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Regaining lost ground: It’s time for a future-oriented pharmaceutical policy

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:40 GMT

The importance of pharmaceutical innovation in Europe cannot be underestimated. The pharma industry is one of Europe’s top-performing high-technology sectors. It contributes around €175B to the EU’s trade balance – a tenfold rise over the last two decades.Despite what seems like encouraging progress, the more recent trends in Europe should be setting alarm bells ringing at the highest levels of government – be it at the national or European Commission level.The increasingly attractive R&D and healthcare ecosystem in the United States and in China is leading to a gradual migration of research and/or industrial activities from Europe to these countries. As an example, the United States increasingly reaps the benefit of R&D investment: In 2002, it benefited from €2B more R&D investment than Europe. Today, that figure has increased by 1,000 percent, reaching almost €25B. Despite what seems like encouraging progress, the more recent trends in Europe should be setting ala...

Boston rookies Beecher and Lohrei score 1st NHL goals in Bruins’ 3-2 victory over Stars

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:40 GMT

DALLAS (AP) — Boston rookies John Beecher and Mason Lohrei scored their first NHL goals less than four minutes apart in the first period, putting the Bruins ahead to stay in a 3-2 victory over the Dallas Stars on Monday night.Brad Marchand added a power-play goal in the third period, and Jeremy Swayman stopped 34 shots for the Eastern Conference-leading Bruins (10-1-1), who rebounded from their first regulation loss two nights earlier at Detroit. It was the sixth goal this season for Marchand, the first-year Boston captain.The Stars had their net empty with an extra skater when Joe Pavelski scored his fifth goal with 27 seconds left. They then had a power play for the final 5.7 seconds after a tripping penalty by Hampus Lindholm. Miro Heiskanen got off a shot that appeared to get by Swayman, but then bounced off the post as time expired.Wyatt Johnston, the 20-year-old Stars center who was one of the NHL’s top rookies last season, scored his fourth goal with his deflection in front o...

Two arrested on gun charges after crashing into barricade near the US Capitol, authorities say

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:40 GMT

(CNN) — Two people are facing weapons charges after authorities in Washington, D.C. say the pair crashed into a barricade near the US Capitol building while in possession of a pistol illegally converted into an automatic firearm.A law enforcement official familiar with the incident told CNN there was no indication at this time that the two were targeting the Capitol.Officers noticed a car sitting at a green light several blocks from the Capitol Sunday morning around 2:15 a.m., according to news release from the United States Capitol Police. After the officers attempted to make a traffic stop, the car – which police say was stolen – sped away and eventually crashed blocks from the US Capitol near several Senate office buildings, according to the release.Following a chase on foot, officers arrested two men and, after searching the car and the surrounding area, found two pistols, one of which had a device attached known as a “Giggle Switch,” according to the release and court...

WeWork files for bankruptcy

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:40 GMT

New York (CNN) — WeWork, the beleaguered coworking startup, has filed for bankruptcy protections in federal court.The chaper 11 bankruptcy announcement caps a stunning downfall for the once-high-flying, SoftBank-backed venture, which was privately valued at some $47 billion at its peak.“Now is the time for us to pull the future forward by aggressively addressing our legacy leases and dramatically improving our balance sheet,” said David Tolley, WeWork CEO, in a news release. “We remain committed to investing in our products, services, and world-class team of employees to support our community.”Once a much-celebrated tech unicorn that promised to revolutionize the future of office work — via, among other things, free-flowing craft beer — a perfect storm of factors caused WeWork to start to come undone in the wake of a botched attempt to go public back in 2019.At the time, IPO paperwork revealed larger-than-expected losses and potential conflicts of interest with the company...

Anthony Edwards takes over late to hand Celtics first loss

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:40 GMT

The Celtics finally met their match.On a night when the Celtics’ offense finally looked mortal, it almost didn’t matter. Kristaps Porzingis was stuck in foul trouble. Jrue Holiday couldn’t buy a shot. Even without Derrick White again, the Celtics were in position for a tough road victory in Minnesota.Then Anthony Edwards happened.The Timberwolves guard and fastest rising NBA superstar scored 38 points, including eight in overtime. The Celtics couldn’t stop him on the court, and they couldn’t take advantage when he was off it as he dealt with foul trouble. They didn’t get enough outside of Jayson Tatum, who scored 32 points, or Jaylen Brown, who added 26. Instead, they dropped their first game of the season with a 114-109 loss to the Timberwolves.The Celtics’ offense went stale against Minnesota, the league’s top defense early this season. But they still had plenty of chances to win. They overcame those slow stretches to take the lead several times. In a back-and-forth fourth quarter...

Hop aboard for free train rides through Balboa Park

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:40 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Choo, choo, all aboard!The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is providing free rides on its iconic Balboa Park Miniature Train to celebrate 75 years of fun, the organization said in a press release Monday. The offer is available on Monday, Nov. 13 from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The antique train, which is one of only around 50 remaining G16 models, takes riders on a three-minute, half-mile trip through four acres of Balboa Park. Don’t swim at these San Diego beaches, says county health officials One child will be selected by the San Diego Zoo as "honorary engineer" of the train every 30 minutes, according to zoo officials. They will receive a free train kit, whistle and hat.Guests can find the miniature train outside the San Diego Zoo's main exit at 2920 Zoo Drive.

Prince William cheers on 15 finalists of Earthshot Prize ahead of awards ceremony

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:40 GMT

SINGAPORE (AP) — Britain’s Prince William cheered on 15 finalists of his third Earthshot Prize in Singapore Tuesday ahead of the awards ceremony where five of them will win one million pounds ($1.2 million) each to scale up groundbreaking innovations to fight climate change.William spoke to the finalists — all whom are attending the ceremony for the first time for networking opportunities — at Gardens by the Bay, an artistic horticulture attraction. The winners are grouped into five categories: nature protection, clean air, ocean revival, waste elimination and climate change.The finalists included a U.S. company that found a way to recycle polycotton fabrics, which makes up half of all textile waste. Others were an Indian company producing solar-powered dryers to help small farmers preserve crops and combat food waste; a scheme to plant, grow and digitally track trees in Sierra Leone’s capital Freetown where 70% of trees have been cut down amid urban sprawl; an anti-smog movement in...

Japan and UK ministers are to discuss further deepening of security ties on the sidelines of G7

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:40 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese and British foreign and defense ministers are to talk Tuesday about deepening their military cooperation under a new security pact that allows their militaries to enter each other’s turf for joint exercises.Japan and Britain have expanded their cooperation in recent years amid concern about China’s growing influence. Japan, whose only treaty ally is the United States, has signed the Reciprocal Access Agreement with Australia and the U.K. so far, making them semi-allies.The talks in Tokyo among Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Defense Minister Minoru Kihara and Britain’s Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and Defense Secretary Grant Shapps are the first since the RAA took effect in mid-October. They are meeting on the sidelines of the meeting of foreign ministers from the Group of Seven advanced nations Tuesday and Wednesday that are expected to focus on the Israel-Hamas war, the Russia-Ukraine war and tension in the Indo-Pacific region. The four ...

WeWork seeks bankruptcy protection, a stunning fall for a firm once valued at close to $50 billion

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:40 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — WeWork has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, a stunning fall for the office sharing company once seen as a Wall Street darling that promised to upend the way people went to work around the world.The company offered few specifics about the course of its restructuring, but noted in its filing that it was requesting the ability to cancel leases in particular locations that WeWork described as largely non-operational. All affected members have received advanced notice, the company said in a late Monday announcement.The Associated Press

Next autumn disturbance in the Plains is Chicagobound Tuesday night and Wednesday rain

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:40 GMT

Cooler late week and weekend pattern to follow — but next week's temperatures to surge temps 10 degrees above normalHURRICANE OTIS — 250-MPH WIND GUST!A 205 mph wind gust measured in western Mexico as Hurricane Otis roared into Acapulco last week, after unexpected intensification from a tropical storm status (65 mph winds) to a 165 mph CAT 5 hurricane, may rank as one of the top 10 or 15 strongest surface wind gusts on record on The Earth Story.Interestingly, the Washington Post's Dan Stillman reported last week:"The strongest wind on record is a 253 mph gust on Barrow Island in Australia during Tropical Cyclone Olivia on April 10, 1996, according data from the World Meteorological Organization. Before then, Mount Washington held the wind record with a 231 mph gust on April 12, 1934. And more recently, a 213 mph gust was measured on Orchid Island in Taiwan last month during Typhoon Koinu." But what transpired as Hurricane Otis lambasted the Mexican tourist mecca of Acapulco was righ...