NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. cases of a dangerous fungus tripled over just three years, and more than half of states have now reported it, according to a new study.The COVID-19 pandemic likely drove part of the increase, researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wrote in the paper published Monday by Annals of Internal Medicine. Hospital workers were strained by coronavirus patients, and that likely shifted their focus away from disinfecting some other kinds of germs, they said.The fungus, Candida auris, is a form of yeast that is usually not harmful to healthy people but can be a deadly risk to fragile hospital and nursing home patients. It spreads easily and can infect wounds, ears and the bloodstream. Some strains are so-called superbugs that are resistant to all three classes of antibiotic drugs used to treat fungal infections.It was first identified in Japan in 2009 and has been seen in more and more countries. The first U.S. case occurred in 2013, but it was not reported until 2016. That year, U.S. health officials reported 53 cases.The new study founds cases have continued to shoot up, rising to 476 in 2019, to 756 in 2020, and then to 1,471 in 2021. Doctors have also detected the fungus on the skin of thousands of other patients, making them a transmission risk to others.Many of the first U.S. cases were infections that had been imported from abroad, but now most infections are spread within the U.S., the authors noted.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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A strain of Candida auris cultured in a petri dish at a CDC laboratory

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Candida auris, is a form of yeast that is usually not harmful to healthy people but can be a deadly risk to fragile hospital and nursing home patients. It spreads easily .

'Superbug' Fungus Cases Have Risen Dramatically During & After Pandemic

Before the COVID pandemic, the team at <a href="https://www.parkwaysbc.com/">Parkway Southern Baptist Church</a> in New Albany, Indiana, would offer transportation and snacks for children who attended Wednesday night teaching. And once a month, a full meal.&nbsp;But when COVID hit, “Everything shut down in the matter of like a day. And that happened to be a day when the kids were supposed to get a meal from us. So, we were like ‘What are we going to do? These kids need to eat. And now the schools are closed. Everything is closed. There’s no way for them to get what they depend on.’” <a href="https://yfcsoin.org/">Youth for Christ </a>Campus Life Site Director Jennifer Omerso explains, “We came up with the idea to pack a lunch and bring it to them.” And they did, using appropriate pandemic precautions. At the time, they were feeding about 30 children. As the pandemic unexpectedly continued, “each week there would be new kids who were like ‘Hey, is there any way I could get one of those lunches? I don’t have anything (to eat).’”&nbsp;Complete <a href="https://soundcloud.com/air1-news/jennifer-omerso-leads-team-feeding-400-kids-weekly-in-indiana?si=5393212619a44c9a94e566207bd163eb&amp;utm_source=clipboard&amp;utm_medium=text&amp;utm_campaign=social_sharing">interview podcast</a>Jennifer reflects, “The number of kids being blessed quickly rose from 30 to 100 to 300…and now (even after the pandemic) we are sitting at 400-plus lunches every week.” And her team is feeding all they can. “This is such a huge need in the community for food, especially with inflation and everything the way it is right now.”For the kids, not having nutritious food can bring on life issues. “For a lot of them, when they don’t have something to eat, it’s going to impact everything from how they perform at school, to even – just their attitude.” Jennifer says the term “hangry’ (a blend of hungry and angry) is a real thing. “It’s going to affect their disposition. It could cause there to be behaviors in school or even at home.” &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://emfservices.azureedge.net/news/40757.jpg" alt="Some of the YFC food team crew"><figcaption>[Photo Credit: Youth for Christ/Southern Indiana] Some of the YFC food team crew</figcaption></figure>Jennifer and her team consider what they do “a labor of love.” The outreach has established trust with residents. People are more open to talk about their struggles. Some have even joined the sharing. “It’s gone from, ‘okay, why are you knocking on my door?’ to ‘come in. Here, I made you a cake. Oh, I made this blanket for you’ to ‘I want to help. Here’s some mac and cheese. You can pass it out to the community.’”&nbsp;“We’ve had kids that we’ve passed food out to that now help us pass out the food. They get excited when they see the wagon coming – and they’re ready to go and help!”&nbsp;The food team’s determination puzzles some residents. “Last week, it was pouring down rain and they’re like ‘Why are you out here? Why are you doing this?’” The response from Jennifer is simple: “Jesus doesn’t leave us. We’re not leaving. We’re going to keep showing up as long as you’ll open the door.”Being servants of Christ, Jennifer’s team usually asks if there are any prayer needs. And there always are. One woman had just been diagnosed with cancer. She received prayer, love, and encouragement.&nbsp;And, when invited, they share in family celebrations. “We’ve been able to walk beside for the last three years, a lady that we’d met just by knocking on the door, giving her kids food, to find out that she was just getting ready to celebrate one month sober. And now she’s getting ready to celebrate being three years sober!”“We’re bringing the Gospel, but we’re also living the Gospel” in meeting physical and relational needs. And the Campus Life team makes it clear to residents “over and over again, ‘Hey, this isn’t us. This is Jesus. This is God. He loves you. He wants a relationship with you. We are motivated by his love, not by our own deeds.’”<figure class="image"><img src="https://emfservices.azureedge.net/news/40758.jpg" alt="Jennifer Omerso"><figcaption>[Photo Credit: Jennifer Omerso] Jennifer Omerso</figcaption></figure>In our complete podcast interview just below, Jennifer shares that while growing up, she was “a lost kid.” There was a lot of brokenness, things going on in the home. But hear how she learned “about a God who loves me, he accepts me, he wants me no matter what” and how that moment changed her entire life.<figure class="media"><oembed url="https://soundcloud.com/air1-news/jennifer-omerso-leads-team-feeding-400-kids-weekly-in-indiana?si=5393212619a44c9a94e566207bd163eb&amp;utm_source=clipboard&amp;utm_medium=text&amp;utm_campaign=social_sharing"></oembed></figure><figure class="image"><img src="https://emfservices.azureedge.net/news/40759.jpg" alt="Blessing appreciated"><figcaption>[Photo Credit: Youth for Christ/Southern Indiana] Blessing appreciated</figcaption></figure><figure class="image"><img src="https://emfservices.azureedge.net/news/40760.jpg" alt="Blessing with a smile"><figcaption>[Photo Credit: Youth for Christ/Southern Indiana] Blessing with a smile</figcaption></figure>YFC&nbsp;chapters impact thousands of communities across the nation, seeking out and serving youth from all walks of life. Young people are silently struggling through a wide variety of challenging issues—and through the&nbsp;YFC&nbsp;ministry God empowers them and&nbsp;they see the living power of a loving God.&nbsp;YFCtrains its leaders in a proven, relational ministry model called 3Story®, which encourages staff and volunteers to&nbsp;be&nbsp;good news while also sharing the stories of&nbsp;the&nbsp;Good News of Jesus. It involves building relationships through the ups and downs of everyday life to lead people to Christ.YFC&nbsp;has been a pillar of missional ministry since 1944, when Dr. Billy Graham served as&nbsp;YFC’s&nbsp;first full-time staff member. Since then,&nbsp;Youth For Christ&nbsp;has continued to be both a rural and urban ministry on mission, and it is always about the message of Jesus. Youth For Christ&nbsp;operates in over 100 nations and has over&nbsp;<a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fu7061146.ct.sendgrid.net%2Fls%2Fclick%3Fupn%3D4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUQ685NI9ACyxhTDIRkckZnEj2aApVtBCvsIz6UN-2BnP7EK-os_tZ6gW1CmgmiDSdvJ3JBgYvSSLS-2F2lSM4N8Uo14XYirBhqzmsavzWtg2m5rcw-2FY-2F12tuDmpr9gMA6Pt0LBveldp0jRHrwtV4uzKHzeGQFD8j4Hb0YVZFyMF3I7MS-2BZYwqKRqT-2BSV-2FsRzmygGE3hCLeFBlP5vFOi5K4YRLVDVCT9pOwEytnXAniCAzr-2FZeTWDXYM0N9uHt3AzsPQmYIcIOMC6VJWJkWqXqzuTxi76brgTrg3FBCqx4oKsX1N3517xskasVjLlcuxgZeA6gLdHq13KEmQ5REZx-2B0RV1CUm90ErhywxRqXZKVpJb5rTq1c-2Ff5o01B4p5Q9ciMVxC43590g-3D-3D&amp;data=05%7C01%7Crichard%40klove.com%7C0344b641502641434e7208dae2a4430c%7C1e2152463fb64aeab4e0009f2a1de44e%7C0%7C0%7C638071493939487808%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C5000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=IJNio%2B%2F7yRsLkCJBvajTvIPlmeXIJspfGavgBbxlnkI%3D&amp;reserved=0">130 chapters</a>&nbsp;that impact communities across America.&nbsp;

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The food team’s determination puzzles some residents. “Last week, it was pouring down rain and they’re like ‘Why are you out here? Why are you doing this?’” The response from Jennifer is simple…

‘Hey, This Isn’t Us. This Is God. He Loves You.' - Volunteer Team Feeds 400 Indiana Kids Weekly (+podcast)

Roberto Allen is the head boys’ varsity basketball coach at Withrow University High School in Cincinnati. His Tigers team has had a very good year, and he’s proud of his players’ accomplishments. But much of his work, his heart work, takes place off the basketball court.Coach ‘Berdo’ makes it clear, “I absolutely love basketball. It’s changed my life.” And it’s other lives – those of his players - that he takes great responsibility for. “The challenges that our kids have is that they have to grow up so early. Many of my boys come from a dysfunctional family where they have to behave as an adult as a kid. You know, to raising their siblings, to controlling a house while their mother is at work.” There aren’t many fathers taking part in the players’ families, so the teens have tremendous responsibilities and they’re really “not allowed to be kids” because of circumstances. &nbsp;&nbsp;Coach Allen always allows his personal at-home time to be interrupted by an urgent phone call from a team member, often late at night. “Those calls range from domestic violence phone calls – I may have to intervene with a mother or father or boyfriend, or mother vs. son situation, where the mother is arguing with her son, and I have to be the male role figure to calm that situation down.&nbsp;I get calls sometimes when my boys can’t sleep at night because their anxiety is on a high due to a loved one dying, or a close friend being shot. Or they just have so many thoughts about their future that they give me all types of phone calls.” &nbsp;If you listen to Coach Berdo’s voice and tone in our <a href="https://soundcloud.com/air1-news/coach-berdo-some-players-call-him-dad?si=610e13b7411440abb3f10a74edc1513f&amp;utm_source=clipboard&amp;utm_medium=text&amp;utm_campaign=social_sharing">complete podcast interview</a>, it’s obvious that he is not annoyed by late night calls. He actually considers it a privilege to try and help these teens grow into confident adults with a positive future. It’s a mission of sorts. “I believe you have to be honest with our youth to get them prepared for the real world. I believe if you shelter kids, you hinder their growth. I go the extra mile for my kids because somebody did it for me. And I know that if I don’t do it, they have a high probability of going out there and being negatively influenced by guys that don’t have their best interest at heart.”Coach Roberto fully realizes that he is a role model and sometimes even fills a dad gap for those players without fathers in the picture. “Due to how I carry myself. Due to the advice that I provide. Due to how I love on them. Due to me preaching to those men as if they were my child, some of my guys give me that title,” …Dad.&nbsp;An honor he cherishes.<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn.corpemf.com/news/50903.jpg" alt="Coach "><figcaption>[Photo Credit: Provided] Coach 'Berdo' sharing strategy</figcaption></figure>All the extra that he does takes a willingness to think of others above himself. He minces no words. “It’s a big sacrifice, man. I’m obsessed with being a head coach. I think you’ve got to be a little crazy to be a head coach. But I’m obsessed with helping young people. I’m obsessed with being a leader and that I take this responsibility very, very seriously. And I’m committed and dedicated and I’m willing to sacrifice things in my personal life for me to fulfill my role as a leader in the lives of these young people.”&nbsp;In our complete podcast interview just below, Coach shares about the two key people who influenced him as he was growing up with disfunction. “I didn’t have a father. My mother was an alcoholic and drug addict.” He shares how those two men provided him with support “to keep going and stay the course” at the same time that many of his peers “went the wrong way.” His friends are “great guys, but the ‘street’ got them.” &nbsp;Like a number of school coaches, Coach Berdo is paid once a year. Typically, a coach in this category might earn something in the neighborhood of $5,000, for the year. They aren’t reimbursed for recruitment trips. And they certainly don’t get paid for phone calls late at night. The only compensation for the extra mile is knowing you’re making a difference in a teenager’s life – and that pays life dividends far above cash.&nbsp;<figure class="media"><oembed url="https://soundcloud.com/air1-news/coach-berdo-some-players-call-him-dad?si=610e13b7411440abb3f10a74edc1513f&amp;utm_source=clipboard&amp;utm_medium=text&amp;utm_campaign=social_sharing"></oembed></figure>&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn.corpemf.com/news/50902.jpg" alt="Coach Roberto Allen with Withrow team members"><figcaption>[Photo Credit: Provided] Coach Roberto Allen with Withrow team members</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;

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“I get calls sometimes when my boys can’t sleep at night because their anxiety is on a high due to a loved one dying, or a close friend being shot.”

Coach ‘Berdo’: Some Players Call Him “Dad” (+podcast)

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“The first thing she wrote on her little whiteboard after surgery was where is London?"

Holley, London, Young Cheerleaders Stick By Each Other’s Side After Car Crash

WASHINGTON (AP) — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is trying project calm after regional bank failures, saying the U.S. banking system is “sound” but additional rescue arrangements “could be warranted” if any new failures at smaller institutions pose a risk to financial stability.Yellen, in an excerpt of remarks prepared for delivery to the American Bankers Association on Tuesday, says that overall “the situation is stabilizing.""And the U.S. banking system remains sound,” Yellen says.Yellen's remarks come after a series of troubling bank developments this month.Silicon Valley Bank, based in Santa Clara, California, failed on March 10 after depositors rushed to withdraw money amid anxiety over the bank’s health. It was the second-largest bank collapse in U.S. history. Regulators convened over the following weekend and announced that New York-based Signature Bank also had failed. They said that all depositors at both banks, including those holding uninsured funds, those exceeding $250,000, would be protected by federal deposit insurance.And last week a third bank, San Francisco-based First Republic Bank, was fortified by $30 billion in funds raised by 11 of the biggest U.S. banks in an attempt to prevent it from collapsing.The government is now determined to restore public confidence in the banking system and to prevent any more turmoil. The Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission have launched investigations into the Silicon Valley Bank collapse, and President Joe Biden has called on Congress to strengthen rules on regional banks and to impose tougher penalties on executives of failed banks.Yellen, in her prepared remarks, says the government’s intervention was necessary to “protect the broader banking system" and more rescue efforts could be necessary.“Similar actions could be warranted if smaller institutions suffer deposit runs that pose the risk of contagion,” she says.Yellen faced the Senate Finance Committee last week and offered upbeat reassurances to rattled bank depositors and investors that the U.S. banking system “remains sound” and Americans “can feel confident” about the safety of their deposits.She will appear in front of congressional panels twice more this week, in the Senate and the House, and will inevitably face more questions about the nature of the bank failures and the government's effort to quell them.“Let me be clear: The government’s recent actions have demonstrated our resolute commitment to take the necessary steps to ensure that depositors’ savings and the banking system remain safe,” she said.

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Janet Yellen says the system is "sound."

Treasury Secretary Says The Bank Situation Is 'Stabilizing'

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is establishing national monuments in Nevada and Texas and creating a marine sanctuary in U.S. waters near the Pacific Remote Islands southwest of Hawaii.The Democratic president is set to announce the measures Tuesday at a White House summit on conservation action at the Interior Department.Biden said in November that he intends to designate Avi Kwa Ame, a desert mountain in southern Nevada that’s considered sacred to Native Americans, as a national monument. The site spans more than 500,000 acres (202,000 hectares) and includes Spirit Mountain, a peak northwest of Laughlin called Avi Kwa Ame (ah-VEE’ kwa-meh) by the Fort Mojave Tribe and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.The rugged landscape near the Arizona and California state lines is home to bighorn sheep, desert tortoises and a large concentration of Joshua trees, some of which are more than 900 years old.In Texas, Biden plans to create the Castner Range National Monument in El Paso. The designation will protect the cultural, scientific and historic objects found within the monument’s boundaries, honor U.S. veterans, service members and tribal nations, and expand access to outdoor recreation on public lands, the White House said.Located on Fort Bliss, Castner Range served as a training and testing site for the U.S. Army during World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. The Army ceased training at the site and closed Castner Range in 1966.Together, the two new national monuments protect nearly 514,000 acres (208,000 hectares) of public lands.In the Pacific, Biden will direct the Commerce Department to consider initiating a new national marine sanctuary designation within 30 days to protect all U.S. waters around the Pacific Remote Islands. If completed, the new sanctuary would help ensure the U.S. reaches Biden's goal to conserve at least 30% of ocean waters under U.S. jurisdiction by 2030, the White House said.Biden also will announce a series of steps to conserve, restore and expand access to public lands and waters across the country, the White House said. The proposals seek to modernize management of America’s public lands, harness the power of the ocean to help fight climate change, and better conserve wildlife corridors. Biden also will propose new spending to improve access to outdoor recreation, promote tribal conservation and reduce wildfire risk.

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Teddybear Chollas are seen within the proposed Avi Kwa Ame National Monument near Searchlight, Nev.

Biden to designate national monuments in Nevada, Texas

President Biden To Designate Two New National Monuments

Google announced Tuesday it's allowing more people to interact with “ Bard,” the artificially intelligent chatbot the company is building to counter Microsoft's early lead in a pivotal battleground of technology.In Bard's next stage, Google is opening a waitlist to use an AI tool that's similar to the ChatGPT technology Microsoft began deploying in its Bing search engine to much fanfare last month. And last week, Microsoft embedded more AI-powered technology in its word processing, spreadsheet and slide presentation programs with a new feature called Copilot.Until now, Bard had only been available to a small group of “trusted testers” hand-picked by Google. The Mountain View, California, company, which is owned by Alphabet Inc., isn't saying how many people will be given access to Bard in the next step of the technology's development. Initial applicants will be limited to the U.S. and the U.K. before Google offers Bard in more countries.Google is treading carefully with the rollout of its AI tools, in part because it has more to lose if the technology spits out inaccurate information or takes its users down dark corridors. That's because Google's dominant search engine has become a de facto gateway to the internet for billions of people, raising the risk of a massive backlash that could tarnish its image and undercut its ad-driven business if the technology behaves badly.Despite the technology's pitfalls, Bard still offers “incredible benefits” such as “jumpstarting human productivity, creativity and curiosity,” Google said in a blog post that two of its vice presidents — Sissie Hsiao and Eli Collins — wrote with assistance from Bard.As a precautionary measure, Google is limiting the amount of interaction that can occur between Bard and its users — a tactic Microsoft has imposed with ChatGPT after media coverage detailed instances when the technology failed.Google also is providing access to Bard through a separate site from its search engine, which serves as the foundation for the digital ads that generate most of its profits. In a tacit acknowledgement that Bard may be prone to straying into manufacturing falsehoods, which are being called “hallucinations” in technology circles, Google is providing a query box connected to its search engine to make it easier for users to check on the accuracy of the information being displayed by the AI.Bard made an embarrassing blunder shortly after Google unveiled the tool by prominently displaying a wrong answer about a scientific milestone during a presentation that was supposed to show how smart the technology could be. The gaffe contributed to a nearly 8% drop in Alphabet's stock in a single day, wiping out about $100 billion in shareholder wealth and underscoring how closely investors are watching how Google handles the transition to AI.

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Google at their campus in Mountain View, Calif.

Google is opening a waitlist to use an AI tool that's similar to the ChatGPT technology Microsoft began deploying in its Bing search engine to much fanfare last month.

'Bard' Ready For Next Steps - Google's Intelligent Chatbot

Can you imagine moving all your belongings into a space the size of a two-car garage with a full bathroom, kitchen, and bedroom? 54% of Americans surveyed say housing expenses are their largest financial burden.When Consumer Affairs asked, 65% of the respondents with a mortgage considered themselves "house poor," meaning a significant portion of their income goes to their house payment and other housing expenses. This often means sacrificing other opportunities, such as traveling and purchasing expensive items.It's common for people to downsize. But a new trend called tiny home living is taking that to new levels.Many Americans are jumping on board the bandwagon and ditching their large homes .Of course, moving into a tiny home that's a fraction of the space is a significant lifestyle commitment. But if reducing clutter and lower bills isn't convincing enough, tiny homes can also be a lucrative investment .<h3 style="margin-left:0px;">Making Money with a Tiny Home</h3>Many people would love to jump into the real estate market, not only for home ownership but also to pursue rental market opportunities. The ideal scenario is to collect enough rental income to cover the mortgage, property taxes, and bills while owning an appreciating asset.Usually, start-up costs can be a considerable barrier for real estate entrepreneurs.Precious Price, a tiny house business success story, is thriving in the short-term rental market to the extent that she was able to leave her six-figure corporate job to pursue her tiny house dream full-time. For Price, the goal was to reduce her cost of living, but the rewards were more than that. She was able to achieve financial freedom at a young age.Price says she realized when she became homebound that her 3-bedroom home was much more space than she needed. With plenty of room left in her backyard, she envisioned a tiny home with enough space to fulfill her needs. On top of that, it would allow her to rent her full-sized home and cover her mortgage payment.In 2020, Price purchased a shed structure for her backyard. The shed became an obvious choice over a shipping container because of the ability to customize the shed with additional windows to bring in more natural light, and delivery was more manageable.<h3 style="margin-left:0px;">Tiny Houses Require Upfront Costs</h3>Since most tiny homes don't qualify for a traditional mortgage, Precious Price financed the cost of the tiny home with her personal savings. The initial investment for the structure was $10,000. However, construction costs were more than she had anticipated.Building a tiny home can cost even more per square foot than a full-sized home. Price shares her experience in her video series, Going Tiny, because she says, "I wanted to help save tiny home builders the headaches I encountered on my building journey." She also provides coaching services to help people establish a tiny house rental business.The first contractor Price hired specialized in plumbing. However, they insisted they were capable of constructing the entire interior. Price agreed to move forward with the build, but it placed her in a design and project management role she didn't anticipate.As the build progressed, their lack of experience became apparent as the quality of the work didn't live up to expectations. This ended the relationship with the first contractor, and the second was also short-lived because of their overcharging practices.Price says her biggest takeaway is, "if you can't find contractors with tiny home building experience, find a general contractor who can act as a project manager as well. Don't just hire someone who specializes in plumbing and believes they can complete the job because there will be contractors who underestimate tiny home builds because of their size."If a contractor's portfolio of builds is limited to full-sized homes, you can still consider this a valuable experience. Their building project management skills will still serve them well.Price kept the layout and amenities simple but added a separate area for working from home. The location is also attractive, as the house is nestled in a private backyard with plenty of greenery and a fire pit. The general contractor completed the build to a final total construction cost of $25,000. The tiny home in her backyard cost her $35,000 in total.<h3 style="margin-left:0px;">Entering a Tiny House in the Short-Term Rental Market</h3>Initially, Precious Price had envisioned herself moving into the tiny home while renting out her house. But as the build ended in 2021, she decided to enter the short-term rental market instead.Tiny homes can be a big draw for the short-term rental market on popular sites like Airbnb and Vrbo. Price would charge between $89 and $149 for short-term stays, depending on the season and events happening in the area.Many visitors from out of town rented the property to experience tiny home living before taking the plunge and moving into one. Others wanted to see how it would feel from the perspective of potential renters.Eventually, Price realized that renting the property to students monthly would be less work and more lucrative for her business. She now charges between $1,200 and $1,400 a month.Tiny houses can easily be converted back for personal use, office space, and even multi-generational living options. Precious Price believes there are many benefits to owning a tiny house, and even though she faced several challenges along the way, the investment for her is a win-win.

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Unlocking profits with a tiny house investment

Tiny Homes Not Only Place To Live, But Becoming Investment Opportunity

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon is speeding up its delivery of Abrams tanks to Ukraine, opting to send a refurbished older model that can be ready faster, with the aim of getting the 70-ton battle powerhouses to the war zone in eight to 10 months, U.S. officials told The Associated Press.The original plan was to send Ukraine 31 of the newer M1A2 Abrams, which could have taken a year or two to build and ship. But officials said the decision was made to send the older M1A1 version, which can be taken from Army stocks and will be easier for Ukrainian forces to learn to use and maintain.The officials spoke on Tuesday on the condition of anonymity because the plan has not yet been publicly announced. Pentagon officials are expected to make the announcement soon.The Biden administration announced in January that it would send the tanks to Ukraine — after insisting for months that they were too complicated and too hard to maintain and repair. The decision was part of a broader political maneuver that opened the door for Germany to announce it would send its Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine and allow Poland and other allies to do the same.It's unclear how soon the U.S. would begin training Ukrainian forces on how to use, maintain and repair the tanks. That training pipeline could affect the amount of time it takes for the tanks to be used in battle. The Pentagon will also have to ensure that Ukrainian forces have an adequate supply chain for all the parts needed to keep the tanks running.

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A soldier walks past a line of M1 Abrams tanks

US speeds up Abrams tank delivery to Ukraine war zone

Delivery Of US Tanks To Ukraine On Accelerated Schedule

WASHINGTON (AP) — A 72-year-old American imprisoned more than a year in Saudi Arabia over tweets critical of the Saudi crown prince was back with family members in Riyadh on Tuesday, but it wasn't clear whether the kingdom will drop a travel ban to allow him to return home to Florida.Neither Saudi nor U.S. officials by early Tuesday had spoken publicly after Saudi Arabia on Monday released Saad Almadi, a dual U.S.-Saudi citizen and, until his arrest, a retiree living in Florida.Almadi is now at home with family members who live in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, said his son, Ibrahim Almadi. Saudi officials dropped all charges against the elder Almadi, Ibrahim Almadi and advocates familiar with the case said. But it was not immediately clear whether the kingdom would maintain a travel ban it had imposed to follow the prison sentence.The Florida man's imprisonment over tweets had been one of several alleged human rights abuses that had soured relations between Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and President Joe Biden. That included Saudi officials' assassination of a U.S.-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside a Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018, and prison sentences and travel bans that Saudi Arabia under the crown prince's tenure has given Saudi rights advocates and perceived rivals and critics of the powerful crown prince.Both Prince Mohammed and the Biden administration recently have taken steps toward restoring better relations. The two countries are partners in a decades-old security arrangement in which the U.S. provides security for Saudi Arabia and the oil-rich kingdom keeps global markets supplied with oil.Saudi Arabia had sentenced Almadi last year to 16 years in prison, saying his critical tweets about how the kingdom was being governed amounted to terrorist acts against it.As U.S. officials worked to win his release, and after Biden traveled to Saudi Arabia last summer in an attempt to improve relations with the oil-rich nation, a Saudi appeals court increased Almadi’s prison sentence to 19 years.Ibrahim Almadi had campaigned hard and publicly for his father's freedom. The son had pushed the Biden administration to formally declare his father as wrongfully detained by the kingdom, and had accused U.S. officials of holding back on criticism in the case in the interest of mending relations with the oil giant.“Now we have to fight travel ban,” he added.Saudi Arabia did not acknowledge Almadi’s release. However, the kingdom routinely pardons prisoners ahead of the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which could begin as soon as Tuesday night.A retired project manager in the United States, Almadi was arrested in 2021 when he arrived for what was to have been a two-week visit to see family in the kingdom. Once in custody, he was confronted by Saudi authorities with tweets he had posted over several years from his home in Florida, his son says.Almadi's tweets included one noting Prince Salman's consolidation of power in the kingdom and another that spoke of Khashoggi's death. U.S. intelligence officials earlier concluded the crown prince authorized the hit team that killed Khashoggi inside a Saudi consulate in Istanbul."We are relieved that Saad Almadi has been released, but he should have never spent a day behind bars for innocuous tweets,” said Abdullah Alaoudh, Saudi director for the Freedom Initiative, a U.S.-based group that advocates for those it considers unjustly detained in the Middle East.Alaoudh urged the U.S. to continue to press for the release of all rights advocates and others detained in Saudi Arabia.Freedom Initiative says least four U.S. citizens and one legal permanent resident already were detained in Saudi Arabia under travel bans, and that at least one other older U.S. citizen remains imprisoned. Many of the travel bans targeted dual citizens advocating for greater rights in the kingdom, such as Saudi women's right to drive.Ibrahim Almadi said his father had lost extensive weight in prison and that his health had worsened drastically.

american-freed-by-saudi-arabia-after-tweets-critical-of-royal-family

Saad Almadi was sentenced to 16 years over tweets on how the kingdom was being governed.

American Freed By Saudi Arabia After Tweets Critical Of Royal Family

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Spring is a battleground season between cold and warm temperatures and that means many different weather threats.

5 Reasons Why Spring Is The Most Volatile Weather Season

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Special Needs Adult Working At Coffee Shop

“It’s not just a coffee shop, It’s a community,"

Adults With Special Needs Shine At Georgia Coffee Shop

Travelers are being inspired to visit destinations they have seen on screen. According to a travel trends report, 66% of travelers have considered trips to destinations based on a movie or TV show they've streamed. Thirty-nine percent already have their trips booked.The travel trends report by Expedia also reported that advice from friends and family topped streaming services by only 2%. And with such a significant impact on travel decisions, tourism agencies are dedicating more of their advertising dollars to streaming services.TV tourism is not a new trend. Some 96% of Americans report they've already visited places associated with their favorite TV show at least once in their lifetime. The same study revealed that 78% of Americans would likely go on a TV or movie-themed trip in 2023.<h3 style="margin-left:0px;">How TV-Inspired Travel Can Help Local Economies and Spread Cultural Awareness</h3>TV tourism, or tourists visiting a destination after learning about it on a TV show, can have many benefits for a destination. It can boost the local economy by increasing tourism and spending. It can also increase cultural awareness as visitors learn about the destination's history, traditions, and way of life.According to the french magazine L'Express, Netflix shows like Emily in Paris , Lupin , and Marseille have boosted tourism in France. For example, on the popular show Emily in Paris , viewers see everything from local businesses to Paris landmarks and even French fashion featured in the show.Paris' tourism office offers a list of main filming locations you can visit based on the show, while Instagram accounts like @emilyinparisoutfit have become wildly popular. With so much influence and exposure, it's no wonder France has seen a boost in tourism.Bridgerton is another excellent example of TV-inspired tourism. Since the popular show hit Netflix in 2020, Bridgerton -themed tours through London have become all the rave. In 2022, Netflix partnered with The Lanesborough , a luxury hotel in London , to offer a Bridgerton -themed afternoon tea.The famous Twilight Saga essentially put Forks, Washington, on the map. A study on post-film tourism stated, "The visitor economy of Forks now clearly relies upon a niche form of tourism - as fans of The Twilight Saga are drawn to the setting and filming location of the films."Northern Ireland reported that the economic benefits of TV tourism after the popular show Game of Thrones were undisputed, contributing to 350,000 visitors and over £50 million for the local economy in 2018.<h3 style="margin-left:0px;">The Cost of Fame: the Negative Impacts of TV-Inspired Tourism</h3>TV tourism can lead to overcrowding and over-tourism, especially for smaller destinations that may not have the infrastructure or resources. It can also become a nuisance for property owners as tourists flock to their homes to snap a photo for Instagram. TV-inspired tourism can also lead to a rise in the vandalism of cultural landmarks that are hundreds of years old.Recently, Harry Potter fans have been asked to stop polluting a beach in Wales, the location of Dobby's grave, with socks. An NBC news report states that so many socks have been left at the grave site that it has become an environmental concern.Bronx residents have become annoyed by tourists stopping to take photos on the set of steps made famous by the movie Joker . The stairs sit between two apartment complexes and are frequented by locals.Visitors to San Francisco are crowding walkways and blocking traffic to see the location of the Full House sitcom and sequel. Locals have said on a good day, you can expect about 50 people, but on a good weekend, there could be close to 100. And that's even after they repainted the door.<h3 style="margin-left:0px;">Travel Responsibly</h3>TV tourism provides an exciting opportunity to discover new destinations and gain insight into other cultures. If we are mindful of our actions and respect local customs and traditions, we can contribute to the sustainability of these destinations.

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Tourists at park in front of homes from TV series "Full House"

Beyond the screen: Traveling to TV-inspired destinations

Television Is Influencing Our Travel Plans

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian and Ukrainian officials on Tuesday gave conflicting accounts of what appeared to be a brazen attack late Monday on Russian cruise missiles being transported by train in the occupied Ukrainian Crimean Peninsula.<blockquote>A Ukrainian military spokesperson indicated that Kyiv was behind the explosion that reportedly destroyed multiple Kalibr cruise missiles near the town of Dzhankoi in northern Crimea, while stopping short of directly claiming responsibility.</blockquote>Natalia Humeniuk, the spokeswoman for Ukraine’s southern operational command, described the strike as a signal to Russia that it should leave the Black Sea peninsula it illegally took from Ukraine in 2014.Speaking on Ukrainian TV, Humeniuk pointed out Dzhankoi’s importance as a railway junction and said that “right now, the way ahead (for Russian forces in Crimea) is clear — they need to make their way out by rail already.”A vague statement by Ukraine’s military intelligence agency on Monday said that multiple missiles carried by rail and destined for submarine launch had been destroyed, without saying outright that Ukraine was responsible or what weapon had been used. However, the agency implied that Kyiv was behind the blast, saying it furthers “the process of Russia’s demilitarization, and prepares the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea for de-occupation.”Moscow-installed authorities in Crimea on Tuesday offered a different version of events, saying that Ukrainian drones attacked civilian facilities in Dzhankoi.<figure class="media"><oembed url="https://twitter.com/maria_avdv/status/1637911954063781889"></oembed></figure>Sergei Aksenov, the Kremlin-appointed head of Crimea, said that the attack left one civilian wounded, but caused “no serious damage.”Aksenov’s adviser, Oleg Kryuchkov, rejected Ukraine’s claims and said that Ukrainian drones had targeted residential areas rather than the railway. Igor Ivin, head of the local administration in Dzhankoi, said that the attack damaged power lines, a private house, a store and a college building.Unconfirmed social media reports late on Monday claimed that Russia’s anti-aircraft defenses shot down multiple drones over Crimea. None of the statements could be independently verified.Throughout the current war, reports have surfaced of attacks on Russian military bases and other infrastructure in Crimea, with Ukraine rarely explicitly claiming responsibility but greeting the incidents with jubilation.In August, powerful explosions rocked a Russian air base in western Crimea, with Ukraine later saying nine warplanes were destroyed. Satellite photos showed at least seven fighter planes had been blown up and others probably damaged. Ukrainian officials initially steered clear of taking credit, while mocking Russia’s explanation that a careless smoker might have caused ammunition at the Saki base to catch fire and blow up. Unusually, Ukraine’s top military officer weeks later announced that he had ordered the strikes.Russian-appointed authorities have also previously reported repeated Ukrainian drone attacks on Crimea, most of which targeted the port of Sevastopol that hosts the main Russian naval base there.These incidents in Crimea, as well as reported drone attacks on Russian territory far from the war’s front lines, have exposed major weaknesses in Moscow’s defenses and embarrassed Russian President Vladimir Putin, who reportedly believed the invasion of Ukraine would be quick and easy.

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People hold a Russian national flag in front of the Crimean parliament 

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