Archive for November 2020

Monday 30 November 2020

Sunday 29 November 2020

Saturday 28 November 2020

Friday 27 November 2020

Thursday 26 November 2020

Wednesday 25 November 2020

Shared Spaces Lights Up Skybridge on Stevenson

Wednesday, November 25, 2020 Leave a Reply
Shared Spaces Lights Up Skybridge on Stevenson
Shared Spaces Lights Up Skybridge on Stevenson
By Nehama Rogozen

The Shared Spaces program has imagined new ways to utilize public spaces around the city. Skybridge on Stevenson, a unique partnership between SFMTA, OEWD, the San Francisco Parks Alliance, the Mid Market Community Benefit District, and Zendesk in an alley in SoMa illustrated how coming together, we can support communities.

Dance performance in an alley
Dancers were just one part of the programing for the Skybridge Shared Space

While completing its ten week run, the Shared Spaces program  event served as a launchpad to reimagine community building in the diverse neighborhood where SOMA Pilipinas, the Transgender District, Theatre District and Mid-Market mix. Dense neighborhoods like SOMA often lack access to open spaces and community gathering locations, making this project even more important.

Every Thursday evening, Stevenson Street was shut down between 6th and 7th streets for performances by area musicians, dancers and artists. Food from area businesses like Montesacro Pinseria Romana SF and The Grilledcheezguy were available free of charge to attendees, many of whom are residents of nearby SROs. Even with the required masks, physical distancing and other safety measures, the event provided an evening of normalcy during these challenging times.

The Skybridge project showed how we are working to be nimbler and provided needed services during the pandemic. The Parks Alliance had already planning a lighting installation and pop-up events to activate the Stevenson alleyway. However, the Shared Spaces program expedited permits and gain support that otherwise might have taken years so that the community could enjoy the space more quickly.

The Skybridge on Stevenson team made it a priority to understand what the community was looking for, both before and after COVID-19 hit. Behind the lighting installation was a desire for increased safety as well as foot traffic to local businesses. Theater and music groups were looking for an outdoor space to practice and perform. Local residents sought opportunities to connect with each other safely.

“As someone who comes into these communities, you are the least knowledgeable,” says Mark Bonsignore of the SF Parks Alliance. “Really listen to what needs to be done. There’s always a way. You can’t always build a park so we look at underutilized areas of the city and utilize them so they can be for the public benefit.”

With several SFMTA projects like Mission Street SoMa, Better Market Street, the 6th Street Pedestrian Safety Project, and Safer Taylor Street either underway or starting soon, we are exploring opportunities to utilize public space and/or side streets for community-building during construction. For example, the 6th Street Pedestrian Safety Project will ensure that Skybridge on Stevenson can continue during construction. We look forward to plans aiming to restart the event this spring.  

Thank you to all the partner organizations and people that made this project a huge success.



Published November 25, 2020 at 06:32AM
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Tuesday 24 November 2020

Ancient people relied on coastal environments to survive the Last Glacial Maximum

Tuesday, November 24, 2020 Leave a Reply
Ancient people relied on coastal environments to survive the Last Glacial Maximum
Excavations on the south coast of South Africa have uncovered evidence of human occupations from the end of the last ice age, approximately 35,000 years ago, through the complex transition to the modern time, known as the Holocene and adaptions that were key to our species ability to survive wide climate and environmental fluctuations.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201123173450.htm

Monday 23 November 2020

Sunday 22 November 2020

U.S.-European mission launches to monitor the world's oceans

Sunday, November 22, 2020 Leave a Reply
U.S.-European mission launches to monitor the world's oceans
The Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite will extend a nearly 30-year continuous dataset on sea level collected by an ongoing collaboration of U.S. and European satellites while enhancing weather forecasts and providing detailed information on large-scale ocean currents to support ship navigation near coastlines.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201122094039.htm

Saturday 21 November 2020

Twin Peaks Tunnel Work to Start November 30

Saturday, November 21, 2020 Leave a Reply
Twin Peaks Tunnel Work to Start November 30
Twin Peaks Tunnel Work to Start November 30
By

Twin Peaks Tunnel Eureka Curve
View from inside the Twin Peaks Tunnel that was first opened 102 years ago in 1918 

The Eureka Curve is a section of the Twin Peaks tunnel that connects downtown San Francisco to West Portal and beyond. In 2019, we completed a major project in the Twin Peaks tunnel with seismic upgrades, major track and other infrastructure overhauls. Now, additional work in this crucial section of trackway needs to be done, and we will start that on Monday, November 30. This work is essential to improving the quality of the system and reducing the potential for disruptions to service in the years to come. 

Starting the Monday after Thanksgiving, construction crews will begin maintenance work inside the Twin Peaks Tunnel going into the tunnel via the entrance on Market Street between Diamond and Collingwood Street. Planned work includes replacement of the overhead catenary system (OCS) splice connectors, overhead lines, track fasteners, rails, track ballast, switch machine, trackway adjustment throughout the tunnel, rail grinding, installation of new subway lights, and several trackway and OCS tests. These are the key elements that keep our trains running. 

Work is planned for approximately three months, through February 2021. Crews will take a break for the holidays from December 24th through New Year's Day. Construction is scheduled for Monday to Saturday, from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. with hours are subject to change based on construction needs. No night work will occur in the public right of way and will be limited to inside the tunnel. 

As we perform this work, some parking will be temporarily restricted, and traffic lanes will be modified in the construction zone near Castro Station: 

  • One lane street closure in each direction on Market Street between Diamond and Castro Street during active construction hours 
  • Parking will be temporarily restricted on Market Street between Diamond and Castro Street  
  • No access to Market Street from Collingwood Street. Local access to Collingwood Street from 18th Street will be provided 
  • Material and equipment staging on both sides of Market Street between Diamond and Collingwood Street.  
  • Heavy equipment will enter through West Portal Station tunnel most mornings for about an hour. We do not anticipate any parking impacts or traffic lane changes near West Portal Station.  
  • This work is part of our Subway Renewal program that targets critical subway systems and infrastructure for strategic overhauls to improve system reliability and resilience. This work will improve the maintainability of the trackway. It will also provide a more solid foundation for service into the future.  

Ballast Replacement Details 

Ballast is the rocky bed beneath the tracks that stabilizes the trackway. Over time, the ballast wears and can become dusty as the larger rocks are broken down, these are called fines. Over time the number of fines increases, and the trackway can become muddy and difficult to maintain. During the 2019 Twin Peaks project, we reused rather than replaced the ballast in an attempt to save time and money. Unfortunately, the required procedural steps to ensure that the reused ballast would maintain its integrity through a thorough wash/filtering process was not followed. Looking back, we acknowledge these choices were an oversight.

Subway track and ballast
Example of ballast – the rocks that help stabilize the tracks  

Today the ballast has continued to degrade and will, over the long term, reduce the expected life of the new trackway if left unaddressed. In order to take advantage of the current closure of the subway and minimize future disruptions to service, we are moving ahead with the ballast replacement now.  

This issue also underscores two of the key areas we are targeting with our Subway Renewal program: improved project delivery and workforce culture. The decision-making process that led to the reuse of the ballast in 2019 should have been interrogated more intensively. We are committed to promoting a more open workplace that supports our staff raising challenging questions during the course of projects to make sure the choices we make are in the best interest of the system and of the public.  

We thank San Franciscans and Muni customers for your continued patience and understanding as we navigate through our Subway Renewal program and work towards the return of rail service. We will keep you informed about our continued efforts at SFMTA.com/RailRecovery. 



Published November 21, 2020 at 04:59AM
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Friday 20 November 2020

Researchers identify features that could make someone a virus super-spreader

Friday, November 20, 2020 Leave a Reply
Researchers identify features that could make someone a virus super-spreader
Researchers used computer-generated models to numerically simulate sneezes in different types of people and determine associations between people's physiological features and how far their sneeze droplets travel and linger in the air. They found that people's features, like a stopped-up nose or a full set of teeth, could increase their potential to spread viruses by affecting how far droplets travel when they sneeze.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201119153944.htm

Predicting forces between oddly shaped nanoparticles

Friday, November 20, 2020 Leave a Reply
Predicting forces between oddly shaped nanoparticles
Materials scientists have devised a simplified method for calculating the forces that cause nanoparticles to self-assemble. With this new model and graphical user interface, researchers will be able to make previously impossible predictions about how nanoparticles with a wide variety of shapes will interact with one another. The new method offers opportunities for rationally designing such particles for a wide range of applications from harnessing solar energy to driving catalytic reactions.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201119153940.htm

CLCN6 identified as disease gene for a severe form of lysosomal neurodegenerative disease

Friday, November 20, 2020 Leave a Reply
CLCN6 identified as disease gene for a severe form of lysosomal neurodegenerative disease
A mutation in the CLCN6 gene is associated with a novel, particularly severe neurodegenerative disorder. Scientists have now analyzed the effect of a point mutation that was found in three unrelated affected children.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201119141743.htm

Giant aquatic bacterium is a master of adaptation

Friday, November 20, 2020 Leave a Reply
Giant aquatic bacterium is a master of adaptation
The largest freshwater bacterium, Achromatium oxaliferum, is highly flexible in its requirements, as researchers have now discovered: It lives in places that differ extremely in environmental conditions such as hot springs and ice water. The adaptation is probably achieved by a process which is unique to these bacteria: only relevant genes are enriched in the genomes and transcribed, while others are archived in cell compartments.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201119141705.htm

The secret social lives of giant poisonous rats

Friday, November 20, 2020 Leave a Reply
The secret social lives of giant poisonous rats
The African crested rat is the only mammal known to sequester plant toxins for chemical defense. A new study confirmed that the rabbit-sized rodent licks poison from the bark of Acokanthera schimperi, known as the poison arrow tree, into specialized fur. The researchers also discovered an unexpected social life -- the rats appear to be monogamous and may even form small family units with their offspring.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201119135403.htm

Understanding lung infections in patients with cystic fibrosis

Friday, November 20, 2020 Leave a Reply
Understanding lung infections in patients with cystic fibrosis
For young people with cystic fibrosis, lung infection with Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA, is common and is treated with antibiotics in the hope that this will prevent a decline in lung function. However there has recently been debate over the role S. aureus plays in CF lung disease. Researchers have used a new model of CF lungs which could be used to make better decisions about future use of antibiotics.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201119131030.htm

Engineered immune cells elicit broad response to HIV in mice, offering hope for vaccine

Friday, November 20, 2020 Leave a Reply
Engineered immune cells elicit broad response to HIV in mice, offering hope for vaccine
Unlike so many other deadly viruses, HIV still lacks a vaccine. The virus has proven especially tricky to prevent with conventional antibodies, in part because it evolves so rapidly in the body. A solution would require coaxing the body into producing a special type of antibody that can act broadly to defeat multiple strains of the virus at once. Scientists have moved closer to attaining that goal with an approach that would rely on genetically engineered immune cells from the patient's body.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201119153938.htm

First map of bee species around the globe

Friday, November 20, 2020 Leave a Reply
First map of bee species around the globe
There are over 20,000 species of bee, but accurate data about how these species are spread across the globe are sparse. However, researchers have now created a map of bee diversity by combining the most complete global checklist of known bee species with the almost 6 million additional public records of where individual species have appeared around the world.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201119141736.htm

Twin Peaks for All: Survey Results

Friday, November 20, 2020 Leave a Reply
Twin Peaks for All: Survey Results
Twin Peaks for All: Survey Results
By Benjamin Barnett

Last month, the SFMTA and San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department released a survey seeking public feedback regarding five proposed roadway options for Twin Peaks Boulevard. San Franciscans responded to the survey, ranked support for each alternative and shared opinions about how the different options met their needs. 

The Twin Peaks for All survey was open for almost three weeks and received more than 1,700 responses. This number reflects the high level of interest for this San Francisco park and its future access.  

Survey Background

Map with a blue line indicating both the north and south gates open at all time for vehicles as were conditions pre-pandemic. A green line indicates the east side of the figure eight is reserved for pedestrians and biking. The west side of the figure eight is reserved for two-way traffic.
Conditions on Twin Peaks Boulevard between Portola Drive and Barnett Avenue before COVID street closures.  

The Twin Peaks Boulevard gates were closed early in the pandemic to reduce crowding at the lookout point parking lot. The gates were closed on the north, at Burnett Avenue, and the south, at Portola Drive. Since then, Twin Peaks Park use by hikers, joggers and people on bicycles has increased significantly, with an average of more than 800-weekday visitors and more than 1,100-weekend visitors.  

While the new park access configuration received support, there are also significant community concerns. Our goal with the new design proposals and survey is to find a solution that balances all the various needs of the community including people with disabilities, neighbors and everyone that enjoys this iconic park. 

Survey Options:

  1. Burnett Avenue - Burnett Avenue gate is open 24 hours, with parking and a vehicle turnaround available on Christmas Tree Point Road.  
  2. Portola Drive - Continue keeping the Portola Avenue gate open, extending the hours from noon to midnight daily.  
  3. One-Way Southbound - One-way, southbound vehicle traffic, from the north gate at Burnett Avenue to the south gate at Portola Drive. Reserve the northbound vehicle travel lane for people walking and bicycling.   
  4. One-Way Northbound - One-way, northbound vehicle traffic, from the south gate at Portola Drive to the north gate at Burnett Avenue. Reserve the southbound vehicle travel lane for people walking and bicycling.  
  5. Pre-COVID - Open both the north and south gates, as were conditions pre-pandemic. The east side of the figure eight is reserved for people walking and biking and the west side of the figure eight is reserved for two-way traffic.   

Overview of Results:

Map showing a blue line representing vehicle access from the Burnett gate up to the entrance of Christmas Tree Point parking lot 24 hours day. A green line indicates pedestrians and bikes only from the Portola Gate to the entrance to Christmas Tree Point. A green line indicates the east side of the figure eight is reserved for pedestrians and biking.
Map representing the Burnett Avenue Option, the most preferred option according to the survey. 

  • The Burnett Avenue Option was most preferred with 52 percent of people ranking it highest in comparison to the other four options 
  • The Pre-COVID Option was the most divisive of the five options, it ranked as the second most preferred with 30 percent but also most respondents ranked it as less preferred with 64 percent of the vote.
  • Mode of transportation to Twin Peaks was associated with responses, with visitors traveling by non-motor vehicular modes favoring the Burnett Avenue Option and visitors traveling by motor vehicular modes favoring the Pre-COVID Option 
  • Many respondents commented that they prefer some form of car-free space on Twin Peaks 
  • Survey respondents are concerned about sharing the road to the top of Twin Peaks with tour buses and motor vehicle traffic 
  • Crime, vandalism and litter are concerns associated with all options 

What We Learned from You

Many people who filled out the survey are regular visitors to the area; almost 50 percent of the respondents typically visit Twin Peaks one or more times per week with another 27 percent of people who visit once per month. People who took the survey tend to reside near the park. The highest percentages of respondents came from zip codes immediately adjacent to the park and of the more than 1,700 responses, 50 respondents were from outside of San Francisco. In total, 52 percent ranked the Burnett Avenue option as their preferred choice. The next closest preference was the Pre-COVID option, with 30 percent.  

Bar graph showing Option 1 with 39% blue, 13% orange, 11% grey, 8% yellow, 29% peach, Option 2 with 15% blue, 15% orange, 18% grey,178% yellow, 34% peach, Option 3 with 10% blue, 15% orange, 20% grey, 18% yellow, 37% peach, Option 4 with 10% blue, 13% orange, 19% grey, 20% yellow, 38% peach, Option 5 with 24% blue, 6% orange, 7% grey, 7% yellow, 57% peach

Other data demonstrating Option 1 was the most preferred include:  

  • Trip frequency did not have an impact on preference, from the respondents stating that they rarely/never visit Twin Peaks to those visiting 1-4 times a week, Option 1 was preferred.  
  • Most respondents 64 years of age or younger preferred Option 1.Those 65 years of age or older preferred Option 5.  
  • Option 1 was the top preference across races/ethnicities.

More to Come

Access to Twin Peaks is important to San Franciscans and this was reflected by the large number of responses and the range of responses to the Twin Peaks for All survey. Responses reflected that both personal and property safety is important as is access to the beautifully scenic resource. For a much more detailed analysis of our survey data please visit our Survey Report.

SFMTA staff will continue to review the options, working with project stakeholders to develop a project that is feasible and meets the needs of the public based on the survey results. Staff will develop a final proposal to share with the community and present to the SFMTA Board of Directors for potential approval in the coming months.   Twin Peaks is a beautiful and unique destination for San Francisco residents and visitors alike and everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy it. For more information or to sign up for an email update, visit our project page.  



Published November 20, 2020 at 04:48AM
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Thursday 19 November 2020

System can sterilize medical tools using solar heat

Thursday, November 19, 2020 Leave a Reply
System can sterilize medical tools using solar heat
Autoclaves, which are used to sterilize medical tools, require a steady supply of hot, pressurized steam. Researchers have come up with a way to generate that steam passively, using just the power of sunlight, to help maintain safe, sterile equipment at low cost in remote locations.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201118141641.htm

The bull Y chromosome has evolved to bully its way into gametes

Thursday, November 19, 2020 Leave a Reply
The bull Y chromosome has evolved to bully its way into gametes
Scientists present the first ever full, high-resolution sequence of the Y chromosome of a Hereford bull. The research, more than a decade in the making, suggests that bulls' Y chromosomes have evolved dozens of copies of the same genes in a selfish attempt to make more males -- a move that is countered in the female-determining X chromosome.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201118141636.htm

Killing cancer naturally: New process to produce compounds with anti-cancer properties

Thursday, November 19, 2020 Leave a Reply
Killing cancer naturally: New process to produce compounds with anti-cancer properties
Scientists have made a breakthrough in the development of potential drugs that can kill cancer cells. They have discovered a method of synthesizing organic compounds that are four times more fatal to cancer cells and leave non-cancerous cells unharmed. Their research can assist in the creation of new anticancer drugs with minimal side effects.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201118141614.htm

Faster detection of photocatalyst-generated oxygen has big implications for clean energy

Thursday, November 19, 2020 Leave a Reply
Faster detection of photocatalyst-generated oxygen has big implications for clean energy
In the future, hydrogen produced from sunlight and water using photocatalysts could provide a source of clean energy. Researchers have developed a method to detect the oxygen produced from this water-splitting reaction 1000 times faster. This new method can be utilized to improve our understanding of artificial photosynthesis' reaction mechanisms and could contribute towards the development and large-scale implementation of photocatalyst technology for producing hydrogen fuel.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201118092942.htm

Certain CBD oils no better than pure CBD at inhibiting certain cancer cell lines

Thursday, November 19, 2020 Leave a Reply
Certain CBD oils no better than pure CBD at inhibiting certain cancer cell lines
Cannabidiol (CBD) oils are equally or less effective at inhibiting the growth of certain cancer cells compared to pure CBD, according to researchers. The results of their recent study indicate that future research into the clinical applications of cannabinoids should include an analysis of whether the pure cannabinoid compound or intact plant material is more effective at achieving the therapeutic effect.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201118090801.htm

A more sensitive way to detect circulating tumor cells

Thursday, November 19, 2020 Leave a Reply
A more sensitive way to detect circulating tumor cells
Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women, and metastasis from the breast to other areas of the body is the leading cause of death in these patients. Detecting circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the bloodstream could help doctors find and treat metastases at an earlier stage, increasing chances of survival. Now, researchers have developed a method that could more sensitively detect CTCs within the complex environment of blood.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201118080827.htm

Wednesday 18 November 2020

Machine learning guarantees robots' performance in unknown territory

Wednesday, November 18, 2020 Leave a Reply
Machine learning guarantees robots' performance in unknown territory
As engineers increasingly turn to machine learning methods to develop adaptable robots, new work makes progress on safety and performance guarantees for robots operating in novel environments with diverse types of obstacles and constraints.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201117144546.htm

Algorithm-driven digital program helped lower patients' cholesterol, blood pressure

Wednesday, November 18, 2020 Leave a Reply
Algorithm-driven digital program helped lower patients' cholesterol, blood pressure
Researchers enrolled 5,000 patients in a remote, cholesterol and blood pressure management program utilizing care navigators and pharmacists, supported by specialists and using specialist-designed algorithms to initiate and adjust medications. Participants who completed the cholesterol program achieved a 52 mg/dl (42%) reduction in LDL cholesterol levels. Participants who completed the blood pressure program saw an average systolic and diastolic blood pressure reduction compared to baseline of 14mmHg and 6mmHg, respectively.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201117144537.htm

Retinas: New potential clues in diagnosing, treating Alzheimer's

Wednesday, November 18, 2020 Leave a Reply
Retinas: New potential clues in diagnosing, treating Alzheimer's
A study has identified certain regions in the retina - the lining found in the back of the eye - that are more affected by Alzheimer's disease than other areas. The findings may help physicians predict changes in the brain as well as cognitive deterioration, even for patients experiencing the earliest signs of mild impairment.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201117144535.htm

Tuesday 17 November 2020

Henderson island fossils reveal new Polynesian sandpiper species

Tuesday, November 17, 2020 Leave a Reply
Henderson island fossils reveal new Polynesian sandpiper species
Fossil bones collected in the early 1990s on Henderson Island, part of the Pitcairn Group, have revealed a new species of Polynesian sandpiper. The Henderson Sandpiper, a small wading bird that has been extinct for centuries, is formally named Prosobonia sauli after Cook Islands-based ornithologist and conservationist Edward K Saul.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201116184438.htm

Bursts of exercise can lead to significant improvements in indicators of metabolic health

Tuesday, November 17, 2020 Leave a Reply
Bursts of exercise can lead to significant improvements in indicators of metabolic health
Short bursts of physical exercise induce changes in the body's levels of metabolites that correlate to, and may help gauge, an individual's cardiometabolic, cardiovascular and long-term health, a study has found. Approximately 12 minutes of acute cardiopulmonary exercise impacted more than 80% of circulating metabolites, including pathways linked to a range of favorable health outcomes, thus identifying potential mechanisms that could contribute to a better understanding of cardiometabolic benefits of exercise.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201116125606.htm

Monday 16 November 2020

NASA's SpaceX Crew-1 astronauts headed to International Space Station

Monday, November 16, 2020 Leave a Reply
NASA's SpaceX Crew-1 astronauts headed to International Space Station
An international crew of astronauts is en route to the International Space Station following a successful launch on the first NASA-certified commercial human spacecraft system in history. NASA's SpaceX Crew-1 mission lifted off at 7:27 p.m. EST Sunday from Launch Complex 39A at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201116005227.htm

Sunday 15 November 2020

Poll workers contract virus, but Election Day link unclear

Sunday, November 15, 2020 Leave a Reply
Poll workers contract virus, but Election Day link unclear

Poll workers contract virus, but Election Day link unclearDespite painstaking efforts to keep election sites safe, some poll workers who came in contact with voters on Election Day have tested positive for the coronavirus, including more than two dozen in Missouri and cases in New York, Iowa, Indiana and Virginia. Because COVID-19 is spreading rapidly in the U.S., there is no way to determine yet whether in-person voting on Election Day contributed to the surge, public health experts said. In most places, poll workers were required to wear masks.




source https://news.yahoo.com/poll-workers-contract-virus-election-151022006.html

Trump seems to acknowledge Biden win, but he won't concede

Sunday, November 15, 2020 Leave a Reply
Trump seems to acknowledge Biden win, but he won't concede

Trump seems to acknowledge Biden win, but he won't concedePresident Donald Trump on Sunday appeared to acknowledge for the first time that Joe Biden won the White House, but made clear he would not concede and would keep trying to overturn the election result. Trump's statements came in tweets that included several baseless claims about the Nov. 3 vote, which state and federal officials say was safe and secure. Trump, without using Biden's name, tweeted that “He won,” something Trump had not said before publicly, though he said the Democrat's victory was only “in the eyes” of the media.




source https://news.yahoo.com/trump-seems-acknowledge-biden-win-150508400.html

In a moment of turmoil, US Catholic bishops meet virtually

Sunday, November 15, 2020 Leave a Reply
In a moment of turmoil, US Catholic bishops meet virtually

In a moment of turmoil, US Catholic bishops meet virtuallyA hard-fought presidential election has caused sharp divisions in their own ranks. “The shadow of the McCarrick report hangs over this meeting,” said John Gehring, Catholic program director at a Washington-based clergy network called Faith in Public Life.




source https://news.yahoo.com/moment-turmoil-us-catholic-bishops-130257807.html

What mandate? Biden's agenda faces a divided Congress

Sunday, November 15, 2020 Leave a Reply
What mandate? Biden's agenda faces a divided Congress

What mandate? Biden's agenda faces a divided CongressPresident-elect Joe Biden wants to “restore the soul of America.” First, he'll need to fix a broken and divided Congress. Biden is rushing headlong into a legislative branch ground down by partisanship, name-calling and, now, a refusal by some to acknowledge his win over President Donald Trump.




source https://news.yahoo.com/mandate-bidens-agenda-faces-divided-124920148.html

Belgian racing pigeon fetches record price of $1.9 million

Sunday, November 15, 2020 Leave a Reply
Belgian racing pigeon fetches record price of $1.9 million

Belgian racing pigeon fetches record price of $1.9 millionNew Kim is worth her weight in gold and then some — actually much, much more. A wealthy Chinese pigeon racing fan put down a world record price of 1.6 million euros ($1.9 million) for the Belgian-bred bird, saying a lot more than merely what kind of money can be made in the once-quaint sport, which seemed destined to decline only a few years back. During a frantic last half hour Sunday at the end of a two-week auction, two Chinese bidders operating under the pseudonyms of Super Duper and Hitman drove up the price by 280,000 euros ($325,000), leaving the previous record that Belgian-bred Armando fetched last year well behind by 350,000 euros ($406,000).




source https://news.yahoo.com/belgian-racing-pigeon-fetches-record-124017275.html

Rebel leaders who inked deal with government return to Sudan

Sunday, November 15, 2020 Leave a Reply
Rebel leaders who inked deal with government return to Sudan

Rebel leaders who inked deal with government return to SudanSudan’s rebel leaders returned to the capital, Khartoum on Sunday, signalling the first major steps toward implementing a peace agreement with the government that aims to end the country’s decades-long civil war. Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, head of the ruling sovereign council, welcomed leaders of the Sudan Revolutionary Front as “partners and peacemakers" upon their arrival from South Sudan on Sunday. The front, a coalition of several armed groups centered in the western Darfur region, South Kordofan and Blue Nile, inked a peace agreement with the transitional government on Oct. 3 after months of arduous negotiations in South Sudan’s capital, Juba.




source https://news.yahoo.com/rebel-leaders-inked-deal-government-114632212.html