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West Africa responds to huge diphtheria outbreaks by targeting unvaccinated populations

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:48 GMT

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Authorities in several West African countries are trying to manage their huge diphtheria outbreaks, including in Nigeria where a top health official said Thursday that millions are being vaccinated to cover wide gaps in immunity against the disease.At least 573 people out of the 11,640 diagnosed with the disease in Nigeria have died since the current outbreak started in December 2022, though officials estimate the toll — now on the decline because of treatment efforts — could be much higher across states unable to detect many cases.In other countries like Niger, 37 people had died out of the 865 cases as of October, while Guinea has reported 58 deaths out of 497 since its outbreak started in June.“As far as the history that I am aware of, this is the largest outbreak that we have had,” Ifedayo Adetifa, head of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, told The Associated Press.The highly contagious bacterial infection has been reported in 20 of Nigeria’s 36...

Here’s what the federal government’s tight fiscal outlook could mean for pharmacare

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:48 GMT

OTTAWA — Liberals and New Democrats appear to be inching closer to an agreement on proposed pharmacare legislation, but a national drug plan may be farther out of reach than ever after this week’s federal fiscal update. The Liberals promised to table and pass the legislation by the end of the year as part of a supply-and-confidence deal, in which the NDP is supporting the minority government on key votes in exchange for progress on shared priorities. It is now nearly impossible for a bill to pass before the holiday break, but the NDP appears to be willing to offer some wiggle room on the terms of the deal if it means the Liberals table a plan for a universal, single-payer drug program. The negotiations are taking place as Ottawa pledges to install new fiscal guardrails that would keep deficits below one per cent of gross domestic product beginning in the 2026-2027 financial year.Health Minister Mark Holland says the economic climate is one of the reasons negotiations with the ...

CPD: Group with rifles conducts 12 robberies on Southwest Side in an hour

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:48 GMT

CHICAGO — A group armed with rifles and handguns conducted 12 robberies in an hour on Thanksgiving morning throughout the Southwest Side.The group was driving a light or dark blue Toyota or Hyundai sedan.No injuries were reported, but property was taken before the group fled in the sedan.A timeline of the robberies is below, per Chicago police. All times are approximate.2300 Block of West 21st Street at 7:20 a.m.2000 Block of West 23rd Street at 7:25 a.m.1700 Block of West Cermak Road at 7:30 am.3700 Block of South Wolcott Avenue at 7:47 a.m.4900 Block of South Paulina Street at 7:55 a.m.4700 Block of South Hermitage Avenue at 8:00 a.m.5800 Block of South Sacramento Avenue at 8:07 a.m.5000 Block of South Fairfield Avenue at 8:08 a.m. 4700 Block of South Honore Street at 8:10 a.m.5200 Block of South Rockwell Street at 8:15 a.m. 1900 Block of West Cermak Road at 8:20 a.m. 5900 Block of South Mozart Street at 8:20 a.m. No one is in custody. Anyone with information can leave an anonymou...

Williamson County EMS to host free Narcan training for the public

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:48 GMT

WILLIAMSON COUNTY,Texas (KXAN) — Williamson County EMS says it will teach members of the public how to administer life-saving overdose-reversing medication in an effort to improve the odds of survival amid the ongoing opioid crisis.Stacee Henrichs, assistant outreach education coordinator for WCEMS, said the class will teach attendees how to identify the signs of an opioid overdose and how to administer Naloxone, which reverses an overdose in progress.She said the class aims to familiarize people with what steps to take in the event of an overdose so they are prepared to intervene when needed."If they can recognize that it's an opioid overdose, they can get them the life saving medication and administer it before EMS ever gets there, rather than not knowing what to do, and then that person ends up in cardiac arrest," Henrichs said.This year, WCEMS said it has submitted 105 presumed opioid overdose cases to Bluebonnet Trails Community Services for outreach. From July 2022 to December...

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott delivers meals to homebound Austinites Thanksgiving morning

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:48 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, First Lady Celia Abbott, and their daughter, Audrey, joined Meals on Wheels Central Texas Thursday morning to deliver Thanksgiving meals to older homebound Austinites. “Joining Meals On Wheels to deliver Thanksgiving Day meals to those in need throughout the Greater Austin area has been a cherished tradition for our family,” Abbott said in a press release. PHOTOS: 2023 Austin ThunderCloud Subs Turkey Trot “It’s an honor to work alongside the dedicated Meals On Wheels volunteers as they bring warmth and nourishment to Texans during this Thanksgiving holiday. The spirit of giving and sharing a meal together embodies the true essence of this holiday. We are grateful for the opportunity to serve, and we encourage all Texans to look for ways to support those in their communities needing help. My family and I wish everyone in Texas a very blessed and happy Thanksgiving," he continued. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, First Lady Celia Abbott, and their daug...

Prep Bowl: Friday’s football state championship game predictions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:48 GMT

A look at Friday’s high school football championship games at U.S. Bank Stadium. Finals in the other classes will be played on Saturday.CLASS 6ACentennial (11-1) vs. Edina (9-3), 7 p.m.A fitting championship matchup in Minnesota’s largest-schools division, these have been the two best teams in Class 6A over the past two months. It’s fun to see two fresh faces on such a stage. This is the Cougars’ first trip to the title game since 1984. For Edina, it’s the Hornets’ first championship game since Edina West won it all in 1978. Edina’s multi-faceted offense has served as a riddle no opponent could solve, not even Eden Prairie last week. The Hornets’ early scores prevented Eden Prairie from taking control of the game with ball possession. Centennial will look for a better start than the Eagles to allow its physicality to truly take hold. OUR PICK: Centennial 22, Edina 21CLASS 4ARocori (10-2) vs. Hutchinson (10-2), 4 p.m.Two rivals from the same dominant subdistrict tha...

Prep Bowl: Four decades later, Centennial’s 1984 state finalist football team hopes this year’s Cougars finish the job

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:48 GMT

After Centennial fell in the state tournament quarterfinal round to Rosemount last fall, Brett Harper, father of Cougars running back Maverick Harper, looked over at his brother-in-law Mark Barrett and said, “We’re going to do it for you next year, Marky. We’re going to redeem ya.”Barrett is the uncle and godfather of Maverick Harper. He also was a lineman on the only Centennial team to reach the state championship game prior to this year’s team, which will square off with Edina for the Class 6A crown at 7 p.m. Friday at U.S. Bank Stadium.Barrett’s Cougars made their memorable run in 1984, reaching the Prep Bowl, which was just in its infant stages back then, where they fell 32-7 to Hutchinson in the Class A final at the Metrodome.“Now to see Maverick and the Cougars go on this run, it’s really exciting,” Barrett said. “It’s just unbelievable.”As was Centennial’s run 39 years ago. Mike Dickerson, another lineman on the team, recalled a playoff win over Mora in which the Cougars trai...

Two-car crash leaves one dead on Loveland Pass in Summit County

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:48 GMT

A 58-year-old Aurora man was killed in a two-car crash Wednesday on U.S. 6 on the Summit County side of Loveland Pass.The crash occurred at about 5:50 p.m. when the man was driving a Toyota Scion westbound on U.S. 6 collided with a Chevy Tahoe going eastbound, according to Colorado State Patrol. No alcohol or drugs are suspected in the crash, but excessive speed is likely a contributing factor, said Trooper Gabriel Moltrer.Moltrer said the man who died was not wearing a seatbelt.The driver of the Chevy, a 52-year-old man from Missouri, was seriously injured after being ejected from the vehicle. Three other passengers in the car also were transported to a hospital for minor injuries. They all were wearing seatbelts, according to the CSP report.U.S. 6 at Loveland Pass was closed for six hours after the crash. No charges have been filed and Colorado State Patrol is still investigating.Related ArticlesCrashes and Disasters | Motorcyclist killed in hit-and-run crash on Speer i...

At the European Parliament, MEPs join Maryam Rajavi in urging EU to blacklist Iran regime’s Revolutionary Guards

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:48 GMT

Iranian opposition leader Maryam Rajavi addressed the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday (22 November), calling on European Union leaders to counter the Iranian regime's impunity and terrorism by blacklisting the Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization and shutting down embassies of Iran's regime.Mrs. Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), made the appeal just days after terrorists, suspected to be working for Iran, attempted to assassinate former European Parliament Vice President Dr. Alejo Vidal-Quadras, a long-time supporter of the Iranian Resistance.The chair of the conference, Mr. Zarzalejos, read out a message by Prof. Vidal Quadras, currently recovering in a hospital in Spain following his November 9 assassination attempt on his life.In his message, Vidal Quadras who was a Vice-President of European Parliament from 1999- 2014, pointed to the Iranian regime as the most likely culprit in the attempted assassination of ...

Mother who waited to report her San Jose toddler was dead from fentanyl is apprehended

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:48 GMT

A mother charged with murder in the fentanyl death of an 18-month-old San Jose toddler has been arrested, police said Thursday.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Oakland police arrest suspect in fatal shooting of 28-year-old man Crime and Public Safety | San Francisco resident charged with murder of man whose body was found in the Presidio Crime and Public Safety | A masked man leapt from a bush to kill an East Bay man. Photos, phone records and a Selena Gomez song led to arrest of wife, lover Crime and Public Safety | Man shot to death in East Bay fast-food parking lot Crime and Public Safety | Oakland murder case falls apart after defense raises questions about impugned detective’s investigation Investigators took Kelly Gene Richardson, 28, into custody about 6:45 p.m. Wednesday, police confirmed in an email. Police had no other details regarding the arrest.Richardson is the mother of 18-m...