Nine countries will officially join BRICS as partner states in January, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov has said, adding that the economic group is open to like-minded partners. The new ‘partner country’ status was approved at the BRICS summit in October, hosted by Russia in Kazan, and is intended to serve as an alternative to membership after more than 30 nations applied to join the organization. The status provides for permanent participation in special sessions of BRICS summits and foreign ministers’ meetings, as well as other high-level events. Partners can also contribute to the group’s outcome documents. Speaking at a press briefing on Monday, Ushakov emphasized the importance of the partner state status’ approval, saying that Belarus, Bolivia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Cuba, Uganda, Malaysia, and Uzbekistan will officially become BRICS partners from January 1. Confirmation is expected in the near future from four more countries, which were also invited to become partner states. BRICS initially comprised Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, and was expanded earlier this year to include Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia has paused its process of joining BRICS because the necessary “internal procedures” for becoming a full member have not yet been completed, according to Ushakov, citing representatives from Riyadh. The Kremlin aide highlighted that 35 applications to join BRICS in one status or another were received ahead of the Kazan Summit. “Some countries wanted to immediately receive full-scale participation, while others wanted to participate in individual events as observers,” he explained. At the moment, more than two dozen countries are showing interest in cooperation with BRICS, according to Ushakov. The countries are Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Burkina Faso, Venezuela, Honduras, Zimbabwe, Cambodia, Colombia, the Republic of Congo, Laos, Kuwait, Morocco, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Palestine, Senegal, Syria, Chad, Sri Lanka, Equatorial Guinea and South Sudan. Ushakov pointed out that the role of BRICS in international politics is growing. The group has also enhanced its authority in the sphere of economics and finance, as well as in responding to climate challenges and strengthening global food and energy security.
Ravens claim WR/PR Steven Sims off of waivers
pre-trial judge is married to a former executive at Pfizer, according to a shocking report. Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker, who has handled Mangione’s pre-trial hearings, is married to Bret Parker, who stopped working at Pfizer in 2010. She also has hundreds of thousands in stock, according to reporting by journalist . The judge holds between $50,000 and $100,000 in Pfizer, including stock in other healthcare industry companies like Abbott Laboratories, Viatris and CRISPR Therapeutics. Her husband still collects a pension from his former employer. Parker also has holdings in Alphabet (Google), Amazon, Microsoft, Tesla and Apple, amongst others. “United is the [indecipherable] largest company in the US by market cap, behind only Apple, Google, Walmart. It has grown and grown, but as our life expectancy,” Mangione’s alleged manifesto read. Parker is not expected to handle Mangione’s trial for the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Parker did not respond to a request for comment from the Daily Beast.
While loneliness is a year-round problem for older adults, it can be exacerbated during the holiday season as the air resounds with the sights, sounds and smells of celebration when many older adults are missing the social connections they once had or wish they had. Loneliness influences health more than being obese. Statistically, it's more harmful than smoking more than 15 cigarettes a day or alcoholism. Studies have found that the effects of loneliness are more influential on health than being an alcoholic, being physically inactive and being obese combined, says Regenstrief Institute Research Scientist Monica Williams-Farrelly, Ph.D., a life course health researcher. Lonely older adults are less likely to be physically active, to eat nutritious foods and to do things that lead to or maintain better health. They are more likely to experience depression and anxiety. Evidence suggests that when older adults experience loneliness, overall quality of life declines. Countering the holiday blues "Loneliness can be especially challenging around holidays for those who are missing social connections —especially if they have had a recent loss," says Dr. Williams-Farrelly. "The pandemic increased our ability to interact with others virtually. We shouldn't discount the importance of hopping on Zoom or doing Face Time with an older adult you can't be with physically to counter their holiday blues. "Older adults may need some help with the technology part, so If there is someone a bit tech savvy around who can help an older adult connect with friends and family, not only is the door open to communication with those near and distant, a new social connection has been made, it's a win-win for diminishing social isolation and loneliness." A former social worker, she also suggests clinicians screen their patients for loneliness and offer age-appropriate resources. Older adults more likely to experience loneliness than other age groups Whether they live alone or not, older adults are more prone to loneliness than other age groups due to the changing nature of social interactions as one ages. Often their children have moved out of the house and, along with grandchildren, may live far away. Older adults are more likely to be retired with few, if any, interactions with coworkers. Also, older adults are more likely to have spouses or partners who are no longer living or to have lost other family members , such as parents or siblings, who would have been sources of social interaction. In a study published earlier this year, Dr. Williams-Farrelly and colleagues found that 53% of older adults experience loneliness . Lonely older adults are less likely to be physically active and less likely to eat in a healthy manner, contributing to poor health outcomes.'B***h new laws!' California shoplifting suspect surprised stealing is now a felonyTalkiatry Ranked Number 6 Fastest-Growing Company in North America on the 2024 Deloitte Technology Fast 500TMNone
His team is coming off a fourth-quarter collapse in the Grey Cup, is getting rather long in the tooth and has the usual long list of free agents to deal with. But while Blue Bombers GM Kyle Walters acknowledged he’s still dealing with a Cup hangover, he was drinking from a glass half-full in his season-ending session with the media on Tuesday. The reason for his optimism: he has more good players already under contract for next year, some of them young and only getting better. “So the idea of, ‘This is the end of the road, the team is in a free-fall downward,’ I don’t think is accurate,” Walters said. “We have a good group of guys and we were in a one-point game with 10 minutes left... before things went downhill. “With the young guys we have under contract that contributed, I’m feeling probably better now than in years past in regards to the transition to youth heading into next season.” Walters pointed to the receiving corps, with rookies Ontaria Wilson, Keric Wheatfall and Kevens Clercius – all with another year on their contracts – and the defensive line as areas that got an injection of promising youth this year. As for his aging vets, they all want to come back for another run at the 2025 Grey Cup, to be played in Winnipeg. The key ones already under contract include 36-year-old quarterback Zach Collaros, running back Brady Oliveira, receiver Nic Demski, defensive back Deatrick Nichols, centre Chris Kolankowski and kicker Sergio Castillo. Other mainstays, like D-lineman Willie Jefferson (33), O-linemen Stanley Bryant (38) and Pat Neufeld (35), have said they want to re-sign. Most of the rest could be up for grabs as free agents, come February. Some, like receiver Dalton Schoen, quarterback Chris Streveler and linebacker Adam Bighill, are coming off season-ending injuries, which may or may not affect their negotiating positions. “Nobody’s interested in taking pay cuts,” Walters said. “Every single agent and every single player at the very least would expect to come back for what they’ve made. Now, organizationally we may have a different view of, ‘At this point in your career we no longer see you at this price point, but we see you at this price point.’ And that’s when the fun starts, I guess.” The “fun” might include trying to re-sign a player or two before the calendar flips to 2025, using the dollars he managed to stay below the salary cap. “We’re going to carve out, to the cent, how much money we have just to use a signing bonus on somebody this year,” Walters said. It’s always a case of give and take: any raise Walters gives to one, he has to take away from another to stay within the cap. Someone like cornerback Tyrell Ford, among the league’s top ball hawks, is due for a significant pay bump. “When you’re a Canadian that’s starting at a traditional American position, your value is through the roof,” Walters said. “I expect him to be highly sought after in free agency, for sure, and deservedly so.” As another key part of the CFL’s stingiest secondary, fellow defensive back Evan Holm is another player in line for more. “Up here would be my No. 1 goal,” Holm told me as he cleaned out his locker last week. “And we have a baby due in March. Just seeing everyone else with their children around, the environment would be pretty fun. We’ll see.” As for the baby he’s nurtured for the last 10 years, Walters just wants to keep feeding the thing the same ingredients that have seen it develop into a perennial championship contender. Having the Grey Cup in their own back yard doesn’t change anything, the GM says. They’d be trying to get there if it was played in Timbuktu. “An organization shouldn’t say, ‘Because we’re hosting, we’re really going to give it our all this year.’ Because then the response from the players and coaches would be, ‘Well, why wouldn’t we do that every year?’” They’ve done it every year for the last five, usually by spending to the max. In a perfect world, Walters and O’Shea would also use next year to groom a successor to Collaros, while trying to get to another Grey Cup. But the CFL and its proliferation of one-year contracts is far from a perfect world. So they’ll wait to see what and who shakes from the quarterback tree. Arguably the biggest apple, Vernon Adams, went from B.C. to Calgary hours after Walters spoke to the media. “Can your young guys on your roster develop, or do you have to go out in free agency and potentially pay more for an experienced backup that you think can take over in the future?” Walters wondered aloud. “Those are challenging questions that we’ll have organizationally. But primary focus is putting a roster together to win the Grey Cup next year.” That work begins immediately. Even before the hangover fades completely. “You know, when you take a step back... of course, the last three final games were very frustrating,” Walters said of his team’s three-game Grey Cup losing streak. “And you can’t lump them all together. But going to five Grey Cups... we’ve got a good football team here. “I expect us to be good.” paul.friesen@kleinmedia.ca X: @friesensunmediaAs part of a national “moonshot” to cure blindness, researchers at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus will receive as much as $46 million in federal funding over the next five years to pursue a first-of-its-kind full eye transplantation. “This is no easy undertaking, but I believe we can achieve this together,” said Dr. Kia Washington, the lead researcher for the University of Colorado-led team, during a press conference Monday. “And in fact I’ve never been more hopeful that a cure for blindness is within reach.” The CU team was one of four in the United States that received funding awards from the federal Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health , or ARPA-H. The CU-based group will focus on achieving the first-ever vision-restoring eye transplant by using “novel stem cell and bioelectronic technologies,” according to a news release announcing the funding. The work will be interdisciplinary, Washington and others said, and will link together researchers at institutions across the country. The four teams that received the funding will work alongside each other on distinct approaches, though officials said the teams would likely collaborate and eventually may merge depending on which research avenues show the most promise toward achieving the ultimate goal of transplanting an eye and curing blindness. Dr. Calvin Roberts, who will oversee the broader project for ARPA-H, said the agency wanted to take multiple “shots on goal” to ensure progress. “In the broader picture, achieving this would be probably the most monumental task in medicine within the last several decades,” said Dr. Daniel Pelaez of the University of Miami’s Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, which also received ARPA-H funding. Pelaez is the lead investigator for that team, which has pursued new procedures to successfully remove and preserve eyes from donors, amid other research. He told The Denver Post that only four organ systems have not been successfully transplanted: the inner ear, the brain, the spinal cord and the eye. All four are part of the central nervous system, which does not repair itself when damaged. If researchers can successfully transplant the human eye and restore vision to the patient, it might help unlock deeper discoveries about repairing damage to the brain and spine, Pelaez said, as well as addressing hearing loss. To succeed, researchers must successfully remove and preserve eyes from donors and then successfully connect and repair the optical nerve, which takes information from the eye and tells the brain what the eye sees. A team at New York University performed a full eye transplant on a human patient in November 2023, though the procedure — while a “remarkable achievement,” Pelaez said — did not restore the patient’s vision. It was also part of a partial face transplant; other approaches pursued via the ARPA-H funding will involve eye-specific transplants. Washington, the lead CU researcher, said she and her colleagues have already completed the eye transplant procedure — albeit without vision restoration — in rats. The CU team will next work on large animals to advance “optic nerve regenerative strategies,” the school said, as well as to study immunosuppression, which is critical to ensuring that patients’ immune systems don’t reject a donated organ. The goal is to eventually advance to human trials. Pelaez and his colleagues have completed their eye-removal procedure in cadavers, he said, and they’ve also studied regeneration in several animals that are capable of regenerating parts of their eyes, like salamanders or zebra fish. His team’s funding will focus in part on a life-support machine for the eye to keep it healthy and viable during the removal process. InGel Therapeutics, a Massachusetts-based Harvard spinoff and the lead of a third team, will pursue research on 3-D printed technology and “micro-tunneled scaffolds” that carry certain types of stem cells as part of a focus on optical nerve regeneration and repair, ARPA-H said. ARPH-A, created two years ago, will oversee the teams’ work. Researchers at 52 institutions nationwide will also contribute to the teams. The CU-led group will include researchers from the University of Southern California, the University of Wisconsin, Indiana University and Johns Hopkins University, as well as from the National Eye Institute . The teams will simultaneously compete and collaborate: Pelaez said his team has communicated with researchers at CU and at Stanford, another award recipient, about their eye-removal research. The total funding available for the teams is $125 million, ARPA-H officials said Monday, and it will be distributed in phases, in part dependent on teams’ success. U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, a Democrat who represents Denver in Congress, acknowledged the recent election results at the press conference Monday and pledged to continue fighting to preserve ARPA-H’s funding under President-elect Donald Trump’s administration. The effort to cure blindness, Washington joked, was “biblical” in its enormity — a reference to the Bible story in which Jesus cures a blind man. She and others also likened it to a moonshot, meaning the effort to successfully put Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the moon nearly 50 years ago. If curing blindness is similar to landing on the moon, then the space shuttle has already left the launchpad, Washington said. “We have launched,” she said, “and we are on our trajectory.”Court rejects request to sideline San Jose State volleyball player on grounds she's transgenderA federal appeals court upheld a ruling Tuesday that allows a San Jose State women’s volleyball team member to play in this week’s Mountain West Conference tournament after a legal complaint said she should be ineligible on grounds that she is transgender and thus stronger, posing a safety risk to teammates and opponents. A two-judge panel of the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with U.S. Magistrate S. Kato Crews in Denver. On Monday he rejected the request for an emergency injunction, finding the players and others who challenged the league’s policy of allowing transgender athletes to participate should have filed the complaint earlier. The tournament starts Wednesday in Las Vegas, but top-seeded Colorado State and second-seeded San Jose State have byes into Friday’s semifinal matches. Judge Crews and the 10th Circuit noted the request for the emergency injunction was filed in mid-November, less than two weeks before the tournament was scheduled to start. The complaint could have been made weeks earlier, both courts said. The first conference forfeit happened Sept. 28. All the schools that canceled games against San Jose State acknowledged at the time that they would take a league loss, Crews noted. The players and others who sued are disappointed that the appeals court found it would be “too disruptive” to enter an injunction the day before the tournament is scheduled to start, said William Bock III, an attorney for the plaintiffs. The appeals court said the plaintiffs' "claims appear to present a substantial question and may have merit,” but they have not made a clear case for emergency relief. “Plaintiffs look forward to ultimately receiving justice in this case when they prove these legal violations in court and to the day when men are no longer allowed to harm women and wreak havoc in women’s sport," Bock said in a statement. The athlete has played for San Jose State since 2022, but her participation only became an issue this season. The conference policy regarding forfeiting for refusing to play against a team with a transgender player has also been in effect since 2022, the conference said. Injunctions are meant to preserve the status quo, Judge Crews said, and her playing is the status quo. The motions for an injunction also asked that the four teams that had conference losses for refusing to play against San Jose State during the regular season have those losses removed from their records and that the tournament be re-seeded based on the updated records. Crews denied that motion and the 10th Circuit did not address it. Neither San Jose State nor the forfeiting teams have confirmed the school has a trans woman volleyball player. The Associated Press is withholding the player’s name because she has not commented publicly on her gender identity. School officials also have declined an interview request with the player. Crews’ ruling referred to the athlete as an “alleged transgender” player and noted that no defendant disputed that the San Jose State roster includes a transgender woman player. San Jose State “maintains an unwavering commitment to the participation, safety and privacy of all students at San Jose State and ensuring they are able to compete in an inclusive, fair and respectful environment,” Athletics Director Jeff Konya told students Tuesday. He praised the resilience student-athletes, the athletic department and staff have shown while the court challenges played out over the past nearly two weeks. “The fact that they have come to this point of the season as a team standing together on the volleyball court is a testament to their strength and passion for their sport,” Konya said. The conference said Monday it was “satisfied” with the judge’s decision and would continue upholding policies established by its board of directors, which “directly align with NCAA and USA Volleyball.” An NCAA policy that subjects transgender participation to the rules of sports governing bodies took effect this academic year. USA Volleyball says a trans woman must suppress testosterone for 12 months before competing. The NCAA has not flagged any issues with San Jose State. In Friday's semifinals, San Jose State is scheduled to play the winner of Wednesday’s match between Utah State and Boise State — teams that forfeited matches to San Jose State during the regular season. Boise State associate athletic director Chris Kutz declined to comment Monday on whether the Broncos would play San Jose State if they won their first-round tournament game. Utah State associate athletic director Doug Hoffman said the university is reviewing the order and the team is preparing for Wednesday’s match. Wyoming and Utah State also forfeited matches against San Jose State. Some athletic associations, Republican legislatures and school districts have sought in recent years to restrict the ability of transgender athletes, in particular transgender girls and women, to compete in line with their gender identity. The Republican governors of Idaho, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming have made public statements in support of the team cancellations, citing fairness in women’s sports. President-elect Donald Trump likewise has spoken out against allowing transgender women to compete in women’s sports.
In the lawsuit of Blake Lively against Justin Baldoni, his publicist becomes the centre of attention. Now, Jennifer Abel, in a series of Facebook posts, presented her side after her text exchanges with crisis management expert Melissa Nathan were leaked, sparking outrage. These posts, meanwhile, are deleted, but The Hollywood Reporter confirmed their authenticity. In these, the publicist defended the leaked texts, saying that instead of a specific action against the Green Lantern actress, those messages were a funny reaction from them about how fans were reacting to the feud of It Ends With Us stars. “What the cherry picked messages don’t include, although not shockingly as it doesn’t fit the narrative, is that there was no ‘smear’ implemented. No negative press was ever facilitated, no social combat plan, although we were prepared for it as it’s our job to be ready for any scenario," she said. "But we didn’t have to implement anything because the internet was doing the work for us. Sure we talked about it, contemplated if we needed certain things, flagged accounts that we needed to monitor, worked with a social team to help us stay on top of the narrative so we could act quickly if needed, and yes, we rejoiced and joked in the fact that fans were recognizing our clients heart and work without us having to do anything but keep our heads down and focus on positive interviews for our client," the publicist continued. “As the texts show, we sophomorically reveled and again, joked, privately to each other about the internets feedback to the woman whose team was making our lives incredibly difficult over the course of the campaign. I’m human." "The long hours, months of preparation, on top of my day to day scope ... it felt good to see that although we were prepared, we didn’t have to do anything over the top to protect our client," Jennifer said in the long posts online.Richland Co. parents jailed in death of their baby with broken bones
Researchers launch “moonshot” to cure blindness through eye transplantsUnderrated Tomb Raider Game Now Completely Free to Own
Local surgeons, donors, and community members are redefining what is possible on Vancouver Island by coming together in support of the Victoria Hospitals Foundation’s latest campaign, It’s Time for Surgical Innovation . The campaign is aiming to raise $17 million to bring brand-new minimally invasive surgical procedures to the Island. Campaign champions are making a lasting impact by supporting the introduction of robotics and a suite of 50 best-in-class instruments to Royal Jubilee and Victoria General hospitals—the acute centres for Vancouver Island. Together, they are supporting enhanced precision and visualization for surgeons, reduced pain and risk of complications for patients, and reduced care staff requirements. The Foundation is grateful to every donor, caregiver, and champion who has supported the cause to date—may that be through a donation, donated services, or a gift of time or story, for every gift is making a difference. One of these champions is Shirley Hunter, who shares her personal health journey in support: Illness is frightening. When you receive a diagnosis, it can be both terrifying and isolating. Last fall, I was diagnosed with a highly aggressive form of colon cancer. I needed to have surgery imminently to remove the tumour on my large intestine—and I am glad it was here, in my home of Victoria, that I would receive treatment. I hadn’t been feeling well in the weeks leading up to my diagnosis. I was sent for several tests, one being a colonoscopy at Victoria General Hospital. I had no idea it was going to be anything but routine. During the procedure, the gastroenterologist came over to me, took my hand and said, “I’m so sorry. You have cancer.” He had tears in his eyes, he was just so empathetic. Dr. Dustin Loomes was thoughtful and kind. He even called me at home the next night to see if I was okay. I so appreciated that. That’s the kind of care that comes from the hearts of our hospital staff. The next few weeks were a flurry of tests and appointments and learning about my condition. So many equipment pieces played a hand in this — I became extra aware of this. I met another wonderful doctor, who would become my general surgeon. The first time I met Dr. Heather Emmerton-Coughlin was in the exam room. “ Just call me Dr. Heather,” she smiled. She put her hand on my arm and said, “I’m going to take care of you.” She was caring, warm, informative, honest and direct. All the things that I really appreciate in medical care. When my scheduled surgery day arrived at Royal Jubilee Hospital, I was not stressed. My husband and my daughter were by my side and understandably worried. I, on the other hand, had a sense of calm come over me, and I think it was because Dr. Heather helped me fully understand what the surgery entailed. I believe attitude is everything in life. I know bad things are going to happen to people from time to time, but life is truly what you make of it. I have been blessed in my life—having a great husband and family, and Victoria to call home. I knew I could face the road ahead with their support, and in this very place. Post-surgery, I spent a lot of time in recovery. I ended up in a room with three other patients, all of whom had different healthcare journeys. I received amazing support from all the nurses— truly. I say that understanding they deal with so much on a daily basis. Two of the nurses got me dressed and on my feet that afternoon. When Dr. Heather came by to check on me, I was relieved to hear the surgery had gone well and that I would be able to recover at home. Dr. Heather said she was able to remove the entire tumour, which provided profound relief. I continued with chemotherapy in January to reduce the risk of recurrence. I just completed that treatment this summer. I realize I have had an amazing journey despite the circumstances of the disease. The doctors will monitor my condition going forward, and I have full faith in their expertise. The care I received was nothing short of remarkable. I owe this to the doctors and the technology we have access to in our hospitals. We have so many wonderfully trained doctors and surgeons in our community. The fact that on top of their expertise, they profoundly care for the patient is a gift. I strongly believe it is our duty as community members to support them. I share my story today with the full understanding that it’s not always easy right now in our current healthcare landscape. I have to say, however, that once you’re in the system, the hospital care provided locally is brilliant. The doctors, surgeons and all the hospital staff are excellent. I would even say: we have some of the best medical professionals in the country, right here in Victoria. I share my story, too, because I believe we need to come together to support our hospitals and healthcare workers. We need to wrap around them to ensure they are equipped with the latest tools and resources, so that they can in turn care in the best possible way for everyone we know who may need their expertise one day. I am a proud donor to the Victoria Hospitals Foundation. I believe in their mission, and in their drive to equip our caregivers with the priority tools they need to deliver the best care. To bring the latest technology to our hospitals, including robotics, is of utmost importance for the wellbeing of all. Join me in supporting surgical excellence in our Victoria hospitals. We are all in this together. — Shirley Hunter To learn more and support the Victoria Hospitals Foundation’s It’s Time for Surgical Innovation campaign, please visit VictoriaHF.ca/ItsTime or call the Foundation at 250-519-1750. During the Canada Post strike, Maximum Express is offering complimentary courier service for donation cheque pick-ups. Please contact the Victoria Hospitals Foundation to arrange this complimentary service. Consider a gift by December 31 to receive a 2024 tax receipt. On behalf of our local caregivers and the patients they serve, thank you . Sponsored by Victoria Hospitals FoundationHow small acts of kindness and connection really can change the world