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Monday, October 18, 2021

Wake-Up Call: Missionaries Abducted In Haiti

Daily Mail graphic 10/18/21

The FBI, the State Department, and Haitian officials all are working to secure the release of a group of missionaries, most of them Americans, who were abducted in Haiti on Saturday and taken to an unknown location. A gang of criminals abducted the 12 missionaries and five children who were in the island nation to visit an orphanage. Two Haitians who were with the party also were taken. The missionaries are associated with the Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries. Haiti has been in turmoil since a devastating earthquake on August 14th and kidnappings with ransom demands have been common.

DEADLY SHOOTING ON LOUISIANA CAMPUS: One person was killed and seven more were injured in a campus shooting at Louisiana's Grambling State University. Shots were fired early Sunday near a dining hall where a homecoming event was underway, according to a report from Shreveport station KSLA News. Only one of the injured was a student. A suspect was still being sought last night. It was the second deadly shooting on the campus.

FORMER PRESIDENT LEAVES HOSPITAL: Former President Bill Clinton has been released from a California hospital after several days of treatment for an infection. Now 75, he was headed home to New York to finish a round of antibiotics.


➤LUCY'S IN THE SKY: NASA's rocket ship Lucy was launched Saturday from Cape Canaveral, Florida. It's the start of a very long journey. Lucy is expected to spend the next 12 years visiting eight asteroids that share an orbit with Jupiter. The mission is expected to produce clues about the formation of our solar system.

➤THE SHOW GOES ON: The union that represents Hollywood workers including mechanics, wardrobe professionals and make-up artists reached a deal with the studios just hours before a threatened strike would have shut down production. The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees reportedly got better working conditions and benefits for their members in the deal.

 
➤SUPPLY CHAIN WOES: Our nation is suffering from a breakdown in the supply chain, as you may have heard. Ships are lined up at ports waiting to be unloaded, and there are too few truckers to take them on to their destinations. So, our supermarket shelves are short of a strange selection of products. Some of the scarcity is due to packaging shortages, not food shortages. Like, Marie Callender's pot pies may be hard to get because they can't get enough of those little trays and cartons to pack them in. Other products that might be hard to find include Rice Krispies Treats, McCormick Gourmet spices, Sour Patch Kids candy, and some flavors of Ben & Jerry Ice Cream flavors (but not Pfish food, USAToday assures us).

➤EXPERTS..EATING PUMPKIN MAY HELP YOU LOOK YOUNGER AND LOSE WEIGHT:  It turns out pumpkins are quite nutritious. Registered dietitian Christie Gagnon says the orange fruit is “packed full of vitamin A,” which is a nutrient that can “lower the risk of developing cataracts, a common cause of blindness.” Vitamin A also “plays an important role in forming and maintaining soft and skeletal muscle tissue, bone and mucus membranes.” Pumpkins are also a good source of vitamin C, which is a nutrient that has long been associated with boosting immunity, and is a good source of potassium, which helps to contract muscles, among other things. In addition, consuming pumpkin could help you lose some weight as it’s largely made up of water, is high in fiber, and as a bonus pumpkins are packed with antioxidants.

➤USPS, FEDEX, AND UPS ANNOUNCE FINAL DATES FOR SHIPPING CHRISTMAS: It’s not even Halloween yet, but you might want to start thinking about any holidays gifts you might want to send to loved ones. The U.S. Postal Service, FedEx, and UPS have released the final dates for shipping Christmas gifts. According to the Postal Service, if customers want their packages to get there on time and wish to send their packages through retail ground, they must mail them by December 15th. First class packages must be shipped by December 17th, and customers must send priority mail by December 18th. Overall, The Postal Service recommends consumers mail gifts before December 6th, as that’s the date when customer traffic increases significantly. FedEx has similar guidelines: home delivery and ground packages must be shipped by December 15th; FedEx Express Saver and 3Day Freight have limited flexibility but must be sent by December 21st. FedEx 2Day packages must be sent by December 22nd. UPS for 3-day select shipping you must mail stuff by December 21st, 2-day air must be sent by December 22nd, and next-day air must be sent by December 23rd. All domestic and ground-based shipping through UPS will depend on the region but will average between one and five days. Have you started your Christmas shopping yet?


GRAND SLAM TIMES TWO: The Boston Red Sox hit two grand slams in the first two innings off two Houston Astros pitchers in Saturday's game against the Houston Astros. That's one for the record books: It's the first time multiple grand slams have been achieved during a single game in Major League Baseball postseason history. The Red Sox won 9 to 5.


🎾NEWCOMERS SHINE AT INDIAN WELLS: Some tennis superstars stayed away from the COVID-19-delayed BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. But that just gave some relative newcomers a chance to shine. Cameron Norrie of Great Britain defeated Nikoloz Basilashvili 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 yesterday. And, in her Indian Wells debut, Paula Badosa of Spain defeated Victoria Azarenka 7-6 (5), 2-6, 7-6 (2). Their victories earned them each $1.2 million.


🏈TENNESSEE FANS BEHAVING BADLY: A Saturday night college game between the Ole Miss Rebels and the Tennessee Volunteers had to be delayed for 20 minutes after Tennessee fans bombarded the field with beer cans, water bottles, pizza boxes and other miscellaneous debris. Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey called the fans' behavior "unacceptable" and said Conference policies will be reviewed. The Rebels won the game 31-26.

🏌RORY McILLROY TAKES CJ CUP: Rory McIllroy took the CJ Cup at The Summit yesterday. He fended off Collin Morikawa and Rickie Fowler to achieve his 20th win on the PGA Tour.

🏈JAGUARS WIN ONE: The Jacksonville Jaguars ended their 20-game losing streak yesterday, beating the Miami Dolphins 23 to 20 in London. It was the first NFL coaching victory for Urban Meyer, and a first NFL win for quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

🏈NFL SCORES – WEEK 5:
  • Jacksonville Jaguars 23, Miami Dolphins 20
  • Kansas City Chiefs 31, Washington Football Team 13
  • Los Angeles Rams 38, New York Giants 11
  • Indianapolis Colts 31, Houston Texans 3
  • Cincinnati Bengals 34, Detroit Lions 11
  • Green Bay Packers 24, Chicago Bears 14
  • Baltimore Ravens 34, Los Angeles Chargers 6
  • Minnesota Vikings 34, Carolina Panthers 28
  • Arizona Cardinals 37, Cleveland Browns 14
  • Las Vegas Raiders 34, Denver Broncos 24
  • Dallas Cowboys 35, New England Patriots 29
  • Pittsburgh Steelers 23, Seattle Seahawks 20
Monday Night Football game on ESPN:  Buffalo Bills at Tennessee Titans at 8:15 pm ET

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