url
stringlengths 33
209
| text
stringlengths 105
91.2k
| in_y0
bool 1
class | in_y1
bool 2
classes | category
stringclasses 2
values | publisher
stringclasses 1
value | crawl_date
stringclasses 172
values |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
https://www.cbs42.com/washington/washington-dc/bill-seeks-to-put-cap-on-overdraft-fees/
|
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – For some people, overdraft fees are a frustrating inconvenience. For others, they pose crippling costs. Some lawmakers now want to change how they’re charged altogether.
Rep. Carolyn Maloney introduced legislation called the “Overdraft Protection Act.” The bill includes provisions to cap the amount and number of fees a bank can charge.
“My bill tries to cut down on these unfair and deceptive practices,” the New York Democrat said.
Advocates like Elyse Crawford-Hicks with Americans for Financial Reform say overdraft fees hit low-income families and people of color the hardest.
“Overdraft fees are paid the most by people who can least afford them,” Crawford-Hicks said.
Others say over-drafting is a useful service because it can function like a short-term loan. Paul Kundert is the CEO of UW Credit Union, which recently reduced their overdraft fees and put more limits on how they charge them.
“When prices are fair, we believe consumers do benefit from access to the credit provided by overdraft fees,” Kundert said.
Recently, major banks like Wells Fargo, Citigroup and Bank of America have made changes themselves, by reducing their overdraft fees or eliminating them altogether.
Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, says that demonstrates the legislation is unnecessary.
“The market is naturally, naturally taking care of the issue without government intervention. And we do not need more rules from Washington,” Williams said.
Because banks make billions of dollars in revenue from overdraft fees, George Mason University Foundation Professor of Law Todd Zywicki argues the proposed changes would cost consumers.
“We’ll see higher bank fees, we’ll see higher minimum monthly deposits as basically insurance against over-drafting and we will see a loss of access to free checking,” Zywicki said.
Lawmakers like Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., are promising to continue pushing for the reforms.
“How can we perform such an abusive and predatory practice that punishes people simply for being poor?” Pressley said.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/local/actor-ezra-miller-ordered-to-stay-away-from-hawaii-couple/
|
HONOLULU (AP) — A Hawaii judge has granted a couple’s request for a temporary restraining order against Ezra Miller, an actor known for playing “The Flash” in “Justice League” films.
The couple filed a petition for a temporary restraining order Tuesday, alleging that Miller burst into their bedroom and threatened them in Hilo, a small town on the Big Island. The petition also accused Miller of stealing some of their belongings, including a passport and wallet.
The judge’s order, filed in court Wednesday, said it was necessary to grant the couple’s petition to prevent harassment.
Days earlier, Miller allegedly harassed patrons at a karaoke bar. Late Sunday, police were called to Margarita Village in Hilo, where they said Miller yelled obscenities, grabbed a mic from a singing woman and lunged at a man playing darts.
“The bar owner asked Miller to calm down several times to no avail,” police said in a news release.
Miller was arrested at the bar shortly after midnight Monday and charged with disorderly conduct and harassment. Miller was released on $500 bail.
Neither Miller nor the actor’s representatives could immediately be reached for comment Thursday.
Miller is ordered to appear at a court hearing for the temporary restraining order against harassment in Hilo on April 13.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/local/comedian-bobby-moynihan-has-a-picture-book-coming-out/
|
NEW YORK (AP) — Bobby Moynihan, the former “Saturday Night Live” star, is now a member of another inner circle of comedy: those writing children’s books.
Moynihan’s picture story “Not All Sheep Are Boring!” will be published Sept. 20 by Putnam Books for Young Readers. Julie Rowan-Zoch is providing illustrations for a book featuring adventure-seeking, jetpack-wearing sheep.
“I am pleased as punch to help this little Toad tell his story, Not All Sheep are Boring! Also, just a reminder to keep an eye on Pierre the Sheep. He’s shifty,” Moynihan, who currently appears in the sitcom “Mr. Mayor,” said in a statement Thursday.
Other comedians with picture books include Seth Meyers, Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel. Moynihan and his wife, actor Brynn O’Malley, have a 4-year-old daughter.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/local/fox-news-hires-caitlyn-jenner-as-contributor-and-commentator/
|
NEW YORK (AP) — Fox News Channel says it has hired Caitlyn Jenner as a contributor, with her first appearance set for Thursday on Sean Hannity’s program.
Jenner, the former Olympic decathlete, ran an unsuccessful campaign for California governor last year. The network said she’ll offer commentary and analysis across various Fox News Media platforms.
“Caitlyn’s story is an inspiration to us all,” said Suzanne Scott, Fox News Media CEO. “She is a trailblazer in the LGBTQ+ community and her illustrious career spans a variety of fields that will be a tremendous asset for our audience.”
Jenner won the Olympic gold medal in the decathlon in 1976. She later came out as a transgender and identifies as a female.
She said in a statement she was “humbled by this unique opportunity” to speak directly to Fox’s audience.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/local/grammy-awards-sets-sight-on-las-vegas-for-first-time/
|
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Grammysmight be missing stars like Drake, The Weeknd and Kanye West as a performer, but the biggest night in music could still shine bright on the Las Vegas Strip.
The ceremony relocated to Las Vegas for the first-time ever with several artists who could have epic nights including Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo and Jon Batiste. The awards shifted from Los Angeles because of the rising COVID-19 cases and omicron variant in January. Sunday’s show will air live beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern on CBS and the Paramount+ streaming service.
Host Trevor Noah calls Las Vegas a “perfect place to have a celebration” with fans at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Last year, the Grammys had a music festival vibe with parts of the show held outdoors in an intimate in-person setting with music artists mixed with pre-taped performances.
Noah expects an entertaining show with several performers set to hit the stage including Rodrigo, Eilish, Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow, Brandi Carlile, Batiste, Silk Sonic, H.E.R., Chris Stapleton, Leslie Odom Jr. and Brothers Osborne. He said the awards will be a celebration of the music industry coming back to life.
“There’s an element of this (show) that’s like a music camp,” Noah said. “I think it’s going to bring a different energy, and I’m excited to be a part of it.”
It’s still unclear whether the Foo Fighters will take the stage following the recent death of its drummer Taylor Hawkins. The rock band – nominated for three Grammys – is scheduled to perform during the ceremony, but they recently canceled all upcoming concert dates.
The Grammys will continue to move forward without West, known as Ye, after news surfaced earlier this month that he wouldn’t perform at the show because of his “concerning online behavior.” The Weeknd is still boycotting the awards and Drake said he wanted no part in competing for a Grammy, withdrawing his two nominations.
The three popular performers will be missed, but the show will certainly go on.
The multitalented Jon Batiste enters the Grammys as the leading nominee with 11in a variety of genres including R&B, jazz, American roots music, classical and music video. Justin Bieber, Doja Cat and H.E.R. are tied for the second-most nominations with eight apiece.
The awards will introduce its expanded 10 nominees in three major genres — record, album and song of the year. The growing categories will make the competition stronger but could make choosing a winner a lot tougher.
For album of the year, the Recording Academy expanded the category’s eligibility for any featured artists, producers, songwriters and engineers — even if the music creator co-wrote one song on the project. That means there could be a large amount of winners on stage, depending on who wins.
For example, if Bieber’s “Justice” wins at the show, more than 50 creators could pack the stage. The same could be said for Ye, Doja Cat and H.E.R., who have a plethora of contributors.
But Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever” features songs written by the young star and her brother Finneas, who produced all of her tracks. Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga and Rodrigo are sitting in the same boat.
Harvey Mason jr., the academy’s CEO, said the number of creators in a category won’t dictate the winner.
Either way, Noah said he doesn’t mind.
“It’ll be great to see that moment,” he said. “You get to be on stage and celebrated for your work. I’m excited for that. I want to see 25 people on stage celebrating and sharing the love and joy for something they’ve done.”
Before the awards, the academy will hold a couple events including a tribute to Joni Mitchell at the MusiCares Person of the Yearon Friday night. Chaka Khan, Cyndi Lauper, Billy Porter and Beck are among those expected to perform.
On Saturday, Grammy winner John Legend will be honored during the academy’s Black Music Collective. The singer will receive his first-ever Recording Academy Global Impact Award for his personal and professional achievements in the music industry.
Legend will be celebrated with a performance by Summer Walker, D-Nice and MC Lyte as the voice for the evening. Jimmy Jam will be making remarks.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/local/greta-thunberg-aims-to-drive-change-with-the-climate-book/
|
LONDON (AP) — Climate activist Greta Thunberg has compiled a handbook for tackling the world’s interconnected environmental crises, with contributions from leading scientists and writers.
Penguin Random House announced Thursday that “The Climate Book” will be published in Britain in October.
It contains contributions from more than 100 academics, thinkers and campaigners, including novelists Margaret Atwood and Amitav Ghosh, climate scientist Saleemul Huq and World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
The book aims to help readers connect the dots between threats to the climate, environment, sustainability and indigenous populations — among others — and is intended as a guide to understanding and activism.
Contributors including Kenyan environmentalist Wanjira Mathai, Brazilian indigenous activist Sonia Guajajara, French economist Thomas Piketty and Canadian journalist Naomi Klein offer “compelling stories of change, action and resilience,” the publisher said, alongside Thunberg’s own stories of “learning, demonstrating, and uncovering greenwashing around the world.”
“My hope is that this book might be some kind of go-to source for understanding these different, closely interconnected crises,” Thunberg said in a statement.
Chloe Currens, editor at Penguin Press, said it was “a unique book, alive with moral purpose, which aims to change the climate conversation forever.”
Thunberg began skipping classes once a week to protest climate change in 2018, when she was 15, sparking a series of school walkouts that grew into a global youth movement.
Now 19, the Swedish activist has already published a memoir, “Our House Is On Fire” and a collection of speeches, “No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference.”
“The Climate Book” is published Oct. 27 in the U.K. by Allen Lane and in the U.S. in early 2023 by Penguin Press, as well as in countries around the world.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/local/korean-pop-star-luna-readies-for-broadway-debut-in-kpop/
|
NEW YORK (AP) — Korean pop star Luna is ready to make her Broadway debut this fall in the musical “KPOP” and she’s already dreaming of who might be there on opening night — like BTS.
“I would be thankful if they showed up on opening night,” Luna told The Associated Press through her translator.
She also wants fans and other stars to show up, too.
“This is New York City, it’s got its own celebrities and also audiences who would enjoy this. So, I would love to see New York celebrities, as well as Hollywood celebrities,” Luna said.
Luna was introduced at a press event for the musical Wednesday at the Korean Cultural Center in New York.
Luna began her musical career as a member of the popular K-pop group f(x) before becoming a solo artist. Her latest single, “Madonna,” was released in September.
Her stage resume includes Korean productions of “In the Heights” and “Mamma Mia,” and she’s excited to take her talents to Broadway.
“I have always loved doing all those ever since I was a young child, and I even liked creating some routines,” Luna said.
She added: “For this musical, I get to dance while I sing while I act, that is so exciting, and I cannot wait to do this.”
“KPOP” tells the story of global superstars preparing for a special one-night only concert, when one singer’s inner struggle threatens to dismantle one of the biggest labels in the industry.
The multimedia experience explores the relentless discipline, raw talent, and commercial ambition behind the international phenomenon.
The musical has a story by Jason Kim and music by Helen Park, who has worked on the show for the past eight years. She said she is excited that audiences will finally get to experience her favorite music genre.
“I know recently a K-pop has been really blowing up and a lot of people love the genre. But when we started writing this musical in back in 2014, I was so eager for the world to see what I see. And I wanted to share it with the world in a language that everyone can understand,” she said.
“I think musical theater is that vessel for people to hear and witness other people’s stories and feel the emotions. I really wanted the show to be doing that with the genre that I love so much,” Park said.
“KPOP” begins previews Oct. 13 at the Circle in the Square Theatre, with an opening night scheduled for Nov. 20.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/local/oscars-producer-says-police-offered-to-arrest-will-smith/
|
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Oscars producer Will Packer said Los Angeles police were ready to arrest Will Smith after Smith slapped Chris Rock on the Academy Awards stage.
“They were saying, you know, this is battery, was a word they used in that moment,” Packer said in a clip released by ABC News Thursday night of an interview he gave to “Good Morning America.” “They said we will go get him. We are prepared. We’re prepared to get him right now. You can press charges, we can arrest him. They were laying out the options.”
But Packer said Rock was “very dismissive” of the idea.
“He was like, ‘No, no, no, I’m fine,” Packer said. “And even to the point where I said, ‘Rock, let them finish.’ The LAPD officers finished laying out what his options were and they said, ‘Would you like us to take any action?’ And he said no.”
The LAPD said in a statement after Sunday night’s ceremony that they were aware of the incident, and that Rock had declined to file a police report. The department declined comment Thursday on Packer’s interview, a longer version of which will air on Friday morning.
The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences met Wednesday to initiate disciplinary proceedings against Smith for violations against the group’s standards of conduct. Smith could be suspended, expelled or otherwise sanctioned.
The academy said in a statement that “Mr. Smith’s actions at the 94th Oscars were a deeply shocking, traumatic event to witness in-person and on television.”
Without giving specifics, the academy said Smith was asked to leave the ceremony at the Dolby Theatre, but refused to do so.
Smith strode from his front row seat on to the stage and slapped Rock after a joke Rock made about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, when he was on stage to present the Oscar for best documentary.
On Monday, Smith issued an apology to Rock, the academy and to viewers, saying “I was out of line and I was wrong.”
The academy said Smith has the opportunity to defend himself in a written response before the board meets again on April 18.
Rock publicly addressed the incident for the first time, but only briefly, at the beginning of a standup show Wednesday night in Boston, where he was greeted by a thunderous standing ovation. He said “I’m still kind of processing what happened.”
___
Follow AP Entertainment Writer Andrew Dalton on Twitter: https://twitter.com/andyjamesdalton
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/local/ukrainian-youtube-brothers-reach-out-to-japanese-to-end-war/
|
TOKYO (AP) — Starting out with funny videos and chat over Mario Kart racing games, two Ukrainian brothers have added a somber tone to their YouTube channel popular with young Japanese with updates from their country that bring the harsh realities of war closer to Japan.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine began just after the duo, Sava Tkachov, 26, and his younger brother Yan, 20, celebrated the second anniversary of their YouTube debut with subscribers exceeding 2 million for their Sawayan Channel and Sawayan Gamesthat Sava hosts.
The first word of war came from their father, a business consultant who had returned to Kyiv two months ago just before Russian troops rolled in and has stayed since to help defend his country. The siblings’ YouTube content, which used to be full of pranks, jokes and action videos, has become more serious.
Worried about their 53-year-old father and friends in Ukraine, the brothers in early March announced on their channel that they planned to volunteer as defenders too. It triggered a wave of reactions, some supporting and others criticizing them.
The father objected and the Tkachovs, who have no military training, abandoned the idea, especially when Sava said he received long and serious messages from some of his teenage fans showing their willingness to follow the brothers to Ukraine.
“By sending out messages through our channel, I made kids want to go to war and I cannot say if it was good or bad,” Sava said at a news conference Thursday. “But at least it was meaningful that they became interested in the issue. Fighting the war on the front-line is not the only way.”
Sava, who uses the handle “No War,” instead turned his gaming channel into a driver for donations and charity game events. He collected some 3.6 million yen ($29,500) in three hours, and donated entirely to the Ukrainian Embassy.
The siblings said they also started receiving messages from parents saying their children started thinking about peace and others thanking them for raising important social issues.
“I believe the merit of YouTube is I can convey the real information from the ground that my father is sharing with us about the situation that is very up to date, and I can stream that online almost immediately, so in that sense it could be much faster and accurate than news provided by traditional news media,” Sava said.
He said that his father would send videos of bombardment and bodies “as in war movies,” but he couldn’t use them because they were too graphic. In a recent appearance on a YouTube talk show hosted by popular former vaccine minister Taro Kono, Sava said the brothers were in regular communication with their father from an undisclosed location.
Japan was quick to join other industrialized nations in imposing sanctions against Russia and providing support for Ukraine.
Tokyo has also sent bulletproof vests, helmets, tents, medical supplies and other nonlethal defense equipment to Ukraine as an exception to Japan’s ban on military equipment transfer to countries in conflict.
Japan has taken tougher measures against Russia, worried about the impact of Moscow’s war on East Asia where Tokyo has faced threats from North Korea and China. In response to sanctions, Russia suspended peace treaty talks with Japan over the disputed Kuril Islands, which Moscow has held since 1945.
Sava Tkachov, who arrived with his family in Japan when he was 4 and studied at a top Japanese university, thanked his adopted country for its support but says Tokyo should stick to its pacifist role.
“Japan is the world’s top-class peaceful nation … and what the country is doing right now is very appropriate,” he said. “As to the question of whether Japan should send weapons, I do not think it’s the kind of role Japan should be playing.”
Instead, he said, Japan can better contribute by continuing to appeal for peace and take a leadership role within Asia.
He also said Japan can provide home to many war-displaced Ukrainians. Some may face challenges of language or unfamiliar food, “but I’m sure they can overcome the difficulties with the empathy of the Japanese people and the spirits of the Ukrainians.”
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/local/white-house-hosts-transgender-jeopardy-star-amy-schneider/
|
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden marked Transgender Day of Visibility on Thursday by denouncing “hateful bills” being passed at the state level as the White House played host to “Jeopardy!” champion Amy Schneider, the first openly transgender winner on the popular quiz show.
Schneider met with second gentleman Doug Emhoff, who joined Rachel Levine, the assistant health secretary and the first openly transgender federal official to be confirmed by the Senate, for a conversation with transgender kids and their parents.
Schneider used the moment in the Washington spotlight to speak out against bills affecting transgender people.
“They’re really scary and some of them in particular that are denying medical services to trans youth, those are, those are lifesaving medical treatments,” Schneider told reporters. “These bills will cause the deaths of children and that’s really sad to me and it’s really frightening.”
Biden, in a brief video message, said that “the onslaught of anti-transgender state laws attacking you and your families is simply wrong.” The president said his administration “is standing up for you against all these hateful bills. And we’re committed to advancing transgender equality in the classroom, on the playing field, at work, in our military and our housing and health care systems.”
The administration announced several actions to make the federal government more inclusive for transgender people and said the Health and Human Services Department will be the first agency to fly a trans pride flag.. The steps come as Republican leaders have advanced state measures targeting transgender people as part of a broader push to stoke culture wars heading into a critical election season.
The administration said the federal government will become more inclusive for transgender people, including through the use of a new “X” gender marker on U.S. passport applications, beginning on April 11, and new Transportation Security Administration scanners that are gender-neutral.
It is working to expand the availability of the “X” gender marker to airlines and federal travel programs and will make it easier for transgender people to change their gender information in Social Security Administration records.
Visitors to the White House complex soon will also be able to choose an “X” gender marker option in the White House Worker and Visitor Entry System, which is used to conduct screening background checks.
At airports, changes will be made to screening scanners along with the introduction of the use of an “X” for travelers going through Precheck who do not identify as male or female. Transportation Security Administration agents will receive new instructions on how to make screening procedures less invasive and will work with airlines to promote acceptance of the “X” gender marker.
“Jeopardy!” star Schneider spoke of “being a trans person out there that isn’t monstrous and isn’t threatening and is just a normal person, like we all are,” and said “the more that people like me can be seen, the harder it is to sustain the myths that are … kind of driving a lot of this hate and fear.”
In his video, Biden said there is work still to be done to end “the epidemic of violence against transgender women of color and girls of color” and to ensure that transgender seniors “can age with dignity.” He called anew on Congress to pass the Equality Act to help transgender people around the world “live free from discrimination and violence.”
Biden tried to reassure any transgender person who is struggling, telling them to remember that “you’re not alone.”
“You’re so brave. You belong. And we have your back,” Biden said.
The administration’s actions follow recent steps at the state level to limit activity by transgender people. At least 10 states have banned transgender athletes from participating in sports at all levels in a way that is consistent with their gender identity.
In Texas, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who is seeking reelection, has ordered the state’s child welfare agency to probe reports of gender-confirming care for kids as abuse.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican who is running for reelection and considering a 2024 presidential bid, on Monday signed into law a measure that bars instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade. The law has drawn intense national scrutiny from critics who argue it marginalizes LGBTQ people. Republicans and advocates of the law argue that discussion of these topics should be between parents and their children.
___
Associated Press writers Meg Kinnard in Columbia, South Carolina, and Colleen Long and Ben Fox contributed to this report.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/local/will-smiths-oscars-slap-felt-by-comedians-beyond-chris-rock/
|
When Will Smith slapped Chris Rock over an Oscars ceremony punchline, other comedians felt the sting.
“I know Chris and I know what it’s like to be on a stage in front of an audience that doesn’t like your material,” said stand-up comedian Judy Gold. “But to be physically assaulted, that’s a whole other thing. It felt like every comedian was smacked across the face. It really felt like that.”
Smith’s act comes during a stressful time for comedy. While boundaries for humor constantly shift — think George Carlin’s 1972 monologue on seven so-called “dirty words” banned by TV — comics say they have felt increased pushback from audiences and society. Comedy great Dave Chappelle drew sharpcriticism last year for what some deemed anti-transgender humor in his Netflix special “The Closer.” Kathy Griffin’s careerwas derailed in 2017 when she was photographed holding a mock-up of former President Donald Trump’s head.
Some comedians expressed concern that Smith’s behavior might embolden other displeased audience members.
“No one went up to Chris Rock and said, ‘Are you OK?’” Sheryl Underwood, co-host of “The Talk,” said on the show Tuesday. “I’m going to say this as a comic, I am afraid now to get on a stage, because in my third show, when everyone’s been drinking, if you don’t like my joke, do you now believe that you can get up and slap me? There’s got to be accountability quicker.”
Griffin tweeted that “now we all have to worry about who wants to be the next Will Smith in comedy clubs and theaters.”
“Which is the worst crime here?” veteran comedian Gilbert Gottfried said in an interview with The Associated Press. “Chris Rock being physically assaulted? Or Chris Rock making a joke? That’s it, pure and simple. He made a joke.”
Dean Obeidallah, a lawyer and stand-up comic who hosts a show on the SiriusXM Progress channel, said there is never “a place for a violent response to a joke” but doubted there would be copycat behavior. In his time in comedy clubs, he’s seen yelling, screaming and, once, a glass thrown at somebody. But he’s never seen a punch thrown, nor a comedian slapped.
“If someone were to strike a comedian, they’re going to be prosecuted criminally. They don’t have the privilege that Will Smith has,” Obeidallah said.
The Los Angeles Police Department said Sunday that it was aware of the incident, but Rock had declined to file a police report. Smith stayed through the rest of the ceremony Sunday and received the best-actor Oscar.
Gold said she’s been confronted but never struck, and she knows other female comedians have faced difficult circumstances. “People have been getting on stage, people have thrown things,” she said.
Comedian-actor Yamaneika Saunders calls Smith’s behavior upsetting and Sunday a sad day for ”two beloved Black men in entertainment.” She also views what happened through the lens of a “Black woman in comedy.”
“I’m constantly being threatened….by some man who doesn’t like some (expletive) I said about being a woman, some white guy who doesn’t like some (expletive) I said about being Black,” she said.
Insult humor isn’t new to high-profile ceremonies, which call on comics to liven up what can be tedious events. Ricky Gervais made a meal of celebrities at successive Golden Globe ceremonies, and they grin — or grimace — and bear it. The most famous bad sport: Trump at the 2011 White House correspondents’ dinner, where he sat stone-faced during then-President Barack Obama’s extended ribbing of him.
Rock wasn’t the first to tweak Smith or wife Jada Pinkett Smith at Sunday’s Oscars. Ceremony co-host Regina Hall made what appeared to be a veiled joke about their marriage in trying, unsuccessfully, to draw Smith into a comedy bit.
Rock’s wisecrack was targeted at Pinkett Smith. “Jada, I love you. ‘G.I. Jane 2,’ can’t wait to see it,” the comedian said to Pinkett Smith, whose close-shaven head looked similar to Demi Moore’s in the 1997 movie. Whether Rock was aware that she has a hair-loss condition, alopecia, is unknown, but Smith reacted with the smack and an angry warning to “keep my wife’s name out your (expletive) mouth!”
A tearful Smith later accepted the top acting award for “King Richard,” his somewhat remorseful speech eliciting a standing ovation from the Dolby Theatre crowd. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has since condemned Smith’s attack and said it’s reviewing the matter.
Whatever the result, his actions indelibly marred the ceremony and ignited discussions about violence, toxic masculinity and the advantages of fame. Smith, who’d conspicuously left Rock out of his remarks Sunday, apologized to the comic and decried “violence in all of its forms” in a statement the next day issued by his publicist and posted on Instagram.
Pinkett Smith’s first public comment came in an Instagram post in which she said, “This is a season for healing and I’m here for it.”Rock referred briefly to the slap at a comedy show Wednesday in Boston, saying he was “still kind of processing what happened.” He appeared to become emotional as the audience gave him several standing ovations.
Whatever pushback comedians may encounter on stage, verbal or physical, they have to guard against censoring themselves to avoid it — and they will, said Obeidallah: “They shouldn’t change, and there’s nothing about this that tells me that they will change.”
They can’t because their role goes beyond providing laughs, as comedians see it.
“We are the truth tellers. We speak truth to power,” said Gold, author of the 2020 book, “Yes, I Can Say That: When They Come for the Comedians, We Are All in Trouble.”
Gottfried cites a favorite Carlin quote — “It’s the duty of the comedian to find out where the line is drawn and cross it deliberately” — and can’t resist serving up a punchline.
“If Will Smith is reading this, dear God, please don’t come to my shows,” he said.
—-
AP Television Writer Lynn Elber reported from Los Angeles, AP Media Writer David Bauder from New York.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/business/a-key-inflation-gauge-sets-40-year-high-as-gas-and-food-soar/
|
WASHINGTON (AP) — An inflation gauge that is closely monitored by the Federal Reserve jumped 6.4% in February compared with a year ago, with sharply higher prices for food, gasoline and other necessities squeezing Americans’ finances.
The figure reported Thursday by the Commerce Department was the largest year-over-year rise since January 1982. Excluding volatile prices for food and energy, so-called core inflation increased 5.4% in February from 12 months earlier.
Robust consumer demand has combined with shortages of many goods to fuel the sharpest price jumps in four decades. Measures of inflation will likely worsen in the coming months because Thursday’s report doesn’t reflect the consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which occurred Feb. 24. The war has disrupted global oil markets and accelerated prices for wheat, nickel and other key commodities.
Squeezed by inflation, consumers increased their spending by just 0.2% in February, down from a much larger 2.7% gain in January. Adjusted for inflation, spending actually fell 0.4% last month. The decline partly reflected a shift away from heavy spending on goods to a focus on services, such as health care, travel and entertainment, which consumers had long avoided during the worst of the pandemic.
Spending on such services grew 0.6%, the most since July, while purchases of autos, furniture, clothes and other goods dropped 2.1%. Many economists had previously suggested that a shift away from goods purchases might loosen supply chain snarls and cool inflation. But prices are still rising rapidly for goods, including a 1.1% increase in February.
Americans’ overall incomes rose 0.5% in February, the highest gain since November and up from just 0.1% in January. Wages and salaries jumped 0.8%, the most in four months.
Businesses have been raising pay to attract and keep employees — a trend that is benefiting workers but also giving employers cause to raise prices to offset their higher labor costs. That cycle is helping fuel inflation.
Last month, food costs climbed 1.4%, the most in nearly two years. Energy costs spiked 3.7%, the biggest such increase since October.
The Federal Reserve responded this month to the inflation surge by raising its benchmark short-term interest rate by a quarter-point from near zero, and it’s likely to keep raising it well into next year. Because its rate affects many consumer and business loans, the Fed’s rate hikes will make borrowing more expensive and could weaken the economy over time.
Michael Feroli of JPMorgan is among economists who now think the Fed will raise its key rate by an aggressive half-point in both May and June. The central bank hasn’t raised its benchmark rate by a half-point in two decades, a sign of how concerned it has become about the persistent surge in inflation.
On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.6% from January to February, up slightly from the previous month’s increase of 0.5% and matching the highest monthly figure since 2008. Core prices rose 0.4%, down from a 0.5% increase in January.
Gas prices have soared in the past month in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion, which led the United Kingdom and the Biden administration to ban Russia’s oil exports. The cost of a gallon of gas shot up to a national average of $4.24 a gallon Wednesday, according to AAA. That’s up 63 cents from a month ago, when it was $3.61.
Michael Pearce, an economist at Capital Economics, estimated that the gas price spike will cost Americans an annualized $100 billion in March.
Americans will likely dig into their savings to cover the higher gas costs in the near term, he said. “But if higher gasoline prices are sustained, that will eventually weigh on spending in other areas.”
On Thursday, President Joe Biden is expected to order the release of up to 1 million barrels of oila day from the nation’s strategic petroleum reserve in an effort to reduce gas prices.
Thursday’s report follows a more widely monitored inflation gauge, the consumer price index, that was issued earlier this month. The CPI jumped to 7.9% in February from a year ago, the sharpest such increase in four decades.
Many economists still expect inflation to peak in the coming months. In part, that’s because price spikes that occurred last year, when the economy widely reopened, will begin to make the year-over-year price increases appear smaller. Yet Fed officials project that inflation, as measured by its preferred gauge, will still be a comparatively high 4.3% by the end of this year.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/business/aps-marjorie-miller-named-as-new-head-of-pulitzer-prizes/
|
NEW YORK (AP) — Marjorie Miller, vice president and global enterprise editor at The Associated Press, has been named as the new administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes.
Miller spent 27 years at the Los Angeles Times as a correspondent in Latin America, Europe and the Middle East. She was the newspaper’s foreign editor when it won a Pulitzer Prize for Russia coverage and was a finalist for Iraq War coverage.
She joined AP in 2010 as the regional editor for Latin America, where her team produced award-winning coverage of cartel violence. In 2015, she moved to New York to help lead daily news coverage and enterprise. Two years later she became the founding leader of AP’s Global Enterprise Team, overseeing reporting projects in all formats, including work from Yemen that won the 2019 Pulitzer for International Reporting.
Her appointment was announced Thursday by the Pulitzer Prize Board and by Lee C. Bollinger, president of Columbia University, which hosts the prestigious journalism awards.
“I cannot think of a better steward for the Pulitzer Prizes, which celebrate excellence in journalism, arts, and letters and recognize the powerful, public service role they play in promoting tolerance, advancing the search for truth, and protecting the free exchange of information and ideas,” Bollinger said.
Miller succeeds acting administrator Edward Kliment, who will stay on as Miller’s deputy. She begins her new role on April 11.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/business/as-russia-sees-tech-brain-drain-other-nations-hope-to-gain/
|
VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Russia’s tech workers are looking for safer and more secure professional pastures.
By one estimate, up to 70,000 computer specialists, spooked by a sudden frost in the business and political climate, have bolted the country since Russia invaded Ukraine five weeks ago. Many more are expected to follow.
For some countries, Russia’s loss is being seen as their potential gain and an opportunity to bring fresh expertise to their own high-tech industries.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has noticed the brain drain even in the throes of a war that, according to the U.N. refugee agency, has caused more than 4 million people to flee Ukraine and displaced millions more within the country.
This week, Putin reacted to the exodus of tech professionals by approving legislation to eliminate income taxes between now and 2024 for individuals who work for information technology companies.
Some people in the vast new pool of high-tech exiles say they are in no rush to return home. An elite crowd furnished with European Union visas has relocated to Poland or the Baltic nations of Latvia and Lithuania.
A larger contingent has fallen back on countries where Russians do not need visas: Armenia, Georgia and the former Soviet republics in Central Asia. In normal times, millions of less-skilled laborers emigrate from those economically shaky countries to comparatively more prosperous Russia.
Anastasia, a 24-year-old freelance computer systems analyst from the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, chose Kyrgyzstan, where her husband has family.
“When we heard about the war on (Feb. 24), we thought it was probably time to leave, but that we might wait and see. On February 25, we bought our tickets and left,” Anastasia said. “There wasn’t much thinking to do.”
Like all the Russian workers contacted for this story, Anastasia asked to remain anonymous. Moscow was cracking down on dissent even before the invasion of Ukraine, and people living outside Russia still fear reprisals.
“As long as I can remember, there has always been fear around expressing one’s own views in Russia,” Anastasia said, adding that the war and “the background noise of patriotism” made the environment even more forbidding. “I left one day before they began searching and interrogating people at the border.”
The scale of the apparent brain drain was laid bare last week by Sergei Plugotarenko, the head of the Russian Association for Electronic Communications, an industry lobbying group.
“The first wave – 50,000-70,000 people – has already left,” Plugotarenko told a parliamentary committee.
Only the high cost of flights out of the country prevented an even larger mass exit. Another 100,000 tech workers nevertheless might leave Russia in April, Plugotarenko predicted.
Konstantin Siniushin, a managing partner at Untitled Ventures, a tech-focused venture capital fund based in Latvia, said that Russian tech firms with international customers had no choice but to move since many foreign companies are hastily distancing themselves from anything Russia-related.
“They had to leave the country so their business could survive, or, in the case of research and development workers, they were relocated by HQs,” Siniushin wrote in emailed remarks.
Untitled Ventures is helping in the migration; the firm charted two flights to Armenia carrying 300 tech workers from Russia, Siniushin said.
Some nearby countries are eager to reap the dividends.
Russian talent is primed for poaching. A 2020 Global Skills Index report published by Coursera, a leading provider of open online courses, found that people from Russia scored highest for skill proficiency in technology and data science.
As soon as the war started in Ukraine, the Central Asian nation of Uzbekistan radically streamlined the process for obtaining work visas and residence permits for IT specialists.
Anton Filippov, a mobile app programmer from St. Petersburg, and the team of freelancers with whom he works made the move to Tashkent, the Uzbek capital, where he grew up, even before those incentives were made public.
“On February 24, it was like we had woken up to this different terrible reality,” Filippov said. “We’re all young, less than 27 years old, and so we were afraid we might be called up to take part in this war.”
As in-demand tech workers explore their options, their diaspora resembles a roaming caravan. Some countries, like Uzbekistan, are picked as stepping stones because Russian citizens do not need visas for short-term stays. But young professionals like Filippov do not plan to necessarily stay where they first landed.
“If the conditions they find differ from the ones they were promised, they will simply move on,” he said.
In many cases, entire companies are looking to relocate to avoid the fallout from international sanctions. A senior diplomat from another Russian neighbor, Kazakhstan, made a naked appeal this week for fleeing foreign enterprises to come to his country.
Kazakhstan is eyeing high-tech investors with particular interest as the country tries to diversify its economy, which relies on oil exports. In 2017, the government set up a technology park in the capital, Nur-Sultan, and offered tax breaks, preferential loans, and grants to anybody prepared to set up shop there.
The uptake has been moderate so far, but the hope is that the Russian brain drain will give this initiative a major shot in the arm.
“The accounts of Russian companies are being frozen, and their transactions do not go through. They are trying to keep customers, and one available opportunity is to go to Kazakhstan,” said Arman Abdrasilov, chairman of Zerde Holding, an investment fund in Almaty, Kazakhstan’s business hub.
Not all countries are so eager, though.
“Russian companies or startups cannot move to Lithuania,” said Inga Simanonyte, an adviser to the Baltic nation’s Economy and Innovation Minister. “We do not work with any Russian company with their possible relocation to Lithuania, and the ministry has suspended all applications for startup visas since February 24.”
Security concerns and suspicion that Russians might spy or engage in cyber mischief abroad make some governments wary about welcoming the country’s economic refugees.
“The IT sector in Russia is very closely connected to the security services. The problem is that without an extremely strong vetting process, we risk importing parts of the criminal system of Russia,” Lithuanian political analyst Marius Laurinavicius told The Associated Press.
Siniushin, the managing partner at Untitled Ventures, is urging Western nations to throw open their doors so their employers can take advantage of the unusual hiring opportunity the war created.
“The more talent that Europe or the United States can take away from Russia today, the more benefits these new innovators, whose potential will be fully realized abroad, will bring to other countries,” he said.
___
Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/business/asian-stocks-fall-after-china-manufacturing-weakens/
|
A late burst of selling left stocks broadly lower on Wall Street Thursday, as the market closed out its worst quarter since the pandemic broke out two years ago.
Despite posting a 3.6% gain for March, a dismal January and February left U.S. indexes lower for the year to date. The S&P 500 ended the day 1.6% lower, bringing its loss since the beginning of the year to 4.9%.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.6%, while the Nasdaq composite fell 1.5%. Both indexes also notched gains for March, thanks largely to a market rally in the two weeks heading into this week.
Oil prices fell as President Joe Biden ordered the release of up to 1 million barrels of oil per day from the nation’s strategic petroleum reserve. The move to pump more oil into the market is part of an effort to control energy prices, which are up nearly 40% globally this year.
Wall Street’s downbeat finish to March comes as investors try to navigate the market risks amid surging inflation, geopolitical instability and uncertainty over how aggressively the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates to quash inflation.
“Yesterday’s weakness and some weakness today may be in response to sentiment that’s a little more cautious given the recent strength in the last two weeks and the ongoing uncertainty related to inflation and earnings,” said Terry Sandven, chief equity strategist at U.S. Bank Wealth Management.
The S&P 500 fell 72.04 points to 4,530.41. The Dow fell 550.46 points to 34,678.35, and the Nasdaq slid 221.76 points to 14,220.52.
Smaller company stocks also fell. The Russell 2000 index dropped 20.94 points, or 1%, to 2,070.13.
About 85% of stocks in the benchmark S&P 500 fell. Much of the movement seemed like a “consolidation” for investors, said Scott Wren, senior global market strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute.
“This is a little give back today just from the big run that we had, but we’re hanging in here pretty well,” Wren said. Major indexes fell on Wednesday to end a four-day winning streak.
Technology and communications stocks were among the biggest weights on the market. Many of the companies in those sectors have pricey stock values that tend to give the broader market a more forceful push either up or down. Chipmaker Intel fell 3.6%, while Facebook parent Meta Platforms slid 2.4%.
Banks also fell along with bond yields, which forces interest rates on loans lower, making lending less profitable for banks. The yield on the 10-year Treasury slipped to 2.34% from 2.36% late Wednesday. Bank of America fell 4.1%.
U.S. crude oil prices fell 7% and Brent, the international standard, fell 4.9%. The pullback slightly trimmed what have been soaring oil prices amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The conflict has elevated concerns that tightened supplies will only worsen persistently rising inflation that threatens businesses and consumers globally.
An inflation gauge that is closely monitored by the Federal Reserve jumped 6.4% in February compared with a year ago, marking the largest year-over-year rise since January 1982.
Energy prices have been a key factor in pushing inflation higher and Biden’s plan to release more oil into the system comes as little relief is expected from the oil cartel OPEC. The cartel and its allied oil producers including Russia are sticking to a modest increase in the amount of crude they pump to the world, a step that supports higher prices.
Higher prices for everything from energy to food has been a key concern of central banks globally, which are moving to raise interest rates to help temper the impact. Investors have been trying to measure how the economy and companies will fare amid rising inflation, higher interest rates, the war in Ukraine and other factors. That has made for a rocky start to the year.
Investors received a lukewarm update on the job market on Thursday. More Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week, but layoffs remain at historic lows. Wall Street will get a fuller report on Friday when the Labor Department releases employment data for March.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/business/explainer-what-is-the-strategic-petroleum-reserve-2/
|
DALLAS (AP) — President Joe Biden is again dipping into the nation’s petroleum stockpile to try to corral rising energy prices.
The White House announced Thursday that Biden ordered the daily release of 1 million barrels of oil from the strategic petroleum reserve for the next six months. Biden will also ask Congress to penalize oil and gas companies that lease public land but aren’t producing energy.
The administration hopes that tapping the petroleum reserve will buy time and tamp down gasoline prices long enough until domestic producers can boost output.
Global oil prices were rising even before Russia invaded Ukraine in February. When Biden announced a ban on Russian oil imports in early March, he acknowledged it would come at a cost to American consumers.
This is the third time Biden has turned to the strategic petroleum reserve in a little over four months. Back in November, he ordered the release of 50 million barrels of oil. Then, in his state of the union speech in March, Biden announced another 30 million barrels as part of a multi-nation effort to boost the oil supply.
Tapping the reserve among the few things a president can do alone to try to control inflation, which makes Americans poorer and often creates a political liability for the party in control of the White House.
Here is a look at what’s involved:
___
WHAT IS THE PETROLEUM RESERVE?
America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve is a collection of underground salt caverns in Texas and Louisiana that can hold more than 700 million barrels of oil, although it is not currently full. The reserve held about 568 million barrels last week, down from more than 650 million barrels in mid-2021, according to the U.S. Energy Department.
The reserve was created after the 1970s Arab oil embargo to give the United States a supply that could be used in an emergency.
___
WHY IS IT USED?
The U.S. now exports more oil than it imports, but the reserve remains and has been tapped for various reasons, from offsetting the impact of hurricanes and ship-channel closings to raising money for deficit reduction.
In 1991, President George H.W. Bush authorized withdrawing nearly 34 million barrels during the Gulf War, although only 17 million barrels were used. In 2011, President Barack Obama approved the release of 30 million barrels to offset the disruption of supply from Libya.
___
HOW DO THEY GET THE OIL OUT?
Oil is lighter than water — that’s why disasters like those caused by the Exxon Valdez tanker and the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig create slicks on the surface. To remove oil from the reserves, water is pumped into the salt caverns, making the crude float to the surface, where it is captured and sent through pipelines to refineries.
___
WHY IS BIDEN TAPPING THE RESERVE?
Supply and demand. Biden is hoping that by releasing more oil on the market, prices will fall. Prices did dip for nearly two weeks after Biden’s initial announcement about tapping the reserve back in November but then resumed their steep climb. U.S. crude is up almost 40% this year and has grown even more volatile in the past month.
Whether Biden’s latest move works will depend on several factors. One factor to keep in mind: Even though 1 million barrels a day is a huge amount of oil, the U.S. consumed nearly 20 million barrels a day last year, and worldwide consumption topped 97 million barrels a day.
___
WILL GASOLINE GET CHEAPER?
What most people want to know is what’s going to happen to prices at the pump. Many factors go into the price of gasoline. Refineries buy crude oil in advance, so they could still be working with more expensive oil. States have differing tax rates that affect the price that motorists pay.
On Thursday, the national average price for a gallon of regular was more than $4.22, down about a dime from the peak earlier in March, according to auto club AAA.
The average is still under $4 a gallon in many states in the middle of the country, but it’s higher in the Northeast and highest in the West. In California, it’s an eye-popping $5.90 a gallon.
Even if those prices don’t drop, Biden can argue that by tapping the reserve he tried to help.
___
WHO GETS HURT MOST?
Gasoline prices are regressive — lower-income people are more likely to spend a higher percentage of their money on gasoline than are affluent Americans — so increases hurt the most price-sensitive consumers. Kevin Book, managing director at Clearview Energy Partners, says those consumers might not show up in measures of the nation’s economy, “but they show up in vote counts … if we get down to it, that’s really what this is about.”
___
WHY DOES OIL MATTER?
The future of oil and gas in the U.S. is a political flashpoint and source of tension, especially as companies and government agencies grapple with climate change and the transition to cleaner sources of energy.
On one hand, the U.S. oil and gas industry has been praised by some political leaders for creating energy independence. Where the U.S. once relied heavily on imports, other nations now rely on the U.S. for oil. It’s also a job supplier: The oil and gas industry employs more than 10 million people in the U.S. and contributes about 8% of the nation’s gross domestic product, according to the American Petroleum Institute.
Companies that supply oil benefit from higher prices. But consumers don’t like it when those higher prices trickle down to the pump.
The institute has previously said that any release of oil from the strategic reserve should be paired with policy measures that encourage more U.S. energy production. That collides with Biden’s promise to reduce dependence on fossil fuels that contribute to climate change.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/business/feds-rate-hikes-threaten-its-goal-of-narrowing-racial-gaps/
|
WASHINGTON (AP) — America’s hiring boom of the past year has narrowed racial disparities in unemployment. Yet the Federal Reserve’s ongoing interest rate hikes — shaping up to be the steepest in 15 years — threaten to reverse that progress.
The Fed’s rate hikes will mean higher borrowing rates that could hobble the job market and undercut a goal the Fed unveiled two years ago: To keep rates ultra-low for as long as possible, to help less advantaged workers, who often don’t benefit much from job growth until late in an economic expansion.
Now, though, facing the worst inflation in four decades, the Fed has begun tightening credit and is expected to keep raising its benchmark short-term rate multiple times this year and next. Such rapid hikes typically slow borrowing and spending and can raise unemployment and even cause a recession. During such downturns, Black and Hispanic Americans commonly suffer higher jobless rates.
The Fed’s shift away from low rates comes as the African American unemployment rate has reached 6.6%, down sharply from its pandemic high of nearly 17% and a relatively low level historically. Yet it remains twice the 3.3% rate for whites. Hispanic unemployment is 4.4%.
“The reason why this matters in the Black community is because we are literally the last hired, and it’s only when you get to this point in a recovery where black workers really see their gains,” said William Spriggs, chief economist at the AFL-CIO. “When you slow the pace of hiring, then you cut off that path.”
On Friday, the government will issue the March jobs report, which could shine further light on racial disparities. Economists estimate that employers added a healthy 478,000 jobs last month and that the unemployment rate dipped from 3.8% to 3.7%, according to data provider FactSet. That would be near the 3.5% rate just before the pandemic struck, which was the lowest level in a half-century.
In August 2020, the Fed redefined its goal of maximum employment as being “broad-based and inclusive.” For the first time, it would look beyond the overall unemployment rate and also consider jobless rates for Black and Hispanic workers in setting interest rates. Fed officials hoped that by keeping rates down, they could help narrow the nation’s persistent racial unemployment gaps.
The policy represented “a significant shift,” said Stephanie Aaronson, director of economic studies at the Brookings Institution and a former Fed economist. “Prior to that, every Fed chair would have said something along the lines of, a rising tide lifts all boats. Now they were saying, a rising tide lifts all boats — but not to the same level, and not at the same pace.”
For Chair Jerome Powell and other Fed officials, the goal was to keep the economy running “hot” to reduce unemployment as much as possible. The Fed also wanted to raise too-low inflation, which had stayed stubbornly below its 2% annual target for roughly a decade.
In a so-called hot economy, businesses become so desperate for workers that they hire applicants they would otherwise have neglected. They are more likely, for example, to hire and train workers who lack certain skills or even people who have completed prison sentences.
But the pandemic has upended the Fed’s intentions. The combination of supply-chain snarls and robust consumer demand, fueled by government rescue aid and the Fed’s own low rates, fed an unexpectedly large and persistent spike in inflation. The result is that the central bank must raise rates to fight inflation.
Powell and other Fed officials say they hope that by doing so, they will prolong, rather than derail, economic growth and further narrow racial inequities. Among those officials is Raphael Bostic, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, who said last week that he expected the economy to keep growing even in the face of higher rates.
“And if that is in fact what happens, then it is possible that we can still see the narrowing of these (racial) gaps,” Bostic said.
With inflation chronically high, economists are in overwhelming agreement that the Fed has no choice but to tighten credit — perhaps aggressively — well into 2023.
“When inflation is not a problem, then it’s much easier to say, ‘We’re going to maximize employment and see how far we can take this,’ ” said Valerie Wilson, director of the Economic Policy Institute’s program on race, ethnicity and the economy. “But with inflation in the mix, they’re in a position now where they can’t really ignore that.”
The seeds of the Fed’s shift toward pursuing a more inclusive recovery were sown during the economic expansion that followed the 2008-2009 Great Recession, the longest in U.S. history. The Fed pinned its key rate at nearly zero in December 2008, where it remained for seven years. Over time, its policies helped shrink unemployment to its lowest point in a half-century. Black and Hispanic jobless rates reached record lows.
Black unemployment fell to 5.4% in 2019, the lowest on records dating to 1972. It was just 1.9 percentage points above the white rate of 3.5%, the smallest such gap on record.
Other racial gaps vanished altogether. The proportions of Black and white Americans who were either working or seeking work equaled each other in 2019, for example, after roughly four decades in which Black workers had trailed whites.
In part, that reflected an aging white population with comparatively more retirements. But it also resulted from a steady rise in Black Americans who either found jobs or had begun seeking one.
That progress bolstered a view among economists that the Fed’s rate policies could make a major difference. Research by Aaronsonfound that when the unemployment rate falls especially low, disadvantaged groups disproportionately benefit.
Still, the reality that racial unemployment gaps exist even during hot economies has fueled a perception among economists that there are limits to what the Fed’s low rates — and a strong economy — can achieve. Economists generally believe that federal spending and tax policies have a more significant impact on household finances.
Algernon Austin, who leads the race and economic justice program at the Center for Economic and Policy Research, suggested that while the central bank deserves credit for pursuing an inclusive recovery, “what the Fed does is not going to solve the problem.”
Likewise, Powell said last year that he believed Congress and other institutions would have to pursue policies, in education and other areas, to fully eliminate racial inequalities in jobs and incomes.
“We would all love to see no such gap,” he said. “I think eliminating inequality and racial discrimination … is really something that fiscal policy and other policies — frankly, education policies and that kind of thing — are better at focusing on.”
For now, Black Americans face higher unemployment than whites at every level of education, according to data compiled by the Economic Policy Institute. In 2019, Black workers with a four-year college degree had a higher jobless rate than whites with only some higher education did.
Spriggs suggested that stricter enforcement of civil rights laws to fight discrimination in hiring could help narrow the racial disparities. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s budget has stagnated for years, Spriggs noted, even while it has taken on additional tasks, including the enforcement of age bias laws.
Better enforcement by the EEOC might, for example, help address the fact that Black unemployment has remained roughly double the white rate for decades. At a conference last week held by the Brookings Institution, William Darity, an economist at Duke University, called that ratio “a powerful index of discrimination.”
Darity has called for a federal jobs guarantee that would give the unemployed the option of a public sector job. With that policy as a “cushion,” Darrity said, “the Fed could tackle inflation without fear of extreme adverse social consequences.”
In a speech last February, Powell acknowledged the limits of the Fed’s powers.
“Over the course of a long expansion, these persistent disparities can decline significantly,” he said. “But without policies to address their underlying causes, they may increase again when the economy ultimately turns down.”
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/business/frankfurt-airport-owner-sells-stake-in-chinas-xian-airport/
|
BERLIN (AP) — The operator of Frankfurt Airport said Thursday that it is selling its minority stake in China’s Xi’an Airport after failing to expand its business in the huge Chinese market.
Fraport AG said it is selling its 24.5% stake in the airport’s operating company to Chang’an Huitong Co. Ltd. for 1.11 billion yuan ($175 million).
CEO Stefan Schulte said Xi’an “gave us an opportunity to showcase our expertise in airport management,” with passenger numbers more than quadrupling to over 40 million per year over the 14 years since Fraport acquired its stake.
“We always regarded our minority stake in Xi’an as a starting point for expanding our business in China,” Schulte said in a statement.
“However, this never materialized in Xi’an or at any other Chinese airport,” he added. “Consequently, we have now decided to cease our activities in the Chinese market.”
Fraport said the Xi’an operating company, Xi’an Xianyang International Airport Co. Ltd., expects the transaction to be concluded during the second quarter.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/business/german-panel-recommends-booster-for-recipients-of-4-vaccines/
|
BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s independent vaccination advisory panel is recommending a booster shot with a messenger RNA vaccine for people who have had a full course of four Chinese, Indian and Russian COVID-19 vaccines that aren’t currently approved for use in the European Union.
In a draft recommendation Thursday, the panel, known by its German acronym STIKO, said the advice applies to people given a full course and also a booster of the Chinese Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines, the Indian-made Covaxin and Russia’s Sputnik V.
It said that the new booster shot should be administered at least three months after the previous vaccination.
The German panel said that people who have received only a single shot of the four vaccines should start a new vaccination series.
And it added that recipients of other vaccines not cleared by the EU should in general start a new series with a vaccine European authorities have approved.
Scientists believe that mixing and matching vaccines prompts a better immune response.
The BioNTech-Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines have been the mainstay of Germany’s vaccination program. Three other vaccines using different technologies have been cleared for use in the 27-nation EU — the AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson and Novavax products.
The mRNA vaccines have shown to be better than others at protecting against newer variants like omicron.
Separately, efforts to find a majority in the German parliament for a bill that would require all adults to be vaccinated against COVID-19 have reportedly stalled.
German publications Bild and Der Spiegel reported that talks between parties haven’t resulted in the necessary support, and lawmakers may now focus on a vaccine mandate for residents age 50 and over.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz declined Thursday to comment on the reports but said he continues to back the idea of a vaccine mandate for all adults.
___
Follow AP’s pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/business/got-a-dime-businesses-seek-treasury-help-with-coin-shortage/
|
WASHINGTON (AP) — Got a dime you can spare? Coins are in short supply — again.
Retailers, laundromats and other businesses that rely on coins want Americans to empty their piggy banks and look under couch cushions for extra change and “get coin moving.”
A group of trade associations that represent individual businesses including banks, retail outlets, truck stops, grocery stores and more is asking the Treasury Department for more help convincing Americans to get coins back in circulation.
The consequences of the circulation slowdown hit people who don’t have an ability to pay for items electronically, they say.
“If retailers are not able to offer change for cash purchases consumers who rely on cash will be vulnerable,” the associations said in a letter to Treasury.
For example, people who do their laundry at coin laundry mats could have a harder time finding change to wash their clothes. And on a larger scale, people who don’t have cash access aren’t able to patronize certain card-only businesses.
It’s not a coin shortage America faces, but a lack of circulation.
“We can’t print our way out of this problem,” said Austen Jensen, a senior vice president for government affairs at the Retail Industry Leaders Association.
Jensen’s group, along with the American Bankers Association, National Association of Convenience Stores, and National Grocers Association, is trying to meet consumer demand and wants a new public campaign to increase coin circulation.
Jensen said his group is also encouraging member retailers to find creative ways to deal with the shortage of coins, including rounding-up purchases for charity promotions. And he says businesses with multiple locations could send coins from one store to another.
This is not the first time during the pandemic that the issue of low coin circulation has arisen.
The coronavirus disrupted consumers’ buying habits and shifted purchases largely to plastic cards to such an extent that in July 2020, the Federal Reserve restricted coin orders by financial institutions.
The Fed also convened a U.S. Coin Task Force, made up of representatives from various federal agencies, which led to a campaign encouraging the public to get coins into circulation.
This February, the task force issued a State of Coin report, which said pandemic lockdowns slowed small transactions that generated change and there was a temporary aversion to cash for perceived hygienic reasons. The report also said the Federal Reserve and the U.S. Mint contracted with a third party consultant to review the coin supply chain.
Coin deposit volumes began to increase gradually starting in the summer of 2020, but businesses say the problem has come up again as people have stopped using coins and have stuck to plastic cards.
The issue has had the biggest impact on people who don’t have bank accounts. An estimated 22 percent of U.S. Americans were “unbanked” or “underbanked” in 2019, according to the Federal Reserve.
The Treasury Department has yet to respond to the letter. The government encourages people to help get coin moving by spending it with retailers, taking it to their banks and credit unions, or using a coin recycling kiosk like the ones found at grocery stores.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/business/house-passes-35-a-month-insulin-cap-as-dems-seek-wider-bill/
|
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Thursday passed a bill capping the monthly cost of insulin at $35 for insured patients, part of an election-year push by Democrats for price curbs on prescription drugs at a time of rising inflation.
Experts say the legislation, which passed 232-193, would provide significant relief for privately insured patients with skimpier plans and for Medicare enrollees facing rising out-of-pocket costs for their insulin. Some could save hundreds of dollars annually, and all insured patients would get the benefit of predictable monthly costs for insulin. The bill would not help the uninsured.
But the Affordable Insulin Now Act will serve as a political vehicle to rally Democrats and force Republicans who oppose it into uncomfortable votes ahead of the midterms. For the legislation to pass Congress, 10 Republican senators would have to vote in favor. Democrats acknowledge they don’t have an answer for how that’s going to happen.
“If 10 Republicans stand between the American people being able to get access to affordable insulin, that’s a good question for 10 Republicans to answer,” said Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Mich., a cosponsor of the House bill. “Republicans get diabetes, too. Republicans die from diabetes.”
Public opinion polls have consistently shown support across party lines for congressional action to limit drug costs.
But Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., complained the legislation is only “a small piece of a larger package around government price controls for prescription drugs.” Critics say the bill would raise premiums and fails to target pharmaceutical middlemen seen as contributing to high list prices for insulin.
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said Democrats could have a deal on prescription drugs if they drop their bid to authorize Medicare to negotiate prices. “Do Democrats really want to help seniors, or would they rather have the campaign issue?” Grassley said.
The insulin bill, which would take effect in 2023, represents just one provision of a much broader prescription drug package in President Joe Biden’s social and climate legislation.
In addition to a similar $35 cap on insulin, the Biden bill would authorize Medicare to negotiate prices for a range of drugs, including insulin. It would penalize drugmakers who raise prices faster than inflation and overhaul the Medicare prescription drug benefit to limit out-of-pocket costs for enrollees.
Biden’s agenda passed the House only to stall in the Senate because Democrats could not reach consensus. Party leaders haven’t abandoned hope of getting the legislation moving again, and preserving its drug pricing curbs largely intact.
The idea of a $35 monthly cost cap for insulin actually has a bipartisan pedigree. The Trump administration had created a voluntary option for Medicare enrollees to get insulin for $35, and the Biden administration continued it.
In the Senate, Republican Susan Collins of Maine and Democrat Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire are working on a bipartisan insulin bill. Georgia Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock has introduced legislation similar to the House bill, with the support of Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York.
Stung by criticism that Biden’s economic policies spur inflation, Democrats are redoubling efforts to show how they’d help people cope with costs. On Thursday,the Commerce Department reported a key inflation gauge jumped 6.4% in February compared with a year ago, the largest year-over-year rise since January 1982.
But experts say the House bill would not help uninsured people, who face the highest out-of-pocket costs for insulin. Also, people with diabetes often take other medications as well as insulin. That’s done to treat the diabetes itself, along with other serious health conditions often associated with the disease. The House legislation would not help with those costs, either. Collins says she’s looking for a way to help uninsured people through her bill.
About 37 million Americans have diabetes, and an estimated 6 million to 7 million use insulin to keep their blood sugars under control.It’s an old drug, refined and improved over the years, that has seen relentless price increases.
Steep list prices don’t reflect the rates insurance plans negotiate with manufacturers. But those list prices are used to calculate cost-sharing amounts that patients owe. Patients who can’t afford their insulin reduce or skip doses, a strategy born of desperation, which can lead to serious complications and even death.
Economist Sherry Glied of New York University said the market for insulin is a “total disaster” for many patients, particularly those with skimpy insurance plans or no insurance.
“This will make private insurance for people with diabetes a much more attractive proposition,” said Glied.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/business/italy-russia-wont-seek-payment-in-rubles-for-natural-gas/
|
BERLIN (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin insisted Thursday that the country’s natural gas must be paid for with rubles, a demand apparently intended to help bolster the Russian currency but one that European leaders say they will not comply with because it violates the terms of contracts and sanctions.
Putin said Russia will start accepting ruble payments Friday and gas supplies will be cut off if buyers don’t agree to the new conditions, including opening ruble accounts in Russian banks, from which the gas payments will be made.
“If these payments are not made, we will consider it a failure of the buyer to fulfill its obligations, with all the ensuing consequences,” Putin said.
European leaders cautiously insisted they will continue to pay for natural gas in euros and dollars and want to see the fine print of how the Kremlin will implement its decree. It came a day after the leaders of Italy and Germany said they received assurances from Putin about gas supplies.
Putin announced last week the countries deemed “unfriendly” for imposing sanctions on Russia over its war in Ukraine must pay for natural gas only in Russian currency. His proposal has caused natural gas prices to gyrate and raised fears it could be a prelude to an interruption of supplies to Europe, which is heavily dependent on Russian natural gas and would struggle with a sudden cutoff. At the same time, Russia depends on oil and gas sales for much of its government revenue at a time its economy is under severe stress from Western sanctions.
Putin’s demand appeared to be part of Russia’s efforts to boost the ruble after the currency plunged under Western sanctions. After dropping as low as 143 rubles to the dollar in early March, on Thursday it took 82 rubles to buy a dollar, around the same level as the day Russia launched its invasion.
Economists say switching the gas payments to rubles would do little to support the Russian currency, since gas exporter Gazprom has to sell 80% of its foreign currency earnings for rubles anyway. The White House said Thursday that the ruble is no longer a reliable measure of Russia’s economy because it’s being artificially propped up.
Analysts at Evercore ISI said Putin’s primary motive seems to be “to prove he can bend EU leaders to his will.” They also said that even if Russia is able to force the EU to pay for gas in rubles, the European countries could retaliate by imposing more tariffs on Russian oil imports or banning them outright. While Russia could eventually sell the oil, the price would likely be at a steep discount, the analysts said.
The decree Putin signed and state news agency RIA Novosti published says a designated bank will open two accounts for each buyer, one in foreign currency and one in rubles. Buyers will pay in foreign currency and authorize the bank to sell it for rubles on Moscow’s currency exchange. The rubles would then be placed in the second account, where the gas is formally purchased.
People are “wondering what Putin is up to,” said Tim Ash, senior emerging markets sovereign strategist at BlueBay Asset Management. Putin may have read the German government’s unwillingness to boycott Russian energy “as weakness and is now trying to engineer this energy crisis … the solution here is to call Putin’s bluff and say, sure, cut off energy supplies and see who breaks first.”
___
D’Emilio contributed from Rome. AP reporter Colleen Barry in Milan contributed.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/business/mcconnell-says-covid-spending-package-could-shrink-to-10b/
|
WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers moved to the brink Thursday of shaking hands on a scaled-back bipartisan compromise providing a fresh $10 billion to combat COVID-19, a deal that could set up final congressional approval next week.
The price tag was down from an earlier $15.6 billion agreement between the two parties that collapsed weeks ago after House Democrats rejected cutting unused pandemic aid to states to help pay for it. President Joe Biden requested $22.5 billion in early March. With leaders hoping to move the package through Congress quickly, the lowered cost seemed to reflect both parties’ calculations that agreeing soon to additional savings would be too hard.
The effort, which would finance steps like vaccines, treatments and tests, comes as Bidenand other Democrats have warned the government is running out of moneyto counter the pandemic. At the same time, the more transmissible omicron variant BA.2 has been spreading quickly in the U.S. and abroad.
“We’ve reached an agreement in principle on all the spending and all of the offsets,” Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, the lead Republican bargainer, told reporters, using Washington-speak for savings. “It’s entirely balanced by offsets.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and others were more circumspect.
“We are getting close to a final agreement that would garner bipartisan support,” Schumer said on the Senate floor. He said lawmakers were still finalizing the bill’s components and language, and awaiting a cost estimate from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., chair of the Senate health committee and another bargainer, said, “I’m hoping,” when asked about Romney’s assessment.
Once clinched, an agreement would represent a semblance of bipartisan cooperation in battling the pandemic that dissolved a year ago, when a far larger, $1.9 trillion measure proposed by the new president cleared Congress with only Democratic votes. That bill was laden with spending to help struggling families, businesses and communities, while this one would be aimed exclusively at public health.
Many Republicans have been willing to go along with the new expenditures but have insisted on paying for them with unspent funds from previous bills Congress has enacted to address the pandemic.
Half the new measure’s $10 billion would be used for treatments, said Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., who has helped negotiate the agreement. He said top federal health officials would be given wide discretion on spending the rest of it but it would include research and other steps for battling the disease, which has killed around 975,000 Americans and millions across the world.
Romney and others said savings the two parties had agreed to for the new bill would not include the cuts in state assistance that House Democrats opposed. He said some unused funds would be culled from another pandemic program that gives state and local governments funds for grants to local businesses.
Blunt said both sides had also agreed to savings that include pulling back an unspent $2.2 billion for aiding entertainment venues closed during the pandemic and more than $2 billion still available for assisting aviation manufacturing.
Romney said the $10 billion might include $1 billion for vaccines, treatments and other support for countries overseas. Blunt said that figure seemed unresolved. One third of the earlier, $15.6 billion measure had been slated to go abroad.
The lowered figure for assisting other countries encountered opposition in the House, where some Democrats wanted to boost the figure. Epidemiologists have cited the need to vaccinate more people around the world and reduce the virus’ opportunities for spinning off new variants.
“It’s a problem,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., told reporters. “It’s a shame.”
Kate Bedingfield, White House communications director, said officials were “very hopeful” an agreement would be reached and prodded lawmakers to include funds to help other countries cope with the disease.
“We’re not going to be able to put this pandemic behind us until we stop the spread and proliferation of new variants globally,” Bedingfield said.
Leaders hope Congress can approve the legislation before lawmakers leave for a spring recess after next week.
Republicans have leverage in the Democratic-controlled, 50-50 Senate because 60 votes are needed to pass most major bills. Romney and Blunt both said they believed a finalized package they described would attract significantly more than the 10 GOP votes needed.
Since the pandemic began, Congress has approved more than $5 trillion to address the economic and health crises it produced. Only a small fraction of that has been for public health programs like vaccines.
In an interview earlier Thursday with Punchbowl News, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the measure’s price tag seemed to have fallen to $10 billion because Democrats weren’t agreeing to additional savings.
Minutes later, Schumer took to the Senate floor and mentioned no figures but suggested its size could fall.
“I’m pleading with my Republican colleagues, join us,” Schumer said. “We want more than you do, but we have to get something done. We have to get something done.”
Asked if he thought an agreement could be reached before lawmakers’ recess, McConnell said, “We’ll see. Hope so.”
___
Associated Press writer Zeke Miller contributed to this report.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/business/more-americans-apply-for-jobless-benefits-layoffs-still-low/
|
WASHINGTON (AP) — More Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week, but layoffs remain at historic lows.
Jobless claims rose by 14,000 to 202,000 for the week ending March 26, the Labor Department reported Thursday. The previous week’s tally of 188,000 claims was the fewest since 1969. First-time applications for jobless aid generally track the pace of layoffs.
The four-week average for claims, which compensates for weekly volatility, fell to 208,500 from 212,000 the previous week.
In total, 1,307,000 Americans were collecting jobless aid for the week ending March 19, the fewest since December 1969.
Employers added a robust 678,000 jobs in February, according to recent government data, the largest monthly total since July. The unemployment rate dropped to 3.8%, from 4% in January, extending a sharp decline in joblessness to its lowest level since before the pandemic erupted two years ago. The government reports March jobs data on Friday, and analysts forecast that the U.S. economy gained 477,500 jobs for the month.
Job openings hovered at a near-record level in February, little changed from the previous month, continuing a trend that Federal Reserve officials see as a driver of inflation. There were 11.3 million available jobs last month, matching January’s figure and just below December’s record of 11.4 million, the Labor Department said Tuesday.
The number of Americans quitting their jobs was also historically high, at 4.4 million, up from 4.3 million in January. More than 4.5 million people quit in November, the most on records dating back two decades.
The Federal Reserve launched a high-risk effort two weeks ago in an effort to tame the worst inflation since the early 1980s, raising its benchmark short-term interest rate and signaling up to six additional rate hikes this year.
The Fed’s quarter-point hike in its key rate, which it had pinned near zero since the pandemic recession struck two years ago, marks the start of its effort to curb the high inflation that followed the recovery from the recession. The rate hikes will eventually mean higher loan rates for many consumers and businesses.
The central bank’s policymakers have projected that inflation will remain elevated at 4.3% through 2022.
Also Thursday,an inflation gauge closely monitored by the Federal Reserve jumped 6.4% in February compared with a year ago, with sharply higher prices for food, gasoline and other necessities squeezing Americans’ finances.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/business/nevada-gun-manufacturers-license-is-revoked-after-lawsuit/
|
WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal officials have revoked the license of a Nevada-based gun manufacturer that was accused of illegally selling guns and went bankrupt but then rebranded itself.
The revocation comes after a lawsuit that alleged the Justice Department didn’t conduct proper oversight before issuing the license.
The decision to revoke the license of JA Industries was spelled out in a court filing late Wednesday as part of the lawsuit brought by Illinois; Kansas City, Missouri; and gun control advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety.
The lawsuit alleged that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, a law enforcement agency in the Justice Department, awarded the license to JA Industries, renamed from Jimenez Arms, after it violated federal firearms law. The suit also alleged that the company’s guns were contributing to rising violent crime rates in Chicago and Kansas City.
Kansas City and Everytown had sued Jimenez Arms and several gun dealers previously, alleging they contributed to surging gun violence in the Kansas City region by ignoring evidence that guns were being sold illegally in the area. Jimenez Arms filed for bankruptcy about a month after the suit was filed.
That suit contended that Jimenez Arms every year made tens of thousands of cheap handguns that turned up at crime scenes in Kansas City and Chicago “at a rate disproportionate to the company’s market share.”
The plaintiffs alleged in their suit against the ATF that the company’s owner, Paul Jimenez, applied for a new license under the name JA Industries and that it took the ATF less than a month to award the license. The suit alleged that company officials had made false statements to the ATF and had unlawfully shipped guns to a firearms trafficker, which should’ve made the company and its officials ineligible for holding a federal firearms license.
A message seeking comment from JA Industries on Thursday was not immediately returned.
Everytown for Gun Safety heralded the decision to revoke the company’s license.
“We can only hope this decision marks the beginning of a new era at ATF, one that is consistent with President Biden’s commitment to holding rogue and reckless members of the gun industry accountable for breaking the law and putting lives in danger,” said John Feinblatt, Everytown’s president.
In a statement, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said it was a “bold action to stop the flow of illegal firearms into Kansas City.”
An ATF spokesperson, Erik Longnecker, declined to comment specifically, citing the ongoing case. But he said the agency “revokes Federal firearms licensees who are found to have committed willful violations of the Gun Control Act and have an adverse impact on public safety.”
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/business/opec-likely-to-stick-to-modest-oil-boost-despite-war-jitters/
|
LONDON (AP) — OPEC and allied oil producers including Russia decided Thursday to stick to a modest increase in the amount of crude they pump to the world, a step that supports higher prices even as the Biden administration plans to try to lower them by releasing oil from strategic reserves.
The group, known as OPEC+, said it would add 432,000 barrels per day in May, as it works to gradually restore production cuts made during the depths of the coronavirus pandemic. That’s slightly up from 400,000 barrels in previous months, with officials saying they’re revising baseline production levels.
The alliance has been unmoved by pleas from oil-consuming countries to pump more oil as energy prices soar, fueling inflation worldwide. High prices have helped Russia — the world’s largest exporter with 12% of the global market — offset some of the economic pain from Western sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine.
The U.S. and European sanctions have dealt a severe blow to Russia’s economy but contain exceptions for energy payments. That is a U.S. concession to European allies who are much more dependent on Russian energy than the U.S., which has banned the import of Russian oil. Europe by contrast gets 40% of its natural gas and 25% of its oil from Russia, and officials there have shied away from a boycott, instead aiming to reduce dependency through conservation and boosting wind and solar energy as fast as they can over the next several years.
Oil prices have risen as global demand rebounded for fuel for cars, trucks and airplanes. The war pushed them ever higher over fears Russian oil might be lost to the market if sanctions tighten.
They have a major influence on how much U.S. drivers pay at the pump, with crude oil accounting for about half the price of a gallon of gas. To combat high gasoline prices — averaging $4.24, up $1.38 from a year ago — U.S. President Joe Biden is preparing to order the release of up to 1 million barrels per day from strategic petroleum reserves, with an announcement expected as soon Thursday.
Diesel fuel for trucks, farm equipment and factories has also jumped in price, to a U.S. average of $5.25 per gallon, up $2.02 from a year ago, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
In November, the White House announced the release of 50 million barrels in coordination with other countries, and after the war began, the U.S. and 30 other countries agreed on an additional release of 60 million barrels.
Oil prices slumped on expectations of a new release, but analysts at UniCredit bank said the impact of such moves on prices “is usually short-lived.” That’s because reserves are finite, and the production shortfall is open-ended. Once reserves fall below a certain level, the market might fear they would be insufficient to combat a further shortfall and prices would go up.
U.S. oil prices were down 6.3%, to $100.99, while international benchmark Brent crude dropped 5.6%, to $107.50.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/business/partys-over-dubais-monthslong-expo-202o-comes-to-a-close/
|
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The world’s fair in Dubai, a tech-saturated site teeming with talking robots and solar canopies, sought to be the future.
Now, it’s history.
The pandemic-delayed Expo 2020 in the United Arab Emirates closed on Thursday after eight years of anticipation, over $7 billion in investment, 240 million hours of labor and six months of festivities.
The fate of the fairgrounds is clear. Some national pavilions will be demolished. A few will remain, like an enormous lacework dome and the UAE’s soaring falcon-shaped pavilion. Other buildings will be rebranded for a new business district soon to rise from the site.
But the deeper legacy of the event proves more elusive.
When Dubai won the bid to host Expo back in 2013, it felt like a rebirth. Just four years earlier, the glitzy city-state suffered a real-estate crash in the Great Recession, rescued by a $20 billion bailout from oil-rich Abu Dhabi.
As property prices roared back, the Expo — the first world’s fair in the Middle East — appeared to signal Dubai’s troubles were behind it. Officials offered bright predictions. The “world’s greatest show” would draw 25 million visitors. It would generate $33.4 billion in investment until 2031. It would help Dubai push into the top tier of global financial centers.
But, in the end, the billions of dollars, frenzy of fantastical construction projects and barrage of publicity proved powerless against the coronavirus pandemic, which forced Dubai to postpone the event for a year.
“It definitely fell short of what officials would have wanted,” said James Swanston, an economist at Capital Economics. “There were extremely optimistic assessments about Expo driving the next five to 10 years of growth in real estate and business, and COVID disrupted that.”
Dubai raced to widespread vaccination so it could open its borders and relax virus restrictions — earning it a reputation as a party haven for tourists escaping lockdowns back home.
The fair has since logged a staggering, albeit murky, total of 23 million visits — fueled by repeated stops by those already living in the city. Public sector employees got six days paid leave to visit. Schoolchildren regularly descended on Expo for field trips.
While concert lineups included just a few starry names, such as Coldplay and Alicia Keys, culturally specific crowd-pleasers succeeded in drawing diverse and rabid fan bases. K-pop stars, Bollywood singers and a beloved Iranian pop diva lured thousands.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience for all of us,” said 37-year-old Samiya Awan, a Pakistani resident of Dubai and Expo fanatic who volunteered at three national pavilions. “I am coming here every day, even if I’m not volunteering, I’m coming with my kids.”
But the event brought scrutiny as well.
As the FIFA World Cup has for host Qatar, Expo has shined a light on the troubles of migrant laborers. Many low-paid Expo workers have told of plunging into debt to cover recruitment fees, having their passports confiscated and struggling to afford food while toiling at the multibillion-dollar fair.
However, no companies or countries ultimately heeded calls by the European Parliament to withdraw their involvement in Expo over human rights concerns. Dubai has counted on the event to raise its international profile and offer a jolt toits economy as it bounces backfrom the pandemic.
“Bringing the world to Dubai and showcasing Dubai to the world has been one of the successes of this event,” said Tarek Fadlallah, chief executive at Nomura Asset Management Middle East.
Other analysts note that while Dubai increasingly has elbowed its way onto the world stage in recent months, that may have less to do with Expo’s allure than the government’s pandemic response and major reforms.
The UAE has changed its weekend to align with the West, allowed unmarried couples to legally live together and eased visa restrictions and foreign investment rules. Gambling appears to be next. As hordes of well-heeled foreigners flock to the emirate, the prices of luxury properties and villas have surged.
“I wouldn’t give Expo all the credit for residential property price increases,” said Sapna Jagtiani, a director at S&P Global Ratings. “It was mostly driven by how the UAE managed the pandemic and high net-worth individuals moving to the country.”
Dubai may no longer have a major global event but observers say the city’s business-friendly rules and absence of sanctions and politics will buoy the emirate in its Expo comedown. That’s especially true as Russia’s war on Ukraine has pushed oil prices to multi-year highs and stirred economic turmoil in the region.
“We have a lot of oil money that finds its way to Dubai real estate,” Jagtiani added. “It’s considered a safe haven where investment flows whenever there’s conflict.”
However, concerns linger that the end of Expo could aggravate Dubai’s debt and oversupply problems if demand fails to materialize for the expected flood of new hotel and housing construction. Rising interest rates loom as well.
“It may not blow up in the same way as 2009, but it could raise concerns about debt repayments where Abu Dhabi has to step in again,” Swanston said.
But while uncompleted white elephant projects still litter Dubai, others more successful have propelled growth and transformed swaths of its vast deserts into gleaming new developments.
Whether the Expo site has a lasting impact remains to be seen, even as crowds rushed in for the final few hours of the party.
“I’ve heard a lot of mixed feedback about how good or how bad the Expo was, how it didn’t meet certain expectations,” said Khaled Iskandar, a Palestinian architect visiting the site for the fourth time this week. “Personally … I was in awe.”
At a razzle-dazzle closing ceremony, Expo’s dome gleamed with hypnotic scenes of swirling water and orange-yellow light.
“When the Expo ends and this site evolves … the enduring spirit of Expo 2020 Dubai will persist,” proclaimed Jai-chul Choi, president of the General Assembly of the Paris-based Bureau International des Expositions that oversees Expos.
Renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma performed a slow and mournful solo. The dark sky lit up with fireworks.
___
Associated Press writer Malak Harb in Dubai contributed to this report.
___
Follow Isabel DeBre on twitter at www.twitter.com/isabeldebre.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/business/un-chief-names-panel-to-probe-companies-climate-efforts/
|
BERLIN (AP) — The head of the United Nations announced the appointment Thursday of an expert panel led by Canada’s former environment minister to scrutinize whether companies’ efforts to curb climate change are credible or mere “ greenwashing.”
Recent years have seen an explosion of pledges by businesses — including oil companies — to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to “net zero” amid consumer expectations that corporations bear part of the burden of cutting pollution. But environmental campaigners say many such plans are at best unclear, at worst designed to make companies look good when they are actually fueling global warming.
“Governments have the lion’s share of responsibility to achieve net-zero emissions by mid-century,” U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, adding that this was particularly true for the Group of 20 major emerging and industrialized economies that account for 80% of greenhouse gas emissions.
“But we also urgently need every business, investor, city, state and region to walk the talk on their net-zero promises,” he said.
The 16-member panel will make recommendations before the end of the year on the standards and definitions for setting net-zero targets, how to measure and verify progress, and ways to translate that into international and national regulations.
In addition to examining net-zero pledges by the private sector, it will also scrutinize commitments made by local and regional governments that don’t report directly to the U.N.
The panel includes prominent Australian climate scientist Bill Hare, South Africa-based sustainable finance expert Malango Mughogho and the former long-time governor of the People’s Bank of China, Zhou Xiaochuan.
It will be chaired by Catherine McKenna, who was Canada’s minister of environment and climate change from 2015 to 2019.
One outside expert called the creation of the new panel “well overdue,” noting that targets such as “net zero” are interpreted in different ways by companies and officials.
Harry Fearnehough, a policy analyst at the NewClimate Institute, said the think tank had recently reviewed several major companies and found “a number of critical issues with net-zero pledges, many of which are misleading consumers, regulators and shareholders.”
“Clear guidance on what is right, and what not, is welcome,” he said.
A report last month by the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change found that more than three billion people worldwide are already at risk from global warming.
The panel will publish another report next week which is expected to confirm that the world is not on track to meet the goal of capping temperature rise at 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) by the end of the century, which was laid down in the 2015 Paris climate accord.
“If we don’t see significant and sustained emissions reductions this decade, the window of opportunity to keep 1.5 alive will be closed — forever,” said Guterres. “And that will be disaster for everyone.”
___
Follow AP’s coverage of climate change at https://apnews.com/hub/climate
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/business/us-airport-security-screening-to-become-more-gender-neutral/
|
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. airport security procedures will become more gender-neutral, with changes to scanners used for screening and the use of an “X” for travelers going through Precheck who do not identify as male or female, the Biden administration said Thursday.
Transportation Security Administration officers will also receive new instructions on screening intended to make procedures less invasive, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement.
They are among a series of travel-security measures announced by the department in conjunction with Transgender Day of Visibility. President Joe Biden is marking the day by advocating against what his administration terms “dangerous anti-transgender legislative attacks” that have passed in statehouses across the country.
“DHS is committed to protecting the traveling public while ensuring that everyone, regardless of gender identity, is treated with respect,” Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in the statement.
The use of the “X” pronoun in the TSA Precheck advanced security program will begin April 11 and is intended to keep pace with identity documents that already include that option, DHS said. A new “X” gender marker on U.S. passport applications also begins April 11.
Later this year, TSA will begin using scanners with new technology that will replace gender-based systems and are intended to “advance civil rights and improve the customer experience.”
The TSA will work with airlines to promote the acceptance of the “X” gender marker and will also update the guidance for airport security screening officers to remove gender considerations when validating documents, DHS said.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/business/us-moves-to-cut-pipeline-disasters-critics-say-more-needed/
|
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — U.S. officials on Thursday adopted a rule aimed at reducing deaths and environmental damage from oil and gas pipeline ruptures — a long-delayed response to fatal explosionsand massive spillsthat have occurred over decades in California, Michigan, New Jersey and other states.
But safety advocates said the move by the U.S. Transportation Department would not have averted the accidents that prompted the new rule. That’s because it applies only to newly constructed or replaced pipelines — and not to hundreds of thousands of miles of lines that already crisscross the country, many of them decades old and corroding.
The rule requires companies to install emergency valves that can quickly shut off the flow of oil, natural gas or other hazardous fuels when pipelines rupture. It came in response to a massive gas explosion in San Bruno, California, that killed eight people in 2010, and to large oil spills into Michigan’s Kalamazoo River and Montana’s Yellowstone River and other spills.
The National Transportation Safety Board since the 1990s has recommended the use of automatic or remote controlled valves on large pipelines — whether they are existing or new — to reduce the severity of accidents. Following a 1994 gas pipeline explosion and fire that destroyed eight buildings in Edison, Jersey, the safety board urged the Transportation Department to expedite requirements for shut-off valves in cities and natural areas.
But pipeline companies for years resisted new valve requirements because of the expense of installing them and concerns they could close accidentally and shut off fuel supplies.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the more stringent regulations for the industry were needed because too many people have been harmed by pipeline failures.
He said installation of the valves would also protect against large releases of methane, a highly potent greenhouse gas blamed for helping drive climate change.
“Today we are taking an important step to protect communities against hazardous pipeline leaks — helping to save the lives, property, and jobs of people in every part of the country while preventing super-polluting methane leaks.” Buttigieg said.
The Pipeline Safety Trust, a Bellingham, Washington-based advocacy group, said the rule marked progress since Congress mandated more stringent pipeline regulations over a decade ago.
But the group said exempting pipelines that are already in the ground means it would not prevent a repeat of the accident at San Bruno, which involved a pipeline that was more than 50 years old.
“This rule falls far short of the NTSB recommendation and will offer no additional safety to communities living near existing pipelines,” said Bill Caram, executive director of the safety trust.
The government estimated it would cost a combined $5.9 million annually for companies to comply with Thursday’s rule. By comparison, industry representatives said a single valve on an existing line could cost up to $1.5 million and it would take billions of dollars to retrofit lines nationwide.
Industry representatives were closely involved in crafting the rule. Their request to allow valves to be more widely spaced along pipelines and remove the requirement for some low-risk pipes was rejected. However, transportation officials adopted some of industry recommendations that will give operators latitude to make adjustments to where valves are placed.
Association of Oil Pipe Lines Vice President John Stoody said the final rule still contains “arbitrary requirements” for pipeline operators that don’t reflect real-world operating conditions or the low risk of spills in some scenarios.
Amy Andryszak, president of the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America, said her organization and companies it represents were still reviewing the rule but were “generally supportive” of rules that encourage safety.
Experts say automatic valves can help eliminate some human-caused errors that contribute to accidents, such as a delay of more than 17 hours to confirm the 2010 Kalamazoo, Michigan, pipeline rupture because workers ignored alarms indicating a possible spill. The break released more than 800,000 gallons (3,600,000 liters) of crude oil and caused roughly $1 billion in property and environmental damage.
In San Bruno, a 30-inch (76-centimeter) gas pipeline exploded and burned like a massive blowtorch in a suburban California neighborhood for 89 minutes before a manual valve was used to shut it down. An AP investigation found that pipeline operator Pacific Gas & Electric Co. agreed as far back as 1997 that remotely operated valves did a better job of protecting public safety, but opted against using them widely because they weren’t necessary or required.
Officials with the Transportation Department’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration did not immediately respond to questions about the new rule.
Also missing from the new rule are standards for equipment that can detect when and where leaks hit, a recurring problem in pipeline accidents, Caram said.
Instead, the rule says pipeline companies must quickly take steps to confirm a spill if they get an alarm or other notification, but the confirmation process itself remains up to the company.
Faulty leak detection systems played a role in recent accidents including a 350,000 gallon diesel oil spill in December into a wetlandsoutside New Orleans and an underwater rupture off California’s coastlast October that fouled the ocean with tens of thousands of gallons crude oil.
___
Follow Matthew Brown: @matthewbrownAP
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/business/wvu-nonprofit-arm-takes-over-shuttered-plant-tenants-sought/
|
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A nonprofit arm of West Virginia University took ownership of a shuttered pharmaceutical plant Thursday with the goal of improving area job and education opportunities.
WVU Medicine will work with the university through the WVU Innovation Corp. to oversee the 1.1-million-square-foot (102,190-square-meter) facility in Morgantown. Discussions with potential private industry tenants are ongoing, said WVU Health System President and CEO Albert Wright.
“There is significant interest from many parties in that building,” Wright said on a conference call. “We’re going to be working up a lot of different possibilities as to how we use that building over time.”
Wright said he envisions a few anchor tenants and other, smaller businesses in the building, as opposed to one big tenant. He said it’s possible that portions, but not all, of the building could be available for use as a pharmaceutical business.
“We’re looking to be an economic engine here,” Wright said. “We’re looking for some big-anchor tenants, but we’re also going to have a component to what we’re doing to be an incubator for startup businesses, to provide some of the infrastructure to get them going from the start.”
Prospective tenants don’t necessarily have to be health-care related, “but we’d like to tie it into the health science capability of the university,” Wright said. “So we have had a number of small startups that are interested.”
Viatris Inc. transferred the facility for $1 under a memorandum of understanding with the university. Viatris announced in December 2020 that it was laying off 1,500 workers at the plant, which was formerly operated by the generic drug company Mylan.
Mylan merged with Upjohn in 2020 to form the new company. Viatris, which announced it would slash 20% of its workforce worldwide, is now one of the world’s leading makers of generic drugs and maintains research and development operations in Morgantown.
“Our goal has always been to identify a responsible new steward for this unique site that would secure the best possible future for the facility, our impacted employees and the Morgantown community, a community that continues to play an important and vital role for Viatris,” company executive chairman Robert J. Coury said in a statement.
The plant closing left workers scrambling to find new jobs in a state that is often trying to lure new companies to uplift a stagnant economy once dominated by the coal industry.
Rob Alsop, WVU’s vice president for strategic initiatives, said former Mylan employees will be offered a tuition-free education at the university. Coupled with the state’s existing offer of free tuition at its community colleges, it will “make sure that those employees are ready for the new job opportunities that we hope come from this,” he said.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/armenia-azerbaijan-leaders-to-meet-amid-recent-fighting/
|
YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Thursday he will meet with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Brussels next week to lay the groundwork for peace talks to end the decades-long conflict over the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
The two leaders will meet in Brussels on April 6 with European Council President Charles Michel.
There have been recent clashes that have raised concerns about the stability of a cease-fire that ended the 2020 war over the separatist region.
“I hope to discuss at this meeting with the president of Azerbaijan and agree on all issues related to the start of negotiations on a peace agreement,” Pashinyan told a government meeting Thursday. He said Armenia “is ready for the immediate start of peace negotiations.”
Fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces reignited in Nagorno-Karabakh this month, and three soldiers in the breakaway region were killed last week.
More than 6,600 people were killed in the six-week war in 2020 that ended with Azerbaijan reclaiming control over large parts of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas that the Armenia-backed separatists controlled.
Armenia and Azerbaijan have been locked in a decades-old dispute over the separatist region, which lies within Azerbaijan but was under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since a separatist war there ended in 1994.
The cease-fire in 2020 was mediated by Russia, which then sent some 2,000 troops it called peacekeepers to the region.
Tensions on the two nations’ shared border have been building since May, when Armenia protested what it described as an incursion by Azerbaijani troops into its territory. Azerbaijan has insisted that its soldiers were deployed to what it considers its territory in areas where the border has yet to be demarcated.
Clashes have been reported ever since, and they intensified this month as Russia became increasingly bogged down in its invasion of Ukraine.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/china-reopens-1-city-as-shanghai-lockdown-enters-2nd-phase/
|
BEIJING (AP) — Residents of eastern Shanghai hoping to emerge from a four-day lockdown got some bad news Thursday night: Some will be confined to their homes for at least 10 more days.
It was the latest wrinkle in the lockdown of China’s largest city as it struggles to eliminate an omicron-driven coronavirus outbreak under China’s zero-COVID policy. Shanghai’s 26 million residents were initially told the eastern part of the city would be locked down for mass testing over four days, followed by a similar exercise in the west.
The city announced new restrictions nine hours before the lockdown of the east was scheduled to end at 5 a.m. Friday. It was unclear how many people would have to stay in their homes beyond that. Meanwhile, the four-day lockdown of the western part of Shanghai was set to start at 3 a.m.
There was a bit of good news elsewhere in China in the country’s largest COVID-19 outbreak since the initial one in early 2020 that devastated the city of Wuhan and other parts of Hubei province. Authorities announced the lifting of a citywide lockdown in the province that has been hardest hit.
Residents of Jilin will be able to move about freely starting Friday for the first time in more than three weeks, state broadcaster CCTV said, citing a city notice. They will be required to wear masks and, when indoors, stay 1 meter (3 feet) apart. Public gatherings in parks and squares are prohibited.
The spread of COVID-19 has been brought under control in Jilin but not in the rest of Jilin province, officials said at a news conference. Some progress has been made in Changchun, the provincial capital and an auto manufacturing hub that has been locked down since March 11.
By far, most of the cases in the ongoing outbreak have been in Jilin province, which borders North Korea in China’s industrial northeast. Smaller outbreaks have popped up across the country, including Shanghai, the country’s financial capital.
Ma Chunlei, a senior Shanghai official, acknowledged shortcomings in the city’s response. Authorities have rushed to bolster food deliveries to the city after panic buying stripped store shelves of necessities.
“We didn’t prepare sufficiently enough,” Ma said. “We sincerely accept the criticisms from the public and are making efforts to improve it.”
He spoke before the new rules for Pudong, the half of Shanghai on the east side of the Huangpu River, were announced Thursday night. People living in a building where a positive case had been found will be required to stay home for 10 more days. Residents of other buildings in the same residential compound will be confined for three more days.
People living in the surrounding neighborhood of a positive case will face less restrictive limits. They may be allowed out to shop for necessities, but only for a limited time on certain days.
The two-phase lockdown of Shanghai, being carried out over eight days, has shaken global markets worried about the possible economic impact. China’s manufacturing activity fell to a five-month low in March, a monthly survey showed Thursday, as lockdowns and other restrictions forced factories to suspend production.
German automaker BMW’s plants in Shenyang, a northeastern city in Liaoning province, have been closed for more than a week because of pandemic controls.
About 16 million people will be tested during the lockdown in Puxi on the west side of the river in Shanghai. Residents are not allowed to leave their neighborhoods or housing compounds during the four-day period, with groceries or meals delivered to their complexes.
China on Thursday reported 8,559 new cases in the previous 24-hour period, of which 6,720 had no symptoms. The proportion of asymptomatic cases has been higher than in previous outbreaks, particularly in Shanghai. About 100 of the new cases were imported ones among people who had recently arrived from abroad.
___
Associated Press researchers Chen Si in Shanghai and Yu Bing in Beijing contributed.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/ethiopias-supreme-court-upholds-bail-for-journalist/
|
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — Ethiopia’s Supreme Court has upheld the order to release on bail journalist Amir Aman Kiyaro, who has been imprisoned for four months without charges, rejecting a police effort to block his bail.
The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed the appeal by police against bail that had been granted by a lower court earlier this week for Kiyaro, an Ethiopian video journalist accredited to The Associated Press. That ruling said Kiyaro should be freed on bailwhile prosecutors determine whether or not to press charges against him.
The bail of 60,000 Ethiopian birr, about $1,170, has been paid, but Kiyaro remained in custody Thursday while police processed the bail paperwork before his expected release, according to his lawyer.
Kiyaro, 30, was detained on Nov. 28 in Addis Ababa under the country’s war-related state of emergency powers.
Kiyaro is accused of “serving the purposes” of what the government has classified as a terrorist group by interviewing its officials, according to reports by Ethiopian state media, which cited federal police. Local journalist Thomas Engida was arrested at the same time and faces similar charges. Ethiopia’s Supreme Court also ruled that Engida should be released on bail.
If the journalists are found guilty of violating Ethiopia’s anti-terrorism law or the state of emergency law, they could face sentences of seven to 15 years behind bars, federal police inspector Tesfaye Olani has told state media.
Despite the granting of bail after four months of police investigation and detention, it still remains uncertain whether prosecutors will proceed to press charges against Kiyaro. The state of emergency was lifted in Februaryas the government cited changing conditions in the deadly conflict between Ethiopian forces and those of the northern Tigray region.
“We are relieved that journalist Amir Aman Kiyaro has again been granted bail,” Julie Pace, the AP’s executive editor, said. “However, Ethiopian authorities continue their investigation against him. We urge the Ethiopian authorities to drop their baseless investigation against Amir, an independent journalist targeted for his work.”
Press freedom group Reporters Without Borders urged Ethiopian authorities to immediately release Kiyaro and Engida and to not press any charges against them. “They should be freed with no further delay and the case be dropped!” said the group in a tweet.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/first-nations-meet-with-pope-over-canada-school-abuses/
|
ROME (AP) — Drums pounded through the frescoed halls of the Apostolic Palace on Thursday and out into St. Peter’s Square as Pope Francis welcomed a First Nations delegation seeking an apology for the Catholic Church’s role in running Canada’s notorious residential schools.
Francis met privately for two hours with the representatives of the Assembly of First Nations, following his meetings earlier in the week with delegations from the Metis and Inuit communities of Canada.
“I feel the pope and the church have expressed a sentiment of working toward reconciliation,” said Grand Chief Mandy Gull-Masty of the Creen Nation, after the audience.
The trip was years in the making but gained momentum last year after the discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves outside some of the residential schools.
More than 150,000 native children in Canada were forced to attend state-funded Christian schools from the 19th century until the 1970s in an effort to isolate them from the influence of their homes and culture. The aim was to Christianize and assimilate them into mainstream society, which previous Canadian governments considered superior.
Even before the grave sites were discovered, Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission specifically called for a papal apology to be delivered on Canadian soil for the church’s role in the abuses against the Indigenous.
Francis has committed to traveling to Canada, though no date for such a visit has been announced.
The Vatican said Thursday’s meeting was held “in a climate of listening and closeness” and would be followed by Francis’ audience with all three groups on Friday, when he is to deliver a public address.
“If you were to ask me am I optimistic leaving our discussion with the Holy Father, I am,” said Phil Fontaine, who was national chief of the Assembly of First Nations in 2009 when he led an Indigenous delegation to meet with Pope Benedict XVI.
At the time, Benedict only expressed his “sorrow at the anguish caused by the deplorable conduct of some members of the church.” But he did not apologize.
“It’s 2022, I’m back, for another shot at … convincing Pope Francis to apologize,” Fontaine told reporters in St. Peter’s Square, wearing a feathered headdress. “A full apology for all that he heard today and probably heard from the Metis and Inuit delegations about the horrible experience of too many of our people that attended residential schools.”
“Our preference is for the Holy Father to come to Canada and apologize on Canadian soil, and do it on one of our territories,” he added. “That is our hope and wish and we made that very clear to the Holy Father.”
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/germany-repatriates-women-children-from-syrian-camp/
|
BERLIN (AP) — Germany says it has brought home 10 women and 27 children from a camp in northeastern Syria where suspected members of the Islamic State group have been held.
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the group was repatriated from the Roj camp on Wednesday in what she called an “extremely difficult” operation. She said some of the mothers were taken into custody immediately after arriving in Germany.
“The 27 children are, at the end of the day, victims of IS, and they have a right to a better future far from its deadly ideology, and also to live in security, as we would wish for our own children,” Baerbock said in a statement. “The mothers must be held accountable for their actions.”
Germany previously repatriated 23 children and their eight mothers from Roj in October. At the same time, neighboring Denmark brought home 14 children and three women.
Baerbock thanked Kurdish authorities in Syria and “our U.S. partners, who once again provided us with logistical support.”
With Wednesday’s operation, “the majority of the German children whose mothers are willing to return to Germany have been brought to safety,” she said. “There are now only a few special cases for which we are continuing to work on individual solutions.”
Federal prosecutors said Thursday that four women had been arrested on arrival at Frankfurt Airport — three German citizens, identified in line with local privacy rules only as Nadine K., Gulseren T. and Emilie R., and a German-Moroccan dual citizen identified as Fatiha B.
All are accused of membership in a foreign terrorist organization and Nadine K. of other crimes — including keeping a Yazidi woman as a slave who allegedly was regularly sexually assaulted by the suspect’s husband, with her knowledge. Prosecutors said they traveled separately to Syria or Iraq in 2014 and joined IS.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/greek-woman-charged-with-murder-after-deaths-of-3-daughters/
|
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A 33-year-old woman from southern Greece has been charged with the murder of her 9-year-old daughter, and the deaths of her two other daughters in the past three years are being reviewed in a case that has drawn national attention.
Flanked by riot police and in handcuffs, she appeared in court in Athens Thursday for her arraignment. She was wearing a hood and a protective vest as authorities held back a crowd of onlookers and journalists.
The suspect, who was not formally identified in accordance with Greek law, was arrested a day after being detained for questioning Wednesday. It followed the results of tissue tests that showed the presence of an anesthetic drug that had not been administered by the girl’s doctors.
The 9-year-old died in January following an eight-month hospitalization.
Protesters also gathered outside the mother’s home in the port city of Patras, 200 kilometers (125 miles) west of Athens, where police again intervened to maintain order.
A panel of senior coroners is leading a review into the death of the suspect’s two other children: a 3-year-old girl from liver failure in 2019 and a 6-month-old girl in 2021 from a suspected heart defect.
Tissue samples retained from the two girls are now being re-examined, authorities said.
The suspect has denied any wrongdoing and is expected to formally respond to the charges on Monday.
In a private television interview last month, the suspect criticized news reports that described the three deaths as suspicious.
“I find myself in a position to defend myself against things that are unspeakable… this was a house that was filled with joy,” she said in the Feb. 17 appearance on private Star television. “How could I hurt my own children? I gave birth to them, raised them, and was always with them. It doesn’t make sense.”
In the same interview, the suspect’s husband described her as “a rock” for her children. Police investigators have been granted access to her private online communications.
“The emotional and moral burden of this event surpasses most if not all of us,” government spokesman Giannis Oikonomou said, congratulating the police on their work in the monthslong investigation.
“There are no words to express the pain this has caused. This requires considerable thought and reflection.” ___ Follow Gatopoulos at https://twitter.com/dgatopoulos
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/live-updates-russia-ukraine-help-civilians-flee-mariupol/
|
The last Russian troops left the Chernobyl nuclear plant early Friday, according to the Ukrainian government agency responsible for the exclusion zone around the plant.
Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said Russian troops who dug trenches in the forest were exposed to radiation, but that could not be confirmed.
The Ukrainian nuclear operator company Energoatom said Thursday that Russian troops were headed toward Ukraine’s border with Belarus.
Energoatom said that the Russian military was also preparing to leave Slavutych, a nearby city where power plant workers live.
___
KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR:
— Heavy fighting rages near Kyiv as Russia appears to regroup
— Kremlin decree says foreign currency can still buy natural gas
— As Russia sees tech brain drain, other nations hope to gain
— Ukraine refugees encouraged to find work as exodus slows
— Ukrainians in US mobilize to help expected refugees
— Go to https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine for more coverage
___
OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:
LVIV, UKRAINE — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after Russian troops withdrew from the north and center of the country, the situation has been heating up in the southeast where Russian forces are building up for new powerful attacks.
In his nighttime video address to the nation Thursday, Zelenskyy said it was heartening for all Ukrainians to see Russian troops retreating from north of Kyiv, from around the northern town of Chernihiv and from Sumy in the northeast. By he urged Ukrainians not to let up, saying the withdrawal was just a Russian tactic.
“We know their intentions. We know what they are planning and what they are doing,” Zelenskyy said. ““We know that they are moving away from those areas where we hit them in order to focus on other, very important ones where it may be difficult for us.
“We all want to win,” Zelenskyy added. “But there will be battles ahead. We still have to go through a very difficult path ahead to get everything we are striving for.”
Zelenskyy said he spoke Thursday with European Council President Charles Michel and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, while his adviser spoke with U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan.
“We need more support from our partners right now when Russian troops are concentrating additional forces in certain areas,” Zelenskyy said.
__
WASHINGTON — The top-ranking Ukrainian Catholic cleric in the United States warned Thursday that religious minorities in the Eastern European country stand to be “crushed” if Moscow gains control, as fighting raged on more than a month after the Russian invasion began.
Archbishop Borys Gudziak said groups at risk include Catholics, Muslims and Orthodox who have broken away from the patriarch of Moscow.
Gudziak also cited reports that Russian forces have damaged two Holocaust memorials and Moscow’s false portrayal of Ukraine as a “Nazi” state although Ukraine overwhelmingly elected a Jewish president in Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“What is at stake for the people of faith is their freedom to practice their faith,” Gudziak said during an online panel discussion on the war, hosted by the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life at Georgetown University.
Gudziak is head of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia and president of Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, Ukraine. He also oversees external relations for the Kyiv-based Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.
__
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon says an initial half-dozen shipments of weapons and other security assistance have reached Ukraine as part of the $800 million package of aid that President Joe Biden approved on March 16.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Thursday that the shipments included Javelin anti-tank weapons, Stinger anti-aircraft missile systems, body armor, medical supplies and other material. He said the 100 Switchblade armed drones that Biden approved as part of the package have not yet been delivered.
Kirby said the $800 million in assistance is likely to be fully delivered within about two weeks. It also includes Mi-17 helicopters, small arms, ammunition, vehicles, secure communications systems, and satellite imagery and analysis capability.
Separately, Kirby said U.S. troops are not training Ukrainian troops in Poland but are acting as liaisons with Ukrainian personnel who cross the border into Poland to take possession of U.S. security assistance. He noted that the standard U.S. military training mission that had existed in Ukraine for years was suspended shortly before Russia invaded.
__
DOHA, Qatar — A video showing the head of Ukrainian soccer wearing an armored vest on the streets of Kyiv brought the impact of Russia’s war into the FIFA Congress.
Andriy Pavelko used a recorded message to the gathering in Qatar on Thursday to talk about the deaths of footballers even as the sport “has taken a back seat in our country.”
The gathering in Doha featured delegates from Russia, including Alexey Sorokin, the chief executive of Russia’s 2018 World Cup organizing committee.
Russia won’t be in the draw for the World Cup on Friday after being disqualified from playing internationally by FIFA over the war. Ukraine can still qualify but its playoff semifinal against Scotland has been postponed until June with the hope the team will be in a position to return to the field by then.
___
LVIV, Ukraine — Ukraine’s ombudsperson says that at least one person has been killed and four others have been wounded in the Russian shelling of a humanitarian convoy.
Ukrainian Human Rights Commissioner Lyudmyla Denisova said those who came under the shelling on Thursday were volunteers accompanying a convoy of buses sent to the northern city of Chernihiv to evacuate residents.
She said that the Russian forces besieging Chernihiv have made it impossible to evacuate civilians from the city that has been cut from food, water and other supplies.
The Russian shelling continued two days after Moscow announced it would scale back military operations around Kyiv and Chernihiv.
___
BERLIN — The International Atomic Energy Agency says it has been informed by Ukraine that the Russian forces which were in control of the Chernobyl nuclear plant have “in writing, transferred control” of the facility to Ukrainian personnel.
Ukraine said three convoys of Russian forces have already left the site toward Belarus, while the remaining troops were presumed to be preparing to leave, the agency said Thursday.
The IAEA added that it was in close consultations with Ukrainian authorities on sending a first assistance and support mission to Chernobyl in the next few days.
The agency said it has not been able to confirm reports of Russian forces receiving high doses of radiation while being inside the exclusion zone of the now-closed plant, but is seeking further information in order to provide an independent assessment of the situation.
___
ANKARA, Turkey — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan renewed his offer to host a meeting between the Ukrainian and Russian leaders during a telephone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
A statement from Erdogan’s office said the Turkish president also told Zelenskyy Thursday that a meeting between Ukrainian and Russian negotiators who met in Istanbul earlier this week had given “a meaningful impetus” to efforts to end the fighting.
Earlier this week, Ukraine’s delegation laid out a framework under which the country would declare itself neutral and its security would be guaranteed by an array of nations, including Turkey.
Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said during a joint news conference with a top Turkish Cypriot official that Erdogan also is expected to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
___
WASHINGTON — U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday said there’s “no clear evidence” that Vladimir Putin is scaling back military operations around Kyiv and suggested that the Russian president may have ordered some of his advisers fired or placed under house arrest.
Biden told reporters that “there’s some indication” that Putin has taken those steps against some of his advisers. He added, “But I don’t want to put too much stock in that at this time because we don’t have that much hard evidence.”
The White House on Wednesday released unclassified intelligence findings that Putin is being misinformed by his advisors about how badly the Russian military is performing.
The president made the comments after formally announcing that the U.S. would release 1 million barrels of oil per day from the nation’s strategic petroleum reserve in hopes of easing surging gasoline prices.
Biden also reiterated that his administration remains skeptical that Russia will scale back operations around Kyiv as Moscow announced earlier this week.
Russian forces continued to shell Kyiv suburbs Thursday, two days after the Kremlin announced it would significantly scale back operations near both the capital and the northern city of Chernihiv.
___
UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. humanitarian coordinator in Ukraine says the United Nations and its partners have delivered supplies for thousands of people in the country’s northeast but have been unable to reach some encircled cities in the south.
Osnat Lubrani said Thursday that food rations from the humanitarian organization People in Need and the U.N. World Food Program will benefit nearly 6,000 people in Sumy and areas including Trostianets and Okhtyrka.
In addition, she said, basic household items including blankets and kettles from the U.N. refugee agency will support 1,500 people and sanitation kits will help 6,000 people with hygiene and drinking water.
Lubrani said medical supplies and trauma kits from the U.N. World Health Organization will treat 150 patients needing intensive care for serious injuries while other medical supplies will support 10,000 people for three months.
Shei said the U.N.-facilitated humanitarian notification system with Ukraine and Russia enabled safe passage for the convoy to Sumy on Thursday “but this is clearly not enough.” Efforts over the past month to reach Mauripol, Kherson and other encircled cities in the south have been unsuccessful because of safety concerns.
___
BERLIN — The U.N. nuclear watchdog says its director-general has arrived in Russia’s Baltic Sea exclave of Kaliningrad for talks with senior Russian officials.
The International Atomic Energy Agency didn’t specify in a tweet whom exactly Rafael Mariano Grossi will meet on Friday or give further details of his agenda.
He arrived in Kaliningrad Thursday following a visit to Ukraine, where he visited a nuclear power plant and conferred with the energy minister and other officials on efforts to ensure the safety of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants.
Ukraine has 15 active nuclear reactors at four plants — one of which, at Zaporizhzhia, is under the Russian military’s control.
___
GENEVA — A team with the International Committee of the Red Cross has arrived in a Ukraine-held city where staff are preparing to take civilians out of the beleaguered port city of Mariupol.
Julien Lerisson, deputy director of operations for the ICRC, said Thursday that the team assembling in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, has medicines, food, water, hygiene items and other essentials.
He said the organization has high-level agreement for the mission but is focused on making sure “the order trickles down the chain of command,” allowing the team to enter and leave Mariupol safely.
The Russian military has said it committed to a cease-fire along the route from Mariupol to Zaporizhzhia. Ukrainian authorities have said 45 buses would be sent to collect citizens and provide resources to those who remain.
Lucile Marbeau, a staff member with the ICRC team hoping to enter Mariupol, said on Thursday: “We’re here because really, we hope to be able to facilitate safe passage for civilians desperately wanting to flee Mariupol.”
___
LONDON — Britain’s defense minister says Ukraine’s international allies have agreed to send more military equipment, including artillery ammunition and armored vehicles.
U.K. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace held a conference call Thursday with defense ministers from more than 35 countries, including the United States, New Zealand, South Korea and Japan.
Wallace said that as a result “there will be more lethal aid going into Ukraine.” He said that would include “more long-range artillery, ammunition predominantly,” to help counter Russia’s bombardment of Ukraine’s cities.
Wallace said Ukraine was “also looking for armoured vehicles of some types, not tanks necessarily, but certainly protective vehicles.”
He said allies were also “looking to see what more we can do” to help Ukraine defend its coastline.
___
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration has sanctioned an employee of a state-affiliated Russian defense firm that developed malicious software that was used to target the energy sector.
The Treasury Department on Thursday sanctioned Evgeny Viktorovich Gladkikh. He was one of four Russians charged in Justice Department indictments unsealed last week that alleged the hacking by Russia of critical infrastructure around the globe, including in the U.S. energy and aviation sectors.
Among the thousands of computers targeted in some 135 countries were of a Saudi petro-chemical plant where the hackers overrode safety controls.
That hack is singled out in a Treasury Department release announcing sanctions against Gladikh and several other employees of the research firm. In total, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced that it was designating 21 entities and 13 individuals, including in the aerospace, marine and electronics sectors.
___
LVIV, Ukraine — Russian troops were leaving the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and heading towards Ukraine’s border with Belarus, the Ukrainian nuclear operator company said Thursday.
The operator, Energoatom, said that the Russian military was also preparing to leave Slavutych, a nearby city where power plant workers live.
Energoatom also said reports were confirmed that the Russians dug trenches in the Red Forest, the 10-square-kilometer (nearly four-square-mile) area surrounding the Chernobyl plant within the Exclusion Zone, and received “significant doses of radiation.”
The Russian troops “panicked at the first sign of illness,” which “showed up very quickly,” and began to prepare to leave, the operator said. The claim couldn’t be independently verified.
Energoatom said the Russians have signed a document confirming the handover of the Chernobyl plant and stating that the plant’s administration doesn’t have any complaints about the Russian troops who were “guarding” the facility.
___
LONDON — The head of Britain’s military says Russian President Vladimir Putin has “already lost” in Ukraine and is weaker than he was before the invasion.
Adm. Tony Radakin at a think-tank seminar Thursday in London said Moscow’s aim to “take the whole of Ukraine” fell apart. He added that the coming weeks “will continue to be very difficult” for Ukraine.
“But in many ways, Putin has already lost,” he said. “Far from being the far-sighted manipulator of events that he would have us believe, Putin has damaged himself through a series of catastrophic misjudgements.”
Radakin also said there was “disquiet” at all levels of Russia’s military about the campaign, from troops who were not told they were invading Ukraine up to senior commanders.
Western officials say Putin’s small inner circle is not giving him the true picture of the war, and his isolation may have contributed to miscalculating the strength of resistance Russian troops would meet.
___
BERLIN — The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe expressed regret Thursday at Russia’s decision to veto the extension of its observer mission in Ukraine.
The OSCE’s special monitoring mission has been present in Ukraine since 2014, when fighting between Ukrainians and Russia-backed separatists broke out in the country’s eastern regions after Russia’s annexation of Crimea.
Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau, who holds the OSCE rotating chair, said the observers had played a “crucial role by providing objective information on the security and humanitarian situation on the ground and relentlessly working to ease the effects of the conflict on the civilian population” in Ukraine for the past eight year.
The Vienna-based body’s secretary general, Helga Maria Schmid, expressed gratitude to the mission’s members, several of whom were wounded or killed over the years.
___
BERLIN — Germany’s economy minister says Europe should impose additional sanctions on Russia to prevent what he described as a “barbaric” war in Ukraine.
Robert Habeck said he discussed what further measures could be taken with his French counterpart during a bilateral meeting in Berlin on Thursday.
“The last package (of sanctions) doesn’t need to be the final one, it should not be the final one,” he told reporters, adding that he and French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire had “identified additional points that could be included in a (sanctions) package.”
Habeck declined to elaborate on what those points might be.
Speaking ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s announcement on new rules requiring countries to pay for Russia’s natural gas sales in rubles, Habeck insisted that contracts would be adhered to. These stipulate payment in euros or dollars.
___
BERLIN — The Austrian and German leaders have underlined their rejection of a halt to Russian energy deliveries at this point.
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer noted that several central and eastern European countries depend to one extent or another on Russian gas deliveries.
He and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz argued that existing sanctions already are having a significant effect and said they need time to switch to new providers and renewable energy sources.
Nehammer said that “sanctions only make sense … when they hit those they are supposed to hit, and don’t weaken those who carry out sanctions.”
___
ROME — A Kremlin decree says “unfriendly countries” can continue to pay for natural gas in foreign currency through a Russian bank that will convert the money into rubles.
The decree published Thursday by state media came a day after the leaders of Italy and Germany said they received assurances from President Vladimir Putin.
Putin talked tougher, saying Russia will start accepting ruble payments starting Friday for Western countries that imposed sanctions over its conflict with Ukraine. He said contracts will be stopped if buyers don’t sign up to the new conditions, including opening ruble accounts in Russian banks.
European leaders had rejected paying for deliveries in rubles, saying it would undermine sanctions imposed because of the war in Ukraine.
The decree Putin signed and published by state news agency RIA Novosti says a designated bank will open two accounts for each buyer, one in foreign currency and one in rubles. The buyers will pay in foreign currency and authorize the bank to sell that currency for rubles, which are placed in the second account, where the gas is formally purchased.
___
ROME — Italy’s leader is urging Europe to “cultivate all available land” as a partial remedy to reductions in agricultural imports, especially of Russian grain, due to the war in Ukraine.
Premier Mario Draghi told reporters on Thursday that under existing agricultural practices in the European Union 10% of land is purposely left fallow, but that must now change as European countries search for ways to reduce dependency on farm imports.
It’s not clear whether Ukraine, one of the world’s largest exporters of wheat, maize and sunflower oil, might be able to salvage any of this planting season.
Meanwhile, Draghi noted that Western Europe will be looking to food producers like Canada, the United States and Argentina to help make up the shortfall of imports from Ukraine and Russia.
___
STOCKHOLM — The deputy director of Sweden’s Military Intelligence and Security agency says Russia has made “a strategic miscalculation when invading Ukraine.”
Daniel Olsson said the invasion of Ukraine “has shown that the Russian leadership is ready to take great risks, larger than previously taken.”
The government agency’s analysis suggested a likely “a western containment of Russia,” including reducing trade in Russian energy.
__
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/medical-charity-says-5-abducted-workers-are-freed-in-nigeria/
|
DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — The French medical charity Doctors Without Borders, or MSF, says that five of its employees have been released in Nigeria after being kidnapped last month in neighboring Cameroon.
Armed men kidnapped the MSF employees on Feb. 24 from the group’s base in Cameroon’s Far North region in Fotokol, which is near Nigeria and Chad. Those kidnapped and subsequently released include a Senegalese, Chadian and Franco-Ivorian along with their two Cameroon security guards.
The organization said the workers were released Wednesday in Nigeria and have been “taken to a safe place.”
“We are happy to find our colleagues safe and sound,” said the director general of the organization, Stephen Cornish. “We share the deep relief of their parents and loved ones, who were impatiently awaiting this news.”
The organization did not give details on the condition of the release.
Cheikh Ndiaye, the uncle of the Senegalese humanitarian who was taking hostages expressed his family’s relief.
”They are free. We were told they are in Nigeria. We rejoice and look forward with great relief to his return among us,” he said.
Islamic extremist groups Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province are known to carry out attacks in this region.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/migrants-hopeful-suspicious-at-us-reopening-to-asylum/
|
CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico (AP) — More than a dozen migrants excitedly ran out of their dormitory at the Good Samaritan shelter here at the mere mention that the Biden administration may lift a rule that expels people at the border before they can request a chance at humanitarian protection in the United States.
They quizzed a reporter they’d overheard speak of the expected change in a rule that for the past two years has forced asylum seekers to wait at shelters in in Mexican border cities terrorized by organized crime.
At times the wait has seemed interminable. They struggle to find work, worry about debts accumulated to just reach the border and live in fear that they or their children could be snatched by drug cartels preying on the most vulnerable.
Migrants have been expelled more than 1.7 million times from the U.S. under public health powers invoked in March 2020 that are designed to prevent spread of Covid-19. The Biden administration plans to lift Title 42 authority – named for a 1944 public health law – by May 23, according to people familiar with the matter, with an official announcement expected as early as Friday. Near the height of the omicron variant in late January, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had extended the order to this week.
Reaction at migrant shelters in Ciudad Juarez shows the determination of many migrants to settle in the United States as soon as possible.
Most of the 63 people staying at Good Samaritan, across the border from El Paso, Texas, were women and their children from Mexico and Central America. The Rev. Juan Fierro, the shelter’s director, said the vast majority had either been expelled under Title 42 authority or were still waiting to try for asylum.
A group of women said that if Title 42 ended they would run to the bridge at the border to request asylum, because returning to their homes was not an option.
Melida Castro, a 32-year-old from Honduras, has been at the shelter for four months with her children, ages 3 and 8. “There’s nothing more for us to do but wait,” she said, explaining she had fled Honduras after a gang killed her uncle.
“I saw him die in my arms,” she said. Her family crossed the border once and turned themselves over to Border Patrol agents, but they were flown to El Paso and pushed back to Mexico. She said the agents mentioned Title 42, but didn’t explain what it meant.
While word of lifting the asylum limits provided a glimmer of hope, the possibility was also met with suspicion.
Delaying the lifting until late May, when the Biden administration has had more than a year in office to prepare, struck some as a way to buy time until the U.S. government can come up with another obstacle.
“Suddenly they’re going to say, ‘We’re not going to lift it,’” said Victor Sanchez, who fled Honduras with his wife and her three younger siblings. They have been staying at another shelter in Ciudad Juarez for a month.
The nine-bedroom concrete Oscar Romero House shelter clusters around a small courtyard with a pomegranate tree where children play after returning from school. The parents sit on the second floor terrace, fearful to go outside, sharing care of the youngest children and looking across the dusty desert cityscape to the mountains of El Paso less than 10 miles away.
Katherine, Sanchez’s wife, had a baby while in Mexico. “If we have to wait, we wait,” she said. “Now that there are organizations that can help us, we’ll wait for a legal way.”
There have been signs that the Biden administration has been preparing for an expected surge of asylum seekers trying to make their way to the border.
Two weeks ago, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas visited Mexico and Costa Rica to discuss managing migration flows. Without providing details, Mayorkas said he had reached a “migration arrangement” with Costa Rica.
In his State of the Union Address this month, President Joe Biden had said, “We’re securing commitments and supporting partners in South and Central America to host more refugees and secure their own borders.”
Both Mexico and Costa Rica are taking in substantial numbers of asylum seekers that in many cases would otherwise try to enter the United States. They could also be critical in trying to control the flow of migrants to the U.S. border.
Last month, Costa Rica started requiring visas for Venezuelans and Cubans, a step toward slowing their migration north. Mexico already required visas of Cubans and added Venezuelans in January.
Still, large numbers of migrants have been reaching the border. The Department of Homeland Security said Tuesday that about 7,100 migrants were coming daily, compared with an average of about 5,900 a day in February and on pace to match or exceed highs from last year, 2019 and other peak periods.
Camilo Cruz, a spokesman with the United Nations International Organization for Migration, said this week that every U.S. move on immigration affects migration flows in the region.
“It moves people, generates hope or some kind of speculation by the traffickers,” Cruz said. “That motivates people to come to try to cross the border.” He said the IOM supports a network of shelters along the border and has worked in recent years to build their capacity.
Immigration advocacy groups applauded the decision, which they universally viewed as long overdue. Like the migrants, some questioned the delay until late May when the Biden administration has had months to prepare.
“A phased wind-down strategy just further proves this was never about public health,” Erin Mazursky, interim director of Families Belong Together, a coalition of groups opposed to Trump-era immigration policies, said in a statement. “This policy was in place for two years too long and the reported decision to extend Title 42 until May 23rd is simply another excuse to expel more people. If the intent is to stop upending people’s lives and hold true to America’s commitment to asylum and due process, the expulsions must end now.”
U.S. Rep. Judy Chu, a Los Angeles-area Democrat, told reporters in a conference call Thursday that administration officials visited congressional offices this week to brief lawmakers and their staffs on plans for accommodating larger numbers of migrants — up to about three times the current flow under one scenario.
The administration is “working very hard at finding a way to process migrants lawfully, humanely and efficiently,” she said.
__
Associated Press writer Elliot Spagat in San Diego contributed to this report.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/prosecutor-seeks-end-to-khashoggi-murder-trial-in-turkey/
|
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — The Turkish prosecutor in the case against 26 Saudi nationals charged in the slaying of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi made a surprise request Thursday that their trial in absentia be suspended and the case transferred to Saudi Arabia, raising fears of a possible coverup.
The panel of judges made no ruling on the prosecutor’s request but said a letter would be sent to Turkey’s Justice Ministry seeking its opinion on the possible transfer of the file to Saudi judicial authorities, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported. Trial was adjourned until April 7.
The development comes as Turkey has been trying to normalize its relationship with Saudi Arabia, which hit an all-time low following Khashoggi’s grisly October 2018 killing. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in an interview on Thursday that Saudi authorities were more cooperative on judicial issues with Turkey, but did not elaborate.
In arguing for the transfer, the prosecutor told the court that the Saudi chief public prosecutor’s office requested the Turkish proceedings be transferred to the kingdom in a letter dated March 13, and that international warrants issued by Ankara against the defendants be lifted, according to the private DHA news agency.
The prosecutor said that because the arrest warrants cannot be executed and defense statements cannot be taken, the case would remain inconclusive in Turkey.
Amnesty International urged Turkey to press ahead with the trial, saying if it is transferred to Saudi Arabia, Turkey will be “knowingly and willingly sending the case to a place where it will be covered up.”
Moving Khashoggi’s trial to Saudi Arabia would provide a diplomatic resolution to a dispute that represented the wider troubles between Ankara and the kingdom since the 2011 Arab Spring.
Turkey under Erdogan supported Islamists as the uprisings took hold, while Saudi Arabia and its ally the United Arab Emirates sought to suppress such movements for fear of facing challenges to their autocratic governments. Meanwhile, Turkey sided with Qatar in a diplomatic dispute that saw Doha boycotted by Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Since then-President Donald Trump lost the 2020 election, the Gulf Arab states have set aside — but not fully resolved — the Qatar dispute. Meanwhile, Turkey under Erdogan has faced a rapid devaluation of its lira currency over his refusal to hike interest rates. Bilateral trade to the kingdom and the UAE, a major transshipment point for the world economy, also collapsed.
Since the start of 2022, Erdogan has sought to improve those ties, including making his first visit to the UAE in nearly a decade. Saudi Arabia and the UAE, after fighting through the coronavirus pandemic’s economic effects, facing a grinding war in Yemen and struggling with renewed tensions with Iran, also want to resolve the outstanding feud.
Khashoggi disappeared on Oct. 2, 2018, after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, seeking documents that would allow him to marry Hatice Cengiz, a Turkish national who was waiting outside the building. He never emerged.
Turkish officials allege that the Saudi national, who was a United States resident, was killed and then dismembered with a bone saw inside the consulate. His body has not been found. Prior to his killing, Khashoggi had written critically of Saudi Arabia’s crown prince in columns for the Washington Post.
Turkish authorities said he was killed by a team of Saudi agents. Those on trial in absentia include two former aides of the prince.
Saudi officials initially offered conflicting accounts concerning the killing, including claims that Khashoggi had left the consulate building unharmed. But amid mounting international pressure, they stated that Khashoggi’s death was a tragic accident, with the meeting unexpectedly turning violent.
Turkey decided to try the defendants in absentia after Saudi Arabia rejected Turkish demands for their extradition.
The slaying had sparked international condemnation and cast a cloud of suspicion over Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Western intelligence agencies, as well as the U.S. Congress, have said that an operation of this magnitude could not have happened without his knowledge.
In urging Turkey to proceed with the trial, Amnesty International said Ankara would be complicit in a coverup if it grants the Saudi request for a transfer.
“If the prosecutor’s request is granted, then instead of prosecuting and shedding light on a murder that was committed on its territory … Turkey will be knowingly and willingly sending the case to a place where it will be covered up,” said Tarik Beyhan, Amnesty’s campaign director for Turkey.
Beyhan said he didn’t want to “think about the possibility” that the prosecutor’s request may be related to the improving ties between Riyadh and Ankara.
“Basic human rights … should not be made the subject of political negotiations,” he said. “A murder cannot be covered up to fix relations.”
Some of the men were put on trial in Riyadh behind closed doors. A Saudi court issued a final verdict in 2020 that sentenced five mid-level officials and operatives to 20-year jail terms. The court had originally ordered the death penalty, but reduced the punishment after Khashoggi’s son Salah, who lives in Saudi Arabia, announced that he forgave the defendants. Three others were sentenced to lesser jail terms.
On Thursday, Khashoggi’s fiancee, Cengiz, appeared to criticize the prosecutor’s request in a tweet in English. “It is an exemplary situation in terms of showing the dilemma facing humanity in the modern era,” she wrote. “Which of the two will we choose? To want to live like a virtuous human being or to build a life by holding material interests above all kinds of values.”
She did not respond to a request for comment.
—
Associated Press Writer Jon Gambrell contributed from Dubai.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/student-identified-as-suspect-in-german-university-poisoning/
|
BERLIN (AP) — Investigators said Thursday they have identified a 32-year-old student as the suspect in the poisoning of seven people at a university in western Germany last year.
In August, prosecutors opened an investigation after employees and students at the Technical University in Darmstadt, south of Frankfurt, received medical treatment for symptoms of possible poisoning. Police said at the time that milk cartons and water containers in a building on the campus appeared to have been contaminated.
On Thursday, they said the 32-year-old from the German city of Mainz, a materials science student at the university since 2017, has been sent to a psychiatric hospital. She is suspected of attempted murder, but officials believe she can’t be held criminally responsible because of a psychiatric illness. Police said the suspect hasn’t yet responded to the allegations.
They said information from over 1,000 witnesses helped firm up their case against the suspect, and that forensic analysis pointed to her having been in the building the night before the victims’ symptoms appeared.
Some of the affected employees were mentioned in notes written by the woman, and the investigation found indications that she felt persecuted by them, police said. They didn’t identify the “harmful substances” that were used.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/ukraine-nuclear-operator-russian-troops-leave-chernobyl/
|
LVIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s nuclear operator company said Thursday that Russian troops were leaving the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and were heading towards the country’s border with Belarus.
The operator, Energoatom said that the Russian military are also preparing to leave Slavutych, a nearby city where power plant workers live.
It wasn’t immediately clear why the Russian troops decided to leave Chernobyl.
___
Follow the AP’s coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/ukraine-refugees-encouraged-to-find-jobs-as-war-exodus-slows/
|
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — As the number of people fleeing Ukraine slows, authorities in Poland and other neighboring nations are encouraging refugees from the war to find jobs, especially in health care and education.
The U.N. refugee agency UNHCR reported Thursday that the daily number of arrivals recorded by the countries that border Ukraine dropped below 40,000 on Wednesday, the fewest s ince Russian troops invaded five weeks ago.
Poland’s Border Guard registered more than half of the new arrivals, maintaining a pattern seen since the start of the war. Of the conflict’s more than 4 million refugees, almost 2.4 million went to Poland, according to the country’s border agency. It’s Europe’s worst refugee crisis since World War II.
Humanitarian organizations and other observers have attributed the slowing of the Ukrainian exodus in recent days to several possible factors, including residents of surrounded and besieged cities having no way to safely evacuate. Others may be reluctant to leave their homes and hoping to wait out the hostilities, observers say.
A spokesperson for Poland’s Border Guard, Anna Michalska, said the numbers could pick up again if Russian attacks continue.
Recent legislation passed in Poland allows refugees from Ukraine to obtain ID numbers that entitle them to free medical care, education, social benefits and the right to work for 18 months.
Many Poles are putting up refugees in their homes or volunteering in civic groups that bring all sorts of assistance.
Refugees in Warsaw have submitted about 700 applications and some 100 have been hired for jobs in the Polish capital’s medical centers and schools, according to city officials.
To boost the employment drive, Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski and Deputy Mayor Renata Kaznowska met Thursday with the director of the Bielanski Hospital and some Ukrainian and Polish staff members.
“Our guests are full of fortitude, they want to start to help us right away, they want to find jobs,” Trzaskowski told a news conference.
Kaznowska said employment and professional activity were the best way to integrate the adults who have fled Ukraine into Polish society.
Educators are also needed to help thousands of refugee children adjust to their new school environment, where lessons are taught in Polish and where the curriculum is largely different from the one in Ukraine. Adjusting the school system will cost over 440,000 zlotys ($105,000) in Warsaw alone, city authorities said.
Two nurses who are in the hiring process, speaking in Ukrainian mixed with Polish, said they appreciated the chance to continue their careers.
Olena Halych had to fight back tears as she spoke of fleeing home near shelled Bucha “to save my children.”
“I want to truly thank people in Poland for offering us shelter,” Halych said in Ukrainian. “I have found a job at the Bielanski Hospital, I want to really thank you for that.”
Hospital director Dorota Galczynska-Zych said the new recruits have provided valuable skills, and added that language has not been a barrier.
Some 570,000 refugees have reached Warsaw, a city of some 1.8 million, and some 300,000 remain in the capital for now, Trzaskowski said.
In Romania, which has received over 608,000 refugees, 35-year-old Uliana Polyakova from Odessa was busy Thursday registering at the Brasov city refugee center’s integration office that helps find accommodation, jobs and access to social assistance.
“Some people told me to arrive here at the center … in case we need medicine or something else,” she said, as her 7-year-old son enjoyed some screen-time nearby. “(A) Romanian family invited us to live with them. I did not expect that Romania is so kind to Ukrainians.”
“We’re not here because we want to leave Ukraine, me and my husband want to live with our relatives in Odessa,” she said. “I hope that the war is over in two weeks, one month, and we will go home.”
___
Stephen McGrath in Brasov, Romania, contributed to this report.
___
Follow all of AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/un-authorizes-new-au-mission-in-somalia-to-combat-extremists/
|
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously Thursday to endorse the African Union’s new transitional mission in Somalia and authorized it to take action against al-Qaida and Islamic State extremist groups and conduct a phased handover of security responsibilities to Somalia’s government.
The African Union Transitional Mission in Somalia, known as ATMIS, replaces the African Union Mission in Somalia, known as AMISOM, which has been in the Horn of Africa nation for 15 years trying to build lasting peace and security.
While the resolution adopted by the council recognizes significant changes in the security situation since it authorized AMISOM in February 2007 and improvements in Somalia’s capability to respond to security challenges, it also reaffirms “the need to combat terrorist threats by all means.”
Only in the past few years has Somalia begun to find its footing after three decades of chaos from warlords to the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab extremist group and the emergence of Islamic State-linked extremist groups. Last year, a political crisis further postponed long-delayed elections and lower house elections which were to be completed on March 15 are still not complete, further delaying the vote for a new president.
The British-drafted resolution authorizes the new ATMIS mission to support the Somali forces “in providing security for the political process at all levels.”
The Security Council underscored that completing the electoral process without further delay and achieving “a peaceful transition of power” will help Somalia move ahead with its national priorities and support its 2021 transition plan which outlines steps toward the gradual handover of responsibilities for security from international forces to the government.
The council reiterated its objective “of enabling Somalia to take full responsibility for its own security, including through assuming the leading role in countering and addressing the threat posed by al-Shabab.”
The resolution authorizes ATMIS to conduct jointly planned operations with Somali security forces “to degrade al-Shabab and affiliates linked to ISIL,” an acronym for the Islamic State group.
The council authorized AU member nations to deploy up to 19,626 uniformed personnel, including a minimum of 1.040 police, until Dec. 31, and endorsed the AU Peace and Security Council’s decision to reduce the peacekeeping force by 2,000 by that date. It authorized a reduced force of 17,626 between Jan. 1 and March 31, 2023, and noted that a joint proposal including the AU and Somalia envisions further cuts to 14,626 in September 2023, 10,626 in June 2024 and “zero personnel” by the end of December 2024.
The resolution welcomes the Somali government’s intention to generate 3,850 new security forces by December 2022, 8,525 new forces by September 2023 and 10,450 new forces by June 2024.
AMISOM was funded by voluntary contributions, especially from the European Union, with logistical support from the United Nations. The Security Council urged U.N. member nations, including new donors, “to consider providing predictable, sustainable and multi-year support for ATMIS.”
After the vote, Britain’s deputy U.N. ambassador James Kariuki thanked council members for their support “in the adoption of this landmark resolution.”
U.S. deputy ambassador Richard Mills said the resolution “provides a vital opportunity to build on AMISOM’s efforts and take the next steps to roll back al-Shabaab, enabling Somalia to provide the security and stability required for the Somali people to achieve their aspirations.”
“Al-Shabab is a formidable and adaptable threat to Somalia, and to East Africa more broadly,” he said. “As al-Qaeda’s largest and best financed affiliate, al-Shabab represents a threat that requires a vigorous and broad-based response. The ATMIS mandate provides the opportunity to adapt and reinvigorate the African-led, international effort against al-Shabab.
Albania’s political coordinator Arian Spasse noted al-Shabab’s increased attacks on security forces and civilians in recent months and called on the government again to complete elections.
“It is crucial the newly elected government turn its focus to the deteriorating security situation, to the undertaking of reforms, and to the humanitarian crisis caused by the unprecedented droughts, which is plunging the population into another famine,” he said. “Further delays will give al-Shabaab more time to overshadow the government’s effort to provide peace and prosperity, and will fuel al-Shabab propaganda as an alternative to a democratically elected government.”
Somalia’s U.N. Ambassador Abukar Osman expressed disappointment that the council’s resolution didn’t provide more funding for its security forces, address the need for a unified and centralized command for ATMIS, and greater logistical support
Addressing these issues will ensure that the resolution is aligned with Somalia’s strategic document on security, he said.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/us-filipino-forces-hold-combat-drills-on-beach-facing-china/
|
CLAVERIA, Philippines (AP) — With assault weapons ready, U.S. and Filipino marines sprang from amphibious vehicles and transport helicopters to defend an island from potential aggressors in a war exercise and show of American firepower staged on Thursday in the northern Philippines.
The exercise — held in far-flung Claveria town across the sea from China and Taiwan — fits into a strategy unveiled in February by the Biden administration to considerably broaden U.S. engagement in the Indo-Pacific region by strengthening a web of security alliances and partnerships, with an emphasis on addressing China’s growing influence and ambitions.
Watched by invited journalists, the mock combat ended with the allied forces successfully securing the island before it could be seized by invaders in a clear warning to would-be aggressors in a region with multiple trouble spots.
“We should indeed improve our preparation for external aggression,” said Philippine regional military commander Maj. Gen. Lawrence Mina, who spoke with reporters as the marines took combat positions on the sandy beach and a narrow trench under the scorching summer heat.
“It’s high time because we never know if we’ll get embroiled in the unfolding events that we’re hearing in the international scene,” he said. “At least we’re ready.”
The beach landing and coastal defense maneuvers were part of one of the largest combat exercises in years between the longtime treaty allies that began Monday and would include live-fire drills, aircraft assaults, urban warfare and civic projects mostly in northern and the western Philippines, which faces the disputed South China Sea.
Col. Timothy Brady Jr., who heads the U.S. 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, said he was “very pleased” with the outcome of the mock beach maneuvers, which started in the nearby coastal town of Aparri.
“Certainly, the objective of what we’re doing is demonstrating the strength of the alliance as well as the commitment to regional security,” Brady said.
Called Balikatan — Tagalog for shoulder-to-shoulder — the annual exercises will run up to April 8 with nearly 9,000 navy, marines, air force and army troops, including 5,100 American military personnel, to strengthen their joint fighting capabilities and readiness “for real-world challenges,” according to U.S. and Philippine military officials.
First staged in 1991, the Balikatan exercises are anchored on the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, which commits the United States and the Philippines to come to each other’s aid in case of an attack.
When President Rodrigo Duterte took office in 2016, he threatened to scale back U.S. military activities in the country as he nurtured closer ties with China and Russia but walked back on many of his threats, including a move to abrogate a defense pact that would have restricted American forces from largescale combat exercises in the country.
China’s “coercion and aggression spans the globe, but it is most acute in the Indo-Pacific,” the strategy paper said, citing Beijing’s “economic coercion” of Australia, the intensifyingpressure on Taiwan, bullying of neighbors in the East and South China seas and theconflict along the Line of Actual Control with India.
“Integrated deterrence will be the cornerstone of our approach,” the strategy paper said. “We will more tightly integrate our efforts across warfighting domains and the spectrum of conflict to ensure that the United States, alongside our allies and partners, can dissuade or defeat aggression in any form or domain.”
Last week, U.S. Indo-Pacific commander Adm. John C. Aquilino said China has fully militarizedat least three of several islands it built in the South China Sea, arming them with anti-ship and anti-aircraft missile systems, laser and jamming equipment, and military aircraft in an increasingly aggressive move that threatens all nations operating in the disputed waters.
“I think over the past 20 years we’ve witnessed the largest military buildup since World War II by the PRC,” Aquilino, using the initials of China’s formal name, told The Associated Press in an interview on board a U.S. Navy reconnaissance aircraft that flew near Chinese-held outposts in the South China Sea’s Spratly archipelago, one of the most hotly contested regions in the world.
China has been staging threatening exercises and flying military planes near Taiwan’s airspace, including on Feb. 24, when Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, in what it calls a warning to Taiwan independence supporters and their foreign allies.
Chinese officials led by President Xi Jinping say they are committed to using peaceful means to bring Taiwan, which they claim as Chinese territory, under Beijing’s control. Chinese military action against the island in the short- to medium-term is generally considered a remote possibility.
While adhering to a One-China policy — recognizing Beijing as the government of China but allowing informal relations and defense ties with Taipei — the U.S. said in its strategy paper that it “will also work with partners inside and outside of the region to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, including by supporting Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities, to ensure an environment in which Taiwan’s future is determined peacefully in accordance with the wishes and best interests of Taiwan’s people.”
The U.S. and its allies have been routinely sailing warships through the Taiwan Strait, between the island and mainland China, to visibly demonstrate that they are international waters, and conduct major naval exercises in the region.
Beijing maintains its military profile is purely defensive, aimed at protecting what it says are its sovereign rights. But after years of increased military spending, China now boasts the world’s second-largest defense budget after the U.S. and is rapidly modernizing its force with weapons systems.
China is also expanding its nuclear arsenal, with the Pentagon saying Beijing is on track to field at least 1,000 warheads by 2030 — five times the current number.
Philippine marine Col. Romulo Quemado said the Balikatan exercises were complementing crucial efforts to bolster his country’s coastal defense, including the acquisition of armored amphibious vehicles, but were not meant to antagonize any particular country.
“Deterrence is all about perception,” Quemado said.
___
Associated Press journalists Aaron Favila and David Rising in Bangkok contributed to this report.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/5-fetuses-found-inside-dc-home-of-anti-abortion-activist/
|
WASHINGTON (AP) — Police found five fetuses in the home of a self-proclaimed “anti-abortion activist” who was indicted this week on federal charges alleging that she was part of a group of people who blocked access to a Washington, D.C. reproductive health center.
The Metropolitan Police Department says officers were responding to a tip about “potential bio-hazard material” at a home in Southeast Washington on Wednesday when they located the five fetuses inside.
A local television station, WUSA9, captured video of police searching the home and reported that the home belonged to Lauren Handy. The 28-year-old was one of nine people charged in an indictment that was made public on Wednesday that accused the group of traveling to Washington, blocking access to the reproductive health center and streaming it on Facebook.
The station, which first reported the discovery, said Handy told a reporter that “people will freak out when they hear” what detectives found inside her house. Handy did not respond to a message sent to her Facebook profile seeking comment.
Police said the five fetuses were collected by Washington’s medical examiner and the investigation is ongoing.
In the indictment, prosecutors said Handy had called the clinic pretending to be a prospective patient and scheduling an appointment. Once there, on Oct. 22, 2020, eight of the suspects pushed their way inside and began blocking the doors, according to the indictment. Five of them chained themselves together on chairs to block the treatment area as others blocked the employee entrance to stop other patients from coming inside, the indictment alleges. Another suspect blocked people from coming into the waiting room, prosecutors charge.
Handy and the eight others were charged with conspiracy against rights and violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act. The federal law, more commonly known as the FACE Act, prohibits physically obstructing or using the threat of force to intimidate or interfere with a person seeking reproductive health services.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/arizona-governor-wont-say-transgender-people-exist/
|
PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey refused to say Thursday if transgender people actually exist, twice dodging direct questions on the subject just a day after he signed legislation limiting transgender rights.
The Republican worked instead to defend his signatures on bills that bar transgender girls and women from playing on girls high school and women’s college sports teams and barring gender affirming surgery for anyone under age 18.
When specifically asked if he believed that there “are really transgender people,” the governor paused for several seconds before answering.
“I’m going to ask you to read the legislation and to see that the legislation that we passed was in the spirit of fairness to protect girls sports in competitive situations,” Ducey said, referring to the new law that targets transgender girls who want to play on girls sports teams. “That’s what the legislation is intended to do, and that’s what it does.”
Asked again if he believed there are “actual transgender people,” he again answered slowly and carefully.
“I … am going to respect everyone, and I’m going to respect everyone’s rights. And I’m going to protect female sports. And that’s what the legislation does,” Ducey said.
Ducey’s response was “appalling,” according to the Arizona director of the Human Rights Campaign, a national civil rights group that advocates for equality for LGBTQ people. The organization worked to ensure families and transgender young people came to the Capitol to testify against the bills as the Republican-led House and Senate considered them this session.
“It’s quite shocking that he can’t even address trans people or even say that he thinks they exist,” Bridget Sharpe said.
Wednesday’s signing of the two transgender bills and a third that bars abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy and is currently unconstitutional put Ducey right in the middle of two top issues national Republicans are highlighting in the runup to November’s midterm elections.
Ducey also signed election legislation that minority Democrats said amounted to voter suppression by requiring longtime Arizonans to be thrown off the voter rolls if they did not prove their citizenship and residence location.
The governor leads the Republican Governors Association, which is charged with helping elect GOP chief executives in U.S. states. He in is the last year of his second term as Arizona governor and term limits bar him from seeking reelection.
The top Democrat in the state House, Rep. Reginald Bolding, called Wednesday “probably one of the darkest days we’ve seen in the history of Arizona.”
“With the stroke of a pen, Gov. Ducey has hurled Arizona backwards to its ugliest past,” Bolding said Wednesday. “And today, he put in jeopardy pregnant people, transgender youth in danger and curtailed voting rights for people of color.”
Social conservative groups and the Arizona Republican Party praised Ducey’s action. The Center for Arizona Policy, whose president shepherded the abortion and women’s sports bills through the Legislature, called it a victory.
“Thank you, Governor Ducey, for taking a bold stand for women athletes, vulnerable children, and the unborn by putting your signature on (the bills) in the face of intense opposition from activists,” Center for Arizona Policy president Cathi Herrod said in a news release she posted on Twitter.
She said the legislation protects the unborn, ensures a level playing field for female athletes and shows that “Arizona will do everything it can to protect vulnerable children struggling with gender confusion” by enacting the surgery ban.
Ducey said the surgery ban protects children from irreversible decisions.
“These are permanent surgeries of reassignment that are irreversible, and those discussions can happen once adulthood is reached,” he said.
The American Civil Liberties Association has vowed to sue over the surgery ban. U.S. Supreme Court precedent currently says women have a constitutional right to abortion until about 24 weeks of pregnancy, although it is considering whether to uphold a 15-week ban enacted in Mississippi and may overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision enshrining a woman’s right to choose.
Arizona joins 13 other states in enacting laws preventing transgender girls and women from playing on girls teams. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox vetoed a transgender sports ban in his state, saying it would harm transgender girls, but the Legislature overrode the veto. Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb also vetoed a sports bill, but lawmakers hope to override his action as well.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/ca-reparations-plan-advances-broader-movement-advocates-say/
|
DETROIT (AP) — In the long debate over whether Black Americans should be granted reparations for the atrocity and injustices of slavery and racism, California took a big step this week toward becoming the first U.S. state to make some form of restitution a reality.
The state’s reparations task force tackled the divisive issue of which Black residents should be eligible — it narrowly decided in favor of limiting compensation to the descendants of free and enslaved Black people who were in the U.S. in the 19th century.
Whether Tuesday’s vote by the task force spurs other states and cities to advance their own proposals, and whether they adopt California’s still controversial standard for who would benefit, remains to be seen. Some veteran reparations advocates disagree strongly with proposals to limiting eligibility to only Black people who can prove they have enslaved ancestors, while excluding those who cannot and leaving out victims of other historic injustices, such as redlining and mass incarceration.
Still, one advocate noted California’s move is a step that could lend momentum to stalled reparation proposals elsewhere in the U.S.
“It’s precipitated a debate and it will influence communities,” said Ron Daniels, president of The Institute of the Black World 21st Century and administrator of the National African American Reparations Commission, an advocacy group of scholars and activists.
As to whether others will adopt the same approach to eligibility, Daniels said: “That’s to be decided. …We think that ultimately a more expansive definition will prevail.”
The commission headed by Daniels has taken a position that limiting reparations to slave descendants, or to Americans whose ancestors were free Blacks living during the time of slavery, ignores the effects of racism that persisted for more than a century after emancipation.
“There are always going to be criteria” for reparations, Daniels said. “The problem is the harms have been so gross that almost no Black person is not eligible in some form or another.”
Although there is still debate among historians about when exactly the practice began, chattel slavery in what would become the U.S. dates back to 1619 when about 20 enslaved Africans were brought to Jamestown, Virginia — then a British colony. Over the next two centuries, more than 300,000 men, women and children were forcibly taken from Africa to work on plantations in southern colonies and later the Southern states, according to the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database, a project funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities and maintained by Rice University.
Slavery in the U.S. officially ended in 1865 with the ratification of the 13th Amendment. Union Army General William Sherman promised compensation to freed slaves in the form of land and mules to farm it — hence the phrase “40 acres and a mule” — after the North’s victory over the South in the Civil War. But President Andrew Johnson took away the offer.
More than 120 years later, then-Rep. John Conyers, a Detroit Democrat, first introduced H.R. 40, a bill that would create a federal commission to study reparations and make proposals. Conyers reintroduced it in every congressional session until he resigned in 2017. As a candidate, President Joe Biden said he supported creating the commission, but has yet to formally back it as commander-in-chief. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a Texas Democrat, is currently the lead sponsor of the House bill.
Getting governmental leaders to openly consider slavery reparations has been daunting and taken decades. But progress has been made at both the state and local levels, particularly since the national reckoning on racial injustice that was sparked after the 2020 murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
In Michigan, legislative proposals submitted earlier this year in the House of Representatives call for $1.5 billion in federal dollars to be placed in a racial equity and reparations fund within the state’s treasury. The funds would be issued to various state departments and agencies to provide grants, loans and other economic assistance for businesses and economic developments that promote the Black community.
The bills have yet to receive a hearing in the House.
Last year, Evanston, Illinois, — the first U.S. city to find a source of funding for reparations — began giving eligible Black residents $25,000 housing grants for down payments, repairs or existing mortgages. The program is meant to atone for the history of racial redlining and housing discrimination. Recipients were selected randomly from among the applicants, Black residents who lived in the city between 1919 and 1969.
And in Providence, Rhode Island, the mayor announced a city commission on reparations in February that will look to atone for the city’s role in slavery and systemic racism, as well as the mistreatment of Native Americans.
For Anita Belle, a grassroots activist in Detroit, where residents in the mostly Black city voted in November to create a city reparations commission, getting to this point in the pursuit of reparations is cause for celebration. But what happens next is worrisome, especially when it comes to who gets what and how much, she said.
“I am happy for all of us who have doing the groundwork for all these years,” said Belle, founder of the Reparations Labor Union. “We are somewhat afraid that these people who have jumped on the bandwagon are actually there to sabotage it and make reparations $12.62, if that. There will be those saboteurs — people who look like us, but have hidden agendas.”
“You have some of that fear in California where the scope for reparations was narrowed to the people who can prove they were enslaved,” she added. “The people of California will be like ’why am I paying reparations for someone who was enslaved in Mississippi?'”
In California, the task force is taking the next step with economists to determine the cost of compensating more than 2 million Black residents, although all of them would not be eligible. Following slavery abolition, Black migration to California happened primarily in the immediate decades after World War II, with newly-arrived African Americans settling in cities like Oakland, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
The Black population there rose from just under a half million residents, or 4.4% of the population, in 1950 to 1.4 million residents, or 7% of the population, by 1970. Decades later, the 2020 census recorded 2.1 million Black residents in California, or about 5.3% of the state’s population.
While proposals and who would be eligible appear to vary, they still are types of reparations, according to Rashawn Ray, senior fellow of Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution.
“California chose to focus on enslavement of Black people,” Ray said. “In Evanston, it’s red lining and housing segregation. Both are issues that need restitution to them based on what the wrong is.”
But, Ray added, “Federal reparations — without a doubt and hands-down — that’s what we need. What is happening in California should be happening in Congress.”
As a former alderman for the city of Evanston, Illinois, and a longtime reparations advocate, Robin Rue Simmons said reaching consensus on eligibility can be tough because policymakers should be as expansive and inclusive as possible, while also identifying specific harms that they’re seeking to address.
The big step taken by California could help spur action on reparations proposals in other cities and states, Simmons said, and perhaps add pressure for the federal government to act, which she sees as critical.
She doesn’t expect California’s lineage-based eligibility standard to become the norm.
“I don’t think any community should think that another has figured it out for them,” Simmons said, “because every community is going to have their own priorities and their specific history.”
___
Bynum reported from Savannah, Ga. AP writers Janie Har in San Francisco and Michael Schneider in Orlando contributed to this story.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/crews-work-to-contain-wildfire-near-smoky-mountains/
|
PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (AP) — Firefighters from across Tennessee continued working Thursday morning to contain a wildfire near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park that spread overnight despite rain from storms that passed through the area, officials said.
The blaze, which began as a brush fire Wednesday morning in the Hatcher Mountain area of Wears Valley, had spread to more than 3,700 acres (1,497 hectares) and had impacted more than 100 structures, Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters said during a press conference. Around 11,000 homes in the area had been evacuated. Three injuries were reported during the blaze, but Waters said no fatalities or missing people had been reported.
He said a coordinated response from emergency personnel, firefighters, forestry officials and others helped mitigate damage in the area.
“This fire could have been much more devastating had we not had this team in place. They were able to, even with the winds and the low humidity, they were able to stay ahead of it as much as possible,” he said.
Officials had warned early Wednesday that warm temperatures, low humidity and strong winds increased the risk of fire danger. Waters said the conditions were similar to those in 2016 when wildfires ravaged the tourism town of Gatlinburg, killing 14 people and damaging or destroying about 2,500 buildings.
Firefighters from more than 70 agencies helped respond to the blaze and many worked through the night in an effort to keep it from spreading. It was only 5% contained, but fire lines drawn overnight helped keep the blaze from spreading into the city of Pigeon Forge, Waters said.
Rain early Thursday from storms passing through did not put the fire out, but officials said it helped the situation and the current weather conditions were more favorable for containing the fire.
Evacuation orders remain in effect until the fire is under control. Schools in the area were closed Thursday as a precaution, officials said.
The fire was in what the state Agriculture Department described as steep and difficult terrain. The cause is still undetermined.
At least three shelters were established for those evacuated, authorities said. More than 100 people stayed overnight at the Pigeon Forge Community Center, Sharon Hudson, executive director of the Eastern Tennessee chapter of the American Red Cross. told the Knoxville News Sentinel.
A line of severe storms packing isolated tornadoes and high winds ripped across the Deep South overnight, killing at least two in the Florida Panhandle, toppling trees and power lines and leaving homes and businesses damaged as the vast weather front raced across several states.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/disputed-school-admissions-policy-okd-pending-appeal/
|
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A federal appeals court has granted a request from a northern Virginia school system to continue using a challenged admissions policy at a highly selective high school while it appeals a ruling that found the policy discriminates against Asian American students.
A three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said in a ruling Thursday that Fairfax County Public Schools can continue to use its new admissions policy at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.
U.S. District Judge Claude Hilton rejected the new policy in a February ruling, saying that impermissible “racial balancing” was at its core. Commonly known as “TJ,” the prestigious school near the nation’s capital is often ranked as one of the best public high schools in the country.
Earlier this month, Hilton also rejected a request from the school system to delay the implementation of his ruling. But the 4th Circuit, in a 3-2 ruling, said the school board had met the legal requirements for a suspension of Hilton’s order while its appeal is pending.
The 4th Circuit panel agreed with school officials who argued that because the selection process for the incoming freshman class is well underway, implementing Hilton’s ruling now would throw the process into chaos.
Judge Toby Heytens wrote that he has “grave doubts” about Hilton’s conclusions “regarding both disparate impact and discriminatory purpose” of the new admissions policy.
“In my view, appellant Fairfax County School Board is likely to succeed in its appeal,” Heytens wrote.
In a dissenting opinion, Judge Allison Jones Rushing said putting Hilton’s ruling on hold while the school board appeals his decision is not in the public interest. Jones said any logistical difficulties or inconvenience associated with changing the admissions policy at this late date “simply do not outweigh the infringement of constitutional rights.”
“And everyone — even temporarily frustrated applicants and their families — ultimately benefits from a public-school admissions process not tainted by unconstitutional discrimination,” Rushing wrote.
The case has been closely watched as courts continue to evaluate the role that racial considerations can play when deciding who should be admitted to a particular school. Earlier this year, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear a similar case alleging that Harvard University discriminates against Asian Americans in its admissions process.
Fairfield County Public Schools said the order from the 4th Circuit allows the school board to continue with the current application process to select the Class of 2026 this spring.
“For the 2,500+ students in this application pool, this means the race blind process set out by the School Board in October 2020 will remain in place as an appeal challenging the February court decision plays out,” the board said in a news release.
The parents’ group Coalition for TJ, which filed the lawsuit, said the 4th Circuit judges have made a “grave error” in allowing the school system to continue to use its new admissions process.
“If the judges’ decision stands, we would see Fairfax County Public Schools usher in a second class of students to America’s No. 1 public high school through an unconstitutional race-based admissions process,” the coalition said in a statement.
For decades, Black and Hispanic students have been woefully underrepresented in the student body. After criticism over its lack of diversity, the school board scrapped a standardized test that had been at the heart of the admissions process and opted instead for a process that sets aside slots at each of the county’s middle schools. It also includes “experience factors” like socioeconomic background.
The parents’ group argued in its lawsuit that Asian Americans, who constituted more than 70% of the student body, were unfairly targeted in the new policy.
The school’s current freshman class, which was admitted under the new policy, saw a significantly different racial makeup. Black students increased from 1% to 7%; Hispanic representation increased from 3% to 11%. Asian American representation decreased from 73% to 54%.
The school system has insisted that its new policies are race neutral, and the panel evaluating applicants is not even aware of applicants’ race as it conducts its reviews.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/election-skeptics-roil-gop-contests-for-secretary-of-state/
|
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose was clear in the months after the 2020 presidential election.
“Elections are run better and more honestly than really I think they ever have been,” he said in response to conspiracy theories being floated about the election. Months later, he said in an interview what has proved true in state after state – that voter fraud is rare.
Fast forward to 2022, when Republican secretaries of state face a delicate test with voters: Touting their work running clean elections while somehow not alienating GOP voters who believe the false claims of fraud fueled by former President Donald Trump and his allies.
LaRose has shifted his tone on Twitter, recently saying the “mainstream media is trying to minimize voter fraud to suit their narrative” and “President Donald Trump is right to say that voter fraud is a serious problem.”
That tweet came a day after LaRose learned he had drawn not one but two primary challengers, both of whom have said they believe the 2020 election was stolen from Trump.
All but one of the eight incumbent Republican secretaries of state seeking to continue as their state’s elections chief have drawn at least one GOP challenger who either outright denies Democrat Joe Biden won the presidency or makes unsubstantiated claims that elections are not secure.
That raises the prospect that the nation’s voting process will become further politicized if candidates who embrace conspiracy theories or promote without evidence the false narrative of widespread fraud win races for offices such as secretary of state, which play critical roles in managing elections and are intended to be neutral.
Trey Grayson, a former Republican secretary of state from Kentucky who has been outspoken against the efforts to delegitimize the 2020 presidential results, said some of the incumbent GOP secretaries need room to maneuver politically so they can defeat opponents within their own party who might seek to undermine fair elections if they win.
“These are guardians of democracy,” he said. “Their opponents are people who don’t show respect for the law or evidence or the vote-counting process. They are willing to ignore counts, willing to ignore safeguards we have in the system. In some cases, they are just making stuff up.”
Trump’sfalse claims have led to restrictive voting laws in Republican-controlled states, partisan election reviews, voting system security breaches and now a wave of candidates seeking to take over election administrationat the state and local levels.
In addition to Ohio, Republican secretaries of state in Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska and South Dakota are seeking to remain in office. Only Iowa’s Paul Pate is running unopposed.
In Alabama, Idaho, Nevada and North Dakota, the GOP incumbents have opted against seeking reelection or are term-limited, leaving open contests. Wyoming Secretary of State Edward Buchanan has yet to announce his plans.
Democratic secretaries are running to keep their seats in California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico and Washington. So far, only one has drawn a Democratic challenger.
The job of secretary of state has tended to attract candidates focused more on process than politics. The races are typically low-key contests overshadowed by campaigns for governor and state attorney general.
That changed after Trump disputed his loss and decided to target election officials in political battleground states, sometimes pressuring them to reverse his loss. In one instance, Trump made a phone call to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in which he asked Raffensperger to “find” enough votes to overturn Biden’s win.
Raffensperger didn’t cede to Trump’s demands and has defended Georgia’s election in a re-election bid this year where he faces three primary challengers. He has sought to counter them by touting his conservative credentials, downplaying differences with Trump and wooing primary voters with a call to ban non-citizen voting. He also has pointed to his efforts to include a photo ID requirement for mail ballots as part of a sweeping election bill passed by lawmakers last year.
At a recent rally in Georgia, Trump blasted Raffensperger as a “lousy secretary of state.” In an interview, Raffensperger said he has been working to counter the continuing misinformation and disinformation campaigns.
“We checked every allegation; I made sure we did,” Raffensperger said. “I stand on the truth, and no one has been stronger on election integrity than me.”
Trump has endorsed one of Raffensperger’s opponents, U.S. Rep. Jody Hice. Hice objected to Georgia’s electoral votes being counted for Biden, despite a lack of any evidence of widespread fraud or tampering. Georgia’s 5 million votes cast for president were counted three times, including once by hand.
Hice has been leading all candidates in fundraising and is part of a new group called the “America First Secretary of State Coalition,” organized by Jim Marchant, a former state lawmaker who is running for the open secretary of state seat in Nevada.
The group, which also includes Trump-endorsed candidates in Arizona and Michigan, has among other things advocated for limits on mail voting.
Trump won Kansas with 56% of the vote, and the state had no significant problems with its 2020 elections. Even so, Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab is facing a Republican primary opponent.
Schwab has pushed back on conspiracy theories and potentially angered many GOP voters in doing so. After a recent hearing in which lawmakers heard from Trump allies making false claims about the 2020 election, he wrote the committee to say the testimony “sought to undermine confidence in our county election officers, election results, and the longstanding systems used to securely conduct elections in Kansas.”
Despite any evidence of problems with Kansas’ elections, Schwab’s Republican opponent, Mike Brown, has called for tougher rules on drop boxes and mail ballots, supports partisan ballot reviews and wants ballots printed on special paper. He said Schwab hasn’t been vigilant when it comes to protecting elections.
Schwab downplayed the criticism and said he has an open line to Trump.
“If he’s got concerns, you know, the president’s team can call our office and say, ‘Hey, we want to talk to you about the 2020 election,’ but they don’t because they know there’s no concerns,” Schwab said.
He and some other incumbents have tried a delicate balance in messaging as they seek to retain their seats — touting election performance in their own state while hinting vaguely at election problems elsewhere.
In South Dakota, Secretary of State Steve Barnett defended the work of his office and blamed “disinformation, misinformation, mal-information” for lowering voter confidence nationwide.
“I can only speak to what went on in South Dakota,” he said. “I can’t speak to what happened in these other states.”
Barnett’s challenger, Monae Johnson, said she was “answering the call of concerned citizens” to run and criticized Barnett for sending absentee ballot applications during the pandemic and supporting online voter registration.
In Ohio, LaRose’s pro-Trump statements haven’t stopped his GOP challenger, former state lawmaker John Adams, from claiming that he hasn’t taken election integrity seriously; a second primary challenger was disqualified for paperwork errors.
Adams told a group of Republicans gathered recently at a sports bar in suburban Columbus that “there’s no way that Trump lost,” likening LaRose to Georgia Democrat Stacy Abrams for his positions in favor of ballot access. LaRose says Adams is basing his campaign on “conspiracy theories and nonsense,” but brushed aside questions about whether his own rhetoric had shifted.
All this has left many GOP primary voters conflicted. Lyle Adcock, 72, a semi-retired computer sales representative who listened to Adams at the sports bar, said he has always trusted Ohio elections but now isn’t sure what to think.
“It’s not like I feel my vote doesn’t count, but I wonder if there is any of this fraud,” he said.
Asked who he was supporting in the secretary of state’s race, Adcock said he hadn’t yet decided.
___
Cassidy reported from Atlanta. Associated Press writers Kate Brumback in Atlanta; Stephen Groves in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas, contributed to this report.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/gold-mine-of-census-records-being-released-from-1950/
|
It was the first census after World War II. The baby boom had begun. The Great Migration of Black residents from the Jim Crow South to places like Detroit and Chicago was in full swing. And some industrial cities reached their peak populations before Americans started moving to the suburbs.
Starting Friday, genealogists and historians can get a microscopic look at those sweeping historical trends when individual records on 151 million people from the 1950 census are released.
Researchers view the records as a gold mine, and amateur genealogists see it as a way to fill gaps in family trees, a field of research that has seen dramatic growth in recent years through the popularity of home DNA testing kits.
“This is genealogy heaven when a census is rolled out,” said Matt Menashes, executive director of the National Genealogical Society. “People are waiting anxiously. It’s hard to overstate.”
For privacy reasons, records identifying people by name can’t be made public until 72 years after they are gathered during the once-a-decade U.S. head count. The 1940 records were released a decade ago.
For Wendy Kalman, an amateur genealogist in Atlanta, the 1950 records will help her solidify details about her parents and grandparents and their relatives. She has traced her father’s side of the family back to 18th century Ukraine, and her research has put her in touch with previously unknown third and fourth cousins in the U.S. whom she talks to regularly.
“It’s an interesting journey to find out where you are from and the census records help you find information that isn’t always available,” said Kalman, 55. “Family stories aren’t always passed down and the census records give you a snapshot in time. It helps put together a picture.”
Ronnie Willis’ relatives from both sides of his grandparents’ families were itinerant farmers who traveled through Texas and Oklahoma as a blended group throughout the 1930s and 1940s. But they broke into nuclear family units after World War II. Willis hopes the 1950 census records help him piece together what happened to those relatives who settled in other states.
“That will help get me 10 years closer to putting the puzzle together, a little bit,” said Willis, 53, a software company executive who lives in Greenville, South Carolina.
Therecords released by the National Archives and Records Administration will be indexed into a searchable website. The digitized, handwritten forms have information about household members’ names, race, sex, age, address, occupations, hours worked in the previous week, salaries, education levels, marital status and the country in which their parents were born. The website will include a tool allowing users to fix any incorrect names or add missing names.
Claire Kluskens, a digital projects archivist at the National Archives, acknowledged that what will be on the website starting Friday is “a first draft,” in which specific people are most likely to be found initially only by searching for whoever was listed as the head of their household.
Two outside genealogical groups, Ancestry and FamilySearch, a division of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, have teamed up to serve as a quality check on the records by creating their own index separate from the National Archives.
At Ancestry, scores of workers will be ready at 12:01 a.m. EDT Friday to start downloading the more than 6.5 million digital images of the census files. The Utah-based company will scan the millions of surveys, using artificial intelligence to decipher sloppy handwriting and converting the information into readable database form.
“We are so excited to dive into the census,” said Crista Cowan, corporate genealogist at Ancestry.
Anywhere from 400,000 to 800,000 volunteers across the U.S., under the coordination of FamilySearch, will then double-check the entries with the actual digital images. If the digital record of the 1950 census form says “Wilhelmina” but has been entered as “William” in the index, that will be corrected, said David Rencher, director of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City and FamilySearch’s chief genealogy officer.
The effort could take six to nine months, he said.
“We believe we will get better accuracy because we are having humans look at it,” Rencher said.
The new data will flesh out the contours of a dramatically different world.
In 1950, the U.S. had less than half of the 332 million residents it has today. Households were larger, with an average of 3.5 people, compared with 2.6 people per household in 2019. Just 9% of households had someone living alone in 1950, compared with 28% in 2019. Adults were also more likely to be married, with more than two-thirds of adult men and women being married in 1950 compared with less than half of men and women in 2019, said Marc Perry, a senior demographer at the Census Bureau.
Elaine Powell is excited because this is the first release in which she will see herself in the census records. The president of the Central Florida Genealogical Society was born in 1946 and grew up in the St. Louis area.
“It’s just exciting. I remember the first time I found my parents in the census, you could hear me whooping and hollering in the library,” Powell said. “It verifies what you have been told by your parents and grandparents.”
It can also correct the record left by family lore. After all, as Powell noted, “genealogy, without documentation, is mythology.”
___
Follow Mike Schneider on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MikeSchneiderAP
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/hermit-i-know-my-days-are-numbered-at-disputed-woodlot/
|
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A former hermit in New Hampshire who went back to live on the wooded property he was ordered to leave realizes that his time there is drawing to a close — but he appears willing to keep fighting against his removal for now.
David Lidstone, who just turned 82, failed to show up for a contempt of court hearing Thursday in his tug-of-war with a Vermont landowner over a patch of forest near the Merrimack River that he’s called home for 27 years before his cabin burned down in an accidental fire.
Given his history of not appearing at hearings until he’s arrested, a judge on Thursday interpreted Lidstone’s no-show as a “seemingly deliberate” move and imposed costs to cover some of Giles’ expenses. He said Lidstone would face a $500-a-day fine if he doesn’t leave the woodlot by April 11.
“I am not sure why he missed it,” said Jodie Gedeon, a kayaker who befriended Lidstone years ago. A call to Lidstone’s phone number could not be completed Thursday.
A judge issued an injunction in 2017 for “River Dave” — as Lidstone is known — to leave after the landowner, Leonard Giles, sued him. But there have been delays in the case: Besides the pandemic, Lidstone hasn’t always shown up for court and he’s been in and out of jail as he resisted the injunction.
Court records say the undeveloped property has been in the Giles family since 1963 and is used for timber harvests. Lidstone had claimed that years ago, the current owner’s father gave his word — but nothing in writing — allowing him to live there. He also has disputed whether he’s on the property in the first place.
“I have a great deal of sympathy for Mr. Lidstone,” Judge Andrew Schulman said Thursday, “but it is what it is.”
Giles’ attorney, Lisa Snow Wade, responded, “I look at it from a different perspective. The person who should have the sympathy here is Mr. Giles, who’s an 86-year-old veteran who’s been put through this. This is not that easy for him emotionally, or you know, financially.” She said he’s paid over $39,000.
Snow Wade had suggested a financial penalty for Lidstone, saying time in jail did not seem to change his behavior.
Earlier this month, Lidstone told The Associated Press “I know my days are numbered here,” a day after he was arrested and pleaded not guilty to a trespassingcharge on the land. “Eventually I’m going to have to move.”
Lidstone, who became known as a friendly face to kayakers and an advocate for keeping the river clean, wasn’t sure what he would do next or where he would go, even though he’s had offers of other places to live and more than $200,000 in donations.
Lidstone, a logger by trade, is accused of squatting in a rustic cabin he built on the land in Canterbury. The wooden, two-level A-frame cabin had solar panels, a small, cluttered kitchen with pots hanging from the ceiling, and curtains on the windows. His porch had a footstool with a base made of stacked beer cans. He converted a wood stove into a beehive. He attached lights, a mirror and a pulley for a clothesline to logs supporting the cabin. He also had a vegetable garden.
But while Lidstone was in jail over the property dispute, his cabinburneddown in August as it was being dismantled at Giles’ request. The Canterbury fire chief said the fire was accidental.
Lidstone, who has been representing himself, was ordered to pick up his remaining possessions and leave. An outpouring of support followed. He didn’t think he could go back to being a hermit and lived with some friends. But by late fall, he had turned a shed that survived the fire into a makeshift home, outfitted with a wood stove.
Lidstone was given permission last year to hire a surveyor to give him “peace of mind,” Schulman said, but he has been unable to get someone to come out yet.
It hasn’t been easy to serve Lidstone with a notice to appear in court. There’s no road access to the property, which is about a mile and half (2.4 kilometers) into the woods. In January, one process server slipped, fell down an embankment, and injured his leg in his attempt to reach Lidstone at the woodshed, according to a motion filed by Snow Wade.
“Mr. Lidstone has been painted as a sympathetic figure in the media because he is an 81-year-old veteran wanting to live a romanticized life off-the-grid,” another plaintiff’s motion from December said. “That does not excuse his conduct of returning to Mr. Giles’ land, again, and again, and again.”
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/historian-sues-ny-prisons-over-ban-of-attica-uprising-book/
|
NEW YORK (AP) — The author of a Pulitzer Prize-winning book about the revolt at the Attica Correctional Facility in 1971 sued New York state prison authorities on Thursday, saying they’ve unconstitutionally banned her book behind bars.
Author Heather Ann Thompson, a University of Michigan professor, brought the lawsuit in Manhattan federal court over the treatment by New York State Department of Corrections officials of her book: “Blood in the Water: The Attica Prison Uprising of 1971,” published in 2016.
Named as defendants were the department’s acting commissioner and a second official with decision-making authority regarding censorship determinations.
The lawsuit contends that the ban is unconstitutional, particularly because the state has blocked inmates from accessing her book, prevented her from sharing it with inmates and denied her an opportunity to contest the ban.
“People have a right to read, and people have a right to history,” Thompson said in a release. “We also have a right to have our books read. It’s a shame we live in a country where we censor people and ideas.”
In a document issued in late January, the New York State Department of Corrections division of Corrections and Community Supervision said it was department policy to “encourage incarcerated individuals to read publications from varied sources if such material does not encourage them to engage in behavior that might be disruptive to orderly facility operations.”
The document said any materials also “should not incite disobedience towards law enforcement officers or prison personnel.” It added that “incite disobedience” means “to advocate, expressly or by clear implication, acts of disobedience.”
Contacted about the lawsuit Thursday, a corrections spokesperson said the department cannot comment on pending litigation.
The Attica uprising began in September 1971 when inmates angry over living conditions seized control of part of the prison and took some of its staff hostage. Four days later, the disturbance ended when state troopers and guards shot tear gas into a prison yard before firing hundreds of rounds into the smoke.
The gunfire killed 29 inmates and 10 hostages. In all, 11 staff members and 32 inmates were killed in the riot and siege. No law enforcement officers were put on trial for their roles in the massacre.
The lawsuit was brought on Thompson’s behalf by the New York Civil Liberties Union and the Civil Rights Clinic at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.
NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman said the state “cannot censor an important historical text like ‘Blood in the Water’ just because it doesn’t like the content.”
Cardozo’s Civil Rights Clinic Director Betsy Ginsberg said: “It is, simply put, a history book, and its denial to incarcerated people runs counter to this country’s core values.”
___
Associated Press Writer Michael Hill in Albany contributed to this report.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/judge-strikes-down-parts-of-florida-election-law-cites-race/
|
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A federal judge struck down portions of a Florida election law passed last year, saying in a ruling Thursday that the Republican-led government was using subtle tactics to suppress Black voters.
The law tightened rules on mailed ballots, drop boxes and other popular election methods — changes that made it more difficult for Black voters who, overall, have more socioeconomic disadvantages than white voters, U.S. District Judge Mark Walker wrote in his ruling.
“For the past 20 years, the majority in the Florida Legislature has attacked the voting rights of its Black constituents,” Walker wrote. Given that history, he said, some future election law changes should be subject to court approval.
Florida’s Republican-led legislature joined several others around the country in passing election reforms after Republican former President Donald Trump made unfounded claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him. Democrats have called such reforms a partisan attempt to keep some voters from the ballot box.
“It was only designed to fuel the narrative around the big lie and that the election was stolen from Trump,” Democratic state Rep. Fentrice Driskell, who is Black, said in a phone interview after the ruling was issued. “What we absolutely can’t have is a system that, I almost feel like, is separate and unequal. Making it harder for Black people to vote is unconstitutional.”
Democratic state Rep. Ramon Alexander said he and others argued before the bill passed that it would disproportionally affect voters of color, and he is glad Walker agreed.
“Florida has a long history of discrimination at the ballot box, and (the bill) was just another roadblock put in front of Black people trying to cast a legal vote,” said Alexander, who is Black.
Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who made the election bill a priority, said the state will appeal Walker’s decision and win.
“In front of certain district judges, we know we will lose no matter what because they are not going to follow the law,” DeSantis said at a news conference in West Palm Beach. He did not say specifically why he believes the ruling is incorrect.
Upon appeal, the case would go to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta, Georgia, which is seen as being more conservative.
Republican Sen. Dennis Baxley, who sponsored the bill, didn’t immediately return a voicemail message seeking comment.
Much of the debate focused on vote-by-mail ballots and how they are collected and returned. Walker overturned a provision of the law limiting when people could use a drop box to submit their ballot, along with a section prohibiting anyone from engaging with people waiting to vote. Walker said the latter provision “discourages groups who give food, water, and other forms of encouragement to voters waiting in long lines from continuing to do so.”
“One way, then, to measure whether this provision will have a disparate impact on Black or Latino voters is to determine whether Black and Latino voters are disproportionately likely to wait in line to vote,” said Walker, citing testimony that showed that to indeed be the case.
Walker, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama, also overturned a provision in the law putting new restrictions on groups that register voters, including requiring that people working to register voters submit their names and permanent addresses to the state.
Walker ordered that for the next 10 years, any attempt by the Legislature to write new laws on the issues he overturned will need court approval.
“Floridians have been forced to live under a law that violates their rights on multiple fronts for over a year,” he wrote. “Without preclearance, Florida could continue to enact such laws, replacing them every legislative session if courts view them with skepticism. Such a scheme makes a mockery of the rule of law.”
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/lgbtq-group-sues-florida-over-so-called-dont-say-gay-law/
|
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Gay rights advocates sued Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday to block a new law that forbids classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade.
The law has catapulted Florida and DeSantis, a potential 2024 Republican presidential candidate, to the forefront of the country’s culture wars. Critics call it the “ Don’t Say Gay ” law and argue that its true intent is to marginalize LGBTQ people and their families.
The challenge filed in federal court in Tallahassee on behalf of Equality Florida and Family Equality alleges that the lawviolates the constitutionally protected rights of free speech, equal protection and due process of students and families.
“This effort to control young minds through state censorship — and to demean LGBTQ lives by denying their reality — is a grave abuse of power,” the lawsuit says.
“The United States Supreme Court has repeatedly affirmed that LGBTQ people and their families are at home in our constitutional order. The State of Florida has no right to declare them outcasts, or to treat their allies as outlaws, by punishing schools where someone dares to affirm their identity and dignity,” the lawsuit says.
The law deliberately employs broad terms and invites arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement, empowering parents to be roving censors who can sue school boards for damages based on any perceived violation, the lawsuit adds.
The law states: “Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.” Parents would be able to sue districts over violations.
U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona met with LGBTQ students and their family members at a school in Orlando on Thursday, discussing privately how the legislation is affecting their lives. Cardona’s visit was one of several Biden administration events Thursday showing support for the queer community, including a presidential proclamation recognizing Transgender Day of Visibility.
“We know while many transgender students experience valuable support at school, many others face significant challenges because of hostility directed at them by others,” Cardona said. “This includes a growing number of state laws that bully and intimidate LGBTQI+ students and their families.”
DeSantis and other Republicans have repeatedly described the rules as reasonable, saying children should learn about sexual orientation and gender identity from their parents, not in schools.
“We will make sure that parents can send their kids to school to get an education, not an indoctrination,” the governor said when he signed it into law this week.
Many critics have said the law’s language, particularly the phrases “classroom instruction” and “age appropriate,” could be interpreted so broadly that discussion in any grade could trigger lawsuits, creating a classroom atmosphere where teachers would avoid the subjects entirely.
Intense public backlash followed the bill’s introduction in Florida’s Republican-controlled legislature this year, with the White House, Hollywood celebrities, students, Democrats and LGBTQ advocates condemning the policy. Legal challenges have been expected.
The filing by Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP and the National Center for Lesbian Rights seeks to block the law from taking effect and also names Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran and other education officials as defendants.
“Already, our children have told us that they are afraid that they will not be able to talk about their family at school,” Dan and Brent VanTice, parents of two first-grade students, said in the statement announcing the suit. “We are heartbroken that our children are already feeling isolated and stigmatized by this law.”
Andrew Spar, president of the Florida Education Association union, said the law is politically motivated because elementary schools, especially in kindergarten through third grade, do not teach about these subjects and have state curriculum standards guiding classroom lessons.
The law adds fuel to a persistent feud between DeSantis and Democratic President Joe Biden, who tweeted after DeSantis signed the bill this week that “My Administration will continue to fight for dignity and opportunity for every student and family — in Florida and around the country.” Cardona has said his agency will be monitoring for any federal civil rights violations that result.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/nsa-employee-charged-with-mishandling-classified-material/
|
A National Security Agency employee has been charged with emailing classified national security information to somebody who wasn’t authorized to receive it, according to a federal indictment unsealed Thursday.
Mark Robert Unkenholz, 60, of Hanover, Maryland, was arrested Thursday but ordered released after his initial court appearance in Baltimore.
Unkenholz held “top secret” security clearance, giving him access to the information, according to a 26-count indictment. He worked for an NSA office responsible for the agency’s engagement with private industry.
The indictment accuses Unkenholz of using his personal email address to send information classified as “secret” and “top secret” to somebody else’s private company email addresses on several occasions between February 2018 and June 2020.
The recipient held “top secret” clearance from April 2016 until approximately June 2019, while employed at a company that isn’t named in the indictment. However, from July 2019 until approximately January 2021, the person worked for a different company and wasn’t authorized to access or receive classified information, the indictment says.
A grand jury indicted Unkenholz on Tuesday on 13 counts of willfully transmitting national defense information and 13 counts of willfully retaining national defense informaton. Each count carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years. Federal sentencing guidelines typically recommend sentences far below the maximum.
Unkenholz pleaded not guilty to all 26 counts at his initial court appearance. U.S. Magistrate Judge Beth Gesner ordered him released after the hearing, court records show.
Gesner appointed the federal public defender’s office to represent Unkenholz. Federal Public Defender James Wyda declined to comment.
The FBI is investigating.
The case against Unkenholz is the latest prosecution from federal authorities in Maryland, home to some of the most secretive government agencies, alleging mishandling or improper storage of classified materials.
One of the more prominent federal cases involved Harold Martin, a former NSA contractor who was charged in 2016 with storing reams of classified records in his Maryland home, car and shed. The information spanned from the mid-1990s to the present and included personal details of government employees and “top secret” email chains, handwritten notes describing the NSA’s classified computer infrastructure, and descriptions of classified technical operations. He was sentenced in 2019 to nine years in prison.
___
Associated Press writer Eric Tucker contributed from Washington, D.C.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/pandemic-took-a-toll-on-teen-mental-health-us-study-says/
|
NEW YORK (AP) — More than 4 in 10 U.S. high school students said they felt persistently sad or hopeless during the pandemic, according to government findings released Thursday.
Several medical groups have warned that pandemic isolation from school closures and lack of social gatherings has taken a toll on young people’s mental health.
“This really gives us the evidence to say with certainty that the pandemic was incredibly disruptive for young people and their families,” said Kathleen Ethier of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The reports are based on anonymous online surveys of about 7,700 public and private high school students from 128 schools during the first six months of 2021. It is based on a similar survey the CDC conducts every other year in schools,
Among the findings:
—44% reported feeling persistently sad of hopeless during the past year. A similar survey before COVID-19 hit put the figure at 37%.
—66% said they found it more difficult to complete their schoolwork.
—29% said a parent or other adult in their home lost a job and 11% said they experienced physical abuse by a parent or other adult at home.
—24% said they went hungry during the pandemic because there was not enough food at home.
There likely was some underreporting, especially for certain questions about emotional or physical abuse in the home. Teens might be afraid that an abusive parent or other adult might see their responses, said Ilan Cerna-Turoff, a Columbia University researcher who studies children’s mental health.
CDC officials said that the pandemic did not affect teens equally. LGBT youth reported poorer mental health and more suicide attempts than others. About 75% said they suffered emotional abuse in the home and 20% reported physical abuse. By comparison, half of heterosexual students reported emotional abuse and 10% reported physical abuse, the CDC said.
___
The Associated Press Health & Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/pence-unveils-republican-policy-agenda-for-midterm-elections/
|
NEW YORK (AP) — Former Vice President Mike Pence has unveiled a new policy platform for Republicans ahead of this year’s midterms elections, offering a framework for candidates — and possibly himself — ahead of a potential 2024 presidential run.
Pence’s “Freedom Agenda,” released Thursday, combines traditional Republican goals like increasing American energy production, cutting taxes and rolling back regulations with priorities pursued by former President Donald Trump on issues like trade and immigration. Pence also offers plenty of culture war red meat for the GOP base, pledging, for instance, to save women’s sports by “ensuring that sports competitions are between those who share their God-given gender” and calling for all high school students to pass a civics test.
“Elections are about the future, and I think it’s absolutely essential that, while we do our part to take the fight to the failed policies of the Biden administration and the radical left, at the same time, we want to offer a compelling vision built on our highest American ideals,” Pence said ahead of the plan’s release. “It really is an effort to put in one place the agenda that I think carried us to the White House in 2016, carried two Bush presidencies to the White House and carried Ronald Reagan to the White House in 1980.”
Much of the 28-page plan reads like the platform of a presidential campaign, underscoring Pence’s ambitions and providing a clear road map of the themes and policies he is likely to pursue if he moves forward with a 2024 run. While Pence in recent weeks has worked to distance himself from his former boss as he begins to reintroduce himself to voters and develop a political identity of his own, he has also been careful to tie himself to the policies of the Trump-Pence administration, which remain extremely popular among Republican voters.
It’s part of what aides see as Pence’s unique opportunity, as a former talk radio host, congressman and Indiana governor, to merge the traditional conservative movement with Trump’s “Make America Great Again” agenda.
“There is a winning coalition for America that believes in the traditionally conservative values that the vice president has championed through his career,” said Marc Short, co-chair of Advancing American Freedom, the advocacy group Pence launched last year.
Pence’s plan comes as the GOP has been at odds over the wisdom of offering voters a concrete policy agenda ahead of the midterm elections this year. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell has been pointedly opposed to such efforts, arguing that Republicans should keep the focus on President Joe Biden, whose popularity has slumped amid the highest inflation in 40 years and the Russian war in Ukraine, and make the election a referendum on him.
The risks came into stark relief last month when Florida Sen. Rick Scott, another potential 2024 contender and the chair of the Senate Republicans’ campaign arm, unveiled his 11-point plan to “rescue America.” The effort drew immediate criticism from Democrats and even some Republicans, particularly its call for all Americans to “pay some income tax to have skin in the game” — a move that would amount to a tax hike for millions of people who pay no income tax because they earn so little.
House Republicans, meanwhile, have been working on their own “Commitment to America” plan with echoes of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s “Contract with America,” which Republicans unveiled in 1994 before sweeping the midterms that year.
“For the American public to join with you and support you, first they want to know what will you do,” House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said at the party’s annual retreat in Jacksonville, Florida, last week.
Candidates on the campaign trail have expressed similar sentiment.
At a Republican Senate primary debate in Ohio on Monday, several of the candidates applauded Scott for his effort, even as they said they disagreed with parts of his plan.
“I’m so sick of Republicans who say, ‘Well, we’re just going to push back against the Biden agenda.’ Well, of course we’re going to do that. But what are we gonna actually do for our voters?” candidate J.D. Vance asked. “There are a lot of problems out there. A lot of very serious problems. And we can’t just sort of stick our flag in the mud and say, ‘We’re against, we’re against, we’re against.’ We gotta be for stuff.”
Pence said that was part of his intention.
“As important as it is for us to criticize and to confront and to be the loyal opposition,” he said, it is “absolutely of equal importance that we offer a positive, compelling vision built on our highest ideals and frankly the successes that we were able to demonstrate during our administration.”
The economic plan unveiled Thursday calls for fast-tracking permits for oil and gas production, expanding drilling on federal lands and offshore and pursuing trade agreements that better protect American workers. On foreign policy, Pence calls on China to “establish a victims compensation and economic recovery fund” for “negligently unleashing and hiding the origins of COVID-19.”
On immigration, Pence’s agenda sounds much like a Trump press release. It calls on leaders to “oppose all forms of amnesty,” typically defined as a path to citizenship for those who entered the country illegally, and seeks an end to what he calls “chain migration” by limiting family reunification to an immigrant’s nuclear family. It also calls for promoting “the patriotic assimilation of immigrants” and finishing Trump’s border wall.
Under a section dedicated to “protecting American culture,” Pence calls for the promotion of “patriotic education” by ending “radical political indoctrination — including the teaching of anti-American racist ideologies like Critical Race Theory,” which views racism as systemic in the nation’s institutions. There is little to no evidence that critical race theory is being taught to K-12 public school students.
Pence also calls on states and local jurisdictions to require that all high school students pass a test on the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and the Federalist Papers to graduate. And he seeks limits on mail-in voting and early in-person voting, as well as mandatory voter identification, among other election measures.
The plan comes as Pence has been raising his public profile, making frequent media appearances, headlining political events and delivering policy speeches. He has traveled in recent weeks to South Korea, Israel and the Ukrainian border with Poland, where he greeted fleeing refugees. And he has paid numerous visits to early voting states, including New Hampshire, Iowa and South Carolina, which he’ll return to next month.
Meanwhile, his advocacy group is spending millions of dollars on ads and filing amicus briefs opposing vaccine mandates and abortion rights, and he’s working on a pair of books in addition to projects with the conservative Heritage Foundation and Young America’s Foundation.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/pentagon-links-leadership-failures-to-violence-at-bases/
|
WASHINGTON (AP) — Military bases with a high risk for sexual assault, harassment and other harmful behaviors often have leaders who don’t understand violence prevention, don’t make it a priority and focus more on their mission than on their people, a Pentagon review has concluded.
The review studied 20 bases in the United States and Europe, including 18 with some of the more severe problems identified in command climate surveys. It found that the failures were worse in a number of bases in Germany and Spain where key leaders and resources weren’t on site. Senior defense officials described the report to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss the findings before the review was publicly released.
At Naval Station Rota in Spain, for example, officials said the military mission requirements “were prioritized above and at the expense of the sailors’ well-being.” They said sailors reported bullying, mental health issues, sexual harassment and relationship problems, but often could not seek help due to their mission requirements.
In one location, officials said, they found that young enlisted men were taking steps to help their female peers stay safe by keeping them away from more senior leaders who were harassing them.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the report as part of his effort to strengthen sexual assault and harassment prevention across the forces, identify what programs work and ensure high-risk bases get attention quickly. Austin approved the report, and in a memo obtained by the AP, said it will help the department tailor improvements for bases where needs may vary.
“While we have made progress, we must do more to strengthen the integrated capabilities we have on the ground to prevent sexual assault, harassment, suicide, domestic abuse and other harmful behaviors,” he said.
The report comes nearly two years after Army Spc. Vanessa Guillén went missing from Fort Hood, Texas, and her remains were found two months later. Guillen was killed by a soldier, who her family says sexually harassed her, and who killed himself as police sought to arrest him.
Her death and a number of other crimes, murders and suicides led to heightened scrutiny on assaults and other violence in the military, and to a series of reviews. An independent panel appointed by Austin last year made more than 80 recommendations, including specific changes to improve accountability of leadership, command climate and culture, and victim care and support.
Officials said Austin’s goal is to find effective ways to prevent harmful behavior, which includes sexual assault and harassment, suicides and domestic violence. They said this latest report is designed to pinpoint which leadership and other failures contribute to higher instances of such behavior and which prevention programs and other changes actually work.
According to the officials, 16 of the bases were selected because a command climate survey of nearly a million personnel identified problems there, which included things such as binge drinking, toxic leadership, stress, and racial or sexual harassment. While serious problems were identified at these 16 bases, the report looked at a variety of factors for each location and doesn’t specifically characterize them as the worst in the military.
Two other bases were chosen because the survey showed good results, such as high morale, inclusion and good leadership. Two others had a mix of both high-performing and problem units.
The officials said that while in many cases leaders had a genuine desire to prevent violence, there was a “pervasive” misunderstanding of how to do it and they often didn’t devote enough personnel or time for it or hold subordinates accountable.
And even if they understood department policies, leaders often didn’t recognize when there was a high risk for violence or harmful behavior among their people.
In the United States, the bases surveyed were: Fort Custer, Michigan; Naval Support Activity Sarasota Springs, New York; Fort Polk, Louisiana; Fort Bliss, Texas; Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia; Marine Corps Base Hawaii; Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska; Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California; Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas; Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California; Dyess Air Force Base, Texas; Vandenberg Space Force Base, California; the Kentucky National Guard; and the Army Reserve base in Fraser, Michigan.
The last two — the Guard and Reserve bases in Kentucky and Michigan — were the ones chosen because they had less risk and more positive command climates.
The overseas bases were: Army Garrison Ansbach, Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfatz Smith Bararcks; Army Garrison Bavaria; Naval Station Rota; Army Garrison Stuttgart; and the Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz, Kaiserslautern. All but Rota are in Germany.
As an example, the report found that at the Kentucky National Guard base leaders believed that their soldiers came first, and their “well-being was part of the mission, not an adjacent effort that was secondary.” In contrast, commanders in at the bases in Germany and Spain “tolerated harmful behaviors” and it was difficult to access resources “due to mission requirements or geographic dispersion of services.”
The report said that the changes proposed by the independent review board will help address the problems. Those improvements include establishing a dedicated prevention workforce, expanded sexual assault prevention and response programs, and better leadership. The budget for 2023 includes funding to hire additional personnel.
The report also recommends that the department establish data to help the military services share prevention and program support information, hold leaders accountable if they don’t have healthy command climates. Officials said it’s important to ensure that leaders better understand the prevention policies and programs and that service members and employees know where to go to get help.
Officials also said that there will be follow-up visits to the bases by this fall, and that similar site visits and reviews will be done every two years.
Austin is asking military service leaders for implementation plans by early June and said the department will issue more guidelines and policies by early October.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/police-student-kills-peer-at-south-carolina-middle-school/
|
GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — A 12-year-old student was shot and killed Thursday by another 12-year-old student inside their South Carolina middle school, authorities said.
The shooter was found hiding under a deck at a home not far from Tanglewood Middle School in Greenville about an hour after the shooting and was still armed, Greenville County Sheriff Hobart Lewis said.
The boy is charged with murder, possession of a firearm at a school and possession of a weapon by someone under 18. He was taken to a juvenile prison in Columbia, Lewis said.
“He was hiding. He’s a young man, probably didn’t understand the consequences of what had just happened,” the sheriff said at a news conference. “I don’t think he knew what to do, honestly, except for to leave the school.”
The boys knew each other, but the sheriff said investigators are still trying to figure out what led to the shooting in a front part of the school and how the boy got the gun.
No one else was injured in the shooting.
The family of the boy killed released a statement saying he was Jamari Cortez Bonaparte Jackson and asking people to respect their privacy as they grieve.
“We are all devastated by today’s tragedy. We love Jamari dearly,” the family said in a statement released by community justice group Fighting Injustice Together.
A police officer at the school called in the shooting and requested emergency backup around 12:30 p.m. and more than 200 deputies and other law enforcement officers rushed to the school, Lewis said.
Helicopter footage from WYFF-TV showed dozens of officers walking around outside the school with more than two dozen buses lined up. Some students were slowly boarding the buses.
Everyone on campus, including teachers, were taken to a nearby church.
Greenville County Schools Superintendent Burke Royster said he doesn’t have any idea how the gun ended up at school and a student killed.
“I’m not sure after a full and thorough law enforcement investigation anyone will really know what was going through the mind of that young person who took this rash act,” Royster said.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/postmaster-general-says-hes-been-cleared-in-federal-probe/
|
WASHINGTON (AP) — Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said Thursday that the Justice Department has closed without criminal charges an investigation into political fundraising activity at his former business.
“As I said from the beginning and have maintained throughout this process, I was confident that after a thorough review the Justice Department would find all of my activities to be lawful,” DeJoy said in a statement provided to The Associated Press. “I have always adhered to the law in my personal and professional life.”
He added that he was “not surprised” that the department had concluded its investigation and that he was “pleased that this episode is over.”
A Justice Department spokesman did not immediately return a message seeking comment. But it is standard practice for department officials to reveal to defense lawyers that their investigations have concluded without charges rather than make that announcement themselves. A DeJoy spokesman said DeJoy’s lawyer had received that notification from the department.
DeJoy, a wealthy former logistics executive who was appointed postmaster general in 2020 by then-President Donald Trump and remains in the position in the Biden administration, confirmed the existence of a Justice Department investigation last June when his spokesman said investigators were examining campaign contributions made by employees who worked for him when he was in the private sector.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/report-state-late-in-response-to-unrest-after-floyd-killing/
|
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — An external review of Minnesota’s response to days of civil unrest following theMay 2020 killing of George Floyd found several weaknesses, including a lack of clear leadership early on as businesses were being destroyed and set ablaze, and a failure to discern peaceful from unlawful protesters.
The report by Wilder Research, commissioned by the Department of Public Safety and made public Thursday, says Minnesota can do more to address tensions between law enforcement and communities, and must incorporate a deeper sense of humanity in the way it responds to civil unrest in the future.
“Further research and evaluation are needed to understand the role of racism and other forms of bias in law enforcement responses to civil unrest and determine additional steps to address community distrust in law enforcement and state government,” the report also found.
The report, which examined the state’s actions from May 26 through June 7, 2020, listed 20 recommendations to improve the state’s response and find ways to prevent such civil unrest from happening again.
Three “critical recommendations” include: strengthening coordination between multiple agencies; improving coordination and relationships with local jurisdictions and the media; and addressing tension between law enforcement and communities through trust-building efforts, police accountability and transformation, and education.
Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington said in a letter to Gov. Tim Walz that his agency has already made changes to improve communication and police accountability, including implementing some of the report’s recommendations.
Floyd, who was Black, was killed May 25, 2020, when former Officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee against Floyd’s neck for about nine and a half minutes as Floyd was handcuffed and lying face-down on the pavement. Bystander video showed Floyd said multiple times that he couldn’t breathe, before he eventually went silent and stopped moving.
The killing sparked protests in Minneapolis and around the globe as part of a reckoning over racial injustice. In Minneapolis, some of the protests became violentas businesses, and even a police station, were ransacked and burned.
The report said that unrest was unprecedented, and left local and state agencies overextended.
Local police and emergency responders couldn’t respond to many calls for help. Several state agencies, as well as the National Guard, were called in — but the report noted they were not experienced in handling large-scale civil disturbances over such an extended period.
The report found that the state was too late in setting up a multi-agency command center to coordinate response, and that several local agencies were following different rules of engagement. There was also a lack of communication, leading some communities and businesses totake matters into their own hands. Some of the response by state agencies was also viewed as escalating by some.
The report also noted some strengths. Among them, it found the state acknowledged that the community had legitimate concerns after Floyd’s killing. It also noted that small mobile field force units were effective in addressing unrest in multiple locations. The report said that a curfew, when enforced, was also effective.
A reportissued earlier this month on the city’s response to the Minneapolis protests was sharply critical and included several recommendations, including improving police training on crowd control tactics.
Chauvin was convicted of murder and manslaughterand also pleaded guilty in federal court to violating Floyd’s civil rights. Three other former officers were also convicted of federal civil rights violations and are awaiting trial on state charges of aiding and abetting both murder and manslaughter.
___
Find AP’s full coverage of the killing of George Floyd at: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/severe-storms-pummel-south-after-7-hurt-in-arkansas-tornado/
|
A line of severe storms packing isolated tornadoes and high winds ripped across the Deep South overnight — killing at least two in the Florida Panhandle, toppling trees and power lines and leaving homes and businesses damaged as the vast weather front raced across several states.
In Florida, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday morning that two were killed and two injured when a tornado touched down in the western Florida Panhandle.
Two homes were destroyed and powerlines were knocked down, according to Washington Country Emergency Management spokeswoman Cheryl Frankenfield. The county’s Facebook page showed at least one home that was obliterated, as well as trees down on another home. No other details were immediately available.
The Florida Division of Emergency Management has employees in the area to help, spokesperson Samantha Bequer said. She said neighboring Jackson County also had property damage.
“It’s a nasty day, but thankfully these storms are moving quickly,” she said.
At least two confirmed tornadoes injured several people Wednesday, damaged homes and businesses and downed power lines in Mississippi and Tennessee after earlier storm caused damage in Arkansas, Missouri and Texas.
About 185,000 customers were without electricity Thursday morning in the wake of the storm along a band of states: Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio and Michigan, according to poweroutage.us, which tracks utilities.
The worst of the weather Thursday morning appeared to be at the southern end of the storm front, which was expected to bring heavy rain and high winds all along the U.S. East Coast later in the day. Much of the Florida Panhandle was under a tornado watch, according to the National Weather Service in Tallahassee.
Widespread damage was reported in the Jackson, Tennessee, area as a tornado warning was in effect. “Significant damage” occurred to a nursing home near Jackson-Madison County General Hospital and the Madison County Sheriff’s Office in Jackson, said Madison County Emergency Management Director Jason Moore.
In Nashville, Tennessee, paneling fell five stories from the side of a downtown hotel Wednesday evening and onto the roof of a building below. The fire department warned that debris could become airborne as high winds continued, and some hotel guests were moved to other parts of the building due to concerns the roof would become unstable. No injuries were immediately associated with the collapse.
Daylight revealed widespread wind damage across Alabama.
One person suffered minor injuries when a storm hit the University of Montevallo campus south of Birmingham, damaging three buildings, officials said, and a woman was injured when a manufactured home rolled over in rural Bibb County. A school bus was flipped at a high school in south Alabama, and part of the roof was missing from a church in northwest Alabama.
Elsewhere, a warehouse roof collapsed as the storms moved through Southaven, Mississippi, near Memphis, police said. The building had been evacuated and no injuries were reported.
The Mississippi Senate suspended its work Wednesday as weather sirens blared during a tornado watch in downtown Jackson. Some employees took shelter in the Capitol basement.
Rander P. Adams said he and his wife, Janice Delores Adams, were in their home near downtown Jackson when severe weather blew through during a tornado warning Wednesday afternoon. He said their lights flashed and a large window exploded just feet from his wife as she tried to open their front door.
“The glass broke just as if someone threw a brick through it,” he said. “I advised her then, ‘Let’s go to the back of the house.’”
Adams said the storm toppled trees in a nearby park, and a large tree across the street from their house split in half. “We were blessed,” he said. “Instead of falling toward the house, it fell the other way.”
Earlier Wednesday, a tornado that struck Springdale, Arkansas, and the adjoining town of Johnson, about 145 miles (235 kilometers) northwest of Little Rock, shortly after 4 a.m. injured seven people, two critically, according to Springdale Mayor Doug Sprouse.
Sprouse said in a statement that one of those critically injured had improved and was in stable condition and the other five were released from a hospital.
“Our first responders have completed door-to-door searches, and we believe everyone has been accounted for,” Sprouse said.
The National Weather Service in Tulsa said Thursday that the tornado has been rated an EF-3, up from an initial assessment of EF-2, with wind speeds between 136-165 mph (219-265 kph). The tornado reached a peak speed of about 145 mph (233 kph) and 5 miles (8 kilometers) while on the ground for about eight minutes, according to the weather service.
In northwest Missouri, an EF-1 tornado with wind speeds around 90 mph (145 kph) struck St. Joseph on Tuesday night, damaging two homes.
A small tornado also touched down briefly on the eastern edge of Dallas, according to the National Weather Service in Fort Worth. The tornado struck just after 4:30 a.m. Wednesday near McClendon-Chisolm with top winds of about 100 mph (161 kph) and damaged homes, but no injuries were reported, according to the weather service.
The storms come a week after a tornado in a New Orleans-area neighborhood carved a path of destruction during the overnight hoursand killed a man.
Strong winds in Louisiana overturned semitrailers, peeled the roof from a mobile home, sent a tree crashing into a home and knocked down power lines, according to weather service forecasters, who did not immediately confirm any tornadoes in the state.
The National Weather Service office in New Orleans said Thursday that teams would be out in Tangipahoa and St. Tammany Parishes in southeastern Louisiana and in Jackson County in southeastern Mississippi surveying damage. They said the highest wind speed recorded in the office’ coverage area was 67 mph (108 kph) at the New Orleans Lakefront airport with winds in Baton Rouge reaching into the high 50 mph (80 kph) range.
Firefighters, meanwhile, have been trying to get handle on a wildfire spreading near Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee, amid mandatory evacuations as winds whipped up ahead of the approaching storm front.
The fire, which was not contained, had expanded to about 250 acres (more than 100 hectares) as of Wednesday afternoon. One person was injured, and a plume of smoke rose above one community not far from where 2016 wildfires ravaged the tourism town of Gatlinburg, killing 14 people and damaging or destroying about 2,500 buildings.
___
Wagster Pettus reported from Jackson, Mississippi; Farrington reported from Tallahassee, Florida; and Mattise from Nashville, Tennessee; many other Associated Press journalists contributed to this report.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/surviving-hostage-relates-ordeal-in-islamic-state-captivity/
|
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — Federico Motka’s abductors greeted him in English after he and his colleagues were kidnapped near a refugee camp on the Turkish border: “Welcome to Syria, you mutt.”
For the Italian aid worker, it was the beginning of 14 months of brutality at the hands of the Islamic State.
Motka testified about the ordeal Thursday at the terrorism trial of El Shafee Elsheikh, a British national charged with taking a leading role in an Islamic State kidnapping scheme that took more than 20 Westerners hostage between 2012 and 2015.
Four Americans — journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff and aid workers Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller — were among them. Foley, Sotloff and Kassig were decapitated. Mueller was forced into slavery and raped repeatedly by the Islamic State’s leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, before she too was killed.
Motka is the first surviving hostage to testify at Elsheikh’s trial in Alexandria, Virginia.
Born in Trieste, Italy, Motka said he spent much of his childhood in the Middle East and went to boarding school in England. He was an aid worker surveying the needs of refugee camps in March 2013 when he and a colleague, Briton David Haines, were captured and taken hostage.
Motka testified that for the first month of captivity, he was only occasionally mistreated, but that mistreatment frequently came at the hands of three captors whom hostages dubbed “the Beatles” because of their British accents. They learned to speak surreptitiously about their captors, who wore masks and took pains to conceal their identity, since they never knew what would set them off. A dispute over bathroom hygiene prompted a particularly intense beating, he said.
“They said I was a posh wanker because I went to boarding school,” Motka testified. “They said I was arrogant, and they were going to take me down a peg.”
Motka’s use of the term “posh wanker” set off a brief period of uncomfortable laughter in the courtroom, when the judge interrupted and asked what the phrase means, forcing Motka to explain the term’s vulgar meaning of the British idiom.
The British accents and phraseology are an important part of the case, though, as prosecutors seek to prove that Elsheikh is indeed one of the Beatles who tortured hostages, even though the Beatles took great pains to conceal their faces. Motka testified that there were at least three Britons in the group of captors, and the hostages nicknamed them “John,” “George” and “Ringo.”
Prosecutors have said in court that Elshiekh is the one who was nicknamed Ringo.
One way Motka distinguished the three was their preferences for inflicting punishment.
“George was more into boxing,” Motka testified. “John, he kicked a lot. Ringo used to talk how he liked wrestling. He would put people in headlocks.”
He described one instance when Ringo put James Foley in a headlock so tight that he passed out.
Motka also recounted a time in the summer of 2013 when the hostages were held in a facility they nicknamed “the box.” The Beatles excitedly put Motka and his cellmate David Haines in a room with Foley and British hostage John Cantlie for what they called a “Royal Rumble.”
“They were super excited about it,” Motka said of the Beatles about the tag-team style fight they imposed on the foursome. “We were so weak and shattered we could barely lift our arms.”
The group was told that the losers would be waterboarded. Two of the four passed out during the hour-long battle, Motka said. The Beatles deemed him the loser but never waterboarded him, inflicting a beating instead.
As they were transferred to different facilities, Motka said the hostages were sometimes separated from the Beatles for weeks at a time. Those periods were welcome, relatively speaking, because the Beatles were unique in their cruelty, he said.
When they were transferred again to a place they nicknamed “the dungeon” and saw that the Beatles were there, “we crapped our pants,” Motka said. “We had just started to relax a little” as the mistreatment had eased in their absence.
“The box,” where the Beatles were a regular presence, was one of the worst stretches of captivity. Motka said he and other hostages there endured a lengthy “regime of punishment” that included regular beatings and forced stress positions. “George,” another man named Abu Mohamed and a third nicknamed “the punisher” regularly tortured them, Motka said.
“They played lots of games with us,” Motka said, maintaining composure as he clearly struggled with the emotions of describing his captivity. “They gave us dog names. We needed to come and immediately respond” to the dog name to avoid a beating.
Motka was not released until May 25, 2014. His 14 months in captivity were the longest of any hostage in the group.
Defense lawyers, though, have highlighted the difficulties that hostages have in formally identifying each of their captors, who routinely wore masks that covered all but their eyes.
In opening statements, prosecutors referenced only three British nationals — Elsheikh, his longtime friend Alexenda Kotey, and Mohammed Emwazi, who frequently carried out the role of executioner and was known as “Jihadi John.”
Emwazi was killed in a drone strike, and Kotey was captured alongside Elsheikh and also brought to Virginia to face trial. Kotey pleaded guilty last year in a plea bargain that calls for a life sentence.
Jurors also heard testimony Thursday from Danish hostage negotiator Jens Serup, who testified about prolonged efforts to secure the release of Daniel Rye Ottosen in exchange for 2 million euros.
The jury saw photos of huge bruises on Ottosen’s arm and back after he was finally released. Serup testified that the captors told Ottosen the beating was a “farewell present not to forget them.”
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/taraji-p-henson-chris-paul-named-to-black-colleges-board/
|
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is naming actor Taraji P. Henson and the NBA’s Chris Paul to a presidential advisory board on historically Black colleges and universities.
They are among nine men and nine women Biden is appointing to the President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, the White House announced Thursday.
Several HBCU presidents, the president of United Airlines and the first Black woman to become administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency are among Biden’s selections.
They will join Tony Allen, the president of Delaware State University, and Glenda Glover, the president of Tennessee State University, who are serving, respectively, as chairperson and vice chairperson of the board, which was established during the Carter administration.
Henson is a Washington, D.C., native who studied acting at Howard University, a historically Black school and the alma mater of Vice President Kamala Harris. Paul is a 12-time NBA All-Star with the Phoenix Suns and two-time Olympic gold medalist.
Besides Allen and Glover, the presidents of five other HBCUs will also join the board. They are Virginia State University, Norfolk State University in Virginia, Alabama State University, Prairie View A&M University in Texas and Dillard University in New Orleans.
Lisa Jackson, who became the EPA’s first Black administrator in the Obama administration, and United Airlines President Brett Hart will also join the board.
Biden also intends to appoint Paige Blake, a 20-year-old junior at Bowie State University, an HBCU in Maryland.
The White House said the administration has committed $5.8 billion in support to these historically Black colleges and universities through a combination of pandemic relief funding, grants and forgiving capital improvement debt.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/ukrainian-archbishop-minority-faiths-at-risk-if-russia-wins/
|
The top-ranking Ukrainian Catholic cleric in the United States warned Thursday that religious minorities in the Eastern European country stand to be “crushed” if Moscow gains control, as fighting raged on more than a month after the Russian invasion began.
Groups at risk include Catholics, Muslims and Orthodox who have broken away from the patriarch of Moscow, Archbishop Borys Gudziak said. He also cited reports that Russian forces have damaged two Holocaust memorials and Moscow’s false portrayal of Ukraine, which overwhelmingly elected a Jewish president in Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as a “Nazi” state.
“What is at stake for the people of faith is their freedom to practice their faith,” Gudziak said during an online panel discussion on the war, hosted by the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life at Georgetown University.
“Ukrainian Catholics, over the last 250 years, every time there’s been a Russian occupation where they live and minister, they’ve been strangled,” he continued.
Gudziak is head of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia and president of Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, Ukraine. He also oversees external relations for the Kyiv-based Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. The name of the church, whose members account for an estimated 10% of Ukraine’s population, refers to its loyalty to the pope and its use of Greek or Byzantine liturgy, which is similar to that of Ukraine’s majority Orthodox population.
The archbishop predicted that the Orthodox Church of Ukraine — which broke from the Moscow Patriarchate and was recognized in 2019 by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople over fierce opposition from Moscow — “will undoubtedly be crushed if there’s a Russian occupation.”
Guziak did not specifically mention the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which is separate from the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and has remained loyal to Moscow Patriarch Kirill, a strong supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Despite that historic fealty, Ukrainian Orthodox Church leaders have fiercely denounced the Russian invasion and in some cases are refusing to mention Kirill’s name in public prayers, a ritually potent snub.
Kirill has backed Putin’s justifications for the war, saying both countries are part of a “Russian world” and alleging that the U.S. and other foreign forces have sought to foster enmitybetween them.
Gudziak also cited the plight of Muslim Tatars who “have been persecuted for these last eight years” since Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula in southern Ukraine in 2014.
The U.S. State Department has similarly denounced intimidation and harassment of Tatars and other religious groups in Crimea and areas of eastern Ukraine under control of Russia-backed separatists. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom said this month that Moscow’s “aggression toward religious freedom (in those territories) is an indicator that much worse will follow … as Russia expands into Ukraine.”
Gudziak rejected Russia’s claims that it is on a mission to denazify Ukraine, where the Jewish Zelenskyy won election with 73% of the vote. Such altruistic assertions also ring hollow, he argued, given the reported damage to the Holocaust memorials in Kyiv and near Kharkiv.
“All those who desire to live in freedom will lose a lot or everything. If there is an occupation, that is what is at stake for Ukrainians,” Gudziak said. “What is at stake for Europe, for the broader world, is will there be an advance of systems, ideologies and worldviews that crush people?”
___
Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/us-taps-420m-to-boost-water-supplies-hit-by-climate-change/
|
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Federal officials slated millions of dollars for rural water projects in several states, with the Biden administration looking to shore up infrastructure needs made more urgent by long-term drought conditions that have been exacerbated by climate change.
The U.S. Interior Department announced Thursday that $420 million will be spent on projects in New Mexico, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Iowa. The work includes construction of water treatment plants, pipeline connections, pump systems and reservoirs to provide drinking water to rural and tribal communities.
The West is experiencing a more than 20-year megadrought. Scientists say the region has become much warmer and drier in recent decades and that climate change will continue to make weather more extreme, wildfires more frequent and destructive, and water supplies less reliable.
From Idaho and Montana south to New Mexico and Arizona, even soil moisture levels have hit record lows as major reservoirs along the Colorado River have plummeted. Earlier this month, Lake Powell hit a record low, spurring concerns about the ability to crank out more hydropower from the dam that holds it back.
Native American tribes that are finally seeing federal money after years of being underfunded are working to get at water they long had rights to but could not access without funds to build the infrastructure. On the Navajo Nation, tens of thousands of people still live without running water, while tribes in the upper Midwest are awaiting pipeline extensions that would tap into reliable sources.
In all, the infrastructure measure included $5 billion for Western water programs, with 20% of that dedicated to rural projects.
Federal officials said the allocations were based on project plans and significant goals that are projected to be reached with the funding.
The largest share — $160 million — will go toward a project decades in the making that will eventually provide water for about 70,000 people who live in communities along the New Mexico-Texas state line, where the Ogallala aquiferis being pumped at a faster rate than it’s being replenished.
The Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority will receive additional money from the Bureau of Reclamation and the state of New Mexico. When combined with matching money from the utility, the total for this year will be more than $228 million.
“This will take us far in the construction of this critically important project,” said Michael Morris, chairman of the water authority and mayor of Clovis, a rural community in eastern New Mexico.
Other allocations include $75.5 million for the Lewis & Clark Rural Water System, which spans parts of South Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota. The system is designed to pipe water from the Missouri River to areas as far as 60 miles (97 kilometers) away that have less plentiful resources.
In North Dakota, $51 million will go to a section of the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program.
More than $57 million will go to the Rocky Boys/North Central Montana Rural Water System, which serves the Rocky Boy’s Reservation and numerous municipalities. The Fort Peck Reservation in Montana will benefit from $7 million for the water system there.
Tanya Trujillo, assistant Interior secretary for water and science, was flanked by water managers in Albuquerque when she made the announcement.
“The department is committed to bringing clean, reliable drinking water to rural communities to help strengthen resilience to climate change,” Trujillo said.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/washington-oks-1st-statewide-missing-indigenous-people-alert/
|
TULALIP, Wash. (AP) — Washington Gov. Jay Inslee on Thursday signed into law a bill that creates a first-in-the-nation statewide alert system for missing Indigenous people, to help address a silent crisis that has plagued Indian Country in this state and nationwide.
The law sets up a system similar to Amber Alerts and so-called silver alerts, which are used respectively for missing children and vulnerable adults in many states. It was spearheaded by Democratic Rep. Debra Lekanoff, the only Native American lawmaker currently serving in the Washington state Legislature, and championed by Indigenous leaders statewide.
“I am proud to say that the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women’s and People’s Alert System came from the voices of our Native American leaders,” said Lekanoff, a member of the Tlingit tribe and the bill’s chief sponsor. “It’s not just an Indian issue, it’s not just an Indian responsibility. Our sisters, our aunties, our grandmothers are going missing every day … and it’s been going on for far too long.”
Tribal leaders, many of them women, wore traditional hats woven from cedar as they gathered around Inslee for the signing on the Tulalip Reservation, north of Seattle. Afterward they gifted him with a handmade traditional ribbon shirt and several multicolored woven blankets.
The law attempts to address a crisis of missing Indigenous people — particularly women — in Washington and across the United States. While it includes missing men, women and children, a summary of public testimony on the legislation notes that “the crisis began as a women’s issue, and it remains primarily a women’s issue.”
Besides notifying law enforcement when there’s a report of a missing Indigenous person, the new alert system will place messages on highway reader boards and on the radio and social media, and provide information to the news media.
The legislation was paired with another bill Inslee, a Democrat, signed Thursday that requires county coroners or medical examiners to take steps to identify and notify family members of murdered Indigenous people and return their remains. That new law also establishes two grant funds for Indigenous survivors of human trafficking.
This piece of the crisis is important because in many cases, murdered Indigenous women are mistakenly recorded as white or Hispanic by coroners’ offices, they’re never identified, or their remains never repatriated.
A 2021 report by the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office found the true number of missing and murdered Indigenous women in the U.S. is unknown due to reporting problems, distrust of law enforcement and jurisdictional conflicts. But Native American women face murder rates almost three times those of white women overall — and up to 10 times the national average in certain locations, according to a 2021 summary of the existing research by the National Congress of American Indians. More than 80% have experienced violence.
In Washington, more than four times as many Indigenous women go missing than white women, according to research conducted by the Urban Indian Health Institute in Seattle, but many such cases receive little or no media attention.
The bill signing began with a traditional welcome song passed down by Harriette Shelton Dover, a cherished cultural leader and storyteller. Dover recovered and shared many traditions and songs from tribes along Washington’s northern Pacific Coast and worked with linguists before her death in 1991 to preserve her language, Lushootseed, from extinction. Women performed an honor song after the event.
Tulalip Tribes of Washington Chairwoman Teri Gobin said Washington and Montana are the two states with the most missing Indigenous people in the U.S. Nearly four dozen Native people are currently missing in Seattle alone, she said.
“What’s the most important thing is bringing them home, whether they’ve been trafficked, whether they’ve been stolen or murdered,” she said. “It’s a wound that stays open, and it’s something that we pray with (for) each person, we can bring them home.”
Investigations into missing Indigenous people, particularly women, have been plagued by many issues for decades.
When a person goes missing on a reservation, there are often there are jurisdictional conflicts between tribal police and local and state law enforcement. A lack of staff and police resources, and the rural nature of many reservations, compound those problems. And many times, families of tribal members distrust non-Native law enforcement or don’t know where to report news of a missing loved one.
An alert system will help mitigate some of those problems by allowing better communication and coordination between tribal and non-tribal law enforcement and creating a way for law enforcement to flag such cases for other agencies. The law expands the definition of “missing endangered person” to include Indigenous people, as well as children and vulnerable adults with disabilities or memory or cognitive issues.
The law takes effect June 9 and some details are still being worked out. For example, it’s unclear what criteria law enforcement will use to positively identify a missing person as Native American and how the information will be disseminated in rural areas, including on some reservations, where highways lack electronic reader boards — or where there aren’t highways at all.
The measure is the latest step Washington has taken to address the issue. The Washington State Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People Task Force is working to coordinate a statewide response and had its first meeting in December. Its first report is expected in August.
Many states from Arizona to Oregon to Wisconsin have taken recent action to address the crisis of murdered and missing Indigenous women. Efforts include funding for better resources for tribal police to the creation of new databases specifically targeting missing tribal members. Tribal police agencies that use Amber Alerts for missing Indigenous children include the Hopi and Las Vegas Paiute.
In California, the Yurok Tribe and the Sovereign Bodies Institute, an Indigenous-run research and advocacy group, uncovered 18 cases of missing or slain Native American women in roughly the past year in their recent work — a number they consider a vast undercount. An estimated 62% of those cases are not listed in state or federal databases for missing persons.
The law is already drawing attention from other states, whose attorney generals have called to ask how to enact similar legislation, said state Attorney General Bob Ferguson, who called the law “truly groundbreaking.”
“Any time you’re doing something for the first time in this country, that’s an extra heavy lift,” he said. “This most certainly will not be our last reform to make sure that we bring everybody back home. .. There is so much more work that needs to be done and must be done.”
____
Flaccus reported from Portland, Oregon.
___
Follow Gillian Flaccus on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/gflaccus
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/14-most-popular-face-oils-on-sephora/
|
WHAT ARE THE TOP-RATED FACE OILS ON SEPHORA?
From toners to serums to moisturizers, there’s no shortage of skincare products that help address your skin issues. Face oils are a relative newcomer to the scene, but they can be like a magic elixir for getting you the bright, smooth complexion of your dreams.
It may seem counterintuitive since we’ve been warned about oil clogging our pores and wreaking havoc on our skin for years. But face oils can work with your skin’s natural oils to provide additional protection for the skin. They also help soften and hydrate — and some oils even offer anti-aging and antibacterial properties. It’s all about choosing the right oil for your skin type and issues.
Want to introduce a face oil to your skincare routine? Check out these well-loved face oils from Sephora that can help give you beautiful, glowing skin, even without makeup.
Most popular face oils on Sephora for $30-$40
Danessa Myricks Beauty Beauty Oil with Gold Leaf
Featuring a blend of jojoba, sunflower seed, squalane and sweet almond oils infused with gold leaf, this facial oil provides a radiant glow to the skin. It also helps moisturize and create a perfect base for your makeup application. The formula is vegan and cruelty-free, too.
Sold by Sephora
This lightweight face oil features 100% pure squalane derived from olives. It’s a non-comedogenic formula that can help balance excess oil, making it an excellent option even for oily skin. It can also help improve the texture and tone of the skin.
Sold by Sephora
This multi-purpose face oil works for multiple skin types. It contains jojoba oil to hydrate and condition the skin, rosehip oil to firm and brighten, and wildcrafted buriti oil for antioxidant protection. The formula is lightweight and absorbs quickly but leaves your skin feeling moisturized for up to 12 hours.
Sold by Sephora
Most popular face oils on Sephora for $40-$50
Youth to the People Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Oil
This facial oil is chock full of super berry antioxidants from maqui, acai and goji berries that deliver instant hydration and leave your skin with a luminous glow. It absorbs quickly and helps brighten the skin with vitamin C, and works well for most skin types, too.
Sold by Sephora
Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil
This multi-purpose oil offers excellent hydration for not only your face but your hair and nails, too. It is a potent source of antioxidants, fatty acids and vitamin E that moisturize, protect and leave the skin with a lovely glow. The argan nuts are also ethically sourced, and the formula is vegan and cruelty-free.
Sold by Sephora
Volition Beauty Hibiscus Unspottable Correcting Oil
If you have dark spots or discoloration, this daily face oil helps brighten and exfoliate the skin. The hibiscus oil helps shed dead skin cells and soften the look of dark circles, while the licorice root extract illuminates and soothes the skin. It’s an ideal option for normal and dry skin.
Sold by Sephora
Anastasia Beverly Hills Hydrating Oil
Normal, dry and combination skin will appreciate this lightweight, hydrating oil. It contains antioxidants to provide protection against free radical damage to help soften the signs of aging. It also leaves the skin with a visible radiant glow that looks beautiful under makeup.
Sold by Sephora
GXVE by Gwen Stefani All Time Prime Clean Hydrating Prep & Smooth Face Oil
A versatile, lightweight face oil, this formula can provide up to 24 hours of hydration that creates a perfect canvas for makeup. It leaves the skin with a dewy glow and can even be mixed with your foundation for added luminosity. The oil also contains aloe to soothe the skin.
Sold by Sephora
Most popular face oils on Sephora for $50+
Summer Fridays Heavenly Sixteen All-in-One Face Oil
This non-comedogenic formula contains a blend of 16 vegan oils that help plump and hydrate the skin. It contains plenty of vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, too, so it can strengthen and protect the skin. Its packaging is also recyclable.
Sold by Sephora
Damdam Rice Drops Vegan Face Oil
An excellent option for normal, dry or combination skin, this weightless face oil absorbs quickly but still moisturizes the skin well. It helps strengthen the skin’s protective barrier and creates an ideal base for makeup. It gives the skin a healthy glow, too.
Sold by Sephora
Clarins Santal Face Treatment Oil
Offering a blend of 100 percent pure plant oils, this facial oil can help soothe dry, irritated skin. It features hazelnut oil to reduce redness and keep the skin from losing moisture. It can be applied directly to the skin or mixed into your moisturizer to help boost hydration.
Sold by Sephora
StriVectin Super-B Barrier Strengthening Oil with Vitamin B3 and Prebiotics
This clinically proven facial oil may be the perfect treatment for dry or mature skin. It has a lightweight feel but helps soothe dry skin and lock in moisture. It also reduces redness and brightens dull skin. The formula is non-comedogenic, too.
Sold by Sephora
Josie Maran Skin Dope Argan Oil + 100 Milligrams of CBD
This plant-based facial oil can help soothe stressed, irritated skin. The argan oil offers antioxidants and essential fatty acids to protect the skin, while the CBD helps calm sensitive skin. It also helps improve the look of dull, uneven skin.
Sold by Sephora
Drunk Elephant A-Gloei Retinol Oil
If you’re looking for a face oil that can address the signs of aging, this retinol-packed formula is for you. It helps improve the look and texture of uneven skin, so it works well for fine lines, dark spots and even blemishes. It also contains ceramides to help boost the skin’s natural protective barrier.
Sold by Sephora
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
Jennifer Blair 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.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/best-auto-follow-drone/
|
Which auto-follow drone is best?
Capturing magnificent scenes with a high-flying drone is a common method used by videographers to create content. The drones are steered with a flight stick or controller and go wherever the pilot directs them.
But sometimes, you want the drone to capture you in action. If there is nobody else to control the drone, you’re going to have a problem. That is where an auto-follow drone comes in, and as the name implies, it will automatically follow you as you run, bike or ski. One of the best auto-follow drones is the DJI Air 2S Quadcopter Drone.
What to know before you buy an auto-follow drone
Know the difference between auto-follow and tracking
The two terms might sound the same, and some companies use them interchangeably, but there is a subtle difference. An auto-follow drone doesn’t need a camera and can follow a signal. On the other hand, a tracking drone can memorize a face or object and track it. It will stay a certain distance away and continuously keep the object in the frame.
The size of the drone matters
Not all drones are built the same, and generally larger ones will have bigger batteries and more features. But that’s not to say that smaller, more affordable drones aren’t up to the task. Consider what kind of footage you want to capture and where you’ll be flying, and determine which size drone will be best for your needs.
Preferred method of control
You can operate drones through different control mechanisms. While professional drones use remote controllers and a screen, others operate easily with a mobile phone or a tablet. Consider which controlling method will be the easiest for you, as you can always upgrade to a headset when you get more comfortable.
What to look for in a quality auto-follow drone
Gimballed camera for stability
Under normal circumstances, you operate the drone through remote control. The pilot can steady the drone and capture any footage. But when it follows you, it is doing so automatically. Some stability is built into the flight, but a good-quality drone will have a gimballed camera. This prevents the camera from excessive shaking and will smoothly track the subject.
Obstacle sensing to prevent crashing
You don’t have any control over an auto-follow drone when it is in flight. To prevent the gadget from crashing into trees or buildings, a good-quality drone includes obstacle-sensing technology. This allows it to fly around or over anything that could block its flight path. It also allows the drone to keep track of you without breaking the line of sight.
Great camera for the best footage
If you use an auto-follow drone to capture images while running or going horse riding, you’ll want the footage to be as good as possible. A good-quality drone will capture 4K footage at 60 frames per second and take still photos with at least a 20-megapixel camera. Just bear in mind that you’ll need a suitable data storage device and enough battery power to fly some distance while recording.
How much you can expect to spend on an auto-follow drone
The average cost of an auto-follow drone will largely depend on the capabilities and functions of the device. An entry-level drone that can follow you retails for $150-$200, while professional drones can retail for $800-$1,500.
Auto-follow drone FAQ
How long is the flight time of a drone?
A. That will depend on the drone’s capabilities and the weather condition. On a sky, windless day, a typical drone can fly for around 35 minutes. Having to contend with wind can reduce the flying time to approximately 25 to 35 minutes.
What happens when the drone loses sight of you?
A. Most drones have a return-to-home function where they will fly back to their base station if they lose connectivity to the controller. Some drones go through several processes to re-establish a connection by themselves, like retracing their steps.
What’s the best auto-follow drone to buy?
Top auto-follow drone
What you need to know: For professional-quality footage, this drone will follow you wherever you go.
What you’ll love: This drone has an amazing 1-inch image sensor, making it capable of capturing footage at 5.4K at 30 frames per second or 4K at 60 frames per second. For auto-following, it features DJI’s Spotlight 2.0, ActiveTrack 4.0, and Point of Interest 3.0. It can track an object from as high as 1,600 feet and avoids collisions through environment sensing.
What you should consider: While it is one of the best drones available, the steep price tag could place it out of reach for most.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top auto-follow drone for the money
What you need to know: This affordable drone features a follow-me mode where it will hover automatically and record your movements.
What you’ll love: Capable of recording footage in 2K resolution, this drone has a 120-degree field of vision. It can follow you by GPS tracking, or you can let it fly a custom route. The drone has a control range of 980 feet and comes with two 1,000 mAh batteries.
What you should consider: Some users have indicated that the included batteries only provide for about 10 minutes of flying time.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Holy Stone HS720 Foldable GPS Drone
What you need to know: This drone is perfect for shooting 4K content, as it comes with a shock absorption holder to minimize vibrations.
What you’ll love: Capturing footage at a maximum resolution of 3840 x 2160, this drone has an adjustable lens that you can rotate 90 degrees. It has three auto-follow options to circle a specific point, fly on a pre-set course or follow your movements while recording. It comes with two batteries that provide 25 minutes of flying time each.
What you should consider: It doesn’t come with an SD card to save footage on, so you’ll have to provide your own.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
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.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/best-composting-toilet/
|
Which composting toilet is best?
If you’re looking to live off-grid or spend more time camping far away from facilities, the number one question is all about number two: what do you do with human waste? If you are looking to conserve resources and maybe even produce something useful for the garden, a composting toilet is the way to go.
For its odor control, ease of use and expanded capacity, the Nature’s Head Self-Contained Composting Toilet is the best choice.
What to know before you buy a composting toilet
Size
Composting toilets are a great solution when you need a bathroom on a boat, in a van or in a cabin, but size matters. Because many commercial composting toilets store the waste, they can be larger than even the smallest plumbed toilets. Measure carefully to make sure the composting toilet you choose fits in the space you have.
Capacity
Capacity concerns how much waste the toilet can hold before needing to be emptied. Larger families need a high-capacity toilet, but singles and couples can get away with smaller holding tanks.
The larger the composting toilet, the less frequently you will need to empty it. Keep that in mind if you want to cut down on basic maintenance tasks.
Portable or built-in
The beauty of a composting toilet is that it can go anywhere you want it to. It’s not tied to plumbing or water supply. However, even composting toilets can be built-in and more permanent. If you are adding a bathroom to an off-grid cabin, you might consider a built-in toilet that is fixed to the floor or the wall, but for travel or camping, a portable one is best.
What to look for in a quality composting toilet
Separate liquid waste tank
The main concern most people have with composting toilets is odor. A primary cause of odor is liquid waste. To keep odor down, a separate liquid waste tank is a good idea. This can also be emptied before solid waste is emptied, diluted with water and poured directly onto nitrogen-loving plants.
Composting crank
As with outdoor garden composting, turning the material results in faster decomposition. Some composting toilets feature a composting crank that moves the waste around to hasten its breakdown.
Leakproof and odorless
Especially for vans, boats and RVs, the last thing you want is a leaky composting toilet. While it’s always advisable to empty your waste tank before moving the toilet, sometimes that’s just not possible. Look for toilets with leakproof seals or single-body construction. This also helps trap any odors inside of the toilet until it can be emptied.
How much you can expect to spend on a composting toilet
True composting toilets are more complex than simply collecting waste in a plastic bag and throwing it out. Expect to spend $150-$1,500 on a good system.
Composting toilet FAQ
How does a composting toilet work?
A. Composting toilets follow the same principles as a garden compost pile. Gardeners add food scraps, leaf matter and plant material to a bin, rotating it and adding water. Natural bacteria (and worms in many cases) attack the pile and slowly break it down, creating a rich humus that adds nutrients back to the soil when used in the garden.
Composting toilets use solid and liquid waste, plus bulking materials like peat moss, sawdust or coconut coir, as the raw materials to create usable organic material. As with the garden compost, turning the material in the toilet helps aerobic bacteria quickly break down waste.
The process is simple.
- Add a bulking agent to the toilet (if needed; some toilets do not require this).
- Use the toilet as usual.
- Add more bulking agents if required.
From there, composting toilets differ. Some have a button that operates a heater and a fan to speed up the composting process, while others trigger a sealing feature after each use. Regardless, the waste will begin to break down and eventually become safe for disposal.
Can you use composted waste on plants?
A. As a general rule, human waste should not be used on any type of plant unless it is composted properly. This means that all of the material has broken down and is essentially sanitized by bacteria. After that, composted human waste is safe to use on plants that are not destined for human consumption.
If you are interested in using human waste for growing food, it’s best to add composted waste to an outdoor compost pile and allow it to process for a year. At that point, it is exactly the same as other types of compost and can be used to fertilize plants.
What’s the best composting toilet to buy?
Top composting toilet
Nature’s Head Self-Contained Composting Toilet
What you need to know: This is a good option for more permanent, mounted installations.
What you’ll love: It is high capacity — two people using this full-time will only need to empty it once a month. There is no odor, but it comes with a fan. This is also covered by a five-year warranty.
What you should consider: It’s expensive for only occasional use.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top composting toilet for the money
What you need to know: Choose this for camping, boating and other short outdoor trips.
What you’ll love: It holds nearly 6 gallons total, so use this up to 60 times without emptying. It has a carrying handle and is easy to set up. A water gun uses fresh water for cleaning after you use the toilet (like a portable bidet).
What you should consider: Some users report leaking when moved, so be sure to empty and clean this before packing up.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
What you need to know: This is another option for more permanent, full-time use off-grid.
What you’ll love: Mount this on a wall for stable, regular use. It needs a 12-volt battery but can also run on an AC adapter to power a ventilation fan. It’s easy to install and comes with everything you need to set it up.
What you should consider: It’s a high-quality choice but comes with a hefty price tag.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
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.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/best-induction-range/
|
Which induction range is best?
In order to create a culinary masterpiece, you need to have the best tools. Induction ranges have come a long way since they hit the market in 1933. While there were initial complaints of slow and uneven cooking, today’s induction ranges are some of the best ranges available.
The Samsung 4-Element Induction Range with Air Fry has a variety of features that bring a professional flair to any at-home cuisine.
What to know before you buy an induction range
Slide-in vs. freestanding
Induction ranges are like any other cooking range in that you can either slide them into a space on the countertop or add it to any other area of the kitchen. Freestanding ranges tend to be slightly less expensive than their slide-in counterparts. They are also more finished on the sides, offering a more aesthetic appeal.
Size of the range
The size of your kitchen will determine what size induction range you can buy. If you have the luxury of designing a kitchen around a stove, you can choose from widths that range from 30-48 inches. Larger induction ranges typically have more burners and may also include other features.
Size and number of elements
The size of your range will determine the number of elements you can cook on. However, there is some variety within this. Look for cooktop elements that fit the pots you generally cook in. Some induction ranges have size-sensing ability, which allows them to detect pot size and heat the appropriate number of coils.
Most standard induction ranges have four elements, but some have a few extra spots. These extra elements are helpful when you need to create complicated dishes.
What to look for in a quality induction range
Pre-programmed settings
Imagine never having to guess if your baked potato is fully cooked or determining the heat setting for boiling a pot of rice. These pre-programmed settings are incredibly helpful, especially for beginner chefs. Make sure to look for an induction stove with pre-programmed settings if you think this would be helpful in your home.
Safety features
You may want to have additional safety features like automatic shut-off or pot detection. These settings keep the stove burners off until they are needed, and turn them off if you leave them unattended. This is a great option for families with small children.
Ample power
One of the ways that manufacturers addressed previous issues with induction ranges was to increase the amount of power in the cooktop. Most induction ranges run 1,000-2,000 watts, but professional-grade appliances can use up to 3,500 watts.
How much you can expect to spend on an induction range
Induction ranges vary in price depending on the brand, size and additional features. You can expect to spend between $1,500-$4,500.
Induction range FAQ
How do induction ranges differ from other ranges?
A. The major difference between an induction range and other ranges is how it heats up. Instead of heating the range’s surface, which then heats a pot, induction ranges only heat the pot. These stovetops use magnetic coils to create a current that heats specialized cookware. This cookware must have a magnetic element in it. Cast iron and stainless steel are compatible with these ranges, but copper, aluminum and glass are not.
Are induction ranges fast?
A. Induction ranges typically heat around 50% faster than electric and gas ranges. This is because it heats the interior of the cookware directly instead of the surface.
Do induction ranges require special care?
A. One of the best parts of this appliance is how easy it is to clean. Spilled food does not bake onto the cooktop’s surface, which makes cleanup easy.
On the downside, the ceramic surface of the cooktop can become scratched if it’s not cleaned properly. There are a few tips to make it easier.
- Make sure the stove is turned off and that the stovetop is cool.
- Use a special cooktop scraper to remove dry food or crumbs.
- Wipe liquid spills off with a damp sponge.
- Used specialized cleaner and a non-abrasive sponge to gently scrub away stubborn dried food.
- Buff the surface with a clean paper towel.
What’s the best induction range to buy?
Top induction range
Samsung 4-Element Induction Range with Air Fry
What you need to know: You can tailor this intelligent, highly functional stove to your preferences.
What you’ll love: It’s a slide-in range featuring smartphone controls. The fingerprint-resistant black stainless steel finish looks great in a variety of kitchens. It has a built-in air fry function for fatless frying. The oven learns how you cook and programs your settings.
What you should consider: Some cooks felt it was a bit loud and expensive compared to other options.
Where to buy: Sold by Home Depot
Top induction range for the money
Frigidaire Front Control Induction Range with Air Fry
What you need to know: If you want an induction range with plenty of features at an affordable price, this is a great option.
What you’ll love: The oven has a convection fan and a third heating element to evenly circulate air. The stovetop automatically gauges the size of the pan and heats the appropriate number of coils. Spills won’t burn on the surface, making it easy to clean. The stainless steel finish is smudge-proof and beautiful.
What you should consider: It’s easy to turn on if you lean on the stove accidentally.
Where to buy: Sold by Home Depot
Worth checking out
Cafe Smart Slide-In Induction Range with Convection
What you need to know: The smart tech of this stove and connectivity make this a fun appliance to experiment with.
What you’ll love: The cooktop has five elements, one of which boils water in under two minutes. It connects to Amazon Echo or Google Assistant for all of your cooking questions, too. The oven has three racks and an in-oven camera to help you keep an eye on what’s inside.
What you should consider: It can be challenging to connect it to your Wi-Fi.
Where to buy: Sold by Wayfair
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
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.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/best-josie-maran-product/
|
Which Josie Maran products are best?
Josie Maran, the eponymous brand founded by the model and entrepreneur, made its name by formulating rich, nourishing products that look great on the skin and add moisture and a youthful glow. With a full range of options, from body butters to eye creams and cosmetics, it’s hard to choose just one. But if you’re looking for a popular all-purpose product that lets you sample this bestselling line, the Josie Maran The Glow Duo Kit is the top choice.
What to know before you buy a Josie Maran product
Face vs. body
Josie Maran has a great array of products for face and body, each formulated to be effective but gentle. If you’re looking to refine the skin on your face to prepare it for makeup application, or if you wear cosmetics every day, lean into their face oils and butters. If you’re finding the skin on your body consistently ashy or flaky, choose a body product instead.
Your skin’s needs
Josie Maran tends to include rich, hydrating oils in their formulations, including argan oil, the cornerstone of many of their products. If you have oily or acne-prone skin, lean into their lighter products made for oily skin.
Travel size vs. full size
If you’re just getting started learning about this cult favorite skin care line, you can test out the products for less with their travel-sized offerings. Bonus: They fit in your makeup bag for when you need to take your skin care on the go.
What to look for in a quality Josie Maran product
Hydration
One of Josie Maran’s key qualities is the rich moisturizing ingredients they infuse into their products. So if you’re dealing with dry or flaky skin, Josie Maran has a lot of terrific options that go on thick but absorb fully, like their signature argan oil.
SPF
We all know we should wear SPF daily to protect our skin, but so often these formulas have a chemical smell and feel too heavy on the face. Not Josie Maran’s — all products with SPF are light, clean and easy to layer on under makeup, making them a great choice when you want to get serious about your sun protection.
Gentle exfoliation
Exfoliating doesn’t have to be harsh and tough on the skin, as demonstrated by the variety of Josie Maran products that offer gentle skin rejuvenation for glowing, healthy-looking skin. Try their retinol or enzyme products for a mild clean.
How much you can expect to spend on a Josie Maran product
Josie Maran products range from as low as $17 to upward of $50 for kits and larger sizes.
Josie Maran products FAQ
Are Josie Maran products cruelty-free?
A. Per the brand’s website, their products are cruelty-free, phthalate-free, formaldehyde-free and don’t contain synthetic fragrances, mineral oil or gluten.
What’s the best way to apply Josie Maran moisturizing products?
A. First, get your skin clean and well-exfoliated. Then, while skin is still damp, apply your preferred Josie Maran moisturizer. The reason it’s preferable to apply moisturizers on damp skin is that the product can seal in the natural moisture already present in the skin, leading to a healthy, natural feel.
Do Josie Maran products expire?
A. Because Josie Maran products are made with natural ingredients and a minimum of preservatives, you’ll want to replace them every 12 to 18 months to ensure their freshness.
What’s the best Josie Maran product to buy?
Top Josie Maran product
What you need to know: This combination of the brand’s favorites, including their Whipped Argan Oil Face Butter, Bright Skin Vitamin C Serum, and signature 100% Pure Argan Oil, offers brightening and soothing for most skin types.
What you’ll love: If you’ve got any dullness, dryness, or even dark spots, this combo smooths out your skin and evens out tone while giving you a healthy glow. The company suggests using the vitamin C serum first, allowing it to absorb fully before applying the face butter and then the argan oil.
What you should consider: The three-step process can seem lengthy to some. If you don’t deal with dark spots, or want an on-the-go routine, opt for just the face butter on most days, with the full application on weekends when you have extra time to let products absorb.
Where to buy: Sold by Sephora
Top Josie Maran product for the money
Josie Maran Mini 100% Pure Argan Oil Light
What you need to know: Get started with the benefits of argan oil with this light formulation that soaks in even faster than the original.
What you’ll love: This oil absorbs into skin with the speed of a light cream and leaves your face feeling hydrated and glowing. Ideal for even oilier and sensitive skin types, as well as those prone to breakouts, it’s formulated to provide all the benefits of regular argan oil while absorbing quickly into a matte base.
What you should consider: This is a mini size, and if you’re an avid user, you’ll need to restock quickly.
Where to buy: Sold by Sephora
Worth checking out
What you need to know: Josie Maran’s roots as a skincare company show even in their cosmetics, as this moisture-rich color stick demonstrates. It goes on smooth and creamy and feels great on your skin.
What you’ll love: Versatile and sunny, this color brightens up most complexions. Use it on cheeks or lips to bring a touch of summer to your look any time of the year. The creamy stick blends easily and goes on sheer for a dash of color that’s not overpowering.
What you should consider: If you’re sensitive to smells, you should know this has a distinct menthol aroma, which can feel especially strong if you apply it on lips.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
Maria Andreu 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.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/best-navigation-system/
|
Which navigation system is best?
Driving around unfamiliar cities can be stressful if you have no way to check where you should be going. Most smartphones have global positioning systems built-in for this purpose, but they aren’t always accurate.
And if you don’t have a data connection, mobile navigation apps might not work at all. So, in most scenarios, a proper navigation system is the smart choice. The Garmin DriveSmart 61 is one of the best, as it has a large display and detailed maps.
What to know before you buy a navigation system
There are different systems for various activities
It would be easy to assume that there is only one kind of navigation system, as it generally only serves one purpose. But there are several variations with different functions and capabilities. There are marine navigation systems for boat owners and fishers, and for sports lovers, you get golf navigation. Road users have the choice of truck navigation or general road systems.
Consider the mounting options
While your choice of navigation system might be different, all devices must be affixed to the vehicle. These also come in different varieties. Consider which type will be best suited for your mode of transport, as some use suction cups to stick to the window or dash, while you can hold others in place with a vent-mounted carrier.
Controls and functions
Navigation systems have come a long since the days of bulky units with spotty tracking. Many modern navigation systems now have capacitive touchscreens, making it much easier to select the options. Older versions used resistive touchscreens that often caused missed presses or delayed responses. Another addition to modern navigation systems is Bluetooth technology, which allows you to make and receive calls through the device.
What to look for in a quality navigation system
Wide range of points of interest
Getting directions to your location is the primary purpose of a navigation system, but sometimes you also want to know what is along the way. A device with an extensive list of points of interest built-in can make it exciting to plan a trip. Depending on the gadget’s maker and the maps used, these POI can range from national parks, monuments, or sightseeing attractions. Some allow you to download POI from other users.
Battery recharging options
If you rely on your navigation system to get around, you’ll be in real trouble if it suddenly runs out of battery power. Most systems have relatively robust batteries, but some built-in functions can quickly sap more power than you realize. A good-quality navigation system can be charged through a USB cable plugged into a battery pack or directly from an adapter in the vehicle’s cigarette lighter.
Lifetime maps and updates
Nobody wants to drive down a road, only to find that it leads to nowhere, even though the navigation system insists that it carries on. To prevent this from happening, navigation devices must be constantly updated to the latest map versions. A good-quality navigation system will supply users with lifetime map updates, changes and additional POI.
How much you can expect to spend on a navigation system
The average price of a navigation system will depend on what it’s made for, who the manufacturer is and its capabilities. An entry-level device with a small screen can retail for $150-$200. Larger units with more functions regularly retail for $200-$300.
Navigation system FAQ
Can a navigation system make you a safer driver?
A. While the system can’t change your driving habits, it can help you to be more aware of your surroundings. It will make you a safer driver by alerting you to speed limits, sharp bends, nearby schools or speed cameras.
Are there different map styles for systems?
A. Yes, and many navigation systems will give you a choice for your preferred visuals. Some systems will automatically change the map’s colors after sunset for safety and easy viewing.
What’s the best navigation system to buy?
Top navigation system
What you need to know: With the large 6.9-inch touchscreen and easy-to-read visuals, this navigation system is perfect for a cross-country road trip.
What you’ll love: The navigation system has a battery life of up to one hour but can easily be recharged through a USB cable. It includes lifetime map updates from Garmin, Wi-Fi connectivity for software updates and hands-free calling. To keep your eyes on the road, you can ask for directions by simply using your voice.
What you should consider: Some users have indicated that alerts can be too frequent, causing a distraction.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top navigation system for the money
What you need to know: Even though the screen is only 5 inches, the Via is more than capable of keeping you on the right track. It features live traffic updates and comes with free map updates of North America.
What you’ll love: The best feature about this navigation system is that the screen splits when you approach a junction. This clearly indicates which direction you need to travel so that you don’t drive in the wrong lane. It ships with a reversible integrated car mount, can give spoken directions in 30 languages and charges through USB.
What you should consider: The map updates are released four times a year, and you’ll only receive speed camera updates for the first three months.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
What you need to know: When paired with your mobile phone, the DriveSmart 55 gives you real-time service updates, such as live parking, locations of traffic cameras and changes in the weather.
What you’ll love: Featuring a 5.5-inch display, this navigation system will route you around traffic so that you can get to your destination faster. You can also use your voice to interact with the device and see TripAdvisor ratings with POI in the area. It is recharged through the included USB cable and can connect to Wi-Fi networks.
What you should consider: It has a resistive touchscreen, which isn’t as accurate or sensitive as a capacitive screen.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
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.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/best-rc-tank/
|
Which RC tanks are best?
Remote-control tanks provide hours of fun for all ages. Whether you’re staging a battle or traversing rugged terrain, these toys are immersive and just plain cool. There are tons of RC tanks out there, from historic replicas to futuristic armored vehicles. Which you choose will ultimately come down to the kinds of features you want your RC tank to have and how realistic you want it to look.
The best RC tank is the Heng Long Modified Edition Remote Control U.S. M1A2 Abrams Tank Model.
What to know before you buy an RC tank
What is an RC tank?
An RC tank is a type of remote-controlled vehicle modeled after real-life tanks used in warfare. Like real tanks, these toys have tracks that allow them to roll over rocks, mud and other uneven ground. They also have swiveling turrets to lock onto their target. RC tanks are controlled by a handheld transistor and run on battery power.
Types of RC tanks
There are two types of RC tanks: historically inspired models and fantasy/sci-fi-inspired models.
- Historic tanks are modeled after tanks that exist in real life from World War I to the modern era. Popular models are those from World War II, such as the American M4 Sherman and German Panzer, and those found in today’s militaries, such as the M1 Abrams.
- Fantasy and Sci-fi tanks have unique designs that don’t appear in real life. These follow the basic premise of a tank with a turret and tracks, but use futuristic color schemes and weapons.
Difference between RC tanks and RC cars
If you were to pit your RC tank against an RC car in a race, you’d be bound to lose. But a desert battle is another story. Both kinds of remote control vehicles have motors, controllers and batteries (though some RC cars use fuel). Yet, RC tanks don’t have nearly as powerful batteries or engines. They aren’t made for blistering speed or maneuverability. Rather, an RC tank is optimized for play. You won’t have to swap tires on these either, as their tracks are much more durable.
How to control an RC tank
RC tanks use a handheld transistor. Like RC cars, some use what’s called a pistol-grip controller. These have an ergonomic, one-hand design that uses a trigger for the throttle, and a wheel on the body of the pistol to turn the tank.
Traditional stick controllers are the classic square transistors with dual-analogue joysticks. You’re more likely to use one of these if you want a tank with a rotating turret as you’ll need to steer and direct the cannon.
What to look for in a quality RC tank
Battery
There are two kinds of batteries in the remote-control vehicle world. Nickel based Ni-MH batteries and lithium based LiPo batteries.
- LiPo: LiPo batteries are typically reserved for performance-oriented models. These durable batteries are powerful and produce a lot of speed, but they are more expensive.
- Ni-MH: Most tanks will use a Ni-MH battery, which is less powerful, but are much safer and more affordable.
Turret
A good RC tank should have a rotating or dynamic turret — after all, what’s the point of a tank without one of its core features? The turret should be able to rotate more than 180 degrees, with 360 being optimal. You’ll also want a turret that can go up or down. Look for around 30 degrees of vertical maneuverability.
Cannon
If your tank has a turret, check to see what its features are as most RC tanks have a shooting mechanism. If you’re buying for a younger user, you’ll want to use your best judgment when it comes to safety.
- Sound effects: When you press fire on your controller, the tank makes a realistic shooting sound. This is a fun detail that doesn’t require any extra supplies, power or supervision.
- Water: Transforming your tank into a little mobile water gun, water should be safe for all appropriate ages.
- Flame or smoke: Taking the tank to the next level, smoke or flames require oil to fire. These definitely require supervision.
- BB or airsoft: These RC tank cannons shoot small plastic or metal pellets. These should be used by older kids and adults.
Durability
You’ll want your tank to stand up to lots of play as well as to the elements. For this reason, durable, hard plastics are a must. In addition, check if your tank is waterproof before you take it through puddles or the snow, as water can damage the electronics and rust out the metal components. Lastly, you want your tracks to be made from either metal or anti-slip rubber. This will help your tank roll over rough surfaces without damaging components.
How much you can expect to spend on an RC tank
A kid-appropriate RC tank will cost anywhere from $50-$120. High-quality replicas with working cannons can exceed $200.
RC tank FAQ
Does my RC tank require fuel?
A. Most ready-to-roll out-of-the-box RC tanks run on battery power. If your tank makes smoke, you’ll need to top it off with oil to initiate combustion.
Are RC tanks safe?
A. Like any RC vehicle, an RC tank is as safe as the person using it. They do move at a decent clip and can bang shins or damage walls. But if you’re purchasing an RC tank that shoots, for a child you’ll need to make sure its cannon ammunition is age-appropriate and that you supervise play.
What’s the best RC tank to buy?
Top RC tank
Heng Long Modified Edition Remote Control U.S. M1A2 Abrams Tank Model
What you need to know: This tank is completely decked out with immersive effects and a working BB cannon.
What you’ll love: Produced at 1:16 scale, this tank is massive. It has a fully rotating turret, durable metal tracks with metal sprockets for all terrains and a whole slew of sound effects from the engine to the cannon. It also climbs steep slopes easily.
What you should consider: This tank is a little slow.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top RC tank for the money
Beaure WW2 German Tiger Army Tank
What you need to know: Beaure’s interactive replica tank is perfect for pretend play alone or with friends when paired with a second model.
What you’ll love: This 1:28-scale RC Tiger tank has stunning effects and realistic details. It has a 330-degree rotating turret with sound effects when it shoots. This tank has a battle feature that allows you to play with another tank.
What you should consider: Two tanks of the same model cannot fight — you need one of each.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Mostop Remote Control Crawler High-Speed Tank
What you need to know: The Mostop RC tank has a futuristic design modeled after high-tech military-police vehicles.
What you’ll love: This tank is fast with a top speed of over 7 miles per hour. Its rugged antislip tracks are designed to enable drifting and the gearbox has enough torque to climb up 30 degrees of incline. This tank can also wade 5 centimeters.
What you should consider: Some users report that the tracks can slip off their sprockets.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
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.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/best-replica-perfume/
|
Which Replica perfumes are best?
Scent is our most powerfully evocative sense, and perhaps no perfume brand leans more into the relationship between scent and memory than Maison Margiela’s Replica perfumes. These fragrances attempt to capture experiences and moments from specific places and times, like favorite Replica fragrance By the Fireplace does with notes of woodsmoke, chestnut and vanilla. Here’s how to select the best Replica perfume for your fragrance collection.
What to know before you buy a Replica perfume
Most Replica fragrances are unisex
Maison Margiela is an unconventional fashion house, and its Replica fragrances follow suit by largely ignoring standard gendered fragrance categories. Only a handful of the brand’s fragrances are recommended specifically for male or female users, and even within those categories, users of all genders tend to have success wearing a fragrance that isn’t traditionally marketed for them. Don’t be afraid to sample a fragrance that seems outside the box — Replica may pleasantly surprise you.
Most popular Replica fragrances are eau de toilettes
One important consideration in shopping for a Replica perfume is that the majority of the fragrances available are eau de toilettes, not eau de parfums. Eau de parfum is what we typically think of as “perfume,” and its scent tends to be stronger and longer-lasting, but eau de toilette is frequently more affordable. This is due to eau de toilettes having a lower concentration of pricey fragrance oils (generally 8-12%) than eau de parfums (12-18%). While eau de toilettes tend to be lighter and less complex, some of Replica’s most popular eau de toilettes, like By The Fireplace, are as rich and elaborate as eau de parfums.
Experiment with a gift set
There are a lot of Replica perfumes to choose from, and it’s always possible that the most popular scent in the lineup won’t appeal to you. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by choice or don’t want to risk buying a perfume you’re not in love with, consider trying a gift set. Replica gift sets typically include 10 mini bottles, each with roughly eight wears — enough to get a feel for the perfume. These mini bottles are also great for travel.
What to look for in a quality Replica perfume
Affordable luxury designer quality
Replica eau de toilettes offer complex, unique fragrances at reasonable price points compared to other, more established designer perfume brands. Plus, with three bottle sizes available as well as a sample set, it’s easy to get the right amount of perfume for your budget.
Spray bottles, not rollerballs
Perfume purists often prefer spray applicators to rollerballs, and with good reason. Atomizers help disperse fragrance more evenly on your skin, and rollerballs can pick up debris from contact with your skin and degrade the perfume’s quality over time. All sizes of Replica perfumes come with atomizers.
Thoughtful packaging
In keeping with the brand’s theme of nostalgia and memory, Replica perfume bottles are modeled after apothecary jars. The white labels are fabric, not paper, and they’re printed with the place and year that inspired the fragrance as well as the fragrance notes. The boxes feature Polaroid photographs that depict the place encapsulated by the perfume.
How much you can expect to spend on Replica perfume
Replica eau de toilette fragrances come in two standard sizes. The full-size, 3.4-ounce bottle costs $144, while 1-ounce bottles cost $76. Travel-size, .34-ounce spray bottles are available for $32.
Replica perfume FAQ
How many Replica perfumes are there?
A. Maison Margiela currently makes three Replica eau de parfum fragrances and 18 eau de toilette fragrances. New scents are added almost every year, but a handful have been discontinued over time.
How long do Replica perfumes last?
A. Replica perfumes are popular more for their unique scents than their staying power. For some, this may be a deal-breaker, but keep in mind that a perfume’s longevity depends on many factors. Replica perfumes can last anywhere from two to six hours.
What’s the best Replica perfume to buy?
Top Replica perfume
What you need to know: This unisex fragrance accurately captures the scent memory of relaxing by a fire.
What you’ll love: The unique perfume has notes of woodsmoke, clove and vanilla. It’s a great fragrance for fall and winter.
What you should consider: It may be one of Replica’s more popular fragrances, but it’s also very unique: its top notes are strongly smoky, and the fireplace-like scent may limit when and where it can be worn.
Where to buy: Sold by Sephora and Violet Grey
Top Replica perfume for the money
What you need to know: Themed around going out for cocktails at an upscale club, this fragrance starts off with warm spices and rum before drying down into smoky notes of vanilla and tobacco.
What you’ll love: The warm, smoky notes of this fragrance tend to have better projection and linger longer than some Replica perfumes, so it’s a comparatively good value, especially in the smaller size. Though it’s marketed as a male scent, all wearers love it.
What you should consider: It’s a softer fragrance that doesn’t evolve much over time, and it’s best for fans of smoky, masculine scents.
Where to buy: Sold by Sephora and Violet Grey
Worth checking out
What you need to know: The notes of coconut and citrus in this freshly sweet fragrance will transport you to a tropical beach.
What you’ll love: While Beach Walk is a distinctly summery fragrance, it’s also fun to wear off-season when you need a sunny pick-me-up. It’s a good choice for someone new to perfume or who wants a light, non-traditional fragrance.
What you should consider: Some users interpret the scent as too similar to sunscreen for their tastes.
Where to buy: Sold by Sephora and Violet Grey
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
Laura Duerr 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.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/best-rustic-lampshade/
|
Which rustic lampshade is best?
Rustic decor can make any space feel warm and homey, but as you cozy up with a hot beverage around the fire, your lampshades might stick out like a sore thumb. How do you style something so functional to match the homespun aesthetic of your rustic decor?
From earthy colors to organic materials, rustic lampshades are the perfect accent to a cabin-inspired interior. Whether your vision of rustic is understated and minimal or decadent like a hunting lodge, the best rustic lampshade is Brentwood Collection Oatmeal Tall Linen Medium Drum Lampshade.
What to know before you buy a rustic lampshade
What is rustic?
Rustic is an interior design style inspired by frontier and country living. It emphasizes natural, organic and raw materials typically found in homes built with resources immediately available to those living off the land. Think exposed cross beams, unfinished wood or logs, animal hides and raw leathers, wrought or cast iron, heirloom or antique furniture and warm, thick knit fabrics.
What makes a lampshade rustic?
The modern lampshade is a fairly recent invention, coinciding with the discovery of electricity. So, many rustic lampshades use inspiration from premodern living to imagine a utilitarian, repurposed aesthetic. These are made from raw, organic materials and are typically decorated with a mixture of natural and folk motifs.
If you want a camp-like aesthetic, look for lampshades with silhouettes or stenciling of plants or animals. Many seek to imitate the appearance of animal hide, radiating an amber glow.
If understated and contemporary rustic is your thing, natural colors such as beige, sage green, ocher and amber all look good with raw woods.
Types of lampshades
Lampshades come in all shapes and sizes:
- Empire: These are conical lampshades. They’re shaped so that most of the light emits from the wider bottom, making them perfect for table lamps.
- Bell: These lampshades are similar to empire shades in effect but have a concave curve traveling from the narrow top to their flared bottom.
- Round: Round shades can come in a classic drum or oval shape. They diffuse light in an even, ambient manner, suiting them well to floor lamps.
- Square: These modern, geometric shapes are good at even lighting but might clash with the organic forms of rustic decor.
- Dome: Used with overhead lights or table lamps, these are shallow with wide openings to spill out lots of light.
What to look for in a quality rustic lampshade
Material
- Linen: Elegantly textured, this material is popular for its durability and simplicity, fitting almost any decor.
- Cotton: Cotton is a little more uniform than linen thanks to its tighter weave. It’s lightweight and soft.
- Paper: Paper lampshades have lots of texture and are good at simulating rustic materials. They’re the most translucent material.
- Silk: Silk is a very luxurious material that can class up any room. It’s thick with a classic sheen.
- Fiber: Elaborate lampshade designs can be made from sculptural materials such as wood. Look for wicker, rattan or burlap. Light quality depends on their weave.
Fitter
The fitter is the structural component that attaches the shade to your lamp. There are four kinds:
- Spider: A spider fitter sits at the top of the shade and uses spokes to hold up a center washer that connects to your lamp. You lock it on with a finial.
- Clip-on: Clip-ons use clamping metal tongs to clasp the light bulb of your lamp.
- Uno: These are similar to spider fitters in their design but travel to the bottom of the lamp so they rest at the base of the light bulb.
- Screw-on: Like uno fitters, screw-ons sit beneath the light bulb, screwing onto the lamp fixture.
Finials
These are the little decorative end pieces that screw the fitter onto the lamp. If your lamp fitter requires a finial, think about the design you want. Many ornamental finials are better suited to classically inspired decors, but that doesn’t mean your rustic home has to do without these fun accents. Pine cones, driftwood, sculptural wildlife and other country-living inspired materials or flora and fauna all look great on a rustic lampshade.
How much you can expect to spend on a rustic lampshade
Depending on the material, a rustic lampshade can cost $30-$70.
Rustic lampshade FAQ
What width lampshade do I need?
A. If you’re styling a table lamp, most designers recommend choosing a lampshade whose base diameter measures within 2 inches of your lamp’s height. To get your lamp’s height, measure from the base just up to where the bulb’s socket cap begins. For floor lamps, you have more flexibility — size just so that the bulb has at least 2.5 inches on either side.
What height lampshade do I need?
A. Similar to width, the lampshade should be within a half-inch of the height of the lamp’s harp. The harp is the wire frame that begins at the socket cap and extends above the bulb so you can install your shade. If your lamp doesn’t have a harp, don’t exceed the height of the lamp’s body; aim for two-thirds the height.
How do I match my lampshade to my lamp?
A. When choosing a lampshade shape, you want it to mirror the shape of your lamp. A square base and round body match a lampshade of the same composition. Likewise, an oval shade looks great on a cylindrical lamp, but wonky on a squat, square one. There are no hard and fast rules, but this general guideline typically makes for a good pairing.
What’s the best rustic lampshade to buy?
Top rustic lampshade
Brentwood Collection Oatmeal Tall Linen Medium Drum Lampshade
What you need to know: This drum shade is the perfect balance between contemporary and camp with its rich texture and subtle oatmeal color.
What you’ll love: The lampshade has an elegant brass spider fitter. It’s 14 inches across and 15 inches tall. When lit, the linen takes on a darker umber tone.
What you should consider: Some users found that the material frayed easily.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top rustic lampshade for the money
Millwood Pines Paper Empire Lampshade
What you need to know: With a warm glow when lit, this shade goes great with rustic cabin or lodge decor.
What you’ll love: The lampshade is 9.5 inches tall and 12 inches at its base. It comes in a classic empire shape and uses a spider fitter. When lit, it glows amber and is a papery yellow without lighting.
What you should consider: The fitter is sold separately.
Where to buy: Sold by Wayfair
Worth checking out
Seaside Village Clear Glass Pendant Shade
What you need to know: Take your rustic decor in a more sophisticated direction by using a glass lampshade.
What you’ll love: When paired with a filament bulb, this bell-style shade gives off an old-timey gas lantern feeling. It looks great on any hanging or pendant light fixtures, such as floor lamps.
What you should consider: Bulb and light fixture are not included.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
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.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/best-sony-soundbar/
|
Which Sony soundbar is best?
The best Sony soundbar for you depends on many factors, though it’s hard to go wrong with such a trusted brand. Sony offers a range of soundbars, so most buyers can find one to accommodate their budget and needs. Still, some find it daunting to sift through the various speaker options available, especially if they don’t know what they’re looking for.
The Sony HT-A5000 Soundbar offers superior audio, and it works great with voice-command systems like Alexa and Google Assistant.
What to know before you buy a Sony soundbar
Other audio and video devices
Soundbars are commonly used as the primary speaker for television audio or as central speakers for a complete home theater system. Those looking to buy a Sony soundbar will need to consider what other audio and video hardware they plan to use with the soundbar. Even if you aren’t adding your soundbar to a home theater system with other speakers, they’re compatible with nearly all Sony speakers, letting you upgrade later if you want.
Audio formats
Soundbars can vary in what audio formats they support. Support for high-resolution audio formats is a must if you’re hoping to get the best possible sound out of your speakers. The two most common and highest-resolution audio formats to look out for are Dolby Atmos and DTS: X. However, each of the companies also offers lower-quality versions of the formats.
Soundbar bundles with other speakers
Many buying a soundbar prefer to bundle it with other speakers to achieve surround sound. You can purchase soundbars with a full surround sound setup or find bundles with just a soundbar and a subwoofer.
What to look for in a quality Sony soundbar
Connectivity
When buying any soundbar, it’s crucial to make sure the one you choose has the connections you need for your TV or other audio hardware. Different connections on soundbars can vary, with some more common than others.
- HDMI: Many soundbars include HDMI ports with audio capabilities. Soundbars are commonly used with TVs, making HDMI ports the most common connection type.
- RCA component: If you’re using an older TV or device, you may require a soundbar with RCA component cables or analog video cables. These aren’t as common as HDMI outputs, though they’re not impossible to find.
- USB: Some soundbars may include USB ports for playing audio from flash drives, computers or other USB sources.
- Optical digital: Optical digital ports let users connect devices like TVs, Blu-ray players and more and are relatively common on soundbars.
- Bluetooth: The most common type of wireless connection included on soundbars is Bluetooth. Some soundbars feature Bluetooth connectivity, but not all of them — so it’s vital to double-check the product listing before you buy if you hope to listen to audio via Bluetooth.
- Wi-Fi: Some soundbars include Wi-Fi connectivity, making them easy to connect to with a wide range of wireless internet-compatible devices.
If you’ll use your soundbar with a specific device, you’ll need to ensure the soundbar supports the device’s connections.
Size
The size of your media stand may limit which soundbars you can use. Soundbars can vary in size, so it’s essential to measure the width of the surface you plan to put them on.
Modes and other features
Many soundbars include sound modes for optimizing audio quality based on the media you’re using. For example, many have sound modes like voice, game or movie modes, which will equalize audio to bring out the best in the given media. You can also find other audio features on soundbars, often including equalization, automatic room tuning and low-latency settings.
How much you can expect to spend on a Sony soundbar
Cheap Sony soundbars may cost as little as $100. You can expect to spend $130-$1,500 on mid-tier or high-end soundbars.
Sony soundbar FAQ
Are Sony soundbars compatible with Samsung TVs?
A. Sony’s soundbars are compatible with most Samsung TVs. Some buyers have reported issues using the Sony app with their Samsung TVs, though that doesn’t necessarily prevent them from using the two brands together.
Do Sony soundbars offer true surround sound without other speakers?
A. The only way to achieve true surround sound is through a 5.1- or 7.1-channel speaker setup. These speaker setups use several speakers to achieve surround sound, including a soundbar, subwoofer and other mid- and high-frequency speakers.
What’s the best Sony soundbar to buy?
Top Sony soundbar
Sony HT-A5000 5.1.2-Channel Surround Sound Soundbar With Dolby Atmos
What you need to know: This soundbar boasts an impressive simulated surround sound, and it includes support for high-resolution Dolby Atmos and DTS: X formats.
What you’ll love: This soundbar offers immersive sound and deep bass, even without subs or other speakers. It also upscales compressed audio and includes several fine-tuning features. This can also be purchased in bundles with Sony’s other home theater speakers.
What you should consider: Despite the high price, this only includes the soundbar.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top Sony soundbar for the money
Sony HTX-8500 2.1-Channel Soundbar With Dolby Atmos
What you need to know: This is an excellent, affordable soundbar for smaller rooms, offering surround sound and support for Dolby Atmos and DTS: X high-resolution formats.
What you’ll love: This includes 4K audio with high dynamic range and impressive bass tones from the dual subwoofers. This soundbar’s easy to upgrade later with Sony’s other speakers, making it perfect for buyers who want to buy one speaker at a time.
What you should consider: Some buyers would have liked a “voice mode” to improve dialogue audio.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Sony HT-G700 3.1-Channel Soundbar And Subwoofer With Dolby Atmos
What you need to know: This bundle includes both a soundbar and a subwoofer, producing incredibly immersive sound quality.
What you’ll love: This soundbar includes Dolby Atmos support and features multiple modes for easily tuning audio to the room and media type. It also supports Bluetooth and HDMI enhanced audio return channel connections and other audio input options.
What you should consider: This soundbar can’t connect to Wi-Fi like some of Sony’s other speakers.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
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.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/best-telescope/
|
Which telescope is best?
Staring up at the night sky, it’s hard not to get overwhelmed with the sheer size of the galaxy. There are millions of things to look at, but you need the right equipment. If you’ve already started to peer at objects with binoculars, it might be time to upgrade to a telescope.
The right telescope for you largely depends on what you want to study, but the Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ is an excellent gadget to get you going. It’s easy to use and powerful enough to see every little detail.
What to know before you buy a telescope
Kinds of telescopes
When most people think of a telescope, they imagine a long tube with an eyeglass at one end. These typical models are called refractor telescopes and are only one type of many. The other popular choice is a reflector telescope, which gathers light through a mirror. There are also compound telescopes, which are wider than others. No matter the telescope type, you’re going to need a telescope bag to safely store and carry it.
The aperture determines what you can see
A telescope’s aperture is one of the most important components. Simply put, the aperture is how large the mirror is on the inside, which is directly related to how much light it can gather. The more light it gathers, the better the details and you can see fainter objects. The aperture is measured in millimeters, and you typically need larger mirrors depending on the surrounding light.
More darkness increases your enjoyment
The best conditions for using a telescope are in an area that has very little light pollution. For example, in a suburban neighborhood, you won’t see as many stars and galaxies as you would in an open field far away from the city. The size of the aperture can only help you up to a point, after which you might need to go somewhere else for viewing — or invest in a bigger aperture.
What to look for in a quality telescope
Lens and magnification accessories
Looking through a telescope lens is exciting, but you often want to see things in greater detail. Look for a telescope that has a variety of eyepieces and accessories. The most common eyepiece you’ll find is the Barlow lens for three-times magnification and the Infinity eyepiece. There are also eyepiece adapters that increase the magnification of the Barlow lens to 120x.
Automated Go-To feature
It’s always a good idea to study the night sky where you live. Make sure that you know which galaxies are where and you can identify the brightest stars. Luckily, you don’t have to pore over maps to see planets and formations; a good-quality telescope should have an automated Go-To feature. Through a handheld remote, you tell the telescope what you want to look at, and after a short calibration, it will automatically turn to align itself with the object.
Phone attachment and Bluetooth remote
It’s a great experience to look at distant planets or even our moon, but it’s more fun if you can take pictures of it, and a quality telescope may have a mobile phone attachment. It looks similar to a car holder, where the device is held in place over the eyepiece. By using the device’s default camera (and to reduce shaking), a Bluetooth remote will trigger the camera to snap a photo of the celestial body.
How much you can expect to spend on a telescope
The average price of a telescope can vary wildly depending on its capabilities and functions. An entry-level or kids’ telescope can retail for $40-$50, while an amateur telescope can retail for $100-$200. Much larger professional telescopes retail for $1,000-$2,000.
Telescope FAQ
Do you need to know where the stars are before using a telescope?
A. Not necessarily, but it will certainly be advantageous. If your telescope can track objects or automatically point toward them, the work is done for you, but if your telescope doesn’t have the function, it’s helpful to at least know where the brightest and most popular objects are.
Do telescopes require batteries to operate?
A. For the most part, they don’t. There are no electronic parts inside the telescope tube or eyepiece. If you’re looking at a model that has auto-tracking and a remote, you’ll need to insert rechargeable batteries into the controller.
What’s the best telescope to buy?
Top telescope
What you need to know: This refractor telescope is the perfect gadget for gazing at nearby planets, faraway galaxies and bright stars.
What you’ll love: The AstroMaster 70AZ has a fully coated 2.7-inch glass optic, a height-adjustable tripod and comes with two eyepieces. It’s powerful enough to see Saturn’s rings and Jupiter’s moons and can easily be rotated with the azimuth mount and handle for panning. It has a magnification of 45x and 90x and comes with an erect image star diagonal and Starry Night Basic Edition astronomy software.
What you should consider: It doesn’t have an auto-alignment feature, so you must point it toward an object yourself.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top telescope for the money
What you need to know: This telescope is perfect for beginners and kids, as it’s easy to operate and you can photograph what you see.
What you’ll love: The AZ70400 has a focal length of 15.7 inches and a 2.7-inch aperture, making it perfect for viewing all objects in the sky. It comes with two replaceable eyepieces and one Barlow lens that magnifies any eyepiece up to three times. To find specific objects, it has a 5 x 24 finderscope with crosshairs. The telescope comes with a smartphone adapter for photography.
What you should consider: It’s a basic telescope that won’t be powerful enough for serious astronomers.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Celestron NexStar 8SE Telescope
What you need to know: A serious telescope, this model is fully automated and has a powerful lens to look at almost anything.
What you’ll love: The NexStar 8SE is one of the best telescopes for serious stargazers. It has an 8-inch primary mirror, a red dot StarPointer finderscope, 25-millimeter Plossl eyepiece, visual back and mirror star diagonal. It’s fully automated and will automatically point toward one of the 40,000 objects stored in its memory. It has a magnification of 81x, but also a theoretical magnification of 480x.
What you should consider: Some users have indicated that the battery life is short, and it’s not ideal for taking photos.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
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.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/apparel-br/outerwear-br/best-letterman-jacket/
|
Which letterman jacket is best?
Letterman jackets, also known as varsity jackets, are a great addition to any closet and fit a range of styles, from classic American to streetwear. They’re also great protection against the cold, and in some cases can be worn while skiing or during other intense outdoor winter activities.
If you’re in the market for a well-made letterman jacket that promises to keep you warm, stylish and comfortable, check out the Stewart & Strauss Original Varsity Letterman.
What to know before you buy a letterman jacket
Fit and cut
Although letterman jackets feature the same general design, there are numerous fits and cuts. If you want something with a modern streetwear look, consider something with a boxy, oversized fit. If you want it to accentuate the width of your shoulders, opt for a cinched waist and a wider shoulder measurement. Or if you’re chasing the traditional look, consider something from a classic brand such as Ralph Lauren.
Level of warmth
Before you purchase a new letterman jacket, consider how much warmth you want it to provide. Although it’s not traditional, you can find puffer letterman jackets with down insulation, such as the quilted bomber from Tommy Hilfiger. If you want something you can wear during the milder months of fall and spring, consider one made from cotton or lightweight wool.
What to look for in a quality letterman jacket
Materials
Regardless of what type of letterman jacket you choose, premium materials are a hallmark of high-quality ones. If you choose a traditional varsity jacket such as the Pro Standard, keep an eye out for genuine leather sleeves and natural wool blends. If you want a puffer, consider jackets with certified animal-cruelty-free down or recycled synthetic insulation.
Quality buttons
Because letterman jackets tend to have buttons instead of a zipper, the quality of the buttons is important. High-quality letterman jackets have strong buttons that securely snap into place with a distinctive sound. Keep your eye out for bonuses, such as interesting contrasting colors or luxurious polished chrome buttons.
How much you can expect to spend on a letterman jacket
As with most clothing, there is a wide range of prices when it comes to letterman jackets. Expect to spend $50-$100 for high-quality affordable jackets and anywhere between $150-$400 for luxury ones.
Letterman jacket FAQ
Should I hang or fold my letterman jacket?
A. We’re often told to avoid hanging wool or folding leather, the two main materials in most varsity jackets — but avoid folding them at all costs. Because the leather is supple and the wool is thick, folding will create creases difficult to remove. To avoid hanger bumps at the end of the shoulder, where the leather starts, get a wooden hanger with large, smooth curves that won’t press against the leather.
What’s the origin of the letterman jacket?
A. They were first worn by Harvard University baseball players in 1865 and were popular with the athletes who wore them throughout the first half of the 20th century. They became a fashion trend in the 1950s, worn by such stars as James Dean and Elvis Presley, and later by Michael Jackson. Japanese fashion designer Nigo recently made the look trendy again.
What’s the best letterman jacket to buy?
Top letterman jacket
Stewart & Strauss Original Varsity Letterman
What you need to know: Boasting thick wool, genuine leather and a traditional slim-fit cut, this is ideal for anyone who wants a high-quality, versatile letterman jacket.
What you’ll love: There are 33 colorways to choose from, and a zip-out lining, lets you lighten the insulation. The cinched waist, which features the same contrasting cuff as the collar and sleeves, is ideal if you want to accentuate the contrast between the size of your waist and shoulders.
What you should consider: Although this jacket provides an excellent value for your money, some wearers felt it was too plain.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top letterman jacket for the money
Pro Club Fleece Varsity Jacket
What you need to know: If you’re looking for a slim varsity jacket with a regular fit and don’t want to shell out a lot of money, look no further than this.
What you’ll love: It features the classic design but uses a comfortable cotton and wool blend for the sleeves instead of the traditional leather. Nonetheless, it maintains the classic silhouette thanks to the ribbed cuffs and outsized seams in the shoulders.
What you should consider: Although it’s quite affordable, the fabric quality is slightly lacking.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Dress Club International Men’s Varsity Letterman Jacket
What you need to know: This jacket features a classic design with a modern fit and is made from the finest materials.
What you’ll love: With thick, soft wool and real leather, it’s durable and well-made, and the blue-and-white striped patches lend it a luxurious sense of classic design. Stylish contrasting cuffs match the collar and waist, and it’s also available for women and children.
What you should consider: Because it’s classic in design and style, there’s not a lot of differentiation.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
William Briskin 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.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/apparel-br/shapewear-br/best-womens-shapewear/
|
Which women’s shapewear is best?
Whether you have a special event coming up or just want to look your best for work, you’ll likely feel even more confident with the right women’s shapewear. Shapewear can help you achieve a perfectly smooth silhouette in dresses, skirts, pants and more.
Women’s shapewear features a snug, stretchy material that streamlines your figure. It’s available in many different styles, with some that slim your entire body, while others target specific areas. If you’re looking for shapewear to smooth your stomach, thighs and hips with light control, the Spanx Lightweight Layer Mid-Thigh Shaping Short is a perfect choice.
What to know before you buy women’s shapewear
Style
Women’s shapewear comes in many types and styles. You should pick one that smooths your silhouette while still feeling comfortable. Depending on the design, they can support your chest and buttock while smoothing your stomach, hips and thighs.
- Shaping bodysuits: These bodysuits are the most widely used shapewear. They resemble a one-piece swimsuit and usually have a closure in the crotch, making it easier to use the bathroom. A bodysuit works well underneath shirts, dresses, skirts, pants and more.
- Shaping slips/dresses: These dresses or slips are like a shaping bodysuit, but they feature a hem that hits around the knees. Shaping slips and dresses are only suitable for use under a dress or skirt.
- Shaping tanks/camisoles: These tops look just like a regular tank top or camisole but support your chest and smooth your stomach. They work well under most tops.
- Shaping underwear: These underwear come in many styles, including briefs. They work under nearly any type of bottom, including tight-fitting pants or skirts.
- Shaping shorts and leggings: These shorts or pants help smooth your stomach, hips and thighs. Some shorts-style shapewear end at the knees, while others go all the way to your calves or ankles.
Sizing
Your shapewear won’t have the right effect you want if you don’t get the right size. Wearing a piece that’s too tight can be uncomfortable and cause an uneven line in your clothing. Consult the shapewear sizing chart to determine your proper size. You’ll likely need to measure key areas of your body to determine your sizing, like your bust, waist and hips.
Material
Shapewear material is usually a combination of nylon and spandex. Pieces with more nylon typically offer the most slimming effect. You can find lightweight pieces with nylon/spandex blends, but you may prefer cotton or microfiber shapewear in hot weather.
What to look for in quality women’s shapewear
Control level
Some women’s shapewear pieces offer more control than others, so their slimming or smoothing effect is more obvious.
The most common control level options are:
- Light control: Light control shapewear doesn’t offer as much compression, so it works well for a general slimming effect. It’s also the most comfortable option if you wear shapewear every day.
- Firm control: Firm control shapewear provides more compression, so it’s ideal for smoothing out specific areas of the body.
- Extra-firm control: Extra-firm control shapewear offers the most compression and has pretty dramatic results. It tends to be more uncomfortable than other shapewear, though, so you may want to save it for special occasions.
Color
Most women’s shapewear comes in white, black and nude options. White and nude shapewear is perfect under light clothing because it won’t show through the material. Nude pieces are usually the most invisible option, though. You can find shapewear in some other colors, too, including pink, blue and red.
How much you can expect to spend on women’s shapewear
Women’s shapewear has a wide price range, costing $6-$100. You can usually find shaping underwear and tanks or camisoles for $6-$20, while shaping bodysuits, slips and dresses can cost $20-$60. For extra-firm control or full-body pieces, you will likely pay $60-$100.
Women’s shapewear FAQ
Is shapewear meant for everyday wear?
A. Some people like to wear light control shapewear every day to help them feel more confident in their clothing. If your shapewear is the correct size, you can wear it every day. However, firm- and extra-firm pieces may not be comfortable enough to wear daily.
What’s the best way to clean shapewear?
A. It depends on your shapewear’s materials, so always consult the care label to determine how to wash it. Most pieces require hand-washing and air-drying, but you may find some machine-washable shapewear.
What’s the best women’s shapewear to buy?
Top women’s shapewear
Spanx Lightweight Layer Mid-Thigh Shaping Short
What you need to know: Made by a respected brand in shapewear, these shorts are incredibly comfortable while providing even control.
What you’ll love: They offer light control that feels comfortable for daily wear. They feature compression in the thighs and hips for noticeable smoothing. The material is stretchy, so it moves easily with the body.
What you should consider: If you want a dramatic smoothing effect, these shorts likely won’t offer enough support.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top women’s shapewear for the money
Maidenform Women’s Shapewear Hi-Waist Brief Firm Control
What you need to know: The attractive price tag and comfortable design make this shapewear brief an excellent option. It’s ideal for those who want concentrated support in the stomach and hips.
What you’ll love: It has a two-ply nylon/mesh liner to help smooth and support. It features soft, flexible microfiber that moves with the body. The crotch is made of cotton, so it’s highly breathable and comfortable.
What you should consider: Some users noticed the waistband rolls down on occasion.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Diane & Geordi Fajas Colombiana Reductora Postparto Postpartum Body Shaper
What you need to know: The braless design of this shapewear makes it highly versatile while still providing plenty of control and support for the lower body.
What you’ll love: It features Powernet, a fabric with a highly durable weave. It lifts the butt, smooths the hips and slims the waist. The seams, zipper and lining are undetectable under clothing. It works well for everyday wear and is ideal for postpartum, post-C-section and post-liposuction use.
What you should consider: The sizes can run somewhat small, so it may be challenging to find the right fit.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
Jennifer Blair 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.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/appliances-br/washers-dryers-br/best-maytag-top-load-washer/
|
Which Maytag top-load washer is best?
Everyone needs to wash their clothes and no one likes doing it by hand. Maytag top-load washers have all the features you want and need, and its prices are difficult to beat. And the best Maytag top-load washer is the Maytag 5.3-Cubic-Foot Smart-Capable Top-Load Washing Machine. It has plenty of space for handling large loads, and it’s Energy Star certified.
What to know before you buy a Maytag top-load washer
Pros and cons of a Maytag top-load washer
Maytag top-load washers have several pros and cons.
- Pros: Top-load washers are more affordable than front-loaders, and Maytag is an affordable mid-range brand. They are easier to load and unload and tend to have larger capacities and quicker cycles than front-loaders. They also have a lower leak risk.
- Cons: Top-load washers tend to make more noise as the wash basket knocks against the walls. They use more energy and water than front-loaders, even if they’re high-efficiency. They can’t be stacked, either, which may leave you with too little space in your laundry room.
Size and capacity
Maytag top-load washers have an external size and an internal capacity. The two rarely directly correlate.
- Size determines how much space your washer will take up. As top-loaders can’t be stacked, size is of greater importance with them than with a front-loader. You need to leave room for your dryer, after all.
- Capacity determines how many clothes can be washed at once and is given in cubic feet. Small households can comfortably get by with less than 4 cubic feet while large households will likely need 5 cubic feet or more.
High efficiency
High-efficiency Maytag top-load washers use less energy and water but clean just as effectively. They usually have larger capacities, but you can still find small-capacity models. The only downside is the need to use specialized HE detergent. Using non-HE detergent will break your HE washer.
Impeller vs. agitator mixers
Maytag top-load washers use either impeller or agitator mixers.
- Impeller mixers use a no-post disk that rotates, causing clothes to gently rub against each other to scrub out stains. There’s no risk of tearing but the clothes may not get as clean.
- Agitator mixers use a center post with fins that twists back and forth, forcing clothes to sharply rub against each other to scrub out stains. Clothes tend to get cleaner but there’s a risk of damage.
What to look for in a quality Maytag top-load washer
Cycle options
Most Maytag top-load washers have multiple cycle options outside of the standards such as delicate and large load. Some of the more common cycles include deep-water rinse, extra power and a customizable cycle that can be saved.
Energy Star certification
When a Maytag top-load washer is listed as Energy Star certified, it has been independently examined and observed to meet the minimum requirements for energy efficiency. This means it will have less impact on the environment and your bank account. It’s important to point out “minimum” here, as you’ll need an Energy Star-certified high-efficiency washer for maximum efficiency.
How much you can expect to spend on a Maytag top-load washer
Maytag is an excellent mid-range brand and its prices reflect that. Its best and biggest options rarely exceed $1,000 with most washers costing $800-$1,000. Its cheapest cost around $600.
Maytag top-load washer FAQ
How do I fix a Maytag top-load washer that isn’t draining?
A. There are two likely causes. The first is simply that you overfilled your washing machine. However, if that isn’t the case, the issue is likely with your plumbing — most probably some kind of clog in the line. You’ll need to hire a plumber.
What kind of Maytag top-load washer is quietest?
A. No washing machine will ever be quiet, but there are a few aspects you can prioritize that lead to quieter operation. Look for high-efficiency washers and those with impeller mixers. Also, consider placing your Maytag washer as far from common spaces as possible.
What’s the best Maytag top-load washer to buy?
Top Maytag top-load washer
Maytag 5.3-Cubic-Foot Smart-Capable Top-Load Washing Machine
What you need to know: This has plenty of space for big households.
What you’ll love: It comes in white or silver finishes with impeller or agitator mixers. It offers multiple cycle types — including quick wash and a custom cycle — and has an extra power button to fight the toughest stains. The glass lid lets you check on your clothes without disturbing the wash cycle.
What you should consider: Some consumers had issues with imbalanced washers, while others had troubles with washers that didn’t register the door as closed — and thus wouldn’t clean.
Where to buy: Sold by Home Depot
Top Maytag top-load washer for the money
Maytag 3.8-Cubic-Foot High-Efficiency Top-Load Washing Machine
What you need to know: This is perfect for the space- and energy-conscious.
What you’ll love: The 3.8-cubic-foot capacity is perfectly sized to a full laundry basket and the special wash cycles — including quick wash, power wash and deep-water wash — provide a deep and effective clean. It has a 10-year limited parts warranty that covers the motor and wash basket.
What you should consider: The small capacity isn’t enough for households larger than two. Some consumers were unhappy with the amount of noise generated by most cycles.
Where to buy: Sold by Home Depot
Worth checking out
Maytag 4.7-Cubic-Foot Smart-Capable Top-Load Washing Machine
What you need to know: It’s a heavy-duty washer with an “extra power” button that boosts stain-fighting ability by varying wash temperatures during a single cycle.
What you’ll love: Connecting to the Maytag app lets you start and stop any cycle, troubleshoot any problems and get notifications as soon as a cycle ends. Cycle memory lets you store the details of a custom cycle to save time in the future.
What you should consider: Some consumers were unhappy with the noise levels. Others had issues with the agitator snaring and tearing delicates.
Where to buy: Sold by Home Depot
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
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.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/automotive-br/car-care-br/chrome-vs-polished-alloy-wheel-cleaner/
|
Which wheel cleaner is best?
Chrome and polished aluminum wheels are popular car modifications that can be buffed to a mirror finish. But to properly show off your rims, you’ll need to put in a little elbow grease with some good cleaner. Not only will it keep your wheels sparkling, but it will also help protect them from corrosive contaminants on the road.
Chrome and aluminum require specially tailored formulas, which can make choosing the proper cleaner complicated — it’s the difference between restoring your wheels’ luster and destroying their finish. With the right formula, tools and know-how, you can get your wheels back to their factory finish.
Why it’s important to clean your wheels regularly
The roads are covered in corrosive particles and debris that slowly eat away at your wheels, and it’s not just salt, dirt and rocks that can erode your wheels’ finish. The dust produced by your brake pads is one of the biggest offenders when it comes to tarnishing chrome and aluminum.
Over time, these contaminants ruin your wheels’ appearance and resale value while also degrading their structural integrity. Regularly washing, polishing and waxing your wheels every one to two weeks is the only way to keep them shining and protected from environmental damage.
Chrome wheel cleaner
Chrome wheels are made by electroplating multiple layers of metals — usually nickel and copper — with a final layer of chrome. The resulting wheel has a durable composition that stands up to weather and rough road conditions. Cleaner formulated for chrome is designed to restore this final layer and bring out its classic sheen.
Chrome wheel cleaners come in premixed solutions that use a spray bottle or concentrated gel formulas that you mix in water. Like other wheel cleaners, they typically cost $6-$20.
Chrome wheel cleaner pros
- A specially formulated cleaner for chrome won’t risk harming its finish.
- This cleaner foams to lift dust and debris so you don’t end up grinding dirt back into the surface with a cloth or brush — all you have to do is rinse.
- Chrome wheel cleaner performs better than multipurpose wheel cleaners on this specific metal.
Chrome wheel cleaner cons
- Chrome wheel cleaner doesn’t often work in the opposite direction of multi-surface application and can end up damaging polished aluminum wheels.
- Not all chrome wheel cleaners also work on tires.
Best chrome wheel cleaners
Meguiar’s Hot Rims Chrome Wheel Cleaner
Made just for chrome, this cleaner sprays on and foams up to lift dirt and debris so you don’t have to scrub. You can’t use this cleaner on aluminum.
Sold by Amazon
Mothers Pro-Strength Chrome Wheel Cleaner
Mothers is a trusted brand in car detailing, and their streak-free formula for chrome is one of the toughest you can get. Just spray it on, let it foam up and rinse. Use a soft wheel brush to get at any crevices.
Sold by Amazon
Chemical Guys Wicked Strong Diablo Gel Wheel Cleaner
This pH-neutral cleaner is safe to use on chrome and other coated wheels. It comes in a gel bottle, so you mix it with water and spray or brush it onto the wheel. Because it’s so versatile, this is a great option for multi-car families or companies, as one bucket of solution can go a long way.
Sold by Amazon
Polished aluminum wheel cleaner
Polished aluminum wheel cleaners are the least abrasive cleaner formula. Finding the right one for the job depends on whether or not your polished wheels are clear coated.
Most cars on the road today have aluminum alloy wheels. These are made from composite metal that’s fabricated as a single block of metal. They’re then sealed off with a layer of clear coat.
Polished aluminum rims are raw-metal wheels that are buffed by hand or machine. They don’t have that protective layer of clear paint. For these aftermarket wheels, you need a non-caustic formula that fights oxidization on uncoated surfaces.
Like most wheel cleaners, solutions for polished-aluminum usually cost $6-$20.
Polished aluminum wheel cleaner pros
- Aluminum cleaner is the gentlest and can be used on many wheel types.
- It won’t harm clear coated brake calipers and suspension components in the case of over-spray.
- These cleaners are pH-balanced so they won’t cause spotting or tarnishing.
Polished aluminum wheel cleaner cons
- When used on chrome, aluminum cleaner isn’t as thorough as chrome-specific cleaner.
- It can be harder to find the right cleaner for uncoated aluminum rims, as many formulas are advertised for aluminum but are actually referring to clear coated, mass market aluminum wheels.
Best polished aluminum wheel cleaners
Meguiar’s Hot Rims Aluminum Wheel Cleaner
If you have uncoated aluminum rims, this is the cleaner to get. It’s designed to remove oxidization, grit and grime without damaging the metal. Because it’s so gentle, you’ll need a soft scrubbing tool like a microfiber towel or brush.
Sold by Amazon
Carfidant Ultimate Wheel Cleaner
This multipurpose wheel cleaner works on just about every wheel type you can imagine. Its pH-neutral formula works especially well on polished aluminum, as it doesn’t discolor. You can even use it on the aluminum trim of tool boxes, appliances and more.
Sold by Amazon
Flitz Multipurpose Polish and Cleaner Liquid
Car geeks swear by Flitz. Its non-abrasive, chemical formula is great at restoring your uncoated metal’s shine. This is a two-in-one cleaner that removes oxidization and then polishes. If your wheels are particularly grimy, you might want to pair this with a stronger cleaner that can remove any grit first.
Sold by Amazon
Should you get chrome or polished aluminum wheel cleaner?
Both kinds of cleaners do their jobs well — it all depends on what type of wheels you have. While multipurpose cleaners that tackle a variety of wheel types are convenient, they’re often not as strong as dedicated formulas. You’re also taking a risk, as manufacturers can’t always guarantee their claims.
If you’re cleaning chrome wheels, get a chrome-specific cleaner, and if you’re cleaning uncoated aluminum, get an aluminum cleaner. Meguiar’s makes two great products for each of these metals.
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
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.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/best-reusable-cotton-pads/
|
Which reusable cotton pads are best?
If you’re looking to make your skincare routine more sustainable, swapping out single-use cotton pads for reusable ones cuts back on landfill waste. And they’ll save you money because you won’t need to keep buying packs of disposable pads every time you run out.
Reusable cotton pads can be washed and reused, and are great if you have sensitive skin. If you’re looking to use them for removing makeup, Greenzla Reusable Makeup Remover Pads is the top — and eco-friendly — choice.
What to know before you buy reusable cotton pads
Material
Not all reusable cotton pads are made from 100% cotton. In fact, many are made from bamboo-cotton blends, and some also add polyester into the mix.
Bamboo is highly renewable and also requires less water and pesticides than cotton cultivation. Some reusable “cotton” pads are actually made all from bamboo. They’re generally indistinguishable from 100% cotton pads and are just as gentle and soft on sensitive skin.
Uses
Popular uses for reusable cotton pads include makeup removal with an eye makeup remover, cleansing the face with micellar water, removing face masks and applying toners or astringents to the face. Unlike disposable cotton pads, reusable ones don’t fall apart or separate during more vigorous use, such as removing long-wear and waterproof makeup. Depending on the texture, some reusable pads can also be gently exfoliating and pair well with a facial or lip scrub.
Shape and size
Most reusable pads come in rounds, which are circular, with a diameter ranging between 2.75-3.75 inches. You can find select pads in square or even heart shapes.
Count
After you use a reusable pad once, you’ll need to wash it, which is why they come in multipacks ranging from 10 to 40 pads. Consider how often you’ll realistically do laundry when choosing how many you want to purchase. More pads mean laundering them less often.
Texture
Many reusable cotton pads have a smooth texture that won’t scratch the skin. However, some are double-sided, with a raised, more exfoliating texture on one side and a smooth surface on the other. You can also find packs that mix exfoliating pads, which feature a scrubby terry cloth surface or a raised one, with ones that feature a velour and smooth surface.
What to look for in quality reusable cotton pads
Holder
Many reusable pads come with a holder that keeps your clean pads tidy and stacked. Holders are made from bamboo, cardboard, plastic, metal or basket material. Some holders are more attractive than others. Consider your bathroom or vanity aesthetic when buying pads that come with a holder.
Laundry bag
Many reusable pads also come with a mesh laundry bag that can also be used to store or transport them. This bag features either a string or zipper closure to keep your pads separate from the rest of your laundry in the washing machine.
Organic
Not all cotton is organic. If you have sensitive skin or use non-toxic skincare, be sure that your pads are organic and do not contain pesticides. Typically, bamboo is not treated with pesticides or chemical fertilizers, but it’s always wise to look for that organic label to be on the safe side.
Also called a finger pouch, reusable pads featuring a pocket provide a place for your fingers to slip inside for a more secure hold while you maneuver them. Some reusable cotton pads instead come with a finger strap.
Color
Most reusable pads are white. However, white shows stains, which is why some manufacturers offer black pads. You can also find multipacks that mix colors such as black, gray, pink, blue and green. Be aware that many colored pads are actually made from microfiber, a synthetic material, and don’t contain cotton or bamboo.
How much you can expect to spend on reusable cotton pads
They range in price from 25 cents to $1.50 per pad.
Reusable cotton pads FAQ
How do you wash reusable cotton pads?
A. First, always follow the care instructions provided by the manufacturer. In general, reusable pads can be placed inside a mesh laundry bag and washed in the washing machine on a cold/gentle cycle. You can also hand-wash them.
Do I need to use makeup remover with a reusable cotton pad?
A. Generally, yes. Saturate the pad with liquid makeup remover and wipe until your makeup is gone. There are specific reusable makeup-remover pads that can remove makeup with water alone, but not all reusable cotton pads are designed to do that.
What’s the best reusable cotton pad to buy?
Top reusable cotton pad
Greenzla Reusable Makeup Remover Pads
What you need to know: A blend of organic cotton and eco-friendly bamboo, these ultra-soft pads will last you years.
What you’ll love: They’re thick, soft and work like a charm to remove makeup when paired with a liquid remover. They don’t tug on the skin, and one double-sided pad can take care of all your removal needs. The green trim is attractive. The 20 pads come with a lidded holder and a mesh laundry bag.
What you should consider: For some consumers, these pads aren’t absorbent enough.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top reusable cotton pad for the money
What you need to know: These low-cost reusable pads are organic and Oeko-Tex certified for your non-toxic beauty routine.
What you’ll love: The 18-pack comes in all white or a multi-color option. They are easy to wash in the included mesh laundry bag. With a large surface area, these reusable pads remove makeup better than disposable ones and require less product.
What you should consider: Although marketed as cotton, these rounds are actually made from bamboo.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Odoxia Reusable Makeup Remover Pads
What you need to know: This value pack contains both exfoliating and smooth pads.
What you’ll love: You get three black scrubby pads along with 12 smooth ones— all at a reasonable price. The smooth pads are double-layered and come in white and turquoise. The velour stays soft after multiple washes.
What you should consider: These pads contain 20% polyester, a synthetic fiber.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
Ana Sanchez 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.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/face-makeup-br/best-dior-blush/
|
Which Dior blushes are best?
Dior is best known for its beautiful designer clothing and accessories, but the brand also offers a full line of luxury beauty products and fragrances. Dior blushes are one of the brand’s standout products, adding the perfect amount of natural color to give you a healthy glow.
Dior blushes are available in both powder and cream formulas, so there’s an option no matter your skin type. Their high-quality ingredients offer vibrant color that can last all day. If you’re looking for a highly pigmented blush that’s available in a variety of flattering shades, Dior Rouge Blush is the bestselling option.
What to know before you buy a Dior blush
Formula
Dior blushes are available in two formulas: powder or cream.
Powder blushes are the most common option, so they’re the most widely used. They come in a compact and are applied with a brush. Powder formulas have a dry texture that has a lightweight look and feel on the skin. They can be fairly sheer, so they also look more natural on the skin, but you can build them up to get a more intense color if you prefer.
Powder blush works extremely well for oily skin because its dry texture helps absorb oil to reduce shine. It may not be the best option for dry or mature skin because it can settle in fine lines and cling to dry patches.
Cream blushes have a more emollient texture that glides easily over the skin. They contain moisturizing ingredients, making them ideal for dry or mature skin. Because of the hydrating formula, they have a dewy finish, so they can help your skin look fresh and youthful.
Cream blushes come in a small pot, container or compact and can be applied with your fingers, a brush or a sponge. However, they aren’t the best fit for oily skin because they can make you look shiny. A cream blush doesn’t last as long on the skin as a powder formula, either.
Finish
Dior blushes are available in three finish options: matte, satin and shimmer.
- Matte: Dior matte blushes don’t have any shine, shimmer or glitter, so they don’t reflect the light. They have a flat finish that works well for oily or combination skin because it won’t make your skin look greasy. Matte blushes tend to wear longer on the skin.
- Satin: Dior satin blushes have a slight sheen that’s flattering on most skin types. Their finish resembles real skin, so they can look very natural. They don’t contain any noticeable shimmer or glitter particles.
- Shimmer: Dior shimmer blushes contain mica shimmer particles that give them an obvious shine. They’re particularly flattering for dull skin since they help brighten up the complexion.
Shade range
Dior blushes come in a relatively natural shade range, so you can find options that suit most skin tones. You can choose from Dior blushes in pink, rose, peach, bronze, nude and berry shades that coordinate with some Dior lipstick shades to help you create a flattering monochromatic look.
What to look for in a quality Dior blush
Packaging
Most Dior blushes come in plastic compacts that are easy to toss in your bag and bring with you for touch-ups during the day.
Some compacts have a clear plastic lid that allows you to see the shade even when the lid is closed, which can be convenient if you’re searching through your makeup bag for a particular blush. However, other Dior blushes have a solid lid with a mirror on the inside that makes it easy to check your makeup during the day and freshen it up if necessary.
Wear time
Dior powder blushes wear longer on the skin than cream blushes, but all formulas last at least 6-8 hours. Some Dior powder blushes are formulated for even longer wear. They’re highly pigmented, so their color can remain on the skin for up to 12 hours without fading.
Brush
Some Dior blushes include a small brush to apply the color to your cheeks. While these mini brushes don’t work as well as full-size makeup brushes, they can come in very handy for touch-ups when you’re out and about.
How much you can expect to spend on a Dior blush
Dior blushes cost $39-$145. Most formulas range from $39-$50, but some larger palettes that contain multiple blush shades or blush, bronzer and/or highlighter shades cost $75-$145.
Dior blush FAQ
Are Dior blushes fragrance-free?
A. Most Dior blushes contain artificial fragrances to give the products a pleasant scent. However, because chemical fragrances can sometimes irritate the skin, these blushes may not be the best option for sensitive skin.
What’s the best way to apply Dior blush?
A. Dior powder and cream blushes are best applied with an angled blush brush. The shape fits the curve of your cheek to apply the blush smoothly and precisely. You can also use a makeup sponge or even clean fingers to blend a Dior cream blush over your skin.
What’s the best Dior blush to buy?
Top Dior blush
What you need to know: This highly pigmented blush delivers a bold flush of color that can last all day on the skin.
What you’ll love: The blushes are highly pigmented but buildable, so you can achieve a soft wash of color or an intense flush. The blush shades coordinate with Rouge Dior lipstick shades. They’re available in three finish options. The compacts include a mirror and a brush.
What you should consider: Because they’re so pigmented, there can be a learning curve when applying these blushes.
Where to buy: Sold by Sephora
Top Dior blush for the money
Dior Backstage Rosy Glow Blush
What you need to know: These universally flattering blushes deliver a healthy, natural glow designed to suit your skin tone.
What you’ll love: The Color Reviver technology helps the blush react to your skin’s moisture level to deliver the perfect flush. The formula is buildable to provide custom pigmentation. The color lasts all day on the cheeks.
What you should consider: Because it’s somewhat sheer, it can require several layers to show up well on darker skin tones.
Where to buy: Sold by Sephora
Worth checking out
Dior Backstage Glow Face Palette
What you need to know: This convenient palette contains four shades of blush and highlighter to give your cheeks a lovely glow, though the shade options are limited.
What you’ll love: The shades can be used together or separately. The powders have a finely milled texture that looks natural on the skin. The shimmery finish adds a healthy glow, but it can be built up for a more intense highlight.
What you should consider: It’s only available in three shade options.
Where to buy: Sold by Sephora
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
Jennifer Blair 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.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/camera-photo-br/best-action-camera-body-mount/
|
Which action camera body mounts are best?
Action cameras are great devices for capturing exhilarating activities or making the perfect holiday video, but when there’s so much to look at or do, you don’t always want to have one hand occupied holding the camera.
This is where an action camera body mount comes in handy, as it secures the device in place while recording, leaving you free to have fun. If you’re after a Hollywood style of filming, the Stuntman 360 Shoulder Mount is the best choice for you.
What to know before you buy an action camera body mount
Compatibility with your action camera
There are several types of action camera mounts you can use, but the most important factor is compatibility. The protective cases of action cameras are different in size and shape, so it’s important to check if they can be affixed to the mount. Most cameras use the GoPro system of slots and bolts, so it might not be too much of a hassle. Also consider if you want to film using your mobile phone, as there are specific body mounts for that.
Activities you’ll be filming
Action cameras are used to film all sorts of activities, but if you don’t have the correct body mount, you might end up not capturing any footage at all. For example, if you plan on filming underwater, make sure the body mount is in a position to film straight ahead or the seafloor; a wrist mount while swimming is not a good choice.
Action camera kit vs. body mount
Unless it’s a specialized body mount, you might want to consider getting a complete action camera kit instead. Usually, there isn’t much price difference between a body mount and a full kit, making it more value for money. Kits typically include a body, head and wrist mount, attachment accessories and vehicle suction cup.
What to look for in a quality action camera body mount
Strong buckles, clips and straps
The camera is usually secured to the mounting system with nuts and bolts, but the entire mechanism must be securely fastened around your body. Most mounts use buckles and clips, making them perfect for filming action-packed activities like horse riding or motorcycles. Others might use a series of Velcro straps that are easily adjusted but less robust than clips.
Versatility for more positions
A body mount is great for recording what’s going on around you, but sometimes you want to change the camera angle. A basic body mount might not allow you to do that, but a good-quality mount will. By adjusting the strap length, you can change where the mount fits around your body, giving you a different filming perspective.
Durable construction materials
The last thing you want while ripping down the slopes is for your body mount to malfunction due to inferior materials. While strong buckles, clips and straps are important for keeping the mount on your body, the camera needs to stay put as well. A good-quality body mount should have robust and durable materials where the camera is mounted. This is typically made from hard plastic, while others may incorporate metal pieces.
How much you can expect to spend on an action camera body mount
Action camera body mounts are relatively affordable, with chest harnesses retailing for under $10. Body mounts that place the camera at an unconventional location generally cost more, retailing for $20-$50.
Action camera body mount FAQ
Can you put a body mount on an animal?
A. There are some options, yes, but they’re generally for dogs only. Some manufacturers have canine-specific harnesses, which is great if you want to see where your dog goes or their perspective. It isn’t recommended to put a harness on a cat.
Can you charge an action camera while it’s in the mount?
A. In most cases, this won’t be possible. Through the design of the action camera’s external case and the mount, there won’t be an opening to expose the charging port.
What’s the best action camera body mount to buy?
Top action camera body mount
What you need to know: This camera mount is the perfect accessory to give your videos that Hollywood-style, over-the-shoulder action look.
What you’ll love: The mount is incredibly versatile, as it can be used not only for over-the-shoulder filming but several other positions as well. Through the clip and buckle system, you can change the position of the camera mount — it can also go around your waist, your chest or face backward. It’s compatible with almost all action cameras.
What you should consider: It’s a bit more expensive than other body mounts, so it might not be for everyone.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top action camera body mount for the money
Asocea Adjustable Chest Mount Harness
What you need to know: This chest mount is the only accessory you’ll need to keep your action camera steady and pointing forward.
What you’ll love: Through a simple buckle and clip system, this harness places the action camera in the middle of your chest. The waist straps adjust to a maximum of 67 inches, while the shoulder straps adjust to 54 inches. It’s compatible with GoPro and Apeman cameras and comes with a thumbscrew and a J-hook.
What you should consider: There’s no padding on the straps, so it might cause irritation if fastened too tightly.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Zookki Action Camera Accessories Kit
What you need to know: This camera accessory kit has everything you need to create the best action content possible.
What you’ll love: This camera kit not only includes a durable chest harness, but several other body mounts as well. There’s a mount for your head to film as closely as possible to what you see, a wrist strap mount and a monopod handle. For water activities, the kit includes a floating handle to keep the camera upright. Several J-hooks, adapters and long screws are included so you can easily change the angle of the camera.
What you should consider: Some users have indicated the kit doesn’t come with any instructions on how to assemble the mount or how the adapters work.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
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.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/computer-accessories-peripherals-br/best-startech-docking-station/
|
Which StarTech docking station is best?
While lightweight, compact laptop computers are great for jobs on the go or when you’re away from your office, there are plenty of times when the larger viewing real estate and connectivity of a traditional desktop computer are desired. Thankfully, StarTech provides docking stations that allow you to greatly expand the usability of your laptop computer.
The StarTech.com USB-C Dock includes a wealth of display and data ports that let you fully integrate your laptop with a wide range of other devices and equipment, including speakers, monitors and more.
What to know before you buy a StarTech docking station
Your requirements
Carefully consider the reasons for which you want to convert your laptop computing experience into one that is more akin to using a desktop. Are you editing video and looking to view your work on a monitor that allows for a less cluttered workspace? Are you in need of multiple displays to let you code and compare designs more easily? Or perhaps, you simply want to be able to create a dedicated, centered area within which to get focused work done without outside distractions.
No matter your reasons, choosing the right docking station means imagining the workspace you hope to create and seeking out a dock that will provide you with the flexibility you need to make it your own.
Your equipment
Take stock of what equipment you will be attaching to your laptop computer while shopping for a docking station. Consider the type and age of the connection that your external monitor requires. If you plan on using your computer with a sound system, be sure to know if your speakers are Bluetooth enabled or require a wired connection to your laptop. Paying close attention to the gear you hope to use will help prevent any compatibility issues you may experience after making an uneducated purchase.
Your laptop’s compatibility
USB-C has risen to become the new standard when it comes to connecting devices. Because of this, the majority of StarTech docking stations fully embrace this option. However, older laptops may not have this particular USB type installed. Depending on your hardware, you may need to seek out an adapter or two to ensure compliance with a brand-new dock.
Thankfully, making the leap from one connectivity standard to another is made easier by the wide availability of adapters and dongles that help bridge the gap between yesterday’s tech and today’s trends. Some StarTech docks even include a USB adapter in the box.
What to look for in a quality StarTech docking station
Ports
One of the biggest reasons to use a docking station is to be able to take advantage of the abundance of ports that they provide. From HDMI to various USB and memory card types, there are docks available for every profession and preference. You will be surprised at how quickly your dock becomes fully occupied with chargers and connected devices. Because of this, select a dock with as many ports as possible.
Monitor connectivity
The convenience of a large, luxurious monitor in your workstation cannot be overstated. Be sure that the dock you purchase includes the correct HDMI ports required for today’s displays. Older monitors that connect via other means may require adapters. Because of the fast pace of display technology, some especially old monitors, sadly, may have to be left behind as you build out your desk.
Size
Select a StarTech dock that is large enough to accommodate your needs but not so big as to hog too much of your valuable desk space. Miniature docks are available alongside standard models, although these units tend to lack many of the ports and features that make the devices attractive in the first place. If you require a large dock but don’t want to sacrifice surface area or prefer to keep the majority of your cables out of sight, you may want to consider mounting your dock out of sight behind your desk.
Additionally, portable docks are available and popular for both their space-saving dimensions as well as the ease with which you can bring them along for business on the move.
Aesthetics
As Apple’s design influences have dominated the tech industry over the last two decades, computer accessories have followed suit. StarTech provides gray and aluminum docks to match Apple’s flagship MacBook models, as well as more universal black and white models. For those who prefer matching devices, there are docks available that will complement your gear and blend seamlessly into your work environment.
How much you can expect to spend on a StarTech docking station
Small, portable StarTech docking stations can be purchased for less than $100. However, powerful units that include Thunderbolt ports and other top-tier features can cost $200-$400.
StarTech docking station FAQ
Will a docking station make my laptop faster?
A. No. Docking stations allow you to connect your laptop to external speakers, monitors and more but they do nothing to enhance the performance of your computer. In fact, an underpowered computer may run slower if connected to too many displays.
Can I connect multiple docks together?
A. In some cases, yes. USB, in particular, is an accessible enough connection that users can sometimes “daisy chain” docks together to expand their usage. However, the functionality may vary depending on the power consumption of the devices you wish to use and with regard to other connections such as HDMI.
Do laptop docks provide storage space?
A. No. Laptop docks allow you to connect your computer to external hard drives, but they contain no internal storage.
What’s the best StarTech docking station to buy?
Top StarTech docking station
What you need to know: With a generous array of ports and a clean, modern design, this dock has everything you need to create the workstation of your dreams.
What you’ll love: You can connect your laptop to three external monitors with this device, putting four displays at your fingertips. Its range of ports allows you to integrate everything from external drives to speakers into your workstation.
What you should consider: Some users have noticed compatibility and driver issues with this dock.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top StarTech docking station for the money
StarTech.com USB C Multiport Adapter
What you need to know: This dock is small and great for traveling, allowing you to convert your laptop into a fully connected work machine wherever you go.
What you’ll love: Available in a range of connectivity and power delivery options, this docking station is small enough to fit into your laptop bag.
What you should consider: Not enough connectivity for some users.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
StarTech.com USB C Multiport Adapter Portable Docking Station for Laptop/Tablet
What you need to know: With both current and legacy ports, this dock allows you to bring some of your older technology into the modern age.
What you’ll love: Including various USB ports, a VGA port, a memory card slot and even a headphone jack, this dock expands the usability of your laptop in every way.
What you should consider: This dock sacrifices the number of ports in favor of variety.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
Derek Walborn 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.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/computer-monitors-br/best-144hz-monitor/
|
Which 144Hz monitors are best?
Computer technology has grown in leaps and bounds since the 1980s. A large part of this growth is due to the video games industry, which pushes for better graphics, faster machines and bigger monitors.
When it comes to monitors, the standard 60-hertz monitor has been a staple for many gamers. However, now it’s commonplace to see 75Hz or 120Hz dedicated gaming monitors. For the ultimate gaming experience, only the best Samsung 49-Inch CHG90 144Hz Curved Gaming Monitor will do. It provides an extra-crisp picture and comes with a swivel stand to allow for easy adjustment.
What to know before you buy a 144Hz monitor
Make sure your computer is compatible
Having a computer monitor that can handle 144Hz is one thing, but making sure you have a computer that can manage the output is another aspect altogether. The 144Hz refers to how many frames your computer can display per second. While the monitor can certainly handle this speed, not all graphics cards can keep up. You might be disappointed if your new 144Hz monitor can’t produce the frames per second you want, thanks to a subpar graphics card. Make sure your computer is compatible before making a purchase.
Resolution importance
The monitor’s maximum resolution will also play a role in the graphical quality. The standard for all games released today is 1080p, but there are plenty of titles you can play at Ultra HD or even 4K. To get the best out of the monitor, consider the resolution and whether you have content to support it.
Reduced screen tearing
The dreaded screen tearing is something that most gamers have dealt with at some point in their lives. Screen tearing is when your monitor’s refresh rate can’t keep up with the game’s frame rate. This creates a distorted picture or continually distorted images. By having a 144Hz monitor, the higher refresh rate will dramatically reduce the chances of screen tearing.
What to look for in a quality 144Hz monitor
Connection ports
The monitor connects to your computer or laptop through a connection port. The most common port is an HDMI connection, but this has a limited refresh rate and resolution. A good-quality monitor will also have a DisplayPort connection, which can output 8K content at 120Hz or 4K content at 240Hz. HDMI has a maximum output of 8K content at 30Hz.
High Dynamic Range for better quality
High Dynamic Range (HDR) is a relatively new technology in video games and influences the color range of games. Conventional monitors struggle to show dark and bright areas simultaneously, but HDR renders the image with the correct shading throughout. Not only does it improve the visual quality, but it can also feel more immersive.
Built-in synching to reduce screen tearing
While the 144Hz monitor technology already goes a long way to reduce screen tearing, some manufacturers incorporate Nvidia’s G-Sync or AMD’s FreeSync into a monitor’s hardware. This added bit of technology helps to massively reduce instances of graphical artifacts and screen tearing. Keep in mind you need to have a graphics card that supports either system to take advantage of this.
How much you can expect to spend on a 144Hz monitor
The average price of a 144Hz monitor depends on the monitor’s brand, capabilities and size. An affordable 144Hz monitor costs around $200-$300, but larger displays with curved screens will be closer to $800-$1,000.
144Hz monitor FAQ
Can you mount or raise 144Hz monitors?
A. Yes, you can, as long as the base is large enough. Most monitors are also compatible with VESA mounts, so you can attach them to walls or a monitor arm.
Can you use a 144Hz monitor on an Xbox One?
A. Yes, as long as you connect the correct display cables. There are only a few titles that support 120Hz, and there are even fewer that support 144Hz. Most developers choose not to support 144Hz and opt for higher graphical quality at 60Hz.
What’s the best 144Hz monitor to buy?
Top 144Hz monitor
Samsung 49-Inch CHG90 144Hz Curved Gaming Monitor
What you need to know: This curved monitor is great if you need a lot of screen space for multiple projects.
What you’ll love: This 144Hz monitor measures 49 inches across. It features a maximum resolution of 3840 x 1080p, has a one-second response time and has AMD’s FreeSync 2 built-in. The monitor supports HDR, incorporates Samsung’s QLED technology and works with HDMI as well as DisplayPort.
What you should consider: The monitor has a maximum resolution of 1080p, which some gamers might find too low.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top 144Hz monitor for the money
Asus VG248QE 24-Inch Full HD Monitor
What you need to know: This monitor will give you 144Hz gaming at an affordable price.
What you’ll love: With built-in stereo speakers and support for HDMI and DisplayPort, this 144Hz LED monitor has a maximum resolution of 1920 x 1080p. The sturdy base allows it to swivel, tilt and pivot.
What you should consider: The monitor is only 24 inches, which might not be sufficient for serious players.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Acer Predator XB273K 27-Inch LED Monitor
What you need to know: This 27-inch display has all the bells and whistles any gamer could want.
What you’ll love: The XB273K has a maximum resolution of 3840 x 2160 with Nvidia’s G-Sync built-in. It’s compatible with VESA mounts and connects via HDMI, DisplayPort and USB ports. The unique thing about this monitor is it comes with a shade shield to block out glare from overhead lights.
What you should consider: You can only reach the 144Hz refresh rate, even when you overclock the monitor with two DisplayPort connections.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
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.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/tablets-accessories-br/best-ipad-case/
|
Which iPad case is best?
When you purchase something with a high price tag like a tablet, you want to be sure it’s protected from falls, spills and other mishaps. Beyond protection, many users also purchase iPad cases that offer additional benefits like stands, keyboards, trackpads and storage solutions. Depending on your priorities, you may prefer one type of case to the next, though most buyers can find one to accommodate their needs, preferences and budgets.
The Logitech Combo Touch for iPad offers a keyboard and adjustable stand, making it a great pick for most buyers.
What to know before you buy an iPad case
Your iPad
Determining what iPad cases work for you depends mostly on the type of iPad you have, as well as how you usually use it. You can find iPad cases for all of Apple’s iPad models, though they range in size depending on which iPad version you have. Cases also vary in the features and styles they offer, so you’ll want to choose one based on how you use your iPad.
Types of iPad cases
There are different types of iPad cases that offer varying benefits.
- Protective shell: For the utmost protection, protective shells wrap around the sides and back of an iPad to protect the screen from drops and falls. Shell cases come in a range of materials, though they don’t typically cover the screen.
- Sleeve: Sleeves for iPads are great for backpack and bag transportation, preventing scratches and boasting a lightweight design. A sleeve is less protective than a shell case from drop and fall damage.
- Folio: Folio cases fold over an iPad’s screen, not unlike a book cover. These offer a balance of protection from falls and from scratches. High-end folio cases may also include extra features such as keyboards and trackpads.
Material
You can find iPad cases in a wide range of materials that vary in protectiveness, weight and style. The most common materials for cases include hard plastic and polyurethane, though you can find several others. Plastic and polyurethane cases are known for their durability and protective qualities, while other materials may offer more stylish looks.
What to look for in a quality iPad case
Compatibility
Apple’s iPads are made in different sizes, so it’s important to choose a case compatible with your generation. The standard iPad has remained the same size since the iPad 2, so as long as you have a newer generation than that, it will fit with a range of cases. Apple’s iPad Pro, Air and Mini models differ in size from each other and older generations, so it’s important to check what version and generation your case is designed for.
Adjustable stand
Most iPad cases include a stand, while premium cases include multiple positions to adjust the stand to. Most buyers prefer a case with an adjustable stand because they let users customize the tablet’s angle to work best, no matter where they are.
Features
Other features to look out for include tools such as keyboards and trackpads. These are great tools for professionals on the go, or others who often use a keyboard and trackpad. Another common feature found on iPad cases is storage for the Apple Pencil, which can be useful if you have the tool.
How much you can expect to spend on an iPad case
For most iPad cases, you can expect to spend around $20. You can buy cheap iPad cases for as low as $12, while high-end cases can cost over $150.
iPad case FAQ
Can iPad cases fit all iPads?
A. Cases for iPads aren’t universal. To choose the right case, you’ll need to measure your iPad, or base your purchase on the model of iPad you have — whether it’s the standard iPad, iPad Pro, iPad Air or iPad Mini. Standard iPads are the same size for generations 2, 3 and 4, while the newest generations of the iPad Air, iPad Pro and iPad Mini are all sized differently than their predecessors.
Are iPad cases compatible with the Magic Keyboard?
A. Most iPad cases are not compatible with the Magic Keyboard. Magic Keyboards act as cases themselves, though some buyers want something more protective to go along with the combination case. You can find a few products claiming to work with Apple’s Magic Keyboard, though the reviews reveal issues that you may or may not be able to put up with.
What’s the best iPad case to buy?
Top iPad case
What you need to know: This premium case includes a backlit keyboard and a trackpad, as well as four use modes using the adjustable kickstand.
What you’ll love: This ergonomic case is protective and the keyboard and trackpad are more responsive than others. In addition to its many standing positions, this iPad case includes an Apple Pencil storage slot.
What you should consider: Some found that the keyboard comes off a bit too easily.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top iPad case for the money
Fintie Faux Leather Rotating Case and Stand For iPad
What you need to know: This simple rotating case features an elegant faux leather material and lets users stand the iPad either vertically or horizontally.
What you’ll love: This case includes two landscape viewing angles and one portrait angle, as well as an Apple Pencil holder. It also includes an easy rotation mechanism for switching between orientations. This iPad case is available in 33 colors and designs.
What you should consider: This case is heavier than most others, and it doesn’t include a keyboard.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Otterbox Symmetry Series Clear Shell Case for iPad
What you need to know: This offers one of the more protective case designs, and its transparency makes it perfect for those wanting to see the iPad’s natural beauty.
What you’ll love: This case is about as protective as they come, and it includes a useful loop for storing the Apple Pencil. This works great with magnetic covers like the Smart Folio because of its removable spine and lack of screen coverage.
What you should consider: This case doesn’t cover the tablet’s screen, and it’s a lot thicker than other cases.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
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.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/tablets-accessories-br/best-microsoft-surface-tablet/
|
Which Microsoft Surface tablet is best?
Microsoft Surface tablets are often overlooked in favor of other traditional tablets, but they’re perfect for anyone who wants a lightweight device that can function as a laptop.
Microsoft Surface tablets are high-powered and excellent for all kinds of computing tasks. There are several models, but Microsoft Surface Pro 8 is the best of them all, thanks to its dazzling display and ultra-fast processor.
What to know before you buy a Microsoft Surface tablet
Screen size
Although they’re marketed as two-in-one devices, Microsoft Surface tablets primarily function as tablets. They’re designed to be sleek, lightweight and portable, so they don’t have the screen sizes you typically see on laptops.
The average tablet screen size is 9-13 inches, but Surface tablets are only available in 10-inch and 13-inch models. A larger screen is better for working or streaming movies and TV shows, but it’s not as lightweight or thin as a small screen.
Software
Microsoft Surface tablets all come with the Windows 11 operating system preinstalled. It allows them to function similarly to traditional PCs and is usually the preferred software for those who use their device for work or intensive school projects.
If you’re used to using a different operating system, you might find it challenging to transition to Windows 11, as there’s somewhat of a learning curve for anyone unfamiliar with it.
Battery life
Tablets are meant to be used from viable power sources, so they should last a long time in standby mode. It depends on the duration and type of usage, but a quality tablet lasts around 8 hours on a full charge. Applications vary in power consumption, so naturally, programs that require more will drain a tablet’s battery faster.
What to look for in a quality Microsoft Surface tablet
Storage
While many laptops use hard disk drives for storage, all Surface tablets use solid-state drives. Accessing files on an SSD is faster, making them ideal for tablets.
If you plan to use your tablet for simple tasks like browsing or streaming content, you can opt for a tablet with 64 or 128 gigabytes of storage. However, if you want to use your tablet for work or school, the more storage you have to work with, the better, making models with 256GB or higher more suitable.
Once your tablet’s SSD storage capacity is full, you’ll have to delete or move files if you want to store other data.
Processor
A fast central processing unit is crucial for running applications that require lots of power. You don’t need to worry about this if you plan to use your tablet for light tasks, but it’s an important consideration for anybody looking to use their device for running high-powered programs. However, be advised that the more powerful a tablet’s processor, the more expensive it is.
Random access memory
The more random access memory a device has, the more applications you can run simultaneously without noticing a performance decrease. 4GB of RAM is sufficient for simple browsing and running light applications, but high-powered computing tasks require a minimum of 8GB of RAM to run efficiently.
How much you can expect to spend on a Microsoft Surface tablet
Because of the many different specs that can be customized, the price of a Surface tablet can vary greatly. The entry-level model of the Surface Go 3 is the cheapest at $400, while the Surface Pro 8 with the most high-end specs goes for $1,999.
Microsoft Surface tablet FAQ
Can Surface tablets connect to LTE networks?
A. All models can connect to the internet through Wi-Fi, but some also have cellular/LTE network capabilities for using the internet while on the go. However, you’ll have to contact a network carrier and purchase a data plan if you wish to do so.
Is the Surface Pen accessory necessary?
A. It’s not necessary whatsoever, but it makes games and tasks such as note-taking and drawing on your tablet much more accessible.
What’s the best Microsoft Surface tablet to buy?
Top Microsoft Surface tablet
What you need to know: It’s hands-down the best Surface tablet, as it boasts the best battery life, graphics and delivers superior performance for all kinds of tasks.
What you’ll love: The base model of this tablet comes equipped with 8GB of RAM, 256GB SSD and an Intel Core i5 processor. It has a stunning 13-inch touchscreen display, a kickstand, offers a 120Hz frame refresh rate and supports Fast Charging.
What you should consider: Some find the 8GB of RAM on the base model insufficient for an expensive, high-end tablet.
Where to buy: Sold by Staples and Amazon
Top Microsoft Surface tablet for the money
What you need to know: If you don’t mind sacrificing a bit of processing power, this tablet is an excellent budget-friendly alternative to the Pro 8.
What you’ll love: The base model of this tablet has 4GB of RAM, 64GB SSD and an Intel Core i3 processor. It lasts 8.5 hours on a full charge and has a 10.5-inch touchscreen display, making it lightweight and suitable for traveling.
What you should consider: The screen size is great for streaming media but not as good for those looking for a fully functional computing device.
Where to buy: Sold by Staples and Amazon
Worth checking out
What you need to know: It’s an excellent mid-level tablet with less processing power than the Pro 8 but with similar specs in most other areas.
What you’ll love: The entry-level Pro X model comes with 8GB of RAM, 128GB SSD and a Microsoft SQ1 processor. It’s fast enough for effective multitasking, and although it has a 13-inch display, it’s lightweight, thanks to a 7.3-millimeter thickness design.
What you should consider: Some complained it’s not compatible with many popular programs.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
Kevin Luna 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.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/health-wellness-br/nutrition-br/premier-protein-shake-vs-fairlife-protein-shake/
|
Which protein shake is best: Premier or Fairlife?
A protein shake after an exhausting workout can be highly beneficial. Protein is the most critical macronutrient required for efficient muscle recovery, so getting enough of it is crucial if you exercise or lift weights often.
If you’re trying to decide which protein shake is right for you, Premier and Fairlife are two popular brands you should consider. Both supplements contain significant amounts of protein and other vitamins and nutrients, but the right one for you depends on your body and fitness goals.
Premier protein shake
Premier protein shakes are a great way to supplement your post-workout diet and boost the muscle recovery process, letting you get more out of your workouts and potentially see results faster.
Premier incorporates plenty of protein and other vital nutrients and vitamins in their products, making them an excellent snack or post-workout recovery supplement.
Premier protein shake pros
One serving of a Premier protein shake contains 160 calories and 30 grams of protein, which is more than even most whey isolate protein powders, which usually have 20-28 grams per serving. There are also many essential amino acids, including 6.6 grams of branched-chain amino acids, which are vital for significant muscle recovery and growth.
They have just 1 gram of sugar per serving and are available in 12 low-fat flavors. From chocolate to vanilla to coffee, every flavor is gluten-free, soy-free and appropriate for keto, bariatric and kosher diets. It’s also worth noting that the coffee flavor contains caffeine and that a handful of flavors can substitute for coffee cream.
Premier protein shakes come in ready-made bottle-size servings as well as in a protein powder for mixing at your leisure. It’s up to your preference, but it’s important to note that the premixed drinks contain more sugar per serving than the powder.
Premier protein shake cons
Although Premier shakes contain 24 vitamins and minerals, they don’t have enough nutrients to serve as viable meal replacements. They’re suitable as snacks in between meals and as post-workout supplements only.
Premier shakes also contain a high amount of protein, which can be unnecessary and even harmful if you’re already getting enough of it from your regular diet in the form of healthy whole foods. Also, they contain artificial sweeteners, and if you’re lactose-intolerant, you’re going to want to steer clear of Premier protein shakes.
Fairlife protein shake
Fairlife protein shakes are an excellent workout supplement for those looking to boost muscle recovery following rigorous exercise. They’re light, so you won’t feel too full after drinking one, making them an acceptable snack as well.
Fairlife protein shake pros
The original Fairlife Nutrition Plan shakes have the same protein as Premier shakes at 30 grams per serving. It contains just 150 calories per serving, so it’s 10 fewer than the ready-made Premier protein shakes. In terms of nutrients, it has nine essential amino acids and several vitamins and minerals such as vitamin D, calcium and potassium.
These shakes have plenty of protein, and their low-carb formula makes them an excellent supplement for those seeking to lose weight while maintaining a solid muscle frame. They’re made with ultra-filtered milk, giving them a smooth, creamy texture that’s delicious.
Also, unlike Premier protein shakes, Fairlife shakes are suitable for anybody who’s lactose-intolerant.
Fairlife protein shake cons
They only come in seven flavors, but some users argue that it doesn’t taste as good as other comparable shakes. They’re also pricey, so you might get more bang for your buck with Premier shakes. Also, there isn’t as much diversity in terms of products as with Premier protein products.
Should you get Premier or Fairlife protein shakes?
Both Premier and Fairlife protein shakes work well as workout supplements since they both have plenty of protein and amino acids necessary for muscle recovery. They both also have vitamins and minerals that make them suitable as meal supplements or daytime snacks.
Fairlife shakes are easier on the stomach since they’re lactose-free, so while Premier shakes are also light, Fairlife is arguably the better choice for those following strict diets. However, Premier shakes are available in more unique flavors, so you can try different ones until you find one you like.
Ultimately, both shakes will give you a protein boost sufficient enough to aid in the muscle recovery process, especially if you exercise or lift weights consistently. Although Fairlife shakes have more calories and protein per serving, making them slightly better for those with muscle-building goals, Premier shakes are low in fat, so they’re excellent for anyone looking to lose weight.
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
Kevin Luna 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.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/health-wellness-br/supplements-br/best-natural-testosterone-booster/
|
Which natural testosterone boosters are best?
Testosterone is a naturally occurring hormone that aids in the development of both male and female secondary sex characteristics. But in addition to these actions, testosterone also plays a role in the development of bone and muscle mass, as well as promoting fat loss and increasing overall health and well-being. For people who struggle with low testosterone levels, a natural testosterone booster can help.
Force Factor Test X180 Ignite Total Testosterone Booster is specifically formulated to increase energy levels while recovering from injury or illness. It’s a good place to start to treat low T.
What to know before you buy a natural testosterone booster
Dose
Testosterone boosters gradually improve the symptoms of low T over 30 to 60 days, but you’ll need to get the correct dose.
It’s important to talk to your doctor before you begin supplementation to make sure it’s a good choice for you. In general, follow the dosing guidelines on your supplement. Each will be different depending on the ingredients and the focus of the supplement.
Symptoms
Natural testosterone boosters utilize different formulations designed to address specific symptoms of low testosterone.
These might include:
- Insecurity and low self-esteem
- Depression
- Weight gain
- Thinning bones
- Decreased muscle mass
- Changes in mood
- Insomnia
- Sexual dysfunction
- Decreased libido
- Infertility
Because testosterone production naturally decreases by as much as 1% per year every year after age 30, some of these symptoms can start to appear in younger people. Look for natural testosterone boosters that specifically address the symptoms you are experiencing.
What to look for in a quality natural testosterone booster
Active ingredients
Look for active ingredients that are proven to increase testosterone production and relieve symptoms of low T.
These include:
- Ginger: Among other actions, ginger reduces oxidative stress and boosts production of testosterone. Ginger is also anti-inflammatory and may aid in recovery after injury.
- Rhodiola: Rhodiola suppresses cortisol production and can relieve mood disorders (i.e., anxiety and depression) linked to low T.
- Tongkat ali: Also known as tung saw, longifolia, pasak bumi, eurycoma and longjack, this herb can boost testosterone levels and relieve symptoms of aging.
- Horny goat weed: Chinese medicine refers to horny goat weed as yin yang huo. It’s used to increase blood flow to the genitals. Women may also take it but phytoestrogens in the plant can lead to bone loss and should be used with caution.
- Ashwagandha: This powerful adaptogen has been shown in double-blind trials to relieve fatigue, increase vigor and promote sexual and psychological well-being in men with the symptoms of low T.
- Fenugreek seed: Clinical reviews of fenugreek seed and its effect of testosterone found that it dramatically increased testosterone production and improved libido.
- Tribulus terrestris: Tribulus terrestris is best used with other plants to boost testosterone production. It is important to note that some supplements of this plant have been found to be contaminated with steroids.
No fillers
Look for supplements that contain no fillers or binders. Some of these substances are relatively harmless, like starches, but others come with long chemical names and compositions that can affect the performance of other active ingredients.
Non-GMO
Non-GMO active ingredients are chemical-free and the best choice for a natural testosterone booster. They are also preservative-free and have no toxins that can be harmful with long-term use.
Third-party tested
Because supplements are not regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration, it’s important that whichever one you choose has been third-party tested for best practices in manufacturing, processing and packaging.
No allergens
At a minimum, your supplements should be free of common allergens like corn, gluten, dairy or soy. If you are limiting or restricting animal products, look for a vegan or vegetarian label.
How much you can expect to spend on a natural testosterone booster
A month’s supply will cost $9-$50, depending on the potency of the booster.
Natural testosterone booster FAQ
How long does it take to see results?
A. Improving your health with natural supplements is good for your body, but it may take a while to see results. When starting with natural testosterone boosters, allow yourself at least 30 to 60 days on the supplement to see if there are any changes.
If you don’t see any changes, you may need to try another supplement or increase the dose. Talk to your doctor if you have any concerns.
Are natural testosterone boosters safe?
A. Whenever you add a supplement to your diet, it’s important to talk to your doctor. They can help you determine what supplement might work best for your symptoms and verify that there will be no drug potential interactions.
That said, although natural testosterone boosters are generally recognized as safe, the risk of side effects is always present.
These might include:
- Increased aggression
- Acne
- Digestive upset
- Hair loss
- Abdominal pain
- Allergies to active ingredients
- Development of breasts
Severe side effects are rare and vary depending on the active ingredients.
What’s the best natural testosterone booster to buy?
Top natural testosterone booster
Force Factor Test X180 Ignite Total Testosterone Booster
What you need to know: This option uses fenugreek seed and green tea extract to increase energy and libido.
What you’ll love: This includes a wide variety of trusted and tested ingredients to naturally increase testosterone levels, including green coffee beans, oat straw and horny goat weed. Two capsules provide the recommended serving of 400 milligrams.
What you should consider: For best results, you’ll need to pair this with a protein supplement.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and iHerb
Top natural testosterone booster for the money
Bull Blood Ultimate Natural Testosterone Booster
What you need to know: It’s a high-potency supplement that’s great for those new to testosterone supplementation and long-time users.
What you’ll love: This focuses on increasing stamina, size and performance. It includes horny goat weed, L-arginine, maca root and other natural ingredients. It’s made from non-GMO ingredients and is manufactured in a cGMP-compliant facility.
What you should consider: Some people experience disrupted sleep.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
LifeSeasons Masculini-T Testosterone Support for Men
What you need to know: These provide some immediate relief from the effects of low T.
What you’ll love: It contains tribulus, longjax, muira puama, maca and fenugreek to support increased testosterone production naturally. It’s focused on increasing stamina, relieving brain fog, and boosting energy.
What you should consider: You’ll need to take one capsule three times a day.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
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.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/home-br/decor-br/best-green-wreath/
|
Which green wreath is best?
A green wreath has a classic aesthetic that will never go out of style. Its somewhat traditional design looks nice with many decor schemes. Whether you’re buying one for a specific holiday or for an entire season, you can find a green wreath that suits your tastes.
If you’re in need of the perfect green wreath, consider the Three Posts 24-Inch Red Berries, Pine Cones and Holly Leaves Lighted Wreath. Classic details like holly leaves and red berries give this wreath a look that’s strongly evocative of the holiday season.
What to know before you buy a green wreath
Natural vs. artificial
Live green wreaths will die after a few weeks or, at the most, a couple of months. They can also be quite expensive. While natural wreaths have a limited display time and they’re less affordable than artificial leaves, they offer certain benefits artificial wreaths do not. The pine-branch scent unique to live green wreaths is a top priority for some people and an aspect they are not willing to forgo. And to other people, even the most well-made synthetic wreaths can’t compete with the natural look of live wreaths.
That said, an exquisitely designed and constructed artificial green wreath can masterfully mimic the aesthetic of a natural wreath. Look for materials like silk, which create a more lifelike effect than materials like plastic. Synthetic wreaths also cost less than live wreaths. And you can display them year after year, because they’ll never die.
Year-round vs. seasonal
You might want to display your green wreath year-round or for the entirety of the winter, spring, summer or fall season. If this is the case, avoid wreaths with holiday-specific accents like ornaments, holly berries and mistletoe. Look for design details like ribbons, florals and white string lights instead.
Lit vs. unlit
Speaking of string lights, some green wreaths are pre-strung with them. And not just Christmas wreaths. The main benefit of a lighted wreath is the cheerful glow of the lights on the wreath itself and the surrounding area.
What to look for in a quality green wreath
Fullness
If you want a larger-than-life look from your green wreath, you should choose one with full foliage. Put simply, this means the foliage is substantial in thickness and quantity. As a result, the hole in the center will be smaller. If you prefer a more streamlined style, chances are good that you’ll favor sparse foliage.
Base material
The durability of a wreath is determined in large part by the material that composes the base. Wood and wire are used most frequently. Once the base has been constructed, pine boughs, wheat or straw are wound around it to provide camouflaging.
Type of foliage
The foliage used on a green wreath is determined by the style of the wreath. Leaves in bejeweled fall colors are perfect for autumn. Winter season-themed wreaths typically use pine boughs. And wreaths meant to display in the spring or summer often feature one or more varieties of flowers.
How much you can expect to spend on a green wreath
As stated above, natural wreaths are priced higher than artificial wreaths. A live green wreath might cost you anywhere from $80 to upward of $125. Synthetic wreaths range from $20-$100 in price.
Green wreath FAQ
What kind of design details look nice on a green wreath?
A. While the season ultimately determines the design details used, some are universal. These elements include leaves, fruit, ribbon, string lights and flowers. If you wish to display the wreath in the winter season, you might want to consider a green wreath embellished with white flocking that imitates snow.
What’s the best way to hang a green wreath?
A. You’re no longer limited to using nails to hang your wreath, although this is certainly an option. Instead, you might want to consider brick hangers, command hooks, suction cups, over-the-door wreath hangers or magnetic wreath hangers.
What’s the best green wreath to buy?
Top green wreath
Three Posts 24-Inch Red Berries, Pine Cones and Holly Leaves Lighted Wreath
What you need to know: Finished with design details that epitomize the winter holiday season, this wreath is festive yet understated.
What you’ll love: Faux red berries, pine cones and holly leaves trim the pine branch tips of this seasonal wreath. A light dusting of flocking imitates snowflakes, creating a wintry effect. Fifty pre-strung white LED lights emit a warm glow, welcoming family and friends to your home. The timer turns off the lights for you.
What you should consider: Quality-control issues with shipping were cited by a few buyers, who reported the wreath arrived bent out of shape.
Where to buy: Sold by Wayfair
Top green wreath for the money
The Holiday Aisle 17-Inch Pine, Magnolia and Apple Plastic Wreath
What you need to know: Red apples add a pop of color to this mini wreath, which is versatile enough to display all winter long.
What you’ll love: If you’re seeking a green wreath that has unique design details, consider this petite one. Artificial magnolia leaves and apples differ from the foliage used in the design of most wreaths. They give the wreath a look that’s suitable for the entirety of the winter season.
What you should consider: At least one buyer felt the wreath didn’t look realistic, and they were also disappointed in its small size.
Where to buy: Sold by Wayfair
Worth checking out
Greyleigh Gold Ornaments, Gold Leaves and Pine Cones Elegance Lighted Wreath
What you need to know: Sparkling gold accents inject this wreath with rich hues that elevate the design to elegant effect.
What you’ll love: Glittering gold artificial leaves with a cutout design, along with gold ornaments and pinecones embellished with a gold finish, make this wreath glamorous. The simplicity of the lines and the deep green hue of the pine branches ground the aesthetic keep it sophisticated. One hundred clear white LED lights provide a cheerful glow.
What you should consider: A handful of buyers felt the wreath looked different in real life than it did in the image online.
Where to buy: Sold by Wayfair
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
Megan Oster 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.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/home-br/vacuums-br/shark-vacuum-review-can-this-vacuum-tackle-fur-and-other-pet-related-messes/
|
Shark vacuum review
Pets bring much to our lives — including extra messes. Pet parents need vacuums that have the added power necessary to clean up hair, dander and dirt trodden in on paws, and even though a heavy-duty vacuum cleaner can do the trick, it isn’t always necessary.
Shark claims its Rocket Pet Plus Corded Stick Vacuum offers power and versatility in a lightweight package. The company says it can tackle dirt deeply embedded in carpets and makes cleaning stairs and upholstery easy in the handheld mode.
We tested the Shark Rocket Pet Plus to see if there’s truth to these claims and if this vacuum is worth the buy.
Testing the Shark Rocket Pet Plus Corded Stick Vacuum
At BestReviews, we know that testing out a product for a couple of hours isn’t the same as using it day in, day out. That’s why we send products to our group of testers to use them over an extended period, test out the manufacturer’s claims and see how they really perform.
We sent the Shark Rocket Pet Plus to a tester who lives in a three-bedroom home with a short-haired dog. Our tester usually uses a Dyson V8 Animal vacuum, so they were able to compare it to another big brand. They tried it out for two weeks before reporting their findings.
What is the Shark Rocket Pet Plus Corded Stick Vacuum?
The Rocket Pet Plus is a stick vacuum, which is a type of lightweight vacuum cleaner. We found it extremely lightweight and modern compared to traditional upright vacuums. It converts into a hand vacuum for smaller cleaning tasks, stairs and upholstery. It’s also specifically designed as a pet vacuum and comes with a range of tools to make it easier to clean up after pets.
Shark Rocket Pet Plus Corded Stick Vacuum price and where to buy
The Shark Rocket Pet Plus costs around $180 and is available at Amazon.
How to use the Shark Rocket Pet Plus Corded Stick Vacuum
We found this Shark vacuum extremely easy to set up. It comes in three parts: the body, the stick and the cleaning head. All you need to do is fit one end of the stick to the body and the other end to the cleaning head and you’re ready to go. You can also set it up as a handheld vacuum by attaching the cleaning head or another cleaning tool directly to the body without the stick.
As it’s a corded vacuum, it must be plugged into an outlet before you can start vacuuming. It has just two modes to choose from, labeled I and II: I is a less powerful mode that we used for hard floors and II is a more powerful mode that we used for carpeted areas.
Shark Rocket Pet Plus Corded Stick Vacuum benefits
Maneuverability
We found this lightweight vacuum highly maneuverable. We had no problems navigating around furniture and squeezing the cleaning head into tight corners to get the best clean possible. It was just as lightweight and easy to maneuver as the Dyson V8 Animal, although lacking the convenience of being cordless.
Suction power
The suction power was good and we experienced no issues cleaning up the hair from a short-coated dog on both carpets and hard flooring. There’s an indicator light that turns red if there are any clogs, so it’s easy to solve issues that might affect suction power as they arise.
Cleaning modes
You can select between two cleaning modes. Mode I is a standard powered mode, while mode II gives you an extra boost. Although mode I is supposed to be for hard floors and mode II for carpet, we found both worked well for carpets and hard floors, so it’s more dependent on whether you need extra power.
LED headlights
The LED headlights illuminate your cleaning path to help you see dirt. This is especially useful in low-light conditions or for cleaning under furniture.
XL dust cup
While it isn’t as large as the dust cups you’d find on upright vacuums or in canister models, it has a large capacity for a stick vacuum, so you don’t need to empty it too often while cleaning. We found it easy to empty, especially when you remove the body of the vacuum from the stick.
Handheld mode
The handheld mode is great for tackling stairs, upholstery and for spot cleaning. It’s easy to convert into a hand vacuum and back into its regular configuration again, so it’s not a huge ordeal if you want to switch modes during a cleaning session. You can use the regular cleaning head or the other cleaning attachments in handheld mode.
Shark Rocket Pet Plus Corded Stick Vacuum drawbacks
Power cord
Although the power cord is long enough to vacuum large rooms without unplugging it and moving to another outlet, it’s still a pain to switch outlets when you clean your whole home and to coil it up when you’re done. We must say we prefer the convenience of a cordless vacuum, but many buyers are happy to stick with corded options to save money.
Loudness
This is a loud vacuum cleaner. We had the TV playing in the background while cleaning, and it was inaudible over the sound of the vacuum. The lower-powered mode I is somehow louder than the higher-powered mode II.
Top-heavy
We didn’t like the fact that it’s so top-heavy that you can’t leave it standing up if you take a break from cleaning. Even the best stick vacuum has this problem, so it isn’t unique to this one. However, some have sticks that fold in the center so they’ll balance standing or have rest notches to make leaning them easier, which are features this model lacks.
Should you get the Shark Rocket Pet Plus Corded Stick Vacuum?
It might not be the best Shark vacuum of all time, but the Shark Rocket Pet Plus is a good stick vacuum at an affordable price. If you’d rather not pay the premium for a cordless model, it’s an excellent choice, but some buyers long for the convenience of going cord-free. Of course, not every vacuum is right for every buyer, but this one is a solid mid-range option for homes with pets.
Consider other products
Black+Decker Powerseries Extreme Cordless Stick Vacuum
This cordless pet vacuum comes at a similar price to the Shark Rocket Pet Plus. It runs for up to 55 minutes on a full charge and has an anti-tangle brush roll for pet hair.
Sold by Amazon.
Dyson V8 Fluffy Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner
Thanks to its powerful motor, this vacuum makes light work of cleaning up after pets. It’s on the pricey side but worth the investment.
Sold by Amazon.
Shark Vertex Ultra-Lightweight Cordless Stick Vacuum
With an anti-allergen filter and a dedicated pet tool, it’s a great choice for homes with pets, plus there’s no cord to worry about.
Sold by Amazon.
Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Turbo Rewind Vacuum
If you don’t mind a bulkier upright design, this vacuum does an excellent job at removing pet hair from carpets and hard floors, with a reasonable mid-range price tag.
Sold by Amazon.
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
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.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/kitchen-br/coffee-accessories-br/best-coffee-maker-with-grinder/
|
Which coffee maker with a grinder is best?
The smell of fresh coffee is one of life’s greatest pleasures. What makes it even better is a coffee maker with a grinder that grinds the beans as you need them for perfect flavor every time.
When you can’t decide whether you want to have coffee or espresso, the Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine is a good choice for both.
What to know before you buy a coffee maker with a grinder
Type of grinder
A coffee maker with a grinder can come with one of two types of grinders: blade or burr.
- Blade: Blade grinders are the most economical choice and the simplest to operate. Two or more blades spin to grind the coffee. These blades get the job done, but they can produce inconsistent results. Some coffee beans come out finely ground, while others might remain nearly whole.
- Burr: Grinders are the choice of coffee connoisseurs. Two abrasive grinding surfaces called burrs rub the coffee together between them to grind it. This type of grinder is more expensive, but the results are more consistent and produce a delicious cup of coffee every time.
Drip coffee vs. espresso
Once you decide which type of grinder you want your coffee maker to include, you’ll need to decide whether you want drip coffee or espresso. This is largely a matter of preference, but it’s also a matter of time. Drip coffee can be made with less hands-on time, but espresso requires more attention.
In addition, drip coffee makers make hot coffee for a crowd, but espresso makers can only produce enough for one or two drinks at a time. Espresso is stronger and may not be to the taste of casual coffee drinkers.
Capacity
The capacity of your coffee maker varies depending on whether or not it produces drip coffee or espresso, as well as the size of each of these machines. It’s possible to get a single-serve drip coffee maker with a built-in grinder, and you can also find espresso machines that pull two or more shots at once.
Which you select depends on the number of coffee drinkers in your household, plus the amount of counter or storage space you have. Large espresso machines take up more real estate than a simple drip coffee maker.
What to look for in a quality coffee maker with a grinder
Grind settings
When you’re investing in a coffee maker with a grinder, make sure it has enough grind settings to suit your tastes and the coffee you’re making. If you aren’t particular, a single grind setting may work for you, but for those who like to vary the strength of their coffee, look for different settings such as extra-fine, fine, medium, medium-coarse and coarse. These allow you to customize the strength and flavor of your brew.
Carafe
Carafes are most common with drip coffee makers. Coffee brews directly into a carafe, which keeps it hot for hours. The benefit of a carafe is that the coffee won’t continue to cook on a heated plate.
Timer
There’s nothing quite like waking up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee. The best coffee makers with grinders come with a timer that can be programmed the night before to freshly grind beans and brew coffee before you get out of bed.
Auto shutoff
The auto shutoff feature is great for those days when you sleep through the alarm (and the sound of coffee grinding). It’s a safety feature that also protects your coffee from burning and ruining the pot.
Water filter
High-quality coffee makers use filtered water to preserve the subtle flavors of the coffee without interference from any minerals or additives in tap water. If you don’t want to use bottled water to make coffee, look for a coffee maker that features a built-in water filter.
How much you can expect to spend on a coffee maker with a grinder
The price range for coffee makers with grinders is wide and depends on the type of coffee you make, the grinder and other features. Expect to spend $70-$600 or more.
Coffee maker with grinder FAQ
Do freshly ground beans really make a difference?
A. Yes. Different coffee varieties have subtle differences in flavor and even texture that are lost when beans are ground and prepackaged in the grocery store. These grocery store ground coffee beans can be months old, and even sealed, they begin to lose their subtle flavor quickly. Grinding only the amount of beans you need each day for coffee ensures that the freshness, flavor and aroma of your coffee is preserved.
Grinding your own coffee at home also allows you to control the fineness of the grind so you can customize your cup to your specific tastes.
How do you store coffee beans?
A. Coffee beans begin to deteriorate in the presence of moisture, air and light. To keep them fresh longer, invest in an opaque, airtight canister. Store this canister in a cool, dark place (i.e. a cabinet or the top shelf of your fridge). Don’t leave coffee beans out on the counter or next to the stove. The light and heat will cause them to break down quickly.
Without storage in an airtight container, your coffee beans will only last for a week or two before losing their flavor.
What’s the best coffee maker with grinder to buy?
Top coffee maker with grinder
Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine
What you need to know: This produces coffee shop-quality espresso drinks in your own kitchen.
What you’ll love: The temperature is easy to control for perfect brewing every time. The grinder is easy to operate and clean, and this machine comes with both drip coffee and espresso capabilities. It also has a hot water dispenser and an automatic shutoff.
What you should consider: Plastic parts inside the machine make this less sturdy than its commercial counterparts.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Sur La Table
Top coffee maker with grinder for the money
Black + Decker 12-Cup Mill and Brew Coffeemaker
What you need to know: This machine is easy to use and produces a delicious cup of coffee.
What you’ll love: The filter and grinder are integrated for mess-free brewing. It also takes already-ground coffee, if needed. You can customize the strength of your brew with simple programming, and the automatic shutoff feature is available. This is good for a crowd, with a 12-cup capacity.
What you should consider: If you break the carafe or any other parts, you need to order directly from the manufacturer.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
Worth checking out
Cuisinart DGB-400 Automatic Grind & Brew Coffeemaker
What you need to know: This coffee maker works well in small kitchens.
What you’ll love: Coffee beans are ground just before brewing for the freshest cup of coffee. It can be programmed for a hands-off morning cup.
What you should consider: There’s only one grind size.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
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.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/sports-fitness-br/baseball-softball-br/wood-vs-aluminum-vs-composite-baseball-bats/
|
How to choose the best baseball bat for your needs
Unless you play Major League Baseball, you have a choice when it comes to picking the material for your bat. Your options are wood, aluminum or composite. Each of these materials provides the player with a distinct set of advantages. Each also has an inherent set of drawbacks.
When shopping for a baseball bat, you must consider what your needs are and match the type of bat to those needs. A wood bat still has its place, even though aluminum and composite bats offer a performance advantage.
Wood baseball bats
Because of safety (and other) issues, the MLB only uses ash, birch and maple bats. If you want to play like a pro, this would be your bat of choice. It honors tradition and offers a little more safety, although a pair of quality batting gloves will come in handy to reduce the sting.
Wood baseball bats pros
- From a budget perspective, wood bats are appealing because of their lower cost.
- Wood bats are the best bat for training because they provide the most feedback. This helps the player improve their swing mechanics.
- Wood bats are safer because the bat doesn’t increase the ball’s velocity like other materials.
Wood baseball bats cons
- Wood bats break more easily than aluminum or composite bats.
- The sweet spot on a wood bat is smaller than it is on the other options.
- Wood bats are the heaviest type of bat, which means they are harder to swing and may be smaller in size, so they won’t provide as much plate coverage.
Best wood baseball bats
The Big Stick is certified for MLB play. It is made of maple and employs a heavier barrel, making it ideal for power hitters.
Sold by Dick’s Sporting Goods
Louisville Slugger Series 3X Ash Bat
This bat is from a trusted name in baseball. It is made of ash and has a natural finish. The large sweet spot and lighter weight make this a favorite.
Sold by Dick’s Sporting Goods
Wilson Sporting Goods Louisville Slugger
This 27-inch wood bat is cupped for reduced weight. The black design features red lettering so your bat is sharp looking and easy to identify.
Sold by Amazon
Aluminum baseball bats
Aluminum bats were introduced to college baseball in the early ’70s to cut down on the rising costs of replacing broken wood bats. Besides being more durable, aluminum is lighter than wood and provides more pop when hitting a ball. However, aluminum bats are not without their downsides.
Aluminum baseball bat pros
- Aluminum bats are best when they are new — there is no break-in period required.
- Aluminum bats have a larger sweet spot, which makes them ideal for a beginner who is having trouble hitting with any sort of power.
- Aluminum bats have a trampoline effect. When the bat makes contact, some of the energy is transferred to the ball, making it travel farther and faster than a ball hit by a wood bat.
- The lighter weight of an aluminum bat means they can be longer and larger, giving the player greater plate coverage and a faster swing.
Aluminum baseball bat cons
- Although an aluminum bat will rarely break, it can lose its pop over time. The more imperfections the bat gains from hitting balls, the more its performance deteriorates.
- Aluminum bats cost slightly more than wooden bats, but they are less than composite bats.
- With an aluminum bat, there is less feedback sent to the batter, so it can be harder for a beginner to develop proper swing mechanics.
Best aluminum baseball bats
Louisville Slugger Omaha USA Youth Bat
The Omaha USA youth bat features a one-piece construction. It feels solid in the batter’s hands and offers enhanced energy transfer. It has a cushioned leather grip for increased comfort and control.
Sold by Dick’s Sporting Goods
The lightweight construction of this bat gives the player increased speed, letting them get more power behind their swing. It has a cushioned grip and is approved for all associations that follow the USA Baseball standard.
Sold by Dick’s Sporting Goods
This affordable aluminum bat is for entry-level T-ball players. The ultralightweight design is suitable for ages 7 and under. It has a large sweet spot to deliver greater satisfaction and foster confidence.
Sold by Amazon
Composite baseball bats
A composite baseball bat is made of carbon fiber. These crystalline filaments are thinner than a strand of human hair but become remarkably rugged when twisted together. It is a lightweight material that has incredible strength. Some composite bats are made from a single piece of material, while others are two-piece items: a handle and a barrel. A two-piece bat is better for the average player because it doesn’t transfer as much vibration to the hands after a solid hit. Advanced players with greater speed and power, however, may opt for one-piece bats.
Composite baseball bat pros
- Composite bats are the lightest baseball bats available. This lets manufacturers make longer bats without increasing the weight so players have greater plate coverage.
- Since most composite bats have a two-piece design, they are less likely to sting a player’s hands.
- Composite bats have a larger sweet spot, which makes them best for inexperienced players.
- Over time, the trampoline effect increases on a composite bat.
Composite baseball bat cons
- Composite bats are not as durable as aluminum bats, and it is possible to break them.
- Compost bats cost more than wood bats and aluminum bats.
- A composite bat is not ready to go out of the box. You need to break it in. This process takes anywhere from 150 to 300 hits.
Best composite baseball bats
Louisville Slugger Meta BBCOR Bat
This is a high-end composite bat that is best for the serious player. It features a large barrel with a balanced design and a comfortable yet secure grip.
Sold by Dick’s Sporting Goods
Easton Ghost X Hyperlite Youth Bat
This composite bat from Easton is 29 inches long but only weighs 18 ounces. It has a large sweet spot and a balanced swing weight that makes it a good choice for beginners.
Sold by Amazon
This bat is available in five sizes ranging from 27-31 inches. It features an ultralightweight design to help young players succeed. The lower price adds value.
Sold by Dick’s Sporting Goods
Should you get a wood, aluminum or composite baseball bat?
For the average player, an aluminum bat wins out because it offers the best of all worlds. It has a large sweet spot, a lightweight design, and it is available at a reasonable price. However, if you have an unlimited budget, a composite bat might edge out an aluminum bat. A composite bat won’t help you hit the ball farther, but the larger barrel and lighter weight design could up your batting average. For players who want to perfect their swing mechanics, however, there is no better option than using a wood bat at practice.
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
Allen Foster 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.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/sports-fitness-br/basketball-br/best-basketball-hoop/
|
Which basketball hoop is best?
Imagine playing basketball with your friends only to find that a group of kids has already taken over your favorite court. You’ll never face this dilemma again if you have a hoop at home.
If you want a high-quality basketball hoop for your driveway, the Silverback In-Ground Basketball Hoop is worth your attention. It’s an arena-style hoop made with durable steel and delivers elite performance thanks to its tempered glass backboard and breakaway rim.
What to know before you buy a basketball hoop
Location
You’re going to need ample space to work with if you want a basketball hoop for your home. Driveways are a popular location for hoops, and they’re also the safest since you can put one close to your house. It’s recommended to do so, especially if you have small children, as there’s less chance that the ball will roll or bounce onto the street.
Hoop type
There are three types of home basketball hoops: in-ground, portable and mounted.
In-ground hoops are placed into the ground with cement, so they’re more of a long-term or permanent option. Portable hoops are the most versatile since you can move them around easily, and they have bases that need to be filled with water or stand to stay in place. Both hoop types have mechanisms for adjusting height, so they’re both excellent options for young players who are still growing physically.
Mountable hoops are usually placed on walls or over garage doors. They’re the least expensive option, but unfortunately, they don’t have as many features as in-ground or portable hoops. For example, if you have the space to do so, you must remove a mounted hoop and relocate it to adjust the height.
Playability
If all you want to do is shoot around occasionally, you can save yourself a few dollars by going with a mountable hoop if you have somewhere to put it. However, if you want something that can last you for years and help you or your child develop as a player, a portable or in-ground hoop is the better option. They’re more durable and are engineered with advanced metrics to deliver a professional-level experience.
What to look for in a quality basketball hoop
Backboard size
Small backboards make for an easier target and are designed for children learning to play the game. Backboards with a width of 32 to 48 inches are considered youth sizes and are usually cheaper than hoops with larger backboards. 48 to 52 inches is considered regulation-size and the best option for adults and experienced players.
Backboard material
The backboard can be tempered glass, polycarbonate or acrylic. Tempered glass backboards are the most expensive as it delivers the best bounce and is used for backboards across all competitive levels. Polycarbonate and acrylic backboards are durable and less delicate than tempered glass, making them excellent options for portable hoops.
Height adjustability
The basketball hoops used in the National Basketball Association are 10 feet high, and while that’s the height teenagers and adults should be playing with, younger players need lower nets. As they grow and develop, you can adjust the hoop’s height based on your strength and skill level. Also, lowering the height on a portable hoop can make storage easier.
How much you can expect to spend on a basketball hoop
You can find youth portable and mountable basketball hoops for $100-$300, but if you’re looking for a regulation-size in-ground or portable hoop, it can cost you anywhere from $500-$2,000.
Basketball hoop FAQ
Can in-ground hoops be moved?
A. Some newer in-ground hoops come with goals that can change their orientation and detachable upper portions. However, removing an in-ground hoop can be complicated and requires professional assistance.
Is it better to use water or sand to fill a portable hoop base?
A. Water is more convenient, but sand is denser, so it’s more reliable and adds more weight. More weight means less shifting or shaking, which can be common once water leaks or evaporates from the base.
What’s the best basketball hoop to buy?
Top basketball hoop
Silverback In-Ground Basketball Hoop
What you need to know: This in-ground hoop has sturdy, powder-coated steel construction and offers gymnasium-style performance.
What you’ll love: It’s height adjustable between 7.5 and 10 feet and boasts a tinted tempered glass backboard. It can be unbolted to move around the net’s orientation and has a flexible breakaway rim. Also, it comes with a backboard pad and a five-year limited warranty.
What you should consider: Many customers report that it shakes too much on missed shots.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top basketball hoop for the money
Lifetime 52-Inch MVP Portable Basketball Hoop
What you need to know: It’s an excellent driveway hoop for those who want something easy to maneuver and light on the wallet.
What you’ll love: The backboard isn’t as large as an arena-style basketball hoop, but it’s shatterproof, and at 52 inches, it’s enough for casual pick-up games. It’s adjustable between 7.5 and 10 feet and has a high-quality rim flexible rim.
What you should consider: Assembly isn’t complicated, but it can be time-consuming, even with quality tools.
Where to buy: Sold by Dick’s Sporting Goods
Worth checking out
Spalding The Beast Glass Portable Basketball Hoop
What you need to know: This is a high-quality hoop with premium features you wouldn’t find on other portable models.
What you’ll love: It has a sturdy alloy-steel frame, a 54-inch tempered glass backboard, and a screw jack lift for easy height-adjusting. The base has four wheels and can be filled with water or sand.
What you should consider: Some reported that the base leaks if filled with water and that sand works best to avoid this.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
Kevin Luna 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.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
https://www.cbs42.com/reviews/br/tools-br/best-backpack-leaf-blower/
|
Which backpack leaf blower is best?
If you have a yard or patch of land, you may have some difficulty dealing with leaves in the fall. Smaller yards with fewer trees usually clean up easily with a handheld leaf blower. But if you have a large plot that has plenty of foliage, you might want to consider investing in a backpack leaf blower. These handy devices can significantly cut your workload. And there are a number of worthwhile options in every price range.
The best backpack leaf blower for most consumers is the Echo PB-580T due to its budget-friendly price, performance, weight and reliability.
What to know before you buy a backpack leaf blower
They’re perfect for large jobs
Since backpack leaf blowers are considerably more powerful than handheld models, you won’t have to walk as much. They transfer the bulk of the weight to your back, hips and legs instead of your shoulders and arms.
Most importantly, they let you work on your entire property without being tethered to an electrical outlet. It’s this versatility that makes backpack leaf blowers the go-to choice for contractors and commercial lawn care outfits.
Noise factor
Backpack leaf blowers pack more power than handheld models because it has an internal combustion engine. One of the biggest issues with this is how much noise it makes. Four-cycle backpack leaf blowers are usually in the neighborhood of 70-80 decibels, and two-cycle models can easily exceed 90 decibels. Aside from wearing proper ear protection, you’ll need to consider noise level regulations. Some communities have laws prohibiting the use of lawn power tools that exceed 65 decibels.
Fuel blend
Most backpack leaf blowers have two-cycle engines, which use a combination of gasoline and motor oil. It’s extremely important to remember to use this blend since the wrong mixture could wreck your leaf blower. Most use a fuel-to-oil blend, but this can vary based on the model. Take time to review the manufacturer’s instructions carefully to ensure you use the right formula.
What to look for in a quality backpack leaf blower
Airspeed and cubic feet per minute
Both velocity and volume are important considerations. They’re related but not necessarily correlated. These factors vary depending on the design of the specific model and brand. If you want a truly effective backpack leaf blower that can handle a good amount of space, look for leaf blowers with a velocity of nearly 200 mph or more and at least 500 CFM in volume.
Throttle position
The leaf blower’s throttle control location is a subtle but important detail. Most users find that tube-mounted throttles are more convenient and comfortable to use. Leaf blowers with hip-mounted throttles tend to be slightly less expensive, but that depends on the brand. Ultimately, the choice will come down to your personal preference.
How much you can expect to spend on a backpack leaf blower
The most affordable backpack leaf blowers cost just over $200. The best options for private landowners are in the $500-$700 range. Those with landscaping businesses that do multiple jobs a week might want to invest in even more expensive models, some up in the thousands.
Backpack leaf blower FAQ
Are battery-powered backpack leaf blowers worth it?
A. Not really. If you have enough land and debris to need a backpack leaf blower, there aren’t battery-powered models that will last long enough to complete the job. To be clear, some systems allow you to strap high-powered, long-lasting batteries to your back for running specific leaf blowers, but they cost over $1,000.
What’s the best safety equipment for using a backpack leaf blower?
A. Wear work boots with plenty of traction as well as durable pants and long-sleeve shirts. These are important basics when working with any potentially hazardous tools. In addition, you should also use other safety equipment when using a commercial-grade leaf blower, such as protective glasses, earmuffs, earplugs and work gloves. All of these will keep you safe and ensure you’re protected while you’re using this heavy-duty equipment.
What’s the best backpack leaf blower to buy?
Top backpack leaf blower
What you need to know: It combines the performance of a commercial leaf blower with a consumer-friendly cost and lightweight design.
What you’ll love: It’s powerful enough to satisfy homeowners with large plots and plenty of brush. Echo is a well-respected manufacturer, so it’s an investment you can trust. It boasts a maximum airspeed of 215 mph and weighs just over 22 pounds.
What you should consider: One of its few drawbacks is that you can’t adjust or repair the carburetor.
Where to buy: Sold by Home Depot and Amazon
Top backpack leaf blower for the money
What you need to know: This relatively affordable option doesn’t sacrifice power or comfort.
What you’ll love: It’s one of the rare options that is less than $300 and still offers long-lasting effectiveness. It’s about as light as they come and significantly more powerful than a handheld mode.
What you should consider: It doesn’t quite have the same kind of power that many lawn care professionals need.
Where to buy: Sold by Home Depot
Worth checking out
What you need to know: Put simply, this four-cycle model is a beast of a leaf blower.
What you’ll love: It has more raw power and speed than just about any other option. Plus, since it uses a four-cycle motor, the sound it makes isn’t quite as painfully loud as others. If you need premium performance for professional jobs, this one is a great choice.
What you should consider: While it outperforms much of the competition, it may be too much power for the average homeowner.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
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.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.cbs42
|
20220401
|
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.