Latest news with #ACM
The Advertiser
a day ago
- Health
- The Advertiser
New infectious COVID-19 strain to dominate Australia in 'matter of weeks'
Australia is battling an outbreak of a new, more infectious COVID-19 variant. The World Health Organisation has placed the NB.1.8.1 strain on its alert list, warning it is "increasing" globally. The strain is a sublineage of the Omicron coronavirus variant and descends from the JN1 variant. NB.1.8.1 has been in Australia since April and is the most common strain found in sewage in Western Australia and NSW. Health authorities say this sublineage is increasing within the community in line with global trends. On May 30, there were 1023 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Australia, according to the covidlive website. Deakin University chair of epidemiology Professor Catherine Bennett told ACM it was a "matter of weeks" before the strain was "everywhere". "We had a reasonably quiet summer, and even winter waves in the northern hemisphere are less than we have seen in recent years, so it is not surprising that a new variant could trigger a substantial wave just as we go into our winter," she said. READ MORE: It's one of the nasty ones': actor Magda Szubanski reveals cancer diagnosis Professor Bennett said NB. 1.8.1 was closely monitored because it had acquired "additional mutations compared to the J1 strains". "This makes it better at evading our immune response, and it seems to be very good at binding onto the human receptors that make it more infectious overall," she said. The strain wasn't appearing to cause more severe illness, she said. NB. 1.8.1 presents similarly to other respiratory illnesses, so it was important to "listen to your own symptoms" and to avoid socialising and work from home if you were unwell, Professor Bennett said. Federal health minister Mark Butler encouraged people to consider a COVID-19 booster. "I do encourage, particularly as we head into winter, for people to think about the last time they got a COVID vaccine," he told ABC radio on May 30. He said "people over 75 should have one every six months, for those 65 to 74, they should have a booster every 12 months". The latest advice from ATAGI: Australia is battling an outbreak of a new, more infectious COVID-19 variant. The World Health Organisation has placed the NB.1.8.1 strain on its alert list, warning it is "increasing" globally. The strain is a sublineage of the Omicron coronavirus variant and descends from the JN1 variant. NB.1.8.1 has been in Australia since April and is the most common strain found in sewage in Western Australia and NSW. Health authorities say this sublineage is increasing within the community in line with global trends. On May 30, there were 1023 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Australia, according to the covidlive website. Deakin University chair of epidemiology Professor Catherine Bennett told ACM it was a "matter of weeks" before the strain was "everywhere". "We had a reasonably quiet summer, and even winter waves in the northern hemisphere are less than we have seen in recent years, so it is not surprising that a new variant could trigger a substantial wave just as we go into our winter," she said. READ MORE: It's one of the nasty ones': actor Magda Szubanski reveals cancer diagnosis Professor Bennett said NB. 1.8.1 was closely monitored because it had acquired "additional mutations compared to the J1 strains". "This makes it better at evading our immune response, and it seems to be very good at binding onto the human receptors that make it more infectious overall," she said. The strain wasn't appearing to cause more severe illness, she said. NB. 1.8.1 presents similarly to other respiratory illnesses, so it was important to "listen to your own symptoms" and to avoid socialising and work from home if you were unwell, Professor Bennett said. Federal health minister Mark Butler encouraged people to consider a COVID-19 booster. "I do encourage, particularly as we head into winter, for people to think about the last time they got a COVID vaccine," he told ABC radio on May 30. He said "people over 75 should have one every six months, for those 65 to 74, they should have a booster every 12 months". The latest advice from ATAGI: Australia is battling an outbreak of a new, more infectious COVID-19 variant. The World Health Organisation has placed the NB.1.8.1 strain on its alert list, warning it is "increasing" globally. The strain is a sublineage of the Omicron coronavirus variant and descends from the JN1 variant. NB.1.8.1 has been in Australia since April and is the most common strain found in sewage in Western Australia and NSW. Health authorities say this sublineage is increasing within the community in line with global trends. On May 30, there were 1023 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Australia, according to the covidlive website. Deakin University chair of epidemiology Professor Catherine Bennett told ACM it was a "matter of weeks" before the strain was "everywhere". "We had a reasonably quiet summer, and even winter waves in the northern hemisphere are less than we have seen in recent years, so it is not surprising that a new variant could trigger a substantial wave just as we go into our winter," she said. READ MORE: It's one of the nasty ones': actor Magda Szubanski reveals cancer diagnosis Professor Bennett said NB. 1.8.1 was closely monitored because it had acquired "additional mutations compared to the J1 strains". "This makes it better at evading our immune response, and it seems to be very good at binding onto the human receptors that make it more infectious overall," she said. The strain wasn't appearing to cause more severe illness, she said. NB. 1.8.1 presents similarly to other respiratory illnesses, so it was important to "listen to your own symptoms" and to avoid socialising and work from home if you were unwell, Professor Bennett said. Federal health minister Mark Butler encouraged people to consider a COVID-19 booster. "I do encourage, particularly as we head into winter, for people to think about the last time they got a COVID vaccine," he told ABC radio on May 30. He said "people over 75 should have one every six months, for those 65 to 74, they should have a booster every 12 months". The latest advice from ATAGI: Australia is battling an outbreak of a new, more infectious COVID-19 variant. The World Health Organisation has placed the NB.1.8.1 strain on its alert list, warning it is "increasing" globally. The strain is a sublineage of the Omicron coronavirus variant and descends from the JN1 variant. NB.1.8.1 has been in Australia since April and is the most common strain found in sewage in Western Australia and NSW. Health authorities say this sublineage is increasing within the community in line with global trends. On May 30, there were 1023 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Australia, according to the covidlive website. Deakin University chair of epidemiology Professor Catherine Bennett told ACM it was a "matter of weeks" before the strain was "everywhere". "We had a reasonably quiet summer, and even winter waves in the northern hemisphere are less than we have seen in recent years, so it is not surprising that a new variant could trigger a substantial wave just as we go into our winter," she said. READ MORE: It's one of the nasty ones': actor Magda Szubanski reveals cancer diagnosis Professor Bennett said NB. 1.8.1 was closely monitored because it had acquired "additional mutations compared to the J1 strains". "This makes it better at evading our immune response, and it seems to be very good at binding onto the human receptors that make it more infectious overall," she said. The strain wasn't appearing to cause more severe illness, she said. NB. 1.8.1 presents similarly to other respiratory illnesses, so it was important to "listen to your own symptoms" and to avoid socialising and work from home if you were unwell, Professor Bennett said. Federal health minister Mark Butler encouraged people to consider a COVID-19 booster. "I do encourage, particularly as we head into winter, for people to think about the last time they got a COVID vaccine," he told ABC radio on May 30. He said "people over 75 should have one every six months, for those 65 to 74, they should have a booster every 12 months". The latest advice from ATAGI:
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- New Indian Express
Maoist with Rs 4 lakh bounty arrested along with arms, ammunition in Odisha
JEYPORE/KORAPUT: Kuniam Hidma, a hardcore Maoist carrying reward of Rs 4 lakh on his head, was arrested during a combing operation jointly carried out by Koraput police and the District Voluntary Force (DVF) near Petguda village in Boipariguda during the wee hours on Thursday. Addressing mediapersons, Koraput SP Rohit Verma said Hidma alias Mohan (33) of Janaguda village in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district was an area committee member (ACM) of the banned outfit CPI (Maoist). A most-wanted Maoist operative in Odisha, Hidma was nabbed when he was trying to flee during the combing operation. Revealing details about the operation, the SP said acting on a tip-off, a team led by Jeypore SDPO Partha Kashyap launched a search in the forest near Petguda on Wednesday night. During the operation, the team spotted four Maoist cadres. In the early hours of Thursday, the Maoists opened fire at the police team. The cops responded with controlled retaliation, ensuring no casualties on their side. While three of the Maoists managed to escape, Hidma was apprehended. A huge cache of arms and ammunition besides Maoist materials were seized from the encounter site. The seized items included one AK-47 rifle, 35 rounds of ammunition, 117 electric and non-electric detonators, gunpowder, walkie-talkies, gunpowder, knives and Maoist literature. During interrogation, Hidma revealed that he joined the Maoist movement in 2007 at the age of 14. Since then, he has been actively involved in extremist operations across Malkangiri and Koraput districts in Odisha besides Sukma and Bijapur in Chhattisgarh. He is linked to several violent incidents including encounters with security forces at Chandameta, Kondajhari, Kumbhikharri and Kolengabida between 2020 and 2023.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Wanted Maoist held in Koraput forest with AK-47
Koraput: Kunjam Hidma, a hardcore Maoist wanted in multiple cases across Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh, was arrested by security forces in the early hours of Thursday following an exchange of fire in a forested area of Koraput district. Police recovered one AK-47, 35 live cartridges and other Maoist items from Hidma, alias Mohan, an area committee member (ACM) of the Andhra-Odisha Border (AOB) committee of the banned CPI (Maoist). "We had specific information about Maoist movement at Petguda village in Boipariguda. Acting on it, a district voluntary force (DVF) team led by SDPO (Jeypore) Parth Kashyap and assistant commandant Dibya Prasad Parida launched an operation on Wednesday night," Koraput SP Rohit Verma said. "During the operation, a group of four Maoists were spotted in the forest. Our personnel asked them to surrender, but they opened fire, following which our team retaliated," Verma added. There were no injuries or casualties on either side. Initially, the Maoists managed to flee under the cover of darkness. During a search operation, the DVF team caught Hidma, who was hiding in the bushes. Security officials believe the group was trying to move towards Andhra Pradesh through Boipariguda. Preliminary interrogation revealed Hidma had joined the Maoist in 2007, at the age of 14, through Bal Sangam and Jana Natya Mandali, the rebels' cultural wing. A resident of Janaguda village in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, Hidma was inducted into the armed wing of the AOB platoon in 2016 and promoted to ACM in 2019. He reportedly served under Maoist commander Suresh, who operates in the Boipariguda area. Hidma is wanted for his alleged involvement in at least seven cases in Odisha, including four in Koraput and three in Malkangiri. In the wake of the recent killing of Maoist leader Basava Raju in Chhattisgarh, security has been tightened fearing attempts by Maoists to infiltrate into the state. "Additional forces have been deployed, and vulnerable routes, including waterways, have been sealed to prevent Maoist infiltration," DIG (south-western range), Akhileswar Singh, said.
New York Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
How Savannah Chrisley buddied up with the Trumps and helped secure freedom for her parents
Shortly after Julie and Todd Chrisley were sent to federal prison in Nov. 2022, their daughter Savannah took a gamble. She 'came out' as a Republican and started to publicly cozy up to the Trump family as part of her strategy to free her mom and dad, sentenced to seven and 12 years respectively for bank and tax fraud of over $30m in loans. This week it was finally realized as President Trump pardoned them both and they are already back at home with their family. 7 Savannah Chrisley appears to be the mastermind behind her parents' presidential pardon. AP However, that dream was still distant in September 2023 when Savannah, 27, appeared on Lara Trump's 'The Right View' podcast to talk about her parents' plight and prison reform. She made sure to mention how Fulton County, Georgia, prosecutors started her parents' trial by calling them the 'Trumps of the South' — a line she would go on to repeat many times while campaigning for their release. She added to Lara, wife of Eric Trump: 'For me that was, it should scare people, that we have prosecutors using such a polarizing statement to potentially sway the jurors.' Savannah was also honest about being new to prison reform, telling the host: 'I'm like the poster child for being tone-deaf to our [prison] system. It didn't affect me, why should I care? And then, as my parents are in there and they start telling me these things, I'm like, wait a second, it's 115 degrees and you have no air conditioning.' 7 Todd and Julie Chrisley were both released from prison on Wednesday, thanks to their daughter's advocacy. Getty Images for ACM 7 Savannah Chrisley appeared on Lara Trump's podcast in September 2023. The Right View Judging by their interactions on the podcast, it appeared to be the first time the ladies had spoken with each other. Getting Savannah on the show was also quite a big score for Lara's podcast, which has a following of 28,000 on Instagram, far less than Savannah's own podcast which has 156,000 followers and gets an average of around 100,000 more views on YouTube per show than 'The Right View.' From there the two ladies seem to have formed a strong bond, and Savannah became one of the more prominent celebrity voices behind then-candidate Trump. She started donning pink MAGA hats and putting her political views to her almost three million personal Instagram followers, which she says resulted in 'lost deals' from sponsors. 7 Savannah Chrisley appears to have visited the White House twice this year. Savannah Chrisley/ Instagram She then appeared at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee in July 2024, where her speech focused on the 'injustices' her parents suffered in prison and the 'inhumane' treatment they had been subject to, which was later hailed as 'powerful'. Savannah appeared alongside Lara again at a Women for Trump rally in Phoenix in October 2024 and earlier this month their relationship went full circle as she appeared on Fox's 'My View with Lara Trump' to again speak about prison reform. She followed that appearance up with an Instagram post calling Lara 'my sweet friend.' Savannah also appears to have visited the White House twice during the Trump presidency, in March and in April, while she golfed at Trump National Golf Club in Palm Beach, Florida, in May. 7 President Trump personally called Savannah Chrisley to inform her about the pardon on Tuesday. Savannah Chrisley/ Instagram 7 President Trump pardoned Todd and Julie Chrisley, who were convicted of plotting to defraud banks. Savannah Chrisley/ Instagram Now her parents have been freed, others in their orbit say they hope the Chrisleys will continue their fight on behalf of the incarcerated and wrongly convicted. 'Savannah presents herself as an advocate for prison reform, but time will tell if her advocacy is real or limited to advocating only for her parents,' Peter Tarantino, the family's accountant who was convicted alongside Julie and Todd, but not pardoned, told The Post. Tarantino, who was sentenced to three years and paid a $35,000 fine, added 'I absolutely deserve a pardon,' and said he has also been contacting the president's office. 7 The family's accountant Peter Tarantino is seeking a pardon from the president. 'I don't have the platform or resources the Chrisley's have, but I intend to pursue my options… They used their platform [to] profess their innocence but never made any statements that benefited me,' he added. However, he added of Savannah: 'I think she did what any daughter would do in a similar situation.' What does it take to get a personal pardon for your parents from the President of the United States? Apparently years of cozying up to the Trump family.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
If You Invested $1000 in Aecom Technology a Decade Ago, This is How Much It'd Be Worth Now
For most investors, how much a stock's price changes over time is important. Not only can it impact your investment portfolio, but it can also help you compare investment results across sectors and industries. Another thing that can drive investing is the fear of missing out, or FOMO. This particularly applies to tech giants and popular consumer-facing stocks. What if you'd invested in Aecom Technology (ACM) ten years ago? It may not have been easy to hold on to ACM for all that time, but if you did, how much would your investment be worth today? With that in mind, let's take a look at Aecom Technology's main business drivers. AECOM is a leading solutions provider for supporting professional, technical and management solutions for diverse industries across end markets like transportation, facilities, government, as well as those in environmental, energy and water specializes in providing integrated services for planning, construction and maintenance of infrastructures that include consulting, architecture, engineering as well as managing the requirements for energy, water and environment to various private and public clients. The company primarily focuses on providing fee-based services and is driven by knowledge-based reports through three operating segments — Americas (which accounted for 77.5% of fiscal 2024 revenues), International (22.5%) and AECOM Capital or includes planning, consulting, architectural and engineering design, and construction and program management services to commercial and government clients in major end markets of the United States, Canada, and Latin unit involves planning, consulting, architectural and engineering design services, and program management to commercial and government clients in major markets of Europe, the Middle East, Africa, India and the Asia-Pacific includes investments primarily in real estate Engineering News-Record's (ENR's) 2023 Design Survey, AECOM is the second-largest general architectural and engineering design firm in the world, ranked by 2022 design revenue. Also, it is the global leader in transportation design, facilities design, environmental engineering, environmental consulting and environmental science. Putting together a successful investment portfolio takes a combination of research, patience, and a little bit of risk. For Aecom Technology, if you bought shares a decade ago, you're likely feeling really good about your investment today. According to our calculations, a $1000 investment made in May 2015 would be worth $3,309.36, or a 230.94% gain, as of May 29, 2025. Investors should keep in mind that this return excludes dividends but includes price appreciation. Compare this to the S&P 500's rally of 177.66% and gold's return of 166.27% over the same time frame. Going forward, analysts are expecting more upside for ACM. AECOM's second-quarter fiscal 2025 earnings topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 8.7% and grew 20% year over year. The bottom line during the quarter was backed by benefits received from high-returning organic growth initiatives. Furthermore, the company's consistent focus on high-margin markets and operational improvements positions it to fulfill its long-term adjusted operating margin target, a minimum of 20-30 bps annual expansion. Strong demand for comprehensive design, program management and advisory services across its varied geographies aided its backlog growth, which grew 3% year over year. AECOM's shares have outperformed the industry year to date. However, the revenues missed the consensus mark by 1.7% and declined 4% year over year. Ongoing macro risks, high costs and currency fluctuations are headwinds to its prospects. Shares have gained 9.63% over the past four weeks and there have been 2 higher earnings estimate revisions for fiscal 2025 compared to none lower. The consensus estimate has moved up as well. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report AECOM (ACM) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
