U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, second from right, meets with business and human service leaders after speaking to the New England Council at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen gave different grades to some of President-elect Donald Trump’s nominees for top federal posts during a question-and-answer session before the New England Council Friday. As chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee working group that writes the FBI budget, Shaheen said he was sad that Director Christopher Wray decided he would resign three years before his term ends. “I think he’s done a very good job at the FBI and I am disappointed he is leaving before his term is up,” Shaheen said. Trump has already said he would nominate conservative activist Kash Patel to replace Wray. “I have serious concerns about what has been reported publicly about his (Patel's) statements of retribution and closing the FBI office on Day One and turning it into a museum and some of the other outrageous things he has said,” Shaheen said. On the flip side, Shaheen met with and gave high praise to Trump’s nominee for secretary of state, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, as the pair served together on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “I think he is very well qualified and thoughtful in how he is approaching the state department,” Shaheen said. Trump has called for eliminating the Department of Education (DoE), but Shaheen complemented his nomination of Linda McMahon as commissioner of that agency. Shaheen worked with McMahon when was administrator in Trump’s first term of the Small Business Administration. “I found her to be very responsive, to be a good manager and to listen. I am hopeful all of that is a good sign” she could oppose doing away with the department, Shaheen said. “Those people who think we are going to get rid of it (Department of Education) have no idea what they are talking about, to be frank.” Shaheen said she learned the value of promoting education when as governor she provided state support so that all school districts would offer kindergarten. “Education is the most important place that we can invest in,” she added. GOP officials pounced on Shaheen’s comments to declare it’s time to get rid of the federal education bureaucracy. “This doesn't make the case for keeping the DoE, at all. Since its inception every single education metric had fallen except funding,” said Chris Maidment, spokesman for the N.H. Republican State Committee. “We can, and must, do so much better for our children.” Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., said New Hampshire coast guardsmen, timber industry leaders and farmers would all benefit from an emergency disaster spending bill Congress is considering in the final weeks President Biden is in office. Here, Shaheen posed with Mike Vlacich, a former regional administrator with the Small Business Administration who also once served as Shaheen's chief of staff. Kimberly Morin, a conservative activist, was even more critical. “Clearly, @SenatorShaheen is OUT-OF-TOUCH with how poorly public education is serving our children. It's time for her to retire,” Morin posted on X. Shaheen, 77, has not declared whether she will seek a fourth term when the current one ends in 2026, but the speculation is that she will. The voters put Shaheen back in the minority by giving Republicans control of the Senate this January. Despite that setback, Shaheen will make history as the first woman and ranking member of either party on the foreign relations panel. Congress is partly to blame for the U.S. being slow to respond to military equipment needs in assisting Ukraine to survive the Russian invasion, Shaheen said. “When you are trying to develop a wartime footing, you have to look at some of these things and provide flexibility” she said. The fall of the Assad regime in Syria was welcome, but it’s unclear what happens next, Shaheen said. “The bottom line here is we don’t yet know what is going to happen in Syria. It’s a defeat for (Russian dictator) Vladimir Putin and Iran which is very good news for us," Shaheen said. Shaheen recalled being on the winning side of a 10-7 Senate Foreign Relations Committee vote in 2013 to support then-President Barack Obama’s 2013 bid to get congressional authorization to launch airstrikes against Assad if he continued to use chemical weapons against his own people. The full Senate never voted on it after Assad committed to get rid of its chemical weapon stockpiles but there was evidence Assad continued to use them during a grueling civil war. “I thought we should have acted then, and we didn’t and we saw Syrians poisoned by their own government,” Shaheen added. By year’s end, Congress must pass two financial bills -- one a continuing resolution to keep the government operating and the other an emergency supplemental to deal with disaster assistance, Shaheen said. While the hurricanes down south and wildfires out west grabbed the most attention, the disaster bill would help closer to home by getting repairs for the New Hampshire Coast Guard after storms damaged a boathouse in New Castle, aid for the timber industry to fight off the spruce budworm coming from Canada and relief for Granite State farmers who lost much of their apple and stone fruit crops to storms last winter and spring. Shaheen said she would oppose, but will likely lose when the Senate GOP seeks “reconciliation” next year so it can pass bills border security and permanency to all of Trump’s 2017 tax cuts by a simple majority and avoid being blocked by a filibuster. Shaheen’s appearance was the 55th and final New England Council forum for 2024. “We saved the best for last senator,” said NEC President and CEO James Brett. klandrigan@unionleader.comTechmediabreaks Quantum Computing Inc. (NASDAQ: QUBT) Announces Concurrent Offerings

If you've looked around at the gym lately, you've likely seen smartwatches, clip-on monitors or tech-embedded rings adorning the bodies of the gym goers all around you. While fitness trackers were once reserved for use in university performance labs or medical settings, they're now popular among exercisers of all ability levels. And, as the technology expands, you'll be seeing even more of these devices enter the market — the $62 billion fitness tracker industry is by 2032. Early fitness trackers, like simple clip-on pedometers or wearable wristbands, focused primarily on gauging daily step counts and heart rate. Newer devices, however, track everything from sleep and stress levels to oxygenation and fertility. Do these high-tech devices actually help make you fitter? With so much data available, do they contribute to information overload, or are they the missing tool that could help you make better decisions about your health? Are fitness trackers worth it? Ultimately, experts agree: Fitness trackers can be when used correctly. But, they aren't a one-size-fits-all solution or a magic bullet for all your exercise-related challenges. Here's why. A fitness tracker is worn on the body (or held, like an iPhone) to measure or estimate data points including step counts, calories burned, distance traveled, heart rate, sleep time or respiration. Some trackers (like smartwatches) can also display smartphone notifications, receive calls, store music and offer GPS data for outdoor workouts. "Fitness trackers use advanced sensors to monitor key metrics like heart rate, movement patterns and respiratory rates — providing valuable real-time data about your body's response to training," explains Laura Sommer, DPT and owner of . There are a range of different types of fitness trackers available, including basic activity trackers like pedometers or apps like Apple Health, general or sport-specific smartwatches, heart-rate-monitoring chest straps or arm bands and even rings. Wearables vary widely in price, but the more expensive models are usually able to measure multiple metrics. In addition to the gadget's base price, some trackers, like Whoop and , require a monthly or annual subscription. Fitness trackers are popular for a reason. "From a psychological perspective, fitness trackers are like having a strapped to your arm. You're with your health choices when someone (even if that someone is a watch) is keeping an eye on you," says Millica McDowell, a physical therapist and VP at . Sara Swaneck, a clinical psychology doctoral student and strength instructor at in Milwaukee, says that she used fitness trackers to keep herself accountable as she trained for a HYROX competition. "Having my Apple Watch motivated me to workout so I could 'close my rings' every day by meeting my exercise and movement goals. Having the Oura Ring motivated me to increase my sleep and reduce my stress levels since I could see the data," she says. Fitness trackers also offer a digital way to track progress toward performance goals or health improvements, a for regulating healthy behaviors. "One of the biggest values in a tracker is being able to see your trends over time to ensure that your workouts are actually achieving what you're trying to do in the first place. Use your tracker to monitor trends (like calories burned over a month and resting heart rate patterns) to make sure what you're doing on a daily basis is actually having a positive impact on your physiology," says Ashley Selman, founder of and . Some trackers even offer personalized training and recovery coaching with feedback based on your physiological data trends to help optimize your long-term healthy habits. Fitness trackers aren't medical-grade devices, so their data may occasionally be inaccurate. Step counts tend to be the most accurate metric across most devices, but studies show discrepancies in (calories burned) and , which can skew a tracker's recommendations for recovery and training protocols. Beyond inaccuracies, fitness trackers largely don't account for a comprehensive health and fitness outlook. "For example, trackers don't really measure strength or muscle [mass]. is our biggest determinant of metabolism and ability to store glucose and have better blood sugar numbers. If you're only tracking heart rate, this leaves out a whole other part of the health equation," says Selman. Also, access to so much data can also be distracting — and overwhelming — if you're not sure what metrics to focus on. With that in mind, a fitness tracker is best utilized in tandem with a guiding goal and training plan to help keep you focused on the results you're hoping to see without getting bogged down in the up-to-the-second minutiae. Knowing whether to jump on the fitness tracker bandwagon — and which tracker to consider buying — comes down to your personal wants and needs as well as your lifestyle. Start by assessing which metrics matter to you in relation to your health and fitness goals — and decide whether data motivates you. For instance, if you set a daily step goal of 8,000 steps, will it motivate you to take an after-dinner walk if you know you're at 6,500 steps at 5:00 pm? Will seeing the "rings close" on your daily goals help feed your desire to keep up the good work? For Swaneck, tracking daily activity and rest were both important as she worked toward completing her race. "With the Apple Watch, I looked primarily at my heart rate during workouts, especially when I ran, to track which zone I was in. I also used it to look at total workout time. For my Oura Ring, I looked at sleep data, as well as my recovery score, which is based on sleep and activity levels. This information helped me tailor my workouts based on how recovered I was from the day before. It also helped [me] gauge when I should implement meditation and self-care," says Swaneck. It's important to consider how a tracker might fit into your lifestyle too. Ask yourself if you're willing to wear a tracker to bed if you want to track sleep and recovery, if you'll feel comfortable wearing a wristband or ring while exercising or if you'll have the inclination to charge (yet another) device. Finally, ask yourself if the data may be overwhelming to you in a way that interferes with progress, or if you think it could lead to an unhealthy obsession with metrics and numbers. "If you notice that the fitness tracker is making you more anxious or creating a feeling of shame if you're not meeting your goals, it might be best to ditch the tracker and focus on the process, like the number of days you're working out or the number of minutes you're spending running rather than closely tracking your pace. Sometimes the stress of your sleep score makes it that much harder to sleep!" explains Sommers. There are plenty of trackers out there, but not every tracker is suited for every person. As you research which type of tracker is best for you, compare models and read reviews from reputable sources with an eye on the metrics, features and price points that fit your lifestyle best. Fitness trackers are can be a major investment, but if data is motivating to you and you have a plan on how to integrate tracking into your goals, wearables can be a useful tool in your "get fit" arsenal. Yahoo Life is currently testing a range of the most popular fitness wearables and will have testing complete at the beginning of 2025. Models being tested include the Oura Ring, Whoop, Samsung Galaxy Watch 7, , Garmin Venu 3S and more. How accurate are fitness trackers? Fitness trackers are not medical-grade devices, so data has the potential to be inaccurate. Check in physically and mentally to assess fitness progress and recovery beyond the numbers. How much should I spend on a fitness tracker? Consider which features you're looking for, as well as your budget. A higher price doesn't always correlate with what works best for your personal routine. For instance, some pedometers cost less than $10 — if you don't plan to track more metrics than that, there's no reason to lay out the extra cash. However, if you prefer a watch or band that offers all the data along with smart notifications, expect to spend several hundred dollars. Do I need a smartwatch or a basic activity tracker? This depends on your goals and lifestyle. Determine which features you want and whether you'd prefer a smartwatch's visual interface and additional smartphone-connected features. If you're more of a low-tech person, it's likely best to go with a low-tech activity tracker. Can fitness trackers help me lose weight? Fitness trackers provide insight into health and movement trends that can help inform and guide a weight loss plan. They can also help you track your progress along the way and keep you accountable. That said, the data alone can't help you lose weight. The power for change remains in your work ethic, not the wristwatch. Are fitness trackers waterproof? Some fitness trackers are waterproof up to specific depths or time limits. Check the tracker's specifications before taking it in the shower or pool to make sure you don't damage your wearable. Laura Sommer, doctor of physical therapy and owner of Millica McDowell, a physical therapist and VP at Ashley Selman, MA, CSCS and founder/owner of and

A record-breaking drought in New York City has revealed a wall in a Central Park reservoir that was previously underwater. At 106 acres, the Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir, also known as the Central Park Reservoir, covers roughly 12 percent of the park's area, according to centralpark.org. At 40 feet deep, it holds 1 billion gallons of water. It previously served as the city's source for drinking water but has since been decommissioned. A weir stretching across the reservoir is usually hidden, but recent drought has revealed it, the New York Post reported. The divider has been visible in the past, but usually because of construction work, according to the report. This is the first time drought has revealed the wall, the report said. Water levels are 2 feet below normal because of the drought that has parched the city. Several posts shared across social media also drew attention to the revealed wall. "An unexpected effect of the drought is seen in the Central Park Reservoir, where a typically hidden middle divider is now visible. Cant remember ever seeing it. Makes you realize the reservoir is actually 2 bodies of water," one user posted on X, formerly Twitter . "You might have noticed the Central Park Reservoir looks a little different in recent days," another account shared. Last month was Central Park's driest on record at only .01 inches of rain. So far this month, at 1.75 inches of rain through Thursday, Central Park is .68 inches below average. For the season, which began September 1, Central Park is 7.78 inches below average, NWS meteorologist James Tomasini told Newsweek . There are rain chances through the rest of Friday, as well as early next week. The dry spell is also impacting snow totals, as typically Central Park sees its first snowflakes by Halloween or Veterans Day. However, no snow has fallen, meaning Hawaii has received more snow this season than New York City. According to the most recent drought monitor map, only 8.5 percent of the state was free from drought, with all of New York City battling severe drought. Earlier this week, New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Rohit Aggarwala elevated the citywide drought watch to a drought warning for the first time since 2002. Various protocols were issued with the warning to conserve water in an effort to slow the depletion of the city's reservoirs, the city said in a press release. The dry weather contributed to a slew of fires across the Northeast earlier this fall, including hundreds of brush fires in New York City and neighboring New Jersey.Best TV of 2024: A modestly better lineup than usual, but why didn’t it feel that way?

Agricultural Bank of China Limited ( OTCMKTS:ACGBF – Get Free Report ) was the recipient of a significant growth in short interest in the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totalling 29,572,400 shares, a growth of 81.1% from the November 30th total of 16,326,400 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 24,000 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 1,232.2 days. Agricultural Bank of China Trading Up 6.3 % Shares of ACGBF stock opened at $0.56 on Friday. The business’s 50 day moving average is $0.51 and its two-hundred day moving average is $0.46. Agricultural Bank of China has a 12 month low of $0.37 and a 12 month high of $0.58. About Agricultural Bank of China ( Get Free Report ) Read More Receive News & Ratings for Agricultural Bank of China Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Agricultural Bank of China and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Labor MP claims Dutton stopped show of unity on synagogue with speech ban

Cardinals' sudden 3-game tailspin has turned their once solid playoff hopes into a long shotMicrosoft has issued a critical warning to millions of Windows users regarding a recent update causing significant issues for some PCs. The update, KB5021233, is an optional update released as part of December 2022’s Patch Tuesday, aimed at improving the overall Windows experience. However, instead of enhancements, many users are reporting a slew of problems, including: The problems seem to be primarily affecting users running Windows 10, version 22H2. While Microsoft hasn’t pinpointed the exact cause, initial investigations suggest the update may be conflicting with certain hardware configurations or drivers. Why is this happening? The complexities of Windows updates. Windows updates are a double-edged sword. They’re crucial for patching security vulnerabilities, improving performance, and introducing new features. However, the sheer complexity of the Windows ecosystem, with its vast array of hardware and software combinations, makes it incredibly challenging to ensure an update works flawlessly for everyone. Think of it like this: imagine trying to create a single key that perfectly fits millions of different locks. It’s an almost impossible task. Similarly, a Windows update needs to interact seamlessly with a multitude of CPUs, graphics cards, motherboards, drivers, and applications. Inevitably, some combinations will cause friction. In this case, KB5021233 seems to be one of those “friction-causing” updates. While it may work perfectly fine for the majority of users, a significant minority are experiencing these debilitating issues. What should you do? Proceed with caution. If you haven’t already installed KB5021233, Microsoft strongly advises against it until they investigate and release a fix. Optional updates, unlike critical security updates, are not automatically installed. This gives you the choice to wait and see how things unfold. However, if you’ve already installed the update and are experiencing problems, here are some potential solutions: My personal experience with problematic updates I’ve been a Windows user for over two decades, and I’ve seen my fair share of problematic updates. One particular incident that stands out involved a Windows 7 update that completely wiped out my network drivers. I spent hours troubleshooting, reinstalling drivers, and scouring online forums before finally resolving the issue. It was a frustrating experience that taught me the importance of being cautious with Windows updates, especially optional ones. Since then, I’ve adopted a more conservative approach. I always wait a few days after an update is released to see if any major issues are reported. I also create system restore points before installing any updates, just in case something goes wrong. The bigger picture: Trust and transparency in software updates This incident highlights a broader issue in the software industry: the need for greater transparency and communication around updates. While Microsoft does provide release notes and documentation, they often lack specific details about potential issues or compatibility problems. Users deserve to have a clear understanding of the risks involved before installing an update. More detailed information, such as known issues, affected hardware/software configurations, and potential workarounds, would empower users to make informed decisions. Furthermore, proactive communication from companies like Microsoft is crucial. Instead of waiting for users to report problems, actively monitoring online forums and social media for feedback can help identify and address issues more quickly. Looking ahead: What can we learn from this? The KB5021233 incident serves as a reminder that even tech giants like Microsoft aren’t immune to software glitches. It underscores the importance of: Ultimately, a more cautious and informed approach to software updates can save you from headaches and frustration down the road.Canada's Trudeau survives third no-confidence vote

Former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh has died at the age of 92. Singh was one of India’s longest-serving prime ministers and he was considered the architect of key liberalising economic reforms, as premier from 2004-2014 and before that as finance minister. He had been admitted to a hospital in the capital Delhi after his health condition deteriorated, reports say. Among those who paid tribute to Singh on Thursday were Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who wrote on social media that “India mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished leaders”. Modi said that Singh’s “wisdom and humility were always visible” during their interactions and that he had “made extensive efforts to improve people’s lives” during his time as prime minister. Priyanka Gandhi, the daughter of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and a Congress party member, said that Singh was “genuinely egalitarian, wise, strong-willed and courageous until the end”. Her brother Rahul, who leads Congress, said he had “lost a mentor and guide”. Singh was the first Indian leader since Jawaharlal Nehru to be re-elected after serving a full first term, and the first Sikh to hold the country’s top post. He made a public apology in parliament for the 1984 riots in which some 3,000 Sikhs were killed. But his second term in office was marred by a string of corruption allegations that dogged his administration. The scandals, many say, were partially responsible for his Congress party’s crushing defeat in the 2014 general election. Singh was born on 26 September 1932, in a desolate village in the Punjab province of undivided India, which lacked both water and electricity. After attending Panjab University he took a master’s degree at the University of Cambridge and then a DPhil at Oxford. While studying at Cambridge, the lack of funds bothered Singh, his daughter, Daman Singh, wrote in a book on her parents. “His tuition and living expenses came to about £600 a year. The Panjab University scholarship gave him about £160. For the rest he had to depend on his father. Manmohan was careful to live very stingily. Subsidised meals in the dining hall were relatively cheap at two shillings sixpence.” Daman Singh remembered her father as “completely helpless about the house and could neither boil an egg, nor switch on the television”. Singh rose to political prominence as India’s finance minister in 1991, taking over as the country was plunging into bankruptcy. His unexpected appointment capped a long and illustrious career as an academic and civil servant – he served as an economic adviser to the government, and became the governor of India’s central bank. In his maiden speech as finance minister he famously quoted Victor Hugo, saying that “no power on Earth can stop an idea whose time has come”. That served as a launchpad for an ambitious and unprecedented economic reform programme: he cut taxes, devalued the rupee, privatised state-run companies and encouraged foreign investment. The economy revived, industry picked up, inflation was checked and growth rates remained consistently high in the 1990s. Manmohan Singh was a man acutely aware of his lack of a political base. “It is nice to be a statesman, but in order to be a statesman in a democracy you first have to win elections,” he once said. When he tried to win election to India’s lower house in 1999, he was defeated. He sat instead in the upper house, chosen by his own Congress party. The same happened in 2004, when Singh was first appointed prime minister after Congress president Sonia Gandhi turned down the post – apparently to protect the party from damaging attacks over her Italian origins. Critics however alleged that Sonia Gandhi was the real source of power while he was prime minister, and that he was never truly in charge. The biggest triumph during his first five-year term was to bring India out of nuclear isolation by signing a landmark deal securing access to American nuclear technology. But the deal came at a price – the government’s Communist allies withdrew support after protesting against it, and Congress had to make up lost numbers by enlisting the support of another party amid charges of vote-buying. A consensus builder, Singh presided over a coalition of sometimes difficult, assertive and potentially unruly regional coalition allies and supporters. Although he earned respect for his integrity and intelligence, he also had a reputation for being soft and indecisive. Some critics claimed that the pace of reform slowed and he failed to achieve the same momentum he had while finance minister. (BBC News) Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Father raises $18 million for Brain Tumour research with MIRA memecoin

After upset win, Penn State out to extend Rutgers' woesPenguin Solutions ( NASDAQ:PENG – Get Free Report ) COO Jack A. Pacheco sold 6,666 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $20.00, for a total value of $133,320.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer now owns 235,960 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,719,200. The trade was a 2.75 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link . Penguin Solutions Stock Performance Shares of Penguin Solutions stock opened at $19.37 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $1.03 billion, a PE ratio of -19.37 and a beta of 1.74. The company has a current ratio of 2.65, a quick ratio of 2.19 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.65. The business has a fifty day moving average of $17.80. Penguin Solutions has a one year low of $14.87 and a one year high of $29.81. Penguin Solutions ( NASDAQ:PENG – Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 15th. The company reported $0.23 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.27 by ($0.04). Penguin Solutions had a positive return on equity of 8.05% and a negative net margin of 4.48%. The company had revenue of $311.15 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $325.00 million. Analysts predict that Penguin Solutions will post 1.33 EPS for the current year. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Penguin Solutions Penguin Solutions Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) Penguin Solutions, Inc engages in the designing and development of enterprise solutions worldwide. It operates through three segments: Advanced Computing, Integrated Memory, and Optimized LED. It offers dynamic random access memory modules, solid-state and flash storage, and other advanced integrated memory solutions for networking and telecom, data analytics, artificial intelligence and machine learning applications; and supply chain services, including procurement, logistics, inventory management, temporary warehousing, programming, kitting, and packaging services. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Penguin Solutions Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Penguin Solutions and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

All Three Patients Treated in First Dose Cohort Administered Fludarabine-free Conditioning and Show Rapid, Deep, and Sustained B-cell Depletion with Favorable Safety Profile First Patient to Reach 6-Month Follow-up Remains in DORIS Clinical Remission and Free of All Immunosuppressive Therapies Company Plans to Initiate Dose Expansion at First Dose Level of 360M Cells SAN DIEGO, Dec. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fate Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: FATE), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to bringing a first-in-class pipeline of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cellular immunotherapies to patients with cancer and autoimmune disorders, today presented new clinical and translational data from the Company’s FT819 Phase 1 Autoimmunity study for moderate-to-severe systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting being held in San Diego, CA. The first three study patients, each of whom presented with active lupus nephritis (LN) despite having been treated with multiple standard-of-care therapies, received fludarabine-free conditioning followed by a single dose of FT819 at 360 million cells. There were no dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs), no events of any grade of cytokine release syndrome (CRS), immune effector-cell associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS), or graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), and rapid, deep, and sustained elimination of CD19+ B cells in the periphery was observed during the first month of treatment. FT819 is the Company’s off-the-shelf, CD19-targeted, 1XX CAR T-cell product candidate comprised of CD8αβ+ T cells with a memory phenotype and high CXCR4 expression to promote tissue trafficking. “We continue to be very pleased with early clinical observations of fludarabine-free conditioning and FT819 off-the-shelf, CAR T-cell therapy in patients with moderate-to-severe SLE. The remarkable experience of the first patient treated in April is ongoing, as the patient remains on-study in drug-free clinical remission. In addition, the initial clinical and translational data from the two additional patients treated at the first dose level continue to support the potential for disease transformation,” said Bob Valamehr, President of Research and Development of Fate Therapeutics. “We are now initiating dose expansion at this first dose level to accelerate development, and are also escalating dose based on the favorable safety profile observed. In addition, I am pleased to announce that the first patient has now been treated with FT819 as an add-on to maintenance therapy without conditioning chemotherapy. We believe our therapeutic approach is highly-differentiated and has the potential to transform disease outcomes without requiring patient apheresis, discontinuation of maintenance therapy, intense conditioning chemotherapy, and extended hospitalization.” FT819 Phase 1 Autoimmunity Study The ongoing multi-center, Phase 1 clinical trial for patients with moderate-to-severe SLE is designed to evaluate the safety, pharmacokinetics, and anti-B cell activity of FT819 (NCT06308978). The first three patients, all of whom presented with active LN despite having been treated with multiple standard-of-care therapies, received fludarabine-free conditioning consisting of either cyclophosphamide alone or bendamustine alone, followed by a single dose of FT819 at 360 million cells. In all three patients, FT819 was detected in the peripheral blood and rapid, deep, and sustained elimination of CD19+ B cells in the periphery was observed during the first month of treatment. All three patients remain on-study, and there have been no DLTs and no events of any grade of CRS, ICANS, or GvHD. Based on these clinical observations, the Company is initiating dose expansion in up to 10 patients at this first dose level, and is also escalating dose to 720 million cells. The Company’s FT819 Phase 1 Autoimmunity study also includes a second treatment arm to assess the safety, pharmacokinetics, and anti-B cell activity of a single dose of FT819 as an add-on to maintenance therapy without conditioning chemotherapy in patients with SLE. The first patient has now been treated in this second arm, which is being conducted in parallel with the study’s conditioning arm. FT819 Patient 1 Case Study The first patient treated in the Phase 1 Autoimmunity study presented with active LN and severe disease, which was marked by renal BILAG A (British Isles Lupus Assessment Group) disease activity score based on biopsy, SLEDAI-2K (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index) score of 20, FACIT-Fatigue (Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue) score of 33 (range 0-52, where a score of 52 indicates no fatigue) and PGA (Physician Global Assessment) score of 2.5 (where a score of 3 indicates most severe activity). Following administration of fludarabine-free conditioning and treatment with a single dose of FT819 at 360 million cells, the patient was discharged from the hospital without notable adverse events (AEs) after a protocol-required three-day stay. Rapid elimination of CD19+ B cells in the periphery was observed following treatment, and B-cell recovery by Month 3 was predominantly comprised of naïve, non-class switched B cells with near-complete elimination of switched memory B cells and deep depletion of plasmablasts, indicative of an immune reset. The patient reported that her debilitating fatigue had entirely resolved without further treatment, and treatment with methylprednisolone was discontinued at Month 3. The patient achieved DORIS (definition of remission in SLE) clinical remission, including with resolution of arthritis and active urinary sediment and with a substantial reduction in proteinuria, as of Month 6 follow-up. The patient continues on-study, in DORIS clinical remission, and remains free of all immunosuppressive therapy. iPSC-derived CAR T-cell Product Platform The Company also highlighted the scientific progress of its proprietary iPSC-derived CAR T-cell product platform at the ASH Annual Meeting. In an oral presentation entitled “ Off-the-shelf Product Candidate Incorporates Novel Sword & Shield Technology Designed to Promote Functional Persistence without Conditioning Chemotherapy ”, the Company compared its novel Sword & Shield technology, which utilizes a 4-1BB-targeted CAR (ADR) alongside the complete knock-out of CD58 (CD58KO) to both target and evade host alloreactive immune cells, to other host immune evasion strategies. In preclinical studies of allogeneic models, the Company showed that its Sword and Shield Technology specifically engaged with alloreactive T cells and supported functional persistence while avoiding the killing of general host T cells and activated anti-tumor T cells. This unique observation was not seen with other approaches that are either too broad and undesirably eliminate most of the host immune system or have limited coverage and cannot adequately protect the allogeneic cell product. In a second presentation entitled “ Development of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived T Cells Exhibiting Phenotypic and Functional Attributes of Primary CAR T Cells ”, the Company conducted a series of high-resolution analyses to show stimulated iPSC-derived T cells elicit primary T-cell like activation, proliferation, transcriptional and functional program engagement, and iPSC-derived CAR T cells uniquely emulate antigen-mediated response similar to primary-derived autologous CAR T cells. About Fate Therapeutics’ iPSC Product Platform Human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) possess the unique dual properties of unlimited self-renewal and differentiation potential into all cell types of the body. The Company’s proprietary iPSC product platform combines multiplexed-engineering of human iPSCs with single-cell selection to create clonal master iPSC lines. Analogous to master cell lines used to mass produce biopharmaceutical drug products such as monoclonal antibodies, the Company utilizes its clonal master iPSC lines as a starting cell source to manufacture engineered cell products which are well-defined and uniform in composition, can be stored in inventory for off-the-shelf availability, can be combined and administered with other therapies, and can potentially reach a broad patient population. As a result, the Company’s platform is uniquely designed to overcome numerous limitations associated with the manufacture of cell therapies using patient- or donor-sourced cells. Fate Therapeutics’ iPSC product platform is supported by an intellectual property portfolio of over 500 issued patents and 500 pending patent applications. About Fate Therapeutics, Inc. Fate Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to bringing a first-in-class pipeline of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cellular immunotherapies to patients with cancer and autoimmune diseases. Using its proprietary iPSC product platform, the Company has established a leadership position in creating multiplexed-engineered master iPSC lines and in the manufacture and clinical development of off-the-shelf, iPSC-derived cell products. The Company’s pipeline includes iPSC-derived natural killer (NK) cell and T-cell product candidates, which are selectively designed, incorporate novel synthetic controls of cell function, and are intended to deliver multiple therapeutic mechanisms to patients. Fate Therapeutics is headquartered in San Diego, CA. For more information, please visit www.fatetherapeutics.com . Forward-Looking Statements This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 including statements regarding the safety and therapeutic potential of the Company’s iPSC-derived CAR T-cell product candidates, including FT819, the advancement of and plans related to the Company's product candidates, clinical studies and preclinical research and development programs, the Company’s progress, plans and timelines for the clinical investigation of its product candidates, including the expected clinical development plans for FT819, the initiation and continuation of enrollment in the Company’s clinical trials, the initiation of additional clinical trials and additional dose cohorts in ongoing clinical trials of the Company’s product candidates, the timing and availability of data from the Company’s clinical trials, the therapeutic and market potential of the Company’s research and development programs and product candidates, the Company’s clinical and product development strategy, and the Company’s expectations regarding progress, plans, and timelines. These and any other forward-looking statements in this release are based on management's current expectations of future events and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those set forth in or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risk that the Company’s research and development programs and product candidates, including those product candidates in clinical investigation, may not demonstrate the requisite safety, efficacy, or other attributes to warrant further development or to achieve regulatory approval, the risk that results observed in prior studies of the Company’s product candidates, including preclinical studies and clinical trials, will not be observed in ongoing or future studies involving these product candidates, the risk of a delay or difficulties in the initiation and conduct of, or enrollment of patients in, any clinical trials, the risk that the Company may cease or delay preclinical or clinical development of any of its product candidates for a variety of reasons (including requirements that may be imposed by regulatory authorities on the initiation or conduct of clinical trials, changes in the therapeutic, regulatory, or competitive landscape for which the Company’s product candidates are being developed, the amount and type of data to be generated or otherwise to support regulatory approval, difficulties or delays in patient enrollment and continuation in the Company’s ongoing and planned clinical trials, difficulties or delays in manufacturing or supplying the Company’s product candidates for clinical testing, failure to demonstrate that a product candidate has the requisite safety, efficacy, or other attributes to warrant further development, and any adverse events or other negative results that may be observed during preclinical or clinical development), and the risk that its product candidates may not produce therapeutic benefits or may cause other unanticipated adverse effects. For a discussion of other risks and uncertainties, and other important factors, any of which could cause the Company’s actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see the risks and uncertainties detailed in the Company’s periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to the Company’s most recently filed periodic report, and from time to time in the Company’s press releases and other investor communications. Fate Therapeutics is providing the information in this release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Contact: Christina Tartaglia Precision AQ 212.362.1200 christina.tartaglia@precisionaq.com

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s health minister has been removed from his post following a deadly gang attack on the largest public hospital in the capital, Port-au-Prince , government officials said Thursday. According to two government officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the subject, Health Minister Duckenson Lorthe will be replaced by Justice Minister Patrick Pelissier until a new health minister is found. Two journalists and a police officer were killed Tuesday as gang members burst into the General Hospital and fired indiscriminately at reporters who were there to cover the facility’s reopening. It was one of the worst attacks on Haitian media in recent memory. Seven other journalists were wounded. Jean Feguens Regala, a photographer who survived the attack , said journalists had been invited to the hospital by the health ministry but there was little security at the site. “The fact that the minister of health invited us, you feel that preparations have been made already,” Regala told The Associated Press. “When we made contact with a police unit, the police told us they were not aware of the event.” The health minister did not show up at the event, for reasons that have not been explained. Shortly after the attack, Johnson “Izo” André — considered Haiti’s most powerful gang leader and part of the Viv Ansanm group of gangs that has taken control of much of Port-au-Prince — posted a video on social media claiming responsibility for the attack. The video said the gang coalition had not authorized the hospital’s reopening. Gang violence has worsened in Haiti, with coordinated gang attacks on prisons, police stations and the main international airport crippling the country’s capital and plunging Haiti into an unprecedented crisis. Gangs are believed to control 85% of Port-au-Prince. The Caribbean country has struggled to organize an election that will restore democratic rule, and is currently governed by a transitional council made up of representatives of political parties, business groups and civil society organizations. Evens Sanon, The Associated PressElon’s STATUS rises with election