Latest news with #ChrisKleponis
UPI
04-07-2025
- Climate
- UPI
At least three killed in severe New Jersey storms
Severe storms in New Jersey have resulted in 'fatalities,' Gov. Phil Murphy confirmed in a statement on social media. File Photo by Chris Kleponis/ UPI | License Photo July 4 (UPI) -- Severe storms in New Jersey have resulted in "fatalities," Gov. Phil Murphy confirmed in a statement on social media. "I have been briefed on the severe thunderstorm and heavy winds that hit Central Jersey this evening and resulted in fatalities. The towns of Plainfield, North Plainfield, Bound Brook, and Dunellen sustained damage, among others," Murphy wrote on X. The governor did not elaborate on the nature of the fatalities, but local officials confirmed two people died in Plainfield, with one additional death in North Plainfield. I have been briefed on the severe thunderstorm and heavy winds that hit Central Jersey this evening and resulted in fatalities. The towns of Plainfield, North Plainfield, Bound Brook, and Dunellen sustained damage, among others. If you're in the area, please stay inside and... Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) July 4, 2025 The two cities are home to around a combined 76,000 people. The North Plainfield Police Department confirmed a woman was killed after pulling over to the side of the road to avoid the extreme weather. "As the motorist was pulled over and stopped, a large tree and a large portion of the sidewalk uprooted and fell across Greenbrook Road, landing on top of the vehicle, damaging a second vehicle and several area homes," the department said in a statement on Facebook. The City of Plainfield confirmed the deaths of two men, ages 25 and 79 who were also killed when a falling tree struck the vehicle they were in. The city declared a state of emergency and canceled its July 4 celebration plans, as officials there continue to deal with more than 80 downed trees, many affecting power lines. Over 16,000 customers remained without power in New Jersey Friday afternoon, according to the website with the bulk of those occurring in the northeast part of the state. Rail service has been interrupted in parts of the state affected by the storm, that saw around 45,000 customers lose power at the height of the weather.
UPI
01-07-2025
- Health
- UPI
Administration may cut funds to hospitals offering gender care to kids
Administrator for the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Mehmet Oz said the possible cutting off of federal funding is intended to protect children from "life-altering and experimental procedures." File Photo by Chris Kleponis/UPI | License Photo July 1 (UPI) -- The Trump administration may cut off federal funding to hospitals that provide gender-related treatments to children and teens. Nine major children's hospitals recently received letters from federal officials seeking information about procedures such as hormone therapy, puberty blockers and sex-reassignment surgeries, The Wall Street Journal reported. Dr. Mehmet Oz, who now leads the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said the goal is to protect children from "life-altering and experimental procedures." "CMS has warned hospitals and state Medicaid programs about these dangers - and is taking regulatory enforcement actions," Oz said. Officials at CMS say they are looking into whether they can block federal Medicaid or insurance funding to hospitals that offer such care. They're also reviewing whether hospitals could be removed from Medicaid entirely if they continue to treat minors for gender-related issues, The Wall Street Journal said. Most children's hospitals depend heavily on Medicaid. One of the hospitals that received a letter, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, has already announced it will shut down its gender-related care program. The hospital said more than 65% of its funding comes from federal sources. "These threats are no longer theoretical. The federal government has already cut off hundreds of millions of dollars from U.S. academic and research institutions," hospital leaders said in a June 12 letter to the staff. Boston Children's Hospital said it has a legal duty under Massachusetts law to provide access to gender-affirming care and is still reviewing the CMS letter. The letters were sent as part of a broader effort by the administration to restrict gender-affirming care for minors. In April, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the Justice Department would investigate doctors and hospitals that perform gender-related surgeries or mislead families about treatment. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last week that states can limit access to these treatments for minors, and more Americans are expressing concern about transgender-related policies in schools and sports. According to nonprofit health research group KFF, 27 states now have laws or policies that restrict gender-related care for children and teens. Some hospitals that received the CMS letter are scaling back services. UPMC Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh said it would stop offering puberty blockers, citing the risk of legal action, The Wall Street Journal said. "As we continue to monitor executive-branch memos, directives and other guidance from the federal government, these actions have made it abundantly clear that our clinicians can no longer provide certain types of gender-affirming care without risk of criminal prosecution," a hospital spokesperson said. The nine hospitals that received letters include: Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Seattle Children's Hospital, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Boston Children's Hospital, Children's National Hospital, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland, Children's Hospital Colorado, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, The Wall Street Journal reported. Children's Hospital Colorado and Cincinnati Children's both said they don't perform surgeries for minors. Ellen Kahn, senior vice president of the Human Rights Campaign said transgender surgeries for youth are rare and that parents, doctors and patients should make those decisions. "Studies consistently show that affirming care reduces depression, anxiety and suicide risk among transgender youth," she said. "The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services should protect healthcare, not politicize it," she added. Supporters of gender-related treatments say these services are often life-saving for young people with gender dysphoria. But others argue there is not enough evidence yet about any long-term outcomes. More information The HHS Office of Population Affairs has more on gender-affirming care for young people. Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
UPI
22-06-2025
- Automotive
- UPI
Tesla begins robotaxi launch in Austin
A red Tesla is seen parked on West Executive Drive at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, June 5, 2025. File Photo by Chris Kleponis/UPI | License Photo June 22 (UPI) -- Tesla will begin its launch of robotic taxis in Austin, Texas, on Sunday afternoon, Elon Musk announced. "The @Tesla_AI robotaxi launch begins in Austin this afternoon with customers paying a $4.20 flat fee!" Musk said in a post on social media. Earlier this month, Musk had revealed Sunday as the tentative start date while cautioning that the company was "being super paranoid about safety" and that the date might shift. The electric carmaker has provided few details about the plans for the robotaxi since it was announced last year, but some information on the service can be found on the company's website. To get started using the robotaxis, users must download the Robotaxi app and use their Tesla account to log in, where it then functions like most ridesharing apps. "Our fleet will initially consist of model year 2025 Model Y vehicles," the service's FAQ section reads. "Riders are prohibited from sitting in the front-left seat, which is typically a driver's customary seating position." Tesla notes that children are not allowed to ride in the vehicles and only service animals are permitted to accompany disabled riders. "Riders may not always be delivered to their intended destinations or may experience inconveniences, interruptions, or discomfort related to the Robotaxi," the company wrote in a disclaimer in its terms of service. "Tesla may modify or cancel rides in its discretion, including for example due to weather conditions." The terms of service include a clause that Tesla will not be liable for "any indirect, consequential, incidental, special, exemplary, or punitive damages, including lost profits or revenues, lost data, lost time, the costs of procuring substitute transportation services, or other intangible losses" from the use of the robotaxis. As reported by The Guardian, Musk previously told reporters that there may be less than a dozen cars available to the public in Austin during the Sunday launch. It was not immediately clear if human drivers would be in the cars during the rollout, which has become a standard practice during launches by rival companies. Meanwhile, Tesla's robotaxis have already received some pushback from Democratic lawmakers in Texas, who penned a letter last week asking the company to delay the launch until at least September. "Next week, Tesla plans to launch robotaxis in Austin -- before Texas' new AV safety law takes effect. We're urging a delay until those safety standards are in place," Texas Sen. Sarah Eckhardt said in a post to social media. "Public trust comes from safety and transparency. We look forward to working with Tesla to achieve both."
Wall Street Journal
28-05-2025
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
Trump Defends ‘Big, Beautiful Bill' After Elon Musk's Criticism
President Trump said he wasn't happy with all aspects of the Republican's tax-and-spending bill, which still needs widespread party support to pass. Photo: Chris Kleponis/Bloomberg News
