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Thursday, September 1, 2022

Wake-Up Call: U-N Experts To Enter Nuclear Plant

A U.N. team of experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency arrived in the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia yesterday afternoon, some 70 miles from the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, and will stay in the city overnight before trying to enter the plant today. Russian forces have occupied the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant since soon after the invasion, while Ukrainian engineers continue to run it. However, it's been in the middle of fighting, with Russian and Ukrainian forces trading accusations of launching attacks on or near the plant, and there are escalating fears of a possible disaster from a radiation leak or reactor meltdown. The expert team will inspect the plant as it seeks to prevent that from happening. IAEA chief and mission leader Rafael Grossi said he's hoping the agency will be able to have a, quote, "continued presence" at the plant to protect against an accident.

Meanwhile, a new U.S. intelligence finding says Russia is suffering from "severe" manpower shortages in the war, and is trying to boost its forces in part by forcing soldiers wounded earlier in the conflict to return to combat, recruiting from private security companies and even recruiting criminals from prison, AP reported yesterday, citing a U.S. official.

NY Post 9/1/22
➤TRUMP ATTORNEYS RESPOND TO JUSTICE DEPT. FILING: Attorneys for former President Donald Trump responded yesterday evening to a Justice Department filing before a hearing today on Trump's request for a special master to go through material that was taken from his Mar-a-Lago estate in early August when the FBI executed a search warrant seeking to retrieve classified documents. The special master would filter out privileged material that should be kept out of the hands of investigators. Trump's court filing acknowledged that classified material was found at Mar-a-Lago, but contended it should have been expected because they were presidential records, and also charged there was political motivation behind the probe given that Trump may run for president again in 2024. The Justice Department charged in its filing that members of Trump's legal team engaged in "obstructive conduct" by concealing documents at Mar-a-Lago and giving false information to investigators about how many classified documents remained there. Federal prosecutors oppose the special master request, saying it would impede the criminal investigation and the intelligence community's review of any national security risks.

➤19-YEAR-OLD CHARGED IN RANDOM DETROIT SHOOTINGS THAT LEFT THREE DEAD: A 19-year-old man was charged with first-degree murder yesterday in a series of apparently random shootings in Detroit over two hours Sunday morning that left three people dead and a fourth wounded. Police arrested Dontae Ramon Smith at his home some 12 hours after the shootings after getting a tip from someone close to him. A gun was found that matched shell casings from the shootings, according to police. Police Chief James White has said Smith may have a mental illness.


➤ALLEGED SHOOTER OF DUTCH SOLDIERS TOLD FREND HE 'JUST SPAZZED': The 22-year-old man who's accused of shooting three Dutch soldiers in Indianapolis early Saturday morning, killing one of them, told a friend he opened fire because he, quote, "just spazzed," according to an arrest affidavit, the Indianapolis Star reported Wednesday. The affidavit says the unidentified friend told police someone from another group, presumably the soldiers, brushed up against his group, which included accused shooter Shamar Duncan, which led to pushing and shoving. He said someone from his group ended up on the ground and they ran back to their vehicle. He said one of his friends left their phone behind, so he stopped the vehicle and then heard gunshots fired by Duncan. The man said he yelled at Duncan, who told him, "I just spazzed." But an unnamed witness told police Duncan and his two friends were "looking for trouble," and picked a fight with the soldiers, who were in the U.S. for training exercises in Indiana and were walking back to their hotel from a club. Duncan is facing a preliminary charge of murder.

➤FDA APPROVES UPDATED COVID BOOSTERS TARGETING OMICRON VARIANTS: The Food and Drug Administration yesterday approved new Covid-19 boosters from Pfizer and Moderna that target the omicron variants that are the most widespread version of Covid currently. The approval comes amid hope of trying to tamp down another winter Covid surge, with FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf saying, "These updated boosters present us with an opportunity to get ahead" of the next Covid wave. The new combination booster contain half of the original Covid vaccine and half that protects against the omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subariants. The new boosters are only for people who already had their primary vaccinations using the original vaccines. Pfizer's will be for anyone age 12 and older, while Moderna's is for adults.

NY Post 9/1/22
➤PELTOLA BEATS PALIN, OTHERS TO WIN ALASKA U.S. HOUSE SPECIAL ELECTION: Sarah Palin's political comeback attempt fell short yesterday when Democrat Mary Peltola beat a field that included the former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee to win a special election for Alaska's only House seat. Peltola, who is Yup'ik and will be the first Alaska Native to serve in the House, will serve the remaining months of late Republican Rep. Don Young’s term. Peltola's victory came in Alaska's first statewide ranked choice election and Palin blasted the new voting system after Peltola was declared the winner, calling it "crazy, convoluted, confusing." The seat will be up again in the November general election, and Peltola and Palin will again be running for the seat, as will be Nick Begich, the other main Republican in the special election.

➤U.S. LIFE EXPECTANCY FELL FOR SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR: U.S. life expectancy fell for a second year in a row in 2021, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report out yesterday, which found it declined by nearly a year from 2020. Overall, U.S. life expectancy has fallen by nearly three years in the first two years of the Covid-19 pandemic. The last time there were two consecutive years of declining life expectancy in the U.S. was in the early 1960s, and there hasn't been a comparable decline since the height of World War Two in the early 1940s. The CDC said Covid was responsible for about half of 2021's decline, with other contributors including drug overdoses, heart disease, suicide and chronic liver disease. Life expectancy in 2021 was 76 years, 1 month, the lowest since 1996, down from 77 years in 2020 and 78 years, 10 months in 2019.


💻STUDY..BLUE LIGHT FROM YOUR PHONE MIGHT AGE YOU FASTER: Scientists at Oregon State University have found that blue light could contribute to aging. Blue light is emitted by cell phones, computers, and televisions.  The study used fruit flies and exposed them to blue light for 14 days. After the exposure, they showed signs of aging. "Our study suggests that avoidance of excessive blue light exposure may be a good anti-aging strategy," Doctor Jadwiga Giebultowicz said.  Previous studies have shown a connection between screen time and obesity and mental health problems. Blue light may also cause eye strain and make it harder to sleep.

➤BED BATH & BEYOND, SNAP ANNOUNCE 20 PERCENT LAYOFFS, OTHER RESTRUCTURING: Retailer Bed Bath & Beyond and Snapchat parent company Snap both announced 20 percent layoffs yesterday as well as other restructuring news. In addition to the layoffs, Bed Bath & Beyond said it will close 150 of its 900 stores, and that it's ending its strategy of focusing on private-label brands instead of national brands. On top of its layoffs, Snap said it will discontinue at least six products, includng the apps Zenly and Voisey, which were designed to compete with Instagram and TikTok.


🎾SERENA WILLIAMS BEATS SECOND-SEEDED KONTAVEIT: Serena Williams' U.S. Open run in what is expected to be the final tournament of her career will continue, after she upset Number 2 seed Anett Kontaveit 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-2 in the second round last night (August 31st) before an adoring crowd. The 40-year-old Williams said after the match, "There’s still a little left in me. . . . I love a challenge and I’m rising to the challenge." Her third-round match will be Friday against unseeded Ajla Tomljanović. Williams is also playing doubles with her sister, Venus Williams, with their first-round match tonight.
 
In other second-round results yesterday, top-seeded defending men's champion Daniil Medvedev won in straight sets, and third-seeded Maria Sakkari of Greece was upset by unseeded Wang Xiyu of China, who made it past the second round of a major for the first time. Americans Coco Gauff and Madison Keys advanced and will face each other in the third round.

⚾WHITE SOX MANAGER LA RUSSIA OUT INDEFINITELY WITH HEALTH ISSUE: White Sox manager Tony La Russa is out indefinitely due to an unspecified health issue, after it was announced shortly before Tuesday's night game against the Kansas City Royals that he would be missing it on his doctors' recommendation. The team said Wednesday the 77-year-old Hall of Famer is scheduled to undergo additional testing in the coming days. Bench coach Miguel Cairo will continue to serve as acting manager. He said yesterday, "I'm going to be calling him whenever I can. I’m going to text or call and see how he’s doing. But he will be back."

⚾ORIOLES' HENDERSON HOMERS IN MAJOR LEAGUE DEBUT: Baltimore Orioles top prospect Gunnar Henderson homered in his major league debut last night  after being called up from Triple-A earlier in the day. Henderson hit a 429-foot homer to lead off the fourth inning for his first major league hit in the Orioles' 4-0 win over the Cleveland Guardians. The 21-year-old also singled in the ninth inning, going 2 for 4.

 
⚾RAYS PUT ACE MCCLANAHAN ON 15-DAY INJURED LIST: The Tampa Bay Rays put ace Shane McClanahan on the 15-day injured list yesterday due to left shoulder impingement, after his start the night before was scratched because of the injury. Rays manager Kevin Cash said imaging on his shoulder showed a, quote, "best-case scenario" and he optimistic the pitcher won't be out for an extended time. McClanahan has been one of MLB's top pitchers this season and started the All-Star Game.

⚾YANKEES BUY MINORTY STAKE IN ITALIAN SOCCER TEAM AC MILAN: The New York Yankees have bought a minority stake in Italian soccer champion team AC Milan, which announced the closing of its ownership change Wednesday . Red Bird Capital Partners bought a controlling interest in the seven-time European champion for $1.2 billion, and Yankees Global Enterprises, the MLB team’s parent company, will take a stake of about 10 percent, AP reported. The Yankees also partially own another soccer team, Major League Soccer's New York City team.

➤QUIET HURRICANE SEASON SO FAR DESPITE ABOVE NORMAL FORECASTS: It's been a very quiet Atlantic hurricane season so far despite experts' forecasts having warned that it would be an above normal season and nearly all the factors being present for a busy season. There hasn't been a named storm in nearly two months, with it the first time since 1941 that the Atlantic has gone from July 3rd to the end of August without a named storm, and since 1950, only two years, 1997 and 1961, didn't have any named storms in August. But the season has a ways to go, with hurricane season peaking around September 10th, and going through November 30th, and the National Hurricane Center is watching three thunderstorm systems, giving each at least a 50 percent chance of becoming a named tropical storm.



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