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Disney attorneys want to question former administrator in lawsuit with DeSantis appointees

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:11:46 GMT

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Disney attorneys want to question a previous administrator of the governing district that provides municipal services to Walt Disney World as part of its defense against a state lawsuit brought by a board made up of appointees of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.Disney attorneys said in court papers Monday that they have subpoenaed John Classe, the former administrator of what was previously called the Reedy Creek Improvement District for 55 years until it was renamed the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District earlier this year during a takeover by DeSantis and the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature. The takeover of the district, which was previously controlled by Disney allies, came after the company publicly opposed a state law banning classroom lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity in early grades.Following the takeover, Classe was replaced by DeSantis ally, Glen Gilzean.Classe was in charge of the district when the governing body signed agree...

Guinness World Records declares Pepper X as world’s new hottest chili pepper

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:11:46 GMT

(CNN) — The Carolina Reaper has met its match.Chili Pepper X has captured the spicy record as the world’s hottest, Guinness World Records announced on Monday.The new pepper rates an average of 2.69 million Scoville Heat Units (SHU), according to tests performed by Winthrop University in South Carolina, beating the previous record holder, Carolina Reaper, which averages 1.64 million SHU, according to Guinness World Records.The SHU scale to measure chili pepper heat was developed by American chemist Wilbur Scoville in 1912.By comparison, the average jalapeño pepper scores between 3,000 to 8,000 SHU, according to Guinness.Pepper X is grown by Ed Currie, founder of Puckerbutt Pepper Company in South Carolina. He also created the Carolina Reaper, which took the record in 2013.“Ed cultivated Pepper X on his farm for over 10 years, cross breeding it with some of his hottest peppers to increase its capsaicin content,” Guinness said on its website.Currie first presented Pepper X to...

‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ review: Uneven but engrossing drama from Scorsese

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:11:46 GMT

Getting your arms all the way around “Killers of the Flower Moon” is a tricky endeavor.That isn’t only because of the film’s length — nearly three-and-a-half hours — although that’s certainly part of it.An epic Western crime drama based on real and entirely stomach-turning events from roughly a century ago, the latest film from acclaimed director Martin Scorsese could be seen as so many things. Among them: a treatise on greed and exploitation and a character study of the extremely flawed man at the center of the story, Ernest Burkhart.And while it excels at being neither of those, Scorsese’s chronicling of the so-called “Reign of Terror” experienced by the Osage nation — during which many of its members were systematically killed by those wishing to obtain the Native American group’s oil-related wealth — it nonetheless is a largely compelling and engaging cinematic experience.In theaters this week and bound for Apple TV+ at some point down the line, “Flower Moon” moves more fluidly ...

The new vaccines and you: Americans better armed than ever against the winter blechs

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:11:46 GMT

Amy Maxmen | (TNS) KFF Health NewsLast year’s “triple-demic” marked the beginning of what may be a new normal: a confluence of respiratory infections — RSV, influenza, and COVID-19 — will surge as the weather cools each year.Like blizzards, the specific timing and severity of these outbreaks are hard to forecast. But their damage can be limited in more ways than ever before. More protective vaccines against influenza are on the horizon. And new vaccines against respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, were approved this year, as were updated COVID vaccines. Although the first days of rollout for the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines saw hiccups, with short supplies at some pharmacies and billing confusion with some insurers, the shots now are generally available at no cost.What’s more, after enduring the worst pandemic in a century, people are more attuned to protecting themselves and those around them. Wearing face masks and staying home when sick can stop the spread of most respiratory infe...

Belgian police kill Tunisian man suspected of shooting 3 Swedish soccer fans, killing 2 of them

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:11:46 GMT

By LORNE COOK, SYLVAIN PLAZY and RAF CASERT (Associated Press)BRUSSELS (AP) — Authorities in the Belgian capital shot and killed a Tunisian national on Tuesday hours after they say he gunned down three Swedish soccer fans, killing two of them, and posted a video online in which he claimed credit for the attack and said the Quran was “a red line for which he is ready to sacrifice himself.”Investigators are still trying to determine the motive for Monday night’s attack, which happened not far from where Belgium’s men’s soccer team was hosting Sweden in a European Championships qualifier. The match was suspended at halftime and the more than 35,000 fans were kept inside the stadium as a precaution while the attacker was at large.Amateur videos of the attack posted on social media showed a man wearing an orange fluorescent vest pull up on a scooter, take out a large weapon and open fire on people getting out of a taxi. He chased them into a building to gun them down. He was also filmed ...

JetBlue, Uber to offer free rides to passengers facing certain travel disruptions

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:11:46 GMT

Donald Wood | TravelPulse (TNS)Uber for Business and JetBlue announced a new partnership designed to benefit airline passengers impacted by qualifying travel disruptions.As part of the deal, JetBlue would offer complimentary Uber vouchers to its passengers who experience a qualified flight delay or cancellation, with the program currently available across the United States in every city where the carrier operates.Uber and JetBlue also revealed plans to expand the service internationally, beginning with major airports in Paris, London, and Amsterdam.“We always work to give our customers a great onboard experience and get them to their destination safely and on time,” JetBlue President and COO Joanna Geraghty said. “Sometimes travel doesn’t go as planned, and flights can get delayed or cancelled.”“In those cases, when the disruption is due to something in our control, our partnership with Uber for Business will make options for our customers more seamless,” Geraghty continued.For pass...

Shorthanded Patriots down eight starters at Tuesday’s practice

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:11:46 GMT

The New England Patriots have been crushed by injuries this season, and it doesn’t look like this week will bring much relief.Eight starters were missing from Tuesday’s practice, including four each from both the offense and defense.Left tackle Trent Brown, tight end Hunter Henry, wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and running back Rhamondre Stevenson were missing from the offense, and cornerback Jonathan Jones, linebacker Josh Uche and defensive linemen Davon Godchaux and Keion White were absent from the defense.Brown (chest), Smith-Schuster (concussion), Godchaux (ankle) and Uche (ankle) were all on the injury report last week, while the other four were banged up on Sunday in Las Vegas, with White leaving during the first defensive series after suffering an apparent head injury.It wasn’t all bad news for the Patriots. Cornerback Jack Jones, who has been sidelined since Week 1 with a hamstring injury, was back on the field, starting his 21-day clock to return to th...

Will artificial intelligence find and cure breast cancer?

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:11:46 GMT

Can a machine catch a breast cancer tumor better than a human?Radiologists at Lynn Women’s Health & Wellness Institute at Boca Regional Hospital have been working to find that answer. They began adding artificial intelligence technology to existing 3D mammography for breast cancer screening in 2020. With three years of results, they discovered AI can make a significant difference in finding cancer.Both the radiologists at the Institute (part of Baptist Health South Florida) and the machines read thousands of mammogram results each year. In some instances, AI helped catch cancers before they could be detected by the human eye. Since implementing AI, their detection rate has improved 23%.“In the past, if we found 100 cancers, today with AI we will find 123,” said Dr. Kathy Schilling medical director of Lynn Women’s Health & Wellness Institute.“This is significant, because finding a cancer earlier could mean that a patient may not require chemotherapy or radiation therapy,” she...

Source: President Mahmoud Abbas cancels planned meeting with President Biden after hospital strike

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:11:46 GMT

By NAJIB JOBAIN, SAMYA KULLAB, RAVI NESSMAN and MATTHEW LEE (Associated Press)KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — A senior Palestinian official says President Mahmoud Abbas has canceled his participation in a meeting scheduled Wednesday with President Joe Biden and other Mideast leaders.Abbas was scheduled to join Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi at Wednesday’s summit in Amman, Jordan, where they are to discuss the latest Israel-Hamas war with Biden.But the senior official said Abbas was withdrawing to protest an alleged Israeli airstrike on a hospital in Gaza that Hamas health officials say has killed over 500 people.The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the cancelation has not been formally announced.The Health Ministry run by Hamas said an Israeli airstrike on Tuesday hit a Gaza City hospital packed with wounded and other Palestinians seeking shelter, killing hundreds. If confirmed, the attack would be by far the deadliest Israeli a...

WATCH LIVE: Jim Jordan loses first bid for Speaker on House floor — Live coverage

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:11:46 GMT

NEXSTAR (The Hill) — The House held its first vote Tuesday for a new Speaker, but GOP nominee Jim Jordan (Ohio) didn't have the votes — at least on this ballot.Today's session of the U.S. House of Representatives is being livestreamed above.Jordan gained some major momentum on Monday, picking up endorsements from four key players who had initially said they would not vote for him: House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (Ala.), along with Reps. Ann Wagner (Mo.), Ken Calvert (Calif.) and Vern Buchanan (Fla.). Holdouts could blunt Jordan’s momentum as House braces for Speaker floor vote However when the first vote was held, Jordan only garnered 200 of the needed 217 votes. While all 212 voting democrats voiced support for Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), 20 Republicans split ranks and spread their votes over seven other names including majority leader Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) and previous Speaker of the House Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Cali.).Following the first ballot ...