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The most rain in St. Louis in more than 100 years reports over 10 inches in under five hours. The rains caused flash flooding — closing major roads and leaving many stranded in their cars on roads.
Copyright 2022 NPR
The most rain in St. Louis in more than 100 years reports over 10 inches in under five hours. The rains caused flash flooding — closing major roads and leaving many stranded in their cars on roads.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.wunc.org/2022-07-26/many-were-stranded-on-roads-when-historic-rains-flooded-st-louis | 2022-07-26T23:36:59Z | https://www.wunc.org/2022-07-26/many-were-stranded-on-roads-when-historic-rains-flooded-st-louis | false |
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Over the weekend, the World Health Organization declared monkeypox as a public health emergency and asked for a worldwide effort to contain the outbreak.
“It can start like a little red spot,” CDC HIV Prevention Director Demetre Daskalakis said while describing monkeypox.
“It can become a pimple then it becomes a bigger pimple, and then eventually the pimple breaks. It becomes a scab and then it’s covered over with skin,” Daskalakis said.
The disease is spread by close contact, and at this point, mostly affects men who have sex with men. But it is not just a sexually transmitted disease, as anyone in close contact with someone who’s infected is at risk. The World Health Organization says the monkeypox outbreak has become a significant threat to global health.
“So it’s really important for general information to go out about how monkeypox transmits and what the disease looks like,” Daskalakis said.
According to the CDC, more than 3,400 cases are confirmed in the U.S. Those who contract monkeypox will experience a fever, severe muscle aches, exhaustion, and will eventually develop the rash. The White House says it is doing its part to address the health crisis both at home and abroad.
“First, is to dramatically scale up procurement, production and distribution of vaccines. Second, is to significantly expand access to testing” White House COVID Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha said.
The CDC encourages Americans at risk and those in close contact with them, to get the monkeypox vaccine, once the FDA approves additional doses and it becomes more available. | https://www.localsyr.com/washington/washington-dc/white-house-cdc-take-steps-to-deal-with-monkeypox-outbreak-as-w-h-o-declares-public-health-emergency/ | 2022-07-26T23:37:09Z | https://www.localsyr.com/washington/washington-dc/white-house-cdc-take-steps-to-deal-with-monkeypox-outbreak-as-w-h-o-declares-public-health-emergency/ | false |
It was a stunning image: Pope Francis briefly wearing a full Indigenous headdress, its rows of soft white feathers fastened in place by a colorful, beaded headband after he apologized for the Catholic Church’s role in Canada’s “disastrous” residential school system for Indigenous children.
Chief Wilton Littlechild, a residential school survivor himself, gave Francis the headdress Monday, placing it on his head amid cheering by an audience in Maskwacis, Alberta, that included many school survivors.
The Vatican and the pope clearly appreciated the gesture: Francis kissed Littlechild’s hands after receiving the headdress, something he has done in the past as a sign of respect for Holocaust survivors, and has done on this trip for residential school survivors.
The Vatican obviously understood the symbolic significance of the moment, putting the photo on the front page of the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano under the headline “I humbly beg forgiveness.”
Headdresses historically are a symbol of respect, worn by Native American war chiefs and warriors. For many Plains tribes, for example, each feather placed on a headdress has significance and had to be earned through an act of compassion or bravery. Some modern-day Native American leaders have been given war bonnets in ceremonies accompanied by prayers and songs.
Not everyone was pleased by Littlechild’s action. Some members of Indigenous tribes said they found the gesture incongruous with the past transgressions at church-run schools that Francis apologized for.
Russ Diabo, a member of the Kahnawake Mohawk tribe in Canada and an Indigenous advocate and policy analyst, described the scene as “pageantry” and the pope’s statements as “facile.”
Diabo said on Twitter it was “the Catholic Church and Canada collaborating in creating a mythology for a shared ‘Reconciliation’ agenda narrated by prominent federal collaborators/residential school survivors!”
“I have so much to say about this, and all of it negative,” tweeted Joe Horse Capture, vice president of native collections and curator of Native American History and Culture at the Autry Museum of the American West in Los Angeles.
“I am practicing ‘If you can’t say anything positive, don’t say anything at all’ mantra. But I’ll be honest, it’s difficult!,” added Horse Capture, a member of the A’aniiih Nation.
Maka Black Elk, executive director of Truth and Healing at Red Cloud Indian School in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, described the scene on Twitter as “a #toosoon moment.”
“The discourse around the #PopeFrancis headdress is unfortunate,” wrote Black Elk. “He did not request that. It wasn’t his fault. But it’s also clear the givers did not consider how it would make other Indigenous people feel.”
Black Elk said later in a telephone interview that the mixed reaction to the headdress being placed on the pope’s head “reflects the reality of native people and our need for more dialogue” about the past.
“I do think that Chief Littlechild felt it was important to honor this moment, and this was a significant moment,” he added.
A spokeswoman for Littlechild didn’t immediately respond Tuesday to a message seeking comment.
But Keeshon Littlechild used a Facebook post to defend his grandfather for giving Francis one of his own many headdresses.
“Bugs me to see people bashing my grandfather and I understand how much respect is needed to be gifted one but at the end of the day that was him showing the pope respect for coming all the way to maskwacis to apologize,” he wrote.
Jon Crier, a First Nations elder and residential schools survivor, said during a news conference after the apology that the gesture meant tribal leaders “adopted him as one of our leaders in the community.
“It’s an honoring of the man, it’s an honoring of the work he has done and it’s also recognizing … here’s a man that belongs in our tribe,” Crier said.
Marie-Anne Day Walker Pelletier, former chief of Okanese First Nation, told CTV, “I thought it was pretty cool. The chief of all chiefs now I guess.”
—-
Nicole Winfield and Peter Smith in Maskwacis, Alberta, and Rob Gillies in Toronto contributed reporting. Snow reported from Phoenix.
——
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. | https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/national/a-toosoon-moment-pope-in-headdress-draws-mixed-response/ | 2022-07-26T23:37:28Z | https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/national/a-toosoon-moment-pope-in-headdress-draws-mixed-response/ | false |
A man who attacked police officers with poles during the riot at the U.S. Capitol was sentenced on Tuesday to more than five years in prison, matching the longest term of imprisonment so far among hundreds of Capitol riot prosecutions.
Mark Ponder, a 56-year-old resident of Washington, D.C., said he “got caught up” in the chaos that erupted on Jan. 6, 2021, and “didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”
“I wasn’t thinking that day,” Ponder told U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, asking her for mercy before she sentenced him to five years and three months in prison.
That was three months longer than the prison sentence requested by prosecutors. And it’s the same sentence that Chutkan gave Robert Palmer, a Florida man who also pleaded guilty to assaulting police at the Capitol.
More than 200 other Capitol riot defendants have been sentenced so far. None received a longer prison sentence than Ponder or Palmer.
Chutkan said Ponder was “leading the charge” against police officers trying to hold off the mob that disrupted Congress from certifying President Joe Biden’s electoral victory.
“This is not ‘caught up,’ Mr. Ponder,” she said. “He was intent on attacking and injuring police officers. This was not a protest.”
Chutkan has consistently taken a hard line in punishing Capitol rioters. She has handed down terms of imprisonment to all 13 riot defendants who have come before her, matching or exceeding the Justice Department’s sentencing recommendation in every case, according to an Associated Press review of court records.
Prosecutors had recommended a five-year prison sentence for Ponder, who has been jailed since his arrest in March 2021.
In April, Ponder pleaded guilty to an assault charge punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Federal sentencing guidelines called for a prison term ranging from nearly five years to just under six years, but Chutkan wasn’t bound by those recommendations.
More than 100 police officers were injured during the riot.
Defense attorney Joseph Conte said Ponder was “caught up in the madness that was January 6.” Conte asked for a sentence below the guidelines range.
Ponder swung a pole at a Capitol police officer on the Capitol’s West Plaza, breaking it against the officer’s shield. After retreating into the crowd, Ponder grabbed a sturdier pole colored in red, white, and blue stripes. He used it to assault two other officers, hitting one of them in the left shoulder, before police detained and handcuffed him.
Outnumbered officers released Ponder because they couldn’t get a police vehicle to transport him. They told him to leave the Capitol, but Ponder stayed and joined a mob of rioters clashing with police at a tunnel.
Capitol Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell, one of the officers assaulted by Ponder, said the force of Ponder’s blow shattered his shield.
“It was horrific,” Gonell said during Ponder’s sentencing hearing. “That particular day will impact me for the rest of my life.”
After his arrest, Ponder told FBI agents that he typically supports police but viewed the officers as “part of the problem” that day.
“At some point in time, the way this country is going, you gonna have to pick a side,” he said, according to prosecutors.
Ponder attended the “Stop the Steal” rally on Jan. 6 to hear then-President Donald Trump’s speech and to “peacefully protest the results of the election and the lack of attention to alleged voting irregularities,” Conte wrote in a court filing.
“He did so with no intent to do anything but add his voice to the vocal protests over the injustice he perceived had happened in the election,” the attorney added. “Unfortunately, he got caught up in the riotous atmosphere of the crowd and erroneously perceived the police as standing in the way of the crowd’s desire to protest the election results.”
Ponder has a substantial criminal record spanning three decades, including a 2008 conviction for bank robbery, according to prosecutors.
More than 840 people have been charged with federal crimes for their conduct at the Capitol on Jan. 6. Over 350 riot defendants have pleaded guilty or been convicted by a jury or a judge after trials.
More than 220 of them have been sentenced, including approximately 100 who received a term of imprisonment. Ponder is the 15th to be sentenced to a prison term exceeding one year.
The prison sentences for Ponder and Palmer may not be the lengthiest for much longer. Prosecutors are seeking a 15-year prison sentence for Guy Reffitt, a Texas man who was convicted of storming the Capitol with a holstered handgun. U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich is scheduled to sentence Reffitt on Monday. | https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/political-news/mans-63-month-prison-term-matches-longest-for-capitol-riot/ | 2022-07-26T23:39:59Z | https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/political-news/mans-63-month-prison-term-matches-longest-for-capitol-riot/ | false |
SÃO PAULO, July 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Telefônica Brasil - (B3: VIVT3; NYSE: VIV), announces its results for 2Q22.
Acceleration of the customer base evolution leads to double-digit revenue growth
Net Operating Revenue grew 11.1% YoY (or +7.6% YoY when excluding the effect of the Oi Mobile acquisition) led by Mobile Service Revenue which increased 15.1% on a yearly comparison (or +9.4% YoY when excluding the effect of
the Oi Mobile acquisition). Revenue increase was driven by the accelerated expansion of the customer base growth, which now has 114 million total accesses, due to the incorporation of Oi Mobile and solid organic growth in the quarter. Handset revenue had a robust increase of 26.4% YoY, given the larger portfolio of smartphones and accessories at Vivo's stores.
We added 4,671 thousand postpaid accesses with the acquisition of Oi Mobile. However, our organic growth also presented solid additions of 1,361 thousand new accesses this quarter. Core services subscribers account now for 93.1% of all accesses, a 2.9 p.p. YoY increase.
Vivo reached 5.0 million (+24.8% YoY) homes connected with FTTH. Currently, Vivo's FTTH coverage is available in 354 cities (+13 cities in 2Q22), with 21.0 million homes passed.
Core fixed revenue (+10.8% YoY), now corresponds to 73.3% (+6.0 p.p.) of our Net Fixed Revenue (+1.7% YoY). This growth relates to a 23.7% YoY increase in FTTH Revenue, as we continue to expand our network and connect customers throughout Brazil. Core business revenue now represents 91.6% (+2.9 p.p.) of total revenues.
Recurring Total Costs grew 12.9% YoY, slightly above inflation (IPCA-12M), which increased 11.9%.
Recurring EBITDA totaled R$4,578 million (+8.3% YoY) in 2Q22, with a Recurring EBITDA margin of 38.7%.
Free Cash Flow after Leases reached R$ 2.2 billion this quarter (+15.5% YoY).
TELEFÔNICA BRASIL – Investor Relations
Christian Gebara
David Melcon
João Pedro Carneiro
Gabriel Figueiredo Menezes
ir.br@telefonica.com
To download the complete version of the Company's earnings release, please visit our website: http://www.telefonica.com.br/ir
View original content:
SOURCE Telefônica Brasil S.A. | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/07/26/2q22-results-telefnica-brasil-sa/ | 2022-07-26T23:40:16Z | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/07/26/2q22-results-telefnica-brasil-sa/ | false |
Appalachian State head coach Shawn Clark takes the podium at the 2022 Sun Belt Conference Football Media Days at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel on July 26, 2022, in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Photo courtesy of AJ Henderson | Sun Belt Conference
One word was commonly used by coaches and players alike to describe the Sun Belt East Division — gauntlet.
During the opening session of the 2022 Sun Belt football media days in New Orleans, Louisiana, teams from the highly touted East division shared their thoughts on the upcoming season, which features four new Sun Belt teams: Marshall, James Madison and Old Dominion in the East and Southern Miss in the West.
The 2022 Sun Belt Conference football preseason polls were released Monday afternoon, and league coaches chose Appalachian State as the clear-cut favorite to win the East with the Mountaineers grabbing 10 of 14 first-place votes.
Coastal Carolina received two and Georgia State and Georgia Southern each received one vote.
When App State head coach Shawn Clark took the podium at media day, the Charleston native didn't put much stock into that preseason poll, saying the Mountaineers will have to play at a high level in order to compete for a championship in what has become a loaded division.
"In my humble opinion, I think it's the toughest group in the Sun Belt, toughest in the Group of 5 conferences when you add teams like Marshall and Old Dominion, James Madison it's really good for our conference," Clark said.
The Mountaineers have gone 19-7 in two seasons with Clark at the helm and played for the Sun Belt Conference title last season, falling to Louisiana, the West division winner.
Since the introduction of the Sun Belt Conference football championship game in 2018, the Mountaineers have played in three of the four, establishing themselves as force to be reckoned with in the conference, especially after claiming the championship outright in 2018 and 2019.
To get back to that, Clark will have to rely on the aspect of their game that has done wonders for the team, and that runs in his blood as a former offensive line coach — running the football.
"Our DNA is our ability to run the football and protect on defense," Clark said. "I do believe you have to run the ball to win championships. We're going to get back to our DNA and do what we do and we'll have a chance to win."
The only year Appalachian State hasn't appeared in the Sun Belt football championship game was 2020, where they came second in the East division behind Coastal Carolina who was named co-champion with Louisiana since the game couldn't be played due to COVID-19.
"The East (division) was already challenging and then you add JMU, Marshall and ODU in there. That's a gauntlet right there," CCU coach Jamey Chadwell said. "That's made it, from my perspective, the toughest division in the Group of 5 and we're looking forward to the challenge."
In the East this season, Coastal Carolina was picked to finish second, Georgia State third and Marshall fourth. Fellow Sun Belt newcomers James Madison and Old Dominion were picked to finish sixth and seventh respectively.
"Where the chips fall is where they fall but we still have to play the games on Saturdays," Marshall head coach Charles Huff said. "I think it shows this conference is a very good conference, a very deep conference with several good programs in it."
Luke Creasy is a reporter for The Herald-Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @LukeCreasy or reach him by phone at 304-526-2800.
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McDonald's customers shrug off higher menu prices as revenue jumps
Video above: Some surprising facts about McDonald's that you probably didn't know
McDonald's has been raising menu prices and customers are eating it up.
Sales at McDonald's U.S. restaurants open for at least 13 months jumped 3.7% in the second quarter, the company said Tuesday.
That growth was driven by higher menu prices and "value offerings" on its regular menu as well as through its app, according to McDonald's.
Restaurant chains have been raising their menu prices as inflation soars, both because their own costs are rising and they see that customers are not shying away from paying more. But consumers could push back eventually, so McDonald's is taking baby steps.
"We're taking smaller, more frequent price increases because it gives us the flexibility to be able to see how consumers are reacting and then adjust if or when necessary," said CFO Kevin Ozan during an analyst call Tuesday.
"Even though we're pushing through pricing, the consumer is tolerating it well," CEO Chris Kempczinski noted. That's in part because McDonald's has lots of lower-cost value options. "We're still doing very well from a value score standpoint," he said.
Video above: McDonald’s estimates how much closing in Russia will cost the company
Ozan noted that some McDonald's customers, particularly those with lower incomes, are avoiding combo meals and opting for value items instead. That could be a cheaper menu item or a limited-time deal.
McDonald's also has been offering some freebies to customers, provided they are part of the brand's loyalty program and order through the McDonald's app. Earlier this month, for example, the chain gave away free fries to those customers in honor of "National French Fry Day." Late last year, the brand partnered with Mariah Carey to give away freebies to app users.
And McDonald's has had success with its celebrity meals platform, which allows customers to order favorite items of musicians and other stars they admire.
Customers may also feel like they're getting a better value at a fast-food joint because they're spending so much more at the supermarket. Grocery prices jumped 12.2% in the year ending in June, not adjusted for seasonal swings, according to data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics earlier this month. In that period, menu prices grew a relatively modest 7.7%.
"Food at home has increased pricing significantly faster than what ... McDonald's and others in our industry have done," said Kempczinski Tuesday. "I don't know what the impact of that is. But certainly, we expect that there is some benefit."
Consumers may eventually pull back spending, however, especially as more people feel like the U.S. is in a recession.
During the call, Kempczinski noted that consumer sentiment is weak in Europe. "That's one area of concern," he said. | https://www.wvtm13.com/article/mcdonalds-customers-shrug-off-higher-menu-prices-as-revenue-jumps/40722942 | 2022-07-26T23:41:11Z | https://www.wvtm13.com/article/mcdonalds-customers-shrug-off-higher-menu-prices-as-revenue-jumps/40722942 | false |
What is pickleball and why is it so popular in Battle Creek?
Battle Creek Pickleball Club helping to grow the sport on refurbished courts at Kellogg Community College
The tennis courts have never been so busy.
But few are playing tennis.
As you drive by the Kellogg Community College tennis courts and see all the people gathered there, look a little closer. It is not tennis balls they are hitting. Those are pickleballs.
And pickleball has become a growing sensation in Battle Creek and throughout the area in recent years.
The Battle Creek Pickleball Club is one of the driving forces giving people the opportunity to experience the sport. With the KCC courts at near capacity on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, and even Tuesday and Thursday nights, the Bruin tennis facility hasn't seen this much action in years.
"We play regular in the mornings on those days and some nights. We even have a Tuesday morning session for ladies only that is kind of for beginners," said Donald Bouchard of the Battle Creek Pickleball Club. "I don't keep track exactly, but in a given week, I would say you probably have 300 to 350 hours of pickleball being played on these courts and maybe 20 or 30 hours of tennis."
A story in The New Yorker said pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports in the country. During the pandemic, more than a million Americans picked up the activity, pushing the total of players to around five million in the U.S., the story said.
The Battle Creek club has been playing pickleball for nearly a decade, going back to when they would put their own tape down on the court before eventually getting permission to paint the courts themselves. For several years, they would bring their own temporary posts and nets to play on courts that would revert back to tennis after they were done.
In recent years, KCC has done its part to help grow the sport. The school has created new pickleball opportunities in spaces that used to hold tennis, with freshly-painted courts and permanent posts. Now nearly half of the KCC courts are no longer useful for tennis with posts in the middle of the serving area, but it has created a new way for the school to reach out to the community.
""KCC is part of the fabric of the community and we are glad to provide a space for our pickleball friends to enjoy a fun, safe, healthy activity on our North Avenue campus in Battle Creek," KCC spokesman Eric Greene said. "Some people have played pickleball at KCC for many years and it has been exciting to watch the sport grow and thrive."
So what is pickleball?
Think of it as a combination of tennis and table tennis, if the players were standing on the table. It is a smaller court, with wooden paddles and softball-sized wiffle balls. The ball moves slower than its tennis counterpart, there isn't as much room to cover by the players and often it is done in a doubles format — making for even less need for running.
All of that lends itself to being a great game for older athletes, but that isn't necessarily always the case.
"We get a lot of former tennis players," said BCPC member Joyce Ashdon, who is still playing her in her 80s. "They call it old people tennis, but we get young people, too."
Bouchard followed, "It's a much smaller court and we hardly ever play singles, so then it makes the area you are in even smaller. You maybe sprint a few steps, each time, maybe three steps to hit the ball.
"We don't need to have too much running, you fall down and get hurt," Bouchard added, only half joking.
The Battle Creek Pickleball Club is a group of enthusiasts with a common interest and a drive to have the game available. There is an unofficial fee of $2 expected when you show up to play pickleball during the club's designated times, which has helped buy equipment as needed and, in the past, the nets and the posts.
Most of the time, the action is just for recreation. But once a year, the club does keep track of scores for about eight weeks and hands out, "a silly trophy," Bouchard said.
"And, we have a board, but other than that, you don't sign up to be part of the club. You just show up and play," Ashdon added. "We help organize the games some, too. And we mix it up, men and women playing together, put four new people on a court for a new game, or have winners stay, with two new players.
"Part of the club, too is we are always trying to get the word out. Would like to have more people come out and we think Battle Creek is missing the boat. We could have big tournaments here and have people come from outside the area as well."
Club or not, having pickleball available to play allows for groups of people to enjoy some camaraderie and exercise in a fun way. On this weekday morning, six courts were in use with 24 people playing and a half-dozen pickleballers waiting their turn.
"I think what brings everybody out is that it's just fun," Bouchard said. "When I first started playing, I would come home and my wife would ask who won. I would say, I don't know, it was unimportant. Do I remember good shots and good games? Yeah. Do I remember bad shots? Yeah. But mostly it's just fun.
"If you come down when we are playing, just listen. You will notice there is a lot of laughing going on. A lot of good people having fun."
Contact Bill Broderick at bbroderi@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow him on Twitter @billbroderick. | https://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/story/sports/2022/07/26/what-pickleball-and-why-so-popular-battle-creek/10116105002/ | 2022-07-26T23:46:04Z | https://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/story/sports/2022/07/26/what-pickleball-and-why-so-popular-battle-creek/10116105002/ | false |
Google results avoid disaster, with search ads topping Wall Street targets
Google parent Alphabet Inc on Tuesday posted quarterly sales close to Wall Street targets, sending shares up on relief that the world's biggest seller of online advertising had avoided the deep disappointment of rivals including Snap.
Sales from Google's search ad business actually topped expectations, while revenue from YouTube ads, cloud computing and Alphabet's "other bets" unit all came in lower than anticipated, according to data from FactSet and Refinitiv.
Shares of Alphabet were up 3% in after-hours trade after rising as much as 4.3% following the results.
"Despite the underwhelming quarter, expectations were so low that investors blew a sigh of relief," said Jesse Cohen, senior analyst at Investing.com.
Alphabet reported second-quarter revenue of $69.69 billion, 13% higher than the year-ago period, and nearly in line with the average expectation of $69.88 billion among investment researchers tracked by Refinitiv.
The company also barely missed sales expectations in the first quarter. It last missed estimates in consecutive quarters in 2015.
Rising wages as well as rising prices of fuel and other items have forced some ad buyers this year to pare marketing, including even ads on internet services such as Google that served as an essential link to consumers during pandemic lockdowns.
Last week, Snap Inc and Twitter Inc posted disappointing quarterly results, heightening concerns about the slowdown in ad spending. Snap shares plunged 25% following its results.
Big U.S. multinationals including Alphabet also are increasingly bringing in less cash when converting foreign revenue because of the strong dollar.
Alphabet said the currency affected sales growth by 3.7%, and that sales would have been close to $72 billion if not for currency swings. About 55% of the company's sales come from outside the United States.
The currency impact will be even greater in the third quarter, Alphabet Chief Financial Officer Ruth Porat told reporters, according to CNBC.
Google's ad business accounted for 81% of the quarterly revenue, with search ads generating $40.69 billion in sales, beating FactSet estimates of $40.15 billion.
"Google is relatively well positioned to weather the rough waters that lie ahead," Insider Intelligence analyst Evelyn Mitchell said.
In recent years, ad spending cuts have hurt social media companies more than Google. It brings in revenue through a greater variety of functions in the ad market, and search ads can be easier for customers to generate since they often include just text.
Clients sometimes prioritize search ads given that they can drive better returns because the marketing is typically directed at people actively searching for related items.
Sales from Google Cloud of $6.3 billion missed analysts' target of $6.4 billion and YouTube ads also fell short, coming in at $7.3 billion against estimates of $7.5 billion, according to FactSet data.
Overall profit was $16 billion, or $1.21 per share, compared with the average estimate of $1.29 per share. Alphabet's profit tends to be unpredictable due to sporadic gains or losses - at least on paper - in the stakes it holds in many startups.
Investors look more closely at ratios of costs to sales.
With investors accustomed to gross profit margins as high as 60%, Google, like many of its peers, recently began slowing hiring in some units to better manage expenses.
But at the same time, Alphabet is moving forward with expanding its cloud computing footprint, building out new offices and bringing its Google Fiber internet service to new communities.
Other factors are motivating concerns about a potential sales slowdown. Amid scrutiny from antitrust regulators on five continents, Google is taking a smaller cut from sales of apps developed by outside software makers.
Google suspended sales in Russia due to the war in Ukraine, and YouTube's ad revenue has fluctuated as its options for advertisers grow and wane in popularity.
Still, within the $602 billion global online ad industry, Google is expected to maintain market share of 29%, or the biggest share for the 12th straight year, according to Insider Intelligence.
Earlier this month, Google lost out on a major new sales partner when Netflix Inc said it had chosen Microsoft Corp's ad technology to help with its first foray into placing ads on its streaming video service.
Alphabet shares have fallen over 27% so far this year, more than the overall S&P 500 index. Alphabet split its stock 20-for-1 on July 15, briefly helping boost shares before the results from Snap and Twitter sent them falling.
Meta Platforms Inc, which through Facebook and Instagram owns the second-biggest online advertising service, reports earnings on Wednesday. Its shares rose 1.6% on Tuesday after Alphabet's results.
(Reporting by Nivedita Balu in Bengaluru and Paresh Dave in Oakland, Calif. Editing by Anil D'Silva, Peter Henderson and Matthew Lewis) | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11051379/Google-parent-Alphabets-small-sales-miss-eases-recession-worries.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | 2022-07-26T23:48:07Z | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11051379/Google-parent-Alphabets-small-sales-miss-eases-recession-worries.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | false |
US teacher sentenced to 14 years for traveling to Russia with cannabis
(CNN) – A United States teacher was caught with marijuana in Russia and sentenced harshly.
The case has struck some comparisons to WNBA star Brittney Griner’s case. But, Marc Fogel’s family said he isn’t getting the same treatment from diplomats.
The last moment of freedom for Fogel was caught on surveillance video at a Russian airport. He was heading back to Moscow last August for his 10th year of teaching the children of U.S. diplomats.
Airport personnel went through Fogel’s bags just minutes before he was detained for carrying cannabis into the country.
Fogel’s sister, Anne Fogel, said no one in his family has heard his voice since. His family has only gotten letters written in Russian.
“He says what he wants in English, someone translates for him, one of his cellmates, and depending on how good their English is is how accurate of a picture we get of what is happening,” Anne Fogel said. “It’s very convoluted and it’s incredibly worrisome because we can’t really have an honest conversation. Everything goes through the censors. It’s harrowing.”
Marc Fogel was convicted of smuggling drugs into Russia and sentenced to 14 years in prison in a high-security penal colony last month.
His family and lawyers have said he was carrying cannabis for medical reasons to treat chronic back pain.
“He made a terrible mistake by taking medical marijuana into Russia,” Anne Fogel said. “But 14 years in a hard labor camp is essentially a death sentence for him. He’s 61 years old and he has a very long history of spinal injury.”
The circumstances of his detention have some similarities to the arrest of Brittney Griner. However, Griner was declared wrongfully detained by the state department less than three months after her arrest.
Marc Fogel’s family is still waiting for action to be taken.
“He is wrongfully detained. There’s no question about it,” Anne Fogel said. “This is an outrageous, outrageous sentence.”
State Department spokesman Ned Price said they are continuing to learn more about the circumstances of Marc Fogel’s detention.
“We are always weighing those developments against the criteria to determine whether an American is wrongfully held or not,” he said.
While Marc Fogel was carrying about 20 grams of cannabis, which is much more than Griner had, his American lawyer said that his sentence can’t be explained without there being a political motive.
“This is a person who has served the American diplomatic community in schools all over the world for well over the majority of his career,” Anne Fogel said. “I need my president and first lady to stand up for him. He needs to come home.”
Marc Fogel’s family continues to push the department to deem him wrongfully detained. Doing so would launch the Biden administration to engage in negotiations to bring him home.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.weau.com/2022/07/26/us-teacher-sentenced-14-years-traveling-russia-with-cannabis/ | 2022-07-26T23:48:16Z | https://www.weau.com/2022/07/26/us-teacher-sentenced-14-years-traveling-russia-with-cannabis/ | false |
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A new scam affecting restaurants nationwide has made its way to Kansas. The Monarch in Wichita’s Delano district is the first known restaurant in the sunflower state to be affected by scammers saying they will leave bad reviews unless they are compensated. Jennifer Ray, the Monarch’s owner, said she was concerned when she got two threatening emails last week.
“This is the first time that I’ve had to deal with something like this. So it was it’s scary,” said Ray.
Scammers are sending threatening emails to restaurants demanding payment in the form of gift cards or crypto in return for not bombarding the establishments’ social accounts with dozens of 1-star reviews.
“Everything that anyone says about us online is super impactful. Obviously, we’ve worked really hard to maintain a really great reputation here in town and to see that get threatened really it really is worrisome,” added Ray.
Bill Ramsay is a technology expert. He says it’s only a matter of time before this starts happening to other businesses.
“They’ve got a multitude of hacked accounts that they’re using to go in and create these reviews,” mentioned Ramsay.
So what defense do local establishments have?
“If these crooks are fulfilling their promises, and it looks like they actually have in several cases, you’re gonna have to combat the report the reviews, and then send a copy of what you’re getting showing that ‘hey, I was threatened and with one-star reviews and now this is what’s going on,'” continued Ramsay.
Ray said the swindlers have given her until Aug. 1 to pay up, but she says that won’t do any good.
“I think, at this point, we’re just going to have to wait and see,” mentioned Ray.
She has hired a local reputation management company to monitor reviews around the clock.
“I am confident that while this may be a hassle in the short term, overall, we’ll get it taken care of,” concluded Ray.
The Kansas Restaurant and Hospitality Association said it has warned its members of this scam and is working to see if anyone else in Kansas has been affected. | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/nationwide-restaurant-scam-targets-a-popular-wichita-eatery/ | 2022-07-26T23:50:57Z | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/nationwide-restaurant-scam-targets-a-popular-wichita-eatery/ | true |
WFO EL PASO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, July 26, 2022
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SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service El Paso TX
418 PM MDT Tue Jul 26 2022
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of west central
Hudspeth County through 500 PM MDT...
At 417 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 4
miles northwest of Finlay, moving northwest at 15 mph.
HAZARD...Winds in excess of 30 mph and penny size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Fort Hancock, Acala and McNary.
This includes Interstate 10 in Texas between mile markers 63 and 78.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
LAT...LON 3124 10583 3129 10587 3129 10590 3131 10591
3131 10593 3132 10594 3136 10595 3137 10598
3152 10590 3133 10560 3121 10566
TIME...MOT...LOC 2217Z 113DEG 14KT 3129 10569
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...30 MPH
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Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.milfordmirror.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-EL-PASO-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17330855.php | 2022-07-26T23:52:20Z | https://www.milfordmirror.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-EL-PASO-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17330855.php | false |
Critical audit findings accepted by Causeway Coast and Glens councillors
By Maria McCann
BBC News NI North East Reporter
- Published
Councillors have unanimously agreed to accept the findings and recommendations of a critical audit of land deals at Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.
The report, which was published earlier this month, said there were "significant failings".
It found two land transactions may not have been granted lawfully.
Councillors met for the first time on Tuesday to discuss the extraordinary audit.
One of the local government auditor's recommendations was that council should "take appropriate action" including referring senior officers to relevant profession bodies.
'This can't happen again'
The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) group leader John McAuley brought forward an amendment calling on the council to follow an already established disciplinary process as part of its response.
He added that council should seek "regular and detailed co-operation with the Local Government Staff Commission for Northern Ireland."
Independent councillor Padraig McShane told the special council sitting: "We need to look at how this can't happen again."
A separate notice of motion by Mr McShane calling on the chief executive to resign has been referred to the corporate policy and resources committee.
Sinn Féin's Leanne Peacock said: "The serious failings, and actions of officers, identified in the report are simply not acceptable and urgent action is required from council to right these wrongs."
Independent councillor William McCandless said he accepted there were "governance and procedural deficiencies" but questioned what the cost had been to the ratepayer "for all these audits that keep proving no criminality".
In response independent councillor Stephanie Quigley said: "The document is in black and white. We can no longer defend the indefensible."
Alliance Party councillor Chris McCaw said "public confidence has been eroded", while SDLP councillor Margaret Anne McKilliop said "those responsible must be held accountable".
At the time the audit was published, a spokesperson from Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council said: "Time will be required to fully assess the content and recommendations, and for council to consider the next steps.
"Council has already made changes to its land and property procedures and intends to comply with its obligations to ratepayers and stakeholders."
- 1 December 2020 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-62311535?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA | 2022-07-26T23:52:35Z | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-62311535?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA | false |
MILWAUKEE (AP) _ Zurn Water Solutions Corporation (ZWS) on Tuesday reported second-quarter profit of $36.4 million.
The Milwaukee-based company said it had profit of 28 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, were 32 cents per share.
The results beat Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of three analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 29 cents per share.
The motion control and water management company posted revenue of $284.2 million in the period, also beating Street forecasts. Three analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $278.8 million.
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This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on ZWS at https://www.zacks.com/ap/ZWS | https://www.ourmidland.com/business/article/Zurn-Water-Q2-Earnings-Snapshot-17330843.php | 2022-07-26T23:53:54Z | https://www.ourmidland.com/business/article/Zurn-Water-Q2-Earnings-Snapshot-17330843.php | true |
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WASHINGTON (AP) — With just days left in his tenure, the embattled director of the federal prison system faced a bipartisan onslaught Tuesday as he refused to accept responsibility for a culture of corruption and misconduct that has plagued his agency for years.
Bureau of Prisons Director Michael Carvajal, testifying before the Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, insisted he had been shielded from problems by his underlings — even though he’d been copied on emails, and some of the troubles were detailed in reports generated by the agency’s headquarters.
Carvajal, who resigned in January and is set to be replaced next week by Oregon’s state prison director Colette Peters, blamed the size and structure of the Bureau of Prisons for his ignorance on issues such as inmate suicides, sexual abuse, and the free flow of drugs, weapons and other contraband that has roiled some of the agency’s 122 facilities.
Carvajal said several times that the Bureau of Prisons, the Justice Department’s largest component with a budget of more than $8 billion — was a “very large and complex organization” and that there was “no possible way” for him to know everything that was going on.
Carvajal’s attempts to deflect responsibility for his leadership failings didn’t sit well with the subcommittee’s chairman, Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., nor its ranking member, Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., whose scrutiny of the Bureau of Prisons was spurred in part by Associated Press reporting that has exposed myriad crises at the agency.
Further aggravating the senators, Carvajal initially refused to testify, only doing so after the subcommittee subpoenaed him on July 14 — and then, upon arriving in the hearing room, claiming he was there voluntarily. Ossoff withdrew the subpoena immediately before Carvajal's testimony, only after the director appeared at the hearing.
“It’s almost willful ignorance, and that’s what I find disturbing,” Johnson said of Carvajal’s reluctance to own his mistakes. “Don’t want to know what’s happening below me. Don’t want to hear about rapes. Don’t want to hear about suicides.”
Added Ossoff: “It’s a disgrace. And for the answer to be other people deal with that. I got the report. I don’t remember. It’s completely unacceptable.”
Afterward, Carvajal ran from reporters seeking to speak with him about his testimony. The director, who’s declined nearly all interview requests since taking office in 2020, ducked into a freight elevator with aides before bolting down a stairwell once they realized reporters had followed them in.
Tuesday’s hearing, one of several promised by the subcommittee, focused on years of misconduct and abuse at a federal penitentiary in Atlanta, but the problems unearthed there speak to larger systemic issues in the Bureau of Prisons, such as severe staffing shortages, deficient health care and barely edible food.
The Atlanta prison, a 120-year-old relic in Ossoff’s home state, once housed some of the country’s most notorious criminals, including gangster Al Capone, James “Whitey” Bulger and Carlo Ponzi, the namesake of the “Ponzi Scheme.” Today, it's a crumbling, medium-security facility — no longer a penitentiary in the true sense of the term — with about 900 male inmates, including people awaiting trial.
Tuesday's hearing, which featured testimony from Atlanta whistleblowers prior to Carvajal’s questioning, came amid an AP investigation that has exposed widespread problems within the agency, including criminal employees, escaping inmates, a women’s prison known to staff and inmates as the “rape club” because of rampant staff sexual abuse, and critically low staffing that has hampered responses to emergencies.
Witnesses described what they said was known as the “Atlanta Way” — a culture that allowed misconduct at the prison to persist for years.
Carvajal told the committee he only learned of the prison’s problems last year and immediately took action, reducing the inmate population and removing dozens of managers. Despite that, the witnesses said, the facility is still in dire straits.
Ossoff said evidence obtained by the subcommittee's investigators showed agency leadership was made aware of problems at Atlanta as far back as 2014. Carvajal has been part a member of the agency's senior leadership since 2013.
Erika Ramirez, the Atlanta prison’s former chief psychologist, said she was transferred to a different federal prison out of retaliation after raising concerns about poor conditions and a rash of inmate suicides. Ramirez said she alerted the prison’s warden, other higher ups and the agency's headquarters, to no avail.
Ramirez said contraband issues were so prevalent that she confiscated a smuggled microwave from one inmate, only to find it in another prisoner’s cell just a few days later. She said she confirmed it was the same device when she saw the serial number, she said.
Ramirez said the mold-riddled prison had such shoddy infrastructure, elevators were constantly broken and the sewers would overflow into the recreation yard during rain storms, sometimes leaving a foot of human waste behind.
Terri Whitehead, a administrator who left the prison last year, testified there were so many rats in the food service area, employees would leave the prison’s doors to the outside wide open so stray cats could take care of them — an approach she said compromised the prison’s security.
Ossoff told the AP after the hearing that Carvajal’s testimony “lacked credibility at times” and that the director's claims that he wasn't aware of the issues at the Atlanta prison until about a year ago “strains credulity.”
In one of the hearing’s tensest moments, Ossoff pressed Carvajal on rampant sexual abuse at FCI Dublin, a federal women’s prison in California’s Bay Area known to staff and inmates as the “rape club." Among the Dublin employees charged so far, the prison’s former warden.
“Is the Bureau of Prisons able to keep female detainees safe from sexual abuse by staff?" Ossoff asked. "Yes or no?”
“Yes, we are,” Carvajal shot back. “In those cases when things happen, we hold people appropriately accountable.”
“You are the director at a time when one of your prisons is known to staff and inmates as a ’rape club,” Ossoff said, to silence and stares from Carvajal.
Pressed for an answer, Carvajal said the matter is under investigation.
Afterward, Ossoff took issue with Carvajal's claims that the Bureau of Prisons can keep female inmates — or any inmates — safe.
“It is demonstrably false that female detainees in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons are safe,” Ossoff told the AP. “It is demonstrably false. And it is demonstrably false that any inmates can rely upon the quality of care and medical care at multiple BOP facilities.”
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On Twitter, follow Michael Balsamo at twitter.com/mikebalsamo1 and Michael Sisak at twitter.com/mikesisak. Send confidential tips by visiting https://www.ap.org/tips/. | https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/Prisons-chief-deflects-blame-for-failures-17330946.php | 2022-07-26T23:56:04Z | https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/Prisons-chief-deflects-blame-for-failures-17330946.php | true |
Permian Basin oil and gas could be on the decline as prices fall, market struggles
Interest in Permian Basin oil and gas production appeared to wane slightly as oil prices declined in recent weeks and energy demand was stymied by the potential resurgence of COVID-19 and subsequent business and travel restrictions.
The price of domestic oil continued a downward trend back to double digits this month, falling to $96 a barrel as of Monday, per Nasdaq, from a peak of $122 a barrel on June 8, the highest price of the summer and second-highest of the year after $123 a barrel reported on March 8.
Prices remained well above pre-pandemic levels which peaked at about $64 a barrel in April 2019 and then plummeted as low as -$40 a barrel, Nasdaq reported, before a rapid recovery in the following two years as the pandemic subsided.
More:Oil and gas operations blamed for earthquakes in Permian Basin. New Mexico takes action
Oil prices were further emboldened earlier this year when Russia, the world’s second-highest oil producers, invaded Ukraine and was subsequently globally condemned and removed from international energy markets.
That drove prices into the triple digits throughout spring and summer 2022, but analysts blamed the recent decline on cooling economic activity as the U.S. and other countries plan for a potential resurgence of the virus.
Interest in the Permian Basin, which earlier this year saw numerous mergers and acquisitions as energy companies sought to profit on increased demand for U.S. oil, slowed in the last week although some producers still sought to increase their presence in the region.
More:$600M sale of Sendero Midstream complete amid growing interest in Permian Basin oil and gas
The Permian Basin is known to be the U.S.’ most active oilfield, producing up to 5 million barrels of oil per day, almost half of total U.S. output of 11 million barrels per day, per data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
The latest company getting in on Permian Basin oil assets was Orion Diversified Holdings, which announced it bought about 640 acres in the region’s western Delaware sub-basin along the border between southeast New Mexico and West Texas.
The assets were expected to produce 416 barrels of oil per day, centered in Yoakum County, Texas, about 50 miles northeast of Hobbs.
More:Where do New Mexico voters stand on oil and gas for November election? Climate change?
This was the latest move by the Nevada-based company to up its position in the Permian after Orion announced June 1 that it purchased 9,280 acres in Pecos County, Texas, also near the state line.
Orion Chief Executive Officer Tom Lull said the company planned to seek additional Permian Basin properties, as the region is known for being highly profitable.
“We are currently negotiating to acquire more operated properties in the Permian Basin,” he said. “This recent acquisition in Yoakum County Texas is making more than one million in revenue per month from a small number of producing wells, and several wells are being turned back on, and there are more wells permitted for drilling."
More:Oil and gas continues to drive New Mexico's economy
To the east in the Midland sub-basin of the Permian Lodestone Energy said July 20 it bought multiple assets in Reagan and Upton counties, including 85 conventional and 21 horizontal wells, making up 2 million barrels of oil equivalent in reserves.
The assets sold for an undisclosed price was from Hibernia Resources will be operated by BCP Resources, per the announcement, and are made up of 63 percent liquids.
"The Hibernia assets are an excellent fit with our strategic objective to expand our footprint of operated conventional assets in the Permian Basin," said BCP CEO Barry Portman.
More:$465M in Permian Basin lands sold for oil and gas production as market heats up
Global oil demand could be on the decline, per a July report from the International Energy Agency (IEA), as growth in demand cooled this month to 1.7 million barrels of oil per day (bpd) to a total demand of 99.2 million bpd.
Next year, demand was expected to grow by another 2.1 million bpd, the IEA reported.
Demand could decline, per the report, due to higher energy prices and global economic declines.
That was met with increased supply, the EIA said, leading to declining oil prices.
Global oil supply was expected to reach 100 million bpd in 2022, and then a record 101 million bpd next year, the report read.
“Higher prices and a deteriorating economic environment have started to take their toll on oil demand,” read the report. “A worsening macroeconomic outlook and fears of recession are weighing on market sentiment, while there are ongoing risks on the supply side.”
Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, achedden@currentargus.com or @AdrianHedden on Twitter. | https://www.currentargus.com/story/news/2022/07/26/permian-basin-oil-and-gas-could-be-on-the-decline-as-prices-fall/65379037007/ | 2022-07-26T23:56:35Z | https://www.currentargus.com/story/news/2022/07/26/permian-basin-oil-and-gas-could-be-on-the-decline-as-prices-fall/65379037007/ | false |
Mayor, city manager provide updates on Polk-Quincy Viaduct, White Lakes and city manager search
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Topeka Mayor Mike Padilla and Interim City Manager Bill Cochran shed some light on what is turning out to be a very busy summer in Topeka during their monthly news conference Tuesday morning at City Hall.
Among the topics discussed during the approximate half-hour news conference were the city budget; closing in on a the hiring of a new city manager; new developments on the Polk-Quincy Viaduct rail repair project; the White Lakes Mall demolition; and hiring workers for the city of Topeka.
City leaders are considering 40 applicants for the city manager’s opening, that occurred after the departure of Brent Trout, who announced his resignation from that position in November 2021.
Cochran has been serving as interim city manager while applications for the permanent position were being taken.
At Tuesday morning’s news conference, Cochran said that of the 40 applicants for Topeka city manager, 13 have ties to Kansas, five live in Kansas and two live in Topeka.
Also discussed at Tuesday’s news conference was the possible relaxing of current rules stipulating that employees of the city of Topeka must live in Shawnee County, with the city manager required to live in Topeka.
The hope in relaxing the regulation to allow employees or job-seekers to live outside Shawnee County would be to increase the pool of employees
Cochran said there are a number of openings at present for the city of Topeka. He encouraged people to go to the city’s website, www.topeka.org, to apply.
Padilla said the city wanted to let its employees know they are appreciated and valued, and that he wants the city to be known as a good employer.
Additionally, work on the Polk-Quincy Viaduct along Interstate 70 in downtown Topeka was discussed. The Kansas Department of Transportation continues to oversee the project to make repairs on the viaduct’s bridge railing on the north end of downtown Topeka.
Issues with the railing were discovered recently near where the viaduct crosses over S.W. 1st and Topeka Boulevard. Once the work is done where the viaduct crosses over S. Kansas Avenue on the north end of downtown Topeka -- allowing for streets in that area to reopen -- work will begin on making rail repairs on the viaduct near S.W. 1st and Topeka Boulevard.
Unlike the area near the north end of downtown Topeka, where several streets -- including the 200 block of S. Kansas Avenue have been shut down for more than a month -- the work near S.W. 1st and Topeka Boulevard isn’t expected to result in the complete closure of Topeka Boulevard or 1st Street.
Meanwhile, demolition work is nearly completed on the former White Lakes Mall in the 3600 block of S.W. Topeka Boulevard. Work on cleaning up debris from the basement is continuing while the south wall of Mainline Printing is reinforced.
Once a lawsuit is settled and the rest of the demolition is completed, an announcement is expected on what will occupy the land where the mall formerly stood.
The next pretrial hearing is set for Aug. 18 in Shawnee County District Court in a lawsuit brought against KDL Inc. by Mainline Printing in March 2021, about three months after the largely empty mall was destroyed in an arson. KDL Inc. is owned by Kent Lindemuth.
Demolition of the former mall began this past March.
Padilla commended Mainline Printing for acquiring the former Gordman’s store at 3245 S.W. Topeka Blvd. for future expansion. Work on renovating that building was taking place Tuesday.
Padilla also said he was pleased with the new “outcomes-based” city budgeting process and for the amount of citizen input that has taken place.
Copyright 2022 WIBW. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/07/26/mayor-city-manager-provide-updates-polk-quincy-viaduct-white-lakes-city-manager-search/ | 2022-07-26T23:56:39Z | https://www.wibw.com/2022/07/26/mayor-city-manager-provide-updates-polk-quincy-viaduct-white-lakes-city-manager-search/ | true |
ORLANDO, Fla. – Commissioners in Orange County approved a new ordinance Tuesday that requires landlords to give written notice for rent hikes over a certain amount.
The commission voted unanimously to approve the ordinance, which will apply throughout the county, even in the towns and cities.
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Under the ordinance, landlords must give their tenants written notice of any rent hikes over 5%, and they must do it at least 60 days before the increase takes effect.
Residents and landlords who don’t have written lease agreements and pay rent on a quarterly or monthly basis will also have similar protections.
The ordinance also allows renters to file a complaint if a landlord or property owner raises rents by more than 5% without giving the 60-day written notice. They just have to call 311.
The new policy will take effect in the next 10 days.
Still on the table is a possible ordinance that would cap rent increases. Commissioners are still discussing this.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/07/26/orange-county-oks-notification-requirement-for-some-rent-increases/ | 2022-07-26T23:57:32Z | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/07/26/orange-county-oks-notification-requirement-for-some-rent-increases/ | true |
Independent lab results demonstrate that the combination therapy retains neutralizing activity against currently dominant COVID-19 strains, as previously demonstrated with all variants of concern to date
The amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination is commercially available in China and is under review for Emergency Use Authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
DURHAM, N.C. and BEIJING, July 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Brii Biosciences Limited ("Brii Bio" or the "Company", stock code: 2137.HK), a multi-national company developing innovative therapies for diseases with significant unmet medical needs and large public health burdens, today announced new live virus data confirming that the amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination, a long-acting COVID-19 monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapy, retains neutralizing activity against the Omicron BA.4/5 and BA.2.12.1 SARS-CoV-2 subvariants.
Data from the live virus neutralization assay performed at a University of Maryland lab certified by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) predict that total serum concentrations of the amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination will remain greater than 170 times the level required for greater than 90% neutralization (Neut99: 0.94 μg/mL) against the live virus, 14 days post dose. As a result, adequate therapeutic exposures are expected to persist throughout the treatment period.
The mutations found in the BA.4/5 and BA.2.12.1 subvariants spike protein confer a limited reduction in neutralization activity from wild-type SARS-CoV-2. Based on the human pharmacokinetic data gathered on the amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination, exposures of intravenous amubarvimab 1000mg and romlusevimab 1000mg are expected to remain above the level required for neutralizing activity against BA.4/5 and BA.2.12.1, for the treatment of COVID-19.
"As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to surge with evolving variants, these data further validate the durability and longevity of our long-acting amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination treatment and reinforce its position as a leading investigational monoclonal antibody therapy with potential to retain activity against the most dominating strains that are circulating worldwide," said David Margolis, M.D., MPH, Vice President and Head of Infectious Diseases Therapy Area at Brii Bio. "We're at a critical moment in the pandemic in which the new Omicron subvariants are more contagious, resulting in a sustained urgency for safe and effective treatment options. We look forward to continuing our discussions with global regulatory bodies as we work to advance this innovative combination therapy for COVID-19 patients in need around the world."
On December 8, 2021, the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) of China approved the amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination for the treatment of adults and pediatric patients (age 12-17 weighing at least 40 kg) with mild and normal type of COVID-19 at high risk for progression to severe disease, including hospitalization or death. The indication of pediatric patients (age 12-17 weighing at least 40 kg) is under a conditional approval. On March 15, 2022, the National Health Commission of China added the amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination to its COVID-19 Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines (9th Pilot Edition) for the treatment of COVID-19. On July 7, 2022, the amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination was made commercially available in China.
The U.S. FDA is currently reviewing Brii Bio's Emergency Use Authorization application for the amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination.
About Long-Acting COVID-19 Neutralizing Antibody Therapy, Amubarvimab/Romlusevimab Combination
Amubarvimab and Romlusevimab are non-competing SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal neutralizing antibodies derived from convalesced COVID-19 patients developed in collaboration with the 3rd People's Hospital of Shenzhen and Tsinghua University. They have been specifically engineered to reduce the risk of antibody-dependent enhancement and prolong the plasma half-lives for potentially more durable treatment effect.
Based on the final results from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH)/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)-sponsored ACTIV-2 Phase 3 clinical trial with 837 enrolled outpatients, the amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination demonstrates a statistically significant 80% reduction of hospitalization and death with fewer deaths through 28 days in the treatment arm (0) relative to placebo (9), and improved safety outcome over placebo in non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients at high risk of clinical progression to severe disease. Similar efficacy rates were observed in participants initiating therapy early (0-5 days) and late (6-10 days), following symptom onset, providing critically needed clinical evidence in COVID-19 patients who were late for treatment.
The live virus testing data, as well as pseudovirus testing data from multiple independent labs, have demonstrated that the amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination retains activity against major SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, including the following commonly identified variants, B.1.1.7 (Alpha), B.1.351 (Beta), P.1 (Gamma), B.1.429 (Epsilon), B.1.617.2 (Delta), AY.4.2 (Delta Plus), C.37 (Lambda), B.1.621 (Mu), B.1.1.529-BA.1 (Omicron), and BA.1.1, BA.2, BA.2.12.1, BA.4/5 (Omicron subvariants).
About Brii Bio
Brii Biosciences Limited ("Brii Bio", or the "Company", stock code: 2137.HK) is a biotechnology company based in China and the United States committed to advancing therapies for significant infectious diseases, such as hepatitis B, COVID-19, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, multi-drug resistant (MDR) or extensive drug resistant (XDR) gram-negative infections, and other illnesses, such as the central nervous system (CNS) diseases, which have significant public health burdens in China and worldwide. For more information, visit www.briibio.com.
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SOURCE Brii Biosciences Limited | https://www.kmvt.com/prnewswire/2022/07/26/brii-biosciences-announces-positive-data-demonstrating-its-long-acting-covid-19-neutralizing-antibody-therapy-amubarvimabromlusevimab-combination-retains-neutralizing-activity-against-live-omicron-virus-ba45-ba2121-subvariants/ | 2022-07-27T00:04:21Z | https://www.kmvt.com/prnewswire/2022/07/26/brii-biosciences-announces-positive-data-demonstrating-its-long-acting-covid-19-neutralizing-antibody-therapy-amubarvimabromlusevimab-combination-retains-neutralizing-activity-against-live-omicron-virus-ba45-ba2121-subvariants/ | false |
Brett White of Caledonia shot 5-under-par 67 Tuesday on Boyne Mountain’s Monument course to take a three-shot lead into the final round of the 30th Michigan PGA Tournament of Champions.
At 12-under 132, the Korn Ferry Tour player has a three-shot lead over Beau Breault, a mini-tour player from Howell who also shot 67 in the second round to sit at 9-under 135. | https://www.mlive.com/sports/2022/07/leader-takes-3-shot-advantage-into-final-round-of-tournament-of-champions.html | 2022-07-27T00:09:05Z | https://www.mlive.com/sports/2022/07/leader-takes-3-shot-advantage-into-final-round-of-tournament-of-champions.html | true |
Substack – by Mark Crispin Miller
In advance of this week’s compilation of reports of “sudden deaths” throughout the world, I’m posting several pieces—from the US, Canada, Ireland, Cyprus, Sri Lanka and Australia—variously indicating that the global toll of “vaccination” is accelerating so dramatically, with so many people “dying suddenly” that it will soon be quite impossible to hide from anyone, except the clinically insane.
And what will happen then? What fresh hell will They unloose to change the subject? Or will humankind at last wake up, and fight, as one, to bring the authors of this greatest of all crimes, and their accomplices, to justice?
We’ll see—but first we finally have to see what’s happening all around us, every single hour of every day, and make sure others see it, too:
UNITED STATES
Three former football players “died suddenly” within two days:
Former Eagles receiver Charles Johnson dies at 50
July 20, 2022
Former NFL receiver Charles Johnson, who spent two seasons with the Eagles early in the Andy Reid years, has died at the age of 50.
CBS 17 in Wake Forest, North Carolina, reported the news on Tuesday evening. Johnson’s cause of death had not yet been released, according to the report.
Johnson, who had been working as an assistant athletic director at Heritage High School in North Carolina, spent nine seasons in the NFL. Johnson was selected in the first round (No. 17) by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1994 out of Colorado.
https://sports.yahoo.com/former-eagles-receiver-charles-johnson-033200539.html
College football news: Former Notre Dame lineman Paul Duncan dead at 35
July 20, 2022
Tragedy has struck the college football community as former Notre Dame offensive lineman Paul Duncan has died at the age of 35.
Ellen Duncan, Paul’s wife, announced his death on social media.
“Paul went into cardiac arrest while on a run in our neighborhood. Today he was pronounced brain dead. We will have a medical examination to understand cause of death.
South Carolina Football Great Phil Petty Has Died
July 21, 2022
Former University of South Carolina quarterback Phil Petty has died at age 43.
The official Twitter account for the school’s football team announced the loss on Thursday. It’s unclear how Petty, a husband and father of two, passed.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/south-carolina-football-great-phil-petty-has-died
Two Houston firefighters suffer heart attacks in one week
July 21, 2022
HOUSTON – Officials are investigating after two Houston firefighters have suffered heart attacks in the last week.
On Thursday, a 46-year-old Houston firefighter collapsed at the fire station and went into cardiac arrest. Fellow firefighters were able to bring back his pulse. According to Marty Lancton, President of the Houston Professional Firefighters Association, the 46-year-old is now in stable condition at a local hospital intensive care unit.
Last week, 24-year-old HFD firefighter Malcom Willis died suddenly at his home following a heart attack. Willis served with HFD for 19 months. An autopsy report for the 24-year-old hasn’t been released.
“You can’t look at heat as a factor,” said Lancton. “When you’re dealing with record temperatures, and the firefighters having to wear the gear, the best way to put it is it compounds itself.”
According to data reported by the National Institute of Health (NIH), sudden cardiac events account for roughly 45% of firefighter duty-related deaths every year. In addition, the NIH indicate that heat stress is the number one cause of line-of-duty firefighter fatalities.
Lancton tells FOX 26 that the Houston Fire Department is short-staffed. As a result, he says firefighters are working more hours in the heat than they typically would.
“The more you work, the more calls you’re running, the hotter it is, the more stress it puts on your heart and the worse off it is for firefighters and for their health and safety,” said Lancton.
https://www.fox26houston.com/news/two-houston-firefighters-suffer-heart-attacks-in-one-week
CANADA
Three young doctors in the same Toronto suburb “died suddenly” after their latest boosters—four days after an ER doctor in Toronto “died suddenly” while jogging:
Well-known Toronto emergency physician dies suddenly while running
July 18, 2022
Dr. Paul Hannam, the chief of emergency medicine and the program medical director at North York General Hospital, died suddenly on Saturday, July 16. (NYGH photo)
https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/well-known-toronto-emergency-physician-dr-paul-hannam-has-died-1.5992342
3 young doctors have died suddenly in Mississauga (suburb of Toronto) after getting latest mandated booster. Cause of deaths not being disclosed.
July 22, 2022
IRELAND
A family mourns its third loss in 18 days:
Warm tributes to ‘Boccia Champion’ Gareth as family mourns third loss in 18 days
July 20, 2022
Tributes have been paid to much-loved Waringstown man Gareth Robinson, whose passing today is the third heartbreaking loss suffered by the popular Co Armagh family this month. Gareth died suddenly at his home at Churchill Park. It comes just 18 days after the death of his uncle, Rowan, at Lisnisky Care Home, on July 2. And just 10 days ago, on July 10, Gareth’s grandmother, Annaleen – Rowan’s mother – also died peacefully at her home at Windsor Close in Waringstown.
They have now been devastated once again with the sudden passing of Gareth. Pre-deceased by his mother, Ella, he is survived and will be sorely missed by dad Hampton, sisters Melissa and Tracey, Tracey’s partner Don, and Shannon, Rhys and Seth, to whom he was a much-loved uncle.
No age or cause of death reported.
CYPRUS
Doctor Alarmed at Recent Number of Sudden Deaths
July 23, 2022
In the last four months, there have been 38 sudden deaths in North Cyprus which should be investigated, a doctor has said, Kibris Postasi reported. Dr. Nurçin İncirli, who is a physician at the Cengiz Topel Hospital posted the following on social media: “As a physician and a mother, I am very worried; these people died suddenly and most of them at home. Doesn’t this subject deserve study?”
She went on to say that the diet of the people who died suddenly should be investigated. Sudden deaths are not normal and should not be accepted as such, Dr. İncirli stated, adding that she intended to write to the Ministry of Health and ask them to initiate a study into the causes of this phenomenon. She also listed the names and ages of the 38 people, some of them notably young, who had died suddenly.
https://lgcnews.com/doctor-alarmed-at-recent-number-of-sudden-deaths/
SRI LANKA
Two deaths in fuel queues today; both victims senior citizens
July 22, 2022
Colombo – A 59-year-old man from Kinniya, Trincomalee died after suddenly collapsing while waiting in line for fuel. News 1st correspondents said that the deceased had been waiting in line for fuel for his motorcycle for the past two days. The body was moved to the Kinniya Base Hospital for a post-mortem examination.A 70-year-old man also died after suddenly collapsing while waiting in line for fuel at a filling station in Mathugama. It was reported that fuel was delivered to the filling station after 10 days, and there was a rush to obtain fuel due to the absence of a proper system to distribute fuel among those who were in line. The man collapsed during the rush and was admitted to the Meegahatenna Regional Hospital where he was ruled dead upon admission.No causes of death reported.
https://www.newsfirst.lk/2022/07/22/two-deaths-in-fuel-queues-today-22-both-victims-senior-citizens/
AUSTRALIA
Two former AFL football stars “died suddenly” on the same “sad day”:
Bill Picken and Con Britt dead on ‘sad day’ as footy world mourns
July 23, 2022
The AFL world is in mourning after the death of former Magpies players Billy Picken and Con Britt on Saturday.
Picken was one of the club’s most loved players, tallied 212 games for Collingwood in 1974-1983 and 1986 after he played two seasons and a further 28 games for Sydney in 1984-85.
Britt played 110 games for the Magpies between 1966 and 1973, who retired at the age of just 26 after a knee injury ended his career.
He was 74 when he died. | http://fromthetrenchesworldreport.com/so-many-people-are-now-dying-suddenly-that-our-free-press-can-barely-hide-it-any-more/304960 | 2022-07-27T00:14:10Z | http://fromthetrenchesworldreport.com/so-many-people-are-now-dying-suddenly-that-our-free-press-can-barely-hide-it-any-more/304960 | false |
Britney Spears is back! The pop star is teaming with Elton John for a fresh take on his 1972 single, "Tiny Dancer."
ET has learned that Spears recorded a duet of the hit with the famed Rocket Man and the new version will be released next month.
The news comes as Spears shared a fangirl moment with Taron Egerton, who famously played John in the 2019 biopic Rocketman, over the weekend. In a since-deleted video posted to Instagram, Spears and her husband, Sam Asghari, rubbed elbows and snapped pics with the actor on a rooftop.
"Coolest guy ever!!! Such a freaking fan… I was so stupid!!!" Spears captioned the post.
But it's a cryptic Spears tweet from 2015 that has fans buzzing right now.
The old post went viral on Tuesday as news of Spears and John's collaboration broke, with fans pointing to the significance of the date it was posted.
"Tiny Dancer," was all Spears wrote, tagging @EltonJohnOfficial alongside the hashtag #EltonAlways. The message was shared on Oct. 21, 2015 -- which just so happened to beBack to the Future Day, in which Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) and Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) travel into the future in the 1989 sci-fi flick, Back to the Future: Part II.
Needless to say, fans were quick to joke and speculate that Spears herself may have traveled into the future and shared a breadcrumb of what was to come.
A new version of "Tiny Dancer" would mark Spears' first single since 2016's "Slumber Party." It was on the set for that music video that Spears famously met her future husband, Asghari.
The release would also be Spears' first since being freed from her conservatorship in November 2021.
The 40-year-old singer performed for the first time in a long time this month -- a rendition of "...Baby One More Time."
She took to Instagram and shared a video where she's seen belting out an a cappella version of her 1998 hit single. In her lengthy caption, Spears acknowledged that it's been "an extremely long time" since she's shared her talents, perhaps "too long" of a time.
Her latest rendition includes new lyrics, which includes, "Give me a f**king sign." Spears revealed that changing the lyrics or offering a different rendition is something she had always wanted to do, but was essentially handcuffed.
"Well I have asked for what I wanted for 14 years," she wrote in her caption. "[A] different version of 'Baby' but have the producers actually work for me and put it together 🎵 … a start … but as the TEAM said NO and serves me with 4 girls, my sister included, doing a 5 minute version of 4 remixed songs 🎥 to a T not even having to give effort or dance 💃🏼 … just shot it beautifully and the sound was NEW !!! They ruined it for me, embarrassed me and made me feel like absolutely nothing🙄🙄🙄 !!! The truth is a f*king b**ch !!!"
Catch up on the latest Spears news below.
RELATED CONTENT: | https://www.wfaa.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-tonight/britney-spears-teams-with-elton-john-for-tiny-dancer-duet-why-fans-are-saying-she-predicted-the-future/603-db4ef1ed-ab58-4e15-a953-0ad8dfdffb34 | 2022-07-27T00:17:41Z | https://www.wfaa.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-tonight/britney-spears-teams-with-elton-john-for-tiny-dancer-duet-why-fans-are-saying-she-predicted-the-future/603-db4ef1ed-ab58-4e15-a953-0ad8dfdffb34 | false |
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday evening's drawing of the Texas Lottery's "Daily 4 Evening" game were:
1-2-4-2, FIREBALL: 2
(one, two, four, two; FIREBALL: two)
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday evening's drawing of the Texas Lottery's "Daily 4 Evening" game were:
1-2-4-2, FIREBALL: 2
(one, two, four, two; FIREBALL: two) | https://www.sfchronicle.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Daily-4-Evening-game-17330963.php | 2022-07-27T00:27:08Z | https://www.sfchronicle.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Daily-4-Evening-game-17330963.php | false |
How to get a Stun Gun taser in GTA Online
Shocking results.
By simply playing Grand Theft Auto Online, you are sure to fill out your armory with tons of deadly weapons that you can pull out at any time. When looking at the dozens of potential firearms that you can equip, you will likely look for the more explosive and deadly ones, but there is one you can use to electrocute your adversaries with if you are not looking to kill them outright. Here is how to get a Stun Gun Taser in GTA Online.
Related: All new vehicles included in GTA Online’s Criminal Enterprises update
How to buy a Stun Gun taser in Grand Theft Auto Online
While you may look at acquiring most weapons from an Ammu Nation store in Grand Theft Auto Online, that is not how you get the Stun Gun taser. For this weapon, you must own an Agency alongside Franklin and have an Armory installed within it. If you already have the Agency, the renovation upgrade will cost you $700,000 normally, but it may be on sale for closer to $400,000.
When you have an Armory, go to the top floor of your Agency and you will find a room filled with weapons and ammo. You can edit your loadout here and talk to the man sitting at the laptop to purchase weapons at a discount.
To find the Stun Gun, enter the Pistol section and scroll to the bottom. It will cost over $300,000 to purchase.
Once you have bought the Stun Gun, you can pull it out and shoot enemies to tase them. You do have to be in close proximity to them, and there is a lengthy recharge rate after you fire it once. However, this is a weapon you can use to mess with your friends without killing them. It will make them shake and drop to the ground, but they will get up with minimal damage. If you use it on pedestrians, they will be knocked out. | https://www.gamepur.com/guides/how-to-get-a-stun-gun-taser-in-gta-online | 2022-07-27T00:27:10Z | https://www.gamepur.com/guides/how-to-get-a-stun-gun-taser-in-gta-online | true |
Semi crashes into Wisconsin home; 8-month-old boy dead
TOWN OF VINLAND, Wis. - An 8-month-old boy is dead after a semi tractor/trailer crashed into a home in the Town of Vinland in Winnebago County on Monday, July 25.
A Facebook post by the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office says multiple 911 calls came in about this incident just after 6 p.m. Officials say the semi had been traveling southbound on I-41 when it veered off the interstate through the fence line, crossed the frontage road, and crashed into an occupied residence on Green Valley Road.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Semi crashes into Winnebago Co. home in Town of Vinland July 26. 2022 (WLUK)
The driver of the semi-tractor/trailer is identified as a 63-year-old man from Little Chute. He suffered minor injuries in the crash.
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The 8-month-old baby boy was inside the home – and died at the scene of the crash.
Semi crashes into Winnebago Co. home in Town of Vinland July 26. 2022 (WLUK)
The Winnebago County Sheriff's Office was assisted by the Wisconsin State Patrol, Neenah Police Department, Menasha Police Department, Town of Vinland Fire Department, Town of Oshkosh Fire Department, Gold Cross Ambulance, ThedaStar Air Medical, Wisconsin Public Service, Fox Cities Victim Crisis Response Team, Winnebago County Highway Department, and the Winnebago County Coroner's Office. | https://www.fox5ny.com/news/semi-crash-wisconsin-home-8-month-old-boy-dead | 2022-07-27T00:31:14Z | https://www.fox5ny.com/news/semi-crash-wisconsin-home-8-month-old-boy-dead | true |
King of the night! Amir Khan gives a nod to his boxing nickname as he wears shirt emblazoned with crowns while out with wife Faryal Makhdoom at restaurant launch
Amir Khan gave a nod to his boxing nickname King as he wore a white shirt covered in crowns while out with wife Faryal Makhdoom in Manchester on Tuesday.
The former professional boxer, 35, stood arm-in-arm with YouTuber Faryal as they arrived at the star-studded launch of restaurant SakkuSamba.
Sportsman Amir completed his look by wearing a comfortable pair of navy blue jeans and some maroon and white trainers.
In style: Amir Khan, 35, gave a nod to his boxing nickname King as he wore a white shirt covered in crowns while out with wife Faryal Makhdoom in Manchester on Tuesday
Faryal showed off her chic sense of style by opting for a black dress with a plunging neckline.
The skirt featured a sheer hem with lace detail while the waist was cinched in by a matching black belt.
She carried a black handbag with her and wore a glamorous face of make-up for her evening out.
Stepping out: The former professional boxer stood arm-in-arm with YouTuber Faryal as they arrived at the star-studded launch of restaurant SakkuSamba
Razzmatazz: Amir and Faryal were seen posing with some showgirls outside the restaurant, with the trip wearing some colourful feathered outfits
They were joined by Coronation Street actor Jack P. Shepherd, 34, who was seen walking arm-in-arm with his partner Hanni Treweek.
Jack opted for smart but casual attire, wearing a blue shirt and a pair of black trousers with matching smartly polished shoes.
Hanni opted for a long slinky black dress and carried a black and white Dior handbag with her.
All stars: They were joined by Coronation Street actor Jack P. Shepherd, 34, who was seen dressed in smart but casual attire as he walked arm-in-arm with his partner Hanni Treweek
Looking good: Hanni opted for a long slinky black dress and carried a black and white Dior handbag with her
The couple was joined by model Rhian Sugden, 35, who wore a black mini-dress and matching knee-high boots.
Former Celebrity Big Brother housemate Rhian carried a black handbag on a gold chain and was happy to pose for pictures on arrival.
She wore a make-up palette of natural hues and styled her hair into lose curls which tumbled down on to her shoulders.
Famous friends: The couple was joined by model Rhian Sugden, 35 (left), who wore a black mini-dress and matching knee-high boots, while Amy Anzel (right) wore olive green
Rhian was in good spirits as she walked alongside The Apprentice star Amy Anzel, 49, who ensured she caught the eye in a glamorous sequinned dress.
The star opted for an olive green ensemble with a plunging neckline, with the garment being cinched in at the waist.
She carried a silver clutch purse with her and added a few inches to her stature by wearing a pair of heels with matching straps.
Glitterati: Amy opted for an olive green ensemble with a plunging neckline, with the garment being cinched in at the waist
In the detail: She carried a silver clutch purse with her and added a few inches to her stature by wearing a pair of heels with matching straps | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-11051719/Amir-Khan-wife-Faryal-Makhdoom-look-loved-star-studded-restaurant-launch.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | 2022-07-27T00:31:52Z | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-11051719/Amir-Khan-wife-Faryal-Makhdoom-look-loved-star-studded-restaurant-launch.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | false |
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – There’s a scramble among federal leaders to stabilize a struggling economy. The Biden administration is trying to calm fears of a recession and the Federal Reserve is poised to raise interest rates again.
A new report from The Conference Board shows that consumer confidence is down for the third month in a row.
White House Economic Adviser Bharat Ramamurti says there are signs of strength too, like low unemployment and falling gas prices.
“I don’t want to diminish the squeeze that some families are feeling because of rising prices, but we’ve had a very robust economic recovery,” Ramamurti said. “We are working every day to try to address some of the cost pressures.”
But as families struggle with inflation, Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo., is one of many lawmakers on the right blaming President Joe Biden and his administration for high prices.
“The way we turn this country around is to do the opposite of what Joe Biden tells us,” Smith said.
The Federal Reserve is expected to announce another interest rate hike on Wednesday, aimed at lowering inflation by slowing down spending. But even the Fed is concerned that too much of a slowdown could cause a recession.
George Washington University economics Professor Joann Weiner says that’s a tough line to walk.
“It’s a tricky balance. The Fed doesn’t want a recession. But if it gets one, hopefully it will be short,” Weiner said.
She believes the future of the economy is hard to predict, largely because of how the pandemic changed it.
“That, to me, is the biggest uncertainty out there – is we don’t know how this economy is going to function,” Weiner said.
Republicans are warning things are definitely headed in the wrong direction.
“This out-of-control economy is about to go off of a cliff,” Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said.
Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., says they know how to fix it.
“Open up our energy reserves. Stop printing money. How about that? No more multi-trillion dollar bills,” Scalise said. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/washington-dc/us-leaders-work-to-stabilize-struggling-economy/ | 2022-07-27T00:32:15Z | https://www.wjhl.com/news/washington-dc/us-leaders-work-to-stabilize-struggling-economy/ | true |
(The Hill) – Attorney General Merrick Garland on Tuesday pushed back on criticism that the Justice Department has not been aggressive enough in investigating whether former President Trump and his allies broke the law in trying to overturn the 2020 election.
In an interview with NBC News, Garland insisted the department was urgently investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol and the events leading up to it, vowing to charge “everybody who was criminally responsible for interfering with the peaceful transfer of power.”
“It is inevitable in this kind of investigation that there’ll be speculation about what we are doing, who we are investigating, what our theories are,” he said. “The reason there is this speculation and uncertainty is that it’s a fundamental tenet of what we do as prosecutors and investigators is to do it outside of the public eye.”
The interview on Tuesday coincided with a Washington Post report that federal prosecutors have begun asking grand jury witnesses about Trump’s conduct and their contact with him, a sign that the former president could now be a subject of the probe.
Garland has been subject to mounting pressure throughout the summer as the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack has presented damning evidence in a series of public hearings aimed at convincing voters and the Justice Department of Trump’s criminal culpability.
When asked whether he had any concern about the political ramifications of indicting a former president, Garland gave no hint about whether it was under serious consideration within the department but insisted that prosecutors will only weigh the facts and the law when making such a decision.
“We pursue justice without fear or favor,” Garland said. “We intend to hold everyone, anyone who was criminally responsible for the events surrounding January 6, or any attempt to interfere with the lawful transfer of power from one administration to another, accountable, that’s what we do.” | https://www.krqe.com/news/national/garland-dismisses-criticism-of-jan-6-probe-vows-to-charge-everybody-who-was-criminally-responsible/ | 2022-07-27T00:33:18Z | https://www.krqe.com/news/national/garland-dismisses-criticism-of-jan-6-probe-vows-to-charge-everybody-who-was-criminally-responsible/ | false |
ALBION — The man accused of shooting and killing one person and shooting two others at a Kendallville gas station in 2021 has reached a preliminary agreement with prosecutors that would cap his time spent in prison at 85 years.
Matthew Rodriguez, 25, of Kendallville had been set for a final pre-trial conference on Tuesday in Noble Superior Court I. Instead, it was announced that a plea deal had been reached.
The plea deal included an admission of guilt on charges of murder and two counts of attempted murder, a Level 1 felony.
Noble Superior Court 1 Judge Steven Clouse took the plea deal under advisement. A decision on whether to accept the plea will be made at 8:30 a.m. on Aug. 23. If Clouse accepts the agreement, sentencing would immediately follow.
As part of that proposed plea agreement, Rodriguez admitted in open court Tuesday to shooting three people with a handgun at the Gallops gas station on U.S. 6 just before midnight on Sunday, June 27, 2021, killing Justin Smead and wounding Alyssa Jeffries and Blake Lewis.
Rodriguez’s attorney, Kevin Likes, questioned Rodriguez about each individual shooting during Tuesday’s hearing, asking if he had committed the crimes alleged.
Rodriguez answered “yes,” to all three.
Authorities allege Rodriguez was in the gas station when Smead, Jeffries and Lewis entered. Security video shows one of the three appearing to exchange a glance with Rodriguez, who then followed them, then allegedly pulled out a handgun and began firing.
Rodriguez was familiar with the three, police said, but authorities have not publicly disclose a motive for the shooting.
Rodriguez allegedly fled the gas station and was on the run for about 48 hours before his vehicle was spotted at a rest stop in southeast Ohio by a state trooper. Police said Rodriguez barricaded himself in a rest stop bathroom for a short period before surrendering peacefully to authorities.
The rest stop is located near Athens, Ohio, about 4 1/2 hours from Kendallville in southeast Ohio.
At the time of his arrest, police recovered a 9-millimeter handgun from Rodriguez’s vehicle, court documents stated. During the investigation at Gallops, police recovered multiple 9-millimeter bullet casings following the shooting.
During Tuesday’s hearing, Rodriguez said he had suffered from a mental illness in the past. Clouse asked Rodriguez if he felt his past mental illness was affecting his judgement now, and Rodriguez answered negatively.
Clouse also questioned Likes as to whether his client was fully aware of the terms of the plea agreement.
“He fully understands everything,” Likes said.
Clouse then read the terms of the plea deal to Rodriguez, including the maximum executed sentence of 85 years in prison.
“Is that what you think you’re agreeing to?” Clouse asked the defendant.
“Yes,” Rodriguez answered.
The murder charge carries a sentencing range of 40-65 years in prison. The attempted murder counts have a sentencing range of 20-40 years.
The plea deal left it up to the discretion of Clouse whether the sentencing on each count would be served consecutively — or one after the other — or concurrently, which would allow them to be served at the same time.
If sentenced to the maximum, Rodriguez would not be eligible for parole until he had served 75% of that time, or just over 63 years.
For lesser level felonies, an inmate can accrue up to two days of credit for every day served under Good Time Credit guidelines. In murder and Level 1 felonies, that Good Time Credit requires three days to be served for every four days of the sentence.
If found guilty on all three counts, a consecutive sentence carried a combined range of 65-145 years in prison.
The minimum sentence Clouse could impose, if the plea agreement is accepted, is the 40-year minimum for a murder charge. That would require any time sentenced on the Level 1 felony attempted murder counts to be served concurrently — or at the same time — as the time given on the murder count. | https://www.kpcnews.com/newssun/article_4746f09e-d0d2-5f93-a229-5c658c2f0a3d.html | 2022-07-27T00:39:04Z | https://www.kpcnews.com/newssun/article_4746f09e-d0d2-5f93-a229-5c658c2f0a3d.html | true |
(The Hill) – Attorney General Merrick Garland on Tuesday pushed back on criticism that the Justice Department has not been aggressive enough in investigating whether former President Trump and his allies broke the law in trying to overturn the 2020 election.
In an interview with NBC News, Garland insisted the department was urgently investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol and the events leading up to it, vowing to charge “everybody who was criminally responsible for interfering with the peaceful transfer of power.”
“It is inevitable in this kind of investigation that there’ll be speculation about what we are doing, who we are investigating, what our theories are,” he said. “The reason there is this speculation and uncertainty is that it’s a fundamental tenet of what we do as prosecutors and investigators is to do it outside of the public eye.”
The interview on Tuesday coincided with a Washington Post report that federal prosecutors have begun asking grand jury witnesses about Trump’s conduct and their contact with him, a sign that the former president could now be a subject of the probe.
Garland has been subject to mounting pressure throughout the summer as the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack has presented damning evidence in a series of public hearings aimed at convincing voters and the Justice Department of Trump’s criminal culpability.
When asked whether he had any concern about the political ramifications of indicting a former president, Garland gave no hint about whether it was under serious consideration within the department but insisted that prosecutors will only weigh the facts and the law when making such a decision.
“We pursue justice without fear or favor,” Garland said. “We intend to hold everyone, anyone who was criminally responsible for the events surrounding January 6, or any attempt to interfere with the lawful transfer of power from one administration to another, accountable, that’s what we do.” | https://wgntv.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/garland-dismisses-criticism-of-jan-6-probe-vows-to-charge-everybody-who-was-criminally-responsible/ | 2022-07-27T00:39:31Z | https://wgntv.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/garland-dismisses-criticism-of-jan-6-probe-vows-to-charge-everybody-who-was-criminally-responsible/ | true |
Even though Leia Organa and Han Solo's romance is among the most important elements of the Star Wars saga, the movies only covered its shaky beginnings and bittersweet conclusion. It was a little disappointing to see how the couple married and drifted apart in the 30 years between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens, with little sense that they'd had any wedded bliss.
Author Beth Revis aims to solve that issue in novel The Princess and The Scoundrel, which comes out in print, digital and audiobook form on Aug. 16. Taking place just after Rebel Alliance's victory over the Galactic Empire in Return of the Jedi, it reveals that Leia and Han got married pretty much immediately and jetted off on a rocky honeymoon.
The first chunk of the story takes place on Endor, as they prepare for the wedding. Revis infuses this section with suitable levity, since they've won the war and are entering a new era of hope for the galaxy. Leia and Han get used to the fact that Luke Skywalker is her brother (and yes, the super weird Leia-Luke kiss from The Empire Strikes Back is addressed).
It's just fun to spend time with Lando Calrissian, Mon Mothma and a bunch of other heroes when the Empire isn't nipping at their heels and possibilities seem endless. This joy seeps into Leia and Han's Ewok-assisted wedding ceremony, which Revis describes in exquisite detail.
In the midst of all this, Leia grapples with the revelation that the late Darth Vader -- who'd tortured her and Han, stood by as her homeworld was blown up and was generally a real bad dude in her life -- was her father. This makes her question if she should learn to use the Force like her twin brother, Luke, or steer clear lest she fall to the dark side like her dear old dad.
We know from The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker that Leia will embrace the Force and train with Luke, but have seen precious little of this journey. Leia takes her first steps into this wider world in this novel, and these sections are some of the novel's most intriguing. Revis conveys the uncertainty and danger of this new facet of a familiar hero beautifully.
However, romance is this novel's focus and the tale becomes less engaging when Leia and Han set off on their honeymoon. After an entertaining interlude with Chewbacca on the Millennium Falcon, they arrive on the Halcyon, the luxury passenger liner that happens to be the in-universe setting of the immersive Disney World hotel Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser.
Revis builds out this location nicely (and it never feels like an extended Disney Resort commercial), but the novel loses steam as Leia starts to mix business with pleasure by gradually turning her honeymoon into a diplomatic mission and Han just wanders the ship, engages in sketchy card games and finds some trouble.
It makes total sense that these two would slip into their old habits, especially when you consider that she's spent most of her life as a rebel battling a totalitarian regime and he's operated on the fringes of the law. Unfortunately, the novel feels directionless as they drift apart -- possibly because we know sinister forces will push them apart in a bigger way by The Force Awakens.
Thankfully, their bond isn't quite so frayed at this point in the timeline and they come together before an Imperial threat emerges in the novel's final quarter. The story regains momentum here, with Revis building an engaging mystery before dialing up the danger in an imaginative new location. It's only let down by an underdeveloped villain whose appearance is so brief that they'll likely be forgotten soon after you finish this 368-page novel.
The Princess and The Scoundrel gives Leia and Han a wedding worthy of cinematic icons and foreshadows their destinies in tantalizing ways. Their honeymoon isn't as memorable, but it doesn't take too long for adventure and excitement to reignite the spark of romance. | https://www.cnet.com/culture/entertainment/star-wars-the-princess-and-the-scoundrel-review-leia-organa-and-han-solo-get-the-wedding-they-deserve/ | 2022-07-27T00:40:55Z | https://www.cnet.com/culture/entertainment/star-wars-the-princess-and-the-scoundrel-review-leia-organa-and-han-solo-get-the-wedding-they-deserve/ | false |
Luis Suárez looks to return to his soccer roots in Uruguay
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AP) — Luis Suárez says he wants to return to his soccer roots in Uruguay. The 35-year-old striker announced Tuesday that he is looking to rejoin Nacional de Montevideo, the club where he began a glittering career in 2005. In a video posted on social media, Suárez said that he reached a preliminary agreement with the team and that “in the coming hours details will be finalized.” Suárez is the Uruguayan national team’s all-time leading scorer, with 68 goals in 132 games. Among the teams he played for in Europe are Liverpool in England, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona in Spain and Ajax in the Netherlands. | https://kion546.com/sports/ap-national-sports/2022/07/26/luis-suarez-looks-to-return-to-his-soccer-roots-in-uruguay/ | 2022-07-27T00:42:37Z | https://kion546.com/sports/ap-national-sports/2022/07/26/luis-suarez-looks-to-return-to-his-soccer-roots-in-uruguay/ | false |
DETROIT — Fernando Tatis Jr. is back in the batter’s box, and the San Diego Padres’ $340 million star could face live pitching later this week.
The 23-year-old is expected to begin facing live pitching later this week, then begin a minor league rehab assignment before eventually making his season debut with the big league team.
Tatis looked well Tuesday and hit several balls into the left-field stands.
“It felt normal,” he said.
Tatis hit .282 with 42 homers last season, finishing third in NL MVP voting despite missing time with left shoulder injuries. He signed a $340 million, 14-year deal with San Diego prior to the 2021 season.
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/mlb/padres-fernando-tatis-jr-takes-first-bp-since-march/2022/07/26/7dbb8a6c-0d3d-11ed-88e8-c58dc3dbaee2_story.html | 2022-07-27T00:45:56Z | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/mlb/padres-fernando-tatis-jr-takes-first-bp-since-march/2022/07/26/7dbb8a6c-0d3d-11ed-88e8-c58dc3dbaee2_story.html | true |
By MATTHEW LEE
AP Diplomatic Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Tuesday with the family of a Palestinian-American reporter killed while covering an Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank.
The State Department said Blinken met with relatives of Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh and vowed that the U.S. would demand “accountability” for her death.
“The secretary is deeply appreciative of the opportunity to meet with Shireen’s family,” State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters. “Not only was she an American citizen, she was a reporter whose fearless pursuit of the truth earned her the profound respect of audiences around the world.”
Price said Blinken would use the meeting “to underscore for Shireen’s family our deepest condolences on her tragic death and to reiterate the priority we attach to accountability, something we continue to discuss with our Israeli and Palestinian partners as well.”
He could not say, however, what that accountability might mean.
After reviewing investigations by Israeli and Palestinian authorities, the U.S. concluded on July 4 that Abu Akleh was likely killed by Israeli fire, although not intentionally. But it has not conclusively blamed Israel for her death and has left the question of accountability to the Israelis, prompting anger from the Palestinians and her family.
Relatives — including her brother Tony Abu Akleh, her niece Lina Abu Akleh and her nephew Victor Abu Akleh — have been seeking a meeting with President Joe Biden to make the case for pressing Israel to account for her death. Blinken invited them to visit Washington after Biden was unable to see them while on a visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories earlier this month.
“We are in Washington, D.C., to insist on a thorough, credible, independent, and transparent U.S. investigation into the Israeli military’s killing of our dear Shireen,” the family said in a statement. It called the July 4 U.S. conclusion “an affront to justice” that “enabled Israel to avoid accountability for Shireen’s murder.”
“This is totally unacceptable to us,” they said. “If we allow Shireen’s killing to be swept under the rug, we send a message that the lives of U.S. citizens abroad don’t matter, that the lives of Palestinians living under Israeli occupation don’t matter, and that the most courageous journalists in the world, those who cover the human impact of armed conflict and violence, are expendable.”
A reconstruction by The Associated Press lent support to Palestinian eyewitnesses who said she was shot by Israeli forces without making a final determination. Investigations by CNN, The New York Times and The Washington Post, as well as monitoring by the U.N. human rights office, reached similar conclusions.
Abu Akleh, who was 51, had spent a quarter-century reporting on the harsh realities of life under Israeli military rule. Palestinians view her as a martyr to journalism as well as their national cause.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/07/26/blinken-meets-kin-of-slain-palestinian-american-journalist/ | 2022-07-27T00:47:01Z | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/07/26/blinken-meets-kin-of-slain-palestinian-american-journalist/ | false |
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Lottery players will be gripping their tickets tightly ahead of Tuesday night’s Mega Millions drawing with an estimated $830 million prize on the line.
The jackpot would be the nation’s fourth-largest lottery prize and the biggest in more than a year. The drawing will take place at 11 p.m. Eastern time.
The Mega Millions top prize has grown so large because no one has matched the game’s six numbers since April 15. That’s 28 consecutive draws without a jackpot winner.
The $830 million prize is for winners who choose the annuity option, paid annually over 30 years. Most winner opt for the cash option, which for Tuesday night’s drawing is an estimated $487.9 million.
The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 302.5 million.
Mega Millions is played in 45 states as well as Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The game is coordinated by state lotteries.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/07/26/drawing-nears-for-estimated-830m-mega-millions-prize-2/ | 2022-07-27T00:49:11Z | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/07/26/drawing-nears-for-estimated-830m-mega-millions-prize-2/ | true |
DCP Midstream Partners, LP (DCP) Gains As Market Dips: What You Should Know
DCP Midstream Partners, LP (DCP) closed the most recent trading day at $32.83, moving +1.08% from the previous trading session. This change outpaced the S&P 500's 1.15% loss on the day. Meanwhile, the Dow lost 0.71%, and the Nasdaq, a tech-heavy index, lost 0.13%.
Heading into today, shares of the company had gained 9.95% over the past month, outpacing the Oils-Energy sector's gain of 2.96% and the S&P 500's gain of 1.44% in that time.
Investors will be hoping for strength from DCP Midstream Partners, LP as it approaches its next earnings release, which is expected to be August 2, 2022. The company is expected to report EPS of $1.09, up 1008.33% from the prior-year quarter. Our most recent consensus estimate is calling for quarterly revenue of $4.49 billion, up 115.36% from the year-ago period.
Looking at the full year, our Zacks Consensus Estimates suggest analysts are expecting earnings of $3.36 per share and revenue of $16.6 billion. These totals would mark changes of +111.32% and +55.04%, respectively, from last year.
Any recent changes to analyst estimates for DCP Midstream Partners, LP should also be noted by investors. Recent revisions tend to reflect the latest near-term business trends. As a result, we can interpret positive estimate revisions as a good sign for the company's business outlook.
Our research shows that these estimate changes are directly correlated with near-term stock prices. Investors can capitalize on this by using the Zacks Rank. This model considers these estimate changes and provides a simple, actionable rating system.
The Zacks Rank system, which ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 1.32% lower. DCP Midstream Partners, LP is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).
In terms of valuation, DCP Midstream Partners, LP is currently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 9.67. Its industry sports an average Forward P/E of 15.56, so we one might conclude that DCP Midstream Partners, LP is trading at a discount comparatively.
The Oil and Gas - Production and Pipelines industry is part of the Oils-Energy sector. This industry currently has a Zacks Industry Rank of 64, which puts it in the top 26% of all 250+ industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank includes is listed in order from best to worst in terms of the average Zacks Rank of the individual companies within each of these sectors. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
Make sure to utilize Zacks.com to follow all of these stock-moving metrics, and more, in the coming trading sessions.
This Little-Known Semiconductor Stock Could Lead to Big Gains for Your Portfolio
The significance of semiconductors can't be overstated. Your smartphone couldn't function without it. Your personal computer would crash in minutes. Digital cameras, washing machines, refrigerators, ovens. You wouldn't be able to use any of them without semiconductors.
Disruptions in the supply chain have given semiconductors tremendous pricing power. That's why they present such a tremendous opportunity for investors.
And today, in a new free report, Zacks' leading stock strategist is revealing the one semiconductor stock that stands to gain the most. It's yours free and with no obligation.
>>Give me access to my free special report.Click to get this free report
DCP Midstream Partners, LP (DCP): Free Stock Analysis Report
To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
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- Stock Market Today: Dow Jones, S&P 500 Open Higher; IBM Stock Falls On Earnings | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/dcp-midstream-partners-lp-dcp-gains-as-market-dips%3A-what-you-should-know-0 | 2022-07-27T00:50:01Z | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/dcp-midstream-partners-lp-dcp-gains-as-market-dips%3A-what-you-should-know-0 | false |
DETROIT (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday evening's drawing of the Michigan Lottery's "Keno" game were:
01-02-07-10-12-20-27-33-35-36-37-38-40-47-49-53-58-59-60-67-71-78
(one, two, seven, ten, twelve, twenty, twenty-seven, thirty-three, thirty-five, thirty-six, thirty-seven, thirty-eight, forty, forty-seven, forty-nine, fifty-three, fifty-eight, fifty-nine, sixty, sixty-seven, seventy-one, seventy-eight) | https://www.expressnews.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Keno-game-17331033.php | 2022-07-27T00:50:10Z | https://www.expressnews.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Keno-game-17331033.php | false |
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday evening's drawing of the Texas Lottery's "Pick 3 Evening" game were:
6-9-9, FIREBALL:
(six, nine, nine; FIREBALL: zero)
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday evening's drawing of the Texas Lottery's "Pick 3 Evening" game were:
6-9-9, FIREBALL:
(six, nine, nine; FIREBALL: zero) | https://www.expressnews.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Pick-3-Evening-game-17330964.php | 2022-07-27T00:50:16Z | https://www.expressnews.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Pick-3-Evening-game-17330964.php | false |
OXFORD, Miss (AP) — A Mississippi man has pleaded guilty in federal court to robbing a bank in the northeast part of the state.
Jasper Michael Wagner, 56, of Tupelo, entered the plea onTuesday before U.S. District Court Judge Sharion Aycock, the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal said. Aycock scheduled a sentencing hearing for Nov. 1. Wagner faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
The robbery took place at Community Bank in downtown Tupelo on April 6. Wagner entered the bank and handed the clerk a note telling her to give him $5,000. He left the bank with the money and was apprehended in a Leeds, Alabama, hotel room about four hours later.
The Tupelo Police and FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Leeds Police Department.
“The FBI will continue to collaborate with our state and local partners to ensure dangerous, repeat offenders, such as Mr. Wagner, are brought to justice,” said FBI Special Agent Jermicha Fomby in a news release.
According to the Northern District of Mississippi U.S. Attorney’s Office, Wagner was previously convicted of robbing seven banks in Knoxville, Tennessee in 2002, as well as three counts of bank robbery in the Northern District of Mississippi in 2013.
An attorney for Wagner could not immediately be reached for comment. | https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/Mississippi-man-pleads-guilty-to-bank-robbery-in-17331054.php | 2022-07-27T00:51:25Z | https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/Mississippi-man-pleads-guilty-to-bank-robbery-in-17331054.php | false |
Drugmaker Teva latest to settle opioid lawsuits nationally
(AP) – Drugmaker Teva announced Tuesday that it has agreed to contribute more than $4.3 billion in cash and medications to settle lawsuits in the state and local governments and Native American tribes that claimed the company contributed to the U.S. opioid epidemic.
The deal in principle would rank among the larger ones so far in a yearslong trend of companies settling the complicated lawsuits over the toll from an addiction and overdose epidemic, which has been linked to more than 500,000 deaths in the U.S. over the last two decades.
In their lawsuits, state governments and others claimed the Israel-based company promoted Actiq and Fentora, prescription opioids approved to treat cancer pain, plus generic opioids including oxycodone for use for non-cancer purposes. The states also said the company downplayed the addiction risks and encouraged doctors to continue to increase the doses they prescribed. The states claimed the company and its distributor, Anda, failed to comply with requirements on monitoring and reporting suspicious orders.
The multibillion-dollar settlement is to be paid over 13 years, with most of the money going to fight the opioid epidemic. The settlement includes providing up to $1.2 billion worth of naloxone, a drug that reverses overdoses, at no charge — although states could take a smaller amount of cash instead, if they choose. It also includes the payouts from several settlements the company has recently reached with individual states.
New York is not included in the settlement, although the parties say negotiations with that state are continuing. A jury there last year found the company liable in a trial involving claims from the state government and two counties. The trial will go to a damages phase if a settlement isn’t reached with Teva before then.
Teva said it does not expect to stand trial on any other opioid claims this year, even as cases involving claims against other companies continue to go to court.
“While the agreement will include no admission of wrongdoing, it remains in our best interest to put these cases behind us and continue to focus on the patients we serve every day,” Teva said in a statement.
North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, one of the chief negotiators, said the settlement would help address the crisis, which has become more deadly in recent years. “Every week I meet people whose lives have been torn apart by the opioid epidemic,” Stein said in a statement. “Far too many families and friends have experienced painful loss to overdose. But I also meet inspiring people who are living happy lives in recovery — and this agreement will help thousands more North Carolinians get the treatment and support they need to free themselves of addiction.”
For the deal to be finalized, it needs approval from state and local governments and tribes.
“While this agreement is a vital step, we also recognize that this alone will not put an end to the opioid epidemic,” lead lawyers representing local governments said in a statement. “We will continue to work to hold companies up and down the opioid supply chain accountable.”
There have been more than $40 billion worth of proposed and completed settlements over opioid claims in recent years, according to an Associated Press tally.
Earlier this year, drugmaker Johnson & Johnson finalized a $5 billion settlement, and the three national drug distribution firms — AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health and McKesson — finalized one worth a total of $21 billion. OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma is trying to persuade a court to let it move ahead with a deal that could include up to $6 billion in cash from members of the Sackler family who own the company. That potential deal would also transform the company into a new entity with profits used to combat the crisis.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.ktre.com/2022/07/27/drugmaker-teva-latest-settle-opioid-lawsuits-nationally/ | 2022-07-27T00:53:07Z | https://www.ktre.com/2022/07/27/drugmaker-teva-latest-settle-opioid-lawsuits-nationally/ | true |
The Vincent Price Museum in East L.A. features a major exhibition of Latinx artists using sound in their work, from demolishing a piano to dedicating musical oldies to incarcerated loved ones.
Copyright 2022 NPR
The Vincent Price Museum in East L.A. features a major exhibition of Latinx artists using sound in their work, from demolishing a piano to dedicating musical oldies to incarcerated loved ones.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.apr.org/arts-life/2022-07-26/encore-east-la-exhibit-features-latinx-artists-using-sound | 2022-07-27T00:58:04Z | https://www.apr.org/arts-life/2022-07-26/encore-east-la-exhibit-features-latinx-artists-using-sound | false |
(WGHP) — They say the lottery is all about chance, but that’s not entirely true.
The Mega Millions jackpot has climbed all the way up to $830 million ahead of Tuesday’s drawing, the lottery’s third highest Mega Millions jackpot of all time. The largest was a $1.586 billion win in 2016, and the second biggest was a $1.537 billion win in 2018.
While the winning numbers are chosen randomly and there’s no way to predict those winning numbers (unless you’re a time-traveler or a psychic), there are a few ways you could hypothetically guarantee a win.
When you buy a Mega Millions ticket, you get to choose five different numbers between 1 and 70. Then, you choose your Mega Ball, a number between 1 and 25. The full rules are available online.
Your cheapest guaranteed Mega Millions win
The easiest possible win in Mega Millions is matching only the Mega Ball, and guaranteeing that win is easy math. Buy 25 tickets and choose a different Mega Ball for each ticket.
At $2 a pop, you’ll spend $50 on your tickets. And what do you win? A whopping $2. You’ll get some meager bragging rights, but you’ll still be $48 in the red.
25 tickets
Prize: $2
But what about the Megaplier?
For an extra $1, you can add the Megaplier. There’s no guesswork involved in this bonus. By paying that extra buck, any winnings you get will be multiplied by the randomly-selected Megaplier. The odds say you’re most likely to see a x2 (1 in 3 chance) or x3 (1 in 2.5 chance) Megaplier. However, you could see a x4 (1 in 5) or x5 (1 in 15).
So let’s say you bought those 25 tickets for $50 and you splurged on the Megaplier on all 25 tickets. You’d be out $75 and guaranteed to win at least $4 because the lowest possible Megaplier would double your $2 prize. If the Megaplier was higher, you could increase your winnings to $6, $8 or $10 but we’re looking for a guaranteed win.
Your next cheapest guaranteed win
There’s no prize for just getting one of the white balls, but there is a prize for getting one white ball and the Mega Ball.
Because all five of the winning numbers will always be five different numbers between 1 and 70, you would just need to buy enough tickets to play every possible number once. So on your first ticket, you could play the numbers 1-2-3-4-5. On your second, play 6-7-8-9-10. On your third, 11-12-13-14-15, and so on. It would take you 14 tickets to play every possible number.
But remember that you still need the Mega Ball! You’d need to buy 14 tickets for each of the 25 possible Mega Ball results for a total of 350 tickets. Your guaranteed win would come with a $700 price tag. But how much would you win?
350 tickets
Prize: $20
You would definitely get something. Since you tried every number paired with every possible Mega Ball, you’re guaranteed to match each of the five white balls and the Mega Ball, but not necessarily on the same ticket. All you’d be guaranteed is $20 across five tickets each matching a different one of the five white balls and the Mega Ball.
If you splurged on the Megaplier, you’d pay $1,050, and you’d be guaranteed to win at least $40.
How to guarantee the jackpot
This is all chump change compared to the massive $830 million up for grabs in the Mega Millions jackpot. To win, you’d need to match all five white balls and the Mega Ball on one ticket.
Guaranteeing that jackpot win is simple but extraordinarily expensive. Just buy every possible combination.
To buy every possible combination of the five white balls, you’d need to buy 12,103,014 tickets for a total of $24,206,028. Thanks to that pesky Mega Ball, you’ll need to do that 25 times for each possible Mega Ball.
That means, to guarantee a jackpot win, you have to buy 302,575,350 tickets for a price of $605,150,700.
302,575,350 tickets
Prize: Jackpot
You may be thinking: “$605 million? That’s it? If I do that, I could make a profit of more than $200 million!” But it wouldn’t exactly work that way.
According to the North Carolina Education Lottery, you’d need to subtract a 25% federal withholding and your state’s withholding. And even then you have a choice to make: Do you want that full jackpot paid to you over the course of 30 years or are you willing to take a smaller sum to have the cash now?
The annuity paid over 30 years loses $207,500,000 in federal taxes, plus a decent chunk of change based on your state taxes.
If you want your winnings immediately, you could opt for a $487,900,000 gross cash payment instead. The feds would take $121,975,000 and your state could take another hunk, likely leaving you with $400,000,000.
So if you’ve got the $605 million needed to buy over 300 million lottery tickets, you’d still only get about $576 million paid over 30 years or about $339 million cash.
And there’s one more potential slice that could be carved out of your prize: other winners. The jackpot is shared among all jackpot winners, so you might only get half of the jackpot or less.
So, yes, there are ways to guarantee a win, but you’re unlikely to win enough to make up for the cost of the tickets. There’s no gaming the system.
If you’re determined to try your luck, the next Mega Millions drawing is scheduled for 11 p.m. ET Tuesday. The deadline to buy tickets for the Tuesday drawing is 10:45 p.m. for retail locations and 10:43 p.m. for online play. Once a ticket is generated, it cannot be canceled. | https://www.yourbasin.com/news/national-news/mega-millions-jackpot-is-it-possible-to-guarantee-a-win/ | 2022-07-27T00:59:33Z | https://www.yourbasin.com/news/national-news/mega-millions-jackpot-is-it-possible-to-guarantee-a-win/ | false |
BETHESDA, Md., July 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Walker & Dunlop, Inc. announced today that it structured $105,000,000 in financing for The Verona at Landover Hills. Located in Prince George's County, Maryland, the property features 727 units.
Walker & Dunlop's John E. Gilmore IV, Jessica Deeney, and Karl F. Rincavage represented the buyer, a joint venture between Dantes Community Partners and the Urban Investment Group within Goldman Sachs Asset Management, in the acquisition of The Verona at Landover Hills. This transaction represents the third acquisition of the NORE Fund I, LP, a newly formed fund managed by Dantes Partners and their co-development firm. Additionally, the transaction represents an investment towards Goldman Sachs' One Million Black Women initiative, a $10 billion investment strategy to narrow opportunity gaps for Black women in the next decade.
The property operated as a market-rate community, but entered into a Rental and Regulatory Agreement with Prince George's County Department of Housing & Community Development at closing. New affordability restrictions were placed on the property upon acquisition. John Gilmore and his team structured the acquisition financing through Fannie Mae's Multifamily Affordable Housing ("MAH") platform.
"As incomes fail to keep up with rent increases and the supply of affordable multifamily options remains limited, the nationwide demand for affordable housing continues to increase," commented Dantes Community Partners' operating principal, Sharif T. Mitchell. "We are confident that this community will continue to provide high-quality living for working families in this growing market."
The Verona at Landover Hills is a multifamily property constructed in 1966 and located in Landover Hills, MD. The property consists of 25, four-story buildings with 91 separately addressed entryways on 29.96 acres and features luxury unit upgrades including new stainless-steel appliances and upgraded cabinetry/countertops.
The property is located within two miles of the DC Metro's Orange Line at Landover Metro Station, MD-450, US Route 50, Interstate 95, Interstate 495, and other major transit routes. Nearby amenities include Crestview Shopping Center, Walmart, a public park, and the University of Maryland College Park campus.
"The availability of affordable housing is an issue of national concern," said Mr. Gilmore. "The Verona at Landover Hills is an excellent example of how the federal government, local municipalities, and private investors can work together to be part of the solution."
About Walker & Dunlop
Walker & Dunlop (NYSE: WD) is one of the largest providers of capital to the commercial real estate industry in the United States, enabling real estate owners and operators to bring their visions of communities — where Americans live, work, shop and play — to life. Our people, brand and technology make W&D one of the most insightful and customer-focused firms in our industry. With more than 1,400 employees across every major U.S. market, Walker & Dunlop has consistently been named one of Fortune's Great Places to Work® and is committed to making the commercial real estate industry more inclusive and diverse while creating meaningful social, environmental, and economic change in our communities.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Walker & Dunlop, Inc. | https://www.dakotanewsnow.com/prnewswire/2022/07/26/walker-amp-dunlop-structures-105-million-financing-affordable-maryland-property/ | 2022-07-27T01:09:48Z | https://www.dakotanewsnow.com/prnewswire/2022/07/26/walker-amp-dunlop-structures-105-million-financing-affordable-maryland-property/ | false |
(The Hill) – Attorney General Merrick Garland on Tuesday pushed back on criticism that the Justice Department has not been aggressive enough in investigating whether former President Trump and his allies broke the law in trying to overturn the 2020 election.
In an interview with NBC News, Garland insisted the department was urgently investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol and the events leading up to it, vowing to charge “everybody who was criminally responsible for interfering with the peaceful transfer of power.”
“It is inevitable in this kind of investigation that there’ll be speculation about what we are doing, who we are investigating, what our theories are,” he said. “The reason there is this speculation and uncertainty is that it’s a fundamental tenet of what we do as prosecutors and investigators is to do it outside of the public eye.”
The interview on Tuesday coincided with a Washington Post report that federal prosecutors have begun asking grand jury witnesses about Trump’s conduct and their contact with him, a sign that the former president could now be a subject of the probe.
Garland has been subject to mounting pressure throughout the summer as the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack has presented damning evidence in a series of public hearings aimed at convincing voters and the Justice Department of Trump’s criminal culpability.
When asked whether he had any concern about the political ramifications of indicting a former president, Garland gave no hint about whether it was under serious consideration within the department but insisted that prosecutors will only weigh the facts and the law when making such a decision.
“We pursue justice without fear or favor,” Garland said. “We intend to hold everyone, anyone who was criminally responsible for the events surrounding January 6, or any attempt to interfere with the lawful transfer of power from one administration to another, accountable, that’s what we do.” | https://www.conchovalleyhomepage.com/news/national-news/garland-dismisses-criticism-of-jan-6-probe-vows-to-charge-everybody-who-was-criminally-responsible/ | 2022-07-27T01:20:36Z | https://www.conchovalleyhomepage.com/news/national-news/garland-dismisses-criticism-of-jan-6-probe-vows-to-charge-everybody-who-was-criminally-responsible/ | false |
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Oakland City Council approved on Tuesday a $1.5 million payout for a former police chief who won her whistleblower claim against the city after she alleged she was fired for calling out unethical behavior by the civilian commission that oversees the police department.
The payout to Anne Kirkpatrick includes roughly $337,000 a federal jury awarded her, which is equivalent to a year's salary and the severance she was entitled to as part of her employment contract. The remainder consists of legal costs, said Oakland City Attorney Barbara J. Parker in a memo prepared for the council.
Kirkpatrick had sought more than $3 million in damages in her lawsuit. She said that members of the civilian oversight commission wanted special treatment, abused police staff and meddled in daily operations.
“I hope that the agreement in my favor is a signal to all who are witnesses to misconduct, especially those in law enforcement: do not stay silent,” Kirkpatrick said in a statement. “Our system depends on people who will do the right thing, even when it is the hard thing.”
Kirkpatrick was hired in 2017, the first woman to lead the police department for the city of 400,000. At the time, the department was reeling from a sex exploitation scandal involving a young woman.
But her relationship with the civilian oversight commission soured and in 2020, the commission and Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf voted to terminate her employment without cause. At the time, they said Kirkpatrick was keeping information from the oversight commission and failing to meet federally mandated court reforms.
The city does not admit to any wrongdoing and denies her allegations, according to the memo.
The vote was unanimous although several council members voiced their displeasure.
“It’s just a waste of money,” said Dan Kalb, a councilmember. | https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/Oakland-to-pay-1-5M-to-fired-police-chief-after-17331050.php | 2022-07-27T01:26:12Z | https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/Oakland-to-pay-1-5M-to-fired-police-chief-after-17331050.php | false |
WFO LAS VEGAS Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, July 26, 2022
_____
AREAL FLOOD ADVISORY
Flood Advisory
National Weather Service Las Vegas NV
544 PM PDT Tue Jul 26 2022
...FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 745 PM MST/745 PM PDT/ THIS
EVENING...
* WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is expected.
* WHERE...Portions of northwest Arizona and southern California,
including the following counties, in northwest Arizona, Mohave. In
southern California, San Bernardino.
* WHEN...Until 745 PM MST /745 PM PDT/.
* IMPACTS...Minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
- At 544 PM MST /544 PM PDT/, Doppler radar indicated heavy
rain due to thunderstorms. Minor flooding is ongoing or
expected to begin shortly in the advisory area.
- Some locations that will experience flooding include...
Lake Havasu City and Desert Hills.
- http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.ourmidland.com/weather/article/CA-WFO-LAS-VEGAS-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17331098.php | 2022-07-27T01:27:26Z | https://www.ourmidland.com/weather/article/CA-WFO-LAS-VEGAS-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17331098.php | true |
You need to enable JavaScript to run this app. | https://sportspyder.com/mlb/boston-red-sox/articles/40191950 | 2022-07-27T01:27:48Z | https://sportspyder.com/mlb/boston-red-sox/articles/40191950 | false |
Company poised for global growth to expand its process and automation expertise
MELBOURNE, Australia, July 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nintex, the global standard for process intelligence and automation, today announced the appointment of Stephen Elop as Board Chair, effective 18 July.
With more than 20 years of experience leading and growing enterprise software organisations, Elop brings the right combination of leadership and industry insight to help Nintex take its business to the next level. Elop is currently CEO of Digital.ai, the enterprise platform for AI-driven software development, and has held executive roles at companies including Microsoft, Nokia, Juniper Networks, and Adobe Systems.
"Stephen's industry experience and expertise scaling large, global businesses make him the perfect choice to lead the Nintex board," said Eric Johnson, Nintex CEO. "We have an incredible opportunity in front of us, and the leadership team and I are excited to work with Stephen to accelerate our growth and help organisations solve their high-value automation challenges."
"The process automation market will change significantly over the next five years, and I believe Nintex is best placed to take advantage of this shift," said Stephen Elop. "As the process and automation experts, Eric and his team have built a company that has rapidly grown into a profitable and scalable global business. I'm excited about the opportunity to help shape the team's next wave of growth."
"Stephen is a true veteran of our industry who has an unmatched understanding of how to build a software business at both the product and organisational level," said Nehal Raj, Co-Managing Partner at TPG Capital. "I've worked with Stephen many times over the years and know he's the right leader to help guide Nintex through its exciting next stage of growth."
To learn how more organisations across every industry are going digital faster and transforming the way people work with the Nintex Process Platform, visit https://www.nintex.com/why-nintex/case-studies/.
Media Contact
Ben Tamblyn
ben.tamblyn@nintex.com
cell: +1 425 802 0409
About Nintex
Nintex is the global standard for process intelligence and automation. Today more than 10,000 public and private sector organisations across 90 countries turn to the Nintex Process Platform to accelerate progress on their digital transformation journeys by quickly and easily managing, automating and optimising business processes. Learn more by visiting www.nintex.com and experience how Nintex and its global partner network are shaping the future of Intelligent Process Automation (IPA).
Product or service names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
Logo - https://mma.prnasia.com/media2/700078/Nintex_Logo.jpg?p=medium600 | https://www.asiaone.com/business/nintex-appoints-stephen-elop-chair-companys-board-directors-0 | 2022-07-27T01:31:14Z | https://www.asiaone.com/business/nintex-appoints-stephen-elop-chair-companys-board-directors-0 | true |
GENTRY, Ark. — The weather has been difficult for everyone this summer, especially farmers.
“When it’s 105 and high humidity, it’s rough out there,” said Bill Taylor, Taylor’s Orchard.
And with little rain this summer, it’s making it more difficult for farmers like Bill Taylor to make sure their crops are adequately watered.
“If I hadn’t been hauling water to my blackberries, I wouldn’t have blackberries up here today…I’m hauling about 2,500 gallons every day to the blackberries,” Taylor said.
Taylor says he has already drained two of his ponds and now has to buy water from the city of Gentry.
Market Manager Teresa Maurer says since the land is so dry, some vendors have even had issues with pests ruining their crops.
“What happens too is when the environment dries out, then you have more pest problems, both the four-legged kind like deer, and other kinds of pests as well,” Maurer said.
The harsh weather conditions have also impacted pricing and availability.
“If somebody’s got a reduction in how much they can harvest, you know and their prices go up because of water, because of labor, everything else there is a little bit of a jump,” said Teresa Maurer, Market Manager, Fayetteville Farmers Market.
But that has farmers hopeful the rain will come again, and soon.
“I’m hoping and praying that we get some rain, a significant amount to do some good. I probably won’t stop watering the blackberries anyway,” Taylor said.
The vendors remain optimistic about making it through this difficult summer weather.
“There was something like this about 10 years ago, we survived it, we’ll survive again,” Maurer said. | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/record-heat-farmers-markets-impact/527-14dfd27f-c631-4176-be64-259bce6d7b5a | 2022-07-27T01:44:02Z | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/record-heat-farmers-markets-impact/527-14dfd27f-c631-4176-be64-259bce6d7b5a | true |
WFO LAS VEGAS Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, July 26, 2022
_____
AREAL FLOOD ADVISORY
Flood Advisory
National Weather Service Las Vegas NV
544 PM PDT Tue Jul 26 2022
...FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 745 PM MST/745 PM PDT/ THIS
EVENING...
* WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is expected.
* WHERE...Portions of northwest Arizona and southern California,
including the following counties, in northwest Arizona, Mohave. In
southern California, San Bernardino.
* WHEN...Until 745 PM MST /745 PM PDT/.
* IMPACTS...Minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
- At 544 PM MST /544 PM PDT/, Doppler radar indicated heavy
rain due to thunderstorms. Minor flooding is ongoing or
expected to begin shortly in the advisory area.
- Some locations that will experience flooding include...
Lake Havasu City and Desert Hills.
- http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.sfgate.com/weather/article/CA-WFO-LAS-VEGAS-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17331098.php | 2022-07-27T02:00:05Z | https://www.sfgate.com/weather/article/CA-WFO-LAS-VEGAS-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17331098.php | false |
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – There’s a scramble among federal leaders to stabilize a struggling economy. The Biden administration is trying to calm fears of a recession and the Federal Reserve is poised to raise interest rates again.
A new report from The Conference Board shows that consumer confidence is down for the third month in a row.
White House Economic Adviser Bharat Ramamurti says there are signs of strength too, like low unemployment and falling gas prices.
“I don’t want to diminish the squeeze that some families are feeling because of rising prices, but we’ve had a very robust economic recovery,” Ramamurti said. “We are working every day to try to address some of the cost pressures.”
But as families struggle with inflation, Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo., is one of many lawmakers on the right blaming President Joe Biden and his administration for high prices.
“The way we turn this country around is to do the opposite of what Joe Biden tells us,” Smith said.
The Federal Reserve is expected to announce another interest rate hike on Wednesday, aimed at lowering inflation by slowing down spending. But even the Fed is concerned that too much of a slowdown could cause a recession.
George Washington University economics Professor Joann Weiner says that’s a tough line to walk.
“It’s a tricky balance. The Fed doesn’t want a recession. But if it gets one, hopefully it will be short,” Weiner said.
She believes the future of the economy is hard to predict, largely because of how the pandemic changed it.
“That, to me, is the biggest uncertainty out there – is we don’t know how this economy is going to function,” Weiner said.
Republicans are warning things are definitely headed in the wrong direction.
“This out-of-control economy is about to go off of a cliff,” Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said.
Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., says they know how to fix it.
“Open up our energy reserves. Stop printing money. How about that? No more multi-trillion dollar bills,” Scalise said. | https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/washington-dc/us-leaders-work-to-stabilize-struggling-economy/ | 2022-07-27T02:07:25Z | https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/washington-dc/us-leaders-work-to-stabilize-struggling-economy/ | false |
Fond du Lac School Board appoints newcomer to Tim Weddle's vacant seat, starting Aug. 8
Daphne Lemke
Fond du Lac Reporter
FOND DU LAC - Andrea Schultz is the newest face to join the Fond du Lac School Board.
Out of six applicants interviewed, the board appointed Schultz to the vacant seat in a special meeting Thursday.
She will start her short term at the Aug. 8 meeting, replacing Tim Weddle, who resigned July 7 after moving out of the district.
The other applicants were Maria Athanasiou, Emily Hayes, Dusty Krikau, Amy Medina and Mitch Swanson.
The position will be up for election next spring, but Schultz may run to keep the seat. Board member Richard Gedemer's seat will also be up for grabs in the spring elec
Contact Daphne Lemke at dlemke@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @daphlemke. | https://www.fdlreporter.com/story/news/education/2022/07/25/fond-du-lac-school-board-appoints-newcomer-tim-weddles-vacant-seat/10145358002/ | 2022-07-27T02:07:44Z | https://www.fdlreporter.com/story/news/education/2022/07/25/fond-du-lac-school-board-appoints-newcomer-tim-weddles-vacant-seat/10145358002/ | false |
Law enforcement take part in drug eradication program
Published: Jul. 26, 2022 at 8:31 PM CDT|Updated: 43 minutes ago
LAWRENCE COUNTY, Ark. (KAIT) - It was a busy day in Lawrence County, as Northeast Arkansas law enforcement was in the county for a drug eradication program.
Second Judicial Drug Task Force Commander, Chad Henson, told Region 8 News on Tuesday, July 26, law enforcement searched a property near Black Rock.
He added a helicopter was involved, and no arrests were made.
Region 8 News will update this story if any other details become available.
Copyright 2022 KAIT. All rights reserved. | https://www.kait8.com/2022/07/27/law-enforcement-take-part-drug-eradication-program/ | 2022-07-27T02:15:56Z | https://www.kait8.com/2022/07/27/law-enforcement-take-part-drug-eradication-program/ | false |
The Biden administration privately gave Congress an estimate this month on how much it would take to combat the monkeypox outbreak in the U.S., to match "the scope and urgency of the current situation."
As the Washington Post reported, that estimate was reportedly set at nearly $7 billion.
The estimate was detailed in a memo addressed to President Biden and obtained by the Post, according to a report.
While not a formal request for Congressional aid, it was presented by White House aides at the request of Democratic leaders on a Senate health committee. A Democratic aide confirmed details in the memo.
On Saturday, the World Health Organization's Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared monkeypox a global emergency, the Associated Press reported.
“We have an outbreak that has spread around the world rapidly through new modes of transmission, about which we understand too little,” Tedros said. “I know this has not been an easy or straightforward process and that there are divergent views." | https://www.wtvr.com/news/national/biden-administration-estimates-almost-7-billion-needed-to-flight-against-monkeypox-outbreak | 2022-07-27T02:18:30Z | https://www.wtvr.com/news/national/biden-administration-estimates-almost-7-billion-needed-to-flight-against-monkeypox-outbreak | true |
SINGAPORE, July 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Stamford American International School students performed very well on externally evaluated International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement exams taken in May 2022. Recent results from the IBO and College Board showed Stamford students considerably outpacing their global counterparts in both exams.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP)
On this year's IBDP exams, 98 percent of the school's 63 students passed the exam, with an average total score of 35.2. This mirrored last year's results, while the global average – 32 – declined one point from a year ago.
Twelve students scored a 40 or above and two students scored a 44. The maximum score on the test is 45. The average subject area score was 5.6 – well above the global average – and more than half of Stamford students scored 6 or higher on a scale of 1 to 7.
"The most significant improvement this year was in STEM subjects, where all scores were above the global average," said Dr. Amit Khanna, program coordinator. "We also saw marked improvement in students' extended essays, with 20 percent achieving the highest possible grade."
With the extended essay, each student has a faculty mentor who meets regularly to help guide the inquiry and support the research process. Students select a topic of interest within an IB discipline to do a deep dive. Spanish teacher David Diez serves as the extended essay coordinator.
Advanced Placement
In AP, 184 students took 358 exams – the largest number of AP exams written at Stamford. Stamford offers 19 AP classes, ranging from psychology and macro-economics to biology and computer science.
Exams are scored on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 as the top mark. Seventy-five percent of students scored a 3 or higher, and 80 students scored the maximum 5.
More than a quarter of the school's AP students achieved distinctions:
- 28 AP Scholars (scoring a 3 or higher in three or more exams)
- 15 AP Scholars with Honor (scoring an overall average of at least 3.25 and a 3 or higher on four exams)
- 16 AP Scholars with Distinction (scoring an overall average of at least 3.5 and a 3 or higher on five exams)
"As a school, we know that all students can benefit from taking academically challenging courses such as DP and AP," said Khanna. "Research shows these courses prepare students well for college-level work. Our goal is to maximize enrollment in these courses – and do everything possible to support students to achieve their best."
Superintendent Mark Wenzel said the multiple pathways at Stamford allow students to flex their academic muscles based on varied interests and future plans.
"It's exciting to see the long-term growth in both performance and participation in these programs, and I'm grateful to the teachers and coordinators for their excellent efforts," said Wenzel. "We regularly hear from our graduates attending competitive universities around the world that their Stamford IB and AP courses prepared them well and put them on the road to success. We're excited to hear similar accomplishments from the Class of 2022."
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Stamford American International School | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2022/07/27/stamford-american-students-achieve-high-marks-2022-ib-ap-exams/ | 2022-07-27T02:18:49Z | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2022/07/27/stamford-american-students-achieve-high-marks-2022-ib-ap-exams/ | false |
News
22/7 Idol Group Unveils New Music Video by Cloverworks
posted on by Rafael Antonio Pineda
The official YouTube channel for the 22/7 idol project began streaming a new animated music video for the group's ninth single "Kumorizora no Mukō ha Hareteiru" (It's Sunny Past the Clouds) on Wednesday. Yuta Yamazaki (Wonder Egg Priority, My Dress-Up Darling episode director) directed the video at CloverWorks, with 22/7 character designer and veteran animator Yukiko Horiguchi as the animation director and character designer.
The "Kumorizora no Mukō ha Hareteiru" single also shipped on Wednesday.
Since December 2020, five members have "graduated" from the 22/7 group, including Urara Takatsuji, Ruri Umino, Mizuha Kuraoka, Aina Takeda, and Chiharu Hokaze. Hokaze graduated from the franchise in December 2020. Takatsuji left in November 2021. All five of the members' respective characters have also graduated from the franchise.
Eight new members joined the project in February earlier this year, including Nao Aikawa, Mao Asaoka, Oto Amaya, Mina Kiyoi, Satsuki Shiina, Runa Shijō, Ema Tsukishiro, and Rino Mochizuki. The group now has a total of 14 members (all of whom appear in the video above).
The project announced in September 2021 that the idol group was auditioning for new members. The audition marked the project's second audition in five years since the initial recruitment in October 2016.
The 22/7 Ongaku no Jikan (22/7 Music Time) rhythm mobile game ended service on December 22. The game launched in May 2020 for iOS and Android devices.
The 22/7 anime premiered in January 2020. The series had 12 episodes, plus a 13th "extra episode" titled "8+3=?" featuring all 11 main cast members at the time. Aniplex of America streamed the show as it aired in Japan on FunimationNow. The anime debuted on Crunchyroll in February 2020.
AKB48 founder and producer Yasushi Akimoto is producing the titular "dimension-crossing" idol group. The group originally had eight anime idol characters, with their respective voice actresses performing as idols in the real world.
Sources: 22/7's YouTube channel, Mainichi Shimbun's Mantan Web | https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2022-07-26/22-7-idol-group-unveils-new-music-video-by-cloverworks/.188060 | 2022-07-27T02:27:47Z | https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2022-07-26/22-7-idol-group-unveils-new-music-video-by-cloverworks/.188060 | true |
SINGAPORE, July 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Stamford American International School students performed very well on externally evaluated International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement exams taken in May 2022. Recent results from the IBO and College Board showed Stamford students considerably outpacing their global counterparts in both exams.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP)
On this year's IBDP exams, 98 percent of the school's 63 students passed the exam, with an average total score of 35.2. This mirrored last year's results, while the global average – 32 – declined one point from a year ago.
Twelve students scored a 40 or above and two students scored a 44. The maximum score on the test is 45. The average subject area score was 5.6 – well above the global average – and more than half of Stamford students scored 6 or higher on a scale of 1 to 7.
"The most significant improvement this year was in STEM subjects, where all scores were above the global average," said Dr. Amit Khanna, program coordinator. "We also saw marked improvement in students' extended essays, with 20 percent achieving the highest possible grade."
With the extended essay, each student has a faculty mentor who meets regularly to help guide the inquiry and support the research process. Students select a topic of interest within an IB discipline to do a deep dive. Spanish teacher David Diez serves as the extended essay coordinator.
Advanced Placement
In AP, 184 students took 358 exams – the largest number of AP exams written at Stamford. Stamford offers 19 AP classes, ranging from psychology and macro-economics to biology and computer science.
Exams are scored on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 as the top mark. Seventy-five percent of students scored a 3 or higher, and 80 students scored the maximum 5.
More than a quarter of the school's AP students achieved distinctions:
- 28 AP Scholars (scoring a 3 or higher in three or more exams)
- 15 AP Scholars with Honor (scoring an overall average of at least 3.25 and a 3 or higher on four exams)
- 16 AP Scholars with Distinction (scoring an overall average of at least 3.5 and a 3 or higher on five exams)
"As a school, we know that all students can benefit from taking academically challenging courses such as DP and AP," said Khanna. "Research shows these courses prepare students well for college-level work. Our goal is to maximize enrollment in these courses – and do everything possible to support students to achieve their best."
Superintendent Mark Wenzel said the multiple pathways at Stamford allow students to flex their academic muscles based on varied interests and future plans.
"It's exciting to see the long-term growth in both performance and participation in these programs, and I'm grateful to the teachers and coordinators for their excellent efforts," said Wenzel. "We regularly hear from our graduates attending competitive universities around the world that their Stamford IB and AP courses prepared them well and put them on the road to success. We're excited to hear similar accomplishments from the Class of 2022."
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Stamford American International School | https://www.ktre.com/prnewswire/2022/07/27/stamford-american-students-achieve-high-marks-2022-ib-ap-exams/ | 2022-07-27T02:28:07Z | https://www.ktre.com/prnewswire/2022/07/27/stamford-american-students-achieve-high-marks-2022-ib-ap-exams/ | false |
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We've placed cookies on your device to improve your browsing experience. They're safe and don't contain sensitive information. | https://tj.news/daily-gleaner/101929063 | 2022-07-27T02:29:42Z | https://tj.news/daily-gleaner/101929063 | true |
Fairfield Co. Council approved $50,000 settlement for wife & niece-in-law of councilmembers
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - Newly obtained county documents show the Fairfield County Council voted to approve a $50,000 settlement with the wife and niece-in-law of two county councilmembers.
On June 13, the council voted 6-0 to approve an agreement with former employee Diana Robinson over her allegations of discrimination in the workplace.
Her husband, Councilman Cornelius Robinson, recused himself from the vote and appeared to remove himself from the executive session where the issue was discussed beforehand.
Councilman Mikel Trapp did not recuse himself from the vote, motioned for the settlement to be approved, and voted to approve it. Cornelius confirmed Trapp is his uncle through marriage.
South Carolina state law does not require aunts nor uncles in positions of power to recuse themselves from votes related to their families. Trapp declined to comment.
Diana’s attorney Jay Babb sent a statement to WIS reading:
By letter of October 15, 2021 to Fairfield County, I conveyed Ms. Robinson’s serious concerns and potential legal claims in regards to how her employment ended with the County. This letter, which speaks for itself, was sent to the County less than a month after Ms. Robinson’s employment ended. The resolution was negotiated by employment lawyers on both sides. As is customary with a government entity settlement, the settlement was approved by Council with a 6-0 vote. Councilman Robinson recused himself from the vote. This was a pre-litigation settlement negotiated between a former employee and their employer who were both represented by competent employment attorneys. Any assertion that Ms. Robinson somehow obtained this settlement by improper means through specific council members is absolutely false. Her husband, Councilman Robinson, recused himself from the vote. Councilman Trapp (her husband’s uncle through marriage) did not have a financial stake in the outcome and was not required to recuse himself as a matter of state ethics law. He was also not involved with any discussions between the parties and the vote would have passed regardless.
The letter referenced in his statement is to the county administration and laid out a series of allegations against the county, including:
- Mrs. Robinson was spoken to in a threatening and hostile tone in the workplace
- Mrs. Robinson was confronted over her use of social media and told to cease the use of her personal social media accounts
- Mrs. Robinson was forced to resign
- Mrs. Robinson was passed up for raises her white counterparts received
- Mrs. Robinson expressed concern regarding the promotion of less qualified white employees
As part of the agreement, Diana signed a document on July 12 freeing the county from liability related to these claims. It also required she withdrawal her administrative charges filed with the Equal Opportunity Commission and the South Carolina Human Affairs Commission.
Robinson Release Signed by Tiffany R on Scribd
Fairfield County Administrator Malik Whitaker confirmed to WIS the $50,000 was paid out of the general fund.
He said in a statement:
The initial decision regarding the employment was made by the Interim County Administrator. Once the matter was contested, the Human Resources Department worked with Fairfield County’s employment counsel to develop the County’s position. Without going into discussions with employment counsel, I can only say the case was settled.
Councilman Douglas Pauley said the council was aware of Trapp’s relationship with the Robinsons when the vote happened, but it was not a topic of conversation.
In an interview on July 26, he said Trapp should have recused himself.
“Usually in matters pertaining to family members when it solely benefits that particular individual in most cases you are supposed to recuse yourself from being involved in the vote,” he said.
Meeting video and minutes show Pauley voted to approve the vote. He told WIS he was not given adequate information to make an informed decision on it.
He forwarded WIS an email from him to Chairman Moses Bell asking for the vote to be reconsidered and place back on the agenda. Bell declined in a response and told WIS on Tuesday the votes wouldn’t be there for there to be a different outcome.
Copyright 2022 WIS. All rights reserved.
Notice a spelling or grammar error in this article? Click or tap here to report it. Please include the article’s headline. | https://www.wistv.com/2022/07/27/fairfield-co-council-approved-50000-settlement-wife-niece-in-law-councilmembers/ | 2022-07-27T02:34:52Z | https://www.wistv.com/2022/07/27/fairfield-co-council-approved-50000-settlement-wife-niece-in-law-councilmembers/ | true |
BANGKOK (AP) — International outrage over Myanmar’s execution of four political prisoners intensified Tuesday with grassroots protests and strong condemnation from world governments, as well as fears the hangings could derail nascent attempts to bring an end to the violence and unrest that has beset the Southeast Asian nation since the military seized power last year.
Myanmar’s military-led government that seized power from elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021 has been accused of thousands of extrajudicial killings since then, but the hangings announced Monday were the country’s first official executions in decades.
“We feel that this is a crime against humanity,” said Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah, speaking at the side of the United Nations’ Special Envoy on Myanmar Noeleen Heyzer at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur.
He said the executions would be a focus of the upcoming meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations foreign ministers, which begin in Cambodia in a week.
Myanmar is a member of the influential ASEAN group, which has been trying to implement a five-point consensus it reached on Myanmar last year calling for dialogue among all concerned parties, provision of humanitarian assistance, an immediate cessation of violence and a visit by a special envoy to meet all parties.
With the executions, he said, “we look at it as if the junta is making a mockery of the five point process.”
Heyzer said that the U.N. sees the executions as a “blatant violation” of a person’s “right to life, liberty and security.”
In Bangkok, hundreds of pro-democracy demonstrators protested outside neighboring Myanmar’s embassy, waving flags and chanting slogans amid a heavy downpour.
“The dictators used their power arbitrarily,” yelled a young man through a bullhorn to the crowd, some of whom waved pictures of Suu Kyi or the four executed men. “We can’t tolerate this any more.”
Myanmar’s government spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, firmly rejected the criticism, saying the executions were carried out in line with the country’s law and not for “personal” reasons.
“We knew that there may be criticism when the death penalties were handed down and conducted in line with domestic law,” he told reporters. “However, we did it for reasons of domestic stability, for the rule of law and order, and security.”
He said the executed men were convicted of crimes involving supporting violent “terrorists” and acts — allegations denied by their defenders — and said their punishment was “appropriate.”
“If we considered leniency for those who committed such crimes it would have been cruel and without sympathy for the victims,” he said.
Among the four executed was Phyo Zeya Thaw, a 41-year-old former lawmaker from Suu Kyi’s party, and Kyaw Min Yu, a 53-year-old democracy activist better known as Ko Jimmy. All were tried, convicted and sentenced by a military tribunal with no possibility of appeal.
The executions were carried out over the weekend, and came as a surprise even to family members.
Phyo Zeya Thaw’s mother Khin Win May told The Associated Press she had just spoken with her son via video conference on Friday and he had asked her for reading glasses, books and some spending money.
“I was a little shocked when I heard about the execution, I think it will take some time,” she said.
She said she hoped her son and the others would be seen as martyrs for their cause.
“I’m proud of all of them as they sacrificed their lives for the country,” she said.
The execution of the four activists prompted immediate calls from around the world for a moratorium on carrying out any further sentences, and condemnation for what was broadly seen as a politically motivated move.
Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, announced in June that it was going to resume executing prisoners and has 113 others who have been sentenced to death, although 41 of those were convicted in absentia, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a non-governmental organization that tracks killing and arrests. At the same time, 2,120 civilians have been killed by security forces since the military takeover.
“This was a barbaric act by Myanmar’s military regime,” said New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta of the four executions carried out. “New Zealand condemns these actions in the strongest possible terms.”
Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she was “appalled” by the executions.
“Australia opposes the death penalty in all circumstances for all people,” she said.
Earlier, Australia and New Zealand had joined the European Union, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Norway and South Korea in a joint statement condemning the executions.
ASEAN denounced the executions as “highly reprehensible.”
It said the move represented a setback to the group’s efforts to facilitate a dialogue between the military leadership and opponents.
“We strongly and urgently call on all parties concerned to desist from taking actions that would only further aggravate the crisis, hinder peaceful dialogue among all parties concerned, and endanger peace, security and stability, not only in Myanmar, but the whole region,” the group said in a statement.
The military’s seizure of power from Suu Kyi’s elected government triggered peaceful protests that soon escalated to armed resistance and then to widespread fighting that some U.N. experts characterize as a civil war.
Some resistance groups have engaged in assassinations, drive-by shootings and bombings in urban areas. Mainstream opposition organizations generally disavow such activities, while supporting armed resistance in rural areas that are more often subject to brutal military attacks.
News of the executions prompted a flash-demonstration Monday in Myanmar’s largest city, Yangon, where about a dozen protesters took to the streets marching behind a banner saying “we are never afraid,” then quickly slipping away before authorities could confront them.
Similar demonstrations broke out in more rural areas across Myanmar on both Monday and Tuesday.
The last judicial execution to be carried out in Myanmar is generally believed to have been of another political offender, student leader Salai Tin Maung Oo, in 1976 under a previous military government led by dictator Ne Win.
___
Ng reported from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Chalida Ekvitthayavechnukul in Bangkok contributed to this report. | https://www.koin.com/news/international/widespread-condemnation-of-myanmars-execution-of-prisoners/ | 2022-07-27T02:38:20Z | https://www.koin.com/news/international/widespread-condemnation-of-myanmars-execution-of-prisoners/ | false |
An Inflight Coveral jacket worn by astronaut Buzz Aldrin when he flew on the Apollo 11 mission to the moon's surface in 1969 was auctioned off to an anonymous bidder for almost $2.8 million.
The winning bidder did not immediately reveal their identity and participated in the auction by phone, which was facilitated by Sotheby's auction house.
The $2,772,500 paid for the jacket was “the most valuable American space-flown artifact ever sold at auction,” an auctioneer said, according to the New York Times.
The 92-year-old Aldrin put a list of other items from his career up for auction. Some of the items date back to his time as a student at the United States Military Academy. They include the Eagle lunar module's circuit breaker switch, which broke during the mission and could have caused Aldrin and Neil Armstrong to become stuck on the Moon.
Aldrin said, "I hope that this collection offers some insight into what it has been like to be Buzz Aldrin."
Sotheby's called the list of items "among the most significant and valuable space exploration artifacts ever offered at auction."
Aldrin said in a press statement, "After deep consideration, the time felt right to share these items with the world, which for many are symbols of a historical moment, but for me have always remained personal mementos of a life dedicated to science and exploration."
One of the items put up for auction is an old brushed aluminum black felt-tipped ink pen. It was flown to the Moon and used in that mission. It is credited with saving Aldrin and his fellow astronaut after that circuit breaker switch was broken.
When the accident happened, Aldrin is recorded as calling back to NASA to say, "Houston, Tranquility. Do you have a way of showing the configuration of the engine arm circuit breaker? Over. The reason I'm asking is because the end of it appears to be broken off. I think we can push it back in again. I'm not sure we could pull it out if we pushed it in, though. Over.”
Aldrin said after considering selling the items for a long time, he hopes that the "various artifacts" can be shared to "offer some insight into what it has been like to be Buzz Aldrin." | https://www.kxxv.com/news/national/buzz-aldrin-jacket-that-flew-with-him-to-the-moons-surface-fetches-2-8m-at-action | 2022-07-27T02:41:09Z | https://www.kxxv.com/news/national/buzz-aldrin-jacket-that-flew-with-him-to-the-moons-surface-fetches-2-8m-at-action | false |
Krill, 'Solitaire'
By the time Krill broke up in 2015, its grungy rock songs — careening and claustrophobic, anxious and self-deprecating yet slyly philosophical — had become the stuff of legend in the tight-knit Boston indie-rock scene. On the band's very first record, Alam No Hris, you can hear the seeds of the sound Krill would perfect over the course of its too-short run, though you can't currently find those tracks on streaming services. That's soon to change: Today, the band has announced a remastered 10-year anniversary reissue of the album coming out next month, alongside the album's first pressing on vinyl later this year. (In the meantime, though, you can hear the original release on Bandcamp.)
"Solitaire," a fan favorite from Alam No Hris, is proof of the band's early knack for making a song about malaise feel nearly anthemic; it highlights songwriter Jonah Furman's strength in crafting songs about the tiny personal anxieties that can often feel so big they blot out the sun. But it's also a song about how great music can be a weapon against all that stress. After musing over a broken heart and low self-esteem as the band alternately thrashes and retreats, Furman admits he knows just the thing to turn it all around: "I can be in a bad mood / everyday all day," he sings, "Put on some Arthur Russell, see how fast I change / It's embarrassing." If it's embarrassing, it's a shame many of us share; I wouldn't be the first to say a Krill song has done the same for me. | https://www.npr.org/sections/now-playing/2022/07/26/1113508963/krill-solitaire | 2022-07-27T02:41:16Z | https://www.npr.org/sections/now-playing/2022/07/26/1113508963/krill-solitaire | false |
The economy is sending mixed signals right now. Here's what it all means
The U.S. economy is caught in an awkward, painful place. A confusing one, too.
Growth appears to be sputtering, home sales are tumbling and economists warn of a potential recession ahead. But consumers are still spending, businesses keep posting profits and the economy keeps adding hundreds of thousands of jobs each month.
Amid it all, prices have accelerated to four-decade highs, and the Federal Reserve is desperately trying to douse the inflationary flames with higher interest rates. That's making borrowing more expensive for households and businesses.
The Fed hopes to pull off the triple axel of central banking: Slow the economy just enough to curb inflation without causing a recession. Many economists doubt the Fed can manage that feat, a so-called soft landing.
Surging inflation is most often a side effect of a red-hot economy, not the current tepid pace of growth. Today's economic moment conjures dark memories of the 1970s, when scorching inflation co-existed, in a kind of toxic brew, with slow growth. It hatched an ugly new term: stagflation.
The United States isn't there yet. Though growth appears to be faltering, the job market still looks quite strong. And consumers, whose spending accounts for nearly 70% of economic output, are still spending, though at a slower pace.
So the Fed and economic forecasters are stuck in uncharted territory. They have no experience analyzing the economic damage from a global pandemic. The results so far have been humbling. They failed to anticipate the economy's blazing recovery from the 2020 recession — or the raging inflation it unleashed.
Even after inflation accelerated in spring of last year, Fed Chair Jerome Powell and many other forecasters downplayed the price surge as merely a "transitory" consequence of supply bottlenecks that would fade soon.
It didn't.
Now the central bank is playing catch-up. It's raised its benchmark short-term interest rate three times since March. Last month, the Fed increased its rate by three-quarters of a percentage point, its biggest hike since 1994. The Fed's policymaking committee is expected to announce another three-quarter-point hike Wednesday.
Economists now worry that the Fed, having underestimated inflation, will overreact and drive rates ever higher, imperiling the economy. They caution the Fed against tightening credit too aggressively.
"We don't think a sledgehammer is necessary,'' Ian Shepherdson, chief economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, said this week.
Here's a look at the economic vital signs that are sending frustratingly mixed signals to policymakers, businesses and forecasters:
___
The overall economy
As measured by the nation's gross domestic product — the broadest gauge of output — the economy has looked positively sickly so far this year. And steadily higher borrowing rates, engineered by the Fed, threaten to make things worse.
"Recession is likely,'' said Vincent Reinhart, a former Fed economist who is now chief economist at Dreyfus and Mellon.
After growing at a 37-year high 5.7% last year, the economy shrank at a 1.6% annual pace from January through March. For the April-June quarter, forecasters surveyed by the data firm FactSet estimate that growth equaled a scant 0.95% annual rate from April through June. (The government will issue its first estimate of April-June growth on Thursday.)
Some economists foresee another economic contraction for the second quarter. If that happened, it would further escalate recession fears. One informal definition of recession is two straight quarters of declining GDP. But the most widely accepted authority is the National Bureau of Economic Research, whose Business Cycle Dating Committee assesses a wide range of factors before declaring the death of an economic expansion and the birth of a recession. It defines a recession as "a significant decline in economic activity that is spread across the economy and that lasts more than a few months."
In any case, the economic drop in the January-March quarter looked worse than it actually was. It was caused by factors that don't mirror the economy's underlying health: A widening trade deficit, reflecting consumers' robust appetite for imports, shaved 3.2 percentage points off first-quarter growth. A post-holiday-season drop in company inventories subtracted an additional 0.4 percentage point.
Consumer spending, measured at a modest 1.8% annual rate from January through March, is still growing. Americans are losing confidence, though: Their assessment of economic conditions six months from now reached its lowest point since 2013 in June, according to the Conference Board, a research group.
___
Inflation
What's agitating consumers is no secret: They're reeling from painful prices at gasoline stations, grocery stores and auto dealerships.
The Labor Department's consumer price index skyrocketed 9.1% in June from a year earlier, a pace not seen since 1981. The price of gasoline has jumped 61% over the past year, airfares 34%, eggs 33%.
And despite widespread pay raises, prices are surging faster than wages. In June, average hourly earnings slid 3.6% from a year earlier adjusting for inflation, the 15th straight monthly drop from a year earlier.
And on Monday, Walmart, the nation's largest retailer, lowered its profit outlook, saying that higher gas and food prices were forcing shoppers to spend less on many discretionary items, like new clothing.
The price spikes have been ignited by a combination of brisk consumer demand and global shortages of factory parts, food, energy and labor. And so the Fed is now aggressively raising rates.
"There is a risk of overdoing it,'' warned Ellen Gaske, an economist at PGIM Fixed Income. "Because inflation is so bad right now, they are focused on the here and now of each monthly CPI report. The latest one showed no letup.''
___
Jobs
Despite inflation, rate hikes and declining consumer confidence, one thing has remained solid: The job market, the most crucial pillar of the economy. Employers added a record 6.7 million jobs last year. And so far this year, they're adding an average of 457,000 more each month.
The unemployment rate, at 3.6% for four straight months, is near a half-century low. Employers have posted at least 11 million job openings for six consecutive months. The government says there are two job openings, on average, for every unemployed American, the highest such ratio on record.
Job security and the opportunity to advance to better positions are providing the confidence and financial wherewithal for Americans to spend and keep the job machine churning.
Still, it's unclear how long a hiring boom will last. In keeping up their spending in the face of high inflation, Americans have been drawing down the heavy savings they built up during the pandemic. That won't last indefinitely. And the Fed's rate hikes mean it's increasingly expensive to buy a house, a car or a major appliance on credit.
The weekly number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits, a proxy for layoffs and a bellwether for where the job market may be headed, reached 251,000 in the most recent reading. That's still quite low by historic standards, but it's the most since November.
___
Manufacturing
COVID-19 kept millions of Americans cooped up at home. But it didn't stop them from spending. Unable to go out to restaurants, bars and movie theaters, people instead loaded up on factory-made goods — appliances, furniture, exercise equipment.
Factories have enjoyed 25 consecutive months of expansion, according to the Institute for Supply Management's manufacturing index. Customer demand has been strong, though supply chain bottlenecks have made it hard for factories to fill orders.
Now, the factory boom is showing signs of strain. The ISM's index dropped last month to its lowest level in two years. New orders declined. Factory hiring dropped for a second straight month.
A key factor is that the Fed's rate hikes are heightening borrowing costs and the value of the U.S. dollar against other currencies, a move that makes American goods more expensive overseas.
"We doubt the outlook for manufacturing will improve any time soon,'' Andrew Hunter, senior U.S. economist at Capital Economics, wrote this month. "Weakening global growth and the drag from the stronger dollar look set to keep U.S. manufacturers under pressure over the coming months.''
___
Housing
No sector of the U.S. economy is more sensitive to interest rate increases than housing. And the Fed's hikes and the prospect of steadily tighter credit are taking a toll.
Mortgage rates have risen along with the Fed's benchmark rate. The average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage hit 5.54% last week, nearly double its level a year earlier.
The government reported Tuesday that sales of new single-family homes fell 8% last month from May and 17% from June 2021. Sales of previously occupied homes dropped in June for a fifth straight month. They're down more than 14% from June 2021.
In response to the rapidly slowing home market, builders are cutting back. Construction of single-family homes dropped last month to its lowest level since March 2020, at the height of pandemic lockdowns.
____
AP Economics Writer Christopher Rugaber contributed to this report. | https://www.kcra.com/article/economy-sending-mixed-signals/40718982 | 2022-07-27T02:42:04Z | https://www.kcra.com/article/economy-sending-mixed-signals/40718982 | false |
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. economy is caught in an awkward, painful place. A confusing one, too.
Growth appears to be sputtering, home sales are tumbling and economists warn of a potential recession ahead. But consumers are still spending, businesses keep posting profits and the economy keeps adding hundreds of thousands of jobs each month.
In the midst of it all, prices have accelerated to four-decade highs, and the Federal Reserve is desperately trying to douse the inflationary flames with higher interest rates. That’s making borrowing more expensive for households and businesses.
The Fed hopes to pull off the triple axel of central banking: Slow the economy just enough to curb inflation without causing a recession. Many economists doubt the Fed can manage that feat, a so-called soft landing.
Surging inflation is most often a side effect of a red-hot economy, not the current tepid pace of growth. Today’s economic moment conjures dark memories of the 1970s, when scorching inflation co-existed, in a kind of toxic brew, with slow growth. It hatched an ugly new term: stagflation.
The United States isn’t there yet. Though growth appears to be faltering, the job market still looks quite strong. And consumers, whose spending accounts for nearly 70% of economic output, are still spending, though at a slower pace.
So the Fed and economic forecasters are stuck in uncharted territory. They have no experience analyzing the economic damage from a global pandemic. The results so far have been humbling. They failed to anticipate the economy’s blazing recovery from the 2020 recession — or the raging inflation it unleashed.
Even after inflation accelerated in spring of last year, Fed Chair Jerome Powell and many other forecasters downplayed the price surge as merely a “transitory” consequence of supply bottlenecks that would fade soon.
It didn’t.
Now the central bank is playing catch-up. It’s raised its benchmark short-term interest rate three times since March. Last month, the Fed increased its rate by three-quarters of a percentage point, its biggest hike since 1994. The Fed’s policymaking committee is expected to announce another three-quarter-point hike Wednesday.
Economists now worry that the Fed, having underestimated inflation, will overreact and drive rates ever higher, imperiling the economy. They caution the Fed against tightening credit too aggressively.
“We don’t think a sledgehammer is necessary,’’ Ian Shepherdson, chief economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, said this week.
Here’s a look at the economic vital signs that are sending frustratingly mixed signals to policymakers, businesses and forecasters:
___
THE OVERALL ECONOMY
As measured by the nation’s gross domestic product — the broadest gauge of output — the economy has looked positively sickly so far this year. And steadily higher borrowing rates, engineered by the Fed, threaten to make things worse.
“Recession is likely,’’ said Vincent Reinhart, a former Fed economist who is now chief economist at Dreyfus and Mellon.
After growing at a 37-year high 5.7% last year, the economy shrank at a 1.6% annual pace from January through March. For the April-June quarter, forecasters surveyed by the data firm FactSet estimate that growth equaled a scant 0.95% annual rate from April through June. (The government will issue its first estimate of April-June growth on Thursday.)
Some economists foresee another economic contraction for the second quarter. If that happened, it would further escalate recession fears. One informal definition of recession is two straight quarters of declining GDP. Yet that definition isn’t the one that counts.
The most widely accepted authority is the National Bureau of Economic Research, whose Business Cycle Dating Committee assesses a wide range of factors before declaring the death of an economic expansion and the birth of a recession. It defines a recession as “a significant decline in economic activity that is spread across the economy and that lasts more than a few months.”
In any case, the economic drop in the January-March quarter looked worse than it actually was. It was caused by factors that don’t mirror the economy’s underlying health: A widening trade deficit, reflecting consumers’ robust appetite for imports, shaved 3.2 percentage points off first-quarter growth. A post-holiday-season drop in company inventories subtracted an additional 0.4 percentage point.
Consumer spending, measured at a modest 1.8% annual rate from January through March, is still growing. Americans are losing confidence, though: Their assessment of economic conditions six months from now has reached its lowest point since 2013 in June, according to the Conference Board, a research group.
___
INFLATION
What’s agitating consumers is no secret: They’re reeling from painful prices at gasoline stations, grocery stores and auto dealerships.
The Labor Department’s consumer price index skyrocketed 9.1% in June from a year earlier, a pace not seen since 1981. The price of gasoline has jumped 61% over the past year, airfares 34%, eggs 33%.
And despite widespread pay raises, prices are surging faster than wages. In June, average hourly earnings slid 3.6% from a year earlier adjusting for inflation, the 15th straight monthly drop from a year earlier.
And on Monday, Walmart, the nation’s largest retailer, lowered its profit outlook, saying that higher gas and food prices were forcing shoppers to spend less on many discretionary items, like new clothing.
The price spikes have been ignited by a combination of brisk consumer demand and global shortages of factory parts, food, energy and labor. And so the Fed is now aggressively raising rates.
“There is a risk of overdoing it,’’ warned Ellen Gaske, an economist at PGIM Fixed Income. “Because inflation is so bad right now, they are focused on the here and now of each monthly CPI report. The latest one showed no letup.’’
___
JOBS
Despite inflation, rate hikes and declining consumer confidence, one thing has remained solid: The job market, the most crucial pillar of the economy. Employers added a record 6.7 million jobs last year. And so far this year, they’re adding an average of 457,000 more each month.
The unemployment rate, at 3.6% for four straight months, is near a half-century low. Employers have posted at least 11 million job openings for six consecutive months. The government says there are two job openings, on average, for every unemployed American, the highest such ratio on record.
Job security and the opportunity to advance to better positions are providing the confidence and financial wherewithal for Americans to spend and keep the job machine churning.
Still, it’s unclear how long a hiring boom will last. In keeping up their spending in the face of high inflation, Americans have been drawing down the heavy savings they built up during the pandemic. That won’t last indefinitely. And the Fed’s rate hikes mean it’s increasingly expensive to buy a house, a car or a major appliance on credit.
The weekly number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits, a proxy for layoffs and a bellwether for where the job market may be headed, reached 251,000 in the most recent reading. That’s still quite low by historic standards, but it’s the most since November.
___
MANUFACTURING
COVID-19 kept millions of Americans cooped up at home. But it didn’t stop them from spending. Unable to go out to restaurants, bars and movie theaters, people instead loaded up on factory-made goods — appliances, furniture, exercise equipment.
Factories have enjoyed 25 consecutive months of expansion, according to the Institute for Supply Management’s manufacturing index. Customer demand has been strong, though supply chain bottlenecks have made it hard for factories to fill orders.
Now, the factory boom is showing signs of strain. The ISM’s index dropped last month to its lowest level in two years. New orders declined. Factory hiring dropped for a second straight month.
A key factor is that the Fed’s rate hikes are heightening borrowing costs and the value of the U.S. dollar against other currencies, a move that makes American goods more expensive overseas.
“We doubt the outlook for manufacturing will improve any time soon,’’ Andrew Hunter, senior U.S. economist at Capital Economics, wrote this month. “Weakening global growth and the drag from the stronger dollar look set to keep U.S. manufacturers under pressure over the coming months.’’
___
HOUSING
No sector of the U.S. economy is more sensitive to interest rate increases than housing. And the Fed’s hikes and the prospect of steadily tighter credit are taking a toll.
Mortgage rates have risen along with the Fed’s benchmark rate. The average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage hit 5.54% last week, nearly double its level a year earlier.
The government reported Tuesday that sales of new single-family homes fell 8% last month from May and 17% from June 2021. And sales of previously occupied homes dropped in June for a fifth straight month. They’re down more than 14% from June 2021.
In response to the rapidly slowing home market, builders are cutting back. Construction of single-family homes dropped last month to its lowest level since March 2020, at the height of pandemic lockdowns.
____
AP Economics Writer Christopher Rugaber contributed to this report. | https://www.koin.com/news/business/ap-business/us-economy-sending-mixed-signals-heres-what-it-all-means/ | 2022-07-27T02:42:08Z | https://www.koin.com/news/business/ap-business/us-economy-sending-mixed-signals-heres-what-it-all-means/ | false |
Ongoing monsoon rains and their subsequent flooding have thus far resulted in over 300 deaths across Pakistan, with the majority being reported from Balochistan, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
In its daily situation report of July 25—which measures the impact of rains from the start of the monsoon season on June 14 till date—the NDMA said that thus far 136 men, 56 women and 121 children had perished due to the torrential rains. Of these, it said, 1 death had been reported from Islamabad; 102 from Balochistan; 63 from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa; 68 from Punjab; 71 from Sindh; 8 from Gilgit-Baltistan; and 5 from Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
Additionally, according to the report, 298 people have been injured due to weather-related incidents, comprising 160 men, 78 women, and 60 children.
This year’s monsoon spell, which is still ongoing, has inundated villages and cities, resulting in flash floods in rural areas and urban flooding in major city centers. The worst-affected areas are Balochistan and Sindh, with residents of provincial capital Karachi lamenting that flooding in low-lying areas has persisted for weeks, even though city administration has expended significant effort to ensure its center is cleared of water within hours of the stoppage of rain.
According to the NDMA, Karachi reported an average rainfall of 117mm over the past 24 hours, with Badin recording 219mm—the most of any area in Pakistan. Lasbela in Balochistan similarly reported rainfall of 118mm, while in Punjab, the highest amount of rainfall was reported in Bhakkar at 55mm. In the country’s north, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa recorded 29mm in Buner; Gilgit-Baltistan 8mm in Gilgit and Hunza; and 5mm was recorded in Bandi Abbaspur in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
In a weather advisory, the Met Office has forecast “strong monsoon currents,” warning that widespread rain-wind/ thunderstorms with scattered heavy to very heavy falls are likely to occur in Balochistan’s Barkhan, Hub, Sibbi, Jaffarabad, Jhalmagsi, Khuzdar, Kohlu, Lasbela, Naseerabad, Qila Saifullah and along the Kirthar Range through today (Tuesday). In Sindh, widespread rain-wind/ thunderstorms with scattered heavy to very heavy falls are likely to occur in districts Dadu, Qambar-Shahdadkot and Jamshoro through today. As a consequence, the Met Office has warned of medium-to-high level flooding in Dera Ghazi Khan; urban flooding in Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Shaheed Benazirabad, Jamshoro, Mirpurkhas, Dadu, Umerkot, Jacobabad, Larkana and Sukkur; and flash flooding in Loralai, Barkhan, Kohlu, Musakhel, Sherani, Sibbi and Bolan.
Damages
The NDMA has said that thus far 580km of roads and 11 bridges have been damaged in Balochistan. Additionally, 1,417 houses have been partially damaged; 2,536 fully damaged; and 712 livestock lost. In Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 6.5km of roads and 4 bridges, including foot bridges, have been damaged; 2,010 houses partially damaged; 446 houses fully damaged; and 222 livestock perished. In Sindh, 27km of roads and 1 bridge have been damaged; 1,430 houses partially damaged; 211 houses fully damaged; and 49 livestock lost.
Meanwhile, in Punjab, 55 houses have been partially damaged; 1 fully damaged; and 12 livestock lost. In Gilgit-Baltistan, 2km of roads and 34 bridges have been damaged while 215 houses partially damaged; and in Pakistan-administered Kashmir 5 shops have been damaged; 4 houses partially damaged; 54 houses fully damaged; and 741 livestock lost.
No damages have been reported from Islamabad. | https://www.newsweekpakistan.com/nationwide-death-toll-from-rainfall-crosses-300/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=nationwide-death-toll-from-rainfall-crosses-300 | 2022-07-27T02:43:42Z | https://www.newsweekpakistan.com/nationwide-death-toll-from-rainfall-crosses-300/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=nationwide-death-toll-from-rainfall-crosses-300 | false |
MARTELL, Calif. — The people of Amador County are taking a big hit after a fire at their lumber mill left dozens of employees without a job.
Fire crews were dispatched around noon Monday at the Ampine lumber mill. The Amador Fire Protection District said the fire is completely contained at this time, but as things settle down, there's a feeling of disbelief as employees wait to hear what's next for the company.
"It was, there was - other than just getting out of the building and just sort of just this panic - Oh my gosh, like, how this happened?" said Breanne Todd, a current employee at Ampine LLC.
Todd was coming back from her lunch Monday when she and her coworkers noticed a fire start inside the building. Amador Fire Protection District said employees tried to contain it, but it was just too much.
"We're just glad they all got out safely because we know... if you work here, part of your responsibilities are to be part of a moment's notice fire brigade and try to extinguish (it) even before we get here," said Chief Walt White, with the Amador Fire Protection District.
It's a loss not just for the employees but for their families and the entire community.
This business has been around for almost 50 years, and according to a spokesperson, it's the only particleboard manufacturing plant in California to his knowledge.
"This company is one of the major employers in the county, you know, like I said, 150 employees. I don't know if there's anyone here that doesn't know somebody that works directly for the company, so they're our friends as well," White said.
For Todd, whose personal car was caught in the line of fire, the important thing here is everyone made it out alive.
"We had no idea this was gonna happen yesterday, so as you can see it's doused in fire retardant and there's a little bit of damage to the tail lights, which obviously can be replaced. But I'm so fortunate even though it's kind of a mess. I feel so blessed that my vehicle did survive it," Todd said.
And as investigators work on determining the cause of the fire, she and her coworkers look to move forward.
"It was, it was shocking. One heck of a Monday, one heck of a Monday, I'll tell you. I'm glad it's over," said Todd.
ABC10 reached out to the company Tuesday afternoon. They said they have a team with their corporate office on the way to Ampine, and they will formulate a plan to move forward once they assess the damages.
WATCH ALSO: | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/lumber-mill-fire-amador-county/103-4acd30e3-2bd8-460e-a46b-3735de74f6d8 | 2022-07-27T02:50:12Z | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/lumber-mill-fire-amador-county/103-4acd30e3-2bd8-460e-a46b-3735de74f6d8 | true |
Australian export wine markets emerge in wake of China tariff increase
By Cassandra Hough and Stephanie NitshckeWine exports to mainland China are scraping the bottom of the barrel, with only six million litres exported in the past financial year, worth $24.6 million.
Key points:
- Wine exports to mainland China have fallen from 120 million litres a year to six million litres
- US is now Australia's largest export market by value
- Exports to countries other than China are up five per cent to $2.06 billion
It was a huge plunge from the end of the financial year in 2020, when exports to mainland China amounted to 120.7 million litres and were valued at $1.1 billion over the 12-month period to June 30.
That was before China imposed import tariffs of about 220 per cent on bottled Australian wine imports later that year.
Overall it has been a tough financial year for Australia's wine producers with exports down 10 per cent in volume to 625 million litres and down 19 per cent in value to $2.08 billion in the year ending June 30.
Wine Australia market insights manager Peter Bailey said the Chinese results were expected but there were hopeful signs in other markets.
"If you look at exports outside of China we actually saw an increase, so in the last 12 months if you exclude China from those figures exports increased by five per cent in value to $2.06 billion."
The United States was the top export destination in terms of value, recording a nine per cent increase to $436 million in the most recent financial year.
It had proved a tough market in which to get traction but Mr Bailey said sustained effort appeared to be paying off.
"It's been a slow burn the US but we're seeing some strong growth in value, particularly above $10 per litre even though there was growth in almost all price segments," he said.
"That really strong growth at $10 a litre was up 57 per cent to $61 million and that's at the highest level since 2009."
He said stronger growth in premium wine exports was consistent with market trends in the US which had been growing at a much faster rate than the commercial value segment, which had been in decline.
But the gains were offset by a drop in the United Kingdom, a market that had been the largest by volume and value in the past year.
That market dropped 10 per cent in value to $421 million but was still the largest market by volume, despite a 15 per cent decline to 227 million litres.
"The decline comes after exports increased to their highest level for a decade in 2021 and that really came as a result of a surge in wine sales in the off-trade [retail, off-premises consumption] where Australia has its highest market share," Mr Bailey said.
"That was due to the COVID-19 related shut down of the on-trade, but on top of that we also had exporters sending in wine ahead of Brexit so in 2021/22 we saw the market return to a more normal situation hence the decline in volume and value."
Growers struggling to adjust
The largest producing wine region in Australia, the Riverland, has not been immune to export losses.
Salena Estate Wines owner Bob Franchitto said he was concerned about more than just the tariffs into China.
The Wine Australia report highlighted growth in Singapore, United States, Malaysia, Thailand, India and New Zealand.
"Every market is worthwhile pursuing but these markets aren't going to replace what has happened with China," Mr Franchitto said.
He said COVID had a bigger impact than China's tariffs.
"We're looking at other markets and we've started supplying a little bit into the US, and we've got an order into Japan and Malaysia is looking like there's an opportunity for us," he said.
"But they're not going to overnight take up the slack that was lost between COVID and China."
Mr Franchitto said it would probably take three or four years for the wine industry to recover.
Mr Franchitto said continued freight delays were causing more pain for wine makers.
"Right now trying to ship wine is becoming quite difficult," he said.
"You know you get orders, you get a booking, you're ready to ship and all the sudden your containers are cancelled, your ship's cancelled ... it's delayed so everything seems to be taking a lot longer."
Australian Grape and Wine chief executive Tony Battaglene said Australia's wine industry would be in for more pain in the coming years with oversupply issues.
"We've got full tanks … and we can't get wine offshore because freight logistics are really tricky so I think we're going into a situation next year where it's going to be really hard for growers," Mr Battaglene said.
He said it was the most difficult time he had seen during his 24 years in the industry.
"I think it's a cycle that's contracted and I think it's going to take a long time to get up because those COVID generated issues around freight, inflation, labour shortages — there's no quick solution to these problems," he said.
Despite some positive signs in some of the markets, Mr Battaglene said they couldn't get as big as the Chinese market.
"Markets are coming on really well, we're making good progress particularly in South Korea as well as Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand," he said.
"India is a long burn, it'll take time."
He said the industry had some good wins in the recent free trade agreement announcement.
"But realistically it will be some time before we see progress in that market." | https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2022-07-27/australian-wine-export-markets-emerge-china-tariff-increase/101268436 | 2022-07-27T02:52:20Z | https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2022-07-27/australian-wine-export-markets-emerge-china-tariff-increase/101268436 | false |
Encore: East LA exhibit features Latinx artists using sound
The Vincent Price Museum in East L.A. features a major exhibition of Latinx artists using sound in their work, from demolishing a piano to dedicating musical oldies to incarcerated loved ones.
JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:
A new exhibition in East Los Angeles showcases the work of more than 30 Chicano artists and collectives who use sound in dynamic ways. This is the last week the exhibition is up at the Vincent Price Art Museum. NPR's Mandalit del Barco has details.
MANDALIT DEL BARCO, BYLINE: Strewn on the floor of one gallery is what's left of a baby grand piano after Nuyorican artist Raphael Montanez Ortiz destroyed it for an art performance. There are splintered fragments of its wooden case and shattered piano keys.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
DEL BARCO: A video shows the time Ortiz took an ax to a piano in 1966.
(SOUNDBITE OF PIANO KEYS CLANGING)
DEL BARCO: He tells a news reporter about channeling aggressive instincts to create destructivist art.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
RAPHAEL MONTANEZ ORTIZ: Destructivist art exists because murder exists in society. And perhaps if destructivist art became an important movement in civilization, then perhaps wars would end, perhaps murders would end, perhaps suicides would end.
DEL BARCO: Ortiz founded El Museo del Barrio in East Harlem. At age 88, he's still a working artist whose use of sound inspired others in the Sonic Terrains of Latinx Artists exhibition at the Vincent Price Museum. Joseph Valencia is one of the curators.
JOSEPH VALENCIA: It's by no means a full historical overview of sound in Latinx art. But what emerges is this really interesting, polyphonic expression of sound in our culture.
DEL BARCO: That includes avant-garde visual artists, spoken-word performers and pop culture musicians.
VALENCIA: The art in this exhibition engages with history, engages with community, political activism, art for identity formation, cultural belonging, collective healing.
(SOUNDBITE OF METAL CLANGING)
DEL BARCO: Another video in the exhibition documents a sound ritual by an artist collective called AMBOS Project. In 2017, artist Jackie Amezquita read a list of 96 immigrants who died trying to cross into the Arizona desert from Mexico. Many of them could not be identified.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
JACKIE AMEZQUITA: (Speaking Spanish).
(SOUNDBITE OF METAL CLANGING)
DEL BARCO: In memory of each, the other artists gong the metal border fence with a stick, says Amezquita.
AMEZQUITA: We're using the border as, like, an instrument to kind of re-embody people who lost their lives in the desert.
DEL BARCO: The exhibition also features Chicano spoken-word artist Ruben Guevara, using the sound of his voice as a call to action in 1992.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
RUBEN GUEVARA: Raza. Wake up.
DEL BARCO: In his performance piece "Aztlan, Babylon, Rhythm & Blues," Guevara referred to the 1970 anti-war protest in East LA that was marred by police violence.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
GUEVARA: Hey, fellas, have you heard? There's been a shootout at the Silver Dollar Cafe.
DEL BARCO: The 79-year-old artist told NPR he started out singing doo-wop, gospel and rock.
GUEVARA: Words are musical. They evolved into theater, poetry and song. So the poetry became my instrument.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "SUENOS DE CALIFORNIA")
LOS TIJUANA FIVE: (Singing) California mia...
DEL BARCO: Another artist curated a display of novelty radios transmitting bilingual music on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. A sound piece called "Distant Lover" documents the impact of California radio DJ Art Laboe as callers ask for oldies to reach incarcerated loved ones.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
JESSICA: Baby, I love you. I miss you. I can't wait to see you again.
ART LABOE: What are you going to play for him, Jessica (ph)?
JESSICA: I want to dedicate "You're All I Need" by Marvin Gaye.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "YOU'RE ALL I NEED")
MARVIN GAYE: (Singing) Like sweet morning dew, I took one look at you.
DEL BARCO: For the exhibition, LA artist Marcus Kuiland-Nazario created an interactive sound installation that's an homage to his late father, an audiophile. He invites visitors to relax inside a space wallpapered by images of reel-to-reel tape recorders.
MARCUS KUILAND-NAZARIO: I wanted you to feel, like, held or hugged by sound.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "A PAPA")
CELIA CRUZ: Bomba.
DEL BARCO: Visitors can play Nazario's collection of 1970s vinyl records on a vintage turntable and listen as cassettes play recordings in which he talks to men about their dads.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: I always had this idealized version of my father, you know, because I never really got to know him.
KUILAND-NAZARIO: When you listen to these interviews and you listen to this music and you're in this environment, it's like a big altar, really. It's a sonic altar.
DEL BARCO: In that sense, he says, sound can be used as a healing kind of magic.
Mandalit del Barco, NPR News, Los Angeles.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "A PAPA")
CRUZ: (Singing in Spanish).
Copyright © 2022 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record. | https://www.npr.org/2022/07/26/1113876329/encore-east-la-exhibit-features-latinx-artists-using-sound | 2022-07-27T03:02:54Z | https://www.npr.org/2022/07/26/1113876329/encore-east-la-exhibit-features-latinx-artists-using-sound | false |
NEW YORK (AP) — The Rockefeller Foundation, created with wealth generated from the oil industry more than a century ago, plans to make the fight against climate change central to all of its work, including its operations and investments.
In a public letter released Tuesday, foundation president, Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, acknowledged the “irony” that his organization’s founder John D. Rockefeller “made his fortune by fueling a growing United States with carbon.”
Speaking to The Associated Press in advance of the announcement, Shah said that all institutions that benefited from the development driven by fossil fuels have a responsibility to battle climate change.
“Obviously, an institution like the Rockefeller Foundation has an even higher level of responsibility because we’re an even bigger beneficiary of that process,” he said. The Rockefeller Foundation funds part of The Associated Press’ coverage of climate change.
The commitment builds on the foundation’s decision to divest its more than $6 billion endowment from fossil fuels starting in 2020, though it still has what Shah called negligible exposure. The foundation also partnered with the Ikea Foundation and the Bezos Earth Fund to launch an international consortium to accelerate the transition to renewable energy, with all three nonprofits giving $500 million. The consortium has since raised around $10 billion in additional funds, the foundation said.
Partnerships like that reflect the Rockefeller Foundation’s belief that it can alter the course of history by amplifying the scope of its work and its resources.
“The reason for doing this is basically to put down a marker about our ambition, our sense of urgency and our willingness to be transformational in order to deepen our partnerships with others, to try to actually change the course of the climate equation on this planet,” Shah said.
The Rockefeller Foundation plans to take a year to study where it can make the most impactful partnerships and investments.
“Our process is really less about closing, locking ourselves in a closet and reading and modeling spreadsheets, and more about listening to and speaking to leading individuals, institutions, heads of state and the people we ultimately serve,” Shah said. “And understanding how philanthropy can best marshal support for their boldest and most urgent ideas.”
The foundation remains committed to its current grantees, a spokesperson said, adding “Because climate change is the biggest threat of our time, it requires us to remain adaptable and learn alongside our grantees and partners.”
It argues that the new commitment does not represent a change from its mission “to promote the well-being of humanity throughout the world.” Established in 1913, the foundation focused on public health, including mass vaccination campaigns and the founding of public health authorities around the world. Its first environment related program launched in 1969. The foundation’s current work continues to focus on public health as well as access to renewable energy, economic equity and food access. In 2021, the foundation said it had distributed the equivalent of $22 billion in its history.
However, Shah says a response to the climate crisis is urgent. Data shows philanthropic giving to climate change mitigation represented just 2% of total global philanthropic giving in 2020, according to an analysis by the organization ClimateWorks Foundation.
“Combine that with the lack of action happening at the requisite levels of governments and businesses and then the trillions that need to be unlocked,” said Shawn Reifsteck, vice president for ClimateWorks. “We need essentially more and more funders doing more things at increased levels.”
Increased philanthropic involvement cannot come too soon according to the world’s top body of climate scientists. In April, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued a report that warned of an unlivable world unless greenhouse gas emissions are cut faster than countries’ current commitments.
Marion Gee, co-executive director of Climate Justice Alliance, said it was encouraging that a large foundation would want to make confronting climate change central to their work but said foundations also need to challenge the economic system that perpetuates it, including divestment.
“How are you moving that money out of Wall Street where a lot of the problems that we are facing today have been caused by these corporations,” and moving the funds into local, sustainable economies, Gee asked.
ClimateWorks’ analysis does show foundations donating more to climate change mitigation on an annual basis in the last five years, with the total increasing from $900 million in 2015 to $1.9 billion in 2020.
“We’re hopeful that that continues and in fact, accelerates,” Reifsteck said.
___
Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and non-profits 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. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy. | https://www.conchovalleyhomepage.com/news/business/oil-funded-rockefeller-foundation-centers-fight-for-climate/ | 2022-07-27T03:04:00Z | https://www.conchovalleyhomepage.com/news/business/oil-funded-rockefeller-foundation-centers-fight-for-climate/ | false |
LOUISIANA, Liberia (AP) — Liberia is celebrating two major anniversaries this year — 200 years ago freed slaves from the U.S. arrived here and 25 years later they declared the country to be independent.
Amid the festivities for Independence Day on Tuesday, many Liberians say the West African country’s promise is unfulfilled and too many of its people still live in poverty.
“Liberia has gone backward 50 or more years,” says Richard Cooper, a 67-year-old farmer in Louisiana township, outside the capital, Monrovia.
“We have had government after government, people coming into and going out of power, doing their own things without consulting or satisfying the masses,” he told The Associated Press on a dusty road in front of his two-roomed home.
“We put governments in power so that in return they will meet some of our needs, but now the masses are suffering,” Cooper said, munching on popcorn. “Liberia should have been a better country if leaders had the country at heart. Money is here; but where is it going? Into the pockets of a few.”
Nearly 20 years after the country’s back-to-back civil wars killed an estimated 250,000 people between 1989 and 2003, Liberia’s children still yearn for an opportunity to go to school, he said.
Information minister Lederhood Rennie, however, said that major celebrations for these anniversaries are necessary to build national pride and honor the work of many to establish the nation.
“This country has a rich history … Liberia stood as the pedestal for Black independence south of the Sahara … other nations of Black people were looking up to Liberia as a glowing nation on the continent of Africa,” Rennie told AP as he oversaw preparations in the national stadium for the independence celebrations.
The United States has had a lasting influence on the West African country. Liberia’s flag, constitution, form of government and many laws are modeled on those of the U.S. The capital is named in honor of America’s fifth president, James Monroe, who was in power when the freed slaves were repatriated.
The ex-slaves established an oppressive regime that ruled the indigenous population with an iron fist from the time of their arrival until 1980, when indigenous soldiers led a military coup against President William Tolbert. Tolbert — whose family migrated from South Carolina in the 1870s — was gruesomely murdered by the rebelling soldiers.
The prolonged trauma of the civil wars followed and then the rule of Nobel Prize-winning President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
A persistent problem has been corruption, which many say is largely responsible for the underdevelopment and poor economic growth of an otherwise resourceful country of less than 6 million people.
U.S. Ambassador Michael A. McCarthy was blunt in a speech earlier this year.
“We would not be good stewards of U.S. taxpayers’ money, nor would we be good partners to Liberia, if we sat quietly and said nothing as misgovernance and corruption continued with impunity,” he said.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and former U.S. Ambassador to Liberia, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, in a recent comment about Liberia, said: “Corruption is an act of robbery, plain and simple. It’s a cancer in our societies. It is government stealing from the people of Liberia, from the mouths of children … Corruption is a democracy killer, and we cannot have that in a place like Liberia, which we’re counting on as a bulwark for Africa’s democracy.”
International soccer star-turned-president, George Weah, has been accused of not living up to key campaign promises that he would fight corruption and ensure justice for victims of the country’s brutal wars.
Midway into its fifth year, the Weah government has so far failed to attract foreign direct investments. Youth unemployment is stubbornly high and public institutions are faced with enormous challenges. Healthcare is almost non-existent, as Weah and officials come under frequent criticism for amassing wealth and building expensive properties.
Weah denies the accusations, saying his government is delivering well on promises.
For all Liberia’s problems, many say the nation has much to be proud of.
“It’s the only country in the world founded by African-Americans,” said Saqar Ahhah Ahershu, a Black American from New Jersey, who came to Liberia to celebrate its independence. “The feeling of freedom is what I feel in Liberia. Liberia is a feeling that I don’t believe can be replicated anywhere in the world.” | https://www.conchovalleyhomepage.com/news/international/liberia-marks-its-founding-and-independence-amid-challenges/ | 2022-07-27T03:06:19Z | https://www.conchovalleyhomepage.com/news/international/liberia-marks-its-founding-and-independence-amid-challenges/ | false |
(The Hill) – Attorney General Merrick Garland on Tuesday pushed back on criticism that the Justice Department has not been aggressive enough in investigating whether former President Trump and his allies broke the law in trying to overturn the 2020 election.
In an interview with NBC News, Garland insisted the department was urgently investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol and the events leading up to it, vowing to charge “everybody who was criminally responsible for interfering with the peaceful transfer of power.”
“It is inevitable in this kind of investigation that there’ll be speculation about what we are doing, who we are investigating, what our theories are,” he said. “The reason there is this speculation and uncertainty is that it’s a fundamental tenet of what we do as prosecutors and investigators is to do it outside of the public eye.”
The interview on Tuesday coincided with a Washington Post report that federal prosecutors have begun asking grand jury witnesses about Trump’s conduct and their contact with him, a sign that the former president could now be a subject of the probe.
Garland has been subject to mounting pressure throughout the summer as the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack has presented damning evidence in a series of public hearings aimed at convincing voters and the Justice Department of Trump’s criminal culpability.
When asked whether he had any concern about the political ramifications of indicting a former president, Garland gave no hint about whether it was under serious consideration within the department but insisted that prosecutors will only weigh the facts and the law when making such a decision.
“We pursue justice without fear or favor,” Garland said. “We intend to hold everyone, anyone who was criminally responsible for the events surrounding January 6, or any attempt to interfere with the lawful transfer of power from one administration to another, accountable, that’s what we do.” | https://www.wowktv.com/news/politics/garland-dismisses-criticism-of-jan-6-probe-vows-to-charge-everybody-who-was-criminally-responsible/ | 2022-07-27T03:10:36Z | https://www.wowktv.com/news/politics/garland-dismisses-criticism-of-jan-6-probe-vows-to-charge-everybody-who-was-criminally-responsible/ | false |
Poll shows 40 pct chance of U.S. recession: Reuters
LONDON, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Median predictions from a Reuters poll of economists in July showed a 40-percent likelihood of a U.S. recession over the coming year, up from 25 percent in June, the news agency has said.
The likelihood of a U.S. recession within two years stood at 50 percent, also seeing a large increase from the 40 percent in the previous month, Reuters reported Thursday.
The Federal Reserve is expected to deliver another sizable rate hike when concluding its two-day policy meeting Wednesday. Following that, the country's gross domestic product (GDP) for the second quarter would be released.
Economic growth forecasts "were downgraded across the board," Reuters said. After the U.S. economy saw a decline in the first quarter, more than one in five interviewees in July predicted another contraction for the second quarter.
Also on Thursday, Reuters said that in the week ended July 16, the number of Americans enrolling for unemployment benefits rose for a third straight week to the highest in eight months, which was "likely to further fan fears of a recession."
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Copyright © 2022 People's Daily Online. All Rights Reserved. | http://en.people.cn/n3/2022/0727/c90000-10127885.html | 2022-07-27T03:18:55Z | http://en.people.cn/n3/2022/0727/c90000-10127885.html | false |
- LG Energy Solution announces mid- to long-term corporate strategies aimed at reinforcing product and market portfolios, quality assurance, smart factory technology, value chain and new business opportunities
- The revised annual revenue target set around KRW 22 trillion, expecting a meaningful growth in the second-half year revenue
- The company posts quarterly revenue of KRW 5.071 trillion; operating profit at KRW 195.6 billion
SEOUL, South Korea, July 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- LG Energy Solution (LGES; KRX: 373220) today announced its mid to long term corporate strategies, with the goal of more than tripling revenue in five years and achieving double-digit operating profit margin. The company also increased the annual revenue target to KRW 22 trillion.
At the second quarter earnings conference call, LGES said it would increase revenue over three times in five years, by expanding JVs with OEMs in North America, scaling up the supply of cylindrical batteries, developing the new form factor, and discovering new business opportunities.
The company also aims to achieve double-digit operating profit margin, by obtaining technological leadership with differentiated chemistries and processes. In addition, LGES will devote to stabilizing and localizing value chain based on strategic partnerships, and also to enhancing quality and manufacturing capability with smart factory.
"Our ultimate goal is to provide the world-best QCD (Quality, Cost, Delivery) to our customers, thereby becoming the number one company in terms of profitability, loved and trusted by our customers," said Youngsoo Kwon, CEO of LG Energy Solution. "Going forward, we will continue to secure technological leaderships and reinforce our product competitiveness."
- Reinforcing Portfolios through Selective Strategies
LGES plans to focus on the North American market where the fastest growth is expected. On pouch-type batteries, LGES plans to expand JV partnerships with its major partners, and on cylindrical batteries, it intends to supply to not only the existing strategic customers but also EV start-ups, thereby reinforcing its competitive edge in the market.
In addition, the company will add a new production footprint for cylindrical batteries in Europe to cope with increasing demand, and also secure a new production site in Asia, in addition to the existing production facilities in Korea and China
"The current production capacity is more heavily invested in Asia (59%) and Europe (34%), compared to North America (7%)," explained LG Energy Solution. "We aim to increase the production capacity in North America to 45 percent by 2025, thereby enabling a balanced global operation portfolio of 45 percent in North America, 35 percent in Asia, and 20 percent in Europe."
In terms of product portfolio, LGES plans to reinforce the dual form factor portfolio of pouch-type and cylindrical batteries, and at the same time, continue its R&D efforts for next-generation battery technology.
On premium pouch-type batteries, LGES will maintain its product competitiveness through applying single crystal NCMA cathode and silicon anode. On mainstream segment of pouch-type batteries, the company will secure enhanced cost-competitive technologies such as LFP and manganese-rich chemistries.
In terms of cylindrical batteries, LGES aims to lead the market by securing the mass-production capability for the new 4680 battery. In addition, the company will focus on developing next-generation battery technologies such as polymer-based solid-state battery and sulfide-based solid-state battery.
- Strengthening Competitiveness in Quality, Cost and Delivery
LGES also plans to offer the highest level of QCD (Quality, Cost, Delivery) to customers by concentrating on product quality, smart factory, value chain, and new businesses.
For product quality assurance, LGES will improve the product design and manufacturing processes, thereby minimizing the possibility of defects. The company will also establish full in-line inspection system, and upgrade safety diagnostic algorithm in Battery Management System (BMS) to detect abnormal cases pre-emptively.
Another key factor in enhancing product quality lies in establishing a smart factory, a system that carries out all decision making on machine-produced data, independent from human experience and capabilities. Through smart factory technology, LGES aims to increase yield, stabilize product quality, improve manufacturing processes and boost productivity, and enhance workforce efficiency.
LGES also plans to establish a stable supply chain by investing in upstream suppliers and expanding long term supply contracts. Also, the company will implement a closed-loop system of collecting used batteries and recycling them, through partnerships with leading material recycling companies.
In addition, LGES will reinforce the investment for the future and new businesses, such as BaaS (Battery as a Service) model based on battery data, as well as EaaS (Energy as a Service) model, while maintaining the conservative approach when it comes to expansions to increase the profitability of its investments.
- Annual Revenue Target Adjusted to KRW 22 trillion
LGES also made an upward adjustment to the annual revenue target to KRW 22 trillion, a KRW 2.8 trillion increase from the previous target (KRW 19.2 trillion) set early this year. Last year's annual consolidated revenue recorded KRW 17.9 trillion.
The company predicted the revenue for the second half of this year would reach KRW 12.6 trillion, a 48 percent increase on-year (KRW 8.5 trillion), and a 34 percent increase from the first half of 2022 (KRW 9.4 trillion).
"We expect a meaningful revenue growth in the second half of this year, capitalizing on increased demand from OEMs' new model launch, phase 1 production ramp-up of Ultium Cells (GM JV)' Ohio plant, and the price impact from cost pass-through mechanisms," explained LGES.
- Steady Growth in Q2 Revenue Despite Challenging Economic Conditions
LGES reported its second quarter financial results of KRW 5.071 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 195.6 billion in operating profit.
The second quarter revenue of 2022 increased by 16.8 percent and the operating profit decreased by 24.4 percent from the previous quarter. Compared to the same period last year, the revenue decreased by 1.2 percent and the operating profit by 73 percent. The second quarter operating profit of last year includes one-off factors such as provisions related to recalls and a lump-sum payment of license fee from another industry player. Taking these factors into account, this year's second quarter revenue recorded a modest decrease on-year.
"This quarter's profitability has shown moderate drop, mainly due the impacts from lock-down measures in China, global supply chain disruptions, and the time gap between the actual increase in material costs and applying them to selling prices," said Chang Sil Lee, CFO of LG Energy Solution at the conference call. "Nevertheless, steady growth in revenue was possible thanks to the strong sales of cylindrical cells for EV, as well as successfully passing through major metal price hikes to the battery prices."
About LG Energy Solution
LG Energy Solution (KRX: 373220), a split-off from LG Chem, is a leading global manufacturer of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles, mobility, IT, and energy storage systems. With 30 years of experience in revolutionary battery technology and extensive research and development (R&D), the company is the top battery-related patent holder in the world with over 24,000 patents. Its robust global network, which spans North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia, includes battery manufacturing facilities established through joint ventures with major automakers such as General Motors, Stellantis N.V. and Hyundai Motor Group. At the forefront of green business and sustainability, LG Energy Solution aims to achieve carbon neutral operations by 2050, while embodying the value of shared growth and promoting diverse and inclusive corporate culture. To learn more about LG Energy Solution's ideas and innovations, visit https://www.lgensol.com.
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SOURCE LG Energy Solution | https://www.wbtv.com/prnewswire/2022/07/27/lg-energy-solution-triple-revenue-achieve-double-digit-operating-profit-margin-5-years/ | 2022-07-27T03:19:39Z | https://www.wbtv.com/prnewswire/2022/07/27/lg-energy-solution-triple-revenue-achieve-double-digit-operating-profit-margin-5-years/ | false |
DOVER, Fla. (WFLA) — Every day since the murder of 22-year-old Erica Negrete Aviles, family and friends have gathered to pray and remember the young mother of two.
“My daugther cries because she wants to see her mom and its like no daughter should do that,” Erica’s husband Cornelio Negrete said.
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office detectives are actively working the case and so far they have not identified any suspects from the July 18 homicide on Al Simmons Road in Dover.
Eight days after the deadly shooting, a husband, family and community are heartbroken and they’re hoping there will be justice soon.
Around 10 p.m. the night of the shooting, Negrete said he was putting their 7-month-old son to bed when he heard gunshots outside their home.
“Super close,” he said, “I hear her scream. I run out. I see her on the ground.”
Also injured by a gunshot, Negrete said the person who shot them stole his 2007 silver Chevy pick-up truck.
“Why not just take the truck,” he said. “Take the truck. We don’t care, its materialistic, you took someone away.”
Several hours later in the hospital, Negrete said two deputies and a chaplain delivered the “worst news” that his wife didn’t make it.
Erica’s family reached out to 8 on Your Side because they’re hopeful someone knows something to help deputies find the person who pulled the trigger.
“I feel like that person don’t deserve to live,” Negrete said. “You took away a mom, you took away a wife, you took away someone who cared about people. She was a good person.”
The family is now preparing for Erica’s funeral on Thursday morning.
Anyone who may know anything is asked to call the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office homicide investigation, call 813-247-8200. | https://www.wfla.com/news/hillsborough-county/dover-family-mourns-loss-of-young-mother-shot-outside-her-home/ | 2022-07-27T03:22:22Z | https://www.wfla.com/news/hillsborough-county/dover-family-mourns-loss-of-young-mother-shot-outside-her-home/ | false |
WFO NORMAN Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, July 26, 2022
_____
RED FLAG WARNING
URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Norman OK
854 PM CDT Tue Jul 26 2022
...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR
WESTERN OKLAHOMA AND PORTIONS OF NORTH TEXAS..
Wind speeds will continue to decrease overnight and relative
humidity will increase. Therefore, the Red Flag Warning will be
allowed to expire.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.darientimes.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-NORMAN-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17331199.php | 2022-07-27T03:26:49Z | https://www.darientimes.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-NORMAN-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17331199.php | true |
GILROY, Calif. (KRON) — Two people have been arrested in connection with a spree of violent crimes in Gilroy, the Gilroy Police Department announced on Facebook Tuesday. Gilroy residents Jason Moreno, 20, and Irene Wofford, 26, are linked to two stabbings and four other violent crime incidents.
GPD responded to the area of Las Animas Avenue and Murray Avenue for the first stabbing at 3:00 p.m. on July 18. Officers found an adult male with multiple stab wounds. He was hospitalized and is expected to survive.
Officers found another victim with multiple stab wounds in the area of 7900 Monterey Street around 2:00 a.m. on July 20. The victim sustained life-threatening injuries but is also expected to survive.
Moreno and Wofford were identified as suspects in the stabbings and were arrested in San Jose on July 22. Police said the four other violent crime incidents took place between June 30 and July 20, but did not provide details about them. Moreno and Wofford were both charged with two counts of attempted murder.
Two other people were arrested in connection with the case, but they are not suspects in the stabbings. On July 20, the Morgan Hill Police Department located the getaway vehicle used in both stabbings and detained its occupants: Alexander Ayala Jr., 32, and Angel Solorzano, 32, both of Gilroy. Police found two firearms in the car, one of which was a ghost gun.
KRON ON is streaming news live now
GPD is looking for additional victims or witnesses of these crimes. Anyone with information is asked to call (408) 846-0330. | https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/two-arrested-in-connection-with-gilroy-violent-crime-spree/ | 2022-07-27T03:30:23Z | https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/two-arrested-in-connection-with-gilroy-violent-crime-spree/ | true |
The Uvalde City Council vowed Tuesday to investigate every city police officer who responded to the massacre at the Robb Elementary School in May.
"This investigation is looking at every single officer and what his actions -- what he did, what our policy says -- and basically, we're gonna get a report on everybody," council member Ernest "Chip" King III said, adding, "we will act on it, and we promise that to you."
Uvalde police officers who responded to the scene will be interviewed by the council's appointed lead investigator, Jesse Prado, a former Austin police detective, King said.
"He's gonna be conducting the investigation and we're gonna let the investigation go, see what he determines, but everybody that's Uvalde PD that was there will be held accountable for their actions," he said.
"We owe it to, to the families. We want to get it right," another council member, Everardo "Lalo" Zamora, said, alluding to the heartbreak suffered by the Texas community since the assault that left 19 students and two teachers dead.
The law enforcement response to the massacre, the second deadliest at a US K-12 school, has been widely criticized due to the 80-minute delay between when the first shots were fired and the gunman was finally killed.
Uvalde police officers were some of the first law enforcement personnel to arrive at the school where a gunman fired at people outside, entered the school through a side door and went into a classroom where he fired more than 100 bullets.
In all, almost 400 officers from two dozen agencies responded to the shooting on May 24.
The Uvalde Police Department has 39 sworn officers, officials said Tuesday. Twenty-five of them went to the shooting scene, according to a report from a Texas House investigative committee.
The city has already placed a lieutenant, who was the police department's acting chief that day, on administrative leave while it determines whether he should have assumed command.
The state's Department of Public Safety is leading a criminal investigation into the shooting.
Two reviews of the response so far -- by the Texas House investigative committee and the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Center at Texas State University -- have faulted school district police chief Pedro "Pete" Arredondo, though neither of those reports is considered a complete accounting of the day and its failures. The investigative committee also pointed to the broad failures by the various law enforcement agencies that responded to the scene.
Arredondo has not spoken substantively to the public about his actions that day and he has declined CNN requests for comment. His lawyer, who has not responded to CNN requests for comment, told the Texas Tribune that Arredondo was not the "incident commander."
Arredondo told the House investigative committee that he did not "consider himself to have assumed incident command," according to the legislative report -- which quoted the chief as saying, "My approach and thought was responding as a police officer. And so I didn't title myself."
The chief is on administrative leave and the school district superintendent has recommended he be fired. A school board meeting to vote on his dismissal was canceled following the request of the chief's attorney, officials have said.
Calls for officers to be taken off patrol
Some people at the city council meeting called for city officers who went to the school to be placed on leave or be assigned desk duties.
"I know parents want answers. Nobody wants to give those answers more than I do on the city council," Uvalde City Council member Hector R. Luevano said during a public portion of Tuesday's council meeting.
"I'm a former police officer, so I have some insight into actions that need to be taken," he added. "I can assure the families in this community that I'm going to do everything within my power as a member of this council to give you the answers that you need to hear," he said.
"If there's any officer that's in violation of any policy or procedure that they needed to act on and did not and might have caused these children to die, these teachers to die, I can assure you, heads are going to roll," Luevano said.
Council members said their investigator should finish his work within two months, then Prado will make recommendations -- possibly including disciplinary actions -- to the council.
Council member calls out Texas governor
The council, as the school board did the night before, passed a resolution requesting Gov. Greg Abbott calls a special session of the state Legislature to consider raising the minimum age for buying a semi-automatic, military-style rifle.
The Uvalde gunman purchased two AR-15-style rifles for his 18th birthday. He used one in the massacre.
Luevano said it is likely the governor will ignore the requests. He blamed the National Rifle Association.
"The NRA has your governor -- Abbott -- in their back pocket. He's not going to muddy the waters, because his campaign has been funded largely by the NRA," the council member alleged. "... So is this special session going to happen? I think not. And why do we need to ask for a special session? Why doesn't he take the initiative?"
"I don't even think he cares about Uvalde," Luevano said.
CNN has requested comment from Abbott's office.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wlfi.com/news/national/uvalde-city-council-to-investigate-every-city-officer-who-responded-to-school-massacre/article_50ef4ec9-e67e-5197-94e7-fe8296997f92.html | 2022-07-27T03:30:43Z | https://www.wlfi.com/news/national/uvalde-city-council-to-investigate-every-city-officer-who-responded-to-school-massacre/article_50ef4ec9-e67e-5197-94e7-fe8296997f92.html | false |
Neighbours' finale sees the curtain fall on one of TV's best talent training grounds says show's long-time screenwriter
Ramsay St famously launched the careers of stars Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, Margot Robbie and Liam Hemsworth.
But as the series draws to a close, the biggest loss may be behind the scenes, according to a long-time screenwriter on the show.
'The industry does not yet fully comprehend what they have lost in terms of industry training,' Sarah Mayberry told AAP.
Neighbours scriptwriter Sarah Mayberry (pictured) says that when the curtain finally falls on Ramsay St for good this week the local TV and film industry will lose a major training ground
A writer on the show since 1998, Mayberry penned 230 episodes of the beloved series.
During that time, Sarah saw the show serve as a TV training ground, where crew could start on the lowest rung of the production ladder, and end up as director of photography.
'It's going to be a while before it sinks in that those opportunities are no longer there,' added Mayberry.
In one of the most recent she penned, Mayberry killed off popular character Hendrix Greyson (played Ben Turland) with a failed lung transplant.
Neighbours executive producer Jason Herbison (pictured) says that the beloved soap offered cast and crew a unique opportunity to develop their skills and hone their craft
'That was a great episode to write because it was from beginning to end just all emotion. I bawled my eyes out for two weeks writing it,' she said.
Neighbours was axed after the UK's Channel 5 decided in March not to renew its contract with production company Fremantle to finance and broadcast the series.
Episodes 8901, 8902 and 8903 will air on Thursday in a 90-minute special, bringing the adventures of Ramsay Street's residents to an end after 37 years on air.
Liam Hemsworth (pictured) was one of many stars who got their start on the show
'It's such a strange, quirky, funny, good-hearted show, there won't be anything like it ever again. It's a huge part of Australian culture,' Mayberry said.
With old favourites such as Blue Heelers, All Saints and A Country Practice long gone, the demise of Neighbours leaves Home and Away as the last high-volume scripted drama on Australian free-to-air TV.
Thousands of people have worked on Neighbours since it began in 1985.
With about 260 episodes aired every year, there were 60 in production at any one time - from initial plot development, such as Hendrix Greyson's untimely fate, to filming and post-production.
With about 260 episodes aired every year, there were 60 in production at any one time - pictured are Neighbours fan favourites Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan
The sheer volume meant the show had to be a well-oiled machine, according to executive producer Jason Herbison, with a strong culture of welcoming people making their start in TV.
'If you come to Neighbours, no matter what job you're doing you're likely to have a chance to actually do your craft,' he told AAP.
'That's why it's such a unique opportunity in the industry.'
The sheer volume meant the show had to be a well-oiled machine says Herbison Picture: Margot Robbie as Donna Freedman, Jackie Woodburne as Susan Kennedy
For decades, Melbourne's Swinburne University film course taught many of those who got jobs behind the scenes, and the uni's Susan Kerrigan told AAP the end of the show is heartbreaking.
'These kinds of soap operas, you learn how the craft works, you learn to behave creatively inside the constraints of production,' she said.
'Nothing can compare with what Neighbours was doing and what it was offering in the marketplace in terms of not just acting talent but production as well.'
While the streaming giants may take up some of the slack, it is unlikely they will hire untested graduates, Kerrigan noted.
With old favourites such as Blue Heelers, All Saints and A Country Practice long gone, the demise of Neighbours leaves Home and Away as the last high-volume scripted drama on Australian free-to-air TV Picture: Kylie and Jason in the Neighbours finale
As the last episode airs, longtime Neighbours talent has already moved on. Herbison is filming a mystery thriller miniseries called Riptide. Mayberry is working on a romantic comedy in the US and a thriller for the UK market.
It is also worth mentioning her successful side hustle - Mayberry is the author of more than 45 romance novels, with titles including Irresistible Cowboy and She's got it Bad.
But she openly admits the end of Neighbours has forced her out of Ramsay Street's comfort zone. 'We'll see what happens next, I could be working at Bunnings next year,' she laughed. | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-11052099/Neighbours-finale-sees-curtain-fall-one-TVs-best-talent-training-grounds.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | 2022-07-27T03:34:07Z | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-11052099/Neighbours-finale-sees-curtain-fall-one-TVs-best-talent-training-grounds.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | true |
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TORONTO (AP) — George Springer hit his seventh career grand slam, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had a two-run drive and the Toronto Blue Jays extended their winning streak to seven by beating the short-handed St. Louis Cardinals 10-3 Tuesday night.
Alejandro Kirk added his 12th homer and Matt Chapman had two hits, including the tiebreaking single in a five-run sixth as Toronto improved to 8-1 under manager John Schneider.
Springer had three hits, scored twice, and made a fine catch at the wall in deep right to end the game, leaving the bases loaded.
“He’s a stud,” Schneider said of Springer. “He’s continuously made big plays in big moments his whole career.”
Dylan Carlson hit a solo home run as St. Louis played the first of two games in Canada without unvaccinated sluggers Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado. The two biggest bats in the Cardinals lineup were placed on the restricted list before the game, along with catcher Austin Romine.
Foreign nationals who aren’t vaccinated against COVID-19 are not allowed to enter Canada, save for limited exceptions that require a 14-day quarantine. Unvaccinated baseball players are placed on the restricted list, where they are not paid and do not accrue major league service time.
A seven-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove award winner at first base, Goldschmidt leads the Cardinals in batting average (.333), home runs (22), RBIs (74), on-base percentage (.416) and hits (116). He was named NL player of the week Monday after homering in five straight games.
Arenado is a seven-time All-Star and a nine-time Gold Glove winner at third base. The former Colorado star has led the NL in home runs three times.
Veteran slugger Albert Pujols started at first base in place of Goldschmidt, while Brendan Donovan was at third base. The crowd of 39,756 gave Pujols a loud ovation before his first at-bat.
Carlson connected off José Berríos in the first, his sixth. Guerrero answered in the bottom half with his 21st home run and Chapman added an RBI single to make it 3-1.
Carlson and Pujols tied it with RBI hits in the third, but Chapman restored the lead with a hit off Jordan Hicks (2-5) in the sixth. Hicks walked the next two batters to load the bases before Junior Fernández came on and served up Springer’s slam, his 18th home run this season.
“It’s a big spot right there, to put us up by some more runs,” Springer said. “That’s the stuff that you enjoy playing the game for. It’s a huge moment.”
HIcks and Fernández combined for eight outs, four walks, and seven earned runs.
“When you allow free bases, that’s where you get yourself in trouble,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said.
Berríos allowed three runs and seven hits in 5 2-3 innings. Tim Mayza (5-0) got one out for the win.
Making his second career interleague start, Cardinals rookie right-hander Andre Pallante allowed three runs and seven hits in four innings.
“There’s going to be days where if you’re relying on balls in play, it’s going to find a hole, Marmol said. “Today they squared them up.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cardinals: It will be about a week before St. Louis knows whether LHP Steven Matz will require season-ending surgery, Marmol said. Matz left Saturday’s start against Cincinnati in the sixth inning after straining his left knee while trying to field Joey Votto’s dribbler up the first-base line.
Blue Jays: LHP Yusei Kikuchi (strained neck) threw a side session Tuesday and is a candidate to come off the IL and start Thursday against Detroit, Schneider said.
WELCOME BACK, BUCK!
Before the second inning, the Blue Jays came out of their dugout and tipped their caps to former TV broadcaster Buck Martinez, who returned to the booth Tuesday after undergoing treatment for cancer. Fans stood and cheered and even Pallante stopped warming up to salute Martinez, who stepped away from his role in mid-April.
Martinez, 73, is a former Blue Jays catcher and manager who also played for Kansas City and Milwaukee in a 17-year big league career that ended in 1986. He managed Team USA at the inaugural World Baseball Classic in 2006.
SNAPPY
After falling behind 0-2 in his third-inning at bat against Berríos, Pujols removed a broken chain from around his neck, handed it to home plate umpire Laz Diaz for safekeeping, then grounded a game-tying single on the next pitch.
SIMPLY GRAND
Toronto has five grand slams this season, tied for most in the majors.
ROSTER MOVES
Cardinals: St. Louis recalled OF Conor Capel and C Iván Herrera, and selected INF Cory Spangenberg from Triple-A Memphis as substitute players.
UP NEXT
Cardinals RHP Adam Wainwright (6-8, 3.40) starts Wednesday against Blue Jays RHP Kevin Gausman (7-7, 3.00). Wainwright’s only prior start in Toronto was a 5-0 loss on June 24, 2010.
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More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/article/Springer-7th-slam-Jays-win-7th-in-row-top-17331241.php | 2022-07-27T03:34:16Z | https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/article/Springer-7th-slam-Jays-win-7th-in-row-top-17331241.php | true |
I am amazed how many people in Decatur are so surprised at the dealings between Decatur Public Schools 61 and Park District and a new school. I could see it coming when I mentioned about all the different grade schools being torn down. I was told the Decatur school population was on the decline, so it was better to combine different school population. Really?
The schools that have been torn down include South East, Oak Grove, and Washington to name a few. I am again, amazed at some of the petty (stupid) answers that DPS 61 gives for their reasons for doing it, but when DPS 61 pairs up with the Park District, that is when the answers they will probably give will not be believed.
For the members of these two boards -- when are they going to learn that people of Decatur care for the students of DPS 61 and our parks? You act as if you give an answer, any answer, and Decatur citizens will accept it, not so.
Recommended for you…
These board members must be sitting on their brains. There is a skunk in amongst them, and I would not be surprised the foul smell has to be money.
The DPS 61 board members better buckle their seat belts for a bumpy ride. As far as the Park District having evening public meetings, don’t hold your breath. The excuse? They have other evening commitments, as I was told. Really?
As far as a new school in Lincoln Park, it really has a smell of a skunk and the Park District wants to get rid of Lincoln Park. Only time will tell, right?
Jan Martinie, Decatur | https://herald-review.com/opinion/letters/letter-bumpy-ride-ahead-for-boards/article_31293db4-09fc-11ed-b077-6f8a12052ab7.html | 2022-07-27T03:39:26Z | https://herald-review.com/opinion/letters/letter-bumpy-ride-ahead-for-boards/article_31293db4-09fc-11ed-b077-6f8a12052ab7.html | false |
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Russia’s foreign minister said his country supports reforming the U.N. Security Council to give a more powerful role to developing nations, including African countries.
Sergey Lavrov spoke Tuesday in Kampala, the Ugandan capital, after meeting with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.
“We confirmed our positions when it comes to the reforming of the U.N. Security Council,” Lavrov said. “The main problem here is the underrepresentation in the Security Council of developing states and the only solution to this problem is bigger representation of Asian, African and Latin American countries.”
Uganda is the third stop on Lavrov’s tour of Africa as Russia tries to break diplomatic isolation over its war in Ukraine. Lavrov will end his trip with a visit to Ethiopia, the headquarters of the 54-nation African Union.
Lavrov spoke alongside Museveni, a U.S. ally whose government also maintains friendly ties with Russia.
Uganda is one of 25 African nations that abstained or didn’t vote in the U.N. General Assembly resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine earlier this year. Many nations on the continent of 1.3 billion people have long-standing ties with Moscow, dating back to the Cold War when the Soviet Union supported their anti-colonial struggles.
Museveni said Tuesday that Russia has been a friend to Uganda for more than 100 years. Russia cannot suddenly become an enemy because of its rivalry with the U.S., he said.
“We want to make our own enemies, not fight other people’s enemies,” Museveni said. “This is our doctrine.”
At the start of the war in Ukraine, Museveni and his son, Ugandan infantry commander Lt. Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, made public comments widely seen as sympathetic toward Russia.
Russian officers regularly assist Uganda to maintain military equipment and authorities recently gave a contract to a Russian firm that will install tracking devices in military vehicles to combat violent crime.
African leaders in recent months have pressed for Africa’s permanent representation on the U.N. Security Council. The matter of reforming the 15-member council has provoked debate for decades.
Museveni earlier this year said reforms would stop what he described as “mistakes” such as the removal from power of the late Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi, who ruled for nearly 42 years before he was ousted by an uprising in 2011 and later was captured and killed.
The Security Council’s five permanent members reflect the international power structure at the end of World War II: the United States, China, Russia, France and Britain. The council’s 10 other seats rotate among U.N. members who serve two-year terms.
While there is widespread support for revamping the council to reflect current global realities, efforts have been mired in national and regional rivalries.
The African Union has called for the council to be expanded to 26 members with six additional permanent seats, including two for Africa with veto power, and five non-permanent seats for Africa. | https://www.localsyr.com/news/international/russias-lavrov-urges-un-reforms-to-raise-africas-voice/ | 2022-07-27T03:39:53Z | https://www.localsyr.com/news/international/russias-lavrov-urges-un-reforms-to-raise-africas-voice/ | false |
ATLANTA (AP) — A judge in Atlanta has rejected an appeal by a group of voters and affirmed the Georgia secretary of state’s decision that U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is eligible to run for reelection.
The five voters from Greene’s district sought to have her removed from the ballot, saying that she played a significant role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol that disrupted Congress’ certification of Biden’s presidential victory. That was a violation of a rarely invoked provision in the 14th Amendment against insurrection or rebellion, they argued.
Represented by Free Speech for People, a national election and campaign finance reform group, the voters filed a complaint with Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in March.
Greene was questioned extensively during a daylong hearing in April before Georgia Administrative Law Judge Charles Beaudrot, who ruled on May 6 that Greene should not be disqualified. Raffensperger immediately affirmed the decision.
The voters appealed in Fulton County Superior Court, where Chief Judge Christopher Brasher affirmed Raffensperger’s adoption on Monday.
The voters said Beaudrot made four legal errors, but Brasher found that Beaudrot acted properly.
Free Speech for People said in a statement that Brasher ruled “with minimal legal analysis,” and that it has not decided whether to appeal to the Georgia Supreme Court.
The challenge to Greene’s eligibility was based on a section of the 14th Amendment that says no one can serve in Congress “who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress … to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same.”
Ratified shortly after the Civil War, it was meant in part to keep representatives who had fought for the Confederacy from returning to Congress.
Beaudrot found that the voters hadn’t produced sufficient evidence that Greene’s actions before, during and after the Capitol siege encouraged and helped facilitate a violent attack on the U.S. government and democracy in violation of the U.S. Constitution.
Greene won about 70% of the vote in the May Republican primary, easily defeating five challengers who tried to unseat her. She faces Democrat Marcus Flowers in November’s general election. | https://www.localsyr.com/news/national/judge-upholds-rep-marjorie-taylor-greens-eligibility/ | 2022-07-27T03:42:45Z | https://www.localsyr.com/news/national/judge-upholds-rep-marjorie-taylor-greens-eligibility/ | false |
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Photo Contributor | https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/rose-pomade-theatrical-bag-35387620 | 2022-07-27T03:43:31Z | https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/rose-pomade-theatrical-bag-35387620 | true |
CHICAGO — For anyone who is planning on taking an architectural tour on the Chicago River, there is a good chance you might encounter the Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner.
Dr. Allison Arwady leads the river tours. It’s a volunteer position, born out of a love for our city and its architecture and the sense of problem-solving Chicago has adopted through the years.
Arwady said the history offers a sign of hope as we make our way to the other side of the pandemic.
On a recent evening, as the sun began to set over Chicago, WGN’s Medical Watch tagged along as a group of mostly tourists took in the sights with Chicago’s commander of all things Covid.
“Ninety percent of the people on the boat have absolutely no idea who I am and I love that,” she said. “It’s actually one of the most anonymous things I can do in the city. … And it is so different from my day job that it makes it feel kind of relaxing.”
When I’m leading one of these tours, I am not thinking about, ‘Is the mayor calling me?’ I am not thinking about the mess at work. For me I find things that I focus on actually to be pretty relaxing
Dr Allison Arwady, Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner, docent
For four years, Arwady has worked as a docent.
“I have always loved architecture and history,” she said. “You have to apply to become a volunteer with the Chicago Architecture Center. And then there’s this big training process. … They don’t care if you are an MD. They care if you are generally interested in architecture, you have a good memory, you care about Chicago.”
Arwady helped the city navigate the pandemic, but she also helps navigate tour groups through the city’s beautiful architecture.
“Even before Covid, one of the things I really like about the Chicago Architecture Center is they don’t say, ‘Here’s a tour, memorize it.’ There are certain core buildings that you have to talk about, but you can decide which stories you want to tell. So I have always had a public health spin on my river tour.”
Her current job set her volunteer gig off course as she was working night and day monitoring and managing the pandemic. But on the recent summer night’s 7:30 p.m. cruise, packed with interested ticket holders. She began:
One thing that for me, makes buildings come alive, is very often you can see in the buildings how the architects, the designers, the engineers, the lawyers, the bankers are solving problems.
It is no problem for this guide to memorize an hour and a half’s worth of information.
As part of the tour, Arwady, the advocate for Covid vaccines recalls the first city inoculation campaign, after the Great Chicago Fire in 1871.
“Everything that made the city the city was gone overnight. And 1 in 3 Chicagoans was left homeless by this fire,” she tells the group. “Although 300 people died in the fire, that next winter was actually our worst year for mortality. … There was so much disease spread and exposure and it’s actually one of the first times we successfully here in Chicago used vaccines that was a smallpox vaccine if you wanted to be in the barracks, requirement to help stop the spread of smallpox. Just such a defining moment for Chicago.”
Now as she reflects on the future post-pandemic, health advocate Dr. Arwady and Docent Allison hopes to build on past experiences.
“So lots of big conversations about, ‘What is the future of the city? How are we going to adapt?’” she said. “And when I do these river cruises it’s always a good reminder that Chicago and its architecture has always been sort of adapting and innovating and problem-solving.”
Arwady has already given about 50 boat tours and even more Chicago Architecture Center walking tours.
She couldn’t leave us after our interview without a reminder to stay safe as Covid numbers are on the rise.
But she says the good news is hospitalizations are not high and there is a new vaccine in the works to address Covid variants. | https://wgntv.com/news/medical-watch/chicagos-top-doc-and-docent-dr-arwady-leads-architecture-tours-too/ | 2022-07-27T03:46:22Z | https://wgntv.com/news/medical-watch/chicagos-top-doc-and-docent-dr-arwady-leads-architecture-tours-too/ | true |
ERROR: type should be string, got "https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-022-01718-8/figures/1\nUS rockets contribute 41% of the overall casualty risk, the highest of any country by far. China is tied with Europe for 2nd place with each contributing 17% of the risk.\nNote that China and the US have had similar total number of orbital launches over the last 10 years. The fact that China left far fewer potentially dangerous rocket stages in orbit than the US despite similar number of launches means that China has actually been much more conscientious about safely de-orbiting rocket stages than the US." | https://www.reddit.com/r/Sino/comments/w91ioo/casualty_risk_of_uncontrolled_rocket_reentries_by/ | 2022-07-27T03:46:35Z | https://www.reddit.com/r/Sino/comments/w91ioo/casualty_risk_of_uncontrolled_rocket_reentries_by/ | true |
US ambassador Kennedy meets with PM
The recently minted US ambassador to Australia, Caroline Kennedy, has met with the prime minister and defence minister at Parliament House, with climate change and Indigenous issues among the items on the agenda.
The ambassador passed on the best wishes of US President Joe Biden and the White House during the introductory meeting with Anthony Albanese.
Mr Albanese informed Ms Kennedy about the Uluru statement and the work towards enshrining a Voice to parliament, with the ambassador expressing her interest in Indigenous issues.
Ms Kennedy on Monday held the Canberra-based embassy's first welcome to country and Indigenous smoking ceremony.
Co-operation between the two nations on climate and the Indo-Pacific were also discussed.
Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles welcomed the new ambassador, saying the pair discussed the future of the Australia-US alliance along with a "secure, resilient and prosperous" Indo-Pacific and future areas of co-operation. | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/aap/article-11052361/US-ambassador-Kennedy-meets-PM.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | 2022-07-27T03:47:43Z | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/aap/article-11052361/US-ambassador-Kennedy-meets-PM.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | true |
US Attorney General hints at prosecuting Trump over Capitol riot
Merrick Garland said his department would "hold accountable anyone who was criminally responsible for attempting to interfere with the transfer, legitimate lawful transfer of power from one administration to the next".
Wednesday 27 July 2022 04:21, UK
The US Attorney General has given his clearest indication yet that former President Donald Trump could be prosecuted for his role in attempting to overthrow the result of the 2020 election.
In an interview with NBC News, Merrick Garland spoke more explicitly than he has ever before about the Justice Department investigation into the 6 January Capitol riot and the events surrounding it.
"We pursue justice without fear of favour," the Attorney General told Nightly News anchor Lester Holt.
"We intend to hold everyone, anyone, who is criminally responsible for events surrounding January 6th or any attempt to interfere with the lawful transfer of power from one administration to another accountable. That's what we do. We don't pay any attention to other issues with respect to that," Garland said.
"So if Donald Trump was to become a candidate for president again that would not change your schedule or how you move forward or don't move forward?" Holt asked, suggesting that the indictment of Donald Trump "would arguably tear the country apart".
Garland replied: "I say again, that we will hold accountable anyone who was criminally responsible for attempting to interfere with the transfer, legitimate lawful transfer of power from one administration to the next."
Garland praised the work of the January 6th Committee whose public hearings over the past few months have shed new light on the events surrounding the storming of the US Capitol.
"It's an important part of democracy that every American recognises the truth of what happened on January 6th and time surrounding it," the Attorney General said.
He revealed that the Justice Department had learnt new information from the hearings.
"Look, the Justice Department has been doing the most wide-ranging investigation in its history. And the committee is doing an enormously wide-ranging investigation as well.
"It is inevitable that there will be things that they find before we have found them. And it's inevitable that there will be things we find that they haven't found. That's what happens when you have two wide-ranging investigations going on at the same time."
His spoke at the end of a day which saw Donald Trump return to Washington for the first time since he left office. The former President delivered the latest in a series of speeches that appear to be building to an announcement that he will run for the presidency again in 2024.
In a separate report, the Washington Post claims that the Justice Department is investigating Donald Trump's actions as part of a criminal investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
Prosecutors have been questioning witnesses before a grand jury. Over the past few days they have subpoenaed two top aides to former Vice-President Mike Pence and have asked about conversations and meetings Mr Trump had in December 2020 and early January 2021. | https://news.sky.com/story/us-attorney-general-hints-at-prosecuting-trump-over-capitol-riot-12659766 | 2022-07-27T03:47:58Z | https://news.sky.com/story/us-attorney-general-hints-at-prosecuting-trump-over-capitol-riot-12659766 | false |
SYDNEY (AP) — Defense chiefs from across the Indo-Pacific gathered this week to bolster their connections against a backdrop of China's ongoing campaign to expand its influence and military presence in the region.
Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the military leaders meeting for three days in Sydney are focused on “the whole situation with the rise of China, a free and open Pacific” and ensuring a peaceful and stable Indo-Pacific region.
“It’s a big conference to coordinate our mutual security interests and discuss national security issues that apply to all of us,” said Milley.
Military leaders from 26 nations are participating in the conference, and most of those are chiefs of defense. China was invited but said it would be unable to attend.
During a press conference Wednesday, Milley said the chiefs of defense discussed how they can cooperate more and make their militaries more interoperable, including with advanced technologies. He added that they also talked about military exercises.
He and Gen. Angus Campbell, Australia’s chief of defense, didn't go into details. But Milley expanded on comments he made late last week about China's increasing aggressiveness in the region and the need for nations to ensure that the Pacific remains free and open to all.
Chinese intercepts of allied and partner aircraft in international airspace in the Pacific region have increased “several-fold” over the last five years, Milley said, calling Beijing's behavior “much more confrontational" than five to 15 years ago.
China's activity, he said, “seems to imply that they want to bully or dominate, as opposed to having a free and open” Pacific.
Asked whether the U.S. would increase its military presence in Australia or in other partner nations, Milley and Campbell said the discussions are ongoing and no decisions have been made. There are about 2,200 U.S. Marines in Darwin.
En route to the conference, Milley told reporters traveling that the Chinese military has become significantly more aggressive and dangerous in recent years.
U.S. President Joe Biden plans to speak to Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday, according to a U.S. official who declined to be identified ahead of the public announcement.
The U.S. is also grappling with reports that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is considering a trip to Taiwan — roiling China and setting off waves of worry in the Biden administration.
Asked about the potential Pelosi trip, Milley would only say that discussion of any specific travel is premature. But, he added, “if there’s a decision made that Speaker Pelosi or anyone else is going to travel and they asked for military support, we will do what is necessary to ensure a safe conduct of their visit. And I’ll just leave it at that.”
The conference also coincides with the massive Rim of the Pacific naval exercise going on near Hawaii. RIMPAC is the world's largest maritime exercise and is hosted by the U.S. | https://www.mrt.com/news/article/Pacific-defense-chiefs-meet-against-backdrop-of-17331285.php | 2022-07-27T04:00:28Z | https://www.mrt.com/news/article/Pacific-defense-chiefs-meet-against-backdrop-of-17331285.php | true |
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday evening's drawing of the Indiana Lottery's "Cash 5" game were:
07-08-22-29-45
(seven, eight, twenty-two, twenty-nine, forty-five)
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday evening's drawing of the Indiana Lottery's "Cash 5" game were:
07-08-22-29-45
(seven, eight, twenty-two, twenty-nine, forty-five) | https://www.theridgefieldpress.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Cash-5-game-17331319.php | 2022-07-27T04:03:33Z | https://www.theridgefieldpress.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Cash-5-game-17331319.php | false |
Cats were added to a list of "alien invasive species" in Poland earlier this month by the Polish Institute of Nature Conversation, citing the damage cats have done to birds and other wildlife, the institute said in a report earlier this month.
The main scientist behind the report has now had to come out and defend the findings after cat lovers have been reacting emotionally to the classification in recent days and weeks.
Wojciech Solarz, a biologist with the Polish Academy of Sciences, which is state-run, entered "Felis catus," which is the scientific name for the domesticated feline or house cat, into Poland's national database, which is facilitated by the Institute of Nature Conservation.
The public outcry was more than Solarz expected. Solarz told the Associated Press that the other 1,786 species entered into the database had no objections.
As Vice reported, the blog, which is in Polish, states that "The domestic cat, felis catus, was domesticated probably around 10,000 years ago in the cradle of the great civilizations of the ancient Near East, stretching from the Nile Valley to southern Mesopotamia." It says, “Therefore, from a purely scientific perspective, in Europe, and therefore also in Poland, it should be considered an alien species."
Cats, in the opinion of the report, tend to wreak havoc on wildlife where they live. But, in a television segment regarding the decision, a veterinarian in the segment said, "Ask if man is on the list of non-invasive alien species."
Solarz said he doesn't have anything against cats but said he is a dog owner.
The institute urges cat owners to limit their pet's time outside during bird breeding season. | https://www.3newsnow.com/news/national/cats-classified-as-alien-invasive-species-by-institute-in-poland-examining-damage-to-wildlife | 2022-07-27T04:04:48Z | https://www.3newsnow.com/news/national/cats-classified-as-alien-invasive-species-by-institute-in-poland-examining-damage-to-wildlife | true |
PENNSYLVANIA, USA — Geisinger has announced its first confirmed monkeypox cases in Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania.
Officials say the health system has been preparing for the disease for several months and immediately initiated safety protocols once the diagnosis was made.
Geisinger has not said how many cases it's currently treating or which hospital is caring for the patients.
Coming soon to WNEP’s YouTube channel. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/geisinger-confirms-monkeypox-cases-hospital-patients-pennsylvania-disease/523-5ffd58fb-f2b2-4ea8-8730-06cd9931c5f9 | 2022-07-27T04:09:47Z | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/geisinger-confirms-monkeypox-cases-hospital-patients-pennsylvania-disease/523-5ffd58fb-f2b2-4ea8-8730-06cd9931c5f9 | false |
A self-described manager and adviser to R. Kelly pleaded guilty Tuesday to an interstate stalking charge, less than a week after he was convicted of making a phone threat that gunfire was about to occur in a Manhattan theater where a documentary about the singer was about to be shown.
Donnell Russell, 47, of Chicago, entered the plea in Brooklyn federal court.
U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said Russell used threats, harassment and intimidation to silence one of Kelly’s sexual abuse victims. Kelly, who was sentenced to 30 years in prison last month, was convicted last year of racketeering and sex trafficking.
Peace said in a statement that Russell sent threatening messages to the woman and her mother and later published explicit photos of the victim on the internet.
Russell could face up to five years in prison at a Nov. 17 sentencing.
Prosecutors said the harassment campaign stretched from November 2018 to February 2020 after the woman filed a civil lawsuit against Kelly.
Entertainment News
Last Friday, a Manhattan federal court jury found Russell guilty of threatening physical harm through interstate communication.
The jury concluded that Russell made a phone threat that forced the evacuation of a theater where Lifetime's “Surviving R. Kelly” series was to be shown, and a panel discussion was to occur featuring several women in the documentary.
Prosecutors argued during the one-week trial that Russell was trying to protect the lucrative career of Kelly, a Grammy-winning, multiplatinum-selling songwriter.
A trial witness had testified that a man with a deep voice had called the theater to warn that “someone had a gun and they were going to shoot up the place.” Prosecutors said the call was placed to the theater from Russell's home on a day when Russell made nine phone calls to the theater to try to stop the airing of the documentary. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/self-described-r-kelly-manager-pleads-guilty-to-stalking-one-of-singers-victims/3032502/ | 2022-07-27T04:10:35Z | https://www.nbcdfw.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/self-described-r-kelly-manager-pleads-guilty-to-stalking-one-of-singers-victims/3032502/ | true |
ROCKY HILL, Conn. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday evening's drawing of the Connecticut Lottery's "Cash 5" game were:
01-09-21-27-33
(one, nine, twenty-one, twenty-seven, thirty-three)
ROCKY HILL, Conn. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday evening's drawing of the Connecticut Lottery's "Cash 5" game were:
01-09-21-27-33
(one, nine, twenty-one, twenty-seven, thirty-three) | https://www.ctpost.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Cash-5-game-17331301.php | 2022-07-27T04:17:16Z | https://www.ctpost.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Cash-5-game-17331301.php | false |
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday evening's drawing of the Texas Lottery's "Cash 5" game were:
03-13-16-34-35
(three, thirteen, sixteen, thirty-four, thirty-five)
Estimated jackpot: $25,000
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday evening's drawing of the Texas Lottery's "Cash 5" game were:
03-13-16-34-35
(three, thirteen, sixteen, thirty-four, thirty-five)
Estimated jackpot: $25,000 | https://www.greenwichtime.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Cash-5-game-17331340.php | 2022-07-27T04:17:22Z | https://www.greenwichtime.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Cash-5-game-17331340.php | true |
1. What makes you a good candidate for the office of Klickitat County Clerk?
From my direct experience working as a deputy clerk in Klickitat County for two and a half years, I managed court records, learned courtroom etiquette and expectations, and understand the diligence necessary for accurate reporting and record-keeping. I handled and diffused complex and emotionally tense situations for parties navigating the court system, and effectively engaged the numerous stakeholders in the justice system, both individuals and agencies. I learned the skills needed to adapt to the ever-changing legislative landscape, and which issues are best and most efficiently solved with interpersonal and interagency communications. I am eager to shift the focus of the County Clerk’s office to informed public service with meticulous record-keeping and reporting.
2. What goals do you have for this office, and how do you plan to accomplish them?
The three biggest issues feel facing the County Clerk’s Office are implementing functional and clear electronic filing processes, handling changing requirements from evolving legislation, and remedying the lack of resources and information easily accessible by and available to the public.
While the incumbent is working to resolve and hopefully implement an e-Filing process by the end of summer, this needs to be a priority. Currently, the Clerk turned to this effort because of a new state mandate requiring the implementation of e-Filing in all counties. The delay in providing this public benefit has been detrimental, and Klickitat County citizens need a proactive Clerk seeking out trends and best practices in the current and rapidly changing digital landscape to address issues that are foreseeable and provide the best and highest level of service to constituents. Public servants need to look beyond running day-to-day operations and prioritize future-looking solutions to current and foreseeable problems the community faces. I will engage with the public to provide information and resources and investigate ways to provide our community with ready and unfettered access to the court system. Before the Court, everyone is equal.
3. How will you effectively manage taxpayer dollars and court records to ensure an accountable and transparent justice system in Klickitat County?
All Klickitat County Clerk records are public, subject to limited exceptions to protect sensitive information in certain types of cases, such as guardianships, adoptions, and other limited personal matters. I would emphasize transparency and access to documents about the office sought by official public records requests and follow all procedures in place to provide properly-requested court records while protecting the sensitive information protected from public disclosure. This process permits access to and gives interested parties the ability to review all office budget items and expenses. Nothing needs to be hidden. I advocate for transparency and clarity and will discuss all budget expenditures if questioned. Currently, I manage the county IT department and handle all the office’s accounts payable matters daily. I co-created the IT department’s budget proposals together with documentation explaining each expense item and upcoming need.
4. How would you determine success in this role?
Success as Klickitat County Clerk is measurable. Success requires healthy, positive relationships with all agencies and to support the justice system. Success requires an emphasis on truth and transparency regarding decisions and information provided to the public. A successful Clark must continually learn and must empower deputy Clerks to provide accurate court-related information, focus on running the office as public servants, find ways to streamline the record-handling process, engage with the public in a consistently respectful manner, and look ahead at possible solutions to put all parties participating in the judicial system on equal footing. | https://www.columbiagorgenews.com/hoodriver/news/politics/shelby-mckern/article_62656a6a-0d3a-11ed-963a-1b6021db5b46.html | 2022-07-27T04:23:26Z | https://www.columbiagorgenews.com/hoodriver/news/politics/shelby-mckern/article_62656a6a-0d3a-11ed-963a-1b6021db5b46.html | false |
You need to enable JavaScript to run this app. | https://sportspyder.com/cf/nebraska-cornhuskers-football/articles/40189290 | 2022-07-27T04:24:37Z | https://sportspyder.com/cf/nebraska-cornhuskers-football/articles/40189290 | true |
JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:
NASA made a big announcement today. It set a launch date for its big new rocket eventually meant to fly humans to the moon. This first test mission, Artemis 1, won't have anyone on board, but as Brendan Byrne of member station WMFE reports, it is an important and long-delayed launch.
BRENDAN BYRNE, BYLINE: NASA says its 300-foot-tall SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft will blast off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The agency is targeting three possible launch opportunities starting on August 29, sending the deep space vehicle and three mannequins on a more-than-a-month-long mission around the moon and back. NASA's Jim Free.
JIM FREE: This is the first time that we're going to try and launch this vehicle. We're going to be careful. We're going to work hard to meet the attempts on those dates and do our best to position ourselves to have the confidence in those dates.
BYRNE: This launch is the beginning of a series of increasingly complex missions aimed at landing humans on the moon, the first since the Apollo program more than a half century ago. This mission, dubbed Artemis 1, will serve as a pathfinder, testing critical systems of the vehicle like life support and its heat shield. Artemis 2 will follow a similar trajectory but with astronauts on board, and Artemis 3 will carry people bound for the lunar surface. The agency says those next moonwalkers will include a woman and person of color. Here's space policy analyst Laura Forczyk.
LAURA FORCZYK: With all large programs that NASA runs, it has been long-delayed, and it has been way over budget and continues to be as we look forward to the first human lunar landing, which is currently scheduled for 2025 but is likely to slip.
BYRNE: An internal NASA audit last year found the agency will spend up to $25 billion through 2025 on the program, with each mission costing $4 billion per launch. And there's still much more work to do. NASA hopes to build a space station around the moon. The agency is working with private company SpaceX to build the first lunar lander. Parts for that moon station still haven't left Earth, as SpaceX continues critical flight testing of the lander. Still, says Forczyk, the announcement of the launch date for this first uncrewed Artemis mission is a big step.
FORCZYK: It finally feels real because not only do we have a rocket and a mission, we have a launch date, or at least a launch range.
BYRNE: The announcement came on the same day as another important national lunar milestone. It was 53 years ago that Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first people to walk on the moon. For NPR News, I'm Brendan Byrne in Orlando.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR. | https://www.wfit.org/space/2022-07-20/nasa-has-set-a-launch-date-for-artemis-its-new-rocket-for-flying-humans-to-the-moon | 2022-07-27T04:26:20Z | https://www.wfit.org/space/2022-07-20/nasa-has-set-a-launch-date-for-artemis-its-new-rocket-for-flying-humans-to-the-moon | false |
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF) – Time to check your tickets to see if you’re America’s next multi-millionaire. The numbers have been drawn for the $830 million Mega Millions jackpot, the nation’s third-largest top prize on record.
A new set of winning numbers was drawn Tuesday at 11 p.m. ET. The winning numbers are 7-29-60-63-66 and a Mega number of 15.
The chance of winning the grand prize is roughly one in 303 million. You have better odds of a smaller payoff, such as winning $1 million for matching five regular numbers but missing the Mega Ball. But even that is one in 12.6 million.
The largest Mega Millions jackpot was $1.537 billion on October 23, 2018. That winning ticket was sold in South Carolina.
The current jackpot, the third-largest in Mega Millions history, has grown so large because no one has matched the game’s six numbers since April 15. That’s 28 consecutive draws without a jackpot winner.
The $830 million prize is for winners who choose the annuity option, paid annually over 30 years. Most winners opt for the cash option, which for Tuesday night’s drawing is an estimated $487.9 million.
Mega Millions tickets are sold in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Drawings are held each Tuesday and Friday. Half of the proceeds from the sale of each Mega Millions ticket remains in the state where the ticket was sold, where the money supports lottery beneficiaries and retailer commissions. Lottery revenues are allocated differently in each jurisdiction.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. | https://www.kxnet.com/news/national-news/check-your-tickets-numbers-drawn-for-830m-mega-millions-jackpot/ | 2022-07-27T04:27:09Z | https://www.kxnet.com/news/national-news/check-your-tickets-numbers-drawn-for-830m-mega-millions-jackpot/ | false |
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — As Pope Francis pays a historic visit to Canada, he is encountering a country that is less Catholic, more secular and more religiously diverse than the last time it hosted a pontiff two decades ago.
And the city where he landed on Sunday — Edmonton — reflects that diversity more than outsiders might expect from a provincial capital in Canada’s prairie heartland.
Edmonton and its province of Alberta do have a large, long-settled population of Christians of European descent.
But Alberta also has had a religiously and ethnically diverse population from its early 20th century founding as a province, when small groups of Sikh immigrants arrived and Lebanese Muslims launched Al-Rashid Mosque, believed to be the nation’s oldest. Its original red-brick structure now stands in a city park featuring historical exhibits.
“We always think of Ontario when we think of diversity,” said Noor Al-Henedy, public relations director for the the mosque. “Nobody ever thinks (Alberta is) such a diverse land with so many ethnic groups, so many religious groups that have lived here for a long time. “
The Edmonton metropolitan area’s population of 1.1 million was about 59% Christian, including 26% Catholic, as of 2011, according to the most recent Canadian census figures for religious demographics.
About 10% belonged to other religious groups, such as Muslim, Sikh, Hindu or Buddhist. Their presence is reflected in multiple mosques, gurdwaras and temples in the region.
An additional 31% claimed no religion.
Those figures are echoed nationwide. In Canada overall, the 2011 census found 67% Christians, including 39% Catholics, with 9% belonging to other religions and 24% having none.
That’s fewer Christians overall and fewer Catholics than tallied in the 2001 census, a year before the last papal visit to Canada by St. John Paul II. In that decade, other religious and secular populations grew.
A 2018 Pew Research Center report indicates those trends have continued in recent years, as they have to a less rapid extent in the United States.
The Rev. John Dowds, chaplain for the city of Edmonton, has seen these changes in the “increase in the number of folk from other traditions who really need to find a specific place at a specific time of day to offer prayer.”
Dowds, a Presbyterian minister, worked to create “sacred spaces” in city workplaces for people of any faith to pray or meditate.
The very existence of his position — the only city chaplaincy that he’s aware of in Canada, an expansion of his role as fire department chaplain — testifies to Edmonton’s awareness of its diverse faith communities. He and others on the city’s wellness team counsel people of all faiths or none.
That counseling can have a spiritual component, “but we don’t narrow that spiritual part down to anything specific,” Dowds said. “It can be as broad as having a conversation about ‘Who am I and … what makes me tick and where I want to go with my life?’”
The Edmonton Interfaith Centre for Education and Action has provided training and cooperation among multiple religious and secular groups.
The center and the city host a rotating display of information on different religions — for July, it’s Zoroastrianism — in the skylit atrium of City Hall.
Dowds acknowledged there are challenges, including cases of antisemitism and Islamophobia. “I think we counter that,” he said, by “assertively addressing and then inviting opportunities for dialogue.”
Mayor Amarjeet Sohi added that, in a city with a substantial Indigenous population, some residents may not have a “deep understanding of the struggle Indigenous communities are facing,” given the history of colonialization and culturally repressive residential schools. That is being addressed “through education, interfaith dialogue, intercultural dialogue,” he said.
Those issues are central to Francis’ visit to Alberta, where on Monday he made a formal apology for decades of abuse of Indigenous children at church-run residential schools they were forced to attend.
Sohi, who immigrated here from India four decades ago, is the first person of Sikh background and first person of color to be elected mayor. While he experienced prejudice early on, “this is also a community that lifted me up, that provided resources” to help him succeed, and he now wants to help create similar opportunities for newer arrivals.
In a sign of cross-religious cooperation, volunteers to help with the papal visit have come from the local Muslim community, the Salvation Army and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
More than 200 members of the latter have signed up for such tasks as coordinating park-and-ride lots.
“The faith groups look out for each other,” said John Craig, a church elder who oversees a region that includes Alberta.
The church has taken similar steps, he said, such as offering one of its buildings as a rest station along a Sikh parade route and providing supplies for refugees through a Ukrainian Catholic church.
A Salvation Army crew has been serving meals to workers preparing Lac Ste. Anne, a lake that was considered sacred for Indigenous peoples before colonization and remains a popular pilgrimage destination, for Francis’ visit.
“This is going to be a historic moment in Canada,” said Captain Peter Kim, pastor of the Salvation Army Church Community in Grand Prairie, Alberta. “We’re blessed just to be a part of it.”
Within the Christian population, Indigenous ministries and recent immigration have boosted ethnic and denominational variety. Catholics celebrate Mass in at least 16 languages in the Archdiocese of Edmonton.
Worshippers used English and Cree liturgy at the recent dedication of a restored sanctuary at Sacred Heart Church of the First Peoples, a Catholic parish oriented toward Indigenous people and culture. Eritrean worshippers, who also have regular Masses in the church, contributed a poignant, rhythmic hymn in their own language.
“There is similar culture, especially in the Mass,” said Simon Tekle, who is originally from Eritrea. “It’s very similar with the drums.”
At the end of the service, Indigenous drummers sang robustly outside the church. Across the street, onlookers watched curiously from the steps of a Pentecostal church with roots in Nigeria. On adjacent blocks, others worshipped at a Ukrainian Catholic parish and a Lutheran church with a Danish-language liturgy.
Francis paid tribute to the region’s diversity on Tuesday at Lac Ste. Anne, which he compared to the biblical Sea of Galilee, a cultural crossroads where Jesus began his ministry.
“This lake, with all its diversity, thus became the site of an unprecedented proclamation of fraternity; not a revolution bringing death and injury in its wake, but a revolution of love,” the pope said. “Here, on the shores of this lake, the sound of drums, spanning the centuries and uniting different peoples, brings us back to that time.
The Sikh population began to grow in the 1960s and 1970s through immigration. Sikh elders say they experienced prejudice and vandalism early on.
“The local community, I don’t think they knew who we were,” said Surinder Singh Hoonjanbut, a Sikh community leader. But he said that has changed greatly as the the Sikh population has grown, interacted with neighbors and engaged in community service.
Also, growing awareness of issues such as the Indigenous experience helps to build more general multicultural awareness, said Sikh community member Gagan Kaur Hoonjan.
“Movements that help one group be understood opens everyone’s mind up to conversations for other communities,” she said.
___
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. | https://www.wfla.com/news/international/ap-international/a-religiously-diverse-edmonton-hosts-pope-francis-visit/ | 2022-07-27T04:29:00Z | https://www.wfla.com/news/international/ap-international/a-religiously-diverse-edmonton-hosts-pope-francis-visit/ | true |
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PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Free transportation to cooling centers and garbage pickup well before sunrise were among the steps being taken in the Pacific Northwest as the region hit the peak of a multiday heatwave.
Temperatures soared to 102 degrees Fahrenheit (38.9 Celsius) in Oregon’s largest city on Tuesday, which is expected to be the hottest day of a scorching spell that will be unusually long for this part of the United States. It was also a new daily record for the city for July 26, besting the previous mark set in 2020.
Seattle also reported a new all-time daily high of 94 F (34.4 C), breaking the previous record of 92 F (33.3 C) from 2018, according to the National Weather Service.
Elsewhere in Washington state, record daily temperatures were also registered in Bellingham and the capital, Olympia, which experienced 90 F (32.2 C) and 97 F (36.1 C) respectively.
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown declared a state of emergency across much of the state, warning the extreme temperatures may cause utility outages and transportation disruptions. Temperatures aren’t expected to cool in western Oregon and Washington until the weekend.
Under the sweltering heat, Matthew Carr spent his lunch break in a fountain in downtown Portland, Oregon. The 57-year-old works outside picking up trash for the city and had to find a way to cool off.
“This is pretty hot,” Carr said. “I can just take my uniform off, jump in there with my shorts for my break, and hang out for a good 10 or 15 minutes.”
Oregon health officials say there has been an uptick in the number of people reporting heat-related illness in emergency departments, and the number of those calling emergency services numbers for similar symptoms.
“Heat-related illness daily visits are above expected levels statewide,” said Jonathan Modie, lead communications officer at the Oregon Health Authority’s Public Health Division. He said there were 32 such visits to emergency rooms on Monday compared to three to five per day before the heat wave began.
Portland officials have opened cooling centers in public buildings and installed misting stations in parks. TriMet, which operates public transportation in the Portland metropolitan area, will allow passengers who cannot afford fares to ride for free when heading to cooling centers.
Most of Portland’s garbage companies began earlier pick-ups on Tuesday morning, starting as early as 4 a.m. to reduce drivers’ exposure to heat and health risks. The early rounds will likely continue through Friday morning.
Multnomah County, which includes Portland, planned to open four overnight emergency cooling shelters starting Tuesday night so people who can’t get cool on their own could spend the night. The locations can accommodate a total of 245 guests, said Multnomah County spokesperson Kate Yeiser.
“We’re going to find space for anybody who needs it,” Yeiser said, adding that the sites have a “no-turn-away policy.” She said the county may open an additional overnight center on Wednesday if there’s high demand.
Many libraries are extending their hours, staying open until 8 or 9 p.m. to allow people more time to cool off.
Residents and officials in the Northwest have been trying to adjust to the likely reality of longer, hotter heat waves following last summer’s deadly “heat dome” weather phenomenon that prompted record temperatures and deaths.
In response, Oregon passed a law requiring all new housing built after April 2024 to have air conditioning installed in at least one room. The law already prohibits landlords in most cases from restricting tenants from installing cooling devices in their rental units.
About 800 people died in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia during a 2021 heat wave that hit in late June and early July. The temperature at the time soared to an all-time high of 116 F (46.7 C) in Portland and smashed heat records in cities and towns across the region. Many of those who died were elderly and lived alone.
While temperatures this week are not expected to get that high, the anticipated number of consecutive hot days has raised concerns among officials.
The National Weather Service has issued an extreme heat warning for large swaths of Oregon and Washington state.
Officials in Seattle and Portland have issued air quality advisories from Tuesday through Saturday, warning that smog may reach levels that could be unhealthy for sensitive groups.
Cooling sites are open throughout Seattle, greater King County and throughout western Washington
___
AP photographer Craig Mitchelldyer contributed.
___
Claire Rush is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow her on Twitter. | https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/Records-fall-as-Northwest-swelters-under-multiday-17331356.php | 2022-07-27T04:31:08Z | https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/Records-fall-as-Northwest-swelters-under-multiday-17331356.php | true |
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