Latest news with #AmandaEllis
7NEWS
2 days ago
- Business
- 7NEWS
Power bank warning: Anker and Baseus among chargers recently recalled as Singapore Airlines and Qantas issue bans
Experts warn they are 'playing catch-up' with new lithium batteries flooding the market as Australia's consumer watchdog issues a safety alert to any Australian buying the popular wireless chargers. A lack of regulation and soaring demand has contributed to a growing number of wireless power banks getting recalled, experts added. The competition watchdog warns 34,000 defective portable chargers are still being used by customers, after a surging number of recalls of the product. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has issued 17 different recalls of power banks since 2020, with more than half being made since 2024. Popular brands including Anker, Baseus and SnapWireless power banks were the most recent products to be recalled. Power banks are portable battery chargers designed to power devices on-the-go. They use rechargeable lithium-ion or lithium-polymer batteries that are highly flammable, can explode or vent toxic gas, the commission says. Product recalls for some of the bigger brands is a surprise for Chris Barnes, a senior project officer for consumer advocacy group Choice. 'You're always playing catch-up with new technologies, always having to implement specific new mandatory standards or a product ban to cover these sorts of situations,' he told AAP. 'Consumers should be able to trust that anything they buy through a reputable retailer is OK.' The uptick in recalls is being caused by more products on the market, a lack of regulation and differing materials inside the models, University of Melbourne head of chemical biomedical engineering Amanda Ellis says. While most power banks are safe to use, a person's safety rests on how they use them, she said. 'We don't have Australian standards for batteries at the moment so that's one of the problems,' Ellis told AAP. 'We don't really know what is in these batteries because it's all (intellectual property) protected, so it's challenging, and more and more people are using them than five years ago.' The extreme end of people carrying dangerous power banks was felt by South Korea's Air Busan in January when a fire started in one of its planes' overhead lockers. The blaze, believed to have started from a power bank, destroyed the plane with all 179 passengers on-board managing to evacuate safely. Some of the ways to lower the risk are following manufacturer instructions, not charging near flammable furniture and never using damaged or leaking power banks, the commission said. 'Some consumers have suffered serious burn injuries, and some have had their property damaged because of power banks overheating and catching fire,' the watchdog's deputy chair Catriona Lowe said. Suppliers offer a full refund or free replacement under the recalls, Ms Lowe said. Power bank restrictions for airlines including Qantas, Virgin and Singapore Airlines The horrific incident involving Air Busan has prompted a number of airlines to completely ban power banks in its carry-on luggage to ensure passengers' safety. Back in April, Singapore Airlines went a step further, banning passengers from using their seat's USB charging port to juice up their power banks. 'Effective 1st April 2025, Singapore Airlines customers will not be allowed to charge portable power banks via the onboard USB ports, or use power banks to charge their personal devices, throughout the duration of the flight,' the airline said. 'This means power banks must be carried in cabin baggage on all SIA flights and are not permitted in checked baggage. Customers may bring power banks with a capacity of up to 100Wh without special approval, while those between 100Wh and 160Wh require airline approval. 'We seek customers' understanding that safety will always be our top priority.' Qantas has also cracked down on power banks. 'Baggage fitted with non-removable lithium batteries or power banks are forbidden,' the national carrier said. 'If in checked baggage the lithium battery or lithium power bank must be removed from the bag. 'The removed lithium battery or power bank must be in carry-on baggage only. 'Non-lithium batteries/power banks can remain fitted in the bag and carried as carry-on or checked baggage.' Virgin Australia has similar rules. 'Spare/loose batteries (including power banks/packs must be in carry-on baggage only and must be protected against short circuit by, placing in its original retail packaging, placing each battery in a separate plastic bag or protective pouch or insulating terminals by taping over exposed terminals,' the airline said.
Chicago Tribune
18-04-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Naperville again named among top 100 places to live in America
Naperville has yet again been named one of the best places to live in the U.S. but this time it's also being cited for what it offers by way of health. this week unveiled its 2025 Top 100 Best Places to Live list, an appraisal of mid-sized cities across the country in which a whole host of data points, from cultural amenities to air quality, were considered. Naperville made the cut, scoring No. 1 on factors of health. This is the 12th annual year that Livability, a division of Tennessee-based Journal Communications Inc., has published its Top 100 list. Naperville found itself on the list last year, too. Livability's appraisal isn't a ranking 1 to 100 per se, but rather an assembly of places that, according to the publication, fared well on a holistic set of considerations. The idea is that users can interact with the list and create a personalized ranking of their best places to live, Livability says. Only cities with populations between 75,000 to 500,000 were considered, per Livability's website. The list also took into account cities' affordability, only including cities with a median home value of $500,000 or less. 'As Americans face shifting economic conditions in a year wrought with inflation, evolving work dynamics, and a growing desire for a better quality of life, our 'Top 100 Best Places to Live' list celebrates the cities where Americans are creating dream careers, building families, launching businesses and leading meaningful lives,' Livability's editor-in-chief Amanda Ellis said in a news release. In all, Livability bases its list on about 100 different data points. Those divide into eight broad categories: economy, housing and cost of living, amenities, transportation, environment, safety, education and health. Data is pulled from both public and private sources. Federal sources include the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Education, Housing and Urban Development, and Department of Homeland Security. Private sources include satellite imagery and business associations. Based on their performance across factors, cities earned a grade, or a 'LivScore.' More than 2,000 cities that fit its population parameters for 2025 were evaluated before the group was narrowed down to the top 100 scoring cities. Naperville scored a LivScore of 841 out of 1,000. The only other places to score higher than Naperville overall were the Texas towns of Flower Mound and Sugar Land and Carmel, Indiana. But Naperville took the top grade in health, earning the highest LivScore — 91 — in the category. Data points that factored into the list's health rating included life expectancy, doctor and hospital access, and prevalence of health concerns, such as diabetes, asthma and cancer, according to Livability. Other top categories for Naperville included education and safety. As part of its 2025 list, Livability wrote about Naperville: 'Located on the outskirts of Chicago, Naperville residents have it all. Top-rated schools, pristine parks and a busting downtown offer a high quality of life. Throw in a low-cost of living and a tight-knit community, and it's easy to see why Naperville residents love living in this Midwest city.'
Associated Press
07-02-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Software Firm Partners with Kentucky Groups to Launch Transformative Career Planning Platform
Counterpart announces the launch of Futuriti, a digital platform to help Kentuckians of all ages explore and plan their education and career paths. FRANKFORT, KY, UNITED STATES, February 7, 2025 / / -- Counterpart announces the successful development and launch of Futuriti, a groundbreaking digital platform designed to help Kentuckians of all ages explore and plan their education and career paths. Developed in collaboration with the Commonwealth Education Continuum (CEC), Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE), Kentucky Center for Statistics (KYSTATS), and the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE), the platform officially launched on Tuesday, February 4, at 10 a.m. in the Capitol Rotunda. The platform incorporates current, Kentucky-specific education and labor market data to provide users with comprehensive information for making informed decisions about their futures. 'Futuriti is meant not just to be a campaign to encourage higher education, but to be a culture shift that will merge the separation between high school, college, and careers into one systematic approach to building a well-educated Kentucky workforce with increased educational attainment and labor force participation rates that meet or exceed the national average,' said Amanda Ellis, Vice President of Student Access and Success at CPE. The platform features three primary sections, as well as Future Finder, which helps users explore careers available in Kentucky offering livable wages that are aligned with their skills and interests: ● Choose Your Career Path: You can use the Futuriti Future Finder to explore careers that suit your skills and interests and learn what credentials you need to qualify. If you don't know where to start, Futuriti also connects you to career quizzes to give you some ideas. ● Continue Your Education: This section showcases Kentucky's diverse educational pathways, from universities and community colleges to technical programs and apprenticeships. It also provides information about and links to financial aid and scholarship resources. ● Start Your Career: This section helps you find jobs once you have the proper education. It includes resume-building tools, interview preparation guides, and direct access to job openings through the Kentucky Career Center's portal. 'Our work is exciting and fulfilling, especially when we partner with teams championing an initiative that will positively impact so many lives,' Drew Linn, CEO of Counterpart shares. The launch event is open to the public and will showcase the platform's features through live demonstrations. For more information about Futuriti, visit: About Counterpart Established in 1993 in Indianapolis, Counterpart is a leading custom software development firm dedicated to crafting impactful solutions. With over 200 years of combined experience, the in-house team specializes in web and mobile applications, comprehensive management systems, system integrations, and more. Counterpart works across various industries and technologies, partnering with Fortune 500 companies, non-profits, and small businesses to drive meaningful change in how clients operate and create impact. Learn more at Arianna Cruz Counterpart
