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Argentine StandingsThere seems to be a recurring curse when it comes to adapting James Patterson's best-selling Alex Cross novels for the screen. Those who grew up in the 90s may remember crime thrillers Kiss The Girls (1997) and Along Came A Spider (2001), starring Morgan Freeman as the titular forensic psychologist and detective. Despite box office successes, these films received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics. The 2012 reboot, Alex Cross, starring Tyler Perry, fared even worse. Panned by critics and ultimately a box office bomb, it led to the cancellation of a planned sequel. Now, Prime Video has taken a fresh stab at the franchise with Cross, an eight-episode series that aims to breathe new life into Alex Cross's story. Starring Aldis Hodge as the brilliant but troubled detective, the series chronicles his pursuit of some of America's most dangerous killers. While Cross begins on shaky ground, it eventually finds its footing, proving to be a mixed yet fair engaging effort. The series introduces us to Alex Cross at a difficult juncture in his life. Haunted by the tragic death of his wife, Maria (Chaunteé Schuler Irving), and struggling to balance his career with his responsibilities as a father, Cross's personal and professional worlds are in turmoil. Teaming up with his loyal yet hot-headed best friend, John Sampson (Isaiah Mustafa), he embarks on a mission to capture a sadistic serial killer. Along the way, buried secrets from his past resurface, threatening to unravel the life he's painstakingly rebuilt. Hodge is the heart and soul of the series, delivering a standout performance that elevates the material. His portrayal of Alex Cross captures the character's emotional complexity -- confident and methodical in his work, yet deeply vulnerable beneath his hardened exterior. Hodge's nuanced approach makes Cross a compelling figure, even when the narrative surrounding him falters. Prime Video Unfortunately, much of the supporting cast is saddled with clichéd archetypes. John Sampson is the loyal sidekick with a short fuse. The show features an outspoken female detective, a quirky comic-relief character, and a crooked superior seemingly out for personal gain. While the actors do their best, these roles feel underdeveloped and overly familiar. The story picks up a year after Maria's death, and the stakes are personal from the outset. When a menacing figure begins taunting Alex at his home, his grief and anger are brought to the forefront. Meanwhile, the central mystery -- a chilling serial killer case -- unfolds across the eight episodes. However, the series struggles with pacing, particularly in its early episodes. The first half (episodes one through four) feel scattered, with too many plots competing for attention. I found myself losing hope during this stretch, but a pivotal moment in episode four reeled me back in, reigniting my interest and carrying me through to the finale. While I haven't read the books, I can confidently say that the show's greatest strength lies in Hodge's performance. He breathes life into Alex, giving the character a depth that anchors the series. However, the antagonist is a significant weak point. They're a one-dimensional sociopath with a grandiose, cartoonish personality and no meaningful motivation beyond a desire for infamy. While a black-and-white portrayal of evil can work in certain contexts, this series, with its cat-and-mouse thriller structure, had ample opportunity to explore shades of gray. Unfortunately, it misses the chance to delve into the psychological parallels between Alex and his adversary, opting instead for a more simplistic approach. With episodes ranging from 45 minutes to an hour, there was plenty of room for meaningful storytelling, but the writing doesn't fully capitalise on this potential. Some episodes hint at the show finding its rhythm, only to revert to uneven pacing and underwhelming resolutions. A tighter narrative with a clearer focus on one central storyline could have significantly elevated the series. On a brighter note, Cross boasts strong production. Its modern aesthetic, engaging tone, and dynamic soundtrack inject a sense of freshness into the adaptation. The visuals and music work well to create a distinctive atmosphere, and there are moments that genuinely resonate emotionally. However, these high points are sporadic, leaving the overall experience feeling inconsistent. So, who is Cross for? If you're a longtime fan of the novels and eager to see another live-action take on the character, this series might scratch that itch. For newcomers, it's an easy watch -- something you can enjoy without requiring intense focus. However, if you're looking for a deeply cerebral, edge-of-your-seat detective drama, Cross may not be the right fit. It's more of a popcorn crime thriller than a gripping masterpiece. In the end, Cross is unfortunately another mixed bag added to the franchise -- one that shows glimmers of potential but doesn't quite stick the landing. While Hodge's impressive performance is reason enough to give it a shot, the show ultimately falls short of transcending the "curse" of its predecessors. Cross Starring Aldis Hodge, Isaiah Mustafa, Juanita Jennings Created by Ben Watkins Now streaming on Prime Video
Holiday stress can lead Alzheimer’s patients and those with dementia to go missingIt’s axiomatic that the Universe is expanding. However, the rate of expansion hasn’t remained the same. It appears that the Universe is expanding more quickly now than it did in the past. Astronomers have struggled to understand this and have wondered if the apparent acceleration is due to instrument errors. The JWST has put that question to rest. American astronomer Edwin Hubble is widely credited with discovering the expansion of the Universe. But it actually stemmed from relativity equations and was pioneered by Russian scientist Alexander Freedman. Hubble’s Law bears Edwin’s name, though, and he was the one who confirmed the expansion, called Hubble’s constant, and put a more precise value to it. It measures how rapidly galaxies that aren’t gravitationally bound are moving away from one another. The movement of objects due solely to the Hubble constant is called the Hubble flow. Measuring the Hubble constant means measuring distances to far-flung objects. Astronomers use the cosmic distance ladder (CDL) to do that. However, the ladder has a problem. The first rungs on the CDL are fundamental measurements that can be observed directly. Parallax measurement is the most important fundamental measurement. But the method breaks down at great distances. Beyond that, astronomers use standard candles, things with known intrinsic brightness, like supernovae and Cepheid variables. Those objects and their relationships help astronomers measure distances to other galaxies. This has been tricky to measure, though advancing technology has made progress. Another pair of problems plagues the effort, though. The first is that different telescopes and methods produce different distance measurements. The second is that our measurements of distances and expansion don’t match up with the Standard Model of Cosmology, also known as the Lambda Cold Dark Matter (LCDM) model. That discrepancy is called the Hubble tension. The question is, can the mismatch between the measurements and the LCDM be explained by instrument differences? That possibility has to be eliminated, and the trick is to take one large set of distance measurements from one telescope and compare them to another. New research in The Astrophysical Journal tackles the problem by comparing Hubble Space Telescope measurements with JWST measurements. It’s titled “ JWST Validates HST Distance Measurements: Selection of Supernova Subsample Explains Differences in JWST Estimates of Local H 0 . ” The lead author is Adam Riess, a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor and Thomas J. Barber Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Johns Hopkins University. Riess is also a Nobel laureate, winning the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics “for the discovery of the accelerating expansion of the Universe through observations of distant supernovae,” according to the Nobel Institute. As of 2022, the Hubble Space Telescope gathered the most numerous sample of homogeneously measured standard candles. It measured a large number of standard candles out to about 40 Mpc or about 130 million light-years. “As of 2022, the largest collection of homogeneously measured SNe Ia is complete to D less than or equal to 40 Mpc or redshift z less than or equal to 0.01,” the authors of the research write. “It consists of 42 SNe Ia in 37 host galaxies calibrated with observations of Cepheids with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), the heritage of more than 1000 orbits (a comparable number of hours) invested over the last ~20 yrs.” In this research, the astronomers used the powerful JWST to cross-check the Hubble’s work. “We cross-check the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Cepheid/Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) distance ladder, which yields the most precise local H 0 (Hubble flow), against early James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) subsamples (~1/4 of the HST sample) from SH0ES and CCHP, calibrated only with NGC 4258,” the authors write. SH0ES and CCHP are different observing efforts aimed at measuring the Hubble constant. SH0ES stands for Supernova H0 for the Equation of State of Dark Energy, and CCHP stands for Chicago-Carnegie Hubble Program, which uses the JWST to measure the Hubble constant. “JWST has certain distinct advantages (and some disadvantages) compared to HST for measuring distances to nearby galaxies,” Riess and his co-authors write. It offers a 2.5 times higher near-infrared resolution than the HST. Despite some of its disadvantages, the JWST “is able to provide a strong cross-check of distances in the first two rungs,” the authors explain. Observations from both telescopes are closely aligned, which basically minimizes instrument error as the cause of the discrepancy between observations and the Lambda CDM model. “While it will still take multiple years for the JWST sample of SN hosts to be as large as the HST sample, we show that the current JWST measurements have already ruled out systematic biases from the first rungs of the distance ladder at a much smaller level than the Hubble tension,” the authors write. This research covered about one-third of the Hubble’s data set, with the known distance to a galaxy called NGC 4258 serving as a reference point. Even though the data set was small, Riess and his co-researchers achieved impressively precise results. They showed that the measurement differences were less than 2%. That’s much less than the 8% to 9% in the Hubble tension discrepancy. That means that our Lamda CDM model is missing something. The standard model yields an expansion rate of about 67 to 68 kilometres per second per megaparsec. Telescope observations yield a slightly higher rate: between 70 and 76 kilometres per second per megaparsec. This work shows that the discrepancy can’t be due to the different telescopes and methods. “The discrepancy between the observed expansion rate of the universe and the predictions of the standard model suggests that our understanding of the universe may be incomplete. With two NASA flagship telescopes now confirming each other’s findings, we must take this [Hubble tension] problem very seriously—it’s a challenge but also an incredible opportunity to learn more about our universe,” said lead author Riess. What could be missing from the Lambda CDM model? Marc Kamionkowski is a Johns Hopkins cosmologist who helped calculate the Hubble constant and recently developed a possible new explanation for the tension. Though not part of this research, he commented on it in a press release. “One possible explanation for the Hubble tension would be if there was something missing in our understanding of the early universe, such as a new component of matter—early dark energy—that gave the universe an unexpected kick after the big bang,” said Kamionkowski. “And there are other ideas, like funny dark matter properties, exotic particles, changing electron mass, or primordial magnetic fields that may do the trick. Theorists have license to get pretty creative.” The door is open, theorists just have to walk in.
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Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin has a broken left fibula and is expected to miss 4 to 6 weeksWINNIPEG, MB / ACCESSWIRE / November 25, 2024 / Medicure Inc. ("Medicure" or the "Company") (TSXV:MPH)(OTC PINK:MCUJF), a company focused on the development and commercialization of pharmaceuticals and healthcare products for patients and prescribers in the United States market, today reported its results from operations for the quarter ended September 30, 2024. Quarter Ended September 30, 2024 Highlights: Recorded total net revenue of $5.2 million during the quarter ended September 30, 2024 compared to $5.0 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2023 and; Recorded total net revenue from the sale of AGGRASTAT® of $1.9 million during the quarter ended September 30, 2024 compared to $2.4 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2023 and; Recorded total net revenue from the Marley Drug business of $2.7 million ($815,000 from sales of ZYPITAMAG®, and $1.9 million from other pharmacy revenue) during the quarter ended September 30, 2024 compared to $2.2 million ($670,000 from sales of ZYPITAMAGand $1.5 million from other pharmacy revenue) for the quarter ended September 30, 2023 and; Recorded total net revenue from the sale of ZYPITAMAG of $1.4 million ($553,000 through insured business, and $815,000 through Marley Drug) during the quarter ended September 30, 2024 compared to $1.1 million ($398,000 through insured business and $670,000 through Marley Drug) for the quarter ended September 30, 2023 and; Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA1) for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 was negative $467,000 compared to adjusted EBITDA of $429,000 for the quarter ended September 30, 2023 and; Net Income for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 was $680,000 or $0.07 per share compared to net income of $84,000 or $0.01 per share for the quarter ended September 30, 2023. Financial Results The decrease in AGGRASTAT revenues when compared to the same period in the previous year, as described above, is the result of an increase in pricing competition from generic tirofiban hydrochloride in 2024 when compared to 2023. However, the number of hospital customers using AGGRASTAT continues to remain strong and the Company continues to work on maintaining its customer base and recovering any lost business. The Marley Drug business contributed $2.7 million of revenue for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 compared to $2.2 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2023. Marley Drug is a US pharmacy licensed to ship medications to all 50 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. The pharmacy business has undergone a change in its product focus mix since the prior year towards fulfillment partnerships, its e-commerce platform, and increased sales of ZYPITAMAG. ZYPITAMAG through insured channels contributed $553,000 of revenue for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 compared to $398,000 through insured channels for the quarter ended September 30, 2023. The increase in revenues in 2024 is due to increased volume of sales to drug wholesalers. Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 was negative $467,000 compared to $429,000 for the quarter ended September 30, 2023. Decreased adjusted EBITDA for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 resulted from higher Marley Drug cost of goods, lower AGGRASTAT revenue, as well as higher research and development expenses and general and administrative expenses, offset by a decrease in selling expenses and higher ZYPITAMAG sales through both the traditional insured channel and the Marley Drug pharmacy business. Net income for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 was $680,000 or $0.07 per share compared to net income of $84,000 or $0.01 per share for the quarter ended September 30, 2023. The main factors contributing to the increase in net income recorded for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 were an increase in other income, a decrease in selling expenses and higher ZYPITAMAG sales through both the traditional insured channel and the Marley Drug pharmacy business, offset by higher Marley Drug cost of goods, lower AGGRASTAT revenue, as well as higher research and development expenses and general and administrative expenses. At September 30, 2024, the Company had unrestricted cash totaling $4.9 million, a decrease from $6.4 million of unrestricted cash held as of December 31, 2023. Cash flows used in operating activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 was $932,000 compared to cash from operating activities of $1.2 million for the period ended September 30, 2023. All amounts referenced herein are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted. The full financial statements are available at www.sedar.com and on the Company's website at www.medicure.com . Notes The Company defines EBITDA as "earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization" and Adjusted EBITDA as "EBITDA adjusted for non cash and non-recurring items". The terms "EBITDA" and "Adjusted EBITDA", as it relates to the three month period ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 results prepared using IFRS, do not have any standardized meaning according to IFRS. Conference Call Info: Topic: Medicure's Q3 2024 Results Call date: Tuesday, November 26, 2024 Time: 7:30 AM Central Time (8:30 AM Eastern Time) Toll Free: 1 (888) 506-0062 International: 1 (973) 528-0011 Participant Access Code: 769525 Webcast: This conference call will be webcast live over the internet at the following link: https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/2965/51688 You may request international country-specific access information by e-mailing the Company in advance. Management will accept and answer questions related to the financial results and operations during the question-and-answer period at the end of the conference call. A recording of the call will be available following the event at the Company's website. About Medicure Inc. Medicure is a company focused on the development and commercialization of pharmaceuticals and healthcare products for patients and prescribers in the United States market. The present focus of the Company is the marketing and distribution of AGGRASTAT® (tirofiban hydrochloride) injection and ZYPITAMAG® (pitavastatin) tablets in the United States, where they are sold through the Company's U.S. subsidiary, Medicure Pharma Inc. Medicure also operates Marley Drug Inc. ("Marley Drug"), a pharmacy subsidiary servicing all 50 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. Marley Drug® is committed to improving access to medications for all Americans together with exceptional customer service and free home delivery. For more information visit www.marleydrug.com . For more information about Medicure please visit www.medicure.com . For additional information about AGGRASTAT®, please visit www.aggrastat.com or refer to the full Prescribing Information . For additional information about ZYPITAMAG®, please visit www.zypitamag.com or refer to the full Prescribing Information. To be added to Medicure's e-mail list, please visit: http://medicure.mediaroom.com/alerts Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward Looking Information: Statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements containing the words "believes", "may", "plans", "will", "estimates", "continues", "anticipates", "intends", "expects" and similar expressions, may constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. federal securities laws (such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are hereinafter collectively referred to as "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements, include estimates, analysis and opinions of management of the Company made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors which the Company believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances. Inherent in forward-looking statements are known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors beyond the Company's ability to predict or control that may cause the actual results, events or developments to be materially different from any future results, events or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, and as such, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Such risk factors include, among others, the Company's future product revenues, expected results, including future revenue from P5P, the likelihood of receiving a priority review voucher from the United State Food and Drug Administration, expected future growth in revenues, stage of development, additional capital requirements, risks associated with the completion and timing of clinical trials and obtaining regulatory approval to market the Company's products, the ability to protect its intellectual property, dependence upon collaborative partners, changes in government regulation or regulatory approval processes, and rapid technological change in the industry. Such statements are based on a number of assumptions which may prove to be incorrect, including, but not limited to, assumptions about: general business and economic conditions; the impact of changes in Canadian-US dollar and other foreign exchange rates on the Company's revenues, costs and results; the timing of the receipt of regulatory and governmental approvals for the Company's research and development projects; the availability of financing for the Company's commercial operations and/or research and development projects, or the availability of financing on reasonable terms; results of current and future clinical trials; the uncertainties associated with the acceptance and demand for new products and market competition. The foregoing list of important factors and assumptions is not exhaustive. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements or the foregoing list of factors, other than as may be required by applicable legislation. Additional discussion regarding the risks and uncertainties relating to the Company and its business can be found in the Company's other filings with the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities or the US Securities and Exchange Commission, and in the "Risk Factors" section of its current Form 20F. AGGRASTAT® (tirofiban hydrochloride) injection, ZYPITAMAG® (pitavastatin) tablets, and Marley Drug® are registered trademarks. For more information, please contact: Dr. Albert D. Friesen Chief Executive Officer Tel. 888-435-2220 Fax 204-488-9823 E-mail: info@medicure.com www.medicure.com Consolidated Statements of Financial Position (expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars, except per share amounts) September 30, 2024 December 31, 2023 Assets Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 4,896 $ 6,369 Accounts receivable 6,609 4,794 Inventories 3,134 2,900 Prepaid expenses 1,511 1,143 Total current assets 16,150 15,206 Non-current assets: Property and equipment 1,038 736 Intangible assets 8,066 8,940 Goodwill 3,166 3,102 Other assets 77 75 Total non-current assets 12,347 12,853 Total assets $ 28,497 $ 28,059 Liabilities and Equity Current liabilities: Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ 7,567 $ 7,603 Income taxes payable 16 16 Current portion of lease obligations 374 315 Total current liabilities 7,957 7,934 Non-current liabilities Lease obligations 556 229 Total non-current liabilities 556 229 Total liabilities 8,513 8,163 Equity: Share capital 81,014 81,014 Contributed surplus 10,867 10,723 Accumulated other comprehensive loss (5,559 ) (5,989 ) Deficit (66,338 ) (65,852 ) Total equity 19,984 19,896 Total liabilities and equity $ 28,497 $ 28,059 Consolidated Statements of Net Income (Loss) and Comprehensive Income (Loss) (expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars, except per share amounts) Three months ended September 30, 2024 Three months ended September 30, 2023 Nine months ended September 30, 2024 Nine months ended September 30, 2023 Revenue, net $ 5,153 $ 5,002 $ 16,012 $ 16,623 Cost of goods sold 2,354 1,362 6,364 4,999 Gross profit 2,799 3,640 9,648 11,624 Expenses Selling 1,970 2,017 5,783 6,123 General and administrative 1,191 1,024 3,763 3,055 Research and development 795 508 2,339 1,703 3,956 3,549 11,885 10,881 Other Income Legal settlement (1,860 ) - (1,860 ) - (1,860 ) - (1,860 ) - Finance (income) costs: Finance income, net (18 ) (3 ) (105 ) (20 ) Foreign exchange loss, net 46 17 78 71 28 14 (27 ) 51 Net income (loss) before income taxes $ 675 $ 77 $ (350 ) $ 692 Income tax (recovery) expense Current (5 ) (7 ) 136 66 Net income (loss) $ 680 $ 84 $ (486 ) $ 626 Other comprehensive income: Item that may be reclassified to profit or loss Exchange differences on translation of foreign subsidiaries (281 ) 455 430 (33 ) Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax (281 ) 455 430 (33 ) Comprehensive income (loss) $ 399 $ 539 $ (56 ) $ 593 Earnings per share Basic $ 0.07 $ 0.01 $ (0.05 ) $ 0.06 Diluted $ 0.07 $ 0.01 $ (0.05 ) $ 0.05 Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars, except per share amounts) For the nine months ended September 30 2024 2023 Cash (used in) provided by: Operating activities: Net income (loss) for the period $ (486 ) $ 626 Adjustments for: Other income (1,860 ) Recovery of royalties - (234 ) Amortization of property, plant and equipment 323 319 Amortization of intangible assets 1,358 1,298 Share-based compensation 144 212 Inventory recovery, net (203 ) - Finance income, net (105 ) 11 Unrealized foreign exchange (gain) loss 78 71 Income tax expense 136 66 Change in the following: Accounts receivable 167 86 Inventories 28 (178 ) Prepaid expenses (346 ) 334 Accounts payable and accrued liabilities (158 ) (1,108 ) Interest received, net 121 31 Income taxes paid (129 ) (78 ) Royalties paid - (304 ) Cash flows (used in) from operating activities (932 ) 1,152 Investing activities: Acquisition of intangible assets (291 ) (142 ) Cash flows used in investing activities (291 ) (142 ) Financing activities: Repayment of lease liability (250 ) (225 ) Cash flows used in financing activities (250 ) (225 ) Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents (1,473 ) 785 Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 6,369 4,857 Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 4,896 $ 5,642 SOURCE: Medicure, Inc. View the original on accesswire.comBreakfast scheme for govt school children takes off in Kodangal
Legal affairs: Mountain West seeks to dismiss Pac-12 lawsuit over $55 million poaching penaltyMatt Gaetz says he won't return to Congress next year after withdrawing name for attorney general WASHINGTON (AP) — Matt Gaetz is not coming back to Congress. The Florida Republican said Friday he has no intention of serving another term in the House now that he is no longer President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general. Gaetz withdrew as the nominee this week amid growing fallout from the allegations of sexual conduct against him. Gaetz denies the allegations. Gaetz didn't lay out his plans now that he's out of office, saying only, “I’m still going to be in the fight, but it’s going to be from a new perch." After Gaetz's withdrawal on Thursday, Trump named former Florida attorney general Pam Bondi to lead the Justice Department. Vance takes on a more visible transition role, working to boost Trump's most contentious picks WASHINGTON (AP) — After several weeks working behind closed doors, Vice President-elect JD Vance returned to Capitol Hill this week in a new, more visible role. He's been helping Donald Trump’s most contentious Cabinet picks try to win confirmation in the Senate, where he has served for the last two years. Vance spent part of Wednesday at the Capitol with Rep. Matt Gaetz sitting in on meetings with Trump’s controversial choice for attorney general. On Thursday, Vance was back, this time accompanying Pete Hegseth. Vance is expected to accompany other nominees for meetings over the coming weeks as he tries to leverage the two years he has spent in the Senate to help push through Trump’s picks. Beyond evangelicals, Trump and his allies courted smaller faith groups, from the Amish to Chabad Donald Trump’s lock on the white evangelical vote is legendary, but he didn't focus exclusively on large religious voter blocs. He and his allies also wooed smaller religious groups, away from the mainstream. He posted a tribute to Coptic church members on social media and met with members of Assyrians for Trump — two smaller Christian communities with Middle Eastern roots. He visited the grave of the revered late leader of an Orthodox Jewish movement. His allies sought votes from the separatist Amish community. While Trump won decisively, the outreaches reflected aggressive campaigning in what was expected to be a tight race. NATO and Ukraine to hold emergency talks after Russia's attack with new hypersonic missile KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — NATO and Ukraine will hold emergency talks Tuesday after Russia attacked a central city with a hypersonic ballistic missile that escalated the nearly 33-month-old war. Ukraine's parliament canceled a session Friday over the security threat. In a stark warning to the West, President Vladimir Putin said in a nationally televised speech Thursday that the attack with the intermediate-range Oreshnik missile was retaliation for Kyiv’s use of U.S. and British longer-range missiles capable of striking deeper into Russian territory. Putin said Russia is launching production of the Oreshnik, saying it's so powerful that several of them fitted with conventional warheads could be as devastating as a strike with strategic — or nuclear — weapons. Texas education board approves optional Bible-infused curriculum for elementary schools AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas’ education board has voted to allow Bible-infused teachings in elementary schools. The approval Friday follows other Republican-led states that have pushed this year to give religion a larger presence in public classrooms. The curriculum adopted by the Texas State Board of Education is optional for schools to adopt, but they’ll receive additional funding if they do so. Parents and teachers who opposed the curriculum say the lessons will alienate students of other faith backgrounds. Supporters argue the Bible is a core feature of American history and that teaching it will enrich learning. 2 convicted in human smuggling case after Indian family froze to death on US-Canada border FERGUS FALLS, Minn. (AP) — A jury has convicted two men of charges related to human smuggling for their roles in an international operation that led to the deaths of a family of Indian migrants who froze while trying to cross the Canada-U.S. border during a 2022 blizzard. Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel and Steve Shand each faced four charges related to human smuggling before being convicted on Friday. Patel is an Indian national. Shand is an American from Florida. They were arrested after the family froze while trying to cross the desolate border during a 2022 blizzard. Storm inundates Northern California with rain, heavy snow. Thousands remain in the dark in Seattle HEALDSBURG, Calif. (AP) — Heavy rain from a major storm prompted evacuation warnings for communities near a Northern California river that forecasters say could break its banks Friday, as the system continued to dump heavy snow in mountainous areas where some ski resorts opened for the season. The storm reached the Pacific Northwest earlier this week, killing two people and knocking out power to hundreds of thousands before moving through Northern California, where several roads were closed due to flooding and strong winds toppled some trees. Forecasters are warning about the risk of flash flooding and rockslides in areas north of San Francisco as the region was inundated by this season’s strongest atmospheric river. Archaeologists discover 4,000-year-old canals used to fish by predecessors of ancient Maya WASHINGTON (AP) — Using drones and Google Earth imagery, archaeologists have discovered a 4,000-year-old network of earthen canals in what’s now Belize. The research published Friday in Science Advances shows that long before the ancient Maya built temples, their predecessors were already altering the landscape of Central America’s Yucatan peninsula. The ancient fish canals were used to channel and catch freshwater species such as catfish. These structures were used for around 1,000 years — including during the “formative” period when the Maya began to settle in permanent farming villages and a distinctive culture started to emerge. California case is the first confirmed bird flu infection in a US child Health officials are confirming bird flu in a California child — the first reported case in a U.S. minor. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced confirmatory test results on Friday. Officials say the child had mild symptoms, was treated with antiviral medication and is recovering. The child’s infection brings the reported number of U.S. bird flu cases this year to 55, including 29 in California. State officials have said the child lives in Alameda County, which includes Oakland, and attends day care, but released no other details. Brazilian police formally accuse former President Bolsonaro and aides of alleged 2022 coup attempt SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s Federal Police have formally accused former President Jair Bolsonaro and 36 other people of attempting a coup to keep him in office after his electoral defeat in the 2022 elections. The findings are to be delivered Thursday to Brazil’s Supreme Court, which will refer them to Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet, who will either formally charge Bolsonaro and put the former president on trial or toss the investigation. The former right-wing president has denied all claims he tried to stay in office after his narrow electoral defeat in 2022 to his rival, leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro has faced a series of legal threats since then.
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