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Here’s who Bob Ferguson wants to lead WA’s departments of corrections and ecologyThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) is warning that people who use eye drops recalled over fungal contamination are risking vision damage and potential death. A recall notice shared to the FDA website on Monday informs consumers that Fort Worth, Texas-based Alcon Laboratories recalled some packages containing 25 single vials of "on the go" Systane Lubricant Eye Drops "Ultra PF" after an unnamed fungus was found floating in the solution. The company issued the recall on Saturday and said that the issue was detected after "a consumer complaint of foreign material observed inside a sealed single use vial" led to an investigation that "determined the material to be fungal in nature." "Fungal contamination of an ophthalmic product is known to potentially cause eye infections," the notice states. "If an infection occurs, it may be vision-threatening, and in very rare cases potentially life-threatening in immunocompromised patients." The recall applies only to products from lot number "10101" with an expiration date of "2025/09." The eye drops are packed in a cardboard carton of 25 single-use plastic vials with the NDC number "0065-1432-06" and the UPC number "300651432060." The product is sold online and in retail stores across the U.S. The company said that it was notifying "distributors and customers by letter, email, and/or phone call and is arranging for replacement of all recalled products," while urging distributors and retail outlets to "discard any remaining stock." Newsweek reached out for comment to Alcon Laboratories via email on Monday. While there had not been any illnesses or other "adverse events" associated with the recall when it was issued, Alcon asked any consumers who believe that they did experience an adverse reaction to inform the FDA's MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program. Serious problems can be reported to the MedWatch program online or by downloading a form or calling 1-800-332-1088 to request a form before filling it out and returning it via mail or fax. Symptoms of an eye infection can include pain or discomfort in one or both eyes, blurry vision, excessive tearing, crust in or around the eyeball or eye redness. A medical professional should be contacted if any of these symptoms are experienced after using the recalled eye drops. Fungal eye infections "are extremely rare but can be very serious," according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ). Fungus can cause either keratitis—an infection of the outer layer of the eye—or endophthalmitis, an inner eye infection. People who have a weakened immune system, conditions like diabetes or use steroids for other medical issues are most at risk for fungal eye infections. The infections are typically treated with anti-fungal eye drops and medications, although surgery may be required in some cases.Why Miami’s Pop-Tarts Bowl appearance is important even after missing College Football Playoff
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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Saquon Barkley knew the Eagles season rushing record could be his on Sunday with the type of stellar performance that has become the standard during his first season in Philadelphia. As for the exact moment Barkley hit the milestone, he wasn't sure — until the “MVP!” chants echoed throughout the Linc after a 9-yard run in the fourth quarter . “The records are great, they put a smile on your face,” Barkley said, “but the season is far from over.” Needing 109 yards to break LeSean McCoy's record, Barkley rushed for 124 yards and pushed his season total to 1,623 in a 22-16 victory over Carolina . Barkley needed just 13 games to pass McCoy, who rushed for 1,607 yards in 2013. He also overtook Wilbert Montgomery, who had 1,512 yards in 1978. “I never wrote the goal down to break it,” Barkley said. “You're always aware of it. That's how I train. That's how I operate in the offseason. I want to be great.” Barkley also maintained his pace to break Eric Dickerson’s NFL single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards, set in 1984 with the Los Angeles Rams. “That would be extremely cool to do,” Barkley said. “If it happens, it happens, and not with the mindset of, I'm scared to go try to do it. Whatever it takes to win football games.” Barkley is averaging 124.8 yards per game. At that pace and with one more game to play than Dickerson, he would become the top single-season rusher in NFL history. He needs 483 yards yards over the final four games to top Dickerson’s 40-year-old record. He averaged 6.2 yards on 20 carries against the Panthers to help the Eagles win their ninth straight game. McCoy, who was inducted into the team's Hall of Fame this season, remains the franchise’s rushing leader with 6,792 yards. Referencing his old uniform number, McCoy congratulated Barkley on social media with “a lot of love, coming from 2-5." “Being a fan of Shady's growing up, and seeing the spectacular things he was able to do with the ball in his hand, to be able to have my name mentioned with him definitely means a lot,” Barkley said. Barkley left the New York Giants in the offseason and signed a three-year deal worth $26 million guaranteed to join the Eagles, who made him the highest-paid running back in franchise history. The 27-year-old has been worth every dollar. Barkley is among the favorites for league MVP, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen was the only player with better MVP odds entering Sunday. Barkley has a franchise-record nine 100-yard rushing games in a season. Although he was held out of the end zone Sunday, he began the day leading the league with four rushing touchdowns of 25-plus yards. Barkley, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft, topped 1,000 yards three times in his six seasons with the Giants. He finished with 1,312 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns in 2022 and rushed for 1,307 yards and 11 scores as a rookie. Eagles general manager Howie Roseman, who had been unwilling to spend on elite running backs, pounced on Barkley and the decision was celebrated as a success in Philly from the first game of the season. Barkley rushed for two scores and caught a TD pass in the opener against Green Bay. His three touchdowns were the most by an Eagles player in his debut since Terrell Owens in 2004. Barkley only soared in production and popularity from there, his highlight reel stamped by a reverse leap over the head of a Jacksonville defender last month. He's since vaulted over every running back ahead of him on the Eagles rushing list — and has a chance at NFL history. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL Dan Gelston, The Associated PressWASHINGTON D.C., DC — President Joe Biden said Sunday that the sudden collapse of the Syrian government under Bashar Assad is a “fundamental act of justice” after decades of repression, but it was “a moment of risk and uncertainty” for the Middle East. Biden spoke at the White House hours after after rebel groups completed a takeover of the country following more than a dozen years of violent civil war and decades of leadership by Assad and his family . Biden said the United States was monitoring reports of the whereabouts of Assad, with Russian state media saying he had fled to Moscow and received asylum from his longtime ally. The outgoing Biden administration and President-elect Donald Trump were working to make sense of new threats and opportunities across the Middle East. Biden credited action by the U.S. and its allies for weakening Syria's backers — Russia, Iran and Hezbollah. He said “for the first time” that they could no longer defend Assad's grip on power. “Our approach has shifted the balance of power in the Middle East," Biden said, after a meeting with his national security team. Trump said Sunday that Assad had fled because close ally Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, “was not interested in protecting him any longer.” Those comments on Trump's social media platform came a day after he used another post to decry the possibility of the U.S. intervening militarily in Syria to aid the rebels, declaring, “THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT." The Biden administration said it had no intention of intervening. The U.S has about 900 troops in Syria, including forces working with Kurdish allies in the opposition-held northeast to prevent any resurgence of the Islamic State group. Biden said he intended for those troops to remain, adding that U.S. forces on Sunday conducted “precision air strikes" on IS camps and operations in Syria. U.S. Central Command said the operation hit more than 75 targets. “We’re clear-eyed about the fact that ISIS will try and take advantage of any vacuum to reestablish its credibility, and create a safe haven," Biden said, using a different acronym for the group. "We will not let that happen.” The Syrian opposition that brought down Assad is led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham , which the U.S. says is a terrorist organization with links to al-Qaida, although the group says it has since broken ties with al-Qaida. “We will remain vigilant,” Biden said. “Make no mistake, some of the rebel groups that took down Assad have their own grim record of terrorism and human rights abuses.” He added that the groups are “saying the right things now.” “But as they take on greater responsibility, we will assess not just their words, but their actions,” Biden said. A senior Biden administration official, when asked about contact with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham leaders after Assad's departure, said Washington was in contact with Syrian groups of all kinds. The official, who was not authorized to publicly discuss the situation and spoke on condition of anonymity, also said the U.S. has focused over the past several days on chemical weapons that had been controlled by the Assad government, aiming to ensure they were secured. Still, Assad's fall adds to an already tense situation throughout much of region on many fronts — including Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza and its fragile cease-fire with Hezbollah in Lebanon. Like Biden, Trump, who takes office in five-plus weeks, made a connection between the upheaval in Syria and Russia's war in Ukraine , noting that Assad's allies in Moscow, as well as in Iran, the main sponsor of Hamas and Hezbollah, “are in a weakened state right now.” Vice President-elect JD Vance , a veteran of the U.S.-led war in Iraq, wrote on own social media Sunday to express skepticism about the insurgents. “Many of ‘the rebels’ are a literal offshoot of ISIS. One can hope they’ve moderated. Time will tell,” he said, using another acronym for the group. Trump has suggested that Assad's ouster can advance the prospects for an end to fighting in Ukraine, which was invaded by Russia in February 2022. The president-elect wrote that Putin's government “lost all interest in Syria because of Ukraine” and the Republican called for an immediate cease-fire, a day after meeting in Paris with the French and Ukrainian leaders . Daniel B. Shapiro, a deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East, said the American military presence will continue in eastern Syria but was “solely to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS and has nothing to do with other aspects of this conflict.” “We call on all parties in Syria to protect civilians, particularly those from Syria’s minority communities to respect international military norms and to work to achieve a resolution to include the political settlement,” Shapiro said. “Multiple actors in this conflict have a terrible track record to include Assad’s horrific crimes, Russia’s indiscriminate aerial bomb bombardment, Iranian-back militia involvement and the atrocities of ISIS," he added. Shapiro, however, was careful not to directly say Assad had been deposed by the insurgents. “If confirmed, no one should shed any tears over the Assad regime,” he said. As they pushed toward the Syrian capital of Damascus, the opposition freed political detainees from government prisons. The family of missing U.S. journalist Austin Tice renewed calls to find him. “To everyone in Syria that hears this, please remind people that we’re waiting for Austin,” Tice’s mother, Debra, said in comments that hostage advocacy groups spread on social media. "We know that when he comes out, he’s going to be fairly dazed & he’s going to need lots of care & direction. Direct him to his family please!” Tice disappeared in 2012 outside Damascus, amid intensification of what became a civil war stretching more than a decade. "We’ve remained committed to returning him to his family,” Biden said at the White House. "We believe he’s alive, we think we can get him back but we have no direct evidence to that yet. And Assad should be held accountable.” The president added: “We have to identify where he is." The U.S. has no new evidence that Tice is alive but continues to operate under the assumption that he is, according to a U.S. official. The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly, added that the U.S. will continue to work to identify Tice's whereabouts and to try to bring him home . ___ Associated Press writers Jon Gambrell in Manama, Bahrain, and Aamer Madhani and AP White House Correspondent Zeke Miller contributed to this report.
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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden faces a stark choice as he contemplates broad preemptive pardons to protect aides and allies from potential retribution by Donald Trump: Does he hew to the institutional norms he’s spent decades defending or flex the powers of the presidency in untested ways? The deliberations so far are largely at the level of White House lawyers. But the president has discussed the topic with senior aides, according to two people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive subject. No decisions have been made, the people said, and it is possible Biden opts to do nothing at all. Biden is taking the idea seriously and has been thinking about it for as much as six months — before the presidential election — but has been concerned about the precedent it would set, according to another person familiar with the president’s discussions who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. Pardons are historically afforded to those accused of specific crimes –- and usually to those who have already been convicted of an offense — but Biden’s team is considering issuing them for some who have not even been investigated, let alone charged. The president could, if he chooses, issue blanket pardons to specific people whom Trump and his allies have threatened to punish. Or he could pardon a broad class of people — not unlike pardons issued to those convicted of federal marijuana offenses or those ensnared in the “don't ask, don't tell” military policies. Either way, he'd be using the powers of the presidency in a new way. Some worry that Trump and his allies, who have talked of enemies lists and exacting “retribution,” could launch investigations that would be reputationally and financially costly for targeted people even if they don’t result in prosecutions. The door has already been opened, given that Biden has extended a broad pardon to his son, Hunter , who was convicted and pleaded guilty in tax and gun cases. Biden explained that decision by saying he believed the prosecution of his son had been poisoned by politics. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Friday that Biden plans additional pardons before leaving office though she would not elaborate on the process. She repeatedly referenced “changing factors” that motivated the president to pardon his son despite promising he wouldn’t. She said Republicans have continued to try to see Hunter Biden investigated for an array of alleged offenses, a rationale that could support additional pardons for Biden aides and allies. It was two weeks ago that one of the president’s closest allies in Congress, Rep, Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, encouraged Biden to pardon his son Hunter. The morning after that conversation, Clyburn told Biden’s staff that he believed the president should also pardon those being targeted by Trump. “I was very forceful in my discussions with him about what I thought he ought to do regarding his son,” Clyburn said Friday. “But I also told them that I thought he ought to go even further, because all the noise about Jack Smith and Liz Cheney and Doctor Fauci and all of that.” Special Counsel Jack Smith has been investigating Trump for his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election and for accusations he hoarded classified documents at his home. Liz Cheney, a conservative Republican , was the vice chairwoman of the congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection and campaigned for Vice President Kamala Harris. Fauci, an infectious disease expert, was instrumental in the government's response to the coronavirus. All have raised the ire of Trump. Clyburn said he told Biden’s team, only half jokingly, that because the Supreme Court has already said that the president has certain immunities, “let’s give that same immunity to Jack Smith for carrying out his duties and to, Doctor Fauci, Liz Cheney, they were carrying out their duties.” Among those mentioned publicly for possible presidential pardons, there are different sentiments on whether pardons would even be wanted. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi supported the president’s move to pardon his son, but has been silent on the speculation that Biden is considering additional pardons for her or others. A top Pelosi ally, Rep. Adam Schiff, the Democratic congressman who led Trump’s first impeachment, has panned the idea of pardoning Biden's allies. He says “the courts are strong enough to withstand” the worst of Trump’s threats. “I don’t think a preemptive pardon makes sense,” the incoming senator told NPR recently. “I would urge the president not to do that. I think it would seem defensive and unnecessary,” Schiff said. Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin, who was the lead manager on Trump’s second impeachment, on the charge of inciting the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol, said members of Congress already are protected by the speech and debate clause in the Constitution, which protects them prosecution for participating in their legislative duties. Raskin said figures like Mark Milley, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and John Kelly , Trump's former White House chief of staff, would similarly be protected by the First Amendment. But Raskin said the question is, “Should they go through the criminal investigation and prosecution for not doing anything wrong? I think that’s why this whole issue has erupted.” Raksin added that with Trump promising to pardon hundreds of people who assaulted police officers on Jan. 6th, “I can hardly fault President Biden for exploring the use of the pardon to protect people from a fraudulent and unjust prosecution.” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said he’s had no conversations with the White House regarding any preemptive pardons for current or former members of Congress. Associated Press Writers Kevin Freking and Lolita C. Baldor contributed to this report.Toll Brothers Announces Final Opportunity at Verona Estates Community in Chatsworth, California
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THE BBC runs a competition called “Women’s Footballer of the Year”. In drawing up a shortlist, they have one job. And that’s to select a woman who plays football . Doesn’t sound terribly onerous, does it? Plenty of women around who play football, aren’t there? But the BBC couldn’t quite manage that task. Because on the shortlist was the Zambian player Barbra Banda . Barbra certainly plays football. And when up against women, is rather good. Trouble is, Babs ain’t what you or I would call a woman. Instead, Babs is rather closer to what you or I would call a bloke. READ MORE FROM ROD LIDDLE Banda plays for the Zambian national team. However, the player was withdrawn from the 2022 African Cup of Nations . Because it was claimed she — or maybe more properly he — did not meet the gender verification criteria. There are lots of things which might be responsible for that, such as having male levels of testosterone. Or generally having a male physique. But the BBC was happy to let Banda be named Women’s Footballer of the Year. Probably, knowing the BBC, even happier than if Barbra had actually been a, you know, young lady. They like to make a progressive political point at the BBC. Most read in The Sun Needless to say there were howls of outrage from within the game. And plenty more outside it. Largely from women who believe that it’s only fair to let women compete against other women. Rather than against men who are born stronger and faster. Harry Potter author JK Rowling , for example, had this to say: “Presumably the BBC decided this was more time efficient than going door to door to spit directly in women’s faces.” Ouch! But she’s right, isn’t she? Because the selection of Banda is an insult not only to women footballers, but to all women. Deranged argument Right now women’s sport is in an absolute crisis — all because of the counter-rational and truly idiotic insistence that blokes who say they are women but are actually men should be allowed to compete against women. It’s taken years for women’s sport to be taken as seriously as men’s sport. And now, suddenly, just as women’s football has really taken off, guess what? The men-women people are inveigling their way in. It’s not just football, of course. A recent United Nations report suggested that transgender athletes have taken a total of 900 medals away from real women across 29 different sporting disciplines. That’s kinda shocking. And remember, this report was from the UN which is about as progressive as it gets. I thought this battle was well on the way to being won. More and more sports bodies are outlawing transgender competitors having previously allowed this fraud. Everywhere, the deranged argument that insists blokes who say they are women really are women is in rapid retreat. Common sense has been allowed back into the argument. But not at the BBC, of course. They are determined to carry on flying the banner for a cause which even some of the transgender activists have given up on. One day, not too far down the line, this last decade will be regarded as being really very, very odd. The obsession with gender politics . The general determination not to allow sanity to have its say. But when Barbra picks up the award, 90 per cent of those watching will know the truth. That the award should really have gone to a WOMAN. ALERTS OFTEN HOT AIR WHY did Storm Bert cause so much damage to the country? Hundreds and hundreds of homes underwater. Communities evacuated. There have been complaints that there were not enough early warnings. But the Met Office said: “Storm Bert was well forecast, 48 hours in advance, with a number of warnings in place ahead of the system reaching the UK.” So what went wrong, then? Here’s my guess. It’s about the boy who cried wolf. You know the story. EVERY weather front which approaches the UK gets the same treatment. With the forecasters shrieking at us “STAY INSIDE!” In case we are burnt to death. Or drown. Or have our testicles frozen off in a snowstorm. And nine times out of ten there’s no problem at all. So when they warned us about Bert, we just thought: “Yeah, yeah. Same ol’ same ol’.” CUT PEP LOOKS HELLISH WHAT the hell has happened to Pep Guardiola ? He looks like he’s just done ten rounds with a Tasmanian devil. Scratches and gouges all over his face and head. Manchester City lost five games on the trot. And Pep made a comment about self-harming. The most likely explanation is that Pep was set upon by furious Satanic imps because he had reneged on a deal with their boss. I can’t prove it, it’s just a guess. WOKE IS WAL OVER THE biggest company in the world has become the latest to ditch its odious DEI policies. DEI stands for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. It is wokedom gone mad – and racist. Companies across the Western world are quickly getting rid of this rubbish. Walmart is removing ALL vestiges of DEI from its company. Well done, Walmart. In future , with any luck, people will be hired for jobs because they are the best people available. Not because of the colour of their skins, religion or gender. ANOTHER anti-Semitic hate crime in London . This time a bunch of girls walking home from school had bottles thrown at them. One 14-year-old lass was taken to hospital with a head wound. Earlier this year, a 16-year-old Jewish lad had to flee in terror when he was pelted with rocks by a mob. We know who the perpetrators are. Here, just as in France and Belgium and Germany . But for some reason we’re scared to call it out. It’s time we started telling the truth about these horrible racist attacks. SHIRK FORCE DODGE SO, the Labour Government isn’t going to reform our costly and catastrophic benefits system at all. They had said they would. But nope, not really. There are hundreds of thousands of people claiming state money for doing nothing but sitting on their fat arses watching Homes Under The Hammer . Unless they are threatened with the immediate withdrawal of benefits, they will continue to do so. And our welfare bill will continue to spiral. Alien language has down-to-earth use THE incredibly esteemed Ubiquity University in California is offering a degree in Extraterrestrial Studies. This includes an important module on “How to communicate with aliens”. At first I had been inclined to snigger at this. READ MORE SUN STORIES But it’s probably of more practical value than half the courses on offer at our own universities . 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AP Sports SummaryBrief at 6:09 p.m. EST