Category: World

Between battles, Ukraine’s soldiers have a place to recover

January 4, 2023 Published by

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Ukrainian soldiers undergo laser therapy at a rehabilitation center in Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Friday, Dec. 30, 2022. The relentless 10-month war has prompted a local commander to transform an old soviet-era sanatorium into a recovery center for servicemen to treat both mental and physical ailments. (AP Photo/Vasilisa Stepanenko)

A Ukrainian commander has transformed an old Soviet-era sanatorium into a recovery center for servicemen. (Jan. 5) (AP video/Vasilisa Stepanenko)

KHARKIV, Ukraine (AP) — Sitting on comfy armchairs in a low-lit room smelling of lavender and pine trees, the men take deep breaths as they close their eyes and listen to meditation music.

But this is not a spa. Uniformed Ukrainian soldiers are taking a break at this rehabilitation center in the Kharkiv region to restore their bodies and minds before going back to the front line.

The relentless 10-month war has prompted a local commander to transform a Soviet-era sanatorium into a recovery center for servicemen to treat both mental and physical ailments.

“This rehabilitation is helping soldiers, at least for a week, to put themselves together,” said Oleksander Vasylkovskyi, a lieutenant colonel in the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Vasylkovskyi remembers how soldiers suffered silently after returning home from fighting Russia in Ukraine’s Donbas in 2014. Suicide rates among veterans increased in the following years, with many untreated cases of post-traumatic stress disorder. He hopes a center like this can raise awareness of the need for mental health care and prevent suicides in the future.

Here, soldiers are offered a variety of treatments: aquatic therapy in a hot pool to heal muscle aches; red light therapy to improve heart and blood circulation, a salt room for better breathing; and for those having nightmares, electrosleep therapy — a Soviet-era low-frequency electrotherapy that is said to relax the nervous system and induce sleep.

Psychologists are also available, not just for the soldiers but also for their families dealing with the traumas of war.

The servicemen also undergo medical checks, explained Vasylkovskyi. “It’s the most important thing because a person develops several illnesses from the stress of fighting.”

Hub peek embed (RussiaUkrainewar) – Compressed layout

In addition to the psychological scars of war, soldiers also come here to treat meningitis, contusions, amputations, lung and nerve inflammations, sleeping disorders, skin diseases, and cardiovascular illnesses, among others.

“If someone has trauma and cannot walk, my department will put them back on their feet,” said Artem a physical therapist working at the center who cannot reveal his last name for security reasons.

More than 2,000 soldiers have been treated here since the center opened in June. It receives support from international partners in Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Poland, the U.S. and Spain. The cost of one day of rehabilitation for one soldier is around 20 euros, according to Vasylkovskyi. But more funding is still needed, he said, “because (the war) is not over.”

Viktor, whose last name cannot be published for security reasons, worked as a miner before joining the army. He took part in the military operation that pushed Russian occupying forces out of the Kharkiv region.

For months, he slept in muddy, cold trenches. “We worked in conditions that were bad for our health. It’s bad, it’s damp, it’s wet,” Viktor explained as he sat in a room where the walls and floors are covered in thick salt to clear his damaged lungs. “We have back pain, leg pain, we carry heavy equipment,” he added.

Four days into the rehabilitation center he was feeling reenergized. ”I’m already determined to go further, continue my work, destroy the enemy, and bring us each day closer to victory,” Viktor said.

But perhaps the most appealing aspect of this rehabilitation center isn’t the therapy but the ability to bring one’s family along for a couple of days.

Maksym, who, like Viktor, cannot reveal his last name for security reasons, hadn’t seen his wife and son in five months. One of the hardest parts of this war, he said, is when “you can’t connect and speak to your loved ones.” He was relieved they could join him for a few days at the rehabilitation center and relax together. Without official vacations, this is the only way that many soldiers can get proper rest.

“I can see that men are returning to the unit after a week, rested and gaining more strength. And the thoughts that they had before go away,” Maksym said. Some of those haunting thoughts are the memories of friends who died on the battlefield.

Asked how many comrades he had lost, Maksym lowered his eyes and answered bluntly: “Too many.”

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Follow the AP’s coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

 

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Saquon Barkley says it’s ‘tough’ to prepare for upcoming game following Damar Hamlin’s collapse

January 4, 2023 Published by

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When Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field, was resuscitated and taken to a hospital, it seemed impossible to understand how the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals could continue playing.

They didn’t. The game was eventually postponed, 66 minutes after he collapsed. The NFL has not announced when, or if, the game will be resumed.

As of now, the league will play Week 18 as scheduled, but the scary incident is clearly affecting the rest of the league.

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Saquon Barkley spoke to reporters Wednesday and admitted it’s difficult to prepare to play this Sunday.

“It’s going to be tough, yeah, I would say it’ll be tough. That’s a true conversation that really needs to be had. I’ve never — I know where I’m at mentally, but I think that would probably be a really good thing as a captain and a leader of the team to bring the team together and ask that question. That didn’t even cross my mind,” Barkley said.

The star running back, of course, wants to play. He said he isn’t questioning “playing the sport that I love.” But Hamlin’s ordeal has definitely put life into perspective.

“You think about it. You talk about it. But when you actually see something like that, it leaves you speechless …,” he said, noting the shock of seeing what unfolded. “It definitely does put it into perspective. Me having kids and seeing that it’s a physical sport, it’s the game I love to play. But, at any given moment, you make sure you just appreciate all the little things. Going out to practice, spending time with your family, spend time with your teammates, even stuff like this, at any moment, anything can happen.”

Barkley has even thought about the possibility of the league not playing at all this weekend. As of now, Week 18 games will be played as scheduled.

BILLS’ DAMAR HAMLIN HAS SHOWN ‘SIGNS OF IMPROVEMENT,’ STILL IN CRITICAL CONDITION, TEAM SAYS

“Me, personally, that’s a conversation that I would have to have with my family. … That’s something I would probably have a better answer later on in the week having to sit down and really reflect on that. It’s sad to say, but it’s the God honest truth. The only thing I’ve really done in this moment about the situation that happened is more thinking about Damar and thinking about his family, thinking about those guys. Really haven’t even sat down myself thinking like, ‘Wow, I’m actually going to take the field too.’”

Hamlin remains in critical condition, but the Bills and his family have both said he has shown signs of improvement over the last 24 hours.

 

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Red Sox, Rafael Devers agree to massive extension: reports

January 4, 2023 Published by

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It may have taken longer than Boston Red Sox fans might have hoped, but All-Star third baseman Rafael Devers has reportedly agreed to terms on a massive 11-year deal to remain in Beantown. 

The deal, which was first reported by Carlos Baerga, is worth $331 million over 11 years, though ESPN reported it hasn’t been completed. A physical still needs to be done, and Carlos Correa’s free agency this offseason showed fans that it can create a hiccup in the process. 

This new contract for Devers came after a Tuesday report that stated the Red Sox and the third baseman agreed to terms on a one-year pact worth $17.5 million. 

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But the deal was to simply avoid arbitration, per ESPN, and discussions would continue in hopes of both sides finding common ground on a long-term deal. 

Sox fans can now rejoice knowing their homegrown talent will continue playing a pivotal role in Boston’s success for years to come. 

Devers was set to become a free agent at the end of the 2023 season, but with players like Xander Bogaerts and J.D. Martinez finding new homes in MLB, Sox fans were hoping the front office would make Devers priority number one in terms of a new contract. 

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That appeared to be the case this offseason, though both sides weren’t on common ground initially. As the days and weeks went by without an update on where Boston was at in their negotiations with the Dominican Republic native, speculation and doubt was the natural response from the Red Sox faithful. 

Devers earned his contract after showcasing his tremendous bat and solid glove over six MLB seasons thus far, his last two being All-Star worthy performances. 

Devers’ first All-Star season came in 2021 when he belted 38 homers, a career-high, and 113 RBI over 156 games with a .279/.352/.538 slash line with an .890 OPS. 

And he followed that up last year with a similar line of .295/.358/.521 with 27 homers, 42 doubles and 88 RBI over 141 games. 

RED SOX GET BURNED AGAIN BY MOOKIE BETTS TRADE BY DFAING FORMER TOP PROSPECT NAMED AFTER DEREK JETER

Over the length of his contract, there’s no telling what the Red Sox plan on doing with his position at third base — some believe that Devers could be a solid first baseman, too — but the key to his success is at the plate. Devers has become a feared hitter due to the natural pop that his bat speed and raw power creates as well as a good eye to avoid balls thrown out of the zone. 

At just 26 years old, the Red Sox clearly believe Devers is their present and future, and his contract, while raising his expectations quite a bit, proves they have faith his talent will translate to consistent production and wins for years to come. 

 

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FDA finalizes rule expanding availability of abortion pills

January 4, 2023 Published by

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday finalized a rule change that broadens availability of abortion pills to many more pharmacies, including large chains and mail-order companies.

The Biden administration partially implemented the change last year, announcing it would no longer enforce a long-standing requirement that women pick up the medicine in person. Tuesday’s action formally updates the drug’s labeling to allow many more retail pharmacies to dispense the pills, so long as they complete a certification process.

The change could expand access at both brick-and-mortar stores and online pharmacies. Women can get a prescription via telehealth consultation with a health professional, and then receive the pills through the mail, where permitted by law.

Still, the rule change’s impact has been blunted by numerous state laws limiting abortion broadly and the pills specifically. Legal experts foresee years of court battles over access to the pills, as abortion-rights proponents bring test cases to challenge state restrictions.

For more than 20 years, the FDA labeling had limited dispensing to a subset of specialty offices and clinics, due to safety concerns. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the FDA temporarily suspended the in-person requirement. The agency later said a new scientific review by agency staff supported easing access, concurring with numerous medical societies that had long said the restriction wasn’t necessary.

Two drugmakers that make brand-name and generic versions of abortion pills requested the latest FDA label update. Agency rules require a company to file an application before modifying dispensing restrictions on drugs.

Danco Laboratories, which sells branded Mifeprex, said in a statement the change “is critically important to expanding access to medication abortion services and will provide healthcare providers” with another option for prescribing the drug.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists called the update an “important step” forward.

“Although the FDA’s announcement today will not solve access issues for every person seeking abortion care, it will allow more patients who need mifepristone for medication abortion additional options to secure this vital drug,” the group said in a statement.

More than half of U.S. abortions are now done with pills rather than surgery, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights.

The FDA in 2000 approved mifepristone to terminate pregnancies of up to 10 weeks, when used with a second drug, misoprostol. Mifepristone is taken first to dilate the cervix and block the hormone progesterone, which is needed to sustain a pregnancy. Misoprostol is taken 24 to 48 hours later, causing the uterus to contract and expel pregnancy tissue.

Bleeding is a common side effect, though serious complications are very rare. The FDA says more than 3.7 million U.S. women have used mifepristone since its approval.

Several FDA-mandated safety requirements remain in effect, including training requirements to certify that prescribers can provide emergency care in the case of excessive bleeding. Pharmacies that dispense the pills also need a certification.

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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McCarthy loses fifth speaker vote with bid for gavel increasingly in peril

January 4, 2023 Published by



CNN
 — 

Kevin McCarthy suffered yet another stinging defeat on Wednesday as he lost in the sixth round of voting to elect a speaker – a major blow that increasingly imperils his bid and heightens uncertainty over whether he can still secure the gavel or if a viable candidate will emerge as an alternative.

The House of Representatives has adjourned until 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday after failing to elect a new speaker. Now, Republicans are scrambling to find a resolution and talks are expected to continue.

Republicans are considering appointing four members each from the pro-McCarthy and anti-McCarthy camps to negotiate a path forward on choosing a House speaker, one GOP source tells CNN.

The House GOP majority has been stuck at a contentious stalemate amid opposition to McCarthy from a group of conservatives. The fight, which began on the first day of the 118th Congress, has thrown the new House GOP majority into chaos and undercut the party’s agenda.

The House will continue to be paralyzed until this standoff is resolved. The situation has grown dire for McCarthy’s political future as Republican allies are beginning to fear that the House GOP leader may not be able to pull off his gamble for speaker if the fight goes much longer. While McCarthy has firm support among most of the conference, some are not committed to sticking with him.

It’s not at all clear whether McCarthy and his allies will be able to lock down the votes – and the longer the fight drags on the more imperiled his speaker bid has become.

But there are some signs that negotiations may be progressing. Rep. Dan Bishop of North Carolina, one of the 20 members who has opposed McCarthy in the votes, told CNN things have changed and there is a “dynamic kind of atmosphere” now.

“I’m encouraged by it,” he said.

Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, another member who has voted against McCarthy, told CNN he has had “more productive” talks over the last two hours with McCarthy allies than he has had over the last few weeks. He said he expects to be part of talks that will take place tonight.

But in a sign of McCarthy’s remaining challenges: Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona, a prominent member of the opposition group, told CNN he is still a hard no.

House Republicans hold 222 seats in the new Congress, so for McCarthy to reach 218, he can only afford to lose four GOP votes. His obstacle is that he faces a small but determined contingent of hardline conservatives who have so far been successful in denying him the votes to secure the gavel.

The group has used the leverage they have in the razor-thin Republican majority to extract concessions. McCarthy has already given in to a number of their demands, including making it easier to topple the sitting speaker, but so far his efforts have not been enough, and

The House convened on Wednesday to continue voting after three rounds of votes on Tuesday. McCarthy has come up short each time, failing to hit the majority threshold needed to secure the speakership.

As the votes stretched on Tuesday, the situation appeared to become even more dire for McCarthy, as the vote count in opposition to his speaker bid grew.

The tally for the first ballot in the speaker vote was 203 for McCarthy, with 19 Republicans voting for other candidates. The tally for the second ballot was 203 votes for McCarthy with 19 votes for GOP Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio. In the third round of voting, there were 202 votes for McCarthy and 20 votes for Jordan, with Rep. Byron Donalds joining the 19 GOP lawmakers who had voted against McCarthy in the first two rounds.

It was the first time an election for speaker went to multiple ballots since 1923.

“My vote yesterday was basically to break a deadlock, because we were deadlocked, and we were not getting anywhere,” Donalds, a Florida Republican, said Wednesday on “CNN This Morning.” “Right now, (McCarthy) doesn’t have a pathway to get there. If that reemerges, yeah, I can be there, that’s fine, but what’s necessary now is that Republicans come together and find a way to elect a speaker.”

In the fourth round of voting, 20 Republicans voting together for Donalds as the group switched their collective support from Jordan to Donalds. Rep. Victoria Spartz of Indiana voted present, lowering McCarthy’s threshold to 217.

Spartz told CNN she did so because she wanted to allow for more negotiations within the conference to address the concerns of the 20 members.

The final tally for the fifth vote was again 201 votes for McCarthy, 20 for Donalds and one present vote.

The final tally for the sixth vote was the same: 201 for McCarthy, 20 for Donalds and one present vote.

Trump is watching closely as the dynamic plays out on Capitol Hill and his public support has been a key focus of McCarthy’s efforts.

Two GOP sources familiar with the matter said McCarthy’s allies were panicking on Tuesday after the former president gave a tepid response to NBC News when asked about his support for McCarthy. The former president also declined to issue a statement Monday reiterating his endorsement of McCarthy despite a behind-the-scenes effort from several McCarthy allies to get Trump to do so, two sources said.

One close McCarthy ally then began working behind the scenes to do clean-up duty and started pressing for Trump to put out a statement clarifying his support. McCarthy and Trump then connected by phone, where McCarthy said Trump expressed he was still committed to backing him. Trump put out a strong endorsement on Truth Social Wednesday morning, imploring Republicans not to “TURN A GREAT TRIUMPH INTO A GIANT & EMBARRASSING DEFEAT” and urging them to vote for McCarthy.

Although Trump’s statement might not move the needle among the fiercest McCarthy foes, one of the sources said McCarthy world was worried about looking “weak” and like he was bleeding support, so they felt it was important to reverse the narrative.

Gaetz, one of the House Republicans opposing McCarthy’s bid for speaker, dismissed Trump’s latest effort to help the California Republican as “sad.”

“This changes neither my view of McCarthy nor Trump nor my vote,” Gaetz said in a statement to Fox News Digital on Wednesday, shortly after Trump came to McCarthy’s defense in the Truth Social post.

Long a staunch Trump ally, Gaetz’s refusal to bow to Trump’s desire for a McCarthy speakership raises new questions about the former president’s dwindling influence over Republicans in the midst of his third presidential campaign.

“If Matt Gaetz is ignoring you, that’s not a good sign,” said one Trump ally who is involved with his 2024 campaign.

Trump has been making calls on McCarthy’s behalf over the last 24 hours in an attempt to break the conservative blockade against him, this person said, but his efforts have so far been fruitless.

One lawmaker who spoke with Trump late Tuesday suggested the former president should run for speaker himself, according to a person briefed on the call. Trump demurred and continued to push this person to support McCarthy, claiming that he would be a solid “America First” supporter.

This story and headline have been updated with additional developments.

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Twitter eviscerates doomsday biologist who claims he’s been mostly right: ‘Famously wrong,’ ‘doom-monger’

January 4, 2023 Published by

Latest & Breaking News on Fox News 

This past weekend, a celebrity biologist, known for his spectacularly apocalyptic — and wrong – environmental predictions of death, destruction and cannibalism, got a favorable interview on “60 Minutes.” This resulted in mockery and outrage on Twitter, prompting the biologist in question, Paul Ehrlich, to lash out, tweeting, “I’ve gotten virtually every scientific honor.” He also asserted “no basic” errors.

On Sunday, Ehrlich told “60 Minutes” that “the rate of extinction is extraordinarily high now and getting higher all the time.” He added that “humanity is not sustainable.” 

After the show aired ,Ehrlich complained about the “right-wing” response, demanding, “If I’m always wrong so is science, since my work is always peer-reviewed, including the POPULATION BOMB and I’ve gotten virtually every scientific honor. Sure I’ve made some mistakes, but no basic ones.” 

Ehrlich is the same scientist that made environmental predictions in 1970 about 1980: “Population will inevitably and completely outstrip whatever small increases in food supplies we make…. The death rate will increase until at least 100-200 million people per year will be starving to death during the next ten years.” 

MAN CALLING FOR ‘VOLUNTARY HUMAN EXTINCTION’ GETS GLOWING NEW YORK TIMES PROFILE

He also insisted that between 1980 and 1989 four billion would die (including 65 million Americans) in the “great die off.” None of that happened. 

The blowback came from the left and the right. Nate Silver, formally of the New York Times and founder of ABC News’ FiveThirtyEight, marveled, “Predicting that civilization would end by 1985 counts as a pretty basic error, I’d think. To the extent he’s received scientific accolades, it shows how unseriously the scientific community takes prediction.”

BIDEN CLIMATE NOMINEE TOUTED ‘ENVIRONMENTAL UPSIDE’ TO PANDEMIC

.”@60Minutes and @CBSNews should be embarrassed by their highlighting of doom-monger Paul Ehrlich’s apocalyptic views in an interview on Sunday night,” tweeted Lawrence Summers, former Treasury Secretary for Presisident Clinton. “Ehrlich is as far from reputable scientific predictions as climate change denial scientists.”

Summers went on to call Ehrlich a “dangerous extremist” who would “crowd out reasonable and thoughtful voices.”

“Paul Ehrlich has been famously wrong about everything he has predicted for six decades,” tweeted psychologist Jordan Peterson.

National Review and Federalist editor David Harsanyi chided, “Your entire career of malthusian scaremongering has been a giant mistake.” 

Journalist Jim Treacher joked, “I’m not wrong because people always tell me how great I am.” Daily Caller managing editor Mike Bastasch echoed this joke, commenting on Ehrlich’s self-praise for his “scientific honors” as “going full Fauci on his critics: ‘I am the science!’” 

On Sunday, “60 Minutes” host Scott Pelley conceded that Ehrlich has gotten some things wrong: “The alarm Ehrlich sounded in ’68 warned that overpopulation would trigger widespread famine. He was wrong about that.” 

But despite Ehrlich previously suggesting the coming end of humanity, the program touted his new environmental predictions of apocalypse: “The next few decades will be the end of the kind of civilization we’re used to.” 

In 2014, Ehrlich suggested that the pressing issue for humanity would be “is it perfectly okay to eat the bodies of your dead.” 

Andrew Follett, a senior analyst at the Club for Growth, summarized the online criticism against Ehrlich and those in the media who promote him: “I can’t think of anyone else in history who is so clearly wrong about everything…while so clearly in denial of the most basic facts.” 

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Marc Thiessen slams anti-McCarthy GOP faction, warns behavior spells ‘big trouble’ for Republicans

January 4, 2023 Published by

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Fox News contributor Marc Thiessen issued a strong warning Wednesday to the group of anti-Kevin McCarthy Republicans putting up roadblocks in selecting the House speaker as voting dragged on another day without a winner.

“If this is the model of the future for the next two years, we’re in big trouble on the Republican Party,” Thiessen said on “America Reports” as 20 Republicans once again blocked McCarthy’s election.

“If this is the future of the next two years of the House where everything we try to do is held hostage by a small band of people, then this is going to be the most chaotic and failed House majority in the history of the country.”

Opposing reps.-elect include Colorado’s Lauren Boebert and Florida’s Matt Gaetz as well as Texas’ Chip Roy, who nominated Rep.-elect Byron Donalds, R-Fla., in the fourth vote for speaker Wednesday. 

LIVE UPDATES: THE VOTE FOR HOUSE SPEAKER

Thiessen’s analysis came after the fourth round of voting, where Donalds acquired 20 votes from Republicans, leaving McCarthy with 201 after Rep.-elect Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., changed her vote to “present.” Democratic nominee Rep.-elect Hakeem Jeffries received 212 votes. 

Thiessen argued the “irony” of the unfolding drama stems from the weak outcome for Republicans in the November midterms, where a surprising amount of GOP candidates were “rejected” by voters, leaving the party only a slim majority in the House. 

“If the red wave arrived, this would never be happening,” Thiessen said. “If we had a 30-vote majority and there had been a red wave, this wouldn’t be happening today because they wouldn’t need those five, you know, now growing a faction of votes.”

While he argued their influence has strengthened due to the weak performance, Thiessen noted the GOP faction’s power is still “limited.”

“They have the power to stop Kevin McCarthy from becoming speaker if they hold their ground. They don’t have the power to elect a speaker of their own because the majority of the House is more moderate,” he said.

RONNA MCDANIEL SLAMS HOUSE REPUBLICANS OVER SPEAKER VOTE: ‘WE’RE DOING EXACTLY WHAT THE DEMOCRATS WANT’

Former President Donald Trump’s endorsement of McCarthy Wednesday did not sway any votes, leading Thiessen to conclude that the party needs to “move on beyond” their former party leader.

“He’s a shrinking former president,” Thiessen remarked.

With dissenting Republicans “holding the House hostage,” Thiessen argued if McCarthy were to find a way to squeeze out the 218 votes needed, the amount of concessions required with give the most extreme Republicans more power.

“What I worry about going forward is that if McCarthy were to succeed at this point… he’s got a gun to his head now,” Thiessen said. “He’s given made so many concessions to this group that you’re going to have a faction of about five of the most extreme Republicans in the House caucus who basically have veto power over anything that the House Republican caucus does.”

“Has he given up so much and would another speaker candidate who stepped in to replace him have to make those same concessions to get the job?”

McCarthy has remained staunch in his bid for speaker, arguing he has “earned” the position. Thiessen, however, rejected that notion and argued the party may have to come to a consensus on a new leader.

“He is not entitled to the speakership of the House of Representatives. And I don’t know that he’s earned it. The Republican Party put in the worst performance of any party in the minority since JFK,” Theissen remarked. 

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“If Kevin McCarthy can’t put this away, at some point, we’re going to have to move on,” he continued.

“It’s not about him. It’s about advancing conservative ideas and getting the best speaker who can do that who can bring the whole caucus together.”

 

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[World] Damar Hamlin: How anti-vaxxers exploited player’s collapse

January 4, 2023 Published by

BBC News world-us_and_canada 

Getty Images

Damar Hamlin attempts a tackle before his collapse on the field on Monday night
By Mike Wendling and Rachel Schraer
BBC News

Online activists used the on-field collapse of American football star Damar Hamlin to spread anti-vaccination messages starting just minutes after Monday night’s incident.

In what’s become a familiar pattern since Covid vaccines became available about two years ago, several influential accounts used the event to spread anti-vaccination content.

They included the Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who tweeted: “Before the covid vaccines we didn’t see athletes dropping dead on the playing field like we do now… Time to investigate the covid vaccines.”

That tweet was viewed around a million times within a day. But the idea that young, healthy athletes have never collapsed suddenly before Covid vaccines is easily disproven.

A US study looking at athletes over four years found many unexplained deaths were in fact caused by cardiac arrest – a cause more common in male and African-American players.

A study from 2016 notes that there are approximately 100 to 150 sudden cardiac deaths during competitive sports in the United States each year.

Why do some young athletes suffer cardiac arrest?

While rare and potentially dangerous cases of heart inflammation have been associated with some Covid vaccines, these real cases have been muddled together with unrelated illnesses and misinterpreted, sometimes cherry-picked data.

Combined with a wave of anti-vaccine activity online throughout the pandemic, it’s given birth to a group of activists who ascribe nearly any tragic or unexplained death to vaccines.

The loudest voices in the anti-vaccination lobby have followed this pattern throughout the pandemic, even though heart problems are a symptom of Covid itself.

‘Cynical’ anti-vax lobby

Hamlin, a defensive back for the Buffalo Bills, suffered a cardiac arrest during Monday night’s high-profile matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.

On Wednesday he remained in hospital, but an uncle said he was showing signs of improving. There’s been no further information about any underlying causes which could have contributed to his cardiac arrest.

Research by the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), a non-profit campaign group based in London and Washington, found that mentions of an anti-vaccine film quadrupled after the player’s collapse.

CCDH chief executive Imran Ahmed said activists were “cynically exploiting tragedy to baselessly connect any injury or death of a notable person to vaccinations”.

The day after the match the documentary Died Suddenly, which was released in November last year, was mentioned nearly 17,000 times, the CCDH says. The BBC previously looked into the claims in the film and found little or no evidence behind many of them.

Caroline Orr Bueno, a researcher on misinformation who’s spent a decade looking at the anti-vaccination movement, says the film gave rise to communities of people across several social media platforms primed to hunt for news events to back up their views.

“They believe the anti-vaccine rhetoric that they are seeing,” she says, “and they are joining in out of genuine concern without necessarily knowing that they’re being misled.”

Getty Images

Googling is not science

A Twitter account promoting the Died Suddenly video sent out a message just minutes after Hamlin was transported off the field in Cincinnati claiming there was an “undeniable pattern”.

When contacted for a response, the owners of the account responded with a list of anecdotal reports of athletes suffering heart problems.

Backers of the film and other anti-vaccination activists collect news reports of heart attacks and unexplained deaths, automatically ascribing them to Covid-19 vaccines.

This focused obsession has created a hypersensitive pattern-spotting spiral, with activists and followers often believing the link between every sudden athlete death and vaccines is “obvious”, although there is scant solid research to back up their claims.

Heart attack v cardiac arrest

While it might seem unusual for young, healthy people to experience heart problems, there are important differences between a heart attack and cardiac arrest.

Most heart attacks are caused by blockages in arteries and are associated with older people as well as lifestyle factors like smoking and diet.

Most cardiac arrests are caused by a problem with the heart’s electrical system which keeps it pumping. These heart rhythm malfunctions are often genetically inherited and can be seen in young people who appear otherwise healthy.

Premier League fans will remember the dramatic moment in 2012 when Bolton’s Fabrice Muamba collapsed, having suffered a cardiac arrest. The 23-year-old’s heart stopped beating for 78 minutes.

A 2018 study by the Football Association looked back over 20 years of data from screening more than 11,000 players and found not only were cardiac deaths more common than previously thought – although still rare – but that most of them were in people with no previously diagnosed heart problem.

It started with Eriksen

One of the first clear examples of anti-vaccination activists taking advantage of a high-profile news event was the televised collapse of Danish football star Christian Eriksen during the European football championships in June 2021.

Influential accounts immediately began blaming Covid vaccines.

Only after the initial wave of speculation and misinformation was it revealed by the director of Eriksen’s club at the time, Inter Milan, that the midfielder had not received a Covid-19 vaccine prior to his collapse.

Getty Images

Christian Eriksen recovered from his heart condition, which was not caused by a vaccine

In November, Twitter stopped enforcing its Covid misinformation policy, a development that Imran Ahmed of the CCDH called “particularly worrying”.

“Anti-vax lies are deadly and platforms must stop allowing dedicated spreaders of disinformation from abusing their platforms and the trust of other users.”

The BBC has contacted Twitter and Marjorie Taylor Greene for comment.

 

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Massachusetts authorities seize 13,900 fentanyl pills, 30 pounds of cocaine in massive drug bust

January 4, 2023 Published by

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A Massachusetts man is facing several drug charges after thousands of fentanyl pills and about 30 pounds of cocaine were seized from his home last month, Hampden County District Attorney Anthony Gulluni announced on Wednesday. 

Alonzo Williams, 51, was charged with trafficking in fentanyl over 200 grams, trafficking in cocaine over 200 grams, possession of a firearm without a license, and other counts related to distributing drugs. 

His arrest came after a lengthy investigation into alleged drug trafficking at his home in Springfield, Massachusetts. 

Detectives obtained a warrant to search that home on Dec. 21, 2022, then pulled Williams over while he was driving the next day and seized about 136 grams of cocaine from his vehicle. 

ARIZONA POLICE MAKE ‘LARGEST DRUG BUST’ IN DEPARTMENT’S HISTORY, SEIZE MORE THAN 700K FENTANYL PILLS

A search of his home allegedly turned up a stockpile of drugs with a street value of $2 million, including about 13,900 fentanyl pills, 406 grams of raw fentanyl, and roughly 30 pounds of cocaine. Detectives also seized $190,000 in counterfeit cash. 

“We have begun educating the public on the dangers of pills containing fentanyl and how they are causing a rash of overdoses across the Commonwealth,” the district attorney said in a statement. 

“With this interception of almost 14,000 of these pills, countless overdoses were surely prevented.”

Williams is being held on a $75,000 cash bail and is due back in court on Jan. 24. 

 

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