(NewsUSA) - Second Term by J.M. Adams

A lame duck president's desperate power grab threatens democracy in the United States— can a former intelligence operative and single mother prevent catastrophe? 

September 2012. Cora Walker, a DIA defense operative, learns of a terrorist plot in Benghazi and rushes to a secret installation to stop it. When her superiors ignore her warnings, she mounts an attempt to thwart the attack. Her team barely repels the large force of invaders.

Sixteen years later, as press secretary for the Speaker and a single mom, Cora struggles to balance her job and home life. Then, the lame duck president suspends habeas corpus and begins arresting members of Congress in a desperate attempt to retain power. An explosive finale exposes what can really happen to democracy when political extremism reaches new heights. Perfect for fans of Vince Flynn and Brad Thor. Purchase at https://bit.ly/42o7j8T.

Faded Genes by Patrick Girondi

The latest work from the unconventional author Patrick Girondi. A 47-year-old Pittsburgh insurance man and his busted night club singing friend go to Italy in hope of finding a bone marrow donor. Danny’s life was mundanely ordinary. His weekdays ended watching all-star wrestling with his mother, and his weekends were spent in bars with Patg, a broken-down crooner, and Kevin, a drunk.

Then Danny is diagnosed with a flash leukemia. There are no transplant matches and little hope. His mother confesses that to avoid deportation, his biological father had taken off for Italy before he was born. Papà has no idea that he has a son. Danny heads off for southern Italy with Patg. Patg’s Italian is worse than his voice. It all makes for a compelling situation in which cultural lines are drawn and broken.  Purchase at https://bit.ly/44jAyKz.

Rain Dodging by Susan Godwin

Scholar Susan Godwin is hooked when she comes across the captivating story of Mary of Modena—a seventeenth-century Italian princess who was only fourteen when coerced into marriage with the future king of England, James II, yet went on to cultivate a court full of women writers in an age when female authorship was rare. How did Mary achieve such a feat?

 Rain Dodging is Susan’s creative nonfiction account of the years-long search upon which this question—and her own unquenchable curiosity—launched her. Godwin travels through both space and time, solo adventuring through Britain in pursuit of truth and, in a spicy parallel arc, chronicling her own cluttered but resilient feminist path. Join Susan in this irreverent and illuminating journey—a fascinating account of the late Stuart monarchy, the progression of feminist history, and the unexpected connection between the two. Purchase at bit.ly/3POo7SU.

Moonshot by James Philip Arbuckle and Kane Carpenter

A book that breaks away from typical business books and presents a unique dual perspective on each topic, focusing on three key areas: human capital and culture, marketing for growth, and operations. As such, each chapter is broken down into two perspectives: James’s and Kane’s. The commentary has a candid and entertaining quality, peppered with pop culture references for a touch of edutainment. On other occasions, the views are more analytical and insight-driven.

The authors are two people who are completely different in almost every way, shape, and form, but when it comes to business, they think very much alike. They’ve been a powerful combination for the companies they’ve built and for the clients they’ve advised, acting more as growth hackers than traditional management consultants. Purchase at https://www.amazon.com/Moonshot-Hypersonic-Strategies-Marketing-Operations/dp/B0CKWT9LFN/

(NewsUSA) - In the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, strange symptoms began to surface.

After becoming infected with COVID-19, people were reporting lingering health problems. Extreme fatigue, loss of taste and smell, and “brain fog,” were among some of the symptoms people reported.

Today, more than 200 symptoms affecting the entire body are associated with what is called Long COVID. Long COVID describes symptoms people experience weeks, months, or even years after a COVID infection.

Patients experiencing these symptoms not only gave their condition its name—"Long COVID”—but also inspired scientists around the world to conduct research on it.

Exploring the Unknown

In the United States, one of the largest research efforts exploring Long COVID is Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery, or the RECOVER Initiative.

The RECOVER Initiative is a nationwide research study dedicated to understanding COVID-19 and exploring why some people develop Long COVID. The study involves thousands of participants, hundreds of researchers, millions of health records, and the voices of patients, caregivers, and community members.   

Unraveling the mystery of Long COVID is not easy, but RECOVER has made significant progress in understanding this complex condition with the help of study participants. Recently, a team of RECOVER researchers studied data from nearly 10,000 people and found clues about Long COVID symptoms and risk factors that may help with future treatments.

Representation Matters

Researchers now know that COVID-19 affects different people in different ways. But historically, non-whites have been underrepresented in clinical research. Because of this, RECOVER is committed to the inclusion of racial and ethnic minorities in its studies.

Ensuring representation in RECOVER research helps make Long COVID treatments safe and effective for all communities.

To make this possible, the people involved in RECOVER studies should reflect the diversity of people who live in this country.

Voices of RECOVER

Members of the of Hispanic and Latino, Black, Asian and Pacific Islander, and American Indian communities are among the groups most impacted by Long COVID.

Hear from three Latina voices within RECOVER about what their work in Long COVID research means for them and their communities.

“As a member of the LatinX community, having a role in research is important to me because I can be a vessel to disseminate information to help other Latinos understand how COVID and Long COVID can affect them.”

Leah Castro Baucom, RECOVER Representative, Long COVID Patient & Caregiver

“By better understanding the science behind COVID-19 and Long COVID, we can learn how to better protect ourselves, our families and our communities, and support one another in recovery and survival of this virus and its long term affects.”

Leyna Aragon, RECOVER Representative, Long COVID Caregiver

“My community was hugely and negatively impacted by COVID, so research requires the participation of Latinos like me to find effective solutions for all of us.”

Marta Cerda, RECOVER Representative, Long COVID Patient

RECOVER is seeking thousands of volunteers from diverse communities across the nation, including adults, children, and parents or caregivers.

Visit studies.recovercovid.org[CD1]  to learn more and find a study site near you.

(NewsUSA) - En medio de la pandemia de coronavirus, comenzaron a aparecer síntomas extraños.

Después de haber sido infectadas con COVID-19, algunas personas estaban reportando problemas de salud persistentes. La fatiga extrema, la pérdida del gusto y el olfato, y la “confusión mental”, fueron algunos de los síntomas que las personas reportaron.

Hoy en día, más de 200 síntomas que afectan a todo el cuerpo están asociados con lo que se llama COVID persistente. El COVID persistente describe los síntomas que las personas tienen semanas, meses o incluso años después de una infección por COVID.

Los pacientes que tuvieron estos síntomas no solo le dieron nombre a la enfermedad, “COVID persistente,” sino que también inspiraron a científicos de todo el mundo a investigarla.

Explorar lo desconocido

En los Estados Unidos, uno de los mayores esfuerzos de investigación que estudia el COVID persistente es la Investigación sobre el COVID para Mejorar la Recuperación o la iniciativa RECOVER, por las siglas en inglés de Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery.

La iniciativa RECOVER es un estudio de investigación nacional dedicado a comprender el COVID-19 y a explorar por qué algunas personas desarrollan COVID persistente. El estudio incluye a miles de participantes, cientos de investigadores, millones de registros de salud y las voces de pacientes, cuidadores y miembros de la comunidad.

No es fácil comprender el misterio del COVID persistente, pero RECOVER ha hecho progreso significativo en la comprensión de esta compleja condición con la ayuda de los participantes del estudio. Recientemente, un equipo de investigadores de RECOVER estudiaron datos de casi 10,000 personas y encontraron pistas sobre los síntomas del COVID persistente y los factores de riesgo que pueden ayudar con futuros tratamientos.

La representación importa

Los investigadores saben ahora que el COVID-19 afecta a diferentes personas de diferentes maneras. Sin embargo, históricamente, las personas que no son de raza blanca no están adecuadamente representadas en la investigación clínica. Debido a esto, RECOVER está comprometido con la inclusión de minorías raciales y étnicas en sus estudios.

Garantizar la representación en la investigación RECOVER ayuda a que los tratamientos contra el COVID persistente sean seguros y eficaces para todas las comunidades.

Para que esto sea esto posible, las personas que participan en los estudios RECOVER deben reflejar la diversidad de las personas que viven en este país.

Voces de RECOVER

Los miembros de las comunidades hispana y latina, de raza negra, asiática y de las islas del Pacífico, e indígena americana, se encuentran entre los grupos más afectados por el COVID persistente.

Escuche a tres voces latinas de RECOVER sobre lo que significa para ellas y sus comunidades su trabajo en la investigación sobre el COVID persistente.

“Como miembro de la comunidad LatinX, cumplir un rol en la investigación es importante para mí porque puedo ser un medio para divulgar información que ayude a otros latinos a comprender cómo el COVID y el COVID persistente pueden afectarlos”.

Leah Castro Baucom, Representante de RECOVER, paciente y cuidadora con COVID persistente

“Al comprender mejor los conceptos científicos detrás del COVID-19 y el COVID persistente, podemos aprender a protegernos mejor, proteger a nuestras familias y a nuestras comunidades, y apoyarnos mutuamente en la recuperación y supervivencia de este virus y sus efectos a largo plazo”.

Leyna Aragon, Representante de RECOVER, cuidadora de COVID persistente

“Mi comunidad se vio afectada enormemente y de manera negativa por el COVID, por lo que la investigación requiere de la participación de latinos como yo para encontrar soluciones eficaces para todos nosotros”.

Marta Cerda, Representante de RECOVER, paciente con COVID persistente

RECOVER busca miles de voluntarios de diversas comunidades de todo el país, incluidos adultos, niños y padres o cuidadores.

Visite https://studies.recovercovid.org/es para recibir más información y encontrar un centro de estudio cerca de usted.

(NewsUSA) - How prepared are all you women out there for retirement?

Hopefully better than the 42 percent of adult females in a new study from financial services firm Edward Jones and Age Wave who said they owned no investments – including employer-sponsored retirement savings accounts.

That’s particularly troubling since women typically live longer than men – five years longer, on average, in the U.S. – and having enough money to weather everything from health setbacks to widowhood in their lifetimes takes planning.  Working with a trusted financial advisor can help see you through it all.

(NewsUSA) - Washington, DC.—The International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) announced on August 18 that it has registered the request for arbitration made by Amadeus Group, which is based in Albania, and its affiliate in North Macedonia, Amadeus Development DOOEL, against the Republic of North Macedonia.  The request for arbitration charges that North Macedonia expropriated Amadeus’ investment in a hotel and commercial center in Skopje, all violations of the North Macedonia-Albania bilateral investment treaty, and seeks a damage award of at least $110 million.

The decision by Gonzalo Flores, the Acting Secretary General of ICSID, to accept Amadeus’ request for arbitration represents an escalation of a 10-year saga.  Amadeus Group, working through its local entity, Amadeus Development, purchased property in Skopje after winning an electronic public bid held by the North Macedonia Ministry of Transport on October 15, 2013.  A well-known American investment firm would have partnered with Amadeus in the proposed development in the heart of Skopje.

But the local government almost immediately stepped in to frustrate Amadeus’ investment.  Then, having waylaid Amadeus at every turn and in direct contradiction to decisions by the Macedonian Constitutional Court, Administrative Court, Transport Ministry, and Ombudsman ordering the Government to allow Amadeus to proceed, the Macedonian government wrongly found Amadeus at fault for not finishing construction by its original deadline, revoked its permits and licenses, and took the bond Amadeus was required to deposit. 

The blatant political motivation to discriminate against Amadeus was revealed by Andrej Žernovski and Petre Shilegov, Mayors of Skopje City, and subsequently by Sasha Bogdanović, Mayor of the Municipality of Centar of Skopje.   On multiple different occasions each told the press that they would never allow an Albanian company, and specifically Amadeus, to build or operate a business in Centar.  Indeed, during the same time in which it refused to allow Amadeus as an Albanian company to construct the hotel and commercial center, the local government permitted another non-Albanian investor group to construct a Marriott Hotel on the other side of the same square. 

The battle now shifts to ICSID, the dispute resolution arm of the World Bank.

Following the expropriation of Amadeus’ property, the City of Skopje and Municipality of Centar erected structures on the property as if it were the owner of the property.  For example, in August 2020, a pedestal and memorial honoring Mother Teresa were erected on Amadeus’s land without its consent.

“Mother Teresa would be spinning in her grave if she knew that her memorial was built on stolen property,” said Bart S. Fisher, Senior Counsel for Amadeus.  “Moreover, North Macedonia has violated domestic and international legal obligations owed to investors, and demonstrated by its actions in this case that it is not yet worthy of admission to the European Union,” Fisher said.

Image caption 1: Amadeus Development Project in the Center of Skopje
Image caption 2: Press conference of Petre Shilegov, Mayor of Skopje City

(NewsUSA) - September 10 is Grandparents’ Day! It’s a time to celebrate the special bond between grandparents (or great-grandparents and other caregivers!) and grandkids. You can show your grandkids how much you care — and help them stay safe— by keeping medicines up and away when you spend time together.                                                                                                                                                                          

In 2020, about 35,000 children under the age of 5 years were brought to emergency rooms after getting into medicine that was left within reach. More than 70% of these children were 2 years of age or younger – a stage that involves exploring their surroundings and often putting things into their mouths.  However, children (and pets!) can get sick if they swallow medicines, vitamins, or other supplements they’re not supposed to have, including gummies.

“Medicines often come in bright colors that look like candy and gummy formulations can look, smell, and taste like the fruit snacks that many toddlers enjoy,” says Mike Bell, MD, Deputy Director, CDC’s Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion. “It may be tempting to leave your next dose of medication out so that you remember to take it, but when young children are around, it’s important to keep all medicines out of their reach and sight.”

This Grandparents’ Day, the Up and Away campaign of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-led PROTECT Initiative, is reminding grandparents and caregivers to keep medication safety top of mind any time they are caring for, visiting, or preparing for a visit from their grandkids.   

Follow these tips to help your grandkids stay safe: 

• Grandkids coming over? Take time to sweep or vacuum the floor before they arrive. It’s easy for pills to fall on the floor and roll out of sight where young children (or pets) could find them.
• Whether you’re at home or visiting with family, put medicines up and away in a place your grandkids can’t see or reach. For example, you can put them in a high cabinet or on a high closet shelf rather than leaving medications on a nightstand, bathroom, or kitchen counter.
• If you carry medicines with you in your bag or purse, keep them in child-resistant containers — and keep your bag or purse where young kids can’t see or reach it.

Learn more about how to keep medicines somewhere safe at UpAndAway.org.

If you think a child might have swallowed a medicine, vitamin, or other supplement, get help right away — even if you’re not sure. Call Poison Help at 800-222-1222 or go to PoisonHelp.org.