Latest news with #Velez
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
How to make school mornings easier
LANSING, Mich., (WLNS) – It's Parenting Connection Tuesday, and 6 News is here for you with tips, strategies, and helpful reminders from local child development experts on how we can be better parents and guardians. Today's topic: How to make school mornings easier. Thousands of Michigan students are getting back to class this week and next. There's a lot of excitement, anxiety, and I'm sure, a hope by all parents and caregivers that this year will be great — but for that to happen, many experts say, it starts with a smooth Velez, the spokesperson for says, mornings can be a universal pain point for many, especially when seasons change and kids are headed back to school. I had the chance to speak with her about some practical ways to have a smooth morning, avoid issues, and create a calm goodbye even when running late. 'We always say, start the night before,' says Velez. 'You are checking the weather, picking out the clothes, anything to avoid those morning scrambles.' Sge adds, 'A smooth morning before school starts reduces stress, helps provide a sense of calm, and makes them feel prepared and confident for the day.' Here are some top tips for a smoother morning: Start the night before. Easy things like laying out clothes, packing the snack and/or lunches, and double-checking backpacks. Use gentle, predictable wake-ups. Velez says, it's a great way to start the day from your child's perspective. You can use soft lighting and/or music, or you can use a Wake to Rise clock that gradually makes the room brighter, with an option of sounds or music. Build in mini moments of connection. This means chatting with your child during breakfast or the ride to school to get updates about the day or week ahead. Remain calm, even when running late. Velez says, take a few seconds to regulate with a proper goodbye to send everyone off with peace. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Yahoo
US citizen arrested during Ice raid in what family describes as ‘kidnapping'
A US citizen was arrested during an immigration raid in downtown Los Angeles this week in what her family described as a 'kidnapping' by federal immigration agents. Andrea Velez, 32, had just been dropped off at work by her mother and sister, the pair said, when they saw agents grab her. 'My mom looked at the rear mirror and she saw how my sister was attacked from the back,' Estrella Rosas told ABC7. 'She was like: 'They're kidnapping your sister.'' Velez, a graduate of Cal Poly Pomona, was taken into custody during an immigration raid on Tuesday. In video captured from the scene, agents can be seen surrounding her as a crowd gathers in the street and police officers stand by. Meanwhile, Rosas and her mother, who has residency but is not a citizen, screamed from a nearby vehicle for help. 'She's a US citizen,' Rosas said through tears. 'They're taking her. Help her, someone.' In other video, an agent can be seen lifting Velez off the ground and carrying her away. Witnesses told media, including CBS Los Angeles, that the agents never asked Velez for identification, and that she did nothing wrong. 'The only thing wrong with her … was the color of her skin,' Velez's mother, Margarita Flores, told CBS Los Angeles. Related: 'We're seeing the best of LA': as Ice raids haunt the city, Angelenos show up for each other The incident comes as numerous US citizens have been swept up in the Trump administration's crackdown on immigrants. People have reported they are being targeted for their skin color and for attempting to aid immigrants being detained by immigration agents. While it's not yet clear how many citizens have been affected by the administration's attack on immigrant communities, a government report found that between 2015 and 2020, Ice erroneously deported at least 70 US citizens, arrested 674 and detained 121. Velez's family was unaware of her whereabouts for more than a day until attorneys for the family tracked her down. 'It took us four hours to find her and we're attorneys. That's crazy,' attorney Dominique Boubion told ABC7. 'Just to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and you have the full weight of the federal government against you and your family can't find you – it is very scary.' Authorities have not told lawyers what charges Velez faces, but an official with the Department of Homeland Security told media that she was arrested for assaulting an Ice officer. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
AFP
27-06-2025
- Health
- AFP
Experts say HHS document misrepresents studies on Covid-19 vaccine
Kennedy, who has a long history of promoting vaccine misinformation, is using his role as health secretary to shake up the country's approach to immunization. He has deflected questions from lawmakers about measles vaccination, despite an outbreak that has killed three children, and misrepresented the position of European health agencies regarding vaccines against chickenpox during Congressional testimony. In late May, he circumvented the usual channels for updating vaccine recommendations and announced that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which operates under his department, would stop recommending routine Covid-19 shots for pregnant and "healthy children." Image US Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks during a news conference to discuss health insurance at the Department of Health and Human Services Headquarters in Washington, DC, on June 23, 2025 (AFP / SAUL LOEB) Maria Velez, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Canada's (archived here), told AFP the findings of her paper, "Miscarriage after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination: A population-based cohort study," were misinterpreted in the text (archived here). "Our study shows that SARS-CoV-2 vaccine is not associated with an increased risk of miscarriage, either for remotely vaccinated or recently vaccinated women," she said in an email on June 23. AFP reached out to HHS for comment and did not receive a response, but the department previously told other publications it included Velez's research because it showed a higher occurrence of miscarriage among vaccinated individuals. Velez said the raw data included in her study showed a slightly higher incidence of miscarriage among pregnant people who received the shot, but pointed out when the results were adjusted for other variables which could result in loss of pregnancy, her findings did not show an increased risk associated with vaccination. Additionally, a reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist based in New York City (archived here), told AFP her study looking at Covid-19 vaccination in people undergoing in-vitro fertilization cited in the document did not find an association between the shots and adverse stimulation or early pregnancy outcomes (archived here). "Our study provides evidence to support safety of Covid-19 vaccination in women who are trying to conceive," she said in a June 26 email. said the document misused data and incorrectly quoted findings, sowing doubt about the safety of vaccines. "The latest correspondence from HHS regarding the decision to rescind the Covid-19 vaccine recommendation for pregnant women further confirms that the decision was not made based on any new research or latest scientific evidence, Research has demonstrated that the Covid-19 vaccine is generally safe during pregnancy and a meta-analysis of 66 studies found vaccination reduced the odds of infection and hospitalization, while the most common adverse side effect was pain at the injection site (archived here and here). Children and Covid-19 vaccines The Covid-19 vaccines are estimated to have saved millions of lives (archived here). Physicians and immunology experts have continually told AFP the risks of being infected with the virus far outweigh potential, infrequent side effects from the shots (archived here). Age raises the risk of serious illness and the World Health Organization only recommends vaccination beyond an initial series for children and adolescents with comorbidities (archived here and here). According to the CDC website, the agency still recommends boosters for children who are sed and The HHS memo sent to lawmakers put a particular emphasis on myocarditis and pericarditis, inflammations of the tissue around the heart. While these are noted as possible side effects of Covid-19 vaccination, with a slightly higher prevalence of the reaction observed among younger male recipients of mRNA shots, the papers cited in the memo included a study previously featured in misleading claims debunked by AFP (archived here). The research only found the inflammatory conditions among vaccinated youth, but one of the paper's authors noted to AFP at the time that the observational study may have missed cases in unvaccinated patients which would have been picked up in a randomized trial. The study also found the cases of myocarditis and pericarditis were mild and fast resolving, while vaccination reduced hospitalization from Covid-19. Another study looking at data from the HHS run Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System claimed a strong association between vaccination and myocarditis and death (archived here), but one of the authors has a history of spreading false information about the shots. Additionally, the journal Therapeutic Advances in Drug Safety, where the study appeared, issued an expression of concern about potential issues with the methodology and conflicts of interest (archived here). Dubious evidence The misrepresentation of studies' findings in the document fits into a larger pattern of HHS overhauling health policy while citing dubious evidence. The highly anticipated "Make America Healthy Again" report released on May 22 investigating children's health was initially published citing several sources that did not exist. It was updated, but experts said it still contained errors, including the misrepresentation of research findings. Kennedy also dismissed all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), of being compromised by financial ties to pharmaceutical companies. He replaced them with several individuals known to spread vaccine misinformation, including controversial researcher Robert Malone, who has promoted the antiparastic drug ivermectin to treat Covid-19. The former ACIP members published an editorial in the JAMA medical journal, saying their removal and the reduction Image Robert Malone speaks during a first meeting of the CDC's Advisory Committee On Immunization Practices on June 25, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia (GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Elijah Nouvelage) The committee said it plans to revisit the childhood vaccine schedule and voted to bar thimerosal, a rarely used ingredient that can prevent bacterial contamination in multidose vials of influenza vaccines. ging from the anti-vaccine movement, which regularly questions shot ingredients despite no evidence of harm. Read more of AFP's reporting on health misinformation here.
Indian Express
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘She was gardening—then vanished': 47 years in US, ICE arrests 64-year-old Iranian woman in New Orleans
A 64-year-old Iranian woman, who has lived in the US since 1978, was detained by immigration agents outside her New Orleans home on Sunday—just hours after US airstrikes in Iran. Madonna 'Donna' Kashanian was gardening when plainclothes officers in unmarked vehicles handcuffed her and took her to a Mississippi jail before transferring her to the South Louisiana ICE processing center in Basile, Nola reported. Kashanian, who arrived in the US on a student visa and later sought asylum due to her father's ties to the Shah of Iran, was denied asylum but granted a stay of removal. Her family insists she complied with all immigration requirements and has no criminal record. The arrest came amid a nationwide ICE sweep that reportedly netted 11 Iranians over the weekend. Federal officials did not explain the timing, though Kashanian's case has sparked outrage among neighbours and immigrant rights advocates. Her husband and daughter are now scrambling to find legal help. ICE also detained two Iranian LSU students in Baton Rouge this week, part of a broader uptick in enforcement. Government data shows an 807% rise in arrests of people with no criminal records since Donald Trump's second term began in January. ICE currently detains around 59,000 people nationwide. Earlier this week, in a shocking incident caught on video, a 32-year-old US citizen was arrested during an immigration raid in downtown Los Angeles, sparking outrage and raising concerns about racial profiling and ICE overreach. Andrea Velez, a college graduate and lifelong US citizen, was reportedly taken into custody without explanation or proper identification checks. Her family, who witnessed the event, said the arrest resembled a 'kidnapping.' 'My mom looked at the rear mirror and saw how my sister was attacked from the back,' Estrella Rosas told ABC7. 'She was like: 'They're kidnapping your sister.'' Footage shows federal agents surrounding Velez as stunned onlookers gather. Her mother, Margarita Flores, who holds US residency, screamed for help from a nearby car. Eyewitness videos appear to show agents lifting Velez off the ground and carrying her away. Her family said ICE agents did not ask for ID or explain the reason for the arrest. 'She's a US citizen,' Rosas can be heard screaming in the video. 'They're taking her. Help her, someone.' Velez's mother told CBS Los Angeles: 'The only thing wrong with her … was the color of her skin.' Attorneys for the family said it took them over a day to locate Velez, with no information provided by authorities. 'It took us four hours to find her, and we're attorneys. That's crazy,' Dominique Boubion said. The Department of Homeland Security has alleged Velez was arrested for assaulting an ICE officer, but lawyers say no charges have been communicated. This is not the first time such incidents have occurred. A government report found that between 2015 and 2020, ICE erroneously deported at least 70 US citizens, arrested 674, and detained 121.
NBC News
27-06-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
ICE detained a U.S. citizen in L.A. and charged her with obstructing an arrest
The family of a 32-year-old U.S. citizen said she was wrongfully detained by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officers and falsely accused of "forcefully obstructing" officers during an immigration raid in downtown Los Angeles Tuesday morning. Andrea Velez appeared in federal court Thursday charged with assaulting a federal officer while he was attempting to arrest a suspect and was released on $5,000 bail. She did not enter a plea and is due back in court on July 17. The arrest comes as ICE and other federal agents have arrested thousands of people, many of whom have not committed any crimes. President Donald Trump promised aggressive immigration enforcement and mass deportations as part of his campaign platform. Velez's sister, Estrella Rosas, and their mother saw the incident unfold moments after dropping Velez off at 9th and Main Street, where she works as a marketing designer. Rosas said she saw officers throw Velez to the ground and then put her in an unmarked vehicle. "We dropped off my sister to go to work like we always do. All of a sudden, my mom in the rearview mirror, she saw how a man went on top of her. Basically, dropped her on the floor and started putting her in handcuffs and trying to arrest her," Rosas told NBC Los Angeles. Rosas recorded her and her mother's reaction while watching the arrest. "That's my sister. They're taking her. Help her, someone. She's a U.S. citizen," Rosas says in the video. The Union Del Barrio group, which supports Latin American and Mexican communities, posted video to Instagram that shows four officers detaining someone on the ground at the scene. Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, said in a statement that Velez was arrested for "impeding an arrest after she forcefully obstructed an ICE officer by making physical contact with him." Luis Hipolito was also arrested at the same time for allegedly assaulting an ICE officer, she said. McLaughlin said both he and Velez "kept ICE law enforcement from arresting the target illegal alien of their operation." "Secretary Noem has been clear: if you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," McLaughin said. She added, without citing evidence nor a timeframe, that ICE officers face a 500% increase in assaults. A criminal complaint alleges that Velez "stepped into an officer's path and and extended one of her arms in an apparent effort to prevent him from apprehending a male suspect he was chasing and that Velez's outstretched arm struck that officer in the face." But Velez and her family dispute this and are considering launching a civil lawsuit against the federal officers. "Andrea is a victim of excessive use of force by federal agents, they had no right to stop her and no right to beat her. What you see in the videos is police brutality," Luis Carillo, Velez's attorney, told NBC Los Angeles. The LAPD said it was called to the scene in response to a report of a kidnapping in progress by individuals who wouldn't identify themselves, but officers arrived to find a federal operation. The police said they had no prior knowledge of the operation and that while the crowd became "increasingly agitated," they made no arrests. The statement mentioned the arrest of a woman, thought to be Velez, but did not mention her by name nor mention any alleged assault. "At one point, a partially handcuffed woman approached and stood near a LAPD officer. After several minutes, a Federal agent approached and assumed control of the woman. LAPD was not involved in her detention or arrest," the police statement said. Rosas, who is also a U.S. citizen, said her older sister is a graduate of Cal Poly and has never been in trouble with the law. "When I saw the videos, they made me feel really upset," she said. "I'm a U.S. citizen, my sister is a U.S. citizen and we have rights and they violated her rights, so it doesn't make me feel secure that they're going to protect or respect my rights."
