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☆ Smoke hangs over US Midwest, East, hurting air quality
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Brendan O'Brien | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Air quality alerts were also in effect for New York state, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., and parts of North Carolina. In all, more than 100 million Americans were dealing with poor air quality on Wednesday afternoon. The city's air quality was categorized as "very unhealthy" by AirNow.govBy midday, the worst air quality in the United States was detected in Decatur, Illinois, about 180 miles (290 km) south of Chicago, according to AirNow, which categorized the air in the city of 70,000 as "Hazardous." "Everyone should stay indoors and reduce activity levels," said the government website, which tracks pollution. In Toronto, Ontario's most populous city, the Air Quality Health Index was forecast to reach 9 on a 10-point scale on Wednesday, indicating a high level of risk.

Persons: Brendan O'Brien, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: U.S . Midwest, National Weather Service, D.C, AirNow.gov, Air, Thomson Locations: Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, New York, New Jersey , Pennsylvania, Washington, North Carolina, Chicago, United States, Decatur , Illinois, Ontario, Quebec, Toronto, Ontario's, Canada, West Virginia, U.S, , Florida, California

☆ You're more likely to live the American dream in Germany, Denmark, or Australia
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Matt Turner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

But a child born in poverty in America is more likely to face poverty in adulthood than in many Western countries. Recent research shows that's more likely to happen in Denmark, Germany, Australia, and the UK. Their finding: "Intergenerational poverty in the U.S. is four times stronger than in Denmark and Germany, and twice as strong as in Australia and the UK." Bocconi University, Rockwool Foundation and Stockholm UniversityThis table shows what the researchers call "intergenerational persistence of poverty" across five countries. So yes, you're more likely to experience the American Dream in many countries outside the US.

Persons: —, Pedro Nicolaci da Costa Organizations: Service, Bocconi University, Rockwool Foundation, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Locations: America, Denmark, Germany, Australia, U.S, American, Danish, Canada

☆ Western Canada covered in smoke as wildfires loosen grip on Quebec
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Ismail Shakil | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/4] Smoke billows upwards from the Donnie Creek wildfire (G80280) south of Fort Nelson, British Columbia, Canada June 11, 2023. Wildfire Service/Handout via REUTERSOTTAWA, June 12 (Reuters) - Smoke shrouded Western Canada on Monday as wildfires flared again in the main oil-producing province of Alberta, while firefighters in Quebec doused some of the worst early season blazes, allowing thousands of evacuees to return home. "If you look at western Canada, it's completely covered by the smoke and that continues into Tuesday," federal meteorologist Gerald Cheng told reporters on Monday. "The risk for smoke is very high because the winds are really transporting the smoke throughout Alberta today and even into Tuesday." (Click here to read what health experts say about wildfire smoke.)

Persons: it's, Gerald Cheng, Cheng, Anita, Ismail Shakil, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Wildfire Service, REUTERS OTTAWA, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire, TC Energy, Health, U.S ., Canadian Defence, Thomson Locations: Fort Nelson, British Columbia, Canada, Alberta, Quebec, Netherlands, Europe, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Edson, Edmonton, McMurray, U.S . East Coast, Alberta , Nova Scotia, Ottawa

Smoke from wildfires in Quebec has settled over southern Ontario and travelled into the United States, disrupting flights and sending people indoors. On Wednesday mask supplier United Canada sent out an email with "Wildfire Season Safety Tips" that included an N95 mask. It's "a little disheartening" to be wearing a mask again, she said, but "that's what you have to do. Hume-Beardall added she hopes the spectre of smoky air "is a little bit of a wakeup call to people around the environment." Studies in people have linked wildfire smoke with higher rates of heart attacks, strokes, and cardiac arrests, increases in emergency room visits for respiratory conditions, and weakened immune defenses.

Persons: Canada Strong, Rivi Hume, Hume, Beardall, Samantha Green, Green, Marietta Haberer, Anna Mehler Paperny, Diane Craft Organizations: TORONTO, United Canada, Reuters, Unity Health, Toronto . Studies, Thomson Locations: Canada, Atlantic Canada, Quebec, Ontario, United States, Toronto

☆ New York City residents urged to stay indoors as unhealthy air quality from Canadian wildfires persists
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Aya Elamroussi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York City public schools canceled all outdoor activities Wednesday, but will remain open. At least 10 school districts in central New York state canceled outdoor activities and events Tuesday. By 7 a.m. Wednesday, New York City’s air quality index was just below 180, a designation of “unhealthy,” according to IQair. New York City tallied to the worst air quality of any major metropolitan area Tuesday at 10 p.m., IQair’s data showed. Cities including New York, Philadelphia and Washington, DC, are expected to see their air quality improve throughout the day.

Persons: Eric Adams, IQair, ”, William Barrett Organizations: CNN, New, Carolinas, National Weather Service, New York, . New York City, Doha, Air, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire, World Health Organization, American Lung Association Locations: Canada, New York, New York City, Massachusetts , New Hampshire , Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Wednesday, . New, New Delhi, India, Qatar, Baghdad, Iraq, Lahore, Pakistan, Quebec, South Carolina, Philadelphia, Washington, Boston, Pittsburgh, Raleigh , North Carolina

☆ New York City tops world's worst air pollution list from Canada wildfire smoke
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Emma Newburger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Smoke from the Canadian wildfires blankets New York City affecting air quality on June 7th, 2023. A man sits at the bus stop with a mask on his face in New York City, June 6, 2023. Selcuk Acar | Anadolu Agency | Getty ImagesMillions of people in the Midwest are experiencing dangerous air quality conditions, with air quality advisories in effect in southeastern Minnesota, parts of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and areas in Wisconsin. Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of global wildfires and air pollution from wildfire smoke is also growing worse. Last year, Stanford researchers found millions of Americans are routinely exposed to wildfire smoke pollution at levels rarely seen only a decade ago.

Persons: Leslie Josephs, Kathy Hochul, Hochul, Eric Adams, Adams, Gary Hershorn, Selcuk Organizations: Federal Aviation Administration, New York's, Newark Liberty International, CNBC New York Gov, Wednesday, Health, CIRA, NOAA, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Quality Health, Corbis, Getty, Canada, Anadolu Agency, of, National Weather Service, Stanford Locations: New York City, Northeastern U.S, Kist, York, Canada, York City, Quebec, New York, Herald Square, Manhattan , New York, Minnesota, of Michigan, Wisconsin, Air, New England

☆ Toronto, Ottawa covered in smoke from wildfires
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

OTTAWA, June 6 (Reuters) - Smoke from wildfires in eastern Canada has polluted the air over Toronto and Ottawa and triggered health alerts from Environment Canada on Tuesday. The national capital of Ottawa, which borders Quebec, was covered in haze on Tuesday morning, with air quality in category 10+, the worst level on Environment Canada's Air Quality Health Index, indicating "very high risk". "Smoke plumes from local forest fires as well as forest fires in Quebec have resulted in deteriorated air quality," Environment Canada said in an air quality alert for Ottawa. The air over Toronto was also polluted due to Quebec fires and conditions could persist through most of this week, the government run weather agency said. Wildfires are common in Canada's western provinces, but this year flames have been mushrooming rapidly in eastern Canada, forcing home evacuations and the federal government to send in the military.

Persons: Justin Trudeau, Ismail Shakil, Ed Osmond Organizations: OTTAWA, Environment Canada, Canada's, Health, Ottawa, Thomson Locations: Canada, Toronto, Ottawa, Quebec

☆ Canadian wildfire smoke creates hazy skies and unhealthy air quality in New York City
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Emma Newburger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The sun is shrouded as it rises in a hazy, smoky sky behind the Empire State Building, One Vanderbilt and the Chrysler Building in New York City, as seen from Jersey City, New Jersey, June 6, 2023. New York City has some of the worst air quality in the country this week because of smoke that has drifted south from wildfires burning in Canada. The ratings for air quality levels across the five boroughs reached into the 150s Tuesday, according to the U.S. government online platform AirNow. Officials warned residents to limit time outdoors and emphasized people with respiratory illnesses or heart disease are especially vulnerable to the dangerous air quality conditions. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation issued an air quality health advisory Tuesday for New York, Bronx, Kings, Queens and Richmond counties and the surrounding suburbs.

Organizations: Vanderbilt, Chrysler, World Health Organization, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Locations: New York City, Jersey City , New Jersey, Canada, New York, Bronx, Kings, Queens, Richmond

☆ Amazon's virtual clinic helps customers avoid crowded wait rooms and pharmacy visits. Here's how to get the care you need in a few clicks.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Sponsor Post | Created Amazon Clinic With Insider Studios | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

People can struggle to get on their primary healthcare providers' busy calendar or endure long wait times at walk-in clinics for common conditions like erectile dysfunction or a urinary tract infection. The pandemic accelerated the adoption and proliferation of telehealth, and today services like Amazon Clinic have changed how people can receive quality healthcare. Amazon Clinic is an accessible virtual health service that allows customers to choose from a group of licensed third-party telehealth providers. In a world that prioritizes convenience without sacrificing quality, Amazon Clinic brings a new level of accessible, patient-centric healthcare from a company that has already transformed the customer experience in countless ways. This post was created by Amazon Clinic with Insider Studios.

Organizations: Amazon Clinic, Insider Studios

[1/3] Smoke rises above the southeast perimeter of the Paskwa fire (HWF030) as it burns near Fox Lake, Alberta, Canada May 16, 2023. Alberta Wildfire/Handout via REUTERSMay 17 (Reuters) - Smoke blanketed the skies over much of Alberta on Wednesday as firefighters from Canada and the United States battled raging wildfires that have prompted evacuations, disrupted rail service and shuttered energy production in Canada's main oil-producing province. Of estimated May production volumes, about 60% are currently subject to extreme wildfire danger levels, with the remaining 40% subject to very high danger, Oslo-based Rystad said. Wildfire smoke has covered a large part of Western Canada. Air quality in places including Edmonton and Alberta has deteriorated to category 10+, the worst level on Environment Canada's Air Quality Health Index, indicating "very high risk."

☆ India builds more hospitals as population surges but doctors in short supply
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Shivam Patel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

The problem is a lack of doctors, a shortage that is reaching crucial levels as India becomes the world's most populous nation. Inaugurating the first specialised medical institute in northeast India last month, Modi said his government had sought to increase the number of doctors by setting up more medical colleges. The number of public hospitals, excluding specialised institutes, has risen some 9% in Modi’s time at the top, government data shows. The government says there was a near 80% shortage of surgeons, physicians, gynaecologists and paediatricians at community health centres in rural India as of March 2022. Specialist doctors tend to go overseas or join the private sector in metropolitan and other large cities, said Dr K. Srinath Reddy, at the Public Health Foundation of India non-profit.

CNN —Harry Belafonte, the dashing singer, actor and activist who became an indispensable supporter of the civil rights movement, has died, his publicist Ken Sunshine told CNN. Bettmann Archive/Getty Images Belafonte, left, plays a school principal in a scene from the film "See How They Run" in 1952. Bettmann Archive/Getty Images Belafonte poses with the Emmy Award he won in 1960 for the musical special "Tonight With Belafonte." Fred Sabine/NBCU/Getty Images Belafonte and other recipients of Albert Einstein Commemorative Awards display their medallions after being honored in 1972. He is survived by his wife Pamela, his children Adrienne Belafonte Biesemeyer, Shari Belafonte, Gina Belafonte, David Belafonte, two stepchildren Sarah Frank and Lindsey Frank and eight grandchildren.

☆ New study suggests Black women should be screened earlier for breast cancer
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Jacqueline Howard | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

CNN —A new study on breast cancer deaths raises questions around whether Black women should screen at earlier ages. Even though Black women have a 4% lower incidence rate of breast cancer than White women, they have a 40% higher breast cancer death rate. “When the breast cancer mortality rate for Black women in their 40s is 27 deaths per 100,000 person-years, this means 27 out of every 100,000 Black women aged 40-49 in the US die of breast cancer during one year of follow-up. They also wrote that health policy makers should pursue equity, not just equality, when it comes to breast cancer screening as a tool to help reduce breast cancer death rates. Having dense tissue in the breast can make it more difficult for radiologists to identify breast cancer on a mammogram, and women with dense breast tissue have a higher risk of breast cancer.

☆ Temasek buys 41% stake in India's Manipal Health for $2 bln- source
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MUMBAI, April 10 (Reuters) - Singapore-based sovereign wealth fund Temasek said on Monday that it is acquiring an additional 41% stake in India's Manipal Health Enterprises from investors including TPG, boosting its stake in one of the country's largest hospital chains to 59%. While Manipal did not specify the deal value, Temasek has paid about $2 billion for the additional stake, said a person with direct knowledge of the matter. Private equity firm TPG, an investor in Manipal since 2015, will fully exit its stake, though it will reinvest via a new fund. India's sovereign wealth fund, the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF), will also sell its full stake to Temasek, while Manipal founder Ranjan Pai's family holding will reduce from about 50% to 30%. "By re-investing through our new Asia fund – TPG Asia VIII, we look forward to continuing to support Manipal's mission of bridging the quality healthcare infrastructure gap in the country," said Puneet Bhatia, co-managing partner of TPG Capital Asia.

☆ In COVID China, a hospital bed can hinge on who you know, red packets
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Engen Tham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

After hours of frantic calls, Steven was taken to a packed hospital and given oxygen and a bed in a children’s ward. If you know the head of the hospital, then there won’t be trouble getting a bed," a Shanghai doctor said. Although China has tried to crack down on doctor bribery, the regulatory focus has been on payments from pharmaceutical companies rather than patients. Doctors and experts said the use of red packets and "guanxi", or connections, to gain access persists. "Many of those rural patients, COVID patients, that had severe symptoms would choose not to proactively seek care; instead they just die at home," Huang said.

☆ George Santos' attack on Colombian Botox is 'completely false,' Medical Tourism Association CEO says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Nicole Gaudiano | Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A leaked audio recording of George Santos revealed him disparaging Colombian Botox treatments as "diluted." The Medical Tourism Association CEO rejects that premise, calling it "completely false." The comment riled the CEO of the Medical Tourism Association, who called it yet another "absurd" statement from the embattled Santos. If you go to the right physicians, clinics or hospitals you are not going to be receiving diluted Botox." "You could receive diluted botox here in the US or receive Botox that isn't even real, or by a doctor here who actually isn't a doctor," he said.

☆ Utah is poised to be the first state to pass a gender-affirming care ban in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( Jo Yurcaba | Jo Yurcaba Is A Reporter For Nbc Out. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

Utah is likely to become the first state to ban gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors this year. The Utah Senate approved a bill Friday that would bar minors from receiving gender-affirming surgeries and place an indefinite moratorium on their access to puberty blockers and hormone therapy. Spencer Cox, who became the second Republican governor last year to veto a bill that bars transgender students from playing girls’ sports. Bri Martin, the editor of the student newspaper at West High School, described gender-affirming care as “nothing short of life-saving,” the Salt Lake Tribune reported. The bill also allows minors to sue medical providers for malpractice for gender-affirming medical care if the minor “later disaffirms consent” before they turn 25.

☆ Health care is in crisis. New York’s nurses strike is just the latest sign
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

It is just the latest in a series of job actions across the nation by nurses’ unions and other health care workers who say they had to strike in order to provide patients with quality health care. Of the 20 major strikes tracked by the Labor Department over the first 11 months of 2022, seven of them, or 35%, were in health care. The surge in health care related strikes comes despite the fact that only 3% of union members nationwide work at private sector health care jobs. “Labor is the main expense in health care, so how do you make money? If someone is tired, overworked, sleep deprived, they’re going to make more mistakes.”A nurse’s strike won’t help patients in the short term, he said.

☆ Walgreens CEO Roz Brewer wants to make getting healthcare as easy as going to your neighborhood pharmacy
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Marguerite Ward | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Brewer, 60, is chasing a new first of sorts in her role at Walgreens: turning the $33 billion pharmacy chain into a destination healthcare company. After stepping into power at America's second-largest pharmacy during the deadliest disease event in US history, Brewer has been pursuing a wide-ranging strategy to remake the company. The company's larger rival, CVS Health, is following a similar strategy of making healthcare a bigger part of its business. "Dispensing of pharmaceuticals is not going to be our long-term growth avenue," Brewer said at a 2022 healthcare-industry conference, according to FierceHealthcare. But healthcare is complex and even the company's long-standing pharmacy business comes with challenges.

Insider's second-annual list of the Most Transformative CEOs features three executives who are leading innovation in their industries. These CEOs are devising new ways to serve a range of interests, including clients, employees, and investors. At FanDuel, Howe has brought more women into the industry. ROSALIND BREWER, the CEO of Walgreens Boots AllianceRosalind Brewer, the CEO of Walgreens Boots Alliance. BRIAN NICCOL, the CEO of ChipotleBrian Niccol, the CEO of Chipotle.

☆ What to watch for as J&J gets ready to split into two separate companies next year
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Paulina Likos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

During Monday's "Morning Meeting" for members, Jim Cramer said that J & J has the "best balance sheet in America." According to projections from J & J and rival Medtronic (MDT), the robotics market captures a low 2% to 3% of global procedures. In an economic slowdown, J & J is a solid name to own that can outperform the broader market. We also like that J & J has consistently raised its dividend. We rate J & J a 1 for the Club , meaning we would buy the stock at current levels given it aligns with our strategy.

Organizations: & $

☆ Long Covid may be 'the next public health disaster' — with a $3.7 trillion economic impact rivaling the Great Recession
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

Norpel is one of millions of Americans with long Covid, also known as long-haul Covid, post-Covid or post-acute Covid syndrome. Key symptoms: Long Covid has been linked to more than 200 symptoms, according to The Rockefeller Foundation. Duration: There's no consistent definition of how long symptoms must persist for someone to be considered a long Covid patient. What experts do know is that for some, long Covid symptoms can last months or even years. "I don't know if it's for the rest of my life or not," Hurst said of feeling long Covid symptoms.

☆ Billionaires like Elon Musk want to save civilization by having tons of genetically superior kids. Inside the movement to take 'control of human evolution.'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Julia Black | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +40 min

"We are the Underground Railroad of 'Gattaca' babies and people who want to do genetic stuff with their kids," Malcolm told me. Ellison, meanwhile, who has two children in their 30s, has reportedly resumed having kids — with his 31-year-old girlfriend. "The person of this subculture really sees the pathway to immortality as being through having children," Simone said. The person of this subculture really sees the pathway to immortality as being through having children. Before she met Malcolm, Simone was convinced she wanted to live her life single and child-free.

Now, a woman from Austin, Texas, has come forward because she nearly died when she couldn’t get a timely abortion. “We found out that we were going to lose our baby,” Amanda said. “To see in a matter of maybe five minutes, for her to go from a normal temperature to the condition she was in was really, really scary,” he said. That leaves the Zurawskis scared – and furious that they might never have a family because of a Texas law. She and Josh worry about women in rural areas, or poor women, or young, single mothers in states like Texas.

☆ Jim Obergefell's Supreme Court case helped legalize same-sex marriage 7 years ago. Now, he could become the only openly gay member of Ohio's state House.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Now, Jim Obergefell — the man for which that case was named — is running for Ohio state House. "But you know, the nice thing is, everything I went through with the court case — a lot of that really prepared me for something like this." The "court case" in question was Obergefell v. Hodges, the landmark 2015 civil rights case in which the Supreme Court ruled five to four that same-sex couples were guaranteed the right to marry. "I don't start with it, and I don't focus on it," he said of his association with the 2015 Supreme Court case. "Very, very few of them have a Supreme Court case that happened because of that relationship."

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