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Longer naps tied to higher risk for obesity, high blood pressure: Brigham research

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

People who take longer midday naps are at a higher risk for obesity and high blood pressure, according to Boston researchers who found that “not all siestas are the same.”The Brigham and Women’s Hospital scientists looked at more than 3,000 adults from a Mediterranean population, examining the relationship of midday naps with obesity and other conditions tied to heart disease and diabetes.The researchers found that those who took siestas of 30 minutes or longer (considered long siestas) were more likely to have a higher body mass index, elevated blood pressure, and a cluster of other conditions associated with heart disease and diabetes (metabolic syndrome) — compared with those who didn’t take long siestas.However, those who took short siestas, also known as “power naps,” did not see an increased risk for obesity and other conditions. In contrast, short siesta-takers were less likely to have elevated systolic blood pressure than those who t...

Israeli principal in Australian court on sex convictions

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Former Jewish girls school principal and now convicted sex offender Malka Leifer was ordered on Wednesday to appear in an Australian court in June for a two-day sentencing hearing.A Victoria state County Court jury convicted the 56-year-old Israeli citizen and mother of eight early this month on 18 charges relating to the sexual abuse of sisters Dassi Erlich and Elly Sapper when they were students and student teachers at Adass Israel School in Melbourne from 2003 until 2007.Leifer faced a procedural hearing via a video link from prison on Wednesday during which Judge Mark Gamble set a timetable for her sentencing hearing on June 28-29.Gamble said there were significant matters he wanted addressed by prosecutor Justin Lewis and Leifer’s lawyer Ian Hill in the hearing, including details of the time Leifer spent in police or correctional custody in Israel.That includes time in “quasi-custody” such as home detention, Gamble said.The convictions include rape, ...

Pope to visit Hungary amid diverging views on war, migrants

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — The spiritual priorities of Pope Francis will be on display during a trip this week to Hungary, where the populist government will seek to downplay its diverging views on matters like immigration and minority rights while focusing instead on points where it aligns with the pontiff.Francis will meet with children with disabilities, refugees and those living in poverty on the three-day trip that begins Friday. He will also have an audience with Hungary’s president and its nationalist prime minister, Viktor Orban.The visit will be a political boon for Orban, whose contentious stances on migration, the war in Ukraine and LGBTQ+ rights stand in stark contrast with Francis’ views of inclusion and acceptance for the marginalized and support for Ukraine during Russia’s war.Yet the cardinal of Hungary’s Roman Catholic Church, Peter Erdo, as well as other members of the Catholic community, expect the pope’s visit to be a celebration of Christian unity, and that differ...

No one is driving this taxi. What possibly could go wrong?

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — I won’t forget the first time I took a ride in a car without anyone sitting in the driver’s seat.It happened one night last September when a Chevy Bolt named Peaches picked me up outside a San Francisco bar. Our ensuing half-hour ride together produced, at first, a titillating display of technology’s promise. Then an unexpected twist made me worry that the encounter had turned into a mistake I would regret.Peaches and I were getting along great for most of our time together as the car deftly navigated through hilly San Francisco streets similar to those that Steve McQueen careened through during a famous chase scene in the 1968 film “Bullitt.” Unlike McQueen, Peaches never exceeded 30 miles per hour (48 kilometers per hour) because of restrictions imposed by state regulators on a ride-hailing service operated by Cruise, a General Motors subsidiary, since it won approval to transport fare-paying passengers last June.It was all going so smoothly ...

Sudanese abroad try to extend a lifeline and aid back home

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

LONDON (AP) — With her homeland now a conflict zone, rest does not come easily for Dr. Sara Abdelgalil.She is anxious about family still in Sudan that she can’t reach. Her sleepless mother paces the floor above her with worry. And her phone buzzes at all hours with text messages seeking medical advice from thousands of miles away.Abdelgalil is a pediatrician in Norwich, England, but Sudan is her “first home,” and she has become part of a lifeline of doctors providing long-distance support to the people living in a state of chaos and terror as fighting rages outside their homes.“We don’t sleep well because we’re expecting the worst,” said Abdelgalil, who texts relatives each morning to make sure they’re still alive. “I’m trying not to panic as much as I can.”For some of the roughly 50,000 Sudanese people in the United Kingdom, a sense of helplessness over a situation that seems to have no end in sight has been replaced by a sense of duty. Some are trying to help fam...

Sun's back "big time" Wednesday and warming follows Thursday-Friday, especially away from Lake Michigan

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

Warm-up ahead, but weekend cool-down loomsWarming ahead, but temps take a dive over the weekendFrost and Freeze advisories were hoisted for Tuesday night into early Wednesday for much of the Chicago area, with temps in the 20s expected away from the lake—but sunshine returns "big time" Wednesday and warming follows Thursday and Friday especially away from lake Michigan—but a powerhouse 180 mph jet stream wind max over the Gulf of Alaska is to dive into nation's mid-section spinning up a chilly late season upper low this weekend into next week with lots of clouds and showersVIEW SLIDESHOW OF THE UPCOMING CHANGES:FROST ADVISORIES (in light blue) and FREEZE WARNINGS (in areas shaded in dark blue) TUES NIGHT INTO WED MORNINGACTIVE NWS FROST ADVISORIES AND FREEZE WARNINGS TUES NIGHT & WED MORNINGPREDICTED LOW TEMPS at daybreak Wednesday morningPROJECTED LOW TEMPS WED MORNINGBRIEF BUT NOTICEABLE WARMING for several days later this week. THIS ARE FORECAST HIGHS THURSDAYFORECAST THURSDA...

Moldova: EU sets up a civilian mission to strengthen the resilience of the security sector

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

The Council on 24 April established the EU Partnership Mission in the Republic of Moldova (EUPM Moldova) under the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). The objective of this civilian mission is to enhance the resilience of the security sector of the country in the areas of crisis management and hybrid threats, including cybersecurity, and countering foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI).To this end, the mission will provide advice at strategic level on the development of strategies and policies, and identify the needs for capacity building for early warning, detection, identification, attribution of threats and the response to hybrid threats.The mission will feature a project cell responsible for identifying and implementing projects in the aforementioned areas, in close coordination with other like-minded actors.In response to Moldova’s request, EUPM Moldova will have an initial mandate of two years and its Operational Headquarters will be in Moldova. Stefa...

The 10 most expensive homes that reported sold in Danville, San Ramon, Dublin, Pleasanton the week of April 17

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

A house in Danville that sold for $3.6 million tops the list of the most expensive real estate sales in Danville, San Ramon, Dublin, Pleasanton in the past week.In total, 19 real estate sales were recorded in the area during the past week, with an average price of $2 million. The average price per square foot was $783.The prices in the list below concern real estate sales where the title was recorded during the week of April 17 even if the property may have been sold earlier.10. $1.8 million, single-family home in the 1100 block of Arrowfield WayThe 2,363 square-foot single-family home in the 1100 block of Arrowfield Way, San Ramon, has now been sold. The transfer of ownership was settled in April and the total purchase price was $1,815,000, $768 per square foot. The house was built in 2003. The house features 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.Arrowfield Way9. $1.8 million, single-family residence in the 3400 block of Cinnamon Ridge RoadThe property in the 3400 block of Cinnamon Ridge Road...

Gomes leads Cubs against the Padres after 4-hit performance

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

San Diego Padres (12-13, third in the NL West) vs. Chicago Cubs (13-9, third in the NL Central)Chicago; Wednesday, 7:40 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Padres: Michael Wacha (2-1, 7.08 ERA, 1.72 WHIP, 18 strikeouts); Cubs: Drew Smyly (2-1, 3.13 ERA, .91 WHIP, 23 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Padres -114, Cubs -106BOTTOM LINE: The Chicago Cubs play the San Diego Padres after Yan Gomes had four hits against the Padres on Tuesday.Chicago has a 13-9 record overall and a 7-7 record at home. The Cubs have the fifth-best team ERA in baseball at 3.33.San Diego has gone 7-5 on the road and 12-13 overall. The Padres are 7-2 in games when they out-hit their opponents.Wednesday’s game is the second time these teams match up this season.TOP PERFORMERS: Nico Hoerner has five doubles, a triple and two home runs for the Cubs. Gomes is 15-for-38 with four home runs over the past 10 games.Juan Soto has three doubles, four home runs and nine RBI while hitting .188 for the Padres. Xander Bo...

Mets bring 3-game losing streak into matchup against the Nationals

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

Washington Nationals (8-14, fifth in the NL East) vs. New York Mets (14-10, second in the NL East)New York; Wednesday, 7:10 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Nationals: MacKenzie Gore (2-1, 3.43 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 25 strikeouts); Mets: Kodai Senga (3-0, 4.29 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, 25 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Mets -209, Nationals +175; over/under is 8 1/2 runsBOTTOM LINE: The New York Mets play the Washington Nationals as losers of three in a row.New York has a 4-3 record at home and a 14-10 record overall. Mets hitters have a collective .333 on-base percentage, the fifth-ranked percentage in the NL.Washington has gone 6-5 in road games and 8-14 overall. The Nationals are 6-3 in games when they have more hits than their opponents.The matchup Wednesday is the second time these teams meet this season.TOP PERFORMERS: Pete Alonso has a double and 10 home runs for the Mets. Brandon Nimmo is 18-for-42 with three doubles and two home runs over the last 10 games.Keibert Ruiz has four doubles,...