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Confusion on sensor plane's abilities delayed response in Ohio train derailment, report says

Confusion on sensor plane's abilities delayed response in Ohio train derailment, report says

A specialized plane equipped with advanced sensors that the government deploys to chemical disasters could have helped authorities avoid needlessly blowing open five rail tank cars and burning their toxic contents after the disastrous 2023 East Palestine train derailment, a new report says.
The report released Tuesday found the single-engine Cessna wasn't called into action until the night before the rail cars filled with vinyl chloride were blown open because officials with the Environmental Protection Agency on the ground didn't fully understand the plane's sophisticated capabilities.
The report by the EPA's Inspector General said the agency's on-scene coordinator mistakenly thought the so-called ASPECT plane could only measure 20- to 30-degree differences in temperature. In reality, the report noted, the sensors can measure slight temperature differences of less than 1 degree.
That information could have helped first responders avoid the key mistake the National Transportation Safety Board identified of blowing open the tank cars filled with the toxic plastic ingredient.
The on-scene coordinator's 'limited awareness or use of the full range of ASPECT capabilities could negatively impact emergency response decision-making,' the report said.
The towering plume of black smoke
The explosion and fire generated a massive plume of black smoke over East Palestine that billowed eastward over the nearby Ohio-Pennsylvania border three days after the derailment. State and local officials in charge of the response feared those tank cars would explode even though the limited temperature information they had showed the cars were starting to cool off.
The National Transportation Safety Board had previously faulted the Norfolk Southern railroad for not sharing the opinion of the chemical maker that the vinyl chloride wasn't going to explode with decisionmakers. Norfolk Southern has said OxyVinyls officials offered conflicting information that left the railroad's experts worried about a dangerous chemical reaction.
Much of the small town of East Palestine had to be evacuated for days because of the toxic chemical fire. Many residents still complain of lingering health symptoms, fearful of potential long-term health consequences.
The EPA has maintained that dangerous levels of chemicals were never found after the evacuation order was lifted five days after the Feb. 3, 2023, derailment.
Some have questioned whether the agency did enough to detect the chemicals in the aftermath and doctors are still trying to determine what prolonged exposure to low levels of the chemicals might mean. Recently released records show officials with the Federal Emergency Management Administration have acknowledged residents' fears that cancer clusters could develop years from now in local residents despite the EPA's assurances.
Robert Kroutil, the man who wrote the software and helped interpret the data from the plane's advanced radiological and infrared sensors, has said having accurate temperature data from the plane could have helped avoid the vent-and-burn operation.
'The report noted that EPA officials believe that the on-ground monitoring equipment provided superior detection capabilities, which is incorrect,' Kroutil said. 'This demonstrates EPA's complete lack of understanding of the ASPECT technology and how it works to protect chemically impacted sites.'
EPA updates its policies
The East Palestine derailment was the worst rail disaster in a decade. It prompted a national reckoning with rail safety and calls for reform — although proposals for new industry rules stalled in Congress.
The railroad's contractors who led the response to the derailment told the NTSB they had difficulty getting accurate temperature readings on the cars because the fire surrounding them made it especially dangerous. Kroutil's concerns prompted the IG investigation.
The EPA said in its official response to the report that it has developed a detailed fact sheet and plans to train its emergency responders about the plane's capabilities and when it should be deployed over the next year. But the agency didn't immediately respond Tuesday to questions about the delayed response in East Palestine.
Lingering questions about the flights
The Government Accountability Project watchdog group that helped Kroutil document his concerns questioned why the Inspector General didn't look into other aspects like Kroutil's concerns that the plane's sensors were intentionally shut off over the creeks around East Palestine and that the final report on the flights was changed to overlook the incomplete data that was generated in just two flights before the plane was sent home.
GAP's Senior Environmental Officer Lesley Pacey said 'the investigation's scope was too narrow, failing to address the most serious allegations.'
The EPA didn't even call for the sensor plane until two nights after the derailment when officials were already contemplating the vent-and-burn operation.
The plane took off from its Texas base within a half hour of getting the call, but it didn't make a pass over the derailment as it flew into the area that night, and then weather conditions kept it from flying during the controversial burn operation the next day. It didn't gather any data until the following day after most of the chemicals had already been distributed by the wind.
The Inspector General said the emails and documents it reviewed showed that officials followed existing practices on deploying the plane, but those procedures lacked the clarity needed to help them decide when to deploy the plane.
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Interviewing Leaders: BBC Trump Interview Shows How It's Done
Interviewing Leaders: BBC Trump Interview Shows How It's Done

Forbes

time10 minutes ago

  • Forbes

Interviewing Leaders: BBC Trump Interview Shows How It's Done

On 13 July 2024, Donald Trump was speaking at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania when a bullet grazed his ear. As the gunman continued to fire, killing one man, the BBC's Chief North America Correspondent reported live. He then interviewed the first eyewitness who had seen the gunman on the roof beforehand. The scoop went viral. But earlier this month, O'Donoghue landed another scoop in a very personal interview with U.S. leader Donald Trump. To mark the first anniversary of the shooting, O'Donoghue had requested an interview. But it hadn't come through and he thought it wasn't happening so the reporter went home late and was dozing when the phone rang. In his haste, he accidentally cut the President off, but he rang back. Trump often rings journalists at home, according to O'Donoghue. Apparently he thinks he is the best communicator in his administration. says O'Donoghue. On this occasion, he may be right. The BBC interview provides a rare glimpse of a reflective Trump, a more human figure than we usually see. 'I think he's open, even a bit vulnerable while talking about the assassination attempt,' said O'Donoghue. As with all the very best interviews, this is a conversation. It's not sycophantic, but it is respectful and both sides are listening to each other. I have listened to O'Donoghue on the radio for years, but only recently realised he cannot see. Perhaps this is partly why he is such a good listener. The corporation has edited out some of Trump's tangential observations, but he will have reached a constituency of voters who may not usually listen to him. At the same time, O'Donoghue's simple but thoughtful questions do exactly what they are meant to and draw the president out. It's a masterclass in how to do an interview, whichever side of the mike you're on. Here are the golden rules. Know Your Subject This could also be called Think how you're going to do it. O'Donoghue had made some notes but couldn't find them in time. Speaking on Newscast O'Donoghue said, 'But they were in my head, and I knew that just trying to sit back a bit and to place careful… and respectful questions, that I was actually there to try to elicit …some thinking, to see the process of thinking.' It works. The reporter isn't looking down at a long list of questions and yanking the conversation back to questions which don't flow naturally. He can do it because he is on top of his subject. Trump is also well-prepared, clearly well-informed about the BBC's coverage of the assassination attempt from his comments. It helps he knows his interviewer and respects him. Respect begets respect, which is important especially if you're a politician. In his 2020 CNN interview with Trump, Jonathan Swan used basic follow-up questions (how, what, who) to challenge a number of sweeping and inaccurate statements. For instance, Trump said, 'I think it's [coronavirus] under control. It's under control as much as you can control it.' Swan questioned, 'How? 1,000 Americans are dying a day.' The BBC interview is much more personal, aimed at finding out as much as possible what Trump is thinking. But the same principle applies. O'Donoghue kept his questions short and simple, and just asked the president what he felt about things. Short questions also help interviewees answer the question - and make it much harder to go off on a tangent about something else. 'I was there to elicit some thinking… I waited," said O'Donoghue. "You can tell when he [the President] is listening, and you wait for that moment.' Listen. For the interviewee, silence is a gift. You don't have to say anything. Just think and the words will flow far better. People need to warm up to admit what they think or feel. When interviewers butt in, it's distracting and the interviewee goes on the defensive. In this interview, Trump is relaxed and willing to be open. On the assassination attempt, he says, 'Well, I like to think about it as little as possible to be honest.' He adds, 'I don't like dwelling on it because if I did it would be, you know, might be a life changing. I don't want it to have to be that.' This is part of Trump's political invincibility. Don't look back. Don't be a victim. Don't let things define you. It makes him stronger - and it also makes him look stronger. Later, when discussing efforts to persuade Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine, O'Donoghue is able to ask Trump about his feelings about the collapse of his peace initiatives. What emerges is pure gold. Gary O'Donoghue Do you trust him [Putin]? Donald Trump: [long pause] I trust almost nobody to be honest with you. Gary O'Donoghue: So how do you deal with someone you can't trust? Donald Trump Well, it's not a question of that. It's like, I'm disappointed that this hasn't been done. The deal we made last week is amazing ( the 5% of annual NATO countries' GDP to be spent on defence. Nobody thought that was possible and it amounts to over $1 trillion a year. 'The thing you have to do with Donald Trump is that there are moments where he stops, and you can tell he is listening, and you wait for that moment to intersperse a very quick question," O'Donoghue says on Newscast. 'He's responsive and quick enough on his feet to take that on and take it where the conversation goes.' And Trump is quick enough to steer the conversation in a direction he'd rather go to. Ultimately, even the best interviewer can't transform an interviewee who is unresponsive and a slow thinker, as anyone who tried to interview Joe Biden on the hoof will know. Trump is fast. Moreover, he's smarter than his detractors think. Ultimately, it often falls on the media advisers around leaders to give them the right advice. That isn't to say they will always listen. But in this case, Trump scores well: his intuition about this particular journalist is right - he trusts him - and he knows he is up to it. He wouldn't have given those answers if he didn't. Rome wasn't built in a day. Principals should not do interviews unless they are well prepared and quick enough to respond to what's thrown at them. They too need to listen. A considered tone wins respect. It may even win votes. And short answers hit home with viewers and listeners. No one remembers long sentences afterwards - they just remember pithy phrases. Interviewing leaders and being interviewed isn't easy, but the skills can be learned if the ability is there.

High Noon Recalls Alcoholic Drinks Mislabeled as Celsius. What to Do if You Were Impacted
High Noon Recalls Alcoholic Drinks Mislabeled as Celsius. What to Do if You Were Impacted

CNET

timean hour ago

  • CNET

High Noon Recalls Alcoholic Drinks Mislabeled as Celsius. What to Do if You Were Impacted

High Noon has issued a recall on two of its Beach Variety packs due to the presence of alcohol in the wrong type of cans. Within these 12-packs of High Noon Beach Variety packs there may be some Celsius-labelled cans of drink -- which should contain an energy drink -- that were shipped out with High Noon vodka seltzer inside them. Cans that are filled with High Noon's vodka seltzer are mislabeled as Celsius Astro Vibe Energy Drink, Sparkling Blue Razz Edition and have a silver top instead of a black top. High Noon discovered the error after receiving a shipment of empty Celsius cans instead of empty High Noon cans, according to a statement. Distributors shipped these drinks to Florida, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Virginia and Wisconsin between July 21 and 23. Here's which lot codes were impacted and what to do if you bought (or drank) these cans of drink. What to do if you were impacted by High Noon's drink recall High Noon advises people who bought the following codes of Celsius Astro Vibe Energy Drink, Sparkling Blue Razz Edition not to consume it and to discard it. The lot codes are L CCB 02JL25 2:55 to L CCB 02JL25 3:11. Other High Noon variety packs should not be affected. High Noon reported that no illnesses or events occurred as a part of the mislabeling. If you've purchased the impacted drinks, contact High Noon Consumer Relations at consumerrelations@ for next steps and refunds. The recall is being conducted with the US Food and Drug Administration and the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. CNET reached out to High Noon for comment but did not receive an immediate response.

Ligand and Medtronic Commit $70 Million in Strategic Capital to Orchestra BioMed
Ligand and Medtronic Commit $70 Million in Strategic Capital to Orchestra BioMed

Yahoo

time2 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Ligand and Medtronic Commit $70 Million in Strategic Capital to Orchestra BioMed

• Ligand to invest $35 million in exchange for a tiered royalty on future sales of Orchestra's AVIM therapy and Virtue SAB and an additional $5 million in an equity private placement • Medtronic to invest $10 million in an equity private placement and an additional $20 million in a secured subordinated promissory note convertible to prepaid revenue share • Medtronic and Orchestra BioMed expand strategic collaboration to provide pathway for development of AVIM therapy-enabled leadless pacemakers NEW HOPE, Pa., July 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Orchestra BioMed Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: OBIO, 'Orchestra BioMed' or the 'Company'), a biomedical company accelerating high-impact technologies to patients through risk-reward sharing partnerships, today announced that the Company has secured $70 million in new capital from Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq: LGND, 'Ligand') and Medtronic, plc. (NYSE: MDT, 'Medtronic') to advance its late-stage partnered cardiology programs. Simultaneously, Orchestra BioMed and Medtronic, which have an existing strategic collaboration for atrioventricular interval modulation ('AVIM') therapy for the treatment of uncontrolled hypertension in pacemaker-indicated patients, have amended their agreement to include the potential future development of AVIM therapy-enabled leadless pacemakers. Unlike traditional pacemakers that are placed in a patient's chest with leads (or wires) running to the heart, minimally-invasive Medtronic Micra™ leadless pacemakers are implanted directly into the heart, reducing potential sources of complications. Ligand $40 million Investment Todd Davis, Chief Executive Officer of Ligand commented: 'We are pleased to partner with Medtronic and Orchestra BioMed in this important endeavor. This investment expands our pipeline of development-stage products and demonstrates our confidence in Orchestra BioMed's scientific advancements, as well as the strong capabilities of its partner, Medtronic. We are proud to support Orchestra BioMed as they develop novel high-impact, device-based therapies such as AVIM therapy and Virtue SAB targeting high-risk patient populations with hypertension and arterial disease, two of the most significant global health challenges.' David Hochman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Orchestra BioMed stated, 'Ligand has been one of the inspirations for our partnership-driven approach to creating long-term, capital-efficient value through royalty-based collaborations. We are thrilled to welcome them as a strategic capital partner. Ligand's decision to invest in our partnered programs and our team reflects our shared conviction in the transformative potential of both AVIM therapy and Virtue SAB – our late-stage flagship technologies aimed to address important unmet medical needs in large, established global markets. This transaction provides foundational financial support to enable our potential achievement of key value creating milestones for both of our high-impact clinical programs.' Under the terms of the agreement, Ligand will pay $20 million to Orchestra BioMed at closing with an additional $15 million to be funded, subject to certain conditions precedent, at the nine-month anniversary of the transaction closing date. Ligand has also agreed to invest an additional $5 million to purchase shares of the Company's common stock in an equity private placement at the public offering price per share in Orchestra BioMed's next public offering of its equity securities. In exchange, Ligand will receive a low double-digit royalty on the first $100 million in commercial revenues from Orchestra's AVIM therapy and Virtue SAB programs in all indications. Ligand will also earn a mid-single-digit royalty on annual revenues exceeding $100 million in commercial revenues from AVIM therapy in the uncontrolled hypertension and increased cardiovascular risk indication and Virtue SAB in coronary artery disease indications. Medtronic $30 million Additional Investment & Future Leadless AVIM Therapy Device Development Robert C. Kowal, M.D., Ph.D., Vice President and General Manager of Cardiac Pacing Therapies within the Medtronic Cardiac Rhythm Management operating unit, commented: 'Our expanded investment in Orchestra BioMed reflects confidence in their clinical progress. Broadening our collaboration to include integrating AVIM therapy into future leadless pacing technology reaffirms our commitment to transform care for patients who need pacing therapy and have uncontrolled hypertension.' Mr. Hochman added, 'Medtronic continues to be an outstanding partner for the AVIM therapy program. We believe their $30 million additional commitment to Orchestra BioMed reflects their belief in the clinical and commercial potential for this therapy to benefit patients with uncontrolled hypertension and increased cardiovascular risk in the pacemaker population. Expanding our existing collaboration to provide for potential future integration of AVIM therapy into a leadless pacemaker system deepens our strategic alignment and creates a potential pathway for patients to benefit from both AVIM therapy and cutting-edge leadless pacing technology, simultaneously.' Subject to the terms of the agreement, Medtronic's $30 million additional investment commitment to Orchestra BioMed includes a $10 million agreement to purchase shares of the Company's common stock in a private placement at the public offering price in the Company's next public offering of its equity securities. Medtronic also made a $20 million commitment to purchase a five-year term secured subordinated promissory note, to be funded in nine months which automatically converts to a prepaid revenue share upon U.S. Food and Drug Administration ('FDA') approval of AVIM therapy. The prepaid revenue share will be credited back to Medtronic at a low double-digit percentage of actual AVIM therapy revenue share paid to Orchestra BioMed, up to $40 million in cumulative revenue share. About Ligand PharmaceuticalsLigand is a biopharmaceutical company enabling scientific advancement through supporting the clinical development of high-value medicines. Ligand does this by providing financing, licensing our technologies or both. Ligand's business model seeks to generate value for stockholders by creating a diversified portfolio of biotech and pharmaceutical product revenue streams that are supported by an efficient and low corporate cost structure. Ligand's goal is to offer investors an opportunity to participate in the promise of the biotech industry in a profitable and diversified manner. Ligand's business model is based on funding programs in mid- to late-stage drug development in return for economic rights, purchasing royalty rights in development stage or commercial biopharmaceutical products and licensing its technology to help partners discover and develop medicines. Ligand partners with other pharmaceutical companies to attempt to leverage what they do best (late-stage development, regulatory management and commercialization) in order to generate revenue. Ligand operates two infrastructure-light royalty generating technology IP platform technologies. Ligand's Captisol® platform technology is a chemically modified cyclodextrin with a structure designed to optimize the solubility and stability of drugs. Ligand's NITRICIL™ platform technology facilitates tunable dosing, permitting an adjustable drug release profile to allow proprietary formulations that target a broad range of indications. Ligand has established multiple alliances, licenses and other business relationships with the world's leading pharmaceutical companies including Amgen, Merck, Pfizer, Jazz, Gilead Sciences and Baxter International. For more information, please visit Follow Ligand on X and LinkedIn. Ligand uses its investor relations website and X as a means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Investors should monitor our website and our X account, in addition to following our press releases, SEC filings, public conference calls and webcasts. About Orchestra BioMed Orchestra BioMed (Nasdaq: OBIO) is a biomedical innovation company accelerating high-impact technologies to patients through risk-reward sharing partnerships with leading medical device companies. Orchestra BioMed's partnership-enabled business model focuses on forging strategic collaborations with leading medical device companies to drive successful global commercialization of products it develops. Orchestra BioMed's lead product candidate is AVIM therapy for the treatment of hypertension, the leading risk factor for death worldwide. Orchestra BioMed is also developing Virtue SAB for the treatment of atherosclerotic artery disease, the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Orchestra BioMed has a strategic collaboration with Medtronic, one of the largest medical device companies in the world, for development and commercialization of AVIM therapy for the treatment of hypertension in pacemaker-indicated patients, and a strategic partnership with Terumo, a global leader in medical technology, for development and commercialization of Virtue SAB for the treatment of artery disease. The Company has received four Breakthrough Device Designations from the FDA across these two core programs, reflecting the significant potential of its technologies to address high unmet needs in cardiovascular care. For further information about Orchestra BioMed, please visit and follow us on LinkedIn. References to Websites and Social Media Platforms References to information included on, or accessible through, websites and social media platforms do not constitute incorporation by reference of the information contained at or available through such websites or social media platforms, and you should not consider such information to be part of this press release. About AVIM Therapy AVIM therapy is an investigational therapy compatible with standard dual-chamber pacemakers designed to substantially and persistently lower blood pressure. It has been evaluated in pilot studies in patients with hypertension who are also indicated for a pacemaker. MODERATO II, a double-blind, randomized pilot study, showed that patients treated with AVIM therapy experienced net reductions of 8.1 mmHg in 24-hour ambulatory systolic blood pressure (aSBP) and 12.3 mmHg in office systolic blood pressure (oSBP) at six months when compared to control patients. In addition to reducing blood pressure, clinical results using AVIM therapy demonstrate improvements in cardiac function and hemodynamics. The BACKBEAT (BradycArdia paCemaKer with atrioventricular interval modulation for Blood prEssure treAtmenT) global pivotal study will further evaluate the safety and efficacy of AVIM therapy in lowering blood pressure in patients who have systolic blood pressure above target despite anti-hypertensive medication and who are indicated for or have recently received a dual-chamber cardiac pacemaker. AVIM therapy has been granted Breakthrough Device Designation by the FDA for the treatment of uncontrolled hypertension in patients who have increased cardiovascular risk. About Virtue SABVirtue SAB is designed to deliver a proprietary extended-release formulation of sirolimus, SirolimusEFR™ through a non-coated microporous AngioInfusion™ Balloon that protects the drug in transit to consistently deliver a large liquid dose overcoming certain limitations of drug-coated balloons. SirolimusEFR delivered by Virtue SAB has been shown in published preclinical series involving hundreds of arterial deliveries to achieve sustained tissue levels well above the known required therapeutic tissue concentration for inhibiting restenosis (1 ng/mg tissue) for the entire critical healing period of approximately 30 days. Virtue SAB demonstrated positive three-year clinical data in coronary ISR in the SABRE study, a multi-center prospective, independent core lab-adjudicated clinical study of 50 patients conducted in Europe. Virtue SAB has been granted Breakthrough Device Designation by the FDA for specific indications relating to coronary ISR, coronary small vessel disease and peripheral artery disease below-the-knee. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements included in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally are accompanied by words such as 'believe,' 'may,' 'will,' 'estimate,' 'continue,' 'anticipate,' 'intend,' 'expect,' 'should,' 'would,' 'plan,' 'predict,' 'potential,' 'seem,' 'seek,' 'future,' 'outlook' and similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to the enrollment, implementation and design of the Company's planned and ongoing pivotal trials, realizing the clinical and commercial value of the Company's product candidates, the potential safety and efficacy of the Company's product candidates, the ability of the Company's partnerships to accelerate clinical development, and the Company's ability to satisfy funding and closing conditions of the transactions described in this press release. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified in this press release, and on the current expectations of the Company's management and are not predictions of actual performance. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as and must not be relied on as a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction, or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict and may differ from assumptions. Many actual events and circumstances are beyond the control of the Company. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including changes in domestic and foreign business, market, financial, political, and legal conditions; risks related to regulatory approval of the Company's commercial product candidates and ongoing regulation of the Company's product candidates, if approved; the timing of, and the Company's ability to achieve expected regulatory and business milestones; the impact of competitive products and product candidates; and the risk factors discussed under the heading 'Item 1A. Risk Factors' in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, which was filed with the SEC on March 31, 2025 and the risk factor discussed under the heading 'Item 1A. Risk Factors' in the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2025, which was filed with the SEC on May 12, 2025. The Company operates in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks emerge from time to time. Given these risks and uncertainties, the Company cautions against placing undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which only speak as of the date of this press release. The Company does not plan and undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements made herein, except as required by law. Contacts For Orchestra BioMed:Investors:Silas NewcombSnewcomb@ Media: Kelsey Kirk-EllisKkirkellis@ For Ligand:Investors:Melanie Hermaninvestors@ 550-7761 Media:Kellie Walshmedia@ 315-6072

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