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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — First it was Canada , then the Panama Canal . Now, Donald Trump again wants Greenland . The president-elect is renewing unsuccessful calls he made during his first term for the U.S. to buy Greenland from Denmark, adding to the list of allied countries with which he's picking fights even before taking office on Jan. 20. In a Sunday announcement naming his ambassador to Denmark, Trump wrote that, “For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity." Trump again having designs on Greenland comes after the president-elect suggested over the weekend that the U.S. could retake control of the Panama Canal if something isn't done to ease rising shipping costs required for using the waterway linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. He's also been suggesting that Canada become the 51st U.S. state and referred to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as “governor” of the “Great State of Canada.” Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia, said Trump tweaking friendly countries harkens back to an aggressive style he used during his days in business. “You ask something unreasonable and it’s more likely you can get something less unreasonable,” said Farnsworth, who is also author of the book “Presidential Communication and Character.” Greenland, the world’s largest island, sits between the Atlantic and Arctic oceans. It is 80% covered by an ice sheet and is home to a large U.S. military base. It gained home rule from Denmark in 1979 and its head of government, Múte Bourup Egede, suggested that Trump’s latest calls for U.S. control would be as meaningless as those made in his first term. “Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale,” he said in a statement. “We must not lose our years-long fight for freedom.” The Danish Prime Minister’s Office said in its own statement that the government is “looking forward to welcoming the new American ambassador. And the Government is looking forward to working with the new administration.” “In a complex security political situation as the one we currently experience, transatlantic cooperation is crucial,” the statement said. It noted that it had no comment on Greenland except for it “not being for sale, but open for cooperation.” Trump canceled a 2019 visit to Denmark after his offer to buy Greenland was rejected by Copenhagen, and ultimately came to nothing . He also suggested Sunday that the U.S. is getting “ripped off” at the Panama Canal. “If the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to the United States of America, in full, quickly and without question,” he said. Panama President José Raúl Mulino responded in a video that “every square meter of the canal belongs to Panama and will continue to,” but Trump fired back on his social media site, “We’ll see about that!” The president-elect also posted a picture of a U.S. flag planted in the canal zone under the phrase, “Welcome to the United States Canal!” The United States built the canal in the early 1900s but relinquished control to Panama on Dec. 31, 1999, under a treaty signed in 1977 by President Jimmy Carter . The canal depends on reservoirs that were hit by 2023 droughts that forced it to substantially reduce the number of daily slots for crossing ships. With fewer ships, administrators also increased the fees that shippers are charged to reserve slots to use the canal. The Greenland and Panama flareups followed Trump recently posting that “Canadians want Canada to become the 51st State" and offering an image of himself superimposed on a mountaintop surveying surrounding territory next to a Canadian flag. Trudeau suggested that Trump was joking about annexing his country, but the pair met recently at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Florida to discuss Trump's threats to impose a 25% tariff on all Canadian goods. “Canada is not going to become part of the United States, but Trump’s comments are more about leveraging what he says to get concessions from Canada by putting Canada off balance, particularly given the precarious current political environment in Canada,” Farnsworth said. “Maybe claim a win on trade concessions, a tighter border or other things.” He said the situation is similar with Greenland. “What Trump wants is a win," Farnsworth said. "And even if the American flag doesn’t raise over Greenland, Europeans may be more willing to say yes to something else because of the pressure.” Associated Press writers Gary Fields in Washington and Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report.
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. , Dec. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- RxBenefits, Inc., the employee benefits industry's first technology-enabled pharmacy benefits optimizer (PBO), announced today that Robert Gamble has been appointed Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Gamble succeeds Wendy Barnes , who has decided to pursue another professional opportunity. Gamble has also joined the RxBenefits Board of Directors. Gamble , a seasoned leader with more than 20 years of experience in the healthcare and pharmacy benefits industry, has been an integral part of RxBenefits' executive leadership team for the past nine years. Most recently, he served as President and Chief Operating Officer (COO). As COO, Gamble led the strategy, technology, operations, and account management functions during a period of significant expansion and growth for the company, including launching new products and entering new market segments. Gamble previously held the position of Chief Financial Officer. "I am proud to take the helm of a company whose sole mission is to be a trusted partner to our clients and transparently deliver pharmacy benefits aligned to their unique goals," Gamble said. "We have a strong leadership team, and more than 1,200 employees focused on helping our clients achieve sustainable savings while delivering robust pharmacy benefits to their members." "Over nearly a decade, Robert has proven his strong ability to drive growth as he has helped scale RxBenefits into the pre-eminent and first technology-enabled pharmacy benefits optimizer," said Mark Taber , a Managing Director at Great Hill Partners and member of the RxBenefits Board of Directors. "We are confident that he is the right choice to lead RxBenefits forward, leveraging his deep, nuanced understanding of the industry and company to deliver greater value to clients nationwide." "We're appreciative of Wendy's commitment to the company as well as her efforts to maintain RxBenefits' status as a leading provider of cost-effective pharmacy benefits solutions and exceptional service to clients," said John Maldonado , Managing Partner at Advent International and RxBenefits board member. "We're excited for Robert to take on his new role and believe he is well-positioned to lead the RxBenefits team and propel the company to its next phase of growth." "I am grateful for Wendy's leadership over the last two years. She accelerated our momentum and prepared us for our next phase of expansion," Gamble added. "We had a strong earnings year in 2024, continuing our track record of robust financial performance. We also have an ambitious strategic plan for 2025 and beyond. I look forward to what we will achieve and how we will increasingly help our clients contain soaring pharmacy benefits costs while taking great care of their members." RxBenefits continues to grow and innovate to meet its clients' emerging needs for cost-effective pharmacy benefits solutions, adding 500 employees just since 2022 while continuing to deliver industry-leading, award-winning customer and member service. About RxBenefits RxBenefits is the nation's first and leading technology-enabled pharmacy benefits optimizer (PBO) with more than 1,200 pharmacy pricing, data, and clinical experts working together to deliver prescription benefit savings to employee benefits advisors and their self-insured clients. Serving more than 3 million members , RxBenefits brings market-leading purchasing power, independent clinical solutions, and high-touch service to its customers – ensuring that all plan sponsors, regardless of size, can provide an affordable and valuable pharmacy benefits plan to their employees. The company is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rxbenefits-inc-appoints-robert-gamble-chief-executive-officer-302332862.html SOURCE RxBenefitsBIRMINGHAM, Ala. , Dec. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- RxBenefits, Inc., the employee benefits industry's first technology-enabled pharmacy benefits optimizer (PBO), announced today that Robert Gamble has been appointed Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Gamble succeeds Wendy Barnes , who has decided to pursue another professional opportunity. Gamble has also joined the RxBenefits Board of Directors. Gamble , a seasoned leader with more than 20 years of experience in the healthcare and pharmacy benefits industry, has been an integral part of RxBenefits' executive leadership team for the past nine years. Most recently, he served as President and Chief Operating Officer (COO). As COO, Gamble led the strategy, technology, operations, and account management functions during a period of significant expansion and growth for the company, including launching new products and entering new market segments. Gamble previously held the position of Chief Financial Officer. "I am proud to take the helm of a company whose sole mission is to be a trusted partner to our clients and transparently deliver pharmacy benefits aligned to their unique goals," Gamble said. "We have a strong leadership team, and more than 1,200 employees focused on helping our clients achieve sustainable savings while delivering robust pharmacy benefits to their members." "Over nearly a decade, Robert has proven his strong ability to drive growth as he has helped scale RxBenefits into the pre-eminent and first technology-enabled pharmacy benefits optimizer," said Mark Taber , a Managing Director at Great Hill Partners and member of the RxBenefits Board of Directors. "We are confident that he is the right choice to lead RxBenefits forward, leveraging his deep, nuanced understanding of the industry and company to deliver greater value to clients nationwide." "We're appreciative of Wendy's commitment to the company as well as her efforts to maintain RxBenefits' status as a leading provider of cost-effective pharmacy benefits solutions and exceptional service to clients," said John Maldonado , Managing Partner at Advent International and RxBenefits board member. "We're excited for Robert to take on his new role and believe he is well-positioned to lead the RxBenefits team and propel the company to its next phase of growth." "I am grateful for Wendy's leadership over the last two years. She accelerated our momentum and prepared us for our next phase of expansion," Gamble added. "We had a strong earnings year in 2024, continuing our track record of robust financial performance. We also have an ambitious strategic plan for 2025 and beyond. I look forward to what we will achieve and how we will increasingly help our clients contain soaring pharmacy benefits costs while taking great care of their members." RxBenefits continues to grow and innovate to meet its clients' emerging needs for cost-effective pharmacy benefits solutions, adding 500 employees just since 2022 while continuing to deliver industry-leading, award-winning customer and member service. About RxBenefits RxBenefits is the nation's first and leading technology-enabled pharmacy benefits optimizer (PBO) with more than 1,200 pharmacy pricing, data, and clinical experts working together to deliver prescription benefit savings to employee benefits advisors and their self-insured clients. Serving more than 3 million members , RxBenefits brings market-leading purchasing power, independent clinical solutions, and high-touch service to its customers – ensuring that all plan sponsors, regardless of size, can provide an affordable and valuable pharmacy benefits plan to their employees. The company is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rxbenefits-inc-appoints-robert-gamble-chief-executive-officer-302332862.html SOURCE RxBenefits
DALLAS & MELBOURNE, Australia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 16, 2024-- In a groundbreaking step to protect amphibians from one of the most devastating wildlife diseases in history, The Colossal Foundation , the 501(c)(3) arm of Colossal BioSciences , has announced its initial $1 million donation of its $3 million commitment to the Pask & Frankenberg Lab at the University of Melbourne , Australia’s #1 University, to advance research and conservation efforts against chytridiomycosis, the fungal disease responsible for the extinction of at least 90 amphibian species worldwide and significant declines in over 500 other species. That is one out of every 16 species of amphibian known to the scientific community. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241216229333/en/ The Colossal Foundation Makes First Donation of US $1M as Part of $3M Commitment to Combat Chytrid Fungus (Photo Credit: Colossal Biosciences) Since first appearing in the late 1970s, chytrid fungus has spread to over 60 countries, but Australia, Central America, and South America are particularly hard hit. The fungus has caused more species extinctions than any other known pathogen and continues to wreak havoc. And it is persistent. The fungus spreads by touch or by water, with zoospores even capable of swimming a short distance. In the right conditions, chytrid can live outside of its host for weeks, months or potentially years at a time. “Helping to stop the spread of chytrid is a necessity to ensure healthy ecosystems globally,” shared Matt James, Director of The Colossal Foundation. “This isn’t optional. We have to give frogs a fighting chance and ensure they remain a vital part of our planet’s biodiversity for generations to come. This imperative is why we invested in the work that Dr. Frankenberg and Dr. Pask are committed to.” This contribution will fund research into novel genetic strategies that could confer immunity from chytrid infection in numerous threatened species. Led by Stephen Frankenberg, the research will investigate the use of candidate factors that could be exploited to engineer immunity to frogs, complementing their own immune system and providing a first-line of defense against the pathogen. They will use the cane toad, an invasive pest species in Australia, as a model for developing the technology before applying it to threatened species such as the great spotted tree frog, green and golden bell frog, and corroboree frog. “This funding will allow us to finally test a novel approach that we have recently been developing,” said Frankenberg. “It will exploit new immunology approaches and information from sequencing strategies that have only recently been accessible.” “We are deeply grateful for this extraordinary gift,” said Pask . “ If we are successful, it will be a game-changer for amphibian conservation. Amphibians play a critical role in ecosystems as pest controllers, bioindicators of environmental health, and essential components of food chains. Yet, they are among the most threatened groups of animals, with chytrid fungus being a primary driver of declines. If left unchecked, wide scale amphibian loss will also have negative impacts on humans. Amphibians play a key role in reducing human disease vectors, such as mosquitos carrying malaria, and provide sources of novel medicinal compounds. “If all these reasons aren’t enough,” said Frankenberg, “amphibians are also simply fascinating and cute.” The $3M donation will be distributed in three $1M allocations over the next three years supporting the work of Frankeberg, Pask and other PhDs in their labs as the project progresses. “We built The Colossal Foundation to be able to take our technology and our relationships and apply them to the most pressing biodiversity challenges of our time, immediately,” said CEO and Co-Founder of Colossal , Ben Lamm. “Working on chytrid with novel gene-editing technologies is exactly the sort of work we want to be supporting.” The chytrid project builds on research developed by Colossal in pursuit of the company’s efforts to de-extinct the woolly mammoth, dodo, and thylacine while building a universally impactful de-extinction toolkit. The toolkit is a combination of software and hardware tools, genomic innovations, scientific processes, and more. The approach being utilized by the chytrid team builds in particular on Colossal’s recent advances in multiplex DNA editing techniques developed by the Thylacine team. The commitment to translate these advances directly to protect and conserve living, threatened species solidifies Colossal’s commitment to conserve, preserve and restore fragile ecosystems. Chytrid is a global problem that requires a global solution. The investment from The Colossal Foundation builds on previous research funded by public and private organizations around the world, including The US National Science Foundation, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Revive & Restore, and the Smithsonian Institution and Center for Conservation Genomics, and the Amphibian Survival Alliance. ABOUT THE COLOSSAL FOUNDATION The Colossal Foundation is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to supporting the use of cutting-edge technologies to conservation efforts globally to help prevent extinction of keystone species. The organization deploys de-extinction technologies and support to empower partners in the field to reverse the extinction crisis. www.ColossalFoundation.org WEBSITE & SOCIALS Websites: www.colossal.com Twitter: https://x.com/colossal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itiscolossal/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/itiscolossal/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itiscolossal ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE As a place of discovery and enquiry, the University of Melbourne’s purpose is to benefit society through the transformative impact of education and research. Established in 1853, it is one of Australia’s oldest universities and the first in Victoria. As a leading research-intensive university, our dual purposes of education and research are reflected in the experience we offer our students. Encouraging a spirit of innovation, we support our students and researchers with opportunities to translate their research through an entrepreneurial ecosystem, from start-up incubators to major investment funding opportunities. The University’s commitment to excellence has earned it its place among the world’s best universities, delivering education and research that are global in reach, ambition and impact. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241216229333/en/ CONTACT: COLOSSAL PRESS CONTACTS: R&CPMK/Emily.mailaender@rcpmk.com The 10 Group/colossal@the10group.com Zeno /Colossal@zenogroup.comUNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE PRESS CONTACTS: media-enquiries@unimelb.edu.au | +61 3 8344 5793 KEYWORD: TEXAS AUSTRALIA/OCEANIA AUSTRALIA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT PHILANTHROPY FUND RAISING UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION OTHER PHILANTHROPY SCIENCE EDUCATION OTHER SCIENCE SOURCE: The Colossal Foundation Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/16/2024 02:00 PM/DISC: 12/16/2024 01:58 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241216229333/en
DENVER (AP) — So you're the most valuable player of that annual Thanksgiving Day backyard flag football game. Or played tackle football on any level. Or ran track. Or dabbled in basketball. Or toyed with any sport, really. Well, this may be just for you: USA Football is holding talent identification camps all over the country to find that next flag football star. It's “America’s Got Talent” meets “American Idol,” with the stage being the field and the grand prize a chance to compete for a spot on a national team. Because it’s never too early to start planning for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, where flag football will make its Summer Games debut. Know this, though — it's not an easy team to make. The men's and women's national team rosters are at “Dream Team” status given the men’s side has captured six of the last seven world championships and the women three in a row. To remain on top, the sport's national governing body is scouring every football field, park, track, basketball court and gym to find hidden talent to cultivate. USA Football has organized camps and tryouts from coast to coast for anyone ages 11 to 23. There are more than a dozen sites set up so far, ranging from Dallas (Sunday) to Chicago (Dec. 14) to Tampa (March 29) to Los Angeles (TBD) and the Boston area (April 27), where it will be held at Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots. The organization has already partnered with the NFL on flag football initiatives and programs. The numbers have been through the roof, with engagement on social media platforms increasing by 86% since flag football was announced as an Olympic invitational sport in October 2023 . The participation of boys and girls ages 6 to 17 in flag football last year peaked at more than 1.6 million, according to USA Football research. “We pride ourselves on elevating the gold standard across the sport,” said Eric Mayes, the managing director of the high performance and national teams for USA Football. “We want to be the best in the world — and stay the best in the world.” Flag football was one of five new sports added to the LA28 program. The already soaring profile of American football only figures to be enhanced by an Olympic appearance. Imagine, say, a few familiar faces take the field, too. Perhaps even NFL stars such as Tyreek Hill or Patrick Mahomes, maybe even past pro football greats donning a flag belt for a country to which they may have ties. Soon after flag football's inclusion, there was chatter of NFL players possibly joining in on the fun. Of course, there are logistical issues to tackle before their inclusion at the LA Olympics, which open July 14, 2028. Among them, training camp, because the Olympics will be right in the middle of it. The big question is this: Will owners permit high-priced players to duck out for a gold-medal pursuit? No decisions have yet been made on the status of NFL players for the Olympics. For now, it's simply about growing the game. There are currently 13 states that sanction girls flag football as a high school varsity sport. Just recently, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles helped pave the way to get it adopted in Pennsylvania. Around the world, it's catching on, too. The women's team from Japan took third at the recent word championships, while one of the best players on the planet is Mexico quarterback Diana Flores . “Could flag football globally become the new soccer? That’s something to aspire to," said Stephanie Kwok , the NFL's vice president of flag football. This type of flag football though, isn't your Thanksgiving Day game with family and friends. There's a learning curve. And given the small roster sizes, versatility is essential. Most national team members need to be a version of Colorado’s two-way standout and Heisman hopeful Travis Hunter. Forget bump-and-run coverage, too, because there's no contact. None. That took some adjusting for Mike Daniels, a defensive back out of West Virginia who earned a rookie minicamp invitation with the Cleveland Browns in 2017. “If a receiver is running around, I’m thinking, ‘OK, I can kind of bump him here and there and nudge him,’” Daniels explained. “They’re like, ‘No, you can’t.’ I’m just like, ‘So I’m supposed to let this guy just run?!’ I really rebelled at the idea at first. But you learn.” The competition for an Olympic roster spot is going to be fierce because only 10 players are expected to make a squad. The best 10 will earn it, too, as credentials such as college All-American or NFL All-Pro take a backseat. “I would actually love" seeing NFL players try out, said Daniels, who's also a personal trainer in Miami. “I’m not going to let you just waltz in here, thinking, ‘I played NFL football for five years. I’m popular. I have a huge name.’ I’m still better than you and I'm going to prove it — until you prove otherwise.” Around the house, Bruce Mapp constantly swivels his hips when turning a hallway corner or if his daughter tries to reach for a hug. It’s his way of working on avoiding a “defender” trying to snare the flag. That approach has earned the receiver out of Coastal Carolina four gold medals with USA Football. The 31-year-old fully plans on going for more gold in Los Angeles. “You grow up watching Usain Bolt (win gold) and the ‘Redeem Team’ led by Kobe Bryant win a gold medal, you're always thinking, ‘That's insane.' Obviously, you couldn't do it in your sport, because I played football," said Mapp, who owns a food truck in the Dallas area. "With the Olympics approaching, that (gold medal) is what my mind is set on." It's a common thought, which is why everything — including talent camps — starts now. “Everybody thinks, ‘Yeah, the U.S. just wins,’” Daniels said. “But we work hard all the time. We don’t just walk in. We don’t just get off the bus thinking, ‘We’re going to beat people.’” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
Today, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov held a working meeting via the digital system with the participation of Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers T. Atahallyyev and velayat khyakims to consider the dynamics of work in the regions and the agricultural sector, as well as issues of implementing the National Rural Program. The first to speak was the khyakim of the Ahal velayat S. Soltanmyradov, who reported on the state of affairs in the agricultural lands of the region. As reported, at present, in the fields where uniform wheat shoots have been obtained, mineral fertilizers are being applied and vegetation irrigation is being carried out. In addition, in order to prepare for sowing cotton for the harvest of the coming year, plowing of the allocated areas is being carried out with the introduction of phosphorus fertilizer. At the same time, measures are being taken to maintain the functionality of equipment and units that will be used in next year’s agricultural campaigns, as well as to repair bio-enterprises in the region and supply them with the necessary tools and equipment. Everything necessary is being done to ensure timely payments to cotton producers for the harvest delivered to the state. The head of the regional administration reported on steps to maintain the proper functioning of heating systems in residential buildings, schools and kindergartens, as well as uninterrupted energy, gas and water supply to the population. At the same time, information was provided on the pace of work in accordance with the National Rural Program. Summarizing the report, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov emphasized the importance of implementing current seasonal campaigns in accordance with agricultural technology requirements. In this regard, the head of the regional administration was given specific instructions. The head of state also ordered to monitor compliance with quality requirements for construction work carried out in accordance with the National Rural Program. Next, the khyakim of the Balkan velayat, H. Ashyrmyradov, reported on seasonal agricultural activities. As reported, mineral fertilizer application and vegetation irrigation of wheat fields continue in the region. As part of the preparation of land for sowing cotton for next year’s harvest, work is underway to apply the necessary fertilizers and plowing the allocated areas. At the same time, appropriate measures are being taken to prepare the relevant equipment and units for the spring sowing campaign, including their repair. Repair work continues at bio-enterprises located in the region. Everything necessary is being done to provide them with the necessary means and equipment. Efforts are being made to ensure timely payments to agricultural producers for the cotton harvest delivered to the state. It was also reported on the measures being taken to maintain the proper functioning of heating systems at social infrastructure facilities, in public institutions, for uninterrupted energy, gas and water supply to the region’s population. Information was provided on construction work carried out in accordance with the National Rural Program. Having heard the report, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov emphasized the importance of caring for wheat in accordance with agricultural standards and the appropriate preparation of areas for the cotton sowing of the coming year. Specific instructions were given to the head of the regional administration on this matter. The head of state also ordered to monitor compliance with quality standards for construction work carried out in accordance with the National Rural Program. The working meeting on the digital system continued with a report by the khyakim of the Dashoguz velayat D. Babayev on the pace of seasonal field work. As reported, along with plowing the areas allocated for sowing next year’s cotton, they are being nourished with phosphorus fertilizer. Equipment and units are also being repaired in light of the upcoming spring campaign. At the same time, a special commission has been formed to prepare the region’s bio-enterprises for sowing: production facilities are being repaired, and all measures are being taken to provide them with the necessary funds. Payments to producers for the raw cotton delivered are being made without interruption. With the onset of cold weather, every effort is made to maintain the proper functioning of heating systems in residential buildings and social infrastructure facilities: the population is also provided with electricity, drinking water and natural gas without interruption. In addition, the head of the regional administration informed about the pace of construction work carried out in accordance with the National Rural Program. Summarizing the report and indicating that the main factor in obtaining a high harvest is the high-quality completion of current seasonal campaigns within the timeframes established by agricultural technology, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov ordered to keep them under control. The head of the regional administration was also instructed to monitor compliance with quality requirements for construction work carried out in accordance with the country’s socio-economic development programs. Then, the khyakim of the Lebap velayat M. Annanepesov made a report on seasonal agricultural campaigns. As reported, mineral fertilizers are currently being applied and vegetative irrigation of wheat fields is being carried out: all work is being carried out in accordance with agricultural standards. At the same time, preparation of areas for the cotton sowing of the coming year continues: plowing is carried out and the necessary fertilizers are applied. In addition, the equipment and units that will be involved in the campaign are brought into proper operational condition. The region’s bio-enterprises are also preparing for spring field activities: efforts are being made to provide them with the appropriate means and equipment. Settlements with raw cotton producers for the harvest delivered to the state continue. The head of the regional administration reported on measures to maintain the proper functioning of heating systems in residential buildings, at social facilities, and on uninterrupted energy, water and gas supply to the population. Information was also provided on the pace of construction of social and industrial infrastructure facilities in accordance with the National Rural Program. Having heard the report and focusing on the need to complete seasonal field activities in strict accordance with the requirements of agricultural technology, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov ordered that they be kept under control. The head of the regional administration was also instructed to monitor compliance with quality requirements during construction work carried out in accordance with the National Rural Program. Then, the khyakim of the Mary velayat B. Orazov reported on the dynamics of seasonal agricultural campaigns. As reported, these days, mineral fertilizers are being applied and vegetation irrigation of areas sown with wheat is continuing. At the same time, the areas allocated for cotton are being prepared for sowing: plowing and fertilizing are being carried out. The equipment and units that will be used in the spring sowing are being repaired and, in general, are being brought into proper operational condition. In preparation for the upcoming campaign, repairs are being carried out at bio-enterprises: measures are being taken to provide the necessary means and equipment. Efforts are being made to harvest the sugar beet crop without losses. Payments are being made to producers for the cotton harvest delivered to the state in a timely manner. It was also reported on the measures being taken to maintain the proper functioning of heating systems in social institutions and public institutions, uninterrupted supply of electricity, drinking water and natural gas to the population. As reported, construction work is continuing in accordance with the National Rural Program. Summarizing the report and focusing on the importance of high-quality implementation of seasonal agricultural activities in accordance with agro-technical standards, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov ordered to keep them under control. The head of the regional administration was also instructed to monitor compliance with quality requirements for construction work carried out in accordance with the country's socio-economic development programs. Then, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers T. Atahallyyev reported on the pace of seasonal campaigns in the agricultural sector. As reported, currently, fields sown with wheat are being tended, and in particular, their fertilization with minerals and vegetation irrigation, all work is being carried out in accordance with agricultural technology standards. In preparation for sowing cotton, plowing and application of necessary fertilizers are being carried out in the allocated areas. In this regard, repairs are being carried out on equipment and units that will be involved in the spring sowing. In addition, in order to supply farmers with biomaterial in sufficient quantities, repair work is being carried out at bio-enterprises. Every effort is being made to provide them with the necessary raw materials and equipment. Measures are being taken to complete the sugar beet harvest in the Mary velayat on time. Having heard the report and stressed the key role of agriculture in the structure of the national economy, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov instructed the Deputy Prime Minister to monitor the high-quality and organized implementation of current seasonal work. Addressing the participants of the working meeting, the head of state noted the need for constant monitoring of the care of wheat fields in the regions. In this regard, the implementation of vegetation irrigation and fertilization of crops with minerals in accordance with agricultural technology standards was emphasized. The head of state also ordered to strictly monitor measures to lay agricultural crops for next year’s harvest. At the end of the working meeting via the digital system, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov wished its participants good health, family well-being and great success in their work.
University of Montana program tackles counseling shortage in state's rural schoolsThe U.S. Department of State is warning those thinking of traveling to Spain about dangers in that country. The department issued its travel advisory for Spain to Level 2 or “Exercise Increased Caution” — citing risks of terrorism and civil unrest on Monday. The advisory warns that terrorist groups may plan attacks there, potentially targeting tourist sites, transportation hubs, markets, government buildings, hotels, restaurants, places of worship, and other crowded public spaces. Such attacks could occur with little or no warning, the department said. The advisory also highlights frequent demonstrations, often tied to political or economic issues, significant holidays, or international events. Travelers are urged to avoid protests, stay vigilant in crowded areas, and follow instructions from local authorities. Related Story: Spain and Namibia at Level 2 on Monday Namibia was also updated under the advisory on Monday due to concerns over health risks and violent crimes. The department warned about home invasions, break-ins, muggings, and “smash-and-grab” incidents targeting vehicles near tourist areas or in shopping mall parking lots. Crimes of opportunity, such as the theft of money, cell phones, and personal property, remain common, they said in the travel advisory. Travelers are reminded that Namibia’s sparse population and remote destinations can leave visitors far from emergency services and medical facilities. Health facilities in the country may lack basic medications, particularly outside major cities, the department warned. For more information, . —