S.Korea political upheaval shows global democracy's fragility - and resilienceWASHINGTON: NASA’s pioneering Parker Solar Probe made history Tuesday, flying closer to the Sun than any other spacecraft with its heat shield exposed to scorching temperatures of more than 1,700 degrees Fahrenheit (930 degrees Celsius). Launched in August 2018, the spaceship is on a seven-year mission to deepen scientific understanding of our star and help forecast space-weather events that can affect life on Earth. Tuesday’s historic fly-by should have occurred at precisely 6:53am (1153 GMT), although mission scientists will have to wait until Friday for confirmation as they lose contact with the craft for several days due to its proximity to the Sun. If the distance between Earth and the Sun is the equivalent to the length of an American football field, the spacecraft should have been about four yards (meters) from the end zone at the moment of closest approach - known as perihelion. SpaceX to launch more private astronaut missions to ISS “This is one example of NASA’s bold missions, doing something that no one else has ever done before to answer longstanding questions about our universe,” Arik Posner, Parker Solar Probe program scientist said in a statement on Monday. “We can’t wait to receive that first status update from the spacecraft and start receiving the science data in the coming weeks.” So effective is the heat shield, that the probe’s internal instruments remain near room temperature – around 85F (29C) – as it explores the Sun’s outer atmosphere, called the corona. Parker will also be moving at a blistering pace of around 430,000 mph (690,000 kph), fast enough to fly from the US capital Washington to Tokyo in under a minute. “No human-made object has ever passed this close to a star, so Parker will truly be returning data from uncharted territory,” said Nick Pinkine, mission operations manager at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland. “We’re excited to hear back from the spacecraft when it swings back around the Sun.” By venturing into these extreme conditions, Parker has been helping scientists tackle some of the Sun’s biggest mysteries: how the solar wind originates, why the corona is hotter than the surface below, and how coronal mass ejections – massive clouds of plasma that hurl through space – are formed. The Christmas Eve flyby is the first of three record-setting close passes, with the next two – on March 22, 2025, and June 19, 2025 – both expected to bring the probe back to a similarly close distance from the Sun.
Washington, D.C., Dec. 03, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- RAINN , the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization, today announced it has been selected as a winner of the 2024 Amazon Web Services (AWS) IMAGINE Grant , a public grant opportunity open to registered charities in the United Kingdom and Ireland and registered 501(c) nonprofit organizations in the United States who are using technology to solve the world’s most pressing challenges. The grant will support RAINN’s efforts to expedite access to trauma-informed support for sexual violence survivors of all ages, delivering critical interventions where people already communicate. Now in its seventh year, the AWS IMAGINE Grant provides vital resources to nonprofit organizations looking to deploy cloud technology as a central tool to achieve mission goals. As part of the program, AWS seeks proposals for big ideas on how to leverage cloud technology in new and innovative ways to accelerate impact in local and global communities. RAINN was named a winner in the Pathfinder – Generative AI category, which recognizes highly innovative, mission-critical projects that leverage generative AI. RAINN will receive up to $200,000 in unrestricted funding, up to $100,000 in AWS Promotional Credits, and implementation support from the AWS Generative AI Innovation Center . Proposals were judged on several factors including the innovative and unique nature of the project, impact on mission-critical goals, and clearly defined outcomes and milestones. RAINN will use AWS generative AI services to integrate RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline and additional support mediums for survivors directly into social media, gaming, and social networking sites. Through this integration, RAINN aims to expedite access to trauma-informed support for sexual violence survivors of all ages, delivering critical interventions where people already communicate. “RAINN is honored to be a 2024-2025 Amazon Web Services IMAGINE Pathfinder recipient,” said Bill Bondurant , Chief Technology Officer for RAINN. “AWS enables RAINN support specialists to connect with survivors, especially those from vulnerable populations, where they are already communicating and may be most comfortable accessing support. Reaching out for help is already difficult, and removing barriers to accessing crisis support for survivors is a critical component of RAINN’s mission. Together, utilizing AWS services, we will help more survivors and work towards creating a world free from sexual violence.” "At AWS, we're inspired by the nonprofit sector's unwavering commitment to preserving the dignity and health of people and our planet," said Allyson Fryhoff, managing director of nonprofit and nonprofit health at AWS. "Our Imagine Grant winners are pioneering groundbreaking, technology-driven approaches that will amplify their mission impact and build a more equitable and compassionate world. We are thrilled to work alongside these organizations, helping them leverage the transformative capabilities of the AWS Cloud to bring these projects to life.” Since the launch of the IMAGINE Grant program in 2018, AWS has awarded over $14M in unrestricted funds, AWS Promotional Credits, and expert technical guidance to over 130 nonprofit organizations in support of their technology-driven goals. Previous winners are currently using AWS services to tackle critical challenges such as eliminating barriers to food security , improving maternal health outcomes , helping millions access clean and safe drinking water globally, tackling rare disease research, and more. Over 85,000 nonprofit organizations worldwide use AWS to increase their impact and advance mission goals. Through multiple programs tailored specifically to the nonprofit community, AWS enables nonprofits of all sizes to overcome barriers to technology adoption, while enhancing the scale, performance, and capabilities of mission operations. For more information on the AWS IMAGINE Grant, visit https://aws.amazon.com/government-education/nonprofits/aws-imagine-grant-program/ ### About RAINN RAINN , the nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization, created and operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline. RAINN also carries out programs to prevent sexual violence, help survivors, help organizations improve their sexual assault prevention and response programs, and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice. If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, free, confidential help is available 24/7 by calling 800.656.HOPE (4673) or visiting hotline.RAINN.org . Contact: Erinn Robinson Director of Media Relations media@rainn.org Erinn Robinon Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN) 8133351418 ErinnR@rainn.org
One-size-fits-all mandates from Washington, D.C., are rarely the answer to the problems Americans face, and health care is no exception. As anyone who has traveled our state can see, there is endless diversity of needs across our communities. The health care challenges, and the solutions needed to best serve them, are just as varied. Adrian Smith While access to care is not a challenge unique to rural communities, our communities must overcome limited labor forces and expansive coverage areas which make it impossible for them to enjoy the economies of scale which benefit large urban health systems. In fact, describing many 3rd District communities as “rural” downplays the magnitude of the barriers to health care access they face. I would argue a more appropriate designation would be “remote.” Nebraska’s 62 Critical Access Hospitals and more than 100 Rural Health Clinics operate under razor thin margins and must be financially sound, innovative, and hardy in order to meet the health care needs of patients in our state. To recognize the hard-working health care providers serving rural and remote communities in the 3rd District and around the country, last week I joined 50 of my colleagues to introduce a bipartisan resolution to designate Nov. 21 as National Rural Health Day. Americans who need care from traditional health care facilities, long-term care facilities, and home health service providers, are dealing with challenges such as lack of accessibility and affordability. An increasing number of these facilities have been forced to close or consolidate in recent years. Heavy-handed mandates such as the Biden administration’s nursing home staffing requirements, which were enacted without legislation, threaten to worsen the closure crisis and leave our seniors without local care options. Independent analysis shows 80% of nursing homes would not be able to comply with this rule. Because of this, I am a cosponsor of the Protecting America’s Seniors’ Access to Care Act (H.R. 7513) which would block this mandate’s implementation. To overcome the challenges we face, innovative solutions are needed. Telehealth is a promising field which can help increase health care access everywhere, and it is important for Congress to recognize and leverage the value of such advancements in technology. Telehealth solutions can particularly benefit areas of the3rd District where driving distances can make it difficult for patients and providers to connect in person. Congress must ensure these options continue to be available in the future. Last week, I joined 39 colleagues in communicating to congressional leadership the importance of extending a telehealth policy set to expire at the end of the year which enables Americans with high-deductible health plans and health savings accounts to have access to telehealth services before reaching their deductible. My bipartisan bill, the Telehealth Expansion Act would make this policy permanent, ensuring this first dollar coverage for telehealth services is always available for those with high deductible health plans and health savings accounts. Another challenge which disproportionately impacts rural Americans is drug shortages. For Americans who depend on pharmaceutical drugs for critical treatment, an unexpected drug shortage can seriously worsen health outcomes and in many cases will lead to delayed care, inferior substitutions, and even hospitalization or death. As of September 2024, there were over 275 active drug shortages listed on the FDA’s drug shortage list. This week, I introduced a new, bipartisan bill to help reduce the prevalence and severity of drug shortages. This bill would enhance access to critical medicines Americans depend on by streamlining communication among providers and the FDA when supply chain needs are anticipated. Advancing solutions to support providers and improve health outcomes for rural Americans is one of my top priorities in Congress. While carefully considering the varied circumstances and needs of communities across the country, we can find consensus on common sense solutions to many of our health care challenges. I am committed to fighting for better outcomes and coming together with my colleagues to support providers and empower patients. Congressman Adrian Smith represents 85 of Nebraska’s 93 cities in the U.S. House of Representatives. Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly!
Yes, it is unconstitutional to deport U.S. citizens
Danish Government Unveils Major Defence Investment in Greenland Amid US Interest in OwnershipAP Business SummaryBrief at 5:21 p.m. EST