Robin Abcarian: I Dodged COVID-19 For More Than Two Years. The Latest Surge Finally Got Me. – Oil City Derrick

In a supreme bit of irony, the day after U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg met with airline leaders about the massive number of recent flight disruptions and cancellations, his own flight was canceled, forcing him to drive from Washington, D.C., to New York.

Joe Hill grew up in an old house in Bangor, Maine, the basement of which was home to a disconnected phone he found “creepy and unsettling.”

They are among the most internationally recognizable Spanish actors of recent times.

“The Bear,” which premiered Thursday on Hulu, is an extraordinary show, not so much for the story it tells as how it tells it; you will have to go far to find another show so invested in and adept at portraying ordinary human speech and behavior, and even then you might not find one.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The week I started working at The Star, in June 2013, the Royals hadn’t been to a postseason since 1985 and fell to 23-32 with a loss to Minnesota at the beginning of a nine-game homestand.

As Mike Matheny and Darryl Kile rode to the airport for a Chicago flight, they talked about life, and they talked about death.

Stephen Curry has it all.

Norway’s central bank has raised its key policy interest rate from 0.75%  to 1.25%. In a statement on Thursday, Norges Bank cited a bigger than expected decline in unemployment and higher than anticipated inflation as factors in its decision. Inflation in Norway is at 5.7%, while unemployment came in at 3.2% in May. The bank said wage growth and higher prices for imported goods mean inflation is likely to stay elevated for some time. The bank’s governor said the interest rate would most likely increase further, to 1.5 % in August.

As the World Health Organization convenes its emergency committee Thursday to consider if the spiraling outbreak of monkeypox warrants being declared a global emergency, some experts say WHO’s decision to act only after the disease spilled into the West could entrench the inequities that arose between rich and poor countries during the coronavirus pandemic. Many scientists also doubt any declaration would help to curb the epidemic, since the developed countries recording the most recent cases are already moving to shut it down. Monkeypox has sickened people for decades in central and west Africa, where one version of the disease kills up to 10% of people. To date, no deaths have been seen outside Africa.

Polls are open for two special elections in England that could deliver a new blow to scandal-tainted Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Wakefield in northern England and the southwestern constituency of Tiverton and Honiton are both electing replacements for Conservative lawmakers who resigned in disgrace over sexual misconduct. Defeat in either district on Thursday would be a setback for the prime minister’s party. Losing both would increase jitters among restive Conservatives who already worry the ebullient but erratic Johnson is no longer an electoral asset. Polls suggest the Labour Party will win in Wakefield, while the Tiverton race is neck-and-neck between the Conservatives and the centrist Liberal Democrats.

During the Great Recession a decade ago, El Monte was in danger of losing much of the ground it had gained.

California will cover doula services for low-income residents at more than twice the state’s initial proposed rate under a spending plan lawmakers passed last week.

Sri Lanka’s prime minister says the island nation’s debt-laden economy has “collapsed” as it runs out of money to pay for food and fuel. The country is seeking help from neighboring India and China and from the International Monetary Fund. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who took office in May, was emphasizing the monumental task he faces in turning around the economy as it nears, he said, “rock bottom.” Economists say the crisis stems from domestic factors such as years of mismanagement and corruption, but also from other troubles such as its $51 billion in debt, the pandemic and terror attacks. Getting the economy back on track will take time.

Lebanon’s president has begun consultations with members of parliamentary blocs to name a new prime minister following last month’s parliamentary elections. Outgoing Prime Minister Najib Mikati is widely expected to get the largest support from legislators on Thursday to form a new Cabinet that will be in power until the end of October when the president’s six-year term expires. Another candidate for the post is Lebanon’s former ambassador to the U.N. Nawaf Salam who is backed by some independents and small blocs. The new government’s main mission will be to continue talks with the International Monetary Fund over an economic recovery plan for Lebanon’s history meltdown.

UNDATED (AP) — The NCAA has chosen the members of its new Board of Governors, including nine voting members and seven non-voting members who will assume their duties on Aug. 1. The new voting members are: Mary-Beth Cooper, president, Springfield College; Beth DeBauche, commissioner, Ohio Val…

German soccer is bucking the recent trend of banning transgender women from women’s competition by allowing all transgender, intersex and non-binary players to decide for themselves whether to play in men’s or women’s teams. The German soccer federation has passed a new regulation for gender-nonconforming players with “diverse” or “unspecified” as their civil status. The DFB says “it also applies to transgender players who can now switch at a self-determined time or remain initially in the team in which they’d been playing previously. As long as the sporting activity does not affect the health of the person while they are taking medication, the person can take part in the game.”

DUBLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Jun 23, 2022–

Germany has activated the second phase of its three-stage emergency plan for natural gas supplies, saying the country faces a “crisis” and warning that storage targets for the winter are at risk due to dwindling deliveries from Russia. The government said Thursday that the decision to raise the level to “alarm” follows the cuts to Russian deliveries made since June 14 and surging energy prices exacerbated by the war in Ukraine. The third and highest stage is the “emergency” level. It said that while gas storage facilities are filled to 58% capacity — higher than at this time last year — the goal of reaching 90% by December won’t be possible without further measures.

DUBLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Jun 23, 2022–

Airport chaos: European travel runs into pandemic cutbacks

Leaders of the Commonwealth’s 54 nations are expected to call for increased momentum on climate action at a meeting in Rwanda this week, ahead of the United Nations climate change summit in the seaside resort of Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt later this year. Climate change remains a major concern for the bloc. Recent weather events and longer-term trends, including heatwaves, extreme temperatures, droughts, cyclones, floods, and rising sea levels, afflict most of its member states. Commonwealth leaders are set to adopt the much-awaited “Living Lands Charter” later this week, an action plan to address climate change, land degradation and biodiversity loss.

America’s fight against COVID-19 reached another milestone Tuesday as the nation’s youngest children became eligible for the vaccine. This was a long-awaited moment that should bring relief to millions of American families. Now parents need to do their part by taking this opportunity to prot…

BOISE, Idaho — Shiva Rajbhandari describes himself as a student leader.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Brady Slavens’ home run to the deepest part of the park gave Arkansas the lead and the Razorbacks held on for a 3-2 win in the College World Series after Mississippi loaded the bases with none out in the bottom of the ninth inning. The Hogs forced a second bracket final ag…

UNDATED (AP) — The NCAA has chosen the members of its new Board of Governors, including nine voting members and seven non-voting members who will assume their duties on Aug. 1. The new voting members are: Mary-Beth Cooper, president, Springfield College; Beth DeBauche, commissioner, Ohio Val…

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A heartwarming tradition launched at Iowa home football games five years ago is getting another feel-good layer. The University of Iowa announced Wednesday that patients at UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital will get to pick the songs that accompany the Hawkeye Wave, …

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Oklahoma is heading to the College World Series finals after beating Texas A&M 5-1. David Sandlin held Texas A&M to one run and struck out a career-high 12 in seven innings and Jimmy Crooks’ three-run homer in the first held up. Trying to complete a softball-baseba…

Three consecutive summits over the next week will test Western resolve to support Ukraine and the extent of international unity as rising geopolitical tensions and economic pain cast an increasingly long shadow. European Union leaders will meet in Brussels on Thursday and Friday to consider officially making Ukraine a candidate for membership. The Group of Seven leading economic powers will hold their annual summit in Germany from Sunday to Tuesday. And right after that, NATO leaders will gather in Madrid, with a standoff over the membership hopes of Finland and Sweden looming large.

SAN JOSE, Kalifornien (USA)–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Jun 23, 2022–

SAN JOSÉ, Califórnia–(BUSINESS WIRE)–jun 23, 2022–

SAN JOSE, Californie–(BUSINESS WIRE)–juin 23, 2022–

A U.N. expert says military-ruled Myanmar’s promise of free and fair elections next year is “preposterous.” Tom Andrews, the U.N. special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, said Thursday the military has been working hard to “create an impression of legitimacy” after ousting the government of civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi in a February 2021 takeover. Andrews said there can be no free and fair election if opponents are locked up or on death row. He warned the international community not to fall for the army regime’s propaganda, calling it an “outrage.” The army seized power citing widespread fraud in the 2020 general election and has promised new polls in 2023.

The Colorado Avalanche host the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Stanley Cup Final with a 3-1 lead in the series.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A heartwarming tradition launched at Iowa home football games five years ago is getting another feel-good layer. The University of Iowa announced Wednesday that patients at UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital will get to pick the songs that accompany the Hawkeye Wave, …

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Oklahoma is heading to the College World Series finals after beating Texas A&M 5-1. David Sandlin held Texas A&M to one run and struck out a career-high 12 in seven innings and Jimmy Crooks’ three-run homer in the first held up. Trying to complete a softball-baseba…

Three consecutive summits over the next week will test Western resolve to support Ukraine and the extent of international unity as rising geopolitical tensions and economic pain cast an increasingly long shadow. European Union leaders will meet in Brussels on Thursday and Friday to consider officially making Ukraine a candidate for membership. The Group of Seven leading economic powers will hold their annual summit in Germany from Sunday to Tuesday. And right after that, NATO leaders will gather in Madrid, with a standoff over the membership hopes of Finland and Sweden looming large.

SAN JOSE, Kalifornien (USA)–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Jun 23, 2022–

SAN JOSÉ, Califórnia–(BUSINESS WIRE)–jun 23, 2022–