Latest news with #Pacheco
USA Today
18 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Kansas City Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco reflects on recently graduating from Rutgers
Kansas City Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco reflects on recently graduating from Rutgers The offseason has been successful for Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco despite not needing to touch the football field. He recently earned a degree from his alma mater, Rutgers. "Yes, I was in online classes. It started in spring, so I was able to go back once," said Pacheco, revealing to reporters last Thursday, "The Super Bowl was finishing up, and I was able to hit it hard and lock in, put all my mental toughness towards that." The former Rutgers football team captain returned to his alma mater to participate in the school's graduation ceremony and finished with his degree in criminal justice. "One time, I was in class, and I saw some older gentlemen in class. And I'm like, oh, it's never too late to go back," said Pacheco, "He was probably one of the tallest students in there, but he was an older gentleman. I'm like, yo, like that right there. That's the motivation that you are never too old to go back and get your degree." Due to an injury, he appeared in seven games in 2024 and was limited to 83 carries for 310 yards and a touchdown. He is preparing for the new season but is proud of his tremendous personal accomplishment. "Yes, I'll say it's a blessing because, coming from where I come from, you don't get too many that make you or you don't get too many kids that graduate," said Pacheco, "Coming from Vineland, graduating college, and not only doing that, but staying home and not being one of those students that transferred and went place to place, I actually stayed home and got it tattooed on me, and that's what it's about, finishing where you start." Entering his fourth season in Kansas City, the former seventh-round draft pick is eligible for a contract extension.
Newsweek
20 hours ago
- General
- Newsweek
American Teacher in South Korea Compares School Lunch to U.S.—'Grotesque'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. An American working as a teacher in South Korea has shared photographs showing how different school lunches are there to the ones he had growing up. William Pacheco is an elementary school teacher at Keisung Primary School in Daegu, South Korea. He's been living in South Korea for over 15 years now but grew up in Jacksonville, Florida. That background has given him a unique perspective when it comes to comparing the school lunches he enjoys today with the ones he had as a kid. Though he's keen to stress his perspective comes from his memories of growing up in Florida back in the 1990s, Pacheco told Newsweek he was taken aback when he first saw how "vastly different" school meals are in South Korea. "The food is fresher and far less processed," Pacheco said. "Students receive more food and based on what I have seen, students actually want to eat the food. Most school food I had growing up was almost inedible." Lobster was served for lunch at a South Korean School. Lobster was served for lunch at a South Korean School. William Pacheco Pacheco's memories of school lunches back then are not always positive ones, with the educator branding some of what was served to him as "prison food." "As a kid, I had to deal with milk that came in a bag and stale food of questionable quality that had to be eaten with a plastic spork," he said. "On some days it was grotesque. I distinctly remember kids tossing out entire meals because it was inedible." Keisung Primary School in Daegu is a government funded private school, not unlike a school in the Magnet school program in the U.S., with students and staff served the same meals. "I look forward to them," Pacheco said. "There's enough variety for me to not get bored of them." Thinking about the key difference between the school lunches he enjoys now in South Korea and the ones he had as a kid in the US, Pacheco said: "A lot more care and prep is required to make the meals in Korea. It's not about tossing bagged food onto a tray or into a microwave." Eager to spark debate on the subject and encourage people around the world to compare school lunches, Pacheco shared a series of photos to Reddit under the handle u/novadaemon. The post, shared earlier in May, amassed more than 1,000 upvotes, and included a phot from the day teachers and pupils at his school were served lobster tails. "The lobster thing was a special event. It isn't on the menu all the time, but the fact that the kids got the opportunity to eat it is something that would never happen back home," he said. "The variety of food here is amazing." A pair of students' school lunches, including highly sought-after lobster tail. A pair of students' school lunches, including highly sought-after lobster tail. William Pacheco Though he acknowledges he works in a private school, Pacheco said a similar standard exists in the public school system and that, crucially, the vast majority of school meals are free to children, which stands in stark contrast to the U.S. Though he knows his understanding of school lunches in the U.S. today is limited, he has friends with kids back home who have shown him what they eat. He's also seen some of pictures shared on social media showing of some of what is served to kids today. "Although I think it is a vast improvement over what I got as a kid, it is still full of processed carbs, fats and preservatives," he said. Improving the quality of food served in U.S. schools is an ongoing concern. In April last year, the U.S. The Department of Agriculture's (USDA) introduced new limits on added sugars as part of a new set of standards that also aim to reduce sodium levels in kids' meals. In a gradual shift to school meals, by fall 2027 the aim is to see a 10 per cent reduction of sodium in breakfast, and 15 per cent reduction for lunch, and a reduction in added sugars, with phase one seeing limits on specific high-sugar items, such as cereals and yoghurt, and phase two a reduction in overall weekly limits. Under the USDA's Food and Nutrition Service guidance, schools are required to follow the MyPlate standards for lunches that require kids to be served a plate of food that is made up of grains, vegetables, milk, protein foods and fruits. However, key government figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have called for an overhaul of the school lunch system with a greater focus on nutrition. A selection of the lunches served to children at a school in South Korea. A selection of the lunches served to children at a school in South Korea. William Pacheco Pacheco is skeptical about that approach though. "The U.S. could raise nutritional value standards and companies would just find the cheapest way to load the food with artificially sourced nutrients," he said. "I would just be more concerned with providing kids with balanced and fresh options in a format that is appealing," Pacheco said. "The meals here are balanced and contain fresh ingredients. Kids are exposed to a variety of food from a bunch of different countries as well. Their protein sources aren't limited to beef, chicken and pork. They also get a wider variety of fruits and vegetables." Pacheco acknowledges the quality of lunches today has improved but still feels it could "definitely be better" and wonders whether the quality of what is served today in the US may well be having a wider negative impact. "If a way to a man's heart is through his stomach, that would certainly apply here to kids," he said." I truly believe that c****y school lunches have a negative effect on the entire schooling experience in America. The more I think about it the more negative I feel about it." Newsweek reached out to Keisung Primary School for comment via Instagram.
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Kansas City Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco hosted a one-day football camp for inner-city youth
Kansas City Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco hosted a one-day football camp for inner-city youth Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco recently held his one-day youth football event at Lincoln Prep. The former Rutgers football standout continued his efforts to give back to the community and encourage inner-city youth through the sport. 'This means a lot to me, the kids coming out here, their parents,' Pacheco said, according to the Kansas City Star. 'There are a lot of kids running around with your name on their shirt.' A seventh-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Pacheco has shown the ability to overcome the odds and succeed. He began his career as the eventual starter and secured two Super Bowl titles. He was slowed last season with injuries but returned to contribute on the journey to Super Bowl LIX. 'I'm doing great,' Pacheco said when asked about his health ahead of the 2025 season. 'We're excited about this year coming up.' Pacheco collected 1,765 yards and 12 touchdowns in his first two seasons before the fractured fibula in Week 2 last season against the Cincinnati Bengals cost him nine games. He is awaiting word on whether the team will pick up the option on his rookie contract.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Kansas City Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco hosted a one-day football camp for inner-city youth
Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco recently held his one-day youth football event at Lincoln Prep. The former Rutgers football standout continued his efforts to give back to the community and encourage inner-city youth through the sport. 'This means a lot to me, the kids coming out here, their parents,' Pacheco said, according to the Kansas City Star. 'There are a lot of kids running around with your name on their shirt.' A seventh-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Pacheco has shown the ability to overcome the odds and succeed. He began his career as the eventual starter and secured two Super Bowl titles. He was slowed last season with injuries but returned to contribute on the journey to Super Bowl LIX. Advertisement 'I'm doing great,' Pacheco said when asked about his health ahead of the 2025 season. 'We're excited about this year coming up.' Pacheco collected 1,765 yards and 12 touchdowns in his first two seasons before the fractured fibula in Week 2 last season against the Cincinnati Bengals cost him nine games. He is awaiting word on whether the team will pick up the option on his rookie contract. This article originally appeared on Chiefs Wire: Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco hosted a football camp for inner-city youth
UPI
4 days ago
- Politics
- UPI
Latin America serves as platform for Russian espionage
Latin America has become a strategic hub for Russian operatives seeking to operate beyond the direct surveillance of U.S. and European agencies, according to the U.S. Intelligence Community. File Photo by Tasos Katopodis/UPI | License Photo May 28 (UPI) -- U.S. and NATO intelligence reports have documented an increase in Russian espionage activity in Latin America, particularly since the start of the war in Ukraine in 2022. The region has become a strategic hub for Russian operatives seeking to operate beyond the direct surveillance of U.S. and European agencies, according to the U.S. Intelligence Community. Recent investigations reveal that Russia has used countries like Brazil as launchpads to create false identities and conduct international espionage. Over the past two decades, Russia has expanded its footprint in Latin America through trade agreements, military cooperation, cultural diplomacy and intelligence operations, said Luis Pacheco of the Security College in Washington. This expansion reflects a geopolitical effort to counter U.S. influence in the region. "Although not always visible, Russian intelligence has cultivated networks of influence, disinformation and surveillance, acting as a silent tool of power," said Pacheco. Intelligence services in Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay have reported activity by Russia's SVR and GRU intelligence agencies. In addition to on-the-ground espionage, these entities are accused of spreading disinformation, launching cyberattacks and carrying out psychological operations aimed at swaying public opinion, destabilizing pro-Western governments and promoting Kremlin-aligned narratives. "Russian intelligence serves as a tool of geopolitical deterrence, sending a message that Moscow can also exert strategic influence in Latin America, a region traditionally within Washington's sphere of influence," Pacheco said. Uruguay has a notable history involving Russian espionage. In September 2022, Alejandro Astesiano, the head of security for President Luis Alberto Lacalle, was arrested for leading a criminal network that forged documents to help Russian citizens obtain Uruguayan passports. Authorities estimate that the network facilitated as many as 10,000 passports, charging roughly $20,000 each. More recently, Brazilian counterintelligence expelled nine Russian agents who had obtained Brazilian documents. According to officials, Uruguay's intelligence service tracked SVR agents into Brazil and alerted local authorities. The investigation included cooperation from the CIA and other Western intelligence agencies concerned that SVR presence aimed to influence opinion in favor of Russia's stance on the war in Ukraine. A New York Times investigation detailed growing Russian espionage activity in Brazil, describing the country as a key platform for covert Kremlin operations. One notable case is that of Sergey Vladimirovich Cherkasov, a GRU agent who posed as a Brazilian national under the name "Victor Muller Ferreira." In his book El Topo (The Mole), Argentine journalist Hugo Alconada recounts the 2023 arrest in Slovenia of a Russian spy couple carrying Argentine passports. Artjom Viktorovič Dulcev and Anna Valerevna Dulceva allegedly lived under false identities in Buenos Aires between 2012 and 2019. Their mission reportedly focused on gathering intelligence about Argentina's massive Vaca Muerta oil reserve in the south of the country.
