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'No health without mental health' – Commission

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:01:06 GMT

The European Commission held a high-level conference in Brussels this week (10 October) to commemorate World Mental Health Day, writes Martin Banks.The conference was hosted by Health and Food Safety Commissioner Stella Kyriakides (pictured) and it saw the participation of hundreds of representatives from EU institutions, national governments, and international organizations including UNICEF and WHO.The aim of the conference was to raise awareness of the EU’s new approach to mental health, announced in June, hear from experts and those with lived experience, and encourage the exchange good practices related to mental health across all policy areas, including promotion and prevention, and equal access for all.“There is no health without mental health”, Kyriakides said. “The fact that almost half of Europeans have experienced mental health difficulties, and that more than half of those citizens have not received any professional help, is truly alarming.”The new approach, named the “co...

Harbor-UCLA Medical Center sued for alleged sexual harassment by former department head

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:01:06 GMT

Los Angeles County is being sued by three doctors who allege the former head of Harbor-UCLA Medical Center's orthopedics department made sexist and racist comments. They further claim hospital leaders ignored their complaints.Orthopedic surgeons Dr. Haleh Badkoobehi and Dr. Jennifer Hsu, and former head of emergency medicine Dr. Madonna Fernandez-Frackelton allege a variety of misbehavior by Dr. Louis Kwong, the former head of the orthopedics department at the Torrance hospital, NBC News reports.Dr. Haleh Badkoobehi is shown in an undated photo. (Harbor-UCLA Medical Center)The New York Post reported that Kwong is "a Harvard-trained expert" in orthopedic surgery who led the team operating on Tiger Woods after the golfer's 2021 car crash.Fellow doctors at the hospital, however, paint a troubling picture of Kwong's professional behavior.For instance, Badkoobehi claims Kwong “engaged in ‘finger banging’ of surgical hip wounds” while a patient was unconscious, and while doing this, he si...

Local Jewish schools urging parents to keep kids off social media

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:01:06 GMT

The horrors of war are no longer limited to grainy newsreel footage and archival photos. Today, violence plays out in real-time on social media with video and images that can spread rapidly and traumatize millions in just a matter of hours.As the Israel-Hamas war rages on, at least two Jewish schools in Los Angeles have issued warnings to families about this threat.“In Israel, a strong recommendation has been sent to parents urging them to delete their children's social media (TikTok, Instagram, even YouTube if unmonitored) in the wake of recent events,” Kadima Day School in West Hills said in a letter to parents on Tuesday. “We are deeply concerned about the emotional well-being of our students.  As such, we are recommending the same as soon as possible.” Blinken in Israel: At least 25 Americans killed in ‘heinous’ Hamas attacks School administrators point out that social media platforms work on algorithms that follow the behavior of their users. If a student watches a graph...

‘Cinderella’ story: Dog adopted after spending more than 1,000 days at Long Beach shelter

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:01:06 GMT

A 6-year-old pit bull mix named Cinderella was finally adopted after spending 1,139 days at a Long Beach shelter, spcaLA officials said Thursday."News of her adoption was a gift to the staff and volunteers of Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles who have cared for her for the last three years,” officials said in a news release.Cinderella was transferred to spcaLA’s Pitchford Companion Animal Village & Education Center from Long Beach Animal Care Services in August 2020.She spend hundreds of hours in animal behavior training.Last year, Cinderella required surgery for a cranial cruciate tear that was performed by one of spcaLA’s veterinary hospital partners. The $3,000 procedure was made possible by donations from spcaLA supporters, officials said.She then spent a month recovering in foster care in a volunteer’s home.Despite several TV appearances, officials speculate that Cinderella’s breed or age may have played a role in her not getting adopted -- “two t...

Day 6 of the Israel-Hamas war in photos (warning)

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:01:06 GMT

The Israeli government is under intense public pressure Thursday to topple Hamas as the latest Israel-Hamas war reaches its sixth day. In the Gaza Strip, meanwhile, residents are facing ever-growing uncertainty after the territory’s only power plant ran out of fuel and shut down Wednesday. Palestinians evacuate wounded people after an Israeli airstrike in Rafah refugee camp, southern Gaza Strip, Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Hatem Ali)Palestinian children wounded in Israel strikes are brought to Shifa Hospital in Gaza City on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Ali Mahmoud)Palestinians wounded in Israeli strikes are brought to Shifa Hospital in Gaza City on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Ali Mahmoud)Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023. Israel's retaliation has escalated after Gaza's militant Hamas rulers launched an unprecedented attack on Israel Saturday, killing over 1,200 Israelis and taking captive dozens. Heavy Israeli airs...

Chipotle announces plans to raise prices

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:01:06 GMT

Your favorite Chipotle meal could soon cost more money.The restaurant company plans to raise menu prices to offset inflation, but it's unclear what or how many menu items will get a price bump. The restaurant also didn't announce when the price hike will be implemented. “For the first time in over a year, we will be taking a modest price increase to offset inflation,” Laurie Schalow, chief corporate affairs officer at Chipotle, said in a statement provided to KTLA. California law to increase minimum wage for fast-food workers won’t apply to everyone Chipotle has increased prices four times in the past two years, according to Insider, who first reported the news. The latest inflation report from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that the Consumer Price Index rose 3.7% for the 12 months that ended in September. On a monthly basis, prices grew 0.4%, according to the report.Chipotle last announced a price hike in July 2022, which meant that some customers would pay more than $1...

Man Dead after Pedestrian Crash on Interstate 45 [Houston, TX]

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:01:06 GMT

Fatal Crash at 2400 North Freeway Leaves Man DeadHOUSTON, TX (October 12, 2023) – Early Friday morning, one man was struck and killed in a pedestrian crash on Interstate 45.The accident happened on September 22nd, at 3:10 a.m. inbound at 2400 North Freeway near Patton Street.According to the police, a blue Volkswagen Jetta was driving southbound when they struck a man. The male pedestrian, estimated to be in his 20s, was walking alongside the highway and suddenly into oncoming traffic.First responders said that the man was pronounced dead at the scene.The vehicle driver who struck the man remained at the site and presented no symptoms of being intoxicated. Authorities released the man after questioning at the scene. Both the driver’s and pedestrian’s identities remain undisclosed to the public.Furthermore, police shut down a portion of the roadway to allow for cleanup and preliminary duties.Authorities do not currently believe that drugs or alcohol are factors. However, an act...

Bicycle Accident on Fondren Road Kills Man [Houston, TX]

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:01:06 GMT

53-Year-Old Man Pronounced Dead after Bicycle Collision near West Orem DriveHOUSTON, TX (October 12, 2023) – Wednesday afternoon, a 53-year-old man lost his life in a bicycle collision along Fondren Road.At approximately 2:35 p.m. on September 27th, authorities responded to the scene at 13800 Fondren Road, near the intersection of West Orem Drive.Police say the bicyclist was heading north on the sidewalk when a black Ford F-250 pickup-truck exited from a driveway onto the road. The driver of the pickup-truck, traveling in the eastbound direction, then came to a stop at the intersection signal before making a right turn into the path of the cyclist who was also turning right onto West Orem.This led to a collision between the pickup-truck and the bicyclist, resulting in serious injuries for the 53-year-old man. Paramedics arrived at the scene and transported the injured rider to Ben Taub General Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.Meanwhile, the driver of the pickup-truck rem...

Man Critically Injured after Suspected DUI Car Crash on Interstate 10 [Houston, TX]

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:01:06 GMT

Suspected Drunk Driver Seriously Injured a Scooter Rider in the 16200 Block of Park RowHOUSTON, TX (October 12, 2023) – Monday night, one man was critically injured in a suspected DUI car crash on Interstate 10.The incident happened after 9:00 p.m. on September 25th, in the 16200 block of Park Row.According to the investigators, a white coupe lost control, struck the scooter, and hit a tree. The impact of the collision caused the car to catch fire.First responders arrived at the scene and transported the man to a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. Meanwhile, other officers arrested the involved driver for suspected DUI.Crews closed off the area surrounding the crash for a short time to perform cleanup and preliminary duties. The roadway has since been reopened.Thinking, reasoning, and muscle coordination are essential in operating a vehicle safely. However, these abilities are impaired when alcohol, certain medications, or illegal drugs are in the body. Never drive wh...

Jose Mauricio Ochoa Jr. Pronounced Dead following Stolen Vehicle Crash on Southern Avenue [South Gate, CA]

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:01:06 GMT

Man Killed, Woman Injured after Pursuit Ends in Crash near State StreetSOUTH GATE, CA (October 12, 2023) – Monday afternoon, Jose Mauricio Ochoa Jr. was killed and a woman was injured following a stolen vehicle crash on Southern Avenue.First, deputies from the LA County Sheriff’s Department initiated the pursuit of a reportedly stolen Range Rover in East Los Angeles. At approximately 3:30 p.m., the driver of the stolen vehicle collided with multiple cars near the vicinity of Southern Avenue and State Street. Unfortunately, a man who was operating a Nissan Sentra suffered fatal injuries and was declared deceased at the scene. Additionally, a woman inside a Toyota 4Runner sustained minor injuries upon impact. Law enforcement arrested one of the suspects who was inside the Range Rover, while the search continued for two other individuals. Subsequently, the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner identified the deceased Nissan driver as 34-year-old Jose Mauricio Ochoa Jr...