Pelican Press

FDA sets risk level on recall of over 2 million MadeGood granola bar cases FDA sets risk level on recall of over 2 million MadeGood granola bar cases The Food and Drug Administration has made updates to a December recall of over 2.4 million cases of MadeGood granola bars, warning consumers of adverse health risks associated with the recall. Riverside Natural Foods Inc., the Chicago-based parent company of the organic snack manufacturer, voluntarily recalled the products due to the possibility that they were contaminated with metal. The metal would have been from a small, flat brush bristle used in the manufacturing process, according to MadeGood, which said it received seven complaints that prompted the recall, first announced Dec. 9. The recall was made “out of an abundance of caution and commitment to the well-being of our valued customers,” MadeGood said in announcing the decision. While no injuries have been reported from those who consumed the identified products, the FDA this month rated the recall as a “Class II” level. See what’s being recalled: Check USA TODAY’s recall database What is the FDA’s Class II recall? Class II recalls are reserved for products that could “cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences” for consumers who are exposed to them. In these situations, the chances for “serious adverse health consequences is remote,” according to the FDA. This is more serious than a Class III recall, in which using a recalled product is not likely to cause adverse health consequences. Class I is the most severe classification for recalls, as it’s reserved for products that have a “reasonable probability” to cause serious adverse health consequences or death if used. In the case of the MadeGood products, the FDA cited the fact that the food “may contain metal pieces” as justification for the classification. What MadeGood granola products are recalled? Riverside Natural Foods Inc. issued a voluntary recall of certain batches of MadeGood granola bars due to possible metal contamination Those products originally recalled include: Chocolate Chip Granola Bars Cookies & Crème Granola Bars Chocolate Banana Granola Bars Chocolate Drizzled Birthday Cake Granola Bars Chocolate Drizzled Cookie Crumble Granola Bars Chocolate Drizzled Vanilla Granola Bars MadeGood granola bar recall by jcannonswim87 on Scribd The recalled products were produced between January and November 2024 and distributed throughout Canada, the United States and other international markets. An “isolated issue” in the manufacturing process that prompted the recall has already been corrected, MadeGood said in December, adding that it worked with retailers to remove impacted products from store shelves. “We have addressed the source of the issue and are conducting the voluntary recall with the knowledge of regulatory authorities,” MadeGood previously said. What to do if you have a recalled product MadeGood is offering refunds to any customer who has a recalled product in their pantry. Those who have purchased MadeGood granola products are asked to check their package against the recall list. If they have a listed product, they may return it to the store where they bought it for a full refund. Anyone with questions regarding the recall can call the MadeGood Consumer Hotline at 855-215-5695 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. EST or visit the MadeGood website. Contributing: Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at *****@*****.tld This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Granola bar recall: FDA sets risk level after MadeGood recall 2M cases Source link #FDA #sets #risk #level #recall #million #MadeGood #granola #bar #cases Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

NBA All-Star 2025: Chris Paul, Victor Wembanyama disqualified from Skills Challenge for not taking shots – Yahoo Sports NBA All-Star 2025: Chris Paul, Victor Wembanyama disqualified from Skills Challenge for not taking shots – Yahoo Sports NBA All-Star 2025: Chris Paul, Victor Wembanyama disqualified from Skills Challenge for not taking shots Yahoo Sports2025 NBA All-Star highlights: DQ drama in Skills Challenge FOX SportsDonovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley win NBA Skills Challenge during All-Star weekend News 5 Cleveland WEWS2025 Kia Skills Challenge: Team Cavs, Final Round NBA.ComDraymond Green, Moses Moody and Team Warriors fall to Team Cavs in Skills Challenge Golden State of Mind Source link #NBA #AllStar #Chris #Paul #Victor #Wembanyama #disqualified #Skills #Challenge #shots #Yahoo #Sports Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Amorim under '******* pressure' as struggling Spurs & Man Utd meet Amorim under '******* pressure' as struggling Spurs & Man Utd meet Manchester United’s Ruben Amorim and Tottenham’s Ange Postecoglou talk about the pressure at both clubs going into Sunday’s mid-table battle. Source link #Amorim #039bigger #pressure039 #struggling #Spurs #amp #Man #Utd #meet Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Dalkeith ******: Woman, 24, killed in collision on Birdwood Parade Dalkeith ******: Woman, 24, killed in collision on Birdwood Parade A 24-year-old woman has been killed in a two-car ****** on Saturday night. Source link #Dalkeith #****** #Woman #killed #collision #Birdwood #Parade Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Argentina’s opposition threatens impeachment trial after Milei touts crypto coin Argentina’s opposition threatens impeachment trial after Milei touts crypto coin BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – Argentine President Javier Milei could face an impeachment trial in Congress, opposition lawmakers said on Saturday, after the libertarian leader touted a cryptocurrency which crashed soon after. Milei late on Friday posted on X recommending the little-known crypto coin $LIBRE, which soon after shot up to nearly $5 apiece. Just hours later, the cryptocurrency plummeted to under $1. Argentina’s fintech chamber acknowledged that the case could potentially be a “rug pull,” in which the developers of a crypto token draw legitimate investments, pumping up the value, only to later dump their stake. “This scandal, which embarrasses us on an international scale, requires us to launch an impeachment request against the president,” said lawmaker Leandro Santoro, a member of the opposition coalition. Milei deleted the post on X, with local media saying the post had been up for a few hours on Friday night. He later said he took down his post after becoming aware of the circumstances, and that he had no relation to the cryptocurrency. “I was not aware of the details of the project and once I found out, I decided to not continue giving it publicity,” he said. (Reporting by Jorge Otaola; Writing by Kylie Madry; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama) Source link #Argentinas #opposition #threatens #impeachment #trial #Milei #touts #crypto #coin Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

At least 15 people die in crowd crush at New Delhi railway station – The Guardian At least 15 people die in crowd crush at New Delhi railway station – The Guardian At least 15 people die in crowd crush at New Delhi railway station The Guardian15 Dead In Maha Kumbh Rush At New Delhi Railway station.. GreatandhraDelhi Railway Station Stampede Updates: 18 Dead, Over Dozen Injured In Maha Kumbh Rush NDTVStampede triggered by Kumbh rush kills 15 at Delhi railway station The Tribune IndiaChaos at New Delhi Railway Station leaves 15 dead, 10 injured The Economic Times Source link #people #die #crowd #crush #Delhi #railway #station #Guardian Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

'Valentine's Day horror' and 'Europe crisis summit' 'Valentine's Day horror' and 'Europe crisis summit' A range of stories on Sunday’s front pages including a fatal shooting outside a village pub in Kent. Source link #039Valentine039s #Day #horror039 #039Europe #crisis #summit039 Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Fremantle coach’s ‘vanilla’ admission rocks AFL Indigenous All Stars Fremantle coach’s ‘vanilla’ admission rocks AFL Indigenous All Stars Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir has casually dropped an eyebrow-raising admission about his team’s fake performance in Saturday’s All Star game. Source link #Fremantle #coachs #vanilla #admission #rocks #AFL #Indigenous #Stars Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

People Are Sharing Their Unfiltered Reactions To RFK Jr. Being Confirmed As Health Secretary, And It’s Bleak People Are Sharing Their Unfiltered Reactions To RFK Jr. Being Confirmed As Health Secretary, And It’s Bleak President Donald Trump’s nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for US Health Secretary has officially been confirmed — a move that every Senate Democrat and lone Republican Mitch McConnell opposed. Senator McConnell highlighted RFK Jr.’s history of “trafficking in dangerous conspiracy theories and eroding trust in public health institutions” as his reason for voting against him. Andrew Harnik / Getty Images However, President Trump praised RFK Jr. at his swearing-in ceremony, saying, “Bobby is going to lead a great national mission to ‘Make America Healthy Again.’ I think he’s going to do things that will really make us very proud of this day.” The job of the US Health Secretary is significant, involving monitoring FDA practices, managing Medicaid and Medicare policies, overseeing research and programs at the CDC, and supervising the Native American Health Service to solve epidemic issues. Bloomberg / Getty Images This is deeply concerning as many of RFK Jr.’s false claims have been non-fact-based and racially biased. In 2023, he shared a conspiracy theory, stating: “COVID-19 is targeted to attack Caucasians and ****** people. The people who are most immune are Ashkenazi Jews and ********.” In 2024, he advocated for the Trump administration to remove all fluoride — proven to protect teeth from cavities and tooth decay — from public water systems. And, in his recent confirmation hearing, he refused to acknowledge that childhood vaccines don’t cause autism. Advertisement Advertisement Here’s how people online are reacting to RFK Jr. being confirmed as US Health Secretary: 1. @zoerosebryant / Via x.com Advertisement Advertisement 2. @DarrigoMelanie / Via x.com 3. @GeauxGabrielle / Via x.com 4. 5. Advertisement Advertisement 6. @Srirachachau / Via x.com 7. 8. 9. @lilydsmith / HBO / Via x.com Advertisement Advertisement 10. 11. @arghavan_salles / Via x.com What are your thoughts on RFK Jr. being confirmed as US Health Secretary? Let us know in the comments below. Source link #People #Sharing #Unfiltered #Reactions #RFK #Confirmed #Health #Secretary #Bleak Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

US-Canada game at 4 Nations Face-Off starts with 3 fights in the first 9 seconds – The Associated Press US-Canada game at 4 Nations Face-Off starts with 3 fights in the first 9 seconds – The Associated Press US-Canada game at 4 Nations Face-Off starts with 3 fights in the first 9 seconds The Associated PressUSA vs. Canada prediction, odds, line, time: 2025 4 Nations Face-Off picks from expert on 35-11 run CBS SportsUSA, Canada hockey stars get into numerous fights in opening seconds of 4 Nations rivalry after anthem boos Fox News’No ******* rivalry’: USA, Canada to renew history ESPNUSA-Canada Tonight in Montreal; 8 p.m. ET on ABC Team USA Hockey Source link #USCanada #game #Nations #FaceOff #starts #fights #seconds #Press Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

European leaders, media stunned by JD Vance’s speech European leaders, media stunned by JD Vance’s speech European leaders, media stunned by JD Vance’s speech – CBS News Watch CBS News Vice President JD Vance stunned European leaders in Munich this week with a speech in which he painted a picture of European politics infected by media censorship and political correctness. Elizabeth Palmer has more. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On Source link #European #leaders #media #stunned #Vances #speech Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

A look at Trump’s priority list from plastic straws to a new Air Force One A look at Trump’s priority list from plastic straws to a new Air Force One A look at Trump’s priority list from plastic straws to a new Air Force One – CBS News Watch CBS News President Trump pushed hard to revamp the federal workforce, including controversial layoffs. ******* James Inman reports on some of the other changes Mr. Trump is focusing on, like paper straws, pennies and the keys to a new Air Force One. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On Source link #Trumps #priority #list #plastic #straws #Air #Force Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

David Moyes: How Everton boss turned club around and made them Premier League’s in-form team David Moyes: How Everton boss turned club around and made them Premier League’s in-form team No player epitomises the Toffees’ improvement quite like Beto, who continued his fine form with another goal at Selhurst Park. The Guinea-Bissau striker’s opener in south London was his fourth goal in three league games – as many as he managed in 42 matches under Dyche. The 27-year-old joined Everton from Udinese in August 2023 for a fee reportedly worth up to £30m, but scored only three goals in 30 top-flight appearances as he struggled to adjust to life in England. After opening his account for the 2024-25 campaign in a 1-1 draw with Fulham in October, Beto then went nine league games without a goal before netting a double at home to Leicester City earlier this month. He sent Goodison Park wild with a calmly taken opener in the derby before opening the scoring at Palace with a similarly composed finish. With a hamstring injury ruling out Calvert-Lewin for the rest of the season, Beto could hardly have picked a better time to hit a purple patch. “What a week it has been,” Beto said in an interview with Match of the Day. “I’m happy to score, [as] last season I wasn’t so confident. “Now I feel all my training, all my mental work and all the work I do with my team-mates is paying off. I believe that I belong in the Premier League and I’m a Premier League player.” Nobody is more pleased with Beto’s goalscoring exploits than his manager, who believes the forward is still “getting better” as Everton climb the table. “His chances have come through injuries [to other players],” Moyes said. “He probably saw a chance to play half a dozen games or so. “It was down to him to show if he was capable. I’m really pleased for him.” Source link #David #Moyes #Everton #boss #turned #club #Premier #Leagues #inform #team Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Eric Adams reacts to Justice Department motion to drop his corruption charges Eric Adams reacts to Justice Department motion to drop his corruption charges Eric Adams reacts to Justice Department motion to drop his corruption charges – CBS News Watch CBS News The Department of Justice submitted an official request to dismiss New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ federal corruption case. Adams is trying to reassure New Yorkers that he is solely beholden to them, saying he never offered to trade on his authority as mayor for an end to his case. Ali Bauman reports. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On Source link #Eric #Adams #reacts #Justice #Department #motion #drop #corruption #charges Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Warning for Sydney commuters as more train strikes on the cards Warning for Sydney commuters as more train strikes on the cards Ongoing negotiations between the rail union and the NSW state government appear no closer to being resolved with more mass delays on the cards for the coming week. Source link #Warning #Sydney #commuters #train #strikes #cards Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) Might Have The Makings Of A Multi-Bagger Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) Might Have The Makings Of A Multi-Bagger If you’re not sure where to start when looking for the next multi-bagger, there are a few key trends you should keep an eye out for. One common approach is to try and find a company with returns on capital employed (ROCE) that are increasing, in conjunction with a growing amount of capital employed. Ultimately, this demonstrates that it’s a business that is reinvesting profits at increasing rates of return. Speaking of which, we noticed some great changes in Abbott Laboratories’ (NYSE:ABT) returns on capital, so let’s have a look. Just to clarify if you’re unsure, ROCE is a metric for evaluating how much pre-tax income (in percentage terms) a company earns on the capital invested in its business. The formula for this calculation on Abbott Laboratories is: Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets – Current Liabilities) 0.12 = US$7.1b ÷ (US$74b – US$15b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2024). Thus, Abbott Laboratories has an ROCE of 12%. That’s a relatively normal return on capital, and it’s around the 11% generated by the Medical Equipment industry. Check out our latest analysis for Abbott Laboratories NYSE:ABT Return on Capital Employed February 14th 2025 Above you can see how the current ROCE for Abbott Laboratories compares to its prior returns on capital, but there’s only so much you can tell from the past. If you’d like, you can check out the forecasts from the analysts covering Abbott Laboratories for free. Abbott Laboratories’ ROCE growth is quite impressive. Looking at the data, we can see that even though capital employed in the business has remained relatively flat, the ROCE generated has risen by 45% over the last five years. So it’s likely that the business is now reaping the full benefits of its past investments, since the capital employed hasn’t changed considerably. On that front, things are looking good so it’s worth exploring what management has said about growth plans going forward. To bring it all together, Abbott Laboratories has done well to increase the returns it’s generating from its capital employed. And investors seem to expect more of this going forward, since the stock has rewarded shareholders with a 63% return over the last five years. Therefore, we think it would be worth your time to check if these trends are going to continue. On a separate note, we’ve found 1 warning sign for Abbott Laboratories you’ll probably want to know about. While Abbott Laboratories may not currently earn the highest returns, we’ve compiled a list of companies that currently earn more than 25% return on equity. Check out this free list here. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Source link #Abbott #Laboratories #NYSEABT #Makings #MultiBagger Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Justice Department fires multiple immigration judges amid case backlog – NBC News Justice Department fires multiple immigration judges amid case backlog – NBC News Justice Department fires multiple immigration judges amid case backlog NBC NewsTrump administration fires more than a dozen immigration judges Fox NewsTrump administration fires new immigration judges POLITICODOJ fires multiple immigration judges MSNBCEXCLUSIVE: Trump DOJ fires 20 Biden immigration judges Washington Times Source link #Justice #Department #fires #multiple #immigration #judges #case #backlog #NBC #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Pudding debate splits island nation Pudding debate splits island nation Gemma Handy Reporter, St John’s, Antigua Gemma Handy Novella Payne uses traditional recipes learnt from her grandmother It is not cricket or politics that triggers the most ardent debate in Antigua and Barbuda. It is the ingredients of a beloved national dish. The question of whether “ducana” – a sweet potato and coconut dumpling – should or should not contain raisins has divided local residents for decades. The piquant pudding is one of many foods widely eaten in the Caribbean country that has its origins in Africa and has survived to this day. And its inclusion in a national inventory of cultural heritage currently being created looks set to reignite the jocular dispute. Antigua and Barbuda’s traditional food is just one aspect of the work under way to preserve the twin isles’ distinct features for posterity. The inventory will also include its unique dialect, bush medicine, games, crafts, architecture and boat-building techniques. The mammoth venture, being funded by the United Nations cultural body, Unesco, follows concerns that key elements of the country’s cultural identity are being lost, explains project leader Dr Hazra Medica. Courtesy of cpoise.gov.ag Project leader Dr Hazra Medica says the work highlights the country’s African heritage “There is no longer the traditional transmission of knowledge from older to younger people,” she tells the BBC. “Without that, we start to lose the sense of who we are. Outside influences can dilute indigenous culture and people fear that what is peculiarly Antiguan will be lost.” More than two dozen specially trained data collectors have been tasked with interviewing residents from each parish, gathering stories, photos and information. The results will be meticulously entered into a publicly accessible database. Local author Joy Lawrence needed little encouragement to take part. The former schoolteacher’s books focus heavily on the country’s Creole/English dialect that weaves in many African words from Antiguans’ ancestors. Gemma Handy Joy Lawrence has studied the local dialect and uses it in her books English may be the main language but patois, spoken at accelerated speed, is ubiquitous and routinely used to show kinship and camaraderie. “When the British brought Africans here, they could not speak English and the British could not speak African languages. Because the Africans came from all over and spoke different languages, they could not even converse among themselves for the most part,” Ms Lawrence says. “To communicate, the Africans borrowed some vocabulary from the British and incorporated their own pronunciation and syntax to form a pidgin thing. Over the generations, it became perfected and developed structure and grammar.” A couple of generations ago, Antiguan dialect was sneered at and children were commonly forbidden to speak it in school. There are still some who look down their nose at it today, Ms Lawrence scoffs. “Our forebears worked hard to coin that language,” she asserts. “It’s our first language; how can we not preserve what’s ours? It’s not a written language and we spell it any old how, but it has rhythm and I’m proud of it.” The dialect is characterised by an “economy of words” and sparse pronouns, she continues. “We don’t waste time to say ‘not at all’; we just say ‘tarl’. Instead of ‘come here’, we say ‘cumyah’. And we never say her or him; it’s always she or he.” In places such as school and church, dialect is used for “emphasis, clarity and reinforcement”. “Because we think in it,” Ms Lawrence adds. Disagreements over the “correct” way of doing something is one reason for the decline of some cultural practices, Dr Medica believes. Varying methods of stirring “fungee”, a cornmeal paste which also hails from the mother continent, and precisely what to add to it is another subject of friendly bickering. “There’s this idea that this is how it’s done and should always be done. Sometimes younger people are turned off by not doing it ‘right’. “In the workshops, we saw the ‘fungee war’. Antiguans say it should have okra in it, while Barbudans add peas, which made some gasp in shock,” Dr Medica smiles. Novella Payne – who produces a range of teas, sauces and seasonings under her “Granma Aki” brand – learnt everything she knows from her mother and grandmother, but adds her “own twist” to time-honoured recipes. Gemma Handy Novella Payne has been passing her skills on to her granddaughter Jenna Reid “The seasoning is what sets Antiguan food apart – garlic, onion, thyme and seasoning peppers,” she explains. Many of Ms Payne’s creations feature local medicinal plants, long used to treat everything from coughs and fever to rashes and nausea. Soursop, lemongrass, noni and moringa regularly appear in her syrups and juices. “Our food is delicious, nutritious and should be preserved because it’s part of our culture and heritage,” she adds. The project recently got under way in Antigua’s sister isle, Barbuda, where Dwight Benjamin is striving to keep the art of traditional broom-making alive. Mr Benjamin uses palm leaves, which must be sun-dried for two days, to create the bristles before weaving them on to a stick crafted from a bay tree. The techniques were passed on to him by his grandfather and Mr Benjamin, an accountant by profession, is one of few people still making and selling the brooms. Dwight Benjamin Dwight Benjamin learnt to make traditional brooms from his grandfather Joseph Desuza (pictured) He says they remain in high demand among Barbuda’s residents. “I may be biased, but I find them more effective than store-bought brooms – you feel the difference when you use them. They cover more ground too,” he says. “It’s not widely practised anymore, but it’s something we should cherish and document. I’m hoping my son will pick it up.” Gemma Handy Dwight Benjamin learned how to make traditional brooms from his grandfather For Dr Medica, the project has deeper significance still. “When we talk about culture in Caribbean islands, we tend to forget the engagement with our colonial past and the impact of that. We’re told that our history began when Africans were brought here, projecting this notion that we came as empty vessels with no memory,” she says. “The great thing about this work is the huge evidence of African cultural retention. As a people we can claim, ‘This is us.’ “In dialect, when someone treats you unfairly, we say ‘me smaddy [somebody] too’,” she adds. “And that’s what this whole project is; it’s a claim to personhood.” Source link #Pudding #debate #splits #island #nation Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

An early wake-up call reaps dividends in Egypt An early wake-up call reaps dividends in Egypt It’s worth getting up at 2am for Steve McKenna Source link #early #wakeup #call #reaps #dividends #Egypt Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

JD Vance, Elon Musk are right about falling birth rates — here’s where they get it wrong JD Vance, Elon Musk are right about falling birth rates — here’s where they get it wrong President Trump’s return to the White House has made pro-natalists more influential than ever. Vice President Vance says he wants “more babies” in America. Elon Musk has claimed that declining fertility could lead to “mass extinction.” Their efforts are noble, but Vance and Musk both underappreciate the role of genetics in determining fertility. Without a proper understanding, their efforts will fail. In his 1930 book “The Genetical Theory of Natural Selection,” seminal geneticist Ronald Fisher observed a substantial correlation between the fertility of parents and their descendants. Fisher noted that the granddaughters of large families tended to have more children than those from small families. Fisher concluded that “about 40 percent of the total variance” in fertility was attributable to genetics. Importantly, Fisher didn’t just conclude that fertility varied between individuals because of different genetic abilities to have children. Instead, Fisher argued that the most important cause of variation was different genetic desire to have children. In this, Fisher found reason for optimism. Observing the rate at which genetic inheritance led some families to have more descendants than others, Fisher theorized that “more fertile strains” with a greater desire for children could become more common “within a span of ten generations,” or approximately 250 years. In other words, cultural and economic features of modernity may lower birthrates. But the question of why modernity lowers birthrates is less salient than that genetic selection can counteract the parts of modern civilization responsible. Why does this matter? Falling fertility is often attributed to social factors. Vance has mentioned car-seat mandates and high parenting costs. Musk has pointed to secularization and cultural malaise. But put to the test, none of these explanations are sufficient to explain global birthrate falls. Also, Western cultural malaise can’t account for Japan’s demographic collapse. Irreligiosity can’t explain why Islamic Bahrain has a lower birthrate than mostly atheist Czechia. The high cost of child-rearing in developed countries can’t clarify why Americans are more fertile than Mexicans. The genetic theory, on the other hand, is supported by wide bodies of both academic and practical evidence. Twin studies from the U.S. and Britain, Denmark and Sweden have shown that as much as 50 percent of variation in fertility is genetically derived, supporting Fisher’s earlier estimate. DNA sequencing has supported this, highlighting individual genes that are strongly associated with fertility. Similarly, studies from Denmark and Quebec have shown that the role of genetics in determining fertility has increased in Western populations, supporting the idea of ongoing selection for the desire to have children. Genes have been identified that correlate with earlier age of first birth, later age of last birth, total children ever born, and later menopause. Perhaps most importantly, several real-world examples have emerged in support of Fisher’s thesis. In Europe, France was the first nation to experience significant modern birthrate declines. Yet today, France has the highest birthrate in all of Europe. France’s high fertility can’t be explained by immigration (regions with few immigrants lead the country in fertility), culture (French-speaking areas of neighboring Belgium and Switzerland don’t have elevated fertility), or policy (France is below the OECD average for family aid). But it may be explainable through genetics. France’s fertility transition occurred in the 1750s, matching Fisher’s calculation that it would take approximately 10 generations for genetic shifts to substantially increase birthrates. Likewise, Japan was once notable for its low fertility. But today, Japan’s birthrates are the highest in East Asia — exceeding peers such as South Korea and Singapore and much poorer China. Japan’s regionally elevated birthrates may also be the product of genetic selection, because the greater steepness of Japan’s fertility decline could have accelerated the normal timeline for genetic shifts to have a substantial effect. Given that genetics do play a substantial role in determining fertility, two conclusions stand out. First, one-size-fits-all proposals to raise birthrates while ignoring genetics won’t work. Vance has argued for increasing the child tax credit, while Musk has called for giving medals to increase the social status of motherhood. But as we’ve seen in Hungary and Norway, which both generously subsidize births, solutions that focus on extrinsic motivations are ineffective at raising fertility. Instead, policies to counter population decline will be most effective if they consider genetics by subsidizing those with demonstrated fertility desires. For example, governments could offer increased tax credits for larger families, rather than evenly distributing incentives per child. Second, falling rich-world birthrates will likely be less of a problem than they appear, because countervailing genetic pressures may lead to a fertility resurgence. Models that consider evolutionary pressures already suggest likely rebounds in European and North American birthrates not reflected in other estimates. History has always been shaped by shifts in populations. Ancient Greece’s power rose in a world in which every 15th person was Greek and waned with demographic stagnation. Today, falling birthrates pose even greater risks to global economies and geopolitical stability. But although cultural and economic factors have been extensively considered, policymakers including Vance and Musk appear to underestimate the influence of genetics on fertility. Incorporating a proper understanding will be crucial to navigating the demographic shifts that will shape the 21 century, and offer a path for the West to recover from its fertility crisis. Jacob Hornstein is an undergraduate student at the University of Austin. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Source link #Vance #Elon #Musk #falling #birth #rates #heres #wrong Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

15 Hindu Pilgrims Reported Dead in Stampede at New Delhi Rail Station – The New York Times 15 Hindu Pilgrims Reported Dead in Stampede at New Delhi Rail Station – The New York Times 15 Hindu Pilgrims Reported Dead in Stampede at New Delhi Rail Station The New York Times11 Women, 4 Children Among 18 Dead In Maha Kumbh Rush At Delhi Railway Station NDTVStampede triggered by Kumbh rush kills 15 at Delhi railway station The Tribune India16 people dead, several injured at New Delhi railway station, railway ministry orders high-level probe Hindustan TimesStampede kills 15 people at New Delhi train station, Indian official says The Associated Press Source link #Hindu #Pilgrims #Reported #Dead #Stampede #Delhi #Rail #Station #York #Times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

#TeslaTakeover protests take aim at Elon Musk #TeslaTakeover protests take aim at Elon Musk Linda Koistinen and her husband Dale stood outside a Tesla dealership in Berkeley, California, on Saturday, protesting. They were not there to take aim at the company’s electric vehicles, but the person behind Tesla – Elon Musk – and join with others who are upset at the world’s richest man’s work to disrupt and take apart large portions of the US government. “It’s a place where we can make a visible stand against him personally,” Ms Koistinen told the BBC. “He should not be deciding the fate of our democracy by disassembling our government piece by piece. It’s not right.” As part of an effort organizers dubbed #TeslaTakeover, clutches of protesters across the country gathered outside the company’s showrooms, having largely planned when to meet and where on the social media platform Bluesky, an upstart competitor to Musk-owned X, formerly Twitter. In some places, those protests barely numbered a dozen, with people in Washington DC, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh and Lyndhurst, Ohio, stamping their feet to stay warm amid snow and cold weather. Some held signs that read “Say no to Doge” and “Deport Musk”. The protest in Berkeley – a top California city for electric car ownership – numbered 200. As part of his White House-backed effort called Doge, for Department of Government Efficiency, Musk has been sending teams into government agencies to comb through data and pushing for massive spending cuts as well as “clawbacks” of money already spent. President Donald Trump, who received an historic amount of campaign donations from Musk, is on the same page, freezing hiring as well as laying off thousands of federal employees. Musk says he has uncovered wasteful spending and his work is aimed at making the government operate more smoothly. But to many, he is stopping the government from functioning while making decisions that should be left to elected leaders and accessing private information. “It’s just really grinding on the mind,” said Dale Koistinen. “I’m 84 years old. This is unbelievable. This is a takeover of our government.” Along with X, Musk also is the primary owner SpaceX, Neuralink and the Boring Company. But it is Tesla he is most known for and Tesla is where people unhappy with his Doge work are taking out their anger. For days, concerned Americans have been asking fellow citizens to dump their Tesla stock and sell their Tesla vehicles. Singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow posted a video to Instagram that showed her Tesla being towed away. “There comes a time when you have to decide who you are willing to align with,” she wrote in the caption. “So long Tesla.” Crow added that she was donating proceeds from the car’s ***** to National Public Radio in the U.S., a frequent target of Musk’s ire. Tesla stock surged following Donald Trump’s election in November. Musk contributed a quarter of a million dollars to Trump’s re-election effort, and hit the trail on Trump’s behalf in the final days of the campaign. But after touching an all-time high in December, the company’s shares have shed 30% of their value with a pronounced selloff since Trump was inaugurated last month. Saturday’s protests were promoted by prominent disinformation researcher Joan Donovan and the actor Alex Winter, who played Bill in the 80s movie “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure.” Teah Jackson, though, noticed the Berkeley protest during an outing with her girlfriend, and stopped to show her support. “It’s hopeful,” Jackson told the BBC. “It’s an acknowledgement that people aren’t going to go down without a fight and that they’re going to continue to push for what they believe in.” Source link #TeslaTakeover #protests #aim #Elon #Musk Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Visa deal with Nauru to boot detainees from Australia Visa deal with Nauru to boot detainees from Australia Three violent offenders are set to be removed from Australia after being granted long-term visas by Nauru in a deal with the Albanese government. The Nauruans approached the federal government in a bid to strike a deal to take released immigration detainees, known as the NZYQ cohort, off Australia’s hands. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed 30-year visas have been issued to three members of the group who he said had failed the “character test”. The trio were taken into immigration detention after Nauru’s intervention prompted the cancellation of their bridging visas. All three are violent offenders, with one convicted of *******. “They will be put on a plane and sent to Nauru as soon as arrangements are able to be made,” Mr Burke told reporters in Canberra on Sunday. “That will not be within the next seven days.” Powers were passed in December to allow the minister to pay third countries to take people in immigration detention. The laws granting that power were in response to the High Court forcing the release of some 200 immigration detainees after ruling indefinite detention was ********. Their release caused a political headache for Labor after the coalition seized on alleged reoffending to slam the government for not doing more to keep them locked up following the court’s ruling. Mr Burke argued the trio weren’t being indefinitely detained and flagged their pending deportation was likely to be legally challenged. “Lawyers haven’t launched anything yet,” Mr Burke said. “Whenever I make any decision, I presume that there’ll be a contest in the courts.” Mr Burke, who recently returned from Timor-Leste, suggested more members of the NZYQ cohort could follow suit but it would be completely at the discretion of Nauru. “Naura have described these three visas as first three and that’s how it should be seen,” Mr Burke said. “On this particular arrangement, the only country that has come to us is Nauru … and the matter was not discussed at all in Timor-Leste.” He refused to outline how much *********** taxpayers would be on the hook for Nauru to take the three detainees off their hands but pointed out there was also a price in them remaining. “There’s also a cost in the high level of monitoring under Operation AEGIS,” Mr Burke. “There was also a cost when they were being held in detention, there was a cost before that when they were being held in prison. “But no cost has been greater than the cost to the *********** community of their crimes.” Opposition Leader Peter Dutton took aim at Labor’s record on immigration, saying the coalition faced another borders “mess” if it returned to power after the upcoming election. “(But) we’re happy to have a look at arrangements that the government’s put in place,” he said in Darwin. Source link #Visa #deal #Nauru #boot #detainees #Australia Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Are noise-cancelling headphones to blame for young people’s hearing problems? Are noise-cancelling headphones to blame for young people’s hearing problems? Whether it’s the echo of beeping tills in a supermarket or the hissing of a coffee machine in your local café, the brain is constantly working to decode hundreds of noises each day. But, for some, those background noises can become so overwhelming that they distract them from recognising voices or alerts. This is the reality for Sophie, a 25-year-old administration assistant from London, who is used to being told she doesn’t listen, zones out, or is “a bit ditsy”. “Even though I can hear that there are noises going on, I can’t listen to where the noise is coming from. I know it’s the person’s voice, I just can’t really compute it quick enough,” she said. After a hearing test came back normal, Sophie met a private audiologist for further testing. She was eventually diagnosed with auditory processing disorder (APD), a neurological condition where the brain finds it difficult to understand sounds and spoken words. Her audiologist and others in England are now calling for more research into whether the condition is linked to overuse of noise-cancelling headphones. ‘Words sound like gibberish’ Having grown up on a peaceful farm in the countryside, it wasn’t until a few years ago when Sophie started university in London that she noticed a change in her hearing – specifically trouble identifying where a sound was coming from. She rarely attended her university lectures in person, instead opting to watch them online and with subtitles. “All the words sounded like gibberish when I was in the actual lecture, and I was trying to hear,” she said. It affected her social life too and Sophie would leave bars and restaurants early because of the “overwhelming noise”. Classrooms can echo sound and be full of noises like clicking pens, typing and whispering which make listening to a teacher difficult for people with auditory processing disorder [Getty Images] The cause of Sophie’s APD diagnosis is unknown, but her audiologist believes the overuse of noise-cancelling headphones, which Sophie wears for up to five hours a day, could have a part to play. Other audiologists agree, saying more research is needed into the potential effects of their prolonged use. Five NHS audiology departments have told the BBC that there has been an increase in the number of young people referred to them from GPs with hearing issues – only to find their hearing is normal when tested and it is their ability to process sound that is struggling. APD is more common in neurodiverse people, those who have suffered from a brain injury or had a middle-ear infection as a child. However, more patients with APD are presenting outside of those categories, leaving audiologists to question if external factors, such as noise-cancelling headphones, are contributing. Hearing vs listening Renee Almeida, an adult audiology clinical lead at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, says it is important to hear a diversity of sounds so the brain can decide what is important to focus on. Her team has seen an increase in the amount of young people referred for hearing services in the last year. She said: “There is a difference between hearing and listening. We can see that listening skills are suffering.” Noise-cancelling headphones do have their benefits, particularly for long-term ear health where their soundproofing feature can prevent high frequency and loud noise from reaching and damaging the ear – even while listening to music. Lisa Barber, technology editor at Which?, said the devices had “exploded in popularity” in recent years. But the level of transparency can vary from model to model. “Some simply offer passive noise cancelling, where the acoustic seal between the headphones and your ears reduces nearby noise,” she said. Others have a transparency mode that allows you to hear partial background noise. A false reality? But Claire Benton, vice-president of the British Academy of Audiology, suggests that by blocking everyday sounds such as cars beeping, there is a possibility the brain can “forget” to filter out the noise. “You have almost created this false environment by wearing those headphones of only listening to what you want to listen to. You are not having to work at it,” she said. “Those more complex, high-level listening skills in your brain only really finish developing towards your late teens. So, if you have only been wearing noise-cancelling headphones and been in this false world for your late teens then you are slightly delaying your ability to process speech and noise,” Benton suggests. For those experiencing difficulties with sound processing in England, APD care in the NHS is limited. A ***-wide survey from 2024, distributed by the BAA and ENT ***, the professional body representing ear, nose and throat surgery, found that only 4% of audiologists consider themselves to be well-informed on APD. And, for those who are 16 years and over, the Royal National ENT and Eastman Hospital is the only NHS provider in England offering a full APD assessment and the waiting list is nine months long. Prof Doris-Eva Bamiou, who carries out the assessments there, says this is partially down to the time it takes to diagnose APD. “It is a costly service because it is not just an audiogram, the test can take up to two hours and it requires additional assessments. In adults I also refer them for a cognitive assessment and in children I may also need to speak to an educational psychologist.” Particularly after the pandemic, behaviours and engagement with visuals and audio has changed. This comes in part due to new products and technology, as well as increased anxiety in noisy environments after the lockdown. Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children have seen an increase in demand for assessments of children struggling to hear certain words in noisy environments [Getty Images] It is now common to see people walking outside wearing their noise-cancelling headphones and watching videos online with subtitles, despite perfectly hearing the sound. One YouGov survey showed that 61% of 18-24 year olds prefer to watch TV with the subtitles on. Dr Angela Alexander, audiologist and owner of APD Support, a private organisation, is among the audiologists calling for more research into the impact of noise-cancelling headphones on auditory processing, particularly in children. “What does the future look like if we don’t investigate this link? There are a lot of well-meaning parents and teachers who think the answer to children having problems with noise is to wear ear plugs or having noise-cancelling headphones on.” Dr Amjad Mahmood, the head of audiology at Great Ormond Street Hospital supported the call for more research. He said there had been a “significant increase in demand” for assessments at the hospital’s large APD clinic for under-16s. “especially with difficulties noticed at school”. Treatment for APD can make a significant positive difference, with some patients able to make a full recovery. So-called “word in noise” training exercises on mobile apps have become a popular way of practising pulling speech from background noise. But training can vary and includes practice with auditory discrimination too, such as how to distinguish separate sounds in words like seventy and seventeen, and free and three. Microphones and low-gain hearing aids can also be provided to help the patient in certain situations, such as a meeting or classroom work, but adults outside the education system are not entitled to these products on the NHS. “Right now I can hear there is a fan above my head but my brain is telling me that is not something I need to worry about,” says Dr Alexander, describing what is called auditory scene analysis. “It’s the way we identify threats in our environment, so it makes sense to me that there would be an increase in anxiety if a person’s brain no longer has those inputs helping tell them what is a concern and what is not.” To improve this, Dr Alexander suggests reducing headphone use time and using the transparency mode which can amplify the background noise as well as wearing headphones that don’t completely occlude or block the ears. Limited research Wayne Wilson, an associate professor in the school of health and rehabilitation sciences at The University of Queensland, says more research needs to be done on the possible link. However, he points out that doing controlled research with so many variables could prove tricky. “The ****** is in the detail as the answer probably depends on which sounds, which scenes, which noise, which noise cancellation, what ******* of noise cancellation, what age of child, etc.” Sophie is set to start treatment for her APD in the next few months, and feels excited for the future. “If me and my boyfriend go out to a bar, sometimes we will leave early because of the noise. It’s nice to know maybe after this treatment, I will be able to go to busier places and handle it a bit better.” Related links Source link #noisecancelling #headphones #blame #young #peoples #hearing #problems Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

An eruption is possible at Alaska’s Mount Spurr. What we know about the volcano – CNN An eruption is possible at Alaska’s Mount Spurr. What we know about the volcano – CNN An eruption is possible at Alaska’s Mount Spurr. What we know about the volcano CNNUptick in earthquakes could signal possible eruption at Alaska’s Mount Spurr volcano ABC News’Volcanic Unrest’ at Alaska’s Mount Spurr Suggests 50-50 Chance an Eruption Could Be Coming Smithsonian MagazineIncreased seismic activity and ground inflation at Mount Spurr, Alaska The WatchersEarthquakes at massive Alaska volcano Mount Spurr ramp up again — and there’s now a 50-50 chance of an eruption Livescience.com Source link #eruption #Alaskas #Mount #Spurr #volcano #CNN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]