magical underwater world

magical underwater world Do you know who Austen Pleasants or Charlie Heck are? Don’t worry about it. Before this week, I didn’t either, and knowing practice-squad-level offensive linemen is my thing. Either way, we’ll likely hear their names often on Monday Night Football, as one of those newcomers will be protecting 49ers’ quarterback Brock Purdy’s blindside against the Lions. The other might be bookending him at the opposite tackle spot. Best of luck out there, 13! But that’s not all, folks. By extrapolating the way the season has gone for the 49ers into Monday, don’t be surprised if we see a third offensive-line newcomer — interior lineman Matt Hennessy — against the Lions. Yes, a bad situation first turned worse for the 49ers, and now it’s turned downright cruel, with potentially three players who were acquired (on waivers and poached from practice squads) protecting their potentially $60 million man. And with the 49ers having nothing to play for in the standings, it’s enough to make you wonder if Kyle Shanahan should even bother playing Purdy — or any of the Niners’ other top players, for that matter — this week or next. After all, if these next two weeks are, effectively, preseason football for 2025, shouldn’t the 49ers head coach treat them as such? (As a refresher, Shanahan hates the preseason and would, in an ideal world, not play anyone who could potentially make the 53-man roster.) This is the first time the 49ers have faced truly meaningless games in years — going back to the pandemic 2020 season — so it’s a fair question. But I think it should be saved for the season’s final week, when both the Cardinals and 49ers will play a game that both teams would be better off losing. Yes, so long as there is one team in a game with something to play for in the standings — for the Lions, that’s a shot at the No. 1 seed in the NFC – it’s incumbent on the 49ers to maintain a code of professionalism and put something close to their best out on the field. So unless you’re injured, you’re going into harm’s way. “Welcome to the reality of the world,” Shanahan said Thursday. The game might not always mean anything as it releases to the playoffs, but the beauty of the NFL is that every game — no, every snap — is an opportunity to show your worth. “This is your job... Teams all over the league are in this situation. You’ve still got to go out there and perform the same way.” “You get 17 checks for 17 games.” And, for the record, Purdy said this week that he’s “100 percent healthy.” So, yes, he’s playing. And that should remain the case until the Lions open up an insurmountable lead on Monday. (We might not have to wait long.) Not just because of the code of professionalism or pride but also because there is still something to be gleaned from Purdy’s performance. As I wrote a few weeks back, the season’s final games would be a referendum on Purdy . The 49ers will sign him this offseason, but how the team and fan base feel about that new contract will be determined by what Purdy has done for the 49ers lately. I don’t need to tell you that the fan base isn’t too keen on Purdy signing a record-breaking, market-setting deal. Reaching that standard might never happen — the mere concept of a $60 million quarterback has folks’ heads spinning (even though with recent-season salary-cap growth, it’d be the equivalent of Jimmy Garoppolo’s record-setting contract from 2018). But Purdy performing at a high level on Monday could sway at least the rational amongst us. Not only would he be doing that with a makeshift (if that) offensive line and a second-string receiver group (we’ll see if Deebo Samuel shows up again on Monday), but he’d have done it against the kind of defense that has stymied him this entire season. The way to beat the 49ers and Purdy is to play man coverage and blitz in strange and confusing ways. The Lions play more man coverage than anyone else in the NFL and have been blitzing like crazy in recent weeks. It all makes Monday something close to a perfect data point. Yes, the circumstances are hardly ideal for Purdy, but a $60 million quarterback is expected to smooth at least some of the issues the Niners will face. And wouldn’t it be good to know if Purdy can beat man-to-man coverage? Monday’s game would leave zero doubt if he flails and be one hell of a negotiating point for him if he succeeds. And beyond all of that, the Niners quarterback needs to develop some rhythm, chemistry, and verve with this offense heading into next season. It’s not all his fault that the Niners have regressed to the point where this game is meaningless for San Francisco, but he needs to be part of the solution. Can he get something going with Ricky Pearsall? Can he keep George Kittle in that deserved first-team All-Pro spot? Can he help buy another year of Deebo Samuel in Niners’ red? Can he help one of these new offensive linemen land a job with the Niners (or another team) next season? If the risk of injury is deemed too high, then we might as well never practice or play football again. Call the NFL and ESPN and tell them the game is canceled—the Niners can’t win the Super Bowl, so they’re taking their ball and staying home. Because above everything else, it does comes down to professionalism. Is this effectively the preseason? Sure. But you’re not paid for the preseason — you merely earn a per diem for those games. On Monday night, everyone will receive a handsome check for their services. Even Purdy, the lowly-paid quarterback, will earn close to $60,000 for his work week. That’s enough to pay off two-thirds of one of those new trucks he bought his offensive linemen. Yes, being in the NFL is a great job, if you can get it. And the surest way to lose it is to take it for granted. ©2024 MediaNews Group, Inc. Visit at mercurynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

When The President Is A Criminal, Should His Appointees’ Backgrounds Matter?

CONWAY, Ark. (AP) — Elias Cato scored 22 points as Central Arkansas beat Southwestern Christian 87-69 on Sunday night. Cato also contributed 11 rebounds and three blocks for the Bears (4-9). Layne Taylor scored 15 points while shooting 6 for 14, including 3 for 10 from beyond the arc and added three steals. Brayden Fagbemi had 13 points. The Eagles were led by Deondre Dunn, who posted 26 points, six rebounds and three steals. George McCurdy added 14 points for Southwestern Christian. Chris Fetuga had 13 points, seven rebounds and five steals. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .House rejects Democratic effort to force release of Matt Gaetz ethics report

EUAN MCCOLM: Most Scots don't think it's Right-wing to ban male-bodied people from women's spaces. They just think it's right Click here to visit the Scotland home page for the latest news and sport By EUAN MCCOLM FOR THE SCOTTISH DAILY MAIL Published: 14:42 EST, 26 November 2024 | Updated: 14:44 EST, 26 November 2024 e-mail 3 View comments If you want to know how deeply John Swinney regrets the impact of incoherent gender ideology on Scotland’s government, consider the First Minister’s silence on the matter of an ongoing court hearing in London . Judges at the Supreme Court have been asked by feminist campaign group For Women Scotland to rule, definitively, on the definition of ‘woman’ in the context of the law. Should, the organisation wants to know, a male-bodied trans woman be allowed access to single-sex spaces and services if they are in possession of a gender recognition certificate? The judges’ ruling – regardless of their view – will have huge repercussions for Mr Swinney. Yet we’ve heard not a peep from him on the matter. How times have changed in the SNP . It was former leader Nicola Sturgeon who led the capture by trans activists of her party’s policy machine. Under Ms Sturgeon, the SNP made reform of the Gender Recognition Act its political priority. But despite cross-party support for allowing trans people to self-identify into the legally-recognised sex of their preference, a change in the law was blocked last year by then Scottish Secretary Alister Jack on the grounds that it was incompatible with the UK-wide Equality Act. Of course, there was much outrage from Nationalist Towers about a Conservative minister intervening in a matter of Scottish democracy but, privately, many senior SNP figures were rather relieved. Harry Potter author JK Rowling has been vocal on the court case and its implications Women's Rights supporters protest outside the hearing at the Supreme Court in London First Minister John Swinney has been quiet on the court case in London, writes Euan McColm Ms Sturgeon’s obsession with gender ideology had set the Scottish Government at odds with the majority of Scots who, while very much believing in the principle of live-and-let-live, did not share her laissez faire attitude to the prospect of male-bodied people being allowed entry into domestic violence shelters and rape crisis centres. In private, some senior Nationalists said Mr Jack had helped them ‘dodge a bullet’. The judges’ ruling on the question of what is a woman stands – at the very least – to impact on the delivery of services across the public sector. There is every reason for the First Minister to be explaining his government’s position to us all. Despite this, Mr Swinney has decided on a ‘nothing to see here’ approach. The problem for the First Minister is that voters, quite understandably, think there is quite a lot to see. Not for the first time in his career, Mr Swinney is playing the role of a hapless cop failing to wave onlookers away from a burning fireworks factory. From the intolerably reckless stupidity of housing male-bodied sex offenders in women’s prisons to the scandal of rape crisis centres refusing to guarantee female-only counselling services, a number of high-profile cases have made Ms Sturgeon’s wild-eyed adherence to incoherent gender ideology all the more foolish. Read More Sex is an 'immutable biological state', Supreme Court hears as women's rights campaign group challenges Scottish government over the definition of a woman The former First Minister, gripped by the moral certainty of the zealot, saw to it that the activist mantra ‘trans women are women’ became SNP dogma. Almost two years after Ms Sturgeon resigned as First Minister, the gender question continues to be a problem for the SNP. Mr Swinney may, as some party sources tell me, not share Ms Sturgeon’s fashionable views about the existence of multiple, ever-shifting genders, but he’s timid indeed about raising his voice on the subject. The First Minister considers himself a man of the centre-Left (though those of us who’ve followed Mr Swinney’s career for decades might argue the soubriquet ‘Tartan Tory’ was made for him) and, like others of his ilk, he finds himself confronted with an ideology that – for no reason other than the say-so of activists – is seen as being avowedly of the Left. It’s no surprise this version of the ‘truth’ has caught on. It nestles perfectly in the current political landscape where no party is more fully captured by gender gibberish than the far-Left Greens while, at both Holyrood and Westminster, it’s the Conservative Party that’s spoken out most loudly against allowing the frequently contradictory tenets of gender ideology to impact on policy-making. Perhaps the most effective achievement of the trans activist movement has been not only to have made the world believe their cause is inherently Left-wing but to have convinced a substantial part of it that disagreement with their objectives is a ‘hard-Right’ position. This is hysterical rhetoric not only on social media but within the political bubble. A generation of senior politicians such as Mr Swinney is paralysed with fear when it comes to discussing gender ideology because they know that to dissent from the position that someone is whatever sex they say they are is to risk the wrath of their own activists. The effect of this is that politicians of the Left such as Mr Swinney, Scottish Labour’s Anas Sarwar, and Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton are currently failing to address – or even consider – the perfectly moderate, and widely held, view that biology matters when it comes to providing single sex spaces and services. Click here to visit the Scotland home page for the latest news and sport Advertisement One only has to look at some of those accused of being ‘far-Right’ for refusing to accept the demands of trans activists to see how laughable a charge it is. Are we really to accept that the feminist writer and activist Julie Bindel, who has campaigned for four decades against male violence against women, is a Right-winger? Are we truly supposed to entertain the notion that novelist JK Rowling has abandoned decades of Left-wing principles because she thinks rape victims shouldn’t have to share safe spaces with those born male? There is, of course, nothing Right (or, for that matter, Left) wing about having concerns over the implications of gender ideology. It is not Right-wing to think that there are very good reasons for the exclusion of anybody born male – no matter how they may identify – from places such as women’s refuges, nor is it Right-wing to be concerned about the impact of powerful puberty-blocking drugs on confused young children. Until politicians who lead for the Left begin to accept these facts, they risk losing voters. Why would a lifelong feminist of the Left stand by Labour if the party decides her years of activism and her principles mean nothing? Why should a committed Nationalist give their vote to the SNP if they’re told their concerns about rapists in female prisons make them a Nazi? The First Minister, in common with Mr Sarwar, seems to think that if he ignores the impact of gender ideology, it will cease to be important. If this truly is what both men believe, then they are sorely mistaken. The question of whether male-bodied people should be allowed into single-sex spaces such as rape crisis centres is not some fringe issue. If it were, then the Scottish Government would not have devoted so much time to trying to introduce self-ID, would it? Regardless of how the Supreme Court ultimately rules on the question of what a woman is, trans rights activists will continue to insist that their critics are Right-wingers. No matter how much John Swinney might wish it would, this issue is not going to go away. Most people don’t think it Right-wing to exclude male-bodied people from female spaces. They just think it’s right. London SNP John Swinney Share or comment on this article: EUAN MCCOLM: Most Scots don't think it's Right-wing to ban male-bodied people from women's spaces. They just think it's right e-mail Add commentMumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday called the Maharashtra assembly poll results, which the BJP-led Mahayuti swept, completely unexpected and incomprehensible, and cast aspersions on its authenticity. Addressing a news conference, Thackeray said he could not believe Maharashtra, which listened to him as ‘kutumb pramukh’ (head of family) during the coronavirus pandemic, would behave this way with him. “I cannot believe Maharashtra will behave this way with me. There is certainly something fishy,” he said. The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) comprising Sena (UBT), Congress and Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) suffered a crushing blow, with its candidates winning or leading in about 45 seats, a far cry from the boasts by many of its senior leaders that the combine would trounce the Mahayuti. Thackeray said the results reflect that there was a tsunami rather than a wave and added that the “anger” against the government was very much visible over unemployment and agrarian distress. The former chief minister wondered how the situation could change so drastically in four months after the Lok Sabha polls in which Maha Vikas Aghadi decimated the NDA, winning 30 of the state’s 48 seats. “I promise to the people of Maharashtra that we will keep fighting for the rights of the state,” Thackeray asserted. Of the 95 seats it contested, the Sena (UBT) won just 20 seats. By contrast, Uddhav’s archrival and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who split the Bal Thackeray-founded Shiv Sena in 2022, powered his outfit to an emphatic show. Shinde’s Sena was winning or leading in 57 seats, as per the latest figures shared by the Election Commission, in a major boost to his side as he has been repeatedly accused by Uddhav and his aides of “stealing” the original party. Thackeray also took a dig at Shinde saying he would now have to under Devendra Fadnavis, amid speculation that the BJP leader would be made the CM. In the Mahayuti of BJP, Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar’s NCP could win over 230 of the 288 seats in the state. BJP and NCP look poised to bag 133 and 41 seats, respectively. Of the other MVA partners, NCP (SP) won only 10 of the 86 seats it contested, while the Congress was winning or leading in only 16 constituencies though it had fielded 101 candidates.Giants' offense explodes in 45-33 win, knocking Colts out of playoff race

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FACT FOCUS: Vermont ruling does not say schools can vaccinate children without parental consent

Hannah, Montgomery lead Bradley to 81-75 OT win over ValparaisoNEW ORLEANS (AP) — One person was shot to death Thursday afternoon and three others were injured in the French Quarter, New Orleans' historic tourist district, police said. Police responded to the shooting at the intersection of Iberville and Royal streets at around 12:21 p.m. and had at least one of three suspects in custody, Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick told reporters. Kirkpatrick said at least three masked suspects were in a silver 2016 Honda Accord when they pulled up outside Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse and opened fire. “This was not random, and we could see that,” Kirkpatrick said in a media briefing at the scene. The arrested suspect's name and the expected charges have not yet been released. Kirkpatrick urged the other suspects to come forward. “We know who you are,” she said. “We're asking you to come in, turn yourself in.” At least one firearm has been recovered, she said. It’s the second shooting incident within a week in Orleans Parish. On Sunday, gunfire broke out twice as the Nine Times Social Aid & Pleasure Club’s second line parade rolled through a neighborhood, wounding 10 people, then killing two people and wounding a third 45 minutes later as the parade crossed the Almonaster bridge. “Tragically, we are faced with another mass shooting this week,” said New Orleans City Council president Helena Moreno in a statement. “This is an overall gun violence problem throughout our city and we cannot stand for it. This is not who we are and those responsible will be apprehended and fully prosecuted.” Kirkpatrick noted that in November 2023, 20 murders were recorded. Thursday's shooting brings the number to nine so far for November 2024, she said. The last shooting involving multiple people in the French Quarter happened in Nov. 2022, when five people were shot, none fatally, in the 200 block of Bourbon Street. In Nov. 2016, one person died and nine were wounded in a shooting in the 100 block of Bourbon Street shooting. Meanwhile, the two victims from Thursday's incident were listed in stable condition and a third was in surgery, Kirkpatrick said. Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse was closed at the time of the shooting. No workers were injured and the business will remain closed Thursday, spokesperson Lindsay Ross told The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate.

12 tactics America's wealthiest use to save big on taxes, from putting mansions in trusts to stashing fortunes for a 1,000 yearsKNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nico Iamaleava threw for 209 yards and four touchdowns to lead No. 10 Tennessee to a 56-0 victory over UTEP on Saturday. The Volunteers (9-2) overcame a sluggish start to roll up the impressive win. Both teams were scoreless in the first quarter, but Tennessee found its rhythm. Grad student receiver Bru McCoy, who hadn't caught a touchdown pass this season, had two. Peyton Lewis also ran for two scores. Tennessee's defensive line, which had no sacks in last week's loss to Georgia, had three against the Miners. UTEP (2-9) struggled with two missed field goals and three turnovers. Tennessee's offense came alive with 28 points in the second quarter. In the final four drives of the quarter, Iamaleava completed 11 of 12 passes for 146 yards and touchdowns to Squirrel White, Ethan Davis and McCoy. UTEP was the dominant team in the first quarter. Tennessee managed just 37 offensive yards and, thanks to an interception near the end zone and a missed field goal by the Miners, both teams were scoreless after 15 minutes. POLL IMPLICATIONS Tennessee’s convincing victory, coupled with losses by Mississippi and Indiana, should put the Volunteers in a good position when the next College Football Playoff poll is released. The Vols were ranked No. 11 going into this week’s games. THE TAKEAWAY UTEP: The Miners will head into a very winnable game against New Mexico State having won two of their last five games. First-year coach Scotty Walden will try to build on that success in the offseason to help enhance his roster. Tennessee: Even a lopsided win won’t carry much weight where it means the most — in the College Football Playoff rankings. The Vols will have to rely on a convincing win against Vanderbilt next week, a team that has shown a lot of improvement this season, to help their standing for those coveted spots. UP NEXT UTEP: The Miners will finish their season at New Mexico State Saturday. Tennessee: The Vols will finish their regular season at Vanderbilt next Saturday. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Emergency Lighting Market Outlook 2024-2031: Demand Trends and Competitive Analysis 11-23-2024 07:13 PM CET | IT, New Media & Software Press release from: SkyQuest Technology The Emergency Lighting Market is a dynamic and rapidly growing sector, driven by technological advancements in hardware, software, and digital infrastructure. It covers a diverse range of services such as cloud computing, cybersecurity, data analytics, and artificial intelligence. The increasing need for digital transformation across industries is propelling market growth. Emerging technologies like 5G, blockchain, and IoT are further unlocking new opportunities. With continuous innovation, the IT sector is poised for significant expansion in the coming years, particularly in the areas of automation and remote work solutions. Download a detailed overview: https://www.skyquestt.com/sample-request/emergency-lighting-market Market Size and Growth: Global Emergency Lighting Market size was valued at USD 6.50 billion in 2022 and is poised to grow from USD 7.10 billion in 2023 to USD 14.35 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 9.2% during the forecast period (2024-2031). The most valuable investment indicators are insights into key market trends, making it easier for potential participants to make informed decisions. The research seeks to identify numerous growth opportunities that readers can consider and capitalize on by utilizing all the relevant information. By closely analyzing critical factors that influence growth, such as pricing, production, profit margins, and value chain dynamics, future market expansion can be predicted with greater precision. Key Market Players: Eaton Corporation (US) Emerson Electric Co. (US) Schneider Electric (France) Hubbell Lighting Inc. (US) Legrand SA (France) Zumtobel Group AG (Austria) Acuity Brands, Inc. (US) Signify N.V. (Netherlands) OSRAM GmbH (Germany) ABB Ltd. (Switzerland) Philips Lighting Holding B.V. (Netherlands) Region-wise Sales Analysis: This chapter presents market data by region, including revenue, sales, and market share breakdowns. It also offers forecasts for sales growth rates, pricing strategies, revenue, and other key metrics for each analyzed regional market. Regions covered include: North America: United States, Canada, Mexico Europe: Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy Asia-Pacific: China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia South America: Brazil, Argentina, Colombia Middle East & Africa: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa Discover Key Trends, Speak with Our Experts @: https://www.skyquestt.com/speak-with-analyst/emergency-lighting-market Segments covered in the Emergency Lighting Market include: Light type Fluorescent, LED, incandescent and others Application Residential, commercial and industrial Emergency Lighting Market Size and Scope The Emergency Lighting market has shown significant growth in recent years, fueled by rising demand for power electronics across industries such as automotive, telecommunications, and renewable energy. This market is set to grow further as the global adoption of electric vehicles and renewable energy increases. Emergency Lighting are highly valued for their superior thermal conductivity, electrical insulation, and mechanical strength, making them essential components in power modules and electronic devices. With ongoing technological and manufacturing advancements, the applications of Emergency Lighting are expected to expand, encompassing a broader range of uses in the near future. For a Comprehensive Report on the Emergency Lighting Market 2024, Visit @: https://www.skyquestt.com/report/emergency-lighting-market Frequently Asked Questions: 1. What are the global trends in sales, production, consumption, imports, and exports across regions (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East, and Africa)? 2. Who are the leading manufacturers dominating the global market? 3. What is their production capacity, sales, pricing, cost, and revenue structure? 4. What are the risks and opportunities in the market? About Us: SkyQuest is an IP-focused Research and Investment Bank and Technology Accelerator. We offer access to technologies, markets, and financing across sectors like Life Sciences, CleanTech, AgriTech, NanoTech, and Information & Communication Technology. We collaborate closely with innovators, entrepreneurs, companies, and investors to help them leverage external R&D sources and optimize the economic potential of their intellectual assets. Our expertise in innovation management and commercialization spans North America, Europe, ASEAN, and Asia Pacific. Contact: Mr. Jagraj Singh Skyquest Technology 1 Apache Way, Westford, Massachusetts 01886, USA (+1) 351-333-4748 Visit our website: Skyquest Technology This release was published on openPR.

Social media users are misrepresenting a Vermont Supreme Court ruling , claiming that it gives schools permission to vaccinate children even if their parents do not consent. The ruling addressed a lawsuit filed by Dario and Shujen Politella against Windham Southeast School District and state officials over the mistaken vaccination of their child against COVID-19 in 2021, when he was 6 years old. A lower court had dismissed the original complaint, as well as an amended version. An appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court was filed on Nov. 19. But the ruling by Vermont's high court is not as far-reaching as some online have claimed. In reality, it concluded that anyone protected under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act, or PREP, Act is immune to state lawsuits. Here's a closer look at the facts. CLAIM: The Vermont Supreme Court ruled that schools can vaccinate children against their parents' wishes. THE FACTS: The claim stems from a July 26 ruling by the Vermont Supreme Court, which found that anyone protected by the PREP Act is immune to state lawsuits, including the officials named in the Politella's suit. The ruling does not authorize schools to vaccinate children at their discretion. According to the lawsuit, the Politella's son — referred to as L.P. — was given one dose of the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination clinic held at Academy School in Brattleboro even though his father, Dario, told the school's assistant principal a few days before that his son was not to receive a vaccination. In what officials described as a mistake, L.P. was removed from class and had a “handwritten label” put on his shirt with the name and date of birth of another student, L.K., who had already been vaccinated that day. L.P. was then vaccinated. Ultimately, the Vermont Supreme Court ruled that officials involved in the case could not be sued. “We conclude that the PREP Act immunizes every defendant in this case and this fact alone is enough to dismiss the case,” the Vermont Supreme Court's ruling reads. “We conclude that when the federal PREP Act immunizes a defendant, the PREP Act bars all state-law claims against that defendant as a matter of law.” The PREP Act , enacted by Congress in 2005, authorizes the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to issue a declaration in the event of a public health emergency providing immunity from liability for activities related to medical countermeasures, such as the administration of a vaccine, except in cases of “willful misconduct" that result in “death or serious physical injury.” A declaration against COVID-19 was issued on March 17, 2020. It is set to expire on Dec. 31. Federals suits claiming willful misconduct are filed in Washington. Social media users described the Vermont Supreme Court's ruling as having consequences beyond what it actually says. “The Vermont Supreme Court has ruled that schools can force-vaccinate children for Covid against the wishes of their parents,” reads one X post that had been liked and shared approximately 16,600 times as of Tuesday. “The high court ruled on a case involving a 6-year-old boy who was forced to take a Covid mRNA injection by his school. However, his family had explicitly stated that they didn't want their child to receive the ‘vaccines.’” Other users alleged that the ruling gives schools permission to give students any vaccine without parental consent, not just ones for COVID-19. Rod Smolla, president of the Vermont Law and Graduate School and an expert on constitutional law, told The Associated Press that the ruling “merely holds that the federal statute at issue, the PREP Act, preempts state lawsuits in cases in which officials mistakenly administer a vaccination without consent.” “Nothing in the Vermont Supreme Court opinion states that school officials can vaccinate a child against the instructions of the parent,” he wrote in an email. Asked whether the claims spreading online have any merit, Ronald Ferrara, an attorney representing the Politellas, told the AP that although the ruling doesn't say schools can vaccinate students regardless of parental consent, officials could interpret it to mean that they could get away with doing so under the PREP Act, at least when it comes to COVID-19 vaccines. He explained that the U.S. Supreme Court appeal seeks to clarify whether the Vermont Supreme Court interpreted the PREP Act beyond what Congress intended. “The Politella’s fundamental liberty interest to decide whether their son should receive elective medical treatment was denied by agents of the State and School,” he wrote in an email to the AP. “The Vermont Court misconstrues the scope of PREP Act immunity (which is conditioned upon informed consent for medical treatments unapproved by FDA), to cover this denial of rights and its underlying battery.” Ferrara added that he was not aware of the claims spreading online, but that he “can understand how lay people may conflate the court's mistaken grant of immunity for misconduct as tantamount to blessing such misconduct.” John Klar, who also represents the Politellas, went a step further, telling the AP that the Vermont Supreme Court ruling means that “as a matter of law” schools can get away with vaccinating students without parental consent and that parents can only sue on the federal level if death or serious bodily injury results. — Find AP Fact Checks here: https://apnews.com/APFactCheck .

WASHINGTON — Jimmy Carter, the former peanut farmer who tried to restore virtue to the White House after the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, then rebounded from a landslide defeat to become a global advocate of human rights and democracy, has died at age 100. The Carter Center said the 39th president died on Sunday afternoon, more than a year after entering hospice care, at his home in Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died in November last year, lived most of their lives. The center said he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. As reactions poured in from around the world, President Joe Biden mourned Carter’s death, saying the world lost an "extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian" and he had lost a dear friend. Biden cited Carter's compassion and moral clarity, his work to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless and advocacy for the disadvantaged as an example for others. "To all of the young people in this nation and for anyone in search of what it means to live a life of purpose and meaning – the good life – study Jimmy Carter, a man of principle, faith, and humility," Biden said in a statement. "He showed that we are a great nation because we are a good people – decent and honorable, courageous and compassionate, humble and strong." Biden said he is ordering a state funeral for Carter in Washington. A moderate Democrat, Carter ran for the presidency in 1976 as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad grin, effusive Baptist faith and technocratic plans for efficient government. His promise to never deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon's disgrace and the US defeat in southeast Asia. "If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don't vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president," Carter said. Americans were captivated by the earnest engineer, and while an election-year Playboy interview drew snickers when he said he "had looked on many women with lust. I've committed adultery in my heart many times," voters tired of political cynicism found it endearing. Carter's victory over Republican Gerald Ford, whose fortunes fell after pardoning Nixon, came amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over race, women’s rights and America's role in the world. The first family set an informal tone in the White House, carrying their own luggage, trying to silence the Marine Band’s traditional 'Hail to the Chief' and enrolling their daughter, Amy, in public schools. Carter was lampooned for wearing a cardigan and urging Americans to turn down their thermostats. But he set the stage for an economic revival and sharply reduced America's dependence on foreign oil by deregulating the energy industry along with airlines, trains and trucking. He established the departments of Energy and Education, appointed record numbers of women and non-whites to federal posts, preserved millions of acres of Alaskan wilderness and pardoned most Vietnam draft evaders. His achievements also included brokering peace in the Middle East by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at Camp David for 13 days in 1978. But his coalition splintered under double-digit inflation and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. After Carter reluctantly agreed to admit the exiled Shah of Iran to the US for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979. Talks to quickly free the hostages broke down and eight Americans died when a top-secret military rescue attempt failed. His negotiations did ultimately bring the hostages home alive, but in a final insult, Iran didn’t release them until the inauguration of Ronald Reagan, who had trounced him in the 1980 election. Humbled and back home in Georgia, Carter said his faith demanded that he keep doing whatever he could, for as long as he could, to try to make a difference. He and Rosalynn co-founded The Carter Center in 1982 and spent the next 40 years traveling the world as peacemakers, human rights advocates and champions of democracy and public health. Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 "for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts", Carter helped ease nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, avert a US invasion of Haiti and negotiate ceasefires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, the centre had monitored at least 113 elections around the world. But the common observation that he was better as an ex-president rankled Carter. His allies were pleased that he lived long enough to see biographers and historians revisit his presidency and declare it more impactful than many had understood it at the time. After a cancer diagnosis in 2015, Carter said he felt "perfectly at ease with whatever comes." "I've had a wonderful life," he said, "I've had thousands of friends, I've had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence." — Euronews < Previous Page Next Page >