Marc Anthony Serenades Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City

Atlantic City, N.J. (

January 27,

2019)

– Six-Time Latin Grammy Award and two-time Grammy Award winner, Marc Anthony serenaded a packed Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena on Saturday night, January 25 at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City.

Marc Anthony crooned through his hour and a half long 16-song set encompassing his entire career including his classic hits like “Flor Pálida,” “Palabras del Alma,” “Tu Amor Me Hace Bien” and “Vivir Mi Vida.”

Before his energetic set in front of a captivating audience, Marc Anthony presented Hard Rock Atlantic City President, Joe Lupo, with signed Fender® Telecaster as a donation to the constantly-growing Hard Rock Memorabilia collection.

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City

Set on 17 acres, with the legendary Atlantic City Boardwalk as its backdrop, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City has become Atlantic City’s go-to entertainment destination, boasting 2,200 slots, 120 table games, more than 20 first-class restaurants and lounges, and world-class entertainment,

including Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena, the beachside Sound Waves and Howie Mandel’s Comedy Club. The hotel and casino also features the iconic Hard Rock Cafe, overlooking the Atlantic City Boardwalk, showcasing a brand new elevated menu and state-of-the-art stage, allowing for an amplified level of service and entertainment. Along with an endless array of upscale amenities, including world-class shopping and the brand’s signature full-service Rock Spa and Salon, featuring 31 treatment rooms, the new, music-inspired property offers lavish guest rooms and suites, with stunning views of the city and Atlantic Ocean. From family vacations and business trips to weddings, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City offers an unparalleled experience. Each of the hotel’s guest rooms and suites radiates a contemporary style, including Hard Rock’s signature The Sound of Your Stay® music amenity program, which allows guests to set the mood with complimentary vinyl records or jam out on a Fender guitar in the privacy of their own room. Hotel guests can enjoy high speed, property-wide Wi-Fi, 24-Hour In-Room Dining, towel and chair service at Hard Rock Beach or at the indoor pool, and 24-Hour Access to Body Rock® Fitness Center. For more information and to book your stay, please visit

hardrockhotelatlanticcity.com

These Behaviors Make You A Scam Target

(NAPSI)—If you spend a lot of time on social media sites or looking for great online deals, you may wear a

bullseye

when it comes to scammers hunting for prey, according to groundbreaking fraud research from the FINRA Investor Education Foundation, BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust and the Stanford Center on Longevity.

A recent study found nearly half of America is likely to interact with fraudsters-but you can protect yourself.

Researchers surveyed more than 1,400 Americans and Canadians who were targeted by scammers and reported the fraud to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), which tracks scams. Nearly half of those surveyed did not engage with the fraudster. However, 30 percent engaged to some degree but ultimately did not lose money, while 23 percent engaged with the fraudster or offer and lost money.

What separates victims from non-victims?

“The path to victimization begins with engagement,” said FINRA Foundation President Gerri Walsh. “Social media and website scams are flourishing. Every time you respond to a friend request from someone you don’t know or click through to an unfamiliar website, you run the risk of being exposed to a scam.”

Your chance of falling victim to a scam varies by type—for instance, online purchase scams, tech support ploys,

fake

check or sweepstakes frauds—and by the method in which you are exposed to the offer. For those exposed to a scam through social media or a website, the numbers are chilling. When exposed to a scam on social media, 91 percent engaged and 53 percent lost money. The odds of losing money to website scams were only slightly lower: 81 percent of consumers in the study who were exposed to a fraud via a website said they engaged—and 50 percent lost money.

Other factors heighten the likelihood of falling for a fraud. Consumers were more likely to be victimized if they were isolated and didn’t have anyone to discuss the offer with, according to the study. Consequently, those who engaged scammers and lost money were less likely to be married and more likely to be widowed or divorced. “Sadly, loneliness and fraud victimization seem to go hand in hand,” noted Walsh.

You’re also more likely to engage and lose money if you’re feeling financial strain, or have low levels of financial literacy, the study found.

Protect Yourself

Take these steps to protect yourself from fraud:

• Ask for input from others.

Scammers try to isolate their victims. Don’t be afraid to contact a friend, or a company or organization you trust for advice. It also helps to do additional research before sending any money. One easy action: Do an Internet search to see if the website or pitch has been flagged as fraudulent or potentially fraudulent by news organizations or members of the public.

• Focus on your financial health and literacy.

Individuals under financial strain and those with lower levels of financial literacy may be more susceptible to scammers.

• Knowledge is power.

Knowing about scams and scammer tactics can be your best defense in successfully reducing the effect of scams. Keep up with the latest frauds by subscribing to consumer newsletters and seeking out information on current scams.

One-third of consumers who were targeted by a scammer, but did not engage with the offer, already knew about the specific type of scam. In addition, consumers who understood the tactics and behaviors of scammers tended not to engage with fraudsters.

To learn more about how to protect your money, visit

www.FINRA.org/LearnMore

“Journalist” Can’t Decide: Slumping Gun Sales or Best Year Ever?

source NRA-ILA

On the eve of the annual Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show in Las Vegas, Associated Press reporter Lisa Marie Pane wrote an article titled, “

Gun industry gathers amid slumping sales, rising tensions

.” But it seems as though the AP and their reporter were more concerned with promoting an agenda than accurately reporting the news or reviewing readily available data.

The story was published by the AP on January 19

, picked up by

ABC News on the same day

, and reproduced in various other national and local outlets in the following days.

The opening paragraph references “slumping sales,” and later paragraphs expound on the reasons and impact of this supposed downturn. The author also makes sure to gratuitously proclaim that the SHOT show is being held “about 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) from the deadliest mass shooting modern U.S. history” [sic].

Slumping firearm sales? Really?

Pane’s half-cocked story came out about two weeks after

The Washington Examiner

published “

Record gun sales checks in 2019, NICS at all-time high: FBI

” and after

The Hill

published an article titled, “

2019 gun sale background checks highest since system launch in 1998

.”

NICS checks are not a mystery or a Friday afternoon news dump; detailed reports are issued monthly. In early December, MarketWatch published a piece titled “

Gun-purchase background checks on track for record high in 2019

.” Similar articles were run in other outlets.

Even the Associated Press itself ran such an article,

published on December 3

of last year and also picked up by ABC News on that same day.

The author?

You guessed it: Lisa Marie Pane, the

same

author who wrote the more recent piece alleging slumping sales.

Record-breaking pace or slumping sales? A closer look at the NICS reports can provide some answers.

The FBI reports there were 28,369,750

NICS firearm background checks in 2019 – the most ever.

Now, this number does include permit checks and rechecks but the FBI also provides a breakdown of NICS checks by type.

Last year saw the fourth-highest number of checks for handguns and the sixth-highest year for dealer sales checks ever.

That does not include NICS checks on private sales (41,775 last year) or all dealer sales to permit holders in the 24 states that issue so-called NICS-exempt permits, which can be used as an alternative to the NICS check when purchasing a gun from a licensed dealer.

That means that the number of sales checks may appear artificially low. As the FBI notes in the “NICS Firearm Background Checks: Year by State/Type” report, “Since the permit check is done in place of the NICS check in most of the affected states, the low handgun statistics are often balanced out by a higher number of handgun permit checks.”

In other words, some number of the 3,738,203 permit checks run in NICS exemption states were likely people who ultimately purchased a handgun (or other firearm) with their permits, perhaps even multiple firearms. The overall NICS records do not necessarily account for these permit-based sales. What we do know, however, is that there were a lot of NICS checks for the issuance of NICS-exempt permits.

Another important consideration is that firearms are durable goods – they do not spoil or breakdown, assuming minimal care. Firearms purchased in 2018 still exist. Firearms purchased in the late 90s, when NICS began, still exist. Not every year will be a record-breaking year for sales, and it can be misleading to label any year that doesn’t significantly top the last one as a “slump.”

Maybe Lisa Marie Pane can’t make up her mind, but we’re here to tell you: 2019

was

a record-breaking year for sales and permit checks in total. That indicates the American tradition of firearms ownership is as strong and vibrant as ever, and attendees at the 2020 SHOT Show have much to celebrate.

Meanwhile, the National Rifle Association continues to work hard to protect your Second Amendment rights, just as we have for 148 years.

How To Make Your Business Look More Professional

Gloucestercitynews.net(January 28, 2020)–Running a business is not an easy task, and it is down to every business owner to make choices that are going to benefit the company in the long term. Some of these choices will be about how to make the business look more professional to the outside world – to customers, suppliers, and investors – in order to make more sales and increase profits.

It can be hard to determine just what is going to help do this, especially when you are working in the business and are close to what is happening. Ideally, you will want to take a step back and reassess what you are doing to ensure that your business is as professional as possible. Here are some ways to achieve this.

A Good Website

When a potential customer comes across a new company and thinks about buying from it, the first thing they are going to do is check its website.

It is expected that all businesses would have a website

(if there are no results when a name is searched, it will look highly suspicious), but that website also needs to look professional in order to win business.

image courtesy of unsplash.com

There are no excuses for a poor looking website; there are many web designers who will be able to help you decide what you are looking for and create something that works perfectly for your business. Even if you choose to do the job yourself, intuitive programs such as

WordPress

mean that you don’t have to understand coding to have a great looking and user-friendly website. This is essential if you want to look professional.

Your Premises

Some people choose to

work from home

, but others would prefer not to, or they don’t have a choice; if they own and operate a customer-facing business, then working from home is not going to work for them. If this is the case and you need premises to sell items from or to meet customers in, then you need to ensure it looks good and is well maintained. A shoddy-looking building is not going to inspire confidence in any potential customer, and an investor might not want to give you any money either if you can’t look after your office or warehouse space properly.

Installing a brand new building in place of an old one, such as

a steel building from Armstrong Steel

, will help you to look more professional. Everything will look clean and well maintained, and you will be able to specify exactly what you want, ensuring that your employees are comfortable too. This will give a great first impression to anyone who visits your business.

Have Business Cards

Ordering business cards

may seem like an unnecessary expense, especially when you are just starting out, but they can show your business in a much more professional light.

Networking

is an essential part of business, and if you don’t have business cards to hand out, what will you do when you are meeting new people who might be able to help you? You will either miss the opportunity or write your details on a scrap of paper – both ideas are unprofessional, and a business card would solve these problems.

H1 – Is PayPal cracking down on online casino players?

Gloucestercitynews.net (January 28, 2020)–PayPal has been a cornerstone payment method for online casino players for many years now. From its beginnings, in the early 2000s, this service has processed billions of online transactions. Of these, using the

PayPal payment method for online casinos

deposits and withdrawals account for a fair chunk.

source unsplash.com

But now as we enter a new decade it seems that PayPal is following the recent trends of other payments providers with a tightening of its rules and regulations.

What could be the possible effects of this for online casino players and what will the future shape up to be? We’ll attempt to answer these questions and more below.

H2 – German online casino payment crackdown

The early warning signs that PayPal was about to make a move towards more stringent regulations for casino players started to show in 2019. Around halfway through the year PayPal announced plans to stop supporting payments to and from online casinos in Germany from October 21, 2019.

This came after a warning was issued in June 2019 by the Lower Saxony state in Germany to an unnamed international payment processor. The warning was concerned with the payment provider being used to fund illegal online casino transactions in that region.

PayPal’s terms of service in Germany were quickly updated following the warning to say that they would not process payments for “offers that are not legal in your respective whereabouts, including some online gambling offers.”

This move reflects a wider game change regarding casino licencing in Germany. At the current moment, only the state of Schleswig-Holstein is able to offer legal gambling licences but all this is set to change.

Countrywide gambling licences will be issued in early 2020 but only on very strictly limited terms for sports betting. Given this, the future of the online casino industry in Germany looks very uncertain indeed.

H2 – Will there be a worldwide PayPal casino crackdown?

The above case from Germany is for a very specific region and payment provider but it does highlight a wider trend. For many years online casinos have been viewed by some as being the ‘wild west’ of the internet. The wider industry is making drastic moves to smarten up their image and operations which in turn affects payment providers.

Now that states, governments and even trading blocks seek to enforce ever tighter rules and regulations for the gambling industry, all involved must be seen to comply. In the case of PayPal, their actions in Germany show us that they are willing and able to play by the rules when they need to.

As a business with a reputation to maintain across continents, PayPal cannot afford to be seen to be connected with any illegal activities or wrongdoing. If doing so means pulling out of one of Europe’s big casino markets then it looks as though they will do it without fear.

H2 – How does this affect casino players?

From the point of view of casino players, it means that they might have less choice of which payment provider to use in the future. Millions of casino fans around the world rely on PayPal to process their withdrawals and deposits. Not having their service as a payments option at any casino would be a major blow.

That said, let’s not forget that tighter rules and regulations should be working in favour of online casino players. If it forces PayPal and other payments providers to up their game then it is a good thing. In turn, this creates a safer and more secure playing environment which can be seen as a positive.

What Microsoft 98-349 Exam Objectives Should You Master to Become a Certified Specialist? Practice Tests Know the Answer!

(Gloucestercitynews.net)(January 27, 2020)–Microsoft offers a wide range of certifications and exams for the IT professionals. By doing so, it contributes tremendously to the growth of the IT industry. Actually, Microsoft is a giant in it. This is evident from the fact that about 80 percent of computers all over the world are running on its operating system. That is why a specialist with the credential of this vendor will be in-demand in many organizations worldwide.

Microsoft 98-349, or Windows OS Fundamentals, is the recommended starting point in the IT-sphere. This article focuses on this exam and everything else that it entails, including its topics, recertification policy, prerequisites, preparation options, and so on. Let’s start with the basic information.

What is the Microsoft 98-349 exam?

The

Exam-labs.com

98-349 certification exam was published on April 13, 2011. All this time, this test has been very popular among employers and IT professionals, particularly those who manage application folders, files, and devices. Going by the look of things, this exam will continue to be a highly sought-after test for a long time. It is intended for home PC users, developers, academic information workers, and IT specialists. The 98-349 exam is also designed for those who are looking to be recognized as system analysts and system administrators. It is meant to certify one’s competency to understand, manage, and install the Windows operating system.

The Microsoft 98-349 certification exam consists of about 40-60 questions in total, and the time limit is 2 hours. The questions are of various types. Precisely, there are scenario-based and multiple-choice questions that are included in this test. The maximum score for this Windows OS

Fundamentals exam is 1000 points, and the passing score is 700

. The available languages: Russian, German, Spanish, Spanish (Latin America), English, French, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Korean, Japanese, and Chinese (Simplified/Traditional).

What are the prerequisites for Microsoft 98-349 exam?

There are no official prerequisites for Microsoft 98-349. Although this gives anyone the opportunity to take this exam, it would be almost impossible to do well and achieve even the passing score without having prior knowledge of Windows fundamentals. Microsoft has stated it very clear on its website that the individuals considering this certification test should know the concepts of Windows OS.

The candidates are also advised to use study materials that Microsoft offers on its webpage. The resources are as follows: training courses, practice tests, study guides, videos. Apart from these official prep tools, there are also other verified resources such as braindumps and video tutorials that can be found on exam-Labs. This platform is one of the best places that provide students with up-to-date study materials.

What topics do you need to cover in Microsoft 98-349 exam?

The exam is based on 6 main knowledge domains, and each of them will cover about 15-20% of the whole test. So, all the topics are usually given the same prominence in the exam. These objectives should always act as the general guidelines for the applicants about what content the examiners are most likely to include in Microsoft 98-349. Let’s take a quick look at each topic. You can check the whole list with the details by visiting the certification webpage.

Understanding the operating system configuration

This is the first topic that is included in the Microsoft 98-349 certification exam. The questions from this objective test the students’ knowledge of a number of concepts, but the main ones include the usage and configuration of Control Panel options, desktop settings, native tools and applications, mobility settings, and management tools. It also covers administrative tools, profiles and display settings, file explorer settings, start menu, taskbar, notifications, Microsoft Edge, Hyper-V, MSCONFIG, Windows PowerShell, Sync Center, and more.

Installing and upgrading client systems

This is the second topic from which the questions are taken in the certification exam. This objective measures one’s ability to identify editions of Windows OS, understand installation types, identify the appropriate upgrade paths, and understand OS architecture, and so on. You should know how to identify and understand hardware and compatibility requirements, apps compatibility, kernel mode, user mode, 32-bit vs. 64-bit architecture, perform a clean install and upgrade via Windows Update.

Managing applications

Various concepts are being tested on this objective. The questions evaluate the candidates’ knowledge of configuring and understanding applications, antivirus settings, UAC, services start-up types, service dependencies, and service accounts. You should also know a thing or two about local and network apps, desktop apps, Windows SmartScreen and Store apps, standard user and administrative ones, Malicious Software Removal Tool and Windows Defender.

Managing folders and files

The questions on this topic cover various concepts. They basically verify the ability of the test takers to understand file systems, print and file sharing, encrypting files systems and BitLocker, and libraries. To master the skills, you need to understand NTFS, FAT32, and ReFS, and can be able to configure share permissions, file system permissions, HomeGroup settings, effective permissions, and print drivers.

Managing devices

The questions on this objective are designed to measure the individuals\’ ability in connecting devices, understanding storage, printing devices, and system devices, such as device management, video, devices, infrared input devices, and audio devices. You should master your knowledge of plug-and-play and Bluetooth devices, printers, device drivers, third-party software, disk types, OneDrive, and Device Manager.

Understanding operating system maintenance

The last topic area majorly tests if the candidates understand backup and recovery methods, maintenance tools, and know-how to configure updates. You need to learn about recovery drive, recovery boot options, system restore, safe mode options, task scheduler, disk cleanup, disk defragmenter, system information, Windows update options, roll back updates, and more.

Conclusion

The Microsoft 98-349 certification exam is an important step for your career growth. With the relevant credential, which is earned after clearing this test, you will be a highly sought-after IT professional. Remember that Exam-Labs will always partner with you on your journey to achieving high results. You can always rely on its training materials to help you prepare for your exams in two ticks.

Which countries allow online gambling casino

Gloucestercitynews.net (January 27, 2020)–If your country allows gambling in casinos, then lucky for you since you have a way of making money at the comfort of your home. Some countries do not allow online gambling, and therefore, if you are caught playing casino games in such countries, you will be charged according to the law. Therefore, before you embark on your online gambling, it is necessary to find out whether the country in which the casino is based allows gambling. In this article, I have combined a list of countries where online gambling is legal.

Why a casino doesn\’t legal in some countries

Regardless of whether gambling is legal or illegal in certain nations, there will always be gamblers. The main reason as to why some governments fail to legalize gambling is to protect the citizens from vice and making poor decisions. You must have heard of people who lost everything that they owned in gambling or some who have become addicts. Now, these are some of the things that governments try to protect by making casinos illegal. Professionals from

online casino real money

will help you identify some of the precautions that you should take to make a big win from gambling.

Canada

Canada has legalized gambling in some regions, while in others, it is illegal. Therefore, gambling regulations differ across the ten provinces. Each province has the mandate to regulate gambling activities, and hence, you need to familiarize yourself with the gambling rules in your province. The online casinos ought to follow the regulations set out by the governing province.

Australia and New Zealand

The Australian and New Zealand law have allowed their citizens to participate in online gambling activities. All that is required is for the casino operators to have gambling licenses, and they will be free to run their businesses in any part of the nation. However, the only form of gambling allowed in Australia is sports betting, auto-racing betting, and online lottery. In New Zealand, gambling is only legal if authorized by the Gambling Act 2003.

USA

The USA makes 70% of the players base on online gambling. The US federal law has legalized gambling. However, the law ensures to have certain restrictions when it comes to online and interstate gambling. This means that some gambling activities might be considered legal in one state, yet they are illegal in another state. Every state has the mandate to regulate gambling activities within its borders. Therefore, you need to play in a state where online gambling is legal.

South countries

Among the countries that allow online gambling in South America is Argentina. The country boasts some of the largest casinos across the world. There are over 80 casinos in Argentina, as well as approximately 12000 slots. The government regulations in Chile and Venezuela have legalized gambling. Brazil is among the southern countries that do not allow casino betting.

United Kingdom

The UK stands to be the nation with the best gambling rules. It allows gambling for any individual as long as they are above 18 years. Unlike other nations, the country does not charge any taxes on the amounts won from gambling. Therefore, this makes it a favorable place for gambling in online casinos. Their online gambling regulations ensure that the players have a fair and safe gambling environment.

The grey areas of online gambling

Online gambling falls into the grey area because it is difficult to regulate its operations in countries where gambling has been legalized. For instance, most of the players do it from home hence making it difficult to convict them. Also, the servers are located in countries that have legalized gambling.

In turn, their websites run in different parts of the world. People take casino licenses and end up running their activities in areas where gambling is restricted.

Other European countries

Following the boom of the gambling business, most of the European countries have legalized gambling. Hence, as long as you are in such countries, you can pop up in any legal casinos and play with real money. They believe that gambling helps in the growth of the economy. Some of those countries include Hungry, Malta, Portugal, Norway, Spain, France, Germany, Netherland, Gibraltar, Italy, Poland, Denmark, Russia, Belgium, and Switzerland.

Asia

The gambling laws in Asia allows business people to run gambling platforms such as online casinos. Countries such as Kazakhstan, Philippines, and Japan have fully legalized gambling. Besides, countries such as Thailand, China, Macao, and Singapore partly allow people to gamble. In India, gambling is only allowed in the states of Goa and Sikkim. As well, some Indian states have legalized scratch card games.

Now that you have known where gambling is allowed, you do not have to fear being convicted for gambling. All you have to do is search for licensed casinos in such countries, and you will be free to gamble on your favorite games. Such casinos are a guarantee that you can play with real money and have a timely payment of your winnings.

The Rite Aid Foundation Welcomes 2020 KidCents Charities Award

Awards more than $2.4 million in grant funding to 481 nonprofits

CAMP HILL, Pa.–(

BUSINESS WIRE

)–The Rite Aid Foundation welcomed 481 nonprofits to its 2020 KidCents class – it’s largest ever – and awarded more than $2.4 million to support the charities that advance the health and wellbeing of children in communities that Rite Aid serves.

The number of KidCents charities has more than doubled since the program’s inception in 2014, when 204 nonprofits comprised the inaugural class. Over seven years, The Rite Aid Foundation has contributed a total of more than $34 million to KidCents charities across the country, thanks to members of Rite Aid’s loyalty program,

wellness+ rewards

, rounding up their in-store or online purchases to donate to KidCents.

“More than 3 million Rite Aid customers actively choose to make meaningful contributions to help children in their communities through KidCents. The program’s growth is a testament to their generosity and commitment to building safer, stronger and more supportive communities for youth across the country,” said Jessica Kazmaier, president of The Rite Aid Foundation and Rite Aid chief human resources officer. “The 2020 KidCents class has the opportunity to prove that change adds up exponentially, and we look forward to helping them achieve their goal of giving kids better lives and brighter futures.”

Each KidCents nonprofit will receive a $5,000 grant to start 2020. The funding will help organizations like The Children’s Developmental Center in Richland, Washington, provide programs – like autism evaluations, occupational therapy and speech language therapy – that help children reach their potential.

“The Children’s Developmental Center has been providing early intervention services to young children with developmental delays and their families since 1977. We support, educate and empower families to assist children in reaching their fullest potential,” said Cathryn Tames, executive director of The Children’s Developmental Center and a past recipient of The Rite Aid Foundation’s KIDCHAMP Award. “The support of The Rite Aid Foundation allows us to do what we do best – make a positive difference in the lives of our communities’ youngest children and their families.”

Examples of longstanding impacted nonprofits include:

Speech and Language Development Center, Buena Park, California:

The nonprofit school and therapy center serves children and young adults with special needs in language learning and/or behavior. More than 200 staff members provide programs and services for about 300 students.

Inspiring Minds, Warren, Ohio:

Founded in 2006, Inspiring Minds focuses on five key areas: education, college and career readiness, exposure to new experiences, health and wellness, and personal development. The nonprofit offers free after-school and summer enrichment programs to under-represented youth.

Mighty Writers, Philadelphia:

Mighty Writers teaches kids to write through four-day-a-week writing academies at six neighborhood locations in Philadelphia and the surrounding area. All programs are free for the children the nonprofit serves.

In addition to having 92 original charities among this year’s ranks, The Rite Aid Foundation also welcomed 69 new KidCents charities to the program in 2020. New participants include:

Girls on the Run, Dayton, Ohio:

A council of Girls on the Run International, Girls on the Run of Dayton inspires girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum that integrates running. The organization serves four counties and has inspired more than 5,000 participants over nine years.

ABC House, Albany, Oregon:

Established in 1997, this Child Abuse Intervention Center works with children, youth and families to overcome the crisis of abuse and neglect. Services include: child abuse assessment, treatment, support services, post-trauma counseling, and educational programming.

Fresh Youth Initiatives, New York:

Launched in 1993, Fresh Youth Initiatives (FYI) works with low-income immigrant and first-generation youth, with goals to help children succeed in school, navigate life transitions, pursue college and a career, and give back to their community. Through summer camps, afterschool programs and more, FYI works with 1,500 children and teens.

“Girls on the Run of Dayton is incredibly honored to join The Rite Aid Foundation’s 2020 KidCents charities. This $5,000 grant alone will allow us to offer over 60 additional scholarships this year,” said Kayleigh Clark, executive director of Girls on the Run of Dayton. “As we celebrate our 10-year anniversary, we remain dedicated to serving every girl across the Miami Valley. We believe every girl is inherently full of power and potential. As a KidCents charity, we look forward to building confidence and inspiration in our community and are grateful to The Rite Aid Foundation for its continued support.”

For a full list of KidCents charities and to learn more about how Rite Aid’s

wellness+ rewards

members can support charities in their own communities, please visit

www.kidcents.com

About The Rite Aid Foundation

Since its inception in 2001, The Rite Aid Foundation has awarded more than $68 million to nonprofit organizations. Additionally, Rite Aid, through the efforts of its customers, supplier partners and associates, has also raised more than $92 million for Children\’s Miracle Network Hospitals across the country since 1994.

About the KidCents Program

Through the KidCents program, which is The Rite Aid Foundation\’s charitable giving program dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of children living in the communities Rite Aid services, members of Rite Aid\’s loyalty program,

wellness+ rewards

can round up their in-store or online purchases to the nearest dollar and donate their change to KidCents. Members can also choose to direct their change to a specific KidCents charity by visiting

www.kidcents.com

. For more information, visit

www.kidcents.com

About Rite Aid Corporation

Rite Aid Corporation is on the front lines of delivering health care services and retail products to over 1.6 million Americans daily. Our pharmacists are uniquely positioned to engage with customers and improve their health outcomes. We provide an array of whole being health products and services for the entire family through over 2,400 retail pharmacy locations across 18 states. Through EnvisionRxOptions, we also deliver pharmacy benefit management to approximately 1,900 clients and 3.4 million members. For more information, visit

www.riteaid.com

CDC 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV), Wuhan, China (Updated)

Updated January 24, 2020

Situation Summary

CDC is closely monitoring an outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel (new) coronavirus (termed “2019-nCoV”) that was first detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China and which continues to expand. Chinese health officials have reported hundreds of infections with 2019-nCoV in China, including outside of

Hubei Province. Infections with 2019-nCoV also are being reported in a growing number of countries internationally, including the United States, where the

first

and

second

2019-nCoV infections were reported on January 21 and January 24, 2020, respectively, both in travelers returning from Wuhan.

Chinese health authorities were the first to post the full genome of the 2019-nCoV in

GenBank

external icon

, the NIH genetic sequence database, and in the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (

GISAID

external icon

) portal, an action which has facilitated detection of this virus. On January 24, 2020, CDC posted in GenBank the full genome of the 2019-nCoV virus detected in the first U.S. patient from Washington state. The virus genetic sequence from the patient in Washington is nearly identical to the sequences posted from China. The available sequences suggest a likely single, recent emergence from a virus related to bat coronaviruses and SARS-CoV. The available sequence information does not provide any information about severity of associated illness or transmissibility of the virus.

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, some causing illness in people and others that circulate among animals, including camels, cats and bats. Rarely, animal coronaviruses can evolve and infect people and then spread between people such as has been seen with

MERS

and

SARS

When person-to-person spread has occurred with MERS and SARS, it is thought to have happened via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes, similar to how influenza and other respiratory pathogens spread. Spread of MERS and SARS between people has generally occurred between close contacts. Past MERS and SARS outbreaks have been complex, requiring comprehensive public health responses.

Early on, many of the patients in the outbreak in Wuhan, China reportedly had some link to a large seafood and animal market, suggesting animal-to-person spread. However, a growing number of patients reportedly have not had exposure to animal markets, suggesting person-to-person spread is occurring. At this time, it’s unclear how easily or sustainably this virus is spreading between people.

Both MERS and SARS have been known to cause severe illness in people. The situation with regard to 2019-nCoV is still unclear. While severe illness, including illness resulting in a number of deaths has been reported in China, other patients have had milder illness and been discharged.

There are ongoing investigations to learn more. This is a rapidly evolving situation and information will be updated as it becomes available.

On This Page

Situation Summary

Risk Assessment

What to Expect

CDC Response

Other Available Resources

Risk Assessment

Outbreaks of novel virus infections among people are always of public health concern. The risk from these outbreaks depends on characteristics of the virus, including whether and how well it spreads between people, the severity of resulting illness, and the medical or other measures available to control the impact of the virus (for example, vaccine or treatment medications).

Investigations are ongoing to learn more, but person-to-person spread of 2019-nCoV is occurring. It’s important to note that person-to-person spread can happen on a continuum. Some viruses are highly contagious (like measles), while other viruses are less so. It’s not clear yet how easily 2019-nCoV spreads from person-to-person. It’s important to know this in order to better assess the risk posed by this virus. While CDC considers this is a very serious public health threat, based on current information, the immediate health risk from 2019-nCoV to the general American public is considered low at this time. Nevertheless, CDC is taking proactive preparedness precautions.

What to Expect

More cases are likely to be identified in the coming days, including more cases in the United States. Given what has occurred previously with MERS and SARS, it’s likely that person-to-person spread will continue to occur.

CDC Response

CDC is closely monitoring this situation and is working with WHO.

CDC established a 2019-nCoV Incident Management Structure on January 7, 2020. On January 21, 2020, CDC activated its Emergency Response System to better provide ongoing support to the 2019-nCoV response.

On January 23, 2020, CDC again raised its travel alert for the coronavirus outbreak. The travel notice for Wuhan City was raised from Level 2: Practice Enhanced Precautions to

Level 3: Avoid Nonessential Travel

. CDC also issued a

Level 1: Practice Usual Precautions

for the rest of China.

CDC also is conducting entry screening of passengers

on direct and connecting flights from Wuhan, China to five major airports: Atlanta (ATL), Chicago (ORD), Los Angeles, (LAX) New York city (JFK), and San Francisco (SFO).

CDC issued an

updated interim Health Alert Notice (HAN) Advisory

to inform state and local health departments and health care providers about this outbreak on January 17, 2020.

CDC teams have been deployed to support the ongoing investigation in Washington and Illinois to support the ongoing investigations of the two cases in the United States.

CDC has developed a real time Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (rRT-PCR) test that can diagnose 2019-nCoV in respiratory and serum samples from clinical specimens. On January 24, 2020, CDC

publicly posted the assay protocol

for this test. Currently, testing for this virus must take place at CDC, but in the coming days and weeks, CDC will share these tests with domestic and international partners through the agency’s

International Reagent Resource

external icon

CDC uploaded the entire genome of the virus from the first reported case in the United States to GenBank.

CDC also is growing the virus in cell culture, which is necessary for further studies, including for additional genetic characterization.

Other Available Resources

The following resources are available with information on 2019-nCoV

CDC Travelers’ Health: Novel Coronavirus in China

CDC Health Alert Network Advisory Update and Interim Guidance on Outbreak of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Wuhan, China

CDC Health Alert Network Advisory information for state and local health departments and health care providers

CDC Information on Coronaviruses

World Health Organization, Coronavirus

external icon

Content source:

National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD)

Division of Viral Diseases

Honduras Arrests U.S.-Bound Iranians as New Caravan Heads North

JudicialWatch.org News

We now have another unnerving story about the border crisis, Iran, and national security. Our

Corruption Chronicles

blog

reports

Central American immigrants take part in a caravan heading to the United States on the road linking Ciudad Hidalgo and Tapachula, Mexico, on October 21, 2018. # Pedro Pardo / AFP / Getty

hundreds join a new U.S.-bound caravan

in Honduras, authorities in the crime-infested Central American nation reveal that four Iranians were recently arrested there. Like thousands of illegal immigrants from around the world, the Iranians entered Honduras illegally and were heading north to the United States, according to a Honduran

newspaper article

that attributes the information to the president, Juan Orlando Hernández. The Iranians were transported to the capital, Tegucigalpa, and officials have launched an investigation.

Earlier this week Judicial Watch

reported

on a U.S. alert warning Mexico of armed Iranians planning to enter the country through the southern border, but it’s not clear if the cases are related and calls to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) went unanswered. The bulletin, issued by the Border Patrol’s regional intelligence operation center in Arizona, said that a Guatemalan national may try to smuggle five Middle Easterners—including a suicide bomber—into the U.S. through Mexico. The smuggler and four other men and a woman transited through Guatemala and Belize before reaching Veracruz, Mexico, according to the bulletin. The Guatemalan, whose name is redacted in the government document, was deported from California a year ago. U.S. authorities received the threat after picking up recordings distributed via social media, according to a Spanish-language

news story

published by a Latin American outlet.

The U.S. alert didn’t faze a busy Mexican border city’s police chief, who confirms the region is full of Middle Easterners, Africans and Asians trekking north. In a Latin American

news report

published shortly after the U.S. issued the bulletin, Mexicali Police Chief María Elena Andrade Ramírez matter-of-factly said the arrival of people from the Middle East, Africa and Asia as well as the rest of the Americas is “normal” in her California border city of about

a million residents

. In a separate article published in a Mexicali paper, authorities downplayed the situation by assuring citizens that the arrival of people from the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia and the rest of the Americas is “

something normal

.”

They don’t magically land in Mexico. Central America has long been a popular route for illegal immigrants from terrorist nations who want to reach the U.S. There’s no doubt many will infiltrate the new caravan heading to the Mexican border from the northern Honduran city of San Pedro Sula. President Hernández says some

70,000

immigrants from these countries cross through Honduras annually, even without an organized caravan.

When the first Central American caravan launched from Honduras in the fall of 2018, then Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales confirmed that nearly

100 ISIS terrorists

had been apprehended in Guatemala. Like its Honduran neighbor, Guatemala too is a major smuggling corridor for foreigners from African and Asian countries making their way into the U.S. In 2017, Guatemala’s largest paper, Prensa Libra, published an in-depth

piece

on the inner workings of an international human smuggling network that moves migrants from Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bangladesh to the U.S.

Over the summer

four ISIS terrorists

planning to enter the U.S. through Mexico were captured by the Nicaraguan military in a remote area where the men entered the country illegally from Costa Rica. Nicaraguan authorities identified the men as two Egyptian nationals—33-year old Mohamed Ibrahim and 26-year-old Mahmoud Samy Eissa—and two Iraqis, 41-year-old Ahmed Ghanim Mohamed Al Jubury and 29-year-old Mustafa Ali Mohamed Yaoob. The men arrived in Panama

on May 12

and in Costa Rica

on June 9

, according to an

article

published in Nicaragua’s largest newspaper.

Put all of this in the context of Democrats braying when President Trump took out Qassem Soleimani, leader of Iran’s elite Quds military force and considered the world’s No. 1 terrorist.