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New Mexico braces for new Covid-19 strain amid holiday crowds

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New Mexico braces for new Covid-19 strain amid holiday crowds

The New Mexico Department of Health says their biggest concern is the infectious new strain of COVID-19, JN.1.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — It's not just about holiday cheer, health officials want to warn the public about the rise of COVID-19 and the flu.

“I know it's hard for people who are on holidays and they really want to see their family, but our covid tests are not always perfect, you could have the flu or RSV. “It's very important to stay away from other people if you're sick,” said Madison Schaeffer, director of the NMDOH hotline.

The New Mexico Department of Health says their biggest concern is the infectious new strain of COVID-19, JN.1.

“We're seeing developments there, and generally what happens is in Europe and then on the East Coast, and then it eventually goes to NM,” Schaefer said.

The best thing to do is roll up your sleeves and get vaccinated.

“Get your booster before you do all of your vacation travel. I know it's not the perfect time, but it's definitely better to do it before you travel,” Schaefer said.

“I think vaccination rates are very low, about 40% of adults have gotten the flu shot and about 18% of adults have gotten the updated Covid vaccine,” said CDC Director Mandy Cohen.

Washing your hands often and wearing a mask can help protect you and your loved ones this holiday season.

“When you visit with loved ones, especially the elderly and those with weakened immune systems, if you want to be careful, you can wear a mask. “Especially if you're traveling and you're on a plane or going to your doctor's office somewhere, there's a lot of sick people,” Schaefer said.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto: How the Dodgers' and Yankees' deals compare

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Yoshinobu Yamamoto: How the Dodgers' and Yankees' deals compare

The New York Yankees lost Japanese free-agent right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, but not for lack of trying.

A comparison of the teams' offers lends credence to the notion that Yamamoto may have preferred the Dodgers to any other club.

The Yankees offered Yamamoto a higher average annual value than the Dodgers, an earlier departure and more money in the first five years, according to sources briefed on their respective proposals.

Yamamoto, however, agreed to a 12-year, $325 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers that included a $50 million signing bonus, opt-outs after the sixth and ninth years, and backloaded salary. The deal isn't official yet. The New York Mets offered the same 12 years and $325 million. Other details of their bid are unknown.

The Yankees offered Yamamoto 10 years, $300 million — a $30 million AAV versus the Dodgers' $27.08 million. They opted out of their contract after the fifth year, and the salary remained the same each year, with no refunds.

So, including a $46.875 million posting fee to Yamamoto's Japanese club, the Orix Buffaloes, the Yankees were willing to pay a total of nearly $200 million over five years, knowing that Yamamoto would later opt out.

The Yankees' non-offering of Yamamoto exceeds the $324 million they guaranteed their own Gerrit Cole after the 2019 season, a total value for a pitcher. They did not offer a $50 million signing bonus, although the parties could have turned the money into a bonus if negotiations progressed.

Per Robert Raiola is a CPA who is director of sports and recreation at accounting firm PFK O'Connor Davis in Yamamoto. California does not pay taxes on signing bonuses If he is a non-resident of the State.

The Dodgers will pay the bonus in full in 2024, and the tax savings for Yamamoto could be $7.2 million.

The message is clear. Like Shohei Ohtani, Yar was reportedly ready to match the Giants and Blue Jays With a 10-year, massive $700 million deal from the Dodgers, Yamamoto seemed to have a specific team he wanted to join. That team is the Dodgers.

(Top photo of Yamamoto: Yuichi Yamazaki/Getty Images via AFP)

At the Florida State Board of Trustees meeting ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D. and a statement from ACC Board of Directors Chairman Jim Ryan

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At the Florida State Board of Trustees meeting ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D. and a statement from ACC Board of Directors Chairman Jim Ryan

Charlotte, NC (theACC.com) – “Florida State’s decision to take action against the convention is in direct conflict with their long-standing obligations and is a clear violation of their legal obligations to other members of the convention. All ACC members, including Florida State, willingly and knowingly re-signed the current rights grant in 2016, which remains fully enforceable until 2036. And bound. Every university has benefited from this agreement. No other institution has ever challenged its legitimacy.

“As a league, we are proud of the successes of our student-athletes, and over the past two and a half years the ACC has won the most NCAA National Championships while achieving the highest graduation success and academic performance rates of all FBS conferences. So FSU is committed to continuing this unprecedented and over-the-top approach.” Choosing is particularly frustrating.

“We trust that the grant of rights, honored by all other universities that have signed similar agreements, will be upheld by the courts and that the conference’s legal counsel will actively enforce the agreement in the interests of current and incoming members of the ACC.”

Fat Leonard thought he’d be freed by being snookered by the Venezuelans

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Fat Leonard, a legendary con man and fugitive from American justice, is eventually snookered.

Until Monday, Leonard Glenn Francis thought he was on the verge of gaining his freedom permanently after 15 months of trying to outwit U.S. authorities, according to Francis’ attorney and others in contact with him. He texted his mother from a Caracas prison saying that Venezuelan authorities had promised to release him from custody to receive medical treatment and that he would win his full freedom by the end of the year.

In fact, it was a ploy devised by Venezuelan security officials so Francis would not legally object to being transferred back to US custody as part of a larger prisoner swap that the two countries have been secretly negotiating over the past several months.

On Wednesday, Francis, 59, was bundled into a small jet by Venezuelan authorities and flown from Caracas to the tiny Caribbean island of Canaoan – part of St Vincent and the Grenadines in the west. Indies. There, along with 10 Americans held captive in Venezuela, he was handed over to U.S. authorities in exchange for a Venezuelan consular officer facing money-laundering charges in Florida, according to news outlets in St. Vincent.

U.S. authorities took Francis to Miami, where he was booked into a federal prison Thursday, a Bureau of Prisons spokeswoman said. In the coming days, the Malaysian defense contractor is expected to be transferred to San Diego where he may finally be sentenced – nine years after he pleaded guilty to federal bribery and fraud charges – for masterminding the most extensive corruption case in US military history.

Who is ‘Fat Leonard’, fugitive Venezuelan extradited to US?

His recapture marked the end of a 15-month odyssey in which he tricked federal authorities into thinking he was ill, escaped federal house arrest in San Diego and fled to Mexico, Cuba and finally Venezuela. It will not extradite him to the US.

Francis has told family members and other confidants in recent days that he is hopeful that he will be immediately released from Venezuela’s custody and granted freedom after a long-running effort to gain asylum there.

“I expect a positive outcome before the end of the year,” he wrote in a text to Sarah McDonald, a British journalist and filmmaker, on Monday. He shared the text exchange with The Washington Post.

Asked if he was going to get out of jail, McDonald replied: “See you in 12 days 😊.”

Francis sent similar messages to his mother in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, according to a person in touch with his family in Malaysia.

Marco Rodriguez-Acosta, a Venezuelan lawyer representing Francis, said his client had suddenly changed his mind in recent weeks about the legal strategy to win his freedom. The lawyer said Francis advised him last month to abandon long-planned efforts to file a legal petition to be released from Venezuelan custody.

“I’m sure he was cheated,” Rodriguez-Acosta said.

He said Venezuelan authorities had not legally notified him or Francis of the fugitive’s pending transfer or given him an opportunity to contest it in court. Rodriguez-Acosta called the decision “a hard blow to those who still believe in the independence of powers.”

Francis Glenn was the owner of Defense Marine Asia, a Singapore-based defense contracting firm that has resupplying U.S. warships during port calls in Asia for nearly a quarter century. In January 2015, he pleaded guilty to federal fraud and bribery charges.

But as part of his plea deal, he agreed to cooperate with the Justice Department and provide incriminating evidence against hundreds of U.S. Navy officers who gave him expensive meals, prostitutes and other gifts, and his sentencing was delayed for years.

Francis was arrested by Venezuelan authorities in Caracas in September 2022 on an Interpol Red Notice, 16 days after he broke off his GPS ankle monitor from house arrest in San Diego and fled to Mexico.

But US officials have been unable to formally request his extradition from Venezuela because Washington does not have diplomatic relations with the government of President Nicolás Maduro. As a result, Francis remained in legal limbo – and in custody in a Caracas prison – while his asylum case stalled in the Venezuelan courts.

President Biden agreed to grant clemency to Maduro ally Alex Chapp, who is awaiting trial on federal money laundering charges in Miami, in exchange for 10 Americans detained by Francis and Maduro’s government. Saab, 51, was arrested in Cape Verde while traveling to Iran last year and later extradited to the United States.

Washington and Maduro’s government lack formal diplomatic ties, and the exchange of prisoners took place on Wednesday on the Caribbean island of Canova, which is in the neutral zone. According to SearchlightA news site covering Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

US authorities handed Saab over, and he later returned to a hero’s welcome in Caracas and met with Maduro at the presidential palace. Some of the later released American prisoners were transported from Canovan to the military base at San Antonio. Francis was flown to Miami on a private plane.

PFT’s Week 16 2023 NFL Draft, Florio vs. Simms

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PFT’s Week 16 2023 NFL Draft, Florio vs. Simms

With three weeks to go, we’re deadlocked.

Sims and I were an even 9-7 in Week 15. We are 138-86 on the year.

This week, we disagree on six games. One of us could, in theory, open an insurmountable lead.

Scroll through and read through Week 16.

Saints at Rams (-4)

The Rams are the only team the top teams in the NFC don’t want to see in the playoffs.

Florio: Rams, 28-20.

Sims: Rams, 28-20.

Bengals (-2) at Steelers.

It’s now or never for the Steelers; I pick them thinking Kenny Pickett will find a way to play.

Florio: Steelers, 16-13.

Sims: Bengals, 21-17.

Bills on Chargers (-11.5)

The Chargers system needs a shock. And that won’t come until the playoffs.

Florio: Bills, 42-10.

Sims: Bills, 34-13.

Colts at Falcons (-1)

The Colts are more and more confident. The Falcons are at or near their last chance.

Florio: Colts, 24-17.

Sims: Falcons, 24-21.

Packers (-5) at Panthers.

Green Bay needs to seriously change things.

Florio: Packers, 27-13.

Sims: Packers, 23-13.

Browns (-2.5) at Texans.

It could go either way. Cleveland’s defense makes the difference.

Florio: Browns 19-14.

Sims: Browns, 20-10.

Lions (-3) at Vikings.

Can Minnesota keep its slim hopes of a second straight division title alive?

Florio: Vikings, 24-23.

Sims: Lions, 28-24.

Commanders in Jets (-3)

Good luck getting anyone to show up for this show on Christmas Eve.

Florio: Generals, 24-20.

Sims: Jets, 17-13.

Seahawks (-2.5) at Titans.

Can the Seahawks parlay Monday night’s sensational win into a mini-streak?

Florio: Seahawks, 27-17.

Sims: Titans, 24-17.

Jaguars (-1) at Buccaneers

I trust Bucks. The Sims doesn’t exist yet.

Florio: Buccaneers, 23-20.

Sims: Jaguars, 27-20.

Cardinals at Bears (-4)

Mei Eberflus tries to earn another year at work.

Florio: Bears, 30-23.

Sims: Bears, 27-17.

Cowboys at Dolphins (-1.5)

Can Miami beat a good team? Can Dallas win on the road? Some things have to be given away.

Florio: Dolphins, 27-24.

Sims: Dolphins, 31-24.

Patriots vs. Broncos (-6.5)

Christmas Eve captive viewers may feel like hostages this time around.

Florio: Broncos, 23-17.

Sims: Broncos, 17-13.

Raiders at Chiefs (-10)

The Chiefs hold the spotlight for a shot at the No. 1 seed.

Florio: Chiefs, 31-20.

Sims: Chiefs, 28-17.

Giants at Eagles (-12)

If the eagles blow this they won’t throw snowballs at Santa.

Florio: Eagles, 34-20.

Sims: Eagles, 28-10.

Ravens (-5) at 49

Do the Ravens feel disrespected by the five-point spread? They should be proud of it.

Florio: 49ers, 31-20.

Sims: 49ers, 31-21.

Argentina’s Javier Mille issued a sweeping decree to deregulate the economy

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Argentina’s Javier Mille issued a sweeping decree to deregulate the economy

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Argentina’s new libertarian President Javier Milei issued a sweeping emergency decree on Wednesday night that mandated more than 300 measures to regulate the country’s economy.

The decree hits key regulations, including Argentina’s housing rental market, export customs arrangements, land ownership, food retailers and more. It modifies rules for the airline, healthcare, pharmaceutical and tourism sectors to encourage competition. Employee severance packages will be reduced and probationary periods for new employees will be extended.

The new rules also change the legal status of the country’s state-owned companies, which include airlines, media companies and energy group YPF, allowing them to be privatized.

“Today we are taking our first step to end Argentina’s model of decline,” Miley said in a pre-recorded broadcast. “I have signed an emergency order to begin dismantling the oppressive institutional and legal framework that has destroyed our country.”

The decree marks Miley’s campaign promise of a sharp break from the sweeping regulations, high taxes and expansive public sector introduced by the left-leaning Peronist movement over the past two decades. Its implementation, however, could set the libertarian up for clashes with the Peronists and their allies in Argentina’s powerful unions.

After the broadcast, some residents of Buenos Aires protested against pots and pans on their balconies. Hundreds of protesters staged an emergency rally outside Argentina’s congressional building, chanting “Our country is not for sale!”

Earlier in the day, the first major protest against Miley’s presidency took place in downtown Buenos Aires, where left-wing campaign groups gathered thousands of demonstrators and called for “an end to Miley”. . . Chainsaw Savings Program”.

Milei’s Economy Minister Luis Caputo last week announced cuts to energy subsidies, the layoff of recently hired public sector workers and a reduction in real terms of the budget of a significant social program.

Barronist politicians accused the president of issuing new orders by decree to avoid votes against them in Congress, with the La Libertad Avanza coalition holding just 15 percent of the lower house and less than 10 percent of the Senate.

Under Argentina’s constitution, presidents can issue “decrees of urgency and necessity” in most areas of policy — except for tax, penal and electoral matters and rules for political parties — “when exceptional circumstances make it impossible to follow normal procedures.” The orders remain in effect until both houses of Congress vote to strike.

Germán Martínez, leader of the Peronist Union Por La Patria constituency, which has 40 percent of the seats, argued at X on Wednesday afternoon that parliamentary sessions should be called for debate. His actions as bills. “Don’t be afraid of democratic debate,” Martinez added.

Dow Jones Futures: Stocks Sell Off, Google, Tesla Give Up Buy Points; Micron earnings are strong

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Dow Jones Futures: Stocks Sell Off, Google, Tesla Give Up Buy Points; Micron earnings are strong

Dow Jones futures were slightly higher overnight, along with S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq futures. Micron technology (IN) key report for semiconductors, including chip-equipment makers, on Wednesday night Utility items (Big)




X



The stock market rallied as modest gains turned into solid losses in major indices, with several leaders slipping lower.

Google Parents letters (Google) bounced higher Wednesday on reports of a possible ad sales rebound, but later pared gains with the market. Trucking companies Skirt (Skirt) and Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL) buy signals also flashed intraday.

In the Oil Machinery sector, WFRD stock continued its strong move on Tuesday, giving additional early entry.

Meanwhile, Tesla (D.S.L.A) Amid a Reuters report, the EV company blamed drivers for failing parts it knew were defective for years.

MetaPlatforms and Amazon shares are on the move IBD Leaderboard. Meta and Amazon are on SwingTrader with AMAT shares. Meta and CCL stocks are available IBD 50. There is a meta role IBD Big Cap 20.

Weatherford International (WFRD) is Wednesday’s IBD Stock of the Day.

A video embedded in the article reviews Wednesday’s market action by Google, ODFL stock and analysis MongoDB (MTP)

Dow Jones Futures Today

Dow Jones futures rose 0.2% versus fair value. S&P 500 futures advanced 0.2%. Nasdaq 100 futures rose 0.3%, helped by MU stock.

The 10-year Treasury yield fell to 3.86%.

Crude oil futures fell slightly.

At 8:30 a.m. ET, investors will get weekly jobless claims data, the Philly Fed manufacturing index and a final reading for third-quarter gross domestic product.

Remember that overnight action in Dow futures and elsewhere does not necessarily translate into actual trading in the next regular stock market session.

Micron Revenue

MU shares rose in overnight trade. Micron reported a smaller-than-expected fiscal Q1 loss, while sales rose 16%, snapping five quarters of big year-over-year declines. The memory-chip company also guided higher in the current Q2. Micron shares fell 4.2% to 78.69 in Wednesday’s regular session, but are still near a 52-week high.

Chip equipment manufacturers Utility items (Big), KLA Corporation (Clutch) and Lam Research (LRCX) rose in late trade. All three fell about 3% on Wednesday, but are trading at 52-week highs.

Several other chip plays also rose fractionally.

Festival (CCL) and Carmax (KMX) pre-opening statement. Carnival and KMX stocks both move up the right side of the platforms, but CCL stocks are closer to the top.

Join IBD experts as they analyze leading stocks and markets on IBD Live

Stock market rally

The stock market’s rally was slightly higher for most of Wednesday, but began to pull back by midday and picked up momentum, ending the session lower.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 1.3% in stock market trading on Wednesday. The S&P 500 index and Nasdaq composite fell 1.5%. The small-cap Russell 2000 fell 1.9%.

The Dow and Nasdaq snapped nine-session winning streaks, with the latter falling below 15,000.

There doesn’t seem to be a specific catalyst, but the reversal isn’t really surprising either. The Nasdaq was 8.5% above its 50-day range on Wednesday, so the odds of a pullback are increasing. The CBOE Volatility Index, or VIX, hovered around a four-year low, indicating excessive bullishness. A gauge of market sentiment rose 9.1% on Wednesday.

It’s unclear whether Wednesday’s market selloff was just a blip, the start of a modest pullback, or the first step into something more serious.

Unsurprisingly, growth stocks took the brunt of the indexes on Wednesday.

U.S. crude oil prices are up 3.9% so far this week, up 0.4% at $74.22 a barrel.

The 10-year Treasury yield fell 4.5 basis points to 3.88%, its lowest level since late July.

ETFs

Among growth ETFs, the iShares Expanded Technology-Software Sector ETF (VATfell 1.4%. VanEck Vectors Semiconductor ETF (SMHfell 2.8%. MU stock is a major SMH holding along with AMAT, KLAC and LRCX stocks.

Reflecting the more speculative story stocks, the ARK Innovation ETF (ARKKfell 4.1% and the ARK Genomics ETF (ARKG) 4.9% Tesla stock is still the dominant holding across Arc Invest’s ETFs.

SPDR S&P Metals & Mining ETF (XME) fell 1.8% and the Global X US Infrastructure Development ETF (sidewalk) 1.6% US Global Jets ETF (JETS) decreased by 1.6%. SPDR S&P Homebuilders ETF (XHBdecreased by 1.1%. Energy Select SPDR ETF (XLE) fell 0.9% and the Health Care Sector SPDR Fund (XLVIt gave up to 1.45%.

Industrial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLIretreated 1.6%. Fund Selection SPDR ETF (45) down 1.8%.

Why This IBD Tool Makes the Search for the Best Stocks Easy

Google Stock

Google shares closed up 1.2% at 138.34. It was one of the better performers on the S&P 500 on Wednesday, and was the only Magnificent Seven stock to finish higher.

In the morning, shares rose to 141.70, breaking above the 139.42 cup-with-handle buy point at the high. Shares retook a 50-day line on Monday.

Shares of GOOGL rose early Wednesday after The Information reported that it could restructure its 30,000-person ad sales team by relying on machine learning to help customers buy ads on Google, YouTube and more.

Trucking shares

Saia shares rose 2% to 436.54, a trend and an early entry of 428.79 and later breached a buy point of 443.85.

ODFL stock rose 0.2% to 402.03. Intraday, Old Dominion reached 415.95, decisively clearing the 50-day line and breaking the downward sloping trendline.

Both Saia and Old Dominion are less than a truck-load away. Trucking profits came despite being weak FedEx (FDX) results and guidance later Tuesday.

Weatherford stock

WFRD shares rose 0.3% to 96.01. Intraday, the stock rose as high as 98.69, bucking the downward trend. Tuesday’s strong move above the 50-day line provided an initial entry into a cup base. According to MarketSmith analysis the official buy point is 100.93.

Tesla stock

Tesla shares fell 3.9% to 247.14 on Wednesday, below an early entry of 252.75. Shares are working on a double-bottom buy point of 278.98.

On Wednesday, Reuters reported that tens of thousands of drivers have experienced failed suspension or steering components over the years. The report, based on a Reuters review of documents, reveals the EV company knew several parts were defective.

Reporting and underlying documentation can increase the risks of costly recalls, lawsuits, and possible criminal liability.

The news comes as Tesla issues an over-the-air “recall” to improve driver monitoring while using Autopilot.

However, the slide in TSLA shares was tied to Wednesday’s broader market reversal, not the Reuters report.

What to do now

Stock market rally continued in both major indices and leading stocks. A pause and modest pull are healthy; Now there are no strong reasons to add expression.

As a practical matter, there aren’t many buying opportunities right now, though Google Stock, Saia and Weatherford are the exceptions.

Investors may choose to take some profits and reduce exposure, especially if they haven’t done so in recent days. Remember, if you’re not selling on the way up, you’re selling on the way down.

Keep your watch list up to date.

Read the big picture every day to stay in tune with market direction and leading stocks and sectors.

Follow Ed Carson on X/Twitter @IBD_ECarsonAt threads @edcarson1971 And at Bluesky @edcarson.bsky.social For stock market updates and more.

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Convention Law Troubles: Ireland Takes Human Rights Case Against UK

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Convention Law Troubles: Ireland Takes Human Rights Case Against UK

The Irish government is set to launch a legal challenge against the UK government over its decision to exempt Troubles-era offences.

Critics argued that the law gave amnesty to killers and deprived victims of access to justice.

Ireland will continue to sue under the European Convention on Human Rights.

Victims and survivors have already taken the government to court at the High Court in Belfast.

More than 3,500 lives were lost and thousands were seriously injured during the 30-year conflict.

The act ended all new investigations and civil actions related to the conflict.

Tánaiste (Irish Deputy Prime Minister) Michael Martin said the decision was made after “much thought and careful consideration”.

“I am sorry to find ourselves in a position where such a choice has to be made.”

He said the UK government “unilaterally followed the law” despite concerns from the Irish government and others.

“We are not alone in our concerns. Serious reservations about the law have been raised by many international observers, including the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights,” Mr Martin added.

“Most importantly, this legislation is opposed by the people of Northern Ireland, particularly the victims and families who will be directly affected by this legislation.”

Opponents, including victims’ groups and Stormont parties, argued the Legacy Bill would remove access to justice.

The UK government argued that the bill was an attempt to draw a line under past events.

image caption,

Emmett McOnomy says that the legal challenge is the ‘formal order’.

Mr McConomy told BBC Radio Foyle’s North West Today program that the challenge was “perfect order”.

“It gives us some hope today, we never lose hope, I think like all victims, hope is really all we have.”

The Irish government has opposed the UK’s new succession law since its conception.

Victims’ groups repeatedly lobbied to take a case to Europe.

Now the issues statute is being challenged on two legal fronts.

Bereaved relatives have gone to court in Belfast and Dublin is playing in Strasbourg.

A decision by the Irish government was on the cards, but it was a major step that could not have been taken without assessing the political implications.

Mr McConomy said victims and survivors wanted “truth and accountability, justice and our rights upheld”.

He added: “I don’t think that’s too much to ask in a civilized society.”

In September, Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris said, “The Royal Ascent of the Troubles Legacy Bill is a significant milestone as the Government aims to deliver on our promise to deliver better outcomes for those most affected by the Troubles. Going forward”.

He said the bill “offers a real opportunity for more information, accountability and recognition for victims and families, moving away from established mechanisms that leave many empty-handed.”

In September, Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris said, “The Royal Ascent of the Troubles Legacy Bill is a significant milestone as the Government aims to deliver on our promise to deliver better outcomes for those most affected by the Troubles. Going forward”.

He said the bill “offers a real opportunity for more information, accountability and recognition for victims and families, moving away from established mechanisms that leave many empty-handed.”

image caption,

Tánaiste (Irish Deputy Prime Minister) Michael Martin said the decision was made after much thought and careful consideration.

The Act will lead to the establishment of an Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR).

The purpose of this new organization is to help families learn more about the circumstances of how their loved ones were killed or seriously injured.

Self-confessed perpetrators who provide a truthful account of their actions to ICRIR may be exempted from prosecution.

Mr Heaton-Harris said the commission was part of a move to “create a legacy process based on integrity, professionalism and fairness”.

Raymond McCord, a campaigner for the victims of Raymond’s murder by loyalist paramilitaries in 1997, said: “Anyone in Northern Ireland who condemns or criticizes the actions of the Irish Government is no friend of the victims”.

Amnesty International said the Irish government was taking up the case and “doing the right thing” for victims of the Troubles.

Human rights body the Commission on the Administration of Justice (CAJ) said it was a “correct decision and a necessary one”.

‘Double Standards’

Democratic Unionist Party leader Sir Geoffrey Donaldson accused the Irish government of double standards.

“The Irish government has no proposals to deal with legacy issues, no plans to deal with the significant number of murders committed in or under their jurisdiction,” he continued.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou Macdonald welcomed the Irish government’s move, as did Social Democratic and Labor Party leader Colum Eastwood.

Ulster Unionist Party leader Doug Beattie said the Irish government’s decision was “no surprise” and would take the “opposition line of attack off the table” ahead of an election year.

The new coronavirus variant JN.1 is spreading rapidly. Here’s what you need to know.

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World Health Organization on Tuesday declared The coronavirus subtype JN.1 is a variant of interest “because of its rapidly increasing prevalence.”

It was about 3 percent of all coronavirus cases in early November, but 27.1 percent worldwide a month later, WHO said. It is expected that the emergence of JN1 may account for the increase in cases, especially in countries that experience winter.

The WHO designation came later Emergency room visits The Washington Post reported last week that cases of Covid-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus in the US have collectively reached their highest level since February, ahead of the holiday season.

Here’s what you need to know about JN1.

JN.1 originated from variant BA.2.86, a derivative of Omicron, a variant of the coronavirus that wreaked havoc in early 2022. JN.1 has an additional spike protein mutation compared to its parent. It was first announced in August.

But WHO does not expect JN.1 to pose a significant additional public health risk based on the available evidence. The overall risk rating of the variant is “Low”.

“While there is a rapid increase in JN.1 infections, and cases are likely to increase, the limited evidence available does not suggest that the associated disease severity is high,” it said.

What are the symptoms of JN.1?

It is not known whether the symptoms of JN.1 are significantly different from other variants, and there is no indication that it is more severe. According to To the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“The types of symptoms and how severe they are generally depend on a person’s immunity and overall health, rather than which variant is causing the infection,” it said.

Common Covid-19 symptoms include fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle aches, headache, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion, runny nose, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, according to the CDC. .

The CDC recommends getting an updated coronavirus vaccine to increase protection against JN.1. Existing coronavirus tests, treatments and vaccines are expected to work against the variant as well as against others. Vaccines recommended in the US are Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Novavax.

JN.1 is registered in 41 countries. According to the World Health Organization, the countries with the largest proportion of JN.1 cases are France, the United States, Singapore, Canada, the United Kingdom and Sweden.

It first appeared in the United States in September and is the fastest-growing variant in the country, the CDC said on Dec. 8.

What is variance of interest?

The WHO designation “Variants of interest” are used for variants of the coronavirus that grow faster than others and have genetic changes that are predicted or known to affect viral properties. These include Prevalence, malignancy, antibody evasion, sensitivity to treatment regimens and diagnosis.

This designation triggers responsibilities for monitoring and collection and sharing of information on WHO and its Member States.

It is less serious than a “variant of concern,” which is used for strains that are more severe, cause a significant burden on the healthcare system, or for which vaccines are less effective. These have Greek letter names such as delta and omicron.

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NASA streams cat video from deep, deep space

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NASA streams cat video from deep, deep space

On December 11, NASA engineers eagerly gathered at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, to watch a cat video.

To their relief, it was. For the first time, high-definition video — of a lab worker’s cat named Taters — was streamed from a distance of 18.6 million miles, or about 80 times the distance from Earth to the moon, a distance never seen before.

This demonstration was part of NASA Deep Space Optical Communications The experiment was aimed at developing infrastructure for communications beyond Earth orbit. For example, if humans were to go to Mars, there would be a need to transmit large amounts of data over long distances. The demonstration marked another step towards such a possibility.

“It’s about the same capability you’d want if you sent an astronaut to the surface of Mars,” said Dr. Abhijit Biswas, project technologist. “You want to keep in touch with them.”

The demonstration was done with the help of NASA’s Psyche spacecraft, which launched on Oct. DSOC testing uses laser communications, as opposed to traditional radio frequencies, in an effort to transfer large amounts of data over long distances at a faster rate. (Video Daters Chasing a Laser Pointer. In 1928, a statue of the cartoon character Felix the Cat was used for testing. Television transmissions.)

Transmitted data rates of 267 megabits per second are comparable to rates on Earth, which are often between 100 and 300 megabits per second. But Dr Biswas urged caution about the outcome of the demonstration.

“This is the first step,” he said. “There are still significant needs for ground infrastructure and things like that, something that needs to be taken as a proof of concept to make it something functional and reliable.”

Video sent using a Aircraft laser transceiver, one of several pieces of new hardware being used for the first time. The DSOC system consists of three parts: a transceiver installed on the Psych spacecraft and two components on Earth: a ground laser transmitter (about a 90-minute flight from the laboratory) and a ground laser receiver. Palomar Laboratory in Southern California.

“It’s a little mind-blowing that you can finally do it all,” said Dr. Meera Srinivasan, the project’s operations chief.

Dr. Biswas and Dr. Srinivasan, along with other NASA engineers, have been working for decades to develop this technology. The focus was on leveraging optical communications technology already in use in near-Earth orbiting satellites. Initially, before the Psych mission, the signal was so weak that the team hit roadblocks. So NASA developed technologies to extend capabilities. “The new frontier,” said Dr. Biswas.

To start the process for cat video, the ground transmitter first sends out a laser beam. Aiming should be precise. Psyche then locked onto that signal and transmitted the content preloaded by the NASA team back to the receiver. For the transfer to work, it must be done on a cloudless night that will allow for proper visibility.

“There are many small steps,” Dr. Biswas said. “Each one must fall at the right time. That’s the scary part because we’re doing it for the first time. This has never been done before. Oh, we know that’s what happens if you do this. We work our way through all these things. “

He added: “And then when everything works, it seems so easy. Why did we bother in the first place?”

Now, the DSOC project is about to test their limits. By the end of June, NASA engineers expect to be able to send it 10 times farther: 186 million miles.

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