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Nov 11, 2022 / 04:30AM GMT Stephen Kiptinness - Safaricom PLC - Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Welcome to the Half Year 2022 Safaricom PLC Financial Results Announcement. On behalf of the Board of Directors and the management team and staff of Safaricom PLC, we thank you very much for making time to join us virtually for this event. I'm glad that thanks to technology, which is the foundation of our business, we can virtually connect and engage this morning. We will start off with remarks by John Ngumi, the Chairman of the Board of Directors at Safaricom PLC. The CEO, Peter Ndegwa; and the Chief Finance Officer, Dilip Pal, will then take us through the financial performance and the results for the period under review. Should you like to keep your social media followers updated, our hashtag today is #SafaricomHYResults. In keeping with our commitment on diversity and inclusion, our signed language interpreter this morning is [David Agondowa]. It is now my pleasure to invite Safaricom PLC Board Chairman, Mr. John Ngumi, to make his remarks. John Ngumi - Thank you very Half Year 2023 Safaricom Plc Earnings Call Transcript Already have an account? Log in Get the full story Access to All Earning Calls and Stock Analysis | | 30-Year Financial on one screen | | All-in-one Stock Screener with unlimited filters | | Customizable Stock Dashboard | | Real Time Insider Trading Transactions | | 8,000+ Institutional investors' 13F holdings | | Powerful Excel Add-in and Google sheets Add-on | | All data downloadable | | Quick customer support | | And much more... | 30-Day 100% money back guarantee You are not charged until the trial ends. Subscription fee may be tax deductible. Excellent 4.6 out of 5 Trustpilot

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Biden's electric road to nowhere: Two years after he vowed to spend $7.5 billion building 500,000 charging stations only SEVEN have been plugged in - Only seven electric vehicle charging stations built with Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds are currently operational - $5 billion was allocated to go toward the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program - The law says the charging stations must be held to a certain standard and created a multi-step process before construction could commence More than two years after President Joe Biden pledged to build 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations throughout the United States only seven are operational across four states. The Washington Post reported Friday on the sluggish pace the allocated $7.5 billion in infrastructure funds have been put to use. The bulk of the funds, $5 billion, are to go toward building fast chargers along major interstates - what's being called the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure or NEVI program. To satisfy the federal program's requirements, chargers must be built at least every 50 miles over major highway routes and be operational 97 percent of the time. They also must take credit card payments and certain components must be made domestically. More than two years after President Joe Biden pledged to build 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations throughout the U.S. only seven are operational across four states. The president is photographed arriving in Hagerstown Friday for a weekend away at Camp David Liam Sawyer, of Indianapolis, charges his 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E earlier this month at one of the operational charging stations built through infrastructure bill dollars. This one is located in London, Ohio Additionally, states must submit proposals to the Biden administration for approval, solicit bids for construction and then can award the funds. So after the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was passed in November 2021, only seven charging stations are operational. They are in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Hawaii and New York and offer 38 spots for cars to charge. Twelve additional states have been awarded contracts for construction to begin, while another 17 states haven't even submitted proposals. 'I think a lot of people who are watching this are getting concerned about the timeline,' Alexander Laska, deputy director for transportation and innovation at the center-left think tank Third Way told The Post. Nick Nigro, founder of Atlas Public Policy, told the newspape that some of the delays are to be expected. 'State transportation agencies are the recipients of the money,' he told The Post. 'Nearly all of them had no experience deploying electric vehicle charging stations before the law was enacted.' 'I expect it to go much faster in 2024,' Nigro added. If Republicans take back full control of Congress and also the White House - some of these programs could see a backslide. Biden's challenger, former President Donald Trump, has been openly antagonistic toward the Democrat's green agenda. In mid-February at a campaign stop in the battleground state of Michigan, Trump said that Biden 'ordered a hit job on Michigan manufacturing' with mandates to move the American car industry away from gas guzzlers toward EVs. And GOP lawmakers on Capitol Hill also haven't been impresssed. 'We have significant concerns that under your efforts American taxpayer dollars are being woefully mismanaged,' read a letter sent to the Biden administration from a group of Republican representatives in February. 'The problems with these programs continue to grow — delays in the delivery of chargers, concerns from States about labor contracting requirements and minimum operating standards for chargers,' said the letter, which was signed by GOP Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Jeff Duncan and Morgan Griffith.

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Truck driver charged with criminally negligent homicide in fatal Texas bus crash BASTROP, Texas (AP) — The driver of a cement truck that veered into oncoming traffic and hit a school bus carrying more than 40 pre-K students was arrested Friday and charged with criminally negligent homicide. Jerry Hernandez, 42, was arrested at a residence in Bastrop County without incident, said Sgt. Deon Cockrell of the Texas Department of Public Safety. Criminally negligent homicide is punishable by up to two years in jail and a fine of up to $10,000. Bastrop County online records do not show if Hernandez has an attorney. The March 22 collision killed 5-year-old Ulises Rodriguez Montoya, who was on the bus, and Ryan Wallace, 33, who was driving another vehicle that was hit by the truck. Video from a bus dashboard camera released by the Hays Consolidated Independent School district showed the truck suddenly veer across the double-yellow line on a rural highway. The bus moved to avoid a head-on collision before it was struck and rolled, crumpling the roof. Four people were airlifted from the crash site in critical condition, and six more with serious injuries were taken by ambulance to hospitals. The bus was carrying 11 adults as well as the children. The school district said the bus did not have seat belts.

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The cryptocurrency landscape is constantly changing. Just because a cryptocurrency is here one day doesn't protect it from becoming worthless and losing relevance the next. In fact, it's so common for cryptocurrencies to fade to near worthlessness that the ones that maintain their value are often anomalies. While investing in whatever cryptocurrency is trendy and in the headlines can be alluring, investors are better off sticking with these five cryptocurrencies. Chances are exceedingly likely that they will be around for decades. 1. Bitcoin This one's easy. Every superlative we could give a cryptocurrency could apply to Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC). The list goes on and on: most decentralized, most secure, most resilient, most valuable. These features have put Bitcoin at the top of the cryptocurrency market, and it is doubtful that we'll ever see it fall from this position. The world's first cryptocurrency has become synonymous with the entire asset class and naturally attracts the most buy-in and attention from investors. With recently approved spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) showcasing Wall Street's growing interest, Bitcoin belongs in every crypto investor's portfolio. It isn't going anywhere. 2. Ethereum With its introduction of smart contracts in 2015, Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) became the first programmable blockchain in the world. As a result, developers could build innovative applications such as non-fungible tokens, decentralized exchanges, and stablecoins, paving the way for the creation of a burgeoning digital economy known as decentralized finance, or DeFi. Today, the DeFi market is worth more than $93 billion, and nearly 60% of that value calls the Ethereum blockchain home. Ethereum's dominance in DeFi makes it the ideal choice for institutional investors seeking exposure to this disruptive sector. With anticipation surrounding the potential approval of a spot Ethereum ETF looming on the horizon, the influx of institutional capital into Ethereum is poised to propel its longevity and prominence in the financial landscape for years to come. 3. Polygon While Ethereum offers leading levels of decentralization and security for DeFi use cases, it does face challenges in terms of speed and high fees. These issues prompted the creation of Layer-2 blockchains designed to address these limitations. Layer-2 solutions process transactions in batches and then finalize them on the Ethereum blockchain, making them faster and cheaper to use. Recognizing the value of Layer-2 solutions, Ethereum plans to integrate them symbiotically into its ecosystem. Among the various Layer-2 blockchains, Polygon (CRYPTO: MATIC) has emerged as a standout performer due to its comprehensive functionality. It offers high levels of security, flexibility, and reliability. Although other Layer-2 solutions may offer faster transaction speeds, Polygon possesses robust features that make it the premiere pick in its class. With top rankings in metrics like total daily transaction volume and number of unique users, as well as an impending upgrade that will make it more secure and versatile, Polygon stands to benefit from Ethereum's growing popularity as its primary Layer-2 companion. 4. Solana Launched in 2019, Solana (CRYPTO: SOL) has rapidly ascended among the group of blockchain networks that some describe as "Ethereum killers." Lauded for their swift transaction speeds and cheap fees, these blockchains aim to address Ethereum's sluggishness and high costs without needing a Layer-2 solution. While it may not boast Ethereum's stringent security measures or decentralization, Solana's remarkable throughput has positioned it as the preferred blockchain for individuals seeking cost-effective and speedy transactions. Despite the distinct differences between Solana and Ethereum, there is undoubtedly a niche for Solana within the crypto landscape. As is natural in any market, some users will be attracted to the more cost-friendly options, and Solana is rising as the go-to blockchain to fill that role. To make a comparison, think of Ethereum as a retailer like Whole Foods, where customers anticipate higher costs but prefer to pay a premium for higher-quality goods. In contrast, Solana mirrors the appeal and accessibility of a local dollar store that caters to budget-conscious individuals seeking efficiency. 5. Coinbase Last but not least, we have Coinbase Global (NASDAQ: COIN). Obviously, Coinbase isn't a cryptocurrency, but its crypto-centric business model provides investors with comprehensive exposure to the entire spectrum of cryptocurrencies. This eliminates the need to navigate through the thousands of cryptocurrencies on the market, thereby mitigating risk. Essentially, owning shares in Coinbase would be like holding an ETF of cryptocurrencies, offering a diversified portfolio within a single investment option. As crypto continues to mature and evolve as an asset class, Coinbase stands poised to capitalize on the burgeoning opportunities. With its embrace of innovation and unwavering focus on the user experience, Coinbase is well positioned to ride the waves of momentum driving the crypto market forward and reach its goal of onboarding 1 billion people to crypto. Should you invest $1,000 in Bitcoin right now? Before you buy stock in Bitcoin, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Bitcoin wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. *Stock Advisor returns as of March 25, 2024 RJ Fulton has positions in Bitcoin, Coinbase Global, Ethereum, Polygon, and Solana. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin, Coinbase Global, Costco Wholesale, Ethereum, Polygon, and Solana. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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It is still unclear to what extent the local elections to be held on Sunday will affect Turkish politics. In terms of macro-political dynamics, the main patterns of politics in Türkiye are not expected to change. After the local elections, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will have more than four years ahead of him. It is certain that Erdoğan's first priority in this four-year period will be economic recovery. This is because things have not been going well in the Turkish economy for some time, and although serious steps have been taken to rein in inflation, there has been no real decline. Türkiye stands among the nations grappling with the highest food inflation rates. Additionally, interest rates remain elevated, while the Turkish lira persistently depreciates against foreign currencies. Therefore, President Erdoğan's priorities involve revitalizing the economy through the establishment of a sustainable development model, enhancing social welfare, and achieving high growth rates. In foreign policy, President Erdoğan's priority is to maintain good relations with regional actors to safeguard Türkiye's national interests under conditions of uncertainty and in a fragile regional security landscape. Except Israel, it is clear that President Erdoğan has been successful in his active diplomacy, deterrent security policy and defense industry policies based on consolidating Türkiye'a military power. Therefore, the local elections do not pose any risk for President Erdoğan to change his macro policies. Nor will the results of the local elections lead to a significant change in Türkiye's main political dynamics. Across Türkiye, President Erdoğan seems quite satisfied with the dissolution of the consensus reached between the opposition on the 2023 general elections. This is because there is a heated debate between the presidents of the two important members of the alliance. The main opposition, the Republican People's Party (CHP), experienced defeat in the 2023 elections and subsequently replaced its leader, who had been unsuccessful in elections against Erdoğan for 13 years. However, the new chairperson has struggled to fully step into his role. He failed to transform the CHP and alienated his supporters. He could not persuade other parties in the local elections to ally against the People's Alliance. Furthermore, he reinforced the perception of being merely a placeholder in his position, especially compared to the ambitious Ekrem Imamoğlu, who once again was CHP's candidate for Istanbul. Apart from the general strategy of his party, Imamoğlu cooperated with the Green Left Party (YSP), informally known as the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), which functions as a political extension of the PKK, in Istanbul and probably hid the framework of the cooperation from his party. Imamoğlu also did not show the respect that the chairperson Özgür Özel deserved and instead of consolidating his leadership, he acted as the chair of the CHP. He narrowed Özel's space as much as possible and removed him from the Istanbul election process. Thus, he created his own political space and tried to reinforce the image of himself as the leader of the CHP against Özel. In doing so, he financed a large media space and built a discursive framework loyal to him. By winning the Istanbul elections, Imamoğlu wants both to strengthen himself within the CHP and to secure his candidacy for the next presidential elections by uniting the opposition against Erdoğan around his candidacy. For this reason, despite all the problems, he preferred to conduct the Istanbul election campaign through polemics rather than through his projects. He tried to respond to Murat Kurum, the candidate of the People's Alliance who challenged Imamoğlu, with post-truth political language. The other opposition parties struggled to maintain the voter turnout and support base they achieved in 2023, despite fielding their own candidates. The YSP chose to present its own slate of candidates in the eastern and southeastern provinces of Türkiye but did not challenge the CHP in the western cities. Despite pressure from its grassroots for independent representation, the YSP ultimately sided with the CHP, offering only nominal candidates, influenced by the PKK's mountain faction. This strategy placed Imamoğlu in a precarious position with nationalist voters in Istanbul, leading him to adopt a vague approach to secure Kurdish votes. The Good Party (IP), a key ally of the CHP in the May 2023 elections, attempted to distinguish itself by running an independent candidate. Nonetheless, it couldn't generate sufficient campaign momentum and is likely to fall short of vote expectations, potentially ceding a significant portion of its base to Imamoğlu. It appears that both the YSP and IP may see their influence wane in Turkish politics as a result of the local elections. The YSP is poised to become a support mechanism for the primary opposition through anti-Erdoğanism, while the IP may struggle to ever replicate its previous success. Other opposition factions are also likely to encounter outcomes that fall short of their aspirations. For the ruling Justice and Development Party-led (AK Party) People's Alliance, the situation looks much brighter than the opposition. The AK Party and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) seem to have reinforced their partnership on three pillars. Although there are nuances in political discourse, they are very careful to maintain a common language. Both parties are on the same line in terms of political practices. On domestic and foreign policy issues, the MHP provides strong support for the government's policies. More importantly, there is a "sociological integration" in the voter base of both parties. This unity will most likely enable the People's Alliance to take back some big cities from the CHP and further consolidate the alliance for the next four years. However, for this to happen, the People's Alliance needs to win Istanbul again. Murat Kurum, the candidate of the People's Alliance, spent his three-month election campaign focusing on the major problems of Istanbul and explaining his solution proposals. He built his campaign on the slogan "only Istanbul" and criticized Imamoğlu for not focusing on Istanbul. He was largely successful and succeeded in showing that Imamoğlu's priority was not Istanbul. He was very effective in shaping the social perception of Imamoğlu. There is a likely scenario that he will win the election. Istanbul will be a pivotal city in the local elections, likely catalyzing the opposition's political journey. It is expected to spark significant internal strife within the opposition ranks, heralding a new phase of internal conflict.

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Trump lawyer's Jan. 6 actions 'threatened our democracy,' State Bar attorney says By Tom Dreisbach Published March 29, 2024 at 1:33 PM PDT Facebook LinkedIn Email Listen • 3:45 Attorneys for the California Bar say their case against Trump lawyer John Eastman was about fighting a threat to democracy. Copyright 2024 NPR

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Nov 11, 2022 / 01:00PM GMT Caroline Wambugu;Head of Finance - Planning, Analysis and Investor Relations, Good morning, good afternoon, good evening from wherever you are joining us from, and welcome to our half year '23 earnings investor call. We are glad that you are here for this session. My name is Caroline Wambugu. I am the Head of Finance, Planning, Analysis and Investor Relations here at Safaricom PLC, and I'll be moderating today's discussion. On today's call, we will have a short update from our Chief Executive Officer, Peter Ndegwa, followed by some remarks from our Chief Finance Officer, Dilip Pal, who will speak briefly about our half year 2022-2023 results, which we announced earlier today. Thereafter, both Peter and Dilip will address your questions with the support from the rest of our leadership team who are also on this call. Before we kick up our session, allow me to just speak to a few house rules. Please ensure that you have joined the session with your full names for ease of identification when you post your questions. If you haven't, you can rename yourself now by hovering Half Year 2023 Safaricom Plc Post Earnings Call Transcript Already have an account? Log in Get the full story Access to All Earning Calls and Stock Analysis | | 30-Year Financial on one screen | | All-in-one Stock Screener with unlimited filters | | Customizable Stock Dashboard | | Real Time Insider Trading Transactions | | 8,000+ Institutional investors' 13F holdings | | Powerful Excel Add-in and Google sheets Add-on | | All data downloadable | | Quick customer support | | And much more... | 30-Day 100% money back guarantee You are not charged until the trial ends. Subscription fee may be tax deductible. Excellent 4.6 out of 5 Trustpilot

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Texas arrests 70 more migrants on rioting charges after SIX HUNDRED illegal crossers stormed National Guard troops at El Paso border - Nine migrants had already been charged for assaulting National Guard troops - A law enforcement source said the riot was instigated by 'a dozen ringleaders' - Knives and shanks were reportedly confiscated from migrants after riot Authorities in Texas have arrested 70 migrants who broke through a line of National Guard troops on March 21 with the intent to storm past the El Paso border. The 70 who were arrested were part of a group of 600 illegal crossers present that day, who were seen climbing over a triple layer of razor wire and then confronting the National Guard at the other side. In a video of the riot captured by the New York Post, the group of migrants initially appear to put their hands in the air. The scene quickly turned violent when a few of them squeak through the several National Guard members that were closing the gap between a broken fence. 'There were probably only about a dozen ring leaders and then rest (of the migrants) just followed along,' one law enforcement source who chose to stay anonymous explained to the DailyMail.com. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has locked up more than 200 migrants whom Texas wants to arrest and charge related to this incident, an agency official told the New York Post. That same official reportedly said that federal authorities 'are not being as cooperative as Border Patrol.' A group of about 600 migrants who entered the US illegally rushed the border Thursday in El Paso, Texas A migrant observes others who breached the concertina wire on the Rio Grande in El Paso, Texas on Thursday, March 21, 2024. The migrants were hoping to be processed by Border Patrol About 600 migrants who breached the barriers set up on the Rio Grande in El Paso, Texas Members of the Texas National Guard work with Border Patrol to coordinate migrants who crossed the border from Mexico and forced their way through concertina wire while they wait to be processed by border patrol as they are stopped on the U.S. side of the Rio Grande, in El Paso, Texas The 70 migrants who were detained by Texas authorities are facing misdemeanor rioting charges. On Wednesday, Texas also charged the nine migrants who allegedly assaulted the National Guard troops. Some of these actions were contained in the video. The incident occurred at Gate 36, where the roughly a portion of the roughly 600 migrants tore down barriers that had been built by state authorities. They then charged at the National Guard soldiers, hoping Border Patrol agents would process them into the US if they got far enough. Many of these asylum seeking migrants had chosen not to turn surrender themselves immediately as this is a well-known place to give up to US Border Patrol agents, because they were caught in limbo due a Texas law SB4. The controversial law gives state and local police in the Lone Star State permission to arrest illegal immigrants, a right that has only been reserved for federal officers like US Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Migrants breach infrastructure set up by the Texas National Guard on the Rio Grande in El Paso, Texas on Thursday A migrant shows an injury he alleged that he suffered after a Texas National Guard forced him back south of the barrier set up by the Texas National Guard on the Rio Grande in El Paso, Texas Migrant families who were part of the 600-person mob wait to be processed by US Border Patrol The law, which has been banned several times in recent days by federal courts, was then allowed to take effect for a few hours Tuesday, before it blocked again Tuesday night. The legal whiplash left many migrants unsure would would happen to them if they turned themselves over to Border Patrol. The crowds were camping out in the no-mans land between north of the river that separates the US and Mexico, the Rio Grande. The river is the international boundary, not the border wall. By Thursday morning, the migrants climbed over the wire fence in coordination and made a run for the border wall to presumably turn themselves in by force. A National Guard source told the New York Post that they confiscated knives and shanks from some involved in the riot. And since the riot, Texas has reportedly dispatched more National Guard members and Department of Public Safety troopers to El Paso, while also replenishing some of the border wire that was damaged by the illegal crossers.

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UNLV releases video of campus shooter killed by police after 3 professors shot dead LAS VEGAS (AP) — Images of a campus police officer diving behind a patrol vehicle to escape gunfire and then fatally shooting a gunman outside a building at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, are among newly released video of a deadly rampage that left three professors dead and a fourth badly wounded last December. The deadly shootout captured by campus surveillance cameras ended what authorities say was 10 minutes of terror unleashed by a 67-year-old former business professor from North Carolina whose applications to teach at UNLV had been rejected. The gunman, Anthony Polito, was armed with a legally purchased 9 mm handgun, carried nine bullet magazines, and had a target list of names, although none of the people shot was on that list, police said. The university on Thursday released 20 hours of footage from campus security and officer body cameras, along with more than an hour of recordings of 911 calls made to campus police. Sounds of the gunfire that killed three people in upper floors of the five-story business school sent people fleeing from the nearby Student Union just before noon on a sunny day. Video shows a campus police officer, running across the plaza toward the business school building, arrived within 78 seconds of the shooting. "It is difficult to listen to these recordings and watch the videos and not reflect on the tragic events that day," university Vice President of Public Safety Adam Garcia said in a statement accompanying the release of the material in response to public records requests. Two gunshots are heard early in more than an hour of 911 recordings that include one father calling to say he got a text from his daughter who was hiding in a classroom. "Is there an active shooter there?" he asks. "Yes," the male dispatcher replies, adding that police are at the scene. "So just tell your daughter to stay where she's at." New video shows campus security officers immediately entering the business school building as Las Vegas police swarm the area near the center-campus Student Union while young people stream the other way. Video footage from a parking lot shows the gunman get out of a black sedan wearing a black trench coat and retrieve something from a passenger compartment before walking calmly toward the business school building. A different video shows officers helping a badly wounded professor who walked out of the same building before collapsing on a sidewalk behind a patrol car. UNLV President Keith Whitfield told the university community this month the man, a visiting professor, was "improving daily … doing rehab and out of the hospital." He has not been identified by name. Las Vegas police began releasing video and audio recordings in December showing officers from throughout southern Nevada spending hours going door to door in campus buildings, releasing students and faculty members in waves, before declaring the gunman had acted alone and there was no further threat. The shooting occurred just a few miles from the site of the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history: An Oct. 1, 2017, massacre that had a gunman open fire from windows of the high-rise Mandalay Bay resort into a crowd of 20,000 people at an outdoor music festival below. Sixty people died, and hundreds were wounded or injured. ____ Associated Press journalists Rio Yamat and Ty O'Neil contributed to this report.

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Türkiye has reached significant accomplishments in its counterterrorism efforts against terrorist groups, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Friday. "We have reached an unprecedented level in our fight against terrorist organizations. There are three main elements of this success: Strong political leadership, our national strategic capabilities, and a new and constructive engagement process with our neighbors, especially Iraq," Fidan said during his speech at the "Izmir Business World Gathering" event organized by the Izmir Chamber of Commerce. "At this critical stage, we are determined to completely eradicate the roots of terrorism," he noted. The minister also stressed Türkiye's commitment to eradicating terrorism's roots, noting: "We have never sought to create hostility in Aegean or Eastern Mediterranean. However, we will never refrain from protecting our vital interests." Fidan underscored the necessity for consultation and collective wisdom in the current global uncertainty. "Regardless of the circumstances, our main goal is to establish peace, security, and stability in our surroundings. This is one of the primary objectives of our foreign policy. However, large and powerful states like Türkiye can shoulder such responsibility." Fidan stated that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's vision of peace and development is evident in Türkiye's foreign policy, focusing on ending the war in Ukraine and Gaza for fair, and lasting peace. He highlighted the efforts for peace and stability by establishing a culture of regional ownership in the Balkans and South Caucasus. He noted that they are working on enhancing their relations with Greece "through a positive agenda and addressing issues." "Whether for our country or our region, the fundamental threat to security is terrorism."

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TX Rangers hope for rare repeat as World Series champs By Toluwani Osibamowo Published March 29, 2024 at 1:33 PM PDT Facebook LinkedIn Email The Texas Rangers are still riding the high from last year's first-ever World Series win. Fans are hopeful Texas can repeat as champs as a new baseball season gets underway. Copyright 2024 NPR

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Feb 15, 2023 / 04:30AM GMT Unidentified Company Representative - Greetings, and karibu sana. Thank you for joining us for an inaugural Safaricom Investor Day. My name is [Zuri], Safaricom's official assistant, and I will be a co-moderator for today's session. As we begin, I'd like to recognize the presence of the investor community, who have joined us here today. both virtually and physically. I would like to recognize the presence of our regulators, the Capital Markets Authority represented by [Lucy Kimani] and [Wendy Biot]. Hi, Lucy. Hi, Wendy. The Nairobi Security Exchange represented by Betta Kombe. Hello, Betta. I would also like to recognize the presence of the Board of Safaricom as well as the executive management team, most of who you will hear from and be able to interact with across the day. Before we begin, for the sake of virtual audience, I'd like to outline our housekeeping. Use the chat functionality to share feedback and any comments as we go along in keeping with our promise of diversity and inclusion, a live transcript will be enabled for anyone with hearing difficulties. You can be able to click this in Safaricom Plc Investor Day Transcript Already have an account? Log in Get the full story Access to All Earning Calls and Stock Analysis | | 30-Year Financial on one screen | | All-in-one Stock Screener with unlimited filters | | Customizable Stock Dashboard | | Real Time Insider Trading Transactions | | 8,000+ Institutional investors' 13F holdings | | Powerful Excel Add-in and Google sheets Add-on | | All data downloadable | | Quick customer support | | And much more... | 30-Day 100% money back guarantee You are not charged until the trial ends. Subscription fee may be tax deductible. Excellent 4.6 out of 5 Trustpilot

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Iranian journalist is stabbed 'multiple times' outside his London home by two men in 'deeply shocking' ambush - with Scotland Yard now investigating - Pouria Zeraati is in a stable condition after being attacked with a knife today An Iranian journalist has been stabbed 'multiple times' outside his London home by two men in a 'deeply shocking' ambush - with Scotland Yard now investigating. Pouria Zeraati is in a stable condition after being attacked with a knife today, Iran International said. He was heading to work when he was approached by a man who tried to talk to him outside his home in south west London. Another male then came from behind and started slashing him with a knife, The Telegraph understands. The pair are then said to have fled the scene in a car driven by a third suspect. Police and paramedics were called to an address in south London at 2.49pm after a man in his 30s suffered an injury to his leg, the Metropolitan Police said. Pouria Zeraati is in a stable condition after being attacked with a knife today, Iran International said He was heading to work when he was approached by a man who tried to talk to him outside his home in south west London Another male then came from behind and started slashing him with a knife, The Telegraph understands. Pictured: Mr Zeraati with his partner Counter-terror police were revealed to have stopped 15 plots linked to Iran, with critical journalists reportedly among those targeted. Pictured: Armed police outside the Iran International offices in November Married Mr Zeraati's condition is not believed to be life-threatening, the force added. No arrests have been made. While the motive is not clear the broadsheet understands that MI5 have been made aware. Iran International English posted on X, formerly Twitter, saying: 'Iran International's journalist @pouriazeraati has been attacked with a knife outside his house in London. 'He has sustained injuries but is in a stable condition. The matter is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police. 'The attack comes after the Iranian regime's 2022 plot to kill two @IranIntl television anchors @Sima-Sabet and @FardadFarahzad.' A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: 'An investigation has been launched following a stabbing in south London. 'Police were called at 2.49pm on Friday, 29 March to an address in south London after a man in his 30s was attacked and sustained an injury to his leg. 'London Ambulance Service paramedics attended with police and the man was treated before being taken to hospital. Thankfully his condition is not believed to be life-threatening. Police and paramedics were called to an address in south London at 2.49pm after a man in his 30s suffered an injury to his leg, the Metropolitan Police said. Pictured: Armed police outside the Iran International offices in November High metal fencing and concrete Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HMV) barriers were put up around the building overnight in November Mahsa Amini (pictured) was just 22-years-old when she died in police custody in Tehran, sparking global protests 'A scene is in place and police are working to understand the circumstances. There have been no arrests at this time.' Counter-terror police were revealed to have stopped 15 plots linked to Iran, with critical journalists reportedly among those targeted. The state said that broadcaster Iran International was a 'terrorist organisation' in December. The Farsi language news channel has enraged Iran with its coverage of huge street protests that have engulfed the nation since the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in September. Amini died in custody after she was detained in Tehran by Iranian morality police who believed she was wearing her hijab too loosely. It sparked widespread protests which Iran International broadcast 24-hours a day back to Iran on satellite. Detectives were reported last year to have uncovered a plot to assassinate two London journalists by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard. It was claimed the assasins were offered more than £150,000 to murder Sima Sabet and Fardad Farahzad in a knife ambush outside their homes, before one double-crossed the country. Protesters march through St Peter's Square in Manchester in November, protesting against the Islamic Republic Iranians have used the World Cup stage to voice their disapproval at the Islamic Republic. Pictured: A woman holds up a shirt for Mahsa Amini during Iran's game against Wales Body camera footage of Magomed-Husejn Dovtaev being arrested by counter-terrorism police officers Last year armed police were spotted outside the Iran International offices in Chiswick, west London, alongside multi-role armoured vehicles called Jankels. High metal fencing and concrete Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HMV) barriers also surround the building - which were reportedly put up overnight in November. Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary, called the incident a 'cowardly attack' and 'deeply shocking'. She said: 'Our thoughts are with him, his family and all of his colleagues at Iran International. We hope he makes a swift recovery. 'It is too early to know whether this violent assault is connected to the escalating intimidation and harassment by Iran, including the plot to assassinate journalists Fardad Farahzad and Sima Sabet in 2022. 'However, this brutal stabbing will inevitably raise fears amongst the many journalists targeted at Iran International and the BBC Persian Service that they are not safe at home or going about their work.' Ms Stanistreet added: 'The NUJ sends its collective best wishes to Pouria and hopes he has a swift and full recovery. 'We will continue to liaise with the Metropolitan Police and the National Committee for the Safety of Journalists, as part of our wider work to stamp out the harassment and targeting of journalists.' In late December a terror scout was found guilty of spying on Iran International, after claiming he was in 'wonder at the architecture' of the site. Magomed-Husejn Dovtaev, 31, took seven videos detailing the security arrangements of Volant Media, which runs the Persian-language television channel. Following a trial at the Old Bailey, the Chechnya-born Austrian national was found guilty of attempting to collect information on the news organisation, described as an 'independent Farsi language news channel which has been critical of the current regime in Iran.'

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A big airline is relaxing its pet policy to let owners bring the companion and a rolling carry-on FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — American Airlines is relaxing part of its pet policy to let owners bring their companion and a full-size carry-on bag into the cabin. Until this week, people who carried a pet into the cabin — which involves paying a $150 fee — could only have one other small item that fit under the seat. Anything bigger, like a carry-on bag with wheels, needed to be checked — for a $35 fee. Or they could put the pet in the cargo hold. Now American is letting passengers bring a pet in the cabin and also bring a regular carry-on bag or a personal item — just not both bags. The old policy struck some pet owners as unfair, since they were already paying a pet fee. Gary Leff, a travel blogger who first wrote about the change, recalled traveling years ago with a Yorkshire terrier. "It was always frustrating that the dog counted as the carry-on even though I was paying the extra (pet) fee that was sometimes more than the ticket for me," he said Friday. Leff said he thinks American's change will reduce the urge for travelers to falsely claim that their pet is a service animal that flies for free. An American spokeswoman confirmed that the rules change took effect Thursday. She couldn't explain the reason because the airline's corporate offices were closed for Good Friday, and decision-makers were not available.

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Virginia lawmakers more to raise age of marriage to 18 VPM | By Jahd Khalil Published March 29, 2024 at 1:33 PM PDT Facebook LinkedIn Email Virginia lawmakers are moving to raise the age of marriage there to 18, something most states still have not done, which activists say has led to abuses. Copyright 2024 VPM

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May 11, 2023 / 01:00PM GMT Stephen Kiptinness - Safaricom PLC - Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I know it's a cold morning, but it's a Good morning. We're alive and happy to be here. At Safaricom, we are very happy to be here this morning. Welcome to the Michael Joseph Center for the 2023 results financial -- full year results announcement. Before we begin our live stream this morning, I'd like to give you some housekeeping rules, particularly for our guests joining us this morning. The washrooms are located to my left. There is a narrow corridor to my left. And at the end of that corridor, you will see double doors to the right. At the end of that corridor, you will find bathrooms for gents and ladies. (technical difficulty) Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I'd like to welcome you to the financial results announcement for the Safaricom PLC for the full year 2022-2023. On behalf of the Board of Directors, the management team and the staff of Safaricom, we'd like to thank you very much for joining us personally and those Full Year 2023 Safaricom Plc Earnings Call Transcript Already have an account? Log in Get the full story Access to All Earning Calls and Stock Analysis | | 30-Year Financial on one screen | | All-in-one Stock Screener with unlimited filters | | Customizable Stock Dashboard | | Real Time Insider Trading Transactions | | 8,000+ Institutional investors' 13F holdings | | Powerful Excel Add-in and Google sheets Add-on | | All data downloadable | | Quick customer support | | And much more... | 30-Day 100% money back guarantee You are not charged until the trial ends. Subscription fee may be tax deductible. Excellent 4.6 out of 5 Trustpilot

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Al Gore pays tribute to former running mate Joe Lieberman, 82, as hundreds gather for funeral at his synagogue: 2020 Democratic candidate reemerges for Connecticut memorial service and remembers late Senator as a 'mensch' Former Vice President Al Gore eulogized the late Sen. Joe Lieberman as a 'mensch' while revealing the deep disagreements that grew between them as former Democrat strayed on partisan and security issues. Gore, who has pulled back from electoral politics, attended funeral services for Lieberman in Lieberman's hometown of Stamford, Connecticut, and spoke about how the two men grew apart following their bitter defeat in the 2020 presidential election. After stumping on the trail with their wives, the men later developed splits over Lieberman's support for the Iraq war and his decision to endorse Republican John McCain. Former Vice President Al Gore, left, and speaks with Connecticut Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz at the funeral of former Senator Joe Lieberman, in Stamford, Connecticut. He hailed Lieberman as a 'mensch' and spoke openly about difficulties in their friendship 'I, for one, was tempted to anger at times, frustrated at Joe's stubborness and disappointed that he was taking a path that I thought was wrong,' he said. 'And I know his disappointment and my turning away from him, was surely just as profound. So there the story could have ended. And if it had, we would have reached a dead end in a once loving and fruitful relationship,' he said. 'But it did not end there. We had another turn. Both of us knew, deep down, that the strong foundation of our friendship and what we shared in common was so much larger and so much stronger than what was driving us apart in those years,' he said. Gore, who has issued stark warnings about climate change throughout his career, also gave stark warnings about the nation's political culture, speaking about 'rabbit holes' and the 'echo chamber.' 'And spending long enough in the echo chamber induces a new form of AI, artificial insanity, he quipped. 'I mean it not merely as a humorous line. I mean to reference QAnon, election denial, climate denial, even the resurgence of the Flat Earth Society, if you can believe that,' he said. Gore, who keeps a low public profile, delivered a eulogy for Joe Lieberman Lieberman's funeral took place at Congregation Agudath Sholom in Stamford Former Vice President Al Gore offers his condolences to Hadassah Lieberman during the funeral for her husband, former Sen. Joe Lieberman in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024 Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Al Gore, left, and his running mate, vice presidential candidate Sen. Joe Lieberman, of Connecticut, wave to supporters at a campaign rally in Jackson, Tenn., Oct. 25, 2000. Lieberman, who nearly won the vice presidency on the Democratic ticket with Gore in the disputed 2000 election and who almost became Republican John McCain's running mate eight years later, died Wednesday, March 27 Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) arrives with his wife Hadassah at the Kennedy Center for a tribute concert for Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) on Mar. 8, 2009 in Washington, DC 'And this is a form of rancor that has the potential for dividing our country, but we have also a strong foundation and common beliefs and values that are stronger than what is dividing us.' It came in a eulogy where he hailed his former running mate and four term senator as a mensch, a Yiddish term. 'Those who seek its definition will not find it in dictionaries so much as they find it in the way Joe Lieberman lived his life: friendship over anger, reconciliation as a form of grace,' he said. 'We can learn from Joe Lieberman´s life some critical lessons about how we might heal the rancor in our nation today.' Lieberman, who died this week after a fall at his New York home, was the first Jewish candidate on a major party ticket, a longtime senator, and a cofounder of the No Labels group that is seeking a candidate to challenge the major parties, striking fear in the hearts of some Democratic operatives. Top Connecticut Democrats, including Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy and Gov. Ned Lamont - Lieberman´s one-time rival for the Senate seat - shared similar sentiments. Lamont said his acquaintance with Lieberman started on 'an inauspicious note' when they ran against each other in 2006. After Lamont defeated the incumbent Lieberman in the Democratic primary for his Senate seat, Lieberman ran as an independent and defeated Lamont. Lamont said Lieberman loved Frank Sinatra songs, especially 'My Way.' 'He did it his way,' Lamont said. 'He never quite fit in that Republican or Democratic box. I think maybe in an odd way I helped liberate him because when he beat me - he beat me pretty good, by the way - he won as an independent.' Lamont said Lieberman 'was always a calming presence' and a 'bridge over troubled waters as you see the partisan sniping from both directions.' Blumenthal recalled Lieberman´s 'tremendous accomplishments,' including helping to form the Department of Homeland Security and championing civil rights, voting rights, women´s reproductive freedom and LGBTQ rights. 'But the greatest accomplishment of his life was his marriage to Hadassah and their children and grandchildren,' Blumenthal said. Services were held at Congregation Agudath Sholom in Stamford. For Lieberman, a self-described observant Jew who followed the rules of the Jewish Sabbath from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday, the congregation played a key role early on in his life. He once recalled how the congregation's former synagogue building was 'a place that gave me the first sense of religion; a very special uplift,' according to a posting on the congregation's website. 'I feel very lucky - my adherence to the Jewish tradition is really an asset,' he said. 'Religious Catholics and Protestants find a bond of common value with my beliefs and stand. It is this that makes me so proud of being an American.' Lieberman's youngest daughter, Hana Lowenstein, who moved to Israel in 2018 with her family, said tearfully that she had prayed, 'Please God, give my father many more years. Let him see all of my kids´ bar mitzvahs, their weddings, his great-grandchildren.' But she said God 'had other plans.' Lowenstein said that observing the Jewish Sabbath was 'very dear' to her father and he would walk 5 miles (8 kilometers) in order to abide by the Sabbath prohibition on riding in a motor vehicle. 'You were literally someone who was sanctifying God´s name by everything you did,' she said. Matthew Lieberman, the former senator´s son from his first marriage, said Lieberman 'was a blessing for all of us' but 'a solid slice of people' nevertheless developed a hate for him. Despite that animosity, Matthew Lieberman said his father encouraged others to not let those disagreements devolve into hatred. 'We´re not the Hatfields and McCoys here,' Matthew Lieberman said. 'We´re Americans, we´re fellow citizens in the greatest country in the history of the world. We´re all humans and we´re all we´ve got.' Lieberman, a former state Senate leader and attorney general, was long known for his pragmatic, independent streak. After losing the chance to serve as vice president with the Democrat Gore, he came close to becoming Republican John McCain's running mate in 2008. However, conservatives balked at the idea of tapping Lieberman, who was known for supporting gay rights, civil rights, abortion rights and environmental causes while taking a hawkish stand on military and national security matters. President Joe Biden on Thursday called Lieberman a friend, someone who was 'principled, steadfast and unafraid to stand up for what he thought was right.' 'Joe believed in a shared purpose of serving something bigger than ourselves,' Biden, who served 20 years in the Senate with Lieberman, said in his statement. 'He lived the values of his faith as he worked to repair the wounds of the world.' Lieberman came tantalizingly close to winning the vice presidency in the contentious 2000 presidential contest that was decided by a 537-vote margin victory for George W. Bush over Gore in Florida after a drawn-out recount, legal challenges and a Supreme Court decision. He was the first Jewish candidate on a major party´s presidential ticket. Over the last decade, Lieberman helped lead No Labels, a centrist third-party movement that has said it will offer as-yet-unnamed candidates for president and vice president this year. Some groups aligned with Democrats oppose the effort, fearing it will help presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump win the White House. Lieberman and his wife, Hadassah, have four children.

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Baltimore bridge collapse: Who will pay for the destroyed bridge, harmed businesses and lost lives? The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Maryland is a multi-layered tragedy: For the families and friends of those killed or presumed dead, it's a profound and personal loss. For businesses that rely on the Port of Baltimore, it's an economic nightmare. And for the federal courts, it will soon become a balance of dollars and facts, with a network of insurance companies expected to foot at least some of the bill. The disaster happened early Tuesday when a cargo ship lost power and rammed into Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge. Eight people were on the highway bridge when it collapsed. Two were rescued. The bodies of two more were recovered, and four remain missing and are presumed dead. The wreckage closed the Port of Baltimore, a major shipping port, potentially costing the area's economy hundreds millions of dollars in lost labor income alone over the next month, according to the economic analysis company Implan. A report from credit rating agency Morningstar DBRS predicts the collapse could become the most expensive marine insured loss in history, surpassing the record of about $1.5 billion held by the 2012 shipwreck of the Costa Concordia cruise ship off Italy. Morningstar DBRS estimates total insured losses for the Baltimore disaster could be $2 billion to $4 billion. Here's a look the costs, the legal claims, and the insurance companies that will pay: WHAT ARE THE LEGAL CLAIMS? In federal court, the lost lives and damaged property will be stripped down to a matter of dollars and facts: Were the people or businesses who owned and operated the ship negligent in some way? Was anyone else partly responsible? How much will it cost to replace the bridge and make the families of the victims financially whole? Insurance companies will ultimately be on the hook for at least part, if not all, of the total cost. Enrique Serna, an attorney who specializes in representing immigrant laborers and others hurt on the job, said his firm was contacted by some of the victims' families shortly after the collapse, though he was not yet representing them. The crew filling potholes on the bridge had come from El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico, some of them decades ago. Serna said lawsuits are inevitable, and the ship's insurers will likely soon seek a "limitation of liability," asking a judge to cap the damages they can be ordered to pay. The victims will need to quickly respond to try make sure any cap isn't set too low. "What happens is, it's a race against time for when you can present a claim for it," Serna said. WHAT ABOUT THE ECONOMIC COSTS? Attorney Thomas Schoenbaum, a maritime law expert and professor at the University of Washington, said despite significant economic damages, impacted businesses will not be able to sue the ship's owners and operators. "There's generally bad news about that: In maritime law, pure economic loss damages are not recoverable. If you have an economic loss, losing money, or a business shuts down, or a business loses customers, unless you have some physical damage along with the economic loss, maritime law says there's no recovery," he said. The one exception is for loss caused by pollution, like an oil spill, he said, and the bridge wreckage doesn't count as pollution under maritime law. Charm City Warehouse owner Bernard Sommer, whose Baltimore-based business serves shipping companies needing to store cargo containers, expects to sustain heavy losses as long as ships are being diverted to other ports. "If they get that open in 30 days, we're going to have 60 to 90 days loss of business. And for them to do it in 30 days is pretty quick," he said. "Until this channel is open and shipping, they're not going to show any service into the port of Baltimore." Sommer said he hasn't yet contacted his insurance company to ask if his policy covers losses related to the Baltimore port's closure. "If the building caught on fire and we weren't able to operate, or something like that happened? Yeah, that's covered. But I don't know if something like this is covered," he said. "It's hard to tell. When you sign up for insurance, they give you one page of everything they cover. And that is followed by 45 pages of everything they're not going to cover." On Friday, Atlantic Maritime Ship Supply had to dispatch a truck to Newport News, Virginia, to serve a ship originally bound for Baltimore. Owner Edward Dryer also hasn't checked his insurance yet — he's waiting to see if his operations will be significantly impacted. He expects the port to gradually reopen in weeks, not months. "Let's be optimistic that they are able to reasonably quickly get the channel at least partially open," Dryer said. Experts say replacing the bridge could cost $400 million or more. WHAT ABOUT THE SHIP'S INSURERS? Ships and other maritime vessels often have more than one type of insurance. They frequently have policies that cover damages to the hull or machinery, and might also have coverage for cargo carried by the ship. But for other very expensive losses — like major environmental damage or disasters like the bridge collapse — large vessel owners turn to something called "Protection and Indemnity" or P&I insurance. P&I insurance can be provided by "clubs" made up of several policyholder-owned insurance companies. Club members put money toward a pool of funds that can be used to cover catastrophic claims. The idea is to share the risk associated with major disasters so no company is left to bear it alone. Insurance clubs may also buy their own insurance to cover expenses that are too big for the pool to handle alone. That's called "reinsurance" — the club is the first insurance that pays out, and then the second payer is the "reinsurance." The Britannia P&I Club insures the ship involved in the collapse. The London-based club is also part of the larger International Group of P&I Clubs, which will likely help cover expenses once they exceed a pre-arranged amount. Reinsurance companies could also pick up part of the tab.

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Jacob Fenston is WAMU's environment reporter. In prior roles at WAMU, he was the founding producer of The Big Listen, interim managing producer of Metro Connection, and a news editor. His work has appeared on many national programs and has been recognized by regional and national awards. More importantly, his reporting has taken him and his microphone deep into muddy banks of the Anacostia River, into an enormous sewage tunnel, and hunting rats in infested alleys. His best story ever (as determined by himself) did not win any awards, even though it required recording audio while riding a bicycle the wrong way down the busy streets of Oakland, Calif.

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Central Coast high school student arrested after officers say he had a loaded gun on campus No one hurt in incident in Lompoc. It was an alarming discovery on a Central Coast high school campus. A student was in possession of a loaded gun. It happened Thursday, at Lompoc's Cabrillo High School. A Santa Barbara County Sheriff's School Resource Deputy contacted an 18-year-old student in the school's office for a probation search. The officer reported finding the student in possession of a loaded pistol. The gun wasn't registered to the teen. The student was arrested at the scene without incident.

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NationalMan allegedly crashes into front yard of Sydney homeA man has been taken to hospital for mandatory testing after crashing into the front yard of a home in Sydney's south-west.March 30, 2024 — 8.14amSaveLog in, register or subscribe to save articles for later.Save videos for laterAdd videos to your saved list and come back to them any time.Got itLoadingReplayReplay videoPlay videoPlay video

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Amid rising holiday demand, Feed Nova Scotia advocates for accessible food options Feed Nova Scotia says ahead of the Easter holiday, many individuals and families are facing food insecurity and festivities can amplify their struggles. "Food plays a key part in those celebrations, so if you don't have food, it's really hard to participate," said Nick Jennery, executive director of Feed Nova Scotia. "We are very aware that folks are anxious going into the holidays." The demand for assistance has increase said Jennery, with food banks receiving on average 6,600 people reaching out per week. Among them, 400 are people who have never sought help from a food bank before. "The increase in new clients is troubling, as is the total number of people in need," said Jennery. In response to the evolving needs, Feed Nova Scotia is exploring choice models that prioritize individuals' ability to shop for the food they desire while removing financial barriers and increasing accessibility. Jennery said they are using insights from other local organizations in the Halifax-area like the Mobile Food Market, as an option to providing fresh produce at affordable prices. "The market allows people to choose what they want and its prices are around 30 per cent below retail [and] people are grateful for having the choice of buying the food they want at affordable prices." He said by eliminating the financial burden and increasing access points, it can put people in happier spots. However, he said this would have to expand beyond city populated areas, where cheaper options decrease. For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page. CTVNews.ca Top Stories Austin Hunter Turner died in 2017, on a night that his mother has rewound and replayed again and again, trying to make sense of what happened. Niagara Region says it has declared a state of emergency 'out of an abundance of caution' as it prepares for an influx of visitors for next month's total solar eclipse. Neuroscientist Emma Duerden says social media can alter children's brains and have negative impacts on their mental health. An Ontario man who built a garage on his property has been locked in a battle with his electricity provider for a year and half over a severed power line. A breakthrough discovery made by doctors at the Montreal Children's Hospital about the causes of cerebral palsy is giving new hope to one West Island family. Not getting enough sleep may cause you to feel five to 10 years older than you really are, according to two new studies. A Filipino villager has been nailed to a wooden cross for the 35th time to reenact Jesus Christ's suffering in a brutal Good Friday tradition he said he would devote to pray for peace in Ukraine, Gaza and the disputed South China Sea. A sixth suspect has been arrested in connection with the murder of a 28-year-old man and his pregnant wife in Bowmanville, Ont., police confirmed Friday. - Niagara Region says it has declared a state of emergency 'out of an abundance of caution' as it prepares for an influx of visitors for next month's total solar eclipse. - Police identified the 39-year-old victim in Thursday night's fatal shooting in North York. - Ontario's top doctor is calling on the province to immediately enact policy that will restrict access to alcohol, vapes and cannabis as the number of people who have died or visited a hospital due to using multiple substances has spiked in recent years. - The Calgary Police Service is asking for help finding a man who was last seen well over a week ago in Penbrooke Meadows. - Calgary is a top trending Canadian travel destination for those planning adventures for the summer, according to new flight data. - An Easter egg hunt held just outside of Calgary on Good Friday was not just for kids, but also for our furry friends. - - Edmonton Fire Rescue Services respond to nearly 100,000 emergency calls every year, but most have nothing to do with fire. On April 1, that's going to change. - An RCMP detachment north of Edmonton is hoping to reunite a fuel pump with its rightful owner after it was recovered with a stolen vehicle last week. - A breakthrough discovery made by doctors at the Montreal Children's Hospital about the causes of cerebral palsy is giving new hope to one West Island family. - Future Hall-of-Fame Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price's home on Montreal' South Shore has sold for $1.5 million, about $300,000 less that the original asking price. - Multiple Montreal Chinese organizations wrote an open letter to Canada's foreign election interference inquiry asking to respect the democratic rights of Chinese Canadians and oppose modern-day exclusion. - One man is confirmed dead after a fatal single-vehicle collision in the early hours of Friday morning in Cumberland, Ottawa Paramedics said. - The Upper Ottawa Valley Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police says one person is facing multiple charges after a traffic complaint on Highway 17 in Head Clara Maria Township. - If you're thinking about selling your home, we have some tips for you to increase its value. - An investigation by the Ontario Special Investigations Unit has determined is was reasonable for a police officer to shoot her gun at a man in Aylmer, Ont. - London police canine Hank is being credited with helping catch a robbery suspect. - Provincial police officers are asking for the public's help in a sexual assault investigation in Tillsonburg, Ont. - More than a hundred kids participated in Drysdale's annual Easter Egg hunt on Good Friday. - Huronia West OPP is asking for the public's help in identifying a suspect in a Wasaga Beach robbery. - Volunteers helped prepare over 200 free meals at the All Saints Anglican Church on Friday morning. - Austin Hunter Turner died in 2017, on a night that his mother has rewound and replayed again and again, trying to make sense of what happened. - A lot of concern and speculation is circulating in the small northern Ontario community of Field on Friday after a massive police search for "dangerous" suspects. - Officers in the Parry Sound area started the long weekend with an early morning call about a single-vehicle crash Friday, Ontario Provincial Police say. - Another person has come forward claiming they were not paid what they were owed by Dutchie's Fresh Market. - Niagara Region says it has declared a state of emergency 'out of an abundance of caution' as it prepares for an influx of visitors for next month's total solar eclipse. - In a story of discovery and connection, two musicians from southern Ontario have found themselves not just united by music, but by blood, thanks to DNA testing. - A city committee has backed a new gated entry for a downtown parking lot that has prompted partying complaints. - The Downtown Windsor Farmers' Market is opening this weekend. - Windsor police responded to a crash on Riverside Drive West on Thursday night. - Hundreds of community members marked Good Friday with the 35th annual Public Way of the Cross, presented by the Archdiocese of Winnipeg. - Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service responded to calls on Selkirk Avenue and Keewatin Street just over six hours apart. - A housing development south of Winnipeg's Grant Park neighbourhood is one step closer to reality after years of back-and-forth in city hall and court. - A Saskatoon mother says the Ministry of Social Services ignored several requests to have black mold removed from her provincial housing corporation home. - - CTV News recently got an inside look at the Regina Police Service's (RPS) Aerial Support Unit (ASU) during a fly along. - - Heading to the Easter long weekend, the City of Saskatoon along with numerous partners hosted the very first community round dance and feast Thursday evening. - The Saskatoon Blades and Prince Albert Raiders kicked off their opening-round playoff series in Saskatoon, where Max Hildebrand's 41 saves and a three-goal second period was enough for the Raiders to take game one. - - - The Okanagan Connector was closed Thursday night following multiple crashes blamed on icy road conditions outside of West Kelowna. - - - Special teams proved to be the difference in a key matchup between the Vancouver Canucks and Dallas Stars on Thursday. - A 49-year-old man has been charged with assault, uttering threats and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose after an incident in Kelowna Monday night. - A B.C. judge has given the City of Vernon 14 days to make a decision on a business licence application it has left pending without explanation for more than a year. - A protester who unleashed a "race-based tirade" outside a vaccination clinic in B.C.'s Okanagan at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic did not cause a criminal disturbance, a judge has ruled.

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National Doctors:- Jesus Guzman, M.D., didn't always dream of becoming a doctor. More than a dozen years ago, he didn't even know what he wanted to be. That was until he watched the Foster School of Medicine host its first white coat ceremony for incoming students. He hasn't stopped dreaming since. "I grew up in El Paso's Segundo Barrio and watched many people in my neighborhood go without medical care," said Dr. Guzman, who was working as a theater technician at the Chamizal National Memorial Theater where the 2009 white coat ceremony was held. "I didn't know how I could help, but I knew I wanted to. When I realized there was a medical school in my hometown, I finally knew how." Dr. Guzman is one of the hundreds of Borderplex doctors to be honored on National Doctors Day, March 30. To learn more about how Texas Tech Health El Paso eliminates health care barriers by creating life-changing educational opportunities for Borderplex residents, visit ttuhscepimpact.org. Newswise/SP

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Daily Pilot e-newspaper: Friday, March 29, 2024 The Daily Pilot's e-newspaper includes all pages of Friday's newspaper. Click on the file below for coverage of Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Laguna Beach, Fountain Valley and other parts of Orange County. Thank you for reading. Friday's coverage includes these stories: A1 - Newport Beach increases enforcement on sidewalk vendors - Group seeks to fight book censorship as Huntington Beach parent advisory board returns for final vote - Fountain Valley City Hall may move to a four-day work week - O.C. fairground equestrians bridle at proposed fee hikes A4 All the latest on Orange County from Orange County. Get our free TimesOC newsletter. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Daily Pilot.

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Tesla is getting some more EV competition in China. It is coming from Xiaomi, a Chinese consumer electronics company that officially introduced its electric SU7 sedan during a Thursday event involving co-founder Lei Jun, Barron's reported. The cheapest model of the SU7 has a price tag that equates to roughly $30,000, according to the outlet. Xiaomi is reportedly working with Beijing Automotive Group Co. on its manufacturing. The vehicle is expected to vie with the Model 3, a Tesla sedan that carries a starting price approximately $4,000 higher in China, per Barron's. The $34,000-priced SU7 model can go 700 kilometers (435 miles) on a single charge, according to Barron's. Meanwhile, the Model 3 reportedly goes 610 kilometers (379 miles). Tesla has a major presence in the crowded Chinese EV market, where many companies have been reducing their prices to stay competitive with each other. Customer orders for the SU7 started Thursday, notching 50,000 in less than half an hour, the company said on Chinese social media platform Weibo. There are three models of the SU7 in all. Prior to the SU7, the company that makes popular smartphones had never sold an EV. Over 4,400 engineers and technical experts, as well as 10 billion yuan (approx. $1.38 billion) worth of research and development, helped bring the SU7 to fruition, Xaiomi said in a press release in February. Xaomi was worth over $47 billion on a market capitalization basis as of Friday. Its performance over the years has helped make Jun and other Xiaomi co-founders billionaires. Forbes pegged Jun's personal fortune at $12.4 billion. Original article source: Tesla has new competition with a Chinese EV priced lower than Model 3

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Friday's Maine-Albany Baseball Game Postponed – Doubleheader Saturday March 30th The Maine-Albany Baseball game scheduled for Friday, March 29th has been postponed because of wet field conditions. Albany has a natural, grass surface. The game will now be made up as a doubleheader on Saturday, March 30th with first pitches scheduled for 12 noon and 3 p.m. The games will be broadcast on 92.9 The Ticket with the pregame with Jim Churchill starting at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday the 30th. 2024 Maine Savings Amphitheater Summer Waterfront Concerts Lineup Gallery Credit: Jordan Verge

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18-year-old enters guilty plea in killing of teen in St. Paul An 18-year-old on Friday pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in connection with the fatal shooting of 16-year-old Antwan Calvin Watson in October 2022. According to court documents, a second count of second-degree murder filed against J'Veon Jamauri Brown will be dismissed in exchange for his guilty plea. Two other juvenile cases are also expected to be dismissed and Brown is expected to be sentenced to over 10 years (128 months) in prison. As previously reported, St. Paul police responded to a shooting on the afternoon of Oct. 10, 2022, on the 1000 block of York Avenue. Watson was found deceased in an alley at the scene. As officers processed the scene, two people told them that a person known as "JB," who police identified as Brown, was responsible for the shooting. Brown was 16 years old at the time of the murder. According to court documents, a video from the high school the teens attended showed Brown reenacting the shooting later in the day. Officers spoke with another student, who said he was talking with Watson and Brown, looking for a car because a friend had given them a key to it and said it was in the alley. He added that he heard Watson call for help and saw Brown shoot him. When Brown was arrested, officers found a loaded Glock 26 handgun on his person. When confronted with evidence, Brown admitted to shooting Watson because he thought he and the other teen were planning to rob him, court documents state. Another teen also told police that the gun found on Brown when he was arrested belonged to Watson.

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Mexican mob drags woman suspected of killing eight-year-old girl out of police car and brutally beats her to death in front of cops - Woman was suspected of kidnapping, killing eight-year-old girl - Despite naming three suspects in girl's death, police did not arrest them - Family members led angry mob to beat woman and two men named Horrific footage revealed the moment an angry mob dragged a suspected child kidnapper and killer out of a police car and beat her to death in the Mexican tourist town of Taxco. The unnamed woman was being hauled away by police, after she had allegedly been caught on surveillance video helping a man dump the body of Camila Gomez Ortega who had disappeared Wednesday. The villagers dragged the woman out of the police car and began wailing on her and tearing at her clothes. 'We are fed up,' a woman who identified herself as Andrea told the Associated Press. 'This time it was an 8-year-old girl.' 'This is the result of the bad government we have. This isn't the first time this kind of thing has happened, but this is the first time the people have done something.' Horrific footage revealed the moment an angry mob dragged a suspected child kidnapper and killer out of a police car The unnamed woman was beaten to death in the Mexican tourist town of Taxco The villagers dragged the woman out of the police car and began wailing on her and tearing at her clothes 'We are fed up,' a woman told the Associated Press. 'This time it was an 8-year-old girl' Frustration had been mounting since Camila went missing Wednesday after her family let her walk to a next door neighbor's house to play. Surveillance video later surfaced of a woman in the same neighborhood carrying a basket of clothes into a taxi and helping a man carry a bundle, believed to be the young girl, in the trunk of the cab, according to Mexican media outlet Excelsior. The girl was found dead in the city outskirts that same day. An autopsy revealed the girl had been raped and asphyxiated, the outlet reported. The victim's family members were able to pinpoint the home of the alleged murderers. They pleaded with authorities to arrest them, but police did not move in. Instead the mob swarmed the home, with some men seen climbing the roof of the house to force the suspected child killers out. Camila Gomez Ortega, 8, went missing Wednesday after she went to her neighbor's house to play Her family reported her missing immediately. Her body was discovered the next day in the outskirts of Taxco, Mexico. She had been raped and suffocated, according to Mexican media reports Surveillance video showed a woman carrying a basket of clothing into a taxi that was later connected to Camila's disappearance The same woman was seen helping a man load a bundle, believed to be Camila's body, into the trunk of the taxi Finally police stepped in, as the trio was forced out out of the house, agreeing to take them into custody. Despite placing her in a police pick up truck, people from the town can be seen clawing at the woman until they finally were able to pull her out of the truck. An officer tried to pull her back in, but eventually gave up her body to the mob. Police stood by and watched the beating of her and two other men who were suspected in Camila's death until the mob finished with them. The woman was taken to the hospital where she died from her injuries. The public killing of the woman coincided with Holy Week celebrations, which draw many tourists to the city A woman chants the Spanish word for "justice" during a demonstration protesting the kidnapping and killing of an 8-year-old girl, in the main square of Taxco, Mexico, Thursday A woman carries her daughter during a demonstration protesting the kidnapping and killing of an 8-year-old girl, in the main square of Taxco, Mexico, Thursday A woman wipes away tears during a demonstration protesting the kidnapping and killing of an 8-year-old girl, in the main square of Taxco, Mexico The public killing of the woman coincided with Holy Week celebrations, which draw many tourists to the city. 'I never thought that in a touristic place like Taxco we would experience a lynching,' said Felipa Lagunas, a local elementary school teacher. 'I saw it as something distant, in places far from civilization ... I never imagined that my community would experience this on such a special day.' Guerrero, the state where Taxco is located, has been plagued by violence. Known as Tierra Caliente or the 'Hot Lands,' the region has been controlled by some 40 cartels and drug gangs who are fighting for control of marijuana and heroin production in that area. In this part of Mexico, criminal organizations run the show, preying on locals and killing anyone who doesn't pay to play by their rules. 'We know the town lives off of Holy Week (tourism) and that this is going to mess it up. There will be a lot of people who won't want to come anymore,' said Andrea. 'We make our living off tourism, but we cannot continue to allow them to do these things to us.'

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Jul 24, 2023 / 01:00PM GMT Caroline Wambugu - Safaricom PLC - Head of Finance, Planning, Analysis and IR Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening from wherever you are joining us from. We are glad that you have joined us for this briefing session on Safaricom Ethiopia. My name is Caroline Wambugu. I'm the Head of Investor Relations, Financial Planning and Analysis, and I'll be moderating this discussion. We also are joined by our CFO, Dilip Pal, who will give some opening remarks before we open up the session to field your questions. And thereafter, we'll be able to pick up any Q&A that you have and supported also by the Investor Relations team. So before we kick off, allow me to make some few house rules. Please ensure that you have joined the session with your full names for ease of identification when you post your questions or comments. And if you haven't, you can do so right now by renaming yourself through hovering your cursor over your name and clicking the Rename tag on the drop-down. (Operator Instructions) In staying committed to our promise on diversity and inclusion, we have included a live Safaricom Plc Ethiopia Quarterly Update call Transcript Already have an account? Log in Get the full story Access to All Earning Calls and Stock Analysis | | 30-Year Financial on one screen | | All-in-one Stock Screener with unlimited filters | | Customizable Stock Dashboard | | Real Time Insider Trading Transactions | | 8,000+ Institutional investors' 13F holdings | | Powerful Excel Add-in and Google sheets Add-on | | All data downloadable | | Quick customer support | | And much more... | 30-Day 100% money back guarantee You are not charged until the trial ends. Subscription fee may be tax deductible. Excellent 4.6 out of 5 Trustpilot

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Why the U.S. is absent from international seabed mining talks In Jamaica, international negotiations are underway over how to govern the mining of precious metals that can help fuel renewable technologies. But the U.S. isn't at the negotiating table. Copyright 2024 WBUR

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TX Rangers hope for rare repeat as World Series champs The Texas Rangers are still riding the high from last year's first-ever World Series win. Fans are hopeful Texas can repeat as champs as a new baseball season gets underway. Copyright 2024 NPR The Texas Rangers are still riding the high from last year's first-ever World Series win. Fans are hopeful Texas can repeat as champs as a new baseball season gets underway. Copyright 2024 NPR

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Construction and delays return to the Saint John Harbour Bridge on Tuesday A new season of construction and delays will return to the Saint John Harbour Bridge on Tuesday. Traffic will be down to one lane in each direction as work resumes on the bridge's ongoing rehabilitation project. The lane reductions are scheduled to run from April 2 to Nov. 30, according to the New Brunswick's Department of Transportation and Infrastructure. Construction under the Saint John Harbour Bridge in August 2022. (Nick Moore/CTV Atlantic) In addition to the lane closures, the westbound lanes and on-ramp from Chesley Drive to the bridge will be closed to all traffic. Eastbound lanes and the off-ramp from Chesley Drive to the bridge will remain open, with one lane of traffic in each direction on the eastbound side of the bridge. Traffic delays are expected to be heightened in and around the Saint John Harbour Bridge, particularly during the morning and evening rush hours on weekdays. The Saint John Harbour Bridge as seen from the Harbour Passage Trail in August 2022. (Nick Moore/CTV Atlantic) Construction for the phased bridge project began in 2021 and could cost as much as $31 million by the time it's finished in 2026 – up from the project's initial budget of just over $26 million. The federal and New Brunswick governments announced $15 million in funding for the project in February 2023. The project is entering its final stage in 2024, which will include new work on the bridge's two east end ramps. Ongoing work will continue with the application of new waterproofing and asphalt on the bridge's deck, with the replacement of expansion joints and bearings. The provincial government says the construction project is on time, and will extend the 1.3 km structure's lifespan by 30 to 50 years. The Saint John Harbour Bridge first opened to traffic in August 1968. For more New Brunswick news visit our dedicated provincial page. CTVNews.ca Top Stories Austin Hunter Turner died in 2017, on a night that his mother has rewound and replayed again and again, trying to make sense of what happened. An Ontario man who built a garage on his property has been locked in a battle with his electricity provider for a year and half over a severed power line. A breakthrough discovery made by doctors at the Montreal Children's Hospital about the causes of cerebral palsy is giving new hope to one West Island family. Not getting enough sleep may cause you to feel five to 10 years older than you really are, according to two new studies. A Filipino villager has been nailed to a wooden cross for the 35th time to reenact Jesus Christ's suffering in a brutal Good Friday tradition he said he would devote to pray for peace in Ukraine, Gaza and the disputed South China Sea. A sixth suspect has been arrested in connection with the murder of a 28-year-old man and his pregnant wife in Bowmanville, Ont., police confirmed Friday. An historic downtown Toronto bar is closing its doors next week after nearly 200 years in business. - - Police identified the 39-year-old victim in Thursday night's fatal shooting in North York. - Ontario's top doctor is calling on the province to immediately enact policy that will restrict access to alcohol, vapes and cannabis as the number of people who have died or visited a hospital due to using multiple substances has spiked in recent years. - The Calgary Police Service is asking for help finding a man who was last seen well over a week ago in Penbrooke Meadows. - Calgary is a top trending Canadian travel destination for those planning adventures for the summer, according to new flight data. - An Easter egg hunt held just outside of Calgary on Good Friday was not just for kids, but also for our furry friends. - - Edmonton Fire Rescue Services respond to nearly 100,000 emergency calls every year, but most have nothing to do with fire. On April 1, that's going to change. - An RCMP detachment north of Edmonton is hoping to reunite a fuel pump with its rightful owner after it was recovered with a stolen vehicle last week. - - Future Hall-of-Fame Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price's home on Montreal' South Shore has sold for $1.5 million, about $300,000 less that the original asking price. - Multiple Montreal Chinese organizations wrote an open letter to Canada's foreign election interference inquiry asking to respect the democratic rights of Chinese Canadians and oppose modern-day exclusion. - One man is confirmed dead after a fatal single-vehicle collision in the early hours of Friday morning in Cumberland, Ottawa Paramedics said. - The Upper Ottawa Valley Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police says one person is facing multiple charges after a traffic complaint on Highway 17 in Head Clara Maria Township. - If you're thinking about selling your home, we have some tips for you to increase its value. - An investigation by the Ontario Special Investigations Unit has determined is was reasonable for a police officer to shoot her gun at a man in Aylmer, Ont. - London police canine Hank is being credited with helping catch a robbery suspect. - Provincial police officers are asking for the public's help in a sexual assault investigation in Tillsonburg, Ont. - More than a hundred kids participated in Drysdale's annual Easter Egg hunt on Good Friday. - Huronia West OPP is asking for the public's help in identifying a suspect in a Wasaga Beach robbery. - Volunteers helped prepare over 200 free meals at the All Saints Anglican Church on Friday morning. - - A lot of concern and speculation is circulating in the small northern Ontario community of Field on Friday after a massive police search for "dangerous" suspects. - Officers in the Parry Sound area started the long weekend with an early morning call about a single-vehicle crash Friday, Ontario Provincial Police say. - Another person has come forward claiming they were not paid what they were owed by Dutchie's Fresh Market. - - In a story of discovery and connection, two musicians from southern Ontario have found themselves not just united by music, but by blood, thanks to DNA testing. - A city committee has backed a new gated entry for a downtown parking lot that has prompted partying complaints. - The Downtown Windsor Farmers' Market is opening this weekend. - Windsor police responded to a crash on Riverside Drive West on Thursday night. - After lengthy negotiations, a new collective agreement has been reached between Brandon University and its professors. - Hundreds of community members marked Good Friday with the 35th annual Public Way of the Cross, presented by the Archdiocese of Winnipeg. - Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service responded to calls on Selkirk Avenue and Keewatin Street just over six hours apart. - A Saskatoon mother says the Ministry of Social Services ignored several requests to have black mold removed from her provincial housing corporation home. - - CTV News recently got an inside look at the Regina Police Service's (RPS) Aerial Support Unit (ASU) during a fly along. - - Heading to the Easter long weekend, the City of Saskatoon along with numerous partners hosted the very first community round dance and feast Thursday evening. - The Saskatoon Blades and Prince Albert Raiders kicked off their opening-round playoff series in Saskatoon, where Max Hildebrand's 41 saves and a three-goal second period was enough for the Raiders to take game one. - - - The Okanagan Connector was closed Thursday night following multiple crashes blamed on icy road conditions outside of West Kelowna. - - - Special teams proved to be the difference in a key matchup between the Vancouver Canucks and Dallas Stars on Thursday. - A 49-year-old man has been charged with assault, uttering threats and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose after an incident in Kelowna Monday night. - A B.C. judge has given the City of Vernon 14 days to make a decision on a business licence application it has left pending without explanation for more than a year. - A protester who unleashed a "race-based tirade" outside a vaccination clinic in B.C.'s Okanagan at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic did not cause a criminal disturbance, a judge has ruled.

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New York City is exploring the use of technology that will scan passengers for weapons on its subway system. At a Thursday press conference, NYC Mayor Eric Adams demonstrated a system from Evolv that scans people as they walk by, much like a metal detector. If a weapon is detected, it will alert on a nearby iPad being monitored by police, who can then search the person in the area where the system detected a gun. Evolv is just one solution under consideration, Adams says. The city is kicking off a 90-day waiting period during which it will work "to identify companies with proven expertise in weapons detection technology." It will then choose a technology to pilot at "some subway stations where the NYPD will be able to further evaluate the equipment's effectiveness." Evolv technology was tested two years ago at City Hall, but results were mixed. Mayor Adams argued this week that there's a learning curve with every new technology. And he suggested that competing firms will see that NYC is interested in this technology and submit their solutions for consideration. As for potential false positives, Adams suggested that even a 70% hit ratio is 70% better than what NYPD has now. The mayor's office says NYPD officers seized 450 weapons this year as of March 24, including 19 illegal guns—up from 261 weapons and nine guns during the same time period last year. In recent months, there have been several shootings on the subway, contributing to a recent rise in crime on the system that had dropped off following a pandemic-era jump. As for whether people can refuse to be searched, Michael Gerber, the city's Deputy Commissioner of Legal Matters, said during Thursday's press conference that people can opt to leave a subway station and not go through the scanners if they spot them upon entry. Leaving is "not probable cause" for the police to chase after that person, Gerber said. If you decide to enter the subway system, however, you will potentially be subject to a search. When asked how a larger rollout of this type of technology would be funded, Mayor Adams said there may be the option for Homeland Security grants or corporate sponsors from businesses located near stations with the technology. Weapons-detection systems are meant to work in tandem with the recent push to flood with subway system with more officers and the National Guard. Many of the incidents on the subway involve those suffering from mental health crises, so the city is also looking to expand its SCOUT program by hiring more clinicians to help more people with untreated severe mental illness, Mayor Adams says. Like What You're Reading? Sign up for SecurityWatch newsletter for our top privacy and security stories delivered right to your inbox. This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time. Thanks for signing up! Your subscription has been confirmed. Keep an eye on your inbox! Sign up for other newsletters

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Laguna Beach to form land trust to address need for affordable live-work spaces for artists Looking to address a need for affordable housing and workspace for its artists, Laguna Beach plans to establish a community land trust to work toward that goal. An artist work-live ad hoc committee was tasked with identifying a funding mechanism that could make headway on the issue as among its top priorities. "The committee found that the community land trust would have the greatest impact for the city of Laguna Beach," said Jennifer Savage, the city's housing program coordinator. "Their considerations in finding this included that the community land trust could maintain affordable housing in perpetuity, utilize donations — not only monetary but also real property, take those resources and blend housing units into the fabric of Laguna Beach, and focus on artists. "It would also be able to, through the community land trust, focus on seniors and the local workforce." The City Council on Tuesday directed staff to issue a request for proposal for a consultant to facilitate the establishment of a community land trust. The housing and human services committee would provide oversight. Savage described the proposed trust as a nonprofit organization that would be able to acquire and hold onto land, keeping the housing affordable by cutting out the cost of land. It would have the ability to acquire a variety of properties, including single- and multifamily housing, mixed-use and commercial. "I'm looking forward to getting a group of community members to participate in a nonprofit that will help lead the way with this trust and start to actually get some housing created," said Councilman Mark Orgill, who worked on the artist work-live ad hoc committee with Mayor Pro Tem Alex Rounaghi. A board of directors would govern the land trust. A model referenced in the staff report suggested that a six-member board would include two community members at large, two residents of the community land trust and two stakeholders. Resident Ann Christoph, who addressed the City Council during its meeting this week, appeared uneasy about the land trust being in the hands of a nonprofit. She was concerned about whether acquired property would permanently serve the intended purpose of adding to the affordable housing stock. "It seems to me that the city should be running these trusts because the city is the most stable organization that we have," Christoph said. "If people are going to donate land or donate houses or apartment buildings or whatever, they want to make sure that it is really going to be that way forever." In a 2019 arts market study, 48% of respondents expressed an interest in affordable artist housing, according to a staff report. The most desired locations were in the downtown area and along Laguna Canyon Road, sections of Laguna Beach that possess art galleries and the city's signature festivals — Art-A-Fair, the Festival of Arts and the Sawdust Art Festival. About a third of the study's participants expressed interest in private studio space and shared creative space, respectively. The Laguna Beach Community and Recreation Center has four connected classrooms that could be put to use to meet some of the demand for artist work space, city officials said, although it would not be equipped to handle large projects. "We looked at large fabrication equipment, industrial equipment, would the [Community and Recreation Center] be a good site for that," Assistant City Manager Jeremy Frimond said. "The preliminary feedback is maybe not. There might be a corner that could facilitate sculptures, but by and large, that's a smaller individual working space, and the city should keep its eyes open for opportunities for a larger industrial space for woodworking and industrial equipment use for maker space." Council members asked city staff to engage directly with the arts community to help formulate ideas on how best to utilize the available classrooms at the Community and Recreation Center. The panel also directed city staff to return with an ordinance to eliminate the discretionary hearing requirement for artist work-live occupancy. All the latest on Orange County from Orange County. Get our free TimesOC newsletter. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Daily Pilot.

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NationalPolice hunting man after alleged attempted kidnappingPolice are hunting a man after he allegedly attempted to kidnap a teen boy from a street in Footscray.March 30, 2024 — 8.14amSaveLog in, register or subscribe to save articles for later.Save videos for laterAdd videos to your saved list and come back to them any time.Got itLoadingReplayReplay videoPlay videoPlay video

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A headless robot about the size of a labrador retriever will be camouflaged as a coyote or fox to ward off migratory birds and other wildlife at Alaska's second largest airport, a state agency said. The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities has named the new robot Aurora and said it will be based at the Fairbanks airport to "enhance and augment safety and operations," the Anchorage Daily News reported. The transportation department released a video of the robot climbing rocks, going up stairs and doing something akin to dancing while flashing green lights. Those dancing skills will be put to use this fall during the migratory bird season when Aurora imitates predator-like movements to keep birds and other wildlife from settling near plane infields. The plan is to have Aurora patrol an outdoor area near the runway every hour in an attempt to prevent harmful encounters between planes and wildlife, said Ryan Marlow, a program manager with the transportation department. The robot can be disguised as a coyote or a fox by changing out replaceable panels, he said. "The sole purpose of this is to act as a predator and allow for us to invoke that response in wildlife without having to use other means," Marlow told legislators last week. The panels would not be hyper-realistic, and Marlow said the agency decided against using animal fur to make sure Aurora remained waterproof. The idea of using a robot came after officials rejected a plan to use flying drones spraying a repellent including grape juice. Previous other deterrent efforts have included officials releasing pigs at a lake near the Anchorage airport in the 1990s, with the hope they would eat waterfowl eggs near plane landing areas. The test period in Fairbanks will also see how effective of a deterrent Aurora would be with larger animals and to see how moose and bears would respond to the robot, Marlow told the Anchorage newspaper. Fairbanks "is leading the country with wildlife mitigation through the use of Aurora. Several airports across the country have implemented robots for various tasks such as cleaning, security patrols, and customer service," agency spokesperson Danielle Tessen said in an email to The Associated Press. In Alaska, wildlife service teams currently are used to scare birds and other wildlife away from runways with loud sounds, sometimes made with paintball guns. Last year, there were 92 animal strikes near airports across Alaska, including 10 in Fairbanks, according to an Federal Aviation Administration database. Most strikes resulted in no damage to the aircraft, but Marlow said the encounters can be expensive and dangerous in the rare instance when a bird is sucked into an engine, potentially causing a crash. An AWACS jet crashed in 1995 when it hit a flock of geese, killing 24 people at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage. If the test proves successful, Marlow said the agency could send similar robots to smaller airports in Alaska, which could be more cost effective than hiring human deterrent teams. Aurora, which can be controlled from a table, computer or on an automated schedule, will always have a human handler with it, he said. It can navigate through rain or snow. The robot from Boston Dynamics cost about $70,000 and was paid for with a federal grant.

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Maine Falls to Cornell 3-1 in NCAA Regionals The Maine Black Bears fell to the Cornell Big Red 3-1 on Thursday, March 28th in the NCAA Regionals in Springfield Massachusetts, ending the Black Bear's season in which they outperformed all expectations. The game was delayed slightly over a hour, as Denver and UMass were tied after regulation and went to double overtime before Denver won 2-1. Maine took an early lead 1-0, with 5:43 gone, as Harrison Scott scored assisted by Donavan Villenueve-Houle. Maine was unable to take advantage of a golden opportunity, as Cornell was whistled for a 5 minute major penalty, with 6:38 gone in the 1st period as Ryan Walsh was called for hitting from behind. Despite getting off 5 shots, Maine was unable to score. The Big Red seemed to gain momentum after killing the penalty and scored with 6;04 left in the 1st period, to tie the score at 1-1 as Kyle Penney scored, assisted by Gabriel Seger. Midway through the 2nd period the Big Red took the lead 2-1 on a goal by Sullivan Mack. Mack scored again in the 3rd period, giving the Big Red an insurance goal with 10:31 gone. Maine outshot Cornell 32-18. The Black Bears and Big Red were each 0-1 on the power play. Victor Ostman played in goal for Maine, as Albin Boija was scratched prior to the game because of illness. Maine ends the season with a record of 23-12-2. It was their 1st 23 win season since the 2011-12 season, when they were 23-14-3. The 2011-12 season was the last time that Maine had appeared in the NCAA Tournament.

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5 On Your Side: Best Paper Towels Are name-brand paper towels worth the extra money? Consumer Reports can tell you. Its testers just spent weeks putting six popular paper towel brands — including Bounty, Brawny, and Scott — through a series of pick-up, strength and absorbency tests to reveal which brand comes out on top. Sometimes, a paper towel is the only tool for the job. They're not always the best option for the environment, but there are just some messes, like kid's and pet's messes, that you don't want to clean up with a reusable paper towel. For quickly cleaning up spills, you want a single sheet to hold as much liquid as possible, so testers calculated the absorbency of each paper towel. Testers also measured strength by slowly adding weighted test pellets into a cup held up by just a single wet paper towel until the paper towel gave out. The more and longer it can hold, the stronger it is. A machine helped testers evaluate scrubbing strength. The best paper towels scrubbed a piece of sandpaper for about 15 cycles before breaking down; the worst struggled after just six cycles. And — apologies in advance — CR's dedicated tester even simulated vomit with a concoction of chunky oatmeal and dehydrated vegetables to see how well each paper towel could pick up the mess. CR also checked to see how fast each sheet ripped from its roll and whether or not a paper towel could be reused. The testers evaluated the price both per roll and per sheet. The winner? A name synonymous with paper towels for almost 60 years — Bounty — "The quicker picker upper," had the highest overall score, but it comes at a price. Bounty was the most expensive brand tested. CR says Brawny could be a good alternative if you're trying to save a few dollars and don't want to lose out on performance. All the paper towels in CR's tests could be reused after light use. But paper towels aren't recyclable. For routine cleaning, CR recommends reusable paper towels and microfiber cloths, which you can wash and reuse. All Consumer Reports material is Copyright 2024 Consumer Reports, Inc. All Rights Reserved Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization and has no relationship with any advertisers on this site. Consumer Reports does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. For more information visit consumerreports.org

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Nov 09, 2023 / 04:30AM GMT Caroline Wambugu - Safaricom PLC - Head of Finance, Planning, Analysis and IR Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the financial results announcement for Safaricom PLC for the year 2023, 2024. On behalf of our Board of Directors, the management team and the Safaricom staff, we thank you very much for joining us in person and virtually for this event. My name is Caroline Wambugu. I serve as the Head of Financial Planning Analysis and Investor Relations here at Safaricom. I will be your moderator for the day. And speaking of technology, allow me to introduce my co-moderator for this morning's announcement, Zuri. Operator Thank you, Caroline, and good morning to everyone following us online or with us live here at the Michael Joseph Center. I'm glad to be co-moderating this session alongside you today. Before we kick off, as the Safaricom smart assistant, it is so exciting to see the AI-inspired Chapa Dimba TVC play, especially ahead of this weekend Rift finals happening in Nakuru. The competition is truly hotting up this season. Back to you, Caroline, Half Year 2024 Safaricom Plc Earnings Call Transcript Already have an account? Log in Get the full story Access to All Earning Calls and Stock Analysis | | 30-Year Financial on one screen | | All-in-one Stock Screener with unlimited filters | | Customizable Stock Dashboard | | Real Time Insider Trading Transactions | | 8,000+ Institutional investors' 13F holdings | | Powerful Excel Add-in and Google sheets Add-on | | All data downloadable | | Quick customer support | | And much more... | 30-Day 100% money back guarantee You are not charged until the trial ends. Subscription fee may be tax deductible. Excellent 4.6 out of 5 Trustpilot

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With Tax Day now in sight, the stragglers who still haven't filed their returns should be looking for ways to reduce their taxable income and shrink the chunk of their earnings that they have to break off for the IRS. If they do it right, they could keep hundreds of dollars for themselves that might have slipped away — or even more. "A few deductions or tax positions could add an extra $1,000 to this year's return," said Johan Garcia, CPA, owner and sole author of After Tax Cash and principal of JG CPA & Advisory. The impact of every deduction and credit depends on variables like your income, tax bracket, number of dependents, filing status, etc. Work with a tax professional to maximize all available deductions, but start with these — they could mean the difference between four figures staying with you or going to the IRS. Your last day to contribute to an employer-based 401(k) for 2023 was Dec. 31, but if you have an individual retirement account, you can reduce the amount of income the IRS can touch through Tax Day. "One area to look into is maximizing contributions to retirement accounts like a traditional IRA, which can reduce taxable income," said Garcia. "The deadline is April 15." Discover More: Top 7 Countries with Zero Income Tax The IRS allowed contributions of up to $6,500 for IRAs in 2023 or $7,500 for those 50 and older. You can contribute to Roth IRAs for 2023 through Tax Day, but as after-tax retirement accounts, contributions don't offset your taxable income. Although the 401(k)s deadline has passed for tax year 2023, employer-based plans offer much more write-off potential. You can contribute up to $23,000 in tax year 2024, so start building your nest egg and lowering next year's tax bill today. If you work from home, your home itself could keep your money out of the IRS's hands. "Another area for business owners or work-related expenses could be the home office deduction, where you can claim tax deductions for costs associated with a home office," said Garcia. Your business activities and the space in your home must meet the IRS's standards to qualify. If they do, you can deduct them according to square footage and write off expenses like insurance, depreciation, rent, mortgage interest, repairs and utilities. With the rise of remote work and side hustles, the home office deduction has become one of the most valuable yet most often overlooked ways to reduce taxable income. Garcia mentioned "employee unreimbursed expenses for costs incurred associated with employment and not reimbursed," which used to let employees write off work-related expenses that their bosses didn't pay them back for — travel, supplies, work clothing, etc. The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act eliminated that deduction, but only for wage earners. Self-employed individuals can still write off one of the biggest expenses they incur and one that prevents many people from becoming sole proprietors — the self-employment tax. A 15.3% payroll tax funds Social Security (12.4%) and Medicare (2.9%). Wage earners and salaried employees contribute 6.2% and 1.45% of every paycheck to cover their half of entitlement funding. Their employers pay the same to cover the other half. But the self-employed have to pay as both the boss and the worker, kicking in the entire 15.3% themselves. There's no getting out of paying it, but if you work for yourself, you deduct half of the self-employment tax. While it's a credit and not a deduction, the EITC is one of the most versatile tax breaks because it applies to those with and without children — and it's a refundable credit, which means you get to keep any that's left over after it reduces your tax bill to zero. "If you're employed or self-employed and earned less than $63,698, you can use the Earned Income Tax Credit to save some money at tax time," said former Wells Fargo financial advisor Jonathan Feniak, who oversees financial and tax strategies as general counsel and head of finance at Colorado-based LLC Attorney. "If you have no children, you can save a maximum of $600, while those with three or more children can earn a credit of up to $7,430." The EITC is for low- and moderate-income households, but parents earning up to $200,000 a year — $400,000 for married couples filing jointly — can still cash in on the cost of raising children. "If you're over that income threshold for the year, you can claim a Child Tax Credit of up to $2,000 per child, with up to $1,500 refundable," said Feniak. Other deductions with the potential to give you back $1,000 include: - Student loan interest deduction - Charitable donation deduction - State and local tax deductions - HSA contribution deduction - Educator expenses deduction More From GOBankingRates - 6 Expensive Costco Items That Are Definitely Worth the Cost - I Was Retired, but Wasted Big Money On These 3 Things and Had To Go Back To Work - 5 Reasons You Should Consider an Annuity For Your Retirement Savings - 4 Reasons You Should Be Getting Your Paycheck Early, According to An Expert This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 5 Tax Deductions That Could Bring In an Extra $1,000 On This Year's Tax Return

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For Baltimore-area residents, bridge collapse means longer commutes, uncertain prospects For Marylanders like Becky Grimes, who works at an Amazon warehouse near the eastern end of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, the bridge's sudden collapse immediately changed the shape of her day — and many days ahead. She normally takes the Key Bridge to and from work, but it now takes an extra half hour each way to drive through the city of Baltimore instead of around it. "I'm not looking forward to it," she says. "There's a lot of people that already want to transfer out." The collapse of the bridge and the closure of the Port of Baltimore is upending life for countless people in the Chesapeake region. For many residents, it's the bridge closure that will shake up their daily lives, lengthening commutes and clogging the city's tunnels. But for the regional economy, the far bigger blow is that the fallen bridge and the container ship Dali are blocking the Port of Baltimore. "Because of the port being suspended, we don't have any traffic yesterday, today, at least for the next week or a week and a half," says Brent Howard, president of the Baltimore County Chamber of Commerce. "That's money that we're losing every day because those ships are being redirected to other ports. Norfolk, Newark, Philadelphia are getting that revenue on a daily basis that was already slotted for Baltimore." And the Key Bridge is a toll bridge that last year generated 7% of the total revenue for the state's transportation authority, according to an analysis by Moody's. Howard says getting the port and bridge running again is pivotal to the region, both economically and emotionally. "We're the Chesapeake," he says. "Baltimore is really connected to the port and connected to water and connected to ships and vessels. That's something that's always been intrinsic to Baltimore's history, going back to our inception." A bustling port, now in limbo As a little girl in the 1970s, Brenda Cotsairis's father brought her to a sandy beach to see the Key Bridge under construction. She works at a local grocery store and has seen the area weather its ups and downs. "For a lot of years, good jobs were gone and then things started to come back," she says. "And now we have Tradepoint Atlantic and we have the port bustling — it's a very, very busy port and it's thriving for Baltimore. And now it's devastated." Daraius Irani, an economist at Towson University, estimates that the port's closure is costing between $10 million and $15 million a day in lost economic activity. And at least another $1 million a day in state and local taxes won't be collected while the port is closed. Still, Irani says the port — which last year had its best year ever — should fully rebound. That's in part because Baltimore's port is about a day further inland than many others on the Eastern seaboard, putting it closer to points in the Midwest. He says if the port remains closed for months, there could be some furloughs, but he doesn't expect layoffs among workers there. And Irani says the bridge's collapse will likely create some jobs. "You hate to say this, but in any kind of disaster, there's obviously the opportunity for the rebuild. So new construction jobs will likely come up because they need to build a new bridge," he says. Businesses near the bridge could see fewer customers The bridge's absence will almost certainly have a longer impact on the small businesses located near its entrances on either side of the Patapsco River. Joe Gold is the general manager of Key Brewing, a craft brewery in the town of Dundalk. Like the bridge, the brewery was named after Francis Scott Key, who wrote "The Star-Spangled Banner." "We're not shut down I mean, it's not like that," Gold said Wednesday. "It's just ... the community is going to have to readjust." With the Key Bridge closed, the traffic that would have passed by to get on I-695 is now taking alternate routes — routes that don't pass by Key Brewing's taproom. "When I came to work this morning, past 95 to our office, it was the least amount of traffic that I've ever seen on my commute," Gold says. He says that's a sign that people aren't coming that direction anymore, at least during their daily commutes. Is he worried about his business surviving? Not just yet. "It's still too early," he says. "It's still too fresh to kind of know how deep of an impact this is going to have." It all depends on how long it takes to clear the port — and rebuild a very long bridge. For the latest from member station WYPR in Baltimore head to wypr.org Copyright 2024 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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For Baltimore-area residents, bridge collapse means longer commutes, uncertain prospects For Marylanders like Becky Grimes, who works at an Amazon warehouse near the eastern end of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, the bridge's sudden collapse immediately changed the shape of her day — and many days ahead. She normally takes the Key Bridge to and from work, but it now takes an extra half hour each way to drive through the city of Baltimore instead of around it. "I'm not looking forward to it," she says. "There's a lot of people that already want to transfer out." The collapse of the bridge and the closure of the Port of Baltimore is upending life for countless people in the Chesapeake region. For many residents, it's the bridge closure that will shake up their daily lives, lengthening commutes and clogging the city's tunnels. But for the regional economy, the far bigger blow is that the fallen bridge and the container ship Dali are blocking the Port of Baltimore. "Because of the port being suspended, we don't have any traffic yesterday, today, at least for the next week or a week and a half," says Brent Howard, president of the Baltimore County Chamber of Commerce. "That's money that we're losing every day because those ships are being redirected to other ports. Norfolk, Newark, Philadelphia are getting that revenue on a daily basis that was already slotted for Baltimore." And the Key Bridge is a toll bridge that last year generated 7% of the total revenue for the state's transportation authority, according to an analysis by Moody's. Howard says getting the port and bridge running again is pivotal to the region, both economically and emotionally. "We're the Chesapeake," he says. "Baltimore is really connected to the port and connected to water and connected to ships and vessels. That's something that's always been intrinsic to Baltimore's history, going back to our inception." A bustling port, now in limbo As a little girl in the 1970s, Brenda Cotsairis's father brought her to a sandy beach to see the Key Bridge under construction. She works at a local grocery store and has seen the area weather its ups and downs. "For a lot of years, good jobs were gone and then things started to come back," she says. "And now we have Tradepoint Atlantic and we have the port bustling — it's a very, very busy port and it's thriving for Baltimore. And now it's devastated." Daraius Irani, an economist at Towson University, estimates that the port's closure is costing between $10 million and $15 million a day in lost economic activity. And at least another $1 million a day in state and local taxes won't be collected while the port is closed. Still, Irani says the port — which last year had its best year ever — should fully rebound. That's in part because Baltimore's port is about a day further inland than many others on the Eastern seaboard, putting it closer to points in the Midwest. He says if the port remains closed for months, there could be some furloughs, but he doesn't expect layoffs among workers there. And Irani says the bridge's collapse will likely create some jobs. "You hate to say this, but in any kind of disaster, there's obviously the opportunity for the rebuild. So new construction jobs will likely come up because they need to build a new bridge," he says. Businesses near the bridge could see fewer customers The bridge's absence will almost certainly have a longer impact on the small businesses located near its entrances on either side of the Patapsco River. Joe Gold is the general manager of Key Brewing, a craft brewery in the town of Dundalk. Like the bridge, the brewery was named after Francis Scott Key, who wrote "The Star-Spangled Banner." "We're not shut down I mean, it's not like that," Gold said Wednesday. "It's just ... the community is going to have to readjust." With the Key Bridge closed, the traffic that would have passed by to get on I-695 is now taking alternate routes — routes that don't pass by Key Brewing's taproom. "When I came to work this morning, past 95 to our office, it was the least amount of traffic that I've ever seen on my commute," Gold says. He says that's a sign that people aren't coming that direction anymore, at least during their daily commutes. Is he worried about his business surviving? Not just yet. "It's still too early," he says. "It's still too fresh to kind of know how deep of an impact this is going to have." It all depends on how long it takes to clear the port — and rebuild a very long bridge. For the latest from member station WYPR in Baltimore head to wypr.org Copyright 2024 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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Saint John Police investigate after impersonation of peace officer The Saint John Police Force are investigating a suspicious vehicle that was seen with a set of red and blue lights displayed in the windshield. According to a news release, the suspect was driving in the area of Catherwood Street and Ready Street in Saint John, N.B., on Friday around 8:45 a.m. Police say they saw a vehicle parked on the side of the road with flashing red and blue lights in the windshield. The vehicle was described as an unmarked older model, dark green van, possibly a Ford Windstar. Officers say there were two men in the vehicle. The male in the front passenger's seat was manipulating the light in the windshield. The occupants of the vehicle are unknown and police say there is no further descriptions at this time. Investigators are asking for witnesses or anyone in the area that has video of the incident at the time it occurred. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Saint John Police Force at 1-506-648-3333, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. For more New Brunswick news visit our dedicated provincial page. CTVNews.ca Top Stories Neuroscientist Emma Duerden says social media can alter children's brains and have negative impacts on their mental health. An Ontario man who built a garage on his property has been locked in a battle with his electricity provider for a year and half over a severed power line. Not getting enough sleep may cause you to feel five to 10 years older than you really are, according to two new studies. A Filipino villager has been nailed to a wooden cross for the 35th time to reenact Jesus Christ's suffering in a brutal Good Friday tradition he said he would devote to pray for peace in Ukraine, Gaza and the disputed South China Sea. A sixth suspect has been arrested in connection with the murder of a 28-year-old man and his pregnant wife in Bowmanville, Ont., police confirmed Friday. - - Police identified the 39-year-old victim in Thursday night's fatal shooting in North York. - Ontario's top doctor is calling on the province to immediately enact policy that will restrict access to alcohol, vapes and cannabis as the number of people who have died or visited a hospital due to using multiple substances has spiked in recent years. - The Calgary Police Service is asking for help finding a man who was last seen well over a week ago in Penbrooke Meadows. - Calgary is a top trending Canadian travel destination for those planning adventures for the summer, according to new flight data. - An Easter egg hunt held just outside of Calgary on Good Friday was not just for kids, but also for our furry friends. - - Edmonton Fire Rescue Services respond to nearly 100,000 emergency calls every year, but most have nothing to do with fire. On April 1, that's going to change. - An RCMP detachment north of Edmonton is hoping to reunite a fuel pump with its rightful owner after it was recovered with a stolen vehicle last week. - - Future Hall-of-Fame Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price's home on Montreal' South Shore has sold for $1.5 million, about $300,000 less that the original asking price. - Multiple Montreal Chinese organizations wrote an open letter to Canada's foreign election interference inquiry asking to respect the democratic rights of Chinese Canadians and oppose modern-day exclusion. - One man is confirmed dead after a fatal single-vehicle collision in the early hours of Friday morning in Cumberland, Ottawa Paramedics said. - The Upper Ottawa Valley Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police says one person is facing multiple charges after a traffic complaint on Highway 17 in Head Clara Maria Township. - If you're thinking about selling your home, we have some tips for you to increase its value. - An investigation by the Ontario Special Investigations Unit has determined is was reasonable for a police officer to shoot her gun at a man in Aylmer, Ont. - London police canine Hank is being credited with helping catch a robbery suspect. - Provincial police officers are asking for the public's help in a sexual assault investigation in Tillsonburg, Ont. - More than a hundred kids participated in Drysdale's annual Easter Egg hunt on Good Friday. - Huronia West OPP is asking for the public's help in identifying a suspect in a Wasaga Beach robbery. - Volunteers helped prepare over 200 free meals at the All Saints Anglican Church on Friday morning. - - A lot of concern and speculation is circulating in the small northern Ontario community of Field on Friday after a massive police search for "dangerous" suspects. - Officers in the Parry Sound area started the long weekend with an early morning call about a single-vehicle crash Friday, Ontario Provincial Police say. - Another person has come forward claiming they were not paid what they were owed by Dutchie's Fresh Market. - - In a story of discovery and connection, two musicians from southern Ontario have found themselves not just united by music, but by blood, thanks to DNA testing. - A city committee has backed a new gated entry for a downtown parking lot that has prompted partying complaints. - The Downtown Windsor Farmers' Market is opening this weekend. - Windsor police responded to a crash on Riverside Drive West on Thursday night. - Hundreds of community members marked Good Friday with the 35th annual Public Way of the Cross, presented by the Archdiocese of Winnipeg. - Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service responded to calls on Selkirk Avenue and Keewatin Street just over six hours apart. - A housing development south of Winnipeg's Grant Park neighbourhood is one step closer to reality after years of back-and-forth in city hall and court. - A Saskatoon mother says the Ministry of Social Services ignored several requests to have black mold removed from her provincial housing corporation home. - - CTV News recently got an inside look at the Regina Police Service's (RPS) Aerial Support Unit (ASU) during a fly along. - - Heading to the Easter long weekend, the City of Saskatoon along with numerous partners hosted the very first community round dance and feast Thursday evening. - The Saskatoon Blades and Prince Albert Raiders kicked off their opening-round playoff series in Saskatoon, where Max Hildebrand's 41 saves and a three-goal second period was enough for the Raiders to take game one. - - BC Ferries has announced a retroactive one-year wage increase of 7.75 per cent for unionized employees. - The Okanagan Connector was closed Thursday night following multiple crashes blamed on icy road conditions outside of West Kelowna. - British Columbians travelling on the Easter long weekend faced long border waits and busy ferry sailings on Good Friday. - - Special teams proved to be the difference in a key matchup between the Vancouver Canucks and Dallas Stars on Thursday. - A 49-year-old man has been charged with assault, uttering threats and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose after an incident in Kelowna Monday night. - A B.C. judge has given the City of Vernon 14 days to make a decision on a business licence application it has left pending without explanation for more than a year. - A protester who unleashed a "race-based tirade" outside a vaccination clinic in B.C.'s Okanagan at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic did not cause a criminal disturbance, a judge has ruled.

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OpenAI couldn't help itself: The company has developed voice-cloning technology that's so good it's bound to both impress and scare users. But for now, OpenAI is only releasing the system to select partners. Called Voice Engine, the technology can clone your voice simply by listening to a 15-second clip of you talking. In addition, the replicated voice can convey emotion and the natural cadence of human speech, making the AI-generated dialog sound realistic. OpenAI says that it first developed Voice Engine in late 2022 to power the text-to-speech capability for ChatGPT. But rather than release Voice Engine to the public, the company has essentially decided that society isn't quite ready for it — at least not yet. "We are taking a cautious and informed approach to a broader release due to the potential for synthetic voice misuse," the company wrote in a blog post that showcases several examples of Voice Engine in action. As you can hear, the AI-generated speech is often indistinguishable from the reference audio. In the wrong hands, it's obvious the technology could be used to pump out deepfakes to misinform the public. But despite the potential for misuse, OpenAI says Voice Engine could be useful for society. The blog post goes on to say that starting late last year the company began testing Voice Engine "with a small group of trusted partners." The results show that the voice cloning could be used as a reading assistant for school children. It can also act as a translator, using the person's voice to speak in multiple different languages. Another use case involves providing the voice-cloning technology to people who've lost the ability to speak, similar to what Apple is doing. As a result, OpenAI has decided to release Voice Engine in preview mode to partners who agree to never use the technology for unauthorized impersonation purposes. "Partners must also clearly disclose to their audience that the voices they're hearing are AI-generated," the company said. OpenAI has also added a watermarking system to help detect any AI-generated audio from Voice Engine. Still, OpenAI isn't guaranteeing it'll ever widely release the voice-cloning tech. The company says a lot will depend on how society responds to the rise of generative AI, which is already blurring lines between fiction and reality. "We hope to start a dialogue on the responsible deployment of synthetic voices, and how society can adapt to these new capabilities," the company added. "Based on these conversations and the results of these small scale tests, we will make a more informed decision about whether and how to deploy this technology at scale." Get Our Best Stories! Sign up for What's New Now to get our top stories delivered to your inbox every morning. This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time. Thanks for signing up! Your subscription has been confirmed. Keep an eye on your inbox! Sign up for other newsletters

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Bloomington nonprofit ordered to remove founder charged in Feeding Our Future scheme Under a settlement with the state, a Bloomington-based nonprofit must cut ties with its founder, who is charged in the Feeding Our Future scheme. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison's office announced the deal on Friday, saying Action for East African People (AFEAP) can't allow Ayan Abukar — the nonprofit's executive director and founder — or her daughter to work for the organization in any capacity. Abukar is one of more than 70 people facing federal charges in the sprawling Feeding Our Future fraud case, in which prosecutors say money meant for feeding children during the COVID-19 pandemic was used for personal gain. She's charged with bribery, money laundering, conspiracy to commit bribery and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, as prosecutors say Abukar stole millions of dollars in federal child nutrition funds. Ellison's office says AFEAP paid over $1.6 million to Abukar and companies that she or her family members headed for her benefit, then failed to oversee her or remove her when she was criminally charged in the Feeding Our Future scheme. Under the deal announced Friday, the organization has to remove Abukar and her daughter entirely or face sanctions. The Attorney General's Office says the deal doesn't affect any other claims against Abukar or AFEAP, keeping open the possibility of punishment. "The work that Action for East African People does by operating a dental clinic for uninsured and underinsured people is very important," Ellison said. "The settlement we negotiated protects the important work of the dental clinic while immediately separating AFEAP from the bad actors that took advantage of their organization and the community it is supposed to serve. The settlement also furthers our ongoing investigation into the improper use of AFEAP's charitable assets, which they hold in trust for all the people of Minnesota."

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Poll: Who should Celtics keep amid cap crunch? It was a rare occurrence last night in A-Town as A) the Celtics suffered back-to-back losses, and B) did so last night with their full complement of starters. Boston's big five have been nearly unbeatable this season when playing as a unit, but five days in Atlanta seemed to be exactly what this team did not need. Granted, they're the only team in the NBA with a postseason spot on lock, having clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference before any other team in either conference locked up a postseason spot. So, they've certainly earned the right to treat these final regular season games as glorified scrimmages, and if you watched the double dip against the Hawks, that's what it looked like. Joe Mazzulla even admitted to tinkering with the defense in late-game situations to see how it would work. With nine games remaining in the season, it's about figuring out what works best heading into the playoffs and how to best use Boston's glut of talent. Speaking of that glut, this is a squad that could dominate the Eastern Conference for years to come, if it can be kept together. Brown is tied down, Tatum is no worry, then after that, it's really a choice of two players out of three. With Horford's contract (likely) coming off the books at the end of this season, and the NBA's cap structure which allows teams to exceed the cap to retain their own talent, the Celtics should be in a position to extend two of Derrick White, Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, should they so choose. Porzingis, who has played 51 games and has averaged 20.3ppg/7.3rpg/1.9bpg, is under contract for the 2025-26 season at the cool price of $36 million. Holiday is in the final year of his deal, but has expressed an interest to re-sign with the C's, and the same can be said about White, who will be owed a big time payday once he hits the market (currently making $18.8 million - which sounds like a lot, but in the NBA that's like a solid sixth or seventh man money). Holiday is currently in his age 34 season, White in his age 29 season and Porzingis in his age 28 year. The C's are 19-3 (.863) without Porzingis, 4-1 (.800) without Holiday and 3-3 (.500) without White this season. Which two are most important for the Celtics to lock up in an attempt to own the East for years to come?

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Nov 09, 2023 / 05:30AM GMT Caroline Wambugu - Safaricom PLC - Head of Finance, Planning, Analysis and IR Good morning, ladies and gentlemen and welcome to the financial results announcement for Safaricom PLC for the year 2023-2024. On behalf of our Board of Directors, the management team and the Safaricom staff, we thank you very much for joining us in person and virtually for this event. My name is Caroline Wambugu. I serve as the Head of Financial Planning Analysis and Investor Relations here at Safaricom. I will be your moderator for the day. And speaking of technology, Allow me to introduce my co-moderator for this morning's announcement, Zuri. Zuri Thank you, Caroline and good morning to everyone following us online or with us live here at the Michael Joseph Center. I'm glad to be co-moderating this session alongside you today. Before we kick off, as Safaricom smart assistant, it is so exciting to see the AI-inspired (inaudible), especially ahead of this weekend's Rift finals happening in Nakuru. The competition is truly hotting up this season. Back to you, Caroline. (foreign language) Half Year 2024 Safaricom Plc Earnings Press Conference Transcript Already have an account? Log in Get the full story Access to All Earning Calls and Stock Analysis | | 30-Year Financial on one screen | | All-in-one Stock Screener with unlimited filters | | Customizable Stock Dashboard | | Real Time Insider Trading Transactions | | 8,000+ Institutional investors' 13F holdings | | Powerful Excel Add-in and Google sheets Add-on | | All data downloadable | | Quick customer support | | And much more... | 30-Day 100% money back guarantee You are not charged until the trial ends. Subscription fee may be tax deductible. Excellent 4.6 out of 5 Trustpilot

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Clearing Baltimore's shipping channel won't be easy, will take at least weeks Days after a massive container ship slammed into Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing the structure to crash into the narrow waterway, clearing debris from the channel so that maritime traffic can resume is an urgent priority. "It has to be done very quickly," says David Von Schmidt, a naval architect and engineer. "The regional, if not the national economy, cannot afford any longer than that." The likely first step will be making sure that the Dali, the nearly 1,000-foot container ship that smashed into the bridge early Tuesday morning, doesn't do any more damage, according to Captain John Konrad, CEO of gCaptain, a website that tracks the shipping industry. Before removing the ship, "They'll get a salvage company in to secure the ship and make sure hazardous materials ... [don't leak] from the containers, no fires, that sort of thing," Konrad says. The next step is removing "the tangled bridge debris," he says. "Then you got to probably drag the bottom again to make sure you don't have any debris that's going to cause a problem." Von Schmidt says he assumes that the focus will be on "completely clearing the center span so that there's no restriction in navigation, because right now with that debris, it's restricted navigation." That means moving in large floating cranes and sending down divers, he says. But first survey boats will need to "map out a grid of the bottom to find where all the debris is" and make a plan for removal, he says. That means scanning the bottom, Konrad says. "Right now, the [U.S. Army] Corps of Engineers is running a couple sonar boats to get a general idea," he says. "That's going to take time. And once they do that, they're going to have to send divers down with welding, cutting torches, cut sections out, and then they're going to have to bring in a crane barge." Removing debris could be done in stages to speed up the process, Von Schmidt says. "They might open the channel up in phases specific to the displacement of the vessels," he says. So, shallower draft vessels would be allowed to transit before the deeper draft ones that could snag debris on the bottom. How long will all that take? "It's weeks and months to remove the debris and reopen the shipping channel," Benjamin Schafer, a professor of civil and systems engineering at Johns Hopkins University, told member station WYPR. "I'd be shocked if it's weeks, but I don't think it'd take a year." Von Schmidt is a bit more optimistic about a timeframe. "What level of traffic? That remains to be seen," he says. "I think it's very possible that traffic moves in two plus weeks. Possibly, he says, "it'll be wide open for traffic shortly after that." For the latest from member station WYPR in Baltimore head to wypr.org Copyright 2024 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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PureVPN is a virtual private network (VPN) with an accessible interface and an enormous and widely distributed collection of servers, making it a solid choice for new users, travelers, and location spoofers. It delivered impressive speeds in our testing, though we wish its pricing structure were less confusing. PureVPN is an excellent choice for new VPN users, though TunnelBear VPN remains our Editors' Choice winner thanks to its ultra-friendly interface. And Proton VPN is still our top pick overall thanks to its well-rounded feature set and generous free version. How Much Does PureVPN Cost? PureVPN does not offer a free version of its product, though you can get a refund up to 31 days after purchase. If that's an issue for you, consider the numerous excellent free VPN services on the market. ProtonVPN offers the best free subscription we've seen, with no limitations placed on data usage. PureVPN's Standard plan costs $10.95 per month, which is a smidge above the $10.11 per month average across the many other VPNs we've reviewed. That's more affordable than Surfshark VPN, which costs $12.95 per month, but many VPNs are cheaper. For example, Mullvad VPN costs just $5.33 as of this writing. Like most VPNs, PureVPN offers long-term subscriptions at a reduced rate. However, PureVPN goes an uncomfortable step further by raising that discounted rate on the first subscription renewal. For example, you can buy an annual subscription for $44.95, but it will renew a year later for $54.95. It's even more confusing for PureVPN's two-year subscription, which costs $54.95 for two years and then $69.95 for every year after that. This is all spelled out in small type on PureVPN's purchase page. It's not the only VPN we've seen that changes renewal rates, but this is distressingly close to a bait and switch. Be careful which plan you select when signing up. Similar Products Another annoyance is that we couldn't change our plan type after our one-year subscription expired. Since we had previously signed up for a year, we could only renew our subscription for another year. There were no month-to-month or two-year options available, as there are on the main sales page. To refresh this review with a 30-day subscription, we had to create an entirely new account using a different email address. The average annual cost of a VPN we've seen is $57.33, which puts PureVPN close to the median in pricing. However, we caution against starting with a long-term plan. Buy a short subscription so you can try it out in your home and with all the sites and services you use. Knowing that a VPN works for you before committing can save you even more money in the long run. PureVPN accepts payments via credit card, Bitcoin (and other cryptocurrencies), and PayPal. Mullvad VPN and IVPN offer truly anonymous cash payments made directly to their respective HQs. What Do You Get for Your Money With PureVPN? With PureVPN, you can connect up to ten devices simultaneously with a single account. That's double the average and likely covers every device for a household—even a large one. However, an increasing number of VPNs have abandoned such restrictions entirely. Avira Phantom VPN, Surfshark VPN, and Windscribe VPN place no limit on the number of simultaneous connections. Some VPNs route your traffic through the Tor anonymization network, making it much harder for snoops to track you online, but at a hefty performance cost. Other competitors offer multi-hop connections, which guide your web traffic through at least two VPN servers for additional security. While PureVPN provides essential VPN protection, it does not include additional privacy features like these. PureVPN does provide split tunneling, however. This lets you select specific traffic to go through the VPN. That way, you can keep some activities secure and allow more data-hungry but less sensitive functions to get all the access they need. NordVPN and ProtonVPN are notable for being among the very few services that offer multi-hop, split tunneling, and access to Tor. PureVPN tells us this feature is currently in its testing phases for the company. What Add-Ons Does PureVPN Offer? If you're itching to get more from your PureVPN subscription, the company offers add-ons for additional monthly fees. It's a hefty collection of options, almost rivaling TorGuard VPN in its breadth. To its credit, PureVPN provides helpful explanations of each option. Dedicated IPs are unique IP addresses assigned only to you that may be less likely to be blocked than the IP addresses used by PureVPN's core service. PureVPN offers dedicated IPs from Australia, Canada, Germany, Malta, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Singapore for an extra $2.49 per month. This is significantly less expensive than other VPNs, which typically charge around $5 per month. Port Forwarding is a rarely seen and advanced feature that lets you route traffic to a specific network port. PureVPN will enable port forwarding for $1.49 per month. The company also bundles dedicated IPs and port forwarding for $3.49 per month. For $3.99 per month, PureVPN will enable DDoS protection. This prevents attackers from flooding you with bogus traffic. This may be useful for competitive gamers whose opponents may try to knock them offline with a DDoS attack. Lastly, PureVPN offers three distinct add-ons to your package: PurePrivacy (for keeping your identity safe), PureKeep (a password manager), and PureEncrypt (an end-to-end file encryption service). There are various packages available, but if you want to add all three to your VPN subscription, your bill will rise to $20.95 per month; if you prepay for nine years, the price drops to $3.95 per month. Other companies are also expanding their portfolios beyond VPNs. NordVPN offers a password manager and encrypted storage for additional fees, for example, and Hotspot Shield VPN offers free access to several security and privacy services. There is also a business version of PureVPN, priced on a per-seat basis. It's $8.45 per person per month, but pricing may vary depending on the size of the organization and its specific needs. What Protocols Does PureVPN Offer? VPN technology has been around for a long time, and there's more than one way to create an encrypted tunnel. We prefer the open-source options: the stalwart OpenVPN and WireGuard. Both are available to be picked over for any potential vulnerabilities and are included in PureVPN. Servers and Server Locations The more server locations a VPN offers, the more likely you are to find a fast and reliable connection when you travel abroad. Having more server locations also means more choices for spoofing your location. PureVPN currently offers users servers across 139 countries. Its reach is truly impressive and is perhaps its best selling point. It covers North America and Europe as well as any other VPN, but goes much further with six locations in Africa and seven locations in Central and South America. These regions are often completely ignored by the competition. PureVPN even manages to outstrip ExpressVPN, which we often point to as the best VPN for globe-trotters. The list of server locations also includes some with notably repressive internet policies, such as Turkey and Vietnam. PureVPN achieves this global coverage partly through its use of virtual locations. These are servers configured to appear somewhere other than where they are physically located. Of the 139 entries on its server list, PureVPN says that 21 are virtual locations but not where the actual hardware is located. This practice is not necessarily problematic, and it sometimes allows VPN companies to provide coverage to an unsafe area by housing their servers in a safer location. Still, PureVPN should be more transparent about where these servers are located. Virtual servers are software-defined, meaning a single hardware machine can host multiple virtual servers. PureVPN tells us it only uses physical servers. Most of this infrastructure is leased and not owned outright by PureVPN, which is not unusual. In total, PureVPN boasts some 6,500 servers, which rivals CyberGhost's 7,300 servers. Some VPNs, such as ExpressVPN and NordVPN, have moved to diskless or RAM-only servers. These machines do not write data to disk, making them resistant to physical tampering. PureVPN has not taken this step but tells us it has taken steps to secure its infrastructure from attack. Your Privacy With PureVPN PureVPN is clearly trying to be more transparent with its privacy policy than in the past, which we appreciate. The policy says that the company does not share or rent any personal information customers supply. A company representative for PureVPN told us that the company only gathers revenue from subscription sales. The company is also unequivocal that it has no insight into customer browsing activity. This is all excellent. PureVPN is incorporated under the British Virgin Islands and operates under that country's legal jurisdiction. The company says it has team members working in Hong Kong, Karachi, and Toronto. Some VPNs have started commissioning third-party audits to establish their privacy bona fides. TunnelBear VPN, for instance, has committed to releasing the results of annual audits. Admittedly, audits are imperfect tools, but we consider them a valuable demonstration of a company's commitment to protecting its customers. PureVPN says that it has been audited by KPMG, and it has provided us with information on the results and hosts a page for it. A transparency report typically includes the number of information requests a company has received from government agencies and law enforcement. PureVPN's transparency report shows those requests, which we appreciate. Hands On With PureVPN on Windows We had no trouble installing PureVPN on our Intel 12 NUC Enthusiast Kit ('Serpent Canyon') desktop running the latest version of Windows 10. PureVPN can also be installed on macOS, Linux, ChromeOS, and most major streaming devices. PureVPN has an excellent, simple interface. Once you log in, you're greeted with a large Connect button that immediately gets you online with what PureVPN thinks is the best server. We like this straightforwardness, as will new VPN users. We also dig the subtle purple highlights of the app's design. The smart design continues into the server selector. On the right, you see a list of available countries, which you can open to see available cities. Unfortunately, PureVPN won't let you pick specific servers. On the left of the screen, PureVPN shows any dedicated IPs you have available, favorite servers, recently used servers, and the servers the app recommends. We like how clearly the app organizes all the relevant server information onto a single screen. Other companies should look to this design for inspiration. From Settings, you can manually select the VPN protocol you'd like the app to use. By default, it will select what it thinks works best, however. The app also includes a kill switch, which will block all internet traffic should the VPN be accidentally disconnected. You can also configure PureVPN to automatically launch at startup and connect to a specified server. To protect your privacy, your VPN should not leak DNS requests. We tested a PureVPN server using the DNS leak test tool and confirmed that PureVPN successfully changed our public IP address and did not leak our DNS information. This test only validates the server we used in testing. Other servers may not be correctly configured. Speed and Performance Regardless of what VPN you use, your internet speeds are likely to take a hit. This typically means a decrease in upload and download speeds and an increase in latency. To get a sense of those changes, we run a series of tests using the Ookla Speedtest tool while the VPN is connected and when it is not. (Note: Ookla is owned by Ziff Davis, PCMag.com's parent company.) We then find a percent change between the two sets of results. See our story on how we test VPNs for more specifics. Our tests found that PureVPN reduced download and upload speed test results by just 7.61% and 3.51%, respectively. These results were both significantly better than the median results we saw across the products we've tested thus far. PureVPN also had better latency results, increasing latency by just 18.2%. You can see how PureVPN compares with the other VPNs we've tested in the chart below: Bear in mind that VPN speeds are highly variable, so your results will likely differ from ours. Therefore, we discourage using speed as the primary factor when choosing a VPN. Instead, we focus on cost, features, and privacy protections. Because you can use a VPN to hide or spoof your location, many streaming services attempt to block VPN traffic. In our testing, we found that PureVPN could stream content from Netflix without any issues across multiple countries. We tested the library by trying to stream Netflix from the US to the US, to the UK, Australia, Japan, and Canada. Every library was completely open, which will be a big enticement for users around the world. A Purely Worthwhile VPN PureVPN has improved considerably since our last review. We appreciate how much its VPN server network has grown, its faster speeds, and its excellent results in our Netflix streaming tests. In addition, its intuitive new interface makes it easy for anyone to jump in and get started. We wish its pricing structure was a bit clearer and that it had a few more privacy features, but PureVPN is an excellent entry point for those new to VPNs. For more hand-holding, consider Tunnelbear, which is our Editors' Choice winner for newbies and technophobes for its super-simple design and guidance. Our overall Editors' Choice winner is Proton VPN thanks to its across-the-board excellence and its impressively generous free tier of service. PureVPN boasts an outstanding network of VPN servers around the world and excellent speed test results, but don't expect a ton of privacy extras. Like What You're Reading? 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Man pleads guilty to federal charge for 2021 bank robbery A Waite Park man has pleaded guilty to armed robbery of a bank in connection to a 2021 incident in St. Cloud. The U.S. Attorney's Office says 38-year-old Ray Reco McNeary entered the plea Friday and will be sentenced at a later date. Prosecutors say he went into a Wells Fargo in St. Cloud on May 6, 2021, and alleged fraudulent actions involving his bank account. When the manager couldn't find any accounts belonging to McNeary, he demanded $60,000 in cash from the vault. The U.S. Attorney's Office says police responded to a silent panic alarm that the manager activated and learned that McNeary was holding five employees hostage. Before the hostages were released, McNeary held a pair of scissors against the bank manager's neck and back multiple times during the eight-hour standoff. Court documents add that McNeary told the hostages he was going to harm them and he wanted to "go viral," cause a "big show" and be "a martyr." The standoff finally ended at around 10:30 p.m. when the manager ran for the door and law enforcement rushed in and arrested McNeary, officials say. No serious injuries were reported.

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Nov 09, 2023 / 01:00PM GMT Caroline Wambugu - Safaricom PLC - Head of Finance, Planning, Analysis and IR Good morning, good afternoon and good evening from wherever you are joining us from, and welcome to the Safaricom PLC Half year '24 Earnings Investor Call. My name is Caroline Wambugu, I serve as the Head of Investor Relations and Financial Planning Analysis here at Safaricom, and I'll be moderating today's discussions. On today's call, we will have a short update from our CEO, Peter Ndegwa, followed by some remarks on the finance performance overview by our CFO, Dilip Pal who will speak briefly about the results that we announced earlier today. (Operator Instructions) But before we kick off our session, allow me to speak through a few house rules. (Operator Instructions) Now it's my pleasure to welcome our senior, Peter Ndegwa, to share his introductory remarks. Peter, over to you. Peter Waititu Ndegwa - Safaricom PLC - CEO & Executive Director Yes. Thank you, Caroline, and please confirm that you can hear me. Caroline Wambugu - Hal Year 2024 Safaricom Plc Earnings Call Transcript Already have an account? Log in Get the full story Access to All Earning Calls and Stock Analysis | | 30-Year Financial on one screen | | All-in-one Stock Screener with unlimited filters | | Customizable Stock Dashboard | | Real Time Insider Trading Transactions | | 8,000+ Institutional investors' 13F holdings | | Powerful Excel Add-in and Google sheets Add-on | | All data downloadable | | Quick customer support | | And much more... | 30-Day 100% money back guarantee You are not charged until the trial ends. Subscription fee may be tax deductible. Excellent 4.6 out of 5 Trustpilot

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Louis Gossett Jr., first black man to win Best Support Actor Oscar, dies Louis Gossett Jr., the first Black man to win a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role as a gunnery sergeant in An Officer and a Gentleman, has died. He was 87. Copyright 2024 NPR

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St. Cloud police say teen fabricated abduction report A week after St. Cloud Police announced an investigation into a sexual assault and abduction report, the department says some of the information was fabricated. According to police, a 14-year-old girl told officers that she'd been forced into a vehicle by two males and sexually assaulted. After looking into it further, the department said Friday, "investigators determined the original reporter in this incident was not forthcoming with the factual details of this incident," adding that the teen and alleged perpetrators knew each other. Police say they're still looking into the incident to determine if any crime actually occurred. No other information is being released at this time.

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Our Verdict Horizon Forbidden West is utterly gorgeous and builds on the original's intense combat, but a lack of ambition and a flat narrative hold it back as a sequel. It provides more of the first game but bigger, with a few new inclusions struggling against the tidal wave of familiarity. Sequels are a funny business, especially if the original turned out to be a massive success. You're suddenly locked in, and you can't change too much without the risk of alienating your staunchest fans. That's the unenviable position Horizon Forbidden West, an overly safe follow-up to the smash-hit Horizon Zero Dawn, finds itself in. It's not that there isn't anything new in developer Guerilla Games' gorgeous open-world game. The developer has tweaked and refined the formula, mixing things up just enough to keep Aloy's second journey through a robot-infested post-apocalypse from turning stale. Across the board, Forbidden West is bigger than its predecessor, boasting a larger world, a factory-load of fresh robots to face off against, and new combat options like smashing enemies with giant Resonator Blasts from your spear and flashy Valor Surge moves. Even traversal has been improved with the Shieldwing Glider letting you hop off any precipice without fear and the Pullcaster grappling hook opening up different ways to solve puzzles. Combat remains a tense, tactical affair of observing the enemy, placing traps, executing your plan, then – somewhat inevitably – being thrust into a scrappy fight for your life. At least, that's how I play it. You'll explore the Forbidden West and delve into many caves and forgotten treasure troves from the old world, each layered with puzzles and draped with narrative moments that give you insights into what came before. It's a dense game, filled with side quests, hunts to engage in, and even a chess-like minigame for you to while away the hours playing. But it's the Forbidden West itself that's the true star of the show, which sits comfy among the most stunning game worlds seen on PC. With enhanced visual options meaning those with beefy rigs can pump the game beyond anything the PS5 can offer and a huge variety of biomes and intriguing sites both big and small to explore, this world cries out to be explored and soaked up. Just existing in Forbidden West's vision of the post-apocalypse feels right, with the dust dancing around your feet as you watch robots snuffle around in the brush, the sun bursting out of clouds above to be reflected in glinting azure waters. As a port, Nixxes Software has excelled at bringing Horizon Forbidden West to PC. This isn't just a case of slapping the game onto PC and wishing us well; everything has been taken into account to ensure the port absolutely sings even on less powerful machines. My system, which includes an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti and an Intel i5-10600K, squats on the recommended system requirements, yet I was able to crank everything up to high and still enjoy a solid frame rate throughout, with only some cutscenes and a few moments in the Burning Shores expansion causing the occasional jitter. For those looking to tweak their experience, there's a dizzying amount of options to trawl through, both before you launch the game and in-game thanks to an overlaid settings menu that lets you immediately see the impact of your changes. Everything the modern PC player might want is here: ultrawide support, DLSS, FSR, triple monitor support, and more all work seamlessly. Even playing with mouse and keyboard works well, though some menus are admittedly less intuitive to use than when playing with a controller. The only thing missing is ray tracing, but with the world looking this good already it's hard to gripe about its omission. If Horizon Forbidden West existed in a vacuum it would sit among the genre's best, but there are some drawbacks to its sequel status that leave a slightly sour taste. The overwhelming one through my adventures is the nagging feeling that I've seen all this before. While there are new robots and fresh mechanics, it never feels like more than a Horizon Zero Dawn retread. There's a new big bad to take on and a swathe of characters to meet, but the narrative and the structure of it all start to feel mechanical the second time around. The start of the game is especially familiar, going from a mostly on-rails section to a slightly open world before you're eventually let loose on the Forbidden West itself. The game's narrative in particular suffers from being the middle child in the Horizon saga. It follows up on some threads from the previous game and lays the groundwork for the next, but the villain isn't particularly notable and some of the reveals fall surprisingly flat. It's a shame given how well the original game maintained interest through a skillful drip-feed of engaging lore and twists. That said, the character writing is typically strong. I'm especially a fan of how Aloy's experiences in the first game inform her personality in the sequel. She's a harsher main character, more tired of dealing with superstitions about the past, and still suffering the trauma of her war against Hades. That combined with some of the inter-tribal conflicts you encounter as you explore these new lands does add color and shade to Aloy's journey. Unfortunately a pervading sense of sameness also applies to the experience of playing Horizon Forbidden West. Most of your time is spent doing largely the same tasks as in Horizon Zero Dawn. Climbing tallnecks to uncover more of the gargantuan map, fighting many of the same robots, dealing with bandit camps, collecting sticks to craft arrows, and so on. I've been there and seen it all. If it didn't feel so good to play, it'd be verging on Horizon Zero Yawn. Horizon Forbidden West never threatens to break the mold. It provides more of the first game but bigger, with a few new inclusions struggling against the tidal wave of familiarity. This prescriptive devotion to following the first game's path makes Aloy's latest stumble more than expected, especially when you factor in the weaker narrative. It's a polished, iterative sequel with robust mechanics and one of the most stunning videogame worlds yet seen, but it's hard to kick the feeling that it could have been so much more.

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Current WBC world champion, WBA interim champion and first female undisputed super middleweight world champion Franchón Crews-Dezurn has confirmed that she will appear at the Seventh Annual Box Fan Expo on Saturday May 4, 2024 at the Las Vegas Convention Center from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Expo will also coincide with the mega fight between Canelo Alvarez vs Jaime Munguia, that will take place later that evening at the T-Mobile Arena. Franchón will hold a Meet & Greet with her fans at her booth during the fan event held over the Cinco De Mayo weekend. The Box Fan Expo is an annual fan event that coincides with some of the sports' legendary, classic fights in Las Vegas, including Mayweather vs. Maidana II, Mayweather vs. Berto, Canelo vs. Chavez Jr., Canelo vs. GGG II, Canelo vs. Jacobs and Canelo vs. GGG III. Centered in boxing's longtime home – Las Vegas – this year's Expo is a must-do for fight fans coming in for this legendary weekend, with dozens of professional fighters, promoters, and companies involved in the boxing industry. The Expo is the largest and only Boxing Fan Expo held in the United States. Franchón will make her third appearance at this years' Expo and will be signing gloves, photos, personal items and memorabilia. Franchón will also have merchandise to sell for fans to enjoy. Boxing fans will also have an opportunity to take pictures with this boxing star also known as the "The Heavy Hitting Diva". Follow Franchón Crews-Dezurn @thehhdiva Franchón joins Roy Jones Jr., Erik Morales, Shawn Porter, Fernando Vargas, Juan Manuel Marquez, Michael Spinks, Claressa Shields and Marco Antonio Barrera as an early commitment to this year's Box Fan Expo, with more Boxing stars to be announced. About Franchón Crews-Dezurn Historic sports figure Franchón Crews-Dezurn, is a former contestant on American Idol, 12-year member of Team USA, 15X National Champion, 5X Pan Am Gold medalist, 2X Olympic alternate and 2X world medalist. Franchón is the first US woman to qualify for the Pan American Games and one of three US women to compete in the event. The Heavy Hitting Diva is a current world champion and the first female undisputed super middleweight champion, winning the WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO and Ring Magazine championship belts. Outside the ring, Franchón is a fashion designer that has designed clothing and boxing apparel that was featured on HBO, Showtime, DAZN and ESPN, dressing pro contender Glenn Dezurn Jr, fellow world champions Claressa Shields, Marlen Esparza and Issac Dogboe. This year, Franchón debuted "Secret Place Fashion Experience" in New York during NYFW 2024 to rave reviews. Franchón has achieved all of these great accomplishments while having her debut single "Secret Place" charting in the Top 10 on dance charts in the United Kingdom (UK). Renaissance Woman Franchón is a professional singer, songwriter, public speaker, designer and college graduate. Truly an extraordinary woman in the world of sports and entertainment. She advocates for better health, women's empowerment, equality pay in sport and entrepreneurship. Tickets to the Box Fan Expo are available at Eventbrite.

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Plenty of people wonder why it is that Good Friday is called Good Friday. Have you ever thought about this, as the son of God was murdered on that day? Good Friday occurs on the Friday before Easter. Labeling and even celebrating such an atrocity as something good could be seen as conflicting, or even sick, to those who simply don't understand. The truth is, embedded in the word "good" is both savage wickedness and indescribable love. The wickedness of man, in an essence, is devoured by the unyielding love of Jesus Christ and of God — one for the other and both for humanity. In his complete act of obedience, Jesus willingly surrendered his life to God as commanded by Him. He did so to lay the path then, but also reveal the path forward for mankind to find true salvation. In his selfless act of utter surrender — amid all of the trauma, pain and resignation — Jesus revealed the way. It doesn't come easily or rid us of our human frailties. That's the hurdle we humans must willingly and actively overcome to find salvation. God wants us to put him first, above everything else, including our worst demons. The premeditated murder delivered by the Pharisees unto Jesus Christ was actually a predestined sacrifice, transforming death into life through absolute belief and willing surrender. In the Youtube video titled "Why I Call It Good Friday," the creator, Igniter Media, describes the significance of Good Friday as the one day God made that affects all of eternity. Jesus being tasked with willingly dying to find eternal life is symbolic as much as it is a historical event. It demonstrates the path that we must all follow, Christian and otherwise, to find eternal life. "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." — John 14:6 NIV. In other words, mimic what I did, and you will have salvation, which doesn't mean literally hang yourself on a cross to your death. It means, allow your fallible, fearful, ego-driven, flesh-laden self to die and be reborn in Him. Then keep Him first in all that you do. Jesus endured a horrific death by man's standards. But the reason he did so was deliberate and good. American Reformed theologian and ordained pastor R.C. Sproul explains why we don't call Good Friday 'bad' Friday this way, "We don't call it 'bad' Friday because what God wrought in that action was the greatest good in the history of the world." It's hard to explain Good Friday any better than that. Truth and Accuracy We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.

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Tuesday's bridge collapse in Baltimore wasn't the first time a bridge crumbled after being struck by a ship or boat. The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed into the Patapsco River early Tuesday morning when cargo ship Dali slammed into it after experiencing power issues. Two people are confirmed dead and four are presumed dead. The 1.6-mile bridge served as a major roadway for some 35,000 Marylanders every day and overlooked the Port of Baltimore, an important auto hub for the supply chain. The Biden administration has approved $60 million for emergency work in response to the collapse. Here's a look at other disasters caused by boats hitting bridges. Big Bayou Canot: 47 killed, 103 injured Towboat Mauvilla was pushing barges in dense fog on Sept. 22, 1993, when it slammed into the Big Bayou Canot railroad bridge near Mobile, Alabama. Within minutes of the bridge being displaced, an Amtrak train traveling from Los Angeles to Miami hit the bridge and derailed. Several train cars plummeted into the water, killing 47 people and injuring 103. Sunshine Skyway Bridge: 35 killed The bridge, which spanned Lower Tampa Bay in Florida, collapsed on May 9, 1980, when freight ship Summit Venture hit a support column during a sudden storm. Vehicles, including a Greyhound bus with 26 people, plunged into the water, killing 35 people. Interstate 40 Bridge: 14 killed, 11 injured Towboat Robert Y. Love was transporting barges on the Arkansas River in Oklahoma on May 26, 2002, when it lost control of the tow, sending barges crashing into the pier of the bridge. A section of the bridge collapsed into the river, sending vehicles and tractor-trailers into the water. Fourteen people died and 11 were injured; survivors received help from nearby fishermen participating in a competition. Sidney Lanier Bridge: 10 killed, 11 injured Within 15 minutes of leaving the Brunswick, Georgia, docks, on Nov. 7, 1972, the African Neptune slammed into the bridge, causing it to collapse. Ten people died in the disaster, and 11 were hurt. Polish freighter Ziemia Bialostocka hit the same bridge in 1987, resulting in no deaths but causing $1.4 million in damage. Queen Isabella Causeway: 8 killed, 3 injured A tow boat with four barges collided with the Texas bridge that connected South Padre Island to Port Isabel on Sept. 15, 2001. Drivers coming from South Padre Island couldn't see the missing spans until after they reached the peak of the bridge, giving them little time to react. Ten cars drove off the bridge, killing eight people and injuring three. Lake Pontchartrain Causeway: 6 killed The Louisiana bridge crumbled into Lake Pontchartrain on June 16, 1964, when a tugboat hit it. A Continental Trailways bus fell into the lake, killing six passengers. John P. Grace Memorial Bridge: 5 killed Nicaragua Victory was anchored in the Cooper River in Charleston, South Carolina, when it drifted during a storm and slammed into the bridge on Feb. 24, 1946. Part of the bridge crumbled into the river. One vehicle, carrying a family of five, fell into the river, killing them. Judge William Seeber Bridge: 1 killed, 2 injured Tugboat Chris crashed into a support pier of the New Orleans bridge on May 28, 1993. The bridge fell into the waterway below, bringing with it two vehicles. One person died and two others were seriously injured. Eads Bridge: 50 injured Anne Holley was towing barges when it hit the Eads Bridge in St. Louis on April 4, 1998. Eight barges broke away and three hit a permanently moored gambling vessel below the bridge, injuring 50 people.

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This book explores the legacy of Pete Rose and sports gambling AILSA CHANG, HOST: LA Dodgers superstar pitcher Shohei Ohtani is adamant that he did not bet on baseball. And the mystery behind his ties to sports gambling is a sore spot before opening day tomorrow. But long before the inquiry into Ohtani's ties to betting, there was Pete Rose. The Cincinnati Red was a consistent hitter with a brash personality. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) PETE ROSE: I had a style, the way I played. And most if not all fans would love my style. You know what my style was - playing hard, sliding head first, diving for this, diving for that. CHANG: In 1989, Rose was banished from baseball for life after an investigation found that he bet on the sport as a player and a manager. A new book titled "Charlie Hustle: The Rise And Fall Of Pete Rose" chronicles one of the most polarizing figures in sports. Its author, Keith O'Brien, interviewed Rose for the book in hopes of getting one of baseball's former greats to reckon with his dark past. O'Brien shared some of the tape with us when we spoke to him and drew a line from Pete Rose to today. KEITH O'BRIEN: Pete Rose was, in the second half of the 20th century, one of our most iconic athletes. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) ROSE: No one played like me. O'BRIEN: He was baseball's all-time hit leader. He still is now, 40 years later. No one is anywhere close to breaking that hit record. It will probably stand forever. And in the time in which Pete Rose played, between 1963 and 1989, he was not just a successful athlete, he was a beloved athlete. Fans loved Pete Rose not because of the hits or the World Series victories or the MVPs or anything like that. His whole persona was about hustling, and he became Charlie Hustle. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) ROSE: No one that I ever played against was Charlie Hustle except me. You understand what I'm saying? O'BRIEN: Pete Rose stood out. He would sprint down to first base on a walk. He would barrel into second base, trying to break up a double play as if he was a linebacker, not a base runner. Today, I don't even know where we would put him or how we would think about him if he was playing, because nobody knew what to do with him even back then. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) ROSE: As long as I'm baseball's all-time hit king, people will talk about me. And no one's ever going to beat that record. O'BRIEN: At the start of every baseball season, Pete Rose had the same goals. He wanted to bat 300, he wanted to have 200 hits and he wanted to score 100 runs. Those were his goals. And the miraculous thing is, by and large, he attained those goals and soon found himself, by the late 1970s, in striking distance of one of Major League Baseball's most hallowed records, you know, baseball's all-time hit record, 4,191 hits. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) MARTY BRENNAMAN: Kicks and he fires. Rose swings. JOE NUXHALL: There it is. There it is. Get out. Get out. All right. BRENNAMAN: And there it is, hit number 4,192. A line drive single into left-center field, a clean base hit. And it is pandemonium here at Riverfront Stadium. O'BRIEN: In February 1989, problems for Pete Rose start to come to a head. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) ROSE: Thirty, 40 years ago, gambling used to be a no-no. O'BRIEN: Sports Illustrated has received a tip that Pete Rose is betting on baseball and he's betting on the Cincinnati Reds, things that are in violation of Major League Baseball rules. The rumor of Sports Illustrated's investigation begins to drift across town to the offices of Major League Baseball and decide that they need to call Pete Rose to New York for a meeting to discuss the rumors of his gambling on baseball. And in this meeting, my reporting shows that if Pete was honest, the entire narrative that comes next, the next 35 years, the time we're still living in now, is different. But Pete can't be honest. And when they ask him if it's true, he lies. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) A BARTLETT GIAMATTI: By choosing not to come to a hearing before me, and by choosing not to proffer any testimony or evidence contrary to the evidence and information contained in the report of the special counsel to the commissioner, Mr. Rose has accepted baseball's ultimate sanction, which is lifetime ineligibility. O'BRIEN: They hire a former Justice Department prosecutor and in a matter of weeks unravel years and years of lies about Pete's gambling. They have his phone records. They have his bank records. They have depositions with men who placed his bets on baseball and bookies who accepted those bets. They have everything on Pete Rose, and still Pete can't be honest about what happened. Pete was indignant from the start about his banishment from baseball. He expressed no humility. He expressed very little sorrow. Between 1989 and 2004, he repeatedly said that baseball had got it wrong, that he hadn't bet on baseball and he hadn't bet on the Reds. In 2004, this narrative begins to change. Pete has received a ton of criticism in the past 35 years for not being honest in 1989, but I think it is complicated when you look at it through the prism of history. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) ROSE: Baseball is in bed with gamblers today. Everybody wants a piece of the pie with the gambling, and most all of them are getting paid by the gambling sites. And I'm not saying that's a bad thing. It's about time they understood that. O'BRIEN: Our culture has changed. You know, in 1989, gambling was something that happened strictly in the underworld. It was verboten in every state but the state of Nevada. If you wanted to place a bet on sports, you had to do it with a bookie. And that meant you had to know people who were bookies. That was simply not a life that most people lived. These days, in 38 states and Washington, D.C., sports gambling is legal. In many of those places, we can place bets on our phone. We can do it at the stadium. And we are doing it, gambling, at a record pace. And while all of this is happening, illegal gambling is also still happening. And for years the men who pursued Pete Rose in 1989 have been saying it's dangerous. We're going to find ourselves, they said, in another scandalous gambling situation. And there's a lot we still don't know about the allegations surrounding star Dodger player Shohei Ohtani and his interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara. There is a ton that we don't know, but what's clear even now is that with the shady outlines of this story as it exists, this is already the biggest gambling scandal that baseball has faced since 1989. It is already the biggest gambling problem that baseball has faced since Pete Rose. And that's not to equate Shohei Ohtani to Pete Rose. They are different stories. But the fact that we ended up here is not surprising at all. CHANG: Keith O'Brien, author of "Charlie Hustle: The Rise And Fall Of Pete Rose." (SOUNDBITE OF JONATHAN KREISBERG'S "CANTO DE OSSANHA") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR's programming is the audio record.

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As cranes arrive at Baltimore bridge collapse site, governor describes daunting task of cleaning up BALTIMORE (AP) — A crane that can lift 1,000 tons, described as one of the largest on the Eastern Seaboard, appeared near the site of a collapsed highway bridge in Baltimore as crews prepared Friday to begin clearing wreckage that has stymied the search for four workers missing and presumed dead and blocked ships from entering or leaving the city's vital port. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore called the Francis Scott Key Bridge's collapse following a freighter collision an "economic catastrophe" and described the challenges ahead for recovering the workers' bodies and clearing tons of debris to reopen the Port of Baltimore. "What we're talking about today is not just about Maryland's economy; this is about the nation's economy," Moore said at a news conference, the massive crane standing in the background. "The port handles more cars and more farm equipment than any other port in this country." Moore went to the scene Friday and said he saw shipping containers ripped apart "like papier-mache." The broken pieces of the bridge weigh as much as 4,000 tons, Moore said, and teams will need to cut into the steel trusses before they can be lifted from the Patapsco River. Equipment on hand will include seven floating cranes, 10 tugboats, nine barges, eight salvage vessels and five Coast Guard boats, Moore said. Much of it is coming from the Navy. "To go out there and see it up close, you realize just how daunting a task this is. You realize how difficult the work is ahead of us," Moore said. "With a salvage operation this complex — and frankly with a salvation operation this unprecedented — you need to plan for every single moment." Water conditions have prevented divers from entering the river, Moore said. When conditions change, they will resume efforts to recover the construction workers, who were repairing potholes on the bridge when it fell early Tuesday. "We have to bring a sense of closure to these families," Moore said. The Coast Guard is focused on removing what's left of the bridge and the container ship that struck it in order to clear the port's shipping lanes, Rear Adm. Shannon Gilreath said. Teams of engineers from the Army Corps of Engineers, the Navy and the Coast Guard — along with some private-sector experts — are assessing how to "break that bridge up into the right-sized pieces that we can lift," Gilreath said. Maryland's Department of Transportation is already focused on building a new bridge and is "considering innovative design, engineering and building methods so that we can quickly deliver this project," Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld said. Adam Ortiz, the Environmental Protection Agency's mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator, said there is no indication of active releases from the ship, nor of the presence in the water of materials hazardous to human health. Col. Roland L. Butler Jr., superintendent of the Maryland State Police, said the Federal Aviation Administration has been asked to establish a tactical flight restriction area that would begin 3 nautical miles in every direction from the center span of the bridge and extend upward to 1,500 feet. Butler advised people to keep drones away from the area and said law enforcement is poised to act on any violations of that airspace. The victims of the bridge collapse were from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, officials said. At least eight people initially went into the water when the ship struck the bridge column, and two of them were rescued. Divers have recovered the bodies of two men from a pickup truck in the river, but the nature and placement of the debris has complicated efforts to find the other four workers. "The divers can put their hands on that faceplate, and they can't even see their hands," said Donald Gibbons, an instructor with Eastern Atlantic States Carpenters Technical Centers. "So we say zero visibility. It's very similar to locking yourself in a dark closet on a dark night and really not being able to see anything." Baltimoreans made morning stops at vantage points to watch for the cranes. Ronald Hawkins, 71, who could see the bridge from his home, recalled watching its construction in 1972. It opened in 1977. Now, with sadness, he stopped by an overlook in search of closure. "I'm going to come up here every day, because I want to see the bridge coming up out of the water," Hawkins said. "It's a hurtin' thing." President Joe Biden's administration has approved $60 million in immediate aid, and Biden has said the federal government will pay the full cost of rebuilding the bridge, which carried Interstate 695. Ship traffic at the Port of Baltimore remains suspended, but the Maryland Port Administration said in a statement Friday that trucks were still being processed at marine terminals. Federal and state officials have said the collision and collapse early Tuesday appeared to be an accident that came after the ship lost power. Investigators are still trying to determine why. The crash caused the bridge to break and fall into the water within seconds. Authorities had just enough time to stop vehicle traffic but were unable to alert the construction crew. The cargo ship Dali, which is managed by Synergy Marine Group, had been headed from Baltimore to Sri Lanka. It is owned by Grace Ocean Private Ltd. and was chartered by Danish shipping giant Maersk. The loss of a road that carried 30,000 vehicles a day and the port disruption will affect not only thousands of dockworkers and commuters, but also U.S. consumers, who are likely to feel the impact of shipping delays. Scott Cowan, president of the International Longshoremen's Association Local 333, said the union was scrambling to help its roughly 2,400 members whose jobs are at risk of drying up. "If there's no ships, there's no work," he said. "We're doing everything we can." ___ Associated Press writers Sarah Brumfield in Washington, Kristin M. Hall in Nashville, Tennessee, Adrian Sainz in Memphis, Tennessee, and Lisa Baumann in Bellingham, Washington, contributed to this report.

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Politics Virginia lawmakers more to raise age of marriage to 18 VPM | By Jahd Khalil Published March 29, 2024 at 1:33 PM PDT Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Virginia lawmakers are moving to raise the age of marriage there to 18, something most states still have not done, which activists say has led to abuses. Copyright 2024 VPM

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Outpost: Infinity Siege seems like it should be a good time. The newly launched game combines Destiny 2 and Armored Core 6 style sci-fi action with base building and tower defense in a manner that looks, from a distance at least, like it should be pretty enjoyable. It seems like players agree that the game's premise is enticing, as Outpost has attracted a strong enough user base to trend on Steam, but, unfortunately, a lot of those same players have been leaving fairly disappointed reviews after checking it out. Outpost: Infinity Siege is part FPS game, part tower defense, and shows off well on its store page and in videos. With shades of Armored Core in its mech designs and Sanctum in its strategy layer, it's managed to reach an all time peak player count of 13,480 since its launch earlier this week and has 8,039 concurrent players at the time of writing. Despite the healthy audience it's attracted, though, Outpost hasn't managed to review all that well. SteamDB currently tracks the game as 43.51% positive and its Steam status, based on 4,179 reviews, is Mixed. As we reported yesterday, Outpost: Infinity Siege has been wracked by bugs severe enough that creator Team Ranger was even advising users with certain hardware configurations to underclock their CPUs to avoid problems. Still, the studio issued performance patches on Wednesday and yesterday, which shows that it's taking complaints aimed at the game's technical performance seriously.

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Toronto's undefeated World Boxing Association (WBA) Intercontinental Light Heavyweight Champion Kareem "Supreme" Hackett (12-0, 6 KOs) will make his first title defense March 30th against Rowdy Legend Montgomery (10-5-1, 7 KOs) in a 10-pound match on a Golden Boy Promotions card headlined by the WBA Cruiserweight World title fight between defending champion Arsen Goulimarian and Hackett's stablemate, former world super middleweight champion Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez. All the action will be streamed live on DAZN from YouTube Theater in Los Angeles. WBA No. 13 world-rated Hackett captured his crown last September 20th in Plant City, Florida, when he dominated 4-1 favorite and previously undefeated Clay Waterman (11-0, 8 KOs) en route to a 10-round unanimous decision, in which he won all 10 rounds on two of the judges'' scorecards and nine on the other judge's. "I would have liked to fight sooner but that's the way this business goes," Hackett said. "It's harder to get fights after winning my title than it was. A lot of good has happened since my last fight. I understand. I have a title and I'm world ranked. I have a clearer path towards a world title shot. I appreciate any opportunity to get in the ring. "I'm getting more respect since I displayed my skills on ProBox.TV. (Announcers) Juan Manual Marguez, Paulie Malignaggi and Chris Algieri gave me a lot of props and that's been very validating." Hackett has gained invaluable experience sparring world champions such as "Zurdo" Ramirez, Dmitry Bivol, Peter "Kid Chocolate" Quillin, Sergio Mora, Mathew Macklin and David Benavidez. Hackett has already established firsts by a Toronto boxer in terms of fighting on a Golden Boy Promotions card and becoming WBA Inter-Continental Light Heavyweight title holder. "I'm a trailblazer for Toronto boxing," promotional free agent Hackett explained with great pride. "I want to bring the first world title home, for sure, and one day the undisputed and unified titles, too, Toronto is a big city with a lot of natural talent, but I don't know why boxing hasn't thrived there." Hackett is trained by fast-rising Julian Chua at Brickhouse Boxing Club in North Hollywood (CA) and managed by 3 Point Management (3 PM). "(Dmitry) Bivol is at the head of the light heavyweight division, and I know he's a strong guy," Hackett noted. "We've changed some things since my last fight with the end in mind. We've tripled down, strength-wise, for when we run into him. That's the main change. I feel that I'm the most agile fighter in our division and I'm working on getting stronger to match my skills and ring IQ." In 2024, Hackett wants to add hardware and fight a top-10 ranked opponent but, at least for now, he's happy to be in his fight with Montgomery in his second home, Los Angeles. "I love that this fight is in LA," Hackett concluded. "I'm comfortable in Los Angeles. I feel at home here and fighting in other places in California. I'm also excited to be fighting on a card headlined by one of my closest friends in boxing (Zurdo)."

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WASHINGTON — The Biden administration acknowledged that its aggressive push to decarbonize trucking will be costly — but that the federal government will be here to help. "The overarching challenge is aligning the market-driven desire from fleets to adopt zero-emission freight vehicles with the resources required to make it successful, and right now, they cost more," said Gabe Klein, executive director of the U.S. Joint Office of Energy and Transportation. Speaking to NPR before the release on Friday of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's new phase-three truck emissions rule, Klein said that "cost parity" has yet to be reached that would make electric trucks as affordable. A new Class 8 diesel truck costs roughly $180,000 compared with up to $400,000 for a battery-electric truck, according to estimates. "That's why the federal government is providing subsidies, to bring it down closer to cost parity," he said. "I will also say the charging infrastructure is of course a limiting factor. So we need to make sure everybody has access, not just the big fleets and companies." EPA's "Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Heavy-Duty Vehicles – Phase 3" final rule, which applies to model years 2027 through 2032, avoids 1 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions — equivalent to the emissions from more than 13 million tanker trucks' worth of gasoline, according to the agency. EPA also estimated $13 billion in annualized public health benefits. "In finalizing these emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles like trucks and buses, EPA is significantly cutting pollution from the hardest working vehicles on the road," commented EPA Administrator Michael Regan. "Building on our recently finalized rule for light- and medium-duty vehicles, EPA's strong and durable vehicle standards respond to the urgency of the climate crisis by making deep cuts in emissions from the transportation sector." Timelines loosened According to the rule's preamble, the new standards for heavy-duty trucks include less stringent standards for all vehicle categories in model years (MY) 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030 than had been originally proposed last year. In addition, while emissions standards for sleeper cabs in the final rule begin in MY2030 as proposed, they are less stringent for that year and for MY2031. However, they are equivalent in stringency to what EPA had proposed for MY2032, the preamble notes. While placating environmental groups, much of the trucking firmly opposes the rule despite adjustments made to the final rule. "The post-2030 targets remain entirely unachievable given the current state of zero-emission technology, the lack of charging infrastructure and restrictions on the power grid," commented American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear. He stressed that while the final rule includes lower zero-emission vehicle rates for the initial model years, rates in the later years will drive battery-electric and hydrogen investment and limit other potential zero-emission options. "While we are disappointed with today's rule, we will continue to work with EPA to address its shortcomings and advance emission-reduction targets and timelines that are both realistic and durable," Spear said. Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association President Todd Spencer called the new rules "unworkable" requirements. "This administration appears more focused on placating extreme environmental activists who have never been inside a truck than the small business truckers who ensure that Americans have food in their grocery stores and clothes on their backs," Spencer said. Daimler throws in support But not all companies involved in heavy-duty trucking opposed the rule, particularly companies that have been investing heavily in zero-emission technologies, like vehicle manufacturer Daimler Truck North America (DTNA). The company had lobbied EPA for less aggressive timelines when the rule was proposed. "We thank the agency for addressing industry concern about the challenges of the early years of the rule and we remain committed to upholding the spirit of this regulation," commented DTNA vice president Sean Waters. "Ultimately, the successful transition of the commercial vehicle industry is dependent on the availability of reliable zero-emission charging and refueling infrastructure and the ability to conduct business at a reasonable cost of ownership," he added. Charging availability and cost was questioned by much of the trucking industry, which commissioned a recent study estimating the cost to install charging infrastructure at $1 trillion. Incentives needed The Biden administration's Klein pushed back on cost concerns, however, pointing to incentives provided at the federal level. "We've already invested $253 million through the Department of Transportation — that's charging and fueling infrastructure grants — just recently," he said. "But there's also a great deal of private sector funding. And really the goal here is to supplement the private sector, not to supplant their funding." Related articles: - Biden administration rolls out power grid plan for electric trucks - Can EPA's electric truck proposal survive political scrutiny? - Trucking industry worried after EPA issues final rule on NOx emissions

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Minnesota's first ME/CFS doctor on a mission to expand care to 'everybody who has the disease' Dr. Ruby Tam was literally one of a kind in Minnesota when she started treating patients suffering from myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, or ME/CFS. It's a debilitating disease associated with profound exhaustion, and it's recently become intertwined with long COVID. Tam's journey began with one of her family medicine patients in 2015. She couldn't figure out what was causing their persistent fatigue, which was debilitating enough to keep them out of work. Tam said her patient ultimately had to seek that answer across the country. When they returned with an ME/CFS diagnosis, Tam's world was changed. Remembering back to her inability to diagnose that first patient, she said, "I thought to myself for a moment, 'Oh, my goodness, I did not learn that in medical school. Maybe I'm missing something.'" After a bit of digging around, Tam said it turns out ME/CFS is not taught in many medical schools. "So no doctors knew what it was," she said. "And apparently, it has been going on for decades, and a lot of the patients were undiagnosed and were just told that it is in their head." Following the discovery, Tam decided to teach herself and treat her patient at home in Minnesota. "So we kind of learned the disease together," she said, adding, "And then the word spread really quickly." Soon after, she started taking appointments from ME/CFS patients driving in from neighboring states and beyond. "All over," Tam said. "Just to make the drive to come up and see me, and I was very shocked." As interest grew, she retired from her family medicine job and started her own clinic, ME/CFS Clinic Minnesota, where she diagnoses and treats patients for free. The free part is key, Tam said. "Most patients are not able to work. They even try to apply for disability and unfortunately, a lot of insurance and disability companies do not believe them," she explained. Jeffrey Beyerl is one of Tam's patients. 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS interviewed him over Zoom to conserve his energy, but even that wouldn't have been possible not too long ago. "The last I worked was 2016 and then, after that, I progressively got worse until I was at a point where I was struggling to chew food," Beyerl said. "If you push yourself a little bit, it'll compound negatively until it gets to a point where, I mean, it was difficult to think that life was worth living at that point," he continued. "It was just constant pain, an inability to do anything and an inability to feel emotions. It can get very dark." Beyerl said things started looking up in the last year, ever since Tam started using an osteopathic massage therapy called the Perrin Technique "to help patients drain the inflammation from the body," according to Tam. "So he was one of my pioneer patients that got on it," she added. "And now, [he's] getting very good." "She's a resource that is so precious, you just can't quantify it," Beyerl said, expressing thanks for Tam. Now years into her journey, Tam said she's still just one of three doctors in the state who know how to properly treat ME/CFS. As her waiting list grows, she said she's been bending the ears of her patients and any doctors and physical therapists who will listen about what she's learned. "I believe there is a place for all of us in this world to make the world better than when we first came," Tam said. "And I feel like if I already have experience doing that, I owe everybody who has the disease a responsibility to get the care they need to them, either myself or educate their local providers and practitioners to help get them better." In September, Dr. Tam is hosting a seminar in the Twin Cities alongside the doctor who invented the Perrin Technique.

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What's the hottest biotech stock on the market right now? If we limit the list only to those with market caps of at least $500 million, it's Viking Therapeutics (NASDAQ: VKTX). So far in 2024, Viking's shares have skyrocketed over 270% (and were up even higher at points). Is it too late for investors to jump aboard the Viking bandwagon? I don't think so. Here are five things you need to know if you buy Viking Therapeutics stock today. 1. Its obesity drug could be a blockbuster Viking's impressive year-to-date stock performance is due to excitement about the prospects of its experimental drug VK2735. In February, the company reported overwhelmingly positive top-line results from the phase 2 Venture clinical trial evaluating the dual GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist in patients with obesity. Patients receiving VK2735 experienced up to 13.1% placebo-adjusted mean weight loss after 13 weeks of treatment. This level of weight loss was achieved faster than Novo Nordisk's Ozempic and Wegovy in their clinical trials. Viking CEO Brian Lian said that the data suggested that additional weight loss might be achieved with a longer treatment period. If approved, VK2735 would almost certainly become a blockbuster. William Blair analyst Andy Hsieh projects the drug could reach peak annual sales of around $14.4 billion in the U.S. with another $7.2 billion in sales in Europe. 2. Viking has another potentially huge winner in its pipeline Unlike many clinical-stage biotechs, Viking isn't a one-trick pony. The company has another potentially huge winner in its pipeline in addition to VK2735. Viking is evaluating VK2809 in a phase 2b study for treating nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which is also known as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). Last year, the biotech reported encouraging interim results from the study, showing that VK2809 achieved statistically significant reduction in liver fat. NASH presents a huge potential market. It's a top cause of liver-related deaths and a major financial burden on healthcare systems across the world. Only one therapy has been approved in the U.S. for treating it: Madrigal Pharmaceuticals' Rezdiffra won approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) earlier this month. 3. The biotech has an under-the-radar program too Viking isn't a two-trick pony, either. The biotech's VK0214 has largely flown under the radar, overshadowed by VK2735 and VK2809. Like VK2809, VK0214 is a thyroid receptor-beta agonist. Viking is currently evaluating the experimental drug in a phase 1b clinical study targeting the rare genetic disorder X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD). 4. Cash shouldn't be an issue anytime soon Clinical-stage biotechs must closely watch their cash burn. Some could be forced to raise cash through public stock offerings at inopportune times. The good news for Viking is that cash shouldn't be an issue for a while. Viking ended 2023 with a cash position totaling $362 million. The company also took advantage of the recent surge in its share price to conduct a public offering that generated gross proceeds of around $632.5 million. 5. Viking should be a top acquisition target Several big drugmakers have their eyes on the obesity and NASH markets. However, some of them don't have strong programs in either indication. Viking, therefore, should be a top acquisition target. There's no guarantee that Viking will be acquired. However, I suspect the company will find itself in the crosshairs of one or more large biopharmaceutical companies within the next year or two. Should you invest $1,000 in Viking Therapeutics right now? Before you buy stock in Viking Therapeutics, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Viking Therapeutics wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. *Stock Advisor returns as of March 25, 2024

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New images shed light on the supermassive blackhole at the center of the Milky Way NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with astronomer Sara Issaoun about the latest image of the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy. Copyright 2024 NPR NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with astronomer Sara Issaoun about the latest image of the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy. Copyright 2024 NPR

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A new clinical trial which offers men with high risk prostate cancer radiotherapy treatment in a quarter of the time has begun at the Royal Surrey County Hospital in Guildford. Currently, patients with prostate cancer are treated with radiotherapy over a minimum of 20 treatments for at least four weeks. A large clinical trial, called PACE-B, showed that five treatments of advanced stereotactic radiotherapy could safely be used as an alternative and would run over a week and a half for patients with low and intermediate risk disease. The next phase of the PACE trials, led by Professor Nicolas van As, Medical Director and Consultant Clinical Oncologist at The Royal Marsden and Professor in Precision Prostate Radiotherapy at The Institute of Cancer Research, is to look at whether the five fraction treatment is also effective for men with high risk disease. Michael Robson, 78, is the first patient to be part of the trial in Royal Surrey. He was diagnosed in December 2023. "I feel very privileged to be the first patient. The service has been first class from everybody concerned," Michael said. Dr Philip Turner, Consultant Clinical Oncologist and principal investigator for the trial, said: "We are delighted to be opening the PACE NODES trial in Royal Surrey. This is part of our drive to give Surrey patients access to the very best oncology clinical trials. "The benefits with regard to timing are enormous. The rates of side effects are low. Crucially, the five fraction treatment appears just as safe as conventional 20 fraction treatments which we have been using for years very safely." Louise Stead, the Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust Chief Executive said: "We are thrilled to be involved in this new clinical trial. If successful, this could make a huge difference to patients receiving treatment for prostate cancer."

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With the 95,000-ton cargo ship Dali powerless and hurtling helplessly toward the Francis Scott Key Bridge, the harbor pilot commanding the vessel had just minutes to make his last, desperate attempts to avoid disaster. He declared distress, dropped anchor and, notably, called for help from nearby tugboats. Two 5,000-horsepower tugs, which only minutes earlier had helped guide the ship out of its berth at the Port of Baltimore and peeled off, quickly turned back and raced toward the Dali. But it was too late. The massive ship stacked with cargo slammed into the bridge in the predawn darkness Tuesday, toppling the span and killing six construction workers. Whether those tugs could have averted the disaster with the Dali already out of control is debatable. But maritime experts interviewed by The Associated Press say they could have made a difference if the tugs had stuck by the ship longer, escorting it on its 18-minute trip through the port's deep-water channel, in a position to see it drifting off course and potentially nudge or tow it back in line. Such extended tugboat escorts aren't required or even customary in Baltimore or at many other U.S. ports, mostly because of the costs they would add for shippers. But with the increasing size of cargo ships and the threat they pose to bridges and other critical infrastructure, some are questioning whether they should be. "I'm a big fan of tug escorts," said Joseph Ahlstrom, a member of the Board of Commissioners of Pilots of the State of New York, which regulates the state's harbor pilots. "If applied early enough and effectively, yes, a tug escort could prevent a collision with the bridge or with another ship, or going aground." "Going to sea is danger," added Ahlstrom, who also teaches at the State University of New York's Maritime College. "But if you're going to go to sea, if you're going to put yourself at risk, do whatever it takes to minimize risk." Maritime experts told the AP that the Baltimore disaster highlights how each individual port makes its own tugboat rules, resulting in a patchwork across the nation, and how competition among ports for business from cost-conscious shipping companies has trumped calls for extended tugboat escorts that can add tens of thousands of dollars to every transit. Baltimore's port, operated by the state of Maryland, ordinarily uses tugboats to help maneuver big ships out of their docks and doesn't require extended tugboat escorts into the port's channel and broader Chesapeake Bay unless ordered by local harbor pilots or the U.S. Coast Guard over safety concerns tied to weather, traffic, cargo or mechanical issues. Shippers can also request tugs. In the case of the Dali, two state harbor pilots boarded the Singaporean-flagged ship to take over navigation through the port as the vessel set out on a trip to Sri Lanka. Two tugboats, the Eric McAllister and the Bridget McAllister, guided the massive vessel out of the tight spaces of the dock and then released when the ship was safely in the channel. But within minutes, according to satellite data that tracks vessel traffic, the 984-foot (300-meter) Dali began to drift out of its lane and veered more sharply before slamming into one of the main pillars of the bridge, which is a critical conduit for Baltimore truckers and commuters. The National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating the crash, said a review of the ship's voyage data recorder showed the pilot's 1:26 a.m. call for help from nearby tugs came about four minutes before impact. "One of the things that was hard for me to believe is that they didn't require tugs on the vessel as it was traversing towards the bridge," said David Heindel, president of the Seafarers International Union, which represents U.S. merchant mariners. "Some ports require tugs, depending on the vessel, usually tankers. You see where tugs have to escort ships in and out of port, especially narrow ports," Heindel said. "In the end, I think that that may be exactly what happens in the Port of Baltimore." The Maryland Port Administration did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A U.S. Coast Guard spokesman said the service doesn't direct tug operations in the port and the Dali's departure "is the typical outbound scenario for these types of cargo ships." The Dali is owned by Grace Ocean Private Ltd. and managed by the Singapore-based Synergy Marine Group. Synergy spokesman Darrell Wilson said the pilots guide the company's ships in and out and that he didn't know how tugs are coordinated. The Eric McAllister and Bridget McAllister are muscular machines. Called tractor tugs, they don't just nudge ships. The Eric McAllister, the bigger of the two, is 98 feet (30 meters) long and equipped with a thick steel cable and winch that, when attached to even a large cargo ship, can potentially pull it away from trouble. The 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster in Alaska's Prince William Sound spurred Congress and a few states to require tug escorts for oil tankers. But those limited requirements were aimed at protecting wildlife from spills, not safeguarding critical infrastructure such as bridges. Jennifer Carpenter, president of the American Waterways Operators, a trade group that represents tugboat and barge companies, said that given the Dali tragedy, she expects regulators to look closely at whether more stringent tugboat escort requirements are needed. But she said tugboats are just one part of a complex safety matrix that also includes concrete fenders for bridges and emergency response systems. The supply of tugboats is limited and using them more frequently entails risks, she said, primarily pollution and increased sea traffic. "The last thing we want to do is have two tugs escorting every vessel," Carpenter said. "That would have massive implications for the efficiency and safety of our waterways, which are already pretty crowded." Some ports have tried to boost vessel escort requirements. But they often face resistance from shippers, who are under pressure from customers to move goods as cheaply as possible. In 2004, California's Legislature passed a bill requiring tug escorts for chemical tanker ships in San Francisco Bay, but it was vetoed by then-Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger amid protests by the shipping industry over cost concerns. "Tugs are a big upfront cost and a lot of companies don't want to pay for that," said Sal Mercogliano, who writes a widely followed shipping blog. "And if Baltimore starts mandating it, you're going to see ships go to Norfolk, Philadelphia, New York — wherever is cheapest." McAllister Towing, which operates the tugboats that guided the Dali, can charge $15,000 or more for one or more of its ships to lead a large cargo vessel out of its berth, according to a recent rate sheet, with more charges for extended escorts. That may be small change for a big shipping company but the costs can add up. John Konrad, a licensed captain, said there's an "unspoken tension" between shipping companies and pilots over how many tugboats should be used and how long they remain with a seagoing vessel. "The pilots would like, in an ideal world, to have extra tugs with them all the time until the ship gets out to the ocean," said Konrad, founder and CEO of gCaptain, a website for maritime professionals. "But the shipping companies don't want to pay for those tugs," he said. "So there's always this push and pull." Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com

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LOVELAND — The Ranch Events Complex will host a ribbon-cutting event on Tuesday to celebrate the grand opening of the 41,000-square-foot 4-H, Youth and Community Arena at the complex owned by Larimer County. The ceremony will celebrate the opening of the new arena and the completion of the first phase of the Ranch Master Plan. County commissioners, Ranch staff, Larimer County 4-H partners, and other key project partners will attend the event from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the new arena, northeast of the MAC Equipment Inc. Indoor Arena at 5400 Arena Circle. Among those scheduled to attend are county commissioners John Kefalas, Kristin Stephens and Jody Shadduck-McNally; Assistant County Manager Laurie Kadrich; Kathay Rennels, special advisor for rural-urban initiatives at Colorado State University; James Pritchett, CSU's vice president for engagement and extension; and Kerri Rollins, Front Range Regional Extension director. SPONSORED CONTENT Platte River Power Authority, the community-owned wholesale electricity provider for Northern Colorado, has a history of bold initiatives. The new facility, for which construction began in August 2022, includes a 125-by-200-foot indoor arena with bleachers and storage, classrooms with livestock wash areas and educational facilities, plus supporting event infrastructure such as offices, restrooms and lobby areas. It will provide a home for The Ranch's 4-H partners, youth groups and community members to host livestock events, practices and educational opportunities year-round, and will be available to the community at an accessible rate. Larimer County created a community-driven master plan for the expansion and renovation of The Ranch Events Complex in 2017. The same year, voters approved an extension of the 0.15% sales and use tax to expand and enhance The Ranch facilities based on the master plan. Phase 1 of the master plan also included: - Relocation of Arena Circle and roadway improvements complex-wide, including new ingress and egress points. - Expansion of the MAC Indoor Arena. - Increased vehicle and trailer parking. - Improvements to maintenance and storage facilities. - Development of a new campground with RV hookups for events. The next phase of the master plan is scheduled to kick off this fall with the start of construction on an expanded event lawn at the heart of the campus. In the event of inclement weather on Tuesday, the ribbon cutting will be held inside the new arena.

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Star Citizen, the perpetually upcoming space sim, is getting a new patch very soon. In light of just how many updates have come out over the years, this may not seem very exciting on its surface, but, considering what's going to be included in the Alpha 3.23 patch when it launches, this looks like one to actually look out for. In short: Star Citizen is finally about to get some of the features and revisions we've been wanting most. The space game's Alpha 3.23 patch has been detailed in a new video from the Star Citizen dev team. In it, Cloud Imperium designers give us a tour of the work that's been done on the game's heads up display, specifically its lens and visor systems that inform how the player sees their surroundings (and important information about character status and mission objectives) through either a contact lens or helmet visor. The team also digs into the current state of Star Citizen's loot features, which, like the lens and visor revision, have cleaned up how the player's inventory is handled when grabbing in game items, and streamlines the ways these items are equipped and stored. Last, Cloud Imperium gets into Star Citizen's shopping systems, explaining how it's revamped buying items through an AR overlay that fits better with its new lens and visor features. These all seem like solid improvements to the flow and visuals of the game, which makes us excited to see what's planned for the next update.

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Supply chain solutions provider Blue Yonder announced Friday it has signed an agreement to acquire One Network Enterprises and its AI platforms that provide end-to-end supply chain visibility, planning tools, order fulfillment and payment solutions to manage supplier and carrier resources. The deal comes in at approximately $839 million and is contingent on the fulfillment of standard requirements including regulatory approval. Blue Yonder expects it to close in Q2 or Q3 this year. "Blue Yonder offers the most complete portfolio in the industry, spanning from planning to execution. Coupled with our network and multi-enterprise, multi-tier platform, we're poised to form a backbone of this new supply chain of the future," said Greg Brady, chairman and founder of One Network. According to One Network, the company hosts over 150,000 trading partners within its technology ecosystem. Blue Yonder customers will now be able to share data with these partners and utilize them to avoid potential disruptions and risk to their own supply chains. Additionally, Blue Yonder said it should improve the supplier and carrier relationship, reducing order creation to fulfillment process from days to minutes, and decreasing costs for end consumers. "Supply chains have become more complex, and as more and more companies reduce risk by diversifying sourcing of products globally, there is an increased demand for the sharing of information and resources across the whole value chain. This, along with increased disruptions and geopolitical risks, has put pressure on organizations to build more resilient and robust supply chains. … Combined with One Network's capabilities, Blue Yonder will establish itself as a leading supply chain solutions company that can offer a unified, end-to-end supply chain ecosystem," said Duncan Angove, CEO of Blue Yonder. In 2021, Panasonic acquired Blue Yonder, marking a strategic shift toward integrating operational efficiency software with its renowned hardware offerings. This move aimed to establish a comprehensive one-stop solution for end consumers, blending Panasonic's hardware expertise with Blue Yonder's operational software capabilities. Over the past five quarters, Blue Yonder has focused its attention on the supply chain technology space, acquiring factory planning solution Flexis AG and reverse logistics technology Doddle. While those transactions did not disclose costs, Blue Yonder did confirm that with these three deals, it has invested more than $1 billion in supply chain acquisitions.

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Price of eggs, chocolate on the rise this Easter season This year, you might have a little sticker shock buying groceries for your Easter celebrations. Two holiday favorites have really increased in price: eggs and chocolate. The average price of a dozen eggs is $3, about double from three years ago. Bird flu, chicken feed prices and inflation all play a role in the increase. Cocoa prices have tripled over the last year thanks to bean disease in West Africa. Sugar prices are also up some 7%.

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Woking were left to rue missed chances as they fell to a 1-0 defeat at home to Eastleigh in the National League. Solomon Nwabuokei's 28th-minute goal was enough for the Spitfires to claim all three points in front of a crowd of 3,285 at the Laithwaite Community Stadium and boost their survival hopes. The match got off to an even start, with Eastleigh creating the first clear chance of the game in the 12th minute when Paul McCallum's shot hit the side netting. Woking responded with their first clear chance of the game. Kevin Berkoe ran down the left wing and his ball fell to Curtis Edwards, who hit a rasping shot which was well tipped over the crossbar by Eastleigh keeper Joe McDonnell. The Cardinals then enjoyed a spell of sustained pressure, with Alan Judge pulling the strings. Judge linked up well with Berkoe on the left before hitting a fierce effort that forced a good save from McDonnell at his near post. Judge went close again soon afterwards with a curling effort that was well parried away by the Eastleigh keeper. The visitors then took the lead against the run of play. Chris Maguire's superb inswinging corner alluded Woking keeper Will Jaaskelainen and was smashed home from close range by the unmarked Nwabuokei at the far post. The Cardinals nearly equalised on 45 minutes when Judge's superb cross found the advancing Dan Moss at the back post, but his thumping header hit the top of the crossbar and went over. The second half started evenly, but the visitors nearly doubled their advantage on the hour-mark when Maguire spotted Jaaskelainen off his line and his audacious 40-yard effort went just over the bar. Woking responded well and nearly equalised on 66 minutes when Scott Cuthbert's cross found the unmarked Moss at the back post, but he put his header wide. Berkoe then got clear down the left in the 73rd minute and his cross picked out Edwards, but Edwards hit his effort straight at McDonnell. The Cardinals continued to push for an equaliser and upped the pressure, but the Spitfires held on to claim the three points. Next up for Woking is a trip to high-flying Bromley in the National League on Easter Monday (3pm).

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PHOENIX — Left-hander Jordan Montgomery and the Arizona Diamondbacks finalized their $25 million, one-year deal on Friday. Montgomery pitched for Texas against Arizona in the World Series last year, and his addition bulks up the defending National League champions' rotation. He should slide into the No. 3 or No. 4 spot once he's ready for game action, joining Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly and Eduardo Rodríguez, who signed an $80 million, four-year contract with the Diamondbacks earlier in the offseason. The contract includes a vesting option for 2025. If Montgomery makes at least 10 starts this season, the option would become guaranteed at $20 million and the left-hander also would gain the right to opt out. The option price would escalate to $22.5 million if he makes 18 starts and to $25 million if he makes 23 starts — a figure he has reached in three straight seasons. The sides agreed to the deal on Tuesday, pending a physical. Because Montgomery was not in the organization on opening day, the Diamondbacks cannot make a qualifying offer to him as a free agent and would not be eligible to get an additional pick in the 2025 amateur draft if he leaves Arizona at the end of the season and signs with another team. Montgomery also previously pitched for the New York Yankees and the St. Louis Cardinals. He was traded to Texas at last year's trade deadline.

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The Texas Chainsaw Massacre videogame seemed, initially, like it might not be able to attract much of an audience. Launching last summer, it followed in the bloody footprints of similar horror multiplayer games, like Dead By Daylight, Friday the 13th: The Game, Predator: Hunting Grounds, and Evil Dead: The Game. Thanks to solid design choices and regular updates, though, TCM has managed to survive, and, with the launch of its new update and a free weekend, it's currently drawing in a lot of new players on Steam. The online horror game's latest update is now live, and adds new material to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, such as a fresh, free map called The Mill and a DLC character named Virginia, based on (and voiced by) horror movie icon Barbara Crampton. This new update, along with an ongoing free weekend, has helped boost TCM's player count on Steam. At its lowest count yesterday morning, the game had only 324 concurrent players, but, at the time of writing, TCM has managed to hit its 24 hour peak of 3,187 players. With so many active players, it seems like a good time to check out the game, especially with TCM being free to play on Steam from now until Monday April 1. If you decide to buy the game, anyone who hasn't purchased it already can pick up TCM at a 50% discount ($19.86 USD / £16.70) for its 'free weekend bundle' that includes DLC character Nancy. The Virginia DLC, which is live now, goes for $9.99 USD / £8.50. Grab a copy of the game right here.

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Prioritizing driver experience in dock scheduling tools Investment in dock scheduling software has recently gained significant traction, with market projections indicating an annual growth rate of 11.34% until 2029, culminating in a $10.2 billion market. In a recent interview with FreightWaves, dock scheduling and yard management software provider C3 Solutions spoke on this burgeoning market. The company highlighted a greater potential return on these technology investments — particularly through integration of AI — if you consider the end-user experience. Chief Revenue Officer Greg Braun stressed that being driver-centric is important for building these products. "If a shipper is setting up what we call a strategic capacity plan, you're going to be maximizing the throughput of your facility, avoiding drivers waiting for no reason," he said. "That plan has a major impact on carriers. If a driver has to wait, they are wasting hours and it's not efficient for the shipper. The shipper is going to end up paying for wait time, and the frustrated driver is not going to want to deliver at your facility, which will affect shipper costs over time." He stressed that drivers are the end users interacting with tools that affect a company's reputation in the supply chain. Carriers will make more money by turning drivers around quicker and minimizing dead time spent waiting. Braun explained that drivers are finding ways to share dock and yard feedback through review sites, and not having up-to-date technology is giving companies poor reputations among their fellow local delivery points. "If you make these investments, drivers will want to deliver at your location, which means shipments and deliveries are not going to cost you as much. Drivers will be more open to take your desired rate if they know they won't waste time servicing you," he said. To ensure the driver experience is up to par, Braun pointed to a well-designed user interface and the ability of drivers to provide feedback as two ways to secure that better experience. "We have user experience guys that all they do is think about improving our hybrid screens and finding constant feedback from drivers who use our systems," he said. "These guys are constantly A/B testing, meaning if we change this then what will the reaction be from drivers? We have a vision of how we want them to use these tools, but we compare that to how they are actually using it in real time." C3 Solutions also thinks AI innovation will improve driver experience. A recent blog post by the company discusses these dock problems and how the next generation of AI could revolutionize in-house efficiencies including predictive scheduling, connectivity to driver availability, automated communication and optimized real-time schedules. Gather AI raises $17M, led by Bain Capital Inventory management solutions provider Gather AI announced Wednesday it has closed on a $17 million Series A-1 round led by Bain Capital. Participation in the round included Tribeca Venture Partners, Dundee Venture Capital, Expa and Bling Capital. The company has raised $34 million since being founded in 2017. "Gather AI's cutting-edge computer vision and workflow software, purpose-built for inventory monitoring, has seen significant commercial adoption and rapid growth separating them from the field of other venture-backed startups. … We are excited to welcome Gather AI to our portfolio of companies such as Kiva, ShipBob, FourKites, and Vention that are leveraging AI and software in the physical world," said Bain Capital partner Ajay Agarwal in the release. Using AI, computer vision and autonomous drones, the company provides real-time inventory visibility for clients. Gather AI drones fly through warehouses, scan operations and report back to warehouse management systems what is available in the warehouse. According to the company, this leads to a 66% reduction in inventory database errors. The company currently works with companies including Geodis, NFI Industries, Barrett Distribution and DPI Specialty Foods. With its latest raise, Gather AI is looking to expand its sales and operations teams to reach new customers. "We're already seeing the positive impact of Gather AI on customers spanning third-party logistics, retail, food and beverage, and manufacturing," said Sankalp Arora, co-founder and CEO of Gather AI. "AI-powered cameras will transform supply-chain traceability to have a similar impact that barcodes did in the 1980s, and our technology is at the forefront of this transformation." Brief Bytes Bestpass, the toll management solutions provider, named Shay Demmons chief product officer and Scott Chao chief marketing officer on Monday. CEO Tom Fogarty emphasized their extensive industry experience. Chao brings expertise in company growth, having served at Appspace. Demmons, with over 25 years in product development, joins from GPS Insight. Visibility solutions provider Overhaul introduced CompliTrack, a deviceless tracking solution for over-the-road logistics, on Wednesday. Integrated with ELD providers, the solution offers shipment tracking while enhancing compliance and security without embedded Internet-of-Things devices. Leveraging carrier ELD data, it enables instant insights, advanced alerts and detailed reporting tools to avoid fraud. Customers can also integrate with LE Connect for enhanced security measures. Mobile robotics technology provider Geekplus, in partnership with consultancy Hy-Tek Intralogistics, on Wednesday completed the installation of a Shelf-to-Person solution for a rural lifestyle retailer, streamlining e-commerce operations by 45%, according to the companies. This type of solution uses mobile robots to move inventory shelving and pallets to pick stations, limiting the number of steps a picker needs to take. Hy-Tek is actively showcasing Geekplus robots at its Innovation Lab, with plans for further collaborations.

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Schultz set to challenge Stauber again in 8th District Former DFL Rep. Jennifer Schultz of Duluth says she's better prepared to take on Republican 8th District incumbent Congressman Pete Stauber than she was in 2022. She'll need a strong team to overcome her 14-point loss to Stauber in 2022, 57% to 43%. The 8th District was reliably Democrat for many decades, including for three decades when Congressman Jim Oberstar held the seat. Since he left office in 2011, the seat changed party hands a few times. It's been represented by Stauber since he won the 2018 election. "It's been a strong DFL district for 70 of the last 77 years, and so in 2018 when it was an open seat, that's when my opponent won, and he's been in office for five years and it can swing back," she said in an interview recorded for "At Issue with Tom Hauser." She says Stauber is out of step with the people of the district. "People thought that my opponent was going to be a moderate and take votes that reflected the people of the district, and that's not happening," You can see the entire interview with Schultz on "At Issue" Sunday morning at 10. Stauber will be a guest on the show next week.

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GREELEY — A medical property built to house the PAM Health Rehabilitation Hospital in Greeley has been sold to a company that invests in medical properties in 23 states. Medproperties Greeley LLC, a division of Dallas-based MedProperties Realty Advisors LLC, purchased the 51,500-square-foot hospital on March 15 for $36.29 million. The building sits on 5.324 acres at 6810 W. 10th St. in Greeley. The hospital opened in January this year. The 42-bed rehab hospital was owned by 6810 Greeley Stolley LLC, a division of Catalyst Healthcare Real Estate of Pensacola, Florida. Catalyst builds medical properties for organizations such as PAM Health, an Enola, Pennsylvania, company. PAM is an acronym for post-acute medical. SPONSORED CONTENT If you have a caregiver or know someone who has been serving as a primary caregiver, March 3rd is the day to reach out and show them how much they are valued! MedProperties is a private equity firm focused on investing in health care real estate, according to its website. It has 4 million square feet of property under its umbrella valued at $1.2 billion. It operates in 23 states. A call to MedProperties was not returned prior to publication deadline. A rehab hospital building in west Greeley has been sold to a real estate investment firm. THIS ARTICLE IS FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Continue reading for less than $3 per week! Get a month of award-winning local business news, trends and insights Access award-winning content today!

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SunChips has unveiled a new flavor inspired by the upcoming solar eclipse — but there's a major catch. The new limited edition chips will only be available for 4 minutes and 27 seconds starting at approximately 1:33 p.m. CT on April 8, during the solar eclipse's duration of totality. That's when the moon will pass between the sun and earth to completely block the face of the sun. The exclusive chip flavor is called the Solar Eclipse Limited-Edition Pineapple Habanero and Black Bean Spicy Gouda. SunChips said the mashup of flavors pays homage to both the sun and the moon — with pineapple habanero representing the sun's color and fiery nature, and a cheese flavor as a nod to the moon. Fans can enter to win the chips plus an exclusive eclipse swag kit online during the short window of time. "SunChips draws inspiration from the sun so there's no better moment to spotlight this snack than during the extraordinary solar eclipse," Rhasheda Boyd, vice president of marketing at parent company Frito-Lay, said in a press release. "With this exclusive flavor drop, fans who enter for a chance to win their own bag during the moment of totality will have the opportunity to continue celebrating the eclipse even after the rare event is over." The limited edition chips are being released in collaboration with astronaut and researcher Kellie Gerardi, who herself has visited space. "Total solar eclipses are rare and special events, and I hope people can take a moment out of their busy lives to pause and enjoy the incredible sight. That's why I'm so excited that SunChips is commemorating this rare celestial event by offering fans a chance to get in on the fun with their exclusive Solar Eclipse flavors," Gerardi said in a press release. With proper eye protection, most Americans will get to view a partial solar eclipse on April 8. That's when the moon blocks some of the sun's light, but not all. Many major Northeastern U.S. cities will be able to witness over 80% of the sun's light being blocked by the moon. But a total eclipse is far more spectacular. For those in the path of totality, the sky will become twilight-dark for a short period of time. In a global sense, total eclipses aren't too rare. There will be one in 2026 and another in 2027 and 2028. But for one to happen in any one spot in the world is very rare. The next one visible from anywhere in the continental U.S. won't be until 2044. Those wanting to commemorate the occasion with SunChips' exclusive flavor can do so here. Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com

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Gov. Evers vetoes $3 billion Republican tax cut, wolf hunting plan, DEI loyalty ban MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin's Democratic Gov. Tony Evers vetoed 41 bills passed by the Republican-led Legislature on Friday — rejecting a $3 billion Republican tax cut, political loyalty pledges for higher education employees, and a plan setting how many wolves can be hunted each year. Evers signed a bipartisan bill to provide $400,000 supporting Holocaust education in Wisconsin schools. A 2021 law requires teaching about the Holocaust in grades 5 through 12 statewide. The money approved by Evers will go to the Nathan and Esther Pelz Holocaust Education Resource Center to support that education. He also signed a bipartisan bill designed to increase the number of mental health crisis centers across the state. During more than five years as governor with a Republican-controlled Legislature, Evers has vetoed more bills than any governor in Wisconsin history. Evers vetoed a bill that would have prohibited the Universities of Wisconsin and other higher education institutions from conditioning employment and admission decisions on diversity statements. Right now, UW doesn't have any such spoken loyalty pledges in higher education, making the bill unnecessary, Evers said. Republicans passed the measure as part of their effort both in Wisconsin and across the country to restrict diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives on university campuses. Evers also vetoed a bill that would have allowed school boards to hire superintendents who don't have a license from the state education department. Evers, who previously worked as a principal and school district superintendent, said he objected to not having standards for the position in charge of school operations. Republican backers pitched it as a way to help deal with turnover in superintendent positions across the state. The bill, opposed by groups representing school officials including superintendents, would have created the same exemption from the superintendent license requirement in place only at Milwaukee Public Schools, the state's largest district. Another bill signed by Evers would allow people to be charged fees to redact recorded audio and video content provided under open records requests. Media organizations and open records advocates opposed the bill. It passed with bipartisan support and was backed by law enforcement agencies. Evers had vowed to veto the GOP tax cut bill, one of several tax cut measures passed by Republicans this session that the governor rejected. The scuttled tax plan would have dropped the state income tax from 5.3% to 4.4% for individual income between $27,630 and $304,170, and for married couples between $18,420 and $405,550. The bill would also have excluded the first $150,000 of a couple's retirement income from taxes, which would apply to people over 67. The measure would have reduced tax collections by $3.2 billion over two years, which the governor called "fiscally irresponsible" in his veto message. He said the state would've been unable to meet its basic obligations like funding schools and prisons. Evers noted how earlier this month he did sign a more limited, bipartisan tax cut that will expand the state's child care tax credit. The wolf bill Evers vetoed would have required state wildlife managers to set a firm numeric goal for the state's wolf population. Republicans passed the measure after the state Department of Natural Resources did not set a hard cap on the state's wolf population in its new management plan. State wildlife officials told lawmakers that a lack of a hard limit gives the DNR more flexibility to manage the species, allows local wolf packs to fluctuate and gives the population a better chance at maintaining wolf abundance for years to come. Hunting advocates support setting a population limit, saying the lack of a goal leaves both wolves and people unprotected. Evers, in his veto message, said setting a numeric goal does not consider the social, scientific, biological and legal complexities of a recovered wolf population. He also said he objected to the Legislature micromanaging the DNR.

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O little town of Baltimore I lived in Baltimore City for 12 years so it's impossible for me to not have a lot of mixed thoughts about the town. It has a vibrant financial community and I loved the local running groups. It's also the only place where I was ever punched in the head on my way home from work. I toured the container and ro-ro terminals and the coal export terminals at Baltimore on separate occasions. What was memorable to me is that the Lamborghinis and luxury European imports are not considered the "expensive cargo" — that would be the helicopters, tanks and construction equipment that come off the ro-ro vessels. I still can't believe that the Francis Scott Key Bridge is no more. To get and stay caught up, there are plenty of FreightWaves articles here. SONAR data shows that a lot of cheap furniture comes through the Port of Baltimore. (Chart: SONAR) Here are a few stats about Baltimore from the SONAR data product, according to Zach Strickland, SONAR head of freight market intelligence: - Some 31,000 people per day crossed the Francis Scott Key Bridge — that's not huge for trucking traffic but will be a bigger deal for maritime and subsequently drayage due to reduced port activity. - The Port of Baltimore handles about a fourth of the volume of Savannah, Georgia, according to the SONAR IOTI (inbound ocean bookings at point of origin) and ICSTM (maritime import shipments clearing U.S. customs) data sets. - The port is roughly the 12th-largest by volume of twenty-foot equivalent units in the U.S. over the past year (2.4% of TEUs in the SONAR Container Atlas app). - Baltimore is the 24th-largest outbound trucking market in the U.S., as the metro areas are segmented in SONAR (1.24% Outbound Tender Market Share). - Thirty-six percent of the tender volume stays in Maryland; 22% goes to Pennsylvania and 15% to Virginia, to round out the top three. I.e., Most of the freight is regional. Fast fashion supply chain becomes profit center On next week's The Stockout show, which airs Monday at 10 a.m. Eastern time, Grace Sharkey and I plan to talk about Shein, the polarizing fast fashion company. Depending on one's perspective, it's a hero for bringing affordable accessories to the masses or an environmental demon for bringing tremendous material and packaging waste into style. Setting that debate aside, Shein is clearly a supply chain innovator that creatively addresses the unpredictable nature of fashion industry trends. That includes this week's news that the company is launching a "supply chain as a service," which will make its supply chain infrastructure and technology available to outside brands and designers. The idea is to enable other brands to test new designs in small batches via Shein's on-demand manufacturing model, which includes using real-time data to adjust production schedules. Unusual for clothing, Shein uses airfreight as a way to provide fast delivery to offset the typical slowness that would result from an on-demand and low-inventory manufacturing model. If and when Shein releases a public prospectus, ripping it apart will make for great fodder for Grace and me to discuss. Unilever cuts tail to move head (Image: FWTV) On Monday's episode of The Stockout, FreightWaves' show that focuses on CPG and retail logistics, I went through a few topics including last week's announcements that Unilever plans to divest its ice cream business and cut 7,500 jobs. In some ways, the layoff announcement was the bigger news since Unilever telegraphed the ice cream divestiture when it restructured its financials in 2022. It's also a strategy that is consistent with other publicly traded CPG companies, such as Nestle with its "cut the tail to move the head" strategy. Other topics discussed on Monday's show include General Mills' cost inflation, record cocoa prices and a SONAR breakdown of the high-traffic Chicago-to-Atlanta lane. In addition, Baudendistel highlights why international intermodal volume is outperforming domestic intermodal volume and why that matters for investors, carriers and shippers. Are unhealthy foods being unfairly targeted? I found this article from Just Food to be timely in light of the intense investor and corporate focus on shifting resources in favor of food segments perceived to be healthy. To subscribe to The Stockout, FreightWaves' CPG and retail newsletter, click here.

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Scripps News truly appreciate the thousands of calls we get to our toll-free Viewer Hotline. And this week, your feedback to us ran the gamut. Jeffrey from Montana said, "I'm calling because I'm going to ask Scripps News and its employees to quit referring to Donald Trump as President Donald Trump because he is no longer president. He is a former president, maybe even an ex-president, but he's not the president…That's a critical error that you're making and lying to the American public." This is a concern we've heard before and we addressed it a few months ago in a previous Viewer Spotlight segment. Our policy here at Scripps News is clear: When referring to former presidents, like Donald Trump or Barack Obama, we use the title of "former president" on first reference, to show respect to the office they once held. For subsequent mentions, our anchors and reporters have the leeway to just use their last name, but in the fast-paced environment of live news, we do sometimes make mistakes. The goal is to always correct our error in as close to real time as possible, and your feedback is critical in holding us accountable. Your feedback also informs what you see each and every day. Anne from South Carolina said, "I'm calling regarding the new show 'Main & Wall.' I just wanted to say that it's a good show and I watch it, but I would like to see more stories about from Wall Street. I'd like to know what's going on that day in the stock market, what's going on with bonds, and just all the things that go on on Wall Street." Launched in January, "Main & Wall" — which airs weekdays at 4 p.m. ET — aims to present you with an understanding of the day's news through an economic lens. We present stories that live at the intersection of Main Street and Wall Street, if you will, and impact the finances of everyday Americans. Your feedback helps us deliver information in ways that matter to you, so keep it coming. Socrates said, "This is truly incredible that you can actually talk to a news station and voice your opinion or what you have to say…Because after all, isn't it all about the people?" We happen to agree! Here at Scripps News, your voice matters, and we make decisions every day based on what we hear. We know you have a lot to say, so tell us what you think about our coverage — good or bad — anytime on our toll-free Scripps News Viewer Hotline. We may even play your call live on air! Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com

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Minnesota Wild talk about final stretch of season With 10 games remaining in the regular season, the Minnesota Wild host the Vegas Golden Knights Saturday, and have little room for error. The Wild held practice Friday morning at Xcel Energy Center after beating San Jose 3-1 Thursday night. ***Click the video box above to hear full comments from John Hynes from Friday morning*** Matt Boldy broke a tie 18 seconds into the third period in the win. Joel Eriksson Ek also scored, Ryan Hartman added an empty-net goal and Kirill Kaprizov had two assists. Filip Gustavsson made 26 saves and assisted on Hartman's goal to help Minnesota improve to 7-1-3 in its last 11 games. Having not played in five days, Minnesota is nine points back of Vegas for the final wild-card berth in the Western Conference and three points behind St. Louis. Mikael Granlund scored and Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 29 shots for the Sharks. Puck drop against Vegas on Saturday is set for 2:30 p.m. Xcel Energy Center.

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All thawed out The market for food is one of the U.S.'s largest industries, with revenue amounting to over $1 trillion. But errors in the supply chain create an alarming amount of food waste. According to ReFed, "last year, 88.7 million tons of food went unsold or uneaten in the United States – roughly 38% of the country's total food supply. The vast majority of this – nearly 78 million tons of food – became food waste, meaning it failed to make it back into the human food supply chain." According to Food Engineering Magazine, "Consumers are blamed for wasting as much as 37% of the food in the American supply chain." Given that there is already significant food scarcity in the country, having so much lost or unavailable for consumption isn't the best feeling. Not only does food waste prevention lower greenhouse gas emissions, but it also helps feed people who otherwise could go hungry. A McKinsey & Co. report, "Reducing food loss: What grocery retailers and manufacturers can do", cited an example of loss just among 100 tomatoes. "Field-grown tomatoes were tracked from farm to the retailer. Starting with 100 tomatoes ready for harvest, only 73 to 81 survive the harvest operation. Next, one or two tomatoes are lost on their way to handling and grading. After handling and grading, 67 to 77 tomatoes survive and go on to processing and packaging. Finally, only 59 to 72 tomatoes make it to the retailer. At this point some tomatoes will not be sold — either due to visual appearance or quickly approaching sell-by dates." That 30%-40% again pops up as waste throughout the supply chain. Whether it's improper reefer temperatures, storage, poor inventory management, the causes of losses here and there are endless. What solutions can resolve that very clear and present issue? Let's get into it. McKinsey's research found four areas to curb losses, which could help reduce upstream loss by 50% to 70%: Minimize production and processing loss, minimize transit loss, sell more of what is produced and processed, and structurally prevent loss. The study presented solutions to problems big and small. - Strong visibility tools so shippers know exactly what temperature products are at, as well as what produce can be mixed together and what cannot. For example, putting bananas and avocados on the same truck is a bad idea because each can cause the other to ripen a lot faster. - Inventory management in the warehouse. Knowing where goods are, what status they're in and what goods are being stored around them matters. Strong inventory management can help prevent spoiling of produce that needs to get out at a certain time. That means adjusting from the first-in, first-out policy to what absolutely needs to go to avoid spoilage. - Diverting goods. If a grocer has high expectations for deliveries and over half the produce will not meet the grocer's quality requirements (for example, ugly produce), the unattractive but still edible food can be diverted to food shelters or other organizations so it can be donated to those in need. Most importantly, though, there needs to be a conversation around reframing what food loss is and what it means. Since there is a fair amount of food loss at the farm level, there has to be buy-in from all in the organization to make reduction of waste a priority. Food loss needs to be seen as a result of inefficiencies and missed opportunities across production, procurement, R&D, the supply chain and sales. Therefore, reducing food loss should be seen as a potential value — an opportunity to improve both the top and bottom lines. No one wants to bank on 30%-40% of product going to waste. Everything from little changes all the way up to switching suppliers and vendors can make a difference to increase revenue and get more people fed. Cold chain lanes This week's SONAR chart takes a look at wait times across 16 industries that make up the majority of industries in the U.S. and how many minutes, on average, a truck spends at a shipper or receiver location for loading and unloading. This includes distribution centers, seaports, airport air cargo facilities, railroad classification yards and intermodal ramps. Averages are compared month to month. The industries in green have seen increases in wait times, while the ones in red have seen wait times drop. Most notably, automobile manufacturers have seen the largest decrease in wait times. Average waits there are 98 minutes, so a little over an hour and a half. The biggest increase came in computers and electronic retail. Its wait time shot up 41.3%, for over two hours of waiting for drivers. Is SONAR for you? Check it out with a demo! Shelf life Wanna chat in the cooler? Shoot me an email with comments, questions or story ideas at [email protected]. See you on the internet. Mary If this newsletter was forwarded to you, you must be pretty chill. Join the coolest community in freight and subscribe for more at freightwaves.com/subscribe.

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BOULDER — In just her second official trip outside of the Washington, D.C., Beltway as acting U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development secretary, Adrianne Todman landed in Colorado on Friday to welcome Boulder County's public-housing agency into the federal Moving to Work program. The program, to which nearly 140 housing authorities nationwide have applied and been accepted over the past two-and-a-half decades, provides local agencies broader leeway in how they spend HUD funding and more flexibility in how they develop policies and strategies, essentially empowering local groups to cut through certain layers of federal bureaucratic red tape to better respond to community needs. Todman, who just days ago took over acting leadership of HUD following the retirement of former agency chief Marcia Fudge and made her first official appearance in her new role this week to Chicago, humanized the aims of the MTW program with a story about a hypothetical senior citizen, who, living on a fixed income, must navigate a potentially onerous and stressful requalification process each year to win the privilege of remaining in her publicly subsidized home, despite nothing changing with her financial situation. SPONSORED CONTENT WomenGive, a program of United Way of Larimer County, was started in Larimer County in 2006 as an opportunity for women in our community to come together to help other women. Or, Todman said, consider a local housing agency that's on the cusp of buying land for construction of a new residential community, but must first jump through hoops to prove to its lenders and underwriters that the federal government is on board with the project. "Imagine if one day HUD said to you, 'Guess what, you're now in control of how you're going to use your funds and you're able to close the deal." What if, Todman said, that new apartment complex is built, but the children who live there have no access to after-school programming? Shouldn't local housing agencies have the option to use a portion of their HUD funding to build a community youth center? Moving to Work, which was first authorized by Congress in 1996 and now includes local housing agencies in 40 states, allows local agencies the flexibility to more nimbly react to such real-world situations, she said. Since MTW's creation, "a select group of agencies have reshaped their programs and helped to make the lives of residents better," Todman said. With Moving to Work's expansion, Boulder County Housing Authority joins existing Colorado MTW-participating agencies in Boulder, Fort Collins, Brighton and Jefferson County. "We have actually moved the needle on some of our housing policy because of the work of the agencies with this designation," Todman said. The MTW program allows local organizations to serve as best-practice incubators and accelerators "because of HUD's ability to say, 'Find local solutions,'" she said. There are, of course, critics of Moving to Work, including housing-policy experts, who say that by allowing agencies to divert federal funds to programs such as meals for seniors, summer-jobs programs for teens or vocational training and educational assistance for young workers from underserved communities, HUD and their local partners are straying from their main mission: placing and keeping Americans in homes. "Scholarships are important, however, housing is a basic necessity," Brittany King, a Chicago resident who waited for years for a public-housing voucher told the Chicago Tribune last year. "The Chicago Housing Authority should stand for housing people, and at this time, it does not seem as though that is the case." Will Fischer, a director of housing policy and research at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities who was quoted in the Chicago Tribune story, said, "Generally, the ways that this money is used tends to be things that are less effective at helping the lowest-income families than vouchers are." Still, the MTW designation was welcomed Friday with open arms by Boulder County officials, who, it should be noted, did not mention any specific plans to spend HUD funding on non-housing-specific initiatives. "We will be exploring how we can use Moving to Work flexibility to expand our project-based voucher program to help more people afford housing in Boulder County," BCHA interim executive director Susana Lopez-Baker said. "The voucher program provides rental assistance to low-income families and individuals, and we are excited to help more people access this important resource." The additional flexibility granted by acceptance into the Moving to Work program, she said, "may include identifying how to incorporate these vouchers into our newest development project, Willoughby Corner, which is under construction in Lafayette. This new 400-unit development will bring much-need affordable housing to our most vulnerable residents." Boulder Housing Partners, the city of Boulder's public-housing authority, "has been participating (in the Moving To Work) program for more than 10 years," Boulder Mayor Aaron Brockett said. "And in talking to them, it's been transformative for the agency and for the lives of those who live within the housing there." The MTW program, he said, has been instrumental in Boulder's ability to build nearly 4,000 permanently affordable housing units. "But this isn't about the numbers," Brockett said, "it's about the people we're helping." The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has added Boulder County's public housing agency to its Moving to Work program. THIS ARTICLE IS FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Continue reading for less than $3 per week! Get a month of award-winning local business news, trends and insights Access award-winning content today!

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For Baltimore-area residents, bridge collapse means longer commutes, uncertain prospects For Marylanders like Becky Grimes, who works at an Amazon warehouse near the eastern end of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, the bridge's sudden collapse immediately changed the shape of her day — and many days ahead. She normally takes the Key Bridge to and from work, but it now takes an extra half hour each way to drive through the city of Baltimore instead of around it. "I'm not looking forward to it," she says. "There's a lot of people that already want to transfer out." The collapse of the bridge and the closure of the Port of Baltimore is upending life for countless people in the Chesapeake region. For many residents, it's the bridge closure that will shake up their daily lives, lengthening commutes and clogging the city's tunnels. But for the regional economy, the far bigger blow is that the fallen bridge and the container ship Dali are blocking the Port of Baltimore. "Because of the port being suspended, we don't have any traffic yesterday, today, at least for the next week or a week and a half," says Brent Howard, president of the Baltimore County Chamber of Commerce. "That's money that we're losing every day because those ships are being redirected to other ports. Norfolk, Newark, Philadelphia are getting that revenue on a daily basis that was already slotted for Baltimore." And the Key Bridge is a toll bridge that last year generated 7% of the total revenue for the state's transportation authority, according to an analysis by Moody's. Howard says getting the port and bridge running again is pivotal to the region, both economically and emotionally. "We're the Chesapeake," he says. "Baltimore is really connected to the port and connected to water and connected to ships and vessels. That's something that's always been intrinsic to Baltimore's history, going back to our inception." A bustling port, now in limbo As a little girl in the 1970s, Brenda Cotsairis's father brought her to a sandy beach to see the Key Bridge under construction. She works at a local grocery store and has seen the area weather its ups and downs. "For a lot of years, good jobs were gone and then things started to come back," she says. "And now we have Tradepoint Atlantic and we have the port bustling — it's a very, very busy port and it's thriving for Baltimore. And now it's devastated." Daraius Irani, an economist at Towson University, estimates that the port's closure is costing between $10 million and $15 million a day in lost economic activity. And at least another $1 million a day in state and local taxes won't be collected while the port is closed. Still, Irani says the port — which last year had its best year ever — should fully rebound. That's in part because Baltimore's port is about a day further inland than many others on the Eastern seaboard, putting it closer to points in the Midwest. He says if the port remains closed for months, there could be some furloughs, but he doesn't expect layoffs among workers there. And Irani says the bridge's collapse will likely create some jobs. "You hate to say this, but in any kind of disaster, there's obviously the opportunity for the rebuild. So new construction jobs will likely come up because they need to build a new bridge," he says. Businesses near the bridge could see fewer customers The bridge's absence will almost certainly have a longer impact on the small businesses located near its entrances on either side of the Patapsco River. Joe Gold is the general manager of Key Brewing, a craft brewery in the town of Dundalk. Like the bridge, the brewery was named after Francis Scott Key, who wrote "The Star-Spangled Banner." "We're not shut down I mean, it's not like that," Gold said Wednesday. "It's just ... the community is going to have to readjust." With the Key Bridge closed, the traffic that would have passed by to get on I-695 is now taking alternate routes — routes that don't pass by Key Brewing's taproom. "When I came to work this morning, past 95 to our office, it was the least amount of traffic that I've ever seen on my commute," Gold says. He says that's a sign that people aren't coming that direction anymore, at least during their daily commutes. Is he worried about his business surviving? Not just yet. "It's still too early," he says. "It's still too fresh to kind of know how deep of an impact this is going to have." It all depends on how long it takes to clear the port — and rebuild a very long bridge. For the latest from member station WYPR in Baltimore head to wypr.org Copyright 2024 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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Vikings to host draft party at U.S. Bank Stadium The NFL Draft is just four weeks away and the Minnesota Vikings will again throw a big party for fans. The club's official draft party will be held on April 25 at U.S. Bank Stadium starting at 6 p.m. Aside from the actual draft, fans will be able to take part in a variety of experiences, including photo stations, locker room tours and other fan events. Plus, there will be live music, games, a raffle and chances to win prizes, the Vikings say. Concessions will also be available throughout the night, and a garage sale of limited memorabilia will be held to benefit the team's foundation. Tickets cost $15 and are available online starting Tuesday, but season ticket members can claim two free admission tickets starting on Monday.

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Home/News/Maritime/Container Shipping/What To Know About The Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse In 90 Seconds Container ShippingMaritimeNews What To Know About The Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse In 90 Seconds FreightWaves Staff · Friday, March 29, 2024

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Financial stress is so common that certified financial planner Katie Lindquist says almost every client she has tells her they are feeling it. "They don't know what they should be doing with their money, and they feel like they should know. They feel shame around their money habits, which is a huge driving force of stress," Lindquist says. To alleviate that tension, Lindquist helps them get organized and take inventory of their financial accounts and goals. "People who have financial plans are a lot less stressed because they know where they are and where they want to go," says Lindquist, who is based in Madison, Wisconsin. To combat overwhelming feelings of money stress, financial experts suggest taking these steps: Normalize the feeling Knowing how common financial stress is can help people realize there isn't something wrong with them when they feel it, says Bari Tessler, author of "The Art of Money" and a financial therapist in Boulder, Colorado. "Increased financial anxiety has everything to do with interest rates, inflation, job challenges, life curveballs and world events," Tessler says. Those stressors impact almost everybody. It can lead people to freeze and ignore their finances or to check them too obsessively, she says, neither of which is helpful. Check in with your body Sometimes, your body can alert you to financial stress first. Sonya Lutter, director of financial health and wellness in the School of Financial Planning at Texas Tech University, says when people experience financial stress, their fingers often get cold because they are experiencing a fight-or-flight response that affects blood flow. "You can easily train yourself to notice when you are physiologically stressed," Lutter says. Then, you can avoid making big financial decisions until you are in a calmer state. Otherwise, she says, fight-or-flight "leaves us to make very myopic decisions. You just want to get through right now, and definitely don't care about 10 years from now, which is horrible for financial decision-making." If you're making money choices with a partner, Lutter adds, you can gauge if you're both in the right mindset by first holding hands to check in on temperatures and stress levels. You might decide to tackle the topic later when you're both more relaxed. Learn your triggers Sometimes, negative experiences around money from childhood can lead to a high-stress response whenever the topic comes up as an adult, says Jannese Torres, author of the forthcoming book "Financially Lit!" and host of the podcast "Yo Quiero Dinero." The idea of negotiating for a salary or bartering at the car dealership could send you into an emotional tailspin, Torres explains. She says exploring those early life experiences can help people learn to navigate financial conversations rather than avoid them. "The more you know what triggers you, the easier it is to look objectively at your finances and realize you can handle it," she adds. Look for ways to reset Tessler suggests slowing your mind down before a big decision, which could be done through activities like hiking, meditation, taking a shower or listening to music. Sometimes, getting a snack, going outside or lowering your shoulders can go a long way toward resetting, she says. "I would literally take a deep breath. Nobody even has to know. Walk away and analyze the situation," Lutter says. "It's OK to pause and come back" to the decision later, she adds. Take the first step to regain control Because stress can cause us to freeze in the face of financial decisions, Stacy Dervin, founder of Tailored Financial Planning in Eugene, Oregon, suggests tackling one thing at a time. "Trying to solve everything at once can be really overwhelming. Just focus on the next right thing to help build your confidence," she says. Lindquist says creating a spreadsheet to list all of your accounts, logging in to a workplace retirement savings plan, tracking spending or making a net worth statement to look at assets and liabilities are all great ways to regain a feeling of control over your finances. Sara Zuckerman, a CFP in Scottsdale, Arizona, and founder of Reset Financial Planning, says focusing on organizing your finances can bring you back to your own goals instead of comparing yourself to others, which can exacerbate stress. "To really understand what you have and where it's going is the biggest step toward putting that initial feeling of control in place," Zuckerman says. This article was written by NerdWallet and was originally published by The Associated Press. More From NerdWallet - How to Ask for a Raise in an Uncertain Economy - How to Negotiate Car Prices - Stressed About Money? Ways to Keep Your Kids From Worrying Too

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Laurel Wamsley is a reporter for NPR's News Desk. She reports breaking news for NPR's digital coverage, newscasts, and news magazines, as well as occasional features. She was also the lead reporter for NPR's coverage of the 2019 Women's World Cup in France. Journalism at this station is made possible by donors who value local reporting. Donate today to keep stories like this one coming. It is thanks to your generosity that we can keep this content free and accessible for everyone. Thanks!

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DENVER — A bill to clean up language in the state law that created the Front Range Passenger Rail District has passed the Legislature and is on the governor's desk for a signature. The bill changes the district boundary to remove Weld County, with a couple of exceptions, from the district. If signed, this would mean that Weld County residents would not be taxed to support passenger rail along the Front Range of Colorado. The original district included all of Weld County, which generated interest from the county until the route was determined. The chosen route runs along the BNSF Railway freight line from Fort Collins to the Denver area, and the BNSF/Union Pacific line south of Denver to Pueblo. Alternative routes would have followed rail lines in Weld County or could have followed a new corridor along Interstate 25, which runs through western Weld County. SPONSORED CONTENT If you have a caregiver or know someone who has been serving as a primary caregiver, March 3rd is the day to reach out and show them how much they are valued! Because the chosen rail route does not pass through Weld, usage of the rail service by Weld residents was a concern of Weld representatives. HB 24-1012 changed the district. It still extends from Wyoming to New Mexico but Weld was eliminated. Included counties are Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Douglas, El Paso, Huerfano, Jefferson, Larimer, Las Animas and Pueblo. A couple of communities sit in two counties, and the legislation says that Erie, in both Weld and Boulder counties, and Weld County territory in the city of Longmont, would remain in the district. Windsor, which sits in both Weld and Larimer counties, was not addressed. The legislation does address and include areas north of Fort Collins within five miles of I-25. If the governor signs, then the FRPR board likely will change. Johnny Olson, a Greeley city council member who represents the North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization on the rail board, likely will need to be replaced. He had raised Weld County concerns in past months as the planning for the project was underway. A call to Olson was not returned prior to publication. The passenger rail board has yet to decide whether to move forward with placing a tax issue on the November ballot; it will likely vote on that in the next month. The board on Friday did vote to engage a public relations firm to assist with communication about the project. Revisions to the state law creating the Front Range Passenger Rail District may remove Weld County from the district. THIS ARTICLE IS FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Continue reading for less than $3 per week! Get a month of award-winning local business news, trends and insights Access award-winning content today!

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California students find ancient sloth fossil By Jerimiah Oetting Published March 29, 2024 at 4:33 PM EDT Facebook LinkedIn Email Listen • 3:27 Last spring, some elementary school students in Santa Cruz found an exposed bone in a creek bed, which turned out to be an ancient fossil – it just went on display. Copyright 2024 NPR

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How big pants came back: understanding the fashion trend cycle From ballet flats to big pants to bows and rosettes, fashion trends can befuddle those who care, and annoy those who don't. But knowledge is power, and there is a logic to the trend cycle. Copyright 2024 NPR

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RUSSIA ESTABLISHES LINK BETWEEN THEATER TERRORISTS & UKRAINE! PLUS, BIDEN USING TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE TO TEST MARTIAL LAW! Alex Jones is covering breaking intel on the world's hottest events including the border invasion, war in the Middle East, the Baltimore catastrophe, and MORE! Watch & share this broadcast to learn how globalists are conquering the world and your MIND! The transhumanist globalists have unleashed a war on every front you can imagine (and many you can't) to assure humanity's extinction! • Follow @RealAlexJones on X • JonesCrowder.com *** RonGibsonChannel SUPPORT AND CHANNEL LINKS IN ONE PLACE *** Please Help Support And Share On All Of Your Social Media *** Direct Full Show Links - VIDEO or MP3 *** INFOWARS LINKS #news #infowars #politics #AlexJones #RonGibson FREE email alerts of the most important BANNED videos in the world Get FREE email alerts of the most important BANNED videos in the world that are usually blacklisted by YouTube, Facebook, Google, Twitter and Vimeo. Watch documentaries the techno-fascists don't want you to know even exist. Join the free Brighteon email newsletter. Unsubscribe at any time. 100% privacy protected. Your privacy is protected. Subscription confirmation required.

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HAMPTON ROADS, Va. — This week brought new that popular sandwich chain Subway will switch from carrying Coca-Cola products to carrying Pepsi soft drinks. This news piqued the interest of the team at Coast Live. It's a debate as old as time itself: Coke vs. Pepsi. Everyone knows by now which is their favorite. Preferences aside, Coast Live hosts April Woodard and Chandler Nunnally are confident they can pick up on the soda subtleties and tell the two apart. But what happens when the crew puts that to the test? Watch the videos above to see how the drama unfolded, and the Instagram video below for a look at some soda shenanigans that happened after the show concluded.

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Justice Breyer warns of the perils of conservatives' judicial philosophy NPR's Scott Detrow speaks with retired Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer about his new book, Reading the Constitution, Why I chose Pragmatism not Textualism. Copyright 2024 NPR

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The cross. That is where everything ended. That is where the end of everything was centred. But in a little while, they would discover a new beginning right there, in the cross. Dear brothers and sisters, this is how God's hope germinates. It is born and reborn in the black holes of our disappointed expectations — and hope, true hope, instead, never disappoints. Let us think precisely about the cross: out of the most terrible instrument of torture, God wrought the greatest sign of his love. Having become the tree of life, that wood of death reminds us that God's beginnings often begin with our endings. Thus, he loves to work wonders. So today, let us look at the tree of the cross so that hope might germinate in us — that everyday virtue, that silent, humble virtue, but also that virtue that keeps us on our feet, that helps us move forward. It is not possible to live without hope. Let us think: Where is my hope? Today, let us look at the tree of the cross so that hope may germinate in us … that we may be healed of our sadness. —Pope Francis, General Audience Address on April 5, 2023 —New Ways Ministry, March 29, 2024

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American Airlines is relaxing part of its pet policy to let owners bring their companion and a full-size carry-on bag into the cabin. Until this week, people who carried a pet into the cabin – which involves paying a $150 fee – could only have one other small item that fit under the seat. Anything bigger, like a carry-on bag with wheels, needed to be checked – for a $35 fee. Or they could put the pet in the cargo hold. Now American is letting passengers bring a pet in the cabin and also bring a regular carry-on bag or a personal item – just not both bags. The old policy struck some pet owners as unfair, since they were already paying a pet fee. Gary Leff, a travel blogger who first wrote about the change, recalled travelling years ago with a Yorkshire terrier. "It was always frustrating that the dog counted as the carry-on even though I was paying the extra (pet) fee that was sometimes more than the ticket for me," he said Friday. Leff said he thinks American's change will reduce the urge for travellers to falsely claim that their pet is a service animal that flies for free. An American spokeswoman confirmed that the rules change took effect Thursday. She couldn't explain the reason because the airline's corporate offices were closed for Good Friday, and decision-makers were not available.

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How big pants came back: understanding the fashion trend cycle From ballet flats to big pants to bows and rosettes, fashion trends can befuddle those who care, and annoy those who don't. But knowledge is power, and there is a logic to the trend cycle. Copyright 2024 NPR

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Sports This North Carolina speedway discovery may have roots in prohibition March 29, 20244:33 PM ET Heard on All Things Considered By Nick de la Canal This North Carolina speedway discovery may have roots in prohibition Listen · 2:00 2:00 Toggle more options Download Embed Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1241726845/1241726846" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player"> Workers at a racetrack in North Carolina have discovered a hidden space under the grand stand that some say was once a moonshine cave. Facebook Flipboard Email

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