casino online legit BBC Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special winner 'leaked' as spoiler devastates fansAP Sports SummaryBrief at 3:39 p.m. ESTThe war unleashed by Russia almost three years ago in Ukraine is rightly recognized as one of the great crimes of the twenty-first century. Understandably, little attention has been paid so far to the impact the conflict is having on Ukraine’s international image. And yet amid the trauma and horror of Russia’s invasion, there are growing signs that the unprecedented media spotlight on Ukraine since 2022 is gradually helping to transform global perceptions of the country. As a result, Ukraine is now finally emerging from a prolonged period of international obscurity that has hindered the country’s progress for centuries. International ignorance of Ukraine has been a feature since long before the country regained independence in 1991. Following the Soviet collapse, little was done to address this lack of outside awareness or strengthen Ukraine’s national brand in the global arena. This low profile helped set the stage for Russia’s disinformation efforts, with foreign audiences often prepared to believe all manner of outlandish lies about a country that was otherwise unknown to them. Thanks to the recent media focus on Ukraine, Kremlin propagandists are now finding that their distortions are not so readily accepted. This is an ongoing process, but it is already possible to identify a number of important facts about Ukraine that have taken root in the international consciousness since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. 1. Ukraine is not Russia The fact that Ukraine is not Russia may seem insultingly obvious when viewed from a Ukrainian perspective, but in reality this was the fundamental image problem facing the country in 2022. Indeed, it is no coincidence that on the eve of the full-scale invasion, Vladimir Putin published an entire essay denying the legitimacy of a separate Ukrainian state on the grounds that Ukrainians are actually Russians (“one people’). Putin did not invent this narrative of Ukraine denial himself. His predecessors have been insisting that Ukraine is an inalienable part of Russia since at least the eighteenth century, and have ruthlessly manipulated the historical record to support their arguments. Throughout the Tsarist and Soviet eras, anyone attempting to counter this Great Russian narrative or highlight Ukraine’s long statehood struggle was treated as a dangerous heretic subject to the harshest of punishments. For generations, Russia was able to impose its imperial propaganda on international audiences, with Ukrainians silenced and Ukraine misleadingly portrayed as an intrinsic part of Russia’s own historical heartlands. It was therefore understandable that when an independent Ukraine appeared on the map in 1991, many had trouble distinguishing it from Russia. This created much confusion and went some way to legitimizing subsequent Russian attempts to reassert its authority over Ukraine. The full-scale invasion has changed all that. Since February 2022, international perceptions of the relationship between Russia and Ukraine have undergone a radical transformation as global audiences have witnessed the ferocity of the Russian attack and the determination of Ukraine’s national defense. The war unleashed by Vladimir Putin has killed hundreds of thousands and shattered millions of lives; it has also destroyed the myth of Russians and Ukrainians as “one people.” As the invasion approaches the three-year mark, it is now safe to say that anyone who continues to insist on the indivisibility of Russia and Ukraine is either acting in bad faith, or is so stunningly ignorant that their opinion can be disregarded. As the world watches the Russian invasion of Ukraine unfold, UkraineAlert delivers the best Atlantic Council expert insight and analysis on Ukraine twice a week directly to your inbox. 2. Ukraine is huge Prewar Ukraine’s low international profile encouraged many to imagine the country as an obscure and irrelevant statelet whose fate mattered little to the wider world. Meanwhile, very few people seemed to appreciate that Ukraine was in fact the largest country wholly in Europe. That is no longer the case. Throughout the past three years, the map of Ukraine has featured relentlessly in the international press. Even casual observers have grown familiar with the outline of the country, and cannot have failed to notice how large it looms over its European neighbors. Media coverage of battlefield developments has also helped to underline the sheer size of Ukraine. Despite regular war reports of major offensives and record advances, the overall picture of the front lines has changed little since the first year of the war, underlining the comparative vastness of Ukraine. While Ukraine may still appear small when compared to Russia, it is a huge country by European standards. Growing awareness of this fact is helping to shape perceptions of Ukraine’s geopolitical significance. 3. Ukraine is an agricultural superpower Prior to 2022, Ukraine was probably best known to many around the world as the site of the Chornobyl disaster. Associations with the world’s worst nuclear accident were particularly unfortunate as Ukraine is anything but a radioactive wasteland. In reality, the country’s real claim to fame is as the breadbasket of Europe. Ukraine’s fabled black soil is among the most fertile land in the entire world, making much of the country a giant garden of agrarian abundance. Since 2022, Russia’s invasion has helped educate international audiences about Ukraine’s crucial role in global food security. Extensive media coverage of Russia’s Black Sea naval blockade has underlined the importance of Ukrainian agricultural exports, with disruption caused by Moscow’s interference leading to famine fears in Africa and price hikes on basic foodstuffs throughout the West. Growing awareness of Ukraine’s status as an agricultural superpower has undermined Kremlin efforts to portray the invasion as a strictly local affair, and has mobilized international opposition to the war. 4. Ukraine is an innovation hub For decades, international perceptions of Ukraine were plagued by lazy cliches depicting the country as a terminally corrupt backwater on the vodka-soaked fringes of Eastern Europe. These deeply unflattering caricatures of Ukrainian stagnation were always misleading. They are now also hopelessly outdated. Since 2022, Ukraine has demonstrated that it is a sophisticated high tech nation capable of more than holding its own in the most technologically advanced war the world has ever seen. Ukraine’s ability to develop, deploy, and update its own domestically-produced weapons systems on an almost daily basis has done much to debunk the negative stereotypes of old and establish the country’s reputation as a leading innovation hub. Ukrainian defense tech companies have been responsible for a string of particularly innovative battlefield solutions that have caught the eye of global defense industry giants and helped Ukraine even up the odds against the country’s far larger and wealthier enemy. For example, ground-breaking Ukrainian marine drones have turned the tide in the Battle of the Black Sea and forced Russia’s entire fleet to retreat from Crimea, while Ukrainian long-range drones routinely strike targets deep inside Russia. As a result, “Made in Ukraine” is now recognized as a stamp of quality throughout the international security sector. This image transformation is already attracting international investors and will shape Ukraine’s economic development for decades to come, with the country’s defense industry and broader tech sector set to be in high demand. 5. Ukraine is united The full-scale invasion has seriously undermined longstanding Russian efforts to portray Ukraine as a country irrevocably split along geographical and ideological lines. The narrative of a divided Ukraine has been a mainstay of Kremlin propaganda since the Soviet era, and has been central to the disinformation that has accompanied the escalating Russian aggression of the past two decades. For many years, this crude oversimplification of Ukraine’s regional complexities proved superficially persuasive among international audiences, but it has been decisively debunked by Ukraine’s united response to Russia’s full-scale invasion. Ukrainians across the country have overwhelmingly rallied in opposition to the invading Russians, with residents in supposedly “pro-Russian” cities such as Odesa and Kharkiv proving no less determined to defend themselves and their homes. This is not to say that regional diversity is no longer a feature in today’s Ukraine, of course. On the contrary, Ukraine remains just as subject to regional differences as any other large European nation. However, the Russian invasion has shattered the myth of a terminally divided Ukraine and proved beyond any reasonable doubt that the vast majority of Ukrainians bitterly oppose the idea of a Russian reunion. Peter Dickinson is editor of the Atlantic Council’s UkraineAlert service. Further reading The views expressed in UkraineAlert are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Atlantic Council, its staff, or its supporters.

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Omar Abdullah underlines importance of using south Indian cinema to promote J-K's natural beautyBringing entertainment to the games: Mark Spradlin honored for 20 years of announcing Duncan footballEmpowered Funds LLC lifted its holdings in Coinbase Global, Inc. ( NASDAQ:COIN ) by 0.8% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 5,185 shares of the cryptocurrency exchange’s stock after buying an additional 43 shares during the quarter. Empowered Funds LLC’s holdings in Coinbase Global were worth $924,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Global Retirement Partners LLC lifted its stake in shares of Coinbase Global by 135.1% in the 3rd quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 2,680 shares of the cryptocurrency exchange’s stock valued at $477,000 after purchasing an additional 1,540 shares during the last quarter. CloudAlpha Capital Management Limited Hong Kong acquired a new stake in shares of Coinbase Global in the 3rd quarter valued at $29,756,000. Lindbrook Capital LLC lifted its stake in shares of Coinbase Global by 30.2% in the 3rd quarter. Lindbrook Capital LLC now owns 30,012 shares of the cryptocurrency exchange’s stock valued at $5,347,000 after purchasing an additional 6,963 shares during the last quarter. Sanctuary Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Coinbase Global in the 2nd quarter valued at $2,908,000. Finally, QRG Capital Management Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Coinbase Global by 237.5% in the 3rd quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. now owns 32,743 shares of the cryptocurrency exchange’s stock valued at $5,834,000 after purchasing an additional 23,040 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.84% of the company’s stock. Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, CEO Brian Armstrong sold 23,075 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $173.93, for a total transaction of $4,013,434.75. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 526 shares in the company, valued at approximately $91,487.18. This represents a 97.77 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link . Also, Director Gokul Rajaram sold 400 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, October 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $204.44, for a total transaction of $81,776.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 7,771 shares in the company, valued at $1,588,703.24. The trade was a 4.90 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 194,091 shares of company stock valued at $50,033,426. 23.43% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Analysts Set New Price Targets Read Our Latest Report on Coinbase Global Coinbase Global Stock Performance NASDAQ COIN opened at $304.64 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $76.27 billion, a P/E ratio of 51.99 and a beta of 3.34. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $214.20 and its 200 day simple moving average is $215.15. Coinbase Global, Inc. has a twelve month low of $107.98 and a twelve month high of $341.75. The company has a quick ratio of 1.03, a current ratio of 1.03 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48. Coinbase Global ( NASDAQ:COIN – Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 30th. The cryptocurrency exchange reported $0.28 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.41 by ($0.13). The firm had revenue of $1.21 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.26 billion. Coinbase Global had a return on equity of 14.81% and a net margin of 29.76%. Coinbase Global’s quarterly revenue was up 78.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted ($0.01) earnings per share. As a group, research analysts forecast that Coinbase Global, Inc. will post 4.27 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Coinbase Global Profile ( Free Report ) Coinbase Global, Inc provides financial infrastructure and technology for the crypto economy in the United States and internationally. The company offers the primary financial account in the crypto economy for consumers; and a marketplace with a pool of liquidity for transacting in crypto assets for institutions. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding COIN? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Coinbase Global, Inc. ( NASDAQ:COIN – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Coinbase Global Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Coinbase Global and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks climbed Thursday after market superstar Nvidia and another round of companies said they’re making even fatter profits than expected. The S&P 500 pulled 0.5% higher after flipping between gains and losses several times during the day. Banks, smaller companies and other areas of the stock market that tend to do best when the economy is strong helped lead the way, while bitcoin briefly broke above $99,000. Crude oil, meanwhile, continued to rise. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 461 points, or 1.1%, and the Nasdaq composite edged up by less than 0.1%. Nvidia rose just 0.5% after beating analysts’ estimates for profit and revenue yet again, but it was still the strongest force pulling the S&P 500 upward. It also gave a forecast for revenue in the current quarter that topped most analysts’ expectations due to voracious demand for its chips used in artificial-intelligence technology. Its stock initially sank in afterhours trading Wednesday following the release of the results. Some investors said the market might have been looking for Nvidia’s revenue forecast to surpass expectations by even more. But its stock recovered in premarket trading Thursday, and Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said it was another “flawless” profit report provided by Nvidia and CEO Jensen Huang, whom Ives calls “the Godfather of AI.” The stock meandered through Thursday as well, dragging the S&P 500 and other indexes back and forth. How Nvidia’s stock performs has more impact than any other because it’s grown into Wall Street’s most valuable company at roughly $3.6 trillion. The frenzy around AI is sweeping up other stocks, and Snowflake jumped 32.7% after reporting stronger results for the latest quarter than analysts expected. The company, whose platform helps customers get a better view of all their silos of data and use AI, also reported stronger revenue growth than expected. BJ’S Wholesale Club rose 8.3% after likewise delivering a bigger profit than expected. That may help calm worries about how resilient U.S. shoppers can remain, given high prices across the economy and still-high interest rates. A day earlier, Target tumbled after reporting sluggish sales in the latest quarter and giving a dour forecast for the holiday shopping season. It followed Walmart , which gave a much more encouraging outlook. Nearly 90% of the stocks in the S&P 500 ended up rising Thursday, and the gains were even bigger among smaller companies. The Russell 2000 index of smaller stocks jumped a market-leading 1.7%. Google’s parent company, Alphabet, helped keep indexes in check. It fell 4.7% after U.S. regulators asked a judge to break up the tech giant by forcing it to sell its industry-leading Chrome web browser. In a 23-page document filed late Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Justice called for sweeping punishments that would include restrictions preventing Android from favoring its own search engine. Regulators stopped short of demanding Google sell Android but left the door open to it if the company’s oversight committee continues to see evidence of misconduct. All told, the S&P 500 rose 31.60 points to 5,948.71. The Dow jumped 461.88 to 43,870.35, and the Nasdaq composite added 6.28 to 18,972.42. In the crypto market, bitcoin eclipsed $99,000 for the first time before pulling back toward $98,000, according to CoinDesk. It’s more than doubled so far this year, and its climb has accelerated since Election Day. President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to make the country “the crypto capital of the planet” and create a “strategic reserve” of bitcoin. Bitcoin got a further boost after Gary Gensler, the chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission, said Thursday he would step down in January . Gensler has pushed for more protections for crypto investors. Bitcoin and related investment have a notorious history of big price swings in both directions. MicroStrategy, a company that’s been raising cash expressly to buy bitcoin, saw an early Thursday gain of 14.6% for its stock quickly disappear. It finished the day with a loss of 16.2%. In the oil market, a barrel of benchmark U.S. crude rose 2% to bring its gain for the week to 4.8%. Brent crude, the international standard, climbed 1.8%. Oil has been rising amid escalations in the Russia-Ukraine war. In stock markets abroad, shares of India’s Adani Enterprises plunged 22.6% Thursday after the U.S. charged founder Gautam Adani in a federal indictment with securities fraud and conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud. The businessman and one of the world’s richest people is accused of concealing that his company’s huge solar energy project on the subcontinent was being facilitated by an alleged bribery scheme. Stock indexes elsewhere in Asia and Europe were mixed. In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury inched up to 4.43% from 4.41% late Wednesday following some mixed reports on the U.S. economy. One said fewer U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits last week in the latest signal that the job market remains solid. Another report, though, said manufacturing in the mid-Atlantic region unexpectedly shrank. Sales of previously occupied homes, meanwhile, strengthened last month by more than expected. AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Yuri Kageyama contributed.Eknath Shinde Demanded Home Ministry From BJP, Shiv Sena Keen On New Portfolios, Says Party MLA - News18ATLANTA — The Lakers’ four-game road trip, which ended with a disheartening overtime loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Friday , lasted eight days if you count the days they flew out of and back to Los Angeles on the front and back ends of the trip. But considering they were in Southern California for just a few days after their Nov. 26 road loss to the Phoenix Suns and Nov. 27 road win over the San Antonio Spurs – flying back to L.A. Thanksgiving ahead of their Nov. 29 home loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder before flying to Salt Lake City the afternoon of Nov. 30 – the trip felt longer. “It was a two-week road trip, let’s be honest,” coach JJ Redick said Friday night. “It was a two-week road trip.” And the nature of how the last two weeks have gone for the Lakers added to their road weariness. The loss to the Hawks was their third straight defeat, including their losses to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Miami Heat by a combined 70 points, and their seventh loss in nine games going back to the Nov. 21 home loss to the Orlando Magic , the start of another three-game losing streak. While Friday’s loss continued their losing streak, they played with significantly more energy and effort compared to their losses earlier in the week. “Based off the last couple games that we played, Minnesota and Miami, it’s a good bounce back for us,” Anthony Davis said. “Just some of the defensive communication we messed up a little bit [on Friday night]. As far as the carryover, it was better.” When asked what it’ll take for the Lakers, who won their first three games of the season and were 10-4 before their recent skid, to get back over the hump, LeBron James pointed to the players the team has been without. Austin Reaves missed the entire road trip because of a bruised left pelvis suffered Nov. 29 against the Thunder. “With Austin, the movement piece and the thrust, his ability to get in the paint, his ability to, for the most part, make quick decisions,” Redick said. “In some ways, he’s like a connector for our offense, but he’s also a scorer and a playmaker. So you can have connectors that aren’t necessarily players that can do what Austin does in terms of creating offense. He does both. And also, he’s highly competitive and he brings that juice every night.” Backup center Jaxson Hayes has been sidelined 12 of the last 13 games because of right ankle injuries, and isn’t expected to be reevaluated until this upcoming week. Christian Wood (offseason left knee surgery) and Jarred Vanderbilt (offseason feet surgery recovery) have yet to play this season. The Lakers announced that Vanderbilt is expected to return in early January . Wood’s status isn’t as clear. “I don’t know as far as what will get us over the hump,” James said. “We just gotta just not drown. Don’t drown and we’ll be all right.” Or as Davis put it: “There’s no cavalry. No one [feels] sorry for us. We can’t feel sorry for ourselves. Just gotta continue to put our head down and grind and work.” The Lakers will host the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday at Crytpo.com Arena. Related Articles After that, they’ll get a rare four-day break off of games before playing the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday in Minneapolis. “That break, if you call it a break, for three, four days, we have to use that for our minds, for our bodies, for clean up,” Redick said. “It’ll be a good opportunity for us.” When : 6:30 p.m. Sunday Where : Crypto.com Arena TV/radio : Spectrum SportsNet/710 AM

Roivios Initiates Landmark Study to Demonstrate Safety and Efficacy of an Innovative Renal Assist Device for Cardiac Surgery Patients With Kidney Disease NASSAU, Bahamas , Dec. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Roivios , a pioneering clinical-stage medical device company dedicated to revolutionizing kidney health, proudly announces that its research and development arm, 3ive Labs, has secured approval for an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) from the FDA. This approval paves the way for a pivotal trial of the JuxtaFlow Renal Assist Device (RAD), marking a transformative step forward in enhancing outcomes for cardiac surgery patients with renal insufficiency. The GRADIENT ( G roundbreaking R enal A ssist D evice I ntervening to EN hance cardio T horacic surgery outcomes) trial is designed to address the critical need for renal support among cardiac surgery patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). These patients often face increased risks of postoperative complications, such as worsening renal dysfunction, which can lead to extended ICU stays and increased mortality. "The GRADIENT Trial offers an invaluable opportunity to further explore renal support during cardiac surgery," said Dr. Evelio Rodriguez , a renowned heart surgeon at Ascension Saint Thomas in Nashville, TN , and the National Principal Investigator of the GRADIENT trial. "The JuxtaFlow device offers new hope for some of our most vulnerable patients." JuxtaFlow RAD is an innovative device designed to potentially improve kidney function during times of acute stress. By applying a gentle suction to the kidney's outlet, it aims to enhance blood filtration more efficiently. This groundbreaking approach was recognized with an FDA Breakthrough Device Designation in April. The GRADIENT study will be a prospective, multicenter, randomized, controlled, open-label trial that plans to enroll patients with renal insufficiency (eGFR 15-60 ml/min) undergoing elective or urgent cardiac surgery requiring CPB. The study seeks to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the JuxtaFlow RAD to sustain or enhance renal function during and following CPB surgery. "Achieving Breakthrough Device Designation was instrumental in securing IDE approval," noted John Erbey , Chief Executive Officer at Roivios. "This initiative is the culmination of a decade of technological and clinical advancements in addressing kidney disease management challenges. Our ongoing dialogue with the FDA is paving the way for more effective management, empowering patients to thrive. We are eager to commence IDE enrollment and explore the JuxtaFlow RAD's potential to improve surgical outcomes and enhance patient quality of life." For more information about Roivios and the JuxtaFlow Renal Assist Device, please visit Roivios.com . About JuxtaFlow RAD The JuxtaFlow RAD is a pioneering investigational device set to transform kidney support therapy. Acknowledging the harmful effects of fluid accumulation and pressure on the kidneys, Roivios has advanced beyond traditional blood filtration methods that can further stress the kidneys. By applying mild, controlled negative pressure within the kidney's collecting system, the device has the potential to maintain and improve filtration and support recovery. This novel approach holds promise for a compelling value proposition by preserving kidney function and expediting patient recovery, ultimately reducing hospital stays and associated costs. Equipped with a proprietary specialized catheters and pump, the device optimizes kidney function during critical recovery periods, such as post-surgery. Currently, the JuxtaFlow RAD is under investigation and is not available for sale in any geography. About Roivios Roivios is a clinical-stage medical device company committed to pioneering solutions for kidney health. Our lead product, the JuxtaFlow Renal Assist Device (RAD), is designed to preserve kidney function and offer a proactive approach to managing kidney disease. We aim to demonstrate improved renal outcomes, potentially reducing the need for dialysis, and lowering healthcare costs. Holding proprietary patents in key kidney technologies, we aim to revolutionize kidney disease management. With plans to extend its application beyond kidney disease to various medical settings, Roivios is preparing for a transformative U.S. launch, aiming to redefine kidney disease management and improve patient quality of life. Discover more at roivios.com . This release contains forward-looking statements subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ significantly. Media Contact : Kelly Krueger , Krueger PR, kelly@kruegerpr.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fda-grants-ide-approval-for-the-pivotal-trial-of-the-juxtaflow-renal-assist-device-rad-302336698.html SOURCE Roivios, ltd

Wall Street bulls mounted a valiant effort and pushed the stock market sharply Friday on a double dose of encouraging news. But the rally was not enough to overcome Wednesday's Fed-driven plunge. The S&P 500 dropped for the second straight week, losing 2%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average made it three down weeks in a row, with a loss of more than 2.2%. The Nasdaq posted a 1.8% weekly decline, breaking a four-week winning streak. Looking under the hood of the S&P 500, all sectors closed lower for the week, despite Friday's rally. Energy was the worst-performing sector followed by real estate and materials. > Philadelphia news 24/7: Watch NBC10 free wherever you are Investors got several important updates this week that influenced markets — the most consequential being the Fed's 25-basis-point interest rate cut at the conclusion of its December two-day meeting on Wednesday afternoon. While the move was largely expected, the market took issue with the monetary policy committee's more hawkish outlook on rate cuts in 2025. The so-called dot plot, which illustrates central bankers' future rate expectations, pointed to a committee consensus that it will be appropriate to reduce rates only twice next year, half the number of moves indicated back in September. There is no denying that rate expectations are important, but we would caution Club members from allowing updates like this to weigh on investment decisions too heavily. While we now know who will sit in the White House come Inauguration Day on Jan. 20, and have since received more updates on inflation and the job market, nobody truly knows what 2025 will bring. There will be countless updates on inflation, rates, geopolitics, and more over the coming months, some of which we can see coming and some that will completely surprise us. The Fed, as it has been and as it should, will adjust its outlook accordingly. While we certainly don't want to fight the Fed, we also don't want to let every word out the mouth of a Fed official have us running to our brokerage account and making sweeping changes to our exposure. Rather, as long-term investors, we have the luxury of knowing that when the market might overreact to updates from the Fed or any other event, it can provide us with opportunities to buy shares in great companies with staying power. This is exactly what we did last week as the market got more and more oversold, according to our trusted S&P 500 Short Range Oscillator . In other words, keep focused on the fundamentals and use the volatility to your advantage. The other big update came Friday, with the cooler-than-expected personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index, the Federal Reserve's favorite inflation gauge. Headline November PCE showed a 2.4% increase versus the 2.5% gain expected. Core PCE, excluding volatile food and energy prices, rose 2.8% year over year versus the 2.9% increase expected. While still above the Fed's 2% target inflation rate, the PCE data was just what the oversold market needed, and it was off to the races, turning sharp premarket losses into a powerful Friday rally. Helping the market take another leg higher, Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee told CNBC in a Friday interview that "rates come down a fair bit more" if the economic conditions over the last 18 months continue over the next 12 to 18 months. Goolsbee's comments soothed a nervous market following Wednesday's hawkish remarks from Fed Chairman Jerome Powell in his post-meeting news conference. Not to mention, if rates do remain higher for longer, that's not exactly a bad thing as it almost certainly means that the economy is still growing, and we would much rather be in a market contending with high rates because the economy is strong than a market benefiting from low rates because the economy is struggling to avoid a recession. Looking ahead, it will be a light week with the stock market closing at 1 p.m. ET on Tuesday and closing all day on Wednesday for Christmas Day. That said, November new home sales are out Tuesday. Housing reports have been and will continue to be a key watch item for investors given that shelter cost inflation has proven extremely sticky and a key source of upward pressure on inflation, which is in turn keeping rates elevated. However, investors should take any positive update from Tuesday's report with a grain of salt. Mortgage rates rebounded following the Fed's rate announcement on Wednesday, and investors are going to be far more focused on figuring out what that means for home sales and affordability going forward than what's in this backward-looking release. Week ahead Monday, Dec. 23 Tuesday, Dec. 24 Wednesday, Dec. 25 Thursday, Dec. 26 Friday, Dec. 27 (See here for a full list of the stocks in Jim Cramer's Charitable TrusT.) As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on CNBC TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB. NO SPECIFIC OUTCOME OR PROFIT IS GUARANTEED.Prayagraj: Scientists at Allahabad University are trying to find the secret behind sudden heavy rainfall , which happens in a short period of time. The team of scientists is working on finding out its main reasons, solutions, and the damage caused by it. The department of Science and Technology (DST) has given the responsibility of this to KK Banerjee Center (Kedareshwar Banerjee Center for Atmospheric and Ocean Studies) of the University. The centre has been given the title of Centre for Excellence and a grant of Rs 5.77 crore for the project. The project was awarded to Prof Suneet Dwivedi of the centre, who is the Principal Investigator (PI) of the project. In fact, the study for the project already started at the initial level. With the help of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), the impact of monsoon change in eastern and central India on agriculture and health will be studied. Along with Prof Dwivedi, this project also has Prof Shailendra Rai, Vivek Kumar Pandey, Sudhir Singh, and Prof JN Tripathi as other team members. Prof Dwivedi informed that due to monsoon change, the intensity of rain has increased today, resulting in heavy rain in a short time. At the same time, partial changes are also being seen in cold and hot weather, which is affecting crops significantly. Prof Dwivedi added that under this project, the threat of natural disasters looming over eastern and central India will be detected, and measures to avoid it will also be suggested. This will help in avoiding major threats like storms, hailstorms, and floods due to climate, environment, and monsoon changes. He said that DST provided Rs 3.15 crore for purchasing a supercomputer for the project. This supercomputer will provide the facility to perform very large calculations in less time. It will be installed in a month. Four JRF candidates were to be appointed to study this project. Out of these, three have been appointed, and applications have been sought for another JRF candidate.

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Roivios Initiates Landmark Study to Demonstrate Safety and Efficacy of an Innovative Renal Assist Device for Cardiac Surgery Patients With Kidney Disease NASSAU, Bahamas , Dec. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Roivios , a pioneering clinical-stage medical device company dedicated to revolutionizing kidney health, proudly announces that its research and development arm, 3ive Labs, has secured approval for an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) from the FDA. This approval paves the way for a pivotal trial of the JuxtaFlow Renal Assist Device (RAD), marking a transformative step forward in enhancing outcomes for cardiac surgery patients with renal insufficiency. The GRADIENT ( G roundbreaking R enal A ssist D evice I ntervening to EN hance cardio T horacic surgery outcomes) trial is designed to address the critical need for renal support among cardiac surgery patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). These patients often face increased risks of postoperative complications, such as worsening renal dysfunction, which can lead to extended ICU stays and increased mortality. "The GRADIENT Trial offers an invaluable opportunity to further explore renal support during cardiac surgery," said Dr. Evelio Rodriguez , a renowned heart surgeon at Ascension Saint Thomas in Nashville, TN , and the National Principal Investigator of the GRADIENT trial. "The JuxtaFlow device offers new hope for some of our most vulnerable patients." JuxtaFlow RAD is an innovative device designed to potentially improve kidney function during times of acute stress. By applying a gentle suction to the kidney's outlet, it aims to enhance blood filtration more efficiently. This groundbreaking approach was recognized with an FDA Breakthrough Device Designation in April. The GRADIENT study will be a prospective, multicenter, randomized, controlled, open-label trial that plans to enroll patients with renal insufficiency (eGFR 15-60 ml/min) undergoing elective or urgent cardiac surgery requiring CPB. The study seeks to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the JuxtaFlow RAD to sustain or enhance renal function during and following CPB surgery. "Achieving Breakthrough Device Designation was instrumental in securing IDE approval," noted John Erbey , Chief Executive Officer at Roivios. "This initiative is the culmination of a decade of technological and clinical advancements in addressing kidney disease management challenges. Our ongoing dialogue with the FDA is paving the way for more effective management, empowering patients to thrive. We are eager to commence IDE enrollment and explore the JuxtaFlow RAD's potential to improve surgical outcomes and enhance patient quality of life." For more information about Roivios and the JuxtaFlow Renal Assist Device, please visit Roivios.com . About JuxtaFlow RAD The JuxtaFlow RAD is a pioneering investigational device set to transform kidney support therapy. Acknowledging the harmful effects of fluid accumulation and pressure on the kidneys, Roivios has advanced beyond traditional blood filtration methods that can further stress the kidneys. By applying mild, controlled negative pressure within the kidney's collecting system, the device has the potential to maintain and improve filtration and support recovery. This novel approach holds promise for a compelling value proposition by preserving kidney function and expediting patient recovery, ultimately reducing hospital stays and associated costs. Equipped with a proprietary specialized catheters and pump, the device optimizes kidney function during critical recovery periods, such as post-surgery. Currently, the JuxtaFlow RAD is under investigation and is not available for sale in any geography. About Roivios Roivios is a clinical-stage medical device company committed to pioneering solutions for kidney health. Our lead product, the JuxtaFlow Renal Assist Device (RAD), is designed to preserve kidney function and offer a proactive approach to managing kidney disease. We aim to demonstrate improved renal outcomes, potentially reducing the need for dialysis, and lowering healthcare costs. Holding proprietary patents in key kidney technologies, we aim to revolutionize kidney disease management. With plans to extend its application beyond kidney disease to various medical settings, Roivios is preparing for a transformative U.S. launch, aiming to redefine kidney disease management and improve patient quality of life. Discover more at roivios.com . This release contains forward-looking statements subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ significantly. Media Contact : Kelly Krueger , Krueger PR, kelly@kruegerpr.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fda-grants-ide-approval-for-the-pivotal-trial-of-the-juxtaflow-renal-assist-device-rad-302336698.html SOURCE Roivios, ltd

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DETROIT — Fifty years later, a man who grew up in suburban Detroit tried to return a very overdue baseball book to his boyhood library. The answer: You can keep it — and no fine. Chuck Hildebrandt, 63, of Chicago said he visited the public library in Warren while in town for Thanksgiving, carrying a book titled "Baseball's Zaniest Stars." He borrowed it in 1974 as a 13-year-old "baseball nut" but never returned it. Chuck Hildebrandt of Chicago holds the book "Baseball's Zaniest Stars," which was due Dec. 4, 1974, at the Warren, Mich., library, on Dec. 10. "When you're moving with a bunch of books, you're not examining every book. You throw them in a box and go," said Hildebrandt, who lived in many cities. "But five or six years ago, I was going through the bookshelf and there was a Dewey decimal library number on the book. 'What is this?'" Inside the book was a slip of paper indicating it was due back at the Warren library on Dec. 4, 1974. People are also reading... Hildebrandt told The Associated Press he decided to keep the book until 2024 — the 50th anniversary — and then try to return it. He figured the library might want to publicize the long overdue exchange. Chuck Hildebrandt of Chicago shows the library slip in the overdue book "Baseball's Zaniest Stars" on Dec. 10. He said he recently met library director Oksana Urban, who listened to his pitch. Hildebrandt said he hasn't heard anything since then, though Urban told the Detroit Free Press that all is forgiven. "Some people never come back to face the music," she said of patrons with overdue books. "But there was really no music to face because he and the book were erased from our system." So "Baseball's Zaniest Stars" is back on Hildebrandt's shelf. In return, he's now trying to raise $4,564 for Reading is Fundamental , a nonprofit literacy group. The amount roughly represents a 50-year overdue library fine. Hildebrandt seeded the effort with $457. The right book can inspire the young readers in your life, from picture books to YA novels Taylor Swift 'Eras' tie-in book is a smash, selling more than 800,000 copies in first weekend Charles Dickens' characters come alive in a Dutch town enamored with the English author Best draft picks of all-time for every MLB team Best draft picks of all-time for every MLB team The Major League Baseball draft is unique among professional sports drafts. The 30 organizations pick teenagers and college students who will not join their big league clubs for years—if ever. These athletes will spend that time honing their craft in the minor leagues, where long bus rides and minuscule paychecks are the norm. A few will move quickly up the ranks, seizing playing time opportunities to advance their careers and making their names known to scouts, fans, and other observers around the country. Some of the best will become MLB stars, but there's minimal correlation to draft position. Four of the players on this list were picked after hundreds of other diamond darlings, and only two were #1 overall selections. There's also more than a handful who didn't do much for the teams that drafted them, including superstars such as Nolan Ryan, Ozzie Smith, and Randy Johnson. Each of these players was traded before they evolved into Hall of Famers. Still, calling the draft a "crapshoot" might be going too far. College players are " slightly more likely " than high schoolers to reach the revered stadiums of the majors, and third-rounders have a better chance than fifth-rounders, for example, though the margins are slim, as Vice reported. Teams not only make picks based on years-in-advance projections but also whether they can sign players, a step that must be completed before those youngsters begin playing professionally. To see how clubs have fared since the inaugural draft in 1965, ATS.io compiled a list of the best draft pick by each franchise using data from Baseball Reference . The players were ranked using career wins above replacement , so not one recent choice was named. The amazing Mike Trout, a 32-year-old selected in 2009, is the youngest player. Unsigned picks were not considered, and players who were traded as picks were credited to their acquiring teams. Data is as of June 5, 2024. Arizona Diamondbacks: Max Scherzer - Draft: 11th overall pick in 2006 - Position: Pitcher - Games played: 457 - Career stats: 214 wins, 3.15 earned run average, 1.08 walks plus hits per inning - College/HS: University of Missouri (Columbia, Mo.) - Wins above replacement: 75.0 Atlanta Braves: Chipper Jones - Draft: 1st overall pick in 1990 - Position: Shortstop - Games played: 2,499 - Career stats: 468 home runs, .303 batting average, .930 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: The Bolles School (Jacksonville, Fla.) - Wins above replacement: 85.3 Baltimore Orioles: Cal Ripken Jr. - Draft: 48th overall pick in 1978 - Position: Third baseman - Games played: 3,001 - Career stats: 431 home runs, .276 batting average, .788 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Aberdeen HS (Aberdeen, Md.) - Wins above replacement: 95.9 Boston Red Sox: Roger Clemens - Draft: 19th overall pick in 1983 - Position: Pitcher - Games played: 709 - Career stats: 354 wins, 3.12 earned run average, 1.17 walks plus hits per inning - College/HS: University of Texas at Austin (Austin, Texas) - Wins above replacement: 139.2 Chicago Cubs: Greg Maddux - Draft: 31st overall pick in 1984 - Position: Pitcher - Games played: 744 - Career stats: 355 wins, 3.16 earned run average, 1.14 walks plus hits per inning - College/HS: Valley HS (Las Vegas, Nev.) - Wins above replacement: 106.6 Chicago White Sox: Frank Thomas - Draft: 7th overall pick in 1989 - Position: First baseman - Games played: 2,322 - Career stats: 521 home runs, .301 batting average, .974 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Auburn University (Auburn, Ala.) - Wins above replacement: 73.8 Cincinnati Reds: Johnny Bench - Draft: 36th overall pick in 1965 - Position: Catcher - Games played: 2,158 - Career stats: 389 home runs, .267 batting average, .817 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Binger HS (Binger, Okla.) - Wins above replacement: 75.1 Cleveland Guardians: Jim Thome - Draft: 333rd overall pick in 1989 - Position: Shortstop - Games played: 2,543 - Career stats: 612 home runs, .276 batting average, .956 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Illinois Central College (East Peoria, Ill.) - Wins above replacement: 73.1 Colorado Rockies: Todd Helton - Draft: 8th overall pick in 1995 - Position: First baseman - Games played: 2,247 - Career stats: 369 home runs, .316 batting average, .953 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: University of Tennessee (Knoxville, Tenn.) - Wins above replacement: 61.8 Detroit Tigers: Justin Verlander - Draft: 2nd overall pick in 2004 - Position: Pitcher - Games played: 518 - Career stats: 260 wins, 3.25 earned run average, 1.12 walks plus hits per inning - College/HS: Old Dominion University (Norfolk, Va.) - Wins above replacement: 81.7 Houston Astros: Kenny Lofton - Draft: 428th overall pick in 1988 - Position: Outfielder - Games played: 2,103 - Career stats: 130 home runs, .299 batting average, .794 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: University of Arizona (Tucson, Ariz.) - Wins above replacement: 68.4 Kansas City Royals: George Brett - Draft: 29th overall pick in 1971 - Position: Shortstop - Games played: 2,707 - Career stats: 317 home runs, .305 batting average, .857 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: El Segundo HS (El Segundo, Calif.) - Wins above replacement: 88.6 Los Angeles Angels: Mike Trout - Draft: 25th overall pick in 2009 - Position: Centerfielder - Games played: 1,518 - Career stats: 378 home runs, .299 batting average, .991 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Millville Senior HS (Millville, N.J.) - Wins above replacement: 86.1 Los Angeles Dodgers: Clayton Kershaw - Draft: 7th overall pick in 2006 - Position: Pitcher - Games played: 425 - Career stats: 210 wins, 2.48 earned run average, 1.00 walks plus hits per inning - College/HS: Highland Park HS (Dallas, Texas) - Wins above replacement: 79.7 Miami Marlins: Giancarlo Stanton - Draft: 76th overall pick in 2007 - Position: First baseman - Games played: 1,589 - Career stats: 417 home runs, .258 batting average, .874 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Notre Dame HS (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) - Wins above replacement: 44.3 Milwaukee Brewers: Robin Yount - Draft: 3rd overall pick in 1973 - Position: Shortstop - Games played: 2,856 - Career stats: 251 home runs, .285 batting average, .772 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: William Howard Taft Charter HS (Woodland Hills, Calif.) - Wins above replacement: 77.4 Minnesota Twins: Bert Blyleven - Draft: 55th overall pick in 1969 - Position: Pitcher - Games played: 692 - Career stats: 287 wins, 3.31 earned run average, 1.20 walks plus hits per inning - College/HS: Santiago HS (Garden Grove, Calif.) - Wins above replacement: 94.5 New York Mets: Nolan Ryan - Draft: 295th overall pick in 1965 - Position: Pitcher - Games played: 807 - Career stats: 324 wins, 3.19 earned run average, 1.25 walks plus hits per inning - College/HS: Alvin HS (Alvin, Texas) - Wins above replacement: 81.3 New York Yankees: Derek Jeter - Draft: 6th overall pick in 1992 - Position: Shortstop - Games played: 2,747 - Career stats: 260 home runs, .310 batting average, .817 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Central HS (Kalamazoo, Mich.) - Wins above replacement: 71.3 Oakland Athletics: Rickey Henderson - Draft: 96th overall pick in 1976 - Position: Outfielder - Games played: 3,081 - Career stats: 297 home runs, .279 batting average, .820 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Oakland Technical HS (Oakland, Calif.) - Wins above replacement: 111.1 Philadelphia Phillies: Mike Schmidt - Draft: 30th overall pick in 1971 - Position: Shortstop - Games played: 2,404 - Career stats: 548 home runs, .268 batting average, .908 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Ohio University (Athens, Ohio) - Wins above replacement: 106.9 Pittsburgh Pirates: Barry Bonds - Draft: 6th overall pick in 1985 - Position: Outfielder - Games played: 2,986 - Career stats: 762 home runs, .298 batting average, 1.051 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Arizona State University (Tempe, Ariz.) - Wins above replacement: 162.8 San Diego Padres: Ozzie Smith - Draft: 86th overall pick in 1977 - Position: Shortstop - Games played: 2,573 - Career stats: 28 home runs, .262 batting average, .666 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (San Luis Obispo, Calif.) - Wins above replacement: 76.9 San Francisco Giants: Will Clark - Draft: 2nd overall pick in 1985 - Position: First baseman - Games played: 1,976 - Career stats: 284 home runs, .303 batting average, .880 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Mississippi State University (Mississippi State, Miss.) - Wins above replacement: 56.5 Seattle Mariners: Alex Rodriguez - Draft: 1st overall pick in 1993 - Position: Shortstop - Games played: 2,784 - Career stats: 696 home runs, .295 batting average, .930 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Westminster Christian School (Miami, Fla.) - Wins above replacement: 117.6 St. Louis Cardinals: Albert Pujols - Draft: 402nd overall pick in 1999 - Position: Third baseman - Games played: 3,080 - Career stats: 703 home runs, .296 batting average, .918 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Metropolitan Community College-Maple Woods (Kansas City, Mo.) - Wins above replacement: 101.4 Tampa Bay Rays: Evan Longoria - Draft: 3rd overall pick in 2006 - Position: Third baseman - Games played: 1,986 - Career stats: 342 home runs, .264 batting average, .804 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: California State University, Long Beach (Long Beach, Calif.) - Wins above replacement: 58.6 Texas Rangers: Kevin Brown - Draft: 4th overall pick in 1986 - Position: Pitcher - Games played: 486 - Career stats: 211 wins, 3.28 earned run average, 1.22 walks plus hits per inning - College/HS: Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, Ga.) - Wins above replacement: 67.8 Toronto Blue Jays: Roy Halladay - Draft: 17th overall pick in 1995 - Position: Pitcher - Games played: 416 - Career stats: 203 wins, 3.38 earned run average, 1.18 walks plus hits per inning - College/HS: Arvada West HS (Arvada, Colo.) - Wins above replacement: 64.2 Washington Nationals: Randy Johnson - Draft: 36th overall pick in 1985 - Position: Pitcher - Games played: 618 - Career stats: 303 wins, 3.29 earned run average, 1.17 walks plus hits per inning - College/HS: University of Southern California (Los Angeles, Calif.) - Wins above replacement: 101.1 Data reporting by Karim Noorani. Story editing by Carren Jao. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Robert Wickwire. Photo selection by Clarese Moller. This story originally appeared on ATS.io and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!The Girls' School Association has warned that Labour's plan to charge VAT on private school fees in January could lead to fewer women growing up to have careers in male-dominated industries such as sports or physics. Beth Probert, 27, is an award-winning astrophysicist and PhD researcher at the University of Strathclyde's Applied Space Technology Laboratory in Glasgow. Here she explains why this isn't the case. I grew up in the countryside near Alice Holt forest in Hampshire in the south of England. That was lucky because it's one of the darkest regions in the South. When I was a child, I spent a lot of time outside, just lying down, and staring at the stars. I was completely mesmerised by all these little lights in the sky. I've always been a bookworm, so I'd go and get lots of encyclopedia books to learn as much about the sky as possible. I remember giving myself minor existential crises about how big the universe was and how small we were, and just trying to wrap my child brain around that idea. We're a speck of dust in the universe. I've always been fascinated. I went to a state school, and I like to think I'm doing pretty well for myself as a result. I went to Weydon School in Farnham, which is a mixed-gender science specialist school, where I had a lot of exposure to science and we had specialist labs that we received funding for. Today, I'm a PhD researcher with a background in software engineering, looking at satellite communications and automating collision avoidance between satellites. Personally, having a state school education enabled me to experience diversity in broader terms than just gender, but also in background and upbringing in socioeconomic terms, which helped me... Eleanor Peake

Stock up on these popular board games for your next get-togetherDetroit-area library says Chicago man can keep overdue baseball book — 50 years laterThe South Santiam River looked exactly as expected one recent afternoon in November — like algae as it gushed, brown-green and somewhat opaque over a low-head dam in Lebanon. And that's a weirdly colored, vaguely chlorine-scented problem for nearly 30,000 East Linn County residents who rely on the river as their main source of drinking water. The Green Peter reservoir is being drawn down to a level of 142 feet below the normal winter levels to improve the survival rates of chinook and steel head populations passing through the dam. The move has local drinking water looking more murky, causing some residents concern. Public works officials say it's safe. "This will be the second time we've called for a halt to it," Lebanon City Manager Ron Whitlatch said by phone Wednesday, Nov. 20. He was referring to Lebanon's entreaty, for the second time in consecutive years, to Oregon health officials to stop the drawdown of a nearby reservoir where sediment — dirt and bits of animal and plant — that accumulated for nearly 12 months is now flowing out from behind Green Peter Dam. A federal court has ordered the drawdown, bringing the water levels to historic lows, to help endangered salmon species swim downstream. And just like last year, all of the muck from the drawdown is gumming up the equipment that filters and sanitizes the drinking water channeled from an intake in southeastern Lebanon. "I'm not sure how far it will go — not far, I expect," Whitlatch said of the city's plea. "But we shall see." In October local elected officials declared an emergency to quickly maneuver funds after Lebanon spent nearly $500,000 replacing filters and paying for overtime at its water treatment plant following the last drawdown, in 2023. Sweet Home's city council did the same for their municipality upstream on the South Santiam, declaring an emergency the night before. That was all before this year's drawdown began in earnest. In the wake of last year's drawdown, local and state politicos called upon Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek to cover the $45 million in chemical costs and wear and tear on water treatment plants. She turned around and passed the blame to the feds , which operates the dam system in the area. Accordingly, the cities filed a claim last month with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to recover the costs. Such claims are often precursors to lawsuits. Federal rules and salmon advocates, including the Kalapuya people who lived along the Santiam before the arrival of European settlers, say juvenile salmon aren't supposed to swim through deeply pooled reservoirs. Kathleen George, a tribal councilor from the Confederate Tribes of Grand Ronde, said in an emailed statement that chinook salmon caught near the mouth of Columbia River are at "high risk of extinction by 2040," citing federal estimates. "Time is running out, and reservoir drawdowns are an important tool to allow juvenile fish safe passage downstream," George said in the statement. So this year’s drawdown is different ; a modified plan and varying rain levels may be why the water is little less murky — so far. In a letter, Whitlatch urged the state's public health officials to "prompt" the Army Corps to act on the modified order. Writing to the Oregon Health Authority, he predicted that the turbidity, the technical word for murkiness, will continue to rise. "This risks Lebanon's ability to provide safe drinking water and continues to damage our water treatment plant," Whitlatch wrote. Some Lebanites aren't convinced. “This exact thing happened last year,” Lebanon resident Jennifer Griffiths said, referring to her drinking water's appearance and odor. She noticed the color of their bath water was tinged a yellow-green. Griffiths, who lives with her 3-year-old child and husband, said that just standing in the bathroom gives her a headache. She thinks it’s the chlorine added to the water that is making her feel that way. Her pets started throwing up, she added, so her family has started using bottled water instead. When Griffiths called the city, employees told her the changes she was seeing to her water were from the drawdown and that the city was working to continue to produce safe water. The greenish tinge is a result of color from plant matter, public works officials have said. As the drawdown creates less water in the reservoir, the concentration of organic matter is higher. Tannins are a breakdown of vegetation and are not harmful to human health. They can be reduced but it is difficult to get rid of the water completely. A couple of residents have complained so far, with most ask whether their water is safe after seeing discourse on Facebook, Whitlatch said. “Of course the water is safe; we are working to keep it that way,” he said. The city pushed out additional guidance in a news release Friday morning, Nov. 22. “While this discoloration may be alarming, it is not harmful to your health,” Whitlatch said in the release. “If at any time water quality falls below safe standards, providers will issue a public notice.” Lebanon is supplying water with the same levels of microbe-killing chlorine and acidity that it always does, according to city reports based on state-required sampling. But it takes a lot more chlorine, Whitlatch said, to keep up with the muck stirred from the bottom of Green Peter Reservoir, dissolved in the South Santiam and flowing into the headworks of the city’s facilities where water is then disinfected and piped to the rest of the city. Chlorine levels in Lebanon typically hover around 1 or fewer parts per million, or ppm. The city has been adding about 1.5 ppm of chlorine since the drawdown's start, Whitlatch said. The maximum level of chlorine that can be added safely is 4 ppm. For example, the ideal range of an average swimming pool hovers around 2 to 4 ppm. Testing through Tuesday, Nov. 19, showed light passed through untreated water at more than 150 nephelometric turbidity units, a measurement of opacity. Turbidity in South Santiam water measured at a much lower average of 5 units on Oct. 25. "It's been more consistent this year," Whitlatch said compared to last year's spikes. When Sweet Home resident Brandy Wysong-Frick noticed a rash on her husband’s side abdomen, she thought it might be shingles. It was itchy but not painful, she said. Then it got worse the next time he showered, she said. “Within 30 minutes there were rashes over his whole body,” she said. During last year’s drawdown their home was unaffected, so the pair didn’t even consider it was due to the water until he washed his hands and started to get a rash there too, said Wysong-Frick, one of the many candidates this year for City Council . She didn't win. Her husband has always been extremely allergic to chlorine, she said. He can’t even be in a room with an indoor pool. The couple also noticed that their dogs seemed more dehydrated. So, they started to boil their water too and bought a filter for the shower head. Several others posted on the community Facebook group about concerns over the color, smell and feeling itchy from chlorine in the water. But unlike Lebanon, Sweet Home isn’t adding more chlorine to their treated water. There isn’t any more chlorine being added to the water supply than the normal amount, Public Works Director Greg Springman said. The chlorine levels hover around .4 to .7 ppm, which is about the same levels during no-drawdown times. Their city has a different approach than last year, Springman said. This year, employees are only adding more aluminum chloride in the treatment process, which is filtered out before being disinfected, the last step before the water makes its way to households. So really, Sweet Home residents should have less chlorine in their water compared to last year’s drawdown, Springman said. The water is also less murky than it was around this time last year, he said. “This year it’s a little less impactful, but it’s still a high turbidity,” Springman said. By comparison, some of the highest turbidity the city experienced last year was around 300 ntu, and the most recent readings hover above 100, he said. The city hasn’t received many complaints, maybe about three, he said. For those that ask, the city will come out and test the chlorine in their water. Sweet Home is constantly logging the amount of chlorine it uses everyday, he added. The city also has a webpage that provides updated information about the city’s water quality. A Thursday, Nov. 21 update says that the city is expecting higher turbidity with a heavier rainy season. “You may see some discoloration of your water due to the turbidity, or a change in smell due to necessary changes to our treatment methods. Despite these changes, again, all water is tested for quality and safety before it goes to your home or business,” the web page reads. Staff are also working around the clock because to clean the murkier water. With that need for more backwashing, it takes longer to meet the daily water demand, he added. “We want people to know that we are confident in producing clean water, and we are watching this 24/7,” he said. The trend is fairly consistent across other downstream communities. Overall, Public Works Director Chris Bailey confirmed, Albany workers also are noticing the turbidity isn’t spiking as high as it was last year — so far. That may be because the target elevation wasn’t reached at Green Peter until Nov. 10, Water Superintendent Scott LaRoque said. “Now that the banks of Green Peter are exposed, each storm event is washing sediment into the water and making its way downstream. Last year we had a few more significant rain events that contributed to higher turbidity leaving Green Peter than we have seen so far this year.” Albany has received two complaints, both about the color of the water, he said. Baily said there may be a psychological component at play, in that people are more sensitive to the changes because of the visible change in the color of the water, Bailey said. That was something that was difficult to communicate. The city can produce safe water, but the change in color makes it difficult for people to trust it, she said. Like Sweet Home, Albany also isn’t putting extra chlorine in its water this year, LaRoche said. The water is safe, he said, and the city is handling the higher turbidity. Still, officials won’t know for sure what the toll of processing the higher turbidity will be. The city plans to do an analysis on how the drawdown has affected the life expectancy of its their equipment. More Lebanon news More Sweet Home news More Albany news Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. 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