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KYIV, Ukraine — NATO and Ukraine will hold emergency talks Tuesday after Russia attacked a central city with an experimental, hypersonic ballistic missile. escalating the nearly 33-month-old war. The conflict is “entering a decisive phase,” Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Friday, and “taking on very dramatic dimensions.” Ukraine’s parliament canceled a session as security was tightened following Thursday’s Russian strike on a military facility in the city of Dnipro. In a stark warning to the West, President Vladimir Putin said in a nationally televised speech the attack with the intermediate-range Oreshnik missile was in retaliation for Kyiv’s use of U.S. and British longer-range missiles capable of striking deeper into Russian territory. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks Friday during a meeting with the leadership of the Russian Ministry of Defense, representatives of the military-industrial complex and developers of missile systems at the Kremlin in Moscow. Putin said Western air defense systems would be powerless to stop the new missile. Ukrainian military officials said the missile that hit Dnipro reached a speed of Mach 11 and carried six nonnuclear warheads, each releasing six submunitions. Speaking Friday to military and weapons industries officials, Putin said Russia will launch production of the Oreshnik. “No one in the world has such weapons,” he said. “Sooner or later, other leading countries will also get them. We are aware that they are under development. “We have this system now,” he added. “And this is important.” Putin said that while it isn’t an intercontinental missile, it’s so powerful that the use of several of them fitted with conventional warheads in one attack could be as devastating as a strike with strategic — or nuclear — weapons. Gen. Sergei Karakayev, head of Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces, said the Oreshnik could reach targets across Europe and be fitted with nuclear or conventional warheads, echoing Putin’s claim that even with conventional warheads, “the massive use of the weapon would be comparable in effect to the use of nuclear weapons.” In this photo taken from a video released Friday, a Russian serviceman operates at an undisclosed location in Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov kept up Russia's bellicose tone on Friday, blaming “the reckless decisions and actions of Western countries” in supplying weapons to Ukraine to strike Russia. "The Russian side has clearly demonstrated its capabilities, and the contours of further retaliatory actions in the event that our concerns were not taken into account have also been quite clearly outlined," he said. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, widely seen as having the warmest relations with the Kremlin in the European Union, echoed Moscow’s talking points, suggesting the use of U.S.-supplied weapons in Ukraine likely requires direct American involvement. “These are rockets that are fired and then guided to a target via an electronic system, which requires the world’s most advanced technology and satellite communications capability,” Orbán said on state radio. “There is a strong assumption ... that these missiles cannot be guided without the assistance of American personnel.” Orbán cautioned against underestimating Russia’s responses, emphasizing that the country’s recent modifications to its nuclear deployment doctrine should not be dismissed as a “bluff.” “It’s not a trick ... there will be consequences,” he said. Czech Republic's Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky speaks to journalists Friday during a joint news conference with Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriiy Sybiha in Kyiv, Ukraine. Separately in Kyiv, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský called Thursday’s missile strike an “escalatory step and an attempt of the Russian dictator to scare the population of Ukraine and to scare the population of Europe.” At a news conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Lipavský also expressed his full support for delivering the necessary additional air defense systems to protect Ukrainian civilians from the “heinous attacks.” He said the Czech Republic will impose no limits on the use of its weapons and equipment given to Ukraine. Three lawmakers from Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, confirmed that Friday's previously scheduled session was called off due to the ongoing threat of Russian missiles targeting government buildings in central Kyiv. In addition, there also was a recommendation to limit the work of all commercial offices and nongovernmental organizations "in that perimeter, and local residents were warned of the increased threat,” said lawmaker Mykyta Poturaiev, who said it's not the first time such a threat has been received. Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate said the Oreshnik missile was fired from the Kapustin Yar 4th Missile Test Range in Russia’s Astrakhan region and flew 15 minutes before striking Dnipro. Test launches of a similar missile were conducted in October 2023 and June 2024, the directorate said. The Pentagon confirmed the missile was a new, experimental type of intermediate-range missile based on its RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile. Thursday's attack struck the Pivdenmash plant that built ICBMs when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union. The military facility is located about 4 miles southwest of the center of Dnipro, a city of about 1 million that is Ukraine’s fourth-largest and a key hub for military supplies and humanitarian aid, and is home to one of the country’s largest hospitals for treating wounded soldiers from the front before their transfer to Kyiv or abroad. We're all going to die someday. Still, how it happens—and when—can point to a historical moment defined by the scientific advancements and public health programs available at the time to contain disease and prevent accidents. In the early 1900s, America's efforts to improve sanitation, hygiene, and routine vaccinations were still in their infancy. Maternal and infant mortality rates were high, as were contagious diseases that spread between people and animals. Combined with the devastation of two World Wars—and the Spanish Flu pandemic in between—the leading causes of death changed significantly after this period. So, too, did the way we diagnose and control the spread of disease. Starting with reforms as part of Roosevelt's New Deal in the 1930s, massive-scale, federal interventions in the U.S. eventually helped stave off disease transmission. It took comprehensive government programs and the establishment of state and local health agencies to educate the public on preventing disease transmission. Seemingly simple behavioral shifts, such as handwashing, were critical in thwarting the spread of germs, much like discoveries in medicine, such as vaccines, and increased access to deliver them across geographies. Over the course of the 20th century, life expectancy increased by 56% and is estimated to keep increasing slightly, according to an annual summary of vital statistics published by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2000. Death Records examined data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to see how the leading causes of death in America have evolved over time and to pinpoint how some major mortality trends have dropped off. According to a report published in the journal Annual Review of Public Health in 2000, pneumonia was the leading cause of death in the early 1900s, accounting for nearly 1 in 4 deaths. By the time World War I ended in 1918, during which people and animals were housed together for long periods, a new virus emerged: the Spanish Flu. Originating in a bird before spreading to humans, the virus killed 10 times as many Americans as the war. Many died of secondary pneumonia after the initial infection. Pneumonia deaths eventually plummeted throughout the century, partly prevented by increased flu vaccine uptake rates in high-risk groups, particularly older people. Per the CDC, tuberculosis was a close second leading cause of death, killing 194 of every 10,000 people in 1900, mainly concentrated in dense urban areas where the infection could more easily spread. Eventually, public health interventions led to drastic declines in mortality from the disease, such as public education, reducing crowded housing, quarantining people with active disease, improving hygiene, and using antibiotics. Once the death rates lagged, so did the public health infrastructure built to control the disease, leading to a resurgence in the mid-1980s. Diarrhea was the third leading cause of death in 1900, surging every summer among children before the impacts of the pathogen died out in 1930. Adopting water filtration, better nutrition, and improved refrigeration were all associated with its decline. In the 1940s and 1950s, polio outbreaks killed or paralyzed upward of half a million people worldwide every year. Even at its peak, polio wasn't a leading cause of death, it was a much-feared one, particularly among parents of young children, some of whom kept them from crowded public places and interacting with other children. By 1955, when Jonah Salk discovered the polio vaccine, the U.S. had ended the "golden age of medicine." During this period, the causes of mortality shifted dramatically as scientists worldwide began to collaborate on infectious disease control, surgical techniques, vaccines, and other drugs. From the 1950s onward, once quick-spreading deadly contagions weren't prematurely killing American residents en masse, scientists also began to understand better how to diagnose and treat these diseases. As a result, Americans were living longer lives and instead succumbing to noncommunicable diseases, or NCDs. The risk of chronic diseases increased with age and, in some cases, was exacerbated by unhealthy lifestyles. Cancer and heart disease shot up across the century, increasing 90-fold from 1900 to 1998, according to CDC data. Following the post-Spanish Flu years, heart disease killed more Americans than any other cause, peaking in the 1960s and contributing to 1 in 3 deaths. Cigarette smoking rates peaked at the same time, a major risk factor for heart disease. Obesity rates also rose, creating another risk factor for heart disease and many types of cancers. This coincides with the introduction of ultra-processed foods into diets, which plays a more significant role in larger waistlines than the increasing predominance of sedentary work and lifestyles. In the early 1970s, deaths from heart disease began to fall as more Americans prevented and managed their risk factors, like quitting smoking or taking blood pressure medicine. However, the disease remains the biggest killer of Americans. Cancer remains the second leading cause of death and rates still indicate an upward trajectory over time. Only a few types of cancer are detected early by screening, and some treatments for aggressive cancers like glioblastoma—the most common type of brain cancer—have also stalled, unable to improve prognosis much over time. In recent years, early-onset cancers, those diagnosed before age 50 or sometimes even earlier, have seen a drastic rise among younger Americans. While highly processed foods and sedentary lifestyles may contribute to rising rates, a spike in cancer rates among otherwise healthy young individuals has baffled some medical professionals. This follows the COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2020. At its peak, high transmission rates made the virus the third leading cause of death in America. It's often compared to the Spanish Flu of 1918, though COVID-19 had a far larger global impact, spurring international collaborations among scientists who developed a vaccine in an unprecedented time. Public policy around issues of safety and access also influences causes of death, particularly—and tragically—among young Americans. Gun control measures in the U.S. are far less stringent than in peer nations; compared to other nations, however, the U.S. leads in gun violence. Firearms are the leading cause of death for children and teens (around 2 in 3 are homicides, and 1 in 3 are suicides), and deaths from opioids remain a leading cause of death among younger people. Globally, the leading causes of death mirror differences in social and geographic factors. NCDs are primarily associated with socio-economic status and comprise 7 out of 10 leading causes of death, 85% of those occurring in low- and middle-income countries, according to the World Health Organization. However, one of the best health measures is life expectancy at birth. People in the U.S. have been living longer lives since 2000, except for a slight dip in longevity due to COVID-19. According to the most recent CDC estimates, Americans' life expectancy is 77.5 years on average and is expected to increase slightly in the coming decades. Story editing by Alizah Salario. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Paris Close. Photo selection by Lacy Kerrick. This story originally appeared on Death Records and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Get local news delivered to your inbox!
FRANKLIN, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 19, 2024-- HubSync Co., a pioneer in SaaS for tax and accounting automation, today unveiled dramatic enhancements to its product suite. This release promises not just tools but a transformation in how firms manage tax and accounting processes, leveraging cutting-edge AI and user-centric design. CEO Insight: "We're not just updating; we're redefining what tax and accounting automation can do," stated John McGowan, CEO of HubSync. "Our focus has been relentless innovation, driven by direct client feedback, to ensure our platform not only meets but exceeds modern business needs." Key Product Enhancements for 2024: Why It Matters: These updates are not just about functionality but about transforming the workflow of tax professionals. "Our goal is to automate the mundane, allowing professionals to focus on strategy and client service," McGowan added. This approach not only saves time but also introduces unprecedented levels of accuracy and security in tax processing. Looking Ahead: As tax laws evolve and businesses seek efficiency, HubSync's 2025 updates position it as a leader in providing not just solutions but strategic advantages through technology. Firms adopting these tools can expect a significant uplift in operational efficiency and client satisfaction. For More Information: Contact HubSync's media team at bweissman@hubsync.com or visit www.hubsync.com for further details or to schedule a demo. About HubSync HubSync’s mission is to simplify and automate the tax and accounting processes for CPA firms with best-in-class technology and solutions enabling firm professionals and their clients to enjoy the tax, accounting, and advisory processes. Top CPA firms and firm professionals have come to rely on HubSync’s integration technologies to elevate their services and modernize their offerings. Visit www.hubsync.com to see all HubSync has to offer. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241219626981/en/ bweissman@hubsync.com KEYWORD: TENNESSEE UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: LEGAL SOFTWARE FINANCE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE DATA MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES TECHNOLOGY SOURCE: HubSync Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/19/2024 03:37 PM/DISC: 12/19/2024 03:37 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241219626981/enDemocrats look to governors to lead them to promised land
Sometimes though, the effort required to cook the meal and tackle the clean-up afterwards is just too much. Luckily that's where restaurants come in handy, as many now offer a yummy roast with all the trimmings. So you know where to go in Hitchin, we've rounded up the best five restaurants in and around Hitchin for the perfect roast dinner according to reviews on Tripadvisor . The best roast dinners in and around Hitchin The Old George Ickleford Rating: 4.5/5 Location: Turnpike Lane, Ickleford, Hitchin, SG5 3UX One guest said: "We had a Sunday roast, which we thoroughly enjoyed. We opted for the chicken, which was cooked perfectly. "The mushroom soup starter was delicious. We also had the Tiger prawns, which again were very nice." The George and Dragon Graveley Rating: 4.5/5 Location: 19 High Street Gravely, Hitchin, SG4 7LE One guest said: "We all had the roast lunch which arrived very promptly and was absolutely delicious. "At a price under £15 including a generous portion of meat, Yorkshire pudding and a perfectly cooked selection of vegetables, this is superb value for money." The Highlander Rating: 4.5/5 Location: 45 Upper Tilehouse Street, Hitchin, SG5 2EF One guest said: "Banging roast high-quality ingredients. We went for the beef roasts and I can honestly say it's the best roast beef in Hitchin. "Melt in the mouth. The veg was inventive and delicious and the gravy rich and full of flavour." Hermit of Redcoats Rating: 4/5 Location: Redcoats Green, Little Wymondley, Hitchin, SG4 7JR One guest said: "Service was spot on friendly good food lovely Sunday roast food came out quickly as we were a large party will defiantly return." RECOMMENDED READING Top 5 breakfast spots in Hitchin according to reviews What are the best fish and chip shops in and around Stevenage? Stevenage's 5 best pubs according to Google Reviews Kite at The Red Hart Rating: 4.5/5 Location: 28-29 Bucklersbury, Hitchin, SG5 1BG One guest said: "We both had the Roast Beef and it was the most tender and melt in the mouth we have ever had. "The Roast Potatoes were crispy, the Cauliflower Cheese tasty, the serving plentiful and the service attentive, friendly and polite."EZ LYNK's ELD Technology Achieves Certification in Canada, Streamlining Compliance and Enhancing Fleet Efficiency
Democrats look to governors to lead them to promised land
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia 76ers won city council approval on Thursday for a $1.3 billion downtown arena despite vocal opposition from nearby Chinatown residents and other activists. Council voted 12-5 to approve the project at a packed meeting at City Hall. Owners of the NBA team hope to move in to 76 Place by 2031. However, opponents say the fight is far from over. Mayor Cherelle Parker, a Democrat who had championed the plan, said the entire city will benefit from what she called a “historic game-changing economic development project,” according to The Philadelphia Inquirer . Supporters hope the 18,500-seat arena can help revive a distressed retail corridor called Market East, which runs from City Hall to the Liberty Bell. The area has struggled for years despite several redevelopment efforts. The team owners, Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, are eager to end their Wells Fargo Center lease with Comcast Spectacor in South Philadelphia. They have pushed for city approval by year’s end so they can meet their target opening date. They vowed not to ask the city for any construction funding, although they are free to seek state and federal funds. Instead of property taxes, they would pay about $6 million in annual Payments in Lieu of Taxes. Protesters who locked arms on the council floor and delayed the start of the Thursday’s meeting said they would continue their fight. “The mayor and City Council kowtowed to the billionaires’ artificial timeline,” said opponent Mohan Seshadri, a member of the No Arena Coalition who also serves as executive director of the Asian Pacific Islander Political Alliance. Opponents fear the arena will bring gridlock on game days – and go dark at other times – and also bring gentrification and rising rents to the area. The Chinatown community has fought a series of proposed developments since the 1960s, including casinos, a prison, a baseball stadium and a highway, the last of which dissected the neighborhood when it opened in 1991. Council members on Thursday approved 11 bills that address zoning changes, land transfers, public safety and other issues to accommodate the 76ers' plan.When it comes to crafting a rich and immersive gaming experience, the role of Non-Player Character (NPC) companions cannot be understated. These virtual allies not only provide support and assistance to players but also add depth to the game world through their interactions and dialogue. However, there is a fine line between engaging players with meaningful conversations and overwhelming them with incessant chatter. In the realm of game design, striking the right balance is crucial to ensure that NPC companions are seen as intelligent allies rather than bothersome chatterboxes.Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save NEW ORLEANS — A scruffy little fugitive is on the lam again in New Orleans, gaining fame as he outwits a tenacious band of citizens armed with night-vision binoculars, nets and a tranquilizer rifle. Scrim, a 17-pound mutt that's mostly terrier, has become a folk hero, inspiring tattoos, T-shirts and even a ballad as he eludes capture from the posse of volunteers. And like any antihero, Scrim has a backstory: Rescued from semi-feral life at a trailer park and adopted from a shelter, the dog broke loose in April and scurried around the city until he was cornered in October and brought to a new home. Weeks later, he'd had enough. Scrim leaped out of a second-story window, a desperate act recorded in a now-viral video. Since then, despite a stream of daily sightings, he's roamed free. People are also reading... OSU football: A prediction gone badly wrong Philomath driver suspected of DUII in Corvallis pileup As I See It: Six reasons why Trump won again Corvallis police seek grinches who stole Christmas OSU men's basketball: Beavers hope blowout wins pave the way for bigger things Corvallis Samaritan hospital has new CEO 2025 to bring rate increases, new fee for hauling Corvallis waste Graduate employees reach deal with OSU to end strike The real reason Corvallis' Pastega Lights moved to Linn County Why did Trump win? Election debrief hosted by Corvallis group Graduate strike at OSU continues. What's the holdup? OSU football: Beavers add 18 players as signing period opens Corvallis woman cuts hair for homeless: 'The Lord gave me a calling' Albany man pleads to numerous sex crimes Molestation victim’s mother tampered with court case The dog’s fans include Myra and Steve Foster, who wrote “Ode to Scrim” to the tune of Ricky Nelson’s 1961 hit, “I’m a Travelin’ Man.” Michelle Cheramie, founder of Zeus' Rescues, at her office in New Orleans on Dec. 9 with a whiteboard index of sheltered cats and dogs and a Scrim look-alike recuperating in the background. Leading the recapture effort is Michelle Cheramie, a 55-year-old former information technology professional. She lost everything — home, car, possessions — in Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and in the aftermath, found her calling rescuing pets. “I was like, ‘This is what I should be doing,’” Cheramie said. “I was born to rescue.” She launched Zeus’ Rescues, a nonprofit shelter that now averages 600 cat and dog adoptions a year and offers free pet food to anyone who needs it. She helped Scrim find the home he first escaped from. It was Cheramie's window Scrim leaped from in November. She's resumed her relentless mission since then, posting flyers on telephone poles and logging social media updates on his reported whereabouts. She's invested thousands of dollars on wildlife cameras, thermal sensors and other gear. She took a course offered by the San Diego Zoo on the finer points of tranquilizing animals. And she's developed a network of volunteers — the kind of neighbors who are willing to grid-search a city at 3 a.m. Scrim on Oct. 24 at the Metairie Small Animal Hospital in Metairie, La. People like writer David W. Brown, who manages a crowd-sourced Google Map of all known Scrim sightings. He says the search galvanized residents from all walks of life to come together. As they search for Scrim, they hand out supplies to people in need. “Being a member of the community is seeing problems and doing what you can to make life a little better for the people around here and the animals around you,” Brown said. Neighbor Tammy Murray had to close her furniture store and lost her father to Parkinson's disease. This search, she says, got her mojo back. “Literally, for months, I’ve done nothing but hunt this dog,” said Murray, 53. “I feel like Wile E. Coyote on a daily basis with him.” Murray drives the Zeus' Rescues van toward reported Scrim sightings. She also handles a tactical net launcher, which looks like an oversized flashlight and once misfired, shattering the van's window as Scrim sped away. After realizing Scrim came to recognize the sound of the van's diesel engine, Murray switched to a Vespa scooter for stealth. Michelle Cheramie, director of Zeus' Rescues, left, walks with Scrim on Oct. 24 at the Metairie Small Animal Hospital in Metairie, La. Near-misses have been tantalizing. The search party spotted Scrim napping beneath an elevated house, and wrapped construction netting around the perimeter, but an over-eager volunteer broke ranks and dashed forward, leaving an opening Scrim slipped through. Scrim's repeated escapades prompted near-daily local media coverage and a devoted online following. Cheramie can relate. “We’re all running from something or to something," she said. "He's doing that, too.” Cheramie's team dreams of placing the pooch in a safe and loving environment. But a social media chorus growing under the hashtag #FreeScrim has other ideas — they say the runaway should be allowed a life of self-determination. The animal rescue volunteers consider that misguided. “The streets of New Orleans are not the place for a dog to be free,” Cheramie said. “It’s too dangerous.” Scrim rests in a kennel Oct. 24 at the Metairie Small Animal Hospital in Metairie, La. Scrim was a mess when Cheramie briefly recaptured him in October, with matted fur, missing teeth and a tattered ear. His trembling body was scraped and bruised, and punctured by projectiles. A vet removed one, but decided against operating to take out a possible bullet. The dog initially appeared content indoors, sitting in Cheramie's lap or napping beside her bed. Then while she was out one day, Scrim chewed through a mesh screen, dropped 13 feet to the ground and squeezed through a gap in the fence, trotting away. Murray said Cheramie's four cats probably spooked him. Cheramie thinks they may have gotten territorial. Devastated but undeterred, the pair is reassessing where Scrim might fit best — maybe a secure animal sanctuary with big outdoor spaces where other dogs can keep him company. Somewhere, Murray says, “where he can just breathe and be.” A fugitive gains fame in New Orleans eluding dart guns and nets Scrim sits in the arms of Zoey Ponder on Oct. 24 at Metairie Small Animal Hospital in Metairie. A Scrim sticker for sale Dec. 9 at Zeus' Rescues office to raise money for the shelter in New Orleans. A homemade portrait of Scrim hangs Dec. 9 in the Zeus' Rescues shelter in New Orleans. Scrim at the Terrebonne Parish Animal Shelter in Louisiana. Scrim spends some time outside Oct. 24 with Michelle Cheramie, director of Zeus' Rescues, in a fenced-in area at Metairie Small Animal Hospital in Metairie. Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!
Valparaiso hires longtime Marietta coach Andy Waddle to take over its football program
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