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Earth just experienced its second-warmest November on record — second only to 2023 — making it all but certain that 2024 will end as the hottest year ever measured, according to a report Monday by European climate service Copernicus. Last year was the hottest on record due to human-caused climate change coupled with the effects of an El Nino. But after this summer registered as the hottest on record — Phoenix sweltered through 113 consecutive days with a high temperature of at least 100 degrees Fahrenheit — scientists anticipated 2024 would set a new annual record as well. In November, global temperatures averaged 14.10C (57.38F). Last year's global average temperature was 14.98C (59F). FILE - People are silhouetted against the sky at sunset Nov. 12 as they run in a park in Shawnee, Kan. Jennifer Francis, a climate scientist at the Woodwell Climate Research Center in Cape Cod, who wasn't involved in the report, said the big story about November is that "like 2023, it beat out previous Novembers by a large margin." This also likely will be the first calendar year in which the average temperature was more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial times, the report said. The 2015 Paris Agreement said human-caused warming should be limited to 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), and ideally below 1.5. In the following years, the world's top scientist said limiting to 1.5 was crucial to stave off the worst impacts of climate change, such as increasing destructive and frequent extreme weather events. Scientists say the main cause of climate change is the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas. That "does not mean that the Paris Agreement has been breached, but it does mean ambitious climate action is more urgent than ever," said Copernicus Deputy Director Samantha Burgess. A young family visiting Washington cools off from the warm weather in a fountain Nov. 6 at the base of the Washington Monument. Francis said the new records are "terrible news for people and ecosystems." "The pace of warming is so fast that plants and animals cannot adapt as they always have during previous changes in the Earth's climate. More species will go extinct, which disrupts natural food webs they're a part of. Agriculture will suffer as pollinators decline and pests flourish," she said, also warning that coastal communities will be vulnerable to sea-level rise. Heat waves over the oceans and a loss of reflective sea ice and snow cover probably contributed to the temperature increase this year, experts said. Copernicus said the extent of Antarctic sea ice in November was 10% below average, a record. Oceans absorb about 90% of the heat trapped by greenhouse gases, later releasing heat and water vapor back into the atmosphere. Last year's record heat was caused partly by an El Nino — a temporary natural warming of parts of the central Pacific that alters weather worldwide. People walk Nov. 27 on an autumn-colored ginkgo tree-lined avenue in Tokyo. But that ended this year and a cooling effect that often follows, called La Nina, failed to materialize, leaving the scientific community "a little perplexed by what's going on here ... why temperatures are staying high," said Jonathan Overpeck, a climate scientist at the University of Michigan. One explanation is that an El Nino releases more heat to the atmosphere because of warmer ocean waters, then "we're not getting the cooling effect that often in decades gone by helps bring the temperature back down," Overpeck said. "So it does look like this could be contributing to the acceleration of global warming. But this year, he said, "is such a big jump following yet another jump, and that's a scary thing." It's no secret that a warming world will drive food prices higher, a phenomenon increasingly known as " heatflation ." What's less known, but a growing area of interest among economists and scientists alike, is the role individual extreme weather events — blistering temperatures in Texas , a destructive tornado in Iowa — may have on what U.S. consumers pay at the supermarket. At first glance, the answer might seem logical: A drought or flood that impacts agricultural production will, eventually, drive up prices. But it's not that simple, because what consumers pay for groceries isn't only reflective of crop yields or herd sizes, but the whole supply chain. As Grist reports, that's where it gets interesting: Economists are beginning to see a growing trend that suggests weather forecasts play a part in sticker shock. Sometimes the mere prediction of an extreme event — like the record-breaking temperatures, hurricanes, and wildfires forecasters are bracing for this summer — can prompt a spike in prices. It isn't the forecast itself to blame, but concerns about what the weather to come might mean for the entire supply chain, as food manufacturers manage their risks and the expected future value of their goods, said Seungki Lee, an agricultural economist at Ohio State University. "When it comes to the climate risk on food prices, people typically look at the production side. But over the last two years, we learned that extreme weather can raise food prices, [cause] transportation disruptions, as well as production disruptions," said Lee. How much we pay for the food we buy is determined by retailers, who consider the producer's price, labor costs, and other factors. Any increases in what producers charge is typically passed on to consumers because grocery stores operate on thin profit margins. And if manufacturers expect to pay more for commodities like beef or specialty crops like avocados in the future, they may boost prices now to cover those anticipated increases. "The whole discussion about the climate risks on the food supply chain is based on probabilities," Lee said. "It is possible that we do not see extreme temperatures this summer, or even later this year. We may realize there was no significant weather shock hitting the supply chain, but unfortunately that will not be the end of the story." Supply chain disruptions and labor shortages are among the reasons food prices have climbed 25 percent since 2020 . Climate change may be contributing as well. A study published earlier this year found " heatflation " could push them up by as much as 3 percentage points per year worldwide in just over a decade and by about 2 percentage points in North America. Simultaneous disasters in major crop and cattle producing regions around the world — known as multi-breadbasket failure — are among the primary forces driving these costs. Crop shortages in these regions may also squeeze prices, which can create volatility in the global market and bump up consumer costs. Historically, a single, localized heat wave or storm typically wouldn't disrupt the supply chain enough to prompt price hikes. But a warming world might be changing that dynamic as extreme weather events intensify and simultaneous occurrences of them become the norm. How much this adds to consumers' grocery bills will vary, and depends upon whether these climate-fueled disasters hit what Lee calls "supply chain chokepoints" like vital shipping channels during harvest seasons. "As the weather is getting more and more volatile because of climate change, we are seeing this issue more frequently," he said. "So what that means is the supply chain is getting more likely to be jeopardized by these types of risks that we have never seen before." An ongoing drought that plagued the Mississippi River system from the fall of 2022 until February provides an excellent example of this. The Mississippi River basin, which covers 31 states, is a linchpin of America's agricultural supply chain. It produces 92 percent of the nation's agricultural exports, 78 percent of the world's feed grains and soybeans , and most of the country's livestock. Vessels navigating its roughly 2,350 miles of channels carry 589 million tons of cargo annually . Transportation barriers created by low water, seen above, hampered the ability of crop-producing states in the Corn Belt to send commodities like corn and soybeans, primarily used for cattle feed, to livestock producers in the South. Thus emerged a high demand, low supply situation as shipping and commodity prices shot up , with economists expecting consumers to absorb those costs . Past research showing that retail prices increase alongside commodity prices suggests that the drought probably contributed to higher overall food costs last year — and because droughts have a lingering impact on production even after they end, it may be fueling stubbornly high grocery prices today. But although it seems clear that the drought contributed to higher prices, particularly for meat and dairy products, just how much remains to be gauged. One reason for that is a lack of research analyzing the relationship between this particular weather event and the consumer market. Another is it's often difficult to tease out which of several possible factors, including global trade, war, and export bans , influence specific examples of sticker shock. While droughts definitely prompt decreases in agricultural production, Metin Çakır, an economist at the University of Minnesota, says whether that is felt by consumers depends on myriad factors. "This would mean higher raw ingredient costs for foods sold in groceries, and part of those higher costs will be passed onto consumers via higher prices. However, will consumer prices actually increase? The answer depends on many other supply and demand factors that might be happening at the same time as the impact of the drought," said Çakır. In a forthcoming analysis previewed by Grist, Çakır examined the relationship between an enduring drought in California, which produces a third of the nation's vegetables and nearly two-thirds of its fruits and nuts , and costs of produce purchased at large grocery retailers nationwide. While the event raised consumer vegetable prices to a statistically significant degree, they didn't increase as much as Çakır expected. This capricious consumer cost effect is due largely to the resiliency of America's food system . Public safety nets like crop insurance and other federal programs have played a large part in mitigating the impacts of adverse weather and bolstering the food supply chain against climate change and other shocks. By ensuring farmers and producers don't bear the brunt of those losses, these programs reduce the costs passed on to consumers. Advanced agricultural technology, modern infrastructure, substantial storage, and efficient transport links also help ensure retail price stability. A 2024 study of the role climate change played on the U.S. wheat market from 1950 to 2018 found that although the impact of weather shocks on price variability has increased with the frequency of extreme weather, adaptive mechanisms, like a well-developed production and distribution infrastructure with sufficient storage capacity, have minimized the impact on consumers. Still, the paper warns that such systems may collapse when faced with "unprecedented levels of weather variability." Last year was the world's warmest on record , creating an onslaught of challenges for crop and livestock producers nationwide. And this year is primed to be even more brutal , with the transition from El Niño — an atmospheric phenomenon that warms ocean temperatures — to La Niña , its counterpart that cools them. This cyclical change in global weather patterns is another potential threat for crop yields and source of supply chain pressures that economists and scientists are keeping an eye on. They will be particularly focused on the Midwest and stretches of the Corn Belt, two regions prone to drought as an El Niño cycle gives way to a La Niña, according to Weston Anderson, an assistant research scientist at the University of Maryland and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Those growing regions for corn and soybeans are what he'll be watching closely as La Niña develops. It's something Jennifer Ifft, an agricultural economist at Kansas State University, is also thinking about. "If you have a very severe drought in the Corn Belt ... that's going to be the biggest deal, because that's gonna raise the cost of production for cattle, hogs, poultry," said Ifft. "So that would probably have the largest inflationary impacts." As of January , U.S. beef herd inventory was at its lowest in 73 years, which multiple reports noted is due to the persisting drought that began in 2020 . Americans, the majority of whom are already spending more on groceries than last year, are poised to soon see "record" beef prices at the supermarket. Food prices are also expected to rise another 2.2 percent in 2024 , according to the USDA's Economic Research Service. In a world enmeshed in extremes, our already-fragile food supply chain could be the next system teetering on the edge of collapse because of human-caused climate change. And costlier groceries linked to impending risk is the first of many warning signs that it is already splintering. This story was produced by Grist and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media. Get the daily forecast and severe weather alerts in your inbox!ribbon fish 。

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‘Let’s Stop Pretending’: Former Dem Rep Blasts Party For Not ‘Shooting Straight’ With VotersSaudi Arabia’s growing influence and massive spending in global sports ahead of being confirmed by FIFA as the 2034 World Cup host was detailed on Monday in a report that cited risks to good governance off the field. More than 900 sponsor deals — more than one-third traced to the $925 billion Saudi sovereign wealth fund — and a network of officials with overlapping state, business and sports roles were cited by Play The Game, a publicly funded sports ethics institute in Denmark. The oil-rich kingdom’s investment of tens of billions of dollars in soccer, golf, boxing, tennis, the Esports Olympics and a yet-to-be-built ski resort will get its most coveted prize next week from FIFA, the 2034 World Cup in men’s soccer. The close ties between FIFA president Gianni Infantino and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman were built since 2018 amid global criticism of the kingdom’s record on human rights, including for women, migrant workers and freedom of expression. “Saudi Arabia’s sports strategy seeks to divert attention from these realities, revealing the tension between the ideals of sport and the realities of power, money, and politics,” Play The Game’s Stanis Elsborg said in the report. FIFA passed a mandatory step toward the 2034 decision by publishing at the weekend an in-house evaluation of the World Cup hosting plan that offered more praise than critical analysis, including labor issues for how most of the 15 stadiums will be built. On Dec. 11 in Zurich, FIFA will host an online meeting to ask more than 200 member federations to acclaim Saudi Arabia as the 2034 host, 14 months after shaping a fast-tracked and narrow-focused contest that produced just one candidate. Nearly 50 of those voters have signed working agreements with the Saudi soccer federation, while the soccer bodies for North America, Africa and Asia separately struck cooperation deals or tournament sponsor deals with the sovereign Public Investment Fund (PIF), state oil firm Aramco and the planned megacity project Neom. “The awarding of the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia is merely the culmination of years of strategic investments and behind-the-scenes manoeuvring,” said the report, called “Saudi Arabia's grip on world sport.” FIFA itself signed Aramco in April to an elevated World Cup sponsor category of “major worldwide partner,” worth a reported $100 million each year through 2027. The chairman of Aramco, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, also is governor of the PIF which has a goal to "deliver a strategy focused on achieving attractive financial returns and long-term value for the country.” He is chairman also of the LIV Golf project, new airline Riyadh Air, and English Premier League club Newcastle. “Aramco and FIFA intend to leverage the power of football to create impactful social initiatives around the world,” FIFA said in April. Saudi state and sports officials have consistently cited the crown prince's Vision 2030 program to diversify the economy beyond dependence on oil and modernize the traditionally conservative society while giving opportunities to a young population. Infantino has not taken questions from international media, nor held a news conference, in the 14 months since the Saudi candidacy was declared. No news conference is scheduled on Dec. 11 at FIFA headquarters after the closed-doors meeting. More Saudi commercial deals are expected after the 2034 World Cup decision, either for the 2026 edition being played in North America or the revamped Club World Cup being staged by the United States next year. “It’s very complex — there’s lots of interlinked parts,” Dan Plumley, sports finance expert at Sheffield Hallam University, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview on Monday. “We are living in a utopia if we think that sport and politics can be separated in the modern world because that’s impossible,” Plumley said. “There is always power, influence and money, which ultimately dictates the direction of travel.” AP Sports Writer Steve Douglas contributed.

Liverpool punish rivals’ errors with dominant win over Leicester to stretch lead

Radio Erena: Eritrea’s voice of hope under threatIreland's election is over, but the country faces weeks of talks before there's a governmentNEW DELHI (Reuters): Described as a “reluctant king” in his first stint as prime minister, the quietly spoken Manmohan Singh was arguably one of India’s most successful leaders. The first Sikh in office, Singh, 92, was being treated for age-related medical conditions and died after he was brought to hospital after a sudden loss of consciousness on Thursday. He is credited with steering India to unprecedented economic growth and lifting hundreds of millions out of dire poverty. He went on to serve a rare second term. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: “India mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished leaders, Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji.” He applauded the economist-turned-politician’s body of work. Born into a poor family in a part of British-ruled India now in Pakistan, Singh studied by candlelight to win a place at Cambridge University before heading to Oxford, earning a doctorate with a thesis on the role of exports and free trade in India’s economy. He became a respected economist, then India’s central bank governor and a government advisor but had no apparent plans for a political career when he was suddenly tapped to become finance minister in 1991. During that tenure to 1996, Singh was the architect of reforms that saved India’s economy from a severe balance of payments crisis, promoted deregulation and other measures that opened an insular country to the world. Famously quoting Victor Hugo in his maiden budget speech, he said: “No power on earth can stop an idea whose time has come,” before adding: “The emergence of India as a major economic power in the world happens to be one such idea.” Singh’s ascension to prime minister in 2004 was even more unexpected. He was asked to take on the job by Sonia Gandhi, who led the center-left Congress party to a surprise victory. Italian by birth, she feared her ancestry would be used by Hindu-nationalist opponents to attack the government if she were to lead the country. Riding an unprecedented period of economic growth, Singh’s government shared the spoils of the country’s new found wealth, introducing welfare schemes such as a jobs program for the rural poor. In 2008, his government also clinched a landmark deal that permitted peaceful trade in nuclear energy with the United States for the first time in three decades, paving the way for strong relations between New Delhi and Washington. But his efforts to further open up the Indian economy were frequently frustrated by political wrangling within his own party and demands made by coalition partners. “History will be kinder to me” And while he was widely respected by other world leaders, at home Singh always had to fend off the perception that Sonia Gandhi was the real power in the government. The widow of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, whose family has dominated Indian politics since independence from Britain in 1947, she remained Congress party leader and often made key decisions. Known for his simple lifestyle and with a reputation for honesty, Singh was not personally seen as corrupt. But he came under attack for failing to crack down on members of his government as a series of scandals erupted in his second term, triggering mass protests. The latter years of his premiership saw India’s growth story, which he had helped engineer, wobble as global economic turbulence and slow government decision-making battered investment sentiment. In 2012, his government was tipped into a minority after the Congress party’s biggest ally quit their coalition in protest at the entry of foreign supermarkets. Two years later Congress was decisively swept aside by the Bharatiya Janata Party under Narendra Modi, a strongman who promised to end the economic standstill, clean up graft and bring inclusive growth to the hinterlands. But at a press conference just months before he left office, Singh insisted he had done the best he could. “I honestly believe that history will be kinder to me than the contemporary media or, for that matter, the opposition parties in parliament,” he said. Singh is survived by his wife and three daughters.

How the stock market defied expectations again this year, by the numbers

Two Worcester Police unions released statements on Tuesday calling the Department of Justice’s recently released report of the Worcester Police Department (WPD) “inaccurate,” contradicting statements from the city manager , mayor and several city councilors , all of whom took the report very seriously. The 41-page report, released on Dec. 9, found that WPD officers used excessive force, engaged in discriminatory enforcement practices and engaged in illegal sex acts with vulnerable women, particularly those working in the sex trade. Multiple women told DOJ investigators that Worcester police officers engaged in unwanted sexual contact with them during undercover operations, took advantage of them sexually in vulnerable situations, and threatened arrest if they did not perform sex acts, according to the report. One woman told investigators that, in or around 2021, an undercover officer “touched her breast and permitted her to touch his genitals before he arrested her.” Another woman described an undercover officer “asking her to touch his penis, which she did, before being arrested as part of a sting.” An additional woman explained that Worcester police officers “targeted and touched her over several years and arrested her multiple times during stings.” The patrol officers union New England Police Benevolent Association Local 911, which represents Worcester’s police patrol officers, said the report “relies heavily on anecdotal accounts from individuals who are not named and who have had negative experiences with the WPD.” “The experiences of these women are important and should be investigated,” the union said. “The DOJ report, however, simply relies on the narrative provided apparently without any investigation of countervailing evidence. The DOJ referenced how the WPD took action in the past when it was brought to their attention that an officer had allegedly committed a sex crime. The WPD took immediate action and conducted a criminal investigation that resulted in a felony conviction.” This statement from the union was part of a larger press release that called the report “unfair, inaccurate and biased” and that it was “apparently rushed to completion ahead of the change of Presidential administrations.” “The methodology and conclusions reached by the authors of the report display a startling detachment from reality, and particularly a profound misunderstanding of the dangers of modern policing, the split-second decisions required and the limits of de-escalation tactics,” the union wrote. The International Brotherhood of Police Officers Local 504, which represents Worcester’s captains, lieutenants and sergeants, released their own statement on Tuesday reading that that while they were appalled by the summarized findings, they said investigators were “extremely inaccurate in how they portray the Police Officials and Police Officers of the WPD” after further analysis and conversations with the city administration. “We find this summary report lacks empirical evidence, contains omissions and misrepresentations making it factually inaccurate with recommendations of unproven strategies to improve public safety,” the statement reads. “We request the DOJ identify all experts, researchers or others involved in developing their findings. We make this request to ensure that political agendas and bias were removed, and that Law Enforcement, Public Safety and Research professionals were enjoined in this process.” Responses from other city leaders The statements from the unions stood in stark contrast to responses from other city leaders, who wrote the findings were “very serious” and “shocking” City Manager Eric D. Batista did not comment on the report on Monday or for most of the day Tuesday, releasing a statement shortly after 4 p.m. on Tuesday announcing several initiatives , including the the establishment of a hotline for members of the public to report misconduct by police officers. In his statement, Batista wrote that the findings in the report were “unacceptable and shocking.” He said it was unfathomable to him that any police officer or employee of the city could or would have acted in manners he described as “unlawful egregious, and immoral.” He added that the public has trust in their government and its public safety institutions and that faith must be earned. “While the DOJ investigation focused on a timeframe between 2018 to 2022, it is my administration’s duty to make necessary changes to prevent any future misconduct,” Batista said in the statement. Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty also released a statement on Tuesday saying that he takes the findings of the report “very seriously,” and said he intends to request that Batista report back to the city council with recommendations on the next steps within the next 30 days while the city receives and process the investigative reports from the DOJ. “While I wait for the action items to be fulfilled by the Administration, I want to ensure that this process shows compassion and empathy to those who have been impacted, including members of the BIPOC community and survivors of the commercial sex trade,” Petty said in a statement. Petty also wrote that he questioned some of the statements made, adding that he wants the investigative materials from the DOJ. In an interview with MassLive, Petty clarified that he questioned the statements because he wants to see how the DOJ came up with the conclusions in the investigative report. Petty said that any police officer in the Worcester Police Department who committed sexual misconduct should be prosecuted. “If they are saying a pattern of sexual abuse, we need to know who the police officers are,” Petty said. ”We need some identification." The report was part of a civil investigation and did not list any police officers by name. Worcester City Councilor-at Large Thu Nguyen released a statement to MassLive that said they were “outraged and disgusted” by the report. In Nguyen’s statement, the city councilor asked that the DOJ and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the District of Massachusetts move forward to push the city of Worcester and obtain a consent decree that would legally bind the city to make changes within the police department, and set measurable goals for improvement. “As a City Councilor At-Large raised in Worcester, I have seen the WPD and the administration try to do better, talk about community policing, and I will say I do not have faith nor believe this is enough,” Nguyen said. City Council Vice Chairman and Councilor-at-Large Khrystian King also released a statement on Tuesday expressing his concerns over the findings. King said the report’s most troubling findings are concerns about how allegations of sexual assault are investigated. He said the community’s confidence in how these cases are handled are “severely compromised” and has asked city leadership to enact a zero-tolerance policy for sexual misconduct and violations of human rights. He said the findings of the racial disparities in the report also require immediate attention. “Comprehensive data collection and public reporting are critical. We must operationalize changes that prioritize data-driven decision-making and accountability measures,” King said. “This includes making all safety data and analyses publicly accessible and addressing racial disparities in policing through concrete policy changes.” Safe Exit Initiative , the leading organization in Worcester supporting individuals involved in the sex trade, said the Department of Justice’s probe into the city’s police revealed officers have used “sex as a weapon.” ‘A lack of transparency’ The Local 504 police union said in their statement they filed a petition to the city administration and the city council demanding the DOJ’s full investigatory report to be released, presented and discussed in a public forum. They also called on the DOJ to provide the dates, times, circumstances, and names of the alleged perpetrators so that the department could investigate further and prosecute the offenders. “Anything less calls into question the veracity of this whole summary report, continuing to create a lack of transparency and community trust in public safety,“ the union said. Richard Cipro, president of the 504, told MassLive the administration officials the press release was referring to were the command staff of the police administration. He also pointed to a statement released by Brian Kelly, an outside counsel hired by the city Worcester with respect to the investigation. In his statement, Kelly disagreed with the contents of the report, and accused the DOJ of rushing it out before the change of presidential administrations. “Notwithstanding WPD’s full cooperation and the anonymous nature of the complaints, the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division has issued an unfair, inaccurate, and biased report which unfairly smears the entire Worcester police force by claiming there is a pattern or practice by the WPD to engage in excessive use of force and sexual harassment of prostitutes,” Kelly said. Some organizations and city leaders, such as District 5 Councilor Etel Haxhiaj were angry at this response, as it was the only initial response on behalf of the city. In a post on X, formally known as Twitter, Haxhiaj slammed Kelly’s response and questioned why he was allowed to undermine and dismiss the report. “Let me make clear. He doesn’t speak for me,” Haxhiaj wrote. “I don’t know why he’s allowed to speak for the City, the City Manager or the Interim Chief of Police. I have a lot of questions and those of you who have reached out do, too.” Fred Taylor, the president of the Worcester NAACP, said it was “painful” reading that response and that he and others were angry at the way the statement was “rejecting and dismissing” the DOJ report. “For years, residents of Worcester, and the NAACP have expressed concerns about the police department’s activities and practices and for years we have been calling for a civilian review board with subpoena power as one of the solutions,” Taylor wrote. Pushing back on findings of excessive force In the report, the DOJ lists several instances where WPD officers have engaged in excessive force, violating the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution. One incident listed in the report was when a WPD officer tased a man in the back with a Taser after he refused to leave while loitering in a train station. Officers advised him several times to leave as he was not waiting for a train, but the man refused and yelled profanities, according to the report. The report reads that an officer grabbed the man’s arm but the man shook free and attempted to run. The officer fired the Taser at the man’s back, but it was ineffective, according to the report. “Using the Taser was unreasonable,” the report reads. “The man posed no immediate threat and the only crime the man had committed was loitering.” The Local 911, however, argued in their statement that the situation was escalated by the man refusing to comply and attempting to run away from the scene, potentially endangering the officer and the public. “Using a Taser was a reasonable way to prevent further escalation, especially in a crowded train station,” the statement reads. “Of course, one can easily imagine the headline if the man had caused injury, perhaps bumping someone to the ground or into a train. The criticism that the police stood by and did nothing would be instantaneous.” Another rebuttal of the report in the union’s statement is the finding that there had been examples of excessive force in the use of police dogs. The report cites an example of when WPD was chasing a man after he pushed a security guard and and ran across the street away from a crowd and he ended up on the ground punching and kicking, according to officer reports. As two officers tried to handcuff the man, a canine officer ordered his dog to bite said man, the report reads. “The police dog latched onto the man’s leg and thrashed its head for at least 15 seconds before releasing its bite — continuing to bite well after cell phone footage shows officers had the man under control," the report reads. “Because the man who was face down and had multiple officers holding onto and surrounding him, he did not pose a significant threat when WPD ordered the dog to bite him and the officers should have first attempted other means to control him.” The union argued that while multiple officers were present, the man was actively fighting and posing a threat and that having a police dog present was justifiable to quickly control the situation and prevent further injuries to officers and members of the public. “While de-escalation techniques are essential tools for law enforcement, the DOJ report fails to recognize that there are situations where these techniques may not be feasible or safe,” the union wrote. “In such cases, officers must make difficult, split-second decisions to protect themselves and others, and those decisions should be evaluated within the context of the immediate threat and the dynamic nature of the encounter.” Reporting from Hadley Barndollar was used in this story More Worcester StoriesGulfstream Special Missions Awarded Significant Contract to Service U.S. Military Aircraft SAVANNAH, Ga. , Nov. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Gulfstream Aerospace Corp., a business unit of General Dynamics GD , has been awarded a contractor logistics support services (CLS) contract from the U.S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center for C-20 and C-37 fleets. This contract extends over a seven-year period and provides services to the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Army and U.S. Coast Guard. "For nearly 60 years, Gulfstream has been a trusted partner to governments and military organizations worldwide, and we are honored that the U.S. Air Force has once again selected our company to support the U.S. military's fleet," said Mark Burns , president, Gulfstream. "This demonstrates the strength of our world-class Customer Support network and its ability to support all of our customers' missions. Gulfstream's Special Missions business delivers cutting-edge aircraft expertly engineered for a wide range of critical operations and is currently experiencing unprecedented activity with customers around the world." The latest CLS contract is valued at $991 million and includes a wide variety of support such as global maintenance, component overhaul, repair and modification services. Gulfstream Customer Support will perform the work at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland ; Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii ; Ramstein Air Base, Germany ; Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay; and Naval Base Ventura County, California . To date, Gulfstream has delivered more than 200 special missions aircraft to over 40 countries, including all branches of the U.S. military and key U.S. government agencies. NOTE TO EDITORS Inspired by the belief that aviation could fuel business growth, Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. invented the first purpose-built business aircraft, the Gulfstream I, which first flew in 1958. Today, more than 3,200 aircraft are in service around the world. Together with parent company General Dynamics, Gulfstream consistently invests in the future, dedicating resources to researching and developing innovative new aircraft, technologies and services. With a fleet that includes the super-midsize Gulfstream G280, the record-setting Gulfstream G650 and Gulfstream G650ER, and a next-generation family of aircraft including the category-leading Gulfstream G400, the award-winning Gulfstream G500 and Gulfstream G600, the ultralarge-cabin Gulfstream G700 and the ultralong-range Gulfstream G800, Gulfstream offers an aircraft for every mission. All are backed by the worldwide Gulfstream Customer Support network. Learn more at gulfstream.com . Headquartered in Reston, Virginia , General Dynamics is a global aerospace and defense company that offers a broad portfolio of products and services in business aviation; ship construction and repair; land combat vehicles, weapons systems and munitions; and technology products and services. General Dynamics employs more than 100,000 people worldwide and generated $42.3 billion in revenue in 2023. More information is available at www.gd.com . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/us-air-force-again-selects-gulfstream-for-fleet-support-302314414.html SOURCE Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Ex-Man Utd star Ashley Young could face his SON in FA Cup third round as Everton ace says ‘dreams might come true’