Latest news with #FD
Forbes
09-07-2025
- Health
- Forbes
Hard Decisions: Using Legal Authority Over An Aging Parent
The phone call came to Dad's daughter (FD) at 6 AM. Again. This time, it was the night caregiver reporting that her father had fallen while trying to get out of bed. She had jumped up and tried to stop him but she could only get to him in time to break his fall. Fortunately, he wasn't hurt this time. She had a hard time getting him off the floor by herself and had called out to Dad's wife in the next room to help get him back into bed. His wife, (SW) had slept through the entire thing. The caregiver was exasperated. She needed more help and SW did not provide it. It was the third incident in two weeks, and FD knew something had to change. Trying To Supervise From A Distance For months, FD had watched her father's condition deteriorate from 300 miles away, visiting as often as she could. Advanced dementia had robbed Dad of his independence, and multiple physical ailments had left him requiring round-the-clock care. He was on hospice care, meaning he was expected to be at end of life within six months. He could no longer climb stairs. Even with workers there 24/7, he was not receiving the quality attention he needed in the two-story condo he shared with his wife of fifteen years. The bathroom was on the second floor and he couldn't even have a shower. Sponge baths were just not what FD believed were good enough. Distressed elder can't make a decision SW was extremely stubborn and totally resistant to change. She refused to participate in any discussions about FD moving Dad to a memory care senior home even when invited to do so. At 78 herself, she lacked the physical strength and emotional willingness to provide the extent of help her husband required. She was also rejecting the recommendations of both his primary care physician and the hospice team, countermanding their orders and putting Dad at greater risk every day. FD felt compelled to make a decision about moving Dad. The Daughter's Legal Authority Years earlier, when her father was still lucid, he had designated FD as his agent with power of attorney for financial decisions. He had also placed her as his agent to make healthcare decisions if he could no longer do so. He intentionally did not give any such authority to his wife. Perhaps he understood that he could not really count on her if he ever became impaired. FD had already taken charge of Dad's finances and was paying all the bills, including the rent on the condo. She knew she had to preserve his assets to pay for care to the end of his life, and she wanted the best for him. He was just not getting it with paid caregivers working one at a time on their shifts. More reinforcement was needed. She did her research. She found an excellent care home a few minutes from where she lived and worked. She could stop by every day and check in on Dad, something she could not do from hundreds of miles away. Adding up the cost, it would turn out to be less expensive than the current arrangement, with the caregivers and rent on a condo that was not a workable environment for him. He would have to move and SW would have to also. That was going to be tricky to navigate. Navigating Family Conflict FD's efforts to involve her stepmother in planning better care arrangements over the full prior year had been met with hostility and non-cooperation. Despite repeated invitations from FD to SW to discuss the issues about Dad with the beloved family doctor, and make a plan for moving Dad, SW seemed to cling to denial. She would not plan, nor discuss the matter. The conflict created additional stress for everyone involved, including her father, who could sense the tension even in his diminished cognitive state. FD realized that waiting for agreements would only put her father at continued safety risks in an unacceptable quality of life situation. He kept begging FD to take him with her every time she visited. Hospice Care-Could It Continue? The new facility was willing to work with a local hospice organization that could continue the medical oversight her father had been receiving. This meant his medication management and comfort care would remain consistent while significantly improving his daily quality of life. They also recommended a new hospice physician who was treating other residents at the home and FD asked for him to accept her Dad for care. He did so. FD signed the documents to get Dad into his new home, and furnished his room. A date was set. The Strategy Of How To Time the Move FD sought advice from us at a nurse-lawyer/psychologist team about the move. Did she have the legal right to do this? Yes. Should she tell SW well in advance? No, that would create an opportunity for SW to undermine and sabotage the plan. We suggested that FD get copies of the legal documents together and create a letter to give to SW at the time of the move. She and another sibling who lived out of state were able to coordinate the plan for taking Dad by car to his new home. The sibling would be there. A faithful caregiver would accompany them on the drive of several hours. They informed Adult Protective Services and the local police department in writing that this was a legally authorized move and why it was necessary. They did this in anticipation that SW might call the police and accuse them of kidnapping Dad when they took him out. The preparation was in place. The move happened, much to FD's relief. SW was given a choice. She could move to a smaller condo in the same complex, suitable for one person if she chose, and FD would pay the rent there. Or, FD would help her find an appropriate place to live near Dad if she chose to do that, and FD would pay for the move and pay the rent from Dad's assets. At the moment of the move, SW did not make a choice and her next steps were not clear yet. Whatever she decided, she would also be safe with enough of an allowance to live comfortably. The Takeaways
Indian Express
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
For renewal of Western Ghats, put people at the centre
The National Mission for a Green India bases its estimates and proposals for action on the information provided by the Forest Survey of India (FSI), and its execution by the Forest Department (FD). Regrettably, FSI data is quite outdated, available on a crude scale and deliberately distorted. At the same time, the FD, an anti-science, anti-nature, anti-people agency, will never end up greening the Western Ghats. What we need instead is a different science-based, nature-centric and people-oriented approach. I came to understand the way the FD manages its affairs as a result of M Y Ghorpade, then Karnataka's finance minister, being gheraoed by basket weavers in 1975. The weavers were complaining about the excessive cutting of bamboo by the paper industry in the state, which was adversely affecting their livelihoods. Ghorpade decided that an objective evaluation was required and asked me to undertake the task. This took me to the West Coast Paper Mills (WCPM) at Dandeli, in the district of Uttara Kannada in Karnataka. My mandate was to investigate whether bamboo resources had indeed been depleted and assess afresh the resource position, based on the data available from the FD's 'Pre-Investment Survey of Forest Resources' (PISFR), WCPM, and our own fresh fieldwork. These field studies revealed the PISFR figures to be overestimates by a factor of 10. This inflated figure for bamboo had provided a justification for setting up one more paper mill. We were able to reassess the bamboo stocks in the field because detailed information, disaggregated to the level of forest compartments (a geographically defined and permanently demarcated unit of forest land, used for management, planning, and record-keeping purposes), was made available to us. This would not have been possible if we had access only to highly aggregated data such as at a district or division level, which is all that is available to the general public as official statistics. In 1972, Satish Dhawan became the chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). In July that year, satellite imagery of Earth became available with the launch of the Landsat programme. Dhawan immediately set up the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) in Hyderabad to undertake and facilitate remote-sensing activities in the country. One of the early projects of NRSC was to interpret the 1972–75 Landsat imagery to assess the forest cover of the country. The results of the NRSC study were startlingly at variance with FD's official information. While the FD claimed that 23 per cent of the country was under forest cover, remote-sensing imagery showed that the forest cover was much less, only about 15 per cent. The government forthwith ordered NRSC to stop its assessment and set up the FSI as the exclusive agency to do so. The FSI provides data at highly aggregated levels, such as at that of districts, and after a delay of two or three years. There is absolutely no justification for data continuing to be so delayed and aggregated in the day and age of Google Earth and other satellite data that are freely available to all members of the public in real time and at scales as fine as 10 hectares. There are other instances, too. Earlier, in 1963, the Grasim rayon factory began producing pulp and fibre in Mavoor, on the banks of the Chaliyar river in Kerala's Kozhikode district. The management neglected to adopt any pollution-control measures citing profitability concerns and recklessly released poisonous effluents into the river, adversely impacting its fish and clam population and human health. It turned out that the effluent had high levels of poisonous mercury, lead, nickel, cobalt, iron, chromium zinc and copper. The factory was supplied bamboo at a throwaway price of Re 1 per tonne when its market price was Rs 1,400 per tonne. It led to the destruction of 10,000 hectares of bamboo forests in Wayanad. As stocks of bamboo became depleted, Grasim came to depend on eucalyptus, and the government promoted eucalyptus and Australian acacia plantations, accompanied by large-scale use of pesticides in the forest areas. Together, it led to the destruction of natural resources and human suffering with the active knowledge and collusion of the FD. What, then, should we do? Pachgaon in Maharashtra's Chandrapur district shows the way. Pachgaon was assigned Community Forest Rights (CFR) under the Forest Rights Act of 2006 over 1,000 ha of land. It is exercising this right to good effect. Through bamboo sales, Pachgaon earns a good income. So its people have stopped setting fire to tendu leaves to stimulate fresh growth. This is despite the fact that tendu leaves, too, were a good source of income. Additionally, they have voluntarily set aside 30 hectares as a sacred grove. With this, the forest is registering healthy growth and sequestering large quantities of carbon. This has also meant security of livelihoods and greater self-respect for the people. Earlier, many villagers used to migrate all the way to Gujarat to earn a living. Now, very few people leave the village. This is clearly the way forward for effectively greening the Western Ghats. The entire region is crying out for an honest implementation of the Forest Rights Act and assignment of Community Forest Rights to a substantial proportion of the population that has been living inside forests or on their fringes for over three generations. At the same time, we should take forward the process of democratic decentralisation and involve people in the decision-making process. This is what the Western Ghats Ecology Expert panel advocated and I wish to reassert that this, indeed, is the way ahead. The writer is an ecologist
Newsweek
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Cooper Flagg Rookie Year Player Prop Odds, Best Bets: Specials, Points
Sportsbooks including FD and DK are already offering various ways to bet on Cooper Flagg's rookie season, including points and double-double prop markets. Sportsbooks including FD and DK are already offering various ways to bet on Cooper Flagg's rookie season, including points and double-double prop markets. Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Like Victor Wembanyama and fellow former Duke Blue Devil Zion Williamson, Cooper Flagg is already an NBA star, months before he scores his first bucket for the Mavericks. For bettors, that means that in addition to his 2026 NBA Rookie of the Year odds (which are as short as -225 at BetMGM -- implied probability: 69.2 percent), there are a number of other ways to bet on how he'll fare as a rookie. If you think he could become the first rookie to win NBA MVP honors since Wes Unseld in 1969, he's listed at +50000 (500-to-1) at DraftKings, bet365 and FanDuel. Few players get their own dedicated section/page at top sportsbooks like FanDuel and DraftKings less than 24 hours after hearing their name called at the draft, but Flagg fans already have no shortage of fun, unique ways to bet on his highly anticipated rookie campaign. Cooper Flagg Rookie Season Player Prop Bets DraftKings offers a few special parlays like Flagg to average 18+ PPG + Flagg to average 6+ RPG (+285) and Flagg to average 18+ PPG + DAL Mavericks to win the Southwest Division (+3500), it also offers over/under markets on Flagg's points and rebounds per game numbers as a rookie: Cooper Flagg points per game: Over 16.9 (-115); Under 16.9 (-115) Cooper Flagg rebounds per game: Over 6.1 (-115); Under 6.1 (-115) Player Prop Bet Specials For Cooper Flagg (FD, bet365, BetMGM) The best available odds for these props appear in bold: Cooper Flagg To Score 30+ Points in his First Game in the 2025-26 Regular Season (+2000 at FanDuel) Cooper Flagg To Record a Triple Double in Any Game in the 2025-26 Regular Season (-120 at FD; -120 at bet365; -115 at BetMGM ) ) Cooper Flagg To Score 40+ Points in Any Game in the 2025-26 Regular Season (+300 at FD; +300 at bet365; +350 at BetMGM ) ) Cooper Flagg To Score 50+ Points in Any Game in the 2025-26 Regular Season (+1600 at FD; +1600 at bet365; +2000 at BetMGM) For historical context, consider that the most recent rookie to record a triple-double was Josh Giddey back in 2022. In addition to Giddey's 17-point, 14-assist, 13-rebound night for the Thunder in '22, LaMelo Ball (Hornets, 2021), Luka Doncic (Mavericks, 2019), Markelle Fultz (76ers, 2018) and Lonzo Ball (Lakers, 2017) all recorded triple-doubles as rookies, though no one in the '22-23, '23-24 or '24-25 classes pulled off the feat. We not recommend betting on Flagg to score either 40 or 50 points as a rookie. It wouldn't be completely unprecendented for a rookie to break 40 points (LeBron James did it in '03-04, and Wemby also had a 40-point night in '23-24, to name two examples), but Wembanyama was the only NBA Rookie of the Year in the last decade to have a 40-point game. Another reason not to back Flagg to have a 40- or 50-point night next year is the fact that he scored 30 points more just twice in 37 games during his dominant '24-25 season at Duke. Best Cooper Flagg Player Prop Bet For 2025-26 The price here isn't exactly juicy, per se, but if there's one Flagg prop bet worth taking right now, it's Cooper Flagg To Record a Triple Double in Any Game in the 2025-26 Regular Season (-115 at BetMGM) -- 1 unit. As we mentioned earlier, while recording a triple-double as a rookie is certainly impressive, it's not a huge rarity. As an outstanding rebounder at 6-foot-8 (he averaged 7.5 rpg at Duke last year), Cooper Flagg double-doubles should be a more common occurrence at the NBA level after he finished his lone season at Duke with seven of them. His over/under scoring and rebounding numbers tell us he should average somewhere around 17 points and 6 rebounds per game as a rookie. Flagg averaged just over 4 assists per game at Duke. But as one of the initiators of the Dallas offense -- especially until Kyrie Irving recovers from his ACL injury last season -- I think he's plenty capable of a few nights with double-digit assists. I'm confident he'll able to combine solid scoring, rebounding and passing numbers together at least once as a rookie for an accomplishment that is not nearly as rare as it used to be. Case in point: In the 2024-25 NBA regular season, 25 players recorded at least one triple-double. That list includes 19 players who had at least two triple-doubles, 10 who had four or more, and four (Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron and Domantas Sabonis) who had at least 10 triple-doubles. Newsweek may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up through the links in this article. See the sportsbook operator's terms and conditions for important details. Sports betting operators have no influence over newsroom coverage.
Hindustan Times
20-06-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Get the Best Fixed Deposit Interest Rates: Tips and Tricks
Fixed deposits (FDs) have remained one of the most trusted investment tools for Indian savers across generations. Known for their simplicity, safety, and guaranteed returns, FDs offer peace of mind to investors looking for capital protection and predictable income. But not all fixed deposits offer the same returns. If you're planning to invest, knowing how to get the best FD interest rates can significantly boost your savings over time. In this guide, we'll walk you through practical tips and strategies to maximise returns—and introduce you to Bajaj Finance Fixed Deposits, which offer up to 6.95% p.a. for non-senior citizens and up to 7.30% p.a. for senior citizens. A fixed deposit is a financial instrument where you invest a lump sum for a fixed tenure at a pre-agreed interest rate. The bank or financial institution pays you interest either periodically or at maturity. With low risk and stable returns, fixed deposits are ideal for conservative investors and those saving for short- to medium-term goals. Several factors influence the rate of interest you receive on your FD: Bajaj Finance offers some of the most attractive FD rates in India—up to 7.30% p.a. for senior citizens. Open a Bajaj Finance FD and enjoy assured growth on your savings. Do not settle for the first FD offer you come across. Compare rates across: Longer-tenure FDs usually offer better rates. If you won't need the money soon, lock in for a few years to maximise returns. Bajaj Finance FDs are available for tenures between 12 and 60 months, with flexible payout options. Cumulative FDs let your interest earn interest. Ideal if you don't need periodic payouts. Instead of putting all your savings in one FD, divide them across multiple FDs with different maturities. If you're 60+, take advantage of higher interest rates specially designed for retirees. Online booking can unlock additional interest or special offers. Bajaj Finance makes it easy to: Book Your Bajaj Finance FD Online for attractive rates and a hassle-free experience. If interest rates are rising, lock in higher rates with longer a falling cycle, go for short-term FDs and wait to reinvest later. Keep an eye on RBI updates and financial news. Some institutions offer better rates on renewals. Avoid lapses and earn uninterrupted interest by enabling auto-renewal. Always review the prevailing rate before renewing. While maximising returns, don't ignore these important considerations: With smart planning and a few strategic choices, you can make your fixed deposit work harder for you. Compare rates, pick the right tenure, consider laddering, and book online for extra benefits. In today's unpredictable economic environment, a reliable fixed deposit—like the one from Bajaj Finance offering up to 7.30% p.a.—can bring stability and predictable returns to your portfolio. Start your FD with Bajaj Finance today and secure high returns with guaranteed peace of mind. Book Now. Note to readers: This article is part of HT's paid consumer connect initiative and is independently created by the brand. HT assumes no editorial responsibility for the content, including its accuracy, completeness, or any errors or omissions. Readers are advised to verify all information independently. Want to get your story featured as above? click here!
Global News
18-06-2025
- Business
- Global News
Kraft, General Mills set to remove artificial dyes from U.S. products
Two major food producers say that they will be pulling artificial dyes from their U.S. products starting in 2027. The shift comes nearly two months after U.S. health officials said that they would urge foodmakers to phase out petroleum-based artificial colours. Kraft Heinz said Tuesday that it will be removing artificial dyes from its U.S. products beginning in 2027 and will no longer roll out new products with the dyes. Hours later, General Mills announced that it plans to remove artificial dyes from all of its U.S. cereals and all foods served in K-12 schools by the summer of 2026. It is also looking to eliminate the dyes from its full U.S. retail portfolio by the end of 2027. Kraft Heinz said Tuesday that almost 90% of its U.S. products already don't contain food, drug & cosmetic colours, but that the products that do still use the dyes will have them removed by the end of 2027. FD&C colours are synthetic additives that are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in food, drugs and cosmetics. Story continues below advertisement Kraft Heinz said that many of its U.S. products that still use the FD&C colours are in its beverage and desserts categories, including certain products sold under brands including Crystal Light, Kool Aid, Jell-O and Jet Puffed. The company said that it will instead use natural colours for the products. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'The vast majority of our products use natural or no colours, and we've been on a journey to reduce our use of FD&C colours across the remainder of our portfolio,' Pedro Navio, North America President at Kraft Heinz, said in a statement. Kraft Heinz stripped artificial colours, flavors and preservatives from its macaroni and cheese in 2016 and said it has never used artificial dyes in its ketchup. 3:02 Health Matters: U.S. to phase out many synthetic food dyes The company plans to work with licensees of its brands to encourage them to remove the dyes. Story continues below advertisement General Mills said that the changes it is making only impacts a small portion of its K-12 school business as almost all of its school items are already made without artificial dyes. In addition, 85% of the company's U.S. foods that are sold retail are already made without dyes. 'Across the long arc of our history, General Mills has moved quickly to meet evolving consumer needs, and reformulating our product portfolio to remove certified colours is yet another example,' Chairman and CEO Jeff Harmening said in a statement. In April Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary said at a news conference that the agency would take steps to eliminate the synthetic dyes by the end of 2026, largely by relying on voluntary efforts from the food industry. Health advocates have long called for the removal of artificial dyes from foods, citing mixed studies indicating they can cause neurobehavioral problems, including hyperactivity and attention issues, in some children. The FDA has maintained that the approved dyes are safe and that 'the totality of scientific evidence shows that most children have no adverse effects when consuming foods containing colour additives.' The FDA currently allows 36 food colour additives, including eight synthetic dyes. In January, the agency announced that the dye known as Red 3 — used in candies, cakes and some medications — would be banned in food by 2027 because it caused cancer in laboratory rats. Story continues below advertisement Artificial dyes are used widely in U.S. foods. In Canada and in Europe — where synthetic colours are required to carry warning labels — manufacturers mostly use natural substitutes. Several states, including California and West Virginia, have passed laws restricting the use of artificial colours in foods. Many U.S. food companies are already reformulating their foods, according to Sensient Colors, one of the world's largest producers of food dyes and flavorings. In place of synthetic dyes, foodmakers can use natural hues made from beets, algae and crushed insects and pigments from purple sweet potatoes, radishes and red cabbage.
