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The Kwara State Commissioner for Youths Development, Ambassador Shehu Usman Ndanusa, has called on parents to give their children the freedom to choose their career paths, rather than imposing personal preferences on them. Speaking during the end-of-the-year party with students and parents of the Integrity Mission International Academy in Ilorin, the Commissioner emphasised the importance of nurturing individual talents and passions, which, according to him, are crucial for personal and professional growth. He said: “Every child is unique, with their own strengths, abilities, and interests, parents should guide and support their children, but not force them into career paths that may not align with their talents or aspirations. This is key to ensuring fulfilled and successful individuals. “Youths excel when they pursue careers they are passionate about. Let us work together to help them realize their potential and contribute meaningfully to society.” The Commissioner also highlighted how some parents’ insistence on traditional career paths, such as medicine, law, or engineering, has led to frustration and lack of fulfilment among youths. He called for a shift in perspective, encouraging parents to embrace new and unconventional career fields, such as technology, creative arts, sports, and entrepreneurship. According to him, the administration of Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has prioritised youths development to build a stronger and a more innovative society.
HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Aidan O’Connell might not be Mr. Right for the Raiders, but he is Mr. Right Now. He did enough in Friday’s 19-17 loss at Kansas City to show that Las Vegas’ quarterback job will be his for the rest of the season — barring, that is, another injury. O’Connell didn’t look like a quarterback who hadn’t played in nearly six weeks because of a broken thumb . Plus, the Raiders had a short week to prepare for the Chiefs, meaning O’Connell only went through a series of walk-through practices. Even so, he completed 23 of 35 passes for 340 yards, including touchdown passes of 33 yards to tight end Brock Bowers and 58 yards to wide receiver Tre Tucker. He didn’t throw any interceptions. “Thought he competed,” coach Antonio Pierce said Saturday morning. “I thought for what we knew we were getting with Spags (Kansas City defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo) and that defense, that he stood in the pocket, made some tough throws, took some hits, took the shots down the field like we wanted. We had some opportunities to take shots down the field, he threw them. And I thought our skill guys did a hell of a job competing and making some really good plays for us.” RELATED COVERAGE Washington Commanders release 2023 first-round pick Emmanuel Forbes J.K. Dobbins and Alohi Gilman are placed on injured reserve by Chargers Bills activate linebacker Matt Milano ahead of their game against 49ers O’Connell’s performance would’ve shined even more if not for the Raiders’ final offensive play. He led the Raiders from their 8-yard line to the Chiefs 32 with 15 seconds left. The plan was for O’Connell to take the snap and throw the ball away to run off a few more seconds, then send Daniel Carlson out for the potential winning field goal without giving Patrick Mahomes enough time to mount one of his signature comebacks. But rookie center Jackson Powers-Johnson snapped the ball before O’Connell was expecting it, and the Chiefs recovered to secure another close, last-minute victory. The AP Top 25 college football poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . The Raiders were called for illegal shift, which Kansas City declined. But there was some question about whether officials intended to call a false start instead. Though that infraction would have cost Las Vegas 5 yards, the pre-snap penalty still would’ve given Carlson a shot at the field goal. Pierce said his team heard an official’s whistle before the snap, and that will be included in the Raiders’ report to the NFL. “We do that every game,” Pierce said. “Typically, anywhere from three to five questions, and then we’ll get a letter within 24 to 36 hours, and we’ll read it and learn from it.” What’s working Bowers had another sensational game. He was targeted 14 times, catching 10 passes for 140 yards. For the season, he has 84 receptions for 884 yards and four TDs, making him a strong contender for Offensive Rookie of the Year. “We’re seeing double-teams and them really shifting their zone to him, and I don’t really think it matters,” Pierce said. “I think we’ve got a really special player on our hand.” What needs help The Raiders need to do better on first and second downs to set up more favorable third-down conversions. They have faced 47 third downs from 7 to 10 yards, tied with the Dallas Cowboys for fifth most. Las Vegas’ conversion rate on those plays is 36.2%, which actually is favorable compared to the rest of the league, but the Raiders are still creating too many of those situations. Stock up Las Vegas made life difficult for Mahomes, sacking him five times. And it wasn’t just Maxx Crosby bringing the heat. Four players had at least one-half sack, including K’Lavon Chaisson, who had 1 1/2. It was a season-high total for the Raiders, and they have taken down the opposing quarterback in 30 consecutive games, the third-longest active streak. Stock down Carlson is usually money, but he missed field goals from 56, 55 and 58 yards. Hardly chip shots, but he is capable of converting from those distances. He had made 30 of 38 field goals from 50-plus yards entering the game, with a career long of 57 yards. Injuries WR DJ Turner injured his knee in the second half. Key number 12 — The Raiders are one of three teams to fall behind double digits in each of their first 12 games of a season. The others were the 1986 Indianapolis Colts and 1972 New England Patriots. Next steps The Raiders visit Tampa Bay on Dec. 8. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflIn any air force, there are likely to be dozens of different kinds of aircraft, including logistical support aircraft, transport planes, reconnaissance jets, and trainers. However, the most important and recognizable aircraft within any military are, unsurprisingly, those that will be involved in combat, and these aircraft are those that typically define the power and capabilities of a global air force . Get all the latest aviation news from Simple Flying! While larger organizations like the United States Air Force (USAF) are well-known for operating dozens of different combat aircraft, most air forces will have just one or two different kinds of combat aircraft. The most common aircraft used by a global air force are multirole fighter jets and ground-attack aircraft, with good examples of these kinds of aircraft being the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II and the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt, both of which are operated by the United States (and the F-35 by several US allies). Another important kind of combat aircraft, one which had a more important role in warfare historically than it does now, is the strategic bomber. During the Second World War and the decades of the Cold War that followed, air forces across the globe operated large strategic bombers, which were meant to support long-range bombing efforts. Over time, however, the advent of more advanced ground-attack aircraft and long-range intercontinental and tactical cruise missiles essentially made these platforms mostly obsolete, and today, only Russia, the United States, and China operate strategic bombers . Only the US, Russia, and China still operate these aircraft. One unique kind of aircraft, however, has yet to be mentioned. Air superiority fighters form the core of any global air force, and they are what most would think of when they picture a classical fighter aircraft. While multirole fighters perform multiple kinds of missions, including ground attack operations, reconnaissance, aircraft interception, and more, air superiority fighters are designed with the exclusive goal of establishing air superiority in a hostile environment as quickly as possible. These aircraft are designed to be the most capable dogfighting aircraft in the skies, those which could take on any enemy fighter in direct combat and establish air superiority for a nation in war, allowing ground and sea operations to also take place. As a result, air superiority fighters are some of the most advanced and capable aircraft to ever take to the skies, and their role in warfare continues to be critical. Despite this, there are some older air superiority fighter designs that have proven either so extensively capable over time or so difficult to replace to the point that they have yet to be retired after decades of operations. In this article, we will take a deeper look at five of the most noteworthy air superiority fighters still in the skies today, those that have remained in operational military service longer than any others. McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle Service entry: January 9th, 1976 Category: McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle Specification: Maximum takeoff weight (MTOW): 68,000 lbs (30,845 kg) Maximum speed: Mach 2.45 Range 2,144 nautical miles (with external fuel tanks) Service ceiling: 66,000 feet (20,000 m) The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle first took to the skies over fifty years ago on July 27th, 1972, and entered military service just four years later in 1976. The aircraft, which was designed as a twin-engine, all-weather air superiority fighter, was manufactured initially by McDonnell Douglas, but later variants were developed by Seattle-based manufacturer Boeing following its merger with the manufacturer. The plane was designed to be the most capable air superiority fighter ever built, and there is a strong argument to be made that, despite extensive advances in military technology, it may remain the most capable fighter in the skies today . For starters, the aircraft remains the fastest fighter jet ever put into service by the United States and is one of the fastest pure air superiority fighters ever built. Some Soviet combat aircraft, such as the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 Foxbat were faster, although they were mostly high-altitude interceptors. Furthermore, the F-15 has a perfect 104-0 combat record, according to the EurAsian Times . In the years following the end of the Second World War, global air forces began to introduce first-generation fighters, and US-built fighter aircraft squared off against Soviet-built jets in Cold War hotspots, including in Korea. When second-generation fighters came around in the years leading up to the Vietnam War, aircraft were designed to fight beyond visual range, striking each other with long-range missiles. The F-15EX could theoretically carry the MOP with some modifications but with sharply reduced range and other issues. Aircraft like the American F-4 Phantom, however, struggled over the skies of Vietnam, and they were forced to get within closer range of enemy aircraft to confirm their targets, amid extensive airspace congestion. With the need for a new supermaneuverable fighter aircraft, the United States Air Force set out to develop what would eventually become the F-15 Eagle. Mitsubishi F-15J Service entry: December 7th, 1981 Category: Mitsubishi F-15 Eagle Specification: Maximum takeoff weight (MTOW): 68,000 lbs (30,845 kg) Maximum speed: Mach 2.45 Range 2,144 nautical miles (with external fuel tanks) Service ceiling: 66,000 feet (20,000 m) The Mitsubishi F-15J was a license-built version of McDonnell Douglas' F-15J, with 213 units manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in the 1980s for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. These aircraft are noteworthy for being the only F-15 jets produced outside the United States, and the aircraft only have marginal differences from US-built F-15 variants. The aircraft was selected by the Japanese Defense Agency (which has since been renamed the Ministry of Defense) to replace its aging F-104 Starfighter and F-4 Phantom II fighter jets in 1975. Two F-15 units were evaluated by a Japanese delegation at Edwards Air Force Base in December 1075, and an agreement was announced by the end of that year for production under license by a Japanese manufacturer. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries was awarded the contract not long after, in April 1978. Japan will upgrade many of its license-built F-15 Eagles to roughly an F-15EX equivalent. Mikoyan MiG-29 Service entry: August 1983 Category: Mikoyan MiG-29 Specification: Maximum takeoff weight (MTOW): 39,683 lbs (18,000 kg) Maximum speed: Mach 2.3 Range: 1,100 nautical miles Service ceiling: 59,000 feet (18,000 m) The final three aircraft on this list were all built in the Soviet Union (with later variants all built in Russia), and the first is the nimble and extremely capable MiG-29. This all-weather air superiority fighter was developed by the Mikoyan Design Bureau during the 1970s and was intended to counter new US-built fighter aircraft, including the F-15 Eagle and the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon . The aircraft remains in operational service today with the Russian Aerospace Forces, the Indian Air Force, the Uzbekistan Air and Air Defense Forces, and the Ukrainian Air Force, and over 1,600 aircraft of the type have been produced. This fighter has the unique distinction of being the oldest air superiority fighter to remain in production. According to Flight Global , over 800 MiG-29 aircraft remain in service across the globe today, making it the 5th most common fighter aircraft used by global air forces today. Sukhoi Su-27 Service entry: June 22nd, 1985 Category: Sukhoi Su-27 Specification: Maximum takeoff weight (MTOW): 72,753 lbs (33,000 kg) Maximum speed: Mach 2.35 Range: 1,910 nautical miles Service ceiling: 62,000 feet (19,000 meters) The Soviet-built Sukhoi Su-27 entered service during the 1980s and was designed as a twin-engine supermaneuverable fighter designed to directly combat fourth-generation fighters like the F-15 and the Grumman F-14 Tomcat. Although significantly larger, the Su-27 was designed alongside the MiG-29, intended to complement the aircraft with more advanced ordinance capabilities and next-generation avionics. Over 680 Su-27 aircraft were produced during a 28-year run between 1982 and 2010, which entered service primarily with the Russian Aerospace Forces, but some variants remain in service today with the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force and the Uzbekistan Air and Air Defense Force. The Su-27 was developed into a number of different fighters, including the thrust-vectoring Su-37. Ukraine managed to destroy and damage several Russian fighter jets in occupied Crimea in a devastating missile strike. Sukhoi Su-33 Service entry: August 31st, 1998 Category: Sukhoi Su-33 Specification: Maximum takeoff weight (MTOW): 72,753 lbs (33,000 kg) Maximum speed: Mach 2.17 Range: 1,600 nautical miles Service ceiling: 56,000 feet (17,000 m) The Sukhoi Su-33, a Russian-built all-weather air superiority fighter, is the lone carrier-capable aircraft that made its way onto this list. The aircraft officially entered service in 1998 , although its first operations did not take place until 1995 when the jet became the primary fighter for the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier. Only 24 such jets were produced and license-built versions were later produced in China as the Shenyang J-15.
AP Trending SummaryBrief at 2:21 p.m. EST
Major stock indexes on Wall Street drifted to a mixed finish, capping a rare bumpy week for the market. The S&P 500 ended essentially flat, down less than 0.1 per cent, after wavering between tiny gains and losses most of the day. The benchmark index posted a loss for the week, its first after three straight weekly gains. There were more than twice as many decliners than gainers on the New York Stock Exchange. Credit: Bloomberg The Dow Jones slipped 0.2 per cent, while the Nasdaq composite rose 0.1 per cent, ending just below the record high it set on Wednesday. The Australian sharemarket is set to retreat, with futures pointing to a slide of 39 points, or 0.5 per cent, at the open. There were more than twice as many decliners than gainers on the New York Stock Exchange. Gains in technology stocks helped temper losses in communication services, financials and other sectors of the market. Broadcom surged 24.4 per cent for the biggest gain in the S&P 500 after the semiconductor company beat Wall Street’s profit targets and gave a glowing forecast, highlighting its artificial intelligence products. The company also raised its dividend. The company’s big gain helped cushion the market’s broader fall. Pricey stock values for technology companies like Broadcom give the sector more weight in pushing the market higher or lower. Artificial intelligence technology has been a focal point for the technology sector and the overall stock market over the last year. Tech companies, and Wall Street, expect demand for AI to continue driving growth for semiconductor and other technology companies. Some tech stocks were a drag on the market. Nvidia fell 2.2 per cent, Meta Platforms dropped 1.7 per cent and Google parent Alphabet slid 1.1 per cent. Among the market’s other decliners were Airbnb, which fell 4.7 per cent for the biggest loss in the S&P 500, and Charles Schwab, which closed 4 per cent lower. Furniture and housewares company RH, formerly known as Restoration Hardware, surged 17 per cent after raising its forecast for revenue growth for the year. All told, the S&P 500 lost 0.16 points to close at 6,051.09. The Dow dropped 86.06 points to 43,828.06. The Nasdaq rose 23.88 points to 19,926.72. Wall Street’s rally stalled this week amid mixed economic reports and ahead of the Federal Reserve’s last meeting of the year. The central bank will meet next week and is widely expected to cut interest rates for a third time since September. Expectations of a series of rate cuts has driven the S&P 500 to 57 all-time highs so far this year. The Fed has been lowering its benchmark interest rate following an aggressive rate hiking policy that was meant to tame inflation. It raised rates from near-zero in early 2022 to a two-decade high by the middle of 2023. Inflation eased under pressure from higher interest rates, nearly to the central bank’s 2 per cent target. The economy, including consumer spending and employment, held strong despite the squeeze from inflation and high borrowing costs. A slowing job market, though, has helped push a long-awaited reversal of the Fed’s policy. Inflation rates have been warming up slightly over the last few months. A report on consumer prices this week showed an increase to 2.7 per cent in November from 2.6 per cent in October. The Fed’s preferred measure of inflation, the personal consumption expenditures index, will be released next week. Wall Street expects it to show a 2.5 per cent rise in November, up from 2.3 per cent in October. The economy, though, remains solid heading into 2025 as consumers continue spending and employment remains healthy, said Gregory Daco, chief economist at EY. “Still, the outlook is clouded by unusually high uncertainty surrounding regulatory, immigration, trade and tax policy,” he said. Treasury yields edged higher. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.40 per cent from 4.34 per cent late Thursday. European markets slipped. Britain’s FTSE 100 fell 0.1 per cent. Britain’s economy unexpectedly shrank by 0.1 per cent month-on-month in October, following a 0.1 per cent decline in September, according to data from the Office for National Statistics. Asian markets closed mostly lower. AP The Market Recap newsletter is a wrap of the day’s trading. Get it each we e kday afternoon .
By Tom Balmforth (Reuters) - Ukrainian investigators are studying the debris of a new Russian intermediate-range ballistic missile that was fired at the city of Dnipro on Thursday, the first time such a powerful weapon has been used in the war. Reuters was among a small group of reporters given access to the wreckage of the missile on Sunday. Reporters were asked not disclose the exact location of the site for security reasons. The scorched and crumbled pieces of debris were laid out in a hanger at a facility which conducts weapons forensics. Ukrainian experts study such debris to gain insight into Russian military supply chains, production and how to develop counter-measures. Russia has dubbed the missile the Oreshnik (Hazel Tree) and said it is impossible to intercept it with air defences. Ukraine has said the weapon reached a top speed of more than 13,000 kph (8,000 mph) on its way towards Dnipro on Thursday. Intermediate-range ballistic missiles have a range of up to 5,500 kilometres. Two state experts provided cautious assessments, saying only that the weapon was ballistic, flew on a ballistic trajectory and that the strike resulted in civilian damage. They declined to take questions or give their surnames. "These are preliminary conclusions and to say something more concrete requires time and careful study of the remains of the missile," said Ivan, one of the experts. MORE: "This is the first time that such remnants of such a missile have been discovered on the territory of Ukraine," said Oleh, an investigator for the Security Service of Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has called the use of the weapon a severe escalation and urged his allies to respond. Ukraine originally said the weapon appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile. The Kremlin later said it fired a new intermediate-range missile at a Ukrainian military target in Dnipro in response to Kyiv striking Russia with U.S. and British made missiles for the first time after the U.S. granted its approval. The U.S. military has said the missile's design is based on the longer-range RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). The new missile was experimental and Russia likely possessed only a handful of them, they have said. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday Moscow would keep testing the missile in combat and had a stock ready to use. Much remains unclear for now, including the extent of the damage caused by the missile. Ukraine seldom discloses damage to military targets, fearing such information would help Moscow. (Reporting by Tom Balmforth; editing by Elaine Hardcastle) Copyright 2024 Thomson Reuters .
NoneBy CLAIRE RUSH President-elect Donald Trump has once again suggested he wants to revert the name of North America’s tallest mountain — Alaska’s Denali — to Mount McKinley, wading into a sensitive and decades-old conflict about what the peak should be called. Related Articles National Politics | Inside the Gaetz ethics report, a trove of new details alleging payments for sex and drug use National Politics | Bluesky finds with growth comes growing pains — and bots National Politics | How the US economy might fare under Trump National Politics | Who’s who in Donald Trump’s new Silicon Valley entourage National Politics | Trump again calls to buy Greenland after eyeing Canada and the Panama Canal Former President Barack Obama changed the official name to Denali in 2015 to reflect the traditions of Alaska Natives as well as the preference of many Alaska residents. The federal government in recent years has endeavored to change place-names considered disrespectful to Native people. “Denali” is an Athabascan word meaning “the high one” or “the great one.” A prospector in 1896 dubbed the peak “Mount McKinley” after President William McKinley, who had never been to Alaska. That name was formally recognized by the U.S. government until Obama changed it over opposition from lawmakers in McKinley’s home state of Ohio. Trump suggested in 2016 that he might undo Obama’s action, but he dropped that notion after Alaska’s senators objected. He raised it again during a rally in Phoenix on Sunday. “McKinley was a very good, maybe a great president,” Trump said Sunday. “They took his name off Mount McKinley, right? That’s what they do to people.” Once again, Trump’s suggestion drew quick opposition within Alaska. “Uh. Nope. It’s Denali,” Democratic state Sen. Scott Kawasaki posted on the social platform X Sunday night. Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski , who for years pushed for legislation to change the name to Denali, conveyed a similar sentiment in a post of her own. “There is only one name worthy of North America’s tallest mountain: Denali — the Great One,” Murkowski wrote on X. Various tribes of Athabascan people have lived in the shadow of the 20,310-foot (6,190-meter) mountain for thousands of years. McKinley, a Republican native of Ohio who served as the 25th president, was assassinated early in his second term in 1901 in Buffalo, New York. Alaska and Ohio have been at odds over the name since at least the 1970s. Alaska had a standing request to change the name since 1975, when the legislature passed a resolution and then-Gov. Jay Hammond appealed to the federal government. Known for its majestic views, the mountain is dotted with glaciers and covered at the top with snow year-round, with powerful winds that make it difficult for the adventurous few who seek to climb it. Rush reported from Portland, Oregon.
NFL Analysis: Week 12 was filled with sloppy play, especially on special teamsVALLEY FORGE, PA — Vanguard has announced a significant expansion of its groundbreaking Investor Choice pilot program, designed to empower individual and institutional investors to actively participate in proxy voting decisions. Starting with the 2025 proxy season, the program will see the addition of three new funds, two new voting policy options, and the inclusion of retirement plan sponsors. This expansion will allow nearly four million investors, advisors, and retirement plan sponsors to influence shareholder matters, encompassing nearly $250 billion in assets under management. Launched in early 2023, Vanguard Investor Choice was developed to enable individual investors to have a more direct impact on the governance of portfolio companies held within participating Vanguard funds. By choosing from carefully selected proxy voting policy options, investors can ensure their voices are represented on key shareholder issues. “Vanguard Investor Choice is grounded in the foundational belief that empowering investors to influence how their proxies are voted helps create a healthier corporate governance ecosystem,” said John Galloway, Global Head of Investment Stewardship at Vanguard. “Consistent with our investor-owned, passive investment approach, we are excited to further expand Investor Choice by adding new funds and policy options, and begin engaging with retirement plan sponsors, so we can ensure that more investors can make their voices heard on proxy voting matters as they seek to achieve their long-term financial goals.” For the upcoming proxy season, Vanguard has nearly doubled the scope of the pilot program. Eight mutual funds and ETFs will now participate, reflecting the growing interest among investors in influencing corporate decision-making. Among the newly eligible funds are the Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund, the Vanguard Tax-Managed Capital Appreciation Fund, and the Vanguard Tax-Managed Small-Cap Fund. These funds join a diverse lineup that already includes the Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index Fund and Vanguard ESG U.S. Stock ETF. The inclusion of additional funds broadens the program’s reach, offering investors more opportunities to customize how their shares are voted in alignment with their values and financial goals. Integration of Retirement Plan Sponsors One of the most notable expansions of the program is its extension to retirement plan sponsors. Through this initiative, sponsors of 401(k) and other retirement plans offering eligible Vanguard funds may now consider providing participants the opportunity to exercise proxy voting choice in their investments. This marks a significant step forward in democratizing shareholder participation at scale. Following investor feedback, Vanguard unveiled two new voting policy options to further diversify available choices in the pilot program. The Mirror Voting Policy , which replaces the prior “Not Voting” Policy, enables investors’ shares to be voted in alignment with the proportional votes of other shareholders across the concerned company. The Third Party Wealth-Focused Policy , crafted with the recommendation of third-party provider Egan-Jones, emphasizes maximizing shareholder value and is insulated from political or social considerations. These additions expand a lineup that already includes existing options such as the Company Board-Aligned Policy, the Third-Party ESG Policy, and the Vanguard-Advised Funds Policy. “Guided by our mission and legacy of taking a stand for investors, we are committed to continuing to expand Investor Choice in a thoughtful, straightforward, and efficient way so that more and more investors can make their voices heard,” Galloway added. Vanguard Investor Choice represents a bold step in reshaping how individuals and institutions interact with the companies they invest in. By allowing shareholders to select proxy voting preferences that align with their principles, the program advances Vanguard’s efforts to create a stronger and more inclusive corporate governance framework. With the 2025 proxy season on the horizon, the expansion of this program spotlights Vanguard’s efforts to empower its investors. By offering greater accessibility to proxy voting and enhancing engagement opportunities, Vanguard continues to reinforce its leadership in innovation within the financial industry. For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN .None
NRL star turned Rich Lister backs Brisbane healthtech WearOptimoHerWILL, in collaboration with AI4OPT at Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), recently concluded its flagship program, AI for Equality 2024, which ran from October 11, 2024, to November 15, 2024. According to a press release, the program consisted of two components: four comprehensive workshops and a 10-day-long Datathon. The event had over 826 registrants, with participants from Syria, Egypt, Bangladesh, India, and the USA. From October 11 to October 19, over 826 participants engaged in four workshops, with 100 graduating after completing all sessions. These workshops, led by globally recognised experts, provided a comprehensive learning experience and covered essential AI skills, from foundational programming to advanced applications, says the press release. The 10-day HerWILL AI for Equality Datathon, hosted on Kaggle from October 21 to October 31, challenged participants to solve real-world equity problems, particularly identifying gender bias in texts, using Data Science and AI. Out of 154 participants, 42 successfully submitted solutions, and the top six performers were shortlisted for the final presentation during the closing ceremony, adds the press release. The final presentations were evaluated by a distinguished panel, focusing on innovation, technical accuracy, and presentation quality. The top three winners were announced during the closing ceremony on November 15. Jawa Habib from Syria secured first place, followed by Raihan Chowdhury from Bangladesh in second place, and Neelima Preeti from Bangladesh in third place. The winners were awarded cash prizes, Google scholarships, and mentorship opportunities with HerWILL, as per the organisers.
TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Tulsa fired football coach Kevin Wilson on Sunday and will elevate wide receivers coach Ryan Switzer on an interim basis for the remainder of the season. The Golden Hurricane lost to South Florida 63-30 on Saturday, dropping their record to 3-8. The school's decision concludes Wilson's two-year tenure with a 7-16 record, including 3-12 in American Athletic Conference play. “With the rapidly evolving landscape of college athletics, we know the importance of positioning our football program and athletic department to thrive and excel in the upcoming years,” athletic director Justin Moore said in a statement. “Our standard will be to play in bowl games every season, compete for conference titles, and build a program that everyone connected to the Golden Hurricane will be proud of." Wilson spent six years as Indiana’s head coach, going 26-47 from 2011 to 2016. He then joined Urban Meyer’s staff at Ohio State and stayed on under Meyer’s successor, Ryan Day, before taking over at Tulsa. 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-football49ers QB Brock Purdy resumes throwing but status for this week remains unknown
Renuka Rayasam | (TNS) KFF Health News In April, just 12 weeks into her pregnancy, Kathleen Clark was standing at the receptionist window of her OB-GYN’s office when she was asked to pay $960, the total the office estimated she would owe after she delivered. Clark, 39, was shocked that she was asked to pay that amount during this second prenatal visit. Normally, patients receive the bill after insurance has paid its part, and for pregnant women that’s usually only when the pregnancy ends. It would be months before the office filed the claim with her health insurer. Clark said she felt stuck. The Cleveland, Tennessee, obstetrics practice was affiliated with a birthing center where she wanted to deliver. Plus, she and her husband had been wanting to have a baby for a long time. And Clark was emotional, because just weeks earlier her mother had died. “You’re standing there at the window, and there’s people all around, and you’re trying to be really nice,” recalled Clark, through tears. “So, I paid it.” On online baby message boards and other social media forums , pregnant women say they are being asked by their providers to pay out-of-pocket fees earlier than expected. The practice is legal, but patient advocacy groups call it unethical. Medical providers argue that asking for payment up front ensures they get compensated for their services. How frequently this happens is hard to track because it is considered a private transaction between the provider and the patient. Therefore, the payments are not recorded in insurance claims data and are not studied by researchers. Patients, medical billing experts, and patient advocates say the billing practice causes unexpected anxiety at a time of already heightened stress and financial pressure. Estimates can sometimes be higher than what a patient might ultimately owe and force people to fight for refunds if they miscarry or the amount paid was higher than the final bill. Up-front payments also create hurdles for women who may want to switch providers if they are unhappy with their care. In some cases, they may cause women to forgo prenatal care altogether, especially in places where few other maternity care options exist. It’s “holding their treatment hostage,” said Caitlin Donovan, a senior director at the Patient Advocate Foundation . Medical billing and women’s health experts believe OB-GYN offices adopted the practice to manage the high cost of maternity care and the way it is billed for in the U.S. When a pregnancy ends, OB-GYNs typically file a single insurance claim for routine prenatal care, labor, delivery, and, often, postpartum care. That practice of bundling all maternity care into one billing code began three decades ago, said Lisa Satterfield, senior director of health and payment policy at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists . But such bundled billing has become outdated, she said. Previously, pregnant patients had been subject to copayments for each prenatal visit, which might lead them to skip crucial appointments to save money. But the Affordable Care Act now requires all commercial insurers to fully cover certain prenatal services. Plus, it’s become more common for pregnant women to switch providers, or have different providers handle prenatal care, labor, and delivery — especially in rural areas where patient transfers are common. Some providers say prepayments allow them to spread out one-time payments over the course of the pregnancy to ensure that they are compensated for the care they do provide, even if they don’t ultimately deliver the baby. “You have people who, unfortunately, are not getting paid for the work that they do,” said Pamela Boatner, who works as a midwife in a Georgia hospital. While she believes women should receive pregnancy care regardless of their ability to pay, she also understands that some providers want to make sure their bill isn’t ignored after the baby is delivered. New parents might be overloaded with hospital bills and the costs of caring for a new child, and they may lack income if a parent isn’t working, Boatner said. In the U.S., having a baby can be expensive. People who obtain health insurance through large employers pay an average of nearly $3,000 out-of-pocket for pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care, according to the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker . In addition, many people are opting for high-deductible health insurance plans, leaving them to shoulder a larger share of the costs. Of the 100 million U.S. people with health care debt, 12% attribute at least some of it to maternity care, according to a 2022 KFF poll . Families need time to save money for the high costs of pregnancy, childbirth, and child care, especially if they lack paid maternity leave, said Joy Burkhard , CEO of the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health, a Los Angeles-based policy think tank. Asking them to prepay “is another gut punch,” she said. “What if you don’t have the money? Do you put it on credit cards and hope your credit card goes through?” Calculating the final costs of childbirth depends on multiple factors, such as the timing of the pregnancy , plan benefits, and health complications, said Erin Duffy , a health policy researcher at the University of Southern California’s Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics. The final bill for the patient is unclear until a health plan decides how much of the claim it will cover, she said. But sometimes the option to wait for the insurer is taken away. During Jamie Daw’s first pregnancy in 2020, her OB-GYN accepted her refusal to pay in advance because Daw wanted to see the final bill. But in 2023, during her second pregnancy, a private midwifery practice in New York told her that since she had a high-deductible plan, it was mandatory to pay $2,000 spread out with monthly payments. Daw, a health policy researcher at Columbia University, delivered in September 2023 and got a refund check that November for $640 to cover the difference between the estimate and the final bill. “I study health insurance,” she said. “But, as most of us know, it’s so complicated when you’re really living it.” While the Affordable Care Act requires insurers to cover some prenatal services, it doesn’t prohibit providers from sending their final bill to patients early. It would be a challenge politically and practically for state and federal governments to attempt to regulate the timing of the payment request, said Sabrina Corlette , a co-director of the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University. Medical lobbying groups are powerful and contracts between insurers and medical providers are proprietary. Because of the legal gray area, Lacy Marshall , an insurance broker at Rapha Health and Life in Texas, advises clients to ask their insurer if they can refuse to prepay their deductible. Some insurance plans prohibit providers in their network from requiring payment up front. If the insurer says they can refuse to pay up front, Marshall said, she tells clients to get established with a practice before declining to pay, so that the provider can’t refuse treatment. Related Articles Health | Which health insurance plan may be right for you? Health | California case is the first confirmed bird flu infection in a US child Health | UC campus and hospital worker strike continues across university system Health | Phillips 66 indicted on charges it dumped tainted water from Carson refinery into sewer system Health | US towns plunge into debates about fluoride in water Clark said she met her insurance deductible after paying for genetic testing, extra ultrasounds, and other services out of her health care flexible spending account. Then she called her OB-GYN’s office and asked for a refund. “I got my spine back,” said Clark, who had previously worked at a health insurer and a medical office. She got an initial check for about half the $960 she originally paid. In August, Clark was sent to the hospital after her blood pressure spiked. A high-risk pregnancy specialist — not her original OB-GYN practice — delivered her son, Peter, prematurely via emergency cesarean section at 30 weeks. It was only after she resolved most of the bills from the delivery that she received the rest of her refund from the other OB-GYN practice. This final check came in October, just days after Clark brought Peter home from the hospital, and after multiple calls to the office. She said it all added stress to an already stressful period. “Why am I having to pay the price as a patient?” she said. “I’m just trying to have a baby.” ©2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
After weeks of fear and bewilderment about over parts of New York and , U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer is urging the federal government to deploy better drone-tracking technology to identify and ultimately stop the airborne pests. The New York Democrat is calling on the Department of Homeland Security to immediately deploy special technology that identifies and tracks drones back to their landing spots, according to briefings from his office. Schumer’s calls come amid growing public concern that the federal government hasn’t offered clear explanations as to who is operating the drones, and has not stopped them. National security officials have said the drones don’t appear to be a sign of foreign interference. “There’s a lot of us who are pretty frustrated right now,” said Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, on Fox News Sunday. “The answer ‘We don’t know’ is not a good enough answer.” President-elect Donald Trump posted on social media last week: “Can this really be happening without our government’s knowledge? I don’t think so. Let the public know, and now. Otherwise, shoot them down.” Certain agencies within the Department of Homeland Security have the power to “incapacitate” drones, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos on Sunday. “But we need those authorities expanded,” he said, without saying exactly how. The drones don’t appear to be linked to foreign governments, Mayorkas said. “We know of no foreign involvement with respect to the sightings in the Northeast. And we are vigilant in investigating this matter,” Mayorkas said. Last year, federal aviation rules began requiring certain drones to broadcast their identities. It’s not clear whether that information has been used to determine who is operating the drones swarming locations in New York and New Jersey. Mayorkas’ office didn’t immediately respond to questions about whether they’ve been able to identify drones using this capability. Schumer is calling for recently declassified radar technology to be used to help determine whether an object is a drone or a bird, identify its electronic registration, and follow it back to its landing place. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Sunday said federal officials were sending a drone detection system to the state. “This system will support state and federal law enforcement in their investigations,” Hochul said in a statement. The governor did not immediately provide additional details including where they system will be deployed. Dozens of mysterious nighttime flights started last month over New Jersey, raising concerns among residents and officials. Part of the worry stems from the flying objects near the Picatinny Arsenal, a U.S. military research and manufacturing facility and over Trump’s golf course in Bedminster. Drones are legal in New Jersey for recreational and commercial use, but they are subject to local and Federal Aviation Administration regulations and flight restrictions. Operators must be FAA certified. Bianca Vázquez Toness, The Associated Press
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