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PITTSBURGH (AP) — The New York Mets placed pitcher Max Scherzer on the 15-day injured list on Wednesday with what the club described as “left oblique irritation.”
The move is retroactive to Sept. 4, the day after Scherzer left his start against Washington following five innings with discomfort in his left side. The 38-year-old missed nearly two months earlier in the season with a left oblique strain. Scherzer said this injury is different and not as severe.
“This is days, not weeks, that’s the first and foremost thing,” Scherzer said Wednesday before New York’s split doubleheader against Pittsburgh.
Mets manager Buck Showalter expects Scherzer to miss at least one start and possibly two to make sure the issue is fully resolved before the postseason begins. Scherzer was supposed to start Friday’s game in Miami. There is no immediate word on who will start in Scherzer’s place.
The Mets entered Wednesday riding a three-game losing streak that dropped them into a tie with surging Atlanta atop the NL East with four weeks left in the season.
Scherzer is 9-4 with a 2.26 ERA in 20 starts this season for New York. He described feeling fatigued in his left side near the end of his start against Washington, when he allowed one run in five innings before exiting. The three-time Cy Young winner said he has “no regrets” about staying in to pitch.
Scherzer described his symptoms as a general feeling of achiness rather than one specific spot that hurts, which is what he experienced in the oblique earlier in the year.
Showalter said test results showed “pretty good news, all things considered,” because they indicated the issue is relatively minor.
“I think the idea is to get it resolved so that he can finish the season strong and be ready for whatever the season holds for us,” Showalter said.
New York recalled left-handed reliever Alex Claudio from Triple-A Syracuse to take Scherzer’s roster spot. The team also recalled right-handed reliever Yoan López to serve as the 29th man for Wednesday’s doubleheader.
To make room for López, the Mets designated right-handed reliever Adonis Medina for assignment.
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More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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| 2022-09-21T10:58:57Z
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There will be a new look on the sideline in Week 1 of the NFL season with a record-tying 10 new head coaches.
The overhaul of nearly one-third of the league matches the previous high reached in 1978, 1997 and 2006.
The new crop includes five retreads looking to bounce back after getting fired from their last head-coaching job and five first-time coaches.
They take over varying situations with Tampa Bay’s Todd Bowles and Las Vegas’ Josh McDaniels taking over 2021 playoff teams in their second chances, while others like Chicago’s Matt Eberflus and Brian Daboll of the Giants in rebuilding situations in their first shots in charge.
The other coaches looking for success after previously getting fired are Jacksonville’s Doug Pedersen, New Orleans’ Dennis Allen and Houston’s Lovie Smith.
The other first-time coaches are Nathaniel Hackett in Denver, Mike McDaniel in Miami and Kevin O’Connor in Minnesota.
Teams with first-year coaches haven’t had great success in recent years as most stepped into poor situations. Eight of the 32 teams that started the past five seasons with a brand-new coach made the playoffs in their first year with a combined winning percentage with the group at .416.
In all in the Super Bowl era, four teams won the Super Bowl with a first-year coach with Denver the last to do it in 2015 under Gary Kubiak. Jon Gruden also did it with Tampa Bay in 2002, George Seifert in San Francisco in 1989 and the Colts with Don McCafferty in 1970.
Three other teams made it to the Super Bowl and lost with a first-year coach: Indianapolis in 2009 with Jim Caldwell, the Raiders in 2002 with Bill Callahan and Denver in 1977 with Red Miller.
OPENING THOUGHTS
No franchise can match the Cleveland Browns when it comes to starting off the season on the wrong note. The Browns are 0-16-1 in their past 17 openers since beating Baltimore 20-3 in 2004 with Jeff Garcia at quarterback.
No other team in NFL history has gone winless in Week 1 in more than nine straight seasons, with Washington (1959-67) and Philadelphia (1968-1976) doing that. The Browns look to break that streak at Carolina.
On the other side of the equation are the Chiefs, who have the longest active Week 1 winning streak at seven straight games. The last team to win at least eight straight openers was New England with 10 in a row from 2004-13.
TURNAROUND TEAMS
In 18 of the past 19 seasons, at least two teams that missed the playoffs the previous year ended up as division champs.
In all, 61 teams have done it, with Cincinnati and Dallas joining that group in 2021. That should give hope to plenty of teams, with 25 of those teams having gone from last to first in one year, including the 2021 Bengals.
At least one team has done it in 17 of the past 19 seasons. The teams looking to pull off that trick in 2021 are the Jets, Baltimore, Cleveland, Jacksonville, Denver, the Giants, Carolina, Detroit and Seattle.
For 32 straight years, at least four teams that missed the playoffs the previous year have made it to the postseason with seven teams pulling off the feat last year.
NO ROOKIES
One year after three rookie quarterbacks started in Week 1, there are none projected to start the opener this season with the only first-round pick — Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett — set to be behind Mitch Trubisky.
This would mark the first time since 2007 that no rookie quarterback started the first game of the season for their team. In all, 26 rookie QBs started in Week 1 the past 14 seasons.
QB TRAVELS
Carson Wentz will once again start a new season in a new home. After playing in Philadelphia in 2020 and Indianapolis last season, Wentz is now the starter in Washington.
He will become the fifth QB since at least 1950 to start the opener for three franchises in three seasons, joining Jim Harbaugh (1997-99), Kurt Warner (2003-05), Brett Favre (2007-09) and Donovan McNabb (2009-11).
Wentz has a ways to go to match Ryan Fitzpatrick’s record of starting the season opener for seven franchises.
AGELESS BRADY
Tom Brady is set to begin his 23rd season in the NFL at age 45. He will become the ninth player to appear in an NFL game at age 45 or older, and he’ll be the oldest player to start an NFL game since 1925 when Bobby Marshall started two games for the Duluth Kelleys.
Brady can join Hall of Famer George Blanda as the only players that old to throw a pass in the NFL. Blanda went 7 for 22 for 116 yards, two TDs and an interception at age 45 or older in the 1970s.
SCHEDULE ODDITIES
The Jets and Ravens have an unusual start to their schedules, each opening the season with four straight games against another division starting with their head-to-head matchup in Week 1.
Baltimore follows that up with three more games in a row against the AFC East, while New York does the same against the AFC North.
The only other teams to do that since league went to eight divisions in 2002 are the Giants in 2002 against the NFC West and New Orleans in 2004 against the NFC West.
Kansas City will open the season with eight straight teams that had a winning record last year, the first time a team has ever done that, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
___
More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
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| 2022-09-21T10:59:04Z
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ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout homered in the same game for the eighth time this season, but rookies Kerry Carpenter and Ryan Kreidler hit back-to-back homers in the ninth inning to send the Detroit Tigers to a 5-4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday.
Kreidler hit his first career homer off José Quijada (0-4) four pitches after Carpenter tied it with a homer down the left field line into the shortest porch at Angel Stadium.
Eric Haase went 5 for 5 with a homer and two doubles in the majors’ 12th five-hit game of the season, and former No. 1 overall draft pick Spencer Torkelson hit his first homer since July 3 as the Tigers snapped their four-game skid.
“This is what you work your whole life for, for moments like these,” said Kreidler, the UCLA product and Davis, California, native whose parents have been in the stands for every game since his debut last week in Detroit. “The fact that we’re rookies is cool, but we’re all on the same team here and we’re pulling in the same direction, so it feels good to get it done. I had trust that Carp would do something.”
Detroit avoided a series sweep with a 13-hit attack in just their second win in nine games, and three rookies came up with the biggest hits. Kreidler, Carpenter and Torkelson all played together at Triple-A Toledo last month.
“This is a young group of players who have played together and they’re trying to find their way,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “They’re up in the big leagues, and these are all unfamiliar situations for them, but they’re banding together, and today was a good (example) of why we like these guys.”
José Cisnero (1-0) pitched the eighth, and Gregory Soto allowed two baserunners before finishing his 25th save in a game that began in uncharacteristic 99-degree heat and ended with an all-too-normal Angels bullpen collapse. Los Angeles’ five relievers each gave up an extra-base hit to the first batter they faced.
Trout homered in his fourth consecutive game during the fifth inning, matching his career record for consecutive games with a homer and tying Ohtani for the team lead with his 32nd. Ohtani surged back ahead in the seventh with his 33rd, a tiebreaking solo shot to right off Andrew Chafin.
The Angels’ two former AL MVPs have homered in the same game 22 times in their five seasons together — including twice in the past three games against Detroit.
Matt Thaiss also hit his first homer since 2020 for the Angels, who wrapped up their first winning homestand since early May with an awful bullpen performance. Thaiss hasn’t stuck in the big leagues since his rookie season in 2019, but he is batting .333 during his current callup.
“He’s really swinging the bat well,” Angels interim manager Phil Nevin said of Thaiss. “The home run was obviously huge for us at that moment. We like what we see. We’re going to take a long look at him.”
FOR STARTERS
Patrick Sandoval held the Tigers to six hits and a run over five innings. The left-hander couldn’t match his four-hit shutout with nine strikeouts at Detroit on Aug. 19.
Drew Hutchison yielded five hits and two walks over four innings for the Tigers.
TORKELSON’S SHOT
Torkelson’s homer was the latest promising sign from the 2020 draft’s top prospect after a rough start to his career. He was sent back to the minors around the All-Star break while batting .197, but he returned to Detroit last Friday and then drove in his first run since July 12 on Tuesday night in Anaheim.
“Tork has done a nice job coming back in a very good mindset (and a) great place physically with where his stance is, where his weight is and where his mind is,” Hinch said. “You get rewarded for that (if) you keep hitting the ball hard.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Tigers: OF Riley Greene got his second straight day off with a sore wrist. The rookie’s 13-game hitting streak ended Monday in the game in which he got injured.
Angels: RHP Michael Lorenzen is slated to rejoin the rotation Friday in Houston. The longtime Reds reliever had an up-and-down beginning to what was expected to be a full season as a starter before he went on the injured list July 7 and missed 56 games with a right shoulder strain.
UP NEXT
Tigers: After a day off, rookie Joey Wentz (0-1, 8.10 ERA) is expected to return from the minors Friday in Kansas City. He made his big league debut with two starts in May.
Angels: After a day off, Lorenzen (6-6, 4.94 ERA) returns against the playoff-bound Astros to open the Halos’ six-game road trip Friday.
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More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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| 2022-09-21T10:59:11Z
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OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — When their ace struggled, the Atlanta Braves kept slugging — right back into first place after all these months chasing the Mets.
Matt Olson hit a three-run homer against his former club and the Braves won their sixth in a row, outswinging the Oakland Athletics 10-9 on Tuesday night and finally catching New York atop the NL East.
The reigning World Series champion Braves (85-51) pulled even with a slumping Mets team that had held sole possession of the division lead for 147 days since April 12 but has lost three straight.
“It’s where you want to be, you’d rather be here than somewhere else,” manager Brian Snitker said. “You want to be in the thick of the thing. I’ve always said, even when I was a third base coach, it’s like you love that time of the year when you wake up, get a cup of coffee and you can’t wait to get to the ballpark because you want to play the next game. That’s a good place to be.”
Major league wins leader Kyle Wright surrendered a career-high eight runs to the A’s. His team held tough, just as has been the case so many times in 2022.
“I feel like this game was kind of a perfect example of that,” Wright said. “I struggled pretty bad but these guys picked me up. The offense was great, defense was great, the bullpen was incredible to finish that game with a one-run lead the whole time. It could’ve been way more than that. That game right there was a huge testament to the team as a whole and how we do a good job of picking each other up.”
Wright had won four straight starts, boosting his record to 17-5. With the temperature an unseasonably warm 86 degrees at game time during California’s heat wave, baseballs flew from first pitch.
Wright’s career-best scoreless innings streak ended at 15 dating to June 19 against the Astros when he gave up an RBI groundout to Sean Murphy in the first.
“It happens and he’ll regroup,” Snitker said.
Murphy and Seth Brown hit back-to-back homers in the third. Chad Pinder hit a three-run homer in the fifth to tie it at 9-all. It was his franchise-record sixth career pinch-hit homer.
The Braves had been 0-9 previously this year when giving up nine or more runs.
“We hadn’t had one of those in a while, so it was good to see the guys keep fighting, keep scoring,” Snitker said.
Olson returned to Oakland for the first time since the Braves acquired the slugging first baseman from the A’s in March. He received cheers when he stepped into the batter’s box in the first inning.
Another ex-A’s player, Jesse Chavez (3-1), pitched 1 1/3 innings for the win and Kenley Jansen finished for his majors-best 32nd save.
A’s lefty Cole Irvin was tagged for a career-high nine runs over 4 2/3 innings.
Marcell Ozuna added a two-run single in the Braves’ three-run fifth. Austin Riley hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the sixth off Joel Payamps (3-4).
STREAKING
The Braves have won 10 straight against the A’s after a two-game sweep in Atlanta from June 7-8. The club has 10-game winning streaks versus a single club only four other times since 1990 — beating the Rockies in 16 straight from 1993-94, the Giants in 12 in a row and Marlins in 11 consecutive both in ’94-95 and Houston over 10 straight in 1991.
FUN MEMORY
Snitker was coaching third base for the Braves when now-A’s manager Mark Kotsay hit for the cycle on Aug. 14, 2008, against the Cubs, also Tom Glavine’s final career start.
“He slid into third to hit for the cycle and I didn’t even realize it,” Snitker said. “He’s just awesome, I love Kots.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Braves: RHP Jake Odorizzi was expected to go through some work on the field as he prepares for his next outing after being scratched Saturday because of arm fatigue. Snitker is hopeful Odorizzi will be ready and healthy to make a start this weekend in Seattle.
Athletics: CF Ramón Laureano came off the injured list from a strained left oblique that sidelined him Aug. 15. Laureano will play both center and right field. … Oakland also recalled RHP Tyler Cyr from Triple-A Las Vegas.
UP NEXT
RHP Spencer Strider (9-4, 2.67 ERA) pitches the afternoon series finale Wednesday trying to win his third straight start and fourth consecutive decision. … For the A’s, LHP Ken Waldichuk (0-0, 1.93) makes his second career start after a no-decision in his major league debut last Thursday at Washington after being called up from Triple-A Las Vegas.
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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https://www.ktalnews.com/sports/ap-olson-hr-vs-former-team-surging-braves-top-as-catch-mets/
| 2022-09-21T10:59:19Z
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NEW YORK (AP) — A radio host admitted he falsely claimed agent Casey Close never informed first baseman Freddie Freeman of the Atlanta Braves’ last contract offer.
Doug Gottlieb tweeted on June 29 that “Casey Close never told Freddie Freeman about the Braves final offer,” Close and Excel Sports Management sued Gottlieb in mid-July in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, alleging defamation by libel.
Gottlieb tweeted an apology Wednesday.
“Upon further vetting of my sources, a review of the lawsuit filed against me in this matter and a direct conversation with Casey himself, I have learned that the conduct I alleged did not occur and that there is no credible basis for stating that it did,” Gottlieb wrote. “My ultimate investigation into this matter confirms that Casey Close did, in fact, communicate all offers to Freddie Freeman and the sources I relied on were incorrect, in no uncertain terms.”
“I appreciate the damage that misinformation like this can cause,” Gottlieb added, “and have been in touch with Casey Close to apologize directly. I have also deleted my original tweet.”
Close, 58, is a principal of Excel and one of three managing partners. He has represented several hundred baseball players, including Hall of Famer Derek Jeter.
Gottlieb also tweeted on June 29 that Freeman had fired Close. However, Excel remains Freeman’s listed agency, according to the players’ association.
“From the onset, we were clear that Mr. Gottlieb’s tweet was wholly inaccurate and that we would seek legal remedies to set the record straight,” Close said in a statement. “He has retracted his statement in its entirety and acknowledged that he got the story wrong. We consider this matter closed.”
The suit remained pending as of midday Wednesday.
Gottlieb, 46, is affiliated with Fox Sports, the Pac-12 Network and CBS Sports, according to the suit.
Close said in the suit that the Braves on March 29, 2021, offered Freeman a $110 million, five-year deal starting in 2022, then made a $125 million, five-year proposal on Aug. 1 and a $135 million proposal on Aug. 4, all rejected by Freeman.
Close said he and the Braves had their final two conversations about a Freeman contract this March 12 and he made two proposals to the team that day that were rejected. Close said he asked the team if it had any offer he could present Freeman and was told the team did not.
Atlanta announced on March 14 it had acquired first baseman Matt Olson from Oakland, signaling the team no longer was attempting to retain Freeman. On March 17, Freeman signed a $162 million, six-year contract with the Dodgers.
Freeman is hitting .323 with 17 homers and 84 RBIs.
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More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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https://www.ktalnews.com/sports/ap-radio-host-admits-he-made-false-claim-on-freeman-talks/
| 2022-09-21T10:59:34Z
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The staying power of quiet quitting
The work philosophy of quiet quitting — a rebellion against the "rise and grind" ethos — is spreading quickly and widely among young workers. And this has the potential to change how we all work.
Driving the news: 82% of Gen Zers say the idea of doing the minimum required to keep their jobs is pretty or extremely appealing. And some 15% are already doing it, per a new Axios/Generation Lab poll.
The desire to work to live, instead of living to work, is consistent across gender, race and political views.
- 85% of young women find the idea of doing the minimum to get by appealing, and 79% of young men feel the same way.
- 82% of white respondents, 86% of Black respondents and 79% of Asian respondents share this view of work, as do 84% of Democrats, 79% of Republicans and 83% of independents.
Respondents also ranked work lower on their list of priorities than family, friends, wellness and hobbies.
Our thought bubble: The new generation of office workers has been shaped by hybrid and remote culture, and values work-life balance far more than generations that came before it.
- It'll be difficult for employers to change the tide.
Reality check: Despite the widespread appeal of quiet quitting, respondents say they want to work an average of 8–9 hours per day.
- They're willing to engage with work, but they want to let go of grind culture and redefine work as an 8-hours-per-day, 40-hours-per-week part of life.
The bottom line: The numbers show that quiet quitting cuts across demographics and may be here to stay.
Methodology: This poll was conducted Sept. 12-15 from a representative sample of 828 18 to 29-year-olds nationwide. The margin of error is +/- 3.4 percentage points.
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https://www.axios.com/2022/09/21/quiet-quitting-gen-z-work-jobs-minimum
| 2022-09-21T10:59:39Z
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NEW YORK (AP) — The Latest on the U.S. Open tennis tournament (all times local):
2:55 a.m.
Carlos Alcaraz has outlasted Jannik Sinner in the latest-finishing match in U.S. Open history, advancing to the semifinals with a 6-3, 6-7 (7), 6-7 (0), 7-5, 6-3 victory.
The No. 3 seed fought off a match point in the fourth set and then put away the match that ended at 2:50 a.m. Three previous U.S. Open matches had ended at 2:26.
The match lasted 5 hours, 15 minutes, 11 minutes short of another U.S. Open record.
Alcaraz will face Frances Tiafoe on Friday in the first Grand Slam semifinal for both.
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9:15 p.m.
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek has beaten Jessica Pegula 6-3, 7-6 (4) in a women’s quarterfinal match in which both players struggled to hold serve.
The players combined for 10 breaks, five by each, in 12 games in the second set before the tiebreaker. Swiatek broke serve seven times in the match and Pegula six.
Swiatek advances to face No. 6 Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals.
The eighth-seeded Pegula was stopped in her bid for a first major semifinal.
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8:40 p.m.
Nick Kyrgios was fined $14,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct after his racket-smashing exit from the U.S. Open.
Kyrgios slammed multiple rackets to the court in frustration following his 7-5, 4-6, 7-5, 6-7 (3), 6-4 loss to Karen Khachanov in the quarterfinals on Tuesday night.
The Wimbledon runner-up racked up $32,500 in fines while in Flushing Meadows, getting penalized five times.
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4:45 p.m.
Frances Tiafoe became the first American man into the U.S. Open semifinals in 16 years by beating No. 9 Andrey Rublev 7-6 (3), 7-6 (0), 6-4.
Two days after upsetting No. 2 Rafael Nadal, the No. 22-seeded Tiafoe reached the last four of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time. He will face either No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz or No. 11 Jannik Sinner on Friday.
No American male had reached the semifinals in Flushing Meadows since Andy Roddick lost to Roger Federer in the 2006 final.
Rublev fell to 0-6 in Grand Slam quarterfinals.
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2:45 p.m.
The largest, most lucrative wheelchair tournament in Grand Slam history began with victories for top seeds Diede de Groot and Shingo Kunieda.
De Groot became the first women’s wheelchair player to win the Golden Slam last year, when her victory at the U.S. Open followed her wins at the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon, along with her gold medal at the Paralympics.
The wheelchair field this year has grown to 56 players, with a purse of $1 million. There is also a junior competition for the first time.
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1:45 p.m.
Aryna Sabalenka reached the U.S. Open semifinals for the second straight year by beating Karolina Pliskova 6-1, 7-6 (4).
The No. 6 seed matched her best performance at a Grand Slam tournament and will play for a spot in the final against either top-ranked Iga Swiatek or No. 8 Jessica Pegula.
Sabalenka, who lost to runner-up Leylah Fernandez last year in the semis, avenged a loss to the No. 22-seeded Pliskova in the semifinals at Wimbledon in 2021.
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12:15 p.m.
Aryna Sabalenka is on the court in search of a second straight trip to the U.S. Open semifinals in the opening singles match of the day.
The No. 6 seed is facing No. 22 Karolina Pliskova, the 2016 runner-up in Flushing Meadows.
They will be followed by American Frances Tiafoe, coming off his upset of No. 2 Rafael Nadal, facing No. 9 Andrey Rublev. The winner will make his first career Grand Slam semifinal.
The night session begins with No. 1 Iga Swiatek facing No. 8 Jessica Pegula, followed by No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz against No. 11 Jannik Sinner in the men’s quarterfinals.
Sabalenka is the only 2021 semifinalist left in either draw. She also reached the semifinals last year at Wimbledon, where Pliskova beat her before falling to Ash Barty in the final.
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More AP coverage of U.S. Open tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/us-open-tennis-championships and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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| 2022-09-21T10:59:42Z
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Detroit Beach Art Market set for this weekend
Several local artists and makers will show and sell their work at the fourth-annual open air Art Market, set for this weekend at Friends of Companion Animals Feline Rescue & Adoption Center, 2532 N. Dixie Highway. The shelter is located in front of the Detroit Beach community.
The market will be open from noon to 5 p.m. both days. This is the first year the market will be open two days.
"Some artists are going to be present both days, while others will be 'one day onlys,' so each day will have something different to see," the shelter said. "Take home original work from local artists and crafters."
Art created by cats from the shelter also will be sold. Works can be viewed from noon to 5 p.m. this week at the shelter. To bid on the cat-created art, visithttps://www.ebay.com/usr/friendsofcompanionanimals. Bidding runs until Sept. 26.
All proceeds will benefit the shelter and will be used for housing, feeding and caring for the cats, including the more than 200 cats that are at the shelter or in foster care.
"(Last year) we raised about $600 through our eBay art auction and walk-in donations that day," the shelter said.
Attendees also can go into the shelter to see the cats available for adoption. The Art Market will be held rain or shine. FOCA is Monroe’s only all-cat, non-profit rescue.
“FOCA is always striving to bring people together, so it’s nice to see this market now into its fourth year. Each day is expected to feature no less than 10 artists and crafters showing off their talent, so we hope people stop out and support them the way they’ve supported us,” Penny Bly, rescue director, said. “People are looking for local things to do around Monroe. It’s a nice way to visit the cats at the shelter and enjoy the creative works of local artist.”
FOCA also seeks donations, including Purina Naturals Original dry food, Purina Gentle dry food, Purina One Healthy Kitten dry food and Purina Kitten Chow.
“Every little bit of help keeps things rolling,” Bly said.
FOCA is planning to open a spay and neuter clinic next to its shelter.
"We are still about half way there, $10,000 to get things started," the shelter said. "Of course to continue it will take funds as well, so between fundraising for our new roof and the clinic, that's where the bulk of our donations have been allocated lately."
FOCA has other events planned for this fall. Trunk or Treat will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. Oct. 22. Admission is free. Advance tickets are now on sale for the shelter’s Autumn Annual Fundraiser, set for Nov. 5 at LaRoy’s Hall in LaSalle. Tickets are $40 each or $300 for a table of eight. Live and silent auctions, dinner, dessert and a cash bar will be offered. On the Net: friendsofcompanionanimals.org
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Rural hospitals face funding cliff with $600 million on the line
Rural hospitals that weathered the pandemic are facing a funding cliff, in danger of losing some $600 million in Medicare funding at the end of this month unless Congress intervenes.
Why it matters: With COVID relief no longer available, some rural facilities in parts of the country with older, sicker populations are struggling to stay open and are cutting services.
Driving the news: The immediate focus is on a pair of Medicare payment programs set to expire on Sept. 30.
- The Medicare-Dependent and Low Volume Hospital programs help fund more than 700 hospitals in outlying areas, according to Brock Slabach, chief operating officer at the Rural Health Association.
- The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services estimates that payments to those hospitals would decrease by $600 million if the programs aren't renewed.
- Lawmakers led by Reps. Carol Miller (R-W.Va.) and Terri Sewell (D-Ala.) are pressing for a five-year reauthorization, arguing the cuts would be "catastrophic" to small and isolated communities.
- But any relief measure would likely have to hitch a ride on a must-pass bill, like the anticipated stopgap funding measure to keep the government running into the new fiscal year or a year-end spending deal.
Go deeper: The hospitals funded by the programs are typically too big to be classified as "critical access hospitals" and qualify for more favorable Medicare payment policies. They're also too small to benefit from Medicare's prospective payment system, which pays fixed amounts for hospital services.
- CMS is finalizing a new payment model that would encourage small rural facilities to operate 24-hour emergency rooms but offer no other inpatient services.
- The plan has drawn criticism for being too rigid, or too much of a gamble for facilities to buy in. Only hospitals with fewer than 50 beds qualify.
- The University of North Carolina Center for Health Services Research predicted that just 68 of the more than 1,500 hospitals that could convert to this model would opt in.
What we're hearing: Some rural facilities have cut services and grappled with negative margins even before confronting a funding cliff.
- Financial losses forced Ouachita County Medical Center in southwest Arkansas, to close one of its rural health clinics this year, Peggy Abbott, president of the facility, told reporters last week.
- A hospital a 45-minute drive away closed its obstetrics services, leaving Ouachita County Medical Center to care for an additional county's pregnant patients.
The intrigue: The pleas for relief come as the broader hospital industry presses Congress to delay a scheduled 4% Medicare payment cut due to take effect at the end of the year.
- This cut would also weigh heavily on rural facilities that rely more on Medicare revenues, per an American Hospital Association report.
- "This could be cataclysmic for rural providers," Slabach said.
Our thought bubble: Renewing rural funding programs is the bare minimum ask for facilities hit harder by staffing shortages and supply chain problems.
- But with bigger hospital chains seeing business rebound to pre-pandemic levels, it's unclear how accommodating policymakers will be to the industry.
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Ellis Library to host Bill Reiser Memorial Blues Concert
Two well-known Blues musicians are coming to Ellis Library & Reference Center to honor the late Bill Reiser.
The Bill Reiser Memorial Blues Concert will take place at 7 p.m. Saturday at the library, 3700 S. Custer Rd. Admission is free; the public is welcome. Doors will open at 6.
Pianist Mark Braun and storyteller/musician Reverend Robert B. Jones Sr. will share their music and memories of Reiser during Saturday’s concert.
Braun, a critically acclaimed Blues and boogie-woogie pianist, is popularly known as Mr. B. The Michigan-born artist has traveled the world offering concert performances and educational programs.
“Having learned his craft first-hand from the early masters, he is a rare living link to the first generation of Blues and boogie pianists,” Barbra Krueger, community outreach coordinator at the Monroe County Library System, said.
“Reverend Jones is an inspirational singer, songwriter and storyteller. He is an award-winning, self-taught and multi-instrumentalist. A native Detroiter, Reverend Jones has performed across the country and internationally for nearly 30 years,” Krueger said.
“When you bring in artists of this caliber, people connect to the music in a profound way, it’s transformational,” David Tamulevich, president of Tamulevich Artist Management, said. “It was a privilege to work with Bill Reiser. His energy and passion made all of this possible.”
Longtime library employee Reiser, who died in December, 2021, was best known for coordinating the Annual Black History Month Blues Series. He affectionately referred to it as “the Monroe County Library System’s award-winning history lesson with a backbeat.” This Blues series is the longest-running annual Blues celebration in Michigan. It has earned awards from the Public Library Association, the Michigan Library Association and the Rhythm & Blues Foundation. In 2009, the Blues Series was awarded the Keeping the Blues Alive Award for Education from the Blues Foundation. It is the most prestigious honor bestowed to non-musicians.
“Bill was always, without exception, an enthusiastic and kind partner who was committed to providing the best-possible experience for his audiences. As a curator, he was highly skilled, and as a presenter, an impeccable host. His curiosity and warmth will be missed and very fondly remembered. We were all the very fortunate recipients of his knowledge, professionalism, and commitment to his community,” Braun said.
Reiser’s tenure at the Monroe County Library System began in 1987 and spanned more than three decades.
“He was a fierce defender of intellectual freedom and advocate of library services. He was also instrumental in the 2011, renovation of the Ellis Library & Reference Center. Nancy Bellaire, library director, said, “Bill was a giant in our library system whose leadership touched so many lives. I appreciated his humor, insight and camaraderie. His absence is still felt by friends and colleagues alike.”
The event is hosted by the library system, Friends of Ellis, Monroe County Community College and the DTE Foundation. Additional funding was provided by the Library Friends Group. The event is supported by the Michigan Arts and Culture Council. On the Net: website at www.mymcls.com.
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NEW YORK (AP) — About 20 minutes after Frances Tiafoe earned the first trip to the U.S. Open semifinals by an American man since 2006, he met up in an Arthur Ashe Stadium foyer with a host of friends, Washington Wizards All-Star guard Bradley Beal among them.
Everyone traded hearty hugs and huge smiles. Tiafoe shouted, “Let’s pose for a dope photo!” and they obliged. As the nine-person line stood together, someone yelled, “Throw up a ‘Dub!’” so Tiafoe and others formed a “W” — as in “Win” — by joining thumbs and index fingers on both hands. Tiafoe’s girlfriend ran through the nearby double doors, jumped into his arms, gave him a kiss, then wiped away lipstick from his mouth.
Most assuredly a showman, and someone striving for years for this sort of success on big stages, Tiafoe sure is enjoying the ride, as are his pals, his parents and the partisan fans, who last celebrated a Grand Slam trophy for a man from the United States two decades ago.
Tiafoe managed the tricky task of following up the biggest win of his career, against 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal in the fourth round, with another milestone victory, beating No. 9 seed Andrey Rublev 7-6 (3), 7-6 (0), 6-4 behind the backing of a boisterous crowd on Wednesday.
“I love to show the world what I can do,” said the 24-year-old Tiafoe, who is seeded 22nd at Flushing Meadows. “I just want to go out there and try to give the crowd what they want — and that’s me getting the win.”
Andy Roddick, who was in the Ashe stands Wednesday, was the last U.S. man to get to the semifinals in New York, losing to Roger Federer in the title match 16 years ago. Roddick also was the last man from the country to win any Grand Slam singles championship, taking the 2003 U.S. Open.
None of the men left in the bracket this time has ever won a major trophy. Tiafoe’s first career Slam semifinal will come Friday against another first-timer, No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz, who saved a match point and came through to edge No. 11 Jannik Sinner 6-3, 6-7 (7), 6-7 (0), 7-5, 6-3 at 2:50 a.m. on Thursday, the latest finish in tournament history. They played for 5 hours, 15 minutes, and it was terrific tennis.
“I always say you have to believe in yourself all the time,” Alcaraz said. “Hope is the last thing that you lose.”
Tiafoe’s step forward has come with the help of his coach, former pro player Wayne Ferreira, who said the player used to not be “really professional enough,” and pointed to important changes to his habits when it comes to eating — there had been too much chocolate and cookies and not enough breakfasts — practice and work in the gym.
“It’s taken time for us to get gradually to where we are today,” Ferreira said. “I kind of imagined he would be at his best by the end of next year.”
Tiafoe played aggressive, offensive tennis on Wednesday, never got broken and used 18 aces along with strong volleying to oust Rublev, a Russian who dropped to 0-6 in major quarterfinals. Tiafoe won 31 of 41 points when he went to the net; Rublev only ventured forward 11 times.
In the women’s quarterfinals Wednesday, No. 1 Iga Swiatek won her eighth consecutive match against an opponent ranked in the top 10, all in straight sets, by defeating No. 8 Jessica Pegula of the United States 6-3, 7-6 (4) at night. Swiatek next meets No. 6 Aryna Sabalenka, who collected a 6-1, 7-6 (4) victory over Karolina Pliskova.
Swiatek is a two-time champion on clay at the French Open but never had been past the fourth round on New York’s hard courts until this year’s run to the semifinals.
“I wasn’t expecting that at the beginning of the tournament,” Swiatek said.
The other women’s semifinal Thursday will be No. 5 Ons Jabeur vs. No. 17 Caroline Garcia, who beat 18-year-old American Coco Gauff on Tuesday.
Rain drops began falling just before the start of Tiafoe vs. Rublev, so they stood around waiting for the retractable roof to be shut. That resulted in a cool, wind-free environment and a louder setting, with applause and yells from fans reverberating in what became an indoor arena — circumstances that favored Tiafoe.
The only break of serve came more than two hours in, when Tiafoe went ahead 4-3 in the third set, then stood mostly motionless on court, enjoying the crescendo of support. The other key moments came at the conclusions of the first two sets; Tiafoe is 6-0 in tiebreakers at this U.S. Open.
Rublev actually had the first chance to nose ahead, with a set point at 6-5 in the first, but Tiafoe erased it with a risky forehand to a corner that drew a netted reply.
Several minutes later, it was Tiafoe who took the set, sealing it with a 130 mph ace, then strutting to the changeover, nodding and motioning with his racket for more noise.
A similar scene played out in the second tiebreaker after a drop volley by Tiafoe forced a mistake by Rublev to make it 6-0.
When Tiafoe produced a backhand return winner to seal a two-set lead, he sprinted to the sideline, sat down near his messy collection of towels, shirts and socks spread out around the ground — call it “college dorm room chic” or, to use his word, “diabolical” — and shook his fist amid the delirium of a standing ovation.
“Best tiebreaker I will ever play,” Tiafoe said. “Honestly a laughable tiebreaker. You can’t make that up.”
Rublev never tried to hide his anger at the way things were going. He hit himself in the leg with his racket or punched his strings. Over and over, he gesticulated and yelled toward his guest box, where only four of the 15 seats were occupied, quite a contrast to Tiafoe’s completely full section.
Ferreira was there. So was Tiafoe’s agent, Jill Smoller, whose clients include Serena Williams. Tiafoe’s twin brother, Franklin, too, and their parents, who emigrated to the U.S. from Sierra Leone in the 1990s during a civil war there. They lived in Maryland, where Dad helped build a junior tennis center then worked as a maintenance man there, leading Frances and Franklin to pick up a racket.
“Yeah, it’s a great story. Hopefully there will be a movie about it one day,” Ferreira said. “But he has to win the Grand Slam first. You only get movies if you do well.”
Picking up on that theme, the guy known to everyone in the sport as “Big Foe” said: “Everyone loves a Cinderella story. Just trying to make one.”
So far, so good.
___
More AP coverage of U.S. Open tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/us-open-tennis-championships and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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The Southeastern Conference was perhaps one blocked kick away from perfection last weekend, with a few impressive nonconference victories and some no-brainers.
For teams like No. 1 Alabama and No. 24 Tennessee, bigger tests start on Saturday, when they’re among five SEC teams engaging in Power Five nonconference matchups. A league that prides itself on being the best in college football gets a chance for more September statements.
No. 2 Georgia looked every bit the defending national champion in a 49-3 win over then-No. 11 Oregon. No. 16 Arkansas toppled Cincinnati, a playoff team last season.
Florida upended then-No. 7 Utah, the defending Pac-12 Conference champion, matching the highest ranked team the Gators have defeated in an opener. The first time was over No. 7 Houston in 1969.
“Pretty good football there, huh?” first-year Florida coach Billy Napier said.
The football was solid league-wide, though it’s hard to read much into wins over teams like Mercer (Auburn) and Utah State (Alabama).
LSU fell 24-23 to Florida State on a blocked extra point with no time on the clock in coach Brian Kelly’s debut. That was the SEC’s only loss on the weekend.
No. 12 Florida and Tennessee rode nonconference wins into the Top 25, giving the SEC eight ranked teams. Arkansas moved up three spots in the rankings to start the follow-up to the program’s best season in a decade.
“I think that was just an energy booster fire for ourselves to know that we can play like we always can,” Razorbacks safety Simeon Blair said. “We can play and play at a high level against good teams of that magnitude.”
This week, Alabama visits fellow traditional power Texas after a 55-0 win over Utah State that amounted to a tuneup. The Volunteers, who beat Ball State 59-10, are at No. 17 Pittsburgh.
Vanderbilt (2-0) hosts No. 23 Wake Forest seeking its first 3-0 start since 2017. Missouri visits Kansas State and Mississippi State is at Arizona.
— Alabama is making its first trip to Austin since 1922 and is facing former Tide offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian. The Longhorns are rebuilding, but they have a 7-1-1 record against Alabama, which won the last meeting to claim the 2009 national championship.
“I think there’s an understanding that us going to Austin this weekend, it’s gonna be hostile, there’s gonna be a lot of noise, there’s gonna be a lot of people,” Tide linebacker Henry To’oTo’o said. “So we’re excited and super juiced about it.”
— Tennessee and Pitt are playing in the Johnny Majors Classic pitting two teams he coached. Pitt won 41-34 last year in Neyland Stadium. The Volunteers get a chance to give further evidence they’re an up-and-coming program under coach Josh Heupel, who’s more concerned about preparations than any of that.
“Last week has nothing to do with this coming week,” Heupel said. “A year ago has nothing to do with what’s going to happen this week. To perform the right way, you have to prepare the right way.”
— Mississippi State has its first meeting with Arizona in a game scheduled to kick off about 10 p.m. Central time. Bulldogs coach Mike Leach went 4-2 against the Wildcats while at Washington State, and his team attempted 84 passes in the 2017 meeting.
“I think we’re all excited to be up late and go play Arizona,” Leach said.
— Missouri faces an old Big 12 Conference opponent. The Tigers and Wildcats meet for the first time since 2011 but the 98th overall. Missouri leads 60-32-5.
— Vandy has won the past three meetings with Wake Forest and actually leads the series 10-6. Commodores coach Clark Lea already has matched the win total from his debut season and was Dave Clawson’s linebackers coach in 2016 at Wake Forest.
Lea said Clawson “has built a great program there and it’s going to be a fun team to compete against.”
___ AP Sports Writer Teresa Walker contributed to this report.
___
More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25. Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25
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Georgia's 988's rollout exposes more mental health needs
When the new national mental health crisis line, 988, launched in mid-July, Georgia saw an expected increase in calls for help. Now, the state needs to allocate more money to support the surge in demand.
Driving the news: Georgia is one of the first states to report preliminary data from 988's first days online. And state officials saw a 14% increase in call, text and chat volume during that time from the year prior, or a total of more than 37,500 calls in 45 days.
Why it matters: The new three-digit national suicide prevention and mental health hotline was designed to make it easier for Americans dealing with a crisis to call or text for help.
Of note: Georgia's existing, 16-year-old crisis number, the Georgia Crisis and Access Line remains operational, but its staff is now answering both 988 and GCAL.
What's happening: According to Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Commissioner Judy Fitzgerald, they expected an uptick in call volume with the rollout. And they expect the increase to continue.
- With the new line, the state has seen an increase in the number of "active rescues" per day, or cases that require an EMS or police response. In the first 45 days of 988 Georgia saw 10.5 daily average rescues, versus 8.5 the year prior.
- About 97% of incoming calls and texts were answered in Georgia, with an average wait time of about 7.4 seconds, the department reports.
The big picture: 988 nationally, which is being led by the Substance Use and Mental Health Administration, has seen a 45% increase in call volume, even without a large-scale marketing campaign.
What she's saying: "I've been in the field for over 25 years. I truly believe that this is the biggest point of transformation in my career," Fitzgerald told Axios of 988.
- "Because I believe that in Georgia and everywhere, it's really going to expose the level of need for people all around the state."
Zoom in: The highest prevalence of calls per capita during the first 45 days was in Webster County, in southwest Georgia — more than double the rate in Fulton County.
- Fitzgerald pointed out they had already noticed rural Georgia's suicide rate spike 8.3%, even while more urban areas had been seeing fewer suicides.
- Secondly, she said the state has worked with the Farm Bureau and the University of Georgia to spread rural awareness about mental health resources, which could also contribute to the prevalence.
Yes, but: The increase in call volume means the state will also need to increase its services for all levels of crisis, including increasing mobile response team bandwidth and the beds and nurses needed to treat some patients.
- The department secured $20 million from the state and federal governments for its crisis response last year, but it has estimated it needs an additional $283 million annually, plus $150 million in one-time construction costs.
What we're watching: To meet the projected demand, the department expects Georgia needs to double its community crisis bed capacity.
- Demand for mobile crisis services is expected to increase by as much as 176%.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
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Georgia Power wants to increase electricity prices
Georgia Power wants to hike electricity prices 12% over the next three years — but not before giving the chance to make your voice heard.
Why it matters: Georgia Power provides electricity to more than 2 million people in 155 of the state's 159 counties.
Details: Starting next Tuesday, the Georgia Public Service Commission — a five-member body of elected officials who decide how much you pay to turn on your lights and heat up your oven — will accept public comments on the rate hike.
- Comments will be heard before the hearing and will also be accepted by email.
Of note: The PSC recently changed its public comment rules, a move that sparked protests from some clean-energy and public-interest groups.
By the numbers: Georgia Power says the typical ratepayer would see monthly bills go up $14.32 next year per bill, with smaller increases ($1.35, $0.62) in the following years.
- That additional cash will be re-invested in improving the transmission grid, working toward a goal of adding 6,000 megawatts of renewable energy by 2035, and more, the utility says.
Yes, but: Large industrial customers, however, will see 6% higher bills, the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy said earlier this year. Smaller businesses will see a similar increase to typical residential ratepayers.
- The organization says Georgia Power's spending plan fails to increase renewable energy options like rooftop solar.
What's next: After next week’s hearings, the PSC will hold additional meetings in November. A final vote is expected in late December.
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NEW YORK (AP) — Serena Williams’ long goodbye to the U.S. Open proved a boon to ESPN.
Facing down the possibility of a first-round knockout, Williams instead gave the sports network four nights of prime-time programming last week, with her eventual loss to Ajla Tomljanovic reaching the largest audience of any tennis match in ESPN’s 43-year history.
ESPN happily adjusted on the fly, asking Open officials to move Williams’ doubles match with her sister Venus to Thursday evening, and moving a college football game off its main network on Friday to make room for the match with Tomljanovic.
That Friday match reached 4.8 million viewers, peaking at 6.9 million, the Nielsen company said. It beat the previous record-holder, the 2012 Wimbledon men’s final between Roger Federer and Andy Murray.
“We knew it was going to be a huge story,” said John Suchenski, ESPN’s programming director, on Wednesday. “I’m not sure we knew how much it was going to play out, audience-wise. Obviously, we’re thrilled by the numbers.”
Williams’ first-round victory over Danka Kovinic last Monday, along with a post-match ceremony, was seen by 2.7 million people — or 289% above comparable first round coverage in 2021, Nielsen said. Wednesday’s victory over Anett Kontaveit reached 3.6 million. Thursday’s sister act, the first time ESPN has shown a doubles match in prime time, averaged 2.2 million.
Suchenski said he hoped for a “halo effect” that would boost the Open ratings for a Williams-less second week, but ESPN is cognizant of reality.
“The first week was the Serena Open,” tennis analyst John McEnroe said during Sunday’s coverage. “Now it’s the U.S. Open.”
Among broadcast networks last week, ABC led with a prime time average of 4.2 million viewers. NBC had 2.63 million, CBS had 2.56 million, Fox had 1.6 million, Univision had 1.1 million, Ion Television had 1 million and Telemundo had 860,000.
ESPN led all the cable networks with an average of 2.58 million, Fox News had 2.1 million, MSNBC had 1.36 million, HGTV had 870,000 and USA had 842,000.
The streaming debut of “Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” reached an estimated 1.8 million U.S. households last weekend, according to Samba TV. That’s Amazon Prime’s biggest debut of the year, the research company said.
ABC’s “World News Tonight” won the evening news ratings race with 7.2 million viewers last week, Nielsen said. NBC’s “Nightly News” had 6 million and the “CBS Evening News” had 4.1 million.
For the week of Aug. 29-Sept. 4, the 20 most-watched programs in prime time, their networks and viewerships:
1. College Football: Notre Dame at Ohio State, ABC, 10.53 million.
2. College Football: Florida St. at LSU, ABC, 7.55 million.
3. “America’s Got Talent” (Tuesday), NBC, 6.36 million.
4. “America’s Got Talent” (Wednesday), NBC, 5.48 million.
5. “60 Minutes,” CBS, 5.12 million.
6. U.S. Open Tennis (Friday), ESPN, 4.56 million.
7. “Password,” NBC, 3.92 million.
8. “Big Brother” (Wednesday), CBS, 3.8 million.
9. “FBI,” CBS, 3.7 million.
10. “Big Brother” (Thursday), CBS, 3.68 million.
11. College Football: Penn State at Purdue, Fox, 3.51 million.
12. “Tucker Carlson Tonight” (Monday), Fox News, 3.39 million.
13. “Bachelorette: Men Tell All,” ABC, 3.32 million.
14. “Press Your Luck,” ABC, 3.294 million.
15. “Tucker Carlson Tonight” (Tuesday), Fox News, 3.288 million.
16. “Big Brother” (Sunday), CBS, 3.27 million.
17. “Young Sheldon,” CBS, 3.208 million.
18. “The Neighborhood,” CBS, 3.206 million.
19. College Football: West Virginia at Pittsburgh, ESPN, 3.15 million.
20. “American Ninja Warrior,” NBC, 3.14 million.
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Xi'an Gourmet House wins with simple menu and excellent taste
Thomas here. Last weekend, my friend Sonam suggested our buds meet at Xi'an Gourmet House for a pre-movie dinner. (We saw "Barbarian"! It was clever, frightening and funny.)
Details: Located in The Mark at the corner of Spring and 10th Street, Xi'an works off a slimmed-down menu that won my heart with its relative simplicity.
- You've got noodles, soups, burgers, dumplings and some simple appetizers. All of which taste excellent.
I opted for the vegetarian noodles dry with stir-fry potato, carrot, king mushroom and tofu. I also added an order of veggie spring rolls, and I sampled my friend's order of scallion pancakes.
- The latter was less decadent than what you'd find at Gaja's and Ok Yaki. That subtlety was delightful.
Yes, but: My friends opted for the beef noodle soup. Everyone loved their meal and the spice level.
- The peppercorns made my mouth tingle but didn’t make me sweat or see bright lights.
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NEW YORK (AP) — Iga Swiatek dropped four points in a row in her U.S. Open quarterfinal against Jessica Pegula by missing shots, some wildly. So with Pegula up by a break at 3-2 and serving at 30-love, Swiatek walked over to the sideline in the middle of a game to swap out her white racket for another one.
The Arthur Ashe Stadium roof was open, the 70-degree air was as cool and dry as it’s been during a hot, humid tournament, and Swiatek figured maybe she should try a tighter string tension to see whether that would help control the ball a little more.
Whether that actually did the trick, or simply put Swiatek’s mind at ease, the move certainly swung the direction of the match. The No. 1-ranked Swiatek grabbed 14 of the next 15 points and, while closing things out was not easy, she reached her first semifinal at Flushing Meadows by pulling out a 6-3, 7-6 (4) victory over Pegula on Wednesday night.
“I don’t know if it actually was the key or something,” Swiatek said after a match filled with a combined 13 breaks of serve, 10 in the second set alone. “For sure, I wasn’t thinking about the strings (anymore), and I just focused on the right stuff after the change.”
When play resumed, Swiatek popped up a short return that floated toward Pegula, who rushed a backhand swinging volley that landed out. That was followed by three forehand errors in a row by the No. 8 Pegula, the highest-ranked American player.
“I started missing everything for literally the rest of the set,” Pegula said between sips from a can of Heineken. “It was definitely a huge momentum change. I think it helped her a lot. So it was a good move by her. … I was just going for too much. The games kind of flew by.”
Swiatek will face No. 6 seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in Thursday’s semifinals. The other women’s semifinal is No. 5 Ons Jabeur against No. 17 Caroline Garcia, who eliminated 18-year-old American Coco Gauff on Tuesday.
Swiatek, a 21-year-old from Poland who won the French Open in 2020 and this June, twice failed to serve out the victory Wednesday, at 5-4 and 6-5 in the second set. But she was better in the tiebreaker, and when Pegula missed a backhand to close the contest, Swiatek ran toward her guest box, flung her racket and yelled.
Swiatek compiled a 37-match winning streak earlier this season, claiming the trophies at six consecutive events, but this is her first trip beyond the fourth round in New York.
“I wasn’t expecting that at the beginning of the tournament,” she said. “Trying to keep my expectations low.”
This marked Swiatek’s eighth win in a row against an opponent ranked in the top 10, all in straight sets.
“I’m super proud of myself. My goal, basically, is to be consistent,” she said. “I remember when I was an underdog and every match like that was surreal. Now it feels pretty routine.”
Pegula, a 28-year-old whose parents own the NFL’s Buffalo Bills and NHL’s Buffalo Sabres, dropped to 0-4 in Grand Slam quarterfinals, including a trio of losses at that stage this season. All three of those came against a player atop the rankings at the time: Ash Barty at the Australian Open in January and then Swiatek at Roland Garros and Wednesday.
“I’m a little deflated right now,” Pegula said. “I’m not real happy.”
Of the four players remaining in the bracket, only Swiatek already owns a major championship. And only Sabalenka, who defeated two-time Slam runner-up Karolina Pliskova 6-1, 7-6 (4), ever has been this far at Flushing Meadows previously; she lost in the semifinals last year.
“I’m ready for it,” Sabalenka said. “I’m ready for another fight.”
Bounced from the semifinals at Wimbledon last year by Pliskova, Sabalenka made sure from the start that this one would be different, taking a 4-0 lead.
This year, Sabalenka could not participate at the All England Club, because all players from Russia and Belarus were banned over the invasion of Ukraine. Sabalenka spent that fortnight in Miami, practicing and preparing for a return to the tour.
“It was a tough time, especially when I was working out in the gym and there was Wimbledon playing on the TV,” Sabalenka said. “I was always (turning) it off, because I couldn’t watch it.”
___
More AP coverage of U.S. Open tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/us-open-tennis-championships and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Tua Tagovailoa didn’t seem to celebrate this stat. Bill Belichick certainly isn’t, either.
Tagovailoa hears all the time about the things he supposedly can’t do — can’t throw the deep ball, can’t stay healthy, can’t get to the playoffs, things of that nature.
So far, when playing the New England Patriots, he also can’t lose.
Tagovailoa is 3-0 in his first three starts against the Patriots, and he and the Miami Dolphins will look to make that 4-0 when they play host to Mac Jones — Tagovailoa’s former Alabama teammate — and New England in Week 1 of the NFL regular season on Sunday.
“I wouldn’t attest that I’m 3-0,” Tagovailoa said. “I would attest that we’re 3-0 as a team. It takes all of us. I’m just the distributor. I’ve just got to get it to our playmakers. They make the plays. Our defense gets us the ball back and the defense makes stops. Special teams, they do their part. And that’s how you win games.”
According to SportRadar, the only other quarterbacks to win their first three starts against the Patriots in the Belichick coaching era there, which goes back to 2000, were Jake Plummer, Vinny Testaverde, Jay Fiedler and Drew Brees.
Nobody has won his first four starts against New England since Belichick took over there; Testaverde, Fiedler and Brees all lost in No. 4, and Plummer made just the three starts.
Tagovailoa has that 4-0 opportunity, though insists his lone priority is getting the Dolphins to 1-0.
“Productive player, knows how to use his weapons, receivers, backs,” Belichick said Wednesday before the Patriots started their game-week practices in West Palm Beach, Florida, trying to acclimate to the heat and humidity that awaits them on Sunday. “Makes a lot of good critical plays, goal line, third-and-1, fourth-and-1. Couple plays that formatted against us last year. Smart football player.”
The Dolphins were the only AFC East team that Jones didn’t lead New England to victory against last season, his rookie campaign.
Tagovailoa and Jones are going to be linked forever, for a lot of reasons. Both were Alabama quarterbacks. Both won national championships there. Jones was the player who came into the game when Tagovailoa hurt his hip at Mississippi State in 2019, on what became his final collegiate play.
And for the second straight year, in Week 1, it’s Tua vs. Mac. Last year’s opener was at New England; this year, it’s at Miami.
“I think sometimes, Game 1, there’s a lot of emotional stuff,” Jones said. “You want to focus more on the details of the plays and everything like that and let the emotions come and go. That’s how emotions are, they come and go. Energy and all that will be there. At the end of the day, it’s just the start of something. You have to learn from it and grow regardless of the results. So, we’re going to go out there and compete and see how it goes.”
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel, who’ll be making his debut as a head coach Sunday, got to know Jones during the draft process when he was with the San Francisco 49ers and evaluating quarterbacks such as Jones.
He raved about him then, and still does.
“I really like his play and I think the best is right in front of him for his career,” McDaniel said. “And I look forward to watching it 15 out of the 17 games of the NFL season.”
NOTES: The Patriots said OT Isaiah Wynn (back), WR Jakobi Meyers (knee) and RB Ty Montgomery (knee) were limited in practice. … Among those limited for the Dolphins was WR Jaylen Waddle — who caught passes from both Tagovailoa and Jones at Alabama. Tagovailoa said he’s hopeful that Waddle (quad) can go Sunday.
___
More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Max Muncy took things into his own hands with the Los Angeles Dodgers trailing 2-0. He beat the shift with a bunt, bringing Justin Turner to the plate — and Turner responded with a three-run homer.
Muncy added his own three-run blast in the eighth to help the Dodgers beat the San Francisco Giants 7-3 on Wednesday.
The NL West leaders reduced their magic number to six games. The Dodgers could clinch a postseason berth Friday in San Diego.
“We’re obviously winning a lot of baseball games, but we still got to get some guys back to health, number one, and we’re still in the mode of trying to get some guys on track,” manager Dave Roberts said.
Trea Turner doubled in the go-ahead run in the eighth after being hitless in his first four at-bats. Austin Barnes, who reached on an infield single, scored for a 4-3 lead.
Freddie Freeman walked and Trea Turner took third on a wild pitch by Zack Littell (2-3) to set up Muncy, whose blast into the right-field pavilion made it 7-3. Muncy went 3 for 4 a day after hitting two homers in a 6-3 win.
“I wanted to get the ball in the air on that one. We have the fastest guy in baseball on third base,” Muncy said, referring to Trea Turner.
The Dodgers took their first lead, 3-2, on Justin Turner’s three-run homer in the fifth.
Justin Turner has been as hot at the plate as the triple-digit temperatures that have gripped Southern California for over a week. He extended his hitting streak to 16 games, with 10 multi-hit games in his last 18.
David Villar homered twice and drove in all of the runs for the Giants, who led 2-0 in the fifth. Villar’s second homer — a solo shot off Justin Bruihl — tied it 3-all in the seventh of a game that began with a temperature of 99 degrees (37 Celsius).
The teams combined for 16 homers in the three-game series.
“When the weather stays warm like this, it’s fun to hit here,” Muncy said. “With it being in the triple digits the last few days, the ball was definitely flying and it showed.”
After leaving eight runners on base through four innings, the Dodgers rallied in the fifth.
Freeman led off with a single, Muncy bunted up the third-base line, and Justin Turner followed with his 11th homer of the season to center for a 3-2 lead. Lewis Brinson leapt at the wall, but couldn’t make the play.
“It’s not so easy, especially when you don’t do it very much,” Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw said of the bunt. “That was an awesome play by Max right there.”
Evan Phillips (6-3) got the win with 1 1/3 innings of relief.
Kershaw allowed two runs and five hits in six innings and struck out eight in his third straight no-decision. He’s made two starts since coming off the injured list a week ago.
“Another good step forward for me. I’ve been bouncing back good,” Kershaw said. “Now you just want to pitch good leading into October.”
Giants starter Alex Cobb gave up three runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings. He struck out four and walked three.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: OF Joey Gallo left the game with a right elbow contusion after getting hit by a pitch. He said he couldn’t feel his fingers, although X-rays were negative.
UP NEXT
Giants: Haven’t announced a starter Thursday for the series opener at Milwaukee.
Dodgers: After an off-day, RHP Dustin May (1-2, 3.94) starts Friday at San Diego in the opener of a three-game series.
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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Election deniers on the ballot
Ohio and 25 other states will field at least one 2020 presidential election denier on the Nov. 8 ballot.
Why it matters: Widespread election denial from GOP candidates has major implications for our democracy and shows how former President Trump has reshaped the Republican Party, Axios' Jonathan Swan and Josh Kraushaar write.
The big picture: Nearly half of all Republican nominees in federal or statewide contests have questioned President Biden's legitimate 2020 victory, FiveThirtyEight research finds.
Details: Senate candidate J.D. Vance and six other GOP congressional candidates in Ohio fully deny the results, while Attorney General Dave Yost — who is up for reelection — questioned them in a legal filing.
What he's said: Asked by Spectrum News if he thought the 2020 election was stolen, Vance replied: "Yeah, I do."
- In another interview with the Youngstown Vindicator, Vance baselessly claimed Trump "probably" won Ohio by a wider margin than the result certified by elections boards.
Separately, Vance believes Ohio's lengthy early voting period creates "extraordinary opportunities for fraud" via absentee ballots.
Reality check: Voter records in Vance's native Hamilton County reveal he cast absentee ballots in both the 2020 and 2021 general elections.
Of note: Vance's hardline views have softened somewhat since defeating fellow election deniers in May's Republican primary.
- His campaign has "no doubt Ohio's election in 2022 will be run with integrity," a spokesperson told the Washington Post.
- Vance also updated his website's issues page last month to remove an earlier claim that Democrats want to legalize "ballot harvesting," the derisive term for third-party ballot collection.
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ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — With legal sports betting in its fifth year in much of the U.S., things are getting much more intense, with increasing ways to bet and more opportunities to rapidly win — and lose — money.
When the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams kick off the NFL season Thursday night against the Buffalo Bills, 31 U.S. states plus Washington D.C. will offer legal sports betting. A record 46.6 million Americans say they plan to bet on the upcoming NFL season, up 3% from last year, according to the American Gaming Association.
This year’s games will become the focus of the most intense scrutiny yet by gamblers.
This is due to the rapid rise of so-called microbetting, the ability to place wagers on outcomes as narrowly targeted as whether the next play will be a run or a pass, how many yards will it gain, or whether the drive results in a punt, a touchdown, a turnover or something else.
It’s the fastest-growing segment of legal sports betting, and while it encourages sportsbooks, it has those who treat compulsive gambling worried that the opportunity to make rapid-fire bets, one after the other over the course of a three-hour game, will create new problems for gamblers or worsen the addiction of those who already have a problem.
Microbetting “is a must-have to be a competitor in this space,” said Matt Prevost, chief revenue officer for BetMGM. Between 40% to 65% of all bets his company takes on football come after the opening kickoff.
Johnny Avello, director of race and sports for DraftKings, said his company is concentrating more on microbetting offerings this fall.
“We’re going to have more markets like betting on the next play, who’s going to carry the ball, how many yards it will gain,” he said. “We’ve found that those are equally as popular as who’s going to win the game or the total amount scored.”
Miami-based Betr is going beyond that. It launched its microbetting app on Sept. 1 and minces no words about what it soon will offer the gambling public: “Instant gratification.”
In baseball, its app lets users wager on each pitch: How fast it will be, whether it’s a ball or a strike; or whether it gets put into play.
Joey Levy, the company’s founder and CEO, called its product “a glimpse into the future of sports betting in the U.S. — an instant gratification focus to betting delivered in a simple, intuitive user experience that anyone can enjoy, even if they have not bet on sports before.”
The company’s app is currently in use for free-play only; Betr plans to take real money bets in numerous states as soon as they obtain licenses and regulatory approvals.
Established sports betting companies including FanDuel and DraftKings started taking real-money microbets in recent years.
In baseball, for example, FanDuel, which is the official odds provider for The Associated Press, lets gamblers bet on whether the first pitch of a baseball game will be a ball or a strike, whether it will result in a hit or an out, or some other result. DraftKings takes bets on how many pitches a batter will see in a given at-bat, and has dabbled in pitch speed wagers. But it currently limits its baseball microbets to batter-to-batter predictions.
Microbetting is an incredibly fast way to rack up wins — and losses.
Keith Whyte, executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling, says people placing microbets are at higher risk of developing a gambling disorder.
“The ability to place more bets, more quickly is a risk factor for any type of gambling,” he said. “Now with microbetting, impulsivity and instant gratification is promoted as a selling point.”
Whyte said continuous microbetting not only discourages responsible gambling behavior — like taking breaks and never chasing losses — but is also likely to appeal to those who already have gambling problems.
Numerous sportsbooks offer batter-to-batter bets in baseball on whether a hitter will reach base, strike out, walk or many other possibilities.
BetMGM does not currently offer batter-by-batter or pitch-by-pitch bets, although Prevost said, “We certainly are examining the technology.”
In data released Wednesday, the American Gaming Association said 49% of NFL bettors will do so online this year, compared to 23% who plan to do it in person at a sportsbook.
The Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9% each) are the most popular picks to win the next Super Bowl, followed by the Rams and Kansas City Chiefs (8% each) and the Dallas Cowboys (7%).
Connecticut, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland and Wisconsin launched new markets since the start of the 2021 NFL season.
___
Follow Wayne Parry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WayneParryAC
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SHREVEPORT, La (KMSS/KTAL) – Every week during the 2022 season, the KTAL Sports Team will release weekly power rankings for each state in our coverage area. Here’s the KTAL Sports power rankings for our Louisiana teams after week one. Each week the rankings are presented by Signature Care Texarkana.
10. North Desoto
Last week: Defeated Airline, 46-21. Previously unranked.
A superstar may have been born Saturday night in Stonewall. Freshman quarterback Luke Delafield flashed all the tools that made Dennis Dunn name the underclassman the starting quarterback: poise under pressure, elite athleticism, and pin-point accuracy. Delafield threw for 193 yards and scored five total touchdowns as the Griffins ran past Airline. North Desoto rushed for close to 300 yards in the win. North Desoto will travel across state lines to take on Center (TX), a team that’s already won two games over two solid opponents.
9. Northwood
Last week: Lost to Benton, 34-12. Ranked 4.
For the second consecutive season, the Northwood Falcons came up short against Benton. In a game delayed by lightning, it was Benton’s relentless offensive approach that broke the Falcons, converting four fourth down conversions in the first half before carrying a stunning 27-0 lead into the break. Luckily for the Falcons, they’ve been in this exact position before. While quarterback Mason Welch may have struggled Friday night (2 INT), the signal caller is poised to bounce back. The Falcons have their entire season ahead of them still. Northwood will look for their first win of the season this Friday against a Wossman team that shut-out BTW last week.
8. Benton
Last week: Defeated Northwood, 34-12. Previously unranked.
Talk about a statement victory. Tigers head coach Reynolds Moore said this offseason he wanted to play some of the best teams in the area to prove to everyone that his kids are just as good as any other team’s. His squad proved that in week one, shutting out Northwood in the first half on their way to a 34-12 victory over one of 4A’s best teams. Greg Manning showed why he’s one of the area’s best returning running backs. Gray Walters was sharp and accurate in the rain. And the Tiger defense smothered the Falcons, forcing four turnovers. The gauntlet of a pre-district schedule continues for the Tigers this week, hosting one of the top teams in East Texas, Texas High.
7. North Caddo
Last week: Defeated Bossier, 46-0. Ranked 9.
The Titans stormed out of the gate against Bossier as if they knew their game would be suspended because of the weather. With a 46-0 lead heading into the half, Mother Nature sent everybody home and the Titans earned their first victory of the season. Aiden Brock impressed in his first game at quarterback for the Titans, scoring on the ground and through the air. Speaking of through the air, Nebraska commit Omarion Miller did his work when the ball was in the air, scoring on a 78 yards touchdown reception AND a 60 yard pick-six. With KJ Black and Trey Morris scoring rushing touchdowns of their own, the Titans got almost everyone involved. The Titans will welcome North Caddo to town for week two.
6. Parkway
Last week: Defeated Minden, 37-20. Ranked 7.
The Panthers climb one spot in our power rankings after their week one performance over Minden. Parkway started their game on Thursday night and finished it on Saturday morning, but the delay didn’t slow the Panthers down. Ashton Martin looked sharp in his debut for the “dirty red”, going 13 of 16 with 285 yards and three touchdown passes. Ray Mayweather picked up right where he left off last season, with four and a half tackles for loss. In week two, the Panthers have a date with Red River in Coushatta.
5. Calvary
Last week: Defeated Logansport, 45-22. Ranked 6.
In the Cavaliers first game without Landry Lyddy in two seasons, it wasn’t one quarterback that stood out. It was two. Both Bryce Carpenter and Abram Wardell combined to go 11 of 12 with 204 yards and three touchdowns. For the second consecutive season, the Cavaliers handled Logansport with ease, carrying a 42-6 lead into the fourth quarter. Now the big question: how long will the Cavs ride with two QBs? We’ll see if that strategy carries over into their week two matchup with Captain Shreve on Thursday.
4. Huntington
Last week: Defeated Mansfield, 58-18
The Raiders have come a long way under head coach Steven Dennis. As recently as 2018, the team won two games. Last fall, the Raiders won nine, and hosted a playoff game for (maybe?) the first time in school history. Gone are the likes of Demajah Riley, Kendrick Rucker and Zyion Claville to the college ranks, but returning is All-State QB Kam Evans. Evans will have to rely on new targets, but Dennis speaks highly of sophomore wide-out Kaleb Tucker. The Raiders know to advance past the second round, they’re going to have to put the finesse aside and get physical. “For us to progress in the playoffs when it’s cold and not that easy to throw the ball around the yard, we have to have a toughness and a presence and they’ve bought into that,” said Dennis.
3. Captain Shreve
Last week: Defeated Loyola, 38-7. Ranked 3.
Another game that started Thursday but finished on Friday, Captain Shreve found themselves down early. Loyola drove down the field on their first possession of the game, and the Gators quickly found themselves in a 7-0 hole. From there, Captain Shreve responded. The star of the afternoon was running back Jayden Edwards, who found the end-zone four times while Adam Kirby earned his first win as the team’s head coach. In week two, it’s another Thursday night match-up, this time with Calvary.
2. Many
Last week: Defeated Sam Houston, 38-3. Ranked 1.
After a dominate performance against a 5A opponent, it’s probably a little shocking to see Many actually fall in our power rankings. It has nothing to do with the Tigers performance against Sam Houston. After shutting down the Broncos on their first two possessions, Tackett Curtis made his presence felt with a 60 yard punt return touchdown (he had one called back earlier in the first and would add another later in the game). The Tigers couldn’t be stopped in week one. Many will play up in classification again for week two, traveling to DeRidder to take on the Dragons.
1. C.E. Byrd
Last week: Defeated Pleasant Grove, 34-7.
The Yellow Jackets impressed the most of any area team on our list in week one, taking down a perennial favorite in 4A in East Texas, Pleasant Grove. And it wasn’t just beating the Hawks, it was how they did it. Byrd didn’t allow an offensive touchdown (Pleasant Grove’s only score came from a fumble recovered for a touchdown in the second half). With running back Josh Allen going out early in the game, it was junior running back Dixon Poirier who stepped up in his absence, adding 84 yards rushing and two big scores to ignite the Yellow Jacket offense. Byrd can make another statement in week two as they take on Huntington.
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SHREVEPORT, La (KMSS/KTAL) – Every week during the 2022 season, the KTAL Sports Team will release weekly power rankings for each state in our coverage area. Here’s the KTAL Sports power rankings for our Texas teams after week two. Each week the rankings are presented by Signature Care Texarkana.
10. Marshall
Last Week: Lost to #4 Longview 48-11. Previously ranked 8th.
The Mavericks suffered their first loss under first year head coach Jack Alvarez in the team’s 112th meeting with Longview. The Maverick defense surrendered 227 rushing yards against the Lobos in a 48-11 loss. Marshall has a perfect opportunity to gain some offensive momentum back this week against an 0-2 Henderson team that has allowed over 37 points per game through their first two matchups. The quality of their opponent keeps them ranked for the time being.
9. Waskom
Last Week: Game vs. Paul Pewitt cancelled. Previously ranked 9th.
No team had worse luck with the weather last week than the Waskom Wildcats. After a big week one victory to open the Greg Pearson era, Waskom had their week two matchup with Paul Pewitt cancelled due to lightning in the area. This week, the Wildcats take to the road for the first time in 2022 against a Sabine squad that has failed to carry the momentum from a stellar 2021 into this season, allowing nearly 50 points per contest.
8. Center
Last Week: Defeated Spring Hill 63-6. Previously unranked.
The surprise team early this season in East Texas has been the Center Roughriders. They’ve already surpassed their win total from 2021 with wins over Tatum and Spring Hill. Leading the way offensively has been running back Kaden Dixon who already has scored five touchdowns this season, averaging over eight yards per carry. The Roughriders can firmly establish themselves as Carthage’s toughest obstacle to a district title with a win against high-powered Louisiana foe North Desoto in week three.
7. Daingerfield
Last Week: Defeated Tatum 48-35. Previously ranked 7th.
The Tigers have made it through two legs of one of the toughest schedules in East Texas without a loss. Daingerfield will have their toughest test yet this week against Timpson. Daingerfield could be thinking upset with wide receiver Jakevian Rodgers off to a strong start in his Junior season. Rodgers is coming off a 200-yard three touchdown performance against Tatum.
6. Pleasant Grove
Last Week: Lost to #2 Byrd 34-7. Previously ranked 3rd.
The Hawks went from looking like state champions to having serious question marks after two games. They defeated Texas powerhouse Brock 28-7 in week one, before failing to score an offensive point against Louisiana power C.E. Byrd. The Yellow Jackets have established themselves as one of the Pelican State’s best, but a 27-point defeat is not one many saw coming. The Hawks will get to play on home turf for the first time this week, welcoming in Midland Christian from West Texas.
5. Texas High
Last Week: Defeated Colleyville 48-23. Previously ranked 6th.
The Tigers enter the top five following dominant second half showing against Colleyville. From a 21-14 lead in the first half, Texas High outscored the Mustangs 27-9 throughout the remainder of the game to secure their first win of the season. Xavier Dangerfield has emerged as the top target for first-year starter Cody Reese and will be relied on heavily against Louisiana 5A program Benton in week 3.
4. Timpson
Last Week: Defeated Jefferson 52-29. Previously ranked 5th.
The Bears put together another 50+ point performance in week two to push their regular season win streak to 24 games in a row. Freshman Dacorian Johnson has been one of the best freshman performers in the entire state of Texas, recording multiple interceptions against the Bulldogs after making a pick-six on his first career interception in week one. The Bears will be playing up this week against a Daingerfield team with athletes to compete against the Bears.
3. Longview
Last Week: Defeated #8 Marshall 48-11. Previously ranked 4th.
Not many thought Marshall would pull the upset against Longview, but the Lobos dominance over their East Texas rivals was nothing short of impressive. This is the deepest Longview team in quite a while, with Jalen Hale, DK Reese, and Taylor Tatum providing a three-headed monster for quarterback Jordan Allen to distribute to. Tatum has been a force early in his junior campaign, averaging over 8 yards per carry to go along with five touchdown runs.
2. Gilmer
Last Week: Defeated Kilgore 40-26. Previously ranked 2nd.
For the second week in a row the Gilmer Buckeyes trailed in the first quarter. For the second week in a row the Gilmer Buckeyes overcame the deficit and won by double digits. TCU commit Rohan Fluellen was the only Buckeye with multiple receptions, catching 7 passes for 126 yards and 2 touchdowns. Gilmer will have a chance to correct their slow starts against a Paris team that has averaged only seven points per game this season.
1. Carthage
Last Week: Defeated Pittsburg 51-22. Previously ranked 1st.
The Bulldogs continue rolling and the offense has looked particularly impressive. Scoring 48 points per game against two teams expected to make the playoffs this season in Kilgore and Pittsburg. Connor Cuff threw three first quarter touchdown passes as the Bulldogs scored at least 35 points for the seventh straight regular season game. This week Carthage will face Cornerstone Christian out of San Antonio.
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Republicans condemn gender orientation training for teachers
Senate Republicans passed a resolution yesterday condemning the Michigan Department of Education's teacher training videos on students' gender orientation.
- Resolution 116 also symbolically reaffirms the fundamental right of parents to direct the education of their children.
Catch up fast: Republicans are taking aim at the MDE after the release of a training video meant to help teachers support LGBTQ+ students.
- In the video, a trainer suggests teachers can talk to parents about a child's mental health without disclosing their preferred gender identity.
- Republican gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon called for the resignation of state superintendent Michael Rice yesterday, citing "radical" statewide training about gender and sexuality.
What they're saying: "What this issue is about is making sure parents are involved in the process," Sen. Jim Runestad said in a floor speech.
The other side: Democrats blasted their Republican colleagues for pushing what they say is homophobic and dangerous rhetoric.
- "Parents and children and their schools already have enough to deal with among one another without legislative Republicans or a candidate for governor infusing hatred to further marginalize those who are already struggling to find the support they need" says Sen. Jeremy Moss, Michigan's first openly gay senator.
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AUSTIN (KXAN) — If you’re planning on going to a Dallas Cowboys or Houston Texans game this season, be prepared to pay up.
The cost of attending a game for either of the Texas-based teams is higher than the NFL average, according to a new report by Bookies.com.
The betting site calculated the cost for a family of four of attending games for each NFL team this season. They added up the price of tickets, parking, two beers, two sodas and four hot dogs.
Across the league, the average price for a family of four to attend a game was $438.88.
Texans games were more than $100 more expensive, at $550, while Cowboys games would cost a family $600.
The San Francisco 49ers are the most expensive team to watch, according to the report. Game tickets alone will set a family back $888.89 — and the report specifically looked for the cheapest tickets for each team. Add the price of parking and concessions and the total cost of attending a game would be $1,028.34.
That contrasts to the cheapest team in the league, the Arizona Cardinals. With four tickets costing just $169, the total to attend the game would be $228.05.
The Cowboys have the second-highest price for parking, at $95. Only the Las Vegas Raiders charge more for parking, at $100. Meanwhile, parking for Cardinals and Jacksonville Jaguars games costs just $15.
Ticket site Gametime also revealed the 10 most expensive games of the season, based on median ticket prices:
The New Year’s Day game between the 49ers and the Raiders will set you back the most, with a median ticket price of $680.
Two Cowboys games also appear in the top 10: the road game against the Green Bay Packers on Nov. 13 and the season-opening home game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 11.
Median ticket prices for both of those games are higher than $400.
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FRISCO, TX (Silver Star Nation) – The Dallas Cowboys will try to erase a bitter memory from the 2021 season opener when they get a rematch with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at AT&T Stadium on Sunday night’s first game of the year.
Last year, the Cowboys bested Tom Brady and the Bucs in every statistical category except the final score of 31-29. The Cowboys left 11 points on the field that night, and they have not forgotten about it.
Cowboys insider Mickey Spagnola says it’s all about being ready to stop arguably one of the greatest quarterbacks to every play the game.
The Cowboys and Buccaneers kick off the 2022 regular season on Sunday Night Football at 7:20pm CDT this Sunday.
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Some drier air will be moving into the ArkLaTex for the next few days. Rain will be limited with our next chance returning briefly Saturday. Next week looks dry with cooler nights and very warm days.
A break from the rain: Scattered showers and thunderstorms returned to parts of the ArkLaTex Wednesday. With a mix of sunshine and clouds, temperatures have warmed into the upper 80s to lower 90s. Drier air will begin to invade the area Wednesday night. Futurecast shows that this drier air will quickly bring an end to our rain chances with only a slight chance for a small shower over the southern half of the area Thursday. Most of the ArkLaTex will see a mix of sunshine and clouds and very warm temperatures. Expect a mostly clear sky Thursday night. We will end the work week with a mix of sunshine and clouds Friday. Our next and possibly only chance of rain in the next ten days will briefly return to the area Saturday.
Cooler nights ahead The return of some drier air will allow overnight temperatures to fall a little more in the coming week. Lows Wednesday night will dip into the upper 60s to lower 70s. We will then settle into the mid to upper 60s Thursday and Friday nights. Daytime highs Thursday will return to the upper 80s for most of the area. Long-range models show that the coolest air in months could arrive by the middle of next week. One model shows that we could see lows in the 50s Tuesday morning, but most show that we will probably settle into the low to middle 60s. The drier air will be brought in by a north to northeasterly wind that will settle in for the next several days. By the end of next week, the wind will shift back to the south to southeast bringing an end to our break from the typical summer humidity.
A dry couple of weeks: As I mentioned earlier, we will see a chance for some scattered showers Saturday. Moisture will be rather limited so rainfall totals will be rather light as most of the area will see totals of ¼” or less. It is quite possible that all of next week and next weekend could be totally dry. It is possible that we will have to wait two weeks to see our next best chance of significant rainfall.
Get daily forecasts and exclusive severe weather details on storms as they approach your area by downloading the Arklatex Weather Authority app now available in the App Store and Google Play
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Kingsessing Library in Southwest Philly to get makeover
The century-old Kingsessing Library in Southwest Philly is poised to get a complete overhaul.
Driving the news: The city unveiled final designs for the $7 million renovations to the branch building at 1201 S 51st St. on Tuesday.
- The renovations are part of Philadelphia's $500 million Rebuild project to upgrade libraries, recreation centers, and other public spaces, which is funded by the city's soda tax.
Why it matters: The library — which opened in 1919 and was last renovated in 1999 — has been in dire need of repairs for years.
- The library lacks an elevator and instead has an unreliable lift. Meanwhile, rooms are going unused and the building has a faulty HVAC system.
Plus: The site, which includes the Kingsessing Recreation Center to be renovated too, serves as a one-stop shop for community members of all ages, Kira Strong, Rebuild's executive director, told Axios.
- The improvements will provide a safe space for children at a time when the city is suffering from record levels of gun violence.
Details: Library upgrades include the elevator installation, plus a new roof, windows and HVAC system. What else:
- New outdoor garden beds and a greenhouse
- The building interior will be redesigned, making space for dedicated areas for teens, children and community meetings.
What's ahead: The library will close to the public starting Oct. 14.
- Construction is slated to begin this winter.
- A final design for the $19 million rec center project is expected to be revealed this winter, with a start date in the spring.
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SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – The wet weather pattern that has cooled our temperatures and relieved drought conditions is about to go away, but we should have another day of scattered storms before the sunshine and dry air take over for a few days.
Front to bring a slightly higher chance of rain today: The chance for rain has been confined to the afternoon hours this week, but today we will have a few pockets of rain and storms ongoing during the morning commute.
A stationary front that has been stalled across the northern ArkLaTex for several days will move south as a ‘cool front’ today bringing that chance of early day storms.
As temperatures warm into the mid to upper 80s this afternoon scattered storms are expected to redevelop across much of Texas and Louisiana. Dry air will quickly return to the northern ArkLaTex, so we will have a decreasing chance of rain by the mid-afternoon across the I-30 corridor of Oklahoma and Arkansas. Storms will not be severe, but will be capable of lightning and brief heavy rainfall.
The early day rainfall and cloud cover will shave a few degrees off high temperatures today. We’ve been in the low 90s so far this week, but this afternoon we will top out in the mid to upper 80s. Wind will turn to the north today pushing dry air into the region which will end our chance for rain in most areas this evening into tonight.
Drier weather Thursday and Friday: We will wake up to comfortable temperatures Thursday in the 60s and low 70s. The dry air behind today’s front will bring mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies Thursday, with only a slight chance of rain lingering south of I-20. Despite the increase in sun, temperatures will remain pleasant, with highs in the upper 80s Thursday and Friday.
Rainfall accumulations today through tomorrow will average less than a half-inch in most locations, with isolated amounts up to 1 inch or more across the Toledo Bend region.
Scattered storms to begin the weekend: A tropical wave along the Gulf coast will bring an increasing chance of rain Saturday, especially during the p.m. hours. We will dry out Sunday with weekend highs remaining in the upper 80s.
A dry cold front may pass through early next week and drop our overnight lows into the low and mid-60s by the middle of the week. Daytime highs should remain warm but slightly below average in the mid to upper 80s for much of next week.
Get exclusive severe weather details on storms as they approach your area by downloading the Arklatex Weather Authority app, now available in the App Store and Google Play
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Pennsylvania's craft breweries rebound from pandemic slump
Some of Pennsylvania's largest craft breweries reported heady growth in the year after 2020's pandemic-fueled sales slump.
- Yes, but: Headwinds remain for the industry, including inflation, labor shortages and supply chain challenges, like a carbon dioxide shortage.
Driving the news: 11 of the 15 largest craft breweries in the Keystone State reported an uptick in sales last year compared to 2020, including Philadelphia Brewing Co, according to a report from the Colorado-based Brewers Association.
- The state's largest craft brewery, Downingtown-based Victory Brewing Co., was among those that saw declines.
By the numbers: Pennsylvania's craft beer industry — made by small, independent breweries — is growing.
- The number of craft breweries in the state jumped more than 9% from 2020 to 2021, reaching 486, according to the Brewers Association.
- Plus: Craft beer production increased 2.6% during that time, rising to more than 3.2 million barrels — the second-highest volume in the U.S. behind California.
The big picture: The annual data is the most comprehensive breakdown of the state's craft beer industry.
- Overall craft brewers in the U.S. reported 8% annual growth in 2021, Axios' John Frank reports.
- That's after craft beer sales tumbled 9% in 2020 compared to the previous year.
Of note: Not all craft brewers are represented in the rankings because some do not submit sales and production data to the industry group.
Zoom in: Philadelphia Brewing Co., the 13th largest in Pennsylvania, saw production increase 9% last year.
- But Philly's own Yards Brewing Co. saw production decline by 3%.
What they're saying: Adam Harris, executive director of the trade group Brewers of Pennsylvania, told Axios that staffing is the most pressing challenge facing the industry while supply chain issues and product prices are easing in the state.
- Overall, Harris said the industry was optimistic about the remaining months of the year.
- "They [the consumer] stuck by the craft beer industry during the pandemic," he said. "They bought local … and kept a lot of breweries in business through the pandemic."
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TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Just in time for the statistical peak of hurricane season, activity in the tropics is really starting to heat up, with two hurricanes and two disturbances being monitored in the Atlantic.
Hurricane Danielle and Hurricane Earl are still churning over the Atlantic Ocean, with Earl expected to become the first major hurricane of the year soon. The National Hurricane Center is also keeping an eye on two new disturbances that could form in the coming days.
Hurricane Danielle
According to the NHC, Danielle is still a “large hurricane” over the far north Atlantic. The storm is holding on to Category 1 hurricane strength with 80 mph maximum sustained winds as of 11 a.m. ET Wednesday. The NHC said Danielle is expected to start weakening later Wednesday and become a post-tropical cyclone by Thursday.
Danielle is out over open water, several hundred miles northwest of the Azores. It does not pose any threat to land, according to the NHC.
Hurricane Earl
As of 11 a.m. Wednesday, Earl is a Category 1 hurricane with 85 mph maximum sustained winds. According to the NHC, Earl is expected to strengthen in the coming days and become a major hurricane on Thursday. It would be the first major hurricane of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season.
Hurricane Earl is about 460 miles south of Bermuda and moving north at 8 mph. The NHC said the storm is forecast to keep moving north and then turn toward the northeast.
A tropical storm warning is in effect for Bermuda, despite the storm track showing Earl pass to the southeast of the island. The NHC said tropical-storm-force winds are expected to spread across the island Thursday and Friday.
Earl is also expected to bring dangerous surf and rip current conditions to the east coast of the United States.
“Swells generated by Earl are expected to reach Bermuda by [Wednesday night] and the U.S. East Coast shortly thereafter,” the NHC said. “These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions through the weekend.”
Invest 95L
The NHC is also monitoring an area of low pressure, deemed Invest 95L, that’s producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms several hundred miles west of the Cabo Verde Islands.
According to a tropical weather outlook, conditions look favorable for some development of Invest 95L in the coming days. The NHC said a tropical depression could form as the disturbance moves west over the Atlantic. It’s then expected to run into upper-level winds that are less favorable for development.
The NHC has given Invest 95L a medium 60 percent chance of formation.
Tropical wave
A tropical wave expected to move off the coast of Africa later this week is also being watched by the NHC.
Forecasters said conditions appear favorable for some slow development as the wave moves across the Atlantic.
The NHC has given the wave a low, near zero percent chance of formation through the next 48 hours and a low 30 percent chance of formation through the next five days.
Peak hurricane season
The statistical peak of hurricane season is this weekend, on Sept. 10. Roughly two-thirds of all tropical systems in the Atlantic basin form in August or September.
Tracking the Tropics streams at 2 p.m. ET every Wednesday during hurricane season. For the latest updates, check out our Tracking the Tropics website.
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Seaboard Station preservation deal reached
Raleigh City Council gave the go ahead to a rezoning of the Seaboard Station property on Tuesday, allowing for up to 20 stories to be built on the property currently home to Logan's Garden Shop.
- In exchange, the developer, Turnbridge Equities, agreed to conditions that would guarantee preservation of the historic Seaboard Station.
Why it matters: Turnbridge's initial plans to demolish the old train station — which never received a historic landmark designation — met backlash from local residents who feared losing another local landmark to new development.
- The station dates back to 1942 and was Raleigh's main train station for decades. It's also one of the few remaining buildings from the era of segregation.
Details: Turnbridge agreed to preserve a minimum of 50% of the station either on the property or in a relocated space. Jason Davis, of Turnbridge, said his company's goal is to preserve its entire ticketing and waiting area and move it to the northern end of the property.
- If it isn't able to preserve at least 50% of the building, Turnbridge can only build up to seven stories on the property.
What they're saying: Dana Deaton, of the Save Seaboard Station group, said the conditions were the result of an extensive back-and-forth with the developer.
- "As with any compromise, no one is 100 percent happy," Deaton told the City Council. "However, we feel that we have accomplished our original goals, which were: one, to convince the developer to save the train station … and two, raise awareness of this historic building to our community."
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Noted screen writer and actor Shankar Ramakrishnan has penned the dialogues for the Malayalam version of Mani Ratnam’s magnum opus ‘Ponniyin Selvan’. Interestingly, it was Shankar who wrote the Malayalam dialogues for Yash’s blockbuster KGF. Shankar says that the producers, Madras Talkies, had contacted him directly to prepare the Malayalam dialogues of ‘Ponniyin Selvan’.
He told Manorama Online that the opportunity to associate with a legend like Mani Ratnam had inspired him to contemplate about the scope of films that are made on huge canvas in Malayalam industry too.
“Madras Talkies directly invited me to write the Malayalam dialogues of this movie. They must have approached me after the incredible success of the Malayalam version of KGF 2. I consider it an honour to have had the opportunity to pen the dialogues of ‘Ponniyin Selvan’ directed by Mani Ratnam who had earned a permanent place in our hearts with his epic movies like Nayagan, Thalapathy, Roja and Bombay. The Malayalam translation of the novel ‘Ponniyin Selvan’ written by Kalki Krishnamoorthy wasn’t available. I bought five different English translations of the novel and wrote the dialogues based on that.
I was sceptical about turning such an epic story into a screenplay. But, Mani Ratnam sir himself had prepared the screenplay of Ponniyin Selvan 1 and 2. Ilanko Kumaravel and Jayamohan have collaborated with him to prepare the screenplay. More than giving a cinematic interpretation of the novel, what impresses me the most is how he had turned the novel into a screenplay. Just like I had freely interpreted history in ‘Urumi’, the novel introduces the mystery that surrounded the kingdom of Aditya Karikalan, after his death in the tenth century.
Even though the plot of this mega movie mostly happens inside and outside a grand palace, it basically narrates the story of human relations, their love, familial bonds and treachery too. It is a whole package of romance, politics and humour that we anticipate in a classic Mani Ratnam movie. It is indeed a big thing that such a movie happened amid the pandemic and I got the chance to write the Malayalam dialogues. I watched the preview of the film at Madras Talkies’ theatre and had a productive discussion with their team before writing. The Tamil that we hear now isn’t used in the movie; instead, it has a classic touch. I have translated it in a way which is appealing to the Malayali sensibilities while staying true to the essence of unique cultural background that is shown in the film.
I have treated this movie differently from how I had done KGF 2. But, I haven’t filled the movie with difficult jargons and flowery language. I had to translate lots of local songs too. Characters like Karuthiruman, the Pandya revolutionary who leads his army against the Chola dynasty, often speaks in verse. Mani sir used to share his ideas and opinions with the screenwriters who prepared the script in four languages. It was really inspiring that he sat through the entire narration of the Malayalam script.
Arun CM, who had dubbed for Yash in KGF 2, has lent the voice for Vikram’s character. In this movie, Arun had tried something different. Vikram sat with Arun to direct him while dubbing.
Actor Jayaram plays the role of Azhvar Kadiyan Thambi. He had dubbed in the Tamil version. Interestingly, this would be the first time that he might have dubbed for a Malayalam version of his Tamil movie. It was the first time that I had worked with him. He didn’t even attend a phone call until he completed dubbing.
Karthi plays a unique role in this film. His character Vanthiya Thevan is narrator in the movie. The character who has a humorous side is also a courageous warrior. Dubbing artist Ajith whose voice is similar to Karthi’s has dubbed for him.
A prominent actor in Malayalam has lent the voice for Jayam Ravi who plays the titular character of Ponniyin Selvan. Around thirty percent of the dubbing had been done by noted actors in Malayalam. But, if I reveal their names now, the audience would picturize them when they watch the movie on screen. I had plan A, B and C for the matching sounds. Finally, it was Mani sir who chose the artists.
A senior artist in Malayalam has dubbed for Tamil actor Sharath Kumar whose voice we are familiar with. Malayali actor Lal who plays a pivotal character has dubbed for his portion. Aiswarya Lakshmi too had dubbed for herself. Veteran actor Rahman essays the role of Mudhurantaka Thevan who reigned over the Chola dynasty after Sundara Pandyan. He hasn’t dubbed, until now, for his Malayalam movies. But, for the first time, he dubbed for the Malayalam version in his own voice.
It took around five months to complete the Malayalam version of this movie. Having a serious and productive culture of translation and dubbing would enhance the cinematic experience of the Malayali audience. The effect of it could be perceived in the box office numbers too. Credible translations and dubbing jobs actually improve the scope for success of such movies. Moreover, it helps us enjoy these movies in their real spirit and soul rather than brushing them aside as just ‘dubbed’ films. I am someone who wishes to a great translation culture here. If you have the will to translate movies from other languages, that have good content, without worrying about the budget, then we can bring so many amazing films to the Malayalam cinema industry.
The Vox Com studio in Ernakulam had helped me a lot while preparing the Malayalam version of Ponniyin Selvan. They supported quite a lot in the audition and production phases. I was pressed for time as I was busy with the other movies too. I could complete Ponniyin Selvan only with the incredible support of Vox Com. Mani Ratnam sir and Madras Talkies had given me full freedom in writing. Aiswarya Rai and Trisha play strong women characters in the film. It was a challenge finding good voice artists for them. Some of the most talented female voice actors had dubbed for them in this film. I am grateful to Mani sir and Madras Talkies for giving me the opportunity to work in the Malayalam version of Ponniyin Selvan. Constantly working in such movies would definitely inspire the artists to try their hands in these genres and style,” says Shankar Ramakrishnan.
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Noted screen writer and actor Shankar Ramakrishnan has penned the dialogues for the Malayalam version of Mani Ratnam’s magnum opus ‘Ponniyin Selvan’. Interestingly, it was Shankar who wrote the Malayalam dialogues for Yash’s blockbuster KGF. Shankar says that the producers, Madras Talkies, had contacted him directly to prepare the Malayalam dialogues of ‘Ponniyin Selvan’.
He told Manorama Online that the opportunity to associate with a legend like Mani Ratnam had inspired him to contemplate about the scope of films that are made on huge canvas in Malayalam industry too.
“Madras Talkies directly invited me to write the Malayalam dialogues of this movie. They must have approached me after the incredible success of the Malayalam version of KGF 2. I consider it an honour to have had the opportunity to pen the dialogues of ‘Ponniyin Selvan’ directed by Mani Ratnam who had earned a permanent place in our hearts with his epic movies like Nayagan, Thalapathy, Roja and Bombay. The Malayalam translation of the novel ‘Ponniyin Selvan’ written by Kalki Krishnamoorthy wasn’t available. I bought five different English translations of the novel and wrote the dialogues based on that.
I was sceptical about turning such an epic story into a screenplay. But, Mani Ratnam sir himself had prepared the screenplay of Ponniyin Selvan 1 and 2. Ilanko Kumaravel and Jayamohan have collaborated with him to prepare the screenplay. More than giving a cinematic interpretation of the novel, what impresses me the most is how he had turned the novel into a screenplay. Just like I had freely interpreted history in ‘Urumi’, the novel introduces the mystery that surrounded the kingdom of Aditya Karikalan, after his death in the tenth century.
Even though the plot of this mega movie mostly happens inside and outside a grand palace, it basically narrates the story of human relations, their love, familial bonds and treachery too. It is a whole package of romance, politics and humour that we anticipate in a classic Mani Ratnam movie. It is indeed a big thing that such a movie happened amid the pandemic and I got the chance to write the Malayalam dialogues. I watched the preview of the film at Madras Talkies’ theatre and had a productive discussion with their team before writing. The Tamil that we hear now isn’t used in the movie; instead, it has a classic touch. I have translated it in a way which is appealing to the Malayali sensibilities while staying true to the essence of unique cultural background that is shown in the film.
I have treated this movie differently from how I had done KGF 2. But, I haven’t filled the movie with difficult jargons and flowery language. I had to translate lots of local songs too. Characters like Karuthiruman, the Pandya revolutionary who leads his army against the Chola dynasty, often speaks in verse. Mani sir used to share his ideas and opinions with the screenwriters who prepared the script in four languages. It was really inspiring that he sat through the entire narration of the Malayalam script.
Arun CM, who had dubbed for Yash in KGF 2, has lent the voice for Vikram’s character. In this movie, Arun had tried something different. Vikram sat with Arun to direct him while dubbing.
Actor Jayaram plays the role of Azhvar Kadiyan Thambi. He had dubbed in the Tamil version. Interestingly, this would be the first time that he might have dubbed for a Malayalam version of his Tamil movie. It was the first time that I had worked with him. He didn’t even attend a phone call until he completed dubbing.
Karthi plays a unique role in this film. His character Vanthiya Thevan is narrator in the movie. The character who has a humorous side is also a courageous warrior. Dubbing artist Ajith whose voice is similar to Karthi’s has dubbed for him.
A prominent actor in Malayalam has lent the voice for Jayam Ravi who plays the titular character of Ponniyin Selvan. Around thirty percent of the dubbing had been done by noted actors in Malayalam. But, if I reveal their names now, the audience would picturize them when they watch the movie on screen. I had plan A, B and C for the matching sounds. Finally, it was Mani sir who chose the artists.
A senior artist in Malayalam has dubbed for Tamil actor Sharath Kumar whose voice we are familiar with. Malayali actor Lal who plays a pivotal character has dubbed for his portion. Aiswarya Lakshmi too had dubbed for herself. Veteran actor Rahman essays the role of Mudhurantaka Thevan who reigned over the Chola dynasty after Sundara Pandyan. He hasn’t dubbed, until now, for his Malayalam movies. But, for the first time, he dubbed for the Malayalam version in his own voice.
It took around five months to complete the Malayalam version of this movie. Having a serious and productive culture of translation and dubbing would enhance the cinematic experience of the Malayali audience. The effect of it could be perceived in the box office numbers too. Credible translations and dubbing jobs actually improve the scope for success of such movies. Moreover, it helps us enjoy these movies in their real spirit and soul rather than brushing them aside as just ‘dubbed’ films. I am someone who wishes to a great translation culture here. If you have the will to translate movies from other languages, that have good content, without worrying about the budget, then we can bring so many amazing films to the Malayalam cinema industry.
The Vox Com studio in Ernakulam had helped me a lot while preparing the Malayalam version of Ponniyin Selvan. They supported quite a lot in the audition and production phases. I was pressed for time as I was busy with the other movies too. I could complete Ponniyin Selvan only with the incredible support of Vox Com. Mani Ratnam sir and Madras Talkies had given me full freedom in writing. Aiswarya Rai and Trisha play strong women characters in the film. It was a challenge finding good voice artists for them. Some of the most talented female voice actors had dubbed for them in this film. I am grateful to Mani sir and Madras Talkies for giving me the opportunity to work in the Malayalam version of Ponniyin Selvan. Constantly working in such movies would definitely inspire the artists to try their hands in these genres and style,” says Shankar Ramakrishnan.
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| 2022-09-21T11:02:53Z
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Drivers often bring their pets along for the ride, and Ford might have a way to keep them safer. The company recently filed a patent application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for a pet restraint system.
The application notes that pets are transported in cages, which still allow them significant freedom of movement in a vehicle’s cabin. That might keep the animals happy, but it’s not ideal in a crash, or even if the vehicle becomes unsettled. That’s why human passengers wear seat belts, after all.
The restraint system described in the patent application is a bit like a combination of seat belts and a leash, in fact. One or more straps attach to the pet’s collar and the ISOFIX anchor points normally used for child seats.
These straps are connected to retractors, which can take in slack like the inertia reels in seat belts when needed, according to the application. They’re controlled by sensors that measure acceleration and steering to sense conditions that might lead to pets getting thrown around the cabin, or determine whether a collision is occurring.
Other sensors can track where the vehicle is on a designated route, and adjust the restraints based on anticipated road conditions. Ford also includes a camera to monitor pet passengers.
As with other patent applications, it’s unclear if the pet restraint system will actually reach production. Ford in particular has a habit of firing off patent applications for novel features in rapid succession. But such a system could be a good complement to software-based systems like Tesla’s Dog Mode, or Toyota’s Cabin Awareness tech, currently being tested as a way to prevent children or pets from being left in cars.
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| 2022-09-21T11:02:58Z
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Bentley’s Flying Spur is the fourth and final model in the automaker’s lineup to receive the Speed treatment.
Revealed on Tuesday, the new Flying Spur Speed effectively replaces the previous Flying Spur equipped with the W-12, as the Speed is now the sole option for the 12-cylinder engine in the Flying Spur family. Other options include a V-8 and V-6 plug-in hybrid.
Bentley is in the process of phasing out the W-12, with the recently revealed Batur special edition serving as a sort of celebration of the iconic engine, while at the same time heralding the automaker’s electric future. It means those who were planning to purchase a Bentley with the W-12 should act quickly.
The W-12 displaces 6.0 liters, features twin turbochargers, and is rated at 626 hp and 664 lb-ft of torque in the Flying Spur Speed. This results in 0-60 mph acceleration in 3.7 seconds and a top speed of 207 mph.
Drive goes to all four wheels via an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic. The top speed is achieved in sixth gear, as the seventh and eighth gears serve as overdrive gears for improved fuel economy. The all-wheel-drive system normally sends most of the drive torque to the rear wheels but can direct extra to the front when slip is detected. The torque distribution varies depending on what drive mode is selected.
Rear-axle steering and active roll stabilization also aid handling. The latter relies on an electronic actuator to adjust the stiffness of the anti-roll bars, which enables the stiffness to be adjusted on demand. This is ideal for maintaining grip through corners and a supple ride at other times. Stopping power comes from a massive set of brakes, with the front rotors measuring approximately 16.5 inches across. These sit within a set of 22-inch wheels whose design is unique to the Flying Spur Speed.
Other design cues unique to the Speed include a dark tint for the grille and headlight surrounds, plus jeweled fuel and oil filler caps. Bentley also offers a carbon-fiber pack known as the Styling Specification. This adds the carbon-fiber front splitter, side skirts, rear diffuser, and trunk-lid spoiler. A Blackline Specification with black accents is also on offer.
The interior matches the sportier vibes found outside, thanks to suede-like materials like Alcantara and Dinamica, plus sports pedals. There are also more traditional elements like piano black and wood veneers, and digital instrument cluster and infotainment system sport graphics unique to the Speed. The seats feature 24-way adjustments up front and 14-way at the rear, and all of them include heating, cooling, and massage functions.
Deliveries of the Flying Spur Speed start later this year. Bentley expects the U.S. to be among the main markets, with an anticipated take rate of one out of every three Flying Spur sales. Pricing information will be announced at a later date.
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- 2024 Mercedes-Benz CLE-Class Cabriolet spy shots and video: New convertible on the way
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| 2022-09-21T11:03:06Z
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In Sweden, unless alcohol is involved, conversation with strangers can be suspect.
And yet head-turning doesn’t even start to describe the kind of attention I experienced in a first test drive review through some coastal towns of its Skåne county in Volkswagen’s ID.Buzz electric van.
It was more than I recall seeing in a supercar, but in all fairness the vehicle wasn’t moving nearly as rapidly. Over and over, rubberneckers pulled alongside my driving partner and I on the road, and when parked people lingered nearby and approached with questions. One man stepped into the camera shot when we parked for a photo op. And a speedy-looking road biker actually flagged us down in the middle of the road—not with any kind of emergency, but to ask about the van in a language not his own.
I can only imagine what the response would be in California, where a production version of the ID.Buzz remains nearly two years away. That version will arrive in extended-wheelbase form, and potentially with a bigger battery pack than the 82-kwh pack in our test vehicle. Nostalgia triggers for the Type 2 Microbus run deep in California, and the van’s debut will mark roughly seven years since VW first revealed the ID.Buzz at the 2017 Detroit auto show and then the same year let us take the wheel in a driving concept.
At 185.5 inches long, the Euro-spec ID.Buzz is about the length of what would be considered a compact crossover in the U.S., as vehicle size creeps upward. The wheelbase is 117.7 inches for the current ID.Buzz model, while the long-wheelbase U.S. version will stretch 10.6 inches longer—amounting to an expected 118.3 inches.
Vanning past the New Beetle
After spending the rest of the afternoon with the Buzz, my buzz didn’t fade. VW absolutely nailed the exterior design, while learning from the mistakes of the New Beetle inside. This isn’t a vehicle that will feel out of vogue in a few years.
This time, VW has kept the retro cues outside and hasn’t gone so far above and beyond with them inside. There’s no vase inside, and no other overt nods to the flower power days. The ID.Buzz is just a very practical, comfortable modern electric van inside, and the biggest concession to the retro snout involves the angled front quarter windows that, from inside, essentially break the A-pillar into two.
Even that’s a pragmatic choice, though. The wrapped windscreen, smooth snout, and smooth underbody help allow a low 0.29 coefficient of drag for the passenger version.
The reason VW didn’t go so New Beetle with the ID.Buzz likely comes down to nostalgia. Those who once owned the original air-cooled Buses when they were new or nearly new are into retirement age by now. The target customers are likely those who feel a hint of nostalgia because their family owned one when they were kids—or there’s one in the family album. What’s inside doesn’t need to push those buttons.
It’s a fine, modern, two-row van inside. You sit upright, with a great view outward and forward, even despite that front pillar arrangement. The only thing I noted when parking was that it was hard to tell where the front corners of the vehicle are.
Nothing buggy inside
The interface will feel familiar to anyone who’s been in the current Volkswagen ID.4—and a growing group of the latest VW vehicles. The driver gets a freestanding 5.3-inch display, while touchscreens are either 10.0 or 12.0 inches. Two communications packages are distinguished mainly by whether or not they include navigation. There are up to eight USB-C ports, including two just to the right of the steering wheel and one built into the passenger door. Most of these are next to storage trays and they can deliver 45 watts—enough to charge a laptop or tablet at a rapid clip, and VW will offer an AC outlet as an option. Stay tuned for how many amps that means for the U.S., but it’s powered by the 12-volt accessory circuit.
Spotify and Apple Music “from now can thus be used in the ID.Buzz even without a linked up smart phone,” according to Volkswagen, although that’s among the many features that might be market-dependent. Vehicles at the test drive were running a quick-reacting and bug-free software version 3.2 that’s just starting to arrive in 2023 ID.4 models and should be available over the air soon.
The second row is a bench seat good for three, split 60/40 with reclining backrests, and each section can slide 5.9 inches fore and aft. The Pro version we tested also has power-sliding doors on each side. Just mind that the second row doesn’t have anywhere to go if you have a long, flat item. The battery’s down there.
Loaded to the top edges of the rear seatbacks, there’s a whopping 39.6 cubic feet of cargo space, and if you fold the second-row seatbacks forward that grows to 77.9 cubic feet—note that neither are the typical U.S. SAE measurements. Seating will likely change in U.S. form anyway.
Howzz id drive?
The ID.Buzz borrows extensively from Volkswagen’s existing MQB platform and the ID.4 crossover. It rides on MacPherson struts in front, with a multi-link arrangement in back, and while it has disc brakes in front it might be the most expensive passenger vehicle on the market with rear drums.
For now, in its Euro-spec ID.Buzz Pro launch form, the Buzz isn’t all that quick or particularly engaging to drive. Instead, it aims for a smooth ride with a quiet, tightly assembled interior. There’s loads of roll if you pitch it hard into a roundabout, but with the battery set low and surprising amounts of grip, its capabilities are far beyond that lean. Hard braking also doesn’t produce the sort of nosedive you get in other vans.
The ID.Buzz directly borrows its single permanent-magnet electric motor from the ID.4, and at the rear wheels it delivers 201 hp and 228 lb-ft of torque. VW says that the Buzz will get to 62 mph in about 10 seconds (quite leisurely), and in European spec the ID.Buzz is limited to a top speed of 90 mph.
That said, we got up to around 80 mph and found that wind noise remains well-hushed, perhaps even better so than in the ID.4.
VW all but confirmed that an all-wheel-drive version is on the way, pointing out how the company left the same package space open around the front axle. In AWD form, the ID.4 makes 295 hp and 339 lb-ft of torque. The ID.Buzz sure could use that extra power.
Just as in the ID.4, the ID.Buzz essentially offers two levels of regenerative braking. If you drive in “D,” the ID.Buzz will decelerate very lightly, unless you’re already following someone closely. Click over to “B” and the ID.Buzz decelerates more abruptly when you lift off the accelerator, pulling up to 0.3 g, which is typical for EVs with one-pedal driving capability.
An 82-kwh lithium-ion battery pack provides 77 kwh of usable capacity and will deliver more than 250 miles of range if you go by more generous WLTP standards. The ID.Buzz takes advantage of stepped-up 170-kw peak DC fast-charging power that allows a 5% to 80% charge in 30 minutes.
Different Buzz, same design on the way for the U.S.
VW plans to offer the passenger-oriented ID.Buzz Pro—not to be confused with the professional version, the ID.Buzz Cargo—in a great array of builds and choices, spanning 18-, 19-, 20-, and 21-inch wheels. The one we spent the day in rode on 20-inch alloys with Continental EcoContact self-sealing tires.
In Europe, VW is offering a version of its Travel Assist driver-assist system that utilizes crowdsourced lane-position “swarm data” from other Volkswagens. That swarm data allows automated lane changes at speeds of 90 km/h (56 mph). A new Park Assist Pro can remember five different real-world parking maneuvers, automatically offering assisted parking if it recognizes one of them.
Color is part of what makes the ID.Buzz pop, and it’s offered in a palette of hues far more adventurous than anything we’ve seen from VW since the New Beetle. In Europe, the possibilities include Candy White, pearlescent Deep Black, five colorful metallic finishes, and four two-tone finishes—Lime Yellow, Starlight Blue, Energetic Orange, and Bay Leaf Green. On each two-tone model, the upper roof, upper rear portion, and V-shaped hood area are Candy White, amounting to an homage to the original Bus.
If the interior ever feels too austere, ambient light available in passenger versions will deliver up to 30 colors.
It’s great. Now about that wait…
VW has managed to create a design that’s almost entirely in line—in profile and details—with the concept vehicle that charmed people so much five years ago. But it made some smart choices
Don’t linger long on features and trim levels for Europe because we’ll get a longer van, possibly with different materials, and likely never see this form of the ID.Buzz. That said, the ID.Buzz is not cheap. In VW’s home country, it starts at the equivalent of about $54,000 for the ID.Buzz Cargo and $64,000 for the five-seat, passenger-oriented ID.Buzz Pro. Don’t expect U.S. versions to land much below $70,000 when they arrive in two years—likely in volumes far too limited for demand.
We’ll just have to hope you can wait.
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VW paid for travel and lodging for Motor Authority to wow the Danish and Swedish locals and bring you this test drive review.
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| 2022-09-21T11:03:13Z
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The Yenko name may be most commonly associated with classic Camaros, but in recent times it’s been slapped on modern Chevys, including Silverado pickup trucks.
That’s thanks to Specialty Vehicle Engineering (SVE) of Toms River, New Jersey, which owns the rights to the Yenko trademark and uses it for its own array of tuned vehicles. The latest is the 2023 Yenko/SC Tahoe and 2023 Yenko/SC Suburban.
The SUVs can be ordered with either the 5.3-liter V-8 or 6.2-liter V-8 offered from the factory, and with rear- or four-wheel drive. The Yenko/SC treatment sees the engines supercharged to the tune of 700 hp for the 5.3-liter V-8 and 800 hp for the 6.2-liter V-8. Both versions make more power than Cadillac’s new Escalade-V.
The supercharger is an in-house design, and is coupled with a blueprinted aluminum engine block, forged aluminum pistons, upgraded cylinder heads, and a high-flow stainless steel exhaust system.
SVE also adds an assortment of chassis upgrades to help ensure owners can make the most of the extra power. Yenko-badged Brembo 6-piston calipers with vented rotors feature at the front axle, housed within standard 22-inch wheels wrapped in Nitto tires. A new sway bar and bushings at the rear help to get the power to the ground during strong acceleration.
The price of the packages is $67,995 for the 700-hp version and $69,995 for the 800-hp version, plus the cost of the donor vehicle.
An available $4,495 sport suspension lowers the SUVs by 2.0 inches front and 3.0 inches rear and includes upgraded shocks. SUVs with adaptive suspension can be fitted with a separate $995 lowering kit that drops the front and rear by an equal 2.0 inches.
Both SUVs also feature a graphics package and a custom front grille and fascia.
SVE offers a range of additional options for buyers to further personalize their vehicles. These include a $2,995 leather seat trim package, $1,195 for a painted supercharger or painted brake calipers, $3,495 for retractable side steps, $495 for a custom color for the side stripes, a $4,495 body color paint package, and a $3,495 black-out trim package.
The SUVs are available to order at Chevy dealerships and only 50 examples of each will be built for the 2023 model year.
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- 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan spy shots: Redesigned crossover spotted for first time
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| 2022-09-21T11:03:21Z
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A Porsche initial public offering will take place before 2022 is out, the sports car marque’s Volkswagen Group parent announced on Monday.
VW Group first announced in February it was considering spinning off Porsche to help raise funds for investment in the key areas of electric vehicles, self-driving technology, and software development.
A lot has changed since then. There’s the ongoing war in Ukraine, worldwide political strife, raging inflation, rising interest rates, an energy crisis, and stock markets exhibiting high volatility.
Despite these challenges, VW Group said it aims to complete the Porsche IPO by late September or early October, with a listing planned for the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
As part of the IPO process, Porsche’s shares have been split 50:50 between preference and ordinary shares. The preference shares have no voting rights but come with higher dividends attached.
Porsche SE, the holding company majority owned by the Porsche and Piëch families, and the biggest shareholder in VW Group, plans to acquire 25% plus one share of the ordinary shares, a move that will provide the holding company with a blocking minority, and as a result sway in any key decisions. Qatar, another major VW Group shareholder, is also expected to purchase a major stake of ordinary shares in Porsche.
The IPO is expected to value Porsche at between 60 billion and 85 billion euros (approximately $60 billion to $85 billion).
Should the IPO prove successful, VW Group may follow with an IPO of recently established battery company PowerCo. Speaking at an investor presentation in July, Arno Antlitz, VW Group’s chief financial officer, said the battery company has been set up in a way to make a listing next year or in 2024 possible. PowerCo is responsible for VW Group’s global battery activities. The company has announced plans for six battery plants in Europe and is considering establishing plants in North America as well.
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| 2022-09-21T11:03:28Z
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Current EVs generally weigh hundreds if not thousands more pounds than comparable internal-combustion vehicles due to heavy battery packs, and that might compromise road safety.
So argues a recent Slate piece that suggests some of the latest EVs might pose more of a threat especially beyond the driver’s seat, to other vehicles and other users of the roadway.
“The United States is already a global outlier in traffic deaths,” noting that while traffic deaths have declined in most other developed countries over the past decade, the U.S. has seen an increase of over 30%, with Americans now twice as likely to die in car crashes as French or Canadian citizens.
American traffic deaths reached a 16-year high in 2021, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The agency estimated that 42,915 people died in crashes last year, a 10.5% increase over 2020. Last month, the NHTSA reported that fatalities rose 7% in the first quarter of 2022 to 9,560 deaths—the highest quarterly total since 2002.
The piece links this troubling trend to Americans’ penchant for big, heavy pickup trucks and SUVs. It notes that these vehicles are primary focus of American automakers’ electrification efforts, producing vehicles with even more weight—and quicker acceleration—than their internal-combustion counterparts.
The poster child of this is the GMC Hummer EV which, at over 9,000 pounds, is so heavy that it isn’t considered a passenger vehicle under federal regulations. That means it doesn’t need to meet federal standards for efficiency—or safety. Yet while it has the weight of a heavy-duty pickup, it has the acceleration of a sports car, achieving 0-60 mph in a claimed 3.0 seconds.
Safety studies have underscored that bigger and heavier tends to mean safer—for those inside the vehicle. Looking entirely to those outside the vehicle, the numbers are less conclusive.
Overweight vehicles can lead to other problems beyond safety. They result in more wear and tear on roads and bridges, and controversial study from the UK also points to an excess of tire emissions from the extra weight of EVs.
Electric full-size pickups are definitely having their moment. General Motors plans to follow the Hummer EV with electric Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra models, and Ford is already building its F-150 Lightning. But some automakers are already attempting to counteract EV bloat.
Mercedes-Benz is aiming to avoid excess weight in its upcoming EVs—and, as it puts it, a downward spiral. The Vision EQXX concept shows how the automaker aims to achieve that, using clever aerodynamics, lightweight components, and an overall emphasis on efficiency to achieve staggering range without an upsized battery pack.
Some of the most efficient EVs potentially offered in the U.S. aren’t considered cars at all. Aptera, for example, is marketing a tiny electric 3-wheeler with a claimed 1,000-mile range using a combination of solar panels and battery storage. But it’s unclear whether vehicles like this will catch on, or whether consumers will stick with EVs in the form factor of vehicles they’re currently driving.
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| 2022-09-21T11:03:35Z
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(The Car Connection) — Nissan bids farewell to the Rogue Sport small crossover at the end of this year, according to a report from Automotive News. It will join the Nissan Maxima large sedan among Nissans dropped for the 2023 model year.
Launched in 2017, the Rogue Sport never really stepped out of the shadows of Nissan’s bestseller, the Rogue compact crossover. Smaller, lower, and in no way sportier, the Rogue Sport employed a 141-hp 2.0-liter inline-4 with a continuously variable automatic transmission. The front-wheel drive came standard, while all-wheel drive could be had for about $1,500. With a starting price of about $25,000, the 2022 Nissan Rogue Sport offered a reasonable value with good standard safety features.
Production of the Japanese import ends this December as Nissan pivots to higher volume crossover SUVs. The underwhelming Rogue Sport gives way to the edgier and more budget-friendly Nissan Kicks, which is produced in Mexico. Nissan is expected to redesign the Kicks for 2024, making it larger and adding all-wheel drive.
Many automakers have followed a similar path in retiring the first generation of their smallest crossover for a vehicle better suited for American shoppers: Mazda replaced the cramped but sporty CX-3 with the larger CX-30; Toyota is in the process of replacing the funky CH-R with the Corolla Cross; and Honda supersized its redesigned 2023 HR-V to nearly CR-V proportions.
While the trailblazing Nissan Maxima may return as an electric sedan, expect the chapter to close on the Rogue Sport after just one generation. Sales will continue into early 2023, and Nissan says it will supply parts of the vehicle until 2033.
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Ruby Bridges was a 6-year-old first-grader when she walked past jeering crowds of white people to become one of the first Black students at racially segregated schools in New Orleans more than six decades ago. Now, with teaching about race in America more complicated than it’s ever been, she’s authored a picture book about her experience for the youngest of readers.
Bridges, along with three other Black students at a different school, were the first to integrate what had been all-white schools in New Orleans in 1960.
“I Am Ruby Bridges,” featuring illustrations by Nikkolas Smith, goes on sale Tuesday. Published by Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., it’s aimed at readers as young as 4.
Complete with a glossary that includes the words “Supreme Court” and “law,” the book is an uplifting story about opportunities and kids being able to make a difference, Bridges said in an interview with The Associated Press.
“It’s a true reflection of what happened through my own eyes,” she said.
But books by or about Bridges have been challenged by conservatives in several school districts amid complaints over race-related teaching. Bridges said she hopes the new book winds up in elementary school libraries.
“I’ve been very, very fortunate because of the way I tell my story that my babies come in all shapes and colors, and my books are bestsellers, and maybe banned in schools,” she said. “But I think parents really want to get past our racial differences. They’re going to seek out those books.”
Bridges was born in 1954, the same year the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation of public schools was unconstitutional. Southern school districts, including New Orleans, continued resisting integration for years.
But on Nov. 14, 1960, Bridges — carrying a plaid book satchel and wearing a white sweater — was escorted by four federal marshals past a taunting white crowd into segregated William Frantz Elementary School. The scene was made famous in the Norman Rockwell painting “The Problem We All Live With,” which hung in the White House near the Oval Office during the tenure of former President Barack Obama.
The book’s theme plays off the author’s name: “Ruby” is a precious stone, and “Bridges” are meant to bring people together. Told with a touch of humor from the vantage point of a first-grader, the book captures the wonder of Bridges’ experience — rather than just the scariness of that raucous first day at the school.
“It really looks like Mardi Gras to me, but they aren’t throwing any beads. What’s Mardi Gras without beads?” Bridges writes.
The only parade that day was out of the school. White parents immediately began withdrawing their children, so Bridges spent the entire year by herself with white teacher Barbara Henry, who is still alive and a “very best friend,” Bridges said. Henry’s acceptance and kindness during a fraught time taught her an important lesson, she said.
“That shaped me into a person that is not prejudiced at all. And I feel like that little girl is still inside of me, and that’s it’s my calling to make sure kids understand that you can’t look at someone and judge them,” Bridges said.
Elsewhere in New Orleans on the same day Bridges went to school, Gail Etienne, Leona Tate and Tessie Prevost entered the previously all-white McDonogh No. 19 elementary school. Last year, New Orleans held a weekend of events to remember Bridges and other women.
Bridges, a Mississippi native, still lives in metro New Orleans and has authored or co-authored five books. Two years she published “This Is Your Time,” which is intended for older children than her new book.
___
Reeves is a member of AP’s Race and Ethnicity Team.
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NEW YORK (AP) — John Miller, who has held major jobs in both justice agencies and journalism, is joining CNN as chief law enforcement and intelligence analyst, the network said on Tuesday.
Miller has worked at both ABC News and CBS News during his career. He also worked at the FBI and most recently was the deputy commissioner of intelligence and counterterrorism for the New York Police Department.
As a journalist, he covered the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and, prior to that while at ABC News, conducted an interview with Osama bin Laden. He co-authored the book, “The Cell: Inside the 9/11 Plot.”
“John will help deliver on CNN’s commitment to tackle complex issues while presenting audiences with independent, objective news and meaningful analysis across platforms,” said Chris Licht, CNN Worldwide CEO and chairman.
Miller started work Tuesday in the network’s New York bureau.
Miller drew criticism from civil rights advocates and elected officials, including Mayor Eric Adams, for testimony to the city council earlier this year about the NYPD’s post-9/11 spying on Muslims, a practice that The Associated Press revealed in a series of Pulitzer Prize-winning articles a decade ago. The NYPD disbanded the program in 2014 and settled lawsuits over its tactics, agreeing not to conduct surveillance based on religion, race or ethnicity.
Miller said that while “there is perception” that the NYPD sent people into mosques to spy on Muslims, “there is no evidence that that occurred.” He insisted the department acted in full compliance with a longtime legal agreement governing its intelligence-gathering efforts. The lawsuits were settled with no admission of wrongdoing, Miller said.
Muslim Advocates, a group involved in a lawsuit that was settled in 2018, decried CNN’s decision to hire Miller as “a cruel joke.”
“We have no faith that as chief law enforcement and intelligence analyst at CNN, Miller won’t continue to propagandize on behalf of law enforcement and dismiss clear discrimination against Muslims and other marginalized communities,” senior policy counsel Sumayyah Waheed said in a statement.
Since taking over earlier this year, Licht has tried to steer CNN in the direction of offering more news and less opinion. He’s attracted more attention lately for departures under his watch, like former “Reliable Sources” host Brian Stelter. Last Friday, CNN White House correspondent John Harwood announced that he was exiting.
Harwood had worked at The New York Times and Wall Street Journal as well as NBC News.
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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Gulf Arab countries on Tuesday asked Netflix to remove “offensive content” on the streaming service, apparently targeting programs that show people who are gay and lesbian.
A joint statement issued on behalf of a committee of the Gulf Cooperation Council made the request, saying the unspecified programs “contradict Islamic and societal values and principles.”
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates each published the statement via their respective governments as well. They, along with Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar, make up the six-nation council.
While the statement didn’t elaborate, Saudi state television also aired video of an interview it conducted with a woman identified as a “behavioral consultant” who described Netflix as being an “official sponsor of homosexuality.” It aired footage at the same time of a cartoon, “Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous,” in which two women kissed, though the footage was blurred out.
Saudi state television also aired a segment suggesting Netflix could be banned in the kingdom over that programming reaching children.
Netflix, based in Los Gatos, California, did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday.
The move comes after countries in the Muslim world in June banned the public showing of Disney’s latest animated film “Lightyear” over a brief moment showing two lesbian characters kissing. After that, the company’s Disney+ streaming service said its “content available should align with local regulatory requirements” in Gulf Arab countries.
Many Muslims consider gays and lesbians to be sinful. In some parts of the Arab world, members of the LGBTQ community have been arrested and sentenced to prison. Some countries even maintain the death penalty.
The move also comes as regional streaming services try to eat into Netflix’s revenue, including the Shahid service operated by the Saudi-owned MBC Group. The Saudi government is believed to hold a controlling stake in MBC Group after a series of arrests in 2017 ordered by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over corruption allegations that saw him centralize power in the kingdom.
Netflix has limited content previously in Saudi Arabia.
In 2019, activists blasted the streaming service for pulling an episode of comedian Hasan Minhaj’s “Patriot Act” that criticized Prince Mohammed over the killing and dismemberment of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as well as the kingdom’s involvement in the war in Yemen.
Netflix at the time said the episode was removed from the kingdom as a result of a legal request from authorities and not due to its content.
___
Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP.
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Harry Styles will never be just a singer-songwriter, he’s now an actor and a fashion powerhouse as well.
The former member of British pop boy band “One Direction” has shed his musician’s skin for the male lead role alongside Oscar nominee Florence Pugh in the highly anticipated dystopian thriller film “Don’t Worry Darling,” directed by Olivia Wilde.
The film had its buzzy world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival on Monday, taking the internet and the world by storm with behind-the-scenes controversies and most of all, fashion.
Styles arrived on the Venice carpet dripping in a navy blue Gucci suit with bold broad shoulders and a very peaked collar, Sarah Karmali, executive editor (digital) at Harper’s Bazaar, described to The Associated Press.
Laura Jordan, fashion & lifestyle features director at Grazia magazine, said Styles’ partnership with his stylist Harry Lambert has created “absolute magic.”
“(Styles’ fashion) always got this kind of retro bit camp vibe. He loves the big collar, the tinted shades, lots and lots of Gucci,” Jordan said.
In 2018, Styles began to build his personal style and brand by becoming one of the ambassadors for the Italian fashion house Gucci. Styles has worn the brand in several editorial campaigns but more noteworthy was the dress he sported for the November 2020 Vogue cover. The musician-actor was the fashion magazine’s first solo male cover star.
The highly talked about cover depicted Styles in an open green field under clear skies and dressed in Gucci’s Alessandro Michele-designed blue dress that was lined with black lace for a pop of contrast, multiple ruffled tiers and to top it all off — a classic black blazer.
Since his transition from member of a boy band to a solo artist with multiple bestselling albums, he has become synonymous with a flamboyant signature look — a colorful array of oversized 70s-inspired three-piece suits and jumpsuits with flared bellbottoms and an occasional feather boa, mimicking the likes of Elton John.
Each outfit for his “Love On Tour 2022,” which currently includes an impressive 15-day residency at New York’s Madison Square Garden, sparks a pattern — literally.
Exclusively dressed in Gucci every night, Styles has worn a different pattern-filled two-piece jumpsuit ranging from stripes to dots, all in different colors like bright hues of red, pink, blue and yellow.
If there is a takeaway from Styles’ personal wardrobe evolution, it is that it’s personal, eclectic and most of all, fun.
“Harry Styles knows exactly who Harry Styles is,” Jordan said.
___
Cristina Jaleru in London contributed to this report.
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CHICAGO (AP) — A music writer who spent decades raising awareness about sexual misconduct allegations against R. Kelly is fighting a bid to force him to testify at the R&B singer’s federal trial on child pornography and trial-fixing charges, according to a Tuesday court filing.
Lawyers for Jim DeRogatis, who in 2019 released his book “Soulless: The Case Against R. Kelly,” invoked constitutional and other protections for the press in asking Judge Harry Leinenweber to rule that DeRogatis need not testify.
DeRogatis was a reporter for the Chicago Sun-Times in the early 2000s when he anonymously received a video that he gave to police that helped lead to Kelly’s child pornography trial in 2008 in state court. Video evidence entered at that 2008 trial is also part of the current trial.
Lawyers for Kelly’s former business manager, Derrel McDavid, who with Kelly is charged with a conspiracy to rig that 2008 child pornography trial, subpoenaed DeRogatis to testify. Kelly’s lawyers also would be able to question DeRogatis if he takes the stand.
Kelly, who was acquitted in the 2008 state trial, also faces charges of enticing minors for sex at the federal trial in the Grammy Award winner’s hometown. Both McDavid and Kelly also face pornography charges.
The trial was scheduled to resume Wednesday — after the Labor Day holiday and after the unexpected closure of the courthouse Tuesday due to “operational issues.” Leinenweber is expected to decide Wednesday morning about whether DeRogatis, who co-hosts the public radio show “Sound Opinions,” will have to testify.
Prosecutors rested last week and the defense could wrap up by the end of this week. The trial follows a separate federal trial in New York, where Kelly, 55, was sentenced to 30 years in June.
It’s not clear what defense lawyers at Kelly’s current trial would ask DeRogatis. But in filings and public statements they raised chain-of-custody questions about how video evidence got into police hands. They also say there were indications DeRogatis shared a draft of his book about Kelly with prosecutors.
Tuesday’s filing, also submitted on behalf of The New Yorker magazine, for whom DeRogatis writes, points to rulings by a Chicago-based U.S. appellate court that forcing reporters to testify in cases they’ve covered should be done rarely and only when there are no alternatives to introducing the same information.
The filing says a Chicago police detective already testified for the prosecution to explain the chain of custody of video evidence. It says another key government witness, using the pseudonym “Jane” also testified that she and Kelly were the people in several video excerpts.
Calling the outspoken Kelly critic to testify could amount to “harassment or intimidation,” given that there are other ways to work the same facts into evidence, the filing argues. It also cites reports that a window at the DeRogatis family home was shot out after the Sun-Times reported on Kelly.
Four years ago, Kelly released a song called “I Admit,” in which he sought to call out the writer, singing: “To Jim DeRogatis, whatever your name is/You been tryna destroy me for 25 whole years.” Kelly described himself as “so falsely accused” but added, “I admit I have made some mistakes/And I have some imperfect ways.”
DeRogatis took the stand at Kelly’s 2008 trial, but refused to answer questions, citing an Illinois law that shields reporters’ rights, as well the U.S. Constitution’s free press rights and right against self-incrimination.
___
Follow Michael Tarm on Twitter at https://twitter.com/mtarm and find AP’s full coverage of the R. Kelly trial at https://apnews.com/hub/r-kelly
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NEW ORLEANS (AP) — An animated horror comedy featuring Danny DeVito as the voice of Satan is “clearly evil,” says a Republican congressman from Louisiana whose Facebook post denouncing “Little Demon” had reached millions of people by Tuesday morning.
U.S. Rep Mike Johnson objected to the sitcom aired by FX Networks. Its website says the series is about a woman and her 13-year-old daughter who are trying to live normal lives even though Satan is the girl’s father and wants custody of her soul.
A trailer for the show, which airs its fourth episode late Thursday, played during Sunday night’s TV broadcast of Louisiana State University’s football opener against Florida State.
“I couldn’t get to the remote fast enough to shield my 11-year-old from the preview, and I wonder how many other children were exposed to it — and how many millions more will tune in to the new series, owned and marketed by DISNEY,” the congressman and vice chairman of the House Republican Conference wrote on Monday.
FX Networks and Hulu, where the show is streamed, are among entertainment assets that Disney bought from Fox in a stock deal worth about $52.4 billion in late 2017.
On the show, DeVito voices the role of Satan and his daughter, Lucy DeVito, plays Satan’s daughter, Chrissy the Antichrist. Aubrey Plaza plays the mother. New episodes are broadcast at 10 p.m. Thursdays on FXX.
Disney and FX Networks did not immediately respond on Tuesday to emails requesting comment.
Johnson posted on Tuesday that more than 6.1 million people have read his earlier post — more, he said, than watched Sunday’s game, “which the latest ratings say dominated Sunday night TV with 5.87 million total viewers.”
He had written online Monday: “Our job as parents is to guard the hearts and minds of our kids. This culture has become alarmingly dark and desensitized and this is not a game. Disney and FX have decided to embrace and market what is clearly evil. STAY FAR FROM IT.”
Although many people thanked Johnson for the post and talked about boycotting Disney, many others disagreed with Johnson’s assessment. Some noted that “Little Demon” was made for and marketed to adults. Children should be in bed by 10 p.m., some wrote. Others said people opposed to the show’s existence are trying to make networks shelter their children when that’s a job for parents.
Johnson responded on Tuesday in a Facebook message and tweet that also were linked to from his House webpage.
“Free speech is an important principle, and in this country, everyone can obviously make their own decisions about what media they and their families consume,” he wrote. ”But a corollary is that Christians have the freedom to fulfill our obligation to ‘speak the truth in love’ (Eph. 4:15), even — sometimes most importantly — when it may not be popular.”
Johnson was first elected in 2016 to the U.S. House district that covers a large swath of western Louisiana. He was reelected in July to a fourth term when nobody qualified to run against him.
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(NEXSTAR) — Despite how excited a few social media posts may have gotten you for the return of all-day breakfast at McDonald’s, don’t make your way to the drive-thru just yet.
In a written statement to Nexstar, a McDonald’s representative said the information being shared online is actually from a 2015 press release, when McDonald’s USA first announced all-day breakfast.
“We don’t have any updates to share about breakfast offerings at this time,” the representative said.
McDonald’s’ all-day breakfast was halted in March 2020, at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the company made adjustments to simplify operations for local workers. The original 2015 rollout of all-day breakfast was a boon for McDonald’s, with the company saying the change was a “very strong catalyst for momentum.” McDonald’s posted higher-than-expected first-quarter earnings in 2016, much of which was attributed to the popularity of its breakfast, CNBC reports.
So what time does McDonald’s stop serving breakfast now?
Prior to 2015, McDonald’s stopped serving breakfast at 10:30 a.m. Since the end of all-day breakfast, that time has been re-instated, though some locations may serve breakfast until 11 a.m.
McDonald’s’ breakfast menu is home to some of America’s fast-food breakfast faves, including the Egg McMuffin and the Bacon, Egg and Cheese Biscuit.
Breakfast at McDonald’s 101
The company officially added the breakfast line to menus nationwide in 1977, Mcdonald’s says. The full line came about after a long development of the Egg McMuffin, which began in early 1971.
According to McDonald’s owner Ray Kroc’s 1977 autobiography, local franchise owner Herb Peterson developed the sandwich and asked Kroc to try it. Kroc says Peterson refused to tell him what it was — fearful the owner would reject the idea — until after he’d tried it.
“He didn’t want me to reject it out of hand, which I might have done, because it was a crazy idea — a breakfast sandwich,” Kroc writes in “Grinding it Out: The Making of McDonald’s.” “… I boggled a bit at the presentation. But then I tasted it and I was sold. Wow!”
Egg McMuffins — the first McDonald’s breakfast item — were tested in select locations in 1972 and priced at 63 cents.
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Ruby Bridges was a 6-year-old first-grader when she walked past jeering crowds of white people to become one of the first Black students at racially segregated schools in New Orleans more than six decades ago. Now, with teaching about race in America more complicated than it’s ever been, she’s authored a picture book about her experience for the youngest of readers.
Bridges, along with three other Black students at a different school, were the first to integrate what had been all-white schools in New Orleans in 1960.
“I Am Ruby Bridges,” featuring illustrations by Nikkolas Smith, goes on sale Tuesday. Published by Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., it’s aimed at readers as young as 4.
Complete with a glossary that includes the words “Supreme Court” and “law,” the book is an uplifting story about opportunities and kids being able to make a difference, Bridges said in an interview with The Associated Press.
“It’s a true reflection of what happened through my own eyes,” she said.
But books by or about Bridges have been challenged by conservatives in several school districts amid complaints over race-related teaching. Bridges said she hopes the new book winds up in elementary school libraries.
“I’ve been very, very fortunate because of the way I tell my story that my babies come in all shapes and colors, and my books are bestsellers, and maybe banned in schools,” she said. “But I think parents really want to get past our racial differences. They’re going to seek out those books.”
Bridges was born in 1954, the same year the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation of public schools was unconstitutional. Southern school districts, including New Orleans, continued resisting integration for years.
But on Nov. 14, 1960, Bridges — carrying a plaid book satchel and wearing a white sweater — was escorted by four federal marshals past a taunting white crowd into segregated William Frantz Elementary School. The scene was made famous in the Norman Rockwell painting “The Problem We All Live With,” which hung in the White House near the Oval Office during the tenure of former President Barack Obama.
The book’s theme plays off the author’s name: “Ruby” is a precious stone, and “Bridges” are meant to bring people together. Told with a touch of humor from the vantage point of a first-grader, the book captures the wonder of Bridges’ experience — rather than just the scariness of that raucous first day at the school.
“It really looks like Mardi Gras to me, but they aren’t throwing any beads. What’s Mardi Gras without beads?” Bridges writes.
The only parade that day was out of the school. White parents immediately began withdrawing their children, so Bridges spent the entire year by herself with white teacher Barbara Henry, who is still alive and a “very best friend,” Bridges said. Henry’s acceptance and kindness during a fraught time taught her an important lesson, she said.
“That shaped me into a person that is not prejudiced at all. And I feel like that little girl is still inside of me, and that’s it’s my calling to make sure kids understand that you can’t look at someone and judge them,” Bridges said.
Elsewhere in New Orleans on the same day Bridges went to school, Gail Etienne, Leona Tate and Tessie Prevost entered the previously all-white McDonogh No. 19 elementary school. Last year, New Orleans held a weekend of events to remember Bridges and other women.
Bridges, a Mississippi native, still lives in metro New Orleans and has authored or co-authored five books. Two years she published “This Is Your Time,” which is intended for older children than her new book.
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NEW DELHI (AP) — India and China have cleared a new approach in COVID-19 vaccination — two needle-free options, one a squirt in the nose and the other inhaled through the mouth.
Regulators in India authorized Bharat Biotech’s nasal version on Tuesday as an option for people who haven’t yet been vaccinated.
“This step will further strengthen our collective fight against the pandemic,” Indian health minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Twitter.
It’s not clear how well the nasal version works. Bharat didn’t immediately release results of its studies or say how soon the new option will roll out.
CanSino Biologics announced Sunday that Chinese regulators have approved an inhaled version of the company’s injected COVID-19 vaccine to be used as a booster dose. The company pointed to preliminary results of studies suggesting the inhaled version revved up immune protection after one puff. It’s not clear if that translated to improved effectiveness, or how soon the inhaled booster will be available.
COVID-19 vaccines today are shots, and they’ve saved millions of lives and continue to offer strong protection against severe illness and death, even as more contagious variants of the coronavirus circulate.
But shot-free versions are being explored as a strategy to improve protection against infection, with particular interest in nasal vaccines designed to fend off the virus right where it enters the body. Nearly a dozen possible candidates are in various stages of testing globally, and CanSino’s is one of two inhaled vaccine candidates being developed, according to the World Health Organization.
India’s nasal vaccine was developed by scientists at Washington University in St. Louis and later licensed to Indian vaccine maker Bharat Biotech. The company conducted two trials, giving two doses of the vaccine to 3,100 previously unvaccinated volunteers and as a booster to around 875 volunteers who had received two shots of other COVID-19 vaccines.
Bharat also is seeking clearance for the nasal spray to be used as a booster for the two-thirds of people in India who’ve already been vaccinated.
Bharat’s nasal spray uses a harmless chimpanzee cold virus to deliver a copy of the coronavirus spike protein to the lining of the nose, training the body to react if it encounters the real virus.
CanSino’s inhaled booster uses a similar harmless human cold virus — it’s the company’s one-dose injected vaccine turned into an aerosolized form. The inhaled vaccine was largely tested as a booster for people who had received another Chinese company’s COVID-19 shots.
Ashley St. John, who is an immunologist at the Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore, said scientists are pursuing nasal and inhaled COVID-19 vaccine options because the immune system has specialized tools to protect different sites in our body in slightly different ways.
“The advantage with nasal vaccines is that it may get rid of the virus before it has a chance to establish itself in the lungs and replicate,” said Dr. Vineeta Bal, an immunologist and professor at the Indian Institute of Science Education Research in Pune city.
The advantages that vaccines sprayed through the mouth have will depend on the size of individual droplets in the spray, Bal added. Large droplets would train defenses in the mouth and parts of the throat, while smaller droplets are expected to travel deeper and reach the lungs.
It also may be easier to administer a squirt in the nose than a shot, especially in low-income countries, said Dr. Michael Diamond of Washington University in St. Louis, who helped create the vaccine licensed to Bharat.
In October 2021, Russia’s Health Ministry allowed early trials of a nasal form of Sputnik V among 500 volunteers, but the status of those trials and the availability of the vaccine remains unclear.
Vaccination rates in India have dipped in the past months with detected cases plateauing. Around 940 million people, or 67% of the population, have received the first two shots, but only 15% of them have received a third booster shot.
___
AP Medical Writer Lauran Neergaard contributed to this report.
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. humanitarian chief predicted Tuesday that at least $1 billion will be needed urgently to avert famine in Somalia in the coming months and early next year when two more dry seasons are expected to compound the historic drought that has hit the Horn of Africa nation.
Martin Griffiths said in a video briefing from Somalia’s capital Mogadishu that a new report from an authoritative panel of independent experts says there will be a famine in Somalia between October and December “if we don’t manage to stave it off and avoid it as had been the case in 2016 and 2017.”
The undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs told U.N. correspondents that more than $1 billion in new funds is needed in addition to the U.N. appeal of about $1.4 billion. That appeal has been “very well-funded,” he said, thanks to the U.S. Agency for International Development, which announced a $476 million donation of humanitarian and development aid in July.
The Famine Early Warning Systems Network, created by USAID, said in a report Monday that famine is projected to emerge later this year in three areas in Somalia’s southeastern Bay region, including Baidoa without urgent humanitarian aid.
Up to 7.1 million people across Somalia need urgent assistance to treat and prevent acute malnutrition and reduce the number of ongoing hunger-related deaths, according to a recent analysis by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification or IPC, used by the network to describe the severity of food insecurity.
The Horn of Africa region has seen four straight failed rainy seasons for the first time in over half a century, endangering an estimated 20 million people in one of the world’s most impoverished and turbulent regions.
Griffiths said meteorologists have predicted the likelihood of a fifth failed rainy season from October to December, and a sixth failed rainy season from January to March next year is also likely.
“This has never happened before in Somalia,” he said. “This is unprecedented.”
“We’ve been banging the drum and rattling the trees trying to get support internationally in terms of attention, prospects, and the possibilities and the horror of famine coming to the Horn of Africa — here in Somalia maybe first, but Ethiopia and Kenya, probably they’re not far behind,” Griffiths said.
He said the U.N. World Food Program has recently been providing aid for up to 5.3 million Somalis, which is “a lot, but it’s going to get worse if famine comes.” He said 98% of the aid is given through cash distributions via telephones.
But many thousands are not getting help and hungry families in Somalia have been staggering for days or weeks through parched terrain in search of assistance.
Griffiths said a big challenge is to get aid to people before they move from their homes, to help avoid massive displacement.
Many Somalis raise livestock, which is key to their survival, but he said three million animals have died or been slaughtered because of the lack of rain.
“Continued drought, continued failure of rainy seasons, means that a generation’s way of life is under threat,” Griffiths said.
He said the international community needs to help Somalis find an alternative way of life and making a living, which will require development funding and funding to mitigate the impact of climate change.
Griffiths, a British diplomat, said the war in Ukraine has had an impact on humanitarian aid, with U.N. humanitarian appeals around the world receiving about 30% of the money needed on average.
“To those countries, which are traditionally very generous, my own included, and many others,” he said. “Please don’t forget Somalia. You didn’t in the past. You contributed wonderfully in the past. Please do so now.”
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| 2022-09-21T11:04:57Z
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SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – It’s been two months since the National Hotline launched the three-digit number: “988.” One month after launching, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline received more than 1,400 calls in the state of Louisiana.
“It’s free of charge, and it’s staffed by trained crisis counselors who can offer assistance for someone maybe suffering from a mental health crisis or in need of emotional support,” said Assistant Secretary of the Louisiana Office of Behavioral Health Karen Stubbs.
Stubbs says the service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There are two call centers here in Louisiana, including one in Bossier Parish, answering all calls from area codes 318 and 337. She says the line is there to support anyone struggling with sadness, loneliness, and depression.
“It might be someone who’s actively contemplating suicide. However, the calls also could be someone who just wants to talk; someone who’s maybe in the past has thought about suicide, someone who is depressed or anxious and needs to talk through that.”
The new three-digit number makes it easier for people to remember in suicidal crises or emotional distress. Stubbs says the line is also open to those asking for advice.
“It’s also important to know you can call if you’re asking for advice about a friend or family members.”
Suicide is a leading cause of death among most age groups. Stubbs encourages anyone who needs help to call 9-8-8.
“What do you have to lose? Please, we’re asking for you to call. We’re asking for you to seek help. It is there and available, and maybe you don’t need it this time, but please commit it to memory. Think about it next time. And know it is an immediate option for you,” says Stubbs.
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| 2022-09-21T11:05:03Z
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Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy asked White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Tuesday if she believes the 2016 election was “stolen” following criticisms leveled by President Biden against the GOP.
Doocy was referencing a number of tweets Jean-Pierre sent around the time of former President Trump’s election, during which she suggested the 2016 presidential contest and the 2018 Georgia governor’s race were not conducted fairly.
“If we’re all in agreement that it is incorrect to say the 2020 election was stolen, what about the 2016 election?” Doocy asked Jean-Pierre during the White House daily briefing with reporters .
“We’re gonna focus on the here and now. We’re going to focus on what’s happening today,” she replied.
Jean-Pierre also criticized the Fox News reporter for his question.
“Let’s be really clear that that comparison that you made is just ridiculous,” Jean-Pierre said. “I was talking specifically at that time of what was happening with voting rights and what was danger of voting rights.”
As Doocy was setting up his question, Jean-Pierre interjected “Oh, I knew this was coming.”
“I was waiting, Peter, when you were going to ask me that question,” she joked.
Last week, Biden slammed Republicans loyal to Trump as a threat to democracy, saying there was “no question that the Republican Party today is dominated, driven and intimidated by Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans. And that is a threat to this country.”
Many conservative critics, including on Fox News, have criticized Biden’s remarks as intentionally divisive and partisan ahead of the fall midterm elections.
Updated at 1:40 p.m.
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| 2022-09-21T11:05:11Z
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Mehmet Oz, the celebrity physician and Trump-backed Republican Senate nominee in Pennsylvania, said on Tuesday that he would have voted to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election had he been in office at the time.
Asked at a press conference if he would have objected to the certification of the election results, Oz said that it is the job of the Senate to approve the Electoral College vote and that, had he been in the Senate at the time, he would have done so.
“I would not have objected to it,” Oz said. “By the time the delegates and those reports were sent to the U.S. Senate, our job was to approve it, which is what I would have done.”
While Oz’s latest remarks could help him counter Democratic attacks and appeal to a broader slice of the electorate, it also puts him at risk of alienating former President Trump and some of the Republican Party’s most loyal voters.
Trump has repeatedly claimed that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him and pushed lawmakers last year to object to the certification of the election results. The certification process on Jan. 6, 2021 was disrupted when a mob of the former president’s supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol. That riot is now the subject of a congressional investigation.
Oz, who was endorsed by Trump shortly before Pennsylvania’s primary election earlier this year, narrowly clinched the nomination to succeed retiring Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.). He’s facing Pennsylvania Lt. Gov John Fetterman (D) in the general election in November.
Recent polling shows him trailing Fetterman, fueling Republican concerns that they could lose one of the most sought-after Senate seats of the 2022 midterm election cycle.
A survey from Emerson College released last month found Fetterman leading Oz by 5 percentage points, while an earlier Franklin & Marshall College showed Oz trailing by 13 points.
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| 2022-09-21T11:05:19Z
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(Loving Living Local)- Baptist Book Store discusses Vacation Bible School supplies, gifts, and more.
Host, Susan Kirton joined Baptist Book Store employees on location in Texarkana to see what the store had to offer. Baptist Book Store is a one-stop shop for purchasing needs from church supplies, Sunday school curricula, or even personalized gifts for the whole family.
The store is currently launching its newest Vacation Bible School line for the summer of 2023, called ‘Proclamation Safari Park’, complete with a full line of appropriately safari-themed supplies and the tag line, Jesus is my rescuer. In the five-day curriculum, the student will study the life of Christ and learn that Jesus is their rescuer.
“Journey with us to Proclamation Safari Park where we will discover that Jesus is our rescuer. Join Park Ranger Rachel and Park Ranger Roscoe as they lead the proclamation partners to learn more about the animals at Proclamation Safari Park. While learning how the proclamation partners can help the animals, they will learn about Jesus and their need for Him to rescue them. The adventure awaits your church in Summer” 2023.
bogardpress.org
The store also offers free engraving on select items with purchase such as plaques, picture frames, and even hammers or cooking utensils. You can also get your bible embossed with a name or special message. These personalized items make gifts for Christmas, birthdays, Mother’s Day, or Father’s Day.
Baptist Book Store has launched a new and improved website to make ordering easier. The website allows you to shop by product and look up orders by the church or existing customers. The website also features a daily devotional blog for readers to enjoy.
Baptist Book Store is located at 4605 North State Line Avenue in Texarkana, Texas.
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| 2022-09-21T11:05:26Z
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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Good news for Arkansas drivers as gas prices continue to fall, now among the lowest in the country.
According to AAA on Tuesday, the $3.25 per-gallon average gas price in Arkansas ties it with Texas as the lowest price in the country. This is 1 cent down from Monday’s average and 9 cents down from the average price a week ago.
Sevier and Miller counties are tied for the lowest average in Southwest Arkansas at $2.60 a gallon by AAA calculations. Howard County is above the average at $3.60 per gallon. Lafayette County also sits above the $3.25 average at $3.45 per gallon.
Besides proximity to Gulf Coast distribution and other oil refineries, Don Redman with AAA attributes the drop to a combination of factors, including lower oil prices coupled with lower demand and a quiet hurricane season.
“The biggest reason we’re seeing for the decrease in the price for gasoline has everything to do with the decrease in the price of crude oil, it’s down another 5% today, I think it’s about $82 a barrel, this is a signaling that the world economy may be softening a bit I think that has some economists concerned as well as oil-producing nations,” Redman said.
The record state average for gasoline was $4.54 on June 14.
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| 2022-09-21T11:05:34Z
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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – With a reported decline in the housing market nationwide, Arkansas is managing to stay slightly ahead of the national rate of falling prices.
Real estate website Redfin.com is reporting rising mortgage rates and economic uncertainty affecting the housing market. These factors led to new listings of homes nationwide falling by 15% into August, the biggest annual decline since the pandemic began. Home prices have dropped 5%, and sale prices dropped 6% for the same period, the website reports.
The national average price for a home was $371,125, down from June’s $394,775 record high average.
The same review shows Arkansas housing prices for single-family homes are up 15.7% from a year ago, with a median sale price of $258,300. In the 12-month July-July period, however, the number of homes sold was at a 14% decrease, with 2,819 homes sold.
Through July, Arkansas had 8,721 homes for sale, down 18% from the previous 12-month period. With the number of new listings at 3,486, Arkansas is down 10.3% for the same 12-month period.
Houses are selling faster. Median days on the market for Arkansas homes was 23, which was down 17 days from the previous 12-month cycle.
The biggest increase in home sale prices in the past year was for Fayetteville, which saw a 36.4% increase, and Hot Springs Village, at a 35% increase. Pine Bluff is another community where prices are rising, seeing a 24% increase and putting it ahead of Maumelle with its 23% increase.
Google shows search terms for “Homes in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas” and “Homes in Rogers,
Arkansas” are both trending.
On the other side of the scale, Benton County is well past the 15.7% figure, with a 21.5% figure against average home prices at $350,000. Garland County is also above the curve with a 21.3% increase at an average sale price of $270,000.
Southwest Arkansas has cities below the 15.7% state-wide price growth figure and $258,000 home price average. Hope, Ark. has a comparatively small 5.5% increase with a $116,000 average home sale price for the same period. Magnolia, Ark., is at .5%, with homes at $195,000on average.
Prescott, Ark. has the largest drop in Southwest Arkansas with 11.1% over 12 months and $80,000 for the average home sale.
In other cities, the numbers above and below the average grow even wider. Conway is at 12.1%, with a $255,000 home average. Pine Bluff is striking, with a 24% increase in home cost in the past 12 months against an average home sale cost of $137,000.
The already-mentioned Fayetteville and its 36.4% increase, the highest in the state, has an average home sale of $375,000 for the past 12 months.
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| 2022-09-21T11:05:41Z
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AUSTIN (KXAN) — Miki Spurlock had grabbed her groceries.
She was checking out when her Lone Star Card declined. She said she was supposed to have gotten food benefits already.
“Luckily, I was with my mom, and she paid for all of my groceries so I could feed me and my kids,” explained Spurlock.
Four months later, she said she was still waiting.
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission oversees the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP food benefits.
The agency said an increase in applications and staffing shortages has made the backlog even more challenging.
“I had all of my paperwork that they requested turned into them prior to the expiration date. So, they had plenty of time to review my case, contact me for an interview, and I’ve heard nothing from them,” said Spurlock.
‘Working diligently’
Some state workers processing applications tell KXAN investigators, “We are working diligently to get these apps [applications] processed ASAP.”
Worried about losing their jobs, the employees asked to remain anonymous but explained that there have been no pay increases for those who have worked with the state for years.
“We, ourselves, are having to go to pantries or the food bank to put some kind of meal on our own tables by the end of the month,” said one employee. “The cost of living is going up higher these days, and our state isn’t even considering giving us a raise or merit to help its employees out.”
HHSC said it’s committed to increasing capacity and retaining staff so that applications can be processed as quickly as possible.
“HHSC has reduced eligibility advisor vacancies from 18.72% in January 2022 to 13.28% to date,” said Tiffany Young, Assistant Press Officer with HHSC.
Last month, Young explained that the state increased base salaries for clerks, eligibility advisors and supervisors.
The agency said it has also implemented workforce initiatives to improve retention and increase hiring, including exploring the hiring of part-time employees who have previous eligibility experience and working with The Office of Veteran Affairs Services Coordinators to recruit military spouses.
The state said it held 70 job fairs between December through July trying to recruit more staff.
“HHSC participates in federally led workgroups and forums where states share best practices and strategies on mitigating workload challenges during the public health emergency,” said Young.
Mobile pantry
HHSC is also helping some employees with a newly created Grab and Go market.
Young said it’s for staff at the Austin State Supported Living Center, a facility for medically fragile people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and behavioral problems.
The state has partnered with a nonprofit to create the mobile food pantry for its lowest-paid employees and to help offset the rising cost of groceries.
The Grab and Go Market opened in May, and since then, the state explained that staff had visited the pantry 1,755 times.
Young said the food provided has a shelf life, cannot be sold in stores and would otherwise go to waste.
“Our staff work in a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week facility serving adults with disabilities. Staff are often working more than 40 hours a week to ensure our most vulnerable individuals are fed, cleaned, and cared for, and the food pantry is one way we show our appreciation for their dedication,” said Young.
KXAN investigators asked if other state employees could access the Grab and Go Market, but the spokesperson explained that it’s only available to those workers on the Austin State Supported Living Center campus.
Thousands of applications to be processed
KXAN also asked if HHSC is considering offering something similar to other employees who also make lower wages, but no response was provided.
Spurlock said she understands that even state workers are struggling. She added that she’s trying to be patient, but it’s been tough to go months without being able to buy food for her family.
The state explained that currently, 71% of SNAP applications are processed within 30 days from receipt of the application.
As of Aug. 29, 2022, Young said there is an estimated total of 198,025 SNAP applications waiting to be processed.
Spurlock said she’s never experienced this type of delay with her benefits.
“They’ve escalated my account – my benefits twice. I have spoken with their special resolution or escalation department,” said Spurlock. “I don’t even know if I’ll get my benefits next month or not yet.”
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| 2022-09-21T11:05:47Z
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(KLFY) Louisiana families can begin to access their Summer Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) benefits this week, the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services announced Monday.
Eligible students will receive payments totaling $391 to cover both June and July, and the payments will be issued in two installments, one for $195 and a second for $196, DCFS said.
The benefits can be used on SNAP-eligible food at grocery stores that accept EBT cards.
Eligibility information for Summer PEBT will begin processing each Tuesday evening, and the benefits will be available to those students on Wednesdays of the same week.
The weekly upload and issuance process will continue throughout September, and DCFS says it will issue Child Care PEBT later this fall.
You can check the parent portal at dcfs.louisiana.gov/page/pebt-parent-portal for updates.
Under new federal rules, according to DCFS, federal food assistance benefits will be expunged or removed from a recipient’s EBT card nine months after the benefits are issued or nine months from the last time the card was used to make a purchase.
If the card is used, the benefits will remain on the card for nine months from the date of the last purchase. Once benefits have been removed, they cannot be added back to the card.
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| 2022-09-21T11:05:54Z
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BENGALURU, India (AP) — Life for many in the southern Indian city of Bengaluru was disrupted on Tuesday after two days of torrential rains set off long traffic snarls, widespread power cuts and heavy floods that swept into homes and submerged roads.
With several parts of the city still heavily waterlogged, videos on social media showed people hopping onto tractors to get to work. Many schools were shut on Monday over the heavy downpours and authorities have warned of interruptions to the water supply. Boats were deployed to rescue people submerged in floodwaters.
The city, dubbed India’s tech capital, is home to several technology companies and many of their offices have been lashed by the rains, prompting employees to work from home.
Even though September is usually the wettest month in Bengaluru, this year has seen more rains than normal.
The two zones that make up the city, Bengaluru Urban and Bengaluru Rural, have seen 141% and 114% excess rainfall respectively. On Monday night, 131.6 millimeters (5.2 inches) of rain was recorded, making it the wettest September day in the last eight years.
According to the India Meteorological Department, Karnataka, the southern state that’s home to Bengaluru, is among the regions that have received maximum rainfall this year. It has seen 34% more rainfall in the past three months than what it usually receives this time of the year.
While there is no direct connection between the excessive rains in Bengaluru and climate change, there is growing evidence that the monsoons, the most important weather system for the Indian subcontinent, are being altered due to climate change. Scientists say this is making extreme events such as excess rainfall the new normal.
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| 2022-09-21T11:06:09Z
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(The Hill) — Black Lives Matter (BLM) leaders on Friday sued an executive of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation (GNF) on charges of siphoning $10 million in donations to the organization for use as his own “personal piggy bank.”
Walter Mosley, an attorney representing BLM Grassroots — a separate entity from GNF — filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court against GNF and GNF board member Shalomyah Bowers, as well as his consulting firm.
The initial complaint, seeking financial relief and a court order halting GNF’s use of the BLM identity, accuses Bowers of becoming a “turned usurper” and charging fees for BLM donors, which he then used for his own personal funds.
“When more than 300 movement leaders, as well as BLM Founders, insisted that he resign from GNF,” the complaint reads, “he continued to betray the public trust by self-dealing and breaching his fiduciary duties.”
Melina Abdullah, a founder of the BLM Los Angeles chapter and a co-director of the BLM Grassroots, held a press conference last week announcing the lawsuit, accusing GNF’s board of masquerading as white supremacists.
“Global Network Foundation has been taken away from the people who built it,” she said. “Global Network Foundation is now led by a highly paid consultant who paid himself upwards of $2 million in a single year.”
Abdullah said Patrisse Cullors, a BLM founder, had created a transition plan to transfer control of GNF over to the grassroots organization, but GNF has locked her out of social media accounts and is amplifying messages she does not agree with.
In a statement following the press conference, the GNF Board of Directors denied the allegations, saying they were “disappointed and dismayed at the false narrative” spread by Abdullah and other BLM leaders, who they accused of taking $10,000 per month in personal stipends.
“We as Black people and Black-led organizations cannot continue spending all of our precious time and energy fighting and tearing each other down,” the statement reads. “We have no desire and little time to put private business out in the street. However, Melina Abdullah, BLMGR, and its leadership seem intent on fighting publicly about their desire to control the entirety of Black Lives Matter.”
The board denied the entirety of the allegations, claiming they have requested meetings with Abdullah and other leaders, have shared social media accounts with BLM Grassroots and argued there has never been a plan to transition GNF to the BLM Grassroots organization.
The legal battle is the latest controversy within the BLM organization, which began as a movement in 2013 after the death of 17-year-old Travyon Martin and the acquittal of George Zimmerman, the neighborhood security guard who fatally shot Martin.
Alicia Garza, Opal Tometi, and Cullors created the original hashtag for BLM, which eventually sprouted into local chapters that make up BLM Grassroots. BLM GNF was incorporated in 2017, primarily as a fundraising component of the movement.
After the death of George Floyd in 2020, the BLM movement gained renewed national and international attention.
But the organization’s finances since then have come under increased scrutiny, particularly over where a large chunk of $90 million raised in donations in 2020 has gone.
And in late 2020, a group of 10 original BLM local chapters announced they were severing ties with GNF over a lack of transparency and support.
New York Magazine also reported earlier this year that BLM executives bought a $6 million home with money donated to GNF.
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| 2022-09-21T11:06:16Z
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(Motor Authority) — BMW recently started production of hydrogen fuel cells that will eventually be used in the powertrains of a limited run of hydrogen-electric BMW X5 SUVs. The SUVs will be used for test and demonstration purposes, and won’t be for sale.
A hydrogen-electric vehicle is essentially an EV that uses a hydrogen fuel cell to power the electric motor instead of a battery. The fuel cell combines hydrogen with oxygen from the air in a nearly emission-free process that creates electricity, either directly or via an intermediate battery.
In the case of BMW’s hydrogen-electric X5, which will go into production later this year as the BMW iX5 Hydrogen, the fuel cell sits up front and draws hydrogen from two tanks, one in the transmission tunnel and the other under the rear seat. The generated electricity is used to power an electric motor at the rear axle.
Electricity from the fuel cell also charges a small battery that helps power the motor during high-load situations. The total system output, in this case, is 368 hp. The fuel cell on its own generates a continuous output of 167 hp.BMW hydrogen-electric powertrain
BMW doesn’t plan to sell the iX5 Hydrogen to private customers. The automaker doesn’t expect to have any hydrogen-electric vehicles at its dealerships until 2025, at the earliest. The date could be even later depending on the direction the market takes, BMW said.
Despite the start of production of hydrogen fuel cells, BMW remains committed to battery-electric vehicles as its main avenue for achieving carbon-neutral operations. BMW is developing the iX5 Hydrogen so it can be ready to supply customers with their powertrain of choice in the future, whether it be gasoline, diesel, battery electric, or hydrogen-electric. In the case of hydrogen, BMW sees it as an opportunity for customers who favor long-distance driving.
“We think hydrogen-powered vehicles are ideally placed technologically to fit alongside battery-electric vehicles and complete the electric mobility picture,” Oliver Zipse, BMW Group’s CEO, said in a statement. “By commencing small-scale production of fuel cells today, we are demonstrating the technical maturity of this type of drive system and underscoring its potential for the future.”
BMW isn’t the only established automaker looking seriously at hydrogen as a future fuel source. Toyota already offers a second-generation Mirai hydrogen-electric vehicle in parts of the country where hydrogen is actually available, while the likes of Hyundai Motor Group, Daimler Trucks, and Volvo Trucks are looking at the fuel for zero-emission long-haul trucking.
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| 2022-09-21T11:06:24Z
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NEW YORK (AP) — Finding a new place can be challenging, and skyrocketing rents have made it especially hard this year. But there are things you can do to make the process easier.
Whether it’s your first or 10th time renting, here are five things to think about when looking for a new place to call home:
NEEDS VS WANTS
Before anything else, you need to decide what your priorities are and what you can afford, said Brian Carberry, senior managing editor of Rent.com, an apartment search website owned by Redfin.
If you’re not sure how to figure that out, Zumper’s Rent Affordability Calculator allows you to estimate how much you can pay per month according to your location, monthly income, and monthly expenses.
Then you can consider things like location and amenities.
Apartment search websites such as Apartments.com, Rent.com, Zillow, Apartment Guide, and Zumper can help curate your search. And if you need help affording somewhere to rent, check out the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau’s Rental Assistance Finder as well as this list of local public housing agencies.
Another option is to use a broker to help with your search. Some, known as no-fee brokers, charge the leasing management company rather than charging you.
The broker “was there to be a liaison and to say things like ‘Oh this isn’t right, maybe you guys should consider this,’” said Erika Tascon, who used a no-fee broker to find a one-bedroom apartment in Los Angeles.
Ask friends for recommendations, and if you’ve never worked with a broker before, make sure to ask questions beforehand and look for reviews on websites such as Yelp. In large cities such as New York, websites like StreetEasy allow tenants to limit their search by “no-fee” apartments.
UNDERSTAND THE MARKET
As with any major life decision, it’s always good to do your research. Rents can vary greatly between cities or states and it’s best to understand the market to know what you can expect at different price ranges, Carberry said.
A great place to start is national rent reports from websites such as Apartment List and Redfin.
If you’re not in a rush, you might want to wait until after September.
“If you have the ability to look in the winter months, those are great times because not a lot of people are looking to move, you may be more likely to find some deals,” Carberry said.
Renters might also have more leverage to negotiate then, according to Apartment List. But with rental demand high, this year might not see as steep a winter slowdown as before the pandemic.
A downside of moving during the winter months might include having fewer options and, if you live in places where it snows, potentially bad weather for your move.
— Drive around neighborhoods
While a lot of landlords list their apartments or houses on online websites, including Facebook and Craigslist, some are more analog.
Tascon drove around different neighborhoods and found “for rent” signs outside of several units.
“That’s really helpful,” she said. “There were a lot of listings that I found that were not listed online, it was just like a sign outside.”
TAKE YOUR TIME (BUT NOT TOO MUCH)
It’s important to learn as much as you can and make an informed decision. But in a competitive market, you can’t always take as much time as you’d like to consider options. The key is to do as much research as possible ahead of time so you’re ready to apply when you see something you like. If you know that your lease will be ending, try starting your research a few months ahead of time. This can include looking for reviews of property management companies or the neighborhoods.
“You need to be prepared to spend a lot of time and energy on this,” said Tascon, who spent over a month looking for her current apartment.
—Get to know your landlord/leasing office
Britni Eseller, who recently found an apartment in San Diego, suggests asking prospective landlords for a license number, name of the property management company and details about the unit.
You can search reviews of prospective landlords or property management companies on websites such as Yelp, ApartmentRatings.com and RentMyLandlord.com. You can also try contacting them with questions.
VISIT IN PERSON
A crucial aspect of getting to know your potential home is to visit in person, Carberry said. You can check things like what’s around the neighborhood, what traffic is like on the main road and whether the appliances work.
“You can look and go through with a fine tooth comb of the unit itself,” Carberry said. “Look at things like the paint and the appliances, those are certain things that you might not see from a virtual tour because you can get in and look close.”
While in-person visits are always preferred, if you are moving to another state and you cannot afford to visit first, ask a friend or a co-worker to check out the place for you.
— Bring a friend
When it comes to visiting an apartment, the more eyes the better, Tascon said. If the landlord or agent is giving you details or you are asking questions, your friend or family member can help look around.
— Be ready to apply when you visit
Apartments in cities with competitive markets such as San Francisco, New York and Austin often have multiple applicants.
Esseler found an apartment in just two weeks. Because there were so many people touring the unit she wanted, she knew she had to move fast.
She had several documents already printed and ended up running to print more right after the tour so she could submit her application a few hours later.
“Timing is really a big thing. There were many people before and after me and having the documents already prepared, I was able to submit my application quickly,” said Eseller, who also wrote the date and time on the envelope when she dropped her application at the leasing office since the process was on a first-come-first-served basis.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
Knowing your state’s tenant rights is crucial said Lucia Leal, a housing counselor at Causa Justa, a San Francisco-based tenant rights advocacy organization.
“Most tenants think that because a landlord owns the house, they can do whatever they want, and that’s not OK,” Leal said.
A good place to start reading about your rights is the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Tenant Rights website.
Being informed about your rights and reading your lease carefully before signing it will help you avoid conflicts or confusion. If you have specific questions and need to talk to someone, community organizations around you might be available to help, said Nick Graetz, a postdoctoral research associate at The Eviction Lab.
“Local groups offer accessible guides and legal documentation for assistance,” he said.
Tenants can search housing counseling agencies around the country on HUD’s website.
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Follow AP’s coverage of financial wellness at https://apnews.com/hub/financial-wellness
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The Associated Press receives support from Charles Schwab Foundation for educational and explanatory reporting to improve financial literacy. The independent foundation is separate from Charles Schwab and Co. Inc. The AP is solely responsible for its journalism.
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DALLAS (AP) — With summer vacations winding down, airlines are counting on the return of more business travelers to keep their pandemic recovery going into the fall.
Air travel in the United States, bolstered by huge numbers of tourists, has nearly recovered to pre-pandemic levels — even topping 2019 numbers over the Labor Day weekend.
Inflation — and especially this year’s sharp rise in airfares — raises concern about how long vacationers can afford to keep flying at their current pace. Airlines say they see no signs of a slowdown in leisure travel.
Business travel, however, remains about 25% to 30% below 2019 levels, according to airlines and outfits that track sales.
And it is not clear when — or if — road warriors will return to their old travel habits.
“The whole challenge for the industry is around the return of the corporate traveler, and whether he is going to come back in enough volume and frequency that is going to help these airlines,” says John Grant, an analyst with travel-data provider OAG.
The Global Business Travel Association recently predicted that corporate travel won’t fully return until mid-2026, 18 months later than the trade group had previously forecast.
Business travelers generally pay higher fares, so their absence has an outsized impact on airline revenue and profit.
Business travel is slower to return because it is more complicated than somebody deciding they want to take a vacation after staying home during the first two years of the pandemic, says Chuck Thackston, who leads data research at the Airlines Reporting Corp., a ticket-settlement firm that operates as a middleman between airlines and travel agents.
“On the corporate side, it just takes a little more to restart that because there are so many moving parts,” Thackston said. “If you want to go visit clients in New York, it could be that nobody is in the office in New York. That is slowly building back.”
Conventions and other big meetings are another key driver of business travel, and also seem to be coming back, Thackston said.
Airline officials say that travel by small-business operators has recovered nearly fully, but that many corporate travelers have not returned to the road or skies. They say that during the pandemic, some companies imposed tougher restrictions for health and budget reasons — even requiring that high-level executives approve all travel.
The chief commercial officer of Southwest Airlines, Andrew Watterson, said that since business travel began picking up this spring, “it was skewed toward smaller businesses and government and education were traveling. Our largest corporates are the ones that are lagging, particularly banking, consulting and technology.”
Watterson said that among Southwest’s biggest corporate accounts, they all have employees traveling — but not as many of them, and not as often.
Southwest officials said Tuesday that the next two weeks will be critical to gauge demand for business travel.
The nature of business travel is changing as companies become accustomed to smaller travel budgets. Some trips are being replaced by video calls, perhaps permanently. Speculative sales trips could be especially easy for companies to cut.
Conventions now routinely offer a “hybrid” format with an option to stay behind and watch online — although that means missing the hallway conversations and other opportunities to network.
Standard & Poor’s said this week that many convention center operators are running summer and fall schedules similar to those in 2019, but a recession or new COVID-19 variant are still risks.
Vasu Raja, the chief commercial officer at American Airlines, said demand has dropped for one-day business trips in which someone leaves in the morning and flies home that evening.
“But interestingly, we’ve seen more demand for blended trips where somebody leaves on a Thursday from Dallas to go to New York, they don’t return on the Friday — they stay through the weekend and they come back on Sunday,” he said. Sometimes a spouse goes with them, he added.
Business travel is big business worldwide. The Global Business Travel Association estimates that it was worth more than $1.4 trillion in 2019, then plummeted by more than half each of the next two years. The trade group estimates that after being hindered by the omicron variant early this year, business travel will hit $933 billion in 2022 — still 35% below the pre-pandemic mark.
The widespread availability of vaccines and better treatment of COVID-19 — along with relaxation of mandatory quarantines and other travel restrictions — have boosted leisure and corporate travel. However, travel is now threatened by deteriorating economic conditions including surging inflation and labor shortages. New COVID-19 variants remain a concern among travel managers, particularly in Asia.
The cost of travel is expected to keep rising, putting pressure on corporate budgets. A recent report from travel-management company CWT predicted that fares paid by business travelers will rise nearly 50% this year and 8% next year, and hotel rates will rise 19% this year and 8% in 2023.
Most U.S. airlines reported profits for the April-through-June second quarter. For American and United, it was their first profitable quarter excluding government aid since the pandemic started, and they should be in the black for the third quarter, which ends with vacation-heavy July and August.
Business travel traditionally enjoys a peak in the spring and another in September and October. Airlines are about to find out whether that happens this year.
“There has been a lot of discussion about, yeah, business travel is coming back, and U.S. airline CEOs being quite bullish about it,” said Grant, the OAG analyst. “But the hard evidence now needs to come forward.”
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| 2022-09-21T11:06:39Z
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BEIJING (AP) — Asian stock markets were mixed Tuesday after China promised to speed up the rollout of policy changes to boost anemic economic growth and Australia’s central bank raised its benchmark interest rate.
Shanghai, Tokyo and Seoul gained while Hong Kong declined.
The Chinese Cabinet’s planning agency promised Monday to accelerate easier lending and other policies but announced no new spending. Economic growth sank to 2.5% over a year earlier in the first half, less than half the official annual target.
The announcement might “provide a short-term uplift” to sentiment, but investors “ultimately want to see a stronger recovery,” said Yeap Jun Rong of IG in a report.
The Shanghai Composite Index gained 1.1% to 3,235.57 while the Nikkei 225 in Tokyo added 0.1% to 27,643.06. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong shed 0.2% to 19,177.70.
Sydney’s S&P-ASX 200 lost 0.3% to 6,833.80 after Australia’s central bank raised its benchmark lending rate by 0.5 percentage points to 2.35%, its highest level since 2015, and said more rate hikes were planned.
Investors worry repeated rate hikes by the U.S. Federal Reserve and central banks in Asia and Europe to cool inflation that is at multi-decade highs might derail global economic growth. Central banks say they must slow business and consumer activity to get prices under control.
The Kospi in Seoul advanced 0.2% to 2,408.55 while India’s Sensex opened down less than 0.1% at 59,230.54. New Zealand retreated while Southeast Asian markets gained.
U.S. markets were closed Monday for a holiday.
European markets sank following Friday’s announcement by Russian gas giant Gazprom that a suspension of supplies through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline would be extended indefinitely. That adds to shortages in Germany and other economies.
The deputy director of China’s National Development and Reform Commission, Yang Yinkai, said the agency will “speed up the release of policy effectiveness” to “make up for losses caused by the epidemic in the second quarter,” according to news reports.
The government has trimmed interest rates, given entrepreneurs a break on rent and promised other aid to revive the economy after Shanghai and other industrial centers temporarily shut down to fight virus outbreaks. But it is avoiding major spending, possibly for fear of reigniting a rise in housing costs and debt that Chinese leaders worry is dangerously high.
Also Monday, Beijing freed up more foreign currency holdings of Chinese commercial banks for lending and trading by lowering the amount they must hold in reserve. The move rolls back an increase imposed last year to limit speculative trading and restrain the rise of the exchange rate of China’s yuan, which has since declined.
In energy markets, benchmark U.S. crude gained $1.78 to $88.65 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, used to price international oils, lost 70 cents to $95.04 per barrel in London.
The dollar advanced to 141.12 yen from Monday’s 140.46 yen. The euro gained to 99.55 cents from 99.31 cents.
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| 2022-09-21T11:06:46Z
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CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia’s central bank on Tuesday boosted its benchmark interest rate for a fifth consecutive month to a seven-year high of 2.35%.
The Reserve Bank of Australia’s decision was the cash rate’s fourth consecutive hike of half a percentage point.
When the bank lifted the rate by a quarter percentage point at its monthly board meeting in May, it was the first rate hike in more than 11 years. It’s now at its highest point since Feb. 2015, when the bank cut the rate from 2.5% to 2.25%.
Reserve Bank Gov. Philip Lowe said there were more rate hikes ahead at monthly board meetings as directors attempt to reduce inflation to a target band of 2% to 3%. Australian inflation is running at 6.1% and the Treasury Department expects it to peak at 7.75% in the December quarter.
“The further increase in interest rates today will help bring inflation back to target and create a more sustainable balance of demand and supply in the Australian economy,” Lowe said in a statement.
“The board expects to increase interest rates further over the months ahead, but it is not on a pre-set path. The size and timing of future interest rate increases will be guided by the incoming data and the board’s assessment of the outlook for inflation and the labor market,” Lowe added.
Some economists fear the bank will tip the economy into recession by boosting rates too quickly.
Lowe said his board was attempting to curb inflation “while keeping the economy on an even keel.”
“The path to achieving this balance is a narrow one and clouded in uncertainty, not least because of global developments,” Lowe said.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers described the rate hike as “very difficult news for a lot of Australians with a mortgage.”
He said a mortgage-holders with a typical home loan debt of 500,000 Australian dollars ($340,000) would have to find an extra AU$145 ($99) a month to service their debt in addition to the extra AU$475 ($323) they have had to find to since rates started rising in May.
“It is our job to do what we responsibly can to help Australians deal with these pressures in the near term and to build a much more resilient economy into the future that is able to withstand some of those global and domestic shocks,” Chalmers told Parliament.
The government will introduce bills to Parliament by next week that would reduce the costs of medicines and child care.
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| 2022-09-21T11:06:54Z
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Bed Bath & Beyond has named Chief Accounting Officer Laura Crossen as interim chief financial officer to replace Gustavo Arnal, whose death late last week adds to a cloud of financial uncertainty for the company and further complicates its plans for a turnaround.
According to the New York City Police Department, police found the 52-year-old Arnal unconscious with injuries showing he fell from the 57-story Jenga residential tower in Manhattan. The medical examiner’s office ruled Arnal’s death a suicide, and police said an investigation was underway.
The news of Arnal’s death landed just days after Bed Bath & Beyond said that it would close about 150 of its namesake stores and slash its workforce by 20% as it tries to fix its beleaguered business. The company also said last week it was considering selling more of its stock to shore up its finances and had lined up more than $500 million of new financing.
“The underlying factors were bad before,” said Allen Adamson, co-founder of marketing consultancy Metaforce. “This (tragedy) just makes a difficult situation even worse.”
Arnal himself, who joined the company in May 2020 after holding senior executive jobs at Avon, Walgreens Boots Alliance and Procter & Gamble, was facing a lawsuit accusing him and activist investor Ryan Cohen of conspiring since March to boost the price of Bed Bath & Beyond shares and then dump the stock for a profit. It also accused Cohen of making a false filing and manipulating the timing of disclosing the sale of most of his stock.
Pengcheng Si, who filed the lawsuit in August against Arnal, Cohen, Bed Bath & Beyond and its bankers, couldn’t be reached for comment on Tuesday.
Bed Bath & Beyond said it is in the early stages of evaluating the complaint, “but based on current knowledge the company believes the claims are without merit.” It disclosed in a separate filing in August that Arnal sold about 55,000 shares for $1.4 million in six different transactions that still left him with more than 255,000 shares.
Founded in 1971, Bed Bath & Beyond had for years enjoyed its status as a big box retailer that offered a vast selection of sheets, towels and gadgets unmatched by department store rivals. It was among the first to introduce shoppers to many of today’s household items like the air fryer or single-serve coffee maker, and its 15% to 20% coupons were ubiquitous.
But for the last decade or so, Bed Bath & Beyond struggled with weak sales, largely because of its messy assortments and lagging online strategy that made it hard to compete with the likes of Target and Walmart, both of which have spruced up their home departments with higher quality sheets and beddings. Meanwhile, online players like Wayfair have lured customers with affordable and trendy furniture and home décor.
In late 2019, Bed Bath & Beyond tapped Target executive Mark Tritton to take the helm and turn around sales. Tritton quickly scaled back coupons and started to introduce store label brands at the expense of national labels.
But the pandemic, which happened shortly after his arrival, forced the retailer to temporarily close its stores and it was never able to use the health crisis to pivot to a successful online strategy as others had, analysts said. And while many retailers were grappling with supply chain issues, Bed Bath was among the most vulnerable.
During last year’s crucial holiday shopping season, the stores were missing many of their 200 best-selling items, including kitchen appliances and personal electronics, taking a hit of $100 million in sales, the company said early this year. The retailer ousted Tritton in June after two back-to-back quarters of disastrous sales.
“He went too far, too fast,” said Neil Saunders, managing director at GlobalData Retail. “He didn’t think about the customer.”
Then came turbulence with the retailer’s shares, which made a monstrous run from $5.77 to $23.08 in a little more than two weeks in August. The trading was reminiscent of last year’s meme-stock craze, when out-of-favor companies suddenly became darlings of smaller-pocketed investors.
But the stock fell back to earth after Cohen, the billionaire co-founder of online pet-products retailer Chewy Inc. who purchased a nearly 10% stake in Bed Bath & Beyond in March, sold off all his shares.
The company is now being led by board member and retail consultant Sue Gove while a search firm looks for a permanent CEO. Last week, it announced that the chief operating officer and chief stores officer had left. Meanwhile, Crossen will continue as principal accounting officer while serving as interim CFO.
Bed Bath & Beyond executives say they are reverting back to the company’s original strategy of focusing on national brands instead of its own private labels, getting rid of one-third of its store brands. It would also stop embracing the “pile high” merchandising approach and work more closely with its suppliers.
But Saunders and other analysts fear that suppliers will demand stricter financial terms as they worry about the health of the company. He thinks that the company is just biding time before a bankruptcy filing.
Shares of the company fell more than 17% in afternoon trading, to $7.12. Shares have lost nearly 70% of their value in the past 52 weeks.
The national suicide and crisis lifeline is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org.
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Follow Anne D’Innocenzio: http://twitter.com/ADInnocenzio
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| 2022-09-21T11:07:02Z
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LONDON (AP) — Liz Truss became U.K. prime minister on Tuesday and immediately faced up to the enormous tasks ahead of her: curbing soaring prices, boosting the economy, easing labor unrest and fixing a national health care system burdened by long waiting lists and staff shortages.
Truss quickly began appointing senior members of her Cabinet as she tackles an inbox dominated by the energy crisis triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which threatens to push energy bills to unaffordable levels, shuttering businesses and leaving the nation’s poorest people shivering at home this winter.
Truss — Britain’s third female prime minister — named a top team diverse in gender and ethnicity, but loyal to her and her free-market politics. Kwasi Kwarteng becomes the first Black U.K. Treasury chief, and Therese Coffey its first female deputy prime minister. Other appointments include James Cleverly as foreign secretary and Suella Braverman as home secretary, responsible for immigration and law and order.
Making her debut speech outside her new Downing Street home in a break between torrential downpours, Truss said she would cut taxes to spur economic growth, bolster the National Health Service and “deal hands on” with the energy crisis, though she offered few details about how she would implement those policies. She is expected to unveil her energy plans on Thursday.
British news media reported that Truss plans to cap energy bills. The cost to taxpayers of that step could reach 100 billion pounds ($116 billion).
“We shouldn’t be daunted by the challenges we face,” Truss said in her first speech as prime minister. “As strong as the storm may be, I know the British people are stronger.’’
Truss, 47, took office earlier in the day at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, when Queen Elizabeth II formally asked her to form a new government in a ceremony dictated by centuries of tradition. Outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson formally resigned during his own audience with the queen a short time earlier, two months after he had announced his intention to step down.
It was the first time in the queen’s 70-year reign that the handover of power took place at Balmoral, rather than Buckingham Palace in London. The ceremony was moved to Scotland to provide certainty about the schedule, because the 96-year-old queen has experienced problems getting around that have forced palace officials to make decisions about her travel on a day-to-day basis.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy received a call from Truss on her first day. She spoke with U.S. President Joe Biden, too.
Ze;emslyy wrote on Twitter: “I was the first among foreign leaders to have a conversation with the newly elected British Prime Minister, Liz Truss. I invited her to Ukraine. I thanked the people of Britain for their leadership in the military and economic support of Ukraine.”
Biden, who worked closely with Johnson in confronting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, was quick to congratulate Truss.
“I look forward to deepening the special relationship between our countries and working in close cooperation on global challenges, including continued support for Ukraine as it defends itself against Russian aggression,” he said on Twitter.
Truss’ office said she and Biden discussed the Ukraine war and defense cooperation, as well as economic issues and maintaining the British-Irish Good Friday Agreement. The leaders were expected to meet in person soon — likely around this month’s U.N. General Assembly meeting in New York.
Truss became prime minister a day after the ruling Conservative Party chose her as its leader in an election where the party’s 172,000 dues-paying members were the only voters. As party leader, Truss automatically became prime minister without the need for a general election because the Conservatives still have a majority of lawmakers in the House of Commons.
But as a national leader selected by less than 0.5% of British adults, Truss is under pressure to show quick results.
Ed Davey, leader of the opposition Liberal Democrats, on Tuesday called for an early election in October — something that Truss and the Conservative Party are highly unlikely to do since the Tories are slumping in the polls.
Johnson, 58, became prime minister three years ago after his predecessor, Theresa May, failed to deliver Britain’s departure from the European Union. Johnson later won an 80-seat majority in Parliament with the promise to “get Brexit done.”
But he was forced out of office by a series of scandals that culminated in the resignation of dozens of Cabinet secretaries and lower-level officials in early July.
Always colorful, Johnson said he was “like one of those booster rockets that has fulfilled its function.”
“I will now be gently re-entering the atmosphere and splashing down invisibly in some remote and obscure corner of the Pacific,” he said.
Many people in Britain are still learning about their new leader, a one-time accountant who entered Parliament in 2010.
Unlike Johnson, who made himself a media celebrity long before he became prime minister, Truss rose quietly through the Conservative ranks before she was named foreign secretary, one of the top Cabinet posts, just a year ago.
Truss is under pressure to spell out how she plans to help consumers pay household energy bills that are set to rise to an average of 3,500 pounds ($4,000) a year — triple the cost of a year ago — on Oct. 1 unless she intervenes.
Rising food and energy prices, driven by the invasion of Ukraine and the aftershocks of COVID-19 and Brexit, have propelled U.K. inflation above 10% for the first time in four decades. The Bank of England forecasts it will hit 13.3% in October, and that the U.K. will slip into a prolonged recession by the end of the year.
Train drivers, port staff, garbage collectors, postal workers and lawyers have all staged strikes to demand that pay increases keep pace with inflation, and millions more, from teachers to nurses, could walk out in the next few months.
In theory, Truss has time to make her mark: She doesn’t have to call a national election until late 2024. But opinion polls already give the main opposition Labour Party a steady lead, and the worse the economy gets, the more pressure will grow.
In addition to Britain’s domestic woes, Truss and her new Cabinet will also face multiple foreign policy crises, including the war in Ukraine and frosty post-Brexit relations with the EU.
Truss, as foreign secretary, was a firm supporter of Ukraine’s resistance to Russia.
Truss has also pledged to increase U.K. defense spending to 3% of gross domestic product from just over 2% — another expensive promise.
Rebecca Macdougal, 55, who works in law enforcement, said outside the Houses of Parliament that time will tell whether Truss can turn things round.
“She’s making promises for that, as she says she’s going to deliver, deliver, deliver,” Macdougal noted. “But we will see in, hopefully, the next few weeks there’ll be some announcements which will help the normal working person.”
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AP writers Susie Blann, Sylvia Hui, Joanna Kozlowska and Kwiyeon Ha in London and Zeke Miller in Washington contributed to this story.
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| 2022-09-21T11:07:09Z
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CVS Health will pay about $8 billion to expand into home care, a practice that could cut costs and keep patients happy, provided they get the help they need.
The health care giant is buying Signify Health, a technology company that sends doctors or other care providers to patient homes to assess how they are doing and what help they might need.
The deal, announced late Monday, is a way for CVS Health to provide more help to patients where and when they want it, CEO Karen Lynch told analysts Tuesday morning.
“The home is increasingly part of that choice,” she said, noting that the deal gives the company a foundation to expand further into home health care.
CVS Health runs thousands of drugstores nationally, sells insurance and manages prescription drug coverage.
Like competitors Walgreens and UnitedHealth Group, CVS Health also has been delving more into providing care and managing the health of its customers, especially those with chronic or expensive medical conditions.
Insurers and employers are pushing more for this approach to help patients stay healthy, on their medications and out of expensive hospitals.
Bill payers and care providers have recognized for years now that a patient’s health is largely affected by where they live, how they eat and other factors that happen outside any care provided during a brief doctor’s office visit.
Signify Health works with thousands of doctors, nurse practitioners and physician assistants nationally. They visit patients to check on their health and other factors in their home that may affect it.
That can include examining into whether the patient is eating well and can afford prescriptions. They also will look for any safety problems like tripping hazards in the home.
The company says it then connects patients after that assessment to “appropriate follow-up care and community-based resources.” A company representative said Signify shares what it learned with both the patient’s insurer and primary care doctor.
Signify Health does these annual assessments mostly for patients on Medicare Advantage plans, which are privately run versions of the government’s Medicare program for people who are age 65 and older. It also works with patients who have returned home from a hospital stay.
Care delivered at home is a trend that started growing before COVID-19 and then accelerated after the pandemic hit, said Jeff Jonas, a portfolio manager with Gabelli Funds.
“People just don’t want to go to the hospital or go to a large physician office,” he said, noting that he expects home care to continue growing.
Health care researchers say the impact of these visits and assessments on a patient’s health isn’t clear yet.
“Overall, the key question is what will happen with the assessment once it’s made,” said Gretchen Jacobson, a vice president of Medicare with the nonpartisan Commonwealth Fund.
The assessments could be helpful to patients, provided they receive the right support afterward to address any challenges that were identified, said Tricia Neuman, a senior vice president with the Kaiser Family Foundation, which also studies health care issues.
She said that some patients may have a complex prescription drug regimen to track, and they may need help managing that as well as other daily activities. If the patient has no family to help with this, then the plan or care provider has to help fill those gaps.
She noted that needs can differ by patient.
“Not everybody prefers to be at home because not everybody has the support they need at home,” she said. “This is both a challenge and an opportunity.”
___
Follow Tom Murphy on Twitter: @thpmurphy
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| 2022-09-21T11:07:18Z
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THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The Dutch agriculture minister has unexpectedly resigned, telling reporters he wasn’t the right person for the job following a tumultuous summer of protests by farmers over pollution regulations.
Henk Staghouwer, who held the position for only nine months, announced his decision Monday night. He had just returned from Brussels, where he negotiated an agreement with the European Commission to scrap a Dutch exemption to manure spreading limits.
The Netherlands, along with Denmark, Ireland and the Flanders region of Belgium, had been allowed to exceed caps on how much manure farmers could return to their fields because of the country’s comparatively small land area. But Brussels wants to phase out this dispensation because the Dutch are failing to meet EU water quality standards.
The country’s lucrative agriculture sector has been in crisis since a 2019 court ruling forced the government to slash emissions of nitrogen oxide and ammonia, which livestock produce. Thousands of farmers have staged protests, blockading cities with tractors and burning hay bales along highways.
A 60-year-old former baker, Staghouwer had been tasked with transitioning the sector away from intensive farming practices and buying out farmers to reduce total emissions.
The government allocated an extra 24.3 billion euros ($24.2 billion) to tackle the problem. Last week Staghouwer told the Cabinet that he would be unable to meet a mid-September deadline to present a plan for the transition.
“I respect his brave decision,” Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte wrote on Twitter, but others were less praising. Member of parliament Caroline van der Plas of The Farmer–Citizen Movement party (BBB) said “he was totally unsuitable” for the job.
Bart Kemp of farmers’ organization Agractie told Dutch public broadcaster NOS that Staghouwer was “a friendly man, but not a decisive person.”
Staghouwer’s role will temporarily be taken on by the former agricultural minister Carola Schouten.
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| 2022-09-21T11:07:25Z
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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday denied a request by Cheniere Energy, a leading U.S. producer of liquefied natural gas, to exempt two Gulf Coast plants from a federal air pollution rule.
An EPA spokesman says the agency on Tuesday denied Cheniere’s request to waive a rule that limits emissions of cancer-causing formaldehyde released by gas-fired turbines. Dozens of turbine operators faced a Monday deadline to comply with the formaldehyde rule, which is being reinstated after an 18-year stay.
“Controlling emissions of formaldehyde is important to protect public health. Though EPA is denying Cheniere’s request for a special subcategory to comply with the turbines rule, the agency will continue to work with them and with other companies as needed to assure they meet Clean Air Act obligations,” EPA spokesman Tim Carroll said in an e-mail Tuesday.
Cheniere, the largest LNG exporter in the U.S., had warned that new requirements on LNG plants in Texas and Louisiana could disrupt gas supplies to Europe, which has struggled with surging energy prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
In a statement Tuesday, Cheniere said it strongly disagrees with EPA’s decision but will work with state and federal regulators to “develop solutions that ensure compliance” with the hazardous-pollution rule.
“Our conviction remains that these emissions do not pose a risk to public health, our workforce or the environment,” company spokesman Eben Burnham-Snyder said in an email. “Although this decision may result in unwarranted expenditures, we believe that the steps needed to come into full compliance will not result in a material financial or operational impact. and that we will be able to continue to reliably supply LNG to customers and countries around the world.”
Environmental activists said Cheniere was using the global gas shortage — and spiking prices in Europe — to try to avoid meeting EPA rules that many consider lax.
“Because it’s costly, Cheniere is asking for exemptions to EPA rules so they can continue to release cancer-causing pollutants into our communities — the same poor neighborhoods President (Joe) Biden has vowed to protect,” said James Hiatt of the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, an activist group that has worked with communities near oil refineries, chemical plants and other manufacturers to fight pollution.
Petrochemical plants, pipeline operators and other manufacturers will have to prove they’ve complied with EPA limits on formaldehyde under the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants, a 2004 rule that is being reinstated after an 18-year stay.
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| 2022-09-21T11:07:33Z
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BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union’s anti-trust watchdog announced on Tuesday that it is blocking the buyout of cancer-screening company GRAIL by biotech giant Illumina in a rare move by European regulators against two U.S. companies.
Illumina is a major supplier of next-generation sequencing (NGS) systems for genetic and genomic analysis, while GRAIL is a health company developing blood tests to try to catch cancer early. Illumina announced an $8 billion acquisition of GRAIL in 2020.
But the European Commission, which polices competition issues, said the buyout “would have enabled and incentivized Illumina to foreclose GRAIL’s rivals, who are dependent on Illumina’s technology, from access to an essential input they need to develop and market their own tests.”
Commission Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager said that “it is vital to preserve competition between early cancer detection test developers at this critical stage of development. As Illumina did not put forward remedies that would have solved our concerns, we prohibited the merger.”
The commission said it received feedback from several customers and competitors during its probe of the buyout, but Vestager declined to name any of GRAIL’s competitors whose interests might have been hurt.
The commission said market players were concerned that “Illumina would cut access to its NGS technology to GRAIL’s rivals, or otherwise disadvantage them, to gain control over the promising early cancer-detection testing market.”
Illumina said it intends to appeal the decision, which comes just days after a U.S. Federal Trade Commission judge ruled in favor of its acquisition of GRAIL.
“Illumina can make GRAIL’s life-saving multi-cancer early detection test more available, more affordable, and more accessible — saving lives and lowering healthcare costs,” said Charles Dadswell, General Counsel of Illumina.
“We continue to believe, this merger is pro-competitive and will accelerate innovation,” he said.
Vestager also said that Illumina appears to have broken EU merger rules by completing the buyout before the commission cleared the move.
“This is unheard of. Companies abide by our rules. They require them to not implement a merger before they have been notified and cleared by the commission,” she told reporters in Brussels.
Illumina’s actions, Vestager said, have created a “troublesome situation. Illumina now needs to undo the effects of its actions and unwind the acquisition.”
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| 2022-09-21T11:07:40Z
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FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Europe is facing an energy crisis that is squeezing ordinary people’s finances and in just a few weeks could mushroom into rolling blackouts and factory shutdowns. Already, many economists say a recession is on the way.
The cause: Russia has choked off the supplies of cheap natural gas that the continent depended on for years to run factories, generate electricity and heat homes. That has pushed European governments into a desperate scramble for new supplies and for ways to blunt the impact as economic growth slows and household utility bills rise.
On leaders’ plate right now: how to cushion the blow to the poor, who are hit the hardest by higher electricity, gas and food bills, and how to calm electricity and gas markets that have gone haywire, with fluctuating price increases of more than tenfold.
Here is the latest on Europe’s efforts to avoid a total energy disaster:
DID RUSSIA CUT OFF GAS TO EUROPE?
Just about. The crisis deepened when Russia’s state-owned exporter Gazprom said the main pipeline to Germany would stay closed, blaming an oil leak and claiming the problems could not be fixed because of sanctions barring many dealings with Russia.
European officials say it’s energy blackmail, aimed at pressuring and dividing the European Union in retaliation for supporting Ukraine against Russia’s invasion. The halt in the Nord Stream 1 pipeline means Russian gas shipments have fallen 89% from a year ago.
There’s still some Russian gas flowing to Europe through a pipeline passing through Ukraine into Slovakia, and another crossing the Black Sea to Turkey and then to EU member Bulgaria. Russia started cutting back gas as early as last summer, before the war in Ukraine started. That sent gas prices sharply higher. Then Gazprom cut off a number of European countries, further surging costs.
Given Russia’s slow constriction of supplies since last summer, officials are saying Europe needs to be ready fo r zero Russian gas this winter.
WHY IS RUSSIAN GAS SO IMPORTANT?
For decades, Europe depended on Russia for cheap gas. Without it, high energy prices are threatening to cause a recession this winter through record inflation that leaves consumers with less to spend as costs rise for food, fuel and utilities.
A complete cutoff could deal an even heavier blow to an already troubled economy.
Besides heating homes and generating electricity, gas is used to fire a range of industrial processes that most people never think much about — forging steel to go into cars, making glass bottles and pasteurizing milk and cheese.
Companies warn that they often can’t switch overnight to other energy sources such as fuel oil or electricity to produce heat. And as everyone searches for alternate supplies, fuel oil and coal also have risen in price.
In some cases, equipment that holds molten metal or glass is ruined if the heat is turned off, and over the longer term, energy-intensive businesses may simply give up on Europe.
IS THE PROBLEM JUST ABOUT HIGH NATURAL GAS PRICES?
No. Electricity prices also have skyrocketed because gas is a key fuel to generate power. To make matters worse, other sources of power have lagged for reasons not connected to Russia.
Drought has undermined hydroelectric power from rivers and reservoirs. France’s fleet of 56 nuclear power plants is running at half-strength because of shutdowns over corrosion problems in key pipes and repairs, updating and safety checks. A heat wave limited use of river water for cooling power plants, and lower water levels on Germany’s Rhine River reduced supplies of coal to generators.
In a role reversal, France is talking about sending natural gas to Germany, while Germany is exporting electricity to France. Usually it’s the other way around.
Analysts at Rystad Energy say Europe could face a serious electricity shortage as soon as this month. This winter, a worst case of cold weather, low wind generation and a 15% cut in gas use “would prove very challenging for the European power system, and could lead to power rationing and blackouts.”
WHAT IS EUROPE DOING TO EASE THE CRISIS?
Europe has lined up all the alternative gas supplies it could: more liquefied natural gas, or LNG, that comes by ship from the United States and increased pipeline gas from Norway and Azerbaijan. Germany is keeping coal plants in operation that it was going to shutter to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The 27-nation EU has approved a plan to reduce gas use by 15% by next March, roughly the amount experts say will need to make up for the loss of Russian gas.
National governments have bailed out utilities forced to pay exorbitant prices for Russian gas and doled out cash for hard-hit households. Public buildings are adjusting thermostats and turning off lights to save energy.
Now, EU officials say it’s time to intervene in energy markets that Russian President Vladimir Putin has broken. The EU has proposed putting a price cap on Russian gas imports to limit painful energy inflation and reduce the amount of money flowing from Europe into Russia’s war chest. Another measure would put a ceiling on energy companies’ windfall profits and use that money to support households and businesses.
Perhaps most important in the short term, Europe has managed to fill 83% of its storage for winter with the help of LNG and diminished consumption because of high prices.
Storage levels have kept rising even after the Nord Stream 1 cutoff, raising hopes Europe can weather the storm. Gas prices have fallen to their pre-cutoff level, although they are still painfully high.
WHAT’S RUSSIA’S GAME?
Even as gas sales dwindled, skyrocketing prices helped maintain Russia’s income from those sales. Oil and gas imports were initially exempt from sanctions because Europe was dependent on Russian energy. Europe has banned Russian coal and will ban most Russian oil at the end of the year.
Russia’s revenue from fossil fuel exports reached 158 billion euros from February to August, according to the Helsinki-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.
But oil has tended to be the Kremlin’s main moneymaker, and unlike gas in fixed pipelines to Europe, can be sold worldwide by tanker. And the gas relationship with Europe may be gone for good — and with it, any influence it might have brought.
“The gas flows from Europe no longer play a role in my calculations,” German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck said. “The only reliable thing from Russia are lies.”
So if Putin thinks he has any leverage from gas, time is running out for him to use it. This week, he threatened to cut off energy supplies completely to the West in response to price caps.
“Russia has lost nothing now that it hadn’t lost already … this winter is the last chance to use the gas weapon, successfully or not,” tweeted Janis Kluge, an expert on the Russian economy at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs.
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| 2022-09-21T11:07:47Z
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LONDON (AP) — Liz Truss, a onetime accountant who has served in Parliament for the past 12 years, became Britain’s prime minister on Tuesday after Queen Elizabeth II formally asked her to form a government.
The ceremony, which took place at a royal residence in Scotland, followed a bruising two-month contest to succeed Boris Johnson, who formally offered his resignation to the queen shortly before Truss arrived to take up the mantle.
The handover of power is governed by rules and traditions built up over the centuries, as the U.K. evolved from an absolute monarchy to a modern parliamentary democracy where the sovereign plays an important but largely ceremonial role as head of state.
Here is a brief description of Tuesday’s events and how Britain arrived at this point.
HOW DID LIZ TRUSS BECOME PRIME MINISTER?
Boris Johnson announced his intention to step down as prime minister and leader of the ruling Conservative Party on July 7, after dozens of Cabinet ministers and lower-level officials resigned following months of scandal and growing concern that he could no longer deliver election victories.
Because Johnson’s government didn’t lose a vote of confidence, the Conservatives still command a majority in the House of Commons and so a general election wasn’t required to select a new prime minister. Instead, it was up to the Conservatives to pick a new leader, who would automatically become prime minister as the leader of the majority party.
Truss and former Treasury chief Rishi Sunak squared off in the internal contest to become Conservative Party leader, holding campaign events around the country as they vied for support among 172,000 dues-paying party members. Truss was announced as the winner of that contest on Monday after she received 57% of the vote.
WHY IS THE QUEEN INVOLVED?
As head of state, the queen still formally appoints the prime minister, though the decision is now based on constitutional conventions. When one party holds a majority in the House of Commons, as is the current situation, the prime minister is always the leader of that party.
But the queen maintains a special relationship with her prime ministers, holding regular meetings with them throughout their time in office.
While the queen is constitutionally required to remain strictly neutral on all political matters, she is entitled to be informed and consulted about government policy. And she retains the right to “advise, encourage and warn ministers,” according to the official guide to the laws, rules and conventions of government.
WHY DIDN’T TRUSS IMMEDIATELY BECOME PRIME MINISTER?
While Johnson announced his intention to step down on July 7, prime ministers usually don’t formally resign until it is clear who their successor will be.
Once Truss was elected Conservative Party leader, Johnson could hand his resignation to the monarch.
WHY IS EVERYONE IN SCOTLAND FOR THE CEREMONY?
Normally, the new prime minister travels the short distance from the Houses of Parliament to Buckingham Palace to meet with the queen. But this year, the 96-year-old sovereign is at Balmoral, her retreat in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, for her annual vacation.
Elizabeth has had difficulties moving around of late and decisions about her schedule are being made on a daily basis depending on what she feels up to. So rather than take the chance that she wouldn’t be ready to travel to London on Tuesday, planners injected a bit of certainty into the diary by asking the new leader to come to her.
WHAT HAPPENED ON TUESDAY?
Things kicked off at about 7:30 a.m., when Johnson appeared outside the prime minister’s official Downing Street residence to deliver a farewell speech before flying to Scotland. He formally offered his resignation later in the day.
Truss, who made the 500-mile (800-kilometer) journey on a separate plane, arrived at Balmoral just after noon for an audience with the queen. Elizabeth then formally asked Truss to form a new government, and Truss officially became Britain’s prime minister.
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KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The U.N. atomic watchdog agency urged Russia and Ukraine on Tuesday to establish a “nuclear safety and security protection zone” around the Zaporizhzhia power plant amid mounting fears the fighting could trigger a catastrophe in a country still scarred by the Chernobyl disaster.
“We are playing with fire, and something very, very catastrophic could take place,” Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, warned the U.N. Security Council, days after leading an inspection visit to the plant.
In a detailed report on its visit, the IAEA said shelling around the Europe’s largest nuclear power plant should stop immediately. “This requires agreement by all relevant parties to the establishment of a nuclear safety and security protection zone” around the plant, it said.
At the Security Council meeting, U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres likewise demanded that Russian and Ukrainian forces commit to halting all military activity around the plant and agree on a “demilitarized perimeter.”
Guterres said this would include “a commitment by Russian forces to withdraw all military personnel and equipment from that perimeter and a commitment by Ukrainian forces not to move into it.”
Asked by reporters about establishing a demilitarized zone, Russia’s U.N. ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, said the proposal “is not serious.”
“The Ukrainians will immediately step in and ruin the whole thing. We’re defending, we’re protecting the station,” he said. “In fact, it is not militarized. There is no equipment at the station.”
Speaking to journalists later, Nebenizia said Russia wanted to see details of the proposals for demilitarized and protection zones.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country needs to look at the specifics of the protection-zone proposal and could support the measure if it envisions the demilitarization of the plant.
In his nightly address to the nation, Zelenskyy praised the IAEA report’s “clear references” to the presence of Russian troops and military equipment at the plant. He urged the agency to explicitly back Kyiv’s long-held position that Russian forces need to withdraw from the facility and its surroundings.
Shelling continued around the plant on Tuesday, a day after it was again knocked off Ukraine’s electrical grid and put in the precarious position of relying on its own power to run its safety systems.
Normally the plant relies on power from the outside to run the critical cooling systems that keep its reactors and its spent fuel from overheating. A loss of those systems could lead to a meltdown or other release of radiation.
“For radiation protection professionals, for the Ukrainian and even the Russian people, and those of central Europe, this is a very worrying time — and that’s an understatement,” said Paul Dorfman, a nuclear safety expert at the University of Sussex in England.
Russia and Ukraine accused each other of shelling Enerhodar, the city where the plant is situated. The Ukrainians also charged that the Kremlin’s forces fired on a town across the Dnieper River from the power station.
The Ukrainian mayor of Enerhodar, Dmytro Orlov, reported a powerful blast in the city around midday. The explosion left the city of 53,000 cut off from its power and water supplies. It wasn’t immediately clear what caused the blast.
World leaders have called for the demilitarization of the plant, which has been occupied by Russian forces since the early days of the war but is being run by Ukrainian engineers.
In its report, the IAEA did not assign blame for the shelling at the plant. The agency has sought to keep out of the political fray.
It did note that on several occasions, the plant lost, fully or in part, its off-site power supply because of military activity in the area. The U.N. agency said a backup power supply line should be reestablished and asked that “all military activities that may affect the power supply systems end.”
In addition, the IAEA warned that the Ukrainian staff operating the plant under Russian military occupation is “under constant high stress and pressure, especially with the limited staff available” — a situation that could “lead to increased human error with implications for nuclear safety.”
It recommended that “an appropriate work environment, including family support,” be reestablished.
The IAEA also said the staff is not being given unrestricted access to some parts of the plant and must get permission from the Russian occupying forces to reach the cooling ponds where spent fuel is kept. Grossi expressed concern that that could hamper the staff’s response in an emergency.
The report said the team saw Russian military personnel, vehicles and equipment at various locations, including several military trucks on the floor of two turbine halls. It called for “the removal of vehicles from areas that could interfere with the operation of safety and security systems and equipment.”
Two inspectors from the IAEA mission remained at the plant, a decision welcomed by Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak.
“There are Russian troops now who don’t understand what’s happening, don’t assess the risks correctly,” Podolyak said. “There is a number of our workers there, who need some kind of protection, people from the international community standing by their side and telling (Russian troops): ‘Don’t touch these people, let them work.’”
On Monday, the IAEA said Ukrainian authorities reported that the plant’s last transmission line linking it to the nation’s power grid was disconnected to allow workers to put out a fire caused by shelling.
Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko told Ukrainian television: “Any repairs are impossible at this point — there are ongoing hostilities around the plant.”
In the meantime, the plant’s only remaining operational reactor will “generate the power the plant needs for its safety and other functions,” the IAEA said.
Mycle Schneider, an independent analyst in Canada on nuclear energy, said that means the plant was probably functioning in “island mode,” or producing electricity for its own operations.
“Island mode is a very shaky, unstable and unreliable way to provide continuous power supply to a nuclear plant,” Schneider said. He said that “many if not most islanding attempts fail.”
The Zaporizhzhia plant has diesel emergency backup generators to produce power to run the place if the outside source is disrupted. But Schneider said the plant’s operators may have decided to go into island mode first.
If the plant turns to the diesel generators as a last resort and they fail, the reactor and the spent fuel could rapidly overheat, he said.
Experts say the reactors at Zaporizhzhia are designed to withstand natural disasters and even plane crashes, but the unpredictable fighting has repeatedly threatened the cooling systems. Ukraine in 1986 was the site of the world’s worst nuclear accident, the explosion at Chernobyl.
Ukrainian intelligence reported that residents of Enerhodar were fleeing the city out of fear. Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said Russia should organize safe corridors for women and children living nearby.
“People en masse are reaching out to us for help. They are trying to leave the dangerous territory, but there are no corridors,” Vereshchuk told Ukrainian TV.
Meanwhile, gunfire and explosions were heard Tuesday afternoon in the Russian-occupied city of Berdyansk in southastern Ukraine, with Russia’s state-run media reporting that the car of the Kremlin-installed “city commandant” had been blown up. The RIA Novosti news agency said that the official, Artem Bardin, was in serious condition and that a shootout followed the assassination attempt.
The agency quoted Russian-backed local officials as saying they had launched a manhunt for the “Ukrainian saboteurs” responsible.
___
Associated Press writers Frank Jordans in Berlin and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.
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Follow the AP’s coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
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| 2022-09-21T11:08:02Z
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BERLIN (AP) — The German government plans to drop a requirement for people to wear masks on flights to and from the country, though the health minister said Tuesday that it could be reimposed if coronavirus cases rise sharply.
The rules mandating masks on flights run through Sept. 23, and the smallest party in the coalition government, the libertarian Free Democratic Party, has pressed for an end to them. The initial draft for this fall’s rules foresaw an obligation to wear N95-type masks on planes as well as long-distance trains and buses.
Health Minister Karl Lauterbach told reporters in Berlin that “next to no masks are worn on international flights — the rules have been loosened there.” He said Germany’s biggest airline, Lufthansa, had said repeatedly that the mandate “can no longer be implemented, so we have refrained from this and are limiting ourselves to the domestic areas where this is possible.”
Lauterbach said that mask-wearing on trains and buses remains “sensible and necessary,” but pointed to better air circulation in planes.
But he said that if COVID-19 cases increase sharply this fall, the government could issue an order reimposing the mask mandate on planes.
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Follow AP’s coverage of the coronavirus pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/covid-19-pandemic
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| 2022-09-21T11:08:10Z
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BERLIN (AP) — Israel’s president addressed Germany’s parliament on Tuesday about atrocities committed during the Third Reich, while at the same time praising the close and friendly relations that have emerged between the two countries since the end of the Holocaust.
Six million European Jews were murdered by Germany’s Nazis and their henchmen during World War II.
“Never in human history was there a campaign like the one the Nazis and their accomplices conducted to annihilate the Jewish people,” Israeli President Isaac Herzog told lawmakers at the Bundestag.
“Never in history was a state responsible, as Nazi Germany was responsible, for the loss of all semblance of humanity, for the erasure of all mercy, for the pursuit of the worldwide obliteration, with such awful cruelty, of an entire people.”
Herzog also spoke about his father, former Israeli President Chaim Herzog, who was among the liberators of the concentration camp of Bergen-Belsen in northern Germany in April 1945, as an officer of the British forces.
“I shall never forget how he described to me the horrors he witnessed. The stench. The human skeletons in striped pajamas, the piles of corpses, the destruction, the hell on earth,” the Israeli president told German lawmakers.
After his speech, Herzog and Steinmeier, accompanied by their wives, went to Berlin’s Memorial to the Murdered Jews — a field of 2,700 gray concrete slabs near the the city’s landmark Brandenburg Gate — where they laid two wreaths for the victims of the Holocaust.
On Tuesday afternoon, the two presidents are set to visit the site of the former concentration camp. After a tour of the memorial site, they are expected to meet with survivors and German high school students.
The Israeli president arrived for a state visit to Germany earlier this week that also included a trip to Munich on Monday where he participated in the 50-year anniversary ceremony for the 11 Israeli athletes murdered by Palestinian militants at the 1972 Olympic Games.
Looking forward, Herzog praised close relations between the two countries and their joint commitment to fight antisemitism.
“The partnership between Israel and Germany has achieved global renown, and we must continue deepening and cultivating it, for the benefit of a brilliant future not only for our countries but for the whole of humanity,” he said in parliament.
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Tia Goldberg contributed to this report from Jerusalem.
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BERLIN (AP) — A union representing pilots at Lufthansa on Tuesday called off a planned two-day strike after a last-minute agreement with Germany’s biggest airline in a pay dispute.
The Vereinigung Cockpit union had announced plans for a walkout on Wednesday and Thursday, calling on the company to make a “serious” offer in talks over pay increases. It would have been the second strike in a week after pilots staged a walkout Friday that led to hundreds of flights being canceled.
In hastily convened talks on Tuesday, the union said that the two sides agreed in principle on “an extensive package of monetary and structural issues” whose details would be thrashed out in the coming days.
The union then called off the strike. Before the talks, Lufthansa had said that it would have to decide by noon which flights to cancel in the coming days and a strike would have “massive consequences” for its flight plan.
It wasn’t immediately clear what the agreement entails. Vereinigung Cockpit has called for a 5.5% raise for its members this year and an inflation-busting 8.2% increase in 2023. Pilots also have sought a new pay and holiday structure.
The airline has said those measures would increase its staffing costs by about 40%, or around 900 million euros over two years. Instead, it was offering a one-off increase of 900 euros (dollars), amounting to a 5% increase for senior pilots and an 18% increase for those starting the profession.
Strong unions have traditionally ensured good conditions for workers in Germany, using strikes to press their demands in labor disputes.
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NEW YORK (AP) — Rents are starting to come down after spiking to record levels this past summer, but experts are uncertain if the slowdown will continue.
Christopher Mayer, professor of real estate at Columbia Business School, said people looking for an apartment now might have a better experience than they did in May or June.
“We’re not seeing rents go up as quickly, the rental market is softening a little bit,” he said.
The national median asking rent was up 14% in July over July the previous year, the smallest annual increase since November 2021, according to a new report from Redfin. While that percentage is still high, it has decreased from 15% in June and 16% in May.
Experts say the market could slow further toward the end of the year, but there’s still a lot of uncertainty.
“I would not be surprised if we get to 2023 before things really get back to normal,” said Brian Carberry, senior managing editor of Rent.com, an apartment search website owned by Redfin.
Much depends on where you live. Cities in Florida such as Boca Raton and West Palm Beach have seen rents decrease -0.1% and -0.5% respectively compared to last month. But according to Apartment List, rents in California coastal cities such as San Diego have continued to increase over the past year.
In Rochester, New York, rent was up 15.3% in August over the same month the previous year, according to data from Apartment List. An average two-bedroom apartment in the Rochester area was $1,318 in August, compared with $1,116 a year ago.
Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan said high rents are a concern because they can account for a big chunk of a household’s take-home pay.
“Gas prices are coming back down, but rents are going up 10, 12, 15%. And rent can end up taking 40% of these households’ income,” Moynihan said in a recent Associated Press interview.
While things are looking a bit better for renters than a few months ago, it’s still a landlords’ market, Mayer said.
If your lease is up, staying put and negotiating with your landlord might be a better option than trying to move, at least until the rental market slows down further, said Paula Munger, assistant vice president for industry research and analysis at the National Apartment Association.
“When you renew your lease, you’re definitely not paying the same as someone new moving in,” Munger said. “If you can, stay in your apartment.”
A major reason for rent spikes has been increasing demand from people priced out of a booming housing market. That market is starting to slow, which could mean more people can afford to buy and won’t need to rent, but with interest rates rising, some may not want to take on mortgages.
“With inflation now all throughout the market, there’s not enough supply so the prices are going up,” Munger said. “That’s the downside for people, just not having enough options and choices for what they would like in a housing unit.”
That was the experience of Erika Tascon, a 22-year-old Los Angeles resident who was living with roommates but wanted to find an apartment with her boyfriend.
After visiting more than 10 units, the couple picked a 500-square-foot one-bedroom apartment in Beverly Hills where they pay $2,750 per month. The median rent for a one-bedroom in the area is $2,773, up 14% from last year, according to data from Zumper.
“I think landlords are taking advantage of tenants right now,” said Tascon, who is paying $200 more per month than for her previous apartment.
In Britni Eseller’s case, the high demand meant that she had to rush to fill out her application to beat the other 10 people who toured the apartment she wanted.
“Because everyone is in scarcity mode, you’re willing to find a place that might be somewhat affordable and you’re unfortunately okay with overlooking chipped floors or a broken appliance,” said Eseller, who lives in North Park, a neighborhood of San Diego.
Developers have ramped up construction of apartment buildings this year, which could eventually help to ease the crunch. But it’s likely to take a while before that’s reflected in the market.
Meanwhile, high rents are disproportionately hurting low-income residents across the country, said Ben Martin, research director of Texas Housers, a non-profit organization that works on housing justice.
In May, rental prices in Dallas and Fort Worth were up 21.6% from last year, according to Redfin data. In Austin they were up 48.4%. One major reason is that high-income people from coastal areas like California and New York moved to Texas during the coronavirus pandemic, when they realized they could work remotely and live more cheaply. In December of last year, for example, Tesla moved its headquarters from Silicon Valley to Austin.
“People who make the lowest incomes are paying more of their total pie of money,” Martin said. “Which means that they don’t have money for anything else: school supplies, groceries, gas, clothing, all of the essential stuff that you need to live.”
In addition to cutting basic expenses, renters are also cramming more people into apartments, Martin said.
Increasingly, people can’t afford their homes at all and are now facing eviction. Governments have ended eviction moratoriums and rental assistance programs that allowed people to stay in their homes during the pandemic.
The Eviction Lab, a research organization at Princeton University, is seeing record numbers of evictions that have surpassed pre-pandemic levels.
In Houston, where the eviction moratorium ended in July 2021, there were 7,242 eviction filings in July of this year, 51% above average, according to The Eviction Lab. Other cities such as Los Angeles have extended eviction moratoriums until the end of this year.
Tenants who can’t afford rent increases but also can’t afford to move are often forced to choose between paying rent and covering basic necessities. An eviction stays on a renter’s record, making it harder to find housing in the future.
“The threat of eviction is the looming problem,” said Nick Graetz, a postdoctoral research associate at The Eviction Lab. “Part of the reason renters sacrifice so many other things to try to pay unreasonable high rents every month is because of the constant threat of being evicted from their home.”
___
The Associated Press receives support from Charles Schwab Foundation for educational and explanatory reporting to improve financial literacy. The independent foundation is separate from Charles Schwab and Co. Inc. The AP is solely responsible for its journalism.
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BERLIN (AP) — Russia sent significantly more oil and coal to India and China over the summer compared with the start of the year, while European countries that long relied on Russian energy have cut back sharply in response to the war in Ukraine, said a report published Tuesday.
The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air said Russia received about 158 billion euros ($158 billion) in revenue for the sale of oil, natural gas and coal from February to August, more than half of which — some 85 billion euros worth — was exported to the European Union.
Within the EU, Germany was the biggest importer, buying 19 billion euros worth of fossil fuels from Russia during the six-month period.
The single biggest importer worldwide, however, was China, which bought 35 billion euros worth of Russian energy, the Helsinki-based group said.
While Russia’s revenue rose, overall export volumes dropped by 18% compared with when the country invaded Ukraine, the report said.
The EU has cut its imports from Russia by 35% since the war began, with Russian coal now banned in the 27-nation bloc and a halt to oil sales due to take effect at the end of the year.
Russia itself has sharply cut flows of natural gas to the EU, indicating this week that they would not resume unless Western sanctions are lifted.
Germany’s economy minister, Robert Habeck, said Monday that his country doesn’t expect gas imports from Russia to resume anymore.
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock acknowledged Tuesday that past purchases of cheap Russian gas had come at the expense of Germany’s national security — an argument past governments in Berlin had firmly rejected.
“Until recently, there were spurious technical reasons; now the rulers in the Kremlin are alluding to our sanctions as a whole, which supposedly stand in the way of further gas deliveries,” Baerbock said in a speech to German diplomats and business representatives in Berlin. “We must state this very clearly: We will not succumb to this blackmail.”
Meanwhile, India and China imported significantly more coal and crude oil from Russia in July and August than in February and March, according to the report by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.
The group said fossil fuel exports contributed about 43 billion euros to Russia’s federal budget, compared with independent estimates that the war has so far cost the Russian state the equivalent of 100 billion euros.
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| 2022-09-21T11:08:55Z
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BERLIN (AP) — Swiss retailer Migros said Tuesday that it is launching a coffeemaking system designed to replace capsules that produce thousands of tons of waste worldwide each year.
The cooperative said its spherical capsules — described as “coffee balls” — are fully compostable, unlike the plastic and aluminum containers popularized by its rival Nestle under the brand Nespresso 36 years ago.
Migros said its coffee balls are encased in a thin, flavorless, seaweed-based cover that can be discarded with the spent coffee after use.
The company said the CoffeeB system, which also features a special coffeemaker, will be rolled out first in Switzerland and France this year, followed by Germany in 2023.
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GENEVA (AP) — The Swiss government said Tuesday that it has agreed to give an urgent credit line of 4 billion Swiss francs ($4.1 billion) to power plant operator Axpo Holding as energy prices soar in Europe and could “endanger Switzerland’s energy supply.”
Axpo, which has 30 locations in Europe, North America and Asia and partners to run over 100 power plants, said it applied for the funds to help meet collateral requirements of long-term supply contracts after a tenfold increase in wholesale electricity prices from a year ago and wild fluctuations in prices in recent days.
The company, based in Baden northwest of Zurich, said the “continuing unpredictability” in the market has already prompted governments in countries like the Czech Republic, Finland, France and Germany to help out energy companies. It comes as Russia has reduced or cut off natural gas to several European countries amid the war in Ukraine, driving up prices for gas and electricity at record rates.
The Swiss executive branch, known as the Federal Council, said European markets have seen sharp increases in energy prices because of the war in Ukraine and “low availability” of electricity from nuclear power plants in neighboring France.
“With this financial aid, the Federal Council wants to prevent Axpo from experiencing liquidity problems which could, in the worst case, endanger Switzerland’s energy supply,” the council said in a statement.
The seven-member executive said it was acting under an emergency law aimed to help electricity providers. Last week, two of its members appealed to their fellow Swiss — who in 2021 got more than 60% of their electricity from hydropower — to help avoid wasting energy such as when cooking or heating.
Swiss authorities have repeatedly said energy supplies in the country are adequate for present and future needs despite the recent pressures in the market.
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SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Shreveport police are on the scene of a shooting in Sunset Acres that left one person wounded early Tuesday evening.
It happened just after 5 p.m. in the parking lot near the Burger King on Hearne Ave. and Grassmere St. Police say the victim was shot in the lower body and ran inside the fast food restaurant.
Police say he is expected to recover, but he is not cooperating with investigators.
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This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Three people are in custody in connection with a shooting Monday night in Shreveport that left one person with critical injuries.
The shooting happened at 8:20 p.m. in the 1100 block of Shreveport Barksdale Highway, where officers found a male victim suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. He was brought to a hospital for treatment of life-threatening injuries.
Police say they were able to get a description of the suspects and arrested two of them on East Washington St. Another suspect was found and arrested nearby with the help of Shreveport Police K-9 officer Sepp.
29-year-old Juquentin Taylor, 24-year-old Tyanna Waller, and 25-year-old Keiuntre Normandin early Tuesday morning. All three were booked into the Shreveport City Jail early Tuesday morning on charges of attempted first-degree murder.
Tyanna Waller, 24 (Source: Shreveport Police Department) Juquentin Taylor, 29 (Source: Shreveport Police Department) K-9 Sepp (Source: Shreveport Police Department)
Investigators believe the three suspects took the victim’s vehicle that was left unattended at an apartment complex. The victim chased the suspects in another vehicle. The suspects crashed in the 1100 block of Shreveport Barksdale Highway and started shooting the victim. He was struck in the chest and leg.
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NACOGDOCHES COUNTY, Texas (KETK) – An 85-year-old man has been arrested after a hit-and-run that injured a 4-year-old in Nacogdoches County, according to DPS.
Officials said a preliminary crash investigation found that around 2:15 p.m. a 4-year-old girl was riding a go-cart on private property when she reportedly attempted to turn around, and entered the southbound lane of FM 95 and was struck by a Chevrolet pickup. The truck failed to stop at the scene of the crash and, officials said it continued traveling south.
The driver who officials identified as Edward Mora, 85 of Center, has been transported and booked into Shelby County Jail for failure to stop and render aid with serious bodily injury, a third degree felony.
The child was transported to an area hospital in Nacogdoches for treatment. The investigation is still ongoing.
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SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Police have identified two suspects in a fatal shooting Monday in North Shreveport.
Police say 20-year-old Jasmine Buckner and 44-year-old Jonathan Buckner are wanted in the shooting death of 21-year-old Kendrick Dotie of Texas at the Northside Villas apartments on N. Market Street Monday afternoon.
Officers responding to reports of a shooting at the apartment complex arrived to find Dotie suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. He was taken to the hospital, where he died of his wounds 30 minutes later.
Shreveport police are asking anyone who has information on where Jasmine Bucker and Jonathan Buckner might be to contact the Shreveport Police Department directly at (318) 673-7300 #3.
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Contractors remove 10-ton weights as they end a load test, where a foundation pile successfully resisted a pressure of 225 tons, more than the 150 tons withstand on its designed use, on Chièvres Air Base, Belgium, Aug. 28, 2022. (U.S. Army video by Pascal Demeuldre)
This work, Chièvres Water Infrastructure Works: Successful Load Test for Foundation Piles, by Pascal Demeuldre, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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HAUGHTON, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – A man is in jail for a fatal shooting early Tuesday morning in Haughton.
According to police, an emergency call for shots fired came in around 12:30 a.m. for the 600 block of Alex Way. When officers arrived, they found a male victim, 47-year-old Michael Allen Matthews, in the home’s garage area, suffering from gunshot wounds.
Officers on the scene called medics to the home to aid the victim and brought him to Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport for treatment, where he died from his injuries.
Subdivision fatal Alex Way shooting (Source: KTAL/KMSS Staff) Police on scene fatal Alex Way shooting (Source: KTAL/KMSS Staff)
Police say witnesses told them Matthews argued with the suspect, identified as 22-year-old Christopher Agee, Jr., who later shot him and fled the scene on foot.
Haughton police, Bossier Sheriff’s Deputies, and Louisiana State Police all searched the area for the suspect.
Officers with the Haughton PD found Agee in the 100 block of West McKinley Avenue and arrested him without incident.
Agee was charged with second-degree murder and obstruction of justice and booked into the Bossier Parish Maximum Security Jail.
This is an ongoing investigation.
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LAFAYETTE, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – The Caddo Parish Coroner’s office announced the death of a Lafayette man late Tuesday, marking the 37th homicide in Caddo Parish in 2022.
Thirty-two-year-old Jermaine Colston, of the 41500 block of Hebrard Blvd., was killed around 7:20 a.m. Tuesday morning. He was shot in the head in a hotel parking garage on the 100 block of Lake St. in Shreveport. Colston was pronounced deceased at the scene.
His body was identified through fingerprint comparison, and an autopsy was ordered.
The shooting remains under investigation by the Shreveport Police Department.
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MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WREG) — A police affidavit obtained by Nexstar’s WREG reveals additional details about the discovery of Eliza Fletcher’s body on Monday after Memphis police say she was abducted last week.
Fletcher, a 34-year-old mother and teacher, disappeared after she went for a run early Friday morning. Police said she was forced into an SUV near the University of Memphis around 4 a.m.
According to the affidavit, officers were combing a South Memphis neighborhood when one of them noticed tire tracks in the grass near a home on Victor Street.
Records indicate officers also smelled the odor of decay. They found the body of a woman, later identified as Fletcher, next to a set of steps near the driveway behind the home.
Law enforcement also found her purple Lululemon running shorts in a discarded trash bag about 100 feet north of the scene.
Surveillance videos also revealed that the suspect’s vehicle was in the area on Friday, Sept. 2 around 5:48 a.m.
Law enforcement said the same GMC Terrain was seen exiting I-240 at the South Parkway East exit.
Police said surveillance footage spotted the vehicle turning west onto Person Avenue around 5:52 a.m.
The West Tennessee Medical Center verified that the body found was in fact Eliza Fletcher. Memphis Police made the announcement to the public Tuesday morning.
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SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Off and on for almost two hours Tuesday afternoon, the jury in the murder trial of DeWayne Watkins watched bodycam video from the Shreveport Police Department K-9 team that ultimately took the double-murder suspect into custody after a five-and-a-half-hour standoff.
Watkins, 37, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the Nov. 8, 2018, shooting deaths of 32-year-old Heather Jose and her 44-year-old husband, Kelly Jose, whose charred bodies were found near midnight in a burning car in the driveway of a vacant house in the 3400 block of Penick Street in the Queensborough neighborhood.
Prosecutors say Watkins shot Kelly and Heather Jose after they gave him a ride from Mall St. Vincent and withdrew money from an ATM for him, and then burned their bodies in an attempt to destroy evidence.
SPD Cpl. Gregory Gagneaux was at the scene with SPD K-9 Officer Geus (pronounced “Juice”) on the night Watkins was captured, two days after the murders.
Sounds of a helicopter flying overhead, the motor of the armored vehicle at the scene, as well as periodic barks from K-9 Officer Geus pierced the silence in the darkened courtroom Tuesday as Watkins, the jury, and the families of both victims watched as police tried to coerce Watkins from the house where he took refuge after the Joses were slain.
The house, just a couple of blocks down from where the Joses’ bodies were found, was surrounded by Shreveport police, along with other local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.
When officers first arrived at the house in the 3600 block of Penick Street, there were at least five people inside, including Shawanna Hughes, who lived there, her teenage son, her daughter Korinity Hughes, then 16, Shawanna Hughes’s ex-boyfriend and Cornity’s father, Kareem Hughes, and Watkins.
Last week, Kareem Hughes testified that Watkins is his cousin. He said he and his daughter had walked from where they lived in the 3400 block of Darien Street to Shawanna Hughes’s house to pick up Korinity’s disability check and had only been there a short time when law enforcement showed up and surrounded the house.
Initially, when police knocked on the door, Shawanna Hughes opened it, but then quickly shut it. After a half-hour or so, Shawanna, her son, and Kareem came outside. Korinity testified that she stayed inside with her cousin because she was concerned about him.
Watkins first tried to hide in the attic but fell through the ceiling, according to last week’s testimony from several witnesses who were inside the house. Later, according to Korinity’s testimony, Watkins lifted a vent in the floor to go under the house.
Gagneaux, who along with Geus was at the side at the house, could see Watkins drop down from the floor to the crawl space under the house but each time he lowered his legs, Geus would begin to bark and up Watkins’ legs would go.
Several times during the video, the voice of SPD Sgt. Briana Rivera, who at the time was part of SPD’s hostage negotiation team, could be heard over a loudspeaker trying to coax Watkins to give himself up.
Watkins never responded, but after law enforcement officers were sure he was the only one left in the house, they pumped in tear gas, which convinced Watkins it was time to go.
Gagneaux and Geus, who had moved their position, saw Watkins jump from the window and gave chase, but Watkins scaled an eight-foot fence and Gagneaux was unable to lift Geus over it.
The officer said the house next door had a four-foot chain link fence and he was trying to see if there was anything back there. The neighbors, who had been watching the evening’s events, invited Gagneaux and Geus to go through their house and out into the backyard.
There, Geus jumped over the fence and went behind a shed with his nose to the ground, Gagneaux said at that point, Geus had picked up human scent.
Geus then disappeared behind a fallen oak tree and found Watkins hiding in a hollow of the dead tree.
The video, though dark, became rich with voices and barks as police yelled for Watkins to show his hands and Watkins yelled, “Get the dog, get the dog!” This back and forth went on for several seconds before Watkins was finally restrained.
When officers were finally able to take Watkins into custody, they took him to Shreveport Fire Department EMTs who treated him for a dog bite before he was taken to jail.
Testimony is expected to resume Wednesday.
Watkins is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, which is punishable by life in prison or the death penalty but Caddo Parish District Attorney James Stewart reversed course in early 2021, taking the death penalty option off the table in an effort to move the case along.
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MONROE, La. (KTVE/KARD) — On Sunday, September 4, 2022, Monroe Police were dispatched to Parkview Apartments in reference to a disturbance. Once officers arrived at the scene, they were advised that 39-year-old Katherine Ann George allegedly chased the victim with a broom and knife.
According to police, George ran inside an apartment once they arrived at the location. Police entered the apartment and the homeowner mentioned they did not give George permission to enter their home. Officers then made contact with George and she appeared to be under the influence of narcotics.
George was then placed in handcuffs and evaluated by medical staff due to her having a seizure. Once medical staff noticed George allegedly faked the seizure, she was placed under arrest and transported to the Ouachita Correctional Center.
While en route to the Ouachita Correctional Center, George allegedly advised officers that she had a gun and was going to shoot them. George was charged with Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Assault upon a Police Officer, and Unauthorized Entry of an Inhabited Dwelling.
She was placed on a $22,000 bond.
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| 2022-09-21T11:10:33Z
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Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Shreveport police say they have arrested the man they believe is responsible for a fatal shooting in the MLK neighborhood in early June.
Police say 18-year-old Regge Williams was riding in a stolen vehicle on September 3 when he came into contact with police. Williams was also wanted on an outstanding armed robbery warrant. He was booked into Shreveport City Jail and is charged with second-degree murder.
SPD says detectives with the SPD violent crimes unit determined that Williams was also the suspect wanted in connection with the June 7 fatal shooting of Kabrodrick Mitchell after multiple witnesses came forward.
Mitchell was shot inside of a vehicle in the 1700 block of Jamison Street.
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| 2022-09-21T11:10:40Z
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MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WREG) – New surveillance footage shows the man accused of abducting and murdering Eliza Fletcher, whose body police identified Tuesday, cleaning out his car hours after the Memphis school teacher disappeared.
The video shows Cleotha Abston arriving at the Longview Garden apartments where his brother lives around 7:57 a.m. Friday morning, more than three hours after Fletcher was forced into an SUV while she was jogging near the University of Memphis.
He sits in the vehicle for a while and then goes to the trunk. It’s hard to see exactly what he is doing but he runs to his brother’s apartment unit shortly after.
A few minutes later, he comes back outside and spends more than an hour at the passenger side of the SUV.
According to court documents, a witness said Abston was in a strange mood and vigorously cleaned the interior of his car with carpet cleaner and washed his clothes in the house’s sink.
The video comes after Memphis Police confirmed Tuesday that Fletcher was found dead behind a home in South Memphis Monday night. The body was found during a search in South Memphis near where police said Abston was seen cleaning out his vehicle.
U.S. Marshals arrested Abston, 38, on Saturday after police detected his DNA on a pair of sandals found near to where Fletcher was last seen, according to an arrest affidavit.
Abston was released from prison in 2020 after serving 20 years for a previous kidnapping. On Tuesday morning, he made his first court appearance on charges of kidnapping, tampering with evidence, theft, identity theft, and fraudulent use of a credit card.
Several of Fletcher’s relatives were in the courtroom along with more than 20 media members as Abston was issued a $510,000 bond. Abston said he could not afford bond, and he could not afford a lawyer. General Sessions Judge Louis Montesi appointed a public defender to represent Abston.
Court records showed Abston also has been charged with first-degree murder. He is scheduled to appear in court again Wednesday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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| 2022-09-21T11:10:48Z
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AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott met with leadership from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas and Public Utility Commission of Texas on Tuesday to talk about the implementation of grid reforms to ensure reliability and stability.
Abbott also received a briefing on the Seasonal Assessment of Resource Adequacy to make sure Texas’s electric grid continues meeting demand.
ERCOT interim President and CEO Brad Jones and incoming ERCOT CEO Pablo Vegas, who will assume the role of CEO on Oct. 1, met with Abbott along with PUC Chairman Peter Lake.
The governor was briefed on the electric grid’s position, which ERCOT leaders say is strong right now, heading into the fall season. They also talked about ways that reforms were put in place by the State of Texas to try to make the grid stronger, more reliable, and more resilient.
ERCOT has an updated planned outage scheduling process, which helps ensure that Texas’ generational fleet has time to conduct maintenance.
“The State of Texas continues to monitor the reliability of our electric grid, and I thank ERCOT and PUC for their hard work to implement bipartisan reforms we passed last year and for their proactive leadership to ensure our grid is stronger than ever before,” said Governor Abbott. “The beginning of this fall season also marks a new season for ERCOT as we welcome its new CEO, Pablo Vegas. Pablo will be joining ERCOT with an exceptional background in the energy industry, and I look forward to working with him as we continue to build upon the exemplary job that Brad Jones has done as Interim CEO.”
Jones said ERCOT has sufficient resources to meet the demand for power headed into the fall. “As our record-setting summer winds down, now is no time to rest. We will continue to ensure the grid is reliable using all the tools we have, including closely managing outages generators need to take for maintenance,” he said.
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| 2022-09-21T11:10:55Z
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MURFREESBORO, Ark. (KTAL/KMSS) – A local traveling nurse who has spent the last couple of years in the trenches with COVID is about to head out on a cross-country trip for an adventure she says was inspired by her patients.
Murfreesboro, Arkansas native Haley Graves has been building the camper she will take on the road from scratch, with her father’s help. She says she got the idea from a common thread she has encountered among her patients in her eight years as a nurse.
“I’ve talked to a lot of patients who they’re kind of at the end of a lifespan and one thing that I hear out of a lot of people is ‘I wish I had traveled more,” said Graves.
Graves is putting the finishing touches on the camper now that she has wrapped up her latest traveling nurse assignment at Baptist Medical Center in Little Rock.
“I have been off steady working every day since then on this camper. I’m in every weeknight and every weekend in between there my dad has been right beside me either telling me what to do or fixing mess-ups, and there’s been a few of those but as we say that gives stuff character and we’ve got to spend a lot of good time together because of that.”
She says she has learned a lot along the way.
“I’ve got a grandfather who’s been a carpenter by profession his entire life, and so he has taught me so many things about woodworking and then my dad is much more of the Metal Man, so he is my welder.”
The steel-framed camper will come equipped with a queen-size bed, A/C, and storage components. Haley plans to hit the road on Thursday and begin her six-week adventure. Graves hopes to visit at least 17 states, stopping at dozens of state and national parks and historical sites. She says they have no reservations for anything, and this will be a “plan-as-you-go” kind of trip.
You can follow Haley Graves’ cross-country adventure in camper she’s dubbed ‘The Wild Blue Yonder’ on Instagram, where she will document each stop.
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| 2022-09-21T11:11:03Z
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TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Fast food giant McDonald’s is throwing it back to the 1980s with the return of one of its old menu items: the Cheese Danish.
For a limited time, McDonald’s said it will be offering its Cheese Danish as a McCafé snack at participating locations starting on Sept. 14. You’ll be able to purchase it in the restaurant, in the drive-thru, or via the McDonald’s App for McDelivery.
The dessert item is made with “a sweet cream cheese filling and topped with a buttery streusel and light vanilla drizzle.”
The restaurant chain said the treat is a modern version of the dessert it once served back in the age of big hair and leg warmers. It joins the McCafé Bakery lineup, which includes the Apple Fritter, Blueberry Muffin, and Cinnamon Roll.
McDonald’s introduced the McCafé Bakery in 2020.
According to a report by CNN Business, this follows a trend of restaurant chains doing throwbacks to attract customers, including Pizza Hut changing its logo back to its 90s look and Burger King selling the Whopper for its original price.
This wouldn’t be the first time McDonald’s brought back popular items from the past. Aside from the multiple comebacks for the McRib, the fast food chain also brought back its Szechuan sauce after popular demand spurred on by the show “Rick and Morty.”
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| 2022-09-21T11:11:09Z
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — According to the World Health Organization, 22.3% of the global population uses tobacco.
The website niceRX.com recently conducted a study to determine which U.S. states have the highest smoking rates and the most deaths caused by smoking, and The Natural State ranked poorly in both categories. Arkansas came in tied for 6th in highest smoking rate at 20.2%, and it had the 3rd-most smoking deaths per capita.
West Virginia had the highest smoking rate at 23.8%, followed by Kentucky, Louisiana, Ohio and Mississippi. Arkansas and Alabama tied for 6th place. Massachusetts, California and Utah had the lowest rates.
West Virginia also had the highest total of smoking-related deaths per capita, with 241 per 100,000 people in 2019. Kentucky was second (197) and Arkansas was third (192). Colorado, Alaska and Utah had the fewest smoking-related deaths per 100,000 people. West Virginia had over six times as many smoking deaths per capita as Utah in 2019.
The United States had the 31st-most smoking deaths per capita when compared to other countries around the world. Serbia, Bulgaria and Montenegro had the most.
The full results of the report are available here.
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| 2022-09-21T11:11:16Z
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BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — The Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) faced another round of questioning by the legislature Tuesday as they look for answers to why children may not be getting proper care and protection.
DCFS said they are already making many changes to policies to deal with the issues that have recently come to light from child deaths to alleged sexual abuse from caregivers.
Despite these policy changes, a former case worker talked about the toxic work environment that needs to be addressed and is causing major turnover.
McPherson said she left her office in Alexandria after six years despite being dedicated to the children she served. She feared retaliation even though she no longer worked in the office. She anticipates even more people leaving in the coming months and years, stating many employees are hanging on by a thread.
“You do what you are told to do. You don’t go against the system, you don’t state your concerns because if you do that you get the retaliation of just everything is your fault,” said Stacey McPherson, a former caseworker.
Sen. Beth Mizell said she understands the short staffing, but is still trying to understand how a call from doctors was not made a top priority to investigate.
“We can talk about vacancies all day long but in my mind what I have not been able to answer is how a call-to-call intake was not answered,” Sen. Mizell said.
The call center concerns were addressed by DCFS in response to the questions the legislature sent to the department ahead of the meeting. The answers can be read in the document linked below.
DCFS continues to point to the 400 open positions in the department being the cause of a lot of problems. The culture of the regional departments has been scrutinized as a foster parent and former case worker shared.
“Our values are that we treat people with dignity and respect and compassion and we do that while we’re delivering services with integrity,” said DCFS Secretary Marketa Garner Walters. “So to hear people talk about a toxic culture just really grieves me, it makes me sick to my stomach.”
Lawmakers stated the issue isn’t money as they are not making cuts to their budget and the salaries are in the middle of the southern average. They asked how they could help outside of finances. Walters said they desperately need help with recruitment and retention to help ease the caseload of the current employees.
The committee says they are going to continue to have more public hearings and continue their questioning of DCFS to make sure that actionable changes are happening.
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| 2022-09-21T11:11:29Z
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BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) – A major legal battle kicked off Tuesday concerning sending juvenile inmates from the Bridge City facility to Angola.
A federal judge heard testimony in the lawsuit filed by advocates for the young inmates against the state, including Governor John Bel Edwards. Four witnesses took the stand Tuesday.
Topics that were discussed include what the plan is to relocate the juveniles, their mental health, and the medical facilities just to name a few.
The building at Angola designated to house the youths used to be where death row inmates would spend their time. The plaintiffs argue this is not a healthy or safe environment to hold kids.
Their client whose identity and testimony are being sealed from the public is currently incarcerated at Bridge City Center for Youth, and according to a child psychologist who met with him says he fears include being physically and sexually assaulted and he won’t be able to get his high school diploma if he is relocated.
“He’s terrified. He’s a kid who just turned 17,” said Nancy Rosenbloom, the plaintiff’s attorney. “He’s terrified. I mean, he’s trying to be brave, who is up there trying to look brave. But he is scared. He’s having nightmares. He’s having symptoms. Very rare symptoms like pulling on his hair so it comes out.”
Photos of the near-empty medical facility were shown to the court to display how ill-prepared the Louisiana Office of Juvenile Justice (OJJ) is. Fears that the juveniles will be interacting with adult inmates were also brought up.
While the state says there will not be any cross-over, the plaintiffs bring up that Angola inmates are charged with maintaining the grounds and work as orderlies in the medical facility, leaving the nearest emergency room without offended roughly 35 miles away.
Department of Corrections (DOC) staff will only be used if requested by OJJ. One witness said that the staff has not been trained to work with juveniles.
DOC has relinquished control of the building to OJJ. Upgrades made to the building include:
- AC units in living corridors
- Upgrade to the network
- Contractor visitors for educational based services
- Camera contractor for security inside
- Converted bunk beds to single beds
- Single cells
- No windows in those cells
- Expanded outdoor area
- Expanded wall for special education
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| 2022-09-21T11:11:36Z
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