Interest rates: Why there is more pain still to…
Inflation may be easing but the impact of high interest rates is still to kick in for many people.
Inflation may be easing but the impact of high interest rates is still to kick in for many people.
Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer convicted of George Floyd’s murder, is expected to survive after he was stabbed in prison, the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office said Saturday.
Chauvin was hospitalized Friday following an assault at the medium-security Federal Correctional Institution at Tucson. A law enforcement source with knowledge of the incident said Chauvin was seriously injured in the assault.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons said the incident took place at about 12:30 p.m. and “responding employees initiated life-saving measures for one incarcerated individual.”
The press secretary for the Office of Minnesota Attorney General said Saturday, “I can confirm that, as of last night, Chauvin was expected to survive.” Further details were not released.
In a statement Friday, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said he was “saddened” by the incident.
“I am sad to hear that Derek Chauvin was the target of violence,” he said. “He was duly convicted of his crimes and, like any incarcerated individual, he should be able to serve his sentence without fear of retaliation or violence.”
Asked about the stabbing and Chauvin’s condition, his attorney, Eric Nelson, said he was “not commenting.”
Chauvin, who knelt on Floyd’s neck for 9½ minutes while Floyd said he couldn’t breathe, is simultaneously serving a 21-year federal sentence for violating Floyd’s civil rights and a 22½-year state sentence for second-degree murder. Former Minneapolis police officers Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane were also convicted in both state and federal courts for their roles in Floyd’s May 25, 2020, death.
The Bureau of Prisons had said it notified the FBI of the assault on Chauvin. An FBI spokesperson based in Phoenix said Friday night that the agency was aware of what happened.
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They didn’t expect to leave feeling like they survived a nightmare.
Nilton Santos stadium felt to many like an oven. Some said event staff made them ditch their water bottles, fans and umbrellas at the gates. Inside, metal sheets covered part of the ground in the $400 ticket VIP section, burning some people who tried to sit on them. Stifling air and growing throngs made it hard to breathe. Some had to pay $2 for a small cup of water, while others found themselves stuck in crowds too dense for vendors to reach.
Dehydrated fans chanted for water and held up signs pleading for help, hoping Swift would see them as she sang under colorful stage lights. The singer did, pausing her performance to tell staff to help distressed people, and once tossing a bottle out to the crowd herself.
Amid the chaos, an early-entry VIP ticket holder named Ana Clara Benevides Machado tried to enjoy herself. A friend remembered how the 23-year-old jumped, sang and cried when she saw Swift — then fainted in the middle of “Cruel Summer,” and died of a cardiorespiratory arrest at a hospital. She was the only reported death from the show, but firefighters said more than 1,000 others had passed out by the end of the night.
A week later, the international Eras Tour appears to be back on track. Swift has performed three more shows in Brazil, including two in the same stadium — even as the country has sought accountability in the wake of the Nov. 17 show, and the Brazilian company that organized the show, Time4Fun, is the subject of government and police investigations.
Serafim Abreu, the chief executive of Time4Fun, appeared to take some share of blame in a statement that also offered condolences and assistance to Benevides’s family.
“We recognize that we could have taken some additional alternative actions to all the others we did, such as creating shaded areas out of the stadium, changing the time initially scheduled for the shows [and] placing greater emphasis on allowing people to bring disposable water cups,” Abreu said in a video posted to the company’s Instagram page on Thursday.
Swift’s team, meanwhile, has continued to work with Time4Fun on subsequent concerts in Brazil, according to promotional posts on the company’s social media accounts. The star was back at Nilton Santos stadium on Sunday, where she performed a piano version of the emotional ballad “Bigger Than the Whole Sky” for the first time on her tour, a gesture some fans saw as a way to honor Benevides.
No one in the Brazilian government or among Swift’s fan base that The Washington Post spoke to blamed the singer or her management team for the disaster. But some have criticized the megastar for not doing more to acknowledge the tragedy, beyond posting an Instagram message on the night of Benevides’s death — “it is with a shattered heart that I say we lost a fan earlier tonight before my show” — and postponing the next night’s performance due to the extreme temperatures.
In fan group chats and on social media, Swifties debated whether to protest with a moment of silence and “Justice for Ana” signs at Monday’s concert in Rio de Janeiro, but decided against it.
“It is not Taylor’s fault. It is 100 percent the company’s fault, the company that organized the event,” said Maria Hortênsia Villasboas, a 29-year-old attendee. “But I think she should have helped the family. I know Taylor is devastated, but so is Ana’s family. Nothing will bring Ana Clara back, but some help from Taylor would be meaningful.”
In a statement, Benevides’s family said all the costs of their trip to Rio de Janeiro and the transfer of her body “were paid only with help of family, friends and a crowdfunding raised on the internet, without any collaboration of the event organizer, T4F, nor municipal and state public bodies in Rio de Janeiro.”
A person with knowledge of the situation said Swift and her team have communicated with and donated to Benevides’s parents, and the family was invited to meet the pop singer at a show this weekend.
It’s unclear what safety precautions, if any, the Eras Tour staff implemented before the deadly show began, or how Time4Fun was selected to organize Swift’s shows in the country. A person with knowledge of the situation, however, said Swift’s team didn’t directly hire the company.
Brazil’s National Consumer Secretariat launched an investigation after the concert to determine which party, or parties, needed to be fined for violating fans’ rights as consumers. Based on the evidence so far, National Consumer Secretary Wadih Damous said Time4Fun is a subject in the case.
The agency is specifically investigating how the company distributed water at the concert and its use of metal sheet flooring, which could have increased the heat index inside the stadium. (Time4Fun hasn’t explained why metal sheets were used for concert flooring.) Depending on “the severity of the facts, the failure itself and the damage caused,” Damous said, the responsible party could face up to a $2.6 million fine.
Police also opened an investigation this week into whether Time4Fun’s actions could be considered a crime that endangered attendees’ lives or health, police in Rio de Janeiro said.
Time4Fun is a well-known entertainment company in Latin America, and was once considered one of the top concert promoters by Billboard magazine. It offers services for event promotion; box office operation; food, beverage and merchandise sales; and the operation of the venue at live concerts, art exhibitions and sporting events, according to its website.
In a statement posted to Instagram, Time4Fun argued that “the ban on entry of water bottles into stadiums is a requirement made by public bodies.”
That’s technically true. The country’s Ministry of Justice and Public Security prohibits venue entry with items that can be thrown and injure a concertgoer, such as capped water bottles. The rule serves as a common safety measure at venues in Brazil and around the world. But some Brazilian music festivals, including Rock in Rio and The Town, have let fans in with less hazardous capless water bottles.
“In developing markets, both local and international content providers do not have the scale and/or physical structure to promote their own content and therefore seek to form partnerships with local event promoters, who have proven execution capacity and financial capacity, in order to enable quality events on a viable economic scale,” the Time4Fun investor website states.
To prevent another disaster, government officials announced Nov. 18 emergency measures including increased medical presence and expanded access to drinking water at subsequent Eras Tour shows, which Time4Fun agreed to comply with. A government-issued ordinance published on Wednesday enshrined many of the new practices, allowing people to enter events with bottled water for personal use and requiring the provision of easily accessible hydration stations free inside venues.
Benevides’s death has sparked increased awareness of concert casualties, including a woman who died after injuring herself at Robbie Williams’s Australia concert on Nov. 16, a day before Swift’s first concert in Brazil. The woman had tried to step over a row of seats at the end of the show and lost her footing, a spokesperson for the venue said.
In 2021, Travis Scott’s Astroworld concert in Houston became one of the deadliest concerts in U.S. history after 10 people died and hundreds more were injured in a crowd surge.
In the case of the Nov. 17 concert — linked to an extreme heat wave that was widely known of in Brazil — it’s possible that better preparation could have prevented tragedy.
Kristie L. Ebi, a professor at the University of Washington’s Center for Health and the Global Environment, emphasized that heat-related illnesses and deaths are preventable. But it requires coordination among community leaders, event organizers and emergency personnel to monitor attendees and let them know how they can protect themselves.
Many major cities such as Miami, Phoenix and Los Angeles have hired heat officers, personnel who are dedicated to preparing for extreme heat events and ensuring information reaches everyone who will be affected, Ebi said. Early warning and response systems, which alert to extreme weather, can also be a proactive way to inform communities.
With climate change, she said, combating heat illness and death is increasingly necessary.
“According to climatologists, more of these heat waves are already occurring. Heat waves have increased in frequency, intensity and duration,” she said. “And the projections all indicate that this will continue.”
Meanwhile, in Brazil, many who attended the Nov. 17 concert say they’re wrestling with trauma.
“I cried a lot after the show,” said Mariana Luz Dantas, a 22-year-old veterinary student. “There was a feeling of disrespect toward us, anger and also fear that Taylor would never want to return to Brazil again.”
Jennifer Hassan in London contributed to this report. Dias reported from Brasília.
A groundbreaking study published in the online issue of Neurology® on November 22, 2023, reveals a potential connection between increased whole grain consumption and a decelerated rate of memory decline in Black individuals.
Conducted by researchers from the American Academy of Neurology, the study on whole grain consumption, however, did not identify a similar trend among White participants.
While the study emphasises an association rather than establishing causation, it sheds light on the intriguing possibility that incorporating whole grains into the diet may have cognitive benefits for Black individuals.
Lead author Dr Liu commented, “These results could help medical professionals make tailored diet recommendations.”
Examining data from 3,326 participants with an average age of 75, the study spanned six years and included regular assessments of cognitive function and memory.
Participants filled out questionnaires every three years, detailing their whole grain consumption frequency, and underwent cognitive tests such as word recall and number sequencing.
The findings indicated that, among Black individuals, those with the highest whole grain intake experienced memory decline levels equivalent to being 8.5 years younger than those with lower consumption.
Participants were categorised into five groups based on their whole grain intake, ranging from less than half a serving per day to 2.7 servings per day. Notably, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend a minimum of three servings of whole-grain foods daily.
Analysis revealed that 67% of Black participants exceeded one serving per day of whole grains, compared to 38% of their White counterparts.
Adjusting for factors like age, sex, education, and smoking, the study found that Black individuals with the highest whole grain intake demonstrated a slower cognitive decline rate—0.2 standard deviation units per decade—compared to those with the lowest intake.
Dr Liu emphasised the need for caution, noting the study’s limitations, particularly the reliance on self-reported data from food frequency questionnaires.
“More large studies are needed to validate our findings and to further investigate the effect of whole grains on cognition in different racial groups,” she added.
Supported by the Alzheimer’s Association and the National Institutes of Health, this research underscores the potential role of diet in cognitive health, urging further exploration in diverse populations.
Almost a year after Freddie Flintoff’s crash on the show’s test track, Jeremy Clarkson has finally spoken out in response to the news that Top Gear will not be airing on television going forward.
In December 2022, Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff was airlifted after being involved in a devastating crash resulting in broken ribs and severe facial injuries after his car flipped over during a test drive on the show at the Dunsfold Park Aerodrome.
Earlier this month, the BBC, citing “exceptional circumstances”, announced its decision to axe the show for the “foreseeable” future.
Speaking on the BCC’s decision to axe the show “indefinitely” following Flintoff’s crash, Clarkson credited fellow host Richard Hammond for being “always keen to get back to work,” as the reason behind the show was never off-aired when the duo along with James May were the hosts, whereas Flinoff, he continued, isn’t eager to come back to work, reported Express.co.uk quoting his column for The Sun.
He also acknowledged that replacing Flintoff would make the new host a “heartless” person saying, “Sure, the producers could try to find a replacement. But would you want that gig? Really?”
The former Top Gear show also took a veiled jibe, saying that the new presenter would essentially be working for an organisation that likes “cycle lanes” and on a show that’s “written and produced every week by a newly invigorated and all-powerful health and safety department.
Recalling the days when the trio used to host the famed programme, Clarkson poked fun at Hammond — who was involved in several accidents on the show over the years — saying that often a call had to be made regarding him being “airlifted” after another accident.
This month, André 3000 — half of Outkast, and one of the most innovative rappers of all time — made a tentative return to music with the release of his first solo album, “New Blue Sun.” It is … not a hip-hop album. Instead, André, who has regularly been spotted out and about playing one of several flutes, has released an LP of contemplative experimental music, in which he is a supporting character, not the star.
What does it mean when one of the most famous musicians of his generation decides to take such a radical creative turn? In what ways is this unconventional musical choice as revealing as the ones for which he’s long been known?
On this week’s Popcast, a conversation about André’s reluctant relationship to stardom, the musical scene providing the setting for his public return, and the ways in which one can be in the spotlight but still very much in hiding.
Guests:
Zach Baron, GQ senior special projects editor
Sadie Sartini Garner, a critic for Pitchfork and others
Connect With Popcast. Become a part of the Popcast community: Join the show’s Facebook group and Discord channel. We want to hear from you! Tune in, and tell us what you think at popcast@nytimes.com. Follow our host, Jon Caramanica, on Twitter: @joncaramanica.
Named one of NPR’s favorite musicians, Jobi Riccio is a rising star in music. A singer and songwriter, she draws inspiration from artists such as Sheryl Crow and Joni Mitchell. From “Whiplash,” here is Jobi Riccio with titular track “Whiplash.”
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Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison addressed Saturday the stabbing of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who was convicted of murdering George Floyd.
Ellison expressed upset at the violent attack on the former police officer, saying that Chauvin had the right to serve his sentence “without fear of retaliation or violence.”
“I am sad to hear that Derek Chauvin was the target of violence,” Ellison told The Washington Post through his spokesman, Brian Evans. “He was duly convicted of his crimes and, like any incarcerated individual, he should be able to serve his sentence without fear of retaliation or violence.”
DEREK CHAUVIN STABBED BY INMATE IN FEDERAL PRISON, SERIOUSLY INJURED: REPORT
Chauvin was stabbed in federal prison by another inmate on Friday, according to The Associated Press.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons said no other inmates or prison personnel were harmed in the attack on Chauvin.
DEREK CHAUVIN CLAIMS NEW EVIDENCE SHOWS HE DIDN’T CAUSE GEORGE FLOYD’S DEATH, ATTEMPTS TO OVERTURN CONVICTION
Employees broke up the assault and transported the former police officer to the hospital for life-saving care. The FBI was alerted to the incident.
A person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press that the incident happened at Federal Correctional Institution, Tucson, Arizona.
The Bureau of Prisons said there was an incident at the prison at around 12:30 p.m. Friday. The agency said employees at the prison contained the incident and performed “life-saving measures,” on an inmate, but didn’t confirm it was Chauvin.
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The incident marks the second incident at the prison in around a year. In November 2022, an inmate at the prison’s low-security camp attempted to shoot a visitor in the head, but the weapon was misfired.
Chauvin was convicted in the 2020 murder of Floyd, which sparked violent protests nationwide.
Fox News Digital’s Adam Sabes contributed to this report.
Timothy Nerozzi is a writer for Fox News Digital. You can follow him on Twitter @timothynerozzi and can email him at timothy.nerozzi@fox.com
“You can condemn, but you also have to understand,” Heschel said.
Dartmouth President Sian Beilock encouraged students to attend the first event, which was so successful that a second forum was quickly organized. The second time more than 1,300 joined over livestream and in person, at a school with fewer than 5,000 undergraduates.
One of the panelists, Ezzedine Fishere, a Muslim professor of Middle Eastern Studies and a former Egyptian diplomat to Israel, said he “dreaded” the first forum when he saw how many people showed up.
“I was kind of going, ‘This is going to be emotional, the risk of things going out of control is pretty high,’” said Fishere. “But ultimately, although there were strong emotions among the participants, I think both forums went very well in the sense that we were capable of having this dialogue, of talking about the attacks and explaining, but also making clear that there is a difference between explaining and justifying.”
Owen Seiner, a Jewish senior majoring in Jewish studies, attended the forums. He said he feels safe being Jewish at Dartmouth and wears his Star of David necklace without fear he might be harassed by someone with anti-Israel or antisemitic views.
“I think the focus on academics and the presence of professors in the discussions has helped to sort of reduce the intensity of a lot of students feelings on the issues, and sort of channeled them towards more productive approaches, whatever they might be,” Seiner said.
Dartmouth has not gone entirely without friction since Oct. 7. Two students, Roan Wade and Kevin Engel, were arrested in late October after setting up a tent outside the school’s administration building, pushing the school to divest from “Israeli apartheid” and threatening to take “physical action.”
This year’s Black Friday was the “busiest shopping day on record”, according to Nationwide Building Society, as shoppers shook off cost-of-living woes to make the most of festive deals.
Nationwide members made 9.92 million purchases on Friday, which the bank said is equivalent to more than 114 transactions every second.
The figure is 2% higher than on Black Friday last year and 12% higher than on the same day in 2021.
Mark Nalder, director of Payment Strategy at Nationwide Building Society, said: “This Black Friday was the busiest shopping day on record, up 2% on Black Friday 2022, with our customers making 9.92 million purchases – equivalent to over 114 transactions every second.
“While some of this would have been everyday spend, many will have used the day to help them get a bargain on Christmas presents or a treat for themselves.
“While most will be happy with their purchases, others are likely to regret their impulse buys and it is likely we will see a few refunds into customers’ accounts over the next few days and weeks.”
The record is based on Nationwide’s own data, looking back at spending by their members.
By 5pm on Friday, Nationwide customers had made 6.66 million transactions – 11% higher than a typical Friday and 3% more than Black Friday last year.
Analysts MRI Software said data up to 3pm showed footfall across all UK retail destinations was up 8.2% compared with the week before.
Retailers launched sales and shopping deals hoping to lure in shoppers with discounted prices in the run-up to Christmas.
Electricals chain Currys said sales of some of its tech products more than doubled this month as it rolled out new deals.
Strong demand for games consoles saw sales jump by 131% in recent weeks, compared with average weekly sales over the previous six weeks, amid the launch of a new Call Of Duty video game – which it said was a Black Friday bestseller.
Beauty tools soared by 190%, coffee machines up by 105%, and air fryer sales were up by 75% over the same period, Currys revealed.
Meanwhile, banking group Barclays revealed that the volume of purchases leading up to Black Friday was higher than this time last year, as retailers continue to launch sales earlier in the month.
Data from the firm, which processes nearly half of the UK’s credit and debit card transactions, showed spending volumes were up 1.4% in the week to Wednesday compared with the equivalent week last year.
Supermarkets such as Sainsbury’s and Marks & Spencer launched new savings on Black Friday across their food, clothing and homeware brands, while Amazon had deals across its website for a week.