Jensen SPRINGFIELD — The terrifying story of Central Illinois dentist and drug addict Phillip M. Jensen is the stuff of a Hollywood horror story. Jensen, 64, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon who formerly had offices in Mattoon, Neoga and Effingham as well as Rochester, stole fentanyl anesthetic for his own recreational use. He would then replace the stolen drug by topping off the drained vials with saline, according to the U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris. The watered-down drugs were administered to patients, some of whom woke up in screaming agony while Jensen performed surgery on them. The disgraced dentist was punished with 15 years in prison for his crimes and testimony from the victims he harmed was heard during his sentencing hearing Dec. 18. “The government presented the statement of a patient that awoke during her surgery,” said a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Central District of Illinois. “When Jensen realized she was awake, he struck the patient in the head with an instrument and completed the surgery, which involved the extraction of multiple teeth as well as the shaping and smoothing of the bones in her jaw, while she was conscious and lacking pain management.” Statements had been received from many victims, estimated to total some 99 in all, including a mother who said her sobbing child told her after surgery that she had “felt everything.” Jensen’s last practice center had been in Rochester before his medical license was suspended in 2022. U.S. Attorney Harris said Jensen’s conduct had first raised suspicions when office staff “began noticing patients who were moving, moaning and otherwise showing signs of pain and distress during surgery." Jensen started practicing dentistry in Illinois in 1987 and had branched into offices in Mattoon, Neoga and later in Effingham. News reports said the Effingham office had closed in 2011 and the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation said Jensen’s license had been suspended for six months that year for what it described as failure to “comply with the terms of a Care, Counseling and Treatment Agreement.” Before his Dec. 18 sentencing, Jensen had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of drug diversion and two counts of acquiring a controlled substance by fraud. He also admitted one count of tampering with consumer products resulting in serious bodily injury and two counts of making false statements relating to health care matters. Jensen said his drug thefts from patients started as early as December 2019. He also admitted he had stolen at least half of the fentanyl in every vial in his practice. In addition to prison, he was fined $200,000 and permanently deprived of his medical license. Passing sentence, U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless said he had been guilty of a massive breach of trust that had inflicted agony on his patients. “If you cannot trust your doctor, who can you trust?” she asked the defendant. A federal grand jury had returned an indictment against Jensen in February of 2022 and he had been released on bond. But a warrant had been issued in July of 2024 and he had been placed in the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service after he was accused of stalking and harassing a potential witness in the case against him. Fentanyl was the most promising medical advancement of its time. It's now one of the leading causes of death in the United States. The highly addictive synthetic opioid has infiltrated illicit drug supplies and left holes in families across the nation. According to a New York Times analysis of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, fentanyl and drugs like it caused nearly 74,000 overdose deaths in 2022, surpassing other public health crises like car crash deaths and gun deaths. It's spurred public policy initiatives in an attempt to stem the flow of fentanyl from China and Mexico. It's led to more regulation of prescription opioids and increased efforts to make opioid abuse treatments more widely available. It's also reigniting debates about how to prosecute drug crimes and how to compassionately treat those who have already become victims of its addictive grip. Fentanyl is so frequently associated today with pain and suffering that it begs the question: Why was something so dangerous created in the first place? To get to the bottom of that question, Ophelia analyzed resources from academic journals, the Journal of Pain , and archived news articles to illustrate the origin of fentanyl, a drug that has become almost synonymous with America's opioid crisis. Paul Janssen was a revolutionary figure in Western medicine during the 20th century, developing dozens of medications and patenting more than 100 medical advances over his lifetime. The son of a doctor, Janssen lost his sister when she was only 4 years old after she contracted tuberculous meningitis. During World War II, Janssen studied physics, biology, and chemistry in Belgium. His familial background and education in chemistry, in particular, inspired him to think about the potential for chemical sciences to be applied to advancements in medicine. The time in which a young Janssen found inspiration was when war was driving innovation in health care at a rapid clip, and many procedures and medicines we take for granted today were just entering the fray. Surgeons were developing techniques to safely remove flesh so that fewer soldiers had to undergo amputation. Penicillin was seeing broader use for treating bacterial infections, having been discovered over a decade prior. And Janssen, who would become known simply as Dr. Paul to colleagues, was plotting the creation of his independent research laboratory. The first open-heart surgery was performed in 1952, kicking off a period of surgical ambition that would inspire Janssen to formulate the chemical compound known today as fentanyl. Around this time, doctors began experimenting with new techniques for heart surgery, the promise of treating heart disease propelling patients to take part in risky experimental procedures. Anesthetics available at the time often caused severe hypotension (low blood pressure) and arrhythmias (an irregular heartbeat) if they didn't kill the patient. Janssen set out to formulate the "most potent" narcotic pain reliever ever made, synthesizing fentanyl for the first time in 1960. The drug was shown to have 100-300 times the potency of morphine, the primary drug used in surgical procedures at the time. Fentanyl also had fewer side effects for patients. With morphine, the amnesia effect that helps patients forget the surgery while anesthetized was sometimes incomplete. Occasionally, morphine would also cause an allergic reaction; it also had the effect of depressing the respiratory system after surgery was complete, making it difficult for the patient to get oxygen. Fentanyl carries a similar impact on the respiratory system, and deaths from overdoses typically are the result of the respiratory system effectively shutting down. Fentanyl's potency worried some physicians, and that concern led to problems getting approval for its broader use. The Janssen Pharmaceuticals, acquired by Johnson & Johnson in 1961, struggled to get the Food and Drug Administration to approve the drug. It was resolved when Janssen suggested a 50:1 combination of droperidol and fentanyl be used in procedures, thereby diluting the chance for it to be misused because droperidol was known to induce a high that was not enjoyable. The FDA ultimately approved the cocktail for use in the U.S. in 1968; four years later, fentanyl became available for use on its own in small quantities. Fentanyl's FDA approval paved the way for the drug's use in surgical settings in the 1970s, and its success in heart and vascular surgeries propelled it to widespread acceptance. The drug experienced a rare "blockbuster" moment in the 1980s, with medical sales growing 10 times in just its first year off patent in 1981. New drugs can be so expensive to research and develop that it's rarely profitable for a company to bring them to market unless they know sales will be immense. Fentanyl had the added effect of activating pain-relieving and anesthetic responses in the body quicker than other methods of anesthesia. It was effective not only for surgical procedures but also for patients living with chronic pain and terminal illness. But all else aside, it was also easy and cheap to produce—and clinicians were leaning in. Its popularity in the medical community drove Janssen to develop other opioid anesthetics, which spurred companies to develop new ways of getting the drug into the patient's body throughout the 1980s and into the 2000s. Companies introduced lozenges, lollipops, under-the-tongue sprays, and skin patches with varying use cases for patients depending on their pain relief needs. Some of these new technologies were commercial failures, but they broadened the use cases for the newly synthesized and extremely potent opioids. Since Janssen first conceived it in his lab, fentanyl has become the most widely used intravenous anesthetic for surgical procedures. At the same time, its excessive use began just years after the FDA first approved it in the 1970s. In the 1990s, overprescription of other opioid painkillers like OxyContin seeded the ground for the epidemic of opioid use disorder plaguing the U.S. today. From the late 1990s through the 2000s, opioid-related overdose deaths skyrocketed, and regulators began cracking down on overprescribing physicians. Those efforts gave way to a rise in heroin overdose deaths in the early 2010s. And though fentanyl's potential for misuse concerned the FDA in the 1960s, it was perhaps impossible for regulators and the medical community to foresee the bevy of market forces that would lead to the modern-day opioid crisis in which fentanyl is featured heavily. The drug's potency, synthetic origin, and ease of production—coupled with the advent of e-commerce in the 2010s—have made it so that black market actors could flood the market with illegally synthesized pills and powders. Today, any illicitly manufactured drug could be cut with fentanyl, and the prevalence poses a risk for those in recovery from opioid use disorder for whom one relapse could result in death. Story editing by Ashleigh Graf. Copy editing by Paris Close. This story originally appeared on Ophelia and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Contact Tony Reid at (217) 421-7977. 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Warning not to share ADHD medicine, as shortage bites

Bamboo, Belle, Moira, and more gear up for amazing performances at Smart’s 5G Max event this SaturdayRavens Coach John Harbaugh Delivers Touching Christmas Message After Clinching Playoffs BerthNoneA postal worker with an “unusually high number of customer complaints” was accused of stealing a customer’s credit card and has now pleaded guilty in Florida. The 43-year-old man worked for the U.S. Postal Service for 16 years, according to a plea agreement. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida shared Dec. 10 that the former employee of the St. Petersburg Main Post Office pleaded guilty to one count of theft by a postal employee . His attorney declined to comment to McClatchy News, as the sentencing has not yet taken place. According to his attorney and the plea agreement, he cooperated and took responsibility. In May 2023, USPS received a complaint from a customer who said a Social Security card and a credit card she was expecting in the mail never arrived, officials said in a plea agreement. Another credit card was mailed to her, then again she reported she never received it. In October that year, she saw a $280 transaction from a Winn Dixie in Madeira Beach on her statement, but she didn’t make that purchase, according to federal officials. Winn Dixie gave investigators surveillance footage showing the mail carrier assigned to the woman’s route making a purchase with his mom using the stolen credit card, according to the man’s plea agreement. The St. Petersburg man faces up to five years in prison, but a sentence date hasn’t been set. St. Petersburg is part of the Tampa Bay area.

36 Fun Things To Buy Because Practicality Is For SquaresBanque Cantonale Vaudoise Reduces Stake in General Dynamics Co. (NYSE:GD)

Seattle Times staffers teamed up to choose their favorite shows from this year — all of which premiered, had a new season or debuted in the U.S. in 2024 — with picks ranging from the sublime "Shōgun" ( one of Google's Top 10 most-searched TV shows of the year ) to the eye-wateringly expensive (and worth every penny) "Arcane," along with new seasons of "From," "Industry" and more. Here are the shows that had us talking, in alphabetical order. Where to watch: Streaming on Netflix I’m still grieving the end of “Arcane,” the $250 million , 18-episode animated two-season Netflix series based on the lore from Riot Games’ League of Legends video game franchise. This Shakespearean tragedy makes you feel for estranged sisters Vi (Hailee Steinfeld) and Jinx (Ella Purnell), lovers Caitlyn (Katie Leung) and Vi, mother Ambessa (Ellen Thomas) and daughter Mel (Toks Olagundoye), childhood friends Ekko (Reed Shannon) and Jinx, and best friends Jayce (Kevin Alejandro) and Viktor (Harry Lloyd) — foils who sometimes find each other on opposite sides of a war. Season 2 also begins with grief. After Jinx’s cannon blew up a Piltover tower, the city is in mourning. Caitlyn is mourning her mother, who died in the blast. Vi is mourning her sister, who forsook her name Powder for Jinx. And Jinx is mourning her surrogate father, Silco (Jason Spisak). “Arcane” excels in the way it humanizes both heroes and villains, balancing the threads of more than half a dozen characters and storylines with equal weight. I want to rewind time like Ekko does — to live with these characters a little longer and to watch them grow. But to move forward, sometimes we have to leave something behind. — Qina Liu, senior news producer Where to watch: Streaming on Hulu An uproarious, tenderhearted blend of "Heartstopper" and "Sex Education," the 2022 British sitcom "Big Boys" is everything a coming-of-age show should be: witty, relatable and honest. The first two seasons, which became available on this side of the pond this month via Hulu, center on 19-year-old Jack (a semi-fictional version of series creator and writer Jack Rooke and played by Dylan Llewellyn), who's dealing with the death of his father, contending with his sexuality and leaving home for the first time as he heads to university. But for all the heavy topics "Big Boys" smartly grapples with — grief, loss, sex, family, mental health — the heart of "Big Boys" is a dazzlingly endearing and crudely humorous friendship between two young men (one gay, one straight; a platonic relationship you rarely see in media) who you desperately hope remain friends for the rest of their lives. I may have understood about only 50% of the jokes — the show is very, very British — but I do know that Season 3 can't get here soon enough . — Dominic Baez, features desk editor Where to watch: Streaming on Netflix Say "yes, and ..." to martial arts sequences interspersed with clips of "The Great British Bake Off." And yes to knife fights featuring adults dressed in inflatable dinosaur costumes at a children's party. And yes to hideouts inside John Cho's mansion, Buldak noodles, Asian water monitors, "Gymkata" and Fall Out Men (the fictional Filipino Fall Out Boy cover band). "The Brothers Sun" feels like an improv sketch — full of surprises and defying expectations. At its core, this Emmy-nominated show is about family — what happens after Bruce Sun's (Sam Song Li) life as a Los Angeles college student and aspiring improv actor gets interrupted by a reunion with his assassin brother Charles "Chairleg" Sun (Justin Chien), who clues him into his family's secret. Their father, Big Sun (Johnny Kou), is the head of the Jade Dragons, one of eight Taiwanese crime bosses — and the rival gangs may be after their mother (Michelle Yeoh). How much of yourself and your humanity will you sacrifice to honor and protect your family? This is an Asian American story for anyone who knows it's a crime to wear outside shoes inside the house. — Qina Liu Where to watch: Streaming on Netflix In May, all I could think about was food. I dreamed of dim sum and piping hot pizza, and craved lemony Caesar salad. In reality, my post-tonsillectomy world was frozen fruit pops and lukewarm boxed soup grumpily eaten on my couch. So was it a touch masochistic to start "Delicious in Dungeon" when it physically hurt to eat? Maybe. And yet I followed adventurers Laios, Marcille and Chilchuck as they found allies and battled their way through an endless dungeon crawling with monsters. "Delicious in Dungeon" — a dubbed anime based on writer and illustrator Ryoko Kui's manga series of the same name — is ostensibly about the group's efforts to rescue Falin, Laios' sister, and uncover the mystery of the Mad Mage. But if you're hangry and your throat is on fire, this show becomes an envy-watch about how monster-eating-curious Laios and Senshi, a friendly wok-toting dwarf, cook drool-worthy meals out of defeated foes for their often-horrified comrades. (I don't know who gave anime the right to make cartoon-ified foods look even better than their real-world counterparts, but Hippogriff soup dumplings, Man-eating Plant tarts and Walking Mushroom hot pot sound really good when your main food group is Popsicles, OK??) While episodes can occasionally blend together, the charm of "Delicious in Dungeon" is in the repetition of its ingredients — action, emotional moments and silly high jinks. Because what sick kid wouldn't want a second helping of that (perhaps with a side of Sky Fish and chips)? — Ana Sofia, assistant features editor Where to watch: Streaming on Hulu I’m not entirely proud of my 2024 TV habits, but I will say they’ve been focused — focused on finding the most wholesome, uplifting reality dating show around. Sure, some spicy “Too Hot Too Handle” or “FBoy Island” can be fun now and again, but the pointless drama among gorgeous humans chasing influencer status gets tiring. I’m looking for genuine contestants I can root for wholeheartedly, 100% believing they’re there for the right reasons (to find true and lasting love, of course). The winner as of yet is ... “Farmer Wants a Wife”! The premise is simple: Farmers who lack opportunities to meet women due to being busy with, well, farming, get the chance to date from a pool of ladies brought in from different cities. Meanwhile, the women get a taste of farm life (dates have included castrating a bull and building a fence) to determine if they could thrive as a farmer’s wife. Even though my favorite couple ultimately split up because the woman didn't want to drop everything to move to a ranch in Georgia (understandable, I suppose), the show’s earnest-feeling characters and sentimental moments balanced out the expected, dating-show drama delightfully. — Sarah-Mae McCullough, features producer Where to watch: Streaming on MGM+ Three seasons into this genuinely scary, intricate puzzle of a show and I’m only more committed to seeing where it goes. Scary monsters! Equally scary interpersonal dramas! Strange kids and creepy dolls and resurfacing memories, oh my. The setting: a small town where people mysteriously arrive from all over the country after whatever road they were driving on somehow redirects them to this hamlet of horrors. At night, ghastly creatures stalk the streets in human form, knocking at windows and luring the living to grisly deaths. In the third season, which wrapped in November, we’re seeing more of the monsters behind their grinning faces, but the mystery only gets more mysterious and more emotional as time goes on. What’s causing this nightmare? Why are these people trapped here, and how can they ever get home? Harold Perrineau delivers an expert performance as the town’s de facto sheriff, a standout in an all-around excellent ensemble cast. — Gemma Wilson, arts and culture writer Where to watch: Streaming on Max Since its premiere four years ago, “Industry” has been the best HBO show you’ve likely never heard of. After Season 3, its best season yet, aired over the summer, you’re officially late to the (cocaine-fueled) party. In the simplest terms, “Industry” is about sex, drugs and unfathomable sums of money. The financial drama is centered on a group of young investment bankers — Harper (Myha’la), Yasmin (Marisa Abela) and Rob (Harry Lawtey) — and longtime manager Eric (Ken Leung) as they work on the trading floor of a fictional London bank called Pierpoint and deal with the risks and rewards associated with such a relentless (and entertaining) lifestyle. By the third season, “Industry” has very much leaned into the fact that these are some of the most selfish people on television, unafraid to backstab, name-call and undercut anyone they work with for personal gain. But the moral ambiguity is “Industry’s” most engaging feature. Class — the economic and social statuses at which these characters started and ultimately aspire to be — is behind every decision the characters make, and their complexities are the show’s driving force. It makes for quite a ride. And given its willingness to constantly reinvent itself, especially with the end of Season 3 seemingly hitting a reset button, I cannot wait to see where “Industry” takes us next. — Chris Cole, sports producer Where to watch: Streaming on Hulu My hell is filled with TVs showing early 2000s blockbuster comedies, slapstick humor and other physical gags. (The cringe! I can’t take it!) But I love murder mysteries, which is why I gave this comedic, star-studded whodunit a chance when it first aired in 2021. Now in its fourth and best season, I’ve come to love the show’s central, ersatz detective trio, consisting of a deadpan millennial (Selena Gomez), washed-up actor (Steve Martin) and Broadway director-slash-flailing diva (Martin Short). The plot twist: Sure, "Only Murders" is a genuine mystery, but the reason you keep coming back? It’s plain old fun . The actors are having a palpable blast as larger-than-life characters: Paul Rudd as an unhinged stunt double with — for some reason — an Irish accent; the suave, delightful Jane Lynch; the fast-talking Molly Shannon as a zinger-prone movie exec; plus Eva Longoria, Eugene Levy and Zach Galifianakis gleefully portraying some version of themselves. And then there’s Melissa McCarthy, who is fantastic as a suburban, doll-collecting, wigged-out Long Islander who throws Meryl Streep (!) over a couch in a farcical fight. You almost forget there’s also a murder being solved. Few shows remain worth watching beyond a first season — but much like its characters, this show grows better with age. — Margo Vansynghel, arts economy reporter Where to watch: Streaming on Hulu Historical dramas in general, and historical fiction in particular, have never really been my cup of tea; the lavish, transfixing “Shōgun” has me reconsidering that stance. Based on the 1975 novel by James Clavell (but separate from the 1980 miniseries of the same name), “Shōgun” is a showstopper full of superb acting, pitch-perfect writing, stellar pacing and lush visuals. The 10-episodes series, set in Japan in 1600, is at its core a story about entwining fates; of two men, so foreign to each other at first, becoming inextricably linked to one another as the world seemingly conspires against them. A grand epic in scale, “Shōgun” still revels in the details; the attention to authenticity throughout — particularly its Japanese elements, from the music to the clothes — is marvelous, and it elevates the show as a whole. Originally a limited series, we’ve already been told that “Shōgun” will continue for at least two more seasons. Though we don’t know exactly what those new seasons will entail just yet, I do know this: I’m eager for another (fictional) history lesson. — Dominic Baez Where to watch: Streaming on cwtv.com I’m going to miss Smallville. Over four seasons, The CW’s “Superman & Lois” has consistently been one of the best superhero shows on TV: punchy with its action, engaging with its story arcs and charming with its leads. But what made it more than your typically enjoyable but ultimately derivative CW superhero show was that it never really felt like a superhero show at all; it’s about family and loss, love and regret, maturity and naiveté, all those oh-so-relatable trials we all go through (and yes, maybe some world-saving along the way). And that’s never been truer than in the fourth, final and fantastic season of the series, which wraps up the story of Clark Kent/Superman (Tyler Hoechlin), Lois Lane (Elizabeth Tulloch), their children and the town of Smallville as they face their greatest challenge yet in the form of the sadistic Lex Luthor (Michael Cudlitz). Despite its truncated, 10-episode run, Season 4 delivers a powerhouse send-off for the Man of Steel, shining a glorious light on the last son of Krypton’s humanity and reminding us once again that Superman flies highest when his feet are planted firmly on the ground. I’m a bit melancholic that “it went by so fast” (if you know, you know), but I’m glad I got to experience the journey nonetheless. Truth, justice and a better tomorrow, indeed. — Dominic BaezRice builds up big lead early, hangs on to beat USF 35-28

NoneJaipur, Nov 30 (PTI) Coming out in public for the first time after recent allegations and his indictment in the US, Adani group chairman Gautam Adani on Saturday said his conglomerate was committed to compliances and “every attack makes us stronger”. “Less than two week back, we faced a set of allegations from the US about compliance practices. This is not the first time we have faced such challenges. What I can tell you is that every attack makes us stronger,” he said addressing the 51st Gems and Jewellery Award here. On November 20, 2024, the United States Department of Justice and the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued an indictment and a civil complaint in the New York district court against Gautam Adani, Sagar Adani and Vneet Jaain, key functionaries of Adani Green Energy Ltd (AGEL). The charges relate to allegations of securities fraud, wire fraud and violation of the SEC guidelines that led to materially false and misleading statements in the bond offering documents of AGEL with respect to anti-bribery and anti-corruption policies. Adani Group had issued a statement denying all allegations as baseless, and said it would seek legal recourse to defend itself. Speaking at Saturday’s event, Adani said that despite a lot of vested reporting, no one from Adani’s side has been charged with any violation of the FCPA (Foreign Corrupt Practices Act) of the US or any conspiracy to obstruct justice. “The fact is that despite a lot of the vested reporting, no one from the Adani side has been charged with any violation of the FCPA or any conspiracy to obstruct justice. Yet, in today’s world, negativity spreads faster than facts,” he said, adding that the group was committed to regulatory compliances. “As we work through the legal process, I want to re-confirm our absolute commitment to world class regulatory compliance,” he added. Adani Green Energy Ltd, the renewable energy arm of the port-to-energy conglomerate, on November 21 scrapped a USD 600-million bond issue. The 20-year green bond was over-subscribed three times, hours before the US prosecutors charged Gautam Adani and associates with participating in a scheme to pay over USD 250 million bribe to Indian officials in exchange for favourable terms for solar power contracts. Following the indictment, Adani group companies’ stocks also tanked in the Mumbai trade. Ten listed firms of the group lost about USD 26 billion (Rs 2.19 lakh crore) in market value — more than double of what the conglomerate had lost when US short-seller Hindenburg brought out a damning report in January 2023. However, since Wednesday, stocks of all the group firms have recovered. Shares of nine of the 11 listed Adani Group firms ended higher on Friday, with Adani Green Energy surging almost 22 per cent and Adani Energy climbing nearly 16 per cent. “Over the years, I have come to accept that the roadblocks we face are the price of pioneering. The bolder your dreams, the more the world will scrutinise you. But it is precisely in that scrutiny that you must find the courage to rise, to challenge the status quo, and to build a path where none exists,” he said. Adani said that the group had successes but the challenges have been bigger. “However, these challenges have not broken us. Instead, they have defined us. They have made us tougher and give us the unshakeable belief that after every fall, we will rise again, stronger and more resilient than before,” he said. Last year, the conglomerate had scrapped a Rs 20,000 crore Follow-on Public Offer (FPO) at its flagship firm Adani Enterprises Ltd after US short-seller Hindenburg Research’s report in January, which alleged the group of stock manipulation and accounting fraud. Adani had rejected all allegations and threatened to sue Hindenburg for its “reckless” attempt to sabotage the mega share sale at Adani Enterprises. But the allegation led to a free-fall of the group firms’ stocks, which at the lowest point saw USD 150 billion in market value being eroded. Talking about the Hindernburg report, he said, “This was not a typical financial strike, it was a double hit, targeting our financial stability and pulling us into a political controversy. All of this was further amplified by certain media with vested interests. But even in the face of such adversity, our commitment to our principles remained strong.” Adani said that after successfully raising Rs 20,000 crore from India’s largest-ever FPO, the company made the extraordinary decision to return the proceeds. “We then further demonstrated our resilience by raising capital from several international sources and proactively reducing our debt-to-EBITDA ratio to below 2.5 times, an unmatched metric in the global infrastructure space,” he said. “Our all-time record financial results in the same year showcased our commitment to operational excellence. Not a single Indian or foreign credit rating agency downgraded us. Finally, the Supreme Court of India’s affirmation of our actions validated our approach,” he said. He further said that in 2010, when the group was investing in a coal mine in Australia, its objective was to make India energy secure and replace every two tonnes of poor-quality Indian coal with one tonne of high-quality coal from Australia. However, he said, the resistance from NGOs was huge and lasted almost a decade. “It was so intense that we ended up funding the entire project of 10 billion dollars with our own equity. While we now have a world class operating mine in Australia and it could be seen as a great sign of our resilience,” he said. Adani also shared his journey of becoming an entrepreneur and highlighted its dominance in various sectors. He also advised businessmen to embrace technology and sustainability for progress, empower and uplift the skilled workforce and nurture the younger generation and equip them to balance tradition with transformation, culture with innovation and legacy with sustainability. PTI SDA HVA This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. 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About 22,000 remain without power in Northern Ireland following Storm Darragh

( MENAFN - EIN Presswire) Partners in Belgium Erasmus+ logo co funded Project logo JUGAAD The JUGAAD Erasmus+ Project aims to transform STEM education. It is focused on utilising gamification, digital resources, and competency-based frameworks. LETTERKENNY, DONEGAL, IRELAND, November 30, 2024 /EINPresswire / -- Empowering Educators and Students The JUGAAD Project bridges the gap between traditional education and the digital future by offering ready-to-implement STEM workshops and assessment tools aligned with the European Framework for Digital Competence (DigComp). Key outputs developed by the project partners: Education Toolkit This toolkit is designed for remote and face-to-face implementation. It is a collection of 15 STEM-based workshops that educators can use in STEM clubs or the classroom. Each workshop will ensure: The development of skills related to the STEM approach (inter- and trans-disciplinarity, problem-solving, inquiry-based approach) for facilitators and students. The development of specific digital skills for facilitators aligned with the JUGAAD competency framework The development of curricular skills in disciplines related to the STEAM approach. The workshops are divided into four themes and difficulty levels, ranging from novice to highly advanced. Assessment Toolkit One of the main objectives of the JUGAAD project is to define the different skills, competencies, and knowledge gained by implementing the Education Toolkit. Thus, AISR developed a competence framework for both educators and students. It builds upon the partner countries' STEAM curricula and the digital skills outlined in the European Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators (DigCompEdu) and Digital Competence (DigComp 2.2) frameworks. The Educator's Framework provides guidance on curriculum design, classroom management, assessment strategies, and technology integration in education. It emphasises the importance of fostering inclusive and diverse learning environments, enabling educators to meet the unique needs of their students. This Framework is a roadmap for success in the JUGAAD workshops at various proficiency levels. It promotes the growth of critical STEAM skills in a structured, measurable manner, aiding educators and students in achieving their objectives. After implementing the JUGAAD workshops (Toolkit), educators will be asked to complete the post-workshop delivery assessment questionnaire to measure the improvement in their competency level. The JUGAAD benchmarking self-assessment tool helps educators reflect on their teaching competencies, STEAM strategies and how they use digital technologies in their professional practice. Educators can use the tool to make informed decisions, implement effective strategies and be honest with themselves about what is working in the classroom. Making an effort to conduct self-assessments also demonstrates an educator's willingness to improve, commitment to pursuing teaching excellence, and desire to achieve professional growth. E-Platform An interactive online platform featuring fun quizzes, a badging system, and resources for students and educators to enhance STEM education. Focus on Diversity and Inclusion The project emphasises the importance of inclusive education, ensuring all students can access quality STEM learning experiences regardless of their background. By fostering diverse learning environments, JUGAAD aligns with European educational goals for equity and innovation. Next Steps With freely available resources, the JUGAAD Project continues to inspire educators and students to embrace digital tools and gamified learning. For more information, visit Project partners: ASSOCIAZIONE LUMEN APS, Italy iED - Institute of Entrepreneurship Development, Greece eduCentrum, Belgium European center of entrepreneurship competence & excellence, Austria SXOLI KARAVANA, Greece NSTITUTO COMPRESIVO FIORANO 1, Italy PROJETO SCHOLE LDA, Portugal SIAULIU "DERMES" MOKYKLA, Lithuania Bursa Il Milli Egitim Mudurlugu, Turkey Academy for International Science and Research (AISR), Ireland Zita Bertha Academy for International Science and Research +44 7759 831432 email us here Visit us on social media: Facebook Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above. 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