prairieville, Louisiana, part of Ascension Parish.
“He probably needs to leave Ascension quite frankly,” Glover says, but he hasn’t because “this is his home and this is our family and this is our community.”
The parish is part of the 85-mile span between New Orleans and Baton Rouge officially called the Mississippi River Chemical Corridor, more commonly known as Cancer Alley. The region’s air quality is some of the worst in the United States, and in several places along the corridor, cancer risks are much higher than levels considered acceptable by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Glover says the air is “terrible” where she lives, but there’s also great biodiversity — osprey, eagles, migratory birds, deer, rabbits, fish and alligators — among the region’s lakes, rivers and wetlands. The environmental advocate has been working for 30 years to preserve the place she’s loved since childhood.
That’s why she is wary of anything that might make air quality worse or threaten wildlife — and her biggest fear now is that a $4.5 billion plant designed to capture climate-changing carbon and make clean-burning hydrogen fuel will actually do more harm to the Lake Maurepas basin.
The blue hydrogen energy plant is slated to be built and operated by Air Products and Chemicals, a multinational petrochemical company. The company says the plant will capture airborne carbon emissions created during production and put them safely underground — a process called carbon capture and storage.
“Sometimes I think people think you’re kind of bubbling this in at the bottom of the lake,” said Simon Moore, vice president of investor relations, corporate relations and sustainability at Air Products. “You know, this is a mile below the Earth’s surface, where the geological formation of the rock has this porous space, which simply absorbs the CO2.”
Still, Glover is worried. “I’m not a scientist. I’m a mom who cares,” she said. “We have got to be better stewards of the environment and while reducing carbon emissions is necessary, injecting them into the basin is not the answer.”
There are several other carbon capture and storage projects proposed or in the works throughout the U.S., including in Louisiana, Texas, Minnesota, Michigan, Iowa and California. Companies behind them maintain they can successfully remove carbon from the air to reduce pollution, then safely transport and store the carbon underground — or do both.
In some cases, oil and gas companies are banking on this new technology to either help build new profit centers, such as plants that make hydrogen, or extend the lifespan of their fossil fuel facilities.
Carbon capture and storage projects are gaining traction since Congress approved $3.5 billion for them last year. The Global CCS Institute, a think tank seeking to advance these projects globally, called it the “single largest appropriation of money for CCS in the history of the technology.”
In the latest report from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the world’s top scientists said carbon capture and storage technology has to be part of the range of solutions to decarbonize and mitigate climate change. But they said solar and wind energy and electricity storage are improving faster than carbon capture and storage.
Opponents of carbon capture and storage maintain the technology is unproven and has been less effective than alternatives such as solar and wind at decarbonizing the energy sector.
“Carbon capture is neither workable nor feasible,” said Basav Sen, climate justice policy director for the Institute for Policy Studies, a progressive think tank based in Washington, D.C. “It’s merely an excuse for the fossil fuel industry to keep operating the way it does.”
A study in late 2020 by researchers from the University of California, San Diego, found over 80% of 39 projects that have sought to commercialize carbon capture and storage ended in failure. The study cited lack of technological readiness as a top factor
But even if the technology was deployed successfully, several critics say the projects would pose threats to the public health of communities long plagued by air and water pollution.
First, they said any project that prolongs the lifespan of an existing industrial facility presents additional environmental harm by extending the amount of time it pollutes a community, which the IPCC report confirms.
Second, they noted that since carbon capture would require more energy to power the equipment, it would result in more air pollution because the technology can only catch a portion of the carbon emitted by a facility.
Howard Herzog, a senior research engineer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and pioneer of carbon capture and storage technology, disputed this in an interview with the Associated Press. But he acknowledged there is a risk in transporting and storing carbon.
In 2020, a pipeline carrying compressed carbon dioxide ruptured in the town of Satartia, Mississippi, which caused over 40 people to get hospital treatment and more than 300 to evacuate. The incident is cited by experts, advocates and residents who live near proposed carbon capture and storage projects to illustrate potential dangers of transporting carbon long distances.
Injecting carbon underground for storage could end up contaminating aquifers, according to Nikki Reisch, director of the climate and energy program for the Center for International Environmental Law.
Over 500 environmental organizations, including the law center, signed an open letter published in the Washington Post in July 2021, calling carbon capture and storage a “false solution.”
In response, the Carbon Capture Coalition, which advocates the technology, released its own letter in August with over 100 signatories. They pressed Congress to include investment in carbon capture and storage in any upcoming legislation.
Matt Fry, a state and regional policy manager with the Great Plains Institute, a Minneapolis-based climate and energy think tank, told AP the technology is essential to meeting mid-century climate goals.
“The potential for a completely decarbonized, electrified world is a reality,” Fry said. “But we’re going to need to transition to get there. And it’s going to require carbon capture to address those emissions.”
At the point of capture, Herzog said, the technology poses a “very low” threat to public health. “There’s always a chance of some mishaps,” he added, “but on the overall scale of chemical plants, (the technology) is fairly benign.”
Still, residents near proposed projects worry.
In California’s Central Valley agricultural region, Chevron, Microsoft and Schlumberger New Energy are collaborating to build a facility in the town of Mendota that will create energy by converting agricultural waste into carbon monoxide and hydrogen gas, then mixing it with oxygen to generate electricity with the promise of capturing 99% of the carbon from the process.
Chevron said it plans to inject the carbon “underground into nearby deep geologic formations.”
That’s concerning for Nayamin Martinez, who lives in the valley and is director of the Central California Environmental Justice Network. “That worries us a lot,” she said. “What does that mean in terms of risk for contamination of drinking water?”
Creighton Welch, a spokesperson for Chevron, said the process they plan to use is safe. “CO2 capture, injection, and storage are not new technologies and have been conducted safely for decades,” Welch said.
Back in Louisiana, Glover and other residents also fear carbon capture technology will affect the water. The carbon dioxide captured at the Air Products and Chemicals facility will be stored in sites such as under Lake Maurepas, an important wetland.
Kim Coates, who lives on the lake’s northeast side, said it’s a buffer between the Gulf of Mexico and residents. But she said she’s witnessed generations of destruction to that ecosystem through industrial development and, more recently, hurricanes and tropical storms.
Now Coates fears more of the same if carbon is stored under the lake. “We’ve seen the destruction over time with no one looking forward to what was going to happen in the future,” she said. | https://www.twincities.com/2022/04/14/battle-over-carbon-capture-as-tool-to-fight-climate-change/ | 2022-04-14T07:17:06 | 0 | https://www.twincities.com/2022/04/14/battle-over-carbon-capture-as-tool-to-fight-climate-change/ |
Why Dolby Atmos-enabled sound bars are still a good choice
While sound bars are better than integrated TV speakers, they haven’t always lived up to their reputation. With Dolby Atmos becoming increasingly common, it’s worth revisiting sound bars to see how much better they are than they used to be. A lot of them are on sale right now, so now’s a great time to get one.
We sat down with resident tech expert Jaime Vazquez to get his thoughts on how and why a Dolby Atmos sound bar is a good investment right now with the current discounts.
What is Dolby Atmos?
Dolby Atmos is a proprietary audio protocol designed for use with home theater systems, such as 7.1-channel surround sound. The protocol separates an audio track into separate streams similar to traditional surround sound. It also adds height channels and data that tells each stream which direction it’s supposed to come from.
Typically, you need satellite speakers mounted above viewers’ heads to take advantage of Dolby Atmos. As Vazquez noted, “The speaker knows where all the other speakers are. You have a much more customized experience because you’re getting things relative to your listening space, as opposed to hoping that the soundtrack matches your room.”
Instead of overhead speakers, Atmos-enabled sound bars leverage multiple drivers pointed in different directions to simulate spatial audio. Vazquez continued, “The big deal with sound bars now is that they got a lot better at bouncing sound around a room. They now are really good at faking surround sound.”
Why Dolby Atmos is worth it
For a few years, Dolby Atmos seemed like more of a marketing stunt than a useful home theater technology. This was largely because media, such as movies and TV shows, must be specifically mastered to support the protocol.
According to Vazquez, “It used to be that Atmos was a feature that was primarily found on Blu-ray discs and the Apple TV. But, the deal is now that if you have the gear, you can log into your Netflix, HBO Max or Paramount+ and give you the surround-sound experience.”
Previously, Dolby Atmos was more for early adopter tech enthusiasts. Now, it’s more worthwhile to be able to play back Dolby Atmos content because of the streaming services that support it. There’s not a single, specific reason why Dolby Atmos sound bars are priced so well right now. Overall, manufacturers are taking advantage of the standard’s increased adoption and offering a wider range of Dolby Atmos sound bars, and they are putting older and more basic models on sale.
How Dolby Atmos sound bars work
Affordable sound bars usually have just two or three full-range speakers, while a quality Dolby Atmos-enabled model will have more. “Typically, a Dolby Atmos sound bar has speakers firing in all directions to mimic the surround-sound effect. Whereas if you’re looking at a 2.1- or a 3.1-channel model, that’s just stereo, not surround,” Vazquez said.
Additionally, acoustic refinements and increased driver efficiency have led to better sound quality, especially in the low end. To sum it up, Vazquez said, “sound bars have hit the sweet spot of reliably being able to produce quality surround effects at an affordable price.”
How to pick a Dolby Atmos sound bar
Vazquez recommends a sound bar that comes with additional satellite speakers. At the top of the line, sound bar setups like the Samsung HW-Q950A boast several drivers in the front in addition to full-range satellites and a powerful subwoofer. The Vizio M512a-H6 costs considerably less, is outfitted with 11 speakers in total and approaches full-on surround sound systems in performance.
However, Vazquez advises caution when looking for an especially affordable solution. “There’s a big gap between budget-friendly and high-quality sound bars,” he said, “and some budget models give the whole category a bad name.” There are exceptions. The TCL Alto 8i delivers decent simulated spatial audio at a low price.
Sound bar features to consider
- Number of inputs: “If you’re a gamer or have multiple devices to plug in, you’ll need more than one input into the sound bar,” Vazquez noted.
- Audio/video connections: Many sound bars let you route the audio and video connection directly through the unit itself, but not all of them do. For some, you’ll need to use the audio return channel function to drive the sound bar. Make sure that your TV supports ARC or eARC before buying a sound bar that doesn’t allow for direct audio input.
- HDR pass-through: If your sound bar does accept direct connections, make sure it supports HDR10 or, ideally, Dolby Vision pass-through to take advantage of modern dynamic contrast.
- Wireless subwoofer: You can’t get a cinematic experience without a dedicated sub.
- Built-in apps: Premium sound bars often include features that tailor the output to the shape of the room, while others have built-in streaming platforms. The former is a great way to improve the audio experience, but most users won’t need the latter.
Best Dolby Atmos sound bars
It’s a high-end sound bar that sounds better than many full-featured surround-sound systems. Sold by Amazon
With two satellites, a subwoofer and consistently accurate sound, this midrange Vizio model is the perfect blend of price and performance. Sold by Amazon
There aren’t any other sound bars in its price range that perform as well. Sold by Amazon
It is more affordable than most and offers particularly impressive bass, although it doesn’t have much in the way of sound enhancement or room correction features. Sold by Amazon
Seven internal drivers help this moderately priced option deliver powerful simulated surround sound without the inconvenience of installing satellite speakers. Sold by Amazon
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Chris Thomas writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/as-dolby-atmos-sound-bars-are-placed-on-deep-discount-is-it-worth-getting-one-now/ | 2022-04-14T07:17:06 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/as-dolby-atmos-sound-bars-are-placed-on-deep-discount-is-it-worth-getting-one-now/ |
Which electric tiller is best?
Tilling the soil of your new garden doesn’t have to be as labor-intensive as it used to be, nor does it take an emissions-spewing, gas-powered tiller to get the job done. Electric tillers are just as capable and quieter to boot. Some are even cordless so you can till a garden anywhere you’d like.
The best electric tiller is the Greenworks Cordless Tiller. The lithium-ion battery operates at full power even when nearly empty, and it can till widths of up to 10 inches.
What to know before you buy an electric tiller
Pros and cons of an electric tiller
Electric tillers have a set of pros and cons compared to their gas-powered counterparts.
Pros: Electric tillers are easier to use and much more cost-effective than gas-powered models. They also require less maintenance and operate with less noise.
Cons: The most powerful electric tiller is still outclassed by an above-average gas-powered tiller. Large and tough grounds are possible to till with an electric model but are handled easier and faster by a gas-powered model.
Corded vs. cordless
Some electric tillers run on a battery, while others need to be plugged in.
- Battery-powered models can be used anywhere and you don’t have to worry about cords. However, their batteries only provide enough power to equal an above-average corded model. They’re also more expensive.
- Corded models need access to a power source, and you need to make sure your cord is kept out of the tiller’s way. Any extension cord you use should be thick enough not to melt or restrict power to your tiller. Using extra-long extension cords or chaining cords together is dangerous and power-restricting, so you should consider a battery- or gas-powered model instead if you find yourself far from your power source.
What to look for in a quality electric tiller
Power
Electric tiller manufacturers relate power using one or a combination of methods, all of which have their own ranges.
- Amps: Look for anything 6 amps and above minimum but preferably 10 and above.
- Watts: Look for anything with at least 500 amps.
- Volts: 20 volts is enough for a budget tiller, but anything 36 volts and above is better. If they give amp hours, look for anything with 4 Ah and above.
- Horsepower: Look for anything with at least half a horsepower.
Tines
Tines have shape, number and speed to consider.
- Shape: Most manufacturers use either an L-shaped tine or tines with a slight variation.
- Number: Electric tillers have two to six tines, with more being better.
Speed
Most electric tillers have only one speed, but others have variable speeds to better handle specific soils.
How much you can expect to spend on an electric tiller
Electric tillers typically cost $100-$300, with most costing no more than $200. For anything over $200, you’ll get more power and likely won’t have to deal with a cord.
Electric tiller FAQ
What’s the difference between an electric tiller and an electric cultivator?
A. They’re similar enough that many manufacturers use the terms interchangeably or claim that one tool can do both jobs. In reality, an electric tiller is more powerful than an electric cultivator. Both can chew up and maintain most ground types and hardnesses, but an electric tiller can have enough power to process new ground, which is usually too hard for a cultivator to process.
Are electric tillers powerful enough to till new, hard sod?
A. Depending on the model, yes. Many electric tillers struggle to till new, hard soil, but the best and strongest should be able to manage it, albeit slowly. Comparatively, gas-powered models are more powerful across the board and you rarely need to worry about if they can handle new ground — they’re able to till new ground faster than even the strongest electric tiller.
What’s the difference between front- and rear-line tillers?
A. All electric tillers use front-line tillers, meaning the tines are placed in front of the wheels and pull the tiller forward. Some gas-powered tillers use rear-line tillers, which are placed behind the motor and dragged forward by its power.
What’s the best electric tiller to buy?
Top electric tiller
Greenworks 40-Volt Cordless Tiller
What you need to know: With a tilling depth of up to 5 inches, this powerful model can till almost anything.
What you’ll love: The 40-volt lithium-ion battery provides enough power (and doesn’t wane as it empties) to till anything except the hardest ground. It features a width of 8.25-10 inches with up to 2,000 strikes per minute.
What you should consider: It’s on the pricey side. The battery only lasts for roughly 40 minutes, and a few consumers had issues with the battery not charging as it ages.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top electric tiller for the money
Black and Decker 20-Volt MAX Cordless Tiller
What you need to know: This quality model from a trusted brand is perfect for small jobs.
What you’ll love: It runs on a MAX lithium-ion battery that can till up to 325 square feet of ground on a full charge, and its counter-oscillating tines prevent roots from tangling in the head. It’s Energy Star-certified and has a two-year limited warranty.
What you should consider: The small head is not efficient for anything larger than a small flowerbed or garden. The batteries can take up to eight hours to charge.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
Worth checking out
Sun Joe Electric 13.5-Amp Garden Tiller
What you need to know: This corded model is powerful with an extra-wide head.
What you’ll love: It has a tilling depth of up to 8 inches and a tilling width of up to 16 inches with six durable steel angled tines for chewing through almost anything. The handles fold up for space-saving storage and the wheels can be adjusted into three positions.
What you should consider: A few users felt the handles were uncomfortable to use for long periods, and a handful received tillers with missing parts.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Jordan C. Woika writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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Which ‘Star Wars’ model kit is best?
“Star Wars” is among the most loved film franchises, spanning 12 feature-length productions across 45 years. Including several television show additions and spin-offs, the trademark is worth an estimated $70 billion.
With such an illustrious history, there is plenty of merchandise for fans to collect. Action figures and memorabilia might top the most-wanted list, but for those who want to get their hands dirty, there are model kits to build. For a real challenge, the amazing Lego “Star Wars” Ultimate Millennium Falcon is sure to keep you busy for hours.
What to know before you buy a ‘Star Wars’ model kit
Different kinds of model kits
“Star Wars” model kits are no different from others, like airplanes, ships or submarines. They are available in different kinds of builds, giving you the option of working in your preferred medium. Lego fans might opt to put together an officially licensed “Star Wars” Lego set, while there are paper-based kits for easier builds and 3D wood puzzles that can be painted when you are done.
The skill level will determine the complexity
Just as the models are available in different build types, so too are the skill level needed for completing them. Generally, the skill level will be indicated on the model’s packaging and should give you a rough indication of how difficult or easy it will be. But the skill level shouldn’t be seen as a deterrent. You might find it more enjoyable to tackle something complex than a build that only consists of a few pieces.
Consider the scale of the model
Inexperienced model builders often don’t realize how large model kits can be. The regular scale measurement won’t mean much to you if it’s based on a fictional object. Since there is no real-world reference point, the kits often indicate the measurements of the completed object. Keep this in mind if you want to display the model or if you have limited space where you live.
What to look for in a quality ‘Star Wars’ model kit
Highly detailed and accurate
Any model kit, no matter if it is “Star Wars” or World War II airplanes, must be highly-detailed to get the full enjoyment from finalizing the construction. The overall shape might be accurate, but it’s the smaller details that will bring a smile to your face. Look for a good-quality model kit that includes finer elements like trimmings, customizable parts and accurate color schemes.
Robust construction materials
It would be terribly unfortunate if you spent countless hours putting the model together, just for it to crumble to the floor from a slight breeze. A good-quality model kit will be made from robust construction materials which won’t fall apart easily. Most sturdy models are made from wood or plastic. Builds made out of paper are relatively stable, but extra needs to be taken to protect them from damage.
Officially licensed product
To ensure that you get the most accurate and high-quality model kits, you must look for kits that are officially licensed by Disney — which owns the “Star Wars” brand. If you buy a product that isn’t officially part of the merchandise, there would be no guarantee as to the authenticity of the detail or quality. Knockoff kits can be much cheaper than licensed items, but it isn’t worth the risk.
How much you can expect to spend on a ‘Star Wars’ model kit
The average price of a “Star Wars” model kit will depend on the medium and the intricacy of the build. An entry-level kit that consists of wood or paper can retail for $20-$40. Highly detailed, larger kits with thousands of pieces can retail for $800-$1,300.
‘Star Wars’ model kit FAQ
Do you need special tools to put the kit together?
A. While there might be some kits that require tools, the majority of model kits these days don’t. That is because the technology behind model kits has evolved to feature click-in or snap-together designs. For Lego builds, the pieces easily stay together.
How long does it take to build a ‘Star Wars’ model kit?
A. That will depend on the complexity of the build and how nimble your fingers are. Larger builds can take around 10-12 hours to complete, while smaller kits should only take a few hours.
What’s the best ‘Star Wars’ model kit to buy?
Top ‘Star Wars’ model kit
Lego “Star Wars” Ultimate Millennium Falcon
What you need to know: It’s going to take more than a few hours and a bunch of friends to complete this massive 7,541-piece kit. With intricate details and seven classic “Star Wars” minifigures, this Millennium Falcon will be the star attraction in any house.
What you’ll love: Any “Star Wars” fan will grab at the chance to tackle this enormous build, that measures 8 inches high, 33 inches long and 22 inches wide. It includes the smallest details to accurately replicate the famous Millennium Falcon, and it comes with minifigures of Han Solo, Chewbacca, Princess Leia, C-3PO, an older Han Solo, Rey and Finn. On the inside of the ship, you can put together the seating area, the Dejarik holographic game and the engine room with hyperdrive and console.
What you should consider: This kit is best suited for adults with lots of patience or expert builders.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top ‘Star Wars’ model kit for the money
“Star Wars” Tie Fighter 3D Wood Puzzle and Model Figure Kit
What you need to know: Made from sturdy wood, this iconic Tie Fighter kit can be painted with any colors that you want.
What you’ll love: The puzzle is made from 63 interlocking pieces to create a free-standing model. It comes with step-by-step instructions for assembly and the accompanying booklet delves deep into the history of Tie Fighters, the different variants and notable battles.
What you should consider: The assembled build is relatively small, standing 4.5 inches tall and 3.3 inches wide.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
“Star Wars” Imperial Star Destroyer Paper Model Kit
What you need to know: You’re going to need a delicate touch and steady hands to complete this paper-based model of the infamous Imperial Star Destroyer. It comprises 342 pieces, all held together with the included craft glue.
What you’ll love: Included in the build are step-by-step instructions and a display stand. But the set doesn’t just feature the Star Destroyer, as it also comes with smaller paper models of two Tie Fighters and an Imperial Shuttle.
What you should consider: You’ll need some extra room to display this build, as the Star Destroyer measures 30 inches long, 15.1 inches high and 16.5 inches wide.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Which steering wheel lock is best?
People tend to feel a close bond to their cars. If your car is damaged or destroyed in an accident, you may feel a great deal of frustration or loss. However, if someone steals your car, it’s far worse. It can feel like a violation, and people who have their car stolen tend to notice they don’t feel as safe or comfortable as before. Luckily, there are ways to deter thieves from targeting your car.
One popular theft deterrent is a steering wheel lock. One of the top steering wheel locks is The Club 1103 LX Series Steering Wheel Lock. It has a universal fit for most steering wheels and is safe against sawing, prying and hammering.
What to know before you buy a steering wheel lock
How a steering wheel lock works
There are a few different steering wheel lock designs available, but they all keep your steering wheel in place and deter thieves from trying to steal your car. Some use telescoping rods, while others lock the entire wheel in place completely. A few designs cover up the wheel entirely or press down on the clutch or brake for extra security.
Locks and keys
Steering wheel locks don’t use a normal lock and key, which experienced thieves can pick open easily. Instead, they use a variety of specialty locks and keys that are difficult or impossible to pick and equally challenging to copy. Most locks include two or three keys. If you need more, you can order them from the manufacturer.
Construction
Most steering wheel locks are made of some kind of steel, though you can also find ones with titanium elements. Many locks have a plastic coating too, which has a few uses. The plastic keeps your steering wheel scratch-free, and the bright color stands out to discourage thieves.
What to look for in a quality steering wheel lock
Size
The size of a steering wheel lock will determine how big of a steering wheel it can fit. It will also dictate how easy it is to store the lock when not in use. Telescoping rod locks are a great choice since they can lock all sizes of steering wheels while still being compact and storable.
Design
Manufacturers typically design steering wheel locks to look intimidating to thieves. The bare steel or bright colors will catch the attention of a potential thief and hopefully stop them from breaking through the door or window.
Hardened points
Some steering wheel locks have a hardened tip on one end, which functions as a window breaker in case of emergencies. Some may include a cap to prevent this tip from breaking or tearing something on accident. If this is a feature you’d like to have, be sure to check the product description for more information.
How much you can expect to spend on a steering wheel lock
Most steering wheel locks cost roughly $30-$50. Some cost as little as $20. The best and most intricate locks usually cost around $60 and can exceed $100.
Steering wheel lock FAQ
Can I make extra keys for my steering wheel lock?
A. Generally speaking, no. Most steering wheel locks use specialty-shaped keys that are either difficult or impossible to copy, even by the best locksmiths. Most manufacturers can send you extras if you request them, but you’ll need to provide information that confirms you are the owner. You’ll likely need to at least pay for the shipping and handling of extra keys.
How secure is a steering wheel lock?
A. It depends on the lock, but they’re usually incredibly secure. Most locks resist common workarounds, such as sawing, hammering or prying with a crowbar. Check reviews to see how others feel about their experience, and check the brand of the product to learn more about their reputation.
What’s the best steering wheel lock to buy?
Top steering wheel lock
The Club 1103 LX Series Steering Wheel Lock
What you need to know: This is an effective steering wheel lock at an affordable price.
What you’ll love: You can secure the lock with one tug. It comes with three laser encrypted keys that locksmiths can’t duplicate. It adjusts easily to fit any wheel and resists common breaking methods, including hammering and Freon combinations. It weighs 4.2 pounds and comes in three colors.
What you should consider: Some consumers complained of a sticky substance coating the lock. Others received units where the lock would not completely lock.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top steering wheel lock for the money
What you need to know: This budget theft deterrent is ideal for light security.
What you’ll love: The steel construction is thick enough to prevent sawing, and installation only takes seconds. It uses a crescent lock cylinder and includes two computer-coded keys. The black and yellow design stands out to thieves, and it only weighs 1.72 pounds.
What you should consider: The design doesn’t prevent airbag theft. It may not fit depending on your car’s combination of wheel size and dashboard height.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Tevlaphee Steering Wheel Lock for Cars
What you need to know: This steering wheel lock resists most breaking methods, including freon and hammer attacks.
What you’ll love: It fits steering wheel inner diameters between 6.6 and 12.5 inches. The inner hook is padded to prevent damage to the wheel. It includes a hardened window-breaking tip and comes in three colors.
What you should consider: Some consumers had issues with the key becoming stuck in the lock. There are rare reports of the keys failing to unlock the device.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Jordan C. Woika writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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Which dog food is better: Blue Buffalo or Purina Pro Plan?
Your dog’s diet makes a huge impact on their health and well-being, so choosing the right dog food is important. If you’re stuck between Blue Buffalo dog food and Purina Pro Plan dog food, you might be wondering which is the best option.
As with most things in life, there isn’t a simple answer, so you’ll have to delve deeper and examine the pros and cons. Also, remember that all dogs are different, so the best food for one dog isn’t always the best for another.
Blue Buffalo dog food
Blue Buffalo dog food is touted as a healthy and holistic brand. It contains high-quality ingredients without unnecessary additives. Complete and balanced, it contains all the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that your dog needs to stay healthy. It’s made in the USA, though from globally sourced ingredients.
You can buy both wet and dry dog food from Blue Buffalo, as well as dog treats. Bags of dry food cost roughly $15-$75, depending on the size and variety, while wet food costs roughly $2-$3 a can.
Blue Buffalo dog food pros
- Blue Buffalo dog food lists meat as the first ingredient, plus it often includes healthy whole grains and vegetables.
- It doesn’t contain any artificial flavors or preservatives and stays away from poultry by-product meal, corn, soy and other filler ingredients.
- You can choose from a range of varieties, including senior dog foods, small breed dog foods and limited ingredient dog foods for dogs with food allergies or sensitivities.
- Most dogs find Blue Buffalo foods palatable and you can select from a wide range of formulas or flavors to appeal to picky eaters.
Blue Buffalo dog food cons
- The company sells a range of grain -free dog food, but studies suggest a link between grain-free diets and canine heart disease, so you should avoid them unless your dog has a legitimate grain allergy, which is extremely rare.
- Blue Buffalo has had five dog food recalls, but only three posed a serious risk.
- It doesn’t offer quite as many specialist options as Purina Pro Plan, such as high-performance and sensitive skin formulas.
Best Blue Buffalo dog food
Blue Buffalo Wilderness High Protein Dog Food
An excellent choice for active dogs, this food is high in protein to give them the energy they need to keep going. Pick one of the versions with healthy whole grains as grain-free formulas may be detrimental to heart health.
Sold by Amazon
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Adult Dry Dog Food
The perfect kibble for an average dog, you can choose from several formulas to best suit your dog. Options include small bite for dogs who like smaller pieces of kibble and healthy weight for dogs who need to lose eight or who gain weight easily.
Blue Buffalo Homestyle Recipe Wet Dog Food
This tasty wet food can be fed alone or mixed with kibble. Meat is the first ingredient and it also contains a blend of nutrient-rich veggies.
Purina Pro Plan dog food
Purina Pro Plan dog food is just one kind of dog food from Purina. It’s Purina’s high-end offering, containing better quality ingredients than its other foods. For the most part, it contains quality ingredients, though it does contain some fillers and by-products in some of its lines.
Buyers can choose from a range of formulas, some that suit most dogs and others tailored to need specific needs. It’s at a similar price point to Blue Buffalo, with bags of dry food priced from $15-$70 and cans of wet food around $1.50-$3 each.
Purina Pro Plan dog food pros
- All Purina Pro Plan dry foods and most wet foods contain heart-healthy whole grains.
- This food is made at a facility in the USA, though with ingredients sourced from around the globe.
- There’s only been one recall of Purina Pro Plan food, which suggests the company’s quality control is good.
- You can choose from a wide range of formulas to suit your dog, including small breed, large breed and performance.
Purina Pro Plan dog food cons
- Some formulas contain questionable ingredients, such as poultry by-product meal.
- You’re more likely to find fillers, such as corn gluten meal, in Purina Pro Plan foods compared to Blue Buffalo.
- Purina is owned by Nestle, a company known for unethical practices and which some buyers prefer to avoid.
Best Purina Pro Plan dog food
Purina Pro Plan Complete Essentials Dry Dog Food
A solid all-rounder of a dry food that suits most adult dogs. It has a chicken and rice flavor and comes in a range of bag sizes.
Sold by Amazon, Chewy and PetSmart
Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin and Stomach Dry Dog Food
This carefully formulated food is made using easily digestible ingredients and excludes common allergens, making it perfect for dogs with sensitive skin or stomachs. It contains a prebiotic formula to help digestion.
Sold by Amazon, Chewy and PetSmart
Purina Pro Plan Sport Wet Dog Food
Due to its high protein content, this wet food is suitable for very active dogs and working dogs. It also supports hydration, which is important for dogs who are always on the go.
Should you get Blue Buffalo dog food or Purina Pro Plan dog food?
There’s no clear winner between Blue Buffalo and Purina Pro Plan. Blue Buffalo has more consistently high-quality ingredients, but Purina Pro Plan only contains a small handful of questionable ingredients and not in all its formulas.
Purina has a slightly wider range of options tailored to the specific needs of dogs, but then again, most dogs are fine with a standard adult dog food — plus Blue Buffalo some tailored formulas, such as senior, small breed and large breed foods.
Ultimately, go with whichever option you think will best suit your dog and don’t be afraid to change your mind if your canine companion isn’t thriving on their new food after a reasonable transition period.
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Lauren Corona writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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Which women’s hooded bathrobe is best?
Stepping out of the shower or bath on even a warm day is a chilly experience. No matter how little time it takes to dry off with your towel and put your clothes on, you still get a little cold. With a hooded bathrobe, you can skip both steps and go directly into a warm, soft shell that can also dry your hair.
The best one is the Arus Women’s Hooded Bathrobe. It’s made of cotton from the Aegean region of Turkey for a premium feel.
What to know before you buy a women’s hooded bathrobe
Size and length
Hooded bathrobes typically use the same nomenclature as other clothing — small, medium, large, etc. — but most manufacturers use their own sizing charts. This means one “small” robe may be larger than a different “small” robe, so compare your prospective robe’s chart to your measurements.
You also need to consider the length. Most robes are cut to end just above the knee, at mid-calf or around the ankle. However, length and size don’t always match up, so the arms and width may be sized right for your upper body but your height makes a robe fall outside its intended place. You may need to shop around for a while until you find the right size and length.
Fastening
Most women’s hooded bathrobes are secured with exterior waist ties. Some robes use other methods, such as buttons, zippers or interior waist ties. A few use a combination of methods.
What to look for in a quality women’s hooded bathrobe
Material
Women’s hooded bathrobes are typically made of terry cloth or various types of cotton or synthetics.
- Terry cloth is the same material towels are made from. Bathrobes made this way have all the softness and absorbency of your favorite towels and can be comfortably warm. However, it does lose softness over time.
- Cotton bathrobes are made from a variety of cotton types using a variety of weaves. Some are thin and lightweight, while others are thick and heavy, and they’re available at every price point.
- Synthetic bathrobes are typically made of microfiber polyester. It’s soft, reasonably absorbent and affordable.
Hood
A quality hood on a bathrobe is large enough to fully drape over the head while having the length to not pull down tightly on the head. It should also have enough give so you can ruffle it comfortably across your head to dry your hair.
Pockets
A bathrobe should be comfortable enough for you to want to wear it all over your home. As you move around, you’ll likely want to keep your phone and other items on you. Choose a robe with at least one pocket for this purpose so you can have your hands free for moving a glass of wine and a tray of snacks to the couch.
How much you can expect to spend on a women’s hooded bathrobe
They typically cost $20-$100. Low-cost options cost no more than $20 while most cost $30-$50. The best cost $50-$100, though some luxury designer brands can cost several hundred dollars.
Women’s hooded bathrobe FAQ
How do I wash a women’s hooded bathrobe?
A. That mostly depends on the material. Most are machine-washable, though the tags have specific care instructions. Those that are machine washable can’t always be put in the dryer, so double-check before you accidentally damage your new robe. If you’re truly concerned about damaging it, you can usually have it dry-cleaned.
Can I customize a women’s hooded bathrobe?
A. Yes, though few offer customization and personalization during the order process. Instead, you’ll need to take it to a tailor or even personalize it yourself. Any material can be taken in or let out, but some materials are easier than others to personalize, such as fleece. That doesn’t mean you can’t have a complex material personalized, you just might have to pay extra for it.
What’s the best women’s hooded bathrobe to buy?
Top women’s hooded bathrobe
What you need to know: It feels as premium as its cost. It’s made of Turkish terry cotton for premium softness, breathability and durability.
What you’ll love: The hood is large enough to drape comfortably and not pull on your head, and it has two deep pockets on either side. It’s available in three sizes and eight colors.
What you should consider: It’s among the priciest bathrobes. Some consumers found it a little thin.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Macy’s
Top women’s hooded bathrobe for the money
U2Skiin Short Women’s Hooded Bathrobe
What you need to know: Made of polyester fleece for a soft, lightweight feel, it’s short for hot summer days.
What you’ll love: Its hood is loose enough not to tug, and it has a small pocket on either side of the front. It comes in three sizes and 21 designs. It uses an outer and inner tying system.
What you should consider: The short length doesn’t provide enough coverage for chilly nights. A few reviewers had issues finding a size that fit appropriately.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
iCreat Women’s Long Hooded Bathrobe
What you need to know: This soft, quality robe is extra-long for freezing winter nights.
What you’ll love: It uses an outer-belt tie system. It has two small pockets on the front and the hood is just large enough not to be too tight. It comes in three sizes and four colors and is made of polyester fleece for warmth and softness.
What you should consider: It’s too long and thick for any climate other than a cold one. It isn’t long enough to be floor length for taller consumers.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Jordan C. Woika writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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Egg prices have risen to more than $2.80 per dozen, on average, which is over double their price in March. This doesn’t bode well for Easter celebrations if you normally use painted eggs for decoration or egg hunts.
Instead, consider plastic eggs, which are reusable, save a lot of time and effort and are a vegan-friendly alternative to real eggs.
Why are egg prices rising?
Several factors have combined to lead to the sharply rising cost of eggs. A serious bird flu outbreak has led to the death of many hens. On top of that, the war in Ukraine has resulted in a significant rise in the price of grain used as feed for laying birds — a cost that farmers must pass on to avoid taking a loss. To a smaller degree, pandemic-related supply chain issues are still causing some price increases across the board.
What types of plastic eggs are available?
You’ll find a variety of plastic eggs available. The three main types are fillable, one-piece and realistic.
- Fillable plastic eggs: Most plastic eggs come in two parts that fit together, so you can fill them with small toys or candy. However, some come in one piece, which is the obvious choice if you don’t want to fill them.
- One-piece plastic eggs: These eggs come in one piece, so you can’t fill them. They’re a good choice for decoration or if you want to stick to the same egg hunt rules as you had with real eggs.
- Realistic plastic eggs: Realistic eggs are made to look like chicken eggs and come in white and brown varieties. These are great if you want to decorate them yourself or if you usually don’t paint or dye eggs at Easter.
Are there alternatives to plastic eggs?
If you’re not sold on plastic eggs, you can also buy wooden eggs as a more eco-friendly choice. These either come painted or plain so you can paint or decorate them yourself. This is a great choice if part of your Easter tradition is decorating eggs.
You can also find squishy faux eggs made from a squeezable foam material much like stress balls. These are great for any kids in a throwing phase who can’t be trusted not to launch hard plastic or wooden eggs at other kids or adults.
Best reusable Easter eggs
Prextex Bulk Plastic Easter Eggs
These solid-colored fillable Easter eggs come in a bulk pack of 100, which is ideal for Easter events or anyone planning a large family egg hunt. They’re hinged so the top and bottom parts won’t get separated when kids rip them open to see what’s inside.
Sold by Amazon
Joyin Plastic Printed Bright Easter Eggs
Featuring a printed exterior that resembles hand-painted designs, this is a great choice for anyone who prefers painting eggs rather than dying them. They are fillable, and you get 48 in a pack.
Sold by Amazon
Double Couple White Plastic Eggs
At first glance, these look like white chicken eggs, so they’re a great choice for anyone who would buy real eggs if it weren’t for the price hike. They are paintable and can be used year after year.
Sold by Amazon
Importer AM Pysanky Hand-Painted Polish Wooden Easter Eggs
These beautiful hand-painted wooden eggs are part of a Polish Easter tradition, but you don’t have to be Polish to appreciate their incredible design. They’re on the pricey side, but they’ll last for decades, and you’ll be proud to display them every Easter.
Sold by Amazon
Ufunga Slow Rising Squishy Easter Eggs
Made to look like painted eggs, these delightfully squishy Easter eggs are great alternatives to plastic or wooden eggs. You can choose from packs of 12 or 24.
Sold by Amazon
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Lauren Corona writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/apparel-br/holiday-br/with-egg-prices-on-the-rise-plastic-eggs-seem-like-the-obvious-choice-for-easter-festivities/ | 2022-04-14T07:17:49 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/apparel-br/holiday-br/with-egg-prices-on-the-rise-plastic-eggs-seem-like-the-obvious-choice-for-easter-festivities/ |
Which electric nail file for thick toenails is best?
Electric nail files, also known as electric nail drills, are the machines most frequently used in salons on both fingernails and toenails. For thick toenails, whether they’re naturally thick or coated in thick polish, you’ll need an electric file with enough power behind it. You should also look for one that includes plenty of bits.
The best electric nail file for thick toenails is the Makartt Electric Nail File. It has more than enough power to handle anything thick and comes with a variety of bits.
What to know before you buy an electric nail file for thick toenails
Power
An electric nail file’s power is measured in revolutions per minute. Most electric files have maximum RPMs between 10,000-30,000, though a few can go faster. Most natural nails can be comfortably filed with 15,000 rpm, but thick natural nails might be better served with 20,000 rpm. If you’re planning to file nails thick from acrylic polish, you’ll need 25,000-30,000 RPMs.
Bits
In order to focus the power of your electric nail file, you’ll need drill bits. Most electric files include a handful to get you started, but you can always buy any bit you may need separately — just be aware that not all bits fit all files. For simple filing, all you need is a bit that holds disposable sanding bands. For trimming and shaping, you’ll need natural-nail and carbide bits for natural and acrylic-coated nails, respectively. Under-nail and pedicure bits are also good choices.
Noise
Drills make noise, but that doesn’t mean an electric nail file has to make too much. Cheap drills have no noise-dampening and can be quite loud. This may not bother you if you’re trimming your own nails. However, if you need to trim clients’ nails, it’s best for their experience if you choose a noise-dampened drill.
What to look for in a quality electric nail file for thick toenails
Hands-free control
If you’re setting out to file your friend’s or client’s toenails, a hands-free control system will make it much easier and faster to finish the task. These typically take the form of foot pedals that can turn the bit off and on and change the direction the drill spins. Most still require hands-on action to alter the speed.
Vibration dampening
When setting out to file thick toenails, you don’t just file one. You file all 10. Cheap electric nail file motors cause the drill to noticeably vibrate, which can make long trimming sessions deeply uncomfortable. Look for a file with a vibration-dampened motor to avoid this issue.
How much you can expect to spend on an electric nail file for thick toenails
Electric nail files for thick toenails need a little more power behind them, so you’ll likely need to spend at least $20-$30. Better options with more bits usually cost $50-$100, while the best options cost $100-$200.
Electric nail file for thick toenails FAQ
Are electric nail files for thick toenails safe?
A. Yes, though the power electric nail files for thick toenails need to have can easily cause damage if you use the file improperly. The first step is to carefully read all use and safety instructions. Then, start cleaning your toenails or fingernails using the lowest possible speed until you feel comfortable using it. Keep increasing the speed little by little in order to get the hang of each speed setting.
How do I maintain an electric nail file for thick toenails?
A. You need to maintain the drill and the bits using separate processes. The drill shouldn’t come in contact with any water. To clean the drill, you’ll need to brush it off or blast it with a can of compressed air. The bits will need to be disinfected, not just cleaned. Start by scrubbing them while in warm soapy water, then let them soak in a metal-safe disinfecting solution for at least 20 minutes. Once done, dry them thoroughly before storing.
What’s the best electric nail file for thick toenails to buy?
Top electric nail file for thick toenails
What you need to know: This is powerful and reasonably priced.
What you’ll love: It has speeds that can reach up to 30,000 rpm, which is powerful enough to file away even tough acrylic nails. Additionally, it has forward and reverse spin modes. It has a hands-free foot switch and includes several drill bits and 30 sanding bands.
What you should consider: A few consumers had issues with overheating — in rare cases, it became hot enough to melt. Others had issues with the motor giving out in a few months.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top electric nail file for thick toenails for the money
What you need to know: This has just enough power for occasional toenail maintenance.
What you’ll love: It comes packed with accessories, including six drill bits, 30 sanding belts and a pair of nail clippers. The drill has speeds that can reach up to 20,000 rpm and can rotate forward or backward. It comes in silver and green.
What you should consider: A few consumers didn’t receive all the pieces it’s supposed to include. The 20,000 rpm maximum speed setting can’t handle acrylic-covered toenails.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Imene Portable Professional Nail Drill
What you need to know: This drill is perfect for professional use but may be too strong for at-home pedicures.
What you’ll love: It has a brushless vibration- and noise-dampened motor with variable speeds that can spin in either direction and can reach up to 35,000 rpm. It’s surprisingly small and rechargeable, making it easy to take on the go. It includes six drill bits and six sanding bands.
What you should consider: It’s expensive — too expensive for only occasional use. A few consumers had difficulty understanding the instructions. Few third-party drill bits are compatible.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Jordan C. Woika writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/foot-care-br/best-electric-nail-file-for-thick-toenails/ | 2022-04-14T07:17:57 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/foot-care-br/best-electric-nail-file-for-thick-toenails/ |
Which Valentino perfume is best?
Valentino has been one of the preferred fashion and fragrance brands of the rich and famous for more than a few decades. Their perfume is known for exuding elegance and opulence. Introduced for the first time in 1978, Valentino’s perfume line has grown to include numerous enticing concoctions that encompass a variety of fragrance profiles, from sweet and spicy to fruity and sour.
A good place to start is by checking out Valentino Donna Born In Roma Eau de Parfum, a pretty floral fragrance with notes of jasmine, blackcurrant and bourbon vanilla.
What to know before you buy a bottle of Valentino perfume
Perfume concentration
Valentino makes three concentrations of perfume: eau de toilette, eau de parfum and parfum.
- Eau de toilette: This is the weakest of the three but it still carries quite a bit of scent. With 10%-15% pure perfume oils, a high-quality eau de toilette can be intense and last all day.
- Eau de parfum: This is a stronger, longer-lasting fragrance, containing 15%-20% pure perfume oils.
- Parfum: This is the strongest concentration, with between 20%-40% perfume oils. Parfum is also the most expensive because perfume oil is the priciest ingredient in any fragrance.
What to look for in a quality Valentino perfume
Uniqueness
Valentino womenswear, which includes their perfumes, is designed around the philosophy that a “woman must cause heads to turn when she enters a room.” A clear indicator that a perfume adheres to this principle is the extent to which it smells completely one of a kind. The best Valentino perfume will excite your nose and leave a memorable impression on all those around you. This uniqueness is exactly why Valentino fragrances are prized by so many perfume connoisseurs.
Bottle design
Valentino’s partner, both in business and life, Giancarlo Giammetti, was a professional Italian architect at the time of their meeting. Because of this, Valentino perfume bottles have an especially provocative architectural feel and design. Be on the lookout for eye-catching bottles that feature Valentino’s signature three-dimensional spike or subtly tinted glass. These details allow each perfume bottle to serve as a display piece all on its own — even after the perfume is gone.
How much you can expect to spend on Valentino perfume
Expect to spend between $50-$90 for small- and medium-sized bottles of Valentino perfume and between $120-$150 for larger bottles.
Valentino perfume FAQ
Where should I apply my new Valentino perfume?
A. Where you choose to apply your perfume is really a matter of preference. However, there are certain areas you can spray that will naturally increase or decrease the intensity and longevity of your perfume. If you want your scent to smell more intense and last longer, spray it onto areas that are naturally warm and experience friction, such as the inner elbows, neck and the backs of your knees.
Can Valentino perfume expire?
A. Yes, once a bottle of perfume has been opened, it can last an average of two years, sometimes longer if you keep it in a cool area out of direct sunlight. You can tell that the perfume has gone bad if it no longer smells as it should or appears discolored.
What’s the best Valentino perfume to buy?
Top Valentino perfume
Valentino Donna Born In Roma Eau De Parfum
What you need to know: Encapsulated in a stunning studded bottle, this pink perfume has rich floral notes and an invitingly feminine scent profile.
What you’ll love: This scent is sophisticated, boasting top notes of bergamot and jasmine that enliven the senses, middle notes of Bulgarian rose and blackcurrant and base notes of warm vanilla and beechwood. This versatile perfume is bold and sensual and was inspired by the edgy yet elegant style of the nightlife scene in Rome.
What you should consider: Although this is an Eau de parfum, the sweetness of the initial scent doesn’t last as long as some wearers would have liked.
Where to buy: Sold by Sephora, Kohl’s and Ulta Beauty
Top Valentino perfume for the money
Valentino Voce Viva Eau De Parfum
What you need to know: If you’re in the market for a subtle yet long-lasting perfume with a unique scent profile and premium ingredients, look no further than Voce Viva.
What you’ll love: The initial scent profile contains robust top notes of bergamot, mandarin and orange blossom, which lend this perfume a distinct sense of citrus-powered awareness. These top notes eventually give way to heart notes gardenia and crystal moss accord, which is a rare ingredient that gives this perfume a sweet subtlety. Finally, the heart notes fade and the base notes of vanilla and tonka bean settle in.
What you should consider: Some wearers feel that the unique combination of ingredients give it a polarizing scent profile.
Where to buy: Sold by Sephora, Kohl’s, Macy’s, Amazon and Ulta Beauty
Worth checking out
Valentino Donna Yellow Dream Eau De Parfum
What you need to know: One of Valentino’s most popular scents, Donna Yellow Dream has a luxurious scent profile that includes complementary contrasts, such as vibrant florals and sweet musk.
What you’ll love: Introduced in 2021, this is one of Valentino’s newest additions to its perfume line, and as such, it’s properly modern. With top notes of Italian lemon, middle notes of luscious rose petal and base notes of white musk, this perfume is both light and breezy as well as mysterious and sensual.
What you should consider: Some wearers report that this perfume isn’t strong enough given the fact that it’s an Eau de parfum.
Where to buy: Sold by Sephora, Kohl’s and Ulta Beauty
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/fragrance-br/the-best-valentino-perfume/ | 2022-04-14T07:18:04 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/fragrance-br/the-best-valentino-perfume/ |
Which peach shower curtain is best?
Interior designers are in love with pastels right now — and for good reason. These softened tones open decorators up to the full color spectrum with just about every pastel hue being easy on the eyes. Chief among these is peach, the color of sunsets and fresh pitted fruit.
If you’re looking to add warmth and light to your bathroom, a peach shower curtain is the perfect mood booster. Which you choose comes down to the size of your bathtub and your bathroom’s decor, but you can’t go wrong with the delightful print of the Lifeel Peach Shower Curtain.
What to know before you buy a peach shower curtain
Psychology of peach
Peach is a warm mixture of red and yellow. Its properties put people at ease, projecting calm and contentment. This makes it an excellent color for your bathing routine, imbuing your shower or tub with positive and rejuvenating energy.
Colors that go with peach
As a pastel, peach plays well with other colors. The trick is matching the tone to its opposite and tertiary colors. Peach goes great with soft greens such as turquoise and teal and muted yellows such as ocher. It also pairs well with warm grays and light purples such as mauve. If you don’t want pastel overload, try using peach as an accent by pitting it against rich red backdrops.
Styling a peach shower curtain
Because it’s a bright and happy color, peach thrives when surrounded by open, minimal and natural interiors. Warm, raw woods match the energy of this color, as do rose-tinted metals.
If your decor is inspired by vintage aesthetics, you might find yourself struggling to match the color to luscious and saturated hues. In these scenarios, peach can integrate with the darker browns of antique furniture by using mid-tones to work the eye up to the brighter color. As for the severe black of modern interiors, gold, copper and brass are all great ways to guide your space in a warm direction so peach feels at home.
Solid color vs. patterned
Shower curtains are underappreciated canvases that offer excellent color-blocking potential, but that doesn’t mean you have to go peach all the way. A patterned curtain presents decorators with additional versatility. By opting for a peach motif, you can introduce a neutral backdrop that balances the color out and opens your bathroom’s palette up to further color exploration.
What to look for in a quality peach shower curtain
Material
Shower curtains come in three different materials that determine their look, feel and durability:
- Cotton: Soft, hefty and luxurious, cotton is a premium option that comes at a significant cost compared to other materials. It lasts the longest and can be machine-washed; just be prepared to use a liner to protect it from mold and mildew.
- Vinyl: The budget option, vinyl is completely waterproof but has a plasticky sheen and smell. These curtains are also available in non-toxic, eco-friendly PEVA and EVA.
- Polyester: These synthetic fibers offer a waterproof yet textured curtain material halfway between cotton and vinyl. They’re typically more affordable than cotton, and their durability makes them an attractive substitute, though they don’t last quite as long.
Size
- Standard: At 72 by 72 inches, the standard shower curtain is sized to cover one long edge of your typical bathtub.
- Extra-wide: For everything from claw-foots to basins, extra-wide shower curtains offer the additional coverage necessary to prevent water damage. Sized from 108-180 inches wide, these are designed to wrap around any tub with more than one exposed side.
- Extra-long: High ceilings and tall shower curtain rods leave standard curtains coming up short. Extra-long curtains add 1-2 more feet in length to block spillage and ensure your shower doesn’t look like it’s squeezing into a hand-me-down curtain.
- Narrow: Small bathrooms come with small showers, and excess curtain fabric can bunch up, consuming precious space. Narrow curtains are half the width of standard curtains to cover stalls and other diminutive showers.
Installation
Sewn into the top of your shower curtain are small, plastic- or metal-reinforced holes called grommets. If they’re big enough, you can slide the curtain rod directly through these grommets to install your shower curtain. While this method is the easiest, grommets make it harder to pull your curtain back and forth.
If you want to pull your curtain back with ease without any bunching or if your grommets are too small, you need to use hooks. These require a little more finesse to install but also present a fun decorative opportunity.
How much you can expect to spend on a peach shower curtain
Vinyl shower curtains typically cost $5-$20. Polyester can range from $15-$50, and high-quality cotton can be as much as $60-$120.
Peach shower curtain FAQ
Do I need to use a curtain liner?
A. Shower curtain liners act as a barrier that blocks soap scum, mold and mildew from penetrating your curtain. Cotton shower curtains aren’t waterproof and need these for protection. Neither vinyl nor polyester require a liner, but it can help boost their longevity and makes cleanup a lot easier.
How do I clean my shower curtain?
A. All three materials can be put through the wash; you should do this once a month. Vinyl can also be wiped down with household cleaner and paper towels. Just stay away from bleach, as this can damage the dyes and inks.
What’s the best peach shower curtain to buy?
Top peach shower curtain
What you need to know: This one may be a little on the nose, but the all-over peach motif has a beautiful, summery vibe.
What you’ll love: With a vintage-graphic quality, this curtain is ripe with color. It’s made from polyester and weighted at the bottom so you don’t have to worry about it fluttering about in a draft. It comes with 12 hooks to make installation easy.
What you should consider: You can only get this in a standard size.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top peach shower curtain for the money
Elaine Karen Vinyl Shower Curtain Liner with Metal Grommets
What you need to know: This vibrant peach liner makes for a great shower curtain on a budget.
What you’ll love: Because it’s made from vinyl, you don’t have to worry about waterproofing with this durable curtain. It’s dyed with a light peach color that can brighten up gloomy bathrooms. The magnets sewn into the bottom help prevent spills and billowing.
What you should consider: This curtain doesn’t come with hooks.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
August Grove Andes Solid Single Shower Curtain
What you need to know: This curtain adds a touch of texture to your bathroom decor with its ruffled design.
What you’ll love: The boho-chic frills of this peach curtain feel like the stuff of royalty. Made from polyester, it retains the fabric qualities of cotton without the risk of water damage. The grommets are subtle, reinforced by a hem rather than plastic or metal.
What you should consider: This is only available in standard sizing.
Where to buy: Sold by Wayfair
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Karl Daum writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/bed-bath-br/shower-accessories-br/best-peach-shower-curtain/ | 2022-04-14T07:18:10 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/bed-bath-br/shower-accessories-br/best-peach-shower-curtain/ |
Which online web design class is best?
In today’s world, web design is a highly useful skill that can lead to professional growth. If you’re interested in applying your creative skills in a way that’s lucrative and versatile, an online web design course is for you. Many of these courses teach certain aspects of web development as well, which is also profitable.
Udemy’s Web Design for Beginners: Real World Coding in HTML & CSS course is great for anyone starting out.
What to know before you buy an online web design class
Front-end development
Many online courses teach both web development and web design, since they often go hand in hand. Even if you choose to go with a beginner-friendly class, most still include basic development.
Web design is the overall setup and appearance of a website across any device, including mobile phones, tablets and computers. It includes the layout, interface design, graphics or other visuals and overall content of the site. When combined, these elements add to a comprehensive, user-friendly look and feel.
Many online web design classes teach both web design and front-end development, which is ideal for freelancers or anyone else looking to grow professionally. Even though front-end development doesn’t focus on the design aspect as much, it does affect how well the site runs. That’s why it’s a good idea to learn at least the basics, specifically coding and programming languages such as JavaScript, HTML and CSS.
Coding
In the past, if you wanted to learn how to design a website, you also had to understand web development; even the artwork and positioning of the text required some knowledge of coding. Today, most popular content management sites, including WordPress, handle the development aspect.
Although it’s possible to design websites without knowing coding or programming, many online web design courses still touch on the basics. For example, one course could teach CSS, which is useful for WordPress since it affects how content is displayed on the site. If the online course only covers the basics, you can also take a supplemental online course, such as JavaScript, to learn more.
Website builders
Many website builders, including Wix and Squarespace, use a drag and drop function that makes it much easier to design a website, even if you don’t have a background in the field. More complex builders, such as WordPress, boast features that offer much more customization and let you use certain coding knowledge.
Certain web design classes teach you how to use specific website builders, while others focus mostly on concepts such as layout or coding. Typically, the ones that focus on website builders don’t cover coding.
What to look for in a quality online web design class
Topics covered
Online web design courses usually focus on the following topics:
- Search engine optimization
- Typography
- Composition
- Graphic design software such as Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop
- Responsive design
- CSS3 and HTML
Courses that also emphasize web development go more in-depth into coding, programming and front-end and back-end development.
Level
Web design courses are multilayered, so choose a level suited to your current skill level. For instance, if you’re new to the subject, select a beginner class that teaches the basics such as layout and color theory. Just remember that one course might consider a topic introductory, while another could view it as intermediate.
Some online courses build upon each other, especially when taught by the same instructor. In this case, it’s a good idea to start with the first class and follow along in order unless you already have a solid understanding of the previous topics.
Course breakdown
Online classes usually come with a syllabus that outlines the course breakdown, including overarching modules and smaller lessons that reinforce key concepts.
For example, a beginner class could have a module on the general structure of websites with related subsections on how to code and use images. Meanwhile, a course made for WordPress design could cover everything from setting up pages and customizing post templates to installing and using plugins.
Many courses also feature assignments, quizzes and other supplemental materials you can download or complete as you learn.
Duration
Udemy, Coursera and similar online education sites list how long it will take to complete a class. The total duration usually includes the readings and videos, but not any assignments that are done outside of class. Most online web design classes are nine to 22 hours.
Certificate
Some courses offer a certificate you can display on LinkedIn, your resume or your new website. To receive a certificate, you might need to purchase the full course or have an active subscription to the platform it’s on.
How much you can expect to spend on an online web design class
A subscription to Coursera costs $59 a month, but you can also get a free seven-day trial. As for Udemy, web design and development courses usually cost $90-$140. Udemy also offers a free seven-day trial followed by a subscription service that costs $29.99 a month. Once you purchase the course, you receive lifetime access to it.
Online web design classes FAQ
Is web design difficult to learn?
A. Web design is a complex subject, but it can be easy to learn if you follow a class that’s laid out well. However, many classes teach you about the different technologies and methods that go along with website design and development. If you’re not technologically savvy, it can be challenging to learn some of the more complex components such as coding and back-end development.
What other skills should I know to be a web designer?
A. Enhance your skills by learning Adobe design software and studying user experience. Also, continue building upon your front-end and back-end development expertise.
What’s the best online web design class to buy?
Top web design class for you to take online
Web Design for Beginners: Real World Coding in HTML & CSS
What you need to know: This is an introductory course that teaches you the basics of design and development.
What you’ll love: It covers the essentials of web design, including HTML and CSS coding, responsive design and SaaS. Plus, it teaches you how to add media to web pages.
What you should consider: The course focuses a lot on back-end development, which can be overwhelming for complete beginners.
Where to buy: Sold by Udemy
Top web design class for you to take online for the money
Introduction to Web Development
What you need to know: Available for free on a trial basis or with a monthly subscription, this course teaches everything from the basics of web design to development.
What you’ll love: This course features 22 hours of content spread across six weeks. It includes several readings, videos and quizzes. It teaches you how to design a site from beginning to end using HTML.
What you should consider: There’s a lot of focus on web development.
Where to buy: Sold by Coursera
Worth checking out
WordPress for Beginners — Master WordPress Quickly
What you need to know: This course is great for anyone who wants to create a website using WordPress.
What you’ll love: It teaches you how to configure a WordPress site to create pages and posts. It is comprised of 107 lectures and has nine hours of content. There’s no coding experience necessary.
What you should consider: WordPress is a robust system, so the course might take longer to complete than listed.
Where to buy: Sold by Udemy
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Angela Watson writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/education-br/programming-design-br/best-online-web-design-class/ | 2022-04-14T07:18:18 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/education-br/programming-design-br/best-online-web-design-class/ |
Which USB-C hub adapter is best?
As laptops get smaller, thinner and more powerful, they tend to lose some of their functionalities. Where built-in USB 3.0 connections were once a common sight, it’s now unusual to see them on the side of a laptop.
If your USB-C laptop only has one or two connections, this is where a USB-C hub adapter can prove useful. Through a device such as the Hiearcool USB-C Dongle for MacBook Pro, you can connect multiple devices to your computer.
What to know before you buy a USB-C hub adapter
It could drain your laptop’s battery faster
Connecting several devices or accessories to your laptop through a hub comes at a price. While some adapters require an independent power source, others don’t — they use power from your laptop. This can cause your device to run flat much faster than usual if it’s not plugged into a charger.
Robust construction materials
A USB-C is incredibly important if you rely on one connection for all your portability needs. If it gets damaged, you could lose the ability to access vital devices or accessories. Keep in mind the construction materials of the hub, and try to get one that’s made from hardened plastic or aluminum.
Compatibility with your device
While USB-C is now a common connection type, not all devices are the same. Ensure that the hub you’re interested in is compatible with your device. For example, Apple’s Thunderbolt is a type of USB-C but is only compatible with certain gadgets. Similarly, Nintendo’s Switch console also uses USB-C, but the type used isn’t compatible with certain hubs or cables. The way to determine compatibility is to check with the manufacturer of the device.
What to look for in a quality USB-C hub adapter
USB-C Power Delivery
A key aspect to look for when deciding on an adapter is Power Delivery technology. This lets you use your laptop to charge other devices that are connected to the hub. The amount of power delivered to the connected device can vary, but the most common is around 100 watts.
Lengthy cable (or no cable at all)
You don’t want to struggle to get devices connected to your laptop, which is why a lengthy USB-C cable can be handy. The length also lets you move the adapter around to minimize any electromagnetic interference. On the other hand, there are adapters that have no cables at all. These sit flush with your laptop and are a great option if you have limited space.
Multiple connections
The purpose of an adapter is so you can connect multiple devices of different connections to your laptop. For that reason, it’s imperative that the adapter has as many as possible, which should include USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI connection and an SD card slot.
How much you can expect to spend on a USB-C hub adapter
The average cost of a USB-C adapter or hub depends on the number of ports and connections it has. An entry-level hub with a few slots can cost $15-$20, while a feature-packed adapter can go for $25-$35.
USB-C hub adapter FAQ
Can you connect a mouse and keyboard to an adapter?
A. Yes, you can, but you should keep in mind that due to their limited design, users often complain that the mouse is less responsive when an additional monitor is also connected.
What’s the difference between USB-C and Lightning?
A. The Lightning connection is the proprietary connection method for many Apple products and isn’t interchangeable with other devices. However, Apple’s Thunderbolt is a type of USB-C connection that can be used with other USB-C products or adapters.
What’s the best USB-C hub adapter to buy?
Top USB-C hub adapter
Hiearcool USB-C Dongle For MacBook Pro
What you need to know: This adapter has all the ports and connections that you could ever need. It features two USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI port for an external display and an SD card slot.
What you’ll love: You can recharge your laptop through the Power Delivery function, and it’s capable of displaying 4K content at 30 frames per second. The outer case is made from aluminum alloy, weighs only 2.4 ounces and is available in six colors.
What you should consider: The adapter isn’t compatible with Samsung’s DeX software, which lets you cast your device’s screen to a bigger monitor such as a TV. Unlike other hubs, this one is compatible with Nintendo Switch.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top USB-C hub adapter for the money
AorZ USB-C 7-in-1 Dongle Adapter
What you need to know: Not only does this hub have seven different connections, it can also power your laptop through USB-C Power Delivery technology.
What you’ll love: This hub features an HDMI connection, which lets you display content on an external monitor at 1080p resolution at 60 frames per second, or 4K resolution at 30 frames per second. It has three USB 3.0 ports, which is handy if you want to connect a keyboard or mouse. There’s also an SD card slot for transferring content such as photos from a camera.
What you should consider: This hub isn’t compatible with the Apple iPad Pro 11-inch or 21.9-inch before 2018.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
What you need to know: If you need to add a variety of useful connection ports to your laptop, this hub is a perfect choice.
What you’ll love: Its best feature is that it can handle an HDMI connection to an external monitor at a 4K resolution at 30 frames per second. In addition, this hub sports one connection for each of the most popular ports, so you’ll always have a way of connecting external devices. It has an SD card slot, USB-C input, USB-C data port and two USB 3.0 slots. It features USB-C Power Delivery so you can simultaneously charge your laptop.
What you should consider: This USB-C hub is only compatible with Apple’s MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and the Pixelbook. It isn’t compatible with the Nintendo Switch, even though it uses USB-C.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Charlie Fripp writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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Best headphones for camping
Getting back to nature can be an amazing way to de-stress. Spending time in the forests of a national park or hiking the Midwestern plains can make you forget about your worries as you take in the sights.
While some prefer to wake up with the call of the mountain chickadee, others center themselves through music. It might seem counterproductive to listen to created sounds rather than nature’s own, but the two go surprisingly well together — if you have the right headphones for camping, that is.
Best wireless headphones
If you’re looking for a great pair of headphones that fit over your ears, this model from Sony is a perfect option. They use some of the best noise-canceling technology available, and through the Edge-AI system, they regulate and change the equalizer according to the music. They’re perfect for camping or hiking as they have a 30-hour battery life, and you can receive calls through the connected Bluetooth function.
Sold by Amazon
SoundCore by Anker Life Q30 Hybrid
To remove the sounds of people talking around you or when you just want to be alone, SoundCore Life Q30 headphones use Anker’s hybrid noise-canceling system that includes dual microphones to block up to 95% of ambient sounds. With large 40-millimeter audio drivers, this pair has a battery life of 40 hours and comes with a 3.5-millimeter cable, even though they’re capable of wireless connectivity.
Sold by Amazon
For Apple loyalists who enjoy camping, there are no better headphones to pack in your bag than the AirPods Max. Available in five colors, they feature active noise cancellation, respond to Siri through voice and provide up to 20 hours of listening time. As they’re wireless, they connect to your device through Bluetooth. No matter what you’re listening to, the Adaptive EQ changes the equalizer depending on the musical style and quality.
Sold by Amazon
Best headphones for running
Beats Powerbeats Pro Wireless Earbuds
If you want to stay in shape while on a camping trip, then you’re probably going to want to get in a run. To listen to music while doing so, you need a great pair of earbuds, and Powerbeats are a good option. They provide you with nine hours of battery life and are completely wireless. The ear hooks are adjustable to ensure a snug fit and they’re reinforced to protect against sweat and water. While they use Apple’s H1 internal chip, they’re compatible with iOS and Android devices.
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Available in several colors, these JBudsPRO earbuds stay put no matter how fast you’re running. The Cush Fins at the top of the earbuds fit comfortably into the ear, while three different size silicone tips provide added grip. For sound production, the audio drivers are 11 millimeters and use high-performance titanium for better quality. JBudsPRO have an in-line microphone so you can take and make hands-free calls while camping.
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The best choice for Apple fans who want a subtle listening experience, AirPods Pro come with active noise cancellation while still having transparency mode for when you need to hear what’s going on around you. Adaptive EQ automatically tunes the music, while spatial audio with dynamic head tracking makes it sound like the music is all around you. The tips are available in three different sizes and they’re sweat- and water-resistant.
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Best affordable headphones
When you go camping, you don’t always want to take the best or most expensive headphones with you. There are plenty of affordable headphones that are perfect for throwing in a backpack and hitting the trail, such as Riff Wireless. They connect to your mobile device through Bluetooth (a wired version is available too), give you 12 hours of battery life and provide two hours of listening from a 10-minute charge. They’re available in four colors and come with a built-in microphone, volume and track control and charge through a USB cable.
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Retailing for under $10, these headphones are perfect for camping if you aren’t too concerned about them getting dirty, wet or possibly damaged. The audio drivers measure 33 millimeters and sit inside swiveling ear cups that are covered with soft foam. These headphones aren’t wireless but connect to your mobile device with a 3.5-millimeter jack. If you have an iPhone, don’t forget to pack your Lightning 3.5-millimeter adapter.
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For a grab-and-go pair of earbuds, Pro from Philips get the job done. Whether you’re camping or on a hike, the 8.6-millimeter audio drivers produce clear music with no distortion. They feature passive noise cancellation to block out any ambient sounds and connect to your mobile device through a 3.5-millimeter connection. With the in-line microphone and volume controls, you can make and receive phone calls.
Sold by Amazon
With a tangle-free flat cable and foldable ear cups, the Tune 500 are a great pair of headphones to take on a camping trip. Their compact design makes them easy to throw into a backpack or keep around your neck. The 32-millimeter audio drivers incorporate JBL’s Pure Bass technology for crystal-clear sounds, and the padded headband reduces discomfort if you wear them for a long time. They feature an in-line microphone and volume controls that can also be used to activate Google Assistant or Siri.
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/headphones-br/which-headphones-are-best-for-camping/ | 2022-04-14T07:18:33 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/headphones-br/which-headphones-are-best-for-camping/ |
Which Ethernet switch is best?
If you’re running several devices with wired Ethernet connections, it’s useful to have a switch. Having an Ethernet switch lets users maintain and modify a home internet network using multiple devices that use a LAN or Ethernet cable to connect to the internet. They can also offer performance benefits such as faster speeds and better overall traffic management.
The TrendNet Ethernet Switch offers five Ethernet ports, operation lights and 10 Gbps on file transfers.
What to know before you buy an Ethernet switch
Needs
Ethernet switches are used to connect to devices using a wired local area network, also called LAN and Ethernet cables. If you want a basic switch for optimizing traffic flow across devices, just about any switch will do, so long as it has the number of ports you want. But specific Ethernet switches may work better than others, depending on your data needs. Some come with upgrade features, including added security, faster speeds or additional power.
Unmanaged vs. managed
The most common type of Ethernet switch is an unmanaged switch. These offer basic traffic flow maintenance and don’t require users to set up parameters. While basic Ethernet switches work for most households, you can also buy upgraded or managed switches for adding a virtual LAN network or Quality of Service controls for managing data bottlenecks. These may be more useful for those using a switch in commercial or professional settings.
Power over Ethernet
Certain devices, such as security cameras, require power and can use the Ethernet cable to get it, rather than a separate power cable or a battery. This is where Power over Ethernet systems come into play. Another upgrade feature found on high-end switches, PoE lets you power devices and connect to the internet through the Ethernet cable. Other devices that often work with PoE switches include printers and media streaming devices.
What to look for in a quality Ethernet switch
Speed
The increased speed across devices offered by an Ethernet switch is the primary selling point for most users. Ethernet switches can support cumulative data speeds across devices of either 10, 100 or 1,000 Mbps, which equals 1 Gbps. Today’s vast majority of switches offer what they call “Gigabit” speeds, or speeds up to 1 Gbps. These can still work with lower-speed devices, and they offer faster speeds from one device to the next than if you just use a router.
Ports
The number of ports on an Ethernet switch determines how many wired connections you can use it to make. While most include around five Ethernet ports, you can also find some with just a few ports, or those with nine or more. Make sure any switch you choose has enough ports to support all the devices you want to use simultaneously.
Lights
While they don’t affect functionality on an Ethernet switch, many buyers prefer those with lights that indicate when certain LAN ports are operational, connected or working at full speed. Those without lights can be significantly more confusing to set up, making it harder to know when devices are active — which can be a total pain when troubleshooting issues.
How much you can expect to spend on an Ethernet switch
A cheap Ethernet switch costs as little as $10. However, most midrange switches run $15-$40, while high-end Ethernet switches for use in professional settings cost $50-$500.
Ethernet switch FAQ
Are Ethernet switches secure?
A. On their own, they aren’t particularly secure. However, there are steps you can take to lock your network down from outsiders. These include creating access passwords and implementing a Secure Shell or other encrypting protocols.
Can Ethernet switches be daisy-chained?
A. Yes, so long as you have fewer than three switches daisy-chained, though it isn’t usually recommended. Some do this to create multiple networks alongside each other, using the same switches. However, it’s almost always best to run Ethernet cables separately, using separate switch chains.
What’s the best Ethernet switch to buy?
Top Ethernet switch
TrendNet Five-Port Unmanaged Gigabit Desktop Ethernet Switch
What you need to know: This powerful five-port Ethernet switch comes at a fair price and offers up to 10 Gbps of data traffic across devices.
What you’ll love: This switch features GreenNet power consumption-reducing hardware and a standby mode for when devices aren’t in use. It also includes lights for when activity is detected, and it has a fan-less design for minimal noise.
What you should consider: Some buyers didn’t find this switch durable.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top Ethernet switch for the money
Tenda Five-Port Unmanaged Gigabit Ethernet Switch
What you need to know: This is a simple, affordable switch with activity lights and all the basics you need to distribute data speeds across multiple devices.
What you’ll love: This unmanaged switch works great for household use, offering up to 1,000 Mbps of data transfer speeds. You can also buy this brand in eight- and nine-port varieties.
What you should consider: This switch stopped working after a short period of use for a few buyers.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
TP-Link TL-SG105 Five-Port Unmanaged Gigabit Ethernet Switch
What you need to know: This five-port gigabit switch is powerful and mountable, offering upgrade functionality at a reasonable price.
What you’ll love: This switch lets users choose between VLAN and Quality of Service functions. It also has shielded ports, automatic traffic optimization and a fan-less design for low noise levels while active.
What you should consider: Some buyers had trouble keeping the power cable in.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Peter McGuthrie writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/internet-streaming-br/best-ethernet-switch/ | 2022-04-14T07:18:41 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/internet-streaming-br/best-ethernet-switch/ |
Which Canon printer is best?
Even if you don’t use your printer on a daily basis, it’s important to have one at home. Many feel they don’t need a printer since documents are available online, and you can sign and return them quickly through the internet. Even though printers have become somewhat less popular over the years, you’ll undoubtedly want to have one.
Canon is a trusted brand that offers a wide range of printers that are excellent for basic printing needs as well as scanning photos or making copies. If you want a functional printer that will save you money on ink, take a look at the Canon Maxify GX6020 All-in-One Wireless Supertank Printer.
What to know before you buy a Canon printer
The purpose of the printer
People typically use Canon printers to print documents onto paper, scan documents or photos, send emails and more. Decide what you think you’ll use your printer for the most to help you decide which model works best for your needs. If you only print black-and-white documents, there is no need to buy an expensive device that produces photo-quality images.
Inkjet vs. laser printer
Canon printers are generally available in inkjet or laser design, which refers to the different methods of printing out images or text. For example, inkjet printers use several tiny nozzles to deposit ink drops on the page. They tend to be cheaper, but the nozzles are prone to clogging, and the ink is expensive. On the other hand, laser printers use heat to melt the ink powder onto a page. While they are more costly, they last a long time, which helps even out the costs over time.
Types of Canon printers
Canon has different printers that cater to various needs. Here are some of the options you’ll come across.
Pixma printers are perfect for everyday use at home or in a small office. The inkjet design offers terrific print quality and speed. The Pixma line includes both all-in-one printers that can print, copy and scan as well as photo printers that can create first-rate prints of your favorite memories.
Selphy printers are small enough to fit in a backpack and feature an attractive design. They allow you to print quality photos from your smartphone or tablet even on the go.
Maxify printers are known for their power and efficiency. These multifunction, wireless inkjet printers provide quality prints at a reasonable price per page. They’re ideal for use at home or in small offices.
ImageClass color printers are ideal when your work demands high-quality prints in rich, bold hues (note that some models only print in black and white). These laser printers feature a touch screen that lets you customize the settings to suit your needs, and they’re fast.
Printing resolution
Canon printers produce images or text at a set resolution, measured in dots per inch (dpi). The more dots there are in a square inch, the better the quality will be. It’s best to find a dpi that goes hand in hand with what you plan on using the printer for. For example, black-and-white documents are perfect at a dpi of 400-600. But for high-quality images, you ideally want a dpi of 1,000-1,200.
What to look for in a quality Canon printer
Printing cost per page
Printer ink is notoriously expensive, so you need to factor in how much it costs you to print a page. This will vary depending on the printer, but black-and-white pages should only cost a couple of cents. Color prints are more costly, but even then, they shouldn’t cost more than 15 cents per page. Take time to figure out the cost-per-page for your printer, so you don’t spend a fortune on ink.
Wireless connectivity
While you can connect a Canon printer to a computer or laptop with a USB cable, the best option is to use a wireless connection. A good-quality printer can connect to your home’s Wi-Fi network, allowing anybody to access it. In addition, some printers connect through Bluetooth technology, which is a great option when printing from a mobile device.
Printing speed
The days of standing by the printer waiting for your pages to pop out are long gone. But with that said, some printers are faster than others. Look for a Canon printer that can produce high-quality prints in a few seconds. For example, a good-quality Canon printer can produce around 45 black-and-white pages per minute.
How much you can expect to spend on a Canon printer
The average cost of a Canon printer depends on the model and what printing technology it uses. Entry-level printers cost $250-$350, while high-quality devices that produce excellent photos are around $500-$700.
Canon printer FAQ
Why is printer ink so expensive?
A. Printer ink is expensive because the printers themselves are cheap to make. Manufacturers still need to profit, and they know that you can’t operate a printer without ink. So they tend to increase the cost of the ink to make a profit.
Can a Canon printer do double-sided printing?
A. Yes, several models can create double-sided prints. Some Canon printers even do this automatically, so you don’t have to turn over the page yourself.
What’s the best Canon printer to buy?
Top Canon printer
Canon Maxify GX6020 All-in-One Wireless Supertank Printer
What you need to know: Not only does this printer deliver high-quality photos, but it can also produce double-sided prints automatically.
What you’ll love: This printer features a 2.7-inch LCD touchscreen, making it easy to select the functions and get it set up. It can print 24 black and white pages per minute and displays the ink levels on the front panel, so you always know how much ink is left. It connects to devices through Wi-Fi or USB and can print glossy photos and labels.
What you should consider: It is best suited for a small office, as the initial cost can be a bit pricey for a home user.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top Canon printer for the money
Canon ImageClass D1620 Multifunction Printer
What you need to know: This all-in-one laser printer is perfect for a small or at-home office.
What you’ll love: One of the fastest Canon printers, it produces 45 black-and-white pages per minute. It can print, scan and copy, and has a paper tray that can hold up to 2,300 pages.
What you should consider: It’s a monochrome printer, so it won’t print in color.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Canon Wireless Pixma TR4520 Inkjet All-in-one Printer
What you need to know: The Pixma is a powerful printer in a small package, making it the best choice for everyday home use.
What you’ll love: This inkjet printer has a resolution of 4800 x 1200 dpi, making it perfect for printing photos or high-quality images for school projects. It has wireless connectivity and comes with an extra set of ink cartridges.
What you should consider: There is no mechanism to stop the paper from falling on the floor once printing is complete.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Charlie Fripp writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/printers-office-electronics-br/best-canon-printer/ | 2022-04-14T07:18:48 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/printers-office-electronics-br/best-canon-printer/ |
Which TV mount is best?
Swapping a bulky entertainment center for a slim TV wall mount frees up floor space and lightens the look of any room. It also gives your TV tilt and swivel functionality for multiple viewing angles.
Choosing the right wall mount comes down to compatibility, materials and size. If you’re looking for an affordable and versatile TV wall mount, the Mounting Dream MD2268-LK TV Mount is easy to use and supports most TV sizes.
What to know before you buy a TV mount
Along with the wall material, the wall mount and TV screen size impact which TV mount will work best for your space.
Types of wall mounts
There are three main types of TV mounts: the tilt and swivel mount, the tilt-only mount and the fixed mount.
- The tilt and swivel mount is the most versatile, offering a customizable viewing experience. You can tilt these mounts up or down and swivel left and right. These mounts are typically more expensive with such a flexible range of motion.
- The tiltable TV mount is ideal if you only need to adjust the screen a few degrees downward to avoid glare.
- A fixed mount remains in one position after it’s attached to the wall. These mounts are cheaper and easier to install, and they’re ideal if you don’t need to adjust the TV.
Wall material
For a safe and secure mount, attach the mounting bracket to wooden studs. Plain drywall will not hold the TV’s weight for long, and it’s not a safe surface to use for your brackets. Use a stud finder to find studs and locate drywall screws. Keep in mind that the location of your studs will dictate the general location of your TV, even if it means your TV is slightly off-center.
If you want to attach your mounting bracket to brick, stone or concrete, use concrete anchors. If you’re not sure how to mount your TV safely, you may want to hire a professional to help.
Screen size
Your TV’s screen size will determine what kind of mounts you can use. While it’s best to use the manufacturer’s measurements, you can estimate by measuring diagonally across your TV with a measuring tape.
What to look for in a quality TV mount
High-quality TV mounts use strong materials and allow you to easily access the cables either from the back or the side.
Materials
TV mounts are often either plastic, aluminum, steel or a combination of materials. Plastic mounts are cheaper and lighter, but they aren’t as sturdy. An all-steel mount will be heavier, but it will offer the strongest support.
Some mounts use aluminum or combined materials to create a sturdy, midweight option. If the mount is mostly plastic, it’s best to pair it with a lightweight TV.
Compatibility
Make sure your TV mount is compatible with your TV’s make, model and size. Look for a TV mount approved by the Video Electronics Standards Association, and find out what sizes your mount supports on their website. Then, cross-check the VESA size with the size of your TV to confirm they will work together. Only use a VESA-compliant mount that matches the size of your TV.
Cable hookups
When you use a TV mount, you have a few options for cable management. Instead of letting cables dangle from your TV mount, use a cable organizer to hide them against the wall or floor. You can even find paintable covers, so you can paint them to match your walls.
How much you can expect to spend on a TV mount
Pricing for TV wall mounts varies and can cost between $20-$500. The pricing depends on the size, brand and materials. Adjustable mounts are at the higher end of the price range.
TV mount FAQ
Why do I need a VESA-compliant TV mount?
A. Every TV mount comes with a VESA size. The rating refers to the screw hole pattern on the mounting bracket and TV. This rating determines if you can safely use the mount with your TV. It also ensures the screw holes on the mount and your TV will align properly.
How do I know if the mount will support my TV’s weight?
A. The most important part of choosing a TV mount is making sure it’s compatible with your TV. The mount manufacturer should list what TVs it is compatible with, as will your TV’s manual. Cross-reference these lists to ensure both pieces are compatible, and mount the bracket as instructed for the safest, sturdiest TV display.
What’s the best TV mount to buy?
Top TV mount
Mounting Dream MD2268-LK TV Mount
What you need to know: This mount works with several TV brands and sizes. It also has a high weight capacity.
What you’ll love: You can install this mount on 16- to 24-inch stud measurements, and it holds TVs up to 132 pounds. The 1.5-inch profile is slim and sleek, and it has the ability to tilt forward to reduce glare.
What you should consider: You should use your own level instead of the one provided in the mounting kit. Additionally, it’s best to plug in your cords before mounting the brackets.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top TV mount for the money
VideoSecu ML531BE2 TV Wall Mount Kit
What you need to know: This versatile mount tilts and swivels for easy viewing.
What you’ll love: The mount holds a decent range of TV models and offers 20 inches of swivel extension for an excellent range of motion. The mounting kit includes a level, a 6-foot long HDMI cable and a magnetic stud finder.
What you should consider: The weight limit is 88 pounds, and you have to install it on a stud or another solid surface, such as brick concrete or stone.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
AENTGIU Studless TV Wall Mount
What you need to know: This TV wall mount doesn’t require any studs or power tools to install.
What you’ll love: The mount is compatible with most TVs between 16 and 55 inches. It is made of heavy-duty steel and can support up to 110 pounds if installed in wood or concrete.
What you should consider: You may need to use larger nails than what’s included in the mounting kit to add stability.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Katy Palmer writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/tv-video-br/best-tv-mount/ | 2022-04-14T07:18:55 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/tv-video-br/best-tv-mount/ |
Which Wonder Woman jewelry is best?
Looking to channel your inner Wonder Woman? Maybe you want a pair of earrings that show off the heroine’s signature “W” logo or a bracelet that channels her iconic gauntlets? There are great options when it comes to choosing the jewelry for celebrating Diana, Princess of the Amazons, a.k.a. Wonder Woman.
For a ring that can’t be beat, check out the Alari Design Wonder Woman Crown Ring, which has a timeless design that honors the spirit of Wonder Woman.
What to know before you buy Wonder Woman jewelry
Choosing a style era
While some Wonder Woman jewelry universally represents the superhero, it’s helpful to know which incarnation you’re looking to channel. There are stylistic differences between vintage and contemporary designs, particularly when it comes to comparing the original logo from the 1940s DC comic books to popular Wonder Woman toys and the Gal Gadot films of 2017 and 2020.
The first version of Wonder Woman’s logo was a yellow eagle against a red backdrop, though over the years the eagle has evolved into a golden W against several backdrops, including a red one and a gray one.
Replicas and costume-inspired jewelry
Are you looking for jewelry that celebrates Wonder Woman or emulates her? Jewelry that celebrates Wonder Woman features her logo, color scheme or other recognizable flourishes. Jewelry that emulates Wonder Woman is designed to look like jewelry or armor she wear in the comics or films. Such pieces include Wonder Woman’s golden tiara and extra-strong “gauntlets” that serve as matching bracelets on her wrists or forearms.
Fashion jewelry vs. fine jewelry
Fashion jewelry is not made from precious metals and is less expensive, while fine jewelry uses precious metals like gold, silver or platinum. Fine jewelry costs more and is designed to last longer. There’s lot of both kind of Wonder Woman jewelry, so consider which style and price best suits your needs.
What to look for in quality Wonder Woman jewelry
Signature color scheme
An excellent piece of Wonder Woman jewelry pays close attention to detail, and that means working the superhero’s signature colors into the design. Gold, red and blue are the original colors, though silver is sometimes added.
Recognizable symbols
There are several symbols closely associated with the hero, from the logo on her costume to the star in her tiara. When you look at these symbols, you recognize them immediately.
- Eagle: If you’re going for a more vintage look, the original 1941 Wonder Woman logo was an eagle. Since that logo has evolved over the years, however, this is probably the type of design only a die-hard Wonder Woman fan will notice.
- W: The contemporary W logo, based on the eagle design, is the most easily recognized symbol associated with Wonder Woman. You can still see traces of that eagle in the emblem’s wing-like edges.
- Star: A number of Wonder Woman designs feature a red star in the center of her tiara, and the symbol has been incorporated into a lot of jewelry designed to honor her.
- Tiara point: The triangular point of Wonder Woman’s tiara has become popular in ring designs based on the character and is usually accompanied by a star.
Strong materials
Most Wonder Woman jewelry involves metal, and since she is one of the most indestructible comic characters, you’ll want jewelry that lives up to that standard. Quality metals won’t chip or turn green over time. Gold, silver and stainless steel are especially known for their durability. Silver does tarnish, but can be polished. If metal isn’t the primary material, then the cord is made from something reliable like leather, wax or nylon.
How much you can expect to spend on Wonder Woman jewelry
Wonder Woman fashion jewelry costs $10-$40, while fine jewelry with the same theme costs $50-$1,000.
Wonder Woman jewelry FAQ
Which metals tarnish?
A. Brass, copper, aluminum and silver are more likely to tarnish. Gold can tarnish but does so less noticeably. Cobalt and platinum do not tarnish.
What is an alloy metal?
A. An alloy metal is a material that combines at least one metallic base other non-metallic elements. Alloy metals tend to be strong, affordable and resistant to corrosion. Most fine jewelry is made of alloys rather than pure metal, because pure gold and silver are too soft to stand alone.
What’s the best Wonder Woman jewelry to buy?
Top Wonder Woman jewelry
Alari Design Wonder Woman Crown Ring
What you need to know: This tiara-shaped ring is handmade in sterling silver with a deeply cut star engraved at the top.
What you’ll love: It’s well-crafted with a simple but elegant design. It comes in a wide variety of sizes. It can be engraved on the inside or outside for an additional fee and can be made in other metals, such as gold or bronze, upon request.
What you should consider: The thickest portion of the band is a little under half an inch.
Where to buy: Sold by Etsy
Top Wonder Woman jewelry for the money
Fandom Emporium Design Wonder Woman Charm Necklace Or Anklet
What you need to know: This necklace or ankle bracelet features a dozen colorful charms with iconic Wonder Woman imagery.
What you’ll love: The charms include Wonder Woman’s shield, sword, lasso, gauntlets and more. There are a wide array of necklace and anklet lengths. It’s made of alloy metals that are nickel-free.
What you should consider: It cannot be returned.
Where to buy: Sold by Etsy
Worth checking out
Alex and Ani Wonder Woman Expandable Bangle Bracelet
What you need to know: This gold-toned bangle bracelet is 2.4 inches in diameter and a little under an inch in width, with the Wonder Woman “W” logo etched across the surface.
What you’ll love: The details are beautiful and pair well with the metal’s golden shine. The cuff style is a fun callback to Diana’s gauntlets and the size is adjustable.
What you should consider: It might be too big for thinner wrists.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Emily Verona writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/fashion-accessories-br/jewelry-br/best-wonder-woman-jewelry/ | 2022-04-14T07:19:01 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/fashion-accessories-br/jewelry-br/best-wonder-woman-jewelry/ |
Which back massager for knots is best?
Muscle knots always seem to appear in the most difficult locations to reach, with the back being one of the worst. Massaging them away is usually the best solution, but you can’t reach the knots with just your hands. There are a huge variety of tools you can use instead, including guns, chairs and simple balls.
The best back massager for knots is TheraGun Pro Massage Gun. It includes several massage heads for targeting your back and everywhere else, but can be a challenge to use alone.
What to know before you buy a back massager for knots
Back massager types
There are four types of back massagers that can target knots.
- Manual massagers are good for traveling as they require no power source and are usually small to medium in size. They commonly take the form of balls or tubes but can be nearly any shape. For targeting knots, you need to place the massager on the ground or against a wall and press yourself into it in order to feel the benefits.
- Handheld massagers also take a few forms. Many look like showerheads or guns. These models usually have the widest range of features, such as heating and variable vibration strength. Some are easy to target knots on your own, though others may require another pair of hands to target the knot for you.
- Pillow massagers aren’t the best at targeting specific knots — instead, they target a small area of the back and soothe that area.
- Seat massagers come in a wide range of qualities. Some cheap models just vibrate the whole back, while better ones use multiple rolling balls to target your back area of choice, including a specific knot. Many also massage your neck while they’re at it.
Power source
Back massagers are either battery-powered or plug into an outlet.
- Battery-powered massagers are the easiest to operate since they have no cord to deal with. However, the quality of the battery varies greatly. Some can take hours to charge and only operate for 15 minutes, while others chew through disposable batteries. The best use rechargeable batteries that last for at least 30 minutes.
- Outlet-powered massagers don’t ever die in the middle of a session, but if the cord is short or oddly placed, it can be difficult to wield.
What to look for in a quality back massager for knots
Heat
Better back massagers have heat settings to soothe knots away while they’re targeted, with some including variable heat settings.
Timer
Over-massaging a knot is just as bad for it as ignoring it, so some back massagers have programmable timers to prevent such a thing from happening.
Variable vibration
Quality back massagers are able to decrease or increase their vibration power to treat knots of varying sizes and intensities.
How much you can expect to spend on a back massager for knots
Back massagers for knots can cost anywhere from $10-$1,000, and sometimes more. Basic manual massagers typically cost $50 or less, while the average powered massager usually costs $50-$150. The best massagers cost $150-plus.
Back massager for knots FAQ
Should I use a back massager on bare skin or over my clothes?
A. Most back massagers can be used on either bare skin or clothing with minimal changes in effect and operation. That said, it’s always best to wear thin clothing or none at all when using a back massager so your muscles can be better targeted. Some consumers have issues with their clothing causing chafing if they use a back massager. Others find skin-to-massager contact uncomfortable. Experiment to see which is most comfortable for you.
Can I use a back massager after back surgery?
A. Yes, but you need to give your doctor precise details of your back massager and how you intend to use it so they can tell you whether it’s safe. Without your doctor’s approval, never use a back massager after surgery.
Which type of back massager is easiest to aim?
A. Most back massagers are more than capable of targeting any stretch of your back. However, manual massagers can be tricky to properly place, and gun massagers can require someone else to aim it to hit certain spots. Seat massagers are the easiest to use solo, but most cover the whole back or a small zone rather than pinpointing one knot.
What’s the best back massager for knots to buy?
Top back massager for knots
What you need to know: This massager is powerful and treats any knot, not just those in your back.
What you’ll love: It’s among the most powerful massage guns, and it includes six swappable heads designed to target specific areas all over the body. The arm can rotate 90 degrees to more easily target specific areas, and it uses rechargeable batteries that can last for up to five hours.
What you should consider: It’s expensive. Some settings and head combinations are powerful enough to cause damage if used incorrectly. You may need help to treat your back.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Therabody
Top back massager for knots for the money
4Kor Fitness Ultimate Massage Ball
What you need to know: This manual massager is good for working out the occasional knot.
What you’ll love: It’s among the largest massage balls, with a 4.75-inch diameter. It’s made of thermoplastic rubber for durability and has a unique tread pattern to better grip your skin and clothing for increased control, and provide increased deep tissue massage performance.
What you should consider: A few consumers thought the ball was too hard and caused more pain rather than relieving it. It takes some effort to press it into your back.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Snailax Shiatsu Neck & Back Massager with Heat
What you need to know: This seat covers your entire back and neck at once.
What you’ll love: It can be placed into almost any chair to turn it into a massage chair, and it can also be used on couches. It can be set to target either the upper or lower back, entire back or a specific target area.
What you should consider: It’s a little pricey. Shorter people will need to add cushions in order to be positioned properly for full coverage.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Jordan C. Woika writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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Which blood pressure monitor with extra-large cuff is best?
If you need to monitor your blood pressure, it’s imperative to have the proper equipment to measure accurately. Not having a cuff that fits appropriately will lead to inaccurate results, which can be life-threatening. Some blood pressure monitors can use extra-large cuffs purchased after the fact, but buying the monitor and cuff together is simpler and more cost-effective.
The best combination is the Life Source Upper-Arm Blood Pressure Monitor With Extra-Large Cuff. It fits biceps up to 23.6 inches in circumference.
What to know before you buy a blood pressure monitor with extra-large cuff
Automatic vs. manual
Most blood pressure monitors outside of a doctor’s office are automatic, constricting and taking readings at the touch of a button. This is because it’s surprisingly complex to get an accurate reading using a manual monitor. They take more accurate readings, but it takes significant training and practice for medical staff to be able to use them correctly. Unless you have the training, always choose an automatic monitor.
Cuff size
Most cuffs included with a blood pressure monitor are one-size-fits-all, which is typically too small for those with extra-large arms. Most product descriptions state the circumferences the included cuff is sized for — simply measure your bicep and compare.
Extra-large cuffs usually fit biceps up to 17-18 inches in circumference, though some go as large as 24 inches. If your arm is larger than this , you may need to search harder for specialty medical gear.
What to look for in a quality blood pressure monitor with extra-large cuff
Speed
Taking a blood pressure reading can be uncomfortable, which is why searching for one that requires less time is preferred. The best typically need 20 seconds or less to get a reading while the worst can take more than a minute.
Alerts
It can be difficult to understand what all the numbers mean on a blood pressure monitor. That’s why some include alert systems that explicitly tell you if your blood pressure is too high or low. More advanced monitors also check your heartbeat and alert you if they detect an irregular beat. Don’t rely solely on your monitor, though — if it gives you an alert, always double-check with your doctor as soon as possible.
Multi-user
Some blood pressure monitors can save and track the results of more than one user at once.
How much you can expect to spend on a blood pressure monitor with extra-large cuff
Basic blood pressure monitors with extra-large cuffs can cost as little as $20-$40, though most cost $50-$80. More feature-rich models can cost $100 or more.
Blood pressure monitor with extra-large cuff FAQ
What are the best practices for getting accurate readings?
A. Here’s what to do:
- Read and carefully follow your monitor’s instructions.
- Sit in a backed chair with your feet firmly on the ground and your arms by your side.
- Don’t exercise or consume cigarettes or coffee within 30 minutes of your planned reading.
- Take your readings as close to the same time as possible each day.
- Take three readings one minute apart from the others for an average.
Are at-home blood pressure monitors less reliable than those found in doctors’ offices?
A. It’s difficult to generalize as there are so many blood pressure monitors. The best way to gauge reliability is by comparing a reading from your at-home monitor to a reading taken by your doctor. At-home and doctors’ office monitors both need to be calibrated every few years to ensure they’re still giving accurate results, meaning both have the opportunity to be unreliable.
What’s the best blood pressure monitor with extra-large cuff to buy?
Top blood pressure monitor with extra-large cuff
Life Source Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor With Extra-Large Cuff
What you need to know: This has one of the largest included cuffs.
What you’ll love: Its cuff fits bicep circumferences of 16.5-23.6 inches and its accuracy has been clinically validated. It can store up to 60 readings and has a five-year warranty on the monitor and a two-year warranty on the cuff.
What you should consider: It doesn’t read and display as many data points as other monitors. Amazon doesn’t allow returns of this monitor, so make sure your arm and the cuff sizes line up.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Staples
Top blood pressure monitor with extra-large cuff for the money
Yuwell Blood Pressure Monitor With Extra-Large Upper Arm Cuff
What you need to know: This is good for those who need to keep a more casual eye on their blood pressure.
What you’ll love: The included cuff fits bicep circumferences of 8.8-17.7 inches. It takes a huge variety of readings and reads them out with an American-accent voice. It can store up to 99 readings and is certified by the Food and Drug Administration.
What you should consider: A few consumers had issues with readings that were higher than they should be, with follow-up readings showing a more accurate result.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
What you need to know: This is easy to use and packed with data points.
What you’ll love: The included cuff fits bicep circumferences of 8-17 inches. The large LCD screen is backlit for easy reading in any light and it only takes 30 seconds for a reading to be taken. It can also store separate readings for two people.
What you should consider: A few consumers reported readings that were slightly higher than what was accurate. Others had issues with the buttons not responding on occasion.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Jordan C. Woika writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/health-wellness-br/medical-supplies-equipment-br/best-blood-pressure-monitor-with-extra-large-cuff/ | 2022-04-14T07:19:16 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/health-wellness-br/medical-supplies-equipment-br/best-blood-pressure-monitor-with-extra-large-cuff/ |
Which pergola is best?
A pergola is similar to a gazebo, except that the roof has open slats rather than being fully covered. Good pergolas still provide plenty of shade, but they offer a design some consider more attractive. It’s important to purchase pergolas with durable materials that can outlast the wind, sun and rain, as they’re too expensive to keep replacing.
The best pergola is the Vita Avalon Vinyl Pergola. Its slats are adjustable so you’re always sitting in shade, and the vinyl is highly weather-resistant.
What to know before you buy a pergola
Roof designs
Pergolas have one of three roof designs: traditional, gabled and pitched.
- Traditional roofs are flat, with slats that are usually in a lattice pattern.
- Gabled roofs are triangular, like most modern American housing.
- Pitched roofs are flat, but one end is higher than the other. They are usually installed flush with your home rather than further out into your yard.
Coverings
Some pergolas, either in addition to or instead of slats, use coverings hung underneath the roof to protect you from sun and rain. Many are adjustable. Cloth is the most common material, with plastic, PVC and steel also available.
Size
Most pergolas are sized between 7 by 7 and 12 by 12 feet, with heights from 7-10 feet.
Shape
Pergolas are typically square or rectangular, though some can be found in circular or octagonal shapes. Other shapes are possible, but you’ll likely need to have it custom-made rather than find it available to order.
What to look for in a quality pergola
Material
In order of general quality, pergolas are typically made of metal, vinyl or wood.
- Metal pergolas are typically made of aluminum or steel. Freestanding aluminum is the most affordable, but also can be dented or bent, and is the most likely to be blown away by heavy wind. Metal pergolas are available in the widest range of colors and provide a more modern aesthetic. However, If the metal isn’t treated properly, you need to worry about rusting.
- Vinyl pergolas are the most durable, requiring little to no maintenance compared to metal and wood. They are naturally resistant to most weather, including water, wind and ultraviolet rays. They aren’t the most expensive, either. However, they have two major negatives. First, they are rarely any color but a shade of white — it’s possible to paint them with acrylic paint, but you’ll need to keep reapplying as it fades away. Second, their plasticky looks are rarely thought aesthetically pleasing.
- Wood pergolas are the most common. They’re expensive, but wood is easy to stain or paint to match your home, and there are many varieties of wood to choose from. Generally, they can be divided between softwoods and hardwoods, with softwoods less expensive, a bit less durable and a little lighter than hardwoods.
Warranty
The best pergolas tend to have the best warranties, as manufacturers will stand by their best products. Twenty-year warranties are the best, but 10-year ones are acceptable. Some pergolas have different warranties for certain parts.
How much you can expect to spend on a pergola
Depending on their size and material, pergolas can cost less than $500 or more than $4,000. Metal pergolas are typically the most affordable, followed by vinyl and then wood.
Pergola FAQ
Do I need a permit to install a pergola?
A. It’s possible, depending on your state and local laws as well as the size of the pergola. Your municipal building department should be able to answer this question.
Are pergolas accepted by homeowners associations?
A. That depends on your homeowners’ association. Always check with yours, if you have one, before making any large changes to your home.
Should wood pergolas be stained before or after assembly?
A. Neither method is better than the other. Staining it before means you have easier access to all the materials, but you’ll need to stain in two rounds to make sure every piece is properly covered. Staining it afterward means you only need to stain the surfaces you can see, but you need to go up and down a ladder.
What’s the best pergola to buy?
Top pergola
What you need to know: This quality option is gorgeous, durable and has adjustable shading.
What you’ll love: The vinyl construction is resistant to water, wind, UV rays and other causes of rot, and it includes a 20-year warranty for the pergola and a 5-year warranty for the louvers. It measures 10 by 10 by 8.67 feet.
What you should consider: A few consumers felt the louvers were difficult to adjust. Others had issues with missing parts or no-show installers.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Wayfair
Top pergola for the money
Coolaroo Aurora Patio Shade Pergola
What you need to know: It’s money-saving without sacrificing function or style.
What you’ll love: It can be built and left freestanding — there’s no need to anchor it to the ground — and it has a weather-resistant and light-filtering retractable canopy that comes in three colors. It measures 9.84 by 9.84 by 7.17 feet.
What you should consider: If you want to mount or anchor it, you need to purchase a separate kit. The installation instructions can be difficult to understand and a few people received damaged parts.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Wayfair
Worth checking out
What you need to know: This is perfect for those who need large coverage.
What you’ll love: The vinyl construction is fully weather-resistant — it can even be safely cleaned by spraying it with your hose. It can be safely installed to most materials, including wooden and concrete patios. It measures 12 by 12 by 8.84 feet.
What you should consider: It doesn’t include a mounting or anchoring kit. Most reviewers needed a second set of hands to assemble it, though the instructions are easy to follow.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
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Jordan C. Woika writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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Which fonio flour is best?
Fonio is the gluten-free super grain native to Africa that you didn’t know you needed. These cultivated grains are related to millet and are a staple of North African cuisine. They come in either white or black varieties. Fonio is prized for its deeply nutritious value and often served at celebratory events. When the whole grain is milled, the resulting flour is an excellent flour substitute for baked goods and savory dishes alike.
On its own, this “seed of the universe” has a mild nutty taste and adds a punch of nutrition to your food. Yolele Fonio Flour has a fine texture and is a great place to start exploring this versatile baking ingredient.
What to know before you buy fonio flour
Intended use
If you want to find a gluten-free flour substitute that is high in protein but works in a variety of applications, fonio is a great choice. For baked goods, make sure that the flour is light and easy to blend. This will help keep textures correct as you substitute it for traditional flours. For thickening, and for cooking that requires less finesse, a coarser blend works well.
Correct substitutions
Fonio flour is heavier than some other traditional gluten-free flour substitutes, such as rice flour or tapioca starch. It works best in place of heavier flours such as wheat or buckwheat.
Keep in mind that the final product of recipes that only use fonio flour may have a denser texture than you are used to.
Nutritional benefits
Fonio flour has a low glycemic index and works in paleo, vegan and keto diet plans. It is high in fiber and protein; this may aid in weight loss as it keeps you feeling full for a longer period of time.
What to look for in quality fonio flour
Non-GMO
The flour you buy should be made from non-GMO grains. This ensures that organic growing and harvesting practices are followed.
Finely milled
The last thing you want is a gritty texture in your exquisite baked goods. Look for flour that is finely milled to reduce grit in the final product.
No fillers
Look for an ingredient list with just one ingredient. Your flour should not include any fillers, binders or other unnecessary ingredients.
How to use fonio flour
- Origin: Seek out products sourced in Africa. Even if the grain is milled in the U.S., this is how you know the flour is authentic and of high quality.
- Measurement: Measure flour with the fluff-scoop-level technique. Use a spoon to fluff it, then scoop it into your measuring cup and use a knife to level.
- Grind it: Consider purchasing whole fonio grains and using a mortar and pestle (or heavy-duty food processor) to make your own fresh flour. This also lets you control its texture — very fine for lighter applications such as pastry, and coarse for muffins or quick bread.
- Cook it: If you want to experiment with the fonio grain itself, cook as you would rice, using a 2-to-1 ratio of water to fonio.
How much you can expect to spend on fonio flour
The harvesting process is labor-intensive, and fonio flour can be expensive. Expect to spend $10-$20 per pound.
Fonio flour FAQ
What is the difference between white and black fonio?
A. White fonio is also known as “hungry rice” across Europe. It is the most common variety found outside of Africa and is often used to efficiently feed populations at risk of starvation.
Black fonio is grown in Benin, Nigeria and Togo, and is less commonly exported to other regions. It has a nutritional profile similar to that of white fonio.
How do you use fonio flour?
A. For people who are avoiding gluten or who simply want to add more nutrition to their diet, fonio flour is a great option. The grain can be used in the same way as you would use quinoa or rice, but the flour is great for thickening soups and sauces. It’s perfect in:
- Breads
- Pancakes
- Waffles
- Muffins
- Cookies
- Cakes
- Smoothies
Substitute fonio for a heavier flour such as wheat or buckwheat when baking, or use a 1-to-1 ratio of fat to fonio flour to create a thickening roux or slurry for soups, stews and sauces.
What’s the best fonio flour to buy?
Top fonio flour
What you need to know: The mild flavor is perfect for those just starting to explore this ancient grain.
What you’ll love: It is fine-milled and has a mild, slightly sweet taste. It’s made from non-GMO fonio harvested in Africa. It has no fillers and is packed with protein, fiber and healthy amino acids. It’s vegan.
What you should consider: For gluten-free baking, adding too much fonio flour can result in very dry baked goods. Be sure to increase hydration accordingly.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top fonio flour for the money
Shipetaukin Multipurpose Fonio Flour
What you need to know: This protein-packed flour is mild and light — good for baking, especially.
What you’ll love: It’s non-GMO and free of all fillers or additional ingredients. Each quarter cup has 2 grams of protein. It is sourced in West Africa but packed in the U.S.
What you should consider: Although it is the cheapest option per pound, it’s a hefty price tag to try a new product.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
What you need to know: Adventurous cooks will appreciate the opportunity to try three new flours at once.
What you’ll love: This bundle includes fonio flour, plus cassava and tapioca. Each is made only from their respective grains, and all are kosher, vegan and gluten-free.
What you should consider: If you just want to try fonio, pass this by. But at the price it’s a great way to expand your cooking repertoire.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Suzannah Kolbeck writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/kitchen-br/best-fonio-flour/ | 2022-04-14T07:19:29 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/kitchen-br/best-fonio-flour/ |
Which convection microwave is best?
Most microwaves can’t effectively cook much more than a mug cake. Instead, they reheat leftovers or quickly melt foods, such as butter for your current recipe. A convection microwave changes this. It can be used to bake and broil foods just like a full-sized oven. Some of the more feature-rich models can even air-fry foods.
The best convection microwave is the Panasonic HomeChef 4-in-1 Microwave Oven. It can perform any task you need it to and it has a spacious interior and 1,000 watts of power.
What to know before you buy a convection microwave
Size and capacity
Convection microwaves have two dimensions to consider: exterior size and interior capacity. More often than not, one of these being larger doesn’t mean the other will be large too.
- Size: The size you can or should purchase is only limited by your counter space. When measuring your countertop to find your limitations, remember to add a few inches to the back and sides for proper ventilation space. Keep enough space in front for the swinging door.
- Capacity: Capacity restricts how much food you can cook at once. Most convection microwaves have higher capacities than standard microwaves, and those measurements are given in cubic feet. The smallest is rarely less than 1 cubic foot, and the biggest usually top out at 1.5 cubic feet — though there are always rare exceptions.
Wattage
A convection microwave’s power is given in watts, just like standard microwaves. Lower wattages will cook food slower and less evenly, so you should prioritize a microwave with at least 1,000 watts. Most convection microwaves have wattages between 700 and 1,500. Better microwaves will let you adjust how much wattage you can use for cooking smaller or more sensitive food.
What to look for in a quality convection microwave
Presets
Presets are the easiest way to cook the most commonly microwaved foods. They make it so you don’t have to Google how much power and time a given food needs, and you won’t have to manually punch in that power and time. The most common presets are popcorn and pizza, but many convection microwaves also have presets for baked potatoes and roast chicken or vegetables.
Cooking modes
The best convection microwaves include more cooking modes than just microwave, convection and microwave/convection. The most common additional modes are air frying and broiling, but some are also able to grill. It’s important to note that you’ll need appropriate accessories for air frying and grilling — a wire basket and grilling rack, respectively — but most microwaves with these cooking modes include them.
Humidity sensor
Humidity sensors take some of the guesswork out of cooking by adding or subtracting to the total cooking time based on the moisture in the food and the oven, preventing accidental overcooking.
How much you can expect to spend on a convection microwave
Convection microwaves are more expensive than standard microwaves, typically starting around $100-$150 with basic models topping out around $250. The best countertop models can reach $500, while built-in models can cost more than $1,500.
Convection microwave FAQ
Can I use metal in a convection microwave?
A. Possibly. It depends on if the microwave has a convection-only setting. This setting only uses heating elements, just like a standard oven, so aluminum takeout containers and metal baking trays are safe to use. Some convection microwaves use microwave and convection heating simultaneously with no way to turn off the microwave portion. These are just as incompatible with metal as a standard microwave. A quick way to tell if a convection microwave is safe for metal is if it includes metal accessories, such as a wire air fryer rack. If so, you’re good to go.
Do recipes intended for a standard oven need to be adapted for use in a convection microwave?
A. Typically yes, though not by much. Despite having less power than a standard oven, convection microwaves have drastically less space to heat. This makes their heating more focused on the food rather than the air around it. As such, many recipes need to drop their heat and timing requirements. Heat usually drops no more than 25 to 50 degrees, but timing doesn’t have an easy generalization, so you’ll need to keep a close eye on your recipe.
What’s the best convection microwave to buy?
Top convection microwave
Panasonic HomeChef 4-in-1 Microwave Oven
What you need to know: This model can do it all.
What you’ll love: The four functions are standard and convection microwaving, air frying and broiling. It has a 1.2-cubic-foot capacity and an easy-to-clean interior. It includes the accessories you need to cook, such as a wire rack, an air fryer basket and an enamel drip tray.
What you should consider: If the start button is accidentally pressed, it will begin sensor cooking mode, even if there’s nothing inside for it to cook.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top convection microwave for the money
Toshiba Countertop Microwave Oven with Convection
What you need to know: This model is basic but excellent and affordable.
What you’ll love: It has a variety of special features, such as a power-saving ECO mode, smart cooking sensors, child safety locks and sound off/on for late-night snacks. It has a large 1.5-cubic-foot capacity and 1,000 watts of power.
What you should consider: A few consumers had issues with the upper heating element not functioning as it should. It takes up a large amount of counter space.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Cuisinart 1.2-Cubic-Foot Convection Microwave Oven
What you need to know: This model is perfect for convection grilling, thanks to an included grill rack.
What you’ll love: It’s packed with preset cooking modes, including popcorn, roast chicken, baked potato, cake and pizza. It can also keep foods warm at low settings and has a memory mode to save time on repetitive tasks. It is BPA-free and includes a recipe book.
What you should consider: Extended use of the convection setting causes the exterior to become hot. A few consumers had issues with their microwave breaking down within a few months.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Jordan C. Woika writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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Comparing lump charcoal and briquettes
One of the most heated debates in all of grilling is whether to use lump charcoal or briquettes. There are die-hard proponents on both sides, which makes sense since each has its benefits and drawbacks. Lump charcoal is carbonized wood without any impurities, which is why purists love it. Briquettes are often made with additives that let them burn longer and more consistently, making them easier for the average home griller.
Lump charcoal
Lump charcoal is wood that has been burned down to its purest form. It goes through a carbonization process called charring where it is burned in a low-oxygen environment to get rid of moisture, sap and other impurities. What’s left is pure carbon, ideal for grilling and barbecuing foods without imparting any unwanted flavors.
Lump charcoal pros
There are many things to like about lump charcoal.
- Quick lighting: It lights easily, without the need for lighter fluid, and burns hot and fast. This makes it perfect for meats you want to cook at very high heats or get a heavy sear on.
- No chemical flavor: The lack of impurities means that it will impart a nice smoky flavor to your foods without giving it any kind of chemical taste. This also results in it burning cleanly and leaving behind minimal ash in your charcoal grill.
- Responds fast: Lump charcoal fires respond quickly to added oxygen, so you can easily control the temperature if your grill has adjustable air vents. (Be careful not to give it too much oxygen, as it can quickly get so hot it burns your food.)
Lump charcoal cons
If you have never cooked with lump charcoal before, it can take some getting used to. It burns much quicker than briquettes, so you’ll need to periodically add more charcoal if cooking food for a long period. It also tends to be more expensive, so it may not be the right choice for those on a tight budget.
Best lump charcoal
Fogo Super Premium Oak Restaurant-Quality Lump Charcoal
This is designed to bridge the gap between the cooking times of lump charcoal and briquettes. It consists of pieces 4 inches or longer, so it burns longer than many other charcoals, yet still lights easily and can reach high temperatures for heavy searing.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Kohl’s
Best lump charcoal for the money
Jealous Devil All-Natural Hardwood Lump Charcoal
It’s made from dense South American hardwoods so it can burn hotter and longer than many other lump charcoals. This makes it a good choice for both high-temperature searing and low, slow barbecuing. It burns with little popping and sparks and leaves behind only a small amount of ash.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Briquettes
If you go to your neighborhood store and buy the first bag of charcoal you see, more than likely briquettes are what you will get. These small, squarish blocks are what come to mind when most people picture charcoal.
Briquettes are often made from a combination of sawdust and other wood byproducts, compressed together with additives to help them maintain their shape, light easier and burn longer and more consistently. The move to purer forms of fuel has carried over into the briquette world, though, and now you also can find some made from carbonized wood and little else.
Briquette pros
One of the main advantages briquettes offer over lump charcoal is consistency. A company’s briquettes always come in the same shape and size, so you know exactly how long they will burn. This also makes them easy to stack when making your fire.
Briquettes tend to burn longer than lump charcoal, which makes them ideal for large cuts of meat that require low, slow cooking. They also are more affordable.
Briquette cons
There are some downsides to briquettes you should consider before reaching for a bag.
They can be difficult to light without a charcoal chimney or lighter fluid. Because of that, many manufacturers sell some briquettes pre-infused with a chemical that helps them light quicker and easier. It is important to wait until these briquettes are entirely gray before you start cooking your food, or they can impart a noticeably chemical taste.
Their additives mean they don’t burn as cleanly, either. Most leave behind a large pile of ash, so expect more cleanup than when using lump charcoal.
Best briquettes
Kingsford Professional Competition Briquettes
Grill masters know to turn to Kingsford’s competition briquettes when they need fuel that will burn at a consistent temperature for a long time. They are ready to grill on after about 10 minutes, so you won’t have to wait long before you can start cooking, and they are made using one of Kingsford’s lowest-ash formulas.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Best briquettes for the money
Royal Oak Natural Organic Premium Hardwood Charcoal Briquettes
This is popular because it is both sustainably sourced and organic, so you can feel good about using it for a couple of reasons. That it’s affordably priced and gives food a nice smoky flavor are just bonuses.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Kohl’s
Should you buy lump charcoal or briquettes
The answer depends entirely on what you feel is most important. If you want the purest smoky flavor from your food and nothing else, and you don’t mind the learning curve that comes along with achieving a consistent fire with lump charcoal, it is probably the right option.
On the other hand, if you want something affordable, consistent, and easy to use, and you don’t mind not being able to create as heavy a sear on your foods, briquettes are the way to go.
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Brett Dvoretz writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/patio-br/grilling-outdoor-cooking-br/lump-charcoal-vs-briquettes-which-is-better/ | 2022-04-14T07:19:43 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/patio-br/grilling-outdoor-cooking-br/lump-charcoal-vs-briquettes-which-is-better/ |
Which puppy diaper is best?
Everyone loves a new puppy, but bringing one into your home and potty training it can be difficult and time-consuming. While it learns where and when to go to the bathroom, one method of keeping your house clean is to employ puppy diapers. Technically, there aren’t diapers meant specifically for puppies. That said, any standard dog diaper will work, as long as it’s the right size and fits your puppy’s sex.
The best puppy diapers are Paw Inspired Ultra Protection Disposable Female Dog Diapers. They’re soft and effective but may not work for male puppies.
What to know before you buy a puppy diaper
Your puppy’s gender
Puppy diapers are designed differently for females and males.
- Female diapers look just like human diapers, only they have a hole for the tail. These diapers work just fine for puppies of either sex, as male puppies’ penises have yet to grow large enough to need to switch to male diapers.
- Male diapers take the form of wraps that leave your puppy’s posterior open but cover their penis. Puppies are a little more likely to wiggle out of male diapers, plus the open back is counterintuitive to using a puppy diaper while you house train them.
Reusable vs. disposable
Most puppy diapers are disposable, and for good reason. Puppies grow fast, just like children, so purchasing a reusable diaper — which can’t be donated once used — may be better for the environment, but you’ll only be able to use it for a short time. However, some dog breeds don’t grow much bigger than their puppy stages. In these cases, it’s wise to go with a reusable diaper. Besides the environmental benefits, it saves money and you’ll still have a usable diaper if you need to travel long distances or they become incontinent years down the line.
What to look for in a quality puppy diaper
Elastic
The best puppy diapers have elastic in the hems. This lets the diaper seal around the edges to prevent even the smallest leak and also gives your puppy full range of motion without painful pinching or chafing. Elastic around the tail hole is particularly important for keeping any solids from slipping out.
Adjustability
Most puppy diapers use Velcro straps to close around your puppy. This lets you fit your diaper precisely to your puppy, and you can let more space out as it grows. Some disposable female puppy diapers use alternate methods for securing, including snap closures and the same sticky tabs as disposable baby diapers. These aren’t quite as freely adjustable, though they’re still secure enough to prevent leaks.
How much you can expect to spend on a puppy diaper
Puppy diaper packs usually cost $10-$30, though there are exceptions on either end. The quality of diapers and how many you get greatly vary within this price range, but most are still found within it.
Puppy diaper FAQ
How often should I change my puppy’s diaper?
A. As soon as you notice it’s soiled. Some disposable puppy diapers can be removed when you take the puppy outside for potty training and reattached if they haven’t been soiled. Reusable diapers have the same functionality.
My puppy’s diaper fits but still leaks. How do I fix it?
A. First, double-check that it still fits. Dogs, puppy or no, have a tendency to wiggle loose from diapers you were sure fit perfectly. Oftentimes, a diaper seems to fit perfectly but is in fact just loose enough around the edges to allow for some leakage. If it does indeed fit, you may be using diapers with poor absorbency — there’s nothing to do in this situation but try a new brand of puppy diaper.
What should I do with leftover disposable diapers my puppy has outgrown?
A. Donate them. Search for your nearest animal shelter and drop them off. Keep in mind that almost any pet-related leftovers you have, including food, toys and bowls, can also be taken to your local animal shelter. You can write the value off as a donation on your taxes. If you aren’t sure if they’ll accept something, just give them a call beforehand to check and potentially save yourself a trip.
What’s the best puppy diaper to buy?
Top puppy diaper
Paw Inspired Ultra Protection Disposable Female Dog Diapers
What you need to know: These are designed for females but can work for male puppies, too.
What you’ll love: These diapers have multiple urine-handling features, including converting it into gel immediately on contact and using leakproof edges that absorb urine before it can leak out. The fasteners are fur-resistant and can be repositioned for a custom fit and the interior uses soft quilting for comfort.
What you should consider: A few consumers had issues with waste getting loose through the tail hole. Hyperactive puppies may shimmy out of them over time.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Chewy
Top puppy diaper for the money
Out! Pet Care Disposable Male Dog Wraps
What you need to know: These are great male-focused diaper wraps.
What you’ll love: These wraps are secured using Velcro, which makes their fit adjustable and means the wrap can be removed and reused if it hasn’t yet been soiled. They have a wetness indicator, so there’s no need to spot-check for soiling.
What you should consider: There’s no protection from poo, only urine. More hyperactive puppies may be able to wiggle out of them.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Chewy
Worth checking out
Simple Solution Washable Female Dog Diapers
What you need to know: These reusable diapers make a good environmentally conscious choice.
What you’ll love: These can be machine-washed and become softer and more absorbent the more you wash them. They’re also compatible with most disposable liners if you still desire some disposable aspect. They use a large Velcro strap across the back for fine-tuning the fit as your puppy grows.
What you should consider: Depending on the breed, your puppy may outgrow these before you get sufficient use out of them. They don’t handle poo well.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Chewy
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Jordan C. Woika writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/pets-br/dog-health-br/best-puppy-diaper/ | 2022-04-14T07:19:50 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/pets-br/dog-health-br/best-puppy-diaper/ |
Best dog selfie sticks
It’s natural that you want to take selfies with your pup to have a record of the good times you have together, but dogs won’t always play ball — or would rather be playing with balls than posing for a selfie.
If you’re sick of filling your camera roll with endless photos of you with your dog looking the other way or appearing uninterested, you need help. With the right advice, you’ll soon learn how to take the perfect selfie with your dog.
Don’t force your dog to take a selfie with you
You might want to record a nice moment for posterity or get more likes on Instagram, but your dog doesn’t care about any of that. That doesn’t mean you should never take a selfie with your pooch, but don’t force it — stop if they seem stressed out. After all, you want to capture a pleasant memory, not a time when your dog was getting annoyed with you for sticking a phone in their face.
You’ll usually get better results after a play session with their favorite ball or at other times when they’re relaxed, happy and curious, rather than when they’re napping or engaged in something else.
Go to your dog rather than bringing them to you
If your dog gets stressed, impatient or fidgety when you ask them to pose for a selfie, try entering their space instead of bringing them into yours. For instance, if your dog’s standing out in the yard, soaking up some rays, kneel down next to them and get a quick snap of the two of you together. Your dog probably won’t even notice what you’re doing, or you might capture a sweet unstaged moment as your dog greets you.
Use natural lighting for pet selfies
All dogs are beautiful, but the right lighting will make them look just as good in a photo as they do in three dimensions. Natural lighting will capture your dog’s coloring and the texture of their coat better than artificial light, so switch off those overhead lights and position yourself near a window, or head outside.
Turn off the flash
Natural lighting is ideal, but even bright artificial lights are far better than using a flash. Photos generally look better without flashes, which tend to wash out their subjects and cause red eyes. More importantly, a flash can startle dogs and hurt their eyes, so you should always avoid it in pet photography. Make sure you have the flash turned off before you take a photo with your dog.
Consider burst mode when taking selfies with your dog
Dogs are notoriously fidgety when taking photos, so you might press the shutter button at the perfect moment, only for your dog to move right away, leaving your image a blurred mess. You’ll usually get better results by using your phone’s burst mode, which takes multiple photos in quick succession. This way, you should get a good photo even if your dog moves mid-snap.
Avoid distractions for your dog
Let’s face it, dogs are easily distracted. It’s not fair to expect your canine companion to pose patiently for a photo with all kinds of distractions around them. If there are other dogs to greet at the dog park, squirrels to chase or delivery drivers to bark at, let your pup do their thing and choose a different time to take a selfie with them.
Resort to bribery to get the perfect selfie with your dog
There’s no shame in bribing your dog to take a selfie with you. A liberal dose of treats sweetens the deal for most dogs. Small training treats, such as Zuke’s Mini Naturals, are ideal because you can ply your pup with lots of them without adding too many extra calories to their diet.
Use treats to encourage your dog to sit and wait, take a selfie or two, then give them another treat as a reward for sitting still. If you have someone else with you, ask them to hold a treat just beyond the camera to keep your dog’s attention while you snap a selfie.
If your dog isn’t food motivated, you can reward them with a play session instead. For example, if they know they’ll get to play with their favorite tug toy after a selfie session, it will build positive associations so your dog will eventually look forward to selfie time.
Use a dog selfie stick
Think about using a dog selfie stick to capture the perfect picture of your pup. These devices aren’t really selfie sticks, as such — you could more accurately describe them as selfie tools.
You clip them on top of your phone and they can hold treats or toys, or have built-in toys. This captures your dog’s attention while you get a selfie — the perfect solution if your dog is usually staring off to one side or looking at the floor in selfies, rather than looking even remotely in the direction of the camera.
Best dog selfie sticks
Get your dog’s attention with a squeaking tennis ball for a happy, engaged face in every shot.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Chewy
Fred Howligans Woofie Pet Selfie Tool
One end of this tool attaches to the top of your phone while the other holds a treat of your choice — the perfect way to get the attention of a food-motivated dog.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Consisting of a flexible arm with a clip on the end to hold a favorite treat or toy, it easily helps you get a decent selfie with your pup.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Lauren Corona writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/pets-br/toys-br/how-to-take-the-perfect-selfie-with-your-pup/ | 2022-04-14T07:19:57 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/pets-br/toys-br/how-to-take-the-perfect-selfie-with-your-pup/ |
Which squat rack is best?
A squat rack is the single-most effective piece of fitness equipment for building strength and muscle. Whether you’re new to lifting weights or looking to take your workouts to the next level, a squat rack can dramatically alter your routine by enabling a huge variety of exercises.
This bedrock piece of equipment is a big commitment. So choosing the right one for your home or gym depends on available space and your fitness goals. In general, the best squat rack for home-gym users is the Fitness Gear Pro Half Rack.
What to know before you buy a squat rack
What a squat rack is
Squat racks are metal stands designed to support the weight of a fully loaded barbell. They’re used to perform a number of Olympic weightlifting exercises, from squats to presses. While bare-bones models feature a single two-pronged stand on which you rest a barbell, more elaborate squat racks include safety pins, weight-storage pins and pull-up bars.
Exercises you can perform using a squat rack
Primarily used to perform their namesake compound movement, a squat rack’s simplicity can be used for numerous Olympic lifts and isolation exercises. With a rack alone, you can perform overhead presses, bent-over rows, front and back squats, lunges, curls and shoulder shrugs.
With the addition of an adjustable bench, users can bench press in the neutral, incline or decline position. And if you have the right floor or pads, a squat rack can be used for deadlifts, Pendlay rows and other floor-based exercises.
Olympic vs. standard weights
Squat racks are designed to hold Olympic barbells and weights. An Olympic barbell is about 45 pounds, 7.2 feet in length and 1 inch in diameter with 2-inch diameter end sleeves. Olympic weights are divided into 2.5, 5, 10, 25, 35 and 45 pounds. Each plate has a 2-inch diameter hole.
Contrary to their name, standard weights and barbells are not standardized. Barbells can vary dramatically in length and diameter and are usually not compatible with Olympic racks. Likewise, the weights’ increments, materials and sizes depend on the manufacturer. The only consistent factor is that they usually have a 1-inch diameter hole, which makes them too small for Olympic barbell sleeves.
Squat rack vs. power rack
These days, squat racks have dramatically improved upon the simple two-pronged stand. This makes them similar to power racks, which are metal cages used to perform the same lifts. Because of this, the only real advantage of a power rack is enhanced safety thanks to their structural rigidity.
What to look for in a quality squat rack
Design
- Squat stand: This is the simplest design. It has two vertical bars supported by horizontal bracing so you can rest a loaded barbell. They might not come with safety pins to catch the bar if you fail a lift. These take up the least space.
- Half rack: These are half of a power rack, so they’re a little sturdier than a stand, and bigger. They also usually come with safety pins and weight-storage pins, and their height allows for a built-in pull-up bar.
- Standard squat rack: These take up the most space. They have two static safety bars at about hip height that connect to an angled, triangular cage with numerous fixed barbell holders. These racks are the least likely to tip, and usually come with plenty of weight storage capacity. Their only downside is their lack of adjustability.
- Combo rack: Often sold by brands with standard-weight sets, these are designed to maximize exercise potential. In addition to vertical bars, they can feature safety bars, benches, pull-down and leg supports. If you’re a purist, combo racks can prove unwieldy and obstructive when trying to perfect form.
Size
Squat racks take up a lot of room. If you’re outfitting your home gym, you need to take the rack’s entire footprint into account. A squat stand is the safest bet, but depending floor space and ceiling height, you might be able to get away with a standard squat rack or half rack.
In addition to space, commercial and brick-and-mortar gyms should focus on the fitness ecosystem. Half racks and squat racks are the best choices, as each type has significant weight-storage capacity to support other pieces of equipment throughout the gym.
Weight limit
Verify its loaded capacity before purchasing a squat rack. Most can hold 400-600 pounds, including the barbell. For novice and intermediate home gym users, this should be more than enough for years of incremental progress. Advanced lifters and gym owners should look to half racks, or even power racks, which hold more weight (often up to 1,000 pounds).
How much you can expect to spend on a squat rack
Squat racks represent a significant investment. Simple stands cost between $150-$250, and a standard rack or half rack can cost as much as $300-$1,000.
Squat rack FAQ
What fitness routines use a squat rack?
A. Squat racks fit into just about any fitness regimen. They’re especially popular among power lifters who use them for hypertrophy or strength-training exercises. A squat rack can also be used for CrossFit, bodybuilding or high-intensity interval training.
Do squat racks come with barbells and weights?
A. Most racks require you to purchase the barbell and weights separately.
What’s the best squat rack to buy?
Top squat rack
What you need to know: With its small footprint, this sturdy half rack is great for home gyms without a lot of space.
What you’ll love: Weightlifters of all levels can get a lot of use out of this rack’s 600-pound capacity. Its safety pin and barbell holders are adjustable, and the top cross bar features separate grips for chin- and pull-ups. You also have ample weight plate storage potential with three posts on either side that can hold 180 pounds each.
What you should consider: Its feet don’t have any knobs for resistance bands.
Where to buy: Sold by Dick’s Sporting Goods
Top squat rack for the money
What you need to know: This squat stand covers all of the basics for home users on a budget.
What you’ll love: The rack has a condensed design, so it’s easy to tuck into a cramped room. You get an angled multi-grip pull-up bar at the top, anchor points for resistance bands and two storage posts for weights.
What you should consider: This isn’t the best rack for heavy lifters, as it can only hold 300 pounds and the safety pins are on the shorter side.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Sunny Health and Fitness Power Zone Half Rack Heavy-Duty Performance Power Cage
What you need to know: This fully loaded half rack has something to target every muscle group.
What you’ll love: With a whopping 1,000-pound weight limit, it’s tough to max this rack out. Not only does it come with three adjustable pull-up bars, but also resistance-band knobs at the bottom for warmups and isometric exercises. Both the barbell holder and safety pins are fully adjustable, and this rack can be paired with a number of accessories to maximize your workout options.
What you should consider: It’s bulky and poorly suited for low ceilings.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Karl Daum writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/sports-fitness-br/fitness-equipment-br/best-squat-rack/ | 2022-04-14T07:20:04 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/sports-fitness-br/fitness-equipment-br/best-squat-rack/ |
Which are best: trail running shoes or hiking boots?
There are plenty of ways to stay active and improve your cardiovascular health. Some people prefer to hit the trails for either a leisurely walk in the woods, while others like to pick up the pace and run along the trail. Both of these activities can improve your health, and they get you out into nature, which has its own benefits.
But if you’re looking to be more active on hiking trails, you need to find what type of shoe is right for your particular adventure. Trail running shoes have a tread level appropriate enough to grip more than just a paved road. Hiking boots, however, offer a thicker, more durable support and are often waterproof.
Trail running shoes
Trail running shoes are low-top shoes used for running longer distances with sudden elevation level changes. They grip well on uneven and winding running trails in the wilderness. These shoes allow you to focus on the cardio aspect of trail running. Several shoe companies make models that fit both men and women comfortably.
Trail running shoes pros
Trail running shoes have excellent traction and are very comfortable. They keep your feet firmly gripped to the trail, no matter the terrain. These shoes also offer some arch support and fit just below the ankle to provide full range of motion. You can run confidently on sidewalks, streets or gravel trails in this style of shoe.
Trail running shoes cons
These shoes are meant for running on well-maintained hiking trails, so if you intend to go off-road, you will want something different. And while they are weather-resistant, very few are waterproof. Furthermore, if you run somewhere with tall grass or other high foliage, grass and leaves can get into your shoes easily due to the low-top style.
Best trail running shoes
These trail running shoes are perfect for women who need an all-terrain grip. They have rubber soles and are weather-resistant.
Sold by Amazon
This model is ideal for those who like running on all kinds of terrain. You can move comfortably across streets or trails in these lightweight, cushioned shoes.
Sold by Amazon
Saucony Versafoam Excursion Tr13
These have a triangular-lugged outsole to provide traction that you need on various terrains. They have a cushioned sole that allows you to run comfortably for short and long distances.
Sold by Amazon
Hiking boots
Hiking boots are designed to be sturdy, durable and maintain plenty of traction on the hiking trail. They have additional support in the heel and ankle to keep you steady. There are several hiking boots models for men and women that allow you to move throughout various environments with ease. Hiking boots tend to have a bit more support and coverage, specifically due to the mid- to high-tops that cover your ankle bone and keep debris out of the boot. These features protect your feet and help prevent injury both on and off the trail.
Hiking boots pros
The benefit of using hiking boots is that they provide a lot of protection for your feet. With these boots, you can walk through puddles, snow, mud and even venture a bit off-trail. They come up high enough on the foot and ankle to keep out grass, dirt and small rocks. Hiking boots are also typically waterproof, so you won’t have to worry about wet socks and potential blisters if it starts to rain on your hike.
Hiking boots cons
This style of boot is very heavy-duty. And they may weigh too much if you are just going on a level park trail or walking on paved roads. Furthermore, since they are not running shoes, they do not allow you the same kind of full-range mobility that low-top shoes provide.
Best hiking boots
Keen Women’s Voyageur Mid Hiking Boot
These shoes feature a sturdy design and use mesh and leather to keep your feet dry. They work well in all kinds of terrain, including mud, rocks and uneven surfaces.
Sold by Amazon
These hiking boots have synthetic soles and can be used both on and off the trails. Many users reported these had excellent arch support, too.
Sold by Amazon
Keen Men’s Targhee II Mid Waterproof Hiking Boot
These are comfortable to wear for long-distance hikes, and some users have said that they helped with foot pain. They are durable and useful for all terrains.
Sold by Amazon
Columbia Men’s Redmond Mid Waterproof Hiking Boot
These hiking shoes use Omni-grip technology, which holds great traction on any surface. You can wear them in rocky, rough conditions or on a clear-cut path.
Sold by Amazon
Should you get trail running shoes or hiking boots?
It depends on how active you plan to be. If you want to run for long distances on designated trails, you will get the most use out of trail running shoes. However, if you want to start hiking in the woods or in the mud, you will need hiking boots. They are both useful for their own particular adventure.
If you are trying to decide between hiking or trail running, consider your current fitness and wellness level as well as your goals. Both hiking and trail running are great for your health, but trail running requires a bit more agility and coordination. If you want to get into nature and hike, moving at a slower pace through the woods might be a better match. Either way, both shoe styles can provide you with the right amount of grip and support that you’ll need on the trail.
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Erica Redding writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/sports-fitness-br/footwear-br/trail-running-shoes-vs-hiking-boots/ | 2022-04-14T07:20:12 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/sports-fitness-br/footwear-br/trail-running-shoes-vs-hiking-boots/ |
Which meat slicer is best?
A good chef’s knife can accomplish many tasks, but it can’t make paper-thin cured meats or dozens of slices of cheese with consistent thickness. You’ll need an electric meat slicer to make the perfect charcuterie board at home. The right one can help you slice cold cuts, artisan bread and raw meat for jerky in small and large batches.
The best meat slicer for most people is the Berkel Red Line 300. It comes from a highly respected manufacturer and is modeled after commercial-style machines, with the precision, speed and duty cycle that every cook needs.
What to know before you buy a meat slicer
You need to keep it clean
It’s important to respect all your kitchen equipment and keep it clean, but that’s never more true than it is for a meat slicer. Even the most refined designs can allow for food buildup in various places, and leftover meat, cheese and other food can hurt an appliance’s finish, damage seals and contribute to bacterial contamination. It’s far easier to maintain a clean slicer regularly than it is to deep clean a thoroughly messy one every few weeks. This is especially important if you’ll only use the slicer occasionally, as food particles are particularly bad things to store in your cupboard.
It will take up space
Even the smallest meat slicers aren’t really that small. Unless you have a truly massive home kitchen, you’ll need somewhere to put your new meat slicer that’s out of the way, as very few make attractive kitchen decorations. Along with that, don’t forget that meat slicers also tend to be heavy. After all, the most effective ones boast durable steel bodies and rugged gears and motors.
It may require an investment
A good meat slicer can do a lot. If you frequently make large batches of beef jerky, slice artisanal bread with thick crusts or prepare homemade hot pot or pho, you might find yourself using a meat slicer often. If that’s the case, take a good look at a full-size model like the ones found in restaurant kitchens. They are faster and more precise and can prep more food at once than budget-friendly options, known as having a long duty cycle. A longer duty cycle means an appliance will ultimately receive less wear and tear.
What to look for in a quality meat slicer
Blade diameter
Typical consumer-grade meat slicers have 7- or 8-inch blades. That should do fine for small jobs, but more demanding cooks will notice that the blade moves too slowly and gets dull too quickly for satisfactory results. Models with 10-inch blades are usually the best ones that don’t break the bank. If you’re ambitious and have room for it, a 12-inch meat slicer should perform even better if you get it from a reasonably dependable manufacturer.
Durable and precise construction
Ideally, your new meat slicer will have a rugged stainless steel body and be easy to clean and sanitize. Another build quality aspect is how consistent the materials and components are. Subpar tolerances and poorly machined parts lead to cracks, crevices and other areas where it’s easy for food to get stuck. When you finally receive your new meat slicer, check it thoroughly to make sure it’s assembled properly and doesn’t have any glaring errors or broken fasteners.
Motor wattage
Budget-friendly meat slicers are rated for around 100 watts and commercial models roughly 500 watts or more. Mid-range slicers that offer excellent bang for your buck tend to have 250- or 300-watt motors.
How much you can expect to spend on a meat slicer
The most affordable meat slicers worth buying cost just over $100. You can spend several thousand dollars on a premium commercial meat slicer, but the absolute best for home use top out at just under $2,000, and most consumers should look to spend around $400.
Meat slicer FAQ
What safety equipment do you need for a meat slicer?
A. Aside from extreme caution and attention to detail, a chainmail glove is the only thing that will protect you from the high-speed rotating blade found on a meat slicer. Consider ordering one size bigger than you need, and keep in mind that wearing a nitrile glove outside of your chainmail glove will significantly increase your dexterity.
Are Hobart slicers any good?
A. Hobart slicers are some of the best and most popular in kitchens worldwide, which is why they’re so well-known. However, they’re incredibly bulky, don’t look great in homes and usually cost an extreme amount, so only the most passionate home cooks should consider one.
What’s the best meat slicer to buy?
Top meat slicer
Berkel Red Line 300 Electric Food Slicer
What you need to know: It’s a commercial-style meat slicer reworked to fit perfectly in a large home kitchen.
What you’ll love: For starters, Berkel actually claims to have made the first meat slicer ever. The Red Line 300 is modeled after institutional meat slicers but has a less industrial aesthetic and a less bulky design. Its 12-inch blade is big enough and rotates fast enough to handle the finest cured meats and the unit’s overall construction is particularly solid.
What you should consider: A high-quality meat slicer like this one requires an investment that few home cooks are willing to make.
Where to buy: Sold by Home Depot and Amazon
Top meat slicer for the money
Chef’sChoice 615A Electric Food Slicer
What you need to know: This is the most affordable meat slicer that’s actually able to get most jobs done.
What you’ll love: If you only occasionally need sliced meat, cheese or bread, this one’s an excellent choice. It isn’t as large, doesn’t rotate as fast and can’t handle the same size jobs as a commercial-grade meat slicer, but it’s perfectly suited to home kitchens where you need to do your own sandwich prep every now and then. As long as you keep it clean and take care not to force anything while using it, it should last for a long time.
What you should consider: Some people have trouble with hard meats or highly precise cuts. For a more consistent and thinly cut end product, many owners recommend picking up the compatible non-serrated blade.
Where to buy: Sold by Home Depot and Amazon
Worth checking out
Vevor Commercial Electric Food Slicer
What you need to know: This 10-inch meat slicer is modeled after a commercial unit but priced right for the discerning consumer.
What you’ll love: The Vevor lies in the middle between plastic-bodied consumer and industrial slicers. It has the size and power needed for most meats, cheeses and bread but costs a fraction of what you pay for one from a more well-known brand. We’ve highlighted the 10-inch version because it’s the most convenient size for many home kitchens, but there’s a 12-inch model available for those who need more performance and a larger cutting area.
What you should consider: The quality control and product consistency aren’t exactly perfect, but it’s better than most other off-brand competition.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
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Chris Thomas writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/tools-br/best-meat-slicer/ | 2022-04-14T07:20:19 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/tools-br/best-meat-slicer/ |
Which Funko Pop bobblehead is best?
Funko Pop has thousands of figurines to collect and display, not to mention a handful of different types of figurines. The most playful type is a Funko Pop bobblehead. The little ones are perfect for adding to your desk for a little lighthearted fun, while the big ones can be an entertaining centerpiece.
The best Funko Pop bobblehead is Funko Pop Marvel: Dancing Groot Bobblehead. Put on some music and give this bobblehead a tap to relive the famous “Guardians of the Galaxy” post-credits scene.
What to know before you buy a Funko Pop bobblehead
Funko Pop bobblehead types
Funko Pop bobbleheads come in a few forms and sizes.
- Standard bobbleheads are similar to Funko’s vinyl figurines, being that they’re roughly 4 inches tall and 3 inches wide, save for their necks being attached to the spring that lets them bobble.
- Oversized bobbleheads are just that — oversized. Most are somewhere from 6-10 inches tall and have varying widths.
- Deluxe bobbleheads are large, extravagant pieces. They take a character and pair it with something connected to them that they often sit on or stand beside.
- Ride bobbleheads are halfway between a standard and a deluxe Pop. They’re typically the same size as standards but are depicted riding something rather than having the bobble be paired to a body.
Source material
If the source material you’re passionate about is even slightly known to pop culture, it’s likely that Funko has made a bobblehead of it. Major pop culture properties from Disney like Marvel and “Star Wars” are common, as are figurines from many popular TV shows, including “Game of Thrones” and “The Office.”
What to look for in a quality Funko Pop bobblehead
Boxed vs. unboxed
Funko Pop bobbleheads are packaged in boxes bearing the character’s name, the source that they come from, authenticating information and the mold they come from. Whether you remove them or keep them in the box has a huge bearing on several factors.
- Boxed bobbleheads are more valuable to collectors and resellers. The box preserves the condition of the bobblehead and proves it’s an authentic Funko Pop. Always purchase an authenticated boxed bobblehead if you want to ensure it’s a quality purchase.
- Unboxed bobbleheads are less valuable, but they’re more enjoyable to enthusiasts who just like the character. The head can be bobbled, it’s easier to display, kids can play with them, etc. If an unboxed bobblehead is purchased from a secondary market, it may be noticeably inauthentic and low-quality.
Chase variants
Some Funko Pop bobbleheads have rare chase variants that are more valuable than the base bobblehead. These variations are often minimal, but you can’t specifically order them. They only have a small chance of inclusion when purchasing the original model online.
How much you can expect to spend on a Funko Pop bobblehead
Basic Funko Pop bobbleheads cost just over $11. Most cost $15-$30, with some of the larger or harder-to-find bobbleheads costing more. Secondary market bobbleheads can cost hundreds.
Funko Pop bobblehead FAQ
How should I clean a Funko Pop bobblehead?
A. This depends on whether or not it’s still in the box. Boxed Funko Pop bobbleheads only require a brief dusting at least once a month to stay clean. Unboxed bobbleheads also require dusting, but it must be as gentle a dusting as possible. Being too rough can damage the springs responsible for the bobble, making the head lie skewed to the side rather than remaining upright.
What’s the best method for tracking my Funko Pop bobblehead collection?
A. There are dozens of methods for tracking your Funko Pop collection, bobbleheads and all, from digital trackers online to manually updating a spreadsheet. The official Funko app is one of the better online trackers, but if you’re serious about collecting, it’s worth experimenting until you find an organizational system that works best for you.
What do the numbers on the top right of the box mean?
A. The number relates to the order in which a given Funko Pop in a specific line was produced. For example, in the Marvel line of Funko Pops, there have been hundreds of rounds of productions, with any number of Pops produced in each round. So, an upper right number of 11 means that Pop was part of the eleventh round of Pops produced in the Marvel line.
What’s the best Funko Pop bobblehead to buy?
Top Funko Pop bobblehead
Funko Pop Marvel: Dancing Groot Bobblehead
What you need to know: This is a cute bobblehead for Marvel fans and plant lovers.
What you’ll love: Marvel fans will love being able to bob along with this bobblehead for a fun and stress-relieving break from work and other hassles. The top of Dancing Groot has just enough space to be converted into a miniature planter.
What you should consider: A few consumers were unhappy with the stability of the base, reporting it to be too top-heavy to always safely bobble.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top Funko Pop bobblehead for the money
Funko Pop Marvel: Deadpool as Bob Ross
What you need to know: This is a clever pop culture intersection as a bobblehead.
What you’ll love: The figurine is stable and balanced, making it easy to tap the bobblehead without knocking it over. The Deadpool and Bob Ross combination is perfect for Marvel fans, especially for Marvel historians looking to remember one of the original “Deadpool” film’s best ad spots.
What you should consider: A few consumers received damaged boxes, which is devaluating for collectors.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Funko Pop Deluxe Mandalorian: The Mandalorian & The Child on Bantha
What you need to know: This is an excellent centerpiece for “Star Wars” fans.
What you’ll love: This is among the more detailed Funko bobbleheads available — the fur of the bantha, the armor details of the Mandalorian and the cute Grogu attached to the back. The Tatooine sand base is stable enough to tap the bobblehead without risking it tipping over.
What you should consider: It takes up a large amount of space, both in-box and out. There are some rare reports of missing jetpacks on the Mandalorian.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Jordan C. Woika writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/toys-games-br/theme-toys-br/best-funko-pop-bobblehead/ | 2022-04-14T07:20:25 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/toys-games-br/theme-toys-br/best-funko-pop-bobblehead/ |
Which Kevin Minion toy is best?
“Despicable Me” was a hit when it came out, due partially to the adorable Minion characters, and the Minions are still popular, thanks to the movie’s sequels and spinoffs. Kevin is the tall Minion with two eyes and many people’s favorite character.
If you or your kid want a Kevin Minion toy, you can’t go wrong with the Just Play 15-Inch Plush Kung Fu Kevin, which is decked out in goggles, gloves and a yellow jumpsuit.
What to know before you buy a Kevin Minion toy
Types of Kevin Minion toys
- Plush: These are popular display items, and their smooth material makes them fun to squeeze and cuddle. Sometimes, they play sounds or music when you press them. Although they’re soft, Minion plush toys often feature plastic goggles.
- Action figure: These may have movable arms and legs. Most feature one of the many wacky props they use in the movies, such as the fart gun, freeze ray or a banana.
- Collectible: These are used as display pieces and don’t have movable arms and legs. Funko Pops are the most popular Minion collectibles.
Age recommendations
The recommended age range for Minion plush toys is 3 and up, as they don’t contain small pieces or sharp edges. Although the plastic goggles may eventually fall off, they don’t pose a choking hazard. Small action figures are best suited for children 5 and older.
Batteries
Most Minion toys don’t require batteries, though they may be included with those that require them for operation. Many interactive toys require AA batteries and eventually require replacements. Small action figures require LR44 batteries.
Kevin’s personality
In the “Minions” spinoff movie, Kevin is the leader of the trio. He loves to tease other Minions and is frequently seen in golf attire. He isn’t known for being particularly smart. Like all Minions, Kevin lives to find a master to serve.
Kevin Minion toy size
Kevin toys come in a variety of sizes. Many Kevin plush toys are 7-12 inches tall, while some are up to 20 inches tall. Kevin action figures are 4-6 inches tall. Some toy sets include numerous tiny Minions less than 1 inch tall.
Ease of cleaning
Kids get their toys dirty if they play with them daily. You can clean action figures and collectibles with a damp washcloth or moist towelette. You can use the washer and dryer for many plush toys, but you should use the cold and light settings. Still, it’s usually best to use a damp washcloth and spot clean plush toys.
What to look for in a quality Kevin Minion toy
Accurate design
The Minions have a specific style. Officially licensed toys are usually the best designed. Still, several third-party manufacturers produce great toys. Quality Minion toys capture the personality of the character.
Features
The Minions have numerous gadgets they use, many of which come with the toys. Toys with gadgets that light up, make sound effects and fire projectiles are ideal. Some Minion toys include interactive expressions or remote-controlled roller skates. Several Minion toys, such as the Action Assortment figures, interact with each other.
Outfits
Although Kevin’s classic overalls are great, he’s known for wearing numerous costumes in the movies. Kevin’s yellow kung fu outfit is a popular choice. Many Kevin toys show him wearing pilot’s outfits, golfer outfits and more.
Durability
Durability is essential when buying plush toys. Cheaply made plush toys can rip, and the material they’re stuffed with may pose a choking hazard. Children are rough on action figures, so you’ll want a sturdy toy with arms and legs that won’t break off easily.
How much you can expect to spend on a Kevin Minion toy
Most Kevin Minion toys cost $10-$20.
Kevin Minion toy FAQ
Is Kevin the most popular Minion?
A. Kevin, Stuart and Bob are the three most recognizable Minions. Kevin’s leadership role in the spinoff movie made him quite popular.
What language do the Minions speak?
A. The Minions’ language is a mixture of English, Spanish, French, gibberish and food references.
How do you know if a Minion toy is durable?
A. In many cases, the materials aren’t listed in the product description. The best way to determine a toy’s durability is by reading product reviews.
What’s the best Kevin Minion toy to buy?
Top Kevin Minion toy
Just Play 15-Inch Plush Kung Fu Kevin
What you need to know: This plush showcases Kevin in one of his most popular costumes.
What you’ll love: It stands nearly 16 inches tall and is soft but durable. The arms are posable. The hard plastic goggles are securely attached to the plush material.
What you should consider: The goggles make it top-heavy.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top Kevin Minion toy for the money
Minions: Rise of Gru Kevin Action Figure
What you need to know: This action figure features a flamethrower that fires pretend flames at the press of a button.
What you’ll love: It’s compatible with numerous other figures, including the Wild Rider RC vehicle. The welding mask is removable. It features posable arms.
What you should consider: The legs don’t move.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Just Play Minions: The Rise of Gru Small Plush Pilot Kevin
What you need to know: This plush dresses Kevin in his captain’s jacket and cap.
What you’ll love: The plush stands 9 inches tall. The embroidered eyes and mouth look excellent. It’s soft and durable.
What you should consider: The uniform isn’t as cuddly as the rest of the toy.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Cody Stewart writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/toys-games-br/theme-toys-br/best-kevin-minion-toy/ | 2022-04-14T07:20:33 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/toys-games-br/theme-toys-br/best-kevin-minion-toy/ |
Best kids kneepads for skating
Skating is a rough-and-tumble activity. And beginners are prone to lots of spills. One way to ensure your child is safe tearing it up on the asphalt is with the proper protective gear. This means pads — especially kneepads. Not only do they protect sensitive bones and joints, but they also inspire the confidence necessary to improve as a skater.
Which kneepads you choose depends on your child’s age and ability. There are plenty of cool designs to excite all ages to skate safely.
Skating with kneepads
Purpose of kneepads
Kneepads are pieces of safety equipment designed to slide over or strap around each knee. Used for a number of extreme sports, they protect the vulnerable ligaments and bones in your knees from strain and impact.
Types of skating that require kneepads
Wheeled action sports involve lots of falls, especially if you’re learning tricks. Skateboarding is one of the world’s most popular action sports, but if your child instead loves roller skating or blading, they should also wear pads. Likewise, any kid who enjoys longboarding or just cruising around should have them, too. Impacts while falling are a given, but longboarding and cruising can lead to wicked road rash that kneepads can prevent.
Other protective gear
While kneepads are crucial, a safe skater should also have the following:
- Elbow pads: These work like kneepads, protecting your arm’s major ligaments and bones from strain and impact.
- Wrist pads: When falling our instincts tell us to catch ourselves with our hands. But by stiffening our wrists, we risk breaking a number of bones. Wrist pads provide a protective, supportive barrier to this sensitive area by covering the palms and preventing flexion. They not only protect against broken hand bones and wrists, but also nasty scrapes.
- Helmet: A helmet is the number-one piece of safety equipment to protect against head trauma. Look for a helmet with a multi-directional impact protection system. These are some of the safest helmets out there.
Choosing the right kneepads
A good pair of kneepads fits comfortably without restraining your child’s range of motion. To get the sizing right, it should account for their weight and leg size.
Overall size
Kneepads use alpha sizing, which corresponds to the wearer’s weight.
- Small: Under 125 pounds.
- Medium: 125-150 pounds
- Large: 150-180 pounds
- Extra-large: Over 180 pounds
You’ll also find pads sized according to the “child, youth and adult” spectrum. Child sizes typically fit age 5 and under, youth 5-10 and adult 10 and up.
Center circumference
This measures the diameter of your child’s leg from the center of their kneecap. To get the center circumference accurately, try using a soft tape measure or a piece of string you can mark and measure when laid flat.
- Junior: Universal sizing for under 12 inches
- Small: 12-14 inches
- Medium: 14-16 inches
- Large: 15-17 inches
- Extra-large: 17-20 inches
Hard vs. soft shell
Choosing between a hard- and soft-shell kneepad depends on the level of protection you’re after. While soft-shell pads are more comfortable, they won’t provide enough protection in case of a big fall.
For kid skaters, hard-shell pads are your best bet. These are reinforced with foam padding to provide superior protection against big impacts and abrasion. They can be a little bulky, so make sure you size right. Opt for straps so you can adjust them easily and wear them over clothing.
Best kneepads for kid skaters
Best kneepads for young kids
BoneShieldz Youth Cruiser 3000 Multi-Sport Protective Set
This complete set of pads has your little skater covered from wrists to elbows to knees. With black sleeves, metallic gray hard shells and red accents, your kid will feel like a superhero rocking their matching set. The adjustable straps and lightweight design help with comfort and breathability. These are also available in pink for toddlers with discerning taste.
Where to buy: Sold by Dick’s Sporting Goods
Available in a fun array of colors, this complete set of pads is sized for little ones but is cool enough for big kids who love to shred. These plastic hard-shell pads are padded with airy foam and secured with comfortable elastic straps, making them great for long rides.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Best kneepads for youth
Bosoner Kids/Youth Protective Gear Set
Bosoner upgrades their kids pads for youth users who take bigger and harder falls. This full set of heavy-duty hard-shell pads provide ample coverage over sensitive areas with a shock-absorbing design that distributes impact forces away from the center cap. You have your choice of seven colors.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
DBX Youth Inline Protective Set
This full set of pads is designed to cover your kid’s knees and elbows above and below the olecranon and patella. They come in a sleek black design with foam padding and a mesh layer to wick moisture. They’re great for older youth skaters who want to upgrade to more serious, adult-like pads.
Where to buy: Sold by Dick’s Sporting Goods
Best kneepads for teens
Gonex Skateboard Protective Gear Set
This full set of pads should fit most teens. You have your choice between all-black and pink-and-black pads. The studded hard-shell design is particularly adept at absorbing big falls when skating vert ramps. You can wear them as a sleeve for extra support, or strapped over clothing for maximum comfort.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
JBM Adult/Child Kneepads Elbow Pads Wrist Guards 3 In 1 Protective Gear Set
This set comes in five mature yet trendy colorways for older skaters who want the protection of an adult set but don’t want to settle for plain old black. Though they only come in two sizes, they’re adjustable for comfort, and the large shell bubbles not only provide ample room to grow, but can also take a beating. Most teens and tweens fit in the adult size.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Karl Daum writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/which-kneepads-are-best-for-kid-skaters/ | 2022-04-14T07:20:40 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/which-kneepads-are-best-for-kid-skaters/ |
Allyson Felix, who closed the Tokyo Games last year with more Olympic medals than any U.S. track and field athlete in history, says she will retire after the 2022 season.
“This season isn’t about the time on the clock, it’s simply about joy,” Felix said in an Instagram post Wednesday. “If you see me on the track this year I hope to share a moment, a memory and my appreciation with you.”
At age 35, Felix won a bronze medal in the 400 meters last summer in Tokyo, then followed it up with a gold medal in the 4×400 relay.
Those were her 10th and 11th Olympic medals, which helped her pass Carl Lewis in the U.S. record book and left her behind only one runner in history, Finland’s Paavo Nurmi, who won 12 medals between 1920 and 1928.
Her last major meets figure to be the U.S. championships from June 23-26, then the world championships, which take place in Eugene, Oregon, from July 15-24.
Felix also has a record 13 gold medals and 18 overall from world championships.
More recently, she has become an outspoken advocate for women. Her daughter, Camryn, was born in 2018. Around the same time, Felix cut ties with Nike, upset with the way the company treated pregnant athletes.
In her Instagram post, she said: “This season I’m running for women. I’m running for a better future for my daughter.”
___
More AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/allyson-felix-says-shes-retiring-after-2022-track-season/ | 2022-04-14T07:20:47 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/allyson-felix-says-shes-retiring-after-2022-track-season/ |
HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Through a season of turmoil, Derek Carr performed at his best. So the Las Vegas Raiders have given the veteran quarterback a three-year contract extension.
The extension is worth $121.5 million, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press, speaking Wednesday on condition of anonymity.
Despite all of the issues with the Raiders last season, including the resignation of coach Jon Gruden, Carr helped them to the playoffs as a wild card in the tough AFC West. He threw for a career-high 4,804 yards and 23 touchdowns as Las Vegas went 10-7 before losing at Cincinnati in the postseason.
“I’ve only wanted to be a Raider again and I told my agent (Tim Younger), I said, ‘I’m either gonna be a Raider or I’m gonna be playing golf.’ I don’t want to play anywhere else,” Carr said during Wednesday’s news conference. “That’s how much this place means to me.”
Carr said it also meant a lot for him to structure the contract so the team could keep key components around him for a long time while building “a championship team.”
“We made sure guys like Chandler (Jones), guys like Davante (Adams), guys like hopefully Hunter (Renfrow), and Foster (Moreau) and those guys can stay here,” said Carr, the longest-tenured quarterback in the AFC. “I went through a heartbreak already the last time I signed my contract, my best friend (Khalil Mack) left. And I didn’t want that to ever happen again.
“This was an opportunity for me to prove to the team, to the organization, to our fans, that the way we’re gonna structure this is so we can keep everyone together and really have real continuity, really have something to build on.”
An eight-year veteran, Carr, 31, was entering the final year of his deal, worth nearly $19.8 million in base salary. That contract was for five years at $125 million, the richest in the NFL at the time he signed it in 2017.
He said he told his agent he was willing to play out his contract if it wasn’t extended.
“At the end of the day I want to be a Raider and I am crazy enough to go out there on one year, especially with the guys that’ll be around me. I said I’ll take that chance,” he said. “Thankfully, it’ll be four more. Hopefully, we can build on that and I can finish and just do what I set out to do nine years ago, and that is to win a championship.”
The new deal puts him more in line with what veteran starting quarterbacks make throughout the league.
When healthy, Carr has been a starter for nearly all of his time with the Raiders and has made three Pro Bowls.
Carr had a career-high and franchise-record 4,804 passing yards in 2021 and was the only quarterback in the league to finish among the top five in both passing yards and completion percentage (68.4).
Carr holds franchise records for passing yards (31,700), passing touchdowns (193), games with multiple-touchdown passes (59), games with a passer rating of at least 100 points (44), and 300-yard passing contests (31).
Last month at the owners meetings, new Raiders coach Josh McDaniels seemed to stress the importance of finding the money for Carr. Wednesday he reaffirmed that in a prepared statement
“Derek Carr has been the leader of this franchise for a long time and we are thrilled to continue that relationship moving forward,” McDaniels said. “He has been a great example of someone who always puts the team first, and we appreciate his desire to keep doing that while leading on and off the field. It is clear how much Derek cares about this organization, his teammates and winning. I look forward to the opportunity to work with him this season and beyond.”
Extending Carr is the latest move in a busy offseason. Carr will have All-Pro Adams added to his receiving group in a trade with Green Bay, and standout pass rusher Jones as a free agent.
___
AP Pro Football Writer Barry Wilner contributed.
___
More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://apnews.com/hub/pro-32 and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/ap-source-qb-derek-carr-gets-3-year-extension-from-raiders/ | 2022-04-14T07:20:54 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/ap-source-qb-derek-carr-gets-3-year-extension-from-raiders/ |
BOSTON (AP) — Boston College coach Jerry York, the Hockey Hall of Famer who won five NCAA championships and the most games in college hockey history, said Wednesday that he is retiring.
York, 76, told his coaches and players that it seemed to be the right time after 28 years in Chestnut Hill and 50 in coaching overall. He said he is ready to spend more time traveling with his wife, Bobbie, and watch his grandchildren’s hockey, lacrosse, and soccer games.
“I leave knowing that it is the right time to go,” York said in a statement. “The book hasn’t closed, but it is time for me to start a new chapter.”
After arriving in Chestnut Hill in 1994 from Bowling Green, where he led the Falcons to the 1984 NCAA title, York guided BC to national championships in 2001, ’08, ’10 and ’12. His 1,123 overall victories and 41 in the NCAA tournament are the most ever.
York was a five-time Hockey East coach of the year, most recently in 2021, and won the national award in 1977. He coached four Hobey Baker Award winners, 17 NHL first-round draft picks and 12 Stanley Cup champions.
“It is difficult to put into words all that Jerry York means to Boston College,” athletic director Pat Kraft said. “His record as the winningest coach in NCAA men’s ice hockey and BC hockey speak for themselves, but it is his humility, decency, unwavering commitment to his players, fellow coaches, and all of us in the BC family, and the quiet ways in which he contributes to this community that make him so beloved. He is a legend and one of the classiest individuals to ever coach in college sports.”
A native of nearby Watertown, York went to Boston College High School and then played for coach John “Snooks” Kelley at BC, where in 1965 he led the Eagles to the Beanpot title and the national championship game. In 1967, he was a first-team All-American and won the Walter Brown Award as the top American-born player in New England.
In all, he scored 84 goals with 70 assists while leading the Eagles to a 60-29 record.
York went into coaching and began at Clarkson at the age of 27, leading the Golden Knights from 1972-79 before moving to Bowling Green. He won his first national championship in 1984, then came to Boston College in 1994 and soon became one of three coaches in NCAA history to win championships at two different schools.
In 2012, York surpassed Michigan State’s Ron Mason as the winningest coach in college hockey. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder in 2019. | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/bc-coach-jerry-york-retires-most-ncaa-hockey-wins-ever/ | 2022-04-14T07:21:02 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/bc-coach-jerry-york-retires-most-ncaa-hockey-wins-ever/ |
ATLANTA (AP) — The Charlotte Hornets were delayed getting to the arena Wednesday for their NBA play-in game against the Atlanta Hawks.
By a freight train, of all things.
Tracks run all around State Farm Arena, a remnant of a time when the area was the site of the city’s two major passenger stations. Both stations were torn down decades ago, but many of the tracks that remain are still frequented by freight trains running near the heart of downtown Atlanta.
One of those trains stopped on a crossing before the game, blocking the Hornets’ chartered buses from reaching the players’ entrance on the bottom level of the arena.
The buses were forced to turn around and find an alternate route to the arena. They were delayed about 15 minutes.
“I’ve never seen that,” Hornets coach James Borrego said. “I’ve been coming to this arena for 20 years, and I’ve never seen a train stop before the game.”
He seemed to imply that the Hawks had something to do with the freight train stopping at the crossing.
“Somebody figure it out. I have no idea,” Borrego said. “But our guys noticed.”
He said the delay fired up the 10th-seeded Hornets, who were looking to earn their way into the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
“It’s good fuel for us,” Borrego said.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/choo-choo-hornets-play-in-arrival-blocked-by-freight-train/ | 2022-04-14T07:21:09 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/choo-choo-hornets-play-in-arrival-blocked-by-freight-train/ |
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — CJ McCollum got New Orleans going early and Brandon Ingram took over late to send the Pelicans to Los Angeles for a chance at the final playoff spot.
McCollum scored 27 of his 32 points in the first half to carry the young Pelicans to a 113-103 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night. New Orleans will face the LA Clippers on Friday night for the eighth playoff seed.
“He was great,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said of McCollum. “He set the tone early. He understood the moment, and it sort of calmed the rest of the guys down. We just got the ball to him and he made play after play, score after score, and then the rest of the guys that just started to feed off CJ.”
Playing in his 57th playoff game, McCollum displayed a calming presence to his younger teammates. Rookies Herb Jones, José Alvarado and Trey Murphy played large chunks of the fourth quarter.
“I was just trying to be locked in and aggressive early,” McCollum said. “The playoffs is a lot of antics, a lot of momentum plays, a lot of back and forth. You’ve got to be stable and mentally locked in to withstand a certain level of (chaos). … There’s going to be a lot of winning in our future.”
McCollum wasn’t alone. Ingram shook foul trouble to add 27 points and center Jonas Valanciunas added 22 points and 14 rebounds as the Pelicans’ stars delivered under pressure of New Orleans’ first postseason game since 2018.
“The three best players for New Orleans all played great, and if that happens, you’re going to lose,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said of his team’s inability to contain McCollum, Ingram and Valanciunas. “We stayed in it and got back in it, but then we made the same mistakes as we did in the first three quarters – non physical defense.”
“We’re just playing for each other,” Valanciunas said of combining for 81 points with McCollum and Ingram. “When things struggle, we need somebody to slow the game down, which (CJ) does. Next step is on Friday.”
Popovich said his young team, which averages 25 years in age, learned a lesson the hard way.
“It’s the playoffs, and you’ve got to be into people,” Popovich said. “The grunt is important. Ingram scored two in a row right in the middle of the lane with no one even touching him. It’s a great lesson for our guys.”
The Pelicans, who finished ninth in the West after starting the season 3-16, will play at the Clippers with the winner facing the top-seeded Phoenix Suns in the first round. New Orleans beat Los Angeles in three of four meetings this season.
The Pelicans seemed headed to a rout, leading 96-75, with 10:39 left, but the 10th-seeded Spurs used a 16-1 run over the next 5:25 to cut it to 97-91. The Pelicans missed seven consecutive shots during the run.
Ingram hit a pair of soft jumpers in the lane and Valanciunas added a short jumper to put New Orleans back on top, 103-91.
Devin Vassell led San Antonio with 23 points. Dejounte Murray had 16 points, but he went just 5 of 19 from the floor while being shadowed by Pelicans rookie defensive stopper Herb Jones.
“You have to take the good and bad and learn from it,” Murray said. “We had guys not shoot well, starting with myself. They were physical. I ain’t making no excuses.”
After Ingram went to the bench with three fouls 5:17 before halftime, McCollum carried the Pelicans offensively. In a 14-4 run over the final 3:36 of the half, McCollum made two 3-pointers and pierced the San Antonio defense for two finger-roll layups on strong drives into the lane as New Orleans built a 61-50 lead.
McCollum made 10 of his first 12 shots, including 2 of 3 from long range, despite drawing consistent double teams.
TIP INS
Spurs: After eight years as a San Antonio assistant, Becky Hammon officially assumed her new position as head coach of the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces. Coach Gregg Popovich said he would miss Hammon’s contributions. “She’s been wonderful for a while,” Popovich said. “I just wish her well, and I just wish she was here.” … G Dejounte Murray had two of his 13 triple-doubles against the Pelicans in the regular season.
Pelicans: While F Zion Williamson missed the entire regular season with a fractured right metatarsal, the former No. 1 overall pick was doing 360-degree dunks in pregame before sliding back into his street clothes. Coach Willie Green said he was not looking for Williamson to return until the beginning of next season. | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/cj-mccollum-leads-pelicans-past-spurs-in-play-in-game/ | 2022-04-14T07:21:15 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/cj-mccollum-leads-pelicans-past-spurs-in-play-in-game/ |
LONDON (AP) — The coach of Northern Ireland’s women’s team apologized Wednesday for saying girls and women are susceptible to conceding multiple goals in a short space of time because they are “more emotional than men.”
Kenny Shiels provoked criticism for the comments he made after his team’s 5-0 loss to England on Tuesday which ended Northern Ireland’s chances of qualifying for next year’s Women’s World Cup.
“In the women’s game, you’ll have noticed, I’m sure you will if you go through the patterns,” the 65-year-old Shiels said in the post-match news conference, “when a team concedes a goal, they concede a second one within a very short period of time.
“Right through the whole spectrum of the women’s game, because girls and women are more emotional than men. So, they take a goal going in, they don’t take that very well.”
In a statement released Wednesday, Shiels said he was “sorry for the offense that (the comments) have caused.”
“Last night was a special occasion for the women’s game in Northern Ireland,” he said, “and I am proud to manage a group of players who are role models for so many girls, and boys, across the country.
“I am an advocate for the women’s game and passionate about developing opportunities for women and girls to flourish.”
After conceding the opening goal against England in the 26th minute, Northern Ireland let in four more goals in a 27-minute span in the second half. Shiels’ team conceded three goals in nine minutes against Austria on Friday.
Shiels, who has coached Northern Ireland since 2019 after nearly three decades managing in the men’s game, described the second goal in such a situation as “an emotional goal.”
Former England and Arsenal striker Ian Wright said Shiels was “talking foolishness.”
“Talking about emotional women!” Wright wrote on Twitter. “Didn’t that man see how many times I was crying on the PITCH!”
Siobhan Chamberlain, the former goalkeeper for England’s women team, said Shiels needed to be “aware of the message that your words can carry.”
“We all know — and we get it drilled into us as footballers — the five minutes after you concede a goal, the five minutes after you score a goal across the board, not just in women’s football, in men’s football as well, you’re more likely to concede a goal, you’re more likely to potentially go on to score again,” she told the BBC.
“That’s not just in the women’s game, that’s in the men’s game as well. And to just generalize that to women is a slightly bizarre comment.”
Northern Ireland played in front of a crowd of 15,348 at Windsor Park in Belfast — a record for a women’s match in the country.
The team has reached the European Championship for the first time and will face Norway, Austria and host England in group play in July.
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More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/coach-apologizes-for-saying-women-more-emotional-than-men/ | 2022-04-14T07:21:23 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/coach-apologizes-for-saying-women-more-emotional-than-men/ |
Destructive wildfires rage in New Mexico, Colorado
(AP) - Firefighters scouted the drought-stricken mountainsides around a New Mexico village as they looked for opportunities to slow a wind-driven wildfire that a day earlier had burned at least 150 homes and other structures while displacing thousands of residents and forcing the evacuation of two schools.
Homes were among the structures that had burned, but officials on Wednesday did not have a count of how many were destroyed in the blaze that torched at least 6.4 square miles (16.6 square kilometers) of forest, brush and grass on the east side of the community of Ruidoso, said Laura Rabon, spokesperson for the Lincoln National Forest.
Rabon announced emergency evacuations of a more densely populated area during a briefing Wednesday afternoon as the fire jumped a road where crews were trying to hold the line. She told people to get in their cars and go.
So far, two deaths were reported from the fire, which has been fanned by strong winds, according to the New Mexico State Police.
The winds prevented forced a suspension of the aerial attack on the flames and kept authorities from getting a better estimate of how large the fire has grown. But some planes returned to the air as winds subsided late in the day, and seven airtankers and two helicopters have now been assigned to the fire, Forest Service officials said Wednesday evening.
While the cause of the blaze was under investigation, fire officials and forecasters warned Wednesday that persistent dry and windy conditions had prompted red flag warnings for a wide swath that included almost all of New Mexico, half of Texas and parts of Colorado and the Midwest.
Five new large fires were reported Tuesday, and nearly 1,600 wildland firefighters and support personnel were assigned to large fires in the southwestern, southern and Rocky Mountain areas, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
Hotter and drier weather weather coupled with decades of fire suppression have contributed to an increase in the number of acres burned by wildfires, fire scientists say. And the problem is exacerbated by a more than 20-year Western megadrought that studies link to human-caused climate change. The fire season has become year-round given changing conditions that include earlier snowmelt and rain coming later in the fall.
In Ruidoso, officials declared a state of emergency and said school classes were canceled Wednesday as the village — about 140 miles (225 kilometers) northeast of El Paso, Texas — coped with power outages due to down power lines.
The residences that burned were mostly a mix of trailers and single-family homes, and close to 4,000 people were displaced by evacuations that were ordered Tuesday. That number was expected to grow with the latest call for residents to leave.
Village spokeswoman Kerry Gladden said authorities spent part of Wednesday surveying as much damage as possible before the winds kicked up again. Air tankers also were able to drop a few loads of slurry, and more air support was expected Thursday.
“Right now, everybody is just rallying around those who had to be evacuated,” Gladden said. “We’re just trying to reach out to make sure everyone has places to stay.”
Donations were pouring in from other communities in southern New Mexico. State officials said emergency grants have been approved that will provide resources to firefighters and for other emergency efforts.
Ruidoso in 2012 was hit by one of the most destructive wildfires in New Mexico history, when a lightning-sparked blaze destroyed more than 240 homes and burned nearly 70 square miles (181 square kilometers).
Rabon said Wednesday that no precipitation was in the forecast and humidity levels remained in the single digits, which would make stopping the flames more difficult.
“Those extremely dry conditions are not in our favor,” she said.
Another wildfire in the Lincoln National Forest northwest of Ruidoso burned at least 400 acres (1.6 square kilometers) after it was sparked Tuesday by power lines downed by high winds. Crews confirmed Wednesday that 10 structures there were lost.
Elsewhere in New Mexico, wildfires were burning along the Rio Grande south of Albuquerque, in mountains northwest of the community of Las Vegas and in grasslands along the Pecos River near the town of Roswell.
In Colorado, crews were battling wind-whipped grass fires that had destroyed two homes and forced temporary evacuations.
___
Montoya Bryan reported from Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Davenport from Phoenix.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wistv.com/2022/04/14/destructive-wildfires-rage-new-mexico-colorado/ | 2022-04-14T07:21:24 | 0 | https://www.wistv.com/2022/04/14/destructive-wildfires-rage-new-mexico-colorado/ |
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco Giants first base coach Antoan Richardson and San Diego Padres third base coach Mike Shildt hugged on the field before their game Wednesday, a day after Richardson was ejected following an incident that he said included Shildt making comments that had “undertones of racism.”
Richardson said Shildt had used an expletive and told Giants manager Gabe Kapler to control Richardson on Tuesday night. At the time, Richardson said he interpreted Shildt’s comment “as if I was to be controlled or a piece of property or enslaved.”
On Wednesday, the two men chatted on the field and shook hands before addressing the media regarding the exchange. They embraced after speaking to reporters.
“I don’t believe he’s a racist,” said Richardson, who is Black. “I think, though, to the important point, he’s recognizing that some of his words, our words, are powerful and they’re impactful. And we just want to bring awareness to a situation that I think is important for our community.”
Shildt, who is white, acknowledged he used inappropriate language and said he appreciated Richardson saying he was not a racist.
“I’m grateful for Antoan clearing that up,” Shildt said. “Clearly misinterpreted, and I think he knows this, my value as a human is to love people. That’s exactly what I represent. So I appreciate him clearing that up for myself and my family.
“I don’t know Antoan’s heritage. I can’t walk in his shoes. I can only have empathy and love, which I do have, and I’ve always had in my life,” he said.
Richardson told reporters Tuesday night that his ejection stemmed from an incident that began when Shildt approached the Giants dugout.
Richardson said he asked Shildt what he needed. The San Francisco coach said Shildt used an expletive and told Kapler to “control” Richardson. “At that point in time I went up to the top step and said, ‘Excuse me,’ because I couldn’t believe what I heard” and got ejected, Richardson said after Tuesday’s game.
Shildt said Wednesday that Padres players and coaches had been upset the Giants’ Steven Duggar stole second base in the second inning with San Francisco leading 10-1. When Shildt went to coach third base in the top of the third, he and Richardson exchanged words.
“There’s some emotions running high. We looked at each other and then I looked in the dugout to find a couple guys that, they really don’t need to be named, but guys I’ve had relationships with since they were younger or I managed before,” Shildt said.
“I was looking for some support to try to diffuse the situation. I couldn’t find them, and then we had words exchanged. I’m not going to get into who started it. We’re past that point. … And I could have handled it differently with my verbiage,” he said.
Shildt said he thinks something positive will come of the controversy.
“The reality is we handled this tough solution publicly as men, with solution in our heart without any animosity. And I think it’s a great example of how people can communicate together regardless of backgrounds or colors or situation,” he said.
After Richardson was ejected, Giants assistant coach Alyssa Nakken took over his spot at first base. Nakken made history as the first female coach on the field in a Major League Baseball regular-season game.
The Giants won 13-2.
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More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/coaches-richardson-shildt-clear-the-air-after-confrontation/ | 2022-04-14T07:21:29 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/coaches-richardson-shildt-clear-the-air-after-confrontation/ |
Netflix launches new way for viewers to ‘like’ their favorite shows
Published: Apr. 13, 2022 at 10:58 PM EDT|Updated: 4 hours ago
(CNN) - Netflix wants to keep its customers happy with the selections they are making.
The streaming service recently introduced a new recommendation tool - a double thumbs-up button.
Netflix already has thumbs up and thumbs down buttons for viewers to give feedback on what they like and dislike, but the company said it wanted to add another option.
The double thumbs-up tool is a way for viewers to let Netflix know which shows and movies they really like and enjoy.
Representatives with Netflix said it could recommend similar content thanks to the new tool, which ultimately helps customers stick around longer and feel satisfied with their subscription.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.wistv.com/2022/04/14/netflix-introduces-new-way-recommend-content-viewers-like/ | 2022-04-14T07:21:31 | 1 | https://www.wistv.com/2022/04/14/netflix-introduces-new-way-recommend-content-viewers-like/ |
Police search for motive in Brooklyn subway suspect’s videos
NEW YORK (AP) — Frank James posted dozens of videos ranting about race, violence and his struggles with mental illness. One stands out for its relative calm: A silent shot of a packed New York City subway car in which he raises his finger to point out passengers, one by one.
Even as police arrested James on Wednesday in the Brooklyn subway shooting that wounded 10 people, they were still searching for a motive from a flood of details about the 62-year-old Black man’s life.
An erratic work history. Arrests for a string of mostly low-level crimes. A storage locker with more ammo. And hours of rambling, bigoted, profanity-laced videos on his YouTube channel that point to a deep, simmering anger.
“This nation was born in violence, it’s kept alive by violence or the threat thereof, and it’s going to die a violent death,” says James in a video where he takes on the moniker “Prophet of Doom.”
After a 30-hour manhunt, James was arrested without incident after a tipster — thought by police to be James himself — said he could be found near a McDonald’s on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Mayor Eric Adams triumphantly proclaimed “We got him!” Police said their top priority was getting the suspect, now charged with a federal terrorism offense, off the streets as they investigate their biggest unanswered question: Why?
A prime trove of evidence, they said, is his YouTube videos. He seems to have opinions about nearly everything — racism in America, New York City’s new mayor, the state of mental health services, 9/11, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and Black women.
A federal criminal complaint cited one in which James ranted about too many homeless people on the subway and put the blame on New York City’s mayor.
“What are you doing, brother?” he said in the video posted March 27. “Every car I went to was loaded with homeless people. It was so bad, I couldn’t even stand.”
James then railed about the treatment of Black people in an April 6 video cited in the complaint, saying, “And so the message to me is: I should have gotten a gun, and just started shooting.”
In a video posted a day before the attack, James criticizes crime against Black people and says things would only change if certain people were “stomped, kicked and tortured” out of their “comfort zone.”
Surveillance cameras spotted James entering the subway system turnstiles Tuesday morning, dressed as a maintenance or construction worker in a yellow hard hat and orange working jacket with reflective tape.
Police say fellow riders heard him say only “oops” as he set off one smoke grenade in a crowded subway car as it rolled into a station. He then set off a second smoke grenade and started firing, police said. In the smoke and chaos that ensued, police say James made his getaway by slipping into a train that pulled in across the platform and exited after the first stop.
Left behind at the scene was the gun, extended magazines, a hatchet, detonated and undetonated smoke grenades, a black garbage can, a rolling cart, gasoline and the key to a U-Haul van, police said.
That key led investigators to James, and clues to a life of setbacks and anger as he bounced among factory and maintenance jobs, got fired at least twice, moved among Milwaukee, Philadelphia, New Jersey and New York.
Investigators said James had 12 prior arrests in New York and New Jersey from 1990 to 2007, including for possession of burglary tools, criminal sex act, trespassing, larceny and disorderly conduct.
James had no felony convictions and was not prohibited from purchasing or owning a firearm. Police said the gun used in the attack was legally purchased at an Ohio pawn shop in 2011. A search of James’ Philadelphia storage unit and apartment turned up at least two types of ammunition, including the kind used with an AR-15 assault-style rifle, a taser and a blue smoke cannister.
Police said James was born and raised in New York City. In his videos, he said he finished a machine shop course in 1983 then worked as a gear machinist at Curtiss-Wright, an aerospace manufacturer in New Jersey, until 1991 when he was he was hit by a one-two punch of bad news: He was fired from his job and, soon after, his father whom he had lived with in New Jersey died.
Records show James filed a complaint against the aerospace company in federal court soon after he lost his job alleging racial discrimination, but it was dismissed a year later by a judge. He says in one video, without offering specifics, that he “couldn’t get any justice for what I went through.”
A spokesperson for Curtiss-Wright didn’t immediately respond to a call seeking comment.
James describes going in and out of several mental health facilities, including two in the Bronx borough of New York City in the 1970s.
“Mr. Mayor, let me say to you I’m a victim of your mental health program in New York City,” James says in a video earlier this year, adding he is “full of hate, full anger and bitterness.”
James says he later was a patient at Bridgeway House, a mental health facility in New Jersey, although that could not be immediately confirmed. Messages left with the facility were not returned.
“My goal at Bridgeway in 1997 was to get off Social Security and go back to f------ work,” he says in a video, adding that he enrolled in a college and took a course in computer-aided design and manufacturing.
James says he eventually got a job at telecommunications giant Lucent Technologies in Parsippany, New Jersey, but says he ended up getting fired and returned to Bridgeway House, this time not as a patient but as an employee on the maintenance staff. A message seeking comment was sent to Lucent Technologies.
“I just want to work. I want to be a person that’s productive,” he said.
Touches of that earnest, struggling man showed up after James’ parked car was hit in Milwaukee. Eugene Yarbrough, pastor of Mt. Zion Wings of Glory Church of God in Christ next door to James’ apartment, said James was impressed that the pastor owned up to hitting the car. Neither James nor anyone else was there to see the accident. And James called him up to say so.
“I just couldn’t believe it would be him,” Yarbrough said. “But who knows what people will do?”
___
AP reporters Michael Balsamo in Washington, Deepti Hajela in New York, Claudia Lauer in Philadelphia, Todd Richmond in Madison, Wisconsin and Carrie Antlfinger in Milwaukee contributed to this report.
___
On Twitter follow Bernard Condon at twitter.com/bernardfcondon, Michael Sisak at twitter.com/mikesisak and Michael Kunzelman at twitter.com/Kunzelman75 and send confidential news tips by visiting https://www.ap.org/tips/
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wistv.com/2022/04/14/police-search-motive-brooklyn-subway-suspects-videos/ | 2022-04-14T07:21:38 | 0 | https://www.wistv.com/2022/04/14/police-search-motive-brooklyn-subway-suspects-videos/ |
ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks were missing John Collins and Lou Williams for their NBA play-in game Wednesday night against the Charlotte Hornets.
Collins hasn’t played since March 11 because of a right ring finger sprain and a sprained right foot. He has resumed 4-on-4 workouts but is still not ready for game action.
Williams was out because of lower back discomfort.
Gordon Hayward remained sidelined for the Hornets with a sore left foot. He has played only one game, for less than 17 minutes, since Feb. 7.
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Police: Woman dies after getting stuck upside down while climbing US-Mexico border wall
TUCSON, Ariz. (Gray News) - Police in Arizona said a Mexican woman died after illegally attempting to cross into the U.S. earlier this week.
Cochise County Sheriff Mark J. Dannels reports deputies responded to a call from Mexican authorities at about 11 p.m. on Monday concerning a woman stuck on a border fence near Douglas, Ariz.
According to the sheriff’s office, the woman was climbing over the border wall when she got stuck in the ropes of a harness and trapped upside down for a significant amount of time.
The 32-year-old was transported to a local hospital, but she was pronounced deceased. Authorities in Arizona said they notified the Mexican Consulate about the incident.
An autopsy will be completed to determine the woman’s cause of death and the sheriff’s office said its investigation continues.
“These incidents are not political; they are humanitarian realities that someone has lost a loved one in a senseless tragedy,” Sheriff Dannels said. “We have to do better in finding solutions to the challenges facing our border, and we have to do it for the right reasons. Regardless of opinions, the facts should direct our progress, and we will keep working towards a shared goal of border safety and security.”
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wistv.com/2022/04/14/police-woman-dies-after-getting-stuck-upside-down-while-climbing-us-mexico-border-wall/ | 2022-04-14T07:21:44 | 1 | https://www.wistv.com/2022/04/14/police-woman-dies-after-getting-stuck-upside-down-while-climbing-us-mexico-border-wall/ |
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Alyssa Nakken made major league history as the first female coach on the field in a regular-season game, and the Giants pounded the San Diego Padres 13-2 on Tuesday night.
The 31-year-old Nakken took over at first base in the third inning afterAntoan Richardson got ejected. When she was announced as Richardson’s replacement, Nakken was greeted with a warm ovation from the crowd at Oracle Park. She also received a congratulatory handshake from Padres first baseman Eric Hosmer.
San Francisco manager Gabe Kapler said Nakken had “prepared for this moment” while working with Richardson and others.
“So it’s not a foreign spot on the field for her. She does so many other things well that aren’t seen,” he said. “So it’s nice to see her kind of be right there in the spotlight and do it on the field.”
Nakken is an assistant coach who works heavily with baserunning and outfield defense. She watches games from an indoor batting cage near the steps to the dugout.
Brandon Belt hit a two-run homer highlighting a six-run first inning off Yu Darvish, and it was 10-1 in the second. That was plenty for Alex Cobb (1-0), who struck out 10 to win his San Francisco debut.
Joc Pederson homered for the first time since joining the Giants with an eighth-inning drive.
Wilmer Flores, held out Monday for personal reasons, returned to start at third base for the Giants and his RBI single in the second chased Darvish (0-1). Flores also homered in the eighth.
Pederson and Flores both connected after Padres outfielder Wil Myers moved to the mound to pitch.
Cobb who signed a $20 million, two-year contract ahead of the lockout, gave up two runs on four hits and walked two over five innings.
After Belt connected for his second homer of the year — he hit a career-best 29 last season — Thairo Estrada added a two-run single, Joey Bart singled home a run and Steven Duggar added a sacrifice fly in the big inning.
Darvish was tagged for nine runs on eight hits over 1 2/3 innings with two strikeouts and two walks. He had been looking to build on his season-opening outing last week at Arizona, where he had a no-hitter in progress but was pulled following the sixth inning after throwing 92 pitches.
Yunior Marte made his major league debut pitching the ninth for San Francisco.
NAKKEN’S CHANCE
Nakken, her blonde braid hanging out of her protective orange helmet, had previously coached first in spring training and during a July 2020 exhibition game at Oakland against now-Padres manager Bob Melvin when he was with the Athletics. She then started the game at first the next night back in San Francisco.
The former Sacramento State softball star became the first female coach in the big leagues when she was hired for Kapler’s staff in January 2020. She has worked heavily on baserunning and outfield defense.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Padres: LHP Blake Snell, scratched from his start Sunday with tightness in his left upper leg, played catch but wasn’t able to throw off the mound. He is likely headed to the injured list Wednesday. … San Diego claimed RHP Kyle Tyler off waivers from the Angels and designated RHP Javy Guerra for assignment.
Giants: RHP Tyler Rogers went on the paternity list a day after taking the loss on a night his twin brother, Taylor, earned the save for San Diego. Tyler Rogers left immediately after his outing to go welcome his first child, a boy to be named Jack. The brothers became the fifth set of twins to play in the same game. … RHP Yunior Marte was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento.
UP NEXT
LHP Sean Manaea (1-0, 0.00 ERA), who pitched seven no-hit innings in his Padres debut Friday at Arizona, starts Wednesday afternoon’s series finale opposite Giants right-hander Logan Webb (0-0, 1.50).
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More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/giants-nakken-1st-mlb-female-coach-on-field-sf-beat-padres/ | 2022-04-14T07:21:44 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/giants-nakken-1st-mlb-female-coach-on-field-sf-beat-padres/ |
Texas keeping most truck inspections despite border gridlock
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday defied intensifying pressure over his new border policy that has gridlocked trucks entering the U.S. and shut down some of the world’s busiest trade bridges as the Mexican government, businesses and even some allies urge him to relent.
The two-term Republican governor, who has ordered that commercial trucks from Mexico undergo extra inspections as part of a fight with President Joe Biden’s administration over immigration, refused to fully reverse course as traffic remains snarled.
The standoff has stoked warnings by trade groups and experts that U.S. grocery shoppers could soon notice shortages on shelves and higher prices unless the normal flow of trucks resumes.
Abbott announced Wednesday that he would stop inspections at one bridge in Laredo after reaching an agreement with the governor of neighboring Nuevo Leon in Mexico. But some of the most dramatic truck backups and bridge closures have occurred elsewhere along Texas’ 1,200-mile border.
“I understand the concerns that businesses have trying to move product across the border,” Abbott said during a visit to Laredo. “But I also know well the frustration of my fellow Texans and my fellow Americans caused by the Biden administration not securing our border.”
Abbott said inbound commercial trucks elsewhere will continue to undergo thorough inspections by state troopers until leaders of Mexico’s three other neighboring states reach agreements with Texas over security. He did not spell out what those measures must entail.
At the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge, where more produce crosses than any other land port in the U.S., truckers protesting Abbott’s order had effectively shut down the bridge since Monday. But Wednesday afternoon, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said the protests had concluded and commercial traffic had resumed.
Nuevo Leon Gov. Samuel García joined Abbott in Laredo, where backups on the Colombia Solidarity Bridge have stretched for three hours or longer. Garcia said Nuevo Leon would begin checkpoints to assure Abbott they “would not have any trouble.”
Abbott said he was hopeful other Mexican states would soon follow and said those states had been in contact with his office. On Tuesday, the governors of Coahuila and Tamaulipas had sent a letter to Abbott calling the inspections overzealous.
“This policy will ultimately increase consumer costs in an already record 40-year inflated market — holding the border hostage is not the answer,” the letter read.
The slowdowns are the fallout of an initiative that Abbott says is needed to curb human trafficking and the flow of drugs. Abbott ordered the inspections as part of “unprecedented actions” he promised in response to the Biden administration winding down a public health law that has limited asylum-seekers in the name of preventing the spread of COVID-19.
In addition to the inspections, Abbott also said Texas would begin offering migrants bus rides to Washington, D.C., in a demonstration of frustration with the Biden administration and Congress. Hours before the news conference in Laredo, Abbott announced the first bus carrying 24 migrants had arrived in Washington.
During the last week of March, Border Protection officials said the border averaged more than 7,100 crossings daily.
White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki called Abbott’s order “unnecessary and redundant.” Trucks are inspected by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents upon entering the country, and while Texas troopers have previously done additional inspections on some vehicles, local officials and business owners say troopers have never stopped every truck until now.
Cross-border traffic has plummeted to a third of normal levels since the inspections began, according to Mexico’s government. Mexico is a major supplier of fresh vegetables to the U.S., and importers say the wait times and rerouting of trucks to other bridges as far away as Arizona has spoiled some produce shipments.
The escalating pressure on Abbott, who is up for reelection in November, has come from his supporters and members of his own party.
The Texas Trucking Association, which has endorsed Abbott, said that the current situation “cannot be sustained.”
John Esparza, the association’s president, said he agrees with attempts to find a remedy with Mexico’s governors. But he said if talks take long, congestion could overwhelm bridges where inspections by Texas are no longer being done.
“The longer that goes, the more the impact is felt across the country,” Esparza said. " It is like when a disaster strikes.”
The slowdowns have set off some of widest backlash to date of Abbott’s multibillion-dollar border operation, which the two-term governor has made the cornerstone of his administration. Texas has thousands of state troopers and National Guard members on the border and has converted prisons into jails for migrants arrested on state trespassing charges.
Critics question how the inspections are meeting Abbott’s objective of stopping the flow of migrants and drugs. Asked what troopers had turned up in their truck inspections, Abbott directed the question to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
As of Monday, the agency said it had inspected more than 3,400 commercial vehicles and placed more than 800 “out of service” for violations that included defective brakes, tires and lighting. It made no mention of whether the inspections turned up migrants or drugs.
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Associated Press reporters Acacia Coronado. Susan Montoya Bryan in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Mark Stevenson in Mexico City contributed to this report.
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This story has been corrected to show it’s Customs and Border Protection.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wistv.com/2022/04/14/texas-keeping-most-truck-inspections-despite-border-gridlock/ | 2022-04-14T07:21:50 | 0 | https://www.wistv.com/2022/04/14/texas-keeping-most-truck-inspections-despite-border-gridlock/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. declared this spring that last year was just the trailer for the upstart Blue Jays. This seasonwould be the feature-length film.
Bloodied by a baserunner’s cleats and forced into the dugout, Guerrero sure looked to manager Charlie Montoyo like a best picture winner.
“Like in the ‘Rocky’ movie,” Montoyo recalled. “‘Cut me, Mick! I’m bleeding!’”
Audiences agree: Guerrero delivered a trilogy worth seeing Wednesday night in the Bronx.
Guerrero shook off a bloody gash on his right ring finger and hit three home runs against the rival Yankees, including two off ace Gerrit Cole, as Toronto beat New York 6-4. He also had a double and slickly gloved a sharp line drive for the game’s final out.
“Add that one to my list,” Guerrero said via translator when asked if it was his most impressive feat yet.
George Springer hit a tiebreaking single in the seventh, and Toronto held off the Yankees despite homers from Anthony Rizzo, Aaron Judge and Gleyber Torres — and a fly in the eighth by pinch-hitter Giancarlo Stanton that was caught on the warning track.
Guerrero had a big hand in that.
The AL MVP runner-up homered off Cole in the first inning, had his hand accidentally spiked on a play at first base in the second, then hammered a line-drive, two-run shot against Cole in the third to put Toronto up 3-0.
He doubled off Cole in the sixth — prompting the pitcher to emphatically tip his cap — then launched a 443-foot leadoff homer against Jonathan Loaisiga in the eighth for a 5-3 lead.
“Did you see the night?” Cole said. “If you had a cap, you’d tip it, too. It got better after that, too. My goodness.”
Guerrero got two stitches after the game but said his hand felt fine, although he anticipated some soreness might set in Thursday.
“It’s not that bad,” he said.
It was the second three-homer game of Guerrero’s career, matching a career high set last April 27 against Washington. He was on deck when teammate Bo Bichette made the final out in the top of the ninth, leaving him without a shot at matching the big league record of four homers in a game.
Guerrero leads the majors with four homers in six games after topping the bigs with 48 last season.
“That guy,” Judge said, “he’s a game-changer.”
Guerrero seemed like he’d have to leave in the second inning whenhis bare throwing hand was stepped on by baserunner Aaron Hicks. Guerrero had to reach across his body for Bichette’s throw and placed his right hand down behind the first base bag to balance. Hicks stomped on it running out an infield single.
The fourth-year big leaguer immediately began waving the hand around, then walked toward Toronto’s dugout as blood dripped onto his uniform and the turf. In a show of toughness sure to satisfy hockey-mad fans back in Toronto, Guerrero had trainer Voon Chong tape up his wound, then jogged back to first base a couple minutes later.
Guerrero was lobbying Montoyo to leave him in the game even before Chong figured out how to clean up the mess.
“I saw a lot of blood,” Montoyo said. “Besides Vladdy, the trainers were kind of MVPs tonight.”
With a dark red stain on the right thigh of his pants, Guerrero batted again in the top of the third and turned Cole’s 98 mph fastball into a 427-foot, two-run homer and a 3-0 Blue Jays lead.
New York erased that deficit with homers by Rizzo and Judge and a tying double from DJ LeMahieu against José Berríos in the sixth. Springer responded in the seventh with an RBI single against Loaisiga.
Guerrero’s first homer was nearly robbed in center by Hicks, who leaped above the wall and briefly had the ball in his glove. It fell out when Hicks hit the wall, bounced off something beyond the home-run barrier and fell back into play. A replay review confirmed the ball went out.
Jordan Romano pitched the ninth for his fourth save of the season. He’s converted 27 straight chances.
Blue Jays outfielder Teoscar Hernández left the field in pain after a groundout in the sixth and was removed from the game with left side discomfort. Montoyo said he’d get an MRI, and the team would know more Thursday.
Rizzo has three homers in six games. Judge and Torres each hit their first. Stanton’s drive in the eighth would’ve tied it, but left fielder Raimel Tapia caught it with his back against the wall.
Cole struck out six in 5 2/3 innings, giving up three runs on Guerrero’s homers. Three of the four hits against him were by Guerrero.
Adam Cimber (1-1) pitched a scoreless inning for the win. Chad Green (0-1) walked Alejandro Kirk, and pinch-runner Cavan Biggio scored on Springer’s single.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Blue Jays: Montoyo says Toronto may shift to a six-man rotation. RHP Ross Stripling could be plugged in to start Friday against Oakland.
Yankees: LHP Jordan Montgomery is expected to pitch as scheduled Friday at Baltimore despite taking a 103 mph comebacker off his left knee.
UP NEXT
Yankees RHP Luis Severino (0-0, 6.00) faces Toronto RHP Kevin Gausman (0-0, 5.40) in the series finale.
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Thinking small: Biden scrounges for ways to break through
WASHINGTON (AP) — With his sweeping domestic agenda on hold and images of horror in Ukraine dominating headlines, President Joe Biden is scrounging for ways to demonstrate that he’s still making progress for Americans at a time when many feel the country is heading in the wrong direction.
Six months out from the midterm elections, Biden’s team is betting that smaller, discrete announcements can break through to voters better than talk of transformational plans that are so far only aspirational. And as the global focus is on Ukraine, the White House is eager for Americans to see Biden tackling the kitchen-table issues important to them –- none more so than the searing inflation exacerbated by the Russian invasion.
Last week, that meant aides positioned big rigs outside the White House so Biden could talk about efforts to get more truck drivers on the road. A day later, he welcomed back former President Barack Obama for the signing of an executive order updating the Affordable Care Act. And after that, he signed bipartisan legislation intended to safeguard the U.S. Postal Service’s financial future.
This week, he’s notching his heaviest domestic travel in months. On Thursday, he is to visit Greensboro, North Carolina, to highlight his plans to boost domestic supply chains and high-tech workforces. It comes after a Tuesday stop in Iowa to announce that his administration was granting a waiver to allow more ethanol in gasoline year-round, a move that officials estimated would shave 10 cents per gallon off gasoline prices — but at just 2,300 gas stations out of the nation’s more than 100,000.
The White House says the public focus on the war in Ukraine is “understandable” and it’s realistic about the challenges facing Biden in breaking through.
“While the world needs to understand and see how he is leading on the war, the country needs to see how he is continuing to lead on the economy,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Wednesday. “Being able to continue to speak to our domestic audience about that is a huge priority. And his schedule tells the story of how much of a priority it is.”
All of the policies Biden is touting will have direct impact on American lives — but they also fall far short of the goals that Biden set for himself when taking office. Taken together, they show how the White House is trying to regain momentum at a time when Biden is under pressure to recalibrate his ambitions.
“I think it makes good strategic sense that, if you’re going to be stymied by Congress, you take matters into your own hands,” said Eric Schultz, a communications official in the Obama White House.
It’s a dynamic that Obama himself confronted, particularly in his second term in office, when he used his executive authority to push forward his agenda as much as possible.
“It’s not a coincidence that this strategy emerged when Republicans threw up their hands and decided they didn’t want to be governing partners,” Schultz said.
Schultz said Democrats need to demonstrate they’re making progress even if they’re not passing the sweeping legislation they promised.
“Did we accomplish everything we wanted to? No,” he said. “But did we roll up our sleeves every day and push the needle forward? Yes.”
While there have been successes, notably the confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to be the first Black woman on the Supreme Court, much of Biden’s agenda remains stalemated — or worse.
Lawmakers are struggling to hash out a bipartisan compromise on legislation that’s intended to help the U.S. compete economically with China. Biden’s sweeping Build Back Better legislation is dead in the water, waiting for Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin to decide what, if anything, he’ll support. Immigration reform, gun control legislation and voting reform have fallen out of the national conversation.
That’s left Biden touting the benefits of infrastructure legislation that passed last year — old bridges slated for replacement are a staple of his domestic travels — and looking for other, small policies that can be advanced.
Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, said smaller initiatives are only going to help if they “lay the groundwork for passing much bigger policies.”
“Singles are fine if they’re a prelude to a grand slam,” he said, adding that Democrats face “a motivation challenge” ahead of the midterms. “Democrats are not going to get people to the polls with a lot of singles.”
William Galston, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, said Biden is trying to make the most of a difficult situation.
“He’s doing what he can now that some of his grander plans have been sidetracked,” he said.
Galston recalled a similar strategy when he worked on domestic policy for President Bill Clinton. Before the midterms in 1994, the White House worked on “running up the score” with policy proposals that were less controversial.
“It was just what happened when the White House conceded defeat on its central agenda item,” which was health care reform for Clinton.
“Those smaller victories made absolutely no difference in the midterms. The fact that they were below the radar screen was good news for passing legislation, but bad news for their political effectiveness,” he said. For Biden, “that’s likely to be the case this time, too.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wistv.com/2022/04/14/thinking-small-biden-scrounges-ways-break-through/ | 2022-04-14T07:21:57 | 1 | https://www.wistv.com/2022/04/14/thinking-small-biden-scrounges-ways-break-through/ |
EWA BEACH, Hawaii (AP) — Hannah Green shot a 6-under 66 on Wednesday to take the lead after the first round of the LPGA Lotte Championship.
Green had eight birdies, including five on the front nine, at breezy Hoakalei Country Club, a first-time venue in the 10th edition of the tournament. The Australian hit 11 of 14 fairways, 14 of 18 greens in regulation and needed just 26 putts.
“I’ve been hitting the ball good,” Green said. “I just felt like with the putter I just needed to see a couple go in. So, that’s kind of what led to my score today. Holed a couple longer ones, which is nice. Just made the hole feel a little bit bigger.”
She won both her tour titles in 2019, taking the major KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and the Cambia Portland Classic.
“I really enjoy coming to Hawaii,” Green said. “It’s such a relaxed vibe, and I think that’s what we need a little bit more of when we’re on the golf course. This afternoon, I’m probably going to go to the beach. Hopefully, doesn’t get too much windier or might not be too pleasant.”
Hyo Joo Kim, Jodi Ewart Shadoff, Aditi Ashok, Alison Lee and Gemma Dryburgh were a stroke back.
“We were lucky to get out kind of before it really started blowing,” Dryburgh said. “When we made the turn it got pretty strong. Yeah, just used my Scottish knowledge.”
Defending champion Lydia Ko opened with a bogey-free 69.
“I felt like I kept it in play for most parts,” Ko said. “The wind picked up quite a lot over my back nine, which is the front nine, so it made it a lot tougher out there.”
Brooke Henderson, the only player to have won the tournament twice, had a 74. She had back-to-back bogeys on the sixth and seventh holes, then dropped two more strokes with a double bogey on the 180-yard, par-3 ninth.
Jennifer Kupcho, coming off a major victory two weeks ago at Rancho Mirage in the California desert, also posted a 74 and is tied for 77th.
Danielle Kang, who owns four top-10 finishes this year, including a win at the season-opening Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions in January and is third in the Rolex Player of the Year point standings, withdrew from the field following her round of 76 due to injury.
Inbee Park, who finished tied for second at last year’s Lotte Championship, opened with a round of 80, her highest single-round score since the second round of the 2019 Mediheal Championship, when she also shot an 8-over 80.
The event was played at Ko Olina Golf Club for its first eight years, was canceled in 2020 and moved to Kapolei Golf Club last year.
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GUANGZHOU, China, April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The upcoming 131st China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) will present more than 2.9 million products covering eight major sectors, among which the electronic and home appliances exhibition zone will feature nearly 2,600 companies with 140,000 products.
The home appliance exhibition zone will gather China's leading brands such as Haier, Hisense, Gree, Midea, Changhong, TCL, along with small- and medium-sized manufacturers and exporters, to further explore the diverse market.
"The vivid gathering of the entire industrial chain of China's intelligent manufacturing at the Canton Fair will enable comprehensive presentation of the sector's cutting-edge technology as well as promote efficient cross-border businesses," said Alan Liu, Deputy Director-General of the Foreign Affairs Office at Canton Fair.
Canton Fair presents the new stay-at-home business
Since 2021, home-based and online businesses have played a significant role in major economies, stimulating the global home appliance market. According to GFK, from January to November 2021, the global retail sales of white appliances maintained steady growth with sales increasing by 14.8 percent, and small household appliances increased by 11.1 percent.
China's home appliance industry, with its stable supply chain and industrial facilities, has further developed its market via the Canton Fair.
Stove and smoking machine companies, as well as small kitchen appliance manufacturers, have upgraded their products to enable a healthier stay-at-home life. Large-capacity range hoods, high thermal efficiency gas stoves, and cold water-free gas heaters have further increased popularity in the market, including Schindler's Sky AI large suction range hood, which can monitor the firepower in real-time and automatically adjust the suction power during the cooking.
Leading companies such as Midea, Haier, Vatti and Sacon are also focusing on developing intelligent systems for kitchen appliances, which can connect multiple isolated devices onto one super terminal to enable a smarter experience through its distribution network, application-free installation and direct supporting service.
Canton Fair brings new technology to promote high-quality development
According to the China Hardware and Electromechanical Chamber of Commerce, China's total exports of household electrical appliances reached 118.45 billion USD in 2021, an increase of 26.4 percent over 2020.
With record-high export scale and growth rate of the sector in the past ten years, Canton Fair's home appliance exhibition area has developed rapidly to echo the intelligent innovation in the industry, bringing a variety of products with independent research and development technology to global buyers.
Signature products at the Fair will include televisions with new display and big screen technology, such as a transformable OLED television with flexible screen presented by Skyworth.
Cleaning appliances are also becoming more intelligent. Ecovacs will showcase its multi-purpose sweeping and mopping robot vacuum and cleaning station, which has mop self-cleaning and hot air drying, automatic dust collection, anion sterilization and water tank self-filling functions. The sweeping robot has enabled voice control with 12 sweeping and mopping cleaning modes.
Please register https://www.cantonfair.org.cn/en-US/register/index#/foreign-email for more business opportunities.
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LONDON (AP) — It’s a weekend warrior’s nightmare. You’re playing hoops in the driveway and go up for a lay-up. You land and hear a pop: you’ve torn your Achilles tendon. Do you have surgery or hope it heals with just a cast and rehab? New research says both options led to similar outcomes about a year later.
The Achilles tendon, which connects the muscles in the back of the calf to the heel bone, is the most commonly torn tendon in the body. Most tears are due to trauma or accident while playing sports; men are much more prone to the injury than women.
In the biggest-ever study investigating which treatment is best, scientists in Norway tracked 526 patients — mostly men with an average age of 39 — who ripped their Achilles tendon. They either had minimally invasive surgery, a standard surgery or non-surgical treatment, a brace to immobilize the affected foot and physical therapy. All patients got rehab therapy and were told to avoid risky activities for six months.
There were only slight differences in how everyone had recovered about a year later. There were more people who re-injured their Achilles tendon among those who didn’t have surgery — 6.2% versus 0.6% of those who had an operation. And there were more nerve injuries reported in those who had surgery. About 5% of those who had the minimally invasive surgery reported nerve injuries afterward, compared to 2.8% of those who had the standard surgery and 0.6% of those who skipped surgery. The study was published online Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.
“For the average person, who is not a high-performance athlete, there is no need to have surgery,” said Dr. Matthew Costa, a professor of orthopedic trauma surgery at the University of Oxford and not part of the study. Costas said the only benefit to an operation might be to avoid the chance of a repeat injury, but said the chances of that were similar to the risk of a standard complication from surgery, like a wound infection.
He also said surgery could be helpful in other cases, including for people who don’t realize they’ve torn the tendon until long after the injury. In those cases, the tendon may not have been able to heal properly.
Dr. William Levine, chair of orthopedic surgery at Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons, said patients should talk through their options with their doctor to explore if surgery is appropriate.
“If you tear a tendon, there is a natural healing process in the body that occurs,” Levine explained. “But it may heal in a position that’s not ideal, and surgeons are able to fix it more precisely.”
Dr. Stale Myhrvold, the study’s lead author, said that for people to successfully skip surgery, patients need to have their affected foot in a brace early — within the first three days.
“Most acute Achilles tendon ruptures in adults can be treated non-operatively,” he said in an email. “Most of my patients choose non-operative treatments after receiving this information.”
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This story has been corrected to fix the spelling of the last name of an expert quoted in the story. It is Dr. Matthew Costa, not Costas.
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/heal-thyself-most-who-tear-achilles-tendon-can-skip-surgery/ | 2022-04-14T07:22:07 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/heal-thyself-most-who-tear-achilles-tendon-can-skip-surgery/ |
HONG KONG, April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Akeso, Inc. (9926.HK) ( "Akeso" ), a China-based biopharmaceutical company focusing on the development and commercialization of innovative therapeutic antibodies for Oncology & Immunology, announced the publication of preclinical results of its PD-1/CD73 bi-specific antibody (AK131) at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2022. AK131 has demonstrated to have potent in-vitro and in-vivo anti-tumor activities.
Abstract: AK131, an anti-PD1/CD73 bispecific antibody for cancer immune therapy
AK131 is a bi-specific antibody derived from Penpulimab (Akeso's marketed PD-1 antibody ) and AK119 (Akeso's CD73 antibody in clinical stage). AK119 is a dual mechanism antibody (2021 SITC poster #750) that both blocks the generation of adenosine and stimulates antigen specific B cell activation. Adenosine is a key immune suppressive molecule contributing to the resistance of PD-1 antibody therapy. Both CD73 and PD-1 are with high expression in the tumor microenvironment. Moreover, a growing body of literature evidence supports an important role of B cells in anit-tumor immunity. Thus the company developed a bi-specific PD-1/CD73 antibody with the capacity to relieve immune checkpoint control of T cells, activate B cells, and eliminate immune suppression by adenosine, for immune therapy of cancer.
The results and observations in AK131's preclinical study support the development of AK131 as an anti-tumor agent in the clinic:
- AK131 effectively bound to human PD-1 and CD73 with high affinity. The interaction between PD-1 and its ligand PD-L1 was blocked by AK131 in reporter gene assay.
- In cellular assays, AK131 effectively promoted the secretion of IFN-γ and IL-2 by T cells in co-culture of PBMCs and Raji-PDL1 cells.
- Moreover, AK131 inhibited CD73 enzymatic activity and induced endocytosis of CD73. AK131 enhanced the expression of CD69, CD83, HLA-DR and IgM which are markers of B cell activation in an adenosine-independent manner.
- In in-vivo assay, AK131 successfully inhibited tumor growth in C57BL/6-hPD1/hPDL1/hCD73 transgenic mice MC38-hPDL1-hCD73 tumor syngeneic model.
Reference
[1] Huang S, Apasov S, Koshiba M, Sitkovsky M. Role of A2a extracellular adenosine receptor-mediated signaling in adenosine-mediated inhibition of T-cell activation and expansion. Blood. 1997; 90:1600-10.
[2] [2] Novitskiy SV, Ryzhov S, Zaynagetdinov R, Goldstein AE, Huang Y, Tikhomirov OY, Blackburn MR, Biaggioni I,Carbone DP, Feoktistov I, et al. Adenosine receptors in regulation of dendritic cell differentiation and function. Blood. 2008; 112:1822-31.
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NEW YORK (AP) — Already the face of the upstart Toronto Blue Jays, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. looked the part of a true Maple Leaf on Wednesday night, too.
Guerrero shook off a bloody gash on his right ring finger to hit three home runs against the rival Yankees, including two off ace Gerrit Cole.
The AL MVP runner-up homered off Cole in the first inning, had his hand accidentally spiked on a play at first base in the second, then hammered a line-drive homer off Cole in the third to put Toronto up 3-0. He doubled off Cole in the sixth — prompting the pitcher to make a show of tipping his cap to the 23-year-old — then launched a 443-foot leadoff homer against Jonathan Loaisiga in the eighth for a 5-3 lead.
It was the second three-homer game of Guerrero’s career, matching a career high set last April 27 against Washington.
Guerrero seemed like he’d have to leave in the second inning when his bare throwing hand was accidentally spiked by baserunner Aaron Hicks. Guerrero had to reach across his body for infielder Bo Bichette’s throw and placed his right hand down behind the first base bag to balance. Hicks stomped on it running out an infield single.
The 23-year-old Guerrero immediately began waving the hand around, then walked toward Toronto’s dugout as blood dripped onto his uniform and the turf.
In a show of toughness sure to satisfy hockey-mad fans back in Toronto, Guerrero had a trainer tape up his wound and jogged back to first base a couple minutes later.
With a bloody stain on the right thigh of his pants, he batted again in the top of the third and turned Cole’s 98 mph fastball into a 427-foot, two-run homer and a 3-0 Blue Jays lead.
He used his right hand for high-fives with base coaches Mark Budzinski and Luis Rivera as he rounded the bases, then clapped his hands together emphatically before touching home plate.
Guerrero’s first homer was nearly robbed in center by Hicks, who leaped above the wall and briefly had the ball in his glove. It fell out when Hicks hit the wall, bounced off something beyond the home-run barrier and fell back into play. A replay review confirmed the ball went out.
Guerrero has four homers in six games this season after leading the majors with 48 last season.
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HONG KONG, April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Akeso, Inc. (9926.HK) ( "Akeso" ), a China-based biopharmaceutical company focusing on the development and commercialization of innovative therapeutic antibodies for Oncology & Immunology, announced the publication of preclinical results of its anti-TIGIT monoclonal antibody (AK127) showing potent preclinical anti-tumor activities at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2022.
Abstract:AK127, a novel monoclonal antibody (mAb) targeting T cell immunoreceptor (TIGIT)
AK127 is a novel humanized immunoglobulin (Ig) G1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) targeting T cell immunoreceptor with immunoglobulin and immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif domain (TIGIT). AK127 specifically binds to TIGIT and blocks the interaction of TIGIT with its ligands, thus relieving immune suppression and promoting anti-tumor immune response.
Immune checkpoint blocking antibodies achieved great clinical success, yet a large fraction of cancer patients receive minimum benefit from current immunotherapies targeting PD-1 and CTLA-4. As a new multifunctional immune checkpoint molecule, TIGIT holds promise to become an important cancer immune therapy target.
The observations in AK127's preclinical study support the development of AK127 as an anti-tumor agent in the clinic:
- AK127 blocked the immune inhibitory signal mediated by TIGIT, resulting in enhanced IL-2 secretion.
- AK127 exhibited binding to FcγRIa, FcγRIIIa and C1q, and eliciting ADCC, ADCP and CDC.
- In animal models, both AK104 (0.5 mg/kg) and AK127 (4 mg/kg) significantly inhibited tumor growth.
- The combination of AK127 and AK104 produced a significantly enhanced anti-tumor effect than either monotherapy, demonstrating the synergistic anti-tumor activity of AK127 combined with AK104.
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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Clayton Kershaw was in prime form — call it perfect — in his season debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers, leaving no concern about his health after facing no resistance from the Minnesota Twins.
When the time came for manager Dave Roberts to relieve him, Kershaw didn’t put up a fight, either.
Kershaw took a perfect game through seven innings for the Dodgers until he was pulled after 80 pitches, dominating the Twins with 13 strikeouts in 21 batters during a 7-0 victory on Wednesday.
“Those are selfish goals. We’re trying to win. That’s really all we’re here for,” Kershaw said.
Roberts consulted with Kershaw after the sixth, and the three-time NL Cy Young Award winner told him his preference: one more inning with an 85-pitch limit.
“I would have loved to have stayed, but bigger things, man, bigger things,” Kershaw said.
So on a the gray, windy, 38-degree afternoon at Target Field, Alex Vesia entered for the eighth to boos from the blue-clad Dodgers fans in the crowd of 17,101. Vesia gave up Minnesota’s first and only hit, a one-out single by Gary Sánchez.
Cody Bellinger, Gavin Lux and Austin Barnes hit back-to-back-to-back home runs in the eighth against reliever Dereck Rodriguez, who made his Twins debut.
Chris Paddack had a rough first start with the Twins, too, less than a week after he was acquired in a trade with the Padres. He lasted four innings, with six hits and three runs allowed.
Justin Turner hit a two-run single in the first, Trea Turner had a sacrifice fly in the second and Max Muncy went deep in the ninth for the Dodgers, who won a 7-2 game the night before that was paused for 1 1/2 hours due to rain and ended after midnight.
Kershaw was plenty refreshed.
Re-signed with the Dodgers for $17 million this year after missing more than two months in 2021 with inflammation in his left forearm, Kershaw was slotted fifth in the rotation out of the gate. That unusual assignment was to give his arm more time to build up strength in light of the limited spring training schedule.
“Blame it on the lockout. Blame it on me not picking up a baseball until January,” said Kershaw, who threw a no-hitter against Colorado on June 18, 2014. “My slider was horrible the last two innings. It didn’t have the bite. It was time.”
The breaking ball was awfully good before that, though. Kershaw threw 41 sliders, with 17 swinging strikes, with a fastball that never topped 91 mph. He struck out the side in the sixth and fanned every Twins batter at least once except Gio Urshela, who grounded out to third and flied out to right in his first two at-bats.
“He’s been pitching like that for years. He’s been having a lot of success. So he knows how to do it,” said Urshela, who hit a sharp grounder up the middle with two outs in the seventh that skidded under Kershaw’s glove as he tried to backhand the ball.
Lux, shifted to the shortstop side of second base, made a slick pickup and throw for the inning-ending out.
“Every decision I make is for the best interest of the player, their health and the ballclub, because there’s a lot of people that are cheering for the Dodgers, not only just for today and Clayton to throw a no-hitter, but for the Dodgers to win the World Series,” Roberts said. “For us to do that, we need him healthy.”
FEELS FAMILIAR
Roberts has pulled a starting pitcher with a no-hitter before. Walker Buehler came out after six innings in May 2018, Rich Hill left with a blister after seven perfect innings in September 2016, and Ross Stripling was removed after 7 1/3 innings in April 2016.
“Those guys make it tough on me,” Roberts said.
According to ESPN research, Kershaw and Hill are the only pitchers in major league history to be pulled after seven-plus innings with a perfect game still intact.
TEAM PLAYER
Kershaw hugged his catcher Barnes in the dugout after his day was done.
“He said, ‘Sorry,’” Barnes said. I knew it was the right call and stuff like that, but I thought we could get it done. That’s baseball.”
FOR THE SCRAPBOOK
This was Kershaw’s 66th career double-digit strikeout game in 380 regular season appearances. The Twins became the 27th major league team he faced, missing only the Red Sox and Orioles. He did pitch against Boston in the 2018 World Series.
MAYBE CORREA WOULD’VE HELPED
The Twins gave shortstop Carlos Correa a rest and center fielder Byron Buxton a turn at DH, as a reaction to the late night on Tuesday. Buxton struck out all three times he faced Kershaw.
UP NEXT
Dodgers: RHP Walker Buehler (1-0, 1.80 ERA) takes the mound for the home opener on Friday at Dodger Stadium against Cincinnati. LHP Reiver Sanmartin (0-1, 19.29 ERA) pitches for the Reds to start the four-game series.
Twins: After an off day on Thursday, RHP Joe Ryan (0-1, 4.50 ERA) takes the mound at Fenway Park on Friday to begin a four-game series against Boston. RHP Nick Pivetta (0-1, 6.35 ERA) starts for the Red Sox.
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More AP MLB coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/kershaw-pulled-after-7-with-perfect-game-dodgers-top-twins/ | 2022-04-14T07:22:22 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/kershaw-pulled-after-7-with-perfect-game-dodgers-top-twins/ |
HONG KONG, April 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Laifen ("the Company"), an emerging Chinese personal care brand will officially release its high-speed brushless motor hair dryer - Laifen Swift on Amazon and Laifentech.com by April 30th, with 100 special limited edition red units available in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Laifen Swift was launched via Indiegogo on February 20th, equipped with industry-leading technology, including an unrivaled 110,000 RPM brushless motor that generates powerful 22m/s airflow, 200 million negative ions, four smart temperature settings, and a hot and cool air circulation function.
"In the past, the smartphone revolution brought everyone a colorful, fast, convenient, and higher-quality life. Today, the same revolution is taking place in the field of personal care, and Laifen is one such revolutionary," Hongxin Ye, CEO of Laifen remarked in reference to the launch of the Laifen Swift. "We are driven by a vision to bring new experiences to our customers, with each product proving a complete upgrade to traditional products of the same kind."
The Laifen Swift uses innovative technology to solve general hair problems largely ignored by consumers. The powerful 110,000 RPM brushless motor with advanced internal aerodynamics creates a high degree of air pressure through the "Kanda effect" to produce strong airflow of up to 22m/s to smoothen hair. Also, the built-in high-precision temperature sensor and microprocessor achieve real-time calibration of air temperature up to 100 times per second to ensure the air outlet temperature does not exceed 176℉ and scalp temperature is controlled at about 122℉, effectively avoiding the risk of scalding.
With a built-in tri-color light ring, the Laifen Swift makes temperature changes more intuitive. Aimed at solving hair quality issues for users, the device contains 200 million highly-concentrated negative ions that neutralize static electricity and smooth out frizz. Compared to traditional hair dryers.The Laifen Swift adopts various noise reduction technologies to bring noise levels down to 59dB.
The series comes in four color styles with a magnetic suction nozzle for quick styling for only $159.
For more information, please visit Laifen page.
About Laifen
Founded in 2019, Laifen is located in Hong Kong, China, and its founder, Hongxin Ye, is committed to promoting the popularity of high-speed hair dryers and bringing cutting-edge technology into the lives of the masses. With rich experience dealing with motor technology and structural innovation, Laifen has 26 patents, passed hundreds of professional tests, and has been granted patents in the US and EU.
Media Contact:
Carlin Duan
marketing@laifentech.com
+86 755 8666 5249
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A look at what’s happening around the majors today:
___
SWITCHING SIDES
Tigers lefty Eduardo Rodríguez gets a look at his former teammates when he pitches against Boston at Comerica Park.
Rodriguez was 64-39 in six seasons with Rafael Devers, Xander Bogaerts and the Red Sox before signing a $77 million, five-year contract with Detroit as a free agent.
“All in all, I’m going to enjoy having the opportunity to face my old teammates,” he said.
The 29-year-old Rodriguez gave up three runs and four hits in four innings against the White Sox in his Detroit debut.
FIRST ON THE FIELD
One day after suddenly ending up in the spotlight, Alyssa Nakken will be right back at work trying to help the San Francisco Giants beat San Diego.
The 31-year-old Nakken made major league history as the first female coach on the field in a regular-season game Tuesday night during San Francisco’s 13-2 victory over the Padres. She came in to coach first base for the Giants in the third inning after Antoan Richardson was ejected.
When she was announced as Richardson’s replacement, Nakken was greeted with a warm ovation from the San Francisco crowd. She also received a congratulatory handshake from Padres first baseman Eric Hosmer.
Giants manager Gabe Kapler said Nakken had “prepared for this moment” while working with Richardson and others.
“So it’s not a foreign spot on the field for her. She does so many other things well that aren’t seen,” he said. “So it’s nice to see her kind of be right there in the spotlight and do it on the field.”
Nakken is an assistant coach who works heavily with baserunning and outfield defense. She normally watches games from an indoor batting cage near the steps to the dugout — and has a Giants jersey nearby, just in case she needs it.
And in an instant Tuesday night, she did.
Nakken jogged onto the field four days after Rachel Balkovec became the first woman to manage a minor league affiliate of a Major League Baseball team. Balkovec guided the New York Yankees’ Class A Tampa club to a win in her first game.
Nakken had previously coached first base in spring training and during part of a July 2020 exhibition game at Oakland. She started at first again a night later against the Athletics in San Francisco as the teams prepared for the pandemic-delayed season.
KWAN WATCH
Remarkable rookie Steven Kwan has reached base at least three times in all five games of his major league career with Cleveland.
The 24-year-old outfielder kept up his super start with a single, two walks and a sacrifice fly Tuesday in a 10-5 win at Cincinnati.
Kwan is 10 for 15 since making his debut on opening day. He has reached base in 18 of 24 plate appearances, the most times for any player in his first five games since 1901.
Kwan also has swung 39 times and not missed a single time, according to Statcast.
The lefty hitter and the Guardians next face left-hander Nick Lodolo, who will make his big league debut. The Reds picked him seventh overall in the 2019 draft.
MANAEA MAGIC
Off to a sensational start, Padres newcomer Sean Manaea is back on the mound at San Francisco.
Traded from Oakland to San Diego in the final week of spring training, the 30-year-old lefty pitched seven hitless innings against Arizona in his Padres debut. Manaea was pulled after 88 pitches with the no-hitter intact.
Manaea pitched six seasons for the A’s before being dealt. He’s still waiting to settle into San Diego — the trade came while he was in Arizona for spring training, then the Padres opened against the Diamondbacks in Phoenix before heading to San Francisco.
A NEW VIEW
Clayton Kershaw gets his first look at Target Field when he faces the Minnesota Twins for the first time in his career.
The three-time Cy Young Award winner makes his season debut for the Dodgers. He chose to stay with Los Angeles rather than sign as a free agent with the Rangers in his home state of Texas.
Now in his 15th season, the 34-year-old Kershaw was sharp in four spring training starts.
While he’s never taken on the Twins, Kershaw will pitch against a familiar opponent. Chris Paddack makes his first start for Minnesota after being acquired in an opening day trade with San Diego.
Paddack was early in his rookie season of 2019 when he lost to Kershaw in an NL West matchup.
GOING MY WAY?
Robbie Ray impressed in his first game for Seattle, showing the stuff that won him the AL Cy Young Award last year with Toronto.
The 30-year-old lefty was in control last week, winning at Minnesota with seven innings of three-hit ball. Ray now takes on José Abreu, Tim Anderson and the White Sox in Chicago.
Dallas Keuchel starts for the White Sox, trying for his 100th career win. The 34-year-old lefty, who won the 2015 AL Cy Young with Houston, struggled last season and was shaky in spring training last month.
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/leading-off-rodriguez-vs-former-team-nakken-makes-history/ | 2022-04-14T07:22:30 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/leading-off-rodriguez-vs-former-team-nakken-makes-history/ |
AUSTIN, Texas, April 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Card My Yard has been recognized and ranked as number four of the Top New and Emerging Franchises in 2022 in the April/May issue of Entrepreneur magazine, on newsstands now and currently ranks as number one in the category of Yard Sign Rental Franchises and number 299 overall. The ranking highlights the newest and hottest companies that have begun offering franchise opportunities since 2017.
"It is an honor to be recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine as a top new and emerging franchise this year," James Stanley, chief franchise officer of Card My Yard said. "This award is a reflection of the hard work of our employees and nearly 500 franchisees. We are proud of what we have accomplished together and look forward to continuing spreading the Card My Yard mission across the country."
Card My Yard experienced an increase of 40% system-wide revenue over the same period as 2020 and in 2021, franchise owners drove over two million miles to help celebrate more than 150,000 orders to help their customers celebrate special days. Card My Yard sets itself apart from competitors with its innovative, streamlined online ordering system that helps bring in about 3,000 system-wide orders every week.
Notable awards for Card My Yard include being selected as an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year finalist, Woman's Way Business awards finalist, the Austin Business Journal's Top 2021 Fastest Growing Companies and a 2021 Greater Austin Business Award honoree, among others.
The Top New and Emerging Franchises ranking is based on information submitted to Entrepreneur for its annual Franchise 500® and is part of the brand's continuing effort to best understand and evaluate the ever-changing franchise marketplace. To qualify for inclusion on the 2022 list, companies featured have been offering a franchise model for five years or fewer and were assessed across multiple data points including unit growth, start-up costs and fees, training and support, the parent company's financial stability and brand strength.
"Entrepreneur's Top New and Emerging List not only highlights some of the hottest companies in the franchise business but underscores that creativity and innovation are alive and well in 2022," Liane Caruso, senior vice president of franchising of Entrepreneur said. "Each year approximately 300 brands begin franchising their concepts, showcasing the incredible diversity, opportunity, and accessibility that exists for today's entrepreneur."
To view Card My Yard in the full ranking, visit https://www.entrepreneur.com/franchises/topnew. Results can also be seen in the April/May issue of Entrepreneur, available on newsstands now.
Card My Yard
Founded in 2014, Card My Yard is America's premier yard greetings service with nearly 500 franchise locations in 45 states and a national headquarters in Austin, Texas. Catering to special occasions, events and milestones, the company has transformed celebrations across the country and continues to make a positive impact in communities nationwide. With a mission to spread joy on a daily basis, Card My Yard offers readily available and custom signs to commemorate all occasions. For more information, visit www.cardmyyard.com and stay connected @cardmyyard.
Elizabeth Christian Public Relations
Victoria Gonzalez
956.778.8877
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A look at what’s happening around the majors on Thursday:
___
GASHED GUERRERO
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Blue Jays wrap up their four-game series at Yankee Stadium, a day after the slugger hit three home runs and a double despite a nasty gash.
The AL MVP runner-up homered off Yankees ace Gerrit Cole in the first inning, then seemed like he’d have to leave an inning later when his bare throwing hand was accidentally spiked by baserunner Aaron Hicks.
Guerrero had to reach across his body for infielder Bo Bichette’s throw and placed his right hand down behind the first base bag to balance. Hicks stomped on it running out an infield single.
The 23-year-old Guerrero immediately began waving the hand around, then walked toward Toronto’s dugout as blood dripped onto his uniform and the turf. A trainer taped up the digit in the dugout, and after a couple of minutes, Guerrero jogged back to first base and the game continued.
With a bloody stain on the right thigh of his pants, Guerrero hit a two-run homer in his next at-bat. He then lined a double and hit another homer in a 6-4 win.
TRAVELING CHAMPS
The World Series champion Atlanta Braves begin their road series of the season when Charlie Morton (1-0, 3.38 ERA) starts at San Diego. Morton is 6-1 with a 2.09 ERA in nine career starts against the Padres.
Atlanta will be without reliever Luke Jackson this season after he had Tommy John surgery on Wednesday in Arlington, Texas. The Braves said shortly before opening day that Jackson had damage to the ligament in his right elbow.
Jackson was 2-2 with a career-best 1.98 ERA in 71 games last year. He had a 0.00 ERA in three World Series games against Houston.
NEEDS RELIEF
The Mariners will be minus reliever Sergio Romo after putting him on the 10-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation.
The move was made retroactive to Tuesday, a day after he pitched a scoreless inning at Minnesota in his 800th major league appearance. The 39-year-old righty also tossed a scoreless inning against the Twins in his Mariners debut on Saturday.
Romo finalized a $2 million, one-year contract with Seattle last month.
NICE WHILE IT LASTED
Closer Corey Knebel’s return from the COVID-related injured list meant the end of 28-year-old journeyman reliever Jeff Singer’s brief time with his hometown Phillies.
The South Jersey native who was working with his father at a Northeast Philadelphia car dealership in 2016 when the team signed him got to sit in the bullpen at Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday night for the game against the Mets. He and had dozens of friends and family in attendance for his first game in a major league uniform.
“He got to fulfill a lifetime dream, and I think that was a special day for him,” Girardi said. “It could be just the start of things to come.”
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/leading-off-vlad-takes-his-cuts-braves-hit-the-road/ | 2022-04-14T07:22:37 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/leading-off-vlad-takes-his-cuts-braves-hit-the-road/ |
THUNDER BAY, ON, April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Clean Air Metals Inc. ("Clean Air Metals" or the "Company") (TSXV: AIR) (FRA: CKU) (OTCQB: CLRMF) and Fort William First Nation, Red Rock Indian Band and the Biinjitiwaabik Zaaging Anishinaabek (collectively the "Cooperating Participants") jointly announce that they have advanced their relationship through a signed Exploration Agreement (the "EA") effective as of April 13, 2022.
Clean Air Metals and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Panoramic PGMs (Canada) Ltd., are undertaking mineral exploration and development activities on mining claims located in the Greenwich Lake Area and Tartan Lake Area, related to the Company's Thunder Bay North Project (the "Project"). The Company's exploration and development activities are located on lands which the Participating First Nations assert are part of their traditional territory and in which the Participating First Nations assert their members hold and exercise Aboriginal and/or Treaty rights (the "Rights").
The EA confirms a framework for a mutually beneficial relationship between the Cooperating Participants regarding the Project, based on the relationship affirmed by a Memorandum of Agreement ("MOA") signed January 8, 2021 (press release January 11, 2021). The MOA and new EA establish a foundation for collaborative and respectful communications to facilitate Clean Air Metals' consultation with the Participating First Nations to identify:
- Potential impacts of the Project on the Participating First Nations interests and Rights;
- Design appropriate measures to mitigate and avoid any adverse effects; and
- To adopt an approach which enhances positive impacts and benefits.
The Cooperating Participants have affirmed their ongoing relationship through the new EA during the exploration phase of the Project effective from May 1, 2020 to present. The Cooperating Participants will work in good faith to negotiate a Long Term Relationship Agreement ("LTRA") during the subsequent technical feasibility study phases of the Project.
Chief of Red Rock Indian Band, Marcus Hardy, stated that "the Participating Communities appreciate the commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion that Clean Air Metals continues to demonstrate. Sustainable development by Clean Air Metals of the critical minerals platinum, palladium, copper and nickel found at the Thunder Bay North Project will allow our youth and young adults to address climate change and participate meaningfully in the global transition to cleaner forms of energy."
Chief Executive Officer of Clean Air Metals, Abraham Drost, stated that " Clean Air Metals is very pleased to sign this Exploration Agreement and to be an active Participant at the Thunder Bay North critical minerals project along with the Fort William First Nation, the Red Rock Indian Band and Biinjitiwabik Zaaging Anishinaabek. The Company pledges integrity and meaningful consultation and accommodation with affected First Nation communities and commends the Participating Communities for their vision around sustainable regional economic development."
Clean Air Metals continued to apply COVID-19 avoidance and personal protection measures for its geological staff, drilling contractor and service suppliers during the third quarter and has had zero occurrences of COVID-related illness year to date. Personnel are required to maintain physical distance, use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), self-monitor and self-isolate or elect to work from home. The Company follows provincial government COVID protocols.
Clean Air Metals' flagship asset is the 100% owned, high grade Thunder Bay North Project, a platinum, palladium, copper, nickel project located near the City of Thunder Bay, Ontario and the Lac des Iles Mine owned by Impala Platinum. The Thunder Bay North Project hosts the twin magma conduit bodies which host Current and Escape deposits forming the basis for a positive preliminary economic assessment (PEA) around a ramp access underground mine filed January 12, 2022.
The Thunder Bay North project PEA envisions a 10-year mine life at 3600 tonnes per day with a fully discounted NPV5 of C$425 million and an IRR of 31% against initial capital of $367 million. The commodity mix at Thunder Bay North fits well with the recently announced Ontario Critical Minerals Strategy.
Executive Chair Jim Gallagher and CEO Abraham Drost lead an experienced technical team to guide preparation for prefeasibility studies of a low-carbon, sustainable mining operation at Thunder Bay North. As the former CEO of North American Palladium Ltd. which owned the Lac des Iles Mine prior to the sale to Impala Platinum in December 2019, Jim Gallagher and team are credited with the mine turnaround and creation of significant value for shareholders.
"Abraham Drost"
Abraham Drost, Chief Executive Officer of Clean Air Metals Inc.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, including statements regarding the potential of the Thunder Bay North Project and the Escape and Current deposits and timing of technical studies including prefeasibility studies and updated mineral resource estimates. Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results, and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. Any statements that express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks related to the maintenance of stock exchange listings; risks related to environmental regulation and liability; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities or the completion of feasibility studies; the uncertainty of profitability; risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; risks related to the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; results of prefeasibility and feasibility studies, and the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; risks related to commodity price fluctuations; and other risks and uncertainties related to the Company's prospects, properties and business detailed elsewhere in the Company's disclosure record. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations or projection.
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DENVER (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon had three goals and two assists, Nicolas Aube-Kubel scored twice in a dominant first period and the Colorado Avalanche set a franchise record with their 53rd win by routing the Los Angeles Kings 9-3 on Wednesday night.
Valeri Nichushkin added two goals, Cale Makar had a goal and three assists, Andre Burakovsky also scored and Darcy Kuemper made 29 saves for the Avalanche, who led 4-0 before the game was 11 minutes old.
Colorado won its seventh straight and improved to 53-14-6, besting the 2013-14 and 2000-01 teams for most victories. The Avalanche also moved two points ahead of Florida for the best record in the NHL and are a franchise-best 29-4-3 at home.
“The crowd was chanting before the anthem even started,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “You can feel that when you go on the bench as a coach, as a player, that they’re into it and they were going to be energized. And we wanted to make sure we came out and played a really good game after having a couple of off games in Winnipeg and Edmonton.
“I think our guys feel that and that’s why our record is so good at home.”
Adrian Kempe, Alex Iafallo and Phillip Danault scored for the Kings, who have dropped four of five. Jonathan Quick allowed three goals on 10 shots before he was pulled while starting on consecutive nights for the first time in over four years. Cal Petersen allowed six more goals on 25 shots.
LA remained in a playoff spot in third place in the Pacific Division, but sits only three points ahead of Vegas, which has two games in hand.
“Definitely not the performance you want tonight, especially at this time of year,” Kings captain Anze Kopitar said. “But we’ve got to look at this one and correct stuff and make sure this is not going to repeat, because it is crunch time for our team.”
The schedule did the Kings no favors. They won in Chicago 5-2 on Tuesday night and got into Denver early Wednesday to play at altitude while the Avalanche had been off since Saturday.
And Colorado opened with relentless pressure and crisp passing that overwhelmed weary LA. Aube-Kubel scored 2:54 in and Nichushkin tallied 39 seconds later. MacKinnon scored on the power play and Aube-Kubel scored 41 seconds after that to make it 4-0 with 9:04 left in the first period.
“We can put earrings on a pig if we want, but it’s not going to make it any better,” Kings coach Todd McLellan said in a 55-second postgame media session. “That was awful and we move on. We get an opportunity to play more games, so good for us and we have to be better.”
Kempe scored his 33rd goal early in the second and and Iafallo made it 4-2 with a slap shot just inside the blue line at 10:40 of the second. But the Avs steadied things when MacKinnon fed Burakovsky in the high slot at 13:05.
MacKinnon scored on a breakaway on a stretch pass from Makar early in the third period and picked up his third career hat trick with 10:08 left to make it 9-2.
Fans chanted “We want 10!” over the final minutes, but had to settle for a Colorado season-high nine goals.
“I didn’t want to score,” Aube-Kubel said with a smile. “There were no hats left.”
Added MacKinnon: “Nine’s enough, I think.”
NOTES: Avs rookie Bowen Byram assisted on the first two goals in his fourth game back after being on personal leave for nearly three months with concussion issues. … Makar’s goal was the 60th for Colorado defensemen, the most in the NHL since Washington (62) in 1993-94. … Avs coach Jared Bednar hopes captain Gabriel Landeskog (knee surgery) will return for a game or two before the playoffs. … Quick started back-to-back games for the first time since Jan. 18-19, 2018. He last played on consecutive nights Feb. 9-10 that same season. … Nichushkin became the seventh Colorado player with 20 goals. … The Avs signed undrafted college free agents Ben Meyers (Minnesota) and Wyatt Aamodt (Minnesota State).
UP NEXT
Kings: Host Columbus on Saturday night in the first of five straight games against teams out of playoff contention.
Avalanche: Home on Thursday night vs. New Jersey, whose 24 regulation road losses are the most in the NHL. The Avs are 7-1-1 in the second game of back-to-backs.
___
More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/mackinnons-hat-trick-leads-avs-to-53rd-win-9-3-over-kings/ | 2022-04-14T07:22:45 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/mackinnons-hat-trick-leads-avs-to-53rd-win-9-3-over-kings/ |
U.S. OTC: DMEHF
Frankfurt: QM01
VANCOUVER, BC, April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - DESERT MOUNTAIN ENERGY CORP. (the "Company") (TSXV: DME) (OTC: DMEHF) (Frankfurt: QM01) From the President of the Company.
The Company is pleased to announce that it has purchased five heavy haul rigs to move drilling and plant processing equipment. The Company has lost critical time waiting to get drilling equipment moved and has seen a large increase in heavy haul rig costs. DME spent in excess of USD 700,000.00 to move rigs and equipment on the first seven wells. Initially, the rig mobilization on Well #1 was approximately $26,000.00, in 18 months the cost has escalated to $164,000.00 on Well #7 for rig de-mobilization. The Company's excellent cash position has made it possible to control costs and timing of equipment moves with the purchase of five heavy haul trucks. DME is finalizing the separate company, which will have under ten employees, and the equipment will be contracted out and provide additional cash flow to the company's bottom line.
"Management has taken advantage of a healthy treasury to combat inflation and supply chain issues," says Robert Rohlfing, CEO of Desert Mountain Energy Corp. "This acquisition not only solves those issues but will provide additional cash flow. The fleet will be contracted out when not being used by the Company."
ABOUT DESERT MOUNTAIN ENERGY
Desert Mountain Energy Corp. is a publicly traded resource company primarily focused on exploration, development and production of helium, hydrogen and noble gases. The Company is primarily looking for elements deemed critical to the renewable energy and high technology industries.
We seek safe harbor
"Robert Rohlfing"
Robert Rohlfing
Exec Chairman & CEO
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in polices of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The statements made in this press release may contain certain forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual events or results may differ from the Company's expectations.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Such forward looking statements and information herein include but are not limited to statements regarding the Company's anticipated performance in the future the planned exploration activities, receipt of positive results from drilling, the completion of further drilling and exploration work, and the timing and results of various activities.
Forward-looking statements or information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company and its operations to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such statements. Such factors include, among others, changes in national and local governments, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments in Canada and the United States; financial risks due to helium prices, operating or technical difficulties in exploration and development activities; risks and hazards and the speculative nature of resource exploration and related development; risks in obtaining necessary licenses and permits, and challenges to the Company's title to properties.
Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable, including but not limited to the continued operation of the Company's exploration operations, no material adverse change in the market price of commodities, and such other assumptions and factors as set out herein. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or information, there may be other factors that cause results to be materially different from those anticipated, described, estimated, assessed or intended. There can be no assurance that any forward-looking statements or information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements or information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Company does not intend to, and nor does not assume any obligation to update such forward-looking statements or information, other than as required by applicable law.
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SOURCE Desert Mountain Energy Corp. | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/desert-mountain-energy-makes-strategic-move-address-rig-moving-inflation-amp-availability-issues/ | 2022-04-14T07:22:49 | 1 | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/desert-mountain-energy-makes-strategic-move-address-rig-moving-inflation-amp-availability-issues/ |
JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) — Bashir Mason is looking forward to the challenge of taking over at Saint Peter’s after its incredible run to the Elite Eight.
He understands that replacing Shaheen Holloway will be a tough act to follow after the Peacocks became the first No. 15 seed to reach the final eight in the NCAA Tournament, and fan favorites across college basketball.
Even tougher for the 38-year-old Jersey City native, who spent the past decade at nearby Wagner, will be keeping the Peacocks’ roster intact. Starting guards Daryl Banks III and Matthew Lee are in the transfer portal and top reserve guard Doug Edert has decided to transfer to Bryant.
“Getting the roster settled is what I’m focused on,” Mason said Wednesday, shortly after being introduced as the Peacocks’ new coach. Holloway left two weeks ago for the job at Seton Hall, his alma mater.
Banks, Lee and Edert were at the news conference in the refurbished Run Baby Run Arena along with Peacocks teammates and players from Wagner in Staten Island. Edert confirmed his decision to tranfer.
Banks said Mason tried to recruit him out of high school, so he knows him.
“I am listening to all my options,” said Banks, who led the Peacocks, averaging 11.3 points. “I am just going to be open-minded to everything.”
Mason said he spoke Tuesday with the Peacocks, telling them that he is a worker and knows they are, too. He said he’s not there to shake things up and wants to take the program to new heights.
Athletic director Rachelle Paul said there was a lot of interest in the Saint Peter’s job from all walks of college and high school coaches. She ultimately said Mason was attractive because he reminded her of Holloway, who led the team to a 22-12 mark this past season and the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament title. Both men stress hard work, toughness and family.
Paul refused to disclose details of Mason’s contract with the Jesuit university, which has an undergraduate enrollment of about 2,100 students.
Mason said he was in seventh grade when he first met Holloway, a fellow guard who never backed down. They got to play because both youngsters knew Chris Chavannes, the current coach at The Patrick School.
Mason played two seasons at Marist High School for Chavannes and got to play against older players during the summer after his coach left for St. Patrick High School. He frequently went head-to-head with Holloway, who attended St. Patrick, which became The Patrick School a decade ago.
“He probably won most of them,” Mason said of their matchups. “But I fouled him a lot because I refused to get blown out.”
That’s the way Saint Peter’s will be on the court, although Holloway had them doing that in knocking off Kentucky, Murray State and Purdue in the NCAA Tournament.
“A lot of blood, sweat and tears went into Wagner and building up that program,” Mason said. “But this opportunity here was really difficult to turn down, and had nothing to do with the run they made to the Elite Eight. This is more about a new challenge. The bar has been set really high, and I’m excited about pushing the program further.”
This is the second time Mason has taken over a team after a big season. He replaced Dan Hurley at Wagner after a 25-6 season. Hurley left to go to Rhode Island and eventually to UConn.
Mason led Wagner to three Northeast Conference (NEC) regular-season titles, posting a 165-130 record. The Seahawks posted a 21-6 record this past season and appeared in the NEC title game. Wagner’s 15 conference wins matched the most in program history.
Wagner senior guard Elijah Ford said Saint Peter’s is getting a really good coach who will let the players know where they stand.
“Come in ready to play 150% every day,” Ford advised the Peacocks. “I know now practice is the hardest thing I have to go through, so if your best battle is not in practice, I don’t know what you are doing here.”
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More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25 | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/mason-takes-over-at-saint-peters-needing-to-settle-roster/ | 2022-04-14T07:22:52 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/mason-takes-over-at-saint-peters-needing-to-settle-roster/ |
Event features "Re-Concept Cars" created by a team of top auto builders and Sydney Sweeney
SAN JOSE, Calif., April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, eBay Motors announces the first ever New York Auto Parts Show, designed to demonstrate how car enthusiasts can build, fix, or maintain their dream car. In the face of unprecedented supply chain challenges, the show debuts a line of "Re-Concept cars," assembled in partnership with some of the industry's top builders and biggest stars. Over the course of several days, eBay Motors will prove the best 'new' car on the road can start with one that already exists.
While the floor of the New York Auto Show is filled with brand new models and Concept Cars, these vehicles are often impossible for most people to access – let alone drive every day. So in a timely twist, eBay Motors is showcasing the clever ways enthusiasts are using parts and accessories to make and maintain their dream cars. The Re-Concept Cars exhibition celebrates innovative ideas and designs from top auto builders and DIY customizers, including actress Sydney Sweeney.
"Since buying my Ford Bronco last February, I've done everything from rebuilding the transmission, to wire brushing out rust," said Sydney Sweeney. "It's really important to me to preserve the integrity of the original Ford build, so when I need a rare part – like a unique transmission adaptor that is next-to-impossible to come by – eBay Motors is always my first stop."
In recent years, both the average car age and average mileage have significantly increased, as new cars are harder to come by and consumers opt to stretch the life of their current vehicles. And since last summer, "project car" sales on eBay Motors have grown 158% – with more people taking on true fixer-uppers.
"Supply chain challenges are impacting everyone – professional mechanics, DIY enthusiasts, daily commuters – and that's leading to some really innovative solutions," said Ron Jaiven, GM of Parts & Accessories, eBay Motors. "eBay Motors has long been the place for enthusiasts to discover hard-to-find parts and accessories needed to build, fix, or maintain virtually any car. The New York Auto Parts Show is highlighting just how much is possible when it comes to giving an existing car a new life."
Held at the iconic Classic Car Club of Manhattan, the show is part education and part inspiration. Attendees can explore in detail each of the "Re-Concept Cars," speak with the builders themselves, and learn more about how the right part can be a game-changer when it comes to starting – or finishing – a project. Those not in NYC can access behind-the-scenes content and DIY tips on @eBayMotors and at eBay.com/autopartsshow.
The Builders
- The New Throwback | Sydney Sweeney (1969 Ford Bronco) – Sweeney surprised everyone after a TikTok video of her working on her beloved vintage Bronco went viral earlier this year. She has partnered with eBay Motors to complete her rebuild and display it at the New York Auto Parts Show.
- The Family Muscle Car | Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez (Chrysler Pacifica) – Hernandez is working with eBay Motors to drop a Hellcat engine into a Chrysler Pacifica (minivan) - an insane upgrade that will get the DIY auto community talking.
"I've never bought a new car in my life and I don't plan to start now," said Freddy Hernandez. "eBay Motors is my go to when I need to find a part to keep any of my many projects running like the day they were bought, even the ones that are more than 30 years old."
- The Mod-Monster | Grind Hard Plumbing Co. (90's Ford Ranger) – Grind Hard Plumbing Co took a classic 90's Ford Ranger and turned it into a truly unique 6 wheel vehicle bringing the creativity and "wow factor" of a 'Re-Concept Car' to life with a new engine, wheels and accessories.
"We're building things that have never been built before almost every day, and that requires a massive variety of parts, some of them very rare and hard to find," said Edwin Olding, part-owner of Grind Hard Plumbing Co. "That's why we get our parts from eBay Motors. They have the largest inventory of new and used parts and we can always find what we need."
- The rEVamp | Emelia Hartford (00's Prius) – A builder who is also a burgeoning actress, Emelia drove this Prius daily for years. When she started using her Prius to transport car parts, she was inspired to up the horsepower and reincarnate it with a new turbocharged Honda engine and 6-speed manual.
"I drove my 2007 Prius into the ground and was thrilled when I found out I could work with eBay Motors to keep her going," said Emelia Hartford. "There's almost nothing that compares to the thrill of unpacking the perfect part for your vehicle project, installing it, and starting the engine."
The New York Auto Parts Show is open to the public from 11am – 5pm, Thursday, April 14, at the Classic Car Club of Manhattan on Pier 76. Attendees can examine all four of the Re-Concept Cars, explore the parts and accessories used to transform the vehicles, and even speak to a few of the builders. You'll also find a pair of custom motorcycles from artist J Shia, a V8 Tesla and custom camper van from Rich Rebuilds as well as Nascar legend Smokey Yunick's famed Plymouth Hot Vapor car, restored and displayed by Danny Soliz of Hill Country Performance.
- Motors Parts & Accessories generate over $10B in annual GMV
- One out every three eBay shoppers buys parts and accessories.
- In Q4 2021, the following P&A categories saw particularly notable GMV increases:
eBay Inc. (Nasdaq: EBAY) is a global commerce leader that connects people and builds communities to create economic opportunity for all. Our technology empowers millions of buyers and sellers in more than 190 markets around the world, providing everyone the opportunity to grow and thrive. Founded in 1995 in San Jose, California, eBay is one of the world's largest and most vibrant marketplaces for discovering great value and unique selection. In 2021, eBay enabled over $87 billion of gross merchandise volume. For more information about the company and its global portfolio of online brands, visit www.ebayinc.com.
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SOURCE eBay Inc. | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/ebay-motors-kicks-off-its-inaugural-new-york-auto-parts-show-meet-demands-strained-market/ | 2022-04-14T07:22:55 | 1 | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/ebay-motors-kicks-off-its-inaugural-new-york-auto-parts-show-meet-demands-strained-market/ |
CINCINNATI (AP) — José Ramírez homered, doubled and drove in three runs, Owen Miller hit two home runs and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Cincinnati Reds 7-3 Wednesday for their fourth straight win.
Rookie Steven Kwan went 0 for 4, but drew a bases-loaded walk in the second inning that put Cleveland ahead to stay as it completed a two-game sweep.
“That’s why he’s hitting second,” Guardians manager Terry Francona said. “We think he’s a pretty good hitter.”
Kwan is 10 for 19 and has reached base in 19 of 29 plate appearances since making his major league debut on opening day. The 24-year-old outfielder had seen 128 pitches this season and taken 42 swings without miss before he couldn’t check his swing on a 2-1 offering in the fourth inning from Nick Lodolo, who made his major league debut.
A day after hitting a grand slam with six RBIs, Ramírez again broke loose. Miller produced his first multihomer game, Oscar Mercado also homered and Myles Straw matched a career high with four hits.
“I think it’s just being comfortable and understanding what the pitchers are trying to me,” Miller said. “It’s that next guy up approach. This is a good environment. It’s fun to see.”
The Guardians have scored 44 runs during their winning streak after producing just one in a combined 19 innings while losing the season’s first two games.
Ramirez went the other way with a two-run line drive to right-center field.
“You get rewarded here when you go the other way,” Francona said. “I like to see guys get rewarded.”
The left-handed Kwan took four straight balls with the bases loaded to give Cleveland a 1-0 lead in the second. That was the third of three straight walks by the left-handed Lodolo, who also hit two batters in the inning.
Lodolo (0-1), the seventh overall selection in the 2019 draft, allowed seven hits and five runs with three walks and four strikeouts in four innings.
Cleveland starter Triston McKenzie pitched three-hit ball for four shutout innings. He struck out six and walked none.
Eli Morgan (1-0) relieved and gave up one run and one hit in three innings.
STRANGLEHOLD
The win guaranteed the Guardians a tie of the four-game season series with their in-state rivals, allowing them to retain possession of the Ohio Cup for the eighth straight season.
TEXTBOOK
The Guardians cut down Kyle Farmer trying to score on Brandon Drury’s double to end the second inning. Straw played the carom off the center field wall on one hop and threw to shortstop Amed Rosario, whose relay to catcher Austin Hedges was in time to catch Farmer sliding headfirst.
RAIN DELAY
Lodolo had to wait an extra 43 minutes to make his debut. The start of the game was delayed by rain.
OFF THE HOOK
Reds center fielder Jake Fraley’s diving catch of Franmil Reyes’s sinking liner with the bases loaded prevented further damage against Lodolo in the second inning.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Guardians: Lodolo hit Ramirez in the left foot with the bases loaded in the second inning.
Reds: LF Tommy Pham didn’t start after injuring his left hand in a collision with center fielder Nick Senzel on Tuesday. X-rays were negative, but Pham was scheduled for extra tests, manager David Bell said before the game. … RHP Lucas Sims (back spasms) started and pitched one inning in his first rehab appearance with Triple-A Louisville on Tuesday.
UP NEXT
Guardians RHP Zach Plesac (0-0, 0.00) is scheduled on Friday to make his second 2022 start in Cleveland’s home opener against the Giants.
Reds The team after Wednesday’s game announced RHP Luis Cessa (0-0) will start in place of LHP Reiver Sanmartin (0-1, 19.29) on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. A reason for the switch was not immediately announced.
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More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/ramirez-miller-lead-guardians-over-reds-kwan-goes-hitless/ | 2022-04-14T07:22:59 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/ramirez-miller-lead-guardians-over-reds-kwan-goes-hitless/ |