The singer and songwriter Pink offered to pay the fine imposed on the members of the Norwegian women's handball team, who refused to wear bikinis during an official tournament as part of a protest against the sexist charge on their official uniforms.
A few days ago, the women's team was fined a total of 1,500 euros (approximately 1,765 dollars) for wearing shorts during the bronze medal match at the European Handball Championship in Varna, Bulgaria.
The team's players sought to highlight the sexist distinction made between men and women in the sport, as the dress code for men specifies that they must wear tank tops and shorts.
While for women the code mandates that they must wear a blouse and bikini "with a tight fit and cut at an upward angle towards the upper leg. The side width must be a maximum of 10 centimetres.
The American singer commented on her Twitter account that she was very proud of the Norwegian women's beach handball team for protesting the rules, which she considers "very sexist".
I'm VERY proud of the Norwegian female beach handball team FOR PROTESTING THE VERY SEXIST RULES ABOUT THEIR "uniform". The European handball federation SHOULD BE FINED FOR SEXISM. Good on ya, ladies. I'll be happy to pay your fines for you. Keep it up.
The singer added that "the European handball federation should be sanctioned for sexism. Good for you ladies," so Pink will be happy to pay the fine. "Keep it up".
The Norwegian Handball Federation (NHF) agreed to pay the fine for each athlete and through their social networks expressed that they are very proud of the team that raised their voices and made themselves heard.
"We in the Norwegian Handball Association support them. Together we will continue to fight to change the international dress regulations, so that the players go out in the uniform they feel most comfortable in."
Meanwhile, the European Handball Federation (EHF) announced that the dress codes will be reviewed and everything possible will be done to ensure that a change in the rules of the athletes' uniforms can be implemented.
"Significant efforts will be made to continue to promote the sport in the best possible way for all, regardless of gender," he concluded.
The commissioner of the National Football League (NFL), Roger Goodell, warned through a memorandum that different sanctions will be imposed on teams, in case there is any outbreak of COVID-19 during the regular season, due to players who are not vaccinated.
According to ESPN, the teams could lose the game, and even their respective winnings, if an outbreak of COVID-19 among unvaccinated players were the cause of an unresolvable disruption in the regular season schedule.
Thus, in the event a game is cancelled, the team that suffered the outbreak would be responsible for any shortfall in league revenue sharing, would be credited with a loss for playoff qualification purposes, and the opposing team would be declared the winner of the game.
"These operating principles are designed to allow us to play a full season safely and responsibly, as well as address potential competitive or financial issues in a fair manner," Goodell warned.
In turn, players who are not vaccinated will be subject to strict protocols during training camp and the regular season, including daily testing, the use of masks and travel restrictions.
As of Thursday, Godell reported that more than 75 percent of NFL players had already received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Meanwhile, more than half of the league's teams have a vaccination rate of more than 80 percent and 16 teams have achieved a rate of 85 percent or higher.
Reluctance Among NFL Players to Vaccinate COVID-19
No doubt the measures taken by the NFL to avoid contagions during this season have not been to the liking of some players and coaches in the league, especially for those who do not want to receive the vaccine.
For Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott, despite having received the vaccine, his decision should not make others feel obligated to do so, as it is a complicated issue and "you can't force someone to do something they don't want to do with their body."
"I grew up in a family that didn't vaccinate, so it's hard to tell someone whose mom and dad told them their whole life not to get vaccinated to get vaccinated now. It's everyone's body, you can't tell them what to do with it," she said.
Meanwhile, Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins complained on Twitter Thursday about the league's stance on the snaps, and even said he was considering retirement; however, minutes later he deleted his post.
Other teams have taken more drastic measures, such as the Minnesota Vikings, who decided to cut their offensive line coach, Rick Dennison, after he decided to refuse the COVID-19 vaccine.
The emotional connection we make with the people around us is powerful food for the soul. We all need understanding and validation. To feel that there is at least one other person in the universe who understands and supports us.
However, in a hyperconnected society like the one we live in, we are indeed more and more connected, but also more absent and, therefore, more lonely. Many people are physically present, but mentally and emotionally distant. They nod absentmindedly while looking at their cell phones. They forget the conversation because they never engaged in it.
Of course, we can't connect emotionally when our heads are elsewhere. Empathic resonance, on the other hand, involves connecting with the other person's inner world to give them the support they need.
What exactly is empathic resonance?
The concept of empathic resonance has its roots in Humanistic Psychology. It implies a deeper form of interpersonal relationship because it involves what the other person expresses: what he/she says, what he/she is silent about, that is, what he/she expresses with words and with his/her body language.
Unlike empathy, empathic resonance does not involve stepping aside to put ourselves in the other person's shoes but using our "I" to connect with that other person in the most receptive way possible to their experiences, feelings and ideas, but without losing sight of the fact that the other person is the one to whom the feelings belong.
Empathic resonance does not imply being "identical" to the other, but rather a kind of separation is maintained. It is this distance that allows us to provide appropriate help. Empathic resonance allows us to experience their situation, but in a different way, often more fully or more objectively. We may be able to identify the other's main problems and conflicts or the dysfunctional strategies they are putting into practice.
Empathic resonance involves helping others without being dragged down by their problems.
How to develop the core skills of empathic resonance?
Attention and mindfulness. It consists of being fully present in the here and now, paying attention to our interlocutor. It implies a genuine presence and a sincere interest in the other person's concerns.
Experiential Search. Go beyond what is seen and do not settle for the superficial, try to dive into the deeper meaning that is usually hidden behind the words.
Active emotional expression. To put into words or translate into action what we are feeling. It is not to be ashamed of pain, failure or any other emotion but to use them to build bridges.
Unconditional appreciation. Any criticism or attempt to judge breaks empathy. That's why empathic resonance demands unconditional appreciation. It does not necessarily mean agreeing with the other person's ideas, but validating their emotional experiences by showing unconditional acceptance so that they feel understood and supported.
With Empathic Resonance we can offer support to our partner, children, family, friends and anyone who is going through a difficult situation. Let's put it into practice.
Gloria Sánchez Aguilar lives in Mexico, has a degree in Psychology and works as a psychotherapist.
*Scientists analyzed blood samples from a group of Pfizer vaccine recipients to learn precisely what effects the vaccine has on the immune system.
According to a study led by researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine, the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine should not be skipped, as it induces a powerful boost to a part of the immune system that provides broad antiviral protection, which may even protect against other viruses in addition to SARS-CoV-2.
The study, published July 12 in Nature, was designed to find out exactly what effects the Pfizer-marketed vaccine has on the many components of the immune response.
Thus, after analyzing blood samples from inoculated individuals, the researchers found that the first injection increases the levels of SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies, as expected, but not as much as the second injection.
"The second dose has powerful beneficial effects that far outweigh those of the first dose," said Bali Pulendran, professor of pathology and microbiology and immunology, and one of the study's lead authors.
This second dose, he said, "stimulated a multiple increase in antibody levels, an excellent T-cell response that was absent after the first injection, and a strikingly enhanced innate immune response."
T cells seek out and destroy immune cells that do not attach to viral particles as antibodies do, but instead scan the body's tissues for cells that show telltale signs of viral infection and, when found, destroy those cells.
However, Pulendran detailed that the second dose of the vaccine triggered the massive mobilization of a newly discovered group of monocytes, or first responder cells, which are normally rare and inactive because they barely move in response to an actual COVID-19 infection. But the Pfizer vaccine induced them.
This special group of monocytes, which are part of the innate immune system, made up only 0.01 percent of all circulating blood cells before vaccination. But after the second injection of the Pfizer vaccine, their number increased 100-fold to 1.0 percent of all blood cells.
In addition, he stressed, their disposition became less inflammatory but intensely antiviral. "They seem uniquely capable of providing broad protection against a variety of viral infections," Pulendran said.
"The extraordinary increase in the frequency of these cells, just one day after the booster immunization, is striking," the expert stressed. "It is possible that these cells can attack not only SARS-CoV-2 but also against other viruses".
Both the Pfizer, and the one manufactured by Moderna, work quite differently from classic vaccines composed of live or killed pathogens, individual proteins or carbohydrates that train the immune system to zero in on a particular microbe and eliminate it.
Instead, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines contain genetic recipes for making the spike protein that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, uses to attach to the cells it infects.
Traditionally, the main immunological basis for approval of new vaccines has been their ability to induce neutralizing antibodies: individualized proteins created by immune cells called B cells, which can attach to a virus and block it from infecting cells.
New vaccines, a path to new immunological horizons
Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines, such as those from Pfizer or Moderna, use genetically modified ribonucleic acid to give cells instructions on how to make the S protein found on the surface of the COVID-19 virus.
After vaccination, the immune cells begin to make the parts of the S protein and display them on the surface of the cells. This causes the body to make antibodies. So if there is a COVID-19 infection later on, these antibodies will fight the virus.
RNA or ribonucleic acid is the other type of nucleic acid that makes protein synthesis possible. While DNA contains the genetic information, RNA is what allows it to be understood by cells.
Once it sends the instructions, the mRNA is immediately degraded. It never enters the nucleus of cells, where DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is stored.
The Board of Directors of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (Air District) on Wednesday adopted amendments to regulate emissions of particulate pollutants from oil refineries, which have serious health effects on residents.
After Rule 6-5 was adopted in 2015 to minimize emissions of particulate matter from Fluid Catalytic Cracking Fluid Units (FCCUs), which are the largest single source of particulate matter produced by Bay Area refineries, the new amendments impose stricter control requirements to reduce health-threatening air pollution.
The rule is now the strictest regulation of its kind in the country.
"Today's vote by the Air District Board of Directors is a victory for all Bay Area residents, particularly those who live in the communities surrounding the refineries, as well as the refinery workers who are regularly exposed to harmful particulate pollution," said Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez, chair of the Air District Board of Directors.
"We are committed to protecting the health of both refinery workers and neighbors and look forward to implementing this landmark protection rule with Chevron and PBF," she said.
As scientific knowledge about the adverse health effects of particulate pollution advances, tighter controls are needed to protect those who live and work in refinery communities," said Air District chief executive Jack Broadbent.
He said the Air District is committed to reducing exposure to air pollution in impacted areas and "these amendments are a necessary step to control the health hazard of major air pollution in the Bay Area.
Analysis by Air District staff found that PM2.5 particulate matter - fine inhalable particles, with diameters generally 2.5 micrometers and smaller - emitted from FCCUs are the primary health threat in the Bay Area, particularly in terms of premature mortality.
Air District said in a statement that it has calculated that for the one million people most affected, exposure to particulate matter from the Chevron refinery in Richmond increases mortality by an average of up to 11.6 deaths per year, while the PBF Martinez refinery increases mortality by up to 6.3 deaths per year.
Rule 6-5 applies to the four Bay Area refineries that have FCCUs. One of these already controls emissions from its FCCU with a wet scrubber.
More information about Rule 6-5 is available at baaqmd.gov/reg6rule5.
Tou may be interested in: "Know your zone" to save lives in the face of possibleis disasters
"Alive they were taken, alive we want them!" is the demand one year after the forced disappearance of four activists. Alberth Centeno Tomas, Suami Mejía García, Gerardo Rochez Cálix and Milton Martínez Álvarez were deprived of their liberty on 18 June 2020 by individuals dressed as members of the Police Directorate of Investigations (DPI) in the indigenous Garífuna community of Triunfo de la Cruz, located in the department of Atlántida, Municipality of Tela, Honduras.
These activists are members of the Honduran Black Fraternal Organization (Organización Fraternal Negra Hondureña -OFRANEH) and the Honduran authorities have not given any details or clues as to their whereabouts.
OFRANEH is responsible for protecting the economic, social and cultural rights of the Garifuna communities.
The human rights organization Global Exchange joins OFRANEH and the Committee for the Investigation and Search for the Disappeared of Triunfo de la Cruz -SUNLA, a word of Garifuna origin- "to tell the families of the disappeared and the entire community of Triunfo de la Cruz that they are not alone".
The search for Snider, Suami, Milton and Gerardo must continue. The Honduran State must investigate the circumstances that led to their disappearance and find their whereabouts.
Full support to OFRANEH and SUNLA in the struggle for justice and truth about the forced disappearances and the continued killings and criminalization of the Garifuna people in Honduras.
That the State of Honduras immediately execute the full sentences of Triunfo de la Cruz and Punta Piedra as ordered by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
Global Exchange is one of the many organizations that joins the demands of other international organizations such as Amnesty International, the United Nations, through the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Honduras, and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR).
Redwood City police arrested a 27-year-old man Tuesday on suspicion of involvement in an attempted jewelry store robbery on June 13.
The Police Department said the suspect, Angel Vera Galeana, entered Adriana's Jewelers, located at 2315th El Camino Real with a semi-automatic pistol.
Vera Galeana threatened the victim with the gun and demanded the safe and the items in the display case. He then struck the semi-automatic pistol several times and tried to pull the trigger, but it did not work, police said in a statement.
He added that after the gun misfired, the subject broke the glass display case with his right hand and ran out the door.
The suspect subsequently fled in an orange 2016-2021 Toyota Tacoma on Hancock Ave.
Finally, on Tuesday, July 20, detectives obtained multiple search warrants in Redwood City and Menlo Park after identifying Vera Galeana as a possible suspect in the jewelry store robbery.
Detectives arrested him for attempted armed robbery, possession and attempted use of a stolen firearm, and burglary.
Authorities have asked anyone with additional information about this incident to contact Detective Brian Luo at (650) 780-7619 or the Police Department Redwood City at (650) 780-7110.
The Delta variantthe highly transmissible and infectious strain of the coronavirus, now accounts for 83 percent of all sequenced COVID-19-positive cases in the United States, representing a "dramatic increase" in numbers since the beginning of the month, when it became the leading variant in the country.
So said Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCThe percentage increases in places where vaccination is still very low, he said.
During a Senate health committee hearing Tuesday, she said that while nearly 60 percent of U.S. adults are fully vaccinated, in fact, only less than half of the total U.S. population is fully vaccinated.
The lowest vaccination rates are found in Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi, and consequently infection rates are among the highest in these states.
Alabama ranks last in vaccination rates, with only 42.4 percent of its adult population fully vaccinated, while Vermont ranks first with 77.3 percent.
Walensky also detailed that COVID-19 deaths have increased by nearly 48 percent over the past week to an average of 239 deaths per day.
"Every death is tragic and even more heartbreaking when we know that most of these deaths could be prevented with a simple and safe vaccine," he said.
Two-dose vaccines have been shown to be effective against the Delta variant, but doubts remain about Johnson & Johnson's single-dose regimen against the Delta variant.
During the last two weeks, the rate of COVID-19 infection in the country has increased by 195 percent. While the national vaccination campaign has decreased significantly, after the country administered 521 thousand doses daily, which means a decrease of 85 percent since April when 3.38 million doses were administered daily.
Just last week, Walensky said that "this is becoming a pandemic of the unvaccinated. We're seeing outbreaks of cases in areas of the country with low vaccination coverage. Communities that are fully vaccinated are generally doing well.
Currently, the Delta variant represents a major challenge to controlling the epidemic worldwide. While the U.S. has a large number of vaccines, the real challenge is getting people to want to be immunized.
For his part, the director general of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, warned of the possible emergence of new variants of the virus that could be "even more dangerous than Delta".
"The more transmission, the more variants will emerge with the potential to be even more dangerous than the Delta strain that is causing so much devastation now. And the more variants there are, the greater the likelihood that one of them will evade vaccines and take us all back to square one," the official said Wednesday in a speech at the 138th session of the International Olympic Committee.
«Sin preguntas. Sin estigmas. TODOS los niños de California tienen acceso a comidas gratuitas en las escuelas», tuiteó el gobernador del estado, Gavin Newsom, para dar a conocer esta medida que cambiará la vida de miles de pequeños.
And that's because the state of California will begin providing free school meals on a permanent basis. The measure, which will begin this fall, has been praised by advocates as a big step toward ending food insecurity.
State officials said this action is the first of its kind in the U.S.: making free meals permanent for all public school students, regardless of their family's income.
Until before the pandemic, more than 3.6 million California students were eligible for free or reduced-price meals at school. That was nearly 60 percent of the state's entire student body.
Parents seeking to qualify their children for the federal free lunch program had to list their income and immigration status. However, when the pandemic hit, the federal government eliminated the income requirements for free meals, allowing schools to offer meals to anyone in need.
So starting this fall, everything will be different for millions of parents and students, as breakfast and lunch will be completely free without a single question.
According to School Meals for All, right now, nearly 20 percent of all California households, 27.3 percent of Latino households with children, and 35.5 percent of African American households are food insecure.
"This is double the pre-pandemic rates, which affect an estimated 8 million Californians," the organization said in a June communiqué.
In addition, universal free lunch programs ensure that no one is left behind and eliminate the stigma associated with qualifying for free or reduced-price meals because of household income, said the coalition of more than 200 organizations representing health, education, labor, agriculture and food banks.
Kathy Saile, director of No Kid Hungry, said, "For millions of California students, the breakfast and lunch they receive at school are the only meals they get. The pandemic has highlighted the incredibly important role that daily, nutritious school meals play in the fight against childhood hunger and food insecurity.
The state of California will invest $650 million in ongoing funding in fiscal 2022-23 to support universal free school nutrition, and $150 million to improve kitchen infrastructure and nutrition training, the governor's office said in a statement.
In addition, AB 130 legislation, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, will also reverse:
3 billion to convert thousands of school sites into full-service community schools, with more learning time, family engagement, and comprehensive health, mental health, and social services.
1.8 billion in continued funding for summer and extended day (after school) programs for all those serving the most vulnerable students with $5 billion by 2025.
2.9 billion to match well-prepared teachers with the most vulnerable students, including $500 million in grants for teachers who commit to high-need schools and $250 million to attract expert teachers to high-poverty schools.
A continued increase of $1.1 billion to improve staff-to-student ratios in all schools serving the highest concentrations of vulnerable students, including up to five counselors, nurses, teachers, or for additional educators in each school.
490 million to support construction and renovation of state preschool, transitional kindergarten, and kindergarten facilities, culminating in $2.7 billion in ongoing funding from 2025-26 to achieve universal prekindergarten for all four-year-olds.
More than $1.5 billion in ongoing, one-time increases to fund special education, including $260 million for early intervention for preschool-age children.
The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday provided support to local small food businesses facing economic hardship as part of a $2.8 million COVID-19 aid package.
The package includes new emergency support for small food businesses such as food truck operators and other businesses affected by the pandemic.
The Board also launched a pilot program for home-based chefs to prepare food in their own kitchens to sell directly to consumers.
It should be noted that this is the first time the county has specifically targeted assistance to "micro food business" operators.
"What we are doing today provides new economic opportunities for those who need them most, including women, immigrants, and people of color," said Board Chairman David J. Canepa.
He also assured that "this modest investment will make a difference for the hard-working families who happen to be excellent cooks and at the same time stimulate the local economy".
The food service industry was hard hit by the pandemic's confinement, which meant a death sentence for many small business owners.
"Supporting San Mateo businesses like food trucks and carts, and incubator kitchens are a means for entrepreneurs to create lasting businesses," Supervisor Dave Pine said. "Helping these small businesses will benefit our local economy now and in the future."
Thus, the supervisors approved three grant programs, one open to any eligible small business and two targeted to the food service industry.
First, the Board launched the Micro Food Enterprise Grant Program, which will distribute a total of $500,000 in grants to cottage food operators, caterers, food truck and food cart operators, commissary or incubator kitchens.
Applicants must have a small food service business legally operating in San Mateo County by January 1, 2021 and meet the requirements. Businesses that received assistance from previous programs are not eligible.
In addition, the Board approved the establishment of the Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operator Ordinance, the Pilot Program and the Grant Program with $238,000 in seed money.
Within the framework of the pilot programmeIn California, home chefs may legally prepare and sell limited amounts of food directly to consumers. The county is one of the few jurisdictions in California that allows home kitchens for microbusinesses.
Meanwhile, chefs who receive operating permits from the county's Environmental Health Services division will be able to apply for grants of up to $2,500 each.
Finally, the Board appropriated $2 million for the 2021 SMC Strong Small Business Assistance Program, which provides a new round of funding for local small businesses impacted by the pandemic that did not receive previous county, state or federal assistance.
In that regard, applicants must meet certain requirements for grants of up to $10,000 that can be used for past-due rent, operating expenses, and other needs.
Funding for all three programs will come from the federal American Rescue Plan or other state or federal aid programs.
