Despite the uncertainties surrounding her arrival, the woman's current situation has become a topic of interest and concern. Living in a village far removed from urban amenities and modern conveniences, her existence is a stark contrast to the life she might have led as a master's graduate. The villagers, who have taken her in and provided her with shelter for over a decade, have become her only source of support and companionship in this remote setting.A routine commute on the subway turned sour as a dispute escalated when a man was accused of taking unauthorized photos of a fellow passenger. The tense situation unfolded as tempers flared and threats were exchanged in a crowded subway car.Asia shares dip as high yields test valuations
The Qatar Research, Development, and Innovation Council (QRDI) has announced the results of the 16th edition of the Undergraduate Research Experience Programme (UREP) competition, hosted at the University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST). This annual competition is aimed at inspiring undergraduate students to advance their research skills and academic careers under the guidance of faculty mentors. The participation involved in this year’s UREP was diverse, with students from five academic institutions in Qatar: Qatar University (QU), the UDST, Texas A&M University at Qatar (TAMUQ), Northwestern University in Qatar (NUQ), and Weill Cornell Medicine – Qatar (WCM-Q). The projects covered a vast majority of subjects ranging from environment and energy, social arts and humanities, biomedical and health, and information and communication technology. A panel of 14 judges evaluated the poster presentations, in addition to three judges for the oral presentations. Projects were assessed based on their significance, research outcomes, student learning experience, and presentation quality. The competition awards are divided into two categories: the poster presentation category and the oral presentation category. This year, Kareem Fanous, Yazan Kaddorah and Aimen Javed, with their mentors Dr Isra Marei, Dr Hong Ding and Prof Christopher Triggle from the WCM-Q, secured first place in the oral presentation category with their project titled *Interaction between Platelets and Endothelial Progenitor Cells: Role in Diabetes-Induced Atherogenesis. In second place, Diala Bushnaq, Raghad Aljindi, Reema al-Emadi, Sara Mohsen, Raghd al-Shamari and Malek Chabbouh, with their mentors Dr Shona Pedersen and Dr Muhammad Chowdhury from the QU, were awarded for their project on *eMindReader: A Deep Learning-Based Decoding System for Recognising Inner Speech in Complete Locked-In Syndrome Patients. Third place went to Nadine Elkholy, Haya al-Rewaily and Shouq al-Musleh with their mentors Professor Othmane Bouhali and Maya Abi Akl from the TAMUQ for their project on *Crystals Study: Positron Emission Tomography Simulations for Pediatric Applications. The competition also recognised the winners of the “Best Representative Image of an Outcome” (BRIO), which celebrates visual communication of scientific concepts and research in Qatar through art. The competition this year received 46 images and amassed more than 1,700 votes from the public and Qatar's scientific and academic communities. The top three BRIO contest winners were Dr Abbirami Sathappan, Dr Muftah El-Naas, and Dr Noor Ali al-Maslamani. Related Story QRDI Council concludes Singapore trip UDST opens admissions for Winter 2025 semester
BJP's Jharkhand Assembly Polls setback: Saffron surge fizzles out as tribal state resists
The Cleveland Browns are already down a running back as Nick Chubb is on injured reserve. Now, the team has lost their second starter, as Jerome Ford headed to the locker room with an apparent ankle injury. More news: 49ers' Charvarius Ward Ruled Out of Lions Matchup Due to Personal Reason During the telecast of the game between the Browns and Miami Dolphins, it was announced that Ford is questionable to return to the game with an ankle injury. This is a huge loss for Cleveland. Following a tackle, Ford was seen on the ground in considerable pain. Following the hit, he walked off to the sideline and was shown heading to the locker room moments later. The star running back has been fantastic in the past two games, as Ford secured a total of 176 yards on the ground, along with two touchdowns. He also added 59 receiving yards in that time as well. At the time of this writing, Ford compiled 22 yards on six carries. Now, he will presumably get some tests done in the locker room to determine if he can return to the game. The way that he was writhing on the ground, his return might not happen. The Browns have nothing to play for on Sunday, other than playing playoff ruiner for the Dolphins. Miami got a ton of help over the weekend to keep them in the playoff conversation. The Indianapolis Colts lost to the New York Giants, leading to them being knocked out of the playoffs. The Dolphins only need to beat the Browns on Sunday along with beating the New York Jets to place themselves in a playoff position. Granted, this will only be possible if the Denver Broncos lose in Week 18 to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs are more than likely to sit their starters now that they have locked in the No. 1 seed in the AFC. More news: Eagles' Saquon Barkley Not Concerned With Breaking Eric Dickerson Rushing Record Considering the Dolphins are playing for their playoff future, the Browns can only ruin that for them by winning on Sunday. So far, the score is tied at 3-3, at the time of this writing. The Browns are at a loss with Ford now out of the game. They do have D'Onta Foreman as the backup, who is now going to be RB1 for the remainder of the game, assuming Ford cannot make it back to the game. The Dolphins need to figure a way to stop the Browns, which might be difficult considering they are also down star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. For more on the Browns, head to Newsweek Sports .
The Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH) Zaria is set to begin kidney transplant surgeries in 2025, aiming to provide relief to patients with kidney failure and reduce medical tourism. Prof. Ahmed Umdagas, the hospital’s Chief Medical Director, revealed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Zaria. He announced that the Urology Centre of Excellence, which will deliver advanced urology services, is expected to be operational by the first quarter of 2025. Related Stories Nigerians with kidney ailments face high dialysis costs as transplant exceeds N14 million US Surgeons perform the first pig to human kidney transplant “By the first quarter of 2025, ABUTH would commence kidney transplant. What was just holding us was a few infrastructure,” Umdagas said. He added that most of the required machines and equipment are already in place, and personnel have been adequately trained to deliver the services. Umdagas stated that the Urology Centre of Excellence at ABUTH would be ready by the first quarter of 2025 to deliver high-quality urology services. “By the first quarter of 2025, ABUTH will commence kidney transplants. What has been holding us back is a few infrastructure upgrades,” he said. He added, “Besides that, most of the machines and equipment required for kidney transplants are available, and our personnel have been adequately trained to provide the services.” Umdagas also revealed plans for an Amenity Wing, designed to accommodate patients from all classes. According to him, the Amenity Wing will feature a single-bedroom and a room-and-parlor option for affluent patients, emphasizing that ABUTH is committed to offering world-class services. “The Amenity Wing will have a dedicated line and a website,” Umdagas explained. “The website will showcase the profiles of doctors in the hospital. When a patient wants to see a specific professor or specialist, they will simply need to use the dedicated line or the website to book an appointment seamlessly.” Similarly, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) also disclosed that a contract has been awarded for the procurement of linear machines to enhance cancer care at the facility. Speaking on additional efforts to curb medical tourism, the CMD highlighted that ABUTH boasts a fully functional 128 Slice CT Scan machine. He explained, “If you undergo an investigation abroad requiring the 128 Slice CT Scan, it costs no less than $200, which is over N300,000. Meanwhile, ABUTH charges just N30,000 for the same service.” The CMD noted that many patients now come to ABUTH for scans, take the results abroad, and continue their treatments there. “ We also have 1.5 Tesla MRI and 0.2 Tesla MRI machines, which are advanced imaging technologies . These machines are fully functional, and the cost for such services at ABUTH is significantly lower than what is charged elsewhere in Nigeria.” , He said. He added, “We also perform lithotripsy at ABUTH, which involves breaking stones using lasers instead of surgery.” Umdagas further shared that the hospital had celebrated over five successful IVF cases in collaboration with its partners. He revealed plans to establish a dedicated unit for IVF services in future budgets, ensuring all necessary equipment is housed in one facility.
Against the backdrop of an accelerated transformation in the global energy landscape, the energy storage market, as a key link in promoting large-scale renewable energy applications and ensuring the stable operation of power systems, is expected to have immense growth potential in the future. Meanwhile, competition in the international energy storage market is becoming increasingly intense, making it a focal area for enterprises worldwide. Amid this fierce competition, Chinese companies have made a strong impression in overseas energy storage markets with their outstanding performance and robust capabilities, creating a powerful "Chinese wave." Battery Network has observed that recently, from the African continent to Europe and emerging economies in Southeast Asia, Chinese enterprises have been making significant strides, securing numerous project orders. Behind these achievements lies years of meticulous efforts in technological innovation, industrial upgrading, and international strategic planning. On December 16, Envision Energy announced that it had signed a supply contract with Électricité de France (EDF) to provide battery energy storage systems for three standalone energy storage projects in South Africa led by EDF. The total installed capacity of the projects is 257MW/1028MWh, marking South Africa's first GWh-level energy storage order. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2026, with Envision Energy supplying a full set of AC and DC energy storage equipment and providing 15 years of full life cycle operation and maintenance services, utilizing its independently developed energy storage-specific battery cells. On December 6, Sungrow signed a cooperation agreement with Citicore Renewable Energy Corporation (CREC), a listed company in the Philippines, to provide a 1.5GWh energy storage system and engineering support services. This represents the largest energy storage system order in Southeast Asia to date. On December 5, Huawei announced a 4.5GWh energy storage project agreement with SP New Energy Corporation (SPNEC) in the Philippines. The project, with a total investment of 200 billion pesos (approximately 25.12 billion yuan), includes 3.5GW of PV and 4.5GWh of energy storage, making it one of the largest PV ESS projects globally. On November 18, Sungrow also signed a 4.4GWh energy storage cooperation agreement with the UK-based Fidra Energy. The agreement covers two benchmark standalone energy storage stations in the UK: the 3.3GWh Thorpe Marsh and the 1.1GWh West Burton C. The project will deploy 880 sets of Sungrow's PowerTitan 2.0 liquid-cooled energy storage systems, which, upon operation, can supply power to 1.1 million UK households, setting a new record for the largest energy storage station order in Europe. On November 13, Chunsun New Energy signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Italy's Cestari in Wuhan, Hubei. The two parties plan to establish a PV ESS pilot project in Italy in the short term, utilizing Chunsun's self-developed 20-foot 5MWh battery prefabricated cabin CORNEX M5. Over the next 3 to 5 years, they aim to achieve 20GWh-30GWh of energy storage project cooperation. On November 6, REPT signed a strategic cooperation agreement with JUNGWOO Group Co., Ltd. According to the agreement, during the effective period of the cooperation, the first party commits to purchasing no less than 5GWh of energy storage system products and 2GWh of energy storage battery cell products from the second party in 2025, with the option to increase orders. On October 23, Sunwoda signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Gryphon Energy Pty Ltd. The project, located in Queensland, Australia, has a capacity of 1.6GWh, making it one of the largest energy storage projects in Australia. It is scheduled for delivery and grid connection in 2026. ...... REPT's chairman visited the Waratah Super Battery Site in Australia, the largest energy storage project in the Southern Hemisphere, where REPT serves as the core battery supplier. Photo/REPT In recent years, leveraging a complete energy storage industry chain, large-scale production, and continuously optimized manufacturing processes, Chinese energy storage enterprises have not only met overseas clients' requirements for efficient and stable operation of energy storage systems but also offered price advantages over local products, frequently securing large energy storage orders. Integrated energy storage enterprises like Huawei and Sungrow have demonstrated even greater momentum in going global. Compared to battery manufacturers, these integrators can provide comprehensive one-stop solutions, optimizing system design, control strategies, and operation and maintenance management to deliver efficient and reliable energy storage systems, standing out in market competition. Of course, it is worth noting that competition in the overseas energy storage market has become increasingly fierce. The overseas market is by no means a "safe haven" without challenges; in fact, it is a new "battlefield" full of uncertainties and difficulties. From a positive perspective, the high-profit margins in overseas markets indeed offer domestic enterprises vast development opportunities. Companies can fully leverage their long-accumulated technological advantages and cost-control experience in the domestic market to achieve higher profits abroad. These funds can be continuously reinvested into critical areas such as R&D and product upgrades, helping enterprises secure a more advantageous position in the future global energy storage market. However, in the journey of expanding into overseas markets, domestic enterprises also face a series of complex challenges. These include stringent market entry barriers and varying standards and certification requirements set by different countries and regions based on their energy strategies, safety standards, and industrial development plans, especially in mature markets like Europe and the US. Moreover, while overseas markets are generally perceived to have higher gross margins, the actual costs of going global often exceed expectations. Overseas clients have extremely high demands for the quality and reliability of energy storage products. Enterprises must continuously improve product quality and reliability, strengthen quality control and testing, and ensure the long-term stable operation of energy storage systems. This requires significant investments in human, material, and time resources to provide operation and maintenance services, posing higher demands on enterprises' technical and service capabilities. As a result, industry insiders have called for caution, emphasizing that the overseas energy storage market is not suitable for price wars. Hidden costs and penalties cannot be ignored, and Chinese enterprises should unite and avoid excessive low-price competition. The large-scale shift of domestic energy storage enterprises' focus to overseas markets is also driven by the intense cut-throat competition in the domestic energy storage market. Public data shows that in the energy storage sector, the price of LFP energy storage battery cells has dropped from 0.9 yuan/Wh–1.0 yuan/Wh at the beginning of 2023 to the current 0.3 yuan/Wh–0.4 yuan/Wh. The average unit price of energy storage systems has fallen from around 1.5 yuan/Wh to 0.5 yuan/Wh–0.6 yuan/Wh, with some energy storage systems being awarded at prices below 0.5 yuan/Wh. Recently, China Resources Power (836) held a bidding process for energy storage equipment procurement for the Xinjiang Tianshan North Slope New Energy Base Project. The lowest bid for a 4-hour energy storage system was 0.398 yuan/Wh, marking a historic low as it fell below 0.4 yuan/Wh for the first time. "Rather than being caught in the cut-throat competition domestically, why not test the waters overseas?" This sentiment has become a true reflection of many energy storage enterprises. This year, the domestic energy storage industry has experienced mixed results. While installation volumes have reached record highs, the ongoing price war has led many energy storage enterprises to see revenue growth without profit growth. Battery Network has observed that since November, several state-owned enterprises have successively launched centralized procurement for energy storage systems (battery cell frameworks) for 2025. Judging from the scale of centralized procurement, the energy storage market in 2025 is expected to remain robust, with bidding enterprises introducing new requirements for bidding rules, such as reducing the weight of price evaluation and increasing the weight of technical evaluation. Currently, some bidding enterprises have explicitly stated that they will not accept inventory batteries or cascade utilization batteries. At the same time, they have introduced new standards for bidders' performance and technical requirements, including battery cell performance requirements, further curbing the potential for low-quality small producers to disrupt the market. From an industry perspective, the rising thresholds for energy storage bidding can effectively address the issue of malicious price wars, screen enterprises based on their technical capabilities, and ensure the reliability of energy storage system operations. On the other hand, it can also accelerate the market exit of weaker players, promoting the healthy and sustainable development of the energy storage industry.At the center of the story is Olivia, a talented pastry chef who dreams of opening her own bakery. Her passion for baking is matched only by her determination to succeed in a male-dominated industry. When she crosses paths with Alex, a charming food critic with a sharp tongue and a troubled past, their initial animosity soon turns into a forbidden romance that threatens to upend their lives.
The United States Food and Drug Administration has just approved the first-ever clinical trial that uses CRISPR-Cas13 RNA editing. Its aim is to treat an eye disease called wet age-related macular degeneration that causes vision loss in millions of older people worldwide. This trial marks a new frontier in gene therapy —the process of treating or curing medical conditions by changing a person's genes. What makes it special is the fact the therapy targets RNA, instead of DNA. So, what does that mean, and why should we be excited? What is gene editing and how is it used? Genes are made up of DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid. Nearly all cells in your body have the same DNA, the material that makes your body uniquely yours. If anything goes wrong in your DNA, it can result in various diseases. Thanks to recent advances, we now have the tools to directly change someone's DNA—this has paved the way for gene editing as a type of gene therapy . It is done using the CRISPR-Cas9 system, which was created after scientists discovered that bacteria defend against invading viruses by capturing their DNA and destroying it. This makes gene editing highly useful when designing new treatments for genetic conditions where you need to correct faulty DNA. Gene editing has already been trialed in people. Earlier this year, a successful clinical trial was done to test the safety of a new gene editing therapy for an inherited eye disease . Gene editing has also been trialed for a heart disorder called transthyretin amyloidosis , as well as blood disorders . Gene editing causes permanent changes to a person's genes, effectively rewriting parts of their DNA. But altering DNA comes with its own challenges and risks . Care must be taken to avoid accidentally causing unintended but permanent changes to DNA elsewhere in the gene, which could lead to unwanted mutations. What is RNA and how does RNA editing work? One way to avoid the risks of editing DNA is to target RNA or ribonucleic acid instead. RNA is also in all our cells, and plays a key role in their functions. One of its jobs is making proteins. If DNA is the set of genetic instructions, RNA is what reads and translates those instructions into making the proteins our cells need. RNA editing, then, is also a type of gene therapy. Its goal is to change how RNA interprets genetic instructions to control how proteins are made. In most recent advancements, RNA editing uses the CRISPR-Cas13 system, a newer technique that was created specifically to help develop therapies that work with RNA. DNA editing is permanent, which is needed to treat genetic diseases. RNA editing events, on the other hand, are transient in nature because RNA molecules are constantly being made and degraded in our cells. RNA editing doesn't permanently change a person's DNA, but rather alters the steps that happen after the RNA molecule "reads" the DNA instructions. This means it can be used to produce more targeted results by, for example, only altering how one specific protein is made. This also makes it a potentially safer option over DNA editing, with fewer unintended effects on other cells. RNA editing also has an advantage where you can potentially control or reverse the therapy, providing a level of control DNA editing can't provide. This is an important factor to prevent over-treatment and makes it a versatile therapy for conditions where faulty DNA isn't the cause of the disease. So what is this first RNA editing trial going to do? Age-related macular degeneration or AMD affects more than 200 million people worldwide and is predicted to grow to 300 million by 2040 . As the name suggests, age plays a role—it almost exclusively affects people older than 55 years . AMD affects the health of the macula, the central part of the retina, which processes what we see. It's a leading cause of irreversible blindness around the world. Wet AMD occurs when there is a build-up of fluid and new, leaky blood vessels underneath the macula, causing rapid and severe impact to a person's central vision. Currently, it's treated with regular drug injections into the eye to control the growth of the leaky blood vessels. The drugs block VEGF , or vascular endothelial growth factor , a molecule that tells our bodies to make new blood vessels. This is where RNA editing comes in. In the lab, scientists have proven that the delivery of the RNA editing therapy via a safe, engineered virus allowed for an effective reduction of VEGF levels to stop new blood vessel growth in the eye through a one-off injection. For treating wet AMD, it would mean no more monthly needles. The FDA-approved clinical trial will now assess the safety of RNA editing therapy for wet AMD. It's also the first-ever clinical stage trial for a CRISPR-Cas13 RNA editing therapy, marking a significant milestone for the field of research. While it's early days for the technology, the new trial shows RNA editing therapies have arrived. It will be yet another powerful tool in humanity's arsenal to develop safe new therapies for various medical conditions. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article .The incident serves as a cautionary tale about the pitfalls of corruption and dishonesty in the agricultural sector, where the temptation to exploit loopholes for personal gain can undermine the integrity of government support programs meant to benefit farmers and promote sustainable development. It underscores the need for greater vigilance and diligence in monitoring and evaluating subsidy applications to uphold the trust and credibility of such initiatives.
The NC State Wolfpack (5-5, 2-4 ACC) travel to face the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (6-4, 4-3 ACC) in a crucial late-season Atlantic Coast Conference matchup at Bobby Dodd Stadium on Thursday, November 21, 2024. NC State aims to secure bowl eligibility, while Georgia Tech looks to finish their home slate undefeated for the first time since 1999. This game carries significant implications for both teams' postseason aspirations and conference standings. How to Watch NC State at Georgia Tech Georgia Tech, under head coach Brent Key, enters this game with momentum after a stunning 28-23 upset over No. 4 Miami. The Yellow Jackets have been impressive at home, boasting a 4-0 record at Bobby Dodd Stadium this season. Quarterback Haynes King, who returned from a shoulder injury to lead the upset over Miami, will be key to Georgia Tech's offensive success. NC State, led by head coach Dave Doeren, comes off a bye week following a 29-19 loss to Duke. The Wolfpack's offense has shown flashes of potential, with freshman quarterback CJ Bailey passing for 1,794 yards with 14 total touchdowns in eight games. NC State's defense will need to step up against Georgia Tech's dynamic offense. This matchup carries significant weight for both teams. Georgia Tech aims to secure their first undefeated home season since 1999 and clinch a winning record for the second consecutive year. NC State, meanwhile, needs a victory to become bowl-eligible, with only one game remaining on their schedule after this contest. Live stream the NC State at Georgia Tech game on Fubo: Start your free trial now ! Regional restrictions may apply. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.
Taoiseach Simon Harris said he also wanted to tell Nikita Hand, a hair colourist from Drimnagh, that her case had prompted an increase in women coming forward to ask for support. Ms Hand, who accused the sportsman of raping her in a Dublin hotel in December 2018, won her claim against him for damages in a civil case at the High Court in the Irish capital on Friday. The total amount of damages awarded to Ms Hand by the jury was 248,603.60 euro (£206,714.31). Mr McGregor said in a post on social media on Friday that he intends to appeal against the decision. That post has since been deleted. Speaking to the media on Saturday, Mr Harris said he told Ms Hand of the support she has from people across Ireland. “I spoke with Nikita today and I wanted to thank her for her incredible bravery and her courage,” he said. “I wanted to make sure that she knew how much solidarity and support there was across this country for her bravery. “I also wanted to make sure she knew of what the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre had said yesterday – that so many other women have now come forward in relation to their own experiences of sexual abuse as a result of Nikita’s bravery.” The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre said the case has had a “profound effect” on the people the charity supports, and that over the first 10 days of the High Court case, calls to its national helpline increased by almost 20%. It said that first-time callers increased by 50% compared to the same period last year, and were largely from people who had experienced sexual violence who were distressed and anxious from the details of case and the views people had to it. Mr Harris said: “I wanted to speak with her and I wanted to wish her and her daughter, Freya, all the very best night, and I was very grateful to talk with Nikita today. “Her bravery, her courage, her voice has made a real difference in a country in which we must continue to work to get to zero tolerance when it comes to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. “I don’t want to say too much more, because conscious there could be further legal processes, but I absolutely want to commend Nikita for her bravery, for her courage, for using her voice.” Justice Minister Helen McEntee praised Ms Hand’s bravery and said she had shown “there is light at the end of the tunnel”. She said: “I just want to commend Nikita for her bravery, for her determination and the leadership that she has shown in what has been – I’ve no doubt – a very, very difficult time for her and indeed, for her family. She added: “Because of wonderful people like Nikita, I hope that it shows that there is light at the end of the tunnel, that there are supports available to people, and that there is justice at the end of the day.” Ms Hand said in a statement outside court on Friday that she hoped her case would remind victims of assault to keep “pushing forward for justice”. Describing the past six years as “a nightmare”, she said: “I want to show (my daughter) Freya and every other girl and boy that you can stand up for yourself if something happens to you, no matter who the person is, and justice will be served.” During the case, Ms Hand said she was “disappointed and upset” when the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) decided not to prosecute the case after she made a complaint to the Irish police. In a letter to her in August 2020, the DPP said there was “insufficient evidence” and there was not a reasonable prospect of conviction. Ms Hand asked the DPP to review the decision, saying she felt she was being treated differently because one of the suspects was famous. Asked about the DPP’s decision not to prosecute, Mr Harris and Ms McEntee stressed the importance of the DPP’s independence on whether to prosecute. “There are obviously structures in place where the DPP can meet a victim and can outline to them their reasons for not taking the case,” Mr Harris said. “But there’s also always an opportunity for the DPP in any situation – and I speak broadly in relation to this – to review a decision, to consider any new information that may come to light, and I don’t want to say anything that may ever cut across the ongoing work of the DPP.” Ms McEntee stressed that there should “never be any political interference” in the independence of the DPP’s decisions. “I have, since becoming minister, given priority to and enabled a new office within the DPP to open specifically focused on sexual offences, so that this issue can be given the focus and the priority that it needs,” she said.