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Some tech industry leaders are pushing the incoming Trump administration to increase visas for highly skilled workers from other nations. Related Articles National Politics | Trump threat to immigrant health care tempered by economic hopes National Politics | In states that ban abortion, social safety net programs often fail families National Politics | Court rules Georgia lawmakers can subpoena Fani Willis for information related to her Trump case National Politics | New 2025 laws hit hot topics from AI in movies to rapid-fire guns National Politics | How they voted: Ryan, Molinaro on continuing appropriations The heart of the argument is, for America to remain competitive, the country needs to expand the number of skilled visas it gives out. The previous Trump administration did not increase the skilled visa program, instead clamping down on visas for students and educated workers, increasing denial rates. Not everyone in corporate America thinks the skilled worker program is great. Former workers at IT company Cognizant recently won a federal class-action lawsuit that said the company favored Indian employees over Americans from 2013 to 2022. A Bloomberg investigation found Cognizant, and other similar outsourcing companies, mainly used its skilled work visas for lower-level positions. Workers alleged Cognizant preferred Indian workers because they could be paid less and were more willing to accept inconvenient or less-favorable assignments. Question: Should the U.S. increase immigration levels for highly skilled workers? Caroline Freund, UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy YES: Innovation is our superpower and it relies on people. Sourcing talent from 8 billion people in the world instead of 330 million here makes sense. Nearly half our Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children. Growing them also relies on expanding our skilled workforce. The cap on skilled-worker visas has hardly changed since the computer age started. With AI on the horizon, attracting and building talent is more important than ever. Kelly Cunningham, San Diego Institute for Economic Research YES: After years of openly allowing millions of undocumented entrants into the country, why is there controversy over legally increasing somewhat the number having desirable skills? Undocumented immigration significantly impacts lower skill level jobs and wages competing with domestic workers at every skill level. Why should special cases be made against those having higher skills? Could they just not walk across the border anyway, why make it more inconvenient to those with desirable skills? James Hamilton, UC San Diego YES: Knowledge and technology are key drivers of the U.S. economy. Students come from all over the world to learn at U.S. universities, and their spending contributed $50 billion to U.S. exports last year. Technological advantage is what keeps us ahead of the rest of the world. Highly skilled immigrants contribute much more in taxes than they receive in public benefits. The skills immigrants bring to America can make us all better off. Norm Miller, University of San Diego YES: According to Forbes, the majority of billion-dollar startups were founded by foreigners. I’ve interviewed dozens of data analysts and programmers from Berkeley, UCSD, USD and a few other schools and 75% of them are foreign. There simply are not enough American graduates to fill the AI and data mining related jobs now exploding in the U.S. If we wish to remain a competitive economy, we need highly skilled and bright immigrants to come here and stay. David Ely, San Diego State University YES: Being able to employ highly skilled workers from a larger pool of candidates would strengthen the competitiveness of U.S. companies by increasing their capacity to perform research and innovate. This would boost the country’s economic output. Skilled workers from other nations that cannot remain in the U.S. will find jobs working for foreign rivals. The demand for H-1B visas far exceeds the current cap of 85,000, demonstrating a need to modify this program. Phil Blair, Manpower YES: Every country needs skilled workers, at all levels, to grow its economy. We should take advantage of the opportunity these workers provide our employers who need these skills. It should be blended into our immigration policies allowing for both short and long term visas. Gary London, London Moeder Advisors YES: San Diego is a premiere example of how highly skilled workers from around the globe enrich a community and its regional economy. Of course Visa levels need to be increased. But let’s go further. Tie visas and immigration with a provision that those who are admitted and educated at a U.S. university be incentivized, or even required, to be employed in the U.S. in exchange for their admittance. Bob Rauch, R.A. Rauch & Associates NO: While attracting high-skilled immigrants can fill critical gaps in sectors like technology, health care and advanced manufacturing, increasing high-skilled immigration could displace American workers and drive down wages in certain industries. There are already many qualified American workers available for some of these jobs. We should balance the need for specialized skills with the impact on the domestic workforce. I believe we can begin to increase the number of visas after a careful review of abuse. Austin Neudecker, Weave Growth YES: We should expand skilled visas to drive innovation and economic growth. Individuals who perform high-skilled work in labor-restricted industries or graduate from respected colleges with relevant degrees should be prioritized for naturalization. We depend on immigration for GDP growth, tax revenue, research, and so much more. Despite the abhorrent rhetoric and curtailing of visas in the first term, I hope the incoming administration can be persuaded to enact positive changes to a clearly flawed system. Chris Van Gorder, Scripps Health YES: But it should be based upon need, not politics. There are several industries that have or could have skilled workforce shortages, especially if the next administration tightens immigration as promised and expected. Over the years, there have been nursing shortages that have been met partially by trained and skilled nurses from other countries. The physician shortage is expected to get worse in the years to come. So, this visa program may very well be needed. Jamie Moraga, Franklin Revere NO: While skilled immigration could boost our economy and competitiveness, the U.S. should prioritize developing our domestic workforce. Hiring foreign nationals in sensitive industries or government-related work, especially in advanced technology or defense, raises security concerns. A balanced approach could involve targeted increases in non-sensitive high-demand fields coupled with investment in domestic STEM education and training programs. This could address immediate needs while strengthening the long-term STEM capabilities of the American workforce. Not participating this week: Alan Gin, University of San DiegoHaney Hong, San Diego County Taxpayers AssociationRay Major, economist Have an idea for an Econometer question? Email me at phillip.molnar@sduniontribune.com . Follow me on Threads: @phillip020Three new railway projects sanctioned for Maharashtra: Railway minister
NoneSANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 16, 2024-- GoodRx Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: GDRX), the leading prescription savings platform in the U.S., today announced that Wendy Barnes has been appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1, 2025. Wendy brings more than 30 years of leadership experience across the pharmacy and medical benefit industry to her new role. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241216730604/en/ Wendy Barnes (Photo: Business Wire) Wendy will join GoodRx following her role as CEO of RxBenefits, where she led the company in providing pharmacy benefit support to more than 2,000 self-insured clients comprised of more than three million lives. Under her guidance, RxBenefits became a leading entity providing tailored pharmacy benefit solutions that promote affordability and transparency. Before that, as President of Express Scripts Pharmacy, Wendy oversaw the service, operation, and financial success of the organization’s multiple pharmacies on behalf of 100 million members. Wendy also served as Group Vice President at Rite Aid, where she was responsible for all aspects of managed care, including contracting, enhancing relationships with managed care organizations, overseeing pharmacy benefit managers and third-party payers, and developing strategic partnerships. “Wendy is joining GoodRx at a pivotal moment – both for the healthcare industry and for GoodRx. In a world where conventional insurance coverage is increasingly restrictive, and patients and healthcare professionals are bearing increasing costs and time burdens, GoodRx offers a complement to insurance that fills the gaps that existing systems don’t cover and helps Americans save both time and money,” said Scott Wagner, Interim CEO at GoodRx. “Wendy has the expertise, vision, and leadership to help GoodRx grow in unique and valuable ways, both for our customers and as a business. I’m excited for Wendy and I’m particularly excited for GoodRx.” Wendy's career highlights include her effective leadership roles at RxBenefits, Express Scripts, Rite Aid and Pfizer, leading extensive pharmacy operations and simplifying and improving patient healthcare experiences. Wendy also served for 10 years as a Medical Service Corps Officer in the United States Air Force. "I am thrilled to join GoodRx and contribute to its mission of making healthcare more affordable for millions of Americans," said Wendy Barnes, the newly appointed President and CEO of GoodRx. "With the evolving challenges in healthcare delivery and management, I look forward to working with our talented executive leadership team to foster growth and innovation at GoodRx and within the industry. We have a tremendous opportunity to free Americans from friction in getting medication.” In her role as CEO, Wendy will focus on advancing GoodRx’s strategic initiatives, with particular attention on bringing all brand affordability programs onto the GoodRx platform, expanding GoodRx’s product experience with healthcare professionals, and enriching partnerships with retail pharmacies, insurers, and pharmaceutical manufacturers to help save Americans time and money. Driven by a steadfast commitment to making healthcare more accessible and affordable, Wendy aims to build a better patient experience and help fill gaps within the existing system. “As we embark on this transition, I want to thank Scott for his hard work and huge impact over the last year and a half as our Interim CEO. His leadership and deep business expertise has been felt both inside and outside the walls of GoodRx,” said Trevor Bezdek, Co-founder and Chairman of GoodRx. “As we look ahead to the next phase of growth, I’m confident and enthusiastic that Wendy’s experience and dedication to improving patient lives will drive GoodRx’s mission forward.” About GoodRx GoodRx is the leading prescription savings platform in the U.S. Trusted by more than 25 million consumers and 750,000 healthcare professionals annually, GoodRx provides access to savings and affordability options for generic and brand-name medications at more than 70,000 pharmacies nationwide, as well as comprehensive healthcare research and information. Since 2011, GoodRx has helped consumers save over $75 billion on the cost of their prescriptions. GoodRx periodically posts information that may be important to investors on its investor relations website at https://investors.goodrx.com . We intend to use our website as a means of disclosing material nonpublic information and for complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Accordingly, investors and potential investors are encouraged to consult GoodRx’s website regularly for important information, in addition to following GoodRx’s press releases, filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and public conference calls and webcasts. The information contained on, or that may be accessed through, GoodRx’s website is not incorporated by reference into, and is not a part of, this press release. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this press release that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding anticipated consumer savings, convenience and accessibility; the new CEO appointment and related benefits and values; and our plans, expectations and objectives. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, risks relating to our ability to achieve broad market education and change consumer purchasing habits; changes in medication pricing and pricing structures; our reliance on a limited number of industry participants; and the important factors discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, and our other filings with the SEC. Any such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, projections and estimates as of the date of this press release. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241216730604/en/ press@goodrx.com KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: HEALTH TECHNOLOGY TELEMEDICINE/VIRTUAL MEDICINE HEALTH TECHNOLOGY HEALTH INSURANCE PHARMACEUTICAL INTERNET SOURCE: GoodRx Holdings, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/16/2024 04:05 PM/DISC: 12/16/2024 04:04 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241216730604/enUTRECHT, The Netherlands and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Merus N.V . MRUS , a clinical-stage oncology company developing innovative, full-length multispecific antibodies (Biclonics ® and Triclonics ® ) for cancer, today announced that the first patient has been dosed in the Company's phase 2 trial evaluating petosemtamab monotherapy in heavily pretreated (3L+) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Petosemtamab is a Biclonics ® targeting EGFR and LGR5. The phase 2, open-label trial will evaluate the safety and antitumor activity of petosemtamab monotherapy in 3L+ mCRC, post anti-EGFR therapy. To be eligible for enrollment, patients must lack certain mutations as detected in plasma by ctDNA NGS, including KRAS, NRAS. "We discovered petosemtamab from an unbiased screen of over 500 bispecific antibodies tested for the ability to inhibit cancer-derived, as compared to matched normal tissue derived, organoids. In preclinical CRC models, petosemtamab consistently demonstrates superior activity compared to cetuximab, a mainstay therapy in mCRC," said John de Kruif Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer at Merus. "I am hopeful our unique platform technologies will translate into improved therapies for patients with heavily pretreated mCRC." About Petosemtamab Petosemtamab, or MCLA-158, is a Biclonics ® low-fucose human full-length IgG1 antibody targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and the leucine-rich repeat containing G-protein-coupled receptor 5 (LGR5). Petosemtamab is designed to exhibit three independent mechanisms of action including inhibition of EGFR-dependent signaling, LGR5 binding leading to EGFR internalization and degradation in cancer cells, and enhanced antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) and antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP) activity. About Merus N.V. Merus is a clinical-stage oncology company developing innovative full-length human bispecific and trispecific antibody therapeutics, referred to as Multiclonics ® . Multiclonics ® are manufactured using industry standard processes and have been observed in preclinical and clinical studies to have several of the same features of conventional human monoclonal antibodies, such as long half-life and low immunogenicity. For additional information, please visit Merus' website and LinkedIn . Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this press release that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements, including without limitation, statements regarding the evaluation of petosemtamab in patients with mCRC, the clinical study design and objectives of the phase 2 study; and the hope that our unique platform technologies will translate into improved therapies for patients with heavily pretreated mCRC. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the following: our need for additional funding, which may not be available and which may require us to restrict our operations or require us to relinquish rights to our technologies or antibody candidates; potential delays in regulatory approval, which would impact our ability to commercialize our product candidates and affect our ability to generate revenue; the lengthy and expensive process of clinical drug development, which has an uncertain outcome; the unpredictable nature of our early stage development efforts for marketable drugs; potential delays in enrollment of patients, which could affect the receipt of necessary regulatory approvals; our reliance on third parties to conduct our clinical trials and the potential for those third parties to not perform satisfactorily; impacts of the volatility in the global economy, including global instability, including the ongoing conflicts in Europe and the Middle East; we may not identify suitable Biclonics ® or bispecific antibody candidates under our collaborations or our collaborators may fail to perform adequately under our collaborations; our reliance on third parties to manufacture our product candidates, which may delay, prevent or impair our development and commercialization efforts; protection of our proprietary technology; our patents may be found invalid, unenforceable, circumvented by competitors and our patent applications may be found not to comply with the rules and regulations of patentability; we may fail to prevail in potential lawsuits for infringement of third-party intellectual property; and our registered or unregistered trademarks or trade names may be challenged, infringed, circumvented or declared generic or determined to be infringing on other marks. These and other important factors discussed under the caption "Risk Factors" in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2024, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, on October 31, 2024, and our other reports filed with the SEC, could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release. Any such forward-looking statements represent management's estimates as of the date of this press release. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change, except as required under applicable law. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. Multiclonics ® , Biclonics ® and Triclonics ® are registered trademarks of Merus N.V. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Check out impressive mansion family built in just 7 monthsReflecting on the legacy of Dr Manmohan Singh is daunting. I knew him even before he joined the government, mainly from 1971. Anecdotes, nostalgia, and a combination of thoughts over multiple meetings in multiple countries and context overwhelm me. ET Year-end Special Reads Two sectors that rose on India's business horizon in 2024 2025 outlook: Is it time for cautious optimism or rekindling animal spirits? 2024: Govt moves ahead with simultaneous polls plan; India holds largest democratic exercise When he joined the Ministry of Commerce in 1971, India was an overregulated economy, with growing controls on imports and exports in total disregard of competitive market efficiency, much less factor advantage. While he felt that this would be retrograde to India's future, the geopolitical realities at the time and our relationship with the Soviet Union did not permit us to make any significant changes. Shortly thereafter as Economic Adviser he had begun to witness the incipient signs of change. As finance minister, he was happy to have me as Joint Secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs and handling the negotiations with the IMF and World Bank. These were daunting negotiations, and he was determined to ensure that India's reputation as meeting its debt obligations without any hint of default remained untarnished. The negotiations were primarily aimed at securing IMF assistance for the upper credit tranche agreements. With the World Bank a structural adjustment loan was being negotiated. Throughout this period, he supported the team I was privileged to be part of. I remember one particularly hot afternoon when negotiations with the IMF broke down, and they had packed their bags to leave. Dr Singh had instructed me to report to him immediately if any critical divergence arose during the negotiations. I went to his house, and he told me firmly that they must not be allowed to leave, as this would have an exceedingly negative impact on India's market sentiment. He followed up by coming to the office that very afternoon, and we were able to conclude arrangements with the IMF and the World Bank, securing various windows for assistance. 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He never allowed his high office to come in the way of fulfilling his responsibilities. We met again in Parliament when he had assumed the high office of Prime Minister. In sharp contrast to his tenure as finance minister, he had to focus on securing consensus both within the Congress and among allied parties. The low-hanging fruits of reform had been secured, and the remaining ones required much greater calibration and consensus-building. As Prime Minister, the audaciousness with which he pursued the nuclear deal with the US stands out very sharply. This effort to improve India's dynamics with the superpower was laudable. He was building on the achievements of high GDP growth following Vajpayee's reforms as well as a nuke explosion. In fact, the nuclear deal was part of his vision to make India an attractive investment destination, no matter what was at stake for the future of the government. Regrettably, the full effects of the nuclear deal are yet to be realised due to the lack of enabling changes in laws, particularly regarding insurance, which would allow private party participation. He was the perfect example of domain expertise coupled with an understanding of the political landscape. Dr Singh was the master of the art of the possible in the political economy of change . We will remain indebted to him for steering India on the path of growth and toward its rightful place in the committee of nations. The writer is former Rajya Sabha member and chairperson of FC
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Michigan's defense of the national championship has fallen woefully short. The Wolverines started the season ranked No. 9 in the AP Top 25 , making them the third college football team since 1991 to be ranked worse than seventh in the preseason poll after winning a national title. Michigan (6-5, 4-4 Big Ten) failed to meet those modest expectations, barely becoming eligible to play in a bowl and putting the program in danger of losing six or seven games for the first time since the Brady Hoke era ended a decade ago. The Wolverines potentially can ease some of the pain with a win against rival and second-ranked Ohio State (10-1, 7-1, No. 2 CFP) on Saturday in the Horseshoe, but that would be a stunning upset. Ohio State is a 21 1/2-point favorite, according to the BetMGM Sportsbook, and that marks just the third time this century that there has been a spread of at least 20 1/2 points in what is known as “The Game.” Michigan coach Sherrone Moore doesn't sound like someone who is motivating players with an underdog mentality. “I don’t think none of that matters in this game,” Moore said Monday. “It doesn’t matter the records. It doesn’t matter anything. The spread, that doesn’t matter.” How did Michigan end up with a relative mess of a season on the field, coming off its first national title since 1997? Winning it all with a coach and star player contemplating being in the NFL for the 2024 season seemed to have unintended consequences for the current squad. The Wolverines closed the College Football Playoff with a win over Washington on Jan. 8; several days later quarterback J.J. McCarthy announced he was skipping his senior season; and it took more than another week for Jim Harbaugh to bolt to coach the Los Angeles Chargers. In the meantime, most quality quarterbacks wanting to transfer had already enrolled at other schools and Moore was left with lackluster options. Davis Warren beat out Alex Orji to be the team's quarterback for the opener and later lost the job to Orji only to get it back again. Story continues below video No matter who was under center, however, would've likely struggled this year behind an offensive line that sent six players to the NFL. The Wolverines lost one of their top players on defense, safety Rod Moore, to a season-ending injury last spring and another one, preseason All-America cornerback Will Johnson, hasn't played in more than a month because of an injury. The Buckeyes are not planning to show any mercy after losing three straight in the series. “We’re going to attack them," Ohio State defensive end Jack Sawyer said. “We know they’re going to come in here swinging, too, and they’ve still got a good team even though the record doesn’t indicate it. This game, it never matters what the records are." While a win would not suddenly make the Wolverines' season a success, it could help Moore build some momentum a week after top-rated freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood flipped his commitment from LSU to Michigan. “You come to Michigan to beat Ohio,” said defensive back Quinten Johnson, intentionally leaving the word State out when referring to the rival. "That's one of the pillars of the Michigan football program. “It doesn’t necessarily change the fact of where we are in the season, but it definitely is one of the defining moments of your career here at Michigan.” AP Sports Writer Mitch Stacy in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report. Get alerts on the latest AP Top 25 poll throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-pollTowards the end of my second trimester, at 26 weeks pregnant, my husband and I visited Jeju, a beautiful island in South Korea. It was our babymoon, the pre-baby trip to savour time with my partner before the chaos of parenthood ensued. Shortly after conceiving, I oscillated between two states: Being incredibly grateful and excited, and completely nauseous and exhausted. Most of the time though, it was a mix of the two, in addition to the hormonal mess that came with pregnancy . So, to put it simply, the first trimester of pregnancy knocked me out. I therefore had no time – nor energy, nor headspace, nor much of anything – to think of going on any trip, let alone a babymoon. The thought of doing all that with my unpredictable body wore me out. But my husband insisted we should go somewhere. A babymoon would be our last trip with each other before the baby arrived. Taking this trip felt almost essential, he said – after the struggles of a tumultuous first trimester, it seemed like a great opportunity for us to take time off, reconnect, and enjoy an adventure together. After warming up to the idea, I realised I truly wanted to go. While most people would recommend resorts or relaxing spots for a babymoon, I longed for a place we’d never considered visiting, somewhere calm and close to nature, far from the bustle of the city and the constant busyness I’ve come to associate with home. Enter Jeju Island . I’d first heard of it while watching the Netflix K-drama Squid Game. In one episode, Kang Sae-byeok, a North Korean defector playing for the multi-billion won prize, shared her dream of visiting Jeju Island with her family, describing it as a place that looked like a dream. Since then, the image of Jeju’s striking flowers against the landscape of an island characterised by its deep blues stuck with me. Travelling after the first trimester felt healing in many ways. I was less nauseous, could keep food down more often than not, and felt physically stronger and more mobile, even though I was carrying more weight as the baby grew. After feeling out of touch with my body during my first trimester, my babymoon allowed me to reconnect with my body and life in a new way. This trip wasn’t just about cherishing time with my husband, it was also about honouring my body for carrying a life – a miracle in itself. I wanted to get to know my body again, familiarise myself with its strengths and limitations, and embrace everything it could and couldn’t do. Jeju felt like a wonderful place to do so. Jeju Island is about 2.5 times the size of Singapore and every corner has something to offer. I broke the island up into the north, south, east and west, spending most of my time in south Jeju, Seogwipo, and north Jeju, close to Jeju City. Here are some locations I’d recommend visiting in each area to capture Jeju’s beauty. North Jeju: West Jeju: East Jeju: South Jeju: TAKING TIME TO APPRECIATE JEJU’S BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPES Jeju is South Korea’s largest island, formed when an underwater volcano erupted 2 million years ago. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its volcanic land and lava tubes. In the centre sits Mount Hallasan, with the rest of the island gently sloping around it. When we arrived, I could smell the ocean in the air. It was fresh. Salty. Rejuvenating. And the vast blue horizon went on forever. Our initial plan for our week-long stay was to tick off every spot on the list but within an hour of setting foot on the island, we realised we wanted to take our time and relish each place we went to. My husband and I never follow a strict itinerary when we travel, preferring instead to go wherever the moment takes us. In Jeju, this approach felt natural as we focused on savouring the views – and every corner has a stunning one to offer. For the first half of our trip, we stayed at a charming seaside hotel in Seogwipo, on the southern coast. From our room’s large windows, we woke up to serene sunrises over white fishing boats and returned each evening to skies painted in vibrant orange and purple hues. A short walk from our hotel led to the beach, where we strolled daily. There, we took in the breathtaking scenery accompanied by the soothing sound of the waves, seagulls calling overhead, occasional traffic and the chatter of fishermen – most of whom are descendants of the islanders who have lived there for thousands of years. Slowing down each morning and evening to absorb the sights, breezes, and sounds became a healing ritual for me and my growing body, reminding me of the beauty in simply being present. I was glad we came without an itinerary, and instead just had highlights that we wanted to see. It made me realise just how much the world could offer. REDISCOVERING MY PHYSICAL STRENGTH WHILE CLIMBING A VOLCANO On day three, we decided to do a hike – there’s never a shortage of walks or hikes in Jeju. We chose Saebyeol Oreum, an extinct volcano that means “the dawn star” in Korean, on the way to Jeju City, after leaving Seogwipo. When I told my husband I wanted to climb Saebyeol Oreum, he hesitated as he was concerned for my and our baby’s safety. We even argued for a while but I was determined. I explained how important it was for me to do something I loved, like hiking, even with my changing body. I knew I shouldn’t push myself too hard and I was aware of how naive it would be to think I was the same as before pregnancy. But I also felt I could trust my body to know its limits. He finally gave in after I agreed that if he saw me struggling, we would turn back. We started the hike around midday, and there was a refreshing breeze in the air – a rain shower loomed. Somehow, the threat of rain made us more excited about scaling the volcano. That, and looking at online travel sites describing the stunning panoramic views of Jeju Island from the top. The hike wasn’t long – just over 500 metres high, which could be covered in under an hour – but the climb was steep. I paused several times. I was also panting more than usual and my heart rate was elevated. As we got higher and higher, I could see more of Jeju. At several points, I did ask myself if this was where I should stop but I kept pushing forward. Halfway up, I knew I couldn’t give up. My husband, too, was now cheering me on: “A bit more! You’re doing great!” After about an hour, we finally made it to the top. The panoramic view was breathtaking – windmills, volcanoes, hills, Seogwipo, Jeju City, vast fields, folk villages, rows of tangerine trees, the coasts we had walked in the days before, the crevices we knew led to waterfalls. I was bursting with pride and joy as we took in the scenery. And I could imagine my little one, inside me, feeling proud, too. We would have stayed at the top longer, if not for the rain that caught up to us before we reached the base of the volcano. By the time we returned to the car, we were drenched. As we dried off and warmed up, we couldn’t help but laugh and cry. I couldn’t believe I did it. I was still reeling from the climb, realising what my body was capable of, trusting it without pushing myself too hard and feeling grateful for the strength I had. As we drove to Jeju City, giddy from our climb, I thought of how our visit, done at the cusp of spring, felt symbolic. Winter felt akin to my first trimester. Conceiving was exciting and no words can ever describe how thankful I felt after our earlier difficulties in getting pregnant but the season also felt harsh. I was exhausted, constantly hungry, vomiting every night, aching in many areas, feeling heavy and uncomfortable even as I slept, and being unable to do much, if at all. As I witnessed the blooming of bright yellow canola flowers, vibrant red camellias and fresh orange tangerines against the lush greens of Jeju’s trees and the deep blues of the island’s sky and waters, I was reminded of the births occurring during this time. This was the birth of spring, a new season, the anticipated birth of our baby, and the rebirth of my own body, transitioning into a new season of its own. CNA Women is a section on CNA Lifestyle that seeks to inform, empower and inspire the modern woman. If you have women-related news, issues and ideas to share with us, email CNAWomen [at] mediacorp.com.sg .
MALAGA, Spain (AP) — The last man to face — and beat — Rafael Nadal in professional tennis, 80th-ranked Botic van de Zandschulp , converted his 10th match point Friday to finally close out a 6-4, 6-7 (12), 6-3 victory over Daniel Altmaier and help the Netherlands reach its first Davis Cup final by sweeping Germany. Tallon Griekspoor, who is ranked 40th, sealed the 2-0 win for the Dutch in the best-of-three-match semifinal by hitting 25 aces and coming back to defeat Jan-Lennard Struff 6-7 (4), 7-5, 6-4. When it ended, appropriately, on an ace, Griekspoor shut his eyes, dropped to his knees and spread his arms wide. “We have been talking about this for two, three years,” Griekspoor said. “We believed in ourselves so much. We always felt like this was possible. To do it now feels unbelievable.” The other semifinal is Saturday, with No. 1-ranked Jannik Sinner and defending champion Italy taking on Australia . The championship will be decided Sunday. “We don’t have that top 5 player. We don’t that top 10 player. We don’t have that top 15 player,” Dutch captain Paul Harhuuis said. “But it’s a team effort. ... So proud of these guys.” In Friday's opener, van de Zandschulp was up a set and just a point away from leading 5-2 in the second when Altmaier began playing more aggressively and interacting more with the German fans, yelling and throwing uppercuts or raising his arms after key points. In the tiebreaker, Altmaier managed to save five match points before converting his own fourth set point to extend the contest. But van de Zandschulp — who upset four-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz at the U.S. Open — quickly moved out front in the final set, even if he eventually needed five more match points in the last game before serving it out. “At some point, I didn’t know what to do any more on the match points,” van de Zandschulp said. “I had the toughest match of my life on Tuesday (against Nadal), so everything that comes next is maybe a little bit easier.” In the quarterfinals, van de Zandschulp outplayed Nadal for a 6-4, 6-4 result that marked the end of the 22-time Grand Slam champion’s career because the Netherlands went on to eliminate Spain 2-1. The 38-year-old Nadal announced last month that the Davis Cup would be his final event before retiring. Presumably because people purchased tickets ahead of time with plans to watch Nadal compete in the semifinals, there were hundreds of unoccupied blue or gray seats surrounding the indoor hard court at the Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martina Carpena in southern Spain on Friday. Now truly a neutral site, the place was not nearly as loud and rowdy as on Tuesday, although there were shouts of “Vamos, Rafa!” that drew laughter while van de Zandschulp played the 88th-ranked Altmaier. It took Griekspoor more than 75 minutes and nearly two full sets to figure out how to break No. 43 Struff and then did it twice in a row — to lead 6-5 in the second set, and then go up 1-0 in the third. That was plenty, because Griekspoor saved the only two break points he faced. The Netherlands hadn’t been to the semifinals since 2001. The Germans — whose best current player, two-time major finalist Alexander Zverev, is not on the team in Malaga — have won three Davis Cups, but not since 1993, when 1991 Wimbledon champion Michael Stich led them to the title. ___ AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis Howard Fendrich, The Associated Press