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Partnership to accelerate adoption of modern financial infrastructure for companies around the world
ANDOVER, Mass., April 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Navisite, a digital transformation partner for growing and established global brands, today announced that it has joined the Stripe Partner Ecosystem. The partnership will meet growing demand among companies around the world for modern financial infrastructure that enables them to deliver new e-commerce experiences, add new revenue streams and manage their businesses online.
"As companies move to the cloud and embrace new digital technologies and approaches, they're integrating complex enterprise infrastructure and processes with new ways of transacting and engaging online," said Jim Ball, vice president of global alliances at Navisite. "We've had great success working with our mutual customers to accelerate their digital transformation and deliver a seamless online commerce experience. We look forward to building on that success as part of the Stripe Partner Ecosystem."
Stripe is a financial infrastructure platform for businesses. Millions of companies use Stripe to accept payments, grow their revenue and accelerate new business opportunities. With the help of Navisite's team of global experts and strategic advisory and transformation services, customers benefit from highly tailored solutions and guidance as they implement Stripe's financial infrastructure and transform their businesses online.
"The launch of the Stripe Partner Ecosystem coincides with more businesses looking beyond their organization to navigate the internet economy, and Stripe making it easier to find the right partner for their needs," said Dorothy Copeland, vice president of global partnerships and alliances at Stripe. "By partnering with Navisite and introducing a comprehensive set of partner resources, companies around the world will be able to accelerate their move to online commerce more easily."
Navisite is a trusted digital transformation partner for growing and established global brands. Through our highly specialized teams, industry solutions, business process expertise and application services, we provide the capabilities and practical guidance customers need to modernize, build and support more agile, resilient and expanding businesses. Our strategic advisory and transformation services advance innovation with comprehensive cloud, enterprise application, data management, intelligent automation and cybersecurity solutions, empowering customers to navigate change and meet new demands at any point in their journey. To learn more, visit navisite.com.
Stripe is a financial infrastructure platform for businesses. Millions of companies—from the world's largest enterprises to the most ambitious startups—use Stripe to accept payments, grow their revenue, and accelerate new business opportunities. Headquartered in San Francisco and Dublin, the company aims to increase the GDP of the internet.
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SOURCE Navisite | https://www.kbtx.com/prnewswire/2022/04/26/navisite-joins-stripe-partner-ecosystem/ | 2022-04-26T15:27:53Z | https://www.kbtx.com/prnewswire/2022/04/26/navisite-joins-stripe-partner-ecosystem/ | true |
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — A former southern Arizona county official has pleaded guilty in a bribery corruption case in which he took cash and favors for reducing assessed values of properties so the landowner would save on taxes.
Former Santa Cruz County Assessor Felipe Fuentes, 62, of Nogales could be sentenced to up to five years in prison and fined $250,000 after pleading guilty Friday in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, according to his plea agreement with prosecutors.
The plea agreement said Fuentes admitted taking $20,000 in cash payments and was given free use of a 17-acre (7-hectare) ranch property owned by one of the landowner’s entities
Court documents identified the landowner and another person acting on the landowner's behalf only as Person A and Person B.
“Property taxes pay for critical local government services that support our communities,” United States Attorney Gary Restaino said in a statement. “Fuentes abused the public trust when he reduced the assessed value of property, and by doing so diverted money away from Santa Cruz County in order to serve his own self-interest.”
Fuentes's sentencing is set for Aug. 2. | https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/article/Ex-county-assessor-pleads-guilty-in-bribery-17127427.php | 2022-04-26T15:28:29Z | https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/article/Ex-county-assessor-pleads-guilty-in-bribery-17127427.php | true |
WFO BROWNSVILLE Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, April 26, 2022
_____
AREAL FLOOD ADVISORY
Flood Advisory
National Weather Service Brownsville TX
857 AM CDT Tue Apr 26 2022
...FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 945 AM CDT THIS MORNING...
* WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is expected.
* WHERE...A portion of Deep South Texas, including the following
counties, Kenedy and Willacy.
* WHEN...Until 945 AM CDT.
* IMPACTS...Minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas.
Rises in small streams and normally dry arroyos. Ponding of water
in urban or other areas is occurring or is imminent.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
- At 857 AM CDT, Doppler radar indicated heavy rain due to
thunderstorms. Minor flooding is ongoing or expected to begin
shortly in the advisory area. Between 1 and 3 inches of rain
have fallen.
- Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are expected
over the area. This additional rain will result in minor
flooding.
- Some locations that will experience flooding include...
Raymondville, San Perlita and San Perlita High School.
- 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.milfordmirror.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-BROWNSVILLE-Warnings-Watches-and-17127212.php | 2022-04-26T15:32:51Z | https://www.milfordmirror.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-BROWNSVILLE-Warnings-Watches-and-17127212.php | true |
RS Recommends: This Online Deal Gets You a Massive 50-Inch 4K TV for $300
Click here to read the full article.
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.
Whether you’re watching sports or streaming movies, you’re missing out if you’re not watching you content on a 4K TV. A 4K set offers sharper, crisper, more detailed images than an HDTV, so you can see each dribble, pass, and shot more clearly than ever before. If you’ve been thinking about upgrading your old TV, you’re in luck.
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Amazon
Buy: TCL 50-Inch 4K Ultra HD Roku Smart TV $309.00
TCL made our list for Best 4K TVs and Best Smart TVs , and we can vouch for the reliability and picture quality of a TCL device. This Ultra HD TV delivers consistent contrasts and details, with a wider spectrum of colors than many models in its category. The available high dynamic range (HDR) helps define more life-like pictures, and minimizes any shadows or blurriness on screen.
This TV comes with a ton of inputs to let you plug in everything from a Blu-ray player to a gaming console to a USB stick. With Chromecast built-in, you can even cast your movies, music, shows and photos from your Android or iOS device to your TCL TV. Everything is packed in a sleek and slim unit that looks great mounted on the wall or sitting on a home entertainment unit. This set also includes a remote control.
This Amazon deal saves you more than $180 on the 2021 model TCL 4K Ultra HD TV. Get it now for just $319 ; units were still available as of this writing but as with any Amazon deal, pricing and quantities could change, so add to cart soon.
More from Rolling Stone Best of Rolling Stone | https://www.newsbreak.com/news/1572867165526/rs-recommends-this-online-deal-gets-you-a-massive-50-inch-4k-tv-for-300 | 2022-04-26T15:34:26Z | https://www.newsbreak.com/news/1572867165526/rs-recommends-this-online-deal-gets-you-a-massive-50-inch-4k-tv-for-300 | false |
WFO BROWNSVILLE Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, April 26, 2022
_____
AREAL FLOOD ADVISORY
Flood Advisory
National Weather Service Brownsville TX
952 AM CDT Tue Apr 26 2022
...FLOOD ADVISORY HAS EXPIRED...
The Flood Advisory has expired for a portion of Deep South Texas,
including the following counties, Kenedy and Willacy.
The heavy rain has ended. Flooding is no longer expected to pose a
threat. Please continue to heed remaining road closures.
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Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-BROWNSVILLE-Warnings-Watches-and-17127428.php | 2022-04-26T15:34:50Z | https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-BROWNSVILLE-Warnings-Watches-and-17127428.php | true |
Ferguson shipyard boss says ferry costs should not increase
- Published
The new boss of the troubled Ferguson shipyard has said he believes the two overdue and overbudget CalMac ferries will be finished next year at a total cost of £206m.
David Tydeman dismissed claims that the final cost of the two ships could be double that figure.
And he said he would be "very disappointed" if more money was needed.
Mr Tydeman took over as chief executive of the nationalised shipyard earlier this year.
The contract to build the two new ferries - the Glen Sannox and a second vessel known as Hull 802 - is already two-and-a-half times over its original budget and about five years late.
A former shipbuilding advisor to the Scottish government, Luke van Beek, claimed last month that the cost of completing the two ferries could be up to £400m and suggested it might be cheaper to scrap the project and start again.
Mr Tydeman told BBC Scotland that he "just can't understand where people make those numbers up from".
He said he had "certainly not" been given a blank cheque by the Scottish government to finish building the ships, and that it remained his intention to deliver both ships for £206m by the end of 2023.
That figure is on top of a £45m loan previously given to the shipyard by the government.
Mr Tydeman said: "If we need more, that will be because there has been some surprises over the next 18 months or 21 months.
"I think we've bought most of the materials we need, I think we've got most of the labour we need.
"So if we run the programme properly we shouldn't need any more."
He was speaking on the day the bow of Hull 802 was due to be lifted into position. He said this was happening a month ahead of the revised schedule.
Mr Tydeman was appointed chief executive after Tim Hair, who had been the yard's turnaround director, left earlier this year.
Mr Hair was controversially paid up to £60,000 a month after being given the role by the Scottish government when it took over the shipyard in 2019.
Mr Tydeman said he had introduced changes which were having a positive impact on the yard's operations and increasing its efficiency.
These included changes to the way the ships are being built, which he said had been done "out of sequence" in the past.
More of the construction work for Hull 802 is being done on the berth rather than waiting until after it is afloat, which was the case for the Glen Sannox.
And a senior member of CMAL - which owns Scotland's ferries, ports and harbours - has been seconded onto the Ferguson management team to help the two work more closely.
Mr Tydeman said the Port Glasgow yard did not have any new orders but would bid for work in the future, including a programme of seven smaller CalMac vessels which he said could make "a very big difference" to the yard.
He said these new ferries were upgraded versions of ships that had already been built by Ferguson in the past.
He also said the yard was "nearly" fit for purpose and was "getting there" with implementing basic shipbuilding practice which a recent Audit Scotland report said was needed. | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-61231791 | 2022-04-26T15:37:00Z | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-61231791 | false |
A disaster-weary globe will be hit harder in the coming years by even more catastrophes colliding in an interconnected world, a United Nations report issued Monday says.
If current trends continue the world will go from around 400 disasters per year in 2015 to an onslaught of about 560 catastrophes a year by 2030, the scientific report by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reductionsaid. By comparison from 1970 to 2000, the world suffered just 90 to 100 medium to large scale disasters a year, the report said.
The number of extreme heat waves in 2030 will be three times what it was in 2001 and there will be 30% more droughts, the report predicted. It’s not just natural disasters amplified by climate change, it’s COVID-19, economic meltdowns and food shortages. Climate change has a huge footprint in the number of disasters, report authors said.
People have not grasped how much disasters already cost today, said Mami Mizutori, chief of the UN Office of Disaster Risk Reduction, “If we don’t get ahead of the curve it will reach a point where we cannot manage the consequences of disaster,” she said. “We’re just in this vicious cycle.”
That means society needs to rethink how it finances, handles and talks about the risk of disasters and what it values the most, the report said. About 90% of the spending on disasters currently is emergency relief with only 6% on reconstruction and 4% on prevention, Mizutori said in an interview Monday.
Not every hurricane or earthquake has to turn into a disaster, Mizutori said. A lot of damage is avoided with planning and prevention.
In 1990, disasters cost the world about $70 billion a year. Now they cost more than $170 billion a year, and that’s after adjusting for inflation, according to report authors. Nor does that include indirect costs we seldom think about that add up, Mizutori said.
For years disaster deaths were steadily decreasing because of better warnings and prevention, Mizutori said. But in the last five years, disaster deaths are “way more” than the previous five years, said report co-author Roger Pulwarty, a U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration climate and social scientist.
That’s because both COVID-19 and climate change disasters have come to places that didn’t used to get them, like tropical cyclones hitting Mozambique, Mizutori said. It’s also the way disasters interact with each other, compounding damage, like wildfires plus heatwaves or a war in Ukraine plus food and fuel shortages, Pulwarty said.
Pulwarty said if society changes the way it thinks about risk and prepares for disasters, then the recent increase in yearly disaster deaths could be temporary, otherwise it’s probably “the new abnormal.”
Disasters are hitting poorer countries harder than richer ones, with recovery costs taking a bigger chunk out of the economy in nations that can’t afford it, co-author Markus Enenkel of the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative said.
“These are the events that can wipe out hard-earned development gains, leading already vulnerable communities or entire regions into a downward spiral,” he said.
The sheer onslaught of disasters just add up, like little illnesses attacking and weakening the body’s immune system, Pulwarty said.
The report calls for an overhaul in how we speak about risk. For example, instead of asking about the chances of a disaster happening this year, say 5%, officials should think about the chances over a 25-year period, which makes it quite likely. Talking about 100-year floods or chances of something happening a couple times in 100 years makes it seem distant, Mizutori said.
“In a world of distrust and misinformation, this is a key to moving forward,” said University of South Carolina Hazards Vulnerability and Resilience Institute Co-Director Susan Cutter, who wasn’t part of the report. “We can move forward to reduce the underlying drivers of risk: Inequality, poverty and most significantly climate change.”
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Follow AP’s climate coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/climate
___
Follow Seth Borenstein on Twitter at @borenbears
___
Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP’s climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/business/weary-of-many-disasters-un-says-worse-to-come/ | 2022-04-26T15:41:52Z | https://www.cbs42.com/news/business/weary-of-many-disasters-un-says-worse-to-come/ | false |
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
© 2022 Good Karma Brands Milwaukee, LLC. | https://wtmj.com/ap-news/2022/04/26/ap-top-business-news-at-622-a-m-edt-8/ | 2022-04-26T15:45:35Z | https://wtmj.com/ap-news/2022/04/26/ap-top-business-news-at-622-a-m-edt-8/ | false |
An often overlooked aspect of SARS-CoV-2 variation is the potential impact single mutations can have on characteristics like transmission and virulence. One variant may contain a single change over another enabling it to be far more dangerous to the global population. Among the first major mutations that have manifested widely two years into the Covid-19 pandemic are the N protein mutations R203K and G204R.
These mutations were first assumed to have emerged with the Alpha variant, originally denoted B.1.1.7 in late 2020. However, analysis of sequenced viruses in the GISAID SARS-CoV-2 database shows that R203K and G204R were first observed as early as Spring 2020. Today, these two mutations are found in 4.8 million of the 10.4 million viruses in the GISAID database, indicating that about half of SARS-CoV-2 infections involve these mutations.
N Protein Mutations In Saudi Arabia
A recent study by Mourier et al. delved deeper into why these two N protein mutations are so omnipresent. Their observations centered on the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, hypothesizing that the relatively high level of population movement, specifically in reference to religious mass gatherings, could be a breeding ground for SARS-CoV-2. Their observations were conducted from March to August 2020, meaning little was known about the virus or the variants that would follow.
Mourier et al. collected 892 SARS-CoV-2 samples via nasopharyngeal swabs from patients in Jeddah, Makkah, Madinah, Riyadh, and the east coast of Saudi Arabia. They then performed phylogenetic analysis on the samples to ascertain the genetic diversity of their samples. To my knowledge, this is one of the earliest large-scale examinations of genetic diversity in collected samples during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Of the 892 samples, Mourier et al. noted 836 nucleotide modifications as compared to the Wuhan wild-type. A vast majority of these nucleotide mutations were isolated to a single sample and were generally disregarded, however, some nucleotide mutations were more frequent than others. Specifically, the researchers noted a high volume of A23403G, resulting in a mutation from aspartic acid to glycine at position 614 (D614G) in the Spike protein, and three consecutive nucleotide mutations of G28881A, G28882A, and G28883C, resulting in mutations from arginine to lysine at position 203 (R203K) and glycine to arginine at position 204 (G204R) in the N protein.
N Protein Functional Characteristics
The high prevalence of R203K and G204R initiated a closer examination of the mutations in reference to functional analysis and impact on virological characteristics.
Mourier et al. first examined the viral load implications of the N protein mutations. Using cycle threshold values obtained through PCR analysis of the samples, they found that samples including the two N protein mutations displayed a 33% increase in viral load over samples excluding the mutations. They also note that patients with severe symptoms were more often associated with viruses including R203K and G204R, implicating higher viral load as one reason for more intense Covid outcomes.
They next examined the oligomerization potential and RNA-binding affinity. Noting that the mutations were in the N protein linker region, which is involved in N protein oligomerization. Oligomerization is a key function of the N protein, binding and encoding the full-length viral RNA. Mourier et al. found samples with the mutant N protein had a higher oligomerization potential than others. As oligomerization is involved in viral RNA interactions, they used an in vitro assay to examine binding affinity. They note a significantly stronger binding affinity than non-mutant viruses, suggesting increased efficiency of N protein functions.
The N protein is multifunctional and pleiotropic. Among its many functions are import and export packaging of RNA from the nucleus, synthesis of genomic RNA, cell cycle manipulation of the host cell, and suppression of interferon responses to name a few.
To begin to explore the effect of the N protein mutations on non-packaging functions, Mourier et al. then examined the mutant N protein interactions with host proteins. Using a mass spectrometry analysis, they found that of the 43 proteins that displayed significant differential interactions with the SARS-CoV-2 N protein, 42 showed increased interaction with the mutant protein. They found that many of the 42 host proteins are involved in significant immune processes, including viral processing, regulation of RNA nuclear export, apoptosis, and immune regulation.
One characteristic that sets the N protein apart from most others is that it is phosphorylated and the degree of phosphorylation can dramatically affect its function. For this reason, Mourier et al. examine the phosphorylation of the mutant protein. They note that S206 is highly phosphorylated in the mutant N protein as compared to the wild-type N protein. We emphasize that S206 is unmutated and is only adjacent to the mutant amino acids. The authors speculate that the changes at positions 203 and 204 increase phosphorylase affinity, leading to greater N protein phosphorylation, which is positively correlated to the efficiency of viral genome processing and nucleocapsid assembly. A highly phosphorylated S206, which lies in the critical linker region, likely improves the mutants' viral fitness.
Finally, Mourier et al. examine the relationship between the N protein mutations and pathogenesis. They found that the mutant N protein upregulates over 100 interferon-related genes in infected host cells. Interferon genes allow for communication between cells to trigger protective defenses by the immune system to eradicate pathogens. Among these defenses are events like cytokine storms, which are floods of circulating cytokines and activated immune cells, leading to severe disease symptoms. The mutant N protein is more likely to induce severe disease as a result of this upregulation.
These results align with a study from early November 2021 by Syed et al. that examined N protein mutations in the Delta virus. Using virus-like particles in a lab setting, Syed et al. analyzed dozens of N protein mutations for impacts on transmissibility and virulence. Their examination also highlighted the linker region, wherein they noted that all natural variants of concern or interest contained at least one amino acid mutation between positions 199 and 205. One such mutation, S202R, resulted in 166-fold higher infectious titers as compared to the wild-type. While R203K and G204R do not impact viral efficiency this extremely, the congruence between these two studies is notable.
The N protein mutations are but one example among many. The SARS-CoV-2 genome is roughly 30,000 amino acids long and any one of those can be mutated in dozens of different ways. While most mutations will not make much of an impact, many can and do. Using the sort of analyses that Mourier et al. conduct, we can monitor emerging variants for dangerous mutations to estimate their transmissibility, virulence, and pathogenesis before they begin to impact the population, and then we may adjust our Covid counterstrategies accordingly. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/williamhaseltine/2022/04/26/the-role-of-n-protein-mutant-variants-as-determinants-of-sars-cov-2-replication-and-pathogenesis/ | 2022-04-26T15:46:43Z | https://www.forbes.com/sites/williamhaseltine/2022/04/26/the-role-of-n-protein-mutant-variants-as-determinants-of-sars-cov-2-replication-and-pathogenesis/ | true |
By The Associated Press
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian officials were reporting more civilian deaths in various parts of eastern Ukraine as Russian forces stepped up attacks on Tuesday.
Luhansk governor Serhiy Haidai said three people died after Russian shells hit a residential building in the city of Popasna, which Russian forces have been trying to capture.
Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko of the neighboring Donetsk region said two people were killed and six others wounded in his region, writing on social media that “Russians continue to deliberately fire at civilians and to destroy critical infrastructure.”
To the north in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city, regional governor Oleh Synehubov said shelling of civilian areas killed three people and wounded seven more.
And further south, regional authorities in Zaporizhzhia said a missile strike killed at least one person and wounded another. Russian forces fired several missiles targeting one of the factories in the city of Zaporizhzhia, they said.
The U.N. human rights office said Tuesday it has counted 2,729 people killed and 3,111 injured in fighting since Russian forces invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, though it acknowledges that tally only includes confirmed casualties and is likely to understate the real toll.
___
KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR:
— Putin gets what he didn’t want: Ukraine army closer to West
— Top Russian diplomat warns Ukraine against provoking WWIII
— France’s victorious Macron boosts weapons, stakes in Ukraine
— Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra organized by Met, Polish operas
— Follow all AP stories on Russia’s war on Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
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OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:
ISTANBUL — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to agree to direct talks with his Ukrainian counterpart.
The call comes in the wake of Turkish diplomatic efforts to defuse the crisis over Russia’s war in Ukraine, including by hosting Ukrainian and Russian negotiators for talks in Istanbul late last month.
The Turkish presidency said in a statement Tuesday that Erdogan proposed taking the “Istanbul process to the level of leaders, a crucial threshold in the Russia-Ukraine negotiations.” It sought to continue the “positive progress of the Istanbul talks” toward peace.
Talks stalled after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russian troops of committing war crimes. Putin later said peace efforts were at a dead end.
Ankara, which maintains close ties to both Kyiv and Moscow, has presented itself as a neutral broker in a bid to end the fighting.
___
MOSCOW — U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres has called for a cease-fire in Ukraine at his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Guterres is visiting Moscow and is then scheduled to visit the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, this week.
“We are extremely interested in finding ways in order to create the conditions for effective dialog, create the conditions for a cease-fire as soon as possible, create the conditions for a peaceful solution,” Guterres said, speaking in televised comments at the start of the meeting.
Guterres also said he wanted to reduce the impact of fighting in Ukraine on food security in other parts of the world. Lavrov said they would discuss “the situation around Ukraine that acts as a catalyst for a great number of problems which had piled up over recent decades in the Euro-Atlantic region.”
Guterres is also expected to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin later Tuesday.
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GENEVA — The U.N. refugee agency is launching a new appeal for funds for the crisis sparked by the war in Ukraine that projects up to 8.3 million people will have to flee the country by year-end.
The projection was announced Tuesday as part of a new $1.85 billion regional response plan from UNHCR aimed at supporting refugees from Ukraine after Russia’s war began on Feb. 24. It far outstrips the agency’s previous refugee estimates, which now stand at just over 5.2 million.
The exodus has exceeded the worst-case predictions of the Geneva-based agency, which it has called the largest refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.
The response plan would help refugees who have fled to neighboring countries including Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania and Slovakia, but also other countries in the region, including Belarus, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic.
The U.N. estimates that nearly 8 million people are displaced within Ukraine, and another 13 million people are believed to be trapped in war-affected areas of Ukraine. The country had a pre-war population of about 44 million.
___
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany — U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is vowing that Ukraine’s allies will “keep moving heaven and earth” to fulfill Kyiv’s defense requirements as the war enters a new phase.
Austin convened a meeting with officials from around 40 countries on Tuesday at the United States’ Ramstein Air Base in Germany to work out ways to keep military aid to Ukraine going. Guests included Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov.
He said “this gathering reflects the galvanized world” since Russia’s invasion, with more than 30 allies and partners joining the U.S. in sending security assistance to Ukraine and more than $5 billion worth of equipment committed.
Austin cautioned that “we have much more to do: Ukraine needs our help to win today, and they will still need our help when the war is over.”
He said of Ukraine: “We know, and you should know, that all of us have your back and that’s why we’re here today — to strengthen the arsenal of Ukrainian democracy.”
___
BERLIN — Germany’s defense minister says her country will enable the delivery of self-propelled armored anti-aircraft guns to Ukraine.
Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht made the announcement at a U.S.-hosted meeting on arming Ukraine at the United States’ Ramstein Air Base in Germany, according to the text of her remarks Tuesday provided by her ministry.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz has faced mounting pressure, including from within his governing coalition, to approve the delivery of heavy weapons such as tanks and other armored vehicles to Ukraine. Germany has already delivered other equipment.
Lambrecht also reiterated plans for eastern European allies to send Soviet-era material to Ukraine, and then have Germany fill the resulting gaps. She said Germany is working together with the U.S. to train Ukrainian troops on artillery systems on German soil.
Germany decided on Monday to clear the delivery of Gepard anti-aircraft guns, Lambrecht said, without providing details. German media reported that defense company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann would get the green light to deliver technically upgraded guns from former German military stocks.
___
LONDON — A top British government official says Russia is making “unsound” military decisions because of President Vladimir Putin’s desire to secure some kind of victory in Ukraine by May 9, when Russia marks its victory in World War II.
U.K. Armed Forces Minister James Heappey said Tuesday that Russian forces were “giving away whatever advantage they may have won” by launching an offensive in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region before enough troops were assembled.
He told Sky News that Putin’s “desire to stand there on the steps of the Kremlin on May 9 and be a hero, means that thousands of Russian lives are going to be lost and the Russians are going to hand over the numerical advantage that they should have.”
Heappey also rejected Russia’s claim that NATO is provoking Russia by arming Ukraine, calling accusations of aggression by the alliance “utter nonsense.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused NATO of “pouring oil on the fire” by supply Ukraine with weapons. ___
BUCHAREST, Romania — Police in the Moldovan separatist region of Trans-Dniester say two explosions on Tuesday morning in a radio facility close to Ukrainian border knocked two powerful antennas out of service.
The incident occurred in a small town of Maiac roughly 12 kilometers (7 miles) west of the border with Ukraine, according to the region’s Interior Ministry. It comes just a day after several explosions believed to be caused by rocket-propelled grenades were reported to hit the Ministry of State Security in the city of Tiraspol, the region’s capital.
No one was hurt in the explosions, officials said.
Trans-Dniester, a strip of land with about 470,000 people between Moldova and Ukraine, has been under the control of separatist authorities since a 1992 war with Moldova.
Russia bases about 1,500 troops there nominally as peacekeepers, but concerns are high that the forces could be used to invade Ukraine.
A senior Russian military official, Rustam Minnekayev, said last week that Russian forces aim to take full control of southern Ukraine, saying such a move would open the way to Trans-Dniester.
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KYIV, Ukraine — Four people died and nine more were wounded on Monday in the Russian shelling of the Donetsk region, the region’s governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said Tuesday.
Two of the victims were children: a 9-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy, Kyrylenko said in the messaging app Telegram.
Governor of the Luhansk region, Serhiy Haidai, said the Russians have shelled civilians 17 times over the past 24 hours, with the cities of Popasna, Lysychansk and Girske suffering the most.
“Popasna withstood four powerful artillery attacks, and Lysychansk withstood two. There is damage to two houses in Lysychansk, two in Popasna, at least one in Girske. We are checking the information about the victims,” Haidai said Tuesday on Telegram.
Rocket strikes were also reported in the Zaporizhzhia region Tuesday morning by local officials.
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KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian forces have repelled six attacks in the past 24 hours in the two regions that comprise the Donbas, Ukraine’s industrial heartland, the General Staff said in its Tuesday morning update.
The Ukrainian army has destroyed four Russian tanks, five artillery systems, 13 units of armored vehicles, 15 units of motor vehicles, two tankers and one anti-aircraft gun, the update said.
Ukraine’s General Staff says Russian forces continue offensive operations in the country’s east in an effort to take full control of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions and establish a land corridor to Crimea.
Fighting continues around the cities of Rubizhne and Popasna in the Luhansk region, the update said. The Russian forces also continue to shell Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city, and to block Ukrainian units in the area of Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol — the last remaining stronghold of the Ukrainian forces in the besieged port city.
In the area of Velyka Oleksandrivka, a village in the Kherson region largely controlled by the Russians, Ukrainian forces destroyed an ammunition depot and “eliminated” more than 70 Russian troops, the General Staff said.
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LVIV, Ukraine — The British Defense Ministry says Russian forces have taken the Ukrainian city of Kreminna.
Street-to-street fighting had been going on for days in the city in Ukraine’s Luhansk region, with civilian evacuations there made impossible by the war.
In a tweet early Tuesday, the British military said: “The city of Kreminna has reportedly fallen and heavy fighting is reported south of Izium as Russian forces attempt to advance towards the cities of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk from the north and east.”
There was no immediate response from the Ukrainian government. Russia claimed days earlier to have taken the city.
Kreminna is some 575 kilometers (355 miles) southeast of the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.
The United Kingdom has been providing daily intelligence reports publicly since the start of the war. The British military did not say how it knew that Kreminna had fallen.
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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned Monday that Ukraine risks provoking World War III and said the threat of a nuclear conflict “should not be underestimated.”
In an in-depth Russian TV interview, Lavrov blamed Ukraine for stalled talks between the two countries, and accused the United States and Britain of pressuring Kyiv not to reach agreement.
“Everyone is reciting incantations that in no case can we allow World War III,” Lavrov said, and accused Ukrainian leaders of provoking Russia by asking NATO to become involved in the conflict.
By providing weapons, NATO forces are “pouring oil on the fire,” he said, according to a Russian transcript on the Russian Foreign Ministry’s website.
Lavrov apparently made the remarks after U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the United States wants “to see Russia weakened to the point where it can’t do things like invade Ukraine.”
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told The Associated Press in an interview Monday that only discussions between Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin would bring resolution.
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KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine’s foreign minister on Monday urged the U.N. chief to press Russia for an evacuation of the besieged port of Mariupol, calling it something the world body is capable of achieving.
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told The Associated Press in an interview he was concerned that by visiting Moscow on Tuesday before traveling to Kyiv, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres could be vulnerable to falling into a Kremlin “trap” in the war.
Kuleba said Guterres “should focus primarily on one issue: evacuation of Mariupol.
An estimated 100,000 people are trapped in the seaside city while a contingent of Ukrainian fighters hold out against Russian forces in a steel mill where hundreds of civilians also are taking shelter.
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MARIUPOL, Ukraine — Officials in the embattled Ukrainian city of Mariupol say a new mass grave has been identified north of the city.
Mayor Vadym Boychenko said authorities are trying to estimate the number of victims in the grave about 10 kilometers (about 6 miles) north of Mariupol.
Satellite photos released over the past several days have shown what appear to be images of other mass graves.
Mariupol has been decimated by fierce fighting over the past two months. The capture of the city would deprive Ukraine of a vital port and allow Moscow to establish a land corridor to the Crimean Peninsula, which it seized from Ukraine in 2014.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/04/26/live-updates-officials-toll-rises-amid-russian-offensive/ | 2022-04-26T15:50:43Z | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/04/26/live-updates-officials-toll-rises-amid-russian-offensive/ | true |
Liverpool's Luis Diaz dazzles in the derby and Kevin de Bruyne is proving crucial during Manchester City's Premier League title run-in - but who is our new No 1 in this week's POWER RANKINGS?
- Manchester City and Liverpool returned to Premier League action with big wins
- Arsenal stole a march on Tottenham and Manchester United in top four battle
- There were also key wins for Burnley and Newcastle United in the top flight
- But which player has become the new No 1 in this week's Power Rankings
A return to a full Premier League weekend following the FA Cup saw familiar names back in top flight action but also key contributions elsewhere to set up an exciting end to the season.
Manchester City and Liverpool continue to trade punches with the former cruising to a 5-1 victory at Watford while the Reds were made to patiently wait before breaking down Merseyside rivals Everton in a 2-0 victory.
Another key clash near the summit saw Arsenal and Manchester United face off in a battle for a Champions League spot, with the Gunners triumphing 2-1 before they saw rivals Tottenham Hotspur stumble again in a draw at Brentford.
Elsewhere, Newcastle's excellent form saw them brush aside Norwich at Carrow Road in a 3-0 victory while Burnley's hopes of beating relegation took a huge boost after they defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0.
All the action helped provide a big shake-up in Sportsmail's Power Rankings but who takes this week's No 1 spot?
Manchester City put pressure on Liverpool with a 5-1 victory over Watford at the Etihad
But the Reds followed up with a strong display in the 2-0 Merseyside derby win over Everton
10. Wout Weghorst (new entry)
Sean Dyche may have gone from Burnley but one of his last big acts as manager at Turf Moor may just be signing the tall striker from Wolfsburg to replace the departing Chris Wood in January.
While he never quite did enough to produce the results that would have prevented Dyche being given the boot earlier in April, the former manager's transfer market judgement might finally be getting some credit.
The Clarets are unbeaten in three matches under caretaker boss Mike Jackson and Weghorst has been a strong presence in attack, notably scoring recently in the 1-1 draw at high flying West Ham, while he crucially supplied the low cross for Matej Vydra to net the winner over Wolves at the weekend.
If he can keep up these useful additions he may be key to Burnley being able to extend their top flight stay into a sixth season.
Wout Weghorst is starting to prove his worth to the Burnley fight against top flight relegation
9. James Ward-Prowse (new entry)
It's not been a rollercoaster season for Southampton who are poised to end the campaign having not been troubled by relegation neither have they ever looked like qualifying for Europe.
Yet what an up and down month it has been for the Saints who have landed some big wins and suffered utter humiliation along the way perfectly underlining why they have been mid-table for most of the season.
Ward-Prowse has been present for all of the April run too which have seen the Saints pull off a big 1-0 win at Arsenal yet also been thumped 6-0 by Chelsea.
The England midfielder's contributions have come elsewhere during the month though netting in the 1-1 draw against Leeds United, and to a greater extent at Brighton where he scored a trademark free-kick before doubling his tally with another goal just after half-time in the 2-2 draw. For the first time in his career he has now reached 10 goals for the season across all competitions.
James Ward-Prowse struck twice for Southampton in their 2-2 draw at Brighton on Sunday
8. Luis Diaz (new entry)
Not on the scoresheet against Everton but make no mistake, Diaz continues to be a massive hit with Liverpool fans who remain in awe of his ability.
He did set-up Liverpool's second goal in the Merseyside derby with a scissors kick into the ground headed home by Divock Origi. Whether he meant it to be a shot or not doesn't matter - everything he does looks like a flash of skill at the moment.
Post-match much of the viral videos from the game were on his outrageous show of skill to bring down a long ball by controlling with a rabona and then skipping away in possession like he does it every week - which to be fair he probably could.
It's not just a one-off performance though for the £37.5m January arrival from Porto, he also scored and provided an assist in the previous clash against rivals Manchester United. Cleary, he has the confidence and ability to produce the goods on the biggest of occasions.
Luis Diaz has dazzled Liverpool supporters with his recent skills as well as goal contributions
7. Gabriel Jesus (new entry)
It's too late to convince Pep Guardiola he can be relied upon over the course of the season to provide the world class striker Manchester City so desperately desire, but the Brazilian is coming up with the goods when it really matters late on in the campaign.
He at least repaid the faith shown in him by Guardiola by starting and then scoring what could still prove to be a priceless goal in the 2-2 draw with title rivals Liverpool.
While he may have been expected to hit the net against less tougher opposition in Watford, he certainly ensured there was to be no slip up for City by becoming the first Premier League player to net four goals in a single game for two years in the 5-1 win.
Just to prove he wasn't all about the goals he also provided the assist for City to retake the lead by teeing up Rodri to blast home. Five goals this month is a significant improvement on his two goals for the Premier League campaign up until his Liverpool strike.
Gabriel Jesus struck four times for Manchester City in their victory over Watford on Saturday
6. Bukayo Saka (new entry)
You really don't know what you are going to get with Arsenal these days, but whatever it is supporters are hoping it will finally end with a return to the Champions League in May.
They are in the pound seats to secure it too, following statement wins at Chelsea and again at home to Manchester United having previously lost against Southampton and Brighton.
Leading their impressive fightback has been the inspirational youngster Bukayo Saka who has overcome a mini blip to net in both games as the Gunners prepare to come to the boil at a crucial time of the season.
Even at just 20-years-old he is a key player for the Emirates Stadium outfit and his 11 goals and five assists over the top flight season are set to be a big reason why Arsenal are ready to reclaim their place among Europe's elite.
Arsenal are in the pound seats for a top four finish thanks to recent Bukayo Saka displays
5. Virgil van Dijk (up two)
Granted, Virgil Van Dijk won't have too many easier attacks to defend against than the one offered up by Everton at the weekend - yet take nothing away from the colossus in the Liverpool defence.
With Everton only having 15 per cent of the ball in the Merseyside derby, there was not much for him to defend against but there is still always the odd set-piece moment to fear or the rare run through on goal to be wary of and the Dutchman didn't fail in still remaining alert and keeping another clean sheet.
Only title rivals City have managed to breach the Reds' defence over the past eight games and Van Dijk has played every single minute of it.
The title race is still very much open and, especially if the Reds go on to claim it, then the 30-year-old should be a very strong contender for player of the year.
Virgil van Dijk continues to lead a Liverpool defence that is racking up clean sheets
4. Christian Eriksen (down three)
Brentford's winning run with the talented Dane has come to an end but they remain unbeaten following the goalless draw with Champions League chasing Tottenham on Saturday.
The Bees though were incredibly unfortunate not to come away with three points and Eriksen's late free-kick could have resulted in a winning goal when Ivan Toney nodded an effort off the post.
Against his former club the playmaker still stood out as the best player on the pitch even if he couldn't quite create or provide the breakthrough.
Such is the brutal nature of the power rankings though, if you stand still you go backwards. That means last week's winner takes a small tumble down the order.
Despite failing to help Brentford score against Spurs, Christian Eriksen starred in the game
3. Cristiano Ronaldo (down one)
He's not been perfect in recent times, but then how could anyone in a Manchester United squad that week-on-week just seems to be morphing into a travelling circus.
Yet despite this, the forward has netted seven Premier League goals in just four matches - the latest being against Arsenal in a 2-1 defeat that marked his 100th Premier League goal.
More importantly than his contributions to a crumbling United side though is how the Portuguese has shown incredible character to return to action and still prove to be one of United's best players following the incredibly sad death of his newborn son early last week.
To still prove able to be relied upon following such tragedy says much about the determination of the man and his drop down the order this week only comes as a result of significant contributions elsewhere.
Cristiano Ronaldo showed tremendous character to return to action and find the net as he celebrates his goal against Arsenal following the tragic death of his new born son
2. Kevin de Bruyne (up two)
If Manchester City do go on to win the title this term then Kevin de Bruyne's role especially in this late season will not be forgotten in a hurry.
Following his two assists in the 5-1 victory over Watford, he has now contributed to goals in five of City's last six games - netting four strikes as well as assists during that run, which includes fixtures against Liverpool and Manchester United.
He will be vital in the run-in for Pep Guardiola's men and the Spaniard may now be wondering how best to use the 30-year-old on multiple fronts.
After all, City also remain in the Champions League hunt, but so crucial is the brilliant Belgian he may just be involved in all the games over the next month. It's an incredibly brave call to drop him now to give him some 'rest'.
Kevin de Bruyne will be prove crucial to Manchester City during their run-in to the season
1. Bruno Guimaraes (up two)
There's a new hero on Tyneside who among all of Eddie Howe's January purchases is standing out as the pick of the bunch - and that's a welcome compliment considering the Magpies' mid-season revamp has largely proven a successful one.
You only have to look at the Premier League table as evidence for that. At the end of January Newcastle were in the bottom three and very much in a battle against relegation, now for the first time this season they are inside the top 10 and Bruno Guimaraes' contribution towards the Magpies' rapid rise in 2022 cannot be ignored.
That goes especially for recent games, and at the weekend where the midfielder was key in front of goal again to add a third after a Joelinton double in the 2-0 win at Norwich City.
It follows an assist against Crystal Palace, two goals against Leicester City and a commanding performance against Wolverhampton Wanderers. It's hard to find a player more influential to his team inside the Premier League right now and he goes top of the Power Rankings.
Having helped Newcastle rocket up the table, Bruno Guimaraes tops the Power Rankings | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-10754635/Who-new-No-1-weeks-POWER-RANKINGS.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | 2022-04-26T15:53:40Z | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-10754635/Who-new-No-1-weeks-POWER-RANKINGS.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | false |
Emma Raducanu 'can't keep changing coaches every four or five months and think it's going to benefit her long term' claims ex-tennis player Barry Cowan, who insists Torben Beltz's replacement MUST be someone who stays with her for the long haul
- Emma Raducanu is searching for a new coach after axing Torben Beltz
- They started working together in November but Raducanu has made a change
- US Open champion Raducanu now needs a fourth coach in the space of a year
- Barry Cowan believes the next coach needs to be with her for a long period
British former tennis player Barry Cowan has insisted that Emma Raducanu's next coach must be someone who stays with her 'for a long period of time'.
The US Open champion is searching for her fourth coach following the surprising axing of Torben Beltz after just five months working together.
Beltz has become her third coach to have lost their job in the last year, in which the 19-year-old has earned global fame.
It comes after Raducanu previously parted ways with Nigel Sears after reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon, and then Andrew Richardson, shortly after winning her first Grand Slam title.
She has struggled to match the success of the US Open ever since and has parted ways with Beltz, after reaching the quarter-finals of the Stuttgart WTA event last week, where she was defeated by World No 1 Iga Swiatek.
Cowan, has told Sky Sports News that he doesn't feel changing coaches every 'four or five months' will benefit her career in the long run.
Emma Raducanu is looking for a new coach after surprisingly parting ways with Torben Beltz
Whoever replaces Beltz will be Raducanu fourth different coach in less than a year
The 47-year-old said: 'It was probably a question of when. I mean, jokingly, she started to do better so maybe a new coach was required as that's been the theme with Emma since Wimbledon.
'I think it's a worry, as we've spoken throughout this year and I've consistently said what I felt that Emma needs, is someone in her corner consistently and she's not been able to have that.
'So I guess, moving forward, it will be interesting to see who she works with but I think in terms of at this stage of any player's career at 18, 19, 20-years-old, they are for me the most important years.
'They are the years where you need a consistent voice, generally off the court but also on the court. Emma at the moment is not going to have that as she's looking for a new coach.
Beltz took over the role to coach Raducanu in November but has lost his job after five months
'Obviously I don't know the reasons why but I think that anyone that's not involved in the sport would think 'that's a bit strange'.
'Most importantly I would say it again now, whoever she hires next, this really needs to be someone that is with her for a long period of time because you can't keep changing coaches.
'I mean I don't care, whatever sport you are, you can maybe get away with it once or twice but you can't keep changing coaches every four or five months and think long term that's going to be a benefit.'
Former tennis player Barry Cowan has insisted that Raducanu can't keep changing coaches
According to the Express, the decision reflects a stance occupied by Raducanu and her father Ian that working with an array of coaches will be more beneficial than sticking with one for an extended period of time.
It's said the pair don't believe that one coach exists who can provide her with the all the tools she needs to consistently produce the form that saw her win the US Open without dropping a set last September.
The Telegraph meanwhile quoted a 'British tennis insider' last September who expanded on the approach of the Raducanus to coaching at the elite level.
'Most people who are getting established in the game look at an experienced coach and assume that they must be an expert,' they said. 'With the Raducanus, it’s the other way around.
'You have to actually impress them, even if you have a big reputation, because they start from the principle that most people don’t actually know what they’re talking about.
Raducanu quickly parted from Nigel Sears - Andy Murray's father in law - after Wimbledon
Andrew Richardson (left) also lost his job despite coaching her when she won the US Open
'Then they size you up, work out what you’re good at, suck out all the information they can get from you, and move on.
'It’s a brilliant method, although it’s quite bruising to the egos of people who think they have an all-round mastery of tennis coaching.'
Raducanu had struggled with a hip issue during her time working with Beltz, as well as catching Covid back in December.
Cowan believes Raducanu's next coach needs to kept for the long haul to benefit her career
During their five-month run together Raducanu, the world No 11, suffered a first round exit at the Sydney Tennis Classic in January, lost in the second round of the Australian Open to Danka Kovinic, lost in round one in Guadalajara in late February, reached the last-32 at Indian Wells, last-16 at the Miami Open and the quarter-finals in Stuttgart, where she was beaten by world No 1 Swiatek.
Iain Bates, the LTA's head of women's coaching, will work with Raducanu in Madrid this week.
The Times have reported that Riccardo Piatti is the 'obvious favourite' to replace Beltz and work with Raducanu on a full-time basis.
- Emma Raducanu has 'bruising' approach to hiring coaches as insider details family's role | Tennis | Sport | Express.co.uk
- Emma Raducanu splits with coach Torben Beltz after five months | Sport | The Times
- Sky Sports News on Twitter: "Barry Cowan has warned Emma Raducanu that she can't keep changing coach every four to five months, suggesting she needs a consistent voice in her corner as she looks to build on her US Open win 🎾 ... | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-10755459/Emma-Raducanu-changing-coaches-four-five-months-insists-Barry-Cowan.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | 2022-04-26T15:54:53Z | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-10755459/Emma-Raducanu-changing-coaches-four-five-months-insists-Barry-Cowan.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | false |
82 out of 85 new COVID-19 cases from Bengaluru
With 85 new cases on Tuesday, the State’s weekly Test Positivity Rate (TPR) touched 1.04%. The day’s TPR remained at 1.18% and the total number of cases rose to 39,47,083.
Of the new cases, 82 cases have been reported from Bengaluru Urban alone. While two cases have been reported from Vijayapura, one case is from Tumakuru.
With zero deaths, the State’s toll remained 40,057. Besides, 42 deaths of patients due to non-COVID-19 reasons have also been recorded.
As many as 70 persons were discharged on Tuesday taking the total recoveries to 39,05,298. Active cases touched 1,686.
As many as 7,171 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours, including 4,642 RT-PCR tests. With this, the total number of tests rose to 6,58,29,280.
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Karnataka to increase daily COVID tests to up to 30,000
The target is being increased from the present 10,000 tests per day
Amid concerns about a possible fourth wave hitting Karnataka in the next few weeks, the State is now targeting at conducting around 30,000 tests daily from around 10,000 being done presently.
Although the State had revised its testing target and fixed it at 30,000 per day in mid-March, the daily tests have not crossed 10,000. Following recommendations by the State’s COVID-19 Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), a circular on the revised testing target had been issued on March 14.
Focus on ILI, SARI
State Health Commissioner Randeep D. told The Hindu on Tuesday that all districts will be directed to follow the March 14 circular on revised testing targets. “While the daily tests will be increased, the focus will as usual be on all ILI, SARI and primary contacts of the positive cases,” he said.
While a target of 15,000 and 5,000 tests per day will be fixed for BBMP and Bengaluru Urban respectively, the remaining 10,000 tests are to be conducted in the rest of Karnataka, he said.
As of now, around 3,000 tests are being conducted daily in BBMP limits. K.V. Trilok Chandra, BBMP Special Commissioner (Health) said that the testing numbers will be increased gradually. “The testing numbers were low as the number of contacts is also low due to less cases being reported daily. We are expecting some new guidelines after the Prime Minister’s meeting with Chief Ministers of all States on Wednesday,” he said.
On January 10, the Indian Council of Medical research (ICMR) had issued guidelines on purposive testing for COVID-19. The ICMR had said that contacts of COVID-19 patients do not need to be tested unless identified as high-risk based on age.
According to the advisory, asymptomatic patients undergoing surgical or non-surgical invasive procedures, including pregnant women in/near labour who are hospitalised for delivery, should not be tested unless warranted or symptoms develop. It said no emergency procedure, including surgeries, should be delayed due to lack of a test. Besides, inter-State travellers also need not be tested.
Despite this, for some time (when the transmission was very high after January 18 in the third wave), Karnataka was doing over 2 lakh tests. In fact, a total of 54,08,790 tests were done in January, the highest so far.
Following that the TAC had recommended that the State should go slow on testing. “Stop random testing and focus only on symptomatic persons,” the TAC had said, advising the State to limit the daily tests to 75,000. Subsequently, around 50,000 tests were being done till mid-March after which the numbers reduced to around 30,000.
Sources said the TAC had again in March end advised the State to conduct at least 20,000 tests daily. However, from the second week of April the tests further reduced to less than 10,000 on weekdays and less than 5,000 on weekends.
Focus on travellers
C.N. Manjunath, nodal officer for labs and testing who is also a member of the State’s Clinical Experts Committee, said that if the Test Positivity Rate (TPR) starts rising, random testing should be done for international travellers and for those who are in frequent public contact. “It is difficult to get people for testing as the incidence is still low as of now. But, if the cases start rising our testing strategy should be revised again,” he said.
TAC member V. Ravi, who also heads the State’s Genomic Surveillance Committee, said it is ideal now to follow the formula of testing 20 contacts for every positive case. “We will have to follow this strategy now irrespective of whether the contacts are symptomatic or not. This is because testing and identifying the infected is the only way to curb the spread,” he said.
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Lily Peters, a fourth grader, was reported missing by her father on Sunday night, said police in Chippewa Falls, a city about 100 miles east of Minneapolis.
Lily had been at her aunt's house on Sunday and never made it home that night, police said.
On Sunday night officers found Lily's bike in the woods by a walking trail near her aunt's house, police said.
Around 9:15 a.m. Monday, Lily's body was found in a wooded area near the walking trail, Chippewa Falls Police Chief Matthew Kelm said at a news conference.
Kelm said police are considering this a homicide investigation.
No one is yet in custody, Kelm said in a press conference Monday afternoon. Police are following up on leads and asking residents to be "extra vigilant," he said.
"We encourage anyone with information to please contact the Chippewa Falls police department -- and maintain a state of vigilance as there may be a danger to the public," Kelm said.
ABC News' Matt Foster contributed to this report. | https://abc11.com/missing-girl-found-dead-wisconsin-10-year-old-lily-peters-chippewa-falls/11792568/ | 2022-04-26T16:01:19Z | https://abc11.com/missing-girl-found-dead-wisconsin-10-year-old-lily-peters-chippewa-falls/11792568/ | false |
Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, is spending $44 billion to acquire Twitter with the stated aim of turning it into a haven for “free speech.” There’s just one problem: The social platform has been down this road before, and it didn’t end well.
A decade ago, a Twitter executive dubbed the company “the free speech wing of the free speech party” to underscore its commitment to untrammeled freedom of expression. Subsequent events put that moniker to the test, as repressive regimes cracked down on Twitter users, particularly in the wake of the short-lived “Arab Spring” demonstrations. In the U.S., a visceral 2014 article by journalist Amanda Hess exposed the incessant, vile harassment many women faced just for posting on Twitter or other online forums.
Over the subsequent years, Twitter learned a few things about the consequences of running a largely unmoderated social platform — one of the most important being that companies generally don’t want their ads running against violent threats, hate speech that bleeds into incitement, and misinformation that aims to tip elections or undermine public health.
“With Musk, his posturing of free speech — just leave everything up — that would be bad in and of itself,” said Paul Barrett, the deputy director of the Center for Business and Human Rights at New York University. “If you stop moderating with automated systems and human reviews, a site like Twitter, in the space of a short period of time, you would have a cesspool.”
Google, Barrett pointed out, quickly learned this lesson the hard way when major companies like Toyota and Anheuser-Busch yanked their ads after they ran ahead of YouTube videos produced by extremists in 2015.
Once it was clear just how unhealthy the conversation had gotten, Twitter co-founder and former CEO Jack Dorsey spent years trying to improve what he called the “health” of the conversation on the platform.
The company was an early adopter of the “report abuse” button after U.K. member of parliament Stella Creasy received a barrage of rape and death threats on the platform. The online abuse was the result of a seemingly positive tweet in support of feminist campaigner Caroline Criado-Perez, who successfully advocated for novelist Jane Austen to appear on a British banknote. Creasy’s online harasser was sent to prison for 18 weeks.
Twitter has continued to craft rules and invested in staff and technology that detect violent threats, harassment and misinformation that violates its policies. After evidence emerged that Russia used their platforms to try to interfere with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, social media companies also stepped up their efforts against political misinformation.
The big question now is how far Musk, who describes himself as a “free-speech absolutist,” wants to ratchet back these systems — and whether users and advertisers will stick around if he does.
Even now, Americans say they’re more likely to be harassed on social media than any other online forum, with women, people of color and LGBTQ users reporting a disproportionate amount of that abuse. Roughly 80% of users believe the companies are still doing only a “fair or poor” job of handling that harassment, according to a Pew Research Center survey of U.S. adults last year.
Meanwhile, terms like “censorship” and “free speech” have turned into political rallying cries for conservatives, frustrated by seeing right-leaning commentators and high-profile Republican officials booted off Facebook and Twitter for violating their rules.
Musk appeared to criticize Twitter’s permanent ban of President Donald Trump last year for messages that the tech company said helped incite the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol last year.
“A lot of people are going to be super unhappy with West Coast high tech as the de facto arbiter of free speech,” Musk tweeted days after Trump was banned from both Facebook and Twitter.
Trump’s allies, including his son Donald Trump Jr., have even pleaded for Musk to buy out the company.
“If Elon Musk can privately send people into space I’m sure he can design a social network that isn’t biased,” Trump Jr. said in the caption of a video posted to Instagram last April.
Kirsten Martin, a professor of technology ethics at the University of Notre Dame, said Twitter has consistently worked at being a “responsible” social media company through its moderation system, its hires in the area of machine learning ethics and in whom they allow to do research on the platform. The fact that Musk wants to change that, she added, suggests that he’s focused on “irresponsible social media.”
Twitter declined to comment for this story. A representative for Musk did not immediately respond to a message for comment.
New social media apps targeted at conservatives, including Trump’s Truth Social, haven’t come remotely close to matching the success of Facebook or Twitter. That’s partly because Republican politicians, politicians and causes already draw large audiences on existing, and much better established, platforms.
It’s also partly due to floods of inflammatory, false or violent posts. Last year, for example, right-wing social media site Parler was nearly wiped off the internet when it became evident that rioters had used the app to promote violent messages and organize the Jan. 6 siege of the U.S. Capitol. Apple and Google barred its app from their online stores, while Amazon stopped providing web-hosting services for the site.
Musk himself regularly blocks social media users who have criticized him or his company and sometimes bullies reporters who have written critical articles about him or Tesla. He regularly tweets at reporters who write about his company, sometimes mischaracterizing their work as “false” or “misleading.”
His popular tweets typically send a swarm of his social media fans directly to the accounts of the reporters to harass them for hours or days.
“I only block people as a direct insult,” Musk tweeted in 2020, responding to a tweet from a reporter.
Evan Greer, a political activist with Fight for the Future, said Musk’s lack of experience in moderating an influential social media platform will be a problem if he successfully takes over the company.
“If we want to protect free speech online, then we can’t live in a world where the richest person on Earth can just purchase a platform that’s millions of people depend on and then change the rules to his liking,” Greer said. | https://cw33.com/news/is-musks-free-speech-push-for-twitter-repeating-history/ | 2022-04-26T16:03:14Z | https://cw33.com/news/is-musks-free-speech-push-for-twitter-repeating-history/ | false |
BERKELEY, Calif (StudyFinds.org) – The Tyrannosaurus rex may have been the most feared dinosaur of its time, but what’s up with those arms? A 45-foot-long T. rex might have had a huge, five-foot-long skull, yet its arms were only three feet long — the equivalent of a six-foot human with five-inch arms. According to a recent study, scientists believe the reason that the iconic T. rex had such short arms was to protect them during feeding frenzies on carcasses.
The latest theory is that the predator’s arms shrank to their tiny size to prevent accidental or intentional amputation when a pack of T. rexes descended on prey with their massive heads and bone-crushing teeth.
Paleontologist Kevin Padian, a professor of integrative biology at the University of California, Berkeley, has been pondering the question or decades. He focused his study on possible benefits of such tiny arms.
“What if several adult tyrannosaurs converged on a carcass? You have a bunch of massive skulls, with incredibly powerful jaws and teeth, ripping and chomping down flesh and bone right next to you. What if your friend there thinks you’re getting a little too close? They might warn you away by severing your arm,” he says in a statement. “So, it could be a benefit to reduce the forelimbs, since you’re not using them in predation anyway.
Such severe bite wounds could lead to infection, hemorrhaging, shock and even death for the T. rex.
Padian, also a curator at the UC Museum of Paleontology, says that T. rex’s ancestors, some of which were even bigger than T. rex, had long arms. Hence, there must have been a reason that they became reduced in both size and joint mobility.
“All of the ideas that have been put forward about this are either untested or impossible because they can’t work,” he explains. “And none of the hypotheses explain why the arms would get smaller. The best they could do is explain why they would maintain the small size. And in every case, all of the proposed functions would have been much more effective if the arms had not been reduced.”
The scientists admits that the theory will be hard to substantiate.
When the great dinosaur hunter Barnum Brown discovered the first T. rex fossils in 1900, he thought the arms were too small to be part of the skeleton. His colleague, Henry Fairfield Osborn, who described and named T. rex, hypothesized that the short arms might have been “pectoral claspers” — limbs that hold the female in place during copulation. This is similar to some sharks and rays’ pelvic claspers, which are modified fins, but Osborn provided no evidence.
But Padian concludes that T. rex’s arms are too short to go around another T. rex, and certainly too weak to exert any control over a mate.
Previous proposed explanations for the short arms included waving for mate attraction or social signaling. Scientists have also suggested they serve as an anchor to allow T. rex to get up from the ground. Others believe they were used for holding down prey, stabbing enemies, and even pushing over a sleeping Triceratops at night.
Some paleontologists even propose that the arms had no function at all.
“The arms are simply too short. They can’t touch each other, they can’t reach the mouth, and their mobility is so limited that they can’t stretch very far, either forward or upward,” says Padian. “The enormous head and neck are way out in front of them and pretty much form the kind of death machine you saw in Jurassic Park.”
The answer came to the professor after other paleontologists unearthed evidence that some tyrannosaurids hunted in packs, not singly, as often depicted.
“Several important quarry sites unearthed in the past 20 years preserve adult and juvenile tyrannosaurs together. We can’t really assume that they lived together or even died together. We only know that they were buried together,” adds Padian. “But when you find several sites with the same animals, that’s a stronger signal. And the possibility, which other researchers have already raised, is that they were hunting in groups.”
Perhaps, he thought, the arms shrank to get out of the way during pack feeding. Tyrannosaurus rex youngsters, in particular, would have been wise to wait until the larger adults were finished.
Twenty years ago, two paleontologists analyzed the arms and hypothesized that T. rex could have bench pressed about 400 pounds with its arms. Even so, Padian says the beast still couldn’t get close enough to pick anything up.
Although not conclusive, crocodiles and Komodo dragons descend in packs, leaving the smaller bits for their young when they have finished. They often suffer maulings, however.
“Bite wounds on the skull and other parts of the skeleton are well known in tyrannosaurs and other carnivorous dinosaurs. If fewer bite marks were found on the reduced limbs, it could be a sign that reduction worked,” says Padian. “To me, this study of what the arms did is interesting because of how we tell stories in science and what qualifies as an explanation. We tell a lot of stories like this about possible functions of T. rex because it’s an interesting problem. But are we really looking at the problem the right way?”
The study is published in the journal Acta Palaeontologia Polonica.
South West News Service writer Jim Leffman contributed to this report. | https://cw33.com/news/why-did-the-monstrous-t-rex-have-such-tiny-arms/ | 2022-04-26T16:04:49Z | https://cw33.com/news/why-did-the-monstrous-t-rex-have-such-tiny-arms/ | false |
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday morning's drawing of the Texas Lottery's "Daily 4 Morning" game were:
7-6-5-2, FIREBALL: 5
(seven, six, five, two; FIREBALL: five)
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday morning's drawing of the Texas Lottery's "Daily 4 Morning" game were:
7-6-5-2, FIREBALL: 5
(seven, six, five, two; FIREBALL: five) | https://www.mrt.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Daily-4-Morning-game-17127490.php | 2022-04-26T16:05:01Z | https://www.mrt.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Daily-4-Morning-game-17127490.php | true |
No big or little lies here: Shailene Woodley and Aaron Rodgers' relationship has been sidelined once again.
Despite recent attempts to repair their romance after ending their engagement, the "Divergent" actress and the NFL star "are not together," a source exclusively tells E! News.
"Shailene tried to give it another shot and was spending time with Aaron," the insider shares with E! News. "But she quickly saw that everything was on his terms and nothing was going to change. There was no reason to continue and she's done with it again."
E! News confirmed in February that Woodley, 30, and Rodgers, 38, had split. "They are two very different people," a separate source told E! News at the time. "They are both focused on their careers, but it took them in separate directions."
Romance Rewind: Aaron Rodgers and Shailene Woodley
The second source added at the time that while they're no longer together the stars remained "supportive of one another and on good terms."
In fact, the duo was on such good terms, they continued spending time together after their split news went public -- from stepping out in Los Angeles together to attending his teammate David Bakhtiari's wedding in Santa Barbara, Calif., in early March. A third source told E! News at the time that Woodley accompanied Rodgers only to "support" him.
"She's not wearing the engagement ring," the third insider added. "They are testing the waters."
Now, despite trying to rebuild their relationship, it appears as though the former couple is moving on for good.
E! News has reached out to reps for Woodley and Rodgers for comment. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/shailene-woodley-done-with-ex-aaron-rodgers-after-reunion/3663751/ | 2022-04-26T16:05:33Z | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/shailene-woodley-done-with-ex-aaron-rodgers-after-reunion/3663751/ | true |
According to S&P Global Ratings research, the sudden stop to the global economy caused by COVID-19--and the drastic efforts to contain it--will lead to a global recession.[1] In S&P Global Ratings' view, this will likely mean a surge in defaults, potentially reaching a double-digit speculative-grade default rate for nonfinancial corporates in the U.S. and a material increase to high single digits in Europe over the next 6 to 12 months. Such surge in observed default date, should it materialize, equates with the previous spikes of default rates of S&P Global Ratings rated entities (figure 1 below) that we saw in 2009 (following the Global Financial Crisis), in 2002 (Tech Bubble), and in 1990 (a US economic recession). The impact to emerging markets will vary. Countries with greater exposure to tourism, commodities, U.S. dollar financing or that have larger external financial requirements will most likely see downward rating pressure, while others might be less exposed and better able to withstand the crisis.[2]
Figure 1: Global and Emerging Markets (EM) Trailing-12-Month Speculative-Grade Default Rate
Source: S&P Global Market Intelligence’s CreditPro®, data as of March 29, 2020
We use Credit Analytics’ CreditModel™ (CM), a statistical model, to assess the creditworthiness of 6125 financial and non-financial corporates based in Central Asia, European Emerging Markets, Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Indian sub-continent[3]. CM can generate credit scores for companies of all types including rated and unrated, public and private companies, globally. This becomes especially useful for our study that addresses a largely unrated market. We also use Credit Analytics Probability of Default Market Signal (PDMS) model, which uses stock price and asset volatility as inputs to calculate a one year Probability of Default (PD). This helps us understand which corporates have experienced significant changes in default risk, based on market-derived signals. We conducted our analysis by generating medians from PDMS based on both sector and regional clustering. Combining CM and PDMS for our study helps in (1) ranking entities in absolute terms according to their long-term view of credit risk and (2) in mapping these scores to one year PD based on derived market signals. [4]
The credit landscape of our sample study is largely skewed towards the lower-end of the scoring spectrum (see figure 2 below). The bubble size in figure 2 represents number of entities with the highest frequency being for b-scored entities. Such concentration indicates high credit risk of entities composing our sample study. More importantly, lower scores are more susceptive to negative credit pressure that the current environment is producing. In its report titled “COVID-19 Credit Update: The Sudden Economic Stop Will Bring Intense Credit Pressure” published on March 17, 2020, S&P Global Ratings expected “Companies rated 'B-' and below will likely suffer most from financing needs and rapid rating transitions. […] These low ratings indicate a higher vulnerability to adverse business, financial or economic conditions. Companies with these ratings are most likely to lack the financial flexibility to weather a crisis hitting both their top-line revenue and financing costs.” [5]
The market, according to our PDMS model, aligns with the view translated by CM with increasing PD as we go down that scoring spectrum (from ‘a’ to ‘ccc’). The emergence and spread of Covid-19 globally naturally triggered a negative pressure on equity values worldwide and on the markets sampled in this study, which however was further exacerbated by the drop in oil prices that came on the back of Saudi Arabia and Russia failing to renew their agreement on oil production cuts. A significant number of countries in our sample study rely heavily on revenues generated from oil exports to finance their budgets, especially infrastructure investments. Economic growth in such oil-exporting countries is therefore highly sensitive to the oil price landscape leading to capital outflow and hence stress on equity prices, and ultimately the market derived likelihood of default.
Figure 2: Credit Risk Profile by Credit Score and Probability of Default
Source: S&P Global Market Intelligence, Credit Analytics CM as of December 31, 2019, Credit Analytics PDMS as of March 29, 2020
Looking at PDMS scores at the industry level (figure 3), we see that the highest risk is associated with Consumer Discretionary sector, a trend that is equally seen globally with investors fearing that non-essential spending will be severely hit. Materials and Industrials come second and third, respectively, in terms of PD and this is a result of weaker economic growth prospects but also reflective of the nature of most economies in the sample study: (1) being highly dependent on import of raw materials from global markets and exposing them to supply chain risks; and (2) high dependence on export of commodities (oil, minerals, etc.) which exposes them to economic risks. The sector ‘Financials’ has the lowest PDMS, unsurprisingly, with many academic and journalistic reports[6] classifying this crisis as corporate credit risk, which banks are, to an extent, mitigated against thanks to capital having been built up following the global financial crisis. In its report titled “COVID-19 Credit Update: The Sudden Economic Stop Will Bring Intense Credit Pressure” published on March 17, 2020, S&P Global Ratings expects “tighter funding conditions are unlikely to cause widespread problems for the banks we rate, but some nonbank financial institutions could face a more difficult year”.[7] Overall, though, all sectors show an increase in their PDs with a spike seen around late February 2020.
Looking at PDMS scores at the regional level (figure 4), we see a similar ascending trend across all countries with equally a consistency in the gap between the regions. Indian Sub-Continent based corporates, the majority of which are based in India, have the highest overall PD. Indian corporates form circa 55% of our sample study and the majority of them engage in high PD sectors, namely Consumer Discretionary, Materials, and Industrials, which compares unfavorably with, as a comparative example, our MENA sample having a concentration on low PD sectors, namely Financials. Nevertheless, even if we confine the analysis on an industry basis, we find Indian corporates with higher PD compared to other entities in our sample (for instance the average PDMS for Consumer Discretionary corporates in India is 21%, as of 29 March 2020, compared to 12% in MENA). This speaks of a more systematic risk with one hypothesis being that investors are fleeing capital markets in India and we find evidence for such argument in figure 5 below showing a clear depreciation of the Indian Rupee coinciding with the rise PDMS. The technical view here is aligned with the fundamental view presented by CM; S&P Global Ratings research also expects that extended shock to investor sentiment could result in heightened refinancing risk, especially for low rated issuers.
Figure 3: PDMS Evolution by Sector Figure 4: PDMS Evolution by Region
Source: S&P Global Market Intelligence, Credit Analytics PDMS as of March 29, 2020
Figure 5: Key Currencies Rate Value
S&P Global Market Intelligence, as of March 29, 2020
Following on the last point, we have developed a heat map showing average PDs across sectors and regions (figure 6). The heat map confirms, to a large extent, a common sentiment that investors are sharing across sectors. We see for instance low PD of Financials across all markets while Consumer Discretionary is, reciprocally, the highest.
Figure 6 PDMS profile per Region and Industry
Source: S&P Global Market Intelligence, Credit Analytics CM as of 31 December 2019, Credit Analytics PDMS as of 29 March 2020
S&P Global Market Intelligence research
"What’s the Market Sentiment Top Five Industries Impacted by COVID 19 from a Probability of Default Perspective", March 16, 2020
S&P Global Ratings research
- “Emerging Markets, Empty Streets and Risk Risks”, March 27, 2020
- “Assessing The Coronavirus-Related Damage To The Global Economy And Credit Quality”, March 24, 2020
- “The Oil And Gas Distress Ratio Hits Historic High On Global Fears And Price Volatility”, March 19, 2020
- “The Global Recession Is Likely To Push The U.S. Default Rate To 10%”, March 19, 2020
- “COVID-19 Macroeconomic Update: The Global Recession Is Here And Now”, March 17, 2020
- “COVID-19 Credit Update: The Sudden Economic Stop Will Bring Intense Credit Pressure”, March 17, 2020
- “Prolonged COVID-19 Disruption Could Expose The GCC's Weaker Borrowers”, March 11, 2020
- “Unrestrained Supply Swamps Oil Outlook: S&P Global Ratings Revises Oil & Gas Assumptions”, March 9, 2020
RatingsDirect® subscribers: Sign-in Here > to access the most up-to-date research from S&P Global Ratings.
External research
- “How coronavirus became a corporate credit run”, Financial Times, March 2020
[1] “COVID-19 Macroeconomic Update: The Global Recession Is Here And Now," S&P Global Ratings, March 17, 2020
[2] “COVID-19 Credit Update: The Sudden Economic Stop Will Bring Intense Credit Pressure”, S&P Global Ratings, March 17, 2020
[3] We chose listed entities in select developing markets; we managed to generate CM scores for 5638 entities while 487 remained unscored (“ns”) however they were associated with PDMS and hence we kept them in our study.
[4] S&P Global Ratings does not contribute to or participate in the creation of credit scores generated by S&P Global Market Intelligence. Lowercase nomenclature is used to differentiate S&P Global Market Intelligence CreditModel scores from the credit ratings issued by S&P Global Ratings.
[5] “COVID-19 Credit Update: The Sudden Economic Stop Will Bring Intense Credit Pressure”, S&P Global Ratings, March 17, 2020
[6] “How coronavirus became a corporate credit run”, Financial Times March 2020
[7] “COVID-19 Credit Update: The Sudden Economic Stop Will Bring Intense Credit Pressure” S&P Global Ratings, March 17, 2020 | https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/news-insights/research/developing-markets-credit-memo-march-2020 | 2022-04-26T16:06:47Z | https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/news-insights/research/developing-markets-credit-memo-march-2020 | true |
New helpline will enable blind and partially sighted to vote independently
'We believe that it represents a positive step toward ensuring that blind and partially sighted voters can exercise their vote discretely and independently'
RNIB NI handout photo of Paula Beattie, RNIB NI Policy and Campaigns Manager with Joe Kenny at the launch of the RNIB NI manifesto.
By Jonathan McCambridge, PA
A new helpline will assist blind and partially sighted people in voting independently for the first time in Northern Ireland.
Previously, many of the 56,400 people registered blind or partially sighted have had to rely on proxy voting or assistance filling in postal voting forms or the ballot paper at the polling station.
Ahead of next week’s Assembly elections and after consultation with members of the Visually Impaired Sector Consultative Forum, the Electoral Office has announced the availability of the new helpline through which voters can now call to hear the list of candidates in their area, in the order they will appear on the ballot paper.
This will enable blind and partially sighted voters to listen either at home or at the polling station, and select their preferred candidates using a tactile voting device or large print ballot paper.
Paula Beattie, from the Royal National Institute of Blind NI, said: “We believe that it represents a positive step toward ensuring that blind and partially sighted voters can exercise their vote discretely and independently.
“Something which so many of us take for granted, but which has been too long denied, or severely restricted, for our blind and partially sighted citizens.
“The Electoral Office shares our view that more work needs to be done to evolve viable longer term solutions, to address accessible voting, in future election cycles.
“This includes the introduction of a single device capable of encompassing audio assistance, with a tactile component.
“We are aware of the ongoing development of potential options in this area, and will continue to work with the Electoral Office to explore these.
“Our primary focus remains on securing the introduction of an effective, viable and fully operational, accessible voting solution.”
Joe Kenny, from Belfast, is registered blind and said every time he has voted over the past 25 years, he has required assistance.
He said: “Every single time I’ve invoked my democratic right to cast a private vote, at least one other person, if not more, has known who I voted for.
“Voting has always been a stressful and complicated process for me.
“I have zero vision, so I have always had to rely on assistance from staff at the polling centres. Information from candidates is also rarely available in alternative formats. In today’s age that is just not good enough.
“This new phone helpline will at least tell the person what order candidates appear in on the ballot paper so they can use the tactile device to make their mark.”
Chief electoral officer Virginia McVea said: “This helpline offers an interim solution while we await the development of an audio product that will further enhance the accessibility of the voting process.
“The helpline will let the public know who the candidates are in their constituency and in what order they appear on the ballot paper.
“The person can then use that knowledge along with the tactile selector device and will be able to vote independently.”
The helpline number is 028 9044 6611. | https://www.inyourarea.co.uk/news/new-helpline-will-enable-blind-and-partially-sighted-to-vote-independently/ | 2022-04-26T16:07:03Z | https://www.inyourarea.co.uk/news/new-helpline-will-enable-blind-and-partially-sighted-to-vote-independently/ | true |
CAIRO (AP) — Egyptian archaeologists unearthed the ruins of a temple for the ancient Greek god Zeus in the Sinai Peninsula, antiquities authorities said Monday.
The Tourism and Antiquities Ministry said in a statement the temple ruins were found in the Tell el-Farma archaeological site in northwestern Sinai.
Tell el-Farma, also known by its ancient name Pelusium, dates back to the late Pharaonic period and was also used during Greco-Roman and Byzantine times. There are also remains dating to the Christian and early Islamic periods.
Mostafa Waziri, secretary-general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, said archaeologists excavated the temple ruins through its entrance gate, where two huge fallen granite columns were visible. The gate was destroyed in a powerful earthquake in ancient times, he said.
Waziri said the ruins were found between the Pelusium Fort and a memorial church at the site. Archaeologists found a set of granite blocks probably used to build a staircase for worshipers to reach the temple.
Excavations at the area date back to early 1900 when French Egyptologist Jean Clédat found ancient Greek inscriptions that showed the existence of the Zeus-Kasios temple but he didn’t unearth it, according to the ministry.
Zeus-Kasios is a conflation of Zeus, the God of the sky in ancient Greek mythology, and Mount Kasios in Syria, where Zeus once worshipped.
Hisham Hussein, the director of Sinai archaeological sites, said inscriptions found in the area show that Roman Emperor Hadrian (117-138) renovated the temple.
He said experts will study the unearthed blocks and do a photogrammetry survey to help determine the architectural design of the temple.
The temple ruins are the latest in a series of ancient discoveries Egypt has touted in the past couple of years in the hope of attracting more tourists.
The tourism industry has been reeling from the political turmoil following the 2011 popular uprising that toppled longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak. The sector was also dealt further blows by the coronavirus pandemic and most recently Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. | https://www.wowktv.com/news/u-s-world/ruins-of-ancient-temple-for-zeus-unearthed-in-egypt/ | 2022-04-26T16:07:17Z | https://www.wowktv.com/news/u-s-world/ruins-of-ancient-temple-for-zeus-unearthed-in-egypt/ | true |
You need to enable JavaScript to run this app. | https://sportspyder.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/articles/39288210 | 2022-04-26T16:11:29Z | https://sportspyder.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/articles/39288210 | true |
ST. LOUIS — Spring is a great time to enjoy the outdoors and we’ve certainly had some great weather for that recently, but we also share the outdoors with other things like ticks. Conditions are now ripe for them to start emerging.
“Anyone who’s gone out hiking or camping or fishing or even just walking through some grass may likely encounter them,” said Dan Zarlenga with the Missouri Department of Conservation.
Ticks are arachnids, part of the spider family. They are found in woods and fields waiting on leaves and tall grass for their next blood meal from a host, which often can be you or your pet.
Your best defense is clothing, preferably light in color.
“I know it’s counterintuitive as the weather warms up, we want to go out in shorts and short sleeves and all that. But if you wear long sleeves and long pants, that’s going to provide an extra barrier for bugs of all kinds, including ticks, chiggers, and mosquitoes from getting to your skin,” said Zarlenga.
For bug spray, look for something with DEET. At least 10 % for children but use higher concentrations for adults.
After time outdoors check carefully for any ticks. If you find one embedded, get it out as soon as you can. These creepy crawlers can unfortunately transmit a number of diseases.
“If you see any kind of odd rash or colorization or patterns in the area where the tick was or if there’s any kind of pain or anything like that in that area, then you probably should see a doctor as quickly as possible. The sooner you tend to any possible condition, the better off you’ll be,” Zarlenga said.
The Department of Conservation is continuing its two-year study with A.T. Still University in Kirksville.
“This will help give us some insight into what tick species are out there, what their distribution is, and some of the pathogens they may be carrying because we really haven’t studied it in a scientific way in the past,” he said.
They ask that you mail in any ticks you find through September. The directions to do that can be found at https://mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/mdc-still-university-ask-missourians-send-ticks-research-study. | https://fox4kc.com/news/tick-season-is-here-what-you-need-to-know/ | 2022-04-26T16:14:10Z | https://fox4kc.com/news/tick-season-is-here-what-you-need-to-know/ | true |
2 children, woman killed by gunman at Russian kindergarten
MOSCOW (AP) - A gunman on Tuesday killed two children and a staff member at a kindergarten in central Russia, authorities said.
A man entered the kindergarten in the town of Veshkayma and shot a female staff member and two children, ages 5 and 6, before shooting himself, said Sergei Morozov, a federal lawmaker and the former governor of the Ulyanovsk region, where the killings took place.
One other staff member was wounded, according to local health officials. The motive of the gunman remained unclear. Ulyanovsk human rights envoy Sergei Lulkov told the Interfax news agency that the man had no relation whatsoever to any of the victims.
Russia's human rights ombudswoman Tatyana Moskalkova identified the perpetrator as a 26-year-old mentally ill man. Ulyanovsk lawmaker Boris Stolypin told the Russian state Tass news agency that the gunman stole the weapon - an IZh-26 hunting gun - from another man, whom he also killed.
Police have launched a criminal investigation into the shooting, and Ulyanovsk authorities have promised to pay families of the victims 1 million rubles (about $49,000). | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-10755619/2-children-woman-killed-gunman-Russian-kindergarten.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | 2022-04-26T16:15:25Z | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-10755619/2-children-woman-killed-gunman-Russian-kindergarten.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | false |
Prices are rising for everything from food to utilities, and pet products certainly aren’t immune. With food, bills, treats and toys, looking after your animal companions isn’t cheap.
If you’re concerned about the rising cost of caring for your pets, there are still ways you can save so the animals in your life won’t miss out.
How to save money on pet products
Choose dry pet food over wet pet food
Dry dog food and cat food are significantly cheaper than canned and fresh varieties but still contain all the essential nutrients your pet needs to stay healthy. If they find dry food boring, you can always mix in a little wet food, pet-friendly human foods or table scraps, such as meat and vegetables.
Buy in bulk
Buying pet products in bulk can be significantly cheaper than buying smaller quantities, although you have to shell out more in one go. Pet food offers one of the clearest examples of this. It isn’t uncommon to pay around $2 a pound for a large 20- to 30-pound bag of dry dog food and $4-$5 a pound for the same food in a smaller 5- to 10-pound bag.
However, there’s more that you can save on besides pet food. Look for bulk deals on a range of pet products, including shampoo, flea treatments and toys.
Make your own treats
Pet treats can be expensive, especially when you choose premium brands. An easy way to save money is by making your own pet treats at home. You can make them using simple ingredients, such as flour, oil and herbs, which you probably already have at home.
You can also simply use human foods as treats. Some dogs love chomping on raw carrots, which is an affordable alternative to bully sticks and similar chews. Instead of buying costly high-value treats for training, many pets go wild for chopped-up cheese or meat.
Choose durable products
Admittedly, you’ll have a larger outlay when you buy them, but choosing durable products over flimsier alternatives will save you money in the long run. For instance, your dog might rip a $5 plush toy to shreds in a day, but a more durable $15 version could last them 3 months. So, think about value rather than the initial cost of an item if you have the budget to do so.
Get creative with toys
You might always buy your pet the best toys you can find, but often they’re perfectly content to play with whatever’s around. Cats, particularly, are happy to bat around a ball of foil, pounce on a piece of string that you move around for them or play in a paper bag. Dogs are a little harder to please, but they’ll readily play tug with an old sock or chase cheap tennis balls rather than dedicated dog balls.
Consider purchases carefully
Before you buy something for your pet, consider whether they need it. If you’re considering buying your cat a new bed, for instance, but they’re happy to snooze on the windowsill or the arm of the couch, you may want to reconsider. That doesn’t mean you should never buy anything for your pet but think about new purchases for 24 hours before buying them if they’re nonessential.
Shop around for pet meds
You can often get better prices on pet medication than is initially offered by your pet’s veterinarian. First, ask if there’s a cheaper generic alternative. Veterinary professionals will usually offer name-brand meds as standard. If you can’t get cheaper medication this way, ask for a prescription so you can buy it elsewhere. Some websites, such as Chewy, sell cheap prescription pet medication, as do some pharmacies.
Don’t skip preventative care
While it can be tough when you’re on a tight budget, don’t skimp on products for preventative care, such as flea and worm treatments or dental care products. It may save you money in the short term, but you’ll likely find yourself with a huge vet bill down the line.
Best bargain pet products
Taste of the Wild Dry Ancient Stream Dog Food
Considering the quality of the ingredients, this dog food is highly affordable, pound for pound, when you opt for the largest bag size.
Sold by Amazon
Rachael Ray Nutrish Premium Natural Dry Cat Food
This reasonably priced dry cat food costs approximately $0.50 less per pound if you buy the 14-pound bag rather than the 3-pound one.
Sold by Amazon
Wilson Sporting Goods Youth Tennis Balls
If you have a dog who likes to play fetch, these balls cost significantly less each compared to most balls designed for dogs.
Sold by Amazon
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Lauren Corona writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.krqe.com/reviews/br/pets-br/pet-product-prices-are-on-the-rise-but-there-are-still-plenty-of-ways-to-save/ | 2022-04-26T16:15:34Z | https://www.krqe.com/reviews/br/pets-br/pet-product-prices-are-on-the-rise-but-there-are-still-plenty-of-ways-to-save/ | true |
The Philadelphia Phillies scored seven total runs last weekend in a three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers.
They broke out for eight runs in the opener of a four-game series against the Colorado Rockies on Monday. Philadelphia will look to build on the 8-2 win when it hosts the Rockies once again on Tuesday.
Bryce Harper launched a 417-foot home run to center field for Philadelphia on Monday, and Rhys Hoskins snapped out of a slump with three hits. Aside from the solo homer, the Phillies manufactured the other seven runs in a variety of ways.
“It was an angry swing,” Harper said of his homer during a postgame interview on NBC Sports Philadelphia. “It felt good.”
Phillies manager Joe Girardi said that he hadn’t been concerned with his offense’s slow start.
“I think a lot of these guys are going to heat up,” Girardi said. “I believe that in my heart.”
Winning pitcher Kyle Gibson was happy for the support.
“I think we were due, yeah,” he said. “That’s a good way to put it lightly. Yeah, we were due.”
The Tuesday game is due to feature a rematch of the pitchers who met last Wednesday in Denver, with Phillies right-hander Zach Eflin (0-1, 3.95 ERA) opposing Rockies right-hander German Marquez (0-0, 4.67).
Neither pitched well in a game the Phillies won 9-6 to salvage the finale of a three-game series. Eflin gave up four runs (two earned) on eight hits and no walks in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out five. Marquez yielded four runs on eight hits and two walks with five strikeouts in six innings.
Despite serving up three home runs in the no-decision, Marquez said of his outing, “Today was a lot better with my fastball command. The whole game I was feeling good.”
Eflin has struggled in five career starts against the Rockies, going 1-3 with a 6.49 ERA.
Marquez, a first time All-Star last season, is 3-1 with a 3.21 ERA in seven career starts against the Phillies. Dating back to last season, Marquez is winless in six consecutive outings, pitching a 7.12 ERA in those appearances.
The Monday game was all Phillies after the Rockies received solo home runs from Connor Joe and Randal Grichuk to go ahead 2-0 after two innings. Philadelphia scored eight unanswered runs the rest of the way. Three Colorado errors contributed to the team’s downfall.
“We understand the capability that we have and what we can do,” said Rockies pitcher Kyle Freeland, who took the defeat after allowing four runs, but only one earned, and striking out seven in five innings. “It was one bad loss. That’s not the script of our future at all.”
Rockies left fielder Kris Bryant, who signed a mammoth seven-year, $182 million free agent contract in the offseason, snapped an 0-for-16 slump with a single on Monday.
Joe socked his fourth homer of the season, half of the total he managed last year in 179 at-bats for the Rockies.
–Field Level Media | https://www.krqe.com/sports/mlb-baseball/phillies-look-to-build-on-offensive-outburst-vs-rockies/ | 2022-04-26T16:17:08Z | https://www.krqe.com/sports/mlb-baseball/phillies-look-to-build-on-offensive-outburst-vs-rockies/ | false |
Man plans Land´s End to John O´Groats scooter record bid in charity challenge
A man is hoping to travel 1,000 miles from Land’s End to John O’Groats on a scooter and set a new Guinness world record as part of a charity challenge.
Stuart Jamieson, 46, from Bo’ness, West Lothian, is gearing up for the event in memory of his late wife, Eva.
He is hoping to complete the challenge in just 10 days. With the current record set at 21 days, he will have reserve days if he is behind schedule.
The fitness fanatic, who owns SJ Fitness Coaching, said: “I’m confident I can do this challenge in 10 days as it’s an average of 95 miles a day I’m scooting.
“The current Guinness world record is 21 days, so I have additional days in reserves if I find I’m behind schedule.
“I don’t think I will be as I’ve been comfortably managing to scoot over 90 miles in a day whilst training.”
Stuart Jamieson will be raising money for Marie Curie (Stuart Jamieson/Marie Curie/PA)
Starting on Saturday April 30 in Land’s End, Mr Jamieson will pass through Taunton, Bristol, Warrington and Carlisle before crossing into Scotland.
Upon arrival, he will zoom through Moffat, South Queensferry, Perth, Inverness and Dingwall before the final stretch to John O’Groats on May 9.
Mr Jamieson added: “I’ll have GPS trackers and photos will be taken too as validation for Guinness World Records.
“I will be camping, as well as staying in BBs, and travelling as light as possible, and once I make my way to Scotland, my two kids – Beth and Oscar – will be joining me, doing a little bit of scooting. It’s important for them to be a part of this challenge as it’s in memory of their mum.
“Eva died of cancer in 2018, which was just devastating for the family.”
The challenge will not be Mr Jamieson’s first. He has previously ran 40 marathons in 40 weeks and is set to climb Mount Kilimanjaro next year.
He added: “To mark what would’ve been her 40th birthday last July, I ran 40 marathons in 40 weeks and next year I’m going to climb Mount Kilimanjaro as Eva always to do that.”
He will be raising money for the end of life charity Marie Curie with his efforts. He has raised almost £12,000 for them since 2018.
Marie Curie community fundraiser Jim Stewart said: “It’s through selfless fundraisers like Stuart that we are able to continue providing care and support to terminally-ill people and their loved ones at home, or in one of our hospices, across the country.
“Over the last few years Stuart has taken on some impressive challenges, but by aiming to set a new Guinness World Record, this is extremely inspiring.
“Having met Stuart several times I know he can do it. Yes, he has the physical strength and stamina, but he also has the steely determination to keep going.
“He knows how hard Eva fought when she was living with cancer and it’s knowing that this challenge would make her so proud, which is why I’m confident he’ll set a new record.
“Team Marie Curie members will be cheering Stuart on from one end of the UK to the other, ready to greet him as he crosses the finishing line in John O’Groats.”
To donate, please visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/scoot-lejog | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-10755605/Man-plans-Land-s-End-John-O-Groats-scooter-record-bid-charity-challenge.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | 2022-04-26T16:17:41Z | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-10755605/Man-plans-Land-s-End-John-O-Groats-scooter-record-bid-charity-challenge.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | true |
Users of Twitter can expect big changes following the news Elon Musk has struck a deal to buy the social media platform for £34billion. The chief executive of Tesla made the announcement that he will buy the microblogging platform outright.
Musk has agreed to pay £42.57 for every Twitter share with the platform set to become a private company under his ownership. The entrepreneur has already laid out some of his plans for Twitter, though these are very broad at present.
Here are some of the changes Musk has hinted could be in store for Twitter. His ideas have already prompted some to speak out and express their intentions to say goodbye to the platform for good.
READ MORE:Elon Musk challenges Vladimir Putin to a fight for Ukraine in 'single combat'
1) More 'free speech'
One of the changes Musk has been clearest about is that he wants more free speech on Twitter. Yesterday Musk said: "Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated."
He added: "I hope that even my worst critics remain on Twitter, because that is what free speech means." However, human rights groups are worried that moves towards more free speech could mean more hate speech as well.
Amnesty International said: "We are concerned with any steps that Twitter might take to erode enforcement of the policies and mechanisms designed to protect users. The last thing we need is a Twitter that wilfully turns a blind eye to violent and abusive speech against users, particularly those most disproportionately impacted, including women, non-binary persons, and others."
2) An edit button
Musk has previously shown interest in allowing an edit function for Twitter. In April, Musk tweeted a poll asking Twitter users if they wanted an edit button.
More than four million people voted, and more than 70% said yes. This would allow users to change their tweets after they have been sent.
This has previously been rejected by Twitter, but the company is now trialling an editing feature for some users.
3) More transparency
Another change Musk wants to make is making Twitter more transparent. He has announced ambitions to cut down on spam on the platform and make the Twitter algorithm open source.
That means the public will be able to see how Twitter prioritises tweets, how it penalises others and which factors make a tweet go viral.
4) Everyone might get a 'blue tick'
Currently, Twitter hands out 'blue tick' authentication to users it thinks are notable in some way. These include politicians, journalists and celebrities, who could lose out if someone sets up a fake account pretending to be them.
But the process is difficult and getting a blue tick is hard, which has been a source of frustration for many. Twitter has been handing out blue ticks since 2009, but it has tightened up its rules over time and most people now have to apply.
Musk has announced plans to "authenticate all humans" - which could mean everyone gets a blue tick.
5) Some celebrities will leave
Some well-known personalities have announced they will leave Twitter due to the Musk takeover. One is British actor Jameela Jamil, who starred in TV series The Good Place.
She said she expects the platform to "become an even more lawless, hateful, xenophobic, bigoted, misogynistic space". | https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/world-news/more-free-speech-edit-button-23792350 | 2022-04-26T16:19:14Z | https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/world-news/more-free-speech-edit-button-23792350 | false |
Trafigura to stop buying crude from Russia's Rosneft before May 15
LONDON, April 26 (Reuters) - Global commodities trader Trafigura Group will stop all purchases of crude oil from Russia's state oil company Rosneft by May 15, a company spokesperson said on Tuesday.
The Geneva-based firm will also "substantially reduce" the volume of refined products it buys from Rosneft.
Under European Union financial sanctions against Russia, traders will no longer be able to buy oil from Rosneft after May 15 unless it is "strictly necessary" to secure the EU's energy needs. (Reporting by Julia Payne Editing by David Goodman )
Advertisement | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/reuters/article-10755819/Trafigura-stop-buying-crude-Russias-Rosneft-May-15.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | 2022-04-26T16:23:03Z | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/reuters/article-10755819/Trafigura-stop-buying-crude-Russias-Rosneft-May-15.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | false |
Maharashtra on Tuesday, April 26 recorded 153 fresh COVID-19 cases, taking the number of active cases to 943. Besides, 4 COVID-19 deaths were reported in the day, taking the death toll to 1,47,838.
135 patients were discharged in the day, taking the tally to 77,28,297. The recovery rate in the state is 98.11%. The case fatality rate in the state is 1.87%.
Out of 8,00,82,006 laboratory samples 78,77,078 have been tested positive (09.84%) for COVID-19 until today.
The Mumbai circle--which consists of MCGM, Thane, TMC, Navi Mumbai, KDMC, Ulhasnagar MC, Bhivandi Nijampur MC, Mira Bhayandar MC, Palghar, Vasai Virar MC, Raigad, Panvel MC--recorded 115 new cases.
The Nashik circle--which consists of Nashik, Nashik MC, Malegaon MC, Ahmednagar, Ahmednagar MC, Dhule, Dhule MC, Jalgaon, Jalgaon MC, Nandurbar--reported 4 fresh COVID-19 cases.
The Pune circle--which includes Pune, PMC, PCMC, Solapur, Solapur MC, Satara--recorded 26 new cases.
The Kolhapur circle--which includes Kolhapur, Kolhapur MC, Sangli, Sangli MC, Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri-- reported 3 new cases.
The Aurangabad circle--which consists of Aurangabad, Aurangabad MC, Jalna, Hingoli, Parbhani, Parbhani MC-- reported 0 fresh cases.
The Latur circle--which consists of Latur, Latur MC, Osmanabad, Beed, Nanded, Nanded MC--recorded 1 fresh case.
The Akola circle--which includes Akola, Akola MC, Amaravati, Amaravati MC, Yawatmal, Buldhana, Washim-- recorded 3 fresh cases.
Nagpur circle--which includes Nagpur, Nagpur MC, Wardha, Bhandara, Gondia, Chandrapur, Chandrapur MC, Gadchiroli --reported 1 fresh case.
(To receive our E-paper on whatsapp daily, please click here. We permit sharing of the paper's PDF on WhatsApp and other social media platforms.) | https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/maharashtra-records-153-new-covid-19-cases-4-deaths-135-recoveries-on-april-26 | 2022-04-26T16:24:48Z | https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/maharashtra-records-153-new-covid-19-cases-4-deaths-135-recoveries-on-april-26 | true |
Demonstrates Progress in Advancing 2030+ ESG Goals
FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J., April 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) (NYSE: BDX), a leading global medical technology company, today announced that it has been recognized by Forbes as one of the top employers in the U.S. for diversity.
The list is compiled by surveying more than 60,000 Americans who work for companies with at least 1,000 employees to identify organizations that are the most committed to diversity, equity and inclusion. The evaluation was based on the following criteria:
- Direct recommendations: Employees were asked to give their opinions on a series of statements regarding age, gender, ethnicity, disability, LGBTQIA+ and general diversity in their current workplace. The recommendations of women, elders and ethnic minorities were weighted higher than the non-minority groups.
- Indirect Recommendations: Participants were also given the chance to evaluate other employers in their respective industries that stand out either positively or negatively with regard to diversity. Only the recommendations of minority groups were considered.
- Diversity among top executives/board and diversity engagement indicators were also part of the evaluation.
"It's an honor to receive this recognition and it's a testament to the progress we're making in fostering an inclusive environment where BD associates can be their authentic selves, feel comfortable speaking up, have an equitable opportunity to grow and develop in their careers, and ultimately share their best and most innovative thinking," said Nicole Thompson, vice president of HR – Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Engagement at BD. "An inclusive environment, coupled with a diverse workforce, produces better products and better outcomes, contributing to the health of our company, planet and communities."
This recognition demonstrates the company's ongoing progress in advancing its environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategy, and efforts to achieve its 2030+ goals for promoting a healthy workforce and communities. These goals encompass maintaining a healthy and thriving workforce that cultivates the company's culture of inclusion, safety, well-being, and also contributes to community and company health. In addition to this accolade, BD recently celebrated the following recognitions:
- Included in the 2022 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index (GEI) for the third straight year.
- Named a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality by The Human Rights Campaign Foundation after receiving a perfect score (100%) on the organization's Corporate Equality Index for the fifth consecutive year.
- Ranked first in its industry in Forbes America's Best Large Employers List.
- Named one of America's Most Responsible companies by Newsweek.
To learn more about the inclusion, diversity and equity systems, processes and tools that drive action and accountability at BD, read the 2021 Global ID&E Report.
About BD
BD is one of the largest global medical technology companies in the world and is advancing the world of health by improving medical discovery, diagnostics and the delivery of care. The company supports the heroes on the frontlines of health care by developing innovative technology, services and solutions that help advance both clinical therapy for patients and clinical process for health care providers. BD and its 75,000 employees have a passion and commitment to help enhance the safety and efficiency of clinicians' care delivery process, enable laboratory scientists to accurately detect disease and advance researchers' capabilities to develop the next generation of diagnostics and therapeutics. BD has a presence in virtually every country and partners with organizations around the world to address some of the most challenging global health issues. By working in close collaboration with customers, BD can help enhance outcomes, lower costs, increase efficiencies, improve safety and expand access to health care. For more information on BD, please visit bd.com or connect with us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/bd1/ and Twitter @BDandCo.
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SOURCE BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/26/bd-named-forbes-2022-list-best-employers-diversity/ | 2022-04-26T16:29:03Z | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/26/bd-named-forbes-2022-list-best-employers-diversity/ | true |
CDC today issued a nationwide health alert to notify clinicians and public health authorities about a cluster of children identified with hepatitis and adenovirus infection – and to ask all physicians to be on the lookout for symptoms and to report any suspected cases of hepatitis of unknown origin to their local and state health departments.
CDC is currently working with the Alabama Department of Public Health to investigate a cluster of nine cases of hepatitis of unknown origin in children ranging in age from 1 to 6 years old, all of whom were previously healthy. None of these children were at the hospital because of a current SARS-CoV-2 infection. The first U.S. cases were identified in October 2021 at a children's hospital in Alabama that admitted five children with significant liver injury (including some with acute liver failure) without known cause, who also tested positive for adenovirus. Hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C viruses were ruled out.
Upon investigation, a review of hospital records identified four additional cases, all of whom had liver injury and adenovirus infection; laboratory tests identified that some of these children had adenovirus type 41, which more commonly causes pediatric acute gastroenteritis. No known epidemiological link or common exposures were found among these children. A statewide alert to elicit additional cases on February 1, 2022, has not yielded any further reports.
CDC is also aware of an increase in cases of pediatric hepatitis without a known cause recently reported in Europe, and has been in contact with our European counterparts to understand what they are learning. Adenovirus has been confirmed in several of the European cases, but not all.
Symptoms of hepatitis, or inflammation of the liver, include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, light-colored stools, joint pain, and jaundice and can be caused by viruses. Adenoviruses spread from person-to-person and most commonly cause respiratory illness, but depending on the type, can also cause other illnesses such as gastroenteritis (inflammation of the stomach or intestines), conjunctivitis (pink eye), and cystitis (bladder infection). Adenovirus type 41 typically presents as diarrhea, vomiting and fever, often accompanied by respiratory symptoms. While there have been case reports of hepatitis in immunocompromised children with adenovirus infection, adenovirus type 41 is not known to be a cause of hepatitis in otherwise healthy children.
CDC is working with state health departments to see if there are additional U.S. cases, and what may be causing these cases. At this time, we believe adenovirus may be the cause for these reported cases, but investigators are still learning more – including ruling out other possible causes and identifying other possible contributing factors. So far, other common causes of viral hepatitis, such as Hepatitis A, B, and C have been ruled out. CDC and state public health officials will continue to work together in close collaboration with clinicians to identify and detect unusual patterns or clusters of illness to prevent further disease.
CDC is asking physicians to consider adenovirus testing for pediatric patients with hepatitis of unknown etiology, and to report any possible cases of hepatitis of unknown origin to CDC and state public health authorities. In addition, we encourage parents and caregivers to be aware of the symptoms of hepatitis, and to contact their healthcare provider with any concerns. We continue to recommend children be up to date on all their vaccinations, and that parents and caregivers of young children take the same everyday preventive actions that we recommend for everyone, including washing hands often, avoiding people who are sick, covering coughs and sneezes, and avoiding touching the eyes, nose or mouth. CDC will share additional information as it becomes available. | https://www.news-medical.net/news/20220426/CDC-issues-health-alert-about-children-identified-with-hepatitis-and-adenovirus-infection.aspx | 2022-04-26T16:33:07Z | https://www.news-medical.net/news/20220426/CDC-issues-health-alert-about-children-identified-with-hepatitis-and-adenovirus-infection.aspx | true |
Black Employee Network Scholarship Promotes Diversity Within Cybersecurity Field
DENVER, April 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Optiv, the cyber advisory and solutions leader, has announced AJ McCrory as the recipient of its second annual Black Employee Network (BEN) scholarship.
BEN is entirely employee-driven and part of Optiv's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) initiative. The scholarship, open to Black, African American identifying STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) students, reflects Optiv's ongoing commitment to diversity within the cyber and information security fields.
McCrory, a high school senior from Ashbury, Va., will attend James Madison University in the fall where he will study computer science, focusing on a software development track with a goal of becoming a backend software engineer. McCrory's passion for computer science began in middle school. Since then, he's consistently maintained his Google Ads Certification and learned Java, C++, Python, and Windows Batch scripting through his enrollment in a college-level cybersecurity program at the Academies of Loudoun in Leesburg, Va. Through this program he also competed at CyberPatriot, a national cybersecurity competition hosted by the Air Force Association.
"This scholarship allows me to further my knowledge and secure my future, and I am extremely grateful to the Optiv Black Employee Network for this astounding opportunity," McCrory says. "I intend to use this as a catalyst to reaching new heights in my career and empower other black students pursuing careers in the STEM field."
McCrory will receive $10,000 each year for four years while at James Madison University.
"Optiv's BEN scholarship is a great opportunity to help promote equity and diversity in our industry. I am proud that Optiv will support AJ McCrory as he continues to work toward his goal of becoming a cybersecurity professional," says Tesfaye Williams, community outreach lead for BEN. "The exceptionally talented applicants for the BEN scholarship are proof that our industry will be in good hands going forward."
Last year's inaugural recipient, Lauren Harris, is a freshman at Princeton University.
Optiv honors and embraces the diverse perspectives, ideas, backgrounds and experiences of its people. The company's approach to DE&I is grounded in listening, learning and growing.
For the latest news and updates from Optiv, visit www.optiv.com/newsroom.
Follow Optiv
Twitter: www.twitter.com/optiv
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/optiv-inc
Facebook: www.facebook.com/optivinc
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/OptivInc
Blog: https://www.optiv.com/explore-optiv-insights/blog
Optiv Security: Secure greatness.™
Optiv is the cyber advisory and solutions leader, delivering strategic and technical expertise to more than 7,000 companies across every major industry. We partner with organizations to advise, deploy and operate complete cybersecurity programs from strategy and managed security services to risk, integration and technology solutions. With clients at the center of our unmatched ecosystem of people, products, partners and programs, we accelerate business progress like no other company can. At Optiv, we manage cyber risk so you can secure your full potential. For more information, visit www.optiv.com.
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SOURCE Optiv Security Inc. | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/26/optiv-names-virginia-high-school-senior-aj-mccrory-recipient-40000-scholarship/ | 2022-04-26T16:35:35Z | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/26/optiv-names-virginia-high-school-senior-aj-mccrory-recipient-40000-scholarship/ | true |
WFO SHREVEPORT Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, April 27, 2022
_____
FLOOD WARNING
Flood Statement
National Weather Service Shreveport LA
1009 AM CDT Tue Apr 26 2022
...The Flood Warning continues for the following river in Texas...
Sulphur River Near Talco affecting Morris, Titus, Franklin and
Red River Counties.
For the Sulphur River...including Talco...Minor flooding is forecast.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Do not drive cars through flooded areas.
Caution is urged when walking near riverbanks.
Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.
For more hydrologic information, copy and paste the following website
address into your favorite web browser URL bar:
water.weather.gov/ahps2/index.php?wfo=shv
The next statement will be issued Wednesday morning at 1145 AM CDT.
...FLOOD WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL EARLY TOMORROW AFTERNOON...
* WHAT...Minor flooding is forecast.
* WHERE...Sulphur River Near Talco, Texas.
* WHEN...Until early Wednesday afternoon.
* IMPACTS...At 20 feet, Expect minor lowland flooding of the heavily
wooded floodplain. Ranchers that may have cattle and equipment in
the river bottoms should move them to higher ground.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
- At 9:45 AM CDT Tuesday the stage was 19.8 feet.
- Forecast...The river is expected to rise to a crest of 20.0
feet this Tuesday evening.
- Flood stage is 20 feet.
- http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.greenwichtime.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-SHREVEPORT-Warnings-Watches-and-17127468.php | 2022-04-26T16:36:09Z | https://www.greenwichtime.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-SHREVEPORT-Warnings-Watches-and-17127468.php | true |
NEW YORK, April 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- InvestorsObserver issues critical PriceWatch Alerts for JZXN, BRQS, GOVX, JBLU, and ITP.
To see how InvestorsObserver's proprietary scoring system rates these stocks, view the InvestorsObserver's PriceWatch Alert by selecting the corresponding link.
- JZXN: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-stocks-lp-2/?symbol=JZXN&prnumber=042620225
- BRQS: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-stocks-lp-2/?symbol=BRQS&prnumber=042620225
- GOVX: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-stocks-lp-2/?symbol=GOVX&prnumber=042620225
- JBLU: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-stocks-lp-2/?symbol=JBLU&prnumber=042620225
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SOURCE InvestorsObserver | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/26/thinking-about-buying-stock-jiuzi-borqs-technologies-geovax-labs-jetblue-airways-or-it-tech-packaging/ | 2022-04-26T16:38:05Z | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/26/thinking-about-buying-stock-jiuzi-borqs-technologies-geovax-labs-jetblue-airways-or-it-tech-packaging/ | false |
MIAMI , April 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Center TRT is a research institute based in the United States, with a team that has a long history of public health and evidence-based research policy, they are looking to run a study determining the true efficacy of testosterone supplements.
Dr Mark Watson of Center TRT said "from a consumer perspective the way many of these supplements are promoted is misleading at best. It's true that some contain ingredients that will tackle deficiencies, which will help many men suffering from low testosterone levels, vitamin D is a great example of this, but not all these so called testosterone boosters have ingredients that have had any robust clinical trials in humans. And there is even less that have been compared to a simple multivitamin and exercise. This is the first in a series of studies we're looking to undertake to have a better look at how effective these supplements really are.
There's actually one of the commercial products we're testing that positive about, but cheaper products on the market I doubt will fair well. And the sad truth is these cheaper products are targeted at people who are desperate, and unable to afford real TRT and they're wasting money they simply can't afford. As such we see it as important that in future there's more studies like this one, that the public can use to make an informed purchase."
The Center TRT study will be conducted in Fall 2022 aiming for 250 volunteers they're looking for. These volunteers will measure their testosterone levels before and after starting supplementation as well as regularly reporting on their diets, exercise rates, weights etc so allowances can be made for other effective methods of raising testosterone levels, such as more sleep, or increased muscle mass. The trial will last for 90 days and all results will be made freely available on their website.
Center TRT has selected 3 of the most popular and supposedly best testosterone boosters on the market that all use relatively different formulas, which will be tested against a cheap men's multivitamin and a placebo.
Center TRT are hoping to publish their testosterone booster report early 2023. The Center is also intending to run similar studies on other semi regulated supplements based on consumer wellbeing.
For any queries about the study please email contact@centertrt.org (Dr Mark Watson, Center TRT); or visit https://centertrt.org/Trails.html
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SOURCE Center TRT | https://www.wflx.com/prnewswire/2022/04/26/center-trt-seeking-men-30-50-trial-studying-efficacy-over-counter-testosterone-supplements/ | 2022-04-26T16:39:59Z | https://www.wflx.com/prnewswire/2022/04/26/center-trt-seeking-men-30-50-trial-studying-efficacy-over-counter-testosterone-supplements/ | true |
- Hyundai Hope Supplies Resources to Nonprofit Organizations that Support Health, Safety, and Food Insecurity and Hunger Issues
- Hyundai Donates $15,000 to the Food Bank for Monterey County
MONTEREY, Calif., April 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Motor America announced its new corporate social responsibility initiative, Hyundai Hope, with a $15,000 donation to the Food Bank for Monterey County. Hyundai Hope provides resources to nonprofit organizations that support three core pillars – health, safety, and food insecurity and hunger. A ceremonial check was presented to the Food Bank for Monterey County in Monterey, California.
"Hyundai is committed to making progress for humanity, and this begins with basic human needs like food and nutrition," said Brandon Ramirez, director, corporate social responsibility and external relations, Hyundai Motor America. "By partnering with organizations like the Food Bank for Monterey County, Hyundai Hope is dedicated to supporting local nonprofits with the goal of advancing this guiding principle to improve the communities we live and work in."
Food Bank for Monterey County provides high quality food, fresh produce, and educational and nutritional resources serving 1 in 4 children and 1 in 5 adults in the county. It provides sustainable innovative hunger relief programs that addresses its community's specific nutritional concerns. With this donation, the Food Bank for Monterey County will be able to provide 60,000 meals to the community.
Hyundai Hope previously partnered with Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago in support of its Buckle Up Child Passenger Safety Program (CPS). Hyundai will announce additional partnerships to support its other core pillars later this year.
Hyundai Hope
Hyundai Hope is a corporate social responsibility initiative from Hyundai Motor North America, committed to the principal of Progress for Humanity and the goal of improving the wellbeing of society. Hyundai Hope dedicates time and supplies resources to nonprofit organizations that support the health and safety of individuals and foster positive growth in communities.
Hyundai Motor America
Hyundai Motor America focuses on 'Progress for Humanity' and smart mobility solutions. Hyundai offers U.S. consumers a technology-rich lineup of cars, SUVs and electrified vehicles. Our 820 dealers sold more than 738,000 vehicles in the U.S. in 2021, and nearly half were built at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama. For more information, visit www.HyundaiNews.com.
Hyundai Motor America on Twitter | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn
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SOURCE Hyundai Motor America | https://www.wflx.com/prnewswire/2022/04/26/hyundai-strengthens-corporate-social-responsibility-efforts-with-hyundai-hope/ | 2022-04-26T16:42:31Z | https://www.wflx.com/prnewswire/2022/04/26/hyundai-strengthens-corporate-social-responsibility-efforts-with-hyundai-hope/ | true |
SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON) — Police in California are searching for a man who kidnapped a 3-month-old baby from a home on Monday afternoon.
The San Jose Police Department said the man entered a residence and left with the infant. The family did not recognize the suspect.
The suspect is a Hispanic male who was wearing black pants, a dark blue shirt, gray shoes with white trim, a gray baseball hat and a black face mask. The baby carrier was black with a white blanket.
The child, Brandon Cuellar, was wearing a white long-sleeve onesie with dinosaurs on it.
Early Tuesday, the California Highway Patrol released a description of a vehicle possibly used by the suspect.
Subsequently, SJPD stated to KRON4, “We cannot confirm any information regarding a CHP tweet about a possible suspect vehicle involved in the child abduction case. That information would not be for public dissemination. We will provide an update with the latest information via Twitter or to your News desks as the investigation progresses.”
The CHP then took down the tweet, which had described the vehicle as a 2011 Silver Nissan Quest.
A police officer confirmed to KRON4 on Tuesday morning that a car was being towed in connection with the case.
SJPD Sergeant Christian Camarillo said the child’s grandmother was watching him at the time of the kidnapping, and the boy’s mother was at work. Cuellar’s grandmother was downstairs unloading groceries when the kidnapper walked in and took the baby.
The FBI is assisting SJPD to find the missing child, it confirmed to KRON.
Police said the kidnapper arrived with his own carrier, KRON reported. Police do not believe he is homeless, based on his appearance.
Police said a cash reward will be offered for information on the case. Anyone with information is asked to call SJPD detectives at (408) 277-4166. Additional police hotline numbers are listed below:
- 408-537-1142
- 408-537-1916
- 408-537-1282
- 408-537-1522
- 408-537-9066 | https://www.conchovalleyhomepage.com/news/police-looking-for-man-who-walked-into-home-and-took-baby/ | 2022-04-26T16:45:10Z | https://www.conchovalleyhomepage.com/news/police-looking-for-man-who-walked-into-home-and-took-baby/ | true |
COVID-19 data reported less often
(CNN) - States are scaling back on reporting COVID-19 data, and experts said they are worried that less frequent reporting could stall efforts to delay outbreaks.
One year ago, all 50 states were reporting new cases daily, but that has trailed off.
Half of states report once a week, and Florida is down to every two weeks.
At a federal level, the White House COVID-19 team still publishes its “community profile report” with trends and indicators.
And just this month, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services extended the public health emergency declaration for another three months.
COVID-19 data throughout the pandemic has been utilized by governments at all levels.
Experts also shared that even as severe outcomes for COVID-19 improve, they remain much worse than a bad flu season.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.wistv.com/2022/04/25/covid-19-data-reported-less-often/ | 2022-04-26T16:46:43Z | https://www.wistv.com/2022/04/25/covid-19-data-reported-less-often/ | false |
WATCH: Truck driver nearly hits school bus full of kids when brakes fail
MONTVILLE TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WEWS) - A truck driver in Ohio narrowly missed hitting a school bus filled with children when he lost control and was unable to brake.
The Montville Police Department released dashcam footage from the Tuesday morning incident. It shows the moments a driver lost control of his tractor-trailer. The 80,000-pound vehicle was racing down the street, unable to brake, at 40 to 45 miles per hour.
The driver laid on the horn, as the truck neared a school bus stopped on the road to pick up elementary school students. The bus had its red lights flashing and its stop sign arm out.
In the dashcam video, the truck driver started yelling as he neared the back of the bus, “Stop. Stop. Stop. No!”
The bus driver, who was training a new driver, was alarmed by the sound of a horn behind her.
“Good God, he ain’t gonna make it,” she said on video from inside the bus.
Thankfully, the truck driver was able to weave between the bus and a pickup truck on the other side of the road.
The driver of the pickup truck, Josh Click, had to back up and into an SUV behind him to make room for the oncoming tractor-trailer.
“I’m just kind of sitting there. Next thing I know, I hear a horn blaring, and I look up and realize there is a tractor-trailer heading down my way, head on,” Click said. “So, I had to do what I had to do to protect myself and the kids. It was one of those moments where you realize things can happen in an instant.”
In video, after the truck sped past, one child on the bus can be heard asking, “What was that?”
“You don’t want to know,” replied one of the bus drivers, both shocked and relieved.
The truck continued about a quarter-mile down the road before it was able to stop.
The close call sent shivers down the spines of school district employees, parents and police.
Police Chief Matt Neil said this could have been a major disaster, potentially resulting in many injuries or fatalities.
“I’m just glad that crisis was averted. This could have been devastating to our community and to the whole county, the whole area,” Neil said. “He [The driver] handled everything in a very professional manner. In 15 seconds, he had to make a decision: Where am I putting this 80,000-pound truck?”
Police still have many questions about the incident. They were not initially aware of the potential brake failure, and the truck driver drove it back to a truck yard before officers had a chance to talk to him.
Police may consult with prosecutors about possible charges.
A motor carrier inspector is also part of the ongoing investigation.
Copyright 2022 WEWS via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.wistv.com/2022/04/25/watch-truck-driver-nearly-hits-school-bus-full-kids-when-brakes-fail/ | 2022-04-26T16:47:39Z | https://www.wistv.com/2022/04/25/watch-truck-driver-nearly-hits-school-bus-full-kids-when-brakes-fail/ | false |
After 50-year-old Wynn Bruce, a climate activist and Buddhist, set himself on fire in front of the U.S. Supreme Court last week, a national conversation flared up around his motivation and whether he may have been inspired by Buddhist monks who self-immolated in the past to protest government atrocities.
Bruce, a photographer from Boulder, Colorado, walked up to the plaza of the Supreme Court around 6:30 p.m. Friday – on Earth Day — then sat down and set himself ablaze, a law enforcement official said. Supreme Court police officers responded immediately but were unable to extinguish the blaze in time to save him.
Investigators, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, said they did not immediately locate a manifesto or note at the scene and that officials were still working to determine a motive.
On April 23, Kritee Kanko, a Zen Buddhist priest who described herself as Bruce’s friend, shared an emotional post on her public Twitter account saying his self-immolation was “not suicide” but “a deeply fearless act of compassion to bring attention to climate crisis.”
She added that Bruce had been planning the act for at least a year. She wrote: “#wynnbruce I am so moved.” She got sympathetic responses as well as backlash.
Kanko and other members of the Rocky Mountain Ecodharma Retreat Center in Boulder, released a statement Monday saying “none of the Buddhist teachers in the Boulder area knew about (Bruce’s) plans to self-immolate on this Earth Day,” and that had they known about his plan, they would have stopped him. Bruce was a frequent visitor to the Buddhist retreat center in the mountains near Boulder where he meditated with the community, Kanko said.
“We have never talked about self-immolation, and we do not think self-immolation is a climate action,” the statement said. “Nevertheless, given the dire state of the planet and worsening climate crisis, we understand why someone might do that.”
On Facebook, Bruce wrote about following the spiritual tradition of Shambhala, which combines Tibetan Buddhism with the principles of living “an uplifted life, fully engaged with the world,” according to the Boulder Shambhala Center. Bruce also posted praise for Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh, a leader of engaged Buddhism, around the time of his death in January.
Bruce’s act of sitting down and setting himself on fire was reminiscent of the events of June 11, 1963, when Thich Quang Duc, a Vietnamese monk, seated cross-legged, burned himself to death at a busy Saigon intersection. He was protesting the persecution of Buddhists by the South Vietnamese government led by Ngo Dinh Diem, a staunch Catholic.
In a letter to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr,. whom Hanh counted as a friend, Hanh wrote that he drew inspiration from the Vietnamese monk’s self-sacrifice, saying: “To burn oneself by fire is to prove what one is saying is of the utmost importance. There is nothing more painful than burning oneself. To say something while experiencing this kind of pain is to say it with utmost courage, frankness, determination and sincerity.”
In Tibet, anti-Chinese activists have employed self-immolation as a form of protest. The International Campaign for Tibet says 131 men and 28 women – monks, nuns and laypeople among them – have self-immolated since 2009 to protest against Beijing’s strict controls over the region and their religion.
Buddhism as a religion does not unilaterally condone the act of self-immolation or taking one’s life, said Robert Barnett, a London-based researcher of modern Tibetan history and politics.
“Killing yourself is considered damaging in Buddhism because life is precious,” he said. “But if a person self-immolates because of a higher motivation and it’s not out of a negative emotion such as depression or sadness, then the Buddhist position becomes far more complex.”
If self-immolation is done to help the world, it might be accepted as a positive action, Barnett said. He cited a story from the “Jataka Tales,” a body of South Asian literature concerning the prior incarnations of the Buddha in human and animal form. In that particular tale, an incarnation of the Buddha, in an act of selfless compassion, offers himself to an emaciated tigress who was so hungry that she was ready to devour her own cubs.
“But that kind of self-sacrifice is not encouraged, developed or talked about for normal people (other than the Buddha),” he said, adding that this is because of “the immense difficulty of cultivating positive motivation in any situation, let alone maintaining it under stress or in conditions of extreme pain.”
Buddhism emphasizes emotional balance, inclusiveness, kindness, compassion and wisdom, said Roshi Joan Halifax, an environmental activist and abbot of the Upaya Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
“What we’re seeing today among many people is hopelessness,” she said. “What we are called to do is not to be disabled by that sense of futility, but to transform our moral suffering into wise hope and courageous action.”
Despite the pessimism that some climate activists may feel, there is reason to remain hopeful, Halifax said.
“You see that people are waking up to the magnitude of the climate catastrophe,” she said, noting that countries and corporations are moving away from damaging practices and toward clean energy.
“I feel inspired and hopeful by our ability to change and adapt in this ever-changing world,” she said. “My heart is heavy that (Bruce) did not have that kind of optimism.”
Those who knew Bruce saw a man who was kind, playful and idealistic – an avid dancer who participated in weekly events. He was also known for biking and embracing public transportation.
Bruce, who enjoyed the outdoors, brought an intensity to whatever he did, said his friend Jeffry Buechler. On Buechler’s wedding day in 2014, Bruce, on a whim, decided to go for a dip in a cold mountain lake early in the morning, he said.
Bruce also suffered lasting effects from a brain injury he sustained in a car wreck that killed his best friend about 30 years ago, Buechler said.
Marco DeGaetano, who met Bruce in the 1990s when they both attended a Universalist church in Denver, said “Wynn seemed to have an affinity for people who needed help."
He recalled Bruce being kind to a church member with a mental illness when others distanced themselves.
DeGaetano said he last saw Bruce about a month ago, and he seemed outgoing and friendly as always — every time he saw Bruce, “he had a smile on his face.”
___
Bharath reported from Los Angeles and Slevin from Denver. Associated Press writer Michael Balsamo in Washington D.C. and researcher Rhonda Shafner in New York also contributed.
___
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.sfgate.com/news/article/Activist-s-self-immolation-stirs-questions-on-17127725.php | 2022-04-26T16:50:16Z | https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Activist-s-self-immolation-stirs-questions-on-17127725.php | true |
WFO SHREVEPORT Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, April 27, 2022
_____
FLOOD WARNING
Flood Statement
National Weather Service Shreveport LA
1009 AM CDT Tue Apr 26 2022
...The Flood Warning continues for the following river in Texas...
Sulphur River Near Talco affecting Morris, Titus, Franklin and
Red River Counties.
For the Sulphur River...including Talco...Minor flooding is forecast.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Do not drive cars through flooded areas.
Caution is urged when walking near riverbanks.
Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.
For more hydrologic information, copy and paste the following website
address into your favorite web browser URL bar:
water.weather.gov/ahps2/index.php?wfo=shv
The next statement will be issued Wednesday morning at 1145 AM CDT.
...FLOOD WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL EARLY TOMORROW AFTERNOON...
* WHAT...Minor flooding is forecast.
* WHERE...Sulphur River Near Talco, Texas.
* WHEN...Until early Wednesday afternoon.
* IMPACTS...At 20 feet, Expect minor lowland flooding of the heavily
wooded floodplain. Ranchers that may have cattle and equipment in
the river bottoms should move them to higher ground.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
- At 9:45 AM CDT Tuesday the stage was 19.8 feet.
- Forecast...The river is expected to rise to a crest of 20.0
feet this Tuesday evening.
- Flood stage is 20 feet.
- http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.sfgate.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-SHREVEPORT-Warnings-Watches-and-17127468.php | 2022-04-26T16:54:06Z | https://www.sfgate.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-SHREVEPORT-Warnings-Watches-and-17127468.php | true |
Which women’s Maui Jim sunglasses are best?
Everyone needs a good pair of sunglasses. Whether you’re driving around on a bright summer day, walking along the beach or just want to look cool, Maui Jim has the perfect pair of shades for you. All their lenses come with the brand’s PolarizedPlus 2 technology, which blocks glare and makes your surroundings look clear and vibrant. That said, Maui Jim sunglasses don’t come cheap. Its least expensive pair costs roughly $150.
The best women’s Maui Jim sunglasses are the Maui Jim Stingray Rectangular Sunglasses. They come in two colors and are among Maui Jim’s bestselling models.
What to know before you buy women’s Maui Jim sunglasses
Frame style
Maui Jim offers more than 100 frame styles, but here are some of the most popular options.
- Aviator frames are round along the top and come to a tapered point on the bottom. It often has a double bridge across the nose.
- Wrap frames continue past the front of the ear and wrap around the sides to provide more protection than most other frames.
- Round frames are exactly what they sound like. They have either an oval or circular shape. Many are oversized for fashion and effect.
- Cat-eye frames have an upward tilt to them, giving them more of a feminine look.
- Fashion frames are a catch-all term for frames that experiment with new shapes and designs.
Lens color
Maui Jim sunglasses have different lens colors, which will impact your vision in different ways.
- Gray lenses help resist direct, bright sunlight, and the neutral color makes it easy for you to perceive vivid color.
- Bronze lenses are best for all-day wear since the color reacts well to different light conditions. They also add warmth to what you see.
- Green lenses are best for situations with lower light levels. They can also make golf a little easier.
- Rose lenses provide high levels of contrast in all light conditions.
What to look for in quality women’s Maui Jim sunglasses
Frame material
Women’s Maui Jim sunglasses frames are usually either plastic or metal.
- Plastic frames are typically nylon or acetate. Plastic is easier to manipulate, so the majority of Maui Jim frames use this material. They also come in a wide range of colors.
- Metal frames are usually titanium, but you may find frames made of stainless steel and nickel. Titanium is the most durable, but it’s also the most expensive. Stainless steel is common due to its strength and affordability. Nickel is the most affordable, but it tends to irritate the skin.
Lens material
Women’s Maui Jim sunglasses lenses are usually glass or polycarbonate. Sometimes you’ll find a mixture of the two.
- Glass lenses, branded as SuperThin Glass, have the highest visual quality. They’re also scratch-resistant and lighter than standard glasses lenses.
- Polycarbonate lenses, branded as MauiEvolution, are the most durable. However, they offer the lowest visual quality.
- Mixed lenses, branded as MauiPure, are most commonly used. They offer the same durability as polycarbonate and most of the visual quality of glass.
How much you can expect to spend on women’s Maui Jim sunglasses
Women’s Maui Jim sunglasses typically cost between $150-$300. The $150-$200 models are as simple as they come, so if you want to showcase some style, you’ll need to spend $200-$250. The best and newest Maui Jim sunglasses cost $250 or more.
Women’s Maui Jim sunglasses FAQ
Which frame styles work best on each face shape?
A. Generally speaking, you should choose frames with shapes that are the opposite of your face.
- Round faces look best in squared or aviator frames.
- Oblong faces look best in round or oval frames.
- Oval faces can pull off most frame shapes, so long as the frames are wide.
- Heart-shaped faces look best in squared frames.
How should I clean my women’s Maui Jim sunglasses?
A. The best way to clean your lenses is to first rinse them in water. Then, apply a tiny drop of dish soap to one lens, gently mix it in a splash of water and rub each side of each lens with the solution. Finally, rinse the lenses off and let them air dry. You can also gingerly dab away any remaining water with a soft cloth.
What are the best women’s Maui Jim sunglasses to buy?
Top women’s Maui Jim sunglasses
Maui Jim Stingray Rectangular Sunglasses
What you need to know: These frames are one of Maui Jim’s classic designs.
What you’ll love: They come in reddish tortoiseshell or black frames, with bronze or gray lenses. The lenses are polarized, waterproof, ultra-violet protected and anti-reflective. The hinges are corrosion-resistant, and the frames are nylon.
What you should consider: The narrow, blocky frames don’t look good on everyone. Some consumers had issues with fragile lenses.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Macy’s
Top women’s Maui Jim sunglasses for the money
Maui Jim Sugar Beach Aviator Sunglasses
What you need to know: These are one of Maui Jim’s most affordable pairs of sunglasses.
What you’ll love: They come in bronze frames with bronze lenses or black frames with gray lenses. You can adjust the frames and nose pieces to best fit your face. The frames are nylon, and the polarized lenses are 62 millimeters wide with UV protection and anti-glare.
What you should consider: The lack of frames makes them delicate. Some customers had issues with bad hinges. Others felt the gray lenses were too dark.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Maui Jim Baby Beach Aviator Sunglasses
What you need to know: These are among Maui Jim’s highest-quality frames.
What you’ll love: They come in four designs, including lenses in bronze, rose, blue or gray. The lenses are 56 millimeters wide and are polarized, UV-protected and anti-glare. The frames are titanium, and the adjustable nose bridge has nonslip silicone pads.
What you should consider: They’re among Maui Jim’s most expensive frames. They’re also on the small side, so they won’t fit larger faces well.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://cbs4indy.com/reviews/br/fashion-accessories-br/sunglasses-eyewear-br/best-womens-maui-jim-sunglasses/ | 2022-04-26T16:54:12Z | https://cbs4indy.com/reviews/br/fashion-accessories-br/sunglasses-eyewear-br/best-womens-maui-jim-sunglasses/ | true |
A national survey to better understand Maltese society has been launched with the aim of once again identifying people's views on various topics, including politics, religion, family life and other aspects that shape the nation.
President George Vella announced on Tuesday that, for the second year running, a survey by statistician Vincent Marmarà and communications consultant Lou Bondi is being carried out in collaboration with the Office of the President.
The results of the survey, which will be conducted among at least 1,000 people aged 16 and over, will be revealed and discussed during a conference to be held on June 9.
"We learnt a lot last year and we can now continue to build on what we had discovered. The themes and subjects put to the people will be practically the same, however, the debate will not be tied just to the findings. These will open up the discussion which will go beyond simply analysing the survey results," Vella said.
He noted that, in the past months, Malta had an election and a visit from the Pope while it also continued to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. In more recent weeks, there has also been the Ukraine war which, even if indirectly, still impacts Maltese society.
"We need to always keep in mind the context this survey is being held in. In the local context, we have just been through an election campaign, for instance. Will politics continue to mean partisan politics or will we move forwards?
"We also had the pope’s visit recently but, from the survey, can we establish whether this actually left an impact on the nation?" Vella said.
He also said he was looking forward to comparing the results from the previous survey to those from this year's study.
Asked by Times of Malta whether those surveyed will be asked for their views on abortion and euthanasia, two topics that tend to evoke strong views among the Maltese, Vella said there will not be any questions on the two topics.
"We're not excluding the issues being discussed but there are no questions on those two issues, no. We want to understand what is behind people's opinons.
"But we will not stop any debate and we will not stop panellists from bringing up these issues," he said.
Last year's results had shown, among many things, that 83% of the Maltese have always voted for the same political party, that the majority were not in favour of multiculturalism and that 93% of respondents believed in God while 60% said religion was important to them.
Independent journalism costs money. Support Times of Malta for the price of a coffee.
Support Us | https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/state-of-the-nation-survey-aims-to-again-understand-maltese-society.950770 | 2022-04-26T16:55:46Z | https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/state-of-the-nation-survey-aims-to-again-understand-maltese-society.950770 | false |
Kabul Zalmi Live Stars (KZLS) will take on HKSZ Stars (HKZ) in the 20th match of the Sharjah Ramadan T10 League 2022 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah on Tuesday.
KZLS failed to win their opening game of the tournament. They managed only 48 runs in a rare off day in the office for their batters. The opposition chased down the target with ease.
Meanwhile, HKSZ Stars have won both their league games so far. They are atop the points table, beating Future Mattress by 26 runs in their last game.
KZLS vs HKZ Probable Playing XIs
KZLS
Rafeeq Zaman, Muhammad Shahzaib (Wk), Noor Ul Haq, Amjad Khan, Mohad Gul, Abdul Lateef (c), Zabih Ullah, Irfan Ullah, Noor Ayobi, Wasim Akram, Unaib Rehman.
HKZ
Khalil Ur Rahman, Anas Mustafa, Muhammad Saleem, Adeel Meo, Farhan Nazar, Kaif Ramzan (c), Abdul Ghaffar, Saifullah Bangash (wk), Shaamil Ramzan, Haider Ali, Ali Raza.
Match Details
Match: KZLS vs HKZ, Sharjah Ramadan T10 League 2022, Match 20.
Date and Time: April 26, 2022; 11:30 PM IST.
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah.
Pitch Report
The wicket has pace and bounce, so batters are expected to excel. The team winning the toss should look to bat first and get enough runs on the board. A score of 170 is expected to be par.
Today’s KZLS vs HKZ Dream11 match top picks
Wicketkeeper
S Bangash is a more than reliable choice for the wicketkeeper slot in your Dream11 Fantasy team. He is difficult to stop once he gets going. He scored 143 runs in four games in the Ramadan T20 League.
Batters
K Ur Rahman has been in sublime form with the bat. He has amassed 116 runs in two games and could prove to be a fine multiplier pick in your Dream11 Fantasy team.
A Mustafa is a reliable top-order batter who will look to get a good score. He has scored 202 runs in seven innings at an average of over 33 and has a strike rate of over 210 in the T20 League.
All-rounders
K Ramzan is a wonderful all-rounder who has claimed four wickets at an economy rate of 3.75 and can also bat well.
Bowlers
H Ali will be expected to lead his side’s bowling unit. He has picked up five wickets in two games and will hope for more here.
Five best players to pick in KZLS vs HKZ Dream11 prediction team
K Ur Rahman (HKZ) – 191 points
K Ramzan (HKZ) – 173 points
H Ali (HKZ) – 173 points
W Akram (KZLS) – 74 points
A Ghaffar (HKZ) – 71 points.
Key stats for KZLS vs HKZ Dream11 prediction team
K Ur Rahman: 116 runs
K Ramzan: 4 wickets
H Ali: 5 wickets
W Akram: 2 wickets
M Shahzaib: 23 runs.
KZLS vs HKZ Dream11 Prediction
Fantasy Suggestion #1: S Bangash, M Shahzaib, K Ur Rahman, A Mustafa, A Khan, K Ramzan, W Akram, A Lateef, H Ali, A Ghaffar, I Ullah.
Captain: K Ur Rahman. Vice-Captain: K Ramzan.
Fantasy Suggestion #2: S Bangash, M Shahzaib, K Ur Rahman, A Mustafa, A Khan, K Ramzan, W Akram, A Meo, H Ali, A Raza, I Ullah.
Captain: H Ali. Vice-Captain: W Akram | https://www.sportskeeda.com/fantasy-cricket-mantra/kzls-vs-hkz-dream11-prediction-fantasy-cricket-tips-today-s-playing-11s-pitch-report-sharjah-ramadan-t10-league-2022-match-20 | 2022-04-26T16:56:06Z | https://www.sportskeeda.com/fantasy-cricket-mantra/kzls-vs-hkz-dream11-prediction-fantasy-cricket-tips-today-s-playing-11s-pitch-report-sharjah-ramadan-t10-league-2022-match-20 | true |
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WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumer confidence dampened slightly in April but remains high even as inflation continues to cloud their optimism about the rest of the year.
The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index — which takes into account consumers’ assessment of current conditions and their outlook for the future — edged down to 107.3 in April, from 107.6 in March.
The business research group’s present situation index, which measures consumers’ assessment of current business and labor conditions, also dipped modestly this month to 152.6 from 153.8 in March.
The expectations index, based on consumers’ six-month outlook for income, business and labor market conditions, ticked up to 77.2 in April from 76.7 in March. It stood at 80.8 in February and remains a weak spot in the survey.
“Purchasing intentions are down overall from recent levels as interest rates have begun rising,” said Lynn Franco, the Conference Board’s senior director of economic indicators. “Meanwhile, concerns about inflation retreated from an all-time high in March but remained elevated.”
Franco added that inflation and the war in Ukraine will continue to eat into confidence and may further curb consumer spending through this year.
Inflation soared over the past year at its fastest pace in more than 40 years, with costs for food, gasoline, housing and other necessities squeezing American consumers and negating their pay raises.
According to the index Americans have scuttled some vacation plans, but slightly more intended to make big purchases like a car or major appliance.
The Federal Reserve raised its main borrowing rate by a quarter point last month, the main mechanism for combatting inflation. Multiple rate hikes, with the possibility of half-point increases, are expected this year.
The Labor Department said earlier this month that its consumer price index jumped 8.5% in March from 12 months earlier, the sharpest year-over-year increase since 1981. Prices have been driven up by bottlenecked supply chains, robust consumer demand and disruptions to global food and energy markets worsened by Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Consumers were slightly less optimistic about the labor market, even as U.S. employers have added at least 400,000 jobs for 11 straight months, pushing the unemployment rate down to 3.6%. That’s the lowest rate since the pandemic erupted two years ago and just above the half-century low of 3.5% that was reached two years ago. | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/nation-world/us-consumers-still-confident-in-april-but-slightly-less-so/JCKV4O526RE4PMXXKHOSEGICEM/ | 2022-04-26T16:57:49Z | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/nation-world/us-consumers-still-confident-in-april-but-slightly-less-so/JCKV4O526RE4PMXXKHOSEGICEM/ | false |
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s government announced plans to drastically reduce flights at Warsaw's two airports starting Sunday if talks with air traffic controllers demanding better working conditions fail.
Regulations published late Monday state the Frederic Chopin and Modlin airports would operate from 07:30 GMT until 15:00 GMT each day and only handle flights to and from key destinations.
The majority of air traffic controllers in Warsaw are threatening to quit their jobs May 1 after a drawn-out conflict with Poland's air navigation authority over working hours, pay and the authority's financial transparency.
The conflict is coming to a head at a time when world leaders have been coming to Warsaw for talks on supporting neighboring Ukraine in its fight against Russia's invasion.
Due to the war across the border, Poland's eastern skies have been dedicated to the needs of Polish and U.S. military forces stationed in the area with the goal of strengthening Poland's security.
Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki suggested Tuesday that the controllers’ union should cede on some points. He said that controllers typically work 30 hours a week and earn up to 45,000 zlotys ($10,000) pre-tax a month, which are highly favorable terms by Poland's standards.
The Trade Union of Air Traffic Controllers disputed the figures. It said earning are much lower, and that individuals with 30 years’ experience can earn about 33,000 zlotys ($7,600) a month before taxes.
The union claimed that in the past two years, controllers have been expected to work shifts single-handedly or sometimes put in 12-hours shifts, conditions it described as a flight safety threat.
The union also accused state air navigation authority PANSA of neglecting some international flight regulations.
The labor dispute started about two years ago with the appointment of a loyalist of Poland's right-wing government as PANSA's chief. Janusz Janiszewski increased the working hours and reduced the pay of air traffic controllers, arguing that traffic was much smaller during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As some controllers quit and some flights were delayed at Warsaw's airports, Janiszewski was fired March 31. A state auditing body found issues with his management, Polish media reported. | https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/article/Poland-to-reduce-flights-if-talks-with-17127645.php | 2022-04-26T17:00:25Z | https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/article/Poland-to-reduce-flights-if-talks-with-17127645.php | false |
ZURICH (AP) — Russia was removed Tuesday as host of the 2023 world championship in men’s ice hockey that was to be played in Vladimir Putin’s home city St. Petersburg.
Citing “concern for the safety and well-being of all participating players, officials, media, and fans,” the International Ice Hockey Federation announced the decision after its ruling council met.
The latest blow to Russia in its favored winter sports follows one day after its signature annual international figure skating competition was pulled by the International Skating Union in the fallout from the country's war on Ukraine.
The IIHF said its officials “expressed significant concerns over the safe freedom of movement of players and officials to, from, and within Russia.”
Similar reasons were given last month for stripping the 2023 world juniors event from Russia. That championship was to be played in Omsk and Novosibirsk.
Russia had committed to build a new 23,000-seat arena for the men’s worlds that was scheduled for May 2023.
A new host will be picked during the men’s world championships which starts next month in Finland, the governing body said.
___ More AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/sports/article/Russia-removed-as-host-of-2023-worlds-in-men-s-17127581.php | 2022-04-26T17:01:51Z | https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/sports/article/Russia-removed-as-host-of-2023-worlds-in-men-s-17127581.php | true |
Customs serves notice on Thrikkakara Municipality Vice Chairman
Ibrahim Kutty to be quizzed in connection with gold smuggling case
Cochin Customs has served a notice on Ibrahim Kutty, the Vice Chairman of Thrikkakara Municipality and a member of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), to appear before it on Wednesday for interrogation in connection with a gold smuggling case.
The agency had held an inspection at his residence earlier in the day. The agency is believed to have seized some incriminating evidence including documents pertaining to the financing of gold smuggling.
It was on Saturday that the Customs officials seized around 2.25 kg of gold, which was found concealed in a meat mincing machine. The agency is on a look out for three persons in connection with the case.
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- Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name, to avoid rejection. | https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/customs-serves-notice-on-thrikkakara-municipality-vice-chairman/article65357458.ece | 2022-04-26T17:02:11Z | https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/customs-serves-notice-on-thrikkakara-municipality-vice-chairman/article65357458.ece | true |
Amb. Karen Pierce calls on Putin to declare cease-fire, withdraw from Ukraine: It's in his hands
'This is a conflict provoked entirely by Russia,' Pierce said on 'America's Newsroom'
British Ambassador to the U.S. Karen Pierce called on President Vladimir Putin to withdraw from Ukraine Tuesday and allow humanitarian aid to be delivered, reminding co-hosts Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino on "America's Newsroom" that Ukraine did not attack or provoke Russia and ending the war is in Putin's hands.
PENTAGON'S KIRBY SAYS 'SINGULAR OBJECTIVE' AGAINST RUSSIA IS PROTECTING UKRAINE 'SOVEREIGNTY'
AMB. KAREN PIERCE: It ought to end with Russia declaring a cease-fire and then withdrawing and allowing humanitarian assistance to get to the Ukrainians who Russia has injured with its shelling. I think we have to bear in mind this is a conflict provoked entirely by Russia. Ukraine did not attack Russia. Ukraine did not provoke Russia. NATO didn't attack. NATO didn't provoke. This is entirely down to Russia and to President Putin. So it's in their hands. They need to call the cease-fire, and they need to start withdrawing.
WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW BELOW: | https://www.foxnews.com/media/ukraine-russia-putin-ceasefire-war-karen-pierece | 2022-04-26T17:06:28Z | https://www.foxnews.com/media/ukraine-russia-putin-ceasefire-war-karen-pierece | true |
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. General Assembly took a first step to put the five permanent members of the Security Council under a global spotlight Tuesday when they use their veto power, a move highlighted by Russia’s veto and threat of future vetoes that has paralyzed any action by the U.N.’s most powerful body on the Ukraine war.
The resolution, which was adopted by consensus by the 193-member assembly with the bang of its president’s gavel and a burst of applause, does not eliminate or limit the veto power of the permanent members -- the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France.
But for the first time it will require the General Assembly “to hold a debate on the situation” that sparks a veto in the Security Council within 10 working days, and to give precedence on the list of speakers to the permanent member who cast the veto.
The assembly isn’t required to take or consider any action, but the discussion could put veto-wielders on the spot and let a raft of other countries be heard.
Liechtenstein’s U.N. ambassador, Christian Wenaweser, who spearheaded the resolution, has said it aims “to promote the voice of all of us who are not veto-holders, and who are not on the Security Council, on matters of international peace and security because they affect all of us.”
Presenting the resolution to the assembly on Tuesday morning, Wenaweser alluded to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24 and the Security Council’s failure to take action saying: “There has never been a stronger need for effective multilateralism than today, and there has never been a stronger need for innovation in order to secure the central role and voice of the United Nations.”
The resolution had about 80 co-sponsors including the United States and the United Kingdom.
The reform of the Security Council, which is charged under the U.N. Charter with ensuring international peace and security, has been discussed and debated for more than 40 years, and was front and center in comments by countries before and after the resolution’s adoption on Tuesday.
There is widespread support for revamping the U.N.’s most powerful organ to reflect current global realities rather than the international power structure after World War II in 1945 when the United Nations was created. But all previous attempts, starting in 1979, have failed because rivalries between countries and regions have blocked agreement on the size, composition and powers of an expanded council.
The veto power of the five permanent members is one component on the reform agenda.
By now, more than 200 different Security Council proposals have been vetoed, some by multiple countries, according to U.N. records. The subjects have ranged from the Korean War and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to climate change, reporting on weapons stockpiles, and governance of a part of the Indian Ocean nation Comoros.
The former Soviet Union and its successor Russia have cast the most vetoes by far, followed by the United States. Far fewer have been cast by Britain, China and France. | https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4520130 | 2022-04-26T17:07:52Z | https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4520130 | false |
A new study from the National Bureau of Economic Research is causing quite a stir. It provocatively suggests that executives with MBAs oversee a decline in employee pay while failing to increase company profits or sales. Its lead author is MIT’s Daron Acemoglu, an economist whose work cannot be ignored.
But the study’s depressing findings are unsurprising to me as a former longtime dean of a prominent business school. That’s because embedded in many of the tools MBA students are taught is the doctrine that sound business decisions are based on rigorous data analysis. By the time they graduate, lots of MBAs feel that a decision based on anything else is beneath them. They are never told it in that many words. But after they have been taught data analytical methods in every course for every conceivable problem, they get the point.
These data-obsessed MBAs optimize anything they can analyze — as if the future will behave like the past, including employee costs. They don’t imagine that grinding costs down by chopping head count and suppressing wages will hurt performance. And they believe the cuts are justified because they’re based on rigorous analysis.
The same numbers-driven approach hurts their ability to grow sales and profits. In relying so heavily on data, they’re implicitly assuming that the future will be identical to the past. It usually isn’t.
The other major teaching method in business schools, the case study method, is also backward-looking. Students read a story of a historical business dilemma and try to figure out what the boss should do. This might seem as if it takes creativity and imagination, but the professor is relying on a teaching note that describes a precise learning pathway. The professor carefully guides the class to the predetermined answer during what masquerades as a free-form case discussion.
In the real world of business, the future is notoriously different than the past. There are no predetermined answers. Steve Jobs — who never got an MBA, but did enjoy calligraphy — understood this. So do Brian Chesky and Joe Geggia, who were classmates at the Rhode Island School of Design before cofounding Airbnb. And so does Janice Bryant Howroyd, founder of The ActOne Group, a billion-dollar staffing company. She majored in English.
Perhaps this is one reason for the pushback in MBA programs on the absolute dominance of science over imagination. MBA students are clamoring for design content to be imported into their programs, which some schools are doing — including Darden, MIT and Rotman. In these business design courses and co-curricular activities (taught mainly by non-tenured stream faculty), students are taught to use ethnographic techniques to develop deeper customer understanding, to listen to diverse viewpoints to broaden their range of creative possibilities, and to use rapid iterative prototyping to fine-tune customer offerings.
The notion that rigorous decision-making must always be based on data analysis is one example of a model — a framework or way of thinking. This model took hold in 1959, when business education went all-in on science in response to harsh criticism from studies by the Ford and Carnegie foundations. Sixty-three years later, the model still dominates. The result is rigorous stupidity.
Ironically, the father of Western science himself, Greek philosopher Aristotle, was clear on the limits of his data analytical methodology. It should only be used in situations in which the future will be identical to the past — as in the physical world, where the force of gravity or the atomic weight of copper doesn’t change. Were he alive today, Aristotle would be appalled that MBA students are being taught to use his methodology in territory way outside its proper domain.
The point is not only that it’s time to retire the model that demands universal application of data analysis, but that it is crucial for all business leaders — not just MBA students — to avoid being captured by their models and instead cultivate new ways of thinking.
More from Bloomberg Opinion:
• Workers Are Winning the Return-to-Office War Because They’re Right: Adrian Wooldridge
• Return to the Office? Managers Shouldn’t Overstate the Benefits: Sarah Green Carmichael
• They Failed a Trust Test, Then Chose Finance. Any Questions?: Justin Fox
This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.
Roger L. Martin, an author and adviser, is the former dean of the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management. His new book is “A New Way to Think.”
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion
©2022 Bloomberg L.P. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/the-real-reasonmba-graduates-make-worse-managers/2022/04/26/931a95f6-c576-11ec-8cff-33b059f4c1b7_story.html | 2022-04-26T17:13:17Z | https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/the-real-reasonmba-graduates-make-worse-managers/2022/04/26/931a95f6-c576-11ec-8cff-33b059f4c1b7_story.html | true |
Harvard sets up $100 million slavery reparation fund: University pumps huge sum into closing gaps 'caused by the legacy of racism' as report finds it benefited from the trade AFTER it was outlawed in Massachusetts
- The email from Lawrence Bacow included a link to a 100-page report by college
- The report lifted a lid on a history of slaves said to have had to toil on the campus
- It said the college benefited from the slave trade after Massachusetts banned it
Harvard University is setting aside $100million for an endowment fund and other measures to close the educational, social and economic gaps that are legacies of slavery and racism, the university´s president has said.
The email from Lawrence Bacow included a link to a 100-page report by his university´s 14-member Committee on Harvard and the Legacy of Slavery.
The panel was chaired by Tomiko Brown-Nagin, a legal historian who is dean of Harvard's interdisciplinary Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study.
The move comes amid a wider conversation about redressing the impacts of centuries of slavery, discrimination and racism.
The report laid out a history of slaves toiling on the campus and of the university benefiting from the slave trade and industries linked to slavery after slavery was outlawed in Massachusetts in 1783 - 147 years after Harvard´s founding.
The report also documents Harvard excluding Black students and its scholars advocating racism.
Harvard University is setting aside $100million for an endowment fund and other measures to close the educational, social and economic gaps that are legacies of slavery and racism, the university´s president has said (file photo)
In his email, Harvard President Bacow (pictured) said a committee would explore transforming the recommendations into action and that a university governing board had authorized $100 million for implementation, with some of the funds held in an endowment
While Harvard had notable figures among abolitionists and in the civil rights movement, the report said, 'the nation´s oldest institution of higher education ... helped to perpetuate the era´s racial oppression and exploitation.'
The report's authors recommended offering descendants of people enslaved at Harvard educational and other support so they 'can recover their histories, tell their stories, and pursue empowering knowledge.'
Other recommendations included that the Ivy League school fund summer programs to bring students and faculty from long underfunded historically Black colleges and universities to Harvard, and to send Harvard students and faculty to the institutions known as HBCUs, such as Howard University.
In his email, Harvard President Bacow said a committee would explore transforming the recommendations into action and that a university governing board had authorized $100 million for implementation, with some of the funds held in an endowment.
The report's authors recommended offering descendants of people enslaved at Harvard educational and other support so they 'can recover their histories, tell their stories, and pursue empowering knowledge' (file photo)
'Slavery and its legacy have been a part of American life for more than 400 years,' Bacow wrote.
'The work of further redressing its persistent effects will require our sustained and ambitious efforts for years to come.'
Other US institutions of higher learning have created funds in recent years to address legacies of slavery.
A law enacted in Virginia last year requires five public state universities to create scholarships for descendants of people enslaved by the institutions. | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10755647/Harvard-sets-100-million-endowment-fund-slavery-reparations.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | 2022-04-26T17:15:53Z | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10755647/Harvard-sets-100-million-endowment-fund-slavery-reparations.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | true |
(NewsNation) — Kirsten Bridegan’s life was turned upside down when her husband was killed in what she, and police, believe was a targeted attack.
Jared Bridegan, 33, was a father of four — two younger girls with Kirsten and a set of twins from a previous marriage — and worked as an executive at Microsoft.
On Feb. 16, Jared dropped off his elder kids at their mother’s Jacksonville Beach home, police said. He was driving home with his 2-year-old daughter in the back seat when detectives say he potentially spotted a tire on the road and pulled over.
Jared Bridegan was shot and killed as he exited his car, police said. His daughter, still in the back seat, witnessed the murder.
It has been more than two months, and there are still no arrests in the case.
In newly released security video from days after Jared’s murder, a suspicious person was spotted outside his home in the bottom of the screen.
“I was putting my daughter to bed, and I got a notification on my watch that said ‘person in the driveway’. So after I finished tucking her in, I went and grabbed my phone and clicked on the notification, and it showed me this clip,” Kirsten said.
Unfortunately, the quality of the video is blurry, so police haven’t been able to identify the person.
Police, however, are looking for a dark blue truck seen near or around the time that Jared was killed.
Kirsten says there have been a lot of tips called in about trucks fitting the description of the vehicle, but that the actual one has not been found yet.
The killing was “too specific” to be random, she said.
“You know, that was his normal route every time he was coming home from dropping off the kids at their mom’s house. And it’s the only spot on that route that does not have cameras directly pointed there. So it’s too specific to be a coincidence.”
A $30,000 reward has been offered in exchange for information that leads to the shooter. | https://www.fox16.com/news/national-news/widow-slain-microsoft-execs-killing-wasnt-random/ | 2022-04-26T17:20:41Z | https://www.fox16.com/news/national-news/widow-slain-microsoft-execs-killing-wasnt-random/ | true |
You need to enable JavaScript to run this app. | https://sportspyder.com/mlb/new-york-mets/articles/39288780 | 2022-04-26T17:23:34Z | https://sportspyder.com/mlb/new-york-mets/articles/39288780 | true |
Musk's Twitter deal could test Tesla executive bench
Tesla is big or bigger than the biggest companies in the world, but it doesn’t have the management infrastructure like other companies, point out investors
Elon Musk's move to buy Twitter for $44 billion has raised concerns about the depth of executive talent at his more valuable company, electric carmaker Tesla Inc., in case his attention is further divided by the social media platform.
In announcing the deal on Monday, Mr. Musk called Twitter the world's "digital town square" and talked about protecting free speech, but he also rekindled fears that a man who once acknowledged sleeping on the factory floor during the launch of the Model 3 sedan and last year talked of working "crazy hours" only has so much energy to spare.
"Tesla feels very much like a start-up despite it being a trillion dollar company," said Tesla investor Ross Gerber, chief executive of wealth management firm Gerber Kawasaki. "It's as big or bigger than the biggest companies in the world, but it doesn't have the management infrastructure like other companies."
On top of that, Tesla is racing to boost production at new plants in Texas and Berlin amid supply-chain snarls and higher raw materials costs, as well as get work at its biggest factory in Shanghai back on track during a spike in COVID-19 cases there. Mr. Musk said in January Tesla had too much on its plate and would not introduce new models like Cybertruck this year.
Tesla has managed to outrace its problems, but a heavier pull of his focus by Twitter worries investors.
"I fear this is going to be a distraction," said one fund manager with a significant position in Tesla who asked not to be identified. "He's juggling supply chains and factory delays and the expansion of the energy storage business and this doesn't fit at all."
Shares of Tesla have slid 8% since Musk first disclosed his initial stake in Twitter.
Tesla could not be reached for comment, but one insider at the company who asked not to be identified said investor concerns were "overdone" and Mr. Musk was still heavily engaged at the automaker.
Mr. Musk also leads rocket company SpaceX, as well as brain-chip start-up Neuralink and tunneling venture the Boring Company.
Tesla has seen executive turnover before with the departure of co-founder J.B. Straubel in 2019 and president Jerome Guillen last year.
Tesla, founded in 2003, has grown into the most valuable automaker but there are only two executives listed along with Mr. Musk in its leadership team on the company website, compared with 17 at General Motors and 11 at Volkswagen.
Tesla's current high-profile leadership outside of Mr. Musk includes chief financial officer Zachary Kirkhorn and senior vice-president Andrew Baglino, who handles the powertrain development. Both are known to investors from their appearances on Tesla's quarterly earnings conference calls.
Robert Pavlik, senior portfolio manager at Dakota Wealth in Fairfield, Connecticut, that owns a limited number of Tesla shares in accounts he manages, wondered whether Musk would simply install someone else to lead Twitter.
"It seems like that would be the most logical thing," he said. "It seems like he has his hands full with Tesla and SpaceX."
Mr. Gerber said perhaps Mr. Musk needed a strong No. 2 executive like he has at SpaceX with President Gwynne Shotwell.
Ian Beavis, chief strategy officer at auto consultancy AMCI, worries Mr. Musk's purchase of Twitter, with its controversies around political and social issues, could even damage the Tesla brand.
Some investors remain concerned about plans by Mr. Musk, who is worth $268 billion according to Forbes, to finance the Twitter deal. Twitter said Mr. Musk secured $25.5 billion of debt and margin loan financing and is providing a $21 billion equity commitment. It is unclear whether Mr. Musk will sell Tesla shares to help fund the deal.
Mr. Musk holds 172.6 million shares in Tesla and he has already borrowed against about half of his stock, according to Tesla filings. If he puts up more shares as collateral to secure margin loans of $12.5 billion he may be left with roughly 30 million unpledged shares, according to a Reuters calculation.
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New York City Mayor Eric Adams is expected to release his Fiscal Year 2023 Executive Budget and discuss his first 100 days in office on Tuesday, as well as outline his vision for the city’s continued recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Adams will also discuss other key investments.
The mayor's first 100 days have been marred by a number of challenges including an increase in homelessness, rising violent crimes and gun violence throughout the city, and attempts of an economic recovery following fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Public safety has taken center stage since Adams has made it a key piece of his agenda.
However, the NYPD revealed the city's crime statistics for the month of March, announcing an overall crime index increase of 36.5% compared to the same time last year, but a dip in homicides.
While overall crime has increased, NYPD Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell said last month that certain initiatives have proven successful.
News
In March, the NYPD said that the first three months of 2022 have been defined by "successful takedowns of violent subjects and the seizure of caches of illegal guns – including traditional weapons and newly emerging firearms known as “ghost guns” that can be 3-D printed at home." The police department also began selecting in January 2022 more than 400 officers for the NYPD’s new Neighborhood Safety Teams.
Sewell also stressed that the murder clearance rate is the highest rate of any final year-end clearance rate in the modern compstat era.
Despite statistics revealing murders are down, New Yorkers are still upset over the killings of innocent bystanders, including the recent the recent death of a 61-year-old woman who was walking down a Fordham Heights street when she unexpectedly was caught in crossfire between two groups on her way home from work. Juana Esperanza Soriano De-Perdomo died after being hit in the back with a bullet.
Last month, a 12-year-old boy died after being shot while eating in a car with family members in Brooklyn. The killing of both, the 12-year-old boy and the 61-year-old grandmother, has led to many calls for change.
The Adams administration also put into place in February a public safety initiative for the city's subway system, which has been plagued by crime and aggressive behavior over the last few months -- reaching a climax on April 12 when at least 10 Brooklyn subway riders were shot by a man wearing a gas mask and a construction vest who tossed two smoke canisters in the train car to distract the rush hour crowd before opening fire.
HOMELESSNESS IN NYC
Additionally, Adams has also focused on addressing the homelessness issue across the city, including by removing hundreds of encampments. The Democrat's initiative mirrors similar overhauls in other liberal metropolises that had previously tolerated the encampments.
Advocates for the homeless have denounced the mayor’s move as heartless and were frustrated that Adams has taken action without releasing a comprehensive — and compassionate — plan to tackle the issues contributing to homelessness.
The mayor has continued to defend his plan, while asking critics join him going to homeless sites in-person before judging the city's effort.
He has previously said that he wants to clean up parts of the city that are “dirty” and “unsafe.” | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/nyc-mayor-eric-adams-to-release-2023-budget-address-first-100-days-in-office/3661745/ | 2022-04-26T17:36:55Z | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/nyc-mayor-eric-adams-to-release-2023-budget-address-first-100-days-in-office/3661745/ | true |
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has granted the first three pardons of his term, providing clemency to a Kennedy-era Secret Service agent convicted of federal bribery charges that he tried to sell a copy of an agency file and to two people who were convicted on drug-related charges but went on to become pillars in their communities.
The Democratic president also commuted the sentences of 75 others for nonviolent, drug-related convictions. The White House announced the clemencies Tuesday as it launched a series of job training and reentry programs for those in prison or recently released.
Many of those who received commutations have been serving their sentences on home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic. Several were serving lengthy sentences and would have received lesser terms had they been convicted today for the same offenses as a result of the 2018 bipartisan sentencing reform ushered into law by the Trump administration.
“America is a nation of laws and second chances, redemption, and rehabilitation,” Biden said in a statement announcing the clemencies. “Elected officials on both sides of the aisle, faith leaders, civil rights advocates, and law enforcement leaders agree that our criminal justice system can and should reflect these core values that enable safer and stronger communities.”
Those granted pardons are:
— Abraham Bolden Sr., 86, the first Black Secret Service agent to serve on a presidential detail. In 1964, Bolden, who served on President John F. Kennedy’s detail, faced federal bribery charges that he attempted to sell a copy of a Secret Service file. His first trial ended in a hung jury.
Following his conviction in a second trial, key witnesses admitted lying at the prosecutor’s request. Bolden, of Chicago, was denied a retrial and served several years in federal prison. Bolden has maintained his innocence and wrote a book in which he argued he was targeted for speaking out against racist and unprofessional behavior in the Secret Service.
— Betty Jo Bogans, 51, was convicted in 1998 of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine in Texas after attempting to transport drugs for her boyfriend and his accomplice. Bogans, a single mother with no prior record, received a seven-year sentence. In the years since her release from prison, Bogans has held consistent employment, even while undergoing cancer treatment, and has raised a son.
— Dexter Jackson , 52, of Athens, Georgia, was convicted in 2002 for using his pool hall to facilitate the trafficking of marijuana. Jackson pleaded guilty and acknowledged he allowed his business to be used by marijuana dealers.
After Jackson was released from prison, he converted his business into a cellphone repair service that employs local high school students through a program that provides young adults with work experience. Jackson has built and renovated homes in his community, which has a shortage of affordable housing.
Civil rights and criminal justice reform groups have pushed the White House to commute sentences and work harder to reduce disparities in the criminal justice system. Biden’s grants of clemency also come as the administration has faced congressional scrutiny over misconduct and the treatment of inmates in the beleaguered federal Bureau of Prisons, which is responsible for inmates serving sentences of home confinement.
Biden, as head of the Senate Judiciary Committee, helped shepherd through the 1994 crime bill that many criminal justice experts say contributed to harsh sentences and mass incarceration of Black people.
During his 2020 White House run, Biden vowed to reduce the number of people incarcerated in the U.S. and called for nonviolent drug offenders to be diverted to drug courts and treatment.
He also has pushed for better training for law enforcement and called for criminal justice system changes to address disparities that have led to minorities and the poor making up a disproportionate share of the nation’s incarcerated population.
Biden’s predecessor, Donald Trump, granted 143 pardons and clemency to 237 during his four years in office.
Trump sought the advice of prison reform advocate Alice Johnson, a Black woman whose life sentence for a nonviolent drug offense he commuted in 2018. He was also lobbied by celebrity Kim Kardashian as well as advisers inside the White House, including daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner, as he weighed applications for clemency.
The Republican used his pardon authority to help several political friends and allies, including former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, Republican operative Roger Stone and Charles Kushner, the father-in-law of Ivanka Trump.
Among Trump’s final acts as president was pardoning his former chief strategist Steve Bannon and Al Pirro, the husband of Fox News host and Trump ally Jeanine Pirro.
Prosecutors alleged that Bannon, who had yet to stand trial when he was pardoned, had duped thousands of donors who believed their money would be used to fulfill Trump’s chief campaign promise to build a wall along the southern border. Instead, Bannon allegedly diverted more than $1 million, paying a salary to one campaign official and personal expenses for himself. Pirro was convicted in 2000 on tax charges.
With the slate of pardons and commutations announced Tuesday, Biden has issued more grants of clemency than any of the previous five presidents at this point in their terms, according to the White House.
In addition to the grants of clemency, Biden announced several new initiatives that are meant to help formerly incarcerated people gain employment — an issue that his administration is driving home as key to lowering crime rates and preventing recidivism.
The Labor Department is directing $140 million toward programs that offer job training, pre-apprenticeship programs, digital literacy training and pre-release and post-release career counseling and more for youth and incarcerated adults.
The $1 trillion infrastructure bill passed by Congress last year includes a trio of grant programs that the administration says promote hiring of formerly incarcerated individuals. And the Labor and Justice Departments announced on Tuesday a collaborative plan to provide $145 million over the next year on job skills training as well as individualized employment and reentry plans for people serving time in the Bureau of Prisons.
Biden said the new initiatives are vital to helping the more than 600,000 people released from prison each year get on stable ground.
“Helping those who served their time return to their families and become contributing members of their communities is one of the most effective ways to reduce recidivism and decrease crime,” Biden said. | https://www.wfla.com/news/national/biden-pardons-ex-secret-service-agent-2-others/ | 2022-04-26T17:40:53Z | https://www.wfla.com/news/national/biden-pardons-ex-secret-service-agent-2-others/ | false |
Today is the day a lot of Ford fans have been waiting for. The very first F-150 Lightning pickups are rolling off the assembly line. It’s Ford’s first electric pickup and it was sold out long before production started. Auto expert Nik Miles takes us into the factory where the truck is being produced. | https://fox59.com/morning-news/ford-f-150-lightning-production/ | 2022-04-26T17:42:41Z | https://fox59.com/morning-news/ford-f-150-lightning-production/ | true |
NYC theater pulls plug on pro-life play countering abortion comedy, cites 'safety' concerns
McAleer says claims of concern over "safety" is "the new censorship"
A New York City off-Broadway theater pulled the plug on a pro-life play detailing the trial of convicted murderer and abortionist Kermit Gosnell that was slated to run simultaneously with an abortion comedy produced in part by Hollywood filmmaker JJ Abrams' theatrical company. The playwright behind the pro-life production, Phelim McAleer, said the cancellation is censorship and "robs" people from hearing both sides of the issues surrounding abortion.
"I do want people to go and see both [plays] and to come to their own conclusions, which is something that Theatre Row wants to rob the people of – this ability to hear all the facts. What are they scared of?" McAleer told Fox News Digital in a phone interview Tuesday morning.
HOLLYWOOD HYPOCRISY: WHEN KICKSTARTER CENSORED MY FILM ON ABORTION DOCTOR KERMIT GOSNELL
The play "Oh Gosnell: The Truth About Abortion" is described as a "verbatim play about the horrors of abortion," and was slated to launch at Theatre Row in New York City on the same night as "Oh God, A Show About Abortion." The "Oh God" play is presented by comedian Ilana Glazer and produced in part by Bad Robot Live, the theatrical arm of JJ Abrams’ production company Bad Robot.
But last Thursday, McAleer’s Unreported Story Society received a letter from lawyers retained by Theatre Row’s parent company severing an agreement to host the play. The letter was reviewed by Fox News Digital and details that "the subject matter" in the Gosnell play is "inappropriate for children" and that they are "concerned for the safety of our staff and our neighbors" over the play.
McAleer said that claims of concern over "safety" is "the new censorship."
"Safety is the new shut up," McAleer said.
The letter from the lawyers added that "material information was withheld in a manner constituting fraud" and that the play’s "content violates material terms" of the agreement.
McAleer told Fox News Digital that "they haven't explained what the fraud is," and added that Theatre Row "went dark" last Wednesday and that the cancellation "just came out of the blue completely."
Theatre Row’s website details it has hosted other shows with disclaimers that a certain performance is not suitable for young children, including "H*tler’s Tasters," which is described as a play that "explores the way girls navigate sexuality, friendship, patriotism and poison during the Third Reich."
When asked why Theatre Row would cancel the Gosnell play, but run "H*tler’s Tasters," McAleer said it’s "because they're very happy sexualizing girls, but they're not happy having an honest, artistic exploration about the issues around abortion."
Fox News Digital sent requests for comment to representatives at Theatre Row on the cancellation but did not receive a response.
Despite the cancellation, "Oh Gosnell: The Truth About Abortion" will go on. The play will run from April 29 through May 15, with the official opening night on May 5 at the Chain Studio Theater.
"Oh God: A Show About Abortion" is also slated to open on May 5, and will run from April 25-June 4. McAleer told Fox News Digital he saw the abortion comedy Monday night and said it was "high on anecdote" but didn’t talk much about abortion.
"For – as they say – a show about abortion, it talks very little about abortion," McAleer said, noting the production "danced around the subject," while his production, hits "the subject square on the head."
'GOSNELL' STAR DEAN CAIN: NEW ABORTION PROTECTION 'WOULD MAKE THE CRIMES OF KERMIT GOSNELL LEGAL'
McAleer’s play, which is directed by L.A. director David Atkinson, is a verbatim performance, meaning it relies on testimony from Kermit Gosnell’s trial and interviews.
Gosnell is a former Philadelphia physician who was convicted in 2013 of murdering three babies born alive in an abortion clinic, as well as found guilty of involuntary manslaughter of an adult patient who was given a lethal dose of sedatives. He was also convicted of 21 felony counts of illegal late-term abortion, and 211 counts of violating Pennsylvania's 24-hour informed consent law. He is serving two life sentences.
"People speak in trials under oath. They can't tell stories unless they're backed up with evidence. So JJ Abrams’ play is full of stories that have no evidence. Ours is the actually complete opposite. The stories you'll be hearing are fully backed up with evidence and fact," McAleer said.
McAleer and his wife Ann McElhinney wrote the national best-seller "Gosnell: The Untold Story of America's Most Prolific Serial Killer" in 2017. A film adaptation of the book, starring Dean Cain, was released in 2018.
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Abrams’ agent did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the matter. | https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/nyc-theater-cancels-pro-life-play-countering-abortion-comedy-censorship-playwright | 2022-04-26T17:44:27Z | https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/nyc-theater-cancels-pro-life-play-countering-abortion-comedy-censorship-playwright | true |
What is the breakaway Transdniestria region of Moldova where tensions are rising?
By Alexander Tanas
CHISINAU, April 26 (Reuters) - Tensions are rising in the breakaway Moldovan region of Transdniestria, adjacent to Ukraine, where authorities say explosions have hit radio masts and the state security service headquarters in the space of a day.
Here's why the region is emerging as a possible new flashpoint of the war in Ukraine.
WHAT IS TRANSDNIESTRIA?
The mainly Russian-speaking region broke away from then-Soviet Moldova in 1990. After the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991, pro-Russian separatists fought a bloody war with the Moldovan government forces.
WHAT IS RUSSIA'S INTEREST?
Russia, which already had troops based there, helped mediate an end to the fighting and the region became one of several "frozen conflicts" in the former Soviet region.
Transdniestria is poor and relies heavily on Russian gas. It gets its name from the Dniester river, which divides it from the rest of Moldova.
It has its own currency and army, about 7,500 strong. Sheriff FC, from the region's main city Tiraspol, beat Real Madrid in the group stages of the football Champions League last year.
No countries recognise the independence of the territory, which lies to Ukraine's southwest and still uses the Soviet Communist hammer-and-sickle as a state emblem.
About 420,000 people live in the region and some people hold more than one passport. Around 220,000 have Moldovan citizenship, 240,000 have Russian citizenship and 130,000 have Ukrainian citizenship.
WHY IS THE REGION IN THE SPOTLIGHT?
Moscow retains 1,500 peacekeepers on the territory as well as 1,400 soldiers guarding a huge arms depot that has been there since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The presence of Russian troops has raised fears that Moscow could use Transdniestria as a launchpad for some kind of attack on Ukraine's west, while Kyiv strives to repel Moscow's new offensive in the east.
On April 23, a senior Russian military official said the second phase of what Moscow calls its "special military operation" included a plan to take full control of southern Ukraine and improve its access to Transdniestria.
Russia has already taken control of swathes of Ukraine's south, but in order to get to Transdniestria it would have to pass through Mykolaiv and Odesa, major cities that remain firmly in Ukrainian hands.
Ukrainian officials have said Moscow could stage "false flag" attacks - designed to look like they were perpetrated by someone other than the person or group responsible for them - in the region that could serve as a pretext for Russian military action.
Separatist authorities said this week that several blasts knocked out two radio antennae that broadcast in Russian and hit the ministry of state security. They said there had been another attack on a military unit. The separatists have blamed Ukraine, which deny any connection with the incidents.
The Ukrainian foreign ministry expressed concern on Tuesday about the situation in Transdniestria and condemned what it said were Russian attempts to drag the region into Russia's war against Ukraine.
Moldovan authorities are on edge and always sensitive to any sign of worsening security in Transdniestria.
On Tuesday, Moldova's president said the attacks were an attempt by pro-war factions to stoke tensions.
The Kremlin said it was seriously concerned by the news out of Transdniestria, but Russia's foreign ministry said Moscow wanted to avoid a scenario in which it had to intervene in the region, the RIA news agency reported. (Writing by Tom Balmforth Editing by Mark Heinrich) | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/reuters/article-10755925/What-breakaway-Transdniestria-region-Moldova-tensions-rising.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | 2022-04-26T17:50:48Z | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/reuters/article-10755925/What-breakaway-Transdniestria-region-Moldova-tensions-rising.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | true |
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A Beaverton man was arrested after leading police on a chase across the North Umpqua River in Toketee on Monday, officials said.
Around 10 a.m., Douglas County Sheriff’s Office were called to Toketee Falls after a man, later identified as Aubra Carl Rasmussen, was seen carrying a jug full of “yellow liquid.” A witness later told deputies his fuel lines were cut.
Officials said Rasmussen drove off in a Toyota Tacoma, which was confirmed to be stolen.
Authorities reportedly tried to pull the 29-year-old over, but he continued onto Highway 138E. Once on the highway, deputies said he stopped in the middle of the westbound lanes and ran toward the river.
When Rasmussen swam across the river, authorities deployed K9 Eros to track his scent. While tracing the suspect, deputies said they found several pieces of his clothing strewn across a trail.
According to DCSO, Rasmussen was arrested after he walked toward Diamond Lake where deputies were staged.
Rasmussen is charged with Attempt to Elude Police – Vehicle, Attempt to Elude Police – Foot, Possession of a Stolen Vehicle, Reckless Driving, Criminal Mischief II and Theft III. Along with those charges, officials said he had four warrants out for his arrest from Washington County. | https://www.koin.com/news/crime/man-arrested-after-swimming-across-river-in-attempt-to-flee/ | 2022-04-26T17:51:05Z | https://www.koin.com/news/crime/man-arrested-after-swimming-across-river-in-attempt-to-flee/ | false |
Which long green dress is best?
The right dress can make you feel great, whatever the occasion. Whether you’re looking for a long green dress for a picnic or day at the beach, to wear to the office or for a formal event, there’s one out there that fits the bill.
You can narrow down your search by considering factors such as the style of dress you’re looking for and what precise shade of green you’re after. If you’re looking for a casual green dress, the Aphratti Faux Wrap Maxi Dress is a nice choice.
What to know before you buy a long green dress
Length
What counts as a long dress is subjective. Compared to a mini dress, anything below knee length is long. However, buyers looking for a maxi dress won’t want anything that sits higher than the ankles. If you’re undecided about exactly what length dress you want, these are your main options.
- Mid-length: Mid-length or midi dresses reach roughly halfway between the knee and the ankle. This is a great choice if you’re not sure about maxi dresses but still want a dress with a long skirt.
- Ankle-length: Ankle-length dresses skim the ankles, sitting just above them. If you like long dresses but get annoyed when they’re so long they get in your way, this is a good compromise.
- Full-length: Full-length dresses are floor-length, though they shouldn’t be so long that they actually drag along the ground. This length looks great on dresses with full, flowing skirts.
Style
Consider what style of green dress you’re looking for. Some popular options include sundresses, wrap dresses, T-shirt dresses and formal dresses.
- Sundress: A sundress is casual with thin shoulder straps and is usually made from a lightweight material.
- Wrap dress: Crossing over in the front and securing with a tie at one side, a wrap dress is versatile and easy to wear. You can also find faux wrap dresses that look like standard wrap dresses but are fixed rather than open.
- T-shirt dress: If you’re looking for a super casual dress, consider a T-shirt dress. It’s made from T-shirt material, usually with a crew neck and short sleeves like a regular tee.
- Formal dress: This style of dress is usually full-length and is smart enough to wear to a formal event, such as a prom or black-tie event.
What to look for in a quality long green dress
Shade
You know you want a green dress, but what shade? You can find pale mint-green dresses, dusky sage dresses, rich emerald dresses, deep forest-green dresses and everything in between.
Prints and embellishments
Green dresses don’t have to be green all over, you could opt for a green dress with a print. Popular prints include floral, polka dot and plaid. You can also find plain green dresses with embellishments, such as beads or sequins.
Washability
Ideally, you should be able to machine wash and tumble dry your chosen dress. It’s frustrating if a dress is hand-wash only or dry-clean only.
How much you can expect to spend on a long green dress
You can spend anywhere from $10-$40 for a basic dress to $50-$150 for a midrange dress to $150-$1,000 and up for a high-end or designer dress.
Long green dress FAQ
Can I wear a long dress casually?
A. While some long dresses are formal enough to wear to a black-tie event, they don’t have to be. Depending on the dress and what accessories you pair it with, a long dress can be extremely casual. A floaty maxi dress with sandals is a perfect casual summer outfit, while a long T-shirt dress won’t look out of place on a trip to the grocery store.
How do you deal with a long dress?
A. Some people find long dresses annoyingly cumbersome. This can be simply because the dress is too long for the wearer. If your dress is dragging along the ground or you find yourself tripping over it going up or down stairs, you may need to shorten it.
If your dress isn’t too long but you still find it annoying to deal with, you may prefer a shorter mid-length dress to a full-length one.
What’s the best long green dress to buy?
Top long green dress
What you need to know: With a floral print on a green background, this is a great choice for those not looking for plain green.
What you’ll love: It has a faux wrap design with a V-neck and a fit-and-flare cut. The long sleeves are perfect for days when it isn’t warm enough for a sundress. You can choose from three shades of green.
What you should consider: The fabric is on the thin side.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top long green dress for the money
Goodthreads Georgette Smock-Back Cami Maxi Dress
What you need to know: This artichoke green camisole sundress is ideal for summer wear.
What you’ll love: The elasticated smock back helps give a fitted look to the bodice without it feeling uncomfortably tight. It features two pockets in the seams of the skirt, which many wearers find handy.
What you should consider: It runs a little large and is quite long, so shorter wearers might need to have it taken up.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
What you need to know: This gorgeous green gown is suitable for formal occasions.
What you’ll love: It’s made from pleated chiffon that flows beautifully in the skirt. It has a sleeveless design with a high neck. The waistband is elasticated for a close fit.
What you should consider: It runs small so you should size up if you’re between sizes.
Where to buy: Sold by Macy’s
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Lauren Corona writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.localsyr.com/reviews/br-reviews/apparel-br/dresses-br/best-long-green-dress/ | 2022-04-26T18:01:06Z | https://www.localsyr.com/reviews/br-reviews/apparel-br/dresses-br/best-long-green-dress/ | false |
Which oxymetazoline nasal spray is best?
Colds, allergies and hay fever can cause nasal discomfort. For those experiencing nasal discomfort, an oxymetazoline nasal spray may offer the relief you need. There are numerous nasal spray brands, but Afrin Original Maximum Strength 12-Hour Nasal Congestion Relief Spray is the brand most people prefer.
What to know before you buy oxymetazoline nasal spray
What is oxymetazoline nasal spray?
Oxymetazoline is used to temporarily reduce nasal discomfort and congestion, not to cure colds or relieve allergies. It works by narrowing the blood vessels in the nose. It can be used once every 10 to 12 hours, but it isn’t recommended to use it more than twice in 24 hours.
How to use oxymetazoline nasal spray
Instructions may vary slightly depending on the brand you buy, so it’s important to read them. Generally, it’s best to blow your nose before using the spray. Keep your head upright, and breathe in deeply through your nose as you spray. Avoid spraying it in your eyes.
How it differs from other types of nasal spray
- Corticosteroid nasal spray: This alleviates the effects of rhinitis, hay fever and allergies by reducing histamine production. Although many corticosteroid nasal sprays are only available with a prescription, weaker formulations can be purchased over the counter.
- Antihistamine nasal spray: This alleviates allergic symptoms by blocking histamine production.
- Saline nasal spray: This can help clean pollen and allergens from your nostrils. Additionally, saline spray can provide relief from dry, irritated nostrils.
Oxymetazoline nasal spray side effects
Oxymetazoline nasal spray decreases nasal discomfort, but there are a few short-term side effects. It may cause a temporary burning or stinging sensation in your nostrils, and it may make you sneeze or have more nasal discharge for a short time.
What to look for in a quality oxymetazoline nasal spray
Oxymetazoline nasal spray dosage
Most oxymetazoline nasal sprays contain 0.05% oxymetazoline, although some may contain more. According to the Mayo Clinic, if you’re using a spray with an average dose of oxymetazoline, you can use it around two times a day for three days. If you’re using this spray on a child younger than 6 years old, or you have a heart condition, thyroid condition, high blood pressure or diabetes, ask your doctor about the proper dosage.
Oxymetazoline nasal spray duration
Most options promise 12-hour relief, meaning you’ll need to use it around twice a day. Although some nasal sprays promise 24-hour relief, they can be difficult to find and may not work as well as they imply. As long as you buy a brand with 12 hours of protection and use the spray as directed, you should be fine.
Added ingredients
Most oxymetazoline nasal sprays only contain a single active ingredient. Still, for those with severe symptoms, several brands include menthol as well. Although many people prefer the sprays with menthol, others find the menthol uncomfortable.
Type of bottle
If you’ve used nasal sprays in the past, consider which type of bottle you found effective and comfortable. Some squeeze bottles are easy to use but release an overwhelming amount of spray. Many people prefer pump-mist bottles, although some feel they aren’t as effective.
Bottle size
Most oxymetazoline nasal sprays come in 1-fluid-ounce bottles. Still, many brands sell their nasal sprays in packs of two or three bottles. If you buy this nasal spray in a pack of two or three bottles, make sure you don’t overuse it.
How much you can expect to spend on oxymetazoline nasal spray
You can expect to spend $10-$12 per bottle.
Oxymetazoline nasal spray FAQ
Is oxymetazoline a steroid?
A. No, these nasal sprays don’t contain steroids. Both oxymetazoline and steroid-based sprays alleviate nasal congestion, but only steroids help with a runny nose, sneezing and watery eyes.
What happens if you use too much oxymetazoline?
A. Using too much oxymetazoline may result in drowsiness, dizziness or fainting. Using oxymetazoline for longer than three days can actually make your symptoms worse.
Can I use oxymetazoline in my ear?
A. This type of spray is not approved for inner-ear use.
Is oxymetazoline an antibiotic?
A. No, oxymetazoline is a decongestant that doesn’t contain antibiotics.
Can you become dependent on oxymetazoline nasal spray?
A. Yes, many people found that they became dependent on oxymetazoline nasal spray after using it too often.
What’s the best oxymetazoline nasal spray to buy?
Top oxymetazoline nasal spray
Afrin Original Maximum Strength 12 Hour Nasal Congestion Relief Spray
What you need to know: Afrin is the most popular brand.
What you’ll love: This includes three easy-to-use 1-fluid-ounce bottles. Many people agree this is the best solution for the temporary relief of nasal congestion.
What you should consider: The company often switches between squeeze bottles and pump bottles. Some users find the squeeze bottles overwhelming.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top oxymetazoline nasal spray for the money
FamilyCare Nasal Relief Pump Mist Spray
What you need to know: This brand is comparable to Afrin, and three bottles of spray are included.
What you’ll love: The pump-mist bottles are easy to use. This contains menthol, which aids in severe nasal congestion.
What you should consider: Many users felt this wasn’t as powerful as the Afrin menthol nasal spray.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Afrin Two-Pack Combo No-Drip Severe Congestion
What you need to know: This spray is ideal for those with severe congestion.
What you’ll love: Two bottles of spray are included. This formulation contains menthol, which helps with the most severe cases of nasal congestion.
What you should consider: Some reviewers felt the menthol was overwhelming.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.localsyr.com/reviews/br-reviews/health-wellness-br/ears-nose-throat-br/best-oxymetazoline-nasal-spray/ | 2022-04-26T18:01:55Z | https://www.localsyr.com/reviews/br-reviews/health-wellness-br/ears-nose-throat-br/best-oxymetazoline-nasal-spray/ | true |
Vice President Kamala Harris tests positive for COVID-19
Harris has had no close contact with the president, per her office.
WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Vice President Kamala Harris tested positive for COVID-19 on both rapid and PCR tests, the White House reported Tuesday.
Vice President Harris is asymptomatic and planning to isolate and work from home, according to the statement from her office. The statement also said that she has had no close contact with President Biden or First Lady Jill Biden because of travel. Harris returned to Washington, D.C on Monday afternoon after spending the weekend in Los Angeles, California. She did not have any public events while in California.
The full statement reads:
Today, Vice President Harris tested positive for COVID-19 on rapid and PCR tests. She has exhibited no symptoms, will isolate and continue to work from the Vice President’s residence. She has not been a close contact to the President or First Lady due to their respective recent travel schedules. She will follow CDC guidelines and the advice of her physicians. The Vice President will return to the White House when she tests negative.
Copyright 2022 Gray DC. All rights reserved. | https://www.wagmtv.com/2022/04/26/vice-president-kamala-harris-tests-positive-covid-19/ | 2022-04-26T18:03:57Z | https://www.wagmtv.com/2022/04/26/vice-president-kamala-harris-tests-positive-covid-19/ | false |
Company is leading the movement toward sustainable, clean-food farming
CORONA, Calif., April 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Advanced Container Technologies, Inc (Ticker: ACTX), announced it is working toward reshaping the future of farming, by enabling traditional growers to transition to using GrowPods, which can grow food that is free from pathogens and pesticides, and is in fact, better than organic.
The CDC (Centers for Disease Control), recently put out another Food Safety Alert, this time for e.Coli linked to packaged salads. According to the CDC, "Vegetables, including leafy greens, are an important part of a healthy and balanced diet. However, they can sometimes be contaminated with harmful germs," the organization wrote, while added in bold lettering, "No washing method can remove all germs."
This particular Food Safety Warning was issued on organically grown lettuce, which the CDC identified using whole genome sequencing, and was associated with contact with livestock and contaminated water. Because even organic food is highly susceptible to pathogen contamination, the public is at risk, and largely unaware that "organic" food does not necessarily mean "clean" food.
Our nation's centralized food system poses concrete risks: in addition to widespread foodborne illness, interruptions caused by supply chain issues can cause spoilage, and the entire food distribution network causes significant increases in carbon production and greenhouse gases resulting from the thousands of trucks used to haul food from one corner of the nation to the other.
"It's time to decentralize food production, and GrowPods have the power to do just that," said Doug Heldoorn, CEO of Advanced Container Technologies.
GrowPods are complete growing systems so farmers can get started as soon as they are delivered. Every farm-related task — from seeding to harvesting — is handled within the system.
And according to CBS News, shipping container farms "can use up to 95% less water and yield 50% more produce than traditional farming," so they are not only efficient, but they are also an excellent solution for areas impacted by drought or arid weather conditions.
GrowPods are powered by the company's unique automation software, which makes farming much less labor-intensive than any other growing techniques. The automation controls the environment, nutrition and hydration levels; and enables farmers to remotely monitor the conditions in the farm. This not only assures optimum conditions, but also simplifies many aspects of farming, making it easier for inexperienced farmers, non-profit organizations, restaurants, grocery stores, or others to quickly and easily start growing healthy, nutritious food.
"GrowPods automate the growing process so that farmers can now even take a vacation," Heldoorn added.
For more information on GrowPods or Advanced Container Technologies, call: (951) 381-2555 or visit: www.advancedcontainertechnologies.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about ACTX' beliefs and expectations. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and a number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as "may," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "target," "aim," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "potential," "continue," "is/are likely to" or other similar expressions. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and ACTX undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.
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SOURCE Advanced Container Technologies, Inc. | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2022/04/26/actx-gives-farmers-food-suppliers-alternatives-grow-food-that-is-better-than-organic/ | 2022-04-26T18:05:58Z | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2022/04/26/actx-gives-farmers-food-suppliers-alternatives-grow-food-that-is-better-than-organic/ | false |
Can Musk deliver on his vision for Twitter? Questions remain
Tesla CEO Elon Musk stands to be the next owner of Twitter, having pledged roughly $44 billion to buy the social platform and take it private. Assuming that happens, next up on his agenda will be planning how to fulfill his promises to develop new Twitter features, open its algorithm to public inspection and defeat "spambots" on the service that mimic real users.
He'll also need to have the company start "authenticating all humans," as he described it in a statement quoted in the Monday press release announcing the acquisition. What exactly Musk meant by the phrase remains unclear.
So does the question of whether his ideas are technologically possible and how we'll know if these changes would benefit users or serve some other purpose.
Experts who have studied content moderation and researched Twitter for years have expressed doubt that Musk knows exactly what he is getting into. After all, there are plenty of fledgling examples of "free speech" focused platforms launched in the past few years as Twitter antidotes, largely by conservatives unhappy with the company's crackdowns on hate, harassment and misinformation. Many have struggled to deal with toxic content, and at least one has been cut off by its own technology providers in protest.
"This move just shows how effective (moderation features) have been to annoy those in power," said Kirsten Martin, a professor of technology ethics at the University of Notre Dame. "I would be worried as to how this would change Twitter's values."
The fact that no other bidders emerged in public before Musk's deal was a sign that other would-be acquirers might find Twitter too difficult to improve, said Third Bridge analyst Scott Kessler.
"This platform is pretty much the same one we've had over the last decade or so," Kessler said. "You've had a lot of smart people trying to figure out what they should do, and they've had trouble. It's probably going to be tough to make a lot of headway."
Musk received some effusive, if highly abstract, praise from an unexpected quarter — Twitter co-founder and former CEO Jack Dorsey, who praised Musk's decision to take Twitter " back from Wall Street " and tweeted that he trusts Musk's mission to " extend the light of consciousness " — a reference to Dorsey's notion that "Twitter is the closest thing we have to a global consciousness."
But others familiar with Twitter say they're still dismayed at Musk's successful bid for the company.
"Twitter is going to let a man-child essentially take over their platform," said Leslie Miley, a former Twitter employee who has also worked for Google and Apple. Miley, who was the only Black engineer at Twitter in a leadership position when he left the company in 2015, echoed doubts about Musk's grasp of the platform's complexities.
"I am not sure if Elon knows what he is getting," Miley said. "He may just find that having Twitter is a lot different than wanting Twitter."
The more hands-off approach to content moderation that Musk envisions has many users concerned that the platform will become more of a haven for disinformation, hate speech and bullying, something it has worked hard in recent years to mitigate. Wall Street analysts said if he goes too far, it could also alienate advertisers.
Shares of Twitter Inc. rose more than 5% Monday to $51.70 per share. On April 14, Musk announced an offer to buy Twitter for $54.20 per share. While the stock is up sharply since Musk made his offer, it is well below the high of $77 per share it reached in February 2021.
Musk has described himself as a "free-speech absolutist" but is also known for blocking or disparaging other Twitter users who question or disagree with him.
In recent weeks, he has proposed relaxing Twitter content restrictions — such as the rules that suspended former President Donald Trump's account — while ridding the platform of fake "spambot" accounts and shifting away from advertising as its primary revenue model. Musk believes he can increase revenue through subscriptions that give paying customers a better experience — possibly even an ad-free version of Twitter.
Asked during a recent TED interview if there are any limits to his notion of "free speech," Musk said Twitter would abide by national laws that restrict speech around the world. Beyond that, he said, he'd be "very reluctant" to delete posts or permanently banning users who violate the company's rules.
It won't be perfect, Musk added, "but I think we want it to really have the perception and reality that speech is as free as reasonably possible."
After the deal was announced, the NAACP released a statement urging Musk not to allow Trump, the 45th president, back onto the platform.
"Do not allow 45 to return to the platform," the civil rights organization said in a statement. "Do not allow Twitter to become a petri dish for hate speech or falsehoods that subvert our democracy."
As both candidate and president, Trump made Twitter a powerful megaphone for speaking directly to the public, often using incendiary and divisive language on hot-button issues. He was permanently banned from the service in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol.
"If Musk either fires or drives away the team at Twitter that's committed to keeping it clean and making it less hate-filled, he'll see an immediate drop in user activity," said said Siva Vaidhyanathan, a media studies professor at the University of Virginia. "I think he's going to find pretty fast that inviting the bigots back in is bad for business."
Some users said Monday that they were planning to quit the platform if Musk took it over. To which he responded on Twitter: "I hope that even my worst critics remain on Twitter, because that is what free speech means."
While Twitter's user base of more than 200 million remains much smaller than those of rivals such as Facebook and TikTok, the service is popular with celebrities, world leaders, journalists and intellectuals. Musk himself is a prolific tweeter with a following that rivals several pop stars in the ranks of the most popular accounts.
__
Krisher reported from Detroit. O'Brien reported from Providence, Rhode Island. AP Business Writers Marcy Gordon in Washington, Barbara Ortutay in Oakland, Calif., and Kelvin Chan in London contributed to this report. | https://www.wmur.com/article/musk-vision-twitter/39823882 | 2022-04-26T18:08:14Z | https://www.wmur.com/article/musk-vision-twitter/39823882 | false |
PITTSBURGH, April 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- "I realized that many people wanted to get their hair cut during the pandemic," said the inventor from Mississauga, Ontario. "I created this invention so that a hairstylist could bring the salon to the client in a safe manner."
He created HAIR ON WHEELS, patent-pending, that provides individuals with hairstyling services without travelling to a salon. This would serve as a fully functional salon that could serve as a great business opportunity for the stylist and barber. Additionally, this may help reduce rental costs and would help contribute to increased customer satisfaction.
The original design was submitted to the Toronto sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 20-TRO-503, InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp's Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp.com.
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SOURCE InventHelp | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2022/04/26/inventhelp-presents-travelling-hair-salon-tro-503/ | 2022-04-26T18:11:22Z | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2022/04/26/inventhelp-presents-travelling-hair-salon-tro-503/ | false |
Dharam sansad events | Act against communal hate, Supreme Court tells Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh
BJP-ruled States told to take preventive steps.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday turned the heat on BJP-ruled Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh to take “corrective measures” against the peddling of communal hate in ‘dharam sansad’ events and warned that their Chief Secretaries will be held responsible for any “untoward statements” made during these programmes.
A Bench led by Justice A.M. Khanwilkar said the Chief Secretaries, Home Secretaries and the police in these States were “bound” to stop hate crimes and follow the preventive and punitive measures against hate crimes laid down by the Supreme Court in its judgments.
“We want to see you take corrective measures... These events do not take place overnight. Advance notice is given... Please explain what preventive action you have taken, and did you take action against those responsible after that?” Justice Khanwilkar addressed the State counsel for Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal said a ‘dharam sansad’ was scheduled at Rourkee in Uttarakhand on Wednesday. He showed the court the allegedly communal statements made by speakers in an earlier event which took place in Himachal Pradesh between April 17 and 19.
“They are not taking action despite judgments from this court... These events are happening in different places,” Mr. Sibal submitted.
The counsel for Uttarakhand said FIRs had been filed in the case of earlier events of similar nature. He said two communities “who are at loggerheads with each other” were both holding such events. The State had taken action in the past without any communal bias. He said preventive action against untoward statements being made in the Rourkee event were under way.
“We do not know what they will say in their speeches... But we are taking steps... Your Lordships may have faith in us,” the lawyer said.
“There is no problem of trust... The doctrine of trust is applicable 24X7. But we want action and we want to see you take corrective measures and not explain yourselves here in court,” Justice Khanwilkar responded.
The Uttarakhand lawyers said the “community he (Mr. Sibal) is trying to protect is also holding events”.
“This is not the way you (State of Uttarakhand) present yourself here... And if you are so confident about yourself, we will hold your Chief Secretary, Home Secretary and Inspector General concerned responsible,” Justice Khanwilkar said sternly.
The court ordered the Himachal Pradesh Home Secretary to file an affidavit by May 7 on the action taken, in terms of the Supreme Court judgments, against those responsible for making hate speeches in the State.
The court further recorded the statements of the Uttarakhand counsel that the State authorites were “more than confident” that no untoward statements would be made in the Rourkee event. The court directed the Uttarakhand Chief Secretary to file a report stating the corrective measures which were taken before the next date of hearing on May 9.
The court referred to how hate speeches continue to hold sway with impunity despite its 2017 judgment in Tehseen Poonawalla case.
‘Zero tolerance’
In this verdict, the court had called for zero tolerance on the part of the Centre and States for hate crimes. It had termed hate crimes as a “product of intolerance, ideological dominance and prejudice”.
“It is our constitutional duty to take a call to protect lives and human rights. There cannot be a right higher than the right to live with dignity and further to be treated with humanness that the law provides,” the Supreme Court had emphasised.
Among other steps, the Supreme Court had directed State governments to form special task forces to prevent hate crimes and “procure intelligence reports about the people who are likely to commit such crimes or who are involved in spreading hate speeches, provocative statements and fake news”.
The court had held that it was the “duty of the Central government as well as the State governments to take steps to curb and stop dissemination of irresponsible and explosive messages, videos and other material on various social media platforms which have a tendency to incite mob violence and lynching of any kind”
Any failure in the part of the authorities would be viewed as an “act of deliberate negligence and/or misconduct”.
The court had reiterated its position against hate crimes in another judgment in the Amish Devgan case in December 2020, holding that hate speech was an attack on dignity in the “matter of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship” and threatened the unity of the nation as a whole.
“The unity and integrity of the nation cannot be overlooked and slighted, as the acts that promote or are likely to promote divisiveness, alienation and schematism do directly and indirectly impinge on the diversity and pluralism, and when they are with the objective and intent to cause public disorder or to demean dignity of the targeted groups, they have to be dealt with as per law,” the Supreme Court had observed.
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ATLANTA — Delta Air Lines, which has narrowly fought off several attempts to unionize its flights attendants, will begin paying cabin crews during boarding, a change that is expected to increase their wages by several thousand dollars a year.
It is a notable change for U.S. airlines, where pay for flight attendants starts when all the passengers are seated and the plane’s doors close.
Delta said the change will start June 2 on all flights. In a memo to flight attendants, the airline said the new pay “further recognizes how important your role is on board to ensuring a welcoming, safe and on-time start to each flight.”
The change comes as Delta plans to increase the boarding time for single-aisle or “narrowbody” planes from 35 minutes to 40 minutes, which the airline expects will increase the percentage of flights that depart on time.
Delta’s pilots are represented by a union, but several attempts to organize the flight attendants have failed in the face of fierce opposition by the Atlanta-based company. The Association of Flight Attendants, which has been gearing up an organizing campaign at Delta for more than two years, took credit for the boarding pay.
“This new policy is the direct result of our organizing,” the union said. “As we get closer to filing for our union vote, management is getting nervous.”
RELATED: 'The timing of this is outrageous': Unions react to airlines bringing back banned passengers
The union said Delta was also responding to employee anger over the longer boarding times, during which flight attendants currently don’t get paid.
Delta said the new boarding pay would be on top of 4% raises that it granted to flight attendants last month.
Unions represent upwards of 80% of workers at American, United and Southwest, but a far lower percentage at Delta. | https://www.cbs19.tv/article/news/nation-world/delta-flight-attendants-boarding/507-b27bc3e4-af99-446e-8322-c43a4b647130 | 2022-04-26T18:12:50Z | https://www.cbs19.tv/article/news/nation-world/delta-flight-attendants-boarding/507-b27bc3e4-af99-446e-8322-c43a4b647130 | true |
PITTSBURGH, April 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- STEM Coding Lab has been awarded a $250,000 grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation to expand its work in providing computer science (CS) education to under-resourced youth throughout the Pittsburgh region. The funding will play a key role in STEM Coding Lab's effort to bring K-8 CS learning to Title I classrooms across the region – by way of both in-person instruction, as well as video-based curriculum that can be deployed to any classroom in America. The Richard King Mellon Foundation's support will also assist the organization in its development of partnerships with local universities and tech companies, and help recruit, train, and manage its growing group of local volunteers.
"We are honored to receive the support of the Richard King Mellon Foundation to further our mission of improving digital literacy skills for our children. This grant will allow us to continue our growth and serve more K-8 children in our community." Said Viv Penninti, Founder and Chairman of STEM Coding Lab.
Casey Mindlin, Executive Director of STEM Coding Lab adds: "We are deeply grateful for the support of the Richard King Mellon Foundation. In the past year, STEM Coding Lab experienced rapid growth that proved the widespread demand in the region for our organization's services. STEM Coding Lab currently serves 1,300 students annually, and with this grant, we expect to broaden program offerings to support Pittsburgh neighborhoods including Homewood, the Hill District, Braddock, and the West End."
"Computer-science learning for children from lower-income households is an important tool in our overarching Economic Mobility program," said Sam Reiman, director of the Richard King Mellon Foundation. "Our Economic Mobility program seeks to ensure that all children in our region have access to prosperity – and digital literacy is key to that work."
About STEM Coding Lab
STEM Coding Lab is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2016, with the mission of improving digital literacy skills among the less fortunate K-8 children in our community. STEM Coding Lab currently provides after-school classes in basic programming constructs, Scratch programming, web design, and other introductory courses using both online and in-person delivery formats. STEM Coding Lab currently reaches 1300+ children at nearly 20 different organizations, including several Pittsburgh Public Schools. For more information please visit our website www.stemcodinglab.org, or email info@stemcodinglab.org.
About the Richard King Mellon Foundation:
Founded in 1947, the Richard King Mellon Foundation is the largest foundation in Southwestern Pennsylvania, and one of the 50 largest in the world. The Foundation's 2021 year-end net assets were $3.4 billion, and its Trustees in 2021 disbursed $152 million in grants and Program-Related Investments. The Foundation focuses its funding on six primary program areas, delineated in its 2021-2030 Strategic Plan.
Contact: Casey Mindlin, STEM Coding Lab, 412-426-3523; casey@stemcodinglab.org
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SOURCE STEM Coding Lab | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2022/04/26/stem-coding-lab-awarded-250k-grant-richard-king-mellon-foundation/ | 2022-04-26T18:14:20Z | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2022/04/26/stem-coding-lab-awarded-250k-grant-richard-king-mellon-foundation/ | false |
BATON ROUGE – For the third quarter of fiscal year 2022, the Louisiana Lottery Corporation transferred more than $47.6 million to the state treasury, bringing total year-to-date contributions to more than $143 million. This represents a decrease of $13.7 million from the first three quarters of fiscal year 2021.
With revenue of $147,870,376 the Lottery’s total third-quarter state transfers were $47,644,637 or 32.2%. Since the Lottery began operations in 1991, it has brought in more than $12.1 billion in revenue and transferred nearly $4.3 billion to the state treasury.
“At a first glance, the decrease in Lottery fiscal year revenue may be surprising,” noted Lottery President Rose Hudson. “We anticipated our sales would reflect the easing of pandemic restrictions and the return of other gaming options. After two years of record sales levels, we are pleased our current sales level are exceeding prepandemic levels. This is thanks in no small part to the budgetary flexibility afforded to us by the legislature, which has allowed us to increase prize payouts. Our players love that and have truly responded.”
Retailers earn 5% sales commission, plus incentives for cashing winning tickets and bonuses for selling big winning tickets. For January through March of 2022, retailer compensation totaled nearly $8.5 million, bringing total fiscal-year-to-date retailer earnings to more than $24.9 million.
Over the last couple of years, the Lottery began adjusting scratch-off game prize structures, increasing prize payouts, adding more higher price-point games and launching new types of games. This strategy has been well received by players, resulting in net gains for the state.
Lottery ticket purchasers must be at least 21 years of age. Anyone with a gambling problem, or friends of anyone with a gambling problem, is encouraged to call toll-free 1-877-770-7867 for assistance. For security purposes, players should sign the back of their tickets after purchasing.
More information on the Louisiana Lottery, including current and historical financial information, can be found on its website www.louisianalottery.com. Follow the Louisiana Lottery on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/louisianalottery or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/LALottery for the latest news.
Since its inception in 1991, the Louisiana Lottery has fulfilled its mission of maximizing revenue for the state of Louisiana while upholding the highest standards of integrity and public trust. To date, it has transferred nearly $4.3 billion to the state for K-12 public education. For the latest news on the fun and games the Lottery offers, visit our website, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and check us out on YouTube. Please remember to keep our games fun by playing responsibly. Download our complete Media Kit or Fun Facts about the Lottery. | https://bossierpress.com/fiscal-year-lottery-revenue-down-for-third-quarter/ | 2022-04-26T18:21:20Z | https://bossierpress.com/fiscal-year-lottery-revenue-down-for-third-quarter/ | false |
Russia has been removed as host of the 2023 world championship in men’s ice hockey.
The tournament was to be played in Vladimir Putin’s home city St. Petersburg. The International Ice Hockey Federation cites “concern for the safety and well-being of all participating players, officials, media, and fans” for the decision.
It was the latest blow to Russia in its favored winter sports in the fallout from the country’s war on Ukraine. Ice hockey's decision comes one day after Russia's signature annual international figure skating competition was pulled.
The IIHF previously announced a suspension of all Russian and Belarusian teams from international events until further notice.
“The IIHF is not a political entity and cannot influence the decisions being taken over the war in Ukraine,” said IIHF President Luc Tardif. “We nevertheless have a duty of care to all of our members and participants and must therefore do all we can to ensure that we are able to operate our events in a safe environment for all teams taking part in the IIHF World Championship program.” | https://www.3newsnow.com/news/national/russia-ukraine-conflict/russia-removed-as-host-of-2023-worlds-in-mens-ice-hockey | 2022-04-26T18:22:10Z | https://www.3newsnow.com/news/national/russia-ukraine-conflict/russia-removed-as-host-of-2023-worlds-in-mens-ice-hockey | true |
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas state lawmaker has complained publicly about having to share women's restrooms with a “huge” transgender colleague whom she describes as a potential threat to young children who visit the Statehouse.
Republican state Rep. Cheryl Helmer on Tuesday stood firmly by her comments in an email to a University of Kansas graduate student while defending a bill she co-sponsored that would make it a felony for doctors to provide hormones or do gender transition surgery for children under 18. She also decried what she called the “in your face” approach to promoting transgender rights by Democratic state Rep. Stephanie Byers, the first elected transgender Kansas lawmaker.
The House speaker called Helmer's comments “unfortunate” and Democrats condemned them. The state's most visible LGBTQ rights lobbyist called for the House to censure Helmer.
The Republican-controlled Legislature is trying to override Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's veto of a ban on transgender athletes in girls' and women's K-12 and college sports. Supporters have said they want to preserve fair competition and are not attacking transgender girls and women, but LGBTQ rights advocates say Helmer's comments prove anti-trans bigotry is behind the measure.
“We know this has been going on in offices, and back rooms and conversations since the day I was elected,” Byers said Tuesday. “The shocking part is that it came out, that someone actually said it.”
Helmer, 70, said in an interview that she was in the Statehouse with a mother and her young daughter and Byers a couple of months ago, and that the girl was frightened of Byers.
Helmer also said she tried to make a point when she mistakenly entered a men’s restroom in the House in early 2021. The men, she said, were surprised and upset, so she asked them how they would like it if a woman regularly used their restroom.
Pressed on the issue Monday evening, she said parents shouldn’t be allowed to “change” their child’s gender.
“You can’t lop a penis off and then expect, you know, a little boy to now live his life,” she said. “He'll be in regret for the rest of his life.”
Meanwhile, the Kansas Senate voted 28-10 Tuesday to override Kelly’s veto of the transgender athletes bill. A House vote will follow, but the timing wasn’t clear.
Republicans in at least 15 states have enacted bans on transgender athletes, and several have outlawed gender-affirming medical care for children. In Michigan, a conservative state senator accused a Democratic colleague of wanting to “groom” and “sexualize” young children, prompting a response that went viral on social media.
Helmer is a retired Wichita school counselor and nursing instructor, a conservative Republican elected in 2018 to represent a district south of the state's largest city. She participates in rodeo barrel racing and has a sign in her office that says, “My horse is smarter than your honor student.”
Byers, 59, is a retired Wichita high school music teacher and band director who was elected to the House in 2020.
In her email Sunday to 25-year-old University of Kansas graduate student Brenan Riffel, Helmer wrote: “Now, personally I do not appreciate the huge transgender female who is now in our restrooms in the Capitol.” Riffel, who describes themself as trans-feminine and uses the pronouns they/them, released the email to the Kansas Reflector, a nonprofit news provider.
Tom Witt, executive director of Equality Kansas, called on the Kansas House to censure Helmer, something that would take a formal complaint from another lawmaker and a two-thirds majority vote.
“It is a new level of toxic bigotry that I have not seen in this building before," Witt said.
House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr., a Kansas City-area Republican, said he hasn't seen Helmer's full remarks, but “It’s unfortunate those words were said."
Byers said several lawmakers have moved away from her in the elevator, and that the Kansas Republican Party's last platform, drafted in 2018, declares that, “We believe God created two genders, male and female.”
In her email to Riffel, Helmer wrote, “A doctor can inject meds and dilute but cannot destroy what God has done in the perfection of the HUMAN BEING.”
Riffel said in an interview that they weren't surprised by Helmer's response, “considering what it would take" to sponsor the bill banning gender-affirming care for trans youth.
“The rhetoric against the LGBTQ community has been the same for years, that we’re a threat to society; we’re going to hurt people,” said Riffel. “I just want to go about and just be myself."
___
Follow John Hanna on Twitter: https://twitter.com/apjdhanna | https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Lawmaker-doesn-t-want-to-share-restroom-with-17127763.php | 2022-04-26T18:23:34Z | https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Lawmaker-doesn-t-want-to-share-restroom-with-17127763.php | false |
Oasis: Guitarist Bonehead diagnosed with tonsil cancer
The 56-year-old musician, who was a founding member of the Manchester band, announced that he would be "taking a break from playing" following the diagnosis.
Tuesday 26 April 2022 18:33, UK
Former Oasis guitarist Paul Arthurs - better known as Bonehead - has been diagnosed with tonsil cancer.
The 56-year-old musician, who was a founding member of the Manchester band, wrote on Twitter: "Just to let you all know I'm going to be taking a break from playing for a while.
"I've been diagnosed with tonsil cancer, but the good news is it's treatable and I'll be starting a course of treatment soon.
"I'll keep you posted how it's going, I'm gutted I'm missing the gigs with Liam and the band. Have the best summer and enjoy the gigs if you're going, I'll see you soon xxx."
Liam Gallagher, the former frontman of Oasis, tweeted his support for Arthurs.
"Sending BIG love to the 1 n only Bonehead and his family wishing you a speedy recovery we're all thinking of you rasta you'll be back on stage bfore you can say r we doing Colombia LG x," he wrote.
Arthurs is a multi-instrumentalist and is credited for having played piano and mellotron on Oasis' iconic album (What's the Story) Morning Glory?
He can also be seen on the keys in the video for Don't Look Back in Anger.
He began playing with Gallagher in the band The Rain, which Gallagher suggested be renamed Oasis.
They did not enjoy much success until Gallagher's brother Noel joined, bringing a collection of hits that would make the band internationally famous.
Arthurs announced he was leaving the band in 1999, during the recording of Oasis's fourth album, Standing on the Shoulder of Giants, stating he wanted to spend more time with his family.
However, he has continued to work with Gallagher over the years, including in his band Beady Eye and on his solo projects.
The pair performed together during Gallagher's headlining sets at Reading and Leeds festivals last summer. | https://news.sky.com/story/oasis-guitarist-bonehead-diagnosed-with-tonsil-cancer-12599520 | 2022-04-26T18:24:35Z | https://news.sky.com/story/oasis-guitarist-bonehead-diagnosed-with-tonsil-cancer-12599520 | false |
JERUSALEM (AP) — Billionaire Moshe Kantor has severed his longstanding ties to Tel Aviv University — joining a growing list of Russian Jewish oligarchs who have scaled back their philanthropic activities after coming under international sanctions for their ties to President Vladimir Putin.
The sanctions have shaken up the world of Jewish philanthropy, which relies heavily on deep-pocketed donors like Kantor, and forced a number of prominent organizations to abruptly end partnerships with their benefactors since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.
Kantor, a Russian fertilizer magnate who also holds British citizenship, served as the longtime president of the European Jewish Congress, emerging as an outspoken fighter against antisemitism. He founded or led a number of other important Jewish causes, including the World Holocaust Forum, served on the council of Israel’s national Holocaust memorial Yad Vashem and helped inaugurate the Kantor Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry at Tel Aviv University.
But after the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on Kantor early this month, he abruptly stepped down from the European Jewish Congress after 15 years at the helm. Tel Aviv University confirmed this week that Kantor’s name had been removed from the Jewish studies center, just days before it was to release its annual report on global antisemitism.
A statement issued through a spokeswoman said that Kantor had asked to suspend ties with a number of organizations on his own initiative.
“Dr. Kantor voluntarily stepped back with immediate effect from active involvement in the European Jewish Congress, the World Holocaust Forum Foundation and the Kantor Center in order not to distract from the important work of these organization,” the statement said.
Kantor, whose net worth is estimated by Forbes to be $4.6 billion, joins a number of wealthy Russian-Jewish businessmen to be sanctioned by the West over their purported ties to Putin.
Yad Vashem last month said it was suspending a reported donation of tens of millions of dollars from Roman Abramovich, owner of the Chelsea Football Club, after he was sanctioned by the U.K. and European Union. It cited “recent developments.”
Three other oligarchs who have been sanctioned by the West — Mikhail Fridman, Petr Aven and German Khan -- abruptly resigned from the Genesis Philanthropy Group last month. In an email sent to its supporters, the group said the men had left “in order to assure the ability of GPG to stay true to its mission.” It made no mention of the sanctions.
The group funds projects to strengthen Jewish communities and causes around the world. The three men were also involved in the founding of the Genesis Prize — an annual award established with a $100 million endowment that recognizes a person for professional achievements and commitment to Jewish values.
Past winners of the $1 million prize have included actor Michael Douglas, filmmaker Steven Spielberg and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. This year’s laureate is Albert Bourla, the chief executive of drug maker Pfizer, who is expected to come to Jerusalem in June for an award ceremony.
The oligarchs have claimed the sanctions are unfair. Some, such as Fridman, have even spoken out against the Russian war against Ukraine, while Abramovich has tried to position himself as a would-be peacemaker between the warring countries.
Ariel Muzicant, the interim president of the European Jewish Congress, said the organization was shocked by the sanctions against Kantor, who he said “has dedicated his life to the fight against antisemitism, Holocaust commemoration and the security of Europe’s Jewish communities.”
“It is very sad and disturbing that Dr. Kantor, who has unparalleled contribution to the fight against antisemitism and the flourishing of Jewish life in Europe for over 15 years, has been sanctioned with no evidence-based merit, causing great damage to many people and organizations,” he said.
Many Jewish oligarchs have close ties with Israel, spending time in the country and even holding citizenship. That has created a delicate situation for the country, which was established as a safe haven for Jews but also has close ties with the West, especially the U.S.
Israeli leaders have said they will not allow the country to be used to circumvent international sanctions, though some oligarchs have reportedly been spending increased time in Israel. Abramovich, who took Israeli citizenship in 2018, has recently been spotted at Israel’s international airport, for instance.
Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, a Jewish American philanthropist, said the troubles of the oligarchs have created “an enormous challenge for the nonprofits that rely on their goodwill.”
She likened the crisis to the period after the downfall of financier Bernie Madoff, who squandered the fortunes of many Jewish charities in a massive ponzi scheme in the late 2000s. She said that many charitable groups, suddenly robbed of funding sources, were forced to close, consolidate or lay off workers.
Mizrahi said a discussion among professionals in the philanthropic world over the origins of donor money “is going on in a very big way.”
But she said that given the controversial origins of so many fortunes over the decades, going back to industrialists like Henry Ford or Andrew Carnegie, she believes it is more important to make sure that charitable funds are distributed effectively. She said it is especially critical that the recipients of charitable programs play a role in their decisions.
“The best solution is not to say I won’t take the money from A, B, C or D individual,” she said. Instead, she said the goal should be to use the money “in the best way to make the world a better place.”
But Anshel Pfeffer, a columnist with the Haaretz daily, wrote recently that the oligarchs have “polluted institutions with their dirty money.”
He said the war in Ukraine is a “ rude awakening to the breadth and depth of the effect of the oligarch class on the organizational climate of the Jewish world.” | https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/article/Sanctions-on-Russian-oligarch-donors-hit-Israel-17127931.php | 2022-04-26T18:34:34Z | https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/article/Sanctions-on-Russian-oligarch-donors-hit-Israel-17127931.php | true |
LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) — The winner of last weekend’s parliamentary election in Slovenia said Tuesday he hopes to have a new government formed by mid-June.
Robert Golob, the leader of the Freedom Movement party, spoke after meeting with President Borut Pahor. The meeting was Golob’s first public appearance since he had tested positive for COVID-19 days before Sunday’s vote.
Golob, a former business executive who only entered politics several months ago, is set to become Slovenia’s next prime minister. Golob’s Freedom Movement convincingly won the election, defeating the right-wing Slovenian Democratic Party of current Prime Minister Janez Jansa.
Freedom Movement, a liberal-green party, is expected to form a coalition government with two other center-left groups: the Social Democrats and the Left party.
Only five parties have made it over the 4% threshold in the election in the small European Union nation of 2 million people.
Golob said he would like to have an “operational” government before the start of summer holiday season. He added he would seek wider support for what he described as “restructuring” in the country for the next decade.
“We have to carry out an internal reform,” Golob said. “We will try to reach a national agreement for the new era in Slovenia.”
Jansa, the outgoing prime minister, has faced accusations of curbing civic liberties and pushing traditionally moderate Slovenia to the right.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/ap-news/2022/04/26/winner-of-slovenia-vote-hopes-to-form-government-by-mid-june/ | 2022-04-26T18:34:41Z | https://wtmj.com/ap-news/2022/04/26/winner-of-slovenia-vote-hopes-to-form-government-by-mid-june/ | true |
RACINE – A reward is being offered for information which leads to the arrest of a suspect in the murder of a woman in Racine.
Police say 30-year-old Brittany Booker was found dead on Sunday after responding to a home near 13th Street and Villa Street, not far from St. Catherine’s High School.
A suspect has been identified as 42-year-old Terry L. Jackson. At the time Booker was killed, several warrants were already out for Jackson’s arrest.
Those warrants were connected to a previous incident where Jackson allegedly attacked Booker and another woman, according to a criminal complaint filed against Jackson.
Now, a $2,000 reward is being offered for information leading to Jackson’s arrest.
Jackson is described as standing 5’9″ and weighing about 210 pounds.
He is considered armed and dangerous, according to the Racine Police Department.
Anyone with information about the death of Booker is asked to contact Racine Police Investigator and U.S. Marshall Task Force Officer Mike Seeger at 262-939-2437 or Lt. Frediel at 262-635-7761.
Those who wish to remain anonymous can contact Crime Stoppers at 262-635-7868 or submit a tip through the Crime Stoppers app. | https://wtmj.com/homepage-showcase/2022/04/26/reward-offered-for-information-leading-to-arrest-in-racine-homicide/ | 2022-04-26T18:37:10Z | https://wtmj.com/homepage-showcase/2022/04/26/reward-offered-for-information-leading-to-arrest-in-racine-homicide/ | true |
PHOTO
Saudi Arabia - Red Sea Farms, the Saudi Arabia and UAE AgTech business whose one-of-a-kind technology enables sustainable commercial farming, has announced a $18.5 million strategic fund raise.
The proceeds will support Red Sea Farms’ global and regional expansion plans – including expansion of the fresh produce business in the GCC. Global expansion is focused on technology development, and productisation - with first generation product sales expected by Q4 2022.
The fund raise was co-led by Wa’ed - the venture capital arm of Saudi Aramco and The Savola Group - the leading strategic investment holding group in Mena food and retail, through their corporate venture capital programme.
Impact investing
Kaust Innovation Fund, one of Red Sea Farms’ original investors, is also participating, along with OlsonUbben LLC, an investment entity owned by Tony Olson and Jeffrey Ubben. Tony Olson is the CEO of Spins, a leading wellness-focused data company and advocate for the Natural Product Industry, and Jeffrey Ubben is the Founder and Managing Partner at Inclusive Capital Partners and a pioneer in impact investing.
Red Sea Farms, which uses low energy, zero freshwater and sustainable climate control, also announced the appointment of a new global COO and regional CEO for the Middle East, Simon Roopchand. The company will leverage Roopchand’s previous CEO experience with Lorne Stewart and proven track record in leading strategic growth to capitalise on the vast opportunities in the Middle East region.
Operationally, Red Sea Farms has been very active, and announced its expansion into the US in January 2022. It has also completed a new commercial-scale 6-hectare technology retrofit site near Riyadh and an R&D facility at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Thuwal – where technologies are delivering results ahead of expectations.
Impressive start to 2022
Dr Ryan Lefers, CEO of Red Sea Farms, said: “We are delighted to complete this $18.5 million fund raise and build on our impressive start to 2022. To have such esteemed investors believe in our vision is hugely validating and testament to our business model and strategy. We’re excited to continue on our mission to address the reliance on freshwater consumption in food production and improve food security with their support and guidance. The appointment of Simon Roopchand as COO and regional CEO for the Middle East is another key milestone cementing our position as an innovative market leader and maximising our impact across the region.”
Fahad Alidi, Managing Director at Wa’ed, commented: “Red Sea Farms has developed a truly innovative and sustainable business model that not only addresses a global issue around food security and limited agricultural resources, but one that is also regionally relevant. Wa’ed is proud to be one of the early supporters to back the pioneering team at Red Sea Farms as they tackle an emerging Agtech industry with decades long interdisciplinary research.”
Dr Kevin Cullen, Vice President of Kaust Innovation, said:“We're incredibly proud to see the rapid development and growth of Red Sea Farms and their impact in the Mena region. Kaust Innovation has been working with Red Sea Farms from its beginnings, confident that their world-class technology would create positive environmental, social and economic impacts. We are delighted to see these ambitions, the technology and the hard work resulting in these impacts becoming a reality.”
Copyright 2022 Al Hilal Publishing and Marketing Group Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info). | https://www.zawya.com/en/business/technology-and-telecom/red-sea-farms-raises-185m-to-fund-expansion-oah3lz10 | 2022-04-26T18:38:04Z | https://www.zawya.com/en/business/technology-and-telecom/red-sea-farms-raises-185m-to-fund-expansion-oah3lz10 | true |
Operation Matsya: 3,645 kg of stale fish destroyed so far
As much as 3,645.88 kg of stale and chemical-laced fish has been seized and destroyed as part of ‘Operation Matysa’ till now.
As many as 108 inspections were conducted across the State on Tuesday, a statement from the office of Minister for Health Veena George said. Seventy-six fish samples were collected and sent to the Food Safety department’s laboratories for analysis. Four notices were issued to violators too during the inspection.
The food safety squad used rapid detection kits to detect the presence of formalin in 23 fish samples. However, the presence of chemicals could not be detected, the Minister said.
Since the drive began, 1,105 samples were collected from 1,950 inspections at check-posts, harbours and fish distribution centres and sent to food safety labs. Of the 613 inspections done using rapid detection kits, presence of chemicals was found in nine samples. Inspections were conducted from fish distribution sites to auction centres.
The food safety officers also created awareness among traders about storing fish in ice made from drinking water in the same ratio as the quantity of fish.
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- Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name, to avoid rejection. | https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/operation-matsya-3645-kgof-stale-fish-destroyed-so-far/article65358140.ece | 2022-04-26T18:38:14Z | https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/operation-matsya-3645-kgof-stale-fish-destroyed-so-far/article65358140.ece | true |
HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaiian Airlines said Monday that it will offer free wireless internet service from SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network on flights between Hawaii and the U.S. mainland, Asia and Oceania.
The airline said it is in the early stages of putting the service in place on some aircraft next year.
Honolulu-based Hawaiian said it’s the first deal between Elon Musk’s space company and a major airline, although charter operator JSX announced a deal with SpaceX last week.
Starlink is SpaceX’s network of satellites in low-Earth orbit, and the deals indicate SpaceX’s interest in gaining a foothold in the in-flight Wi-Fi market.
Hawaiian said the service will allow passengers to stream content or play online games with people on the ground without having to go through registration pages or payment portals. The airline did not indicate plans to offer the service on flights between islands in Hawaii.
Hawaiian flies between the islands and 16 mainland U.S. cities plus Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti and American Samoa. | https://pix11.com/ap-technology/hawaiian-teams-with-elon-musk-company-for-in-flight-internet/ | 2022-04-26T18:41:41Z | https://pix11.com/ap-technology/hawaiian-teams-with-elon-musk-company-for-in-flight-internet/ | false |
CAIRO (AP) — Egyptian archaeologists unearthed the ruins of a temple for the ancient Greek god Zeus in the Sinai Peninsula, antiquities authorities said Monday.
The Tourism and Antiquities Ministry said in a statement the temple ruins were found in the Tell el-Farma archaeological site in northwestern Sinai.
Tell el-Farma, also known by its ancient name Pelusium, dates back to the late Pharaonic period and was also used during Greco-Roman and Byzantine times. There are also remains dating to the Christian and early Islamic periods.
Mostafa Waziri, secretary-general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, said archaeologists excavated the temple ruins through its entrance gate, where two huge fallen granite columns were visible. The gate was destroyed in a powerful earthquake in ancient times, he said.
Waziri said the ruins were found between the Pelusium Fort and a memorial church at the site. Archaeologists found a set of granite blocks probably used to build a staircase for worshipers to reach the temple.
Excavations in the area date back to early 1900 when French Egyptologist Jean Clédat found ancient Greek inscriptions that showed the existence of the Zeus-Kasios temple but he didn’t unearth it, according to the ministry.
Zeus-Kasios is a conflation of Zeus, the God of the sky in ancient Greek mythology, and Mount Kasios in Syria, where Zeus once worshipped.
Hisham Hussein, the director of Sinai archaeological sites, said inscriptions found in the area show that Roman Emperor Hadrian (117-138) renovated the temple.
He said experts will study the unearthed blocks and do a photogrammetry survey to help determine the architectural design of the temple.
The temple ruins are the latest in a series of ancient discoveries Egypt has touted in the past couple of years in the hope of attracting more tourists.
The tourism industry has been reeling from the political turmoil following the 2011 popular uprising that toppled longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak. The sector was also dealt further blows by the coronavirus pandemic and most recently Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ruins-of-ancient-temple-for-zeus-unearthed-in-egypt/ | 2022-04-26T18:42:31Z | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ruins-of-ancient-temple-for-zeus-unearthed-in-egypt/ | true |
Gracie's Bar & Grill
Come in and enjoy!
5 Broadway
Location
5 Broadway
Salisbury MA
Nearby restaurants
Groundswell Surf Cafe
Groundswell Surf Cafe is located directly on Salisbury Beach and offers breakfast sandwiches, açaí bowls, smoothies, locally produced coffee and so much more!
Seaglass Restaurant
North of Boston's Oceanfront Dining Destination. Spectacular--The View and The Menu.
Blue Ocean Event Center
Come in and enjoy!
Blue Ocean Music Hall
Come in and enjoy! | https://www.toasttab.com/local/gracies-bar-grill-5-broadway/r-c5fc92be-3833-4d5e-ad9f-8c257d62ffa0 | 2022-04-26T18:43:04Z | https://www.toasttab.com/local/gracies-bar-grill-5-broadway/r-c5fc92be-3833-4d5e-ad9f-8c257d62ffa0 | false |
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday afternoon's drawing of the Missouri Lottery's "Pick 3 Midday" game were:
7-0-1
(seven, zero, one)
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday afternoon's drawing of the Missouri Lottery's "Pick 3 Midday" game were:
7-0-1
(seven, zero, one) | https://www.ncadvertiser.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Pick-3-Midday-game-17128050.php | 2022-04-26T18:44:11Z | https://www.ncadvertiser.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Pick-3-Midday-game-17128050.php | true |
SPECA, KEN-WEGNER GARTH, JIM\nBorn Septemb. 4. He came to St Paul early this spring, his home having formerly '>^V;\nbeing spent among his numerous old customers near BrainjT.rd .'Ali was an honest '•-■'?!^'?l?v??<'j .\"v\nbusy at an occupation. Ho would probably still I? package sdkmain;\nvoid f_Main; /**</Summary> Main API< /DocuMd >** **<DocType>C_apiDocument(1 = M, A, B, ...)** ** -M: M_id < > -FUU M |</SmtCase> -M -A < +\n**</Smt> </Docpane>< </SumCntRngDlv >]****</ A jury in Massachusetts awarded a family nearly $5 million after they sued a local country club because more than 600 golf balls hit their property.
The Boston Globe reported that jurors awarded Erik and Athina Tenczar $4.93 million in Plymouth County for damages and mental and emotional suffering.
According to NBC News, the couple initially sued the Indian Pond Country Club and the builders of the home, Spectrum Building Inc. The couple settled with Spectrum, leaving the country club as the sole defendant.
The couple bought the home, which sits in line with the 15th tee, in April 2017 for $750,000.
But because of the "continuous threat of golf ball strikes occurring at any time," the couple could not use and enjoy their property, court records stated, the news outlets reported.
According to the lawsuit, the property was hit with 651 golf balls, which resulted in "multiple broken windows."
But with the country club having moved the 15th hole back, the family hopes the problem has been solved. | https://www.wptv.com/news/national/massachusetts-family-awarded-5-million-after-property-hit-by-over-600-golf-balls-from-country-club | 2022-04-26T18:45:29Z | https://www.wptv.com/news/national/massachusetts-family-awarded-5-million-after-property-hit-by-over-600-golf-balls-from-country-club | false |
EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) — Nervous and rushing to leave, a truck driver attempted to smuggle dozens of migrants past a Border Patrol checkpoint Saturday in West Texas.
U.S. Customs Border Protection said agents ordered the trailer to undergo a secondary inspection at the checkpoint on Interstate 10 in Sierra Blanca, Texas, where a drug-sniffing dog alerted them to the trailer.
Agents found and removed 48 undocumented immigrants from the trailer, saying that most of them were sweating profusely and appeared to be overheated.
Agents took all the migrants to Sierra Blanca Border Patrol Station for medical screening and processing, while Homeland Security Investigations took over the criminal investigation.
“The fight against human smuggling is ongoing,” said Big Bend Sector Chief Patrol Agent Sean L. McGoffin. “Organized human smugglers are putting innocent lives at risk. The thoroughness of our agents, and our K-9 partners, brought an end to this dangerous scheme.”
The Border Patrol urges the public to report suspicious activity by calling 1 (866) 581-7549. | https://www.wane.com/border-report-tour/nervous-truck-driver-had-48-migrants-in-trailer-cbp-says/ | 2022-04-26T18:45:31Z | https://www.wane.com/border-report-tour/nervous-truck-driver-had-48-migrants-in-trailer-cbp-says/ | false |
Tags: java2wtfp2\n\nQuestion: convert intarray of wifi to Wificard[x], is 6 int the size of xt6670 ? Is java wiffixx different？？\nAnswer my same Question here! :) 139\n 60 W_MARG=7 wolf: // 9*n;0 \n n+=0\n if ( W01== The All England Club says Novak Djokovic will be allowed to defend his title at Wimbledon despite not being vaccinated against COVID-19.
All England Club Chief Executive Sally Bolton said during Tuesday's annual briefing that vaccination will not be a condition of entry for players to compete at the Grand Slam tournament this year.
Djokovic is a 34-year-old from Serbia who is ranked No. 1.
He missed the Australian Open in January after being deported from that country because he had not received the vaccination against the illness caused by the coronavirus.
While unvaccinated players will be allowed to compete, athletes from Russia and Belarus are banned from the tournament. They are being punished for Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Bolton says there is a responsibility to limit the possibility of Russians' success at Wimbledon being used as a propaganda tool by that country.
Russia has two players in the top ten on the men's tour. There is one Russian in the top ten on the women's tour.
After Russia attacked Ukraine in February — with help from Belarus — tennis players from Russia and Belarus were able to continue competing but as “neutral” athletes not formally representing their nations. Wimbledon is the only tournament that has banned the athletes from the two countries.
Wimbledon starts on June 27. | https://www.wptv.com/sports/djokovic-can-play-at-wimbledon-no-vaccination-required | 2022-04-26T18:46:18Z | https://www.wptv.com/sports/djokovic-can-play-at-wimbledon-no-vaccination-required | false |
Gaza farmer finds 4,500-year-old statue of Canaanite goddess
By Yolande Knell
BBC News, Jerusalem
- Published
A stone statue of an ancient goddess of beauty, love and war has been found in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas, the Islamist militant group which governs the tiny Palestinian territory, says the head of the Canaanite deity, Anat, dates back 4,500 years to the late Bronze Age.
The discovery was made by a farmer digging his land in Khan Younis.
On social media, some Gazans are making wry comments suggesting the goddess's association with war seems apt.
In recent years, they have seen a series of devastating flare-ups in the conflict between Israel and militant groups in Gaza.
However, the discovery of this limestone statue is a reminder of how the strip - part of an important trade route for successive ancient civilisations - was originally a Canaanite settlement.
The 22cm-high (8.7 in) carving clearly shows the face of the goddess wearing a serpent crown.
"We found it by chance. It was muddy and we washed it with water," said farmer Nidal Abu Eid, who came across the head while cultivating his field.
"We realised that it was a precious thing, but we didn't know it was of such great archaeological value," he told the BBC.
"We thank God, and we are proud that it stayed in our land, in Palestine, since the Canaanite times."
The statue of Anat - the best-known Canaanite deity - is now on display in Qasr al-Basha, a historic building that now serves as one of Gaza's few museums.
Unveiling the artefact at a press conference on Tuesday, Jamal Abu Rida of the Hamas-run Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said the statue was "resistant against time" and had been carefully examined by experts.
He said that it made a political point.
"Such discoveries prove that Palestine has civilisation and history, and no-one can deny or falsify this history," he said. "This is the Palestinian people and their ancient Canaanite civilisation."
Not all archaeological finds in Gaza have been so highly appreciated or fared so well.
Hamas has previously been accused of destroying the remains of a large, fortified Canaanite town, Tell al-Sakan, to make way for housing and military bases south of highly populated Gaza City.
An ancient man-sized bronze of the Greek god Apollo was discovered by a fisherman in 2013, but later disappeared mysteriously.
However, this year Hamas reopened the remains of a 5th Century Byzantine church after foreign donors helped pay for a years-long restoration project.
Work also stopped at a building site in northern Gaza when 31 Roman-era tombs were found there.
While such ancient sites could potentially be a draw for foreign visitors, it has virtually no tourism industry.
Israel and Egypt tightly restrict the flow of people in and out of the impoverished coastal enclave, which is home to some 2.3 million Palestinians, citing security concerns.
- 5 hours ago
- 29 January 2021
- 16 March 2021
- 3 September 2020
- 15 September 2018 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-61228553 | 2022-04-26T18:47:55Z | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-61228553 | false |
15 migrants, driver injured after trying to elude Texas deputies in high-speed chase
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Fifteen migrants and another individual were injured after the truck they were in rolled over following a high-speed chase with Texas deputies on Sunday, according to authorities.
A deputy had pulled over the truck around 8 a.m. in Medina County, located west of San Antonio, when one person fled the vehicle before it sped off, according to the Medina County Sheriff’s Office.
The chase continued into nearby Bexar County, where the driver lost control and the truck rolled over several times.
Fifteen migrants were found in the truck as well as a driver who is from Austin.
Two people were taken by helicopter to a San Antonio hospital and the other individuals in the truck were transported by ambulance, according to authorities.
Officials say two of the individuals were in critical condition. The conditions of the others were not immediately known.
Authorities say the driver, whose name was not immediately released and had a gun in the truck, is facing several charges.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.ktre.com/2022/04/24/15-migrants-driver-injured-after-trying-elude-texas-deputies-high-speed-chase/ | 2022-04-26T18:58:57Z | https://www.ktre.com/2022/04/24/15-migrants-driver-injured-after-trying-elude-texas-deputies-high-speed-chase/ | true |
On the Draw — April 27, 2022
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- Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name, to avoid rejection. | https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/cartoon/on-the-draw-april-27-2022/article65357816.ece | 2022-04-26T19:08:23Z | https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/cartoon/on-the-draw-april-27-2022/article65357816.ece | true |
BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — College students squeezed by a massive housing shortage and surging rents are paying too much for moldy apartments, commuting long distances or sleeping in their cars to get an education — and that doesn’t appear to be changing anytime soon.
For some colleges, the housing crunch was related to the pandemic, which muddied projections for who might want on-campus dorms when classes resumed in person last fall. But the lack of housing both on-campus and off has been a longstanding problem at other schools, including many in California, where homeowners and communities have sued to curb new student housing construction.
Nationally, 43% of students at four-year universities experienced housing insecurity in 2020, up from 35% in 2019, according to an annual survey conducted by The Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice at Temple University. Students reported being unable to pay their rent or mortgage, living in overcrowded units, or moving in with others due to financial difficulties.
For the first time since it began tracking basic needs in 2015, the survey found an equal percentage — 14% — of students at both four-year and two-year colleges who had experienced homelessness in the last year.
“This is a function of rents rising, the inability of communities and institutions to build enough housing for students and other costs of college going up that create a perfect storm for students,” said Mark Huelsman, the center’s director of policy and advocacy.
Terrell Thompson, a sophomore at the University of California, Berkeley, slept in his car for nearly two weeks at the start of the school year last fall, unable to find an apartment in his price range. The university has limited dorms and competition is fierce for nearby off-campus units, which can start at $1,600 for a 300-square-foot (28-square-meter) studio.
“Academically it was hard, because I’m worried about finding housing and I’m worried about my clothes and I’m worried about getting my car broken into all the time,” said the 19-year-old Thompson, who now lives in an apartment he found last September. “I was anxious 24/7.”
Nationally, rents have increased 17% since March 2020, said Chris Salviati, senior economist with Apartment List, but the increase has been higher in some popular college towns. Chapel Hill, North Carolina, saw a 24% jump in rents and Tempe, Arizona, saw a 31% hike.
In some cases, the rental increases have been exacerbated by a lack of on-campus housing,
Last fall, the demand for on-campus housing was so high that the University of Tampa offered incoming freshmen a break on tuition if they deferred until fall 2022. Rent in the Florida city has skyrocketed nearly 30% from a year ago, according to Apartment List.
Rent in Knoxville has soared 36% since March 2020, and it could get worse after the University of Tennessee announced a new lottery system for its dorms this fall, saying it needs to prioritize housing for a larger freshman class.
Even two-year community colleges, which have not traditionally provided dorms, are rethinking student needs as the cost of housing rises.
Last October, Long Beach City College outside of Los Angeles launched a pilot program to provide up to 15 homeless students space in an enclosed parking garage.
They sleep in their cars and have access to bathrooms and showers, electrical outlets and internet while they work with counselors to find permanent housing. Uduak-Joe Ntuk, president of the college’s Board of Trustees, hesitated when asked if the program will be renewed.
“I want to say no, but I think we will,” he said. “We’re going to have new students come fall semester this year that are going to be in a similar situation, and for us to do nothing is untenable.”
UC Berkeley and other UC campuses are fighting homeowners who oppose campus expansion plans, even as the schools accept more students.
Most students have no idea of the housing situation when they choose to attend UC Berkeley, said 19-year-old freshman Sanaa Sodhi, and the university needs to do more to prepare students and support them in their search.
The political science major is excited to move out of the dorms and into a two-bedroom apartment where she and three friends are taking over the lease. The unit is older but a bargain at $3,000 a month, she said. The housemates were prepared to pay up to $5,200 for a safe place close to campus.
“You don’t honestly know the severity of the situation before you’re in it,” she said, adding that landlords hold all the cards. “They know that whatever price they charge, we’ll inevitably have to pay it because we don’t really have a choice except maybe to live out of our cars.” | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/housing-shortage-soaring-rents-squeeze-us-college-students-2/ | 2022-04-26T19:09:22Z | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/housing-shortage-soaring-rents-squeeze-us-college-students-2/ | true |
Why isn't dental included in Medicare? Are any parties promising better dental care?
For years, oral health has highlighted growing inequalities in Australia between the rich and poor.
While a visit to your local GP is either partly or entirely covered by Medicare, only a fraction of the population can access government-funded dental check-ups.
That's not because oral health isn't important — in fact, it's closely associated with a wide range of conditions like diabetes and heart disease.
But like most things in politics, this all comes down to money, and a decision made almost five decades ago.
Let's go back to the beginning. Why wasn't dental initially included in Medicare?
The Whitlam government originally wanted to include dental in Medibank in 1974 — the precursor to Medicare.
But negotiations with doctors consumed all the government's efforts and Gough Whitlam didn't want to bite off more than he could chew with dentists as well.
It was also going to be costly.
Since then, we've seen various governments try to reform the dental system but, despite the efforts of those in power, a huge gap in care remains.
Do we have public dental systems now?
The rules vary depending on where you live, but typically children and adults on concession cards are eligible for free basic services like check-ups, fillings and root canals.
The states and territories run and fund these dental clinics with help from the federal government.
The Australian Dental Association estimates about 8 million of us are eligible for these clinics, but only about 180,000 Australians use them each year, with waiting lists for treatments more than two years long in some states.
As a result, many people are struggling to get the timely care they need and wind up needing emergency care later on, with more than 800,000 GP consultations and hospital admissions each year for dental conditions alone.
Who is calling for dental to be better funded and why?
Groups like the Consumers Health Forum of Australia, the Australian Dental Association and the Grattan Institute have all called for the federal government to expand publicly funded dental care.
In 2019, the Grattan Institute published the report "Filling the Gap", which called on the federal government to take responsibility for funding primary care through a universal scheme.
The figures are a stark reminder of why.
People on public dental waiting lists have far worse outcomes than those who can afford private care, with data from the Australian Dental Association showing about one-third of the millions of Australians eligible for public dentistry avoid food because of problems with their teeth.
Poor oral health is also associated with several chronic diseases — including stroke and cardiovascular disease, oral cancers, diabetes and even lung conditions — and First Nations people, poorer Australians and those in regional and remote areas are most at risk.
We're in an election campaign, are any parties promising better dental care?
So far, the Greens are the only party promising universal access to free dental care, taking a $77.6 billion pledge over 10 years to the federal election.
The Coalition argues dental and oral health is a "key part" of primary care and is extending its agreement with the states to fund public dental for another year.
Federal Labor argues it remains committed to its "long-term" goal of expanding Medicare to dental health services — but hasn't specified a time frame.
How much would it cost?
Like many other things in politics, money is perhaps the biggest hurdle to a universal dental scheme.
Overall, about $9.5 billion was spent on dental services in 2019-20, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare — the bulk of it paid for by out-of-pocket costs.
The Greens' dental pledge equates to about $7.8 billion a year and is based on advice from the Parliamentary Budget Office, an independent agency that reports to parliament — but it's worth noting the PBO warned the supply of qualified dentists to run the scheme couldn't be guaranteed.
In 2019, the Grattan Institute estimated the cost of a fully operational universal scheme would be about $6.5 billion a year, which it argues would operate like Medicare, with the federal government setting a fee schedule and paying public dental services and private dental practices for the services provided.
But just as having a fully funded public dental system would be expensive, not having one also comes at a cost. | https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-27/why-is-dental-separate-from-medicare-election-campaign/101005940 | 2022-04-26T19:10:26Z | https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-27/why-is-dental-separate-from-medicare-election-campaign/101005940 | false |
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Russia is suspending natural gas deliveries to Poland beginning Wednesday morning after Poland refused a demand to pay for its supplies in Russian rubles, Polish officials said Tuesday.
Poland’s state gas company, PGNiG, said it was notified by Russian gas giant Gazprom that deliveries through the Yamal-Europe pipeline would stop Wednesday.
Climate Minister Anna Moskwa stressed that Poland was prepared for such a situation after working for years to reduce its reliance on Russian energy sources. She said the country has been effectively independent when it comes to Russian gas for some time.
“There will be no shortage of gas in Polish homes,” Moskwa tweeted.
The minister repeated that message at a news conference. “Appropriate diversification strategies that we have introduced allow us to feel on the safe side in this situation,” she said.
The Yamal pipeline carries natural gas from Russia to Poland and Germany, through Belarus. Poland has been receiving some 9 billion cubic meters of Russian gas annually.
Flow charts published on the website of the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas showed drastic drops of gas flows at entry points in Kondratki, a town in eastern Poland, and Vysokaye, which is in Belarus.
The Russian news agency Tass cited Gazprom as saying that Poland must pay for its gas supplies under a new procedure, but the Russian company did not confirm the suspension of gas supplies.
Poland has been working since the 1990s to wean itself off of Russian energy and expected to end its reliance on Russian gas this year. | https://www.mrt.com/news/article/Polish-officials-Russia-suspending-gas-supplies-17128077.php | 2022-04-26T19:11:53Z | https://www.mrt.com/news/article/Polish-officials-Russia-suspending-gas-supplies-17128077.php | true |
TORONTO (AP) — Roger Stone, one-time adviser to former U.S. President Donald Trump, has been named as a senior strategic adviser to assist the Ontario Party in the June provincial election in Canada.
In making the announcement, Ontario Party Leader Derek Sloan called Stone a friend and accomplished American conservative political strategist.
“Roger’s insights into campaign strategies designed to take back Ontario will be invaluable to our grassroots campaign going forward,” Sloan said in a news release.
Stone, a long-time Trump confidant, was convicted in 2019 of lying to the U.S. Congress. He was subsequently pardoned by Trump.
Founded in 2018, the Ontario Party is a conservative alternative to Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives.
Sloan, a former federal Conservative member of Parliament, ran for the party leadership in 2020 but lost. He was later removed from the Conservative party caucus.
He became Ontario Party leader in December 2021. | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Roger-Stone-takes-adviser-role-in-Canada-17128199.php | 2022-04-26T19:18:01Z | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Roger-Stone-takes-adviser-role-in-Canada-17128199.php | true |
Federal election Fact Checker: Claims over Solomon Islands-China pact put to test
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Need Help? Call us at 1800 811 855 | https://thewest.com.au/politics/election-fact-checker/federal-election-fact-checker-claims-over-solomon-islands-china-pact-put-to-test-c-6584917 | 2022-04-26T19:19:36Z | https://thewest.com.au/politics/election-fact-checker/federal-election-fact-checker-claims-over-solomon-islands-china-pact-put-to-test-c-6584917 | false |
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday afternoon's drawing of the Iowa Lottery's "Pick 3 Midday" game were:
3-5-4
(three, five, four)
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday afternoon's drawing of the Iowa Lottery's "Pick 3 Midday" game were:
3-5-4
(three, five, four) | https://www.theheraldreview.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Pick-3-Midday-game-17128041.php | 2022-04-26T19:27:08Z | https://www.theheraldreview.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Pick-3-Midday-game-17128041.php | false |
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A Republican lawmaker who wanted to refer to himself as “The Patriot” on the ballot can’t use that nickname, the Oklahoma Election Board has ruled.
The board decided Monday that term-limited state Rep. Sean Roberts can still run for Oklahoma Labor Commissioner, but he can’t refer to himself by that nickname on the ballot.
Oklahoma election rules allow a candidate to use a nickname if it’s a name the candidate is generally known by or who does business using the nickname. Roberts’ opponent, Republican Labor Commissioner Leslie Osborn, said there’s no evidence Roberts is known as “The Patriot.”
She pointed out in her petition to the board that Roberts has appeared on the ballot in seven successive elections as Kevin Sean Roberts or Sean Roberts.
Roberts said in a statement he’s considering appealing the board’s decision.
Also on Monday, the board rejected a petition by Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Jason Bollinger to have his Democratic opponent, Madison Horn, removed from the ballot. Bollinger alleged Horn’s candidacy declaration was incomplete. The two are seeking the Democratic nomination in the U.S. Senate race for the seat currently held by Republican U.S. Sen. James Lankford. | https://www.kxnet.com/news/oklahoma-panel-says-candidate-cant-be-called-the-patriot/ | 2022-04-26T19:30:05Z | https://www.kxnet.com/news/oklahoma-panel-says-candidate-cant-be-called-the-patriot/ | false |
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday afternoon's drawing of the Iowa Lottery's "Pick 3 Midday" game were:
3-5-4
(three, five, four)
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday afternoon's drawing of the Iowa Lottery's "Pick 3 Midday" game were:
3-5-4
(three, five, four) | https://www.expressnews.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Pick-3-Midday-game-17128041.php | 2022-04-26T19:30:41Z | https://www.expressnews.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Pick-3-Midday-game-17128041.php | false |
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