Latest news with #Hughes
Fox Sports
3 hours ago
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Dennis Hauger Edges Andretti Teammate Lochie Hughes for Detroit Pole
INDYCAR The INDY NXT by Firestone duel between Andretti Global teammates Dennis Hauger and Lochie Hughes continued to heat up Saturday as Hauger edged fellow series rookie Hughes for the pole at the Detroit Grand Prix. Hauger earned his third pole in five races this season – Hughes grabbed the other two – with a series-record lap of 1 minute, 4.9896 seconds in the No. 28 Rental Group car. That broke the series track record of 1:05.1079 set last June by eventual series champion Louis Foster, also of Andretti Global. SEE: Qualifying Results 'It was so messy, but I pushed to the limit and got the pole,' Hauger said. 'That was intense.' Hughes was second at 1:05.0516 in the No. 26 McGinley Clinic/USF Pro Championship machine, also under Foster's track record. There was a gap of nearly one second to third on the starting grid for the 45-lap race Sunday (10:30 a.m. ET, FS1, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network), as 17-year-old rookie Max Taylor qualified third at 1:05.9554 in the No. 18 HMD Motorsports car in just his second start in the INDYCAR development series. 2024 Rookie of the Year Caio Collet qualified fourth at 1:05.6249 in the No. 76 HMD Motorsports machine. Salvador de Alba was the third Andretti Global driver in the top five with his top lap of 1:05.9772 in the No. 27 Grupo Indi car. Callum Hedge rounded out the first three rows by qualifying sixth at 1:06.1315 in the No. 17 Abel Motorsports car. There was plenty of suspense throughout qualifying. The session was split into two groups of drivers, with Hughes in the first group and Hauger in the second to build the drama. Hauger leads his teammate by 15 points atop the series standings after four races, and they are the only drivers to win races this season – Hauger has three victories, Hughes one. Hughes laid down his huge lap on his final trip around the treacherous, nine-turn, 1.645-mile street circuit in downtown Detroit, finally getting clear track on the tight, bumpy circuit for his last qualifying run. Hauger was working up his response when James Roe suffered his second crash of the weekend with about seven minutes left in the session, with his No. 29 Topcon car receiving heavy right front damage after wall impact. Roe was unhurt. There were only three minutes, 56 seconds left in the session when the track reopened, and Hauger and his group hustled back on the circuit to complete as many laps as possible. Hauger dropped to 1:05.287 on his second-to-last lap, just behind Hughes, but grabbed the pole with his track-record lap on his final trip around the circuit. 'That was just so nerve-wracking with the red flag because tire temperatures weren't there on the first two laps, and they came on the last one,' Hauger said. 'I hit the wall on the second-to-last lap, I almost crashed in Turn 1 on the last lap.' recommended
The Advertiser
21 hours ago
- Health
- The Advertiser
Parents spending thousands to choose baby's sex
Stacey Hughes always knew she wanted to have a little girl, but her pathway to getting there was a little different. Already a mum to three boys, in 2019 she travelled with her family to undergo IVF in the United States, where the team implanted a female embryo. Ms Hughes is one of hundreds of Australian parents who choose to travel overseas for sex selection, a practice that is not permitted in Australia other than for medical reasons. "I didn't want a fourth child, I wanted a girl," Ms Hughes told AAP. "My mum passed away in 2009 so I didn't have that mother-daughter relationship anymore and I just also wanted to have a girl in our family." Experts say Ms Hughes is not alone, with parents wanting to select a boy or a girl for family balancing reasons. Australia previously allowed sex selection for non-medical reasons, however in the early 2000s the guidelines changed, Connect IVF scientific director Lauren Hiser said. As a result, people are choosing to travel to nations that allow it, including parts of Southeast Asia, Europe and the US. "The concern in allowing Australians to go offshore is that we can't control the quality of service they are going to get overseas," Ms Hiser said. "The Australian IVF industry is highly regulated and allowing sex selection would make it safer for people to access." Ms Hiser stressed the process was not akin to "playing God" as the embryos were made during a regular IVF process and tested for a range of genetic abnormalities which also determined their sex. The number of people wanting to select a particular sex was in the hundreds, so allowing it in Australia would not expand boy or girl ratios in a particular direction, she added. "The reality is that sex selection is happening in Australia already, just not in the IVF industry," she said. "Then there's the risk of people going through a termination of pregnancy with all the physical and emotional impacts that come with that." Gender Selection Australia (GSA) is a service that helps families navigate overseas IVF processes. The sex selection process often came with a lot of misinformation, GSA general manager Nikki Mason said. "The majority of people want to balance out their family, it's not about preferring one sex over another," she said. "Sex selection is not manufacturing a result, it's just revealing what (embryos) families have after a normal IVF process and then they can choose which to implant." The IVF process is already stressful and the additional overseas travel costs make it unattainable for many. It cost Ms Hughes and her family about $30,000, including medications, accommodation, flights and medical appointments. While family and friends supported her decision, she faced trolling online after she previously spoke to the media about her experience. "I don't understand (the trolling) because it doesn't really affect anyone that I've had a baby girl," she said. "I think there's a lack of understanding of the process and people thinking that you are intervening." Stacey Hughes always knew she wanted to have a little girl, but her pathway to getting there was a little different. Already a mum to three boys, in 2019 she travelled with her family to undergo IVF in the United States, where the team implanted a female embryo. Ms Hughes is one of hundreds of Australian parents who choose to travel overseas for sex selection, a practice that is not permitted in Australia other than for medical reasons. "I didn't want a fourth child, I wanted a girl," Ms Hughes told AAP. "My mum passed away in 2009 so I didn't have that mother-daughter relationship anymore and I just also wanted to have a girl in our family." Experts say Ms Hughes is not alone, with parents wanting to select a boy or a girl for family balancing reasons. Australia previously allowed sex selection for non-medical reasons, however in the early 2000s the guidelines changed, Connect IVF scientific director Lauren Hiser said. As a result, people are choosing to travel to nations that allow it, including parts of Southeast Asia, Europe and the US. "The concern in allowing Australians to go offshore is that we can't control the quality of service they are going to get overseas," Ms Hiser said. "The Australian IVF industry is highly regulated and allowing sex selection would make it safer for people to access." Ms Hiser stressed the process was not akin to "playing God" as the embryos were made during a regular IVF process and tested for a range of genetic abnormalities which also determined their sex. The number of people wanting to select a particular sex was in the hundreds, so allowing it in Australia would not expand boy or girl ratios in a particular direction, she added. "The reality is that sex selection is happening in Australia already, just not in the IVF industry," she said. "Then there's the risk of people going through a termination of pregnancy with all the physical and emotional impacts that come with that." Gender Selection Australia (GSA) is a service that helps families navigate overseas IVF processes. The sex selection process often came with a lot of misinformation, GSA general manager Nikki Mason said. "The majority of people want to balance out their family, it's not about preferring one sex over another," she said. "Sex selection is not manufacturing a result, it's just revealing what (embryos) families have after a normal IVF process and then they can choose which to implant." The IVF process is already stressful and the additional overseas travel costs make it unattainable for many. It cost Ms Hughes and her family about $30,000, including medications, accommodation, flights and medical appointments. While family and friends supported her decision, she faced trolling online after she previously spoke to the media about her experience. "I don't understand (the trolling) because it doesn't really affect anyone that I've had a baby girl," she said. "I think there's a lack of understanding of the process and people thinking that you are intervening." Stacey Hughes always knew she wanted to have a little girl, but her pathway to getting there was a little different. Already a mum to three boys, in 2019 she travelled with her family to undergo IVF in the United States, where the team implanted a female embryo. Ms Hughes is one of hundreds of Australian parents who choose to travel overseas for sex selection, a practice that is not permitted in Australia other than for medical reasons. "I didn't want a fourth child, I wanted a girl," Ms Hughes told AAP. "My mum passed away in 2009 so I didn't have that mother-daughter relationship anymore and I just also wanted to have a girl in our family." Experts say Ms Hughes is not alone, with parents wanting to select a boy or a girl for family balancing reasons. Australia previously allowed sex selection for non-medical reasons, however in the early 2000s the guidelines changed, Connect IVF scientific director Lauren Hiser said. As a result, people are choosing to travel to nations that allow it, including parts of Southeast Asia, Europe and the US. "The concern in allowing Australians to go offshore is that we can't control the quality of service they are going to get overseas," Ms Hiser said. "The Australian IVF industry is highly regulated and allowing sex selection would make it safer for people to access." Ms Hiser stressed the process was not akin to "playing God" as the embryos were made during a regular IVF process and tested for a range of genetic abnormalities which also determined their sex. The number of people wanting to select a particular sex was in the hundreds, so allowing it in Australia would not expand boy or girl ratios in a particular direction, she added. "The reality is that sex selection is happening in Australia already, just not in the IVF industry," she said. "Then there's the risk of people going through a termination of pregnancy with all the physical and emotional impacts that come with that." Gender Selection Australia (GSA) is a service that helps families navigate overseas IVF processes. The sex selection process often came with a lot of misinformation, GSA general manager Nikki Mason said. "The majority of people want to balance out their family, it's not about preferring one sex over another," she said. "Sex selection is not manufacturing a result, it's just revealing what (embryos) families have after a normal IVF process and then they can choose which to implant." The IVF process is already stressful and the additional overseas travel costs make it unattainable for many. It cost Ms Hughes and her family about $30,000, including medications, accommodation, flights and medical appointments. While family and friends supported her decision, she faced trolling online after she previously spoke to the media about her experience. "I don't understand (the trolling) because it doesn't really affect anyone that I've had a baby girl," she said. "I think there's a lack of understanding of the process and people thinking that you are intervening." Stacey Hughes always knew she wanted to have a little girl, but her pathway to getting there was a little different. Already a mum to three boys, in 2019 she travelled with her family to undergo IVF in the United States, where the team implanted a female embryo. Ms Hughes is one of hundreds of Australian parents who choose to travel overseas for sex selection, a practice that is not permitted in Australia other than for medical reasons. "I didn't want a fourth child, I wanted a girl," Ms Hughes told AAP. "My mum passed away in 2009 so I didn't have that mother-daughter relationship anymore and I just also wanted to have a girl in our family." Experts say Ms Hughes is not alone, with parents wanting to select a boy or a girl for family balancing reasons. Australia previously allowed sex selection for non-medical reasons, however in the early 2000s the guidelines changed, Connect IVF scientific director Lauren Hiser said. As a result, people are choosing to travel to nations that allow it, including parts of Southeast Asia, Europe and the US. "The concern in allowing Australians to go offshore is that we can't control the quality of service they are going to get overseas," Ms Hiser said. "The Australian IVF industry is highly regulated and allowing sex selection would make it safer for people to access." Ms Hiser stressed the process was not akin to "playing God" as the embryos were made during a regular IVF process and tested for a range of genetic abnormalities which also determined their sex. The number of people wanting to select a particular sex was in the hundreds, so allowing it in Australia would not expand boy or girl ratios in a particular direction, she added. "The reality is that sex selection is happening in Australia already, just not in the IVF industry," she said. "Then there's the risk of people going through a termination of pregnancy with all the physical and emotional impacts that come with that." Gender Selection Australia (GSA) is a service that helps families navigate overseas IVF processes. The sex selection process often came with a lot of misinformation, GSA general manager Nikki Mason said. "The majority of people want to balance out their family, it's not about preferring one sex over another," she said. "Sex selection is not manufacturing a result, it's just revealing what (embryos) families have after a normal IVF process and then they can choose which to implant." The IVF process is already stressful and the additional overseas travel costs make it unattainable for many. It cost Ms Hughes and her family about $30,000, including medications, accommodation, flights and medical appointments. While family and friends supported her decision, she faced trolling online after she previously spoke to the media about her experience. "I don't understand (the trolling) because it doesn't really affect anyone that I've had a baby girl," she said. "I think there's a lack of understanding of the process and people thinking that you are intervening."
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
'Something to prove': New city leadership sworn in during May 28 Panama City inauguration
PANAMA CITY— The rotunda of city hall was packed to the brim with suits, ties and collared shirts on May 28 as community and state leaders rubbed elbows and city staff prepared the festivities. Panama City hosted its inauguration for the incoming mayor and city commissioner while welcoming a familiar face back to the table. Commissioners Brian Grainger and Janice Lucas reunited with returning Ward 4 Commissioner Josh Street and celebrated their new co-workers, Mayor Allan Branch and Ward 1 Commissioner Robbie Hughes. There was a lengthy invocation followed by The Pledge of Allegiance, after which a city staffer moved the event along with a wooden gavel. Hughes was the first invited to the front to take his oath of office, after which he took to the podium to make his remarks. He started by commending his campaign team and family, kicking the speech off with a comedic tone and gathering some laughs from the crowd. The new commissioner thanked everyone for sticking by him through what some Panama City readers may recall as a somewhat contentious election season, before continuing on to the value of service in his new position. "It fills a hole in my soul to be able to come and help somebody else with no expectation of anything in return," Hughes said. "I'm working for you, I need to make every decision and think about how it affects you, how it affects the people of Panama City, because every vote affects people." He leaned into his business background and how he wants to take what he has learned there and apply it to city government. Hughes said he was not a politician, which Branch later corrected in a comedic tone. "Every time you lay your head on the pillow, just know that I've done everything I can possible in working with this team and seeing all the staff to make the quality of life better in Panama City," Hughes said. "I thank you for your time, I thank you for your vote, and I thank you for your support. And hopefully in the future we're going to see some really good progress." Next up was Street, whose speech had a more serious tone of community resilience. "Standing here today is one of the greatest honors of my life, and I do so knowing the difficult job that we have and the difficult job ahead, but this moment isn't about me," Street said. "It is about a collective unity amongst all of us as citizens of the United states and citizens of the city of Panama City." He then covered some of life in the city over the past several years and its affects on the community. "We belong to a community that refuses to quit, a city that keeps getting back up through tornadoes, floods and hurricanes," Street said. "We've proven that tomorrow can be better than today, and we're willing to do the hard work to make it so." Street then told an anecdote about talking to his St Andrews neighbor whose house had been severely damaged by tornadoes. "What stayed with me most wasn't what was broken in that moment, it's (that) what couldn't be shaken was hope," he said. "She looked me in the eye and said 'we'll be fine, God's brought us through worse." Street talked about his dedication to residents of the community, his faith, and reiterated the resilience he believes Panama City to have. Last but not least was the new mayor, Allan Branch. After his oath of office he ditched the podium to move around the room and make gestures toward the crowd. Branch's speech was jovial in nature yet touched on the progress he believes he has seen in the city. "You can love something and acknowledge that there's challenges and hurdles and there's flaws in it," Branch said. "Since Hurricane Michael, my goodness, we've come so far, the progress we've made, we've challenged ourselves." Branch said that he would like to see the progress they've seen made in one part of the city, presumably downtown, to spread out to other areas of the city. He talk about how the common trait he's seen in accomplished people that he admires is their desire for feedback and their relentlessness. Branch would like to see the city emulate these qualities. "Being relentless usually comes from having something to prove," Branch said. "I have something to prove, and I think the city of Panama City has something to prove, not just to other cities, not just to the doubters, but to ourselves." Branch went on to talk about his past experiences growing up and his family's prominent role in the local business scene. He later moved on to talking about a plaque that all mayors get and what he wanted it to say. "You are a part of what makes this town special, a neighbor, a teacher, a business owner, a builder, a dreamer," Branch said. "You do not need a title like mayor or commissioner to shape this town. Help someone who needs it, speak up even with a shaky voice. Real change does not wait for permission, it starts with people like you, and that's how a city becomes a community." After a long prayer, attendees then moved on to snapping photos and enjoying some catered snacks. This article originally appeared on The News Herald: New Panama City mayor calls for feedback, relentlessness at inauguration
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Gabby Windey accuses Chris Hughes of clout chasing in age-gap romance with Jojo Siwa
Jojo Siwa's much-talked-about relationship with her fellow Celebrity Big Brother star Chris Hughes has raised eyebrows, and now The Traitors winner Gabby Windey is sharing her two cents. Never one to mince words, Windey skewered Hughes while talking to Trisha Paytas on Thursday's episode of the Just Trish Podcast. Windey explained that she's been watching Hughes since he was first on Love Island and doesn't have a good feeling about his new relationship. The 34-year-old former Bachelorette star said that not only is there a 10-year age gap between Siwa, 22, and Hughes, 32, but the pop star 'feels young' and is "kind of like a kid still.' Not only does Windey think the age gap is too big, but also that Hughes' intentions aren't pure. When Paytas asked if Windey thought Hughes was in it for the 'clout,' Windey agreed. #trishapaytas #fyp #gabbywindey #jojosiwa #oliviaattwood #chrishughes #justtrish #trishlikefish88 'Yeah. He's so desperate. He has a face full of filler,' Windey said, because you can always count on to speak her mind. 'Watching the clips on social media, which I know it's kind of hard to get the full context, but I'm like, this feels creepy,' she explained. 'Watching and seeing it like it felt like you were at work and like Darren was coming up behind you, giving you a massage, and you're like 'I'm sending you to HR,' she continued. Paytas agreed, saying that she's 'for Jojo' but that she's 'obviously stunted" from being a child star and that people are always 'clout chasing' and it feels like Hughes is 'using her.' Windey was also careful to put the blame squarely on Hughes' shoulders. 'And she was in a lesbian relationship, and now it's straight, and it's like, with an older guy, like, it's very different, not saying it's right or wrong,' Windey said. 'Like, she can explore sexuality, and it's not personal with her. I think he's the one at fault, of course, but she needs to be careful.' Watch the full episode below. - YouTube
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Texas Rx For Relief: Abbott Tames Pharmacy Benefit Managers
Texas pharmacists lauded Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday for signing Senate Bill 1236 into law. The measure aims to curb anti-competitive practices by pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) that have reportedly driven numerous neighborhood pharmacies out of business and raised prescription drug costs for patients. Authored by Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) and sponsored in the House by Rep. Cole Hefner (R-Mount Pleasant), SB 1236 targets PBMs, middlemen in the pharmaceutical supply chain who have been criticized for prioritizing profits over patients and pharmacies. The bill passed unanimously in the Texas Senate and House and introduces contract transparency, prohibits unfair fees, and ensures compliance with existing PBM regulations. It takes effect September 1, 2025, and applies to contracts entered into or renewed after that date. 'The PBMs set the reimbursements for our local pharmacies, which are struggling to stay open,' Hughes said, per a news release by the Texas Pharmacy Association. 'They also determine the prices for their own pharmacies. Senate Bill 1236 continues the Legislature's efforts to make sure that anti-competitive behavior by someone with a lot of bargaining power, that's been granted to them by the government, is not weaponized in the market.' Texas Pharmacy Association CEO RoxAnn Dominguez hailed the legislation as a victory for patients and pharmacists. 'We are incredibly grateful to Governor Abbott for making SB 1236 the law in Texas, and to Sen. Hughes and Rep. Hefner for their hard work and dedication to Texas patients and pharmacists,' Dominguez said in the press release. 'We look forward now to working with the Texas Department of Insurance and the Attorney General's Office to implement SB 1236 for the betterment of patient care.' PBMs manage prescription drug benefits for insurers, employers, and government payers, but their practices have drawn scrutiny. A January 2025 Federal Trade Commission report found that the top three PBMs—CVS Caremark, Cigna Express Scripts, and UnitedHealth Group's Optum RX—which control 80% of the drug supply market, marked up specialty generic drugs by hundreds or thousands of percent at their affiliated pharmacies. These markups included critical medications for cancer, HIV, and multiple sclerosis. The report also noted higher reimbursements to affiliated pharmacies compared to independent ones. A July 2024 FTC report highlighted that nearly 30% of Americans surveyed reported rationing or skipping medications due to high costs, which the pharmacy association said are driven by PBM practices. These practices have led to widespread pharmacy closures, with Texas losing at least one pharmacy weekly between January 2023 and January 2025. In San Angelo, pharmacist Bryan Abernathy closed his 68-year-old pharmacy in January, citing PBMs' low reimbursement rates. 'We really get pennies on the dollar,' Abernathy said. Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham), chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services, criticized PBM market dominance during a hearing. 'Who in America thinks that's a good idea?' Kolkhorst said, noting that 'the losers are the pharmacists which are sometimes the only people that people in underserved areas get a chance to interact [with]. . . but the other loser is the patient.' SB 1236 addresses these issues by prohibiting abusive PBM audit practices, banning unilateral changes to reimbursement rates during contract terms, and mandating online access to pharmacy network contracts. It also requires health benefit plans to include unique identifiers on enrollee ID cards and limits payment adjustments after claims are processed, except in cases of fraud or errors. 'PBMs' anti-competitive tactics have threatened our ability to deliver quality healthcare to our communities,' Jobby John, a Lakeway pharmacist, and the Texas Pharmacy Association president said in the press release. 'SB 1236 will go a long way toward correcting inequities in the system and ensuring transparency and fairness, which will help protect the neighborhood pharmacies that patients trust.'
