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Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
What is a derecho? These 'inland hurricanes' can cause tremendous damage
The forecast is worrisome: The National Weather Service predicted late-afternoon thunderstorms would congeal into a derecho over eastern South Dakota by the evening of July 28. Then, the storm and winds, which could reach hurricane force in some areas, will move into parts of southern Minnesota and northern Iowa, forecasters said. Sometimes referred to as an inland hurricane, derechos are among weather's most destructive phenomena. But what, exactly, is a derecho? What is a derecho? The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration defines a derecho (duh-RAY'-choh) as "a widespread, long-lived wind storm that is associated with a band of rapidly moving showers or thunderstorms." Derechos can pack lethal gusts in excess of 100 mph – hurricane strength – across a front stretching for many miles, and lasting for hours. Storms that have sustained winds of at least 58 mph and leave a path of damage at least 250 miles long qualify as derechos, according to the National Weather Service. Classic derechos can cause extensive damage, leading to massive power outages and toppling tons of trees. Derechos are a relatively rare event, as they only tend to occur from once a year to once every four years across portions of the eastern two-thirds of the United States, according to the National Weather Service. 'People should take these storms seriously,' weather service meteorologist Brian Barjenbruch said. 'These winds are incredibly strong.' 70% of derechos strike from May through August A 700-mile derecho in June 2012 that roared into Washington, D.C., topped 100 mph. Another derecho that blasted across the Midwest in August 2020 killed four people and left behind billions of dollars in damage. It had wind gusts that were estimated as high as 140 mph in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. By definition, a derecho should have winds that persist for at least six hours; however, they can last much longer. The 2020 Midwest derecho lasted for 14 hours. Most derechos, 70%, occur during the months of May through August, the weather service said. Although a derecho can produce destruction similar to the strength of tornadoes, the damage typically moves in one direction along a relatively straight swath, the weather service said. As a result, the term "straight-line wind damage" sometimes is used to describe derecho damage. Where did the term derecho come from? The term derecho was coined in 1888 by University of Iowa physics professor Gustavus Hinrichs, according to NOAA. The word is Spanish for "direct" or "straight." The term was used for a short time during the late 19th century, but it disappeared from English use for nearly 100 years, until meteorologists starting using the term again in the mid-1980s. The Storm Prediction Center, part of the weather service, determines whether a storm is officially classified as a derecho. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What is a derecho? Storm can bring hurricane-force winds. Solve the daily Crossword
New York Post
a day ago
- Health
- New York Post
World's most premature baby defies all medical odds to reach 1st birthday
An Iowa family recently celebrated a major milestone for a very special baby. Mollie and Randall Keen welcomed their son, Nash Keen, on July 5, 2024. He was born 133 days early, at just 21 weeks of gestation. Guinness World Records has officially recognized Nash as the world's most premature baby to survive. Earlier this month, Nash — affectionately nicknamed 'Nash Potato' — turned 1 year old, defying all odds. When he was born at the University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children's Hospital, Nash weighed just 285 grams (10 ounces) at birth — less than a grapefruit — and measured 24 centimeters long, according to a press release from the hospital. Two years before Nash's premature birth, the Keens lost a baby girl, McKinley, at 18 weeks of gestation. At that time, Mollie Keen was diagnosed with an incompetent cervix, which is when the lower part of the cervix begins to open (dilate) too early, typically in the second trimester, the release shared. She also suffers from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal disorder that can cause fertility difficulties. Six months after their loss, the Keens found out another baby was on the way. 7 Nash Keen, center, laughs as he is photographed with his parents, Mollie and Randall Keen, at the University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children's Hospital in Iowa City, Iowa, Wednesday, June 4, 2025. AP 'When we went to our local doctor's office for the 20-week scan for Nash, I just had some concerns about how I was feeling, so I asked them to look at me closer — which they normally don't do at that appointment — and they found I was already 2 centimeters dilated,' Mollie Keen said. A few days later, she began having contractions and was placed on bed rest. 'We were devastated,' she said. 'We thought we were going through the exact same thing — we thought we were going to lose this baby.' The medical team at Stead Family Children's Hospital's neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) provides life-saving care for babies born at 21 weeks of gestation and later. 7 Mollie and Randall Keen welcomed their son, Nash Keen, on July 5, 2024. He was born 133 days early, at just 21 weeks of gestation. Mollie and Randall Keen Fortunately, Mollie's care team was able to delay labor until just 10 hours after Nash surpassed the 21-week mark. 'We want what is best for patients, so we really try to convey that we do not know what the outcomes will be for these extremely premature births,' said Malinda Schaefer, M.D., Ph.D., the high-risk obstetrician who delivered Nash. 'It is important for parents to understand most survival rates are low, and if babies do survive, they have a very high risk of long-term complications, even at 22 weeks.' 7 Fortunately, Mollie's care team was able to delay labor until just 10 hours after Nash surpassed the 21-week mark. AP The team quickly provided medicine to Nash to support his organ development and to reduce the risk of complications, according to the release. 'Sometimes babies born at 21 weeks are just too small for even our tiniest breathing tubes and intravenous lines,' said neonatologist Amy Stanford, who treated Nash. 'Our NICU team assessed Nash, and I was able to place a breathing tube. Once we had the breathing tube in, his heart rate stabilized and his oxygen levels were good.' Even so, Nash's chances were slim, as no baby that young had ever survived. Start your day with all you need to know Morning Report delivers the latest news, videos, photos and more. Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters Before Nash's birth, the most premature baby to survive was Curtis Zy-Keith Means, born to Michelle Butler on July 5, 2020, at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital, according to Guinness World Records. He was born at a gestational age of 21 weeks and 1 day, which was 132 days premature. 'We never want the parents to lose hope, but many of them are in an unreal situation, so we have to be very honest with them,' said Patrick McNamara, M.D., division director of neonatology at Stead Family Children's Hospital. 'I would have told his parents, 'The chance is zero, but I hope I'm wrong, and we will do everything we can to help him.'' 7 Nash received ongoing care during his 198 days in the hospital, as the team monitored his heart function and brain health. AP Around the one-month mark, Stanford said, the team began to 'breathe a little easier.' 'While we knew Nash still had a long journey ahead, that was the point when we started to feel more confident that he had a real chance of going home.' 'It was a subtle but powerful shift – from day-to-day survival to long-term hope.' 7 In addition to receiving many medications, he also underwent surgery for a perforated bowel, which has an up to 40% mortality rate. AP Nash received ongoing care during his 198 days in the hospital, as the team monitored his heart function and brain health. In addition to receiving many medications, he also underwent surgery for a perforated bowel, which has an up to 40% mortality rate. 'They were on top of it every step of the way. They really gave him a fighting chance,' said Randall Keen. 'They were really honest with us during the whole journey about what his chances looked like. They made sure we were well-informed and kept us involved in all the decision-making.' 7 Earlier this month, Nash — affectionately nicknamed 'Nash Potato' — turned 1 year old, defying all odds. Mollie and Randall Keen After more than six months in the hospital, Nash was finally able to go home in January 2025. He will continue to be monitored for ongoing health issues, including a minor heart defect, and is currently being weaned from oxygen. Nash is still on a feeding tube and wears hearing aids. Although he has had some developmental delays, Nash is getting stronger and more interactive with the help of ongoing therapy sessions, according to his mother. Stanford shared her ultimate goal for Nash — 'that by the time he's 5 years old, when he goes to kindergarten, no one will know that he was born so early.' 7 Guinness World Records has officially recognized Nash as the world's most premature baby to survive. AP 'Nash's remarkable outcome reflects the progress we've made by building on the experiences of those patients who came before him,' she added. Mollie Keen shared that she wants Nash to know how loved he is — and 'how many people have cheered him on from the very beginning.' 'I want him to grow up and be healthy, happy, and confident in who he is. I want him to see his story as a source of strength.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Most premature baby ever born celebrates his first birthday
At just 21 weeks gestation, weighing only 10 ounces, baby Nash Keen entered the world fighting. A year later, his parents, Mollie and Randall, are celebrating a milestone they once weren't sure they'd see: Nash's first birthday. Recognized by Guinness World Records as the most premature baby to survive, Nash's story began with heartbreak. Just months before his birth, Mollie and Randall lost their daughter McKinley at 18 weeks gestation. When Mollie became pregnant again in early 2024, joy was tempered with fear. The Keens didn't decorate a nursery. They didn't make plans. They simply hoped. That hope carried them to the University of Iowa Health Care, one of the few hospitals in the U.S. offering life-saving measures for babies born as early as 21 weeks. When Mollie who experienced the complications known as 'incompetent cervix,' began to experience pressure and dilation during her 20-week scan, the Keens made the emergency trip. 'The doctor's outlook looked grim,' Mollie recalled. 'She was not hopeful.' But one nurse's optimism helped the couple hold on. Related: I'm a preemie mom—5 things I wish I knew before my shocking delivery On July 5, 2024, Nash was born—tiny, translucent, and impossibly fragile. A team of neonatologists began resuscitating him immediately. 'Trying to put a tube through basically something the size of a gerbil vein,' Randall said. 'It felt like an eternity, but it was maybe two or three minutes—and then they told us, 'We got him. He can breathe.'' Nash spent 182 days in the NICU, enduring multiple surgeries and defying expectations at every turn. 'He's been through a lot,' Mollie shared, 'but Nash is just so chill.' His family affectionately nicknamed him 'Nash Potato'—a name that stuck so well it made its way onto signs, toys, and even a community of cheering NICU nurses. The road home wasn't quick. Nash's first three weeks were filled with uncertainty, wires, and machines. But when Mollie finally got to hold him for the first time, she said it felt like 'pure relief and love all at once.' Now over 17 pounds and filled with joy, Nash still receives oxygen and has a feeding tube, hearing aids, and regular therapy—but his progress has amazed both his parents and his care team. 'We're incredibly proud of how far Nash has come,' Mollie said. Neonatologist Dr. Amy Stanford, who helped lead Nash's care, emphasized just how far neonatal medicine has come. 'Caring for a baby born at 21 weeks is very different from typical premature cases. Babies born this early require highly specialized care, constant surveillance and frequent monitoring—every hour can make a difference.' Beyond the record-breaking headlines, the Keen family remains grounded in gratitude—for the doctors and nurses who fought for their son, and for the chance to share their story. 'We never set out to be in the spotlight,' Mollie said, 'but sharing Nash's story felt important. We wanted to give hope to other families walking hard medical roads and to show what's possible even in the most uncertain circumstances.' Related: This record-breaking preemie weighed only 14.8 ounces at birth Nash is a reminder of how powerful hope, community, and love can be—especially in the smallest of packages.
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First Post
4 days ago
- Health
- First Post
World's most premature baby turns 1, gets Guinness World Record. Who is Nash Keen?
Nash Keen, who turned 1 in July, has already set a Guinness World Record. Keen was born at 21 weeks last year as the world's most premature baby. Let's take a closer look at how the infant overcame the odds to celebrate his first birthday read more Nash Keen with his parents Mollie and Randall Keen at the University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children's Hospital in Iowa City, Iowa. AP Nash Keen is a miracle baby. Literally. Keen just celebrated his first birthday in July. Among the presents he received was the Guinness World Record for the being the world's most premature baby. His mother Mollie Keen said, 'Nash is so full of personality. He's a happy baby.' Here's what you need to know about Keen How was he born? Born in Iowa City last July, Keen was delivered at only 21 weeks of gestation. That's a whopping 133 days earlier than the expected due date. Weighing only 283 grams, Keen was the size of a bar of soap. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He spent six months in the neonatal intensive care unit at the University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children's Hospital before finally being allowed to go home in January with his parents, Mollie and Randall Keen, to Ankeny, Iowa. Mollie said that her son slept through most nights since coming home. 'Being in the NICU as long as he was, you'd think that he would be, you know, more fragile and stuff. And he's not. He's a very determined, curious little boy, and he's just all smiles all the time,' she said on Wednesday. A difficult delivery Saving their baby, whom they affectionately dubbed 'Nash Potato', was extremely important for the parents. Mollie and Randall had already lost their first child to miscarriage. By then, Mollie had been diagnosed with a medical condition that made it difficult to carry a pregnancy to full term. Mollie feared she and her husband might lose Nash too upon discovering at her 20-week prenatal checkup that her cervix was already two centimetres dilated. Typically, doctors do not attempt life-saving interventions for infants born before 22 weeks of gestation. This is because most born at such an early stage cannot survive. However, Mollie learned that the neonatal team at Stead Family Children's Hospital was performing life-saving measures for babies born at 21 weeks of gestation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Although she went into labour days prior to this benchmark, medical intervention allowed her to postpone the birth until precisely 21 weeks. Nash Keen is photographed at the University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children's Hospital in Iowa City at two months. AP The next month was fraught with medical scares as an entire team of doctors worked to keep Nash alive. 'One of the things I noticed about the medical team is that they were very calm,' she said. 'You never really saw them, like, get anxious or anything. And so we kind of just learned to, like, watch them. And if, you know, if the doctors and the nurses weren't freaking out, there was no reason for us to freak out.' While Dr Malinda Schaefer, Nash's obstetrician, hailed his birth — which occurred just hours past the 21-week mark — as a breakthrough in maternal foetal medicine, she did not sugarcoat the dire prospects of his survival or the strong likelihood of serious medical complications to the Keens prior to his delivery. 'Ultimately, it is not me that lives with the outcomes of parents' decisions, so it is really important to me to have honest and open conversations with parents, so they feel fully informed to make the best decision for them and their family,' Schaefer said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD How is Nash's health? While Nash has experienced some complications and developmental delays common to those born extremely prematurely, his progress has been as good as medical science could hope for, his doctors say. At just over a year old, Nash remains on oxygen to help him breathe and is fed solely through a feeding tube, although he's preparing to try pureed foods. He also has a minor heart defect, which his doctors believe will resolve itself as he gets older. He's not yet crawling, but he is rolling over. 'He's learning how to stand on his two feet, which is awesome,' Mollie said. 'He's got a lot of strength in those legs.' With inputs from agencies
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Hulk Hogan's sex tape lawsuit had a lasting effect on cases involving celebrity privacy
Famous for his fearless bravado as a pro wrestler, Hulk Hogan won one of his most notable victories in a Florida courtroom by emphasising his humiliation and emotional distress after a news and gossip website published a video of Hogan having sex with a friend's wife. A 2016 civil trial that pitted the First Amendment against the privacy rights of celebrities ended with a jury awarding Hogan a whopping $140 million in his lawsuit against Gawker Media. Though both parties later settled on $31 million to avoid protracted appeals, the case put Gawker out of business. It also ensured Hogan, who died Thursday at age 71, and his legal team would have a long-term impact on media law. The case showed that, in certain circumstances, celebrities could persuade a jury that their right to privacy outweighs the freedom of the press — even when the published material was true. The case put media outlets on notice that 'the public doesn't necessarily like the press,' especially when reporting intrudes into intimate details of even public figures' private lives, said Samantha Barbas, a University of Iowa law professor who writes about press freedoms and First Amendment issues. She said it also emboldened celebrities, politicians and others in the public spotlight to be more aggressive in suing over unflattering news coverage — as seen recently in President Donald Trump's pursuit of court cases against the Wall Street Journal, ABC and CBS. 'I think the lasting effect of the Hulk Hogan case was it really started this trend of libel and privacy lawsuits being weaponised to kind of take down these media organisations,' Barbas said. Hogan, whose given name was Terry Bollea, sued Gawker for invading his privacy after the website in 2012 posted an edited version of a video of Hogan having sex with the wife of his then-best friend, Florida-based radio DJ Bubba The Love Sponge Clem. Clem gave his blessing to the coupling and recorded the video that was later leaked to Gawker. Hogan insisted he was unaware the intimate encounter was being filmed. The former WWE champion testified that he was 'completely humiliated' when the sex video became public. Hogan's lead trial attorney, Ken Turkel, recalled Thursday how his muscular, mustachioed client cried in court as the jury verdict was read. 'To him the privacy part of it was integral. It was important,' Turkel said. 'Eight-year-old kids were googling 'Hulk Hogan' and 'Wrestlemania,' and they were getting a sex tape. That was hurtful to him in a real personal way.' The three-week trial was closely followed far beyond the courtroom in St. Petersburg, Florida, as thousands of wrestling fans, First Amendment watchers and others stayed glued to their screens as the trial was streamed live online. Salacious details emerged about Hogan's sex life as jurors and spectators viewed. images of him in thong underwear. Other testimony focused on how New York-based Gawker practiced journalism differently than traditional news outlets. And Hogan explained to the jury about the difference between his wrestling persona and his private life. The jury ultimately rejected arguments by Gawker's attorneys that Hogan's sex tape was newsworthy and that publishing it, no matter how distasteful, was protected speech under the First Amendment. 'Now more people, including judges, understand that it's possible to sue someone for revealing something truthful, as long as that something is deeply personal and its publication is highly offensive,' said Amy Gajda, a Brooklyn Law School professor who followed and wrote about the case against Gawker. News outlets still have broad legal protection for publishing information about public figures, even things that would generally be considered private, Gajda said 'As long as there is news value in what is published and the media can argue that effectively, they can get a privacy case dismissed very early on,' she said.
