Latest news with #MichaelKennedy
CBC
4 days ago
- Science
- CBC
Jul 26: The Annual Quirks & Quarks Holiday Question Show
Originally published on Jan. 4, 2025 Our holiday gifts to our listeners are answers for all their wacky but fascinating science questions, like: Genevieve Willis from London ON asks: Is there any evidence to suggest that "getting cold" by, say, dressing inadequately in cold weather, or sitting in a cold draft, actually increases our susceptibility to illness? For the frigid answer, we spoke with Michael Kennedy who is an associate professor of exercise physiology at the University of Alberta. Jim Raso from St. Albert AB wrote us: As I have gotten older—I am 73 now—I notice that time seemed to pass more quickly. Why does this happen? For the answer, we asked Holly K. Andersen, a professor of philosophy at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia. Dan from Chateau-Richer QB writes: Where does moon dust come from? We reached out to planetary geologist Gordon Osinski, a professor of Earth Sciences at Western University, who has studied samples sent back from the Apollo missions. Scott Beach from East York ON asks: Why do dogs sniff and lick each other's butts? To get the answer, we reached out to Simon Gadbois, the principal investigator at the Canine olfaction lab at Dalhousie University. Robert Smith from Victoria BC asks: Is there evidence to suggest red-heads are particularly sensitive to pain? To find out, we spoke with someone who has studied this in the past: Jeffrey Mogil, the E.P. Taylor Professor of Pain Studies at the Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain at McGill University. Stephen Quinn from St. John's NF asks: How can the universe be expanding at the same time as galaxies are colliding? For the smashing answer, we spoke with Sara Ellison, a professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Victoria. Susan Boyd from Ottawa ON asks: Since some of the elements in the periodic table do not occur naturally, is there a limit to the new elements that could be created? We went to the National Research Council Canada's element expert, Juris Meija, for this answer. Robert LaRoche in Halifax NS asks: Why is the colour of wet clothes always more vivid than when they are dry? For the answer, we turned to Sarah Purdy, a Physicist at the University of Saskatchewan who uses light to investigate materials. Paul Vander Griendt of Newmarket ON asks: If animals wake up at sunrise and go to sleep at sunset, how do they cope with the varying hours of sunlight? For the answer we turned to Ming Fei Li a Phd candidate at the University of Toronto in Anthropology who is studying the sleep patterns of animals. Marie Beaudoin from Salt Spring Island BC asks: How do birds where the males and females look the same tell each other apart when it comes to mating?" We went to Matt Reudinik, a professor of biology at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, BC, for the answer. Warren Saylor of London ON asks: Could Neanderthals speak? If they could not, would that contribute to the dominance of Homo Sapiens? We spoke to paleoanthropologist Bence Viola, an associate professor in the department of Anthropology at the University of Toronto.
CBS News
4 days ago
- CBS News
Jail plumber accused of helping New Orleans inmates escape is a scapegoat, lawyer says
A New Orleans jail plumber accused of helping 10 inmates break out of an Orleans Parish correctional facility in May is being used as a scapegoat, his lawyer said Thursday as Sterling Williams pleaded not guilty in court. "This is a man who's never been in trouble in his life, and suddenly he goes to work, a job he's worked at for years without any problem, and he's used as a scapegoat and thrown in jail," Williams' attorney, Michael Kennedy, said outside the Orleans Parish courthouse. Williams is the only jail employee among more than a dozen people charged with aiding the inmates. One of the fugitives who escaped remains on the run, more than two months later. A source familiar with the investigation tells CBS News some jail guards are still on unpaid administrative leave pending a state investigation into their potential involvement. The Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office did not respond to requests for comment Thursday about how many employees are on leave or if any employees have been let go. In May, the sheriff's office said three workers were suspended without pay as the office conducts an internal investigation. Kennedy is demanding more accountability from state and city officials who he says failed to keep the jail secure. In May, just days after the escape, Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson, who oversees the jail, said she "takes full accountability" for the escape, but also pointed blame at the city of New Orleans for ignoring her repeated requests over the last five years for additional money to fix degrading jail infrastructure, including malfunctioning locks on cell doors, and broken security cameras. Last week, the sheriff's office secured $15 million in emergency funding from the state to make those critical security upgrades. "The improvements need to be made, they should have been addressed," Kennedy said. "I mean, this is a 10-year-old building that we're talking about. Why is it already falling apart? Why do we need $15 million worth of renovations or upgrades when the building is only a decade old? Because no one has taken care of it, because our city is not working as a team." The jailbreak fascinated the nation for weeks following the movie-like escape. The 10 inmates ripped a toilet from the wall of an unoccupied jail cell and crawled through a hole they carved in the wall behind it, sheriff's officials said in May. The inmates were seen on surveillance cameras fleeing out of a delivery deck and darting across Interstate-10 in the middle of the night. They were not noticed missing for seven hours. Photos released by the sheriff's office after the escape showed the men left behind messages on the wall, including "to easy LOL" and "we innocent." The Louisiana Attorney General's Office said Williams turned the water off to the jail cell to help the inmates escape without flooding the cell. According to an affidavit for an arrest warrant, Williams told investigators with the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation that he was threatened by one of the inmates, Antoine Massey, prior to escaping. The affidavit said Williams claimed Massey threatened to "shank" him if he didn't shut off the water. Kennedy previously said his client "neither conspired with the escapees nor did he act out of fear." In an interview with CBS News in May, Kennedy said Williams was asked by another guard to unclog a toilet, although no work order had been placed. The attorney argued that escaped inmates clogged the toilet to ensure someone would turn off the water, suggesting it was a "well planned escape." Asked what kind of evidence may exist to support those claims after Thursday's hearing, Kennedy said, "I'm not going to reveal our defense strategy, but what we have is an innocent man, and I look forward to you all understanding that along with me." However, according to the arrest affidavit, Williams was also seen on surveillance video prior to the escape speaking with Massey and another escaped inmate, Derrick Groves, who allegedly tried to take Williams' phone and wanted Williams to pass Cash App information to Groves' cousin in another part of the jail. Now two months after the escape, Groves is the only escapee who is yet to be captured. He's convicted of murder for his involvement in a 2018 shooting. The other nine inmates are in custody in corrections facilities outside of New Orleans. In response to the attorney general's allegation that Williams let out dangerous criminals, Kennedy said, "the attorney general is wrong." Four other alleged accomplices, Lenton VanBuren Sr., Patricia VanBuren, Angel McKay and Tyshanea Randolph, also pleaded not guilty while appearing in court by video conference Thursday. Police said they helped the fugitives while they were on the run, bringing food, providing shelter, or offering transportation. Following the arraignment hearings, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said anyone who had a role in the jailbreak would be held accountable. "That includes those who helped the inmates from the inside and the outside. All aiders and abettors will be arrested (and) prosecuted to the full extent of the law. That includes anyone who is currently helping Derrick Groves," she said in a statement. Kennedy is also slamming the state for keeping his client held on a high bond — $1 million. "It's important to get a lower bond for my client, because in America, we do still value freedom and liberty, and holding someone under a ridiculously high bond, that should be the exception, not the rule," Kennedy said. "Bond is supposed to be high enough to ensure someone will return to court. Not so high that we create a debtors' prison, which is exactly what this is." Kennedy requested a bond reduction hearing on Thursday. It will take place on Aug. 19 when a discovery hearing is also scheduled to review evidence against Williams and the other four people charged as accomplices.
RTÉ News
02-07-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
England's wine industry growing due to warmer temperatures
England's wine industry has seen significant growth in recent years due to warmer temperatures brought about by climate change. In South Downs National Park, where many English vineyards are located, there has been a 90% increase in the past decade. An average of five new vineyards are grown there every year. Overall, in Britain, there are approximately 4,000 hectares of land "under vine", with forecasts predicting it could almost double by 2032. Growing industry One company adapting to the changing temperatures is Roebuck Estates. It was founded in 2013 and has six vineyards in southern England. Like most wine producers in the UK, the company makes sparkling wine as the grapes require less time to ripen compared to still wine. Michael Kennedy, originally from Northern Ireland, is the CEO of Roebuck Estates. "In this area we've now got the same average temperatures that the Champagne region had in the 1970s or 80s. So that puts us in a sweet spot for ripening fruit and for making really good wine," he explains. Volatile weather England has experienced two heatwaves in recent weeks. Last month, the World Weather Attribution group at Imperial College London warned that climate change was contributing to these extreme weather conditions. It also reiterated that such events will become more frequent as the world gets warmer. Harsher winters are also a problem for wine producers in England. Mr Kennedy explains that frost, wind and rain can present problems. Wine producers in England therefore often spread out their vines by "about double what they would in a vineyard in Champagne" to improve airflow, Mr Kennedy explains. He also says that higher average temperatures during winter can be a problem "higher temperatures during the winter might mean that the buds burst earlier". Traditional wine making regions of Europe are also experiencing new challenges. Jake Wicks, head of viticulture at Roebuck Estates, has worked in vineyards around the world. "Sad to say but areas in southern France and Spain are really struggling with water availability. Vines require quite a lot of water and if that's not available to them they're unable to ripen the fruit," he explains. Climate adaptation The growth of Britain's wine industry is part of a wider climate adaptation effort, according to Alex Biss from the University of Reading. Research he conducted in 2023 found that the type of grapes Britain will grow in the future could change, meaning England may be producing still wines as well as sparkling. He also warns however, that the agricultural sector as a whole is having to ask questions around what type of crops can be grown in the future. "It's not just about viticulture. It's a much larger scale assessment of what crops will be grown here and what we can grow," he explains.
RTÉ News
01-07-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
England's wine industry growing due to warmer temperatures brought on by climate change
England's wine industry has seen significant growth in recent years due to warmer temperatures brought about by climate change. In South Downs National Park, where many English vineyards are located, there has been a 90% increase in the past decade. An average of five new vineyards are grown there every year. Overall, in Britain, there are approximately 4,000 hectares of land "under vine", with forecasts predicting it could almost double by 2032. Growing industry One company adapting to the changing temperatures is Roebuck Estates. It was founded in 2013 and has six vineyards in southern England. Like most wine producers in the UK, the company makes sparkling wine as the grapes require less time to ripen compared to still wine. Michael Kennedy, originally from Northern Ireland, is the CEO of Roebuck Estates. "In this area we've now got the same average temperatures that the Champagne region had in the 1970s or 80s. So that puts us in a sweet spot for ripening fruit and for making really good wine", he explains. Volatile weather England has experienced two heatwaves in recent weeks. Last month, the World Weather Attribution group at Imperial College London warned that climate change was contributing to these extreme weather conditions. It also reiterated that such events will become more frequent as the world gets warmer. Harsher winters are also a problem for wine producers in England. Mr Kennedy explains that frost, wind and rain can present problems. Wine producers in England therefore often spread out their vines by "about double what they would be in a vineyard in Champagne" to improve airflow, Mr Kennedy explains. He also says that higher average temperatures during winter can be a problem "higher temperatures during the winter might mean that the buds burst earlier". Traditional wine making regions of Europe are also experiencing new challenges. Jake Wicks, head of viticulture at Roebuck Estates, has worked in vineyards around the world. "Sad to say but areas in southern France and Spain are really struggling with water availability. Vines require quite a lot of water and if that's not available to them they're unable to ripen the fruit", he explains. Climate adaptation The growth of Britain's wine industry is part of a wider climate adaptation effort, according to Alex Biss from the University of Reading. Research he conducted in 2023 found that the type of grapes Britain will grow in the future could change, meaning England may be producing still wines as well as sparkling. He also warns however, that the agricultural sector as a whole is having to ask questions around what type of crops can be grown in the future. "It's not just about viticulture. It's a much larger scale assessment of what crops will be grown here and what we can grow", he explains.
Yahoo
22-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Health care workers on alert for ICE raids in hospitals
President Trump's whittling away of protected places for immigrants has fueled fears among health care workers that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents will arrest patients in or around hospitals. In January, the Trump administration rescinded a Biden-era policy that protected certain areas like churches, schools and hospitals from immigration enforcement. And lawmakers in at least one state have introduced legislation aimed at making it easier for ICE to make arrests in hospitals. As the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) seeks to ramp up ICE raids at hotels, restaurants, farms and other sites, nurses worry their workplace could be next. 'We were all worried about what this meant,' Michael Kennedy, a nurse at a University of California, San Diego health facility located very near the U.S.-Mexico border, said of the policy changes under Trump. 'As we've seen these immigration raids ramp up, our first thought is about our patients and what that means for them.' ICE agents made a record number of migrant arrests in a single day this month and have appeared outside of courthouses in Seattle and stores in the New York City area. The agency's workplace raids in Los Angeles spurred days of protests, which in turn prompted a heavy-handed response from the Trump administration. Sandy Reding is a nurse at a hospital in Bakersfield, Calif., which serves communities of farm workers and employs a diverse staff. 'There is a lot of concern [about] ICE agents showing up with FBI or with the military, because we've seen a lot of reports on TV, and we have reports in our area where this is happening as well,' she said. Reding and her fellow nurses, she said, are also worried that the news of increased ICE raids will deter some patients from coming to the hospital to seek care. 'What we are going to see is a large burden on communities and hospitals if people delay care,' Reding said. 'And there are worse outcomes.' Nancy Hagan, an intensive care unit nurse at Maimonides Medical Center in New York City, said those concerns have come to fruition at her hospital. In May, she said, an immigrant New Yorker had appendicitis but waited too long to go to the emergency room. Their appendix burst, spreading infected tissue and bacteria to other organs, which ultimately killed them. 'Once patients hear that a hospital is no longer a safe place for them to go, they are afraid to come to the hospital,' she said. Hagan, a Haitian immigrant, added that she and her colleagues, who work at hospitals across the city, have noticed that emergency rooms appear to be emptier in recent months. Kennedy, the nurse in San Diego, said the Level 1 trauma center, which is typically packed, has been emptier than usual. He admitted the decline in patient visits could be seasonally related, but he said he believes that the possibility of ICE agents arresting immigrants is having a 'chilling effect.' 'I can't see how this doesn't affect our patients' willingness to seek care,' he said. 'I'm willing to bet that a lot of people are delaying care because they're afraid.' ICE did not get back to The Hill in response to questions on whether agents have arrested people in or around hospitals, or if there are plans to do so. DHS announced in January that it had rescinded former President Biden's guidelines on immigration enforcement at 'sensitive locations' that were first issued under former President Obama. 'The Trump Administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement, and instead trusts them to use common sense,' a DHS spokesperson said at the time. The National Immigration Law Center said that while immigrants no longer have special protections at hospitals and other 'sensitive locations,' they still have basic rights. 'Instead, individuals will need to rely on basic constitutional protections in these spaces,' it said in a fact sheet. 'Specifically, the Fourth Amendment protects all individuals from unreasonable searches and seizures, and the Fifth Amendment ensures the right to remain silent when confronted by law enforcement.' The Emergency Medicine Residents' Association has distributed a flyer with step-by-step guidance for health care workers on dealing with ICE agents if they do enter hospitals. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
