With warm weather and relatively affordable living costs, Arizona has long been a popular destination for retirees. While the average monthly costs of the necessities (rent, groceries, healthcare and utilities) total $2,626 across the U.S., there are several cities in Arizona where you can live on even less.
GOBankingRates has identified the Arizona cities where not only could you live on $2,500 a month in retirement, but where you could also live well. Only cities with livability scores of 65 or higher (on a scale of 1 to 100) were considered. These are the best Arizona cities for retirees to live on $2,500 a month.
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Phoenix
Total monthly expenditures: $2,397
Livability score: 65
Although Phoenix is the most expensive city on this ranking, it’s still relatively affordable compared to other places in the U.S. At $341, the average monthly cost of groceries for a person age 65 or older is less than the national average of $350. And healthcare is also more affordable — the average monthly cost for this age group is $512 in Phoenix, while the national average is $556.
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Glendale
Total monthly expenditures: $2,369
Livability score: 73
Affordable housing and groceries make Glendale a smart choice for retirees on budgets. The average rent for a one-bedroom is $1,196, while the average monthly cost of groceries for those age 65 and older is $339.
benedek / Getty Images/iStockphoto
Tucson
Total monthly expenditures: $2,063
Livability score: 65
Tucson is the most affordable city on this list: The average rent for a one-bedroom is $962, the average monthly cost for groceries is $335, the average monthly cost for healthcare is $453 and the average monthly cost for utilities is $313. However, the No. 1 city has Tucson beat in terms of livability, as well as the percentage of the population that’s 65 and older, which is 14.8% here.
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Mesa
Total monthly expenditures: $2,456
Livability score: 77
Although Mesa is not the cheapest city on this list, it has the highest percentage of people age 65 and older at 16.6% and the highest livability score. There’s no shortage of things to do in Mesa, with Wild West towns for history lovers, mountains and lakes for those seeking outdoor adventure, museums, restaurants, shopping, golf courses and more.
The Health Benefits of MagnesiumMStudioImages – Getty Images
When it comes to getting the vitamins and minerals your body needs to function, chances are you’re familiar with the big ones, like iron, vitamins C and D and calcium. You’ve probably also heard about magnesium but probably haven’t been sure if you really need to prioritize it. Experts will be quick to tell you it’s important.
According to New York City-based Bianca Tamburello, RDN, a registered dietitian in New York City, magnesium plays an important role in many body functions, including regulating blood pressure and blood sugar, creating energy, and maintaining optimal bone health. That’s why it’s important to ensure you’re getting enough.
Why is magnesium important?
While magnesium deficiency isn’t common among healthy individuals, you want to be sure that you have the optimal amount. Research has shown that low magnesium intake can lead to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, inflammation, heart disease, stroke, migraine headaches, asthma, and colon cancer. According to Tamburello, getting enough magnesium is also important in aiding the body in proper absorption of calcium and potassium, two other important minerals.
Can you take too much magnesium?
It is possible to get too much of a good thing, which is why it’s important to seek counsel related to your individual needs before starting to take a magnesium supplement, Tamburello says. Getting too much magnesium through a supplement can cause symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea, and stomach pain.
“Taking a magnesium supplement is not for everyone, so you should talk to your doctor before starting one,” she says. While high magnesium levels seem to have some beneficial effects—they’ve been associated with a decreased risk of osteoporosis and diabetes, and the lessening of lessen migraine symptoms (if your magnesium levels were low), explains Tamburello, there are risks of getting too much. It can be toxic, she says. According to the National Institutes of Health, adults should take no more than 350 mg of a magnesium supplement daily. Additionally, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that men 31 and older aim for 420 mg of magnesium per day through food alone or through food and a supplement combined.
“It’s important to note that the magnesium supplement daily limit (350 mg) is lower than the overall recommended daily magnesium intake (420 mg from foods, beverages, and supplements),” Tamburello explains. “This is because the body reacts differently to concentrated amounts of minerals and vitamins found in supplements.”
Can you get enough magnesium through food?
You can, especially if you fill up on magnesium-rich foods including pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, salmon, almonds and almond butter, peanuts and peanut butter, raisins, and chickpeas, Tamburello says. Fruits such as guava, banana and dried figs are also high in magnesium, as are vegetables including spinach and Swiss chard.
If you’ve confirmed with a health care professional that you do need more magnesium, Tamburello recommends trying to bring your levels up through food first, rather than through supplements. Natural sources provide other key vitamins and minerals as well as magnesium.
The bottom line: Talk to your doctor if you think you may have a magnesium deficiency. A healthcare provider can help you determine if you can get back on track by simply tweaking your diet, or if adding a supplement can be beneficial.
Winter holidays bring more heart attack deaths than any other time of year
November 30, 2022
(NewMediaWire) – November 30, 2022 – DALLAS The joy of the winter holiday season is often marred for many as research shows that more people die from heart attacks during the last week of December than at any other time of the year. The American Heart Association, the world’s leading voluntary organization focused on heart and brain health for all, says being aware of this annual phenomenon and taking a few important, heart-healthy steps may save lives.
“The holidays are a busy, often stressful, time for many of us. Routines are disrupted; we may tend to eat and drink more and exercise and relax less. We’re getting too little sleep and experiencing too much stress. We also may not be listening to our bodies or paying attention to warning signs, thinking a trip to the doctor can wait until after the new year,” said American Heart Association Chief Clinical Science Officer Mitchell S.V. Elkind, M.D., M.S., FAHA. “While we don’t know exactly why there are more deadly heart attacks during this time of year, it’s important to be aware that all of these factors can be snowballing contributors to increasing the risk for a deadly cardiac event.”
Scientific research finds an uptick in cardiac events during the winter holiday season. A study published in Circulation, the flagship journal of the American Heart Association, reported that more cardiac deaths occur on December 25 than on any other day of the year; the second largest number of cardiac deaths occurs on December 26, and the third largest number occurs on January 1.
Winter weather has been noted as a trigger for increased heart attack risk due to restricted blood flow though constricted vessels causes by cold temperatures. However, another study published in Circulation found that even in the mild climate of Los Angeles County, about a third more heart attack deaths occur in December and January than in June through September. These findings were supported by a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association by researchers in New Zealand, where the December holidays fall during that area’s summer season.
“Research also shows that the biggest increases in these holiday heart attack deaths are among people who are not in a hospital. This highlights the importance of recognizing symptoms and seeking immediate medical care. Don’t ignore heart attack warning signs because you don’t want to spoil the holidays, the consequences could be much worse,” Elkind said. “It also calls attention to the need for increased awareness of knowing how to perform hands-only CPR. You could be out holiday shopping, enjoying an office party or spending time at a family gathering and witness someone having a heart attack and going into cardiac arrest. Starting CPR immediately and calling 9-1-1 could be the difference in life or death in those situations. Hands-only CPR is something nearly everyone can learn and do.”
Elkind notes that while it’s important to live heart-healthy all year long, there are a few tips you should gift yourself and your loved ones as we approach the holiday season:
Know symptoms and take action: Heart attack signs vary in men and women and it’s important to recognize them early and call 9-1-1 for help. The sooner medical treatment begins, the better the chances of survival and preventing heart damage.
Celebrate in moderation Eating healthfully during the holidays doesn’t have to mean depriving yourself, there are still ways to eat smart. Look for small, healthy changes and swaps you can make so you continue to feel your best while eating and drinking in moderation, and don’t forget to watch your salt intake.
Plan for peace on earth and goodwill toward yourself: Make time to take care of yourself during the busy holiday. Reduce stress from family interactions, strained finances, hectic schedules and other stressors prevalent this time of year, including traveling.
Keep moving: The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week and this number usually drops during the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Get creative with ways to stay active, even if it’s going for a family walk or another fun activity you can do with your loved ones.
Stick to your meds: Busy holidays can cause you to skip medications, forgetting them when away from home or not getting refills in a timely manner. Here is a medication chart to help stay on top of it, and be sure to keep tabs on your blood pressure numbers.
The American Heart Association has more on ways to live heart-healthy during the holidays and all year long at heart.org.
American players embraced their opponents, both on the pitch and with support online, following the victory that sent the U.S. to the Round of 16 while sending the Iranians back home.
Antonee Robinson consoled fellow defensemen Abolfazl Jalali and Ramin Rezaeian, while Josh Sargent, DeAndre Yedlin and Timothy Weah knelt with Saeid Ezatolahi immediately after the game ended.
Love this. USA beat #Iran but Josh Sargent & DeAndre Yedlin console Saeid Ezatolahi. Tim Weah, who also came over, sums it up: “we grew up differently. He is still my family, he is still my brother and I love him the same way as the guys I grew up with.”
This transcended traditional post-game sportsmanship or the proverbial handshake. It looked like genuine human connections.
“I think the United States and Iran have had so many issues politically and I just wanted to show that we are all human beings and we all love each other,” Weah said. “I just wanted to spread peace and love and show him we come from different backgrounds, we grew up differently. He is still my family, he is still my brother and I love him the same way as the guys I grew up with.”
The Iranian team appeared to be under a lot of pressure at the World Cup as nationwide protests have rocked the country over the government’s treatment of women, especially following the death of Mahsa Amini, a young woman who was arrested for allegedly wearing a hijab too loosely and who later died in police custody. The team voiced its support for the Iranian people before its match with England and then refused to sing their country’s national anthem at the match.
Tensions rose even higher before the players even hit the field. U.S. Soccer faced backlash after it altered the Iranian flag in support of the protests in Iran, which led to and politically charged news conference for head coach Gregg Berhalter and midfielder Tyler Adams. Berhalter apologized for the alteration and said he “had no idea about what U.S. Soccer put out.” Iran also reportedly threatened the families of Iranian players as well if they didn’t “behave” against the U.S., according to CNN.
But when the game ended, the players just wanted to share a bit of humanity with each other.
“I just really feel for any team,” Sargent told Fox Sports. ” … Everybody is human, obviously. We’ve all been working our asses off to get to this important point of our lives. This is the pinnacle of everybody’s career. I know it is not an easy situation when you lose.”
Antonee Robinson was one of the American players to console his opponent after their World Cup match with Iran. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)
Why Is My Pee Cloudy? Surprising Reasons for Cloudy Urine, According to Doctors
Madeleine Haase – November 30, 2022
Why Is My Pee Cloudy? Surprising Reasons for Cloudy Urine, According to Doctors
If you see something that looks off in your toilet bowl after urinating, don’t be too quick to flush away your worries (and the contents). While cloudy urine isn’t always cause for concern, it’s important to pay attention to what’s in your toilet bowl—there is a chance something more serious is at play.
When you think of normal, healthy urine, it’s typically transparent, no matter the color. Cloudy urine, on the other hand, can appear white, flaky, and greenish. But it’s mostly described as murky—as in you can’t see through it, says S. Adam Ramin, M.D., urologist and medical director of Urology Cancer Specialists in Los Angeles.
So if you’re asking yourself, why is my pee cloudy? Read on to find out what the reason might be behind your cloudy urine and how to treat it.
Causes of Cloudy Urine
Dehydration
When you’re putting less water into your body than what’s leaving it, you can become dehydrated which can lead to less-diluted, cloudy urine. People can usually correct early dehydration simply with more water consumption.
Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs), also known as bladder infections, can also cause cloudy urine, says Dr. Ramin. Urinary tract infections are one of the most common causes of cloudy urine. The cloudy look of the urine typically comes from a discharge of either pus or blood into the urinary tract. It could also be a buildup of white blood cells that indicates the body is trying to eliminate invading bacteria.
A strong urge to pee all the time, but peeing doesn’t bring relief
Cloudy, bloody, or discolored urine
Strong-smelling urine
Pressure, cramping, or pain around your bladder/pelvis
Extreme fatigue
Fever
Prostatitis
In men who have prostate infections, the prostate can start making secretions that could be milky, white milky fluid, says Dr. Ramin. “So sometimes with prostate infections, men can have a cloudy appearance to their urine.”
Vaginitis
Another kind of infection that can result in cloudy urine is vaginitis, or an inflammation of the vagina that can result in discharge, itching, and pain. The most common types of vaginitis include bacterial vaginosis, yeast infections, and trichomoniasis. Bacterial vaginosis results from an overgrowth of the bacteria naturally found in your vagina, which upsets the natural balance. Yeast infections are usually caused by a naturally occurring fungus. Trichomoniasis is caused by a parasite and is often sexually transmitted.
Some common sexually transmitted infections, or STIs, such as gonorrhea and chlamydia may cause cloudy urine.These diseases prompt the immune system to produce white blood cells that, when mixed with urine, give it a cloudy appearance.
Possible symptoms of STIs other than cloudy urine include:
The best way to prevent the spread of STIs is to use protection during sexual activity. Regular testing for STIs can help people receive an early diagnosis and treatment.
Kidney infection
UTIs can lead to a kidney infection, a serious type of infection in the kidneys. An untreated kidney infection can lead to permanent kidney damage. It is rare for kidney infections to cause cloudy urine, but it still happens, says Dr. Ramin.
Symptoms of a kidney infection may or may not include those of a UTI and may also include:
Chills
Fever
Pain in your back, side, or groin
Nausea
Vomiting
Cloudy, dark, bloody, or foul-smelling pee
Frequent, painful urination
People should see their doctor as soon as possible if they are experiencing these symptoms for proper diagnosis and treatment. Early treatment of a UTI can help relieve discomfort and prevent complications.
Kidney Stones
Kidney stones can also cause a cloudy appearance to the urine, says Dr. Ramin. Small stones may pass without incident, but larger stones can block the urinary tract and cause a UTI. The most common symptom of passing kidney stones is severe pain below the ribs, generally near one side or the lower back. The pain may radiate to the lower abdomen or groin.
Other symptoms include:
Pain during urination
Fever
Chills
Bloody, or dark-tinged urine
Foul-smelling urine
Some kidney stones do not require treatment and will pass on to the urinary tract independently.
Proteinuria
Some patients who have cloudy urine may have higher levels of protein in their urine, a condition known as proteinuria, says Dr. Ramin. Causes may include relatively harmless symptoms, including dehydration or intense exercise, or more serious, including kidney disease or immune disorders. Patients with proteinuria “typically have some kind of kidney failure, diabetes out of control, or high blood pressure out of control, that causes protein to spill into the urine,” explains Dr. Ramin.
Certain kinds of food
This is a more rare scenario, but some foods can be responsible for your cloudy urine. Beets, in particular, can make urine look cloudy pink or red, says Dr. Ramin.
Medications
According to Dr. Ramin, cloudy urine can also be a result from certain chemotherapies and antibiotics.
How to treat cloudy urine
Cloudy urine is only a symptom, not a disease, says Dr. Ramin. “So once a person has cloudy urine, we have to determine what the source of the cloudy urine is.”
This typically means that a urologist will do a urinalysis with a urine culture, a test to check for bacteria or other germs in a urine sample. “If the culture grows bacteria, then we will prescribe antibiotics that are targeted towards the specific bacteria grown in urine,” says Dr. Ramin.
Sometimes we find there is no infection, says Dr. Ramin. “In which case, a urinalysis can let us know if there is protein in the urine…If we find a high concentration of protein in the urine, then we have to work up and find out why.” As stated before, these patients typically have some kind of kidney failure, or prolonged high blood sugar or high blood pressure, that causes protein to spill into the urine.
Aside from a urine culture and urinalysis, there are other tests that might be done to diagnose the reason behind your cloudy urine. Those tests may include a pelvic ultrasound, a prostate ultrasound, or a kidney ultrasound, says Dr. Ramin. He adds that “sometimes we may need to do a CT to get better imagery and understand the situation better.” Moreover, he notes that sometimes urologists also perform cystoscopies to physically look inside the urethra, the prostate, and the bladder to determine the source of the problem.
How to prevent cloudy urine
The best way to prevent cloudy urine is to stay hydrated, says Dr. Ramin. “Drink a lot of fluids, including water and electrolytes.”
However, if a person is having cloudy urine for a long time, “it’s very important that they see a medical professional to make sure it’s not a sign of something more serious,” he warns.
When to see a doctor
If your cloudy urine was a one-time occurrence and it has cleared up on its own, and if you are not experiencing any other symptoms, then you are most likely fine and seeing a medical professional is not necessary, says Dr. Ramin.
However, “if it’s a continued process, that each time you urinate you are seeing cloudy urine over a day or two, it’s important for you to go see a doctor,” says Dr. Ramin. In addition to that, he notes that “if you’re having other symptoms such as burning with urination, urgency with urination, frequent urination, pain in the pelvic area, fevers, and/or blood in the urine, those are all signs that they should immediately seek medical attention.”
Europe embarks on solar power ‘revolution’ to solve its energy crisis — and fight climate change
Melissa Rossi, Contributor – November 30, 2022
The Núñez de Balboa photovoltaic plant in Badajoz, Spain, is one of the largest in Europe. With an installed capacity of 500 megawatts, this facility can supply clean energy to 250,000 homes. (Iberdrola)
Spurred by Russia’s war in Ukraine and its own pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030, the European Union is aggressively ramping up its use of solar power, installing panels on everything from city rooftops to farmland.
In 2021, solar accounted for just 6% of electricity in the 27-country EU bloc, according to Ember, a climate and energy think tank. However, since Russia cut gas supplies in response to European sanctions over its war in Ukraine, solar has become the fastest-growing source of renewable energy on the continent this year. According to SolarPower Europe, a nonprofit association, new solar projects are “set to overshoot even our highest deployment projections for 2022.”
“The EU generated a record 12% of its electricity from solar this summer, helping to avoid a potential €29 billion in fossil gas imports,” Hannah Broadbent, head of communications for Ember, told Yahoo News. And solar’s remarkable growth shows no signs of stopping in the EU, where SolarPower Europe estimates at least 40 gigawatts of capacity will be installed this year, enough to potentially power upwards of 30 million homes.
By comparison, solar contributed less than 3% of U.S. electricity supplies in 2021, although new incentives are prompting more American utilities to follow in European footsteps.
“There’s a massive solar boom in Europe,” said Matthew Berwind, agrivoltaics project manager at Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems, the largest applied research institutefor solar energyin Europe. “It’s huge.”
Wind turbines at a solar energy park near Prenzlau, Germany. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
From Portugal to Poland, the Netherlands to Greece, mammothphotovoltaic plants are spreading across fields and gliding across lakes, each facility providing enough electricity for hundreds of thousands of homes. Buildings are being constructed with solar-powered water heaters, photovoltaic windows and photovoltaic roof tiles. Solar panels are appearing atop government buildings, grocery stores and schools, and even farms are embracing novel sun-powered technologies to shield crops from hail and scorching sun while producing energy.
Mario Sánchez-Herrero, founder of the nonprofit solar cooperative Ecooo Energía Ciudadana, who is based in Madrid, told Yahoo News that small-scale generation is also making a big difference. “We’re seeing a real revolution of solar in Spain,” he said, adding that small-scale energy production from panels installed at homes or from nearby buildings is generating “the extraordinary amount of two gigawatts per year.” And the numbers, he said, are shooting up.
Russia and China have everything to do with the explosion of solar. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine provided impetus to cut dependence on Russian gas for electricity, while China’s manufacturing of photovoltaic panels has dramatically brought down the price. “The cost of solar-powered electricity dropped 90% in a decade, making it one of the cheapest sources of electricity today,” Dries Acke, policy director at SolarPower Europe, told Yahoo News.
In fact, a new study conducted by the Oslo-based energy research firm Rystad Energy concluded that, since prices have fallen so low, it would be 10 times cheaper to build new solar capacity in Europe than to continue operating gas-fired power plants.
A woman walks through the village of Arkhanhelske on Nov. 3 in the Kherson region, which was formerly occupied by Russian forces. (Bulent Kilic/AFP via Getty Images)
But Europe’s dependence on China for solar equipment is a potential vulnerability. “China controls a lot of the minerals needed for solar installations and a lot of the manufacturing, which shifted to China over the last 10 years,” said Thorfinn Stainforth, a policy analyst at the Institute for European Environmental Policy. “The price has gone down — it’s very cheap now to get Chinese solar panels. But it’s also not without some risks, as we’ve seen in terms of global supply chain disruption this year following COVID, and in terms of overreliance on individual countries for energy supplies.”
What’s more, solar has its limitations. “Solar on its own cannot be the solution,” Stainforth said, adding that it needs to be coupled with other renewable energies, like wind or hydropower, as part of an integrated electricity system. “When it’s very dark, when it’s winter and when it’s night, solar is much less usable,” he noted. Even though solar installations are skyrocketing, some EU countries, including Italy, are lagging behind in building enough renewable generation to meet the EU’s goal of slashing greenhouse gases 55% by 2030, according to Ember.
Meanwhile, not everybody is a fan of “solar farms,” with millions of panels spread over thousands of acres, such as the new Francisco Pizarro solar plant in western Spain, which is currently Europe’s biggest. Ecooo’s Sánchez-Herrero, for one, thinks massive installations defeat the purpose of solar — which can be used by individual homes and communities to give them some energy independence from utilities. At the rate small-scale production is growing in Spain, he believes that his country can meet its renewable energy goals without another large solar plant.
Photovoltaic power panels at Abaste’s El Bonillo Solar Plant in El Bonillo, Spain, in 2015. (Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images)
“The big installations are owned by big companies, and they use investment funds,” often from foreign countries, he said. “People come in from other countries to make money in Spain, and we don’t want this. We want to see energy communities that want cheaper energy and clean energy, and want to be the owners of the way they obtain the energy.”
Some, including former U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss, are concerned about solar installations on land that could be farmed. This fall the government of the United Kingdom even briefly flirted with an effective ban on solar farms, based on concerns about arable lands and food security. However, the environment secretary who put the idea forward was fired after Truss’s fall from grace, and the initial signs from the new government suggest it will be more favorably disposed toward solar.
However, others are pleased about new megaplants, like the Pizarro solar field, which is capable of providing 590 megawatts of electricity to power 334,000 homes.
New plants are aiming to addressbiodiversity issues, said Acke of SolarPower Europe. He points to the planned Rezolv Energy solar plant in Romania — the first utility-scale solar project in Europe over one gigawatt. “What’s crucial, and what we see more and more, are the biodiversity and dual-land use benefits that this kind of project can support,” he said, adding that the Rezolv plant is planned to return poor-quality agricultural land to pasture, hosting sheep grazing and even beekeeping.
A technician installs a solar panel in a home in Glod, Romania, that is not connected to the electrical grid. (Andreea Campeanu/Getty Images)
But the biggest buzz in Europe concerns solar’s newest applications in agriculture — namely agri-solar. In pilot projects, solar panels cover crops such as berries and grapes, generating electricity to help meet a farm’s energy needs. They also shield crops from the scorching sun, hailstorms and torrential rains, and ultimately help farmers generate two sources of income from one tract of land.
“Instead of looking at a single parcel of land as having only a single usage, agri-solar combines the agricultural usage with power production,” said Berwind of the Fraunhofer Institute, noting that this can nearly double the land use efficiency.
“In the face of global climate change, as we start to see more extreme weather events that impact agricultural yield — droughts, storms, hail — the photovoltaic side gives these farmers a more diverse income source,” he noted. “So if their agricultural product falls through one year because a tornado blew through or hail damaged their crops, then they still have a safe financial baseline from one year to the next.”
Currently being tried out in Spanish, French and German vineyards as well as Dutch fruit farms, agri-solar projects provided an installed capacity of two gigawatts of electricity, Berwind estimates, a figure he expects will double in the next year because projects are getting bigger. “Standard photovoltaic developers are taking it seriously and starting to install multiple megawatts of systems,” he said.
The photovoltaic panels recently installed in a vineyard in Toledo, Spain, in a pilot agrivoltaic project can can shield grapes from scorching summer sun, helping to reduce evaporation and optimize use of rainwater. (Iberdrola)
Despite all the enthusiasm about solar’s big surge in the EU, outstanding challenges remain, among them Europe’s ability to bring more solar manufacturing back to the continent. Another is a shortage of workers able to install panels on roofs. Ecooo has had so many requests to add them to homes in Madrid that it has to turn away new customers. “We are telling everyone, ‘If you have kids who are unemployed, have them take a three-month course so they can make solar installations,’” said Sánchez-Herrero.
“In Spain, or Greece, in these countries where there’s a lot of sun and a lot of youth unemployment, that could be a really good match,” Stainforth added.
Oath Keepers’ Rhodes guilty of Jan. 6 seditious conspiracy
Lindsay Whitehurst, Alanna Durkin Richer and Michael Kunzelman
November 30, 2022
Stewart Rhodes, founder of the citizen militia group known as the Oath Keepers speaks during a rally outside the White House in Washington, on June 25, 2017. Rhodes was convicted Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022, of seditious conspiracy for a violent plot to overturn Democrat Joe Biden’s presidential win, handing the Justice Department a major victory in its massive prosecution of the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)Attorneys for Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes, James Lee Bright, center left, and Edward Tarpley, left, speak to members of the media outside the Federal Courthouse following a verdict in the Rhodes trial in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022. Rhodes was convicted of seditious conspiracy for a violent plot to overturn Democrat Joe Biden’s presidential win, handing the Justice Department a major victory in its massive prosecution of the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) This artist sketch depicts the trial of Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes, left, as he testifies before U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta on charges of seditious conspiracy in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, in Washington, Nov. 7, 2022. Rhodes was convicted of seditious conspiracy on Nov. 29. (Dana Verkouteren via AP, File)A federal jury convicted five members of the Oath Keepers on a variety of charges Tuesday in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. (AP Graphic)A man holding a sign that reads “Stop Hating Each Other Because You Disagree” refuses to move from behind The attorneys for Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes Edward Tarpley, right, and James Lee Bright, center, as they speak to members of the media outside the Federal Courthouse following a verdict in the Stewart Rhodes trial in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022. Rhodes was convicted of seditious conspiracy for a violent plot to overturn Democrat Joe Biden’s presidential win, handing the Justice Department a major victory in its massive prosecution of the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)U.S. Capitol Police Sgt. Harry Dunn leaves federal court following a verdict in the Rhodes trial in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022. Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes was convicted Tuesday of seditious conspiracy for a violent plot to overturn Democrat Joe Biden’s presidential win, handing the Justice Department a major victory in its massive prosecution of the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes was convicted Tuesday of seditious conspiracy for a violent plot to overturn President Joe Biden’s election, handing the Justice Department a major victory in its massive prosecution of the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.
A Washington, D.C., jury found Rhodes guilty of sedition after three days of deliberations in the nearly two-month-long trial that showcased the far-right extremist group’s efforts to keep Republican Donald Trump in the White House at all costs.
Rhodes was acquitted of two other conspiracy charges. A co-defendant — Kelly Meggs, who led the antigovernment group’s Florida chapter — was also convicted of seditious conspiracy, while three other associates were cleared of that charge. Jurors found all five defendants guilty of obstruction of an official proceeding: Congress’ certification of Biden’s electoral victory.
The verdict, while mixed, marks a significant milestone for the Justice Department and is likely to clear the path for prosecutors to move ahead at full steam in upcoming trials of other extremists accused of sedition.
Rhodes and Meggs are the first people in nearly three decades to be found guilty at trial of seditious conspiracy — a rarely used Civil War-era charge that can be difficult to prove. The offense calls for up to 20 years behind bars.
It could embolden investigators, whose work has expanded beyond those who attacked the Capitol to focus on others linked to Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland recently named a veteran prosecutor, Jack Smith, to serve as special counsel to oversee key aspects of a probe into efforts to subvert the election as well as a separate investigation into the retention of classified documents at Trump’s Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago.
Garland said after the verdict that the Justice Department “is committed to holding accountable those criminally responsible for the assault on our democracy on January 6, 2021.”
Using dozens of encrypted messages, recordings and surveillance video, prosecutors made the case that Rhodes began shortly after the 2020 election to prepare an armed rebellion to stop the transfer of presidential power.
Over seven weeks of testimony, jurors heard how Rhodes rallied his followers to fight to defend Trump, discussed the prospect of a “bloody” civil war and warned the Oath Keepers may have to “rise up in insurrection” to defeat Biden if Trump didn’t act.
Defense attorneys accused prosecutors of twisting their clients’ words and insisted the Oath Keepers came to Washington only to provide security for figures such as Roger Stone, a longtime Trump ally. The defense focused heavily on seeking to show that Rhodes’ rhetoric was just bluster and that the Oath Keepers had no plan before Jan. 6 to attack the Capitol.
Rhodes intends to appeal, defense attorney James Lee Bright told reporters. Another Rhodes lawyer, Ed Tarpley, described the verdict as a “mixed bag,” adding, “This is not a total victory for the government in any way, shape or form.”
“We feel like we presented a case that showed through evidence and testimony that Mr. Rhodes did not commit the crime of seditious conspiracy,” Tarpley said.
On trial alongside Rhodes, of Granbury, Texas, and Meggs, were Kenneth Harrelson, another Florida Oath Keeper; Thomas Caldwell, a retired Navy intelligence officer from Virginia; and Jessica Watkins, who led an Ohio militia group.
Caldwell was convicted on two counts and acquitted on three others, including seditious conspiracy. His attorney, David Fischer, called the verdict “major victory” for his client and a “major defeat” for the Justice Department. He also said he would appeal the two convictions.
In an extraordinary move, Rhodes took the stand to tell jurors there was no plan to attack the Capitol and insist that his followers who went inside the building went rogue.
Prosecutors said the Oath Keepers saw an opportunity to advance their plot to stop the transfer of power and sprang into action when the mob started storming the Capitol. The Capitol attack was a “means to an end” for the Oath Keepers, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Rakoczy told jurors in her closing argument.
7 Florida Cities That Could Be Headed for a Housing Crisis
Jordan Rosenfeld – November 30, 2022
TraceRouda / Getty Images/iStockphoto
Florida seems to be a state that people are always flocking to and never leaving, with its temperate weather, great beaches and lots of excellent attractions. However, even Florida is feeling the results of market forces, which are increasing mortgage rates, driving up home prices, and thus driving out people. In fact, the Florida cities on this list are showing alarming signs that could be pointing toward a housing crisis.
In order to find the Florida cities showing cause for concern, GOBankingRates looked at the largest 200 cities in terms of total housing units and some crucial factors such as percentage of mortgages that are between 30 and 90+ days delinquent and homeowner and renter vacancy rates. Data was drawn from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Consumer Protection Bureau, and RealtyTrac. Here are seven most likely to end up with a housing crisis.
NATO ups Ukraine aid, says Putin using cold as ‘weapon’
November 29, 2022
STORY: NATO has pledged to boost its support to Ukraine.
It announced on Tuesday that it would help Kyiv rebuild energy infrastructure that’s been heavily damaged by Russian shelling.
That’s after NATO’s chief said Moscow was using the winter cold as a “weapon of war”.
“Russia is using brutal missile and drone attacks to leave Ukraine cold and dark this winter.”
Russia has been carrying out heavy attacks on Ukraine’s power grid almost weekly since October.
Kyiv says it’s a deliberate campaign to harm civilians and calls it a war crime.
British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly accused Putin of trying “freeze the Ukrainians into submission.”
“I don’t think it’ll be successful. In fact, I know it won’t be successful because they’ve shown a huge amount of resilience and we will continue to support them through these difficult months.”
Russia acknowledges attacking Ukrainian infrastructure, but denies deliberately seeking to harm civilians.
Meanwhile, soldiers on the ground in Ukraine say they’re starting to struggle as winter begins to bite.
Heavy rain and falling temperatures are making conditions even grimmer along the frontlines.
“What can I tell you? We’re more or less okay, but it’s a bit harder now because of the rain and a light frost. It’s a swamp. You can see it yourself. It’s dried a bit today… But it’s okay, we’re holding up.”
Some military analysts say they expect Ukraine will try to keep up the pressure on Russian forces over the winter to prevent them from digging in and settling.
Uneasy calm grips Ukraine as West prepares winter aid
Jamey Keaten – November 29, 2022
The Ukrainian flag flatters at half mast near the Ukrainian Motherland monument in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)ASSOCIATED PRESSA rescue worker makes tea for children at the heating tent “Point of Invincibly” in Bucha, Ukraine, Monday, Nov. 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska, right, is greeted by Rishi Sunak’s wife Akshata Murty outside 10 Downing Street in London, Monday Nov. 28, 2022, during her visit to the UK. (Yui Mok/PA via AP)A boy kisses a dog while he charges his phone at the heating tent “Point of Invincibly” in Bucha, Ukraine, Monday, Nov. 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)A woman speaks to his colleague at the heating tent “Point of Invincibly” in Bucha, Ukraine, Monday, Nov. 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)People warm themselves and charge their electronic devices in the heating tent “Point of Invincibly” in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, Nov. 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)People stand in front of the heating tent “Point of Invincibly” in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, Nov. 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)Residents do repair works on a recently damaged building during a Russian strike in the southern city of Kherson, Ukraine, Sunday, Nov. 27, 2022. Shelling by Russian forces struck several areas in eastern and southern Ukraine overnight as utility crews continued a scramble to restore power, water and heating following widespread strikes in recent weeks, officials said Sunday. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — An uneasy calm hung over Kyiv on Tuesday as residents of the Ukrainian capital did what they could to prepare for anticipated Russian missile attacks aiming to take out more energy infrastructure as winter sets in.
To ease that burden, NATO allies made plans to boost provisions of blankets, generators and other basic necessities to ensure Ukraine’s 43 million people can maintain their resolve in the 10th month of fighting against Russia’s invasion.
Ukraine’s first lady implored the West to show the same kind of steadfastness that Ukrainians had shown against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s military campaign.
“Ukrainians are very tired of this war, but we have no choice in the matter,” Olena Zelenska, the wife of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said in a BBC interview during a visit to Britain.
“We do hope that the approaching season of Christmas doesn’t make you forget about our tragedy and get used to our suffering,” she said.
A two-day meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Bucharest, Romania, was likely to see the 30-nation alliance make fresh pledges of nonlethal support to Ukraine: fuel, generators, medical supplies and winter equipment, on top of new military support.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was to announce substantial U.S. aid for Ukraine’s energy grid, U.S. officials said. Targeted Russian strikes have battered Ukraine’s power infrastructure since early October in what Western officials have described as a Russian attempt campaign to weaponize the coming winter cold.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said at the outset of the Bucharest meeting that Russia “is willing to use extreme brutality and leave Ukraine cold and dark this winter. So we must stay the course and help Ukraine prevail as a sovereign nation.”
About a third of Ukraine’s residents faced power supply disruptions, Ukraine’s state grid operator said, both because of increased demand due to colder temperatures and the emergency shutdown of power units at several plants since Monday morning.
“The overall deficit in the energy system is a consequence of seven waves of Russian missile attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure,” electricity system operator Ukrenergo said.
Kyiv saw continued interruptions to its electricity, heat and water supply, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said Tuesday, leading authorities to “consider the option of partial evacuation of the capital’s residents to the suburbs.”
Blinken reminded everyone it was not the first time that Russia had targeted helpless civilians in this war and insisted only strong support would impact the Kremlin.
Russia’s Black Sea fleet already bombarded Ukrainian cities and towns and bottled up vital grain shipments for the rest of the world in Ukrainian ports. Blinken said the U.S and NATO’s resulting military buildup in the strategic waterway would only intensify.
“We’re not going to be deterred,” he told reporters, in one of his more forceful statements of the day. “We’re going to be reinforcing NATO’s presence from the Black to the Baltic seas.”
Bogdan Aurescu, foreign minister of Romania, another Black Sea nation, said that Romania would be pushing the two-day NATO meeting to up the military presence further still.
The Ukrainian government was putting up defenses too — both for troops and for civilians. The government rolled out hundreds of help stations, christened Points of Invincibility, where residents facing the loss of power, heating and water can warm up, charge their phones, enjoy snacks and hot drinks, and even be entertained.
“I had no electricity for two days. Now there’s only some electricity, and no gas,” said Vanda Bronyslavavina, who took a breather inside one such help center in Kyiv’s Obolon neighborhood.
The 71-year-old lamented the uncertainty about whether Russia will simply resume its strikes after infrastructure gets fixed, a frustrating cycle of destruction and repair that has made wartime life even more uncertain.
Kyrylo Tymoshenko, the deputy head of the Ukrainian president’s office, said Russian forces overnight fired on seven regions in Ukraine’s south and east, employing missiles, drones and heavy artillery. At least one civilian was killed and two wounded.
Tymoshenko said that as of Tuesday, power had been restored to 24% of residents in the hard-hit southern city of Kherson.
On the battlefields in eastern Ukraine’s Russia-annexed Luhansk region, Ukrainian forces were continuing a slow advance, pushing toward Russian defense lines set up between two key cities, Gov. Serhiy Haidai said. He acknowledged in televised remarks that the onset of winter was compounding a “difficult” military situation.
The prospect of any peace remained remote. The Kremlin reaffirmed Tuesday that negotiations could only be possible if Ukraine meets Russian demands. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that “it’s impossible to hold any talks now because the Ukrainian side strongly rejects them.”
He noted that “political will and readiness to discuss the Russian demands” are needed to conduct negotiations.
Russia has demanded that Ukraine recognize Crimea as part of Russia and acknowledge other Russian gains. It also has repeated its earlier demands for “demilitarization” and “denazification,” albeit with less vigor than in the past.
Ukraine wants Russia to withdraw from Crimea, which it annexed in 2014, and other Ukrainian territory, face prosecution for war crimes and rebuild Ukraine, as well as other demands.
Jill Lawless in London and Lorne Cook in Bucharest contributed to this report.
