Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson said he was “disappointed” and “surprised” when coach Sean Payton announced this week that he would be benched for the final two games of the season.
Wilson, who spoke Friday for the first time since Payton announced Jared Stidham would be the team's starting quarterback for the remainder of the season, said the news came as a major shock to him as the Broncos (7-8) enter the week in the playoff hunt. 17 matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers, where Wilson will be the No. 2 quarterback.
“I felt like we were rolling with something special,” Wilson said. “Obviously, we've had some tough games, some tough close ones, but we've still got a chance. At the end of the day, whatever God has in store for me, I'm just going to trust Him. I'm going to put my best foot forward every day and be as professional as I can no matter the circumstances. Going. I learned that a long time ago.”
Wilson said Denver approached him after a Week 8 win over the Kansas City Chiefs and said he would be benched if he didn't opt out of the injury guarantee in his contract.
“We beat the Chiefs. At the beginning of the bye week – Monday or Tuesday – they came to me and told me that if I didn't change my contract, my injury was guaranteed and I'd be benched for the rest of the year. … I'm definitely disappointed in that.
Wilson confirmed reports that the NFLPA had been notified of the Broncos' request.
“I'm not going to take the injury guarantee,” he said. “This game is a physical game. I've been playing for 12 years and that's important to me.
The Broncos didn't bench Wilson after the bye week. He started the next seven games, including Sunday's 26-23 loss to the New England Patriots. Payton has said his benching is strictly a performance-based decision. Wilson turned the ball over five times as the Broncos went 1-3 in their last four games.
Payton, speaking earlier Friday, said he was “not privy to” any discussions the team had with Wilson when he approached the veteran quarterback about adjusting his contract.
“I handle the football,” Payton said. “… That's something (general manager) George (Patton) and the front office (Handle). I'm not involved in any of that. Sure, I'm involved in a lot of things, but … there will be a time and place at the end of the season where someone else can answer some of the questions you may have. My focus was on winning,” he said.
Payton reiterated his stance from earlier in the week that benching Wilson was a purely football-based decision.
“I know how some of this is written, but I believe this result gives us a chance for win No. 8. Now, it's a tough decision, but nothing else – I'm just happy with where I'm at and my career, to get another win.” Interest is there. No other reasons. Russ had a great week. He handled it professionally.
Wilson said he hopes to stay with Denver after this season, but he acknowledged his future may lie elsewhere.
“At the end of the day, I love this game,” Wilson said.
Required reading
(Photo: Andy Cross/Media News Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
Many Chicago-area hospital systems have reinstated mask policies due to respiratory viruses and new recommendations from the Illinois Department of Public Health.
At least four health systems, which include more than 20 hospitals, numerous medical offices and urgent care facilities, have implemented partial or full mask mandates, citing increases in cases of COVID-19, the flu and RSV.
The policy changes follow guidance issued by the Illinois Department of Public Health in early December, insisting that masks be worn in healthcare facilities. As a result of the increase in respiratory illnesses, IDPH encouraged health care facilities across the state to implement mask policies in patient care areas, especially when caring for people with weakened immune systems.
“With respiratory viruses on the rise in the state and across the country, IDPH recommends taking precautions to reduce the spread of these viruses and protect patients, staff and visitors,” said IDPH Director Dr Sameer Vohra. Press release. “We are very concerned about health facilities in counties with high respiratory virus transmission and hospitalization rates, and are recommending masks in patient care areas, especially emergency departments and areas caring for immunocompromised patients.”
According to the most recently publicly available data, 10 counties in Illinois were listed as having the highest level of COVID-19 hospitalizations in the past week, which was also the previous week.
In line with IDPH guidelines, the newly formed Endeavor Health, which operates several suburban hospitals, updated its mask policy on Tuesday, December 26. As per the changed policy, both patients and visitors must wear masks. Respiratory symptoms. Patients in some high-risk areas are strongly encouraged to wear masks, and those visiting patients in high-risk areas may also be asked to wear masks, the health organization said.
Endeavor Health consists of Northshore University Health System, Northwest Community Healthcare, Swedish Hospital and Edwards-Elmhurst Health.
The mask requirement went into effect Tuesday at Cook County Health locations, including Stroger Hospital and Provident Hospital, as a result of the increase in respiratory illnesses. Masks are mandatory for all staff, patients and visitors 2 years and older in waiting rooms and exam rooms.
Advocate Health Care, which operates 11 hospitals across the Chicago area, recently implemented a limited visitor policy, a measure to keep patients and staff safe from seasonal viruses, according to its website. The policy requires visitors to wear masks in high-risk patient care areas, including patient rooms and other designated areas. Masks are optional in other areas.
In the southern suburbs, Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox updated its visitor policy on Dec. 20 with “respiratory illnesses on the rise in our community.” According to the hospital, patients who test positive for respiratory symptoms must wear a mask in its emergency departments in New Lenox and Homer Glen, as well as urgent care centers in New Lenox and Mogena.
Other local health systems also mandate masks, including Alexian Brothers Hospital in Hoffman Estates and St. Joseph Hospital in Joliet and OSF Health Care, the parent company of Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Evergreen Park.
Rafah, Gaza Strip (AP) — Tens of thousands of Palestinians are fleeing into an already crowded city on Gaza's southern tip, the United Nations says. Israel's bombing In the center of the strip, hospital officials said dozens were killed on Friday.
Israel's unprecedented air and ground offensive against Hamas has displaced about 85% of the Gaza Strip's 2.3 million residents. This has left the Palestinians with the painful feeling that nowhere is safe Small accommodation.
People came to Rafah in trucks, carts and on foot. Those unable to find a place in the already overflowing shelters pitch their tents on roadsides muddied by winter rains. With the new arrivals, the city and its surroundings are now packed with about 850,000 people, three times the normal population, according to UN figures.
UN for Palestinian refugees “People are using any empty space to build huts,” said Juliet Douma, director of communications for the agency UNRWA. “Some sleep in their cars, others sleep in the open.”
Israel's vast propaganda, it already is leveled much of the northNow the focus is on the urban refugee camps of Bureij, Nuseirat and Maghazi in central Gaza, where Israeli warplanes and artillery have leveled buildings.
But there is a fight Not reduced in the north, and the southern city of Khan Yunis, where Israel believes Hamas leaders are holed up, is also a smoldering battlefield. The militants have continued to fire rockets, mostly in southern Israel.
The war has already taken its toll 21,500 PalestiniansMost of them were women and children, and sparked a humanitarian crisis that has since petered out A quarter of Gaza's population Starving. The death toll released by the Ministry of Health in Hamas-controlled territory did not distinguish between civilians and militants.
Israeli officials have rejected international calls for a ceasefire, saying it would be a victory for Hamas, which the army has vowed to dismantle. It has also promised to bring back more than 100 hostages held by militants Their October 7 attack on southern Israel It provoked war. The attack killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians.
The army said 168 soldiers were killed Ground attack started
Wounded Palestinians react after an Israeli attack in Al Jawedah, central Gaza Strip, Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Mohammed Azad)
As of late Thursday, the UN said about 100,000 people had arrived in Rafah, on the border with Egypt, in recent days. The city and its surrounding area had a pre-war population of around 280,000 and already more than 470,000 people had been displaced from their homes by the war.
New arrivals enter a landscape of misery: most of the available water is polluted. The sanitation system is in disrepair and working toilets are rare. Diseases spread among the many families squeezed together in shelters, houses or on the streets – rashes, respiratory problems, diarrhea and other intestinal ailments.
“Everyone here is infected with a disease,” Dalia Abu Samhadana said of her family, who fled fighting in Khan Yunis earlier this month and are now staying in a house with 49 others in Rafah's Shaboura district. Due to limited availability of food, his daily diet consisted mainly of bread and tea.
Israel has told residents of central Gaza to move south, but although displaced people have entered, Rafah has not been spared.
A strike on Thursday evening destroyed a residential building and killed at least 23 people, according to the media office of the nearby al-Quaid hospital.
At the hospital, residents dusted off a child's face and cried as doctors tore open a Mickey Mouse to check for injuries.
Shorouk Abu Aoun fled the fighting in northern Gaza a month ago and sought refuge in his sister's house, located near Thursday's strike.
“We migrated from the north and came here because they (the Israeli army) said it was safe,” Abu On said, speaking at the hospital where the dead and wounded were taken. “I wish we had not come here as martyrs there (in northern Gaza).”
The entire population of Gaza is dependent on international aid, including food, UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said on Friday. Despite a UN resolution last week calling for an immediate and unimpeded increase in aid, no increase has been seen, he said.
Lazzarini said the aid operation faces “severe restrictions” from Israeli authorities. Trucks entering Egypt's Rafah crossing and the newly opened Kerem Shalom crossing from Israel face long delays, he said. He said supplies inside Gaza were further hampered by constant shelling and fighting, Israeli military checkpoints and repeated cuts in telecommunications, as well as frequent aid trucks and desperate crowds carrying supplies.
Lazzarini called on Israel to reduce bureaucratic delays in aid entry, avoid attacks around crossing points and aid supplies, and open safe routes to northern Gaza, where aid rarely reaches.
In the latest distribution in the north, thousands of Palestinians arrived as aid trucks arrived outside a distribution center in Gaza City. The scene showed people jumping onto the trucks and clinging to their sides, with some throwing food packets and cans on the ground.
Israeli soldiers opened fire on an aid convoy returning from the north along a military-designated route, damaging one vehicle, UNRWA's Gaza chief, Thomas White, said in a post on X.
Residents said on Friday that several houses were attacked overnight in Nuseirat and Maghazi, and heavy fighting broke out in Bureij. Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Bala said it had received the bodies of 40 people, including 28 women, killed in the strikes.
“They are attacking everywhere,” said Saeed Mustafa, a resident of Nusirat. “Families are being killed in their homes and on the streets. They are killed everywhere.
Israel said this week Expands ground offensive in central GazaIt targeted a belt of crowded neighborhoods built to house some of the hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees from the 1948 war surrounding Israel's creation.
Israel blames the high death toll on Hamas, which it accuses of infiltrating civilians, saying its forces have found weapons and ammunition. Underground tunnel Poles in residential buildings, schools and mosques.
Israel Criticisms of Refugee Camps
Civilians are suffering huge losses in this fight. Sunday, a Israeli attack on Makazi camp It killed at least 106 people, according to hospital records, one of the deadliest of the war.
In an initial review of the strike, the Israeli military said buildings near the target were also hit and “may have caused unintended harm to additional uninvolved civilians.” In a statement on Thursday, the army said it regrets the impact on civilians and will learn from the mistake.
Government spokesman Eylon Levy told Britain's Sky News that the wrong ammunition was used in the strike, leading to a “regrettable mistake”.
“This shouldn't have happened,” he said.
Israel rarely comments on specific strikes and rarely admits any wrongdoing, even when civilians are killed.
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Magdy reported from Cairo and Jeffrey from London. Associated Press writer Thea Goldenberg contributed to this report from Tel Aviv, Israel.
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Find out more about AP's coverage https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war.
The NBA's worst team, losing 27 straight games, takes on the NBA's best team on its home court, a place it hasn't lost all season, and slays the dragon, figuratively and literally.
It would have been an inspirational film for the ages.
Instead, Detroit, the NBA's worst team, found itself in another horror movie, but this one with a sick, sick twist.
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How the Pistons, one of the NBA's most storied franchises, got screwed
The Pistons fell to the Celtics in overtime Thursday night, 128-122, after leading by 19 points at halftime. The franchise is now tied for the longest losing streak in NBA history (over two seasons) at 28. Detroit didn't do anything particularly different in the first 24 minutes. Kate Cunningham hit the shots, the defense was okay, and the Pistons still turned the ball over too much. Boston, however, shot 39 percent from the field and 17 percent from 3 while turning the ball over 10 times. It was the first time in a long time that an opposing team felt like they shot poorly against Detroit.
Once the Celtics tied the game to end the third quarter, it was a back-and-forth battle. The Pistons briefly trailed by six points late in the fourth quarter, but showed some composure late in the game to avoid crumbling in crunch time like they have for most of the season.
Detroit had several chances to take the lead in the seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, but Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks — both shooting better than 38 percent for their careers — missed several wide-open looks.
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Where are the Pistons losing streaks in sports history?
The Celtics had a two-point lead with 4.8 seconds left when Bogdanovic cleaned up Cunningham's missed 3-point attempt. Tatum missed a shot at the end of regulation that led to overtime.
In the extra period, Boston appeared to be the team that had earlier played aggressively, hitting shots and playing without mistakes. The Pistons shot less than 40 percent from the field and were 1-for-6 from 3.
Detroit will face the Raptors at home on Saturday and try to avoid loss No. 29.
A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket stands on the launch pad Dec. 11 ahead of an attempt to lift off the U.S. military's X-37B space plane. The company later delayed the launch.
SpaceX's hulking Falcon Heavy rocket took to the skies again Thursday evening, this time launching a mysterious spacecraft for the U.S. military to carry out cutting-edge research.
The rocket lifted off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 8:07 p.m. ET, carrying the Army's X-37B space plane. The launch was broadcast live SpaceX's website. The side boosters returned to Earth and touched down safely.
However, it is not clear where the spacecraft is headed.
The X-37B's activities in space have long been the subject of fascination and speculation in the space community, with amateur enthusiasts racing to track its whereabouts and share theories about its activities.
NASA is known to be researching concepts such as the reusable and fully autonomous X-37B, which resembles a small NASA space shuttle with blacked-out windows. Sends solar energy from space to be reused on Earth and studying the effects of radiation on seeds used to grow food.
The mission — the seventh spaceflight for the X-37B — promises to be even more intriguing than previous flights.
Staff Sgt. Adam Shanks/US Space Force
The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle completes its sixth successful mission in 2022.
Earlier, the X-37B was launched on the SpaceX Falcon 9 vehicle and Atlas V rocket developed by United Launch Alliance, a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Boeing.
Falcon Heavy produces more thrust than either of these rockets.
Launching via the Falcon Heavy could indicate that the X-37B is aiming for even more distant orbits, perhaps the Moon or even Mars, suggested Paul Graziani, CEO of COMSPOC.
If it travels much deeper into space than previous flights, it will be more difficult for sky watchers on Earth to determine where the vehicle is.
If the military doesn't want the X-37B to be seen by the public, it can hide the vehicle from the sun or in a number of other ways — including changing its position frequently. The X-37B has already demonstrated in previous flights that it is capable of performing multiple maneuvers in space.
COMSPOC will attempt to search for the vehicle if the spacecraft enters a geosynchronous orbit 22,400 miles (36,000 kilometers) from Earth. A geosynchronous orbit means the agency will centralize sensors for tracking satellites, said Graziani and Bob Hall, COMSPOC's director of operations coordination.
“It's one of the most interesting things that's happened in space in a long time and what it's going to do,” Graziani said of the X-37B launch.
X-37B, Chief of Space Operations General B. According to Chance Saltzman, it helps the US conduct experiments to understand how to improve ongoing and upcoming space operations and push the boundaries of what is possible.
Among the researches on board is a NASA experiment aimed at finding ways to sustain astronauts on future deep space missions. Called SEEDS-2, it will “expose plant seeds to the harsh radiation environment of long-duration spaceflight” and build on research carried out on previous X-37B missions.
For astronauts on long missions to the moon or beyond, learning how to grow food in harsh, soilless environments is critical to places where fresh supplies are more difficult.
Although each X-37B flight has historically been longer than the last, it is unclear how much time the spacecraft will spend in this orbit.
The last trip to space for the autonomous X-37B ended in November 2022, after the spacecraft had been in space for 909 consecutive days. During that sixth mission, as CNN previously reported, the space shuttle carried experimental technology designed by the U.S. Navy to convert solar energy. Send it back to the floorAccording to the military.
The X-37B has already spent more than 3,700 days in space on other non-mission missions. When it returns to Earth, it lands on the runway like an airplane descending from the sky.
This launch came on top of that Two weeks Delays. SpaceX was ready to launch on December 10th. The launch was halted twice before SpaceX delayed the mission indefinitely to “perform additional system checkouts” due to weather and problems with the ground pad.
But during the downtime, China – this is what the US government considers Chief competitor In a modern space race – sent its own secret spacecraft into orbit.
Not much is known about the spacecraft from China. Although no official photos of the vehicle have been released, some in the industry speculate that it is a doppelganger of the X-37B in form and function.
China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported The secret spacecraft was launched on a Long March 2F rocket.
While in space, the vehicle will test reusable space technology and conduct unspecified scientific experiments “for the peaceful use of space,” the agency's post added.
It is unclear how long China's space plane will spend in orbit.
Russell Wilson's ride with the Denver Broncos may be over.
Multiple league sources confirmed Wednesday that the Broncos will start quarterback and Jared Stid for their final two games. Denver (7-8) hosts the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday and visits the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 18. Wilson will be No. 2 at quarterback, a team source said.
Wilson expects Cut in Marchfor one AthleticDiana Rusini. A nine-time Pro Bowler with the Seahawks two years after the Broncos traded two first-round picks, two second-round picks, three players and more to Seattle for the quarterback.
Go deeper
The Broncos' trade for Russell Wilson was a disaster, but the offense moved past the QB.
Wilson has thrown for 3,070 yards with 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions this season, his first under head coach Sean Payton, but his contract remains an issue. Wilson is guaranteed $39 million through 2024. If he is still on the roster on the fifth day of the 2024 league year, which begins in March, he has $37 million in injury guarantees.
What does this mean for Wilson in 2024? If the Broncos cut him, who would need and be interested? We've identified four teams — the Raiders, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots and Washington Commanders — for Wilson, who turned 35 last month and is about to finish his 12th season in the NFL.
AthleticBeat writers for those teams weighed in on why Wilson might fit and why he might not.
Las Vegas Raiders
Why Wilson might be a good fit: Only if Wilson is released will it make any sense to the Raiders. They need to find a way to move on from their own expensive backup, Jimmy Garoppolo. That being said, Wilson has been solid this year: He's 10th in completion percentage, 16th in passing yards, sixth in passing touchdowns and has thrown just eight interceptions in 15 games. He's no longer a Pro Bowl-level player, but he's still a starting-caliber quarterback. If he's willing to sign on the cheap and the Raiders can't build their future, they could sign him to compete with Aidan O'Connell for the starting job.
Why he can't: The Raiders really, really, really want to draft their quarterback of the future this offseason. After moving on from Derek Carr and soon doing the same with Garoppolo, they need to get their aging veteran quarterback off the treadmill and reset their timeline. O'Connell has done a good job since taking over for Garoppolo given the circumstances, but it doesn't look like he should be a long-term option. The best path for the Raiders to find that player is through the draft, not adding a declining veteran quarterback. — Dashan Reid, Rider's Beat Writer
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2024 NFL Draft Order Predictions: Commanders keep tanking, Vikings land in top 10
Minnesota Vikings
Why Wilson might be a good fit: It feels like a Hail Mary of sorts, which seems fitting considering Wilson is the subject. The Vikings' quarterback plans for 2024 are uncertain, as Kirk Cousins' contract expires at the end of the season and he likely has several suitors. If Cousins signs elsewhere, the Vikings could go after a high-end talent in the draft. In that scenario, they could sign a bridge quarterback to allow the youngster to develop. If he's released, Wilson fits in that category with other mid-to-lower tier options.
Why he can't: Returning relatives will immediately end this discussion. But even if he does leave, it's fair to wonder if Wilson's asking price will make sense. Garoppolo, for example, signed a three-year, $72.5 million deal with the Raiders in March. Wilson is old, but he is very talented. He wanted a two-year, $40 million deal. The Vikings, without Cousins, are unlikely to pay that kind of money for a short-term answer that will draft a QB. Also, Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell accurately assesses the middle of the field and big-field vision in his QBs. Even though Wilson has produced statistically this season, those qualities are in question, which is why the Broncos drafted him in the first place. — Alec Lewis, author of Vikings beat
New England Patriots
Why Wilson might be a good fit: The short answer is that the Patriots need a quarterback in 2024 after the Mack Jones era ends. It's still unclear who will make the key decisions for the team this offseason, but Bill Belichick praised Wilson before the Patriots' win last weekend. If Belichick is still around, he might be interested in a quick-fix plan rather than a rebuild, which would make Wilson an option in New England.
Why he might not be: If the Patriots end up with a top-two pick, there's plenty of reason to capitalize on it and sign a new contract. It's also worth noting that Wilson is 35 and may not fit the Patriots' hopes of finding a long-term quarterback this offseason, especially if Belichick doesn't make decisions going forward. — Chad Graff, Patriots beat writer
Washington generals
Why Wilson might be a good fit: Jacoby Brissett will become Washington's 36th starting quarterback since 1993 on Sunday. That sad story means all options must be considered. For the right price – i.e. salary; Washington may not be looking at trade options – if the franchise is looking for a quick turnaround and a marquee player, Wilson could be seen as a viable option.
Why he can't: More proof that time is a flat circle: Coach Ron Rivera tried to trade for Wilson in 2022, but Wilson had zero interest in joining the Commanders' circus under owner Dan Snyder. Now that Snyder is out — and Rivera could be out after this season — will Russ want to cook in the nation's capital? Even if it does, the commanders are unlikely to be interested. The new decision-makers will determine the depth of any rebuild, but it's clear Washington's holes go beyond the quarterback. Commanders draft no. 3 If they retain the choice, they can choose the most popular option. Brissett, a 2024 free agent, could make a cleanup addition to a draft pick or Sam Howell. — Ben Standick
(Photo: Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered its military, munitions industry and nuclear weapons department to speed up war preparations to counter the United States' unprecedented confrontational moves, state media said Thursday.
Speaking on policy guidelines for the new year at a key meeting of the country's ruling party on Wednesday, Kim also said Pyongyang would expand strategic cooperation with “anti-imperialist and independent” countries, news agency KCNA reported.
“He (Kim) put forward militant tasks for the People's Army and the arms industry, nuclear weapons and civil defense departments, and accelerated war preparations,” KCNA said.
North Korea has been expanding ties with Russia, with Washington accusing Pyongyang of supplying Moscow with military equipment for use in its war with Ukraine, while Russia provides technical support to improve the North's military capabilities.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has now ordered his military to counter what he has called unprecedented confrontational moves by the US. via REUTERS
Kim also laid out economic goals for the new year during the meeting, which the statement said was a “decisive year” for fulfilling the country's five-year development plan.
“He … clarified the important tasks for the new year to be dynamically pushed forward in key industrial sectors” and called for “stabilization of agricultural production at a high level”.
The North has experienced severe food shortages in recent decades, including famine in the 1990s, mostly as a result of natural disasters.
Kim Jong Un said Pyongyang would expand strategic cooperation with “anti-imperialist independent” countries. via REUTERS
International experts have warned that closing borders during the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened food security.
North Korea's crop production is estimated to increase year-on-year in 2023 due to favorable weather conditions.
But a Seoul official said the amount was still far short of what was needed to address the country's chronic food shortages.
Kim Jong Un laid out economic goals for the new year and called it a “decisive year” for fulfilling the country's five-year development plan. via REUTERS
The 9th Plenary Session of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea opened on Tuesday. To cap off a year in which the isolated North enshrined its nuclear policy in its constitution, launched a spy satellite and launched a new intercontinental ballistic missile.
Days-long meetings of party and government officials have been used in recent years to make major policy announcements.
Earlier, state media published Kim's speech on New Year's Day.
'Tis the season for respiratory ailments. Numbers from the Pennsylvania Department of Health show a steady trend in new cases or hospitalizations involving COVID-19, RSV or influenza. Those figures have seen a general upward trend in recent weeks heading into the Christmas and New Year holiday season. Dec. Pennsylvania had more than 9,400 new cases of influenza A in the week ending the 23rd, the latest consecutive increase from earlier weeks of the flu season. RSV, which has been on the rise for several consecutive weeks, saw 5,080 new cases in the same period. UPMC's infectious disease specialist Dr. Although John Goldman said that RSV had not yet peaked, it marked a decrease of 400 cases. across the region,” he said. Although no new Covid-19 infections were being recorded, hospital data showed more than 1,110 new cases were added in the week ending Dec. 16. Goldman said the number of people coming to the hospital with Covid-19. Medical staff continue to see the need for treatment. However, it is manageable.” “We have only 30 patients hospitalized for Covid in our hospital system. Now we have 70,” he said. UPMC recently took action to re-require face masks in its hospital systems to prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses to people at high risk for complications. Goldman said people don't get sick from COVID-19 because of immunity. But vaccines — And isolating when experiencing symptoms — he added, are important to prevent the spread of diseases, especially during holiday events when many people may be exposed to the virus.” Do not send your child to school. A small cold, because a small cold can be covid. It could be the flu,” he said. “If you think you have a small cold or think you might have the flu, you shouldn't go to work yourself.”
Harrisburg, Pa. –
'Tis the season for respiratory ailments.
Numbers from the Pennsylvania Department of Health show a steady trend in new cases or hospitalizations involving COVID-19, RSV or influenza. Those figures have seen a general upward trend in recent weeks during the Christmas and New Year holidays.
Pennsylvania had more than 9,400 new cases of influenza A in the week ending Dec. 23, the latest consecutive increase from previous weeks as the flu season builds.
RSV has been trending upward for several consecutive weeks, with 5,080 new cases during the same period. UPMC's infectious disease specialist Dr. Although John Goldman said that RSV had not yet peaked, it marked a decrease of 400 cases.
“We have the most overcrowded pediatric wards and we have the most overcrowded pediatric ICUs across the region,” he said.
Although no new COVID-19 infections were recorded anymore, hospital data showed that more than 1,110 new cases were added in the week ending December 16.
Goldman said the number of people coming to the hospital with COVID-19 remains manageable, although medical staff are seeing a steady number of people who need treatment.
“In our hospital system we have only 30 patients hospitalized for Covid. Now we have 70,” he said.
UPMC recently took action to re-require face masks in its hospital settings to prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses to those at high risk of complications.
Goldman said people don't get sick from COVID-19 because of immunity. But vaccinations — and isolation when experiencing symptoms — are important to prevent the spread of diseases, he said, especially during holiday events when many people may be exposed to the virus.
“You shouldn't send your child to school with a small cold because a small cold could be Covid. It could be the flu,” he said. “If you think you have a small cold or think you might have the flu, you shouldn't go to work on your own.”
The Denver Broncos are benching veteran quarterback Russell Wilson for the team's final two games, multiple league sources have confirmed. Wilson was notified early Wednesday morning.
The decision to bench Wilson for Jared Stidham is tied at least in part to his contract. Wilson has $39 million guaranteed in 2024. $37 million in 2025 is currently only guaranteed for injury. If Wilson is still on the roster on the fifth day of the league year in March of next year, it will be an absolute guarantee.
By sitting Wilson, the Broncos would not risk an injury to the quarterback, giving them several months to decide his future with the franchise. Benching is a sign the Broncos are moving away from him.
Stidham, Wilson's backup for the first 15 games, is in line to start the final two against the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders. Wilson will be the No. 2 quarterback, according to a team source.
Following back-to-back losses to the Detroit Lions and New England Patriots, Denver (7-8) has just a 1.8 percent chance to make the playoffs. AthleticAustin Mock. The Broncos started the season 1-5, winning six of seven to move within a game behind the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West before dropping their last two contests.
Wilson, 35, threw for 3,070 yards with 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions, resulting in a 98.0 passer rating that ranked seventh among qualified quarterbacks.
Stidham, 27, has two starts in five NFL seasons. Both came to the Raiders late last season after the team sidelined Derek Carr. Las Vegas lost both games Stidham started, while he threw for 656 yards with four TDs and three picks, resulting in an 89.2 passer rating.
The Broncos also want to look at Stidham because if the Broncos decide to move on from Wilson, he would be a great option next season. Severing ties to a senior is an $85 million dead-money hit. The Broncos could be spread over two seasons with the position post-June 1, but they will have limited money left to spend at the position.
Denver invested more assets and dollars to acquire Wilson last offseason in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks. The Broncos sent quarterback Drew Lock, tight end Noah Fant, defensive lineman Shelby Harris and five draft picks — two first, two second and fifth — to the Seahawks. Seattle sent a fourth-round pick to Denver along with Wilson.
Wilson agreed to a five-year, $245 million contract extension shortly before the start of the 2022 season. The deal, which included $165 million guaranteed, would have kept Wilson in Denver for the next seven years. Wilson's previous contract was a four-year, $140 million extension signed with the Seahawks in 2019 that runs through the 2023 season.
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'Too much influence,' too few hits in Russell Wilson's first year with the Broncos
Wilson struggled mightily in his first season with the Broncos in 2022. He threw for 3,524 yards with 16 TDs and 11 interceptions in 15 starts, leading to a career-low 84.4 passer rating.
This offseason, Denver traded with the New Orleans Saints to acquire the rights to recruit Sean Payton. He replaces longtime Saints coach Nathaniel Hackett, who was fired before completing one season with the Broncos.
On several occasions, Payton has been blunt when discussing Wilson's shortcomings and how to “fix” the veteran quarterback.
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Exploring the Broncos' options if Russell Wilson has another lackluster season
The Patriots selected Stidham in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Stidham spent three seasons in New England before being traded to the Raiders in May 2022.
Stidham signed a two-year, $10 million deal with the Broncos at the start of free agency that comes with $1 million guaranteed next season. In owners meetings shortly after Stidham's signing, Peyton said he believed the 27-year-old was starting quarterback upside.
“I think he's young, but I think we've got a good score on him coming out,” Payton said at the time. “We love the player. I think he's played well in both starts he's had this year. If you read the San Francisco game (at the end of the 2023 season) closely, he's smart at the line of scrimmage. There were actually a couple of directions with that position, and there were some No. 2s that I worked with or We felt comfortable.
“At this point, I think he's a No. 2 and the arrow is moving in a direction where we think he can be an NFL starter in our league. The assessment was very clear to all of us. I think he's going to be the best in the room. He is smart. Quietly, it was an important landmark for us.
Ultimately, this action is tied to performance. The Broncos have lost three of their last four games as the offense has struggled mightily. Wilson has thrown four interceptions in that span.
Now, the Broncos will be in data-gathering mode as they finish the season. Coincidentally, Stidham finds himself in the same position he played at quarterback with the Raiders last season. Las Vegas decided to sit Derek Carr for the team's final two games to avoid an injury that would guarantee future salary.
The riders eventually moved away from the car. Payton's move on Wednesday indicates the Broncos are ready to deal with Wilson after the season. The next two games will help determine how they progress at quarterback.
Daihatsu, the Japanese automaker owned by Toyota, has halted domestic production after admitting to falsifying the results of safety tests for its vehicles for more than 30 years.
The brand, best known for making small passenger cars, has halted production at all four of its Japanese factories as of Tuesday, including its headquarters in Osaka, a spokeswoman told CNN.
The shutdown will last at least until the end of January, affecting about 9,000 employees working in domestic manufacturing, the representative said.
The move comes as Daihatsu grapples with Toyota's deep security scandal He says “It shook the foundation of the company.”
Last week, Daihatsu declared An independent third-party panel found evidence of irregularities in safety tests on 64 vehicle models, including vehicles sold under the Toyota brand.
As a result, Daihatsu said it will temporarily suspend all domestic and international vehicle exports and consult with authorities on how to proceed.
The scandal is yet another blow to the automaker, which it acknowledged In April More than 88,000 cars sold mostly under the Toyota brand in countries such as Malaysia and Thailand have been found to have failed crash tests.
In that case, “the inner lining of the front seat door was improperly replaced” for some checks, while Daihatsu did not comply with regulatory requirements for some side crash tests, it said in a statement at the time.
In May, the automaker said It found more errors, revealing the submission of incorrect data for crash tests on two hybrid electric vehicles. The company said it stopped shipping and selling those models at that time.
A recent study further threatens the company's reputation. A step Report Published by the investigative committee last Wednesday, there were 174 other cases involving Daihatsu manipulating data, making false statements or improperly tinkering with vehicles to pass safety certification tests.
The oldest case was discovered in 1989, and there has been a significant increase in the number of cases since 2014, the report said.
Toyota shares fell 4% in Tokyo on Thursday following the news. The stock has managed some losses since then.
In response, the Japanese behemoth has promised to shake up its subsidiary Report It said last week that “fundamental reform is needed to revitalize Daihatsu.”
“This is a very important task that cannot be accomplished overnight,” Toyota said, adding that it will require a comprehensive review of management, operations and how the unit is structured.
“We recognize the serious gravity of the fact that Daihatsu's disregard for the certification process has shaken the company's very foundation as an automobile manufacturer,” Toyota added.
