Latest news with #Baker
Scoop
18 minutes ago
- Health
- Scoop
‘Catastrophic Birth Outcomes' In Gaza Threaten A Whole Generation, Warns UN Agency
23 July 2025 In the first half of 2025, only 17,000 births were recorded, according to Gazan health authorities, representing a 41 per cent decline in Gaza's birth rate over the past three years, the agency said. 'Every mother and child deserves the right to a safe birth and a healthy start to life. What we are witnessing is a systematic denial of these fundamental rights, pushing an entire generation to the brink,' said Laila Baker, regional director for the Arab States at UNFPA. These conditions come amidst an ongoing Israeli bombardment of Gaza, which has displaced the entire Palestinian population at least once and reportedly killed over 60,000. Something treatable becomes a death sentence UNFPA said that the systematic targeting of a healthcare system already on the brink of collapse is creating an untenable situation for mothers and newborns. The majority of hospitals and health facilities have been damaged or destroyed, with medicine stocks running severely low and medical equipment severely damaged. Ambulance services are also facing severe impediments, meaning that women giving birth face extreme challenges accessing healthcare. In this context, treatable complications during birth become death sentences. 'The scale of suffering for new mothers and their babies in Gaza is beyond comprehension,' Ms. Baker said. Preventable loss UNFPA said it has 170 trucks at the border between Israel and Gaza – and has since March 2025 – which contain life-saving supplies such as ultrasound machines, portable incubators and maternity kits. However, they have not been allowed into the Strip. The agency urged Israel to allow 'unimpeded, sustained and demilitarised' humanitarian aid into Gaza including fuel, medical supplies and nutritional support. 'Every moment lost means more preventable loss of life and unimaginable suffering for the most vulnerable,' it said. Aid operations under severe strain Meanwhile, in New York, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said that the Organization's humanitarian operations in Gaza are 'currently under severe strain', with aid workers facing serious security risks, unreliable crossings and routine delays or blockages of supplies. He said the UN 'stands ready to seize the opportunity of a ceasefire to significantly scale up humanitarian operations across the Gaza Strip as we did during the previous ceasefire.' 'Our plans are ready, and they are finalised.' However, this depends on Israel enabling safe, unimpeded aid delivery: opening all crossings, restoring key supply routes, allowing in fuel and essential equipment and ensuring the safety of humanitarian staff and civilian movement. Needs are worsening During a visit to Gaza, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Ramiz Alakbarov met with aid agencies in Deir Al-Balah and praised workers operating 'under extraordinarily difficult and dangerous conditions'. Needs are worsening: 109 relief organizations warn mass starvation is spreading, aid workers are fainting from hunger, child malnutrition is surging and hospitals are overwhelmed and closing for lack of fuel. 'The amount of aid that has been entering Gaza is only a trickle compared to the immense needs. Above all, we need a ceasefire to put an end to this devastating situation,' Mr. Dujarric said.
South Wales Guardian
42 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Carmarthenshire rogue builder conned victims out of £90,000
Craig Baker, 38, of Nantycaws, conned three victims in Carmarthenshire between November 2021 and January last year by overcharging them, charging them for work he didn't do, completing work to shoddy standards, and leaving jobs incomplete. Baker was sentenced to two years, suspended for two years, at Swansea Crown Court on May 2 after he pleaded guilty to fraudulent trading. On that occasion, Judge Paul Thomas KC said there were 'certain constraints' he was bound by after Baker was jailed last year to two years and eight months for like offences from the same time period. At a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing, it was agreed Baker benefitted from his offending by £92,117.70. Both parties agreed the defendant had £226.30 available, and a confiscation order was made for that amount. The defendant was disqualified from being a company director for five years. Baker, previously of Llanddarog, returned to Swansea Crown Court on July 22, where prosecutor Alexander Greenwood confirmed the Crown Prosecution Service were no longer pursuing costs and compensation. The court previously heard one of Baker's victims paid him £32,745.50, of which it was alleged he defrauded him out of £20,000. An assessment of the completed work found it was 'poor quality' and was done in a 'haphazard way'. A second victim was initially quoted £49,500 for works on her home, and said she felt 'pressured' into accepting this after Baker messaged her the next day saying that prices were going up. She paid the defendant half of this, as well as £12,400 to order a new kitchen, and a further £10,000 after Baker said he had 'underestimated' the costs. Whilst the works were ongoing, the victim received a message saying Baker had been imprisoned. She contacted the kitchen supplier to check on her order, but found the defendant hadn't ordered it. An assessment found 'serious issues' with the property's timber frames, and the works didn't comply with building regulations. The work Baker had completed should have been worth 'no more than £16,000', and remedial work would cost around £55,500. The third victim was quoted £1,500 to remove a chimney stack, but he then used the wrong type of tiles. 'You could see daylight between the tiles,' Mr Greenwood said. Baker quoted them a further £6,000 to replace the roof, but the victim challenged him after being quoted half of that by a different contractor. Baker's defence counsel acknowledged the defendant having already received a prison sentence for offending during this period was the only thing that would keep him from being jailed again. Sentencing Baker, Judge Thomas said: 'You are a rogue builder. You are a conman. You are a bully. You are a thoroughly dishonest man. 'I hope you will have the sense to never go anywhere near somebody's house again to do work.'
New York Post
6 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Parents have mixed reactions to Little League's move to suspend NJ boy from state final for bat flipping
Parents had mixed reactions Wednesday to the Little League's move to suspend a New Jersey boy from a state final game for triumphantly flipping his bat into the air — with some calling it too strict and others playing hardball. 'It's stupid. I think it's overkill. It's too much, especially for kids,'Josh Baker, 28, said of the decision while visiting the Major League Baseball shop on Sixth Avenue in Manhattan. 'Just give the kid a warning, [say] 'Hey don't throw the bat,' said Baker, a Sports Information Director for College Athletics in Michigan. Advertisement 4 Haddonfield Little League suspending Marco Rocco, 12, after triumphantly flipping his bat into the air, has stirred some controversy. X / @Spicoli_____ 'Don't make the kid sit out again because he's happy that he hit a home run,' he said. 'He's playing for one of the biggest moments in childhood baseball.' Advertisement Baker was weighing in on how Haddonfield Little League player Marco Rocco, 12, was barred from playing in the championship game because he joyfully flipped his bat in the air to celebrate a home run Thursday. Rocco and his team had been playing Harrison Little League when the move prompted the umpire to eject him from the game and suspend him from the next one due to 'horseplay.' Mark Pulver, 53, a Little League coach from California — who was visiting New York City for a tournament — said the league was right to come out swinging. 4 The league suspended Rocco from playing in the championship game after he flipped his bat in the air after hitting a home run against Harrison Little League. Facebook/Liz Rocco Advertisement 'As a parent who has coached a little league for 13 years, I believe the rules need to be adhered to regardless of the game,' he said. 'But I also appreciate the specialness of a home run, especially in a playoff game and the excitement that comes with that.' Ultimately, he said, the boy deserved to be sidelined because he potentially put other people in danger. 4 Rocco was ejected from the game after flipping his bat, and his one-game suspension was due to 'horseplay.' X / @Spicoli_____ Advertisement 'It's sad to say but..I don't think the suspension should be changed,' he said. Other baseball buffs urged Little League to 'give him a break.' 'Can you imagine how he feels? As far as he's concerned, this is the highlight of his life!' said Rafael Pabon, 46, martial artist from West New York, New Jersey who was also shopping at the MLB store. 4 Some parents called the punishment harsh, while one Little League coach, Mark Pulver, 53, said the league made the right call. Facebook/Liz Rocco 'Who knows, he could be playing for the Mets or the Yankees one day. He could become a star player in the major league. Don't be so heartless.' Rocco's dad, Joe Rocco, filed an emergency temporary restraining order Tuesday in the Gloucester County Chancery Division in a bid to have the suspension from the New Jersey Little League State Tournament final overturned. A judge delayed the ruling until Thursday at 1:30 pm, just hours before the championship game is scheduled to start.
USA Today
14 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Three reasons why LSU football linebacker Whit Weeks can win the Butkus Award
Whit Weeks returns to LSU football for a highly anticipated third season. The linebacker turned in a breakout sophomore year in 2024. His 25 pressures and 56 stops both ranked second among SEC linebackers, and he led the Tigers with 125 tackles. Weeks also added 10 tackles for loss, six quarterback hurries, 3.5 sacks, three pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and an interception. In his second season under defensive coordinator Blake Baker, Weeks is poised for another standout year. He's certainly a preseason contender for the Butkus Award and has a great chance to take it home with a repeat performance of last year. Weeks' play is contingent upon his recovery from a lower-body injury sustained during the second quarter of LSU's bowl game in January. Head coach Brian Kelly pointed to a full return for Weeks by fall camp, so it appears he'll be ready to lead the Tigers' front seven. Here are three reasons why Weeks will win the 2025 Butkus Award. LSU DC Blake Baker has a strong history of developing linebackers Baker built a reputation for developing talented linebackers dating back to his first stint at LSU and time at Missouri. Weeks took a large step forward from his first to his second season in Baton Rouge, thanks in large part to Baker's tutelage. A second season in Baker's system should yield similar growth from last offseason for Weeks. Now a junior, he'll not only be playing for championships at LSU but also to increase his draft stock ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. Weeks' returning production is better than any SEC linebacker Weeks is coming off a season in which he was among the SEC's top five in multiple categories. Within arguably the toughest conference in college football, he already separated himself from the competition. With home contests against conference juggernauts Florida and South Carolina, as well as road games at Alabama and Texas A&M, Weeks will have plenty of opportunities to prove he's the best at his position. Weeks has the talent to make splashy plays Weeks puts himself in great positions to make standout plays. Highlight reel-worthy plays make a difference in consideration for postseason awards like the Butkus Award, and Weeks has the potential to do just that. A former blue-chip recruit, Weeks was a four-star prospect per On3's Industry Rankings. He was No. 15 at his position and No. 149 overall in the 2023 cycle.
Herald Sun
a day ago
- Sport
- Herald Sun
Canterbury preview: Trainer Bjorn Baker saddles Shalaa Gold
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Trainer Bjorn Baker has had by far and away his greatest season and is keen to keep adding to it at Canterbury today as he eyes more milestones in 2025/26. Baker has so far this season prepared 155 winners, topping his previous best of 128, with his runners earning in excess of $25 million. 'It's been an amazing season. I have a great team, great clients and I have a lot of nice horses around me,' Baker said. 'As good as this season has been, I'm looking forward to next season as well.' • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Baker is looking to get off to a quick start at Canterbury with Shalaa Gold and Olufsen kicking off their preparations in the Benchmark 64 TAB Handicap (1100m). Shalaa Gold was runner-up in his first four starts before a breakthrough win over 1100m at Warwick Farm in January. He showed he is on track to kick off his campaign on a positive note with two very good trials including a win over King Of Roseau in his Randwick heat on July 11. 'He's a promising horse. He did a good job to finally win a maiden last start after placing a number of times,' Baker said. 'He has trialled well and he is definitely forward enough so I think he's in there with a good chance. 'I'm also happy to see that the weather is pretty good this week so we will get a decent track for him.' • Via Sistina, Fangirl and other stars clear out cobwebs at Randwick trials Olufsen doesn't have the race experience of Shalaa Gold but showed he possessed plenty of ability with a debut win at Wyong in March. He has also trialled very well with a second to Mirra Impact in his Randwick trial on June 27 and a fourth to Amreekiyah in a Hawkesbury heat on July 7. 'He is a full brother to Ozzmosis,' he said. 'He was very good in winning at his first start. 'He is still a little bit green and putting it all together but he has been good in his couple of trials. 'There probably isn't much between these two and he has drawn a lovely gate as well. 'I guess Shalaa Gold will probably be a little more forward that Olufsen but it will come down to luck in running a little bit as well.' • Spirited vote sees Hale take reins of Australian Turf Club Baker has O'Invincible engaged at Canterbury and Wyong on Thursday and will weigh up the two options. The daughter of I Am Invincible is in the Broadsiding @ Darley Handicap (1250m) for which she has drawn barrier 13 while she has gate 7 in the Benchmark 64 at Wyong. 'She has got a wide gate but there is already three scratchings inside of her,' Baker said. 'We will just have a think about whether she runs or we wait for the next day.' O'Invincible was below her best first-up when a well beaten sixth to Livin' Thing at Randwick's Kensington track but better when just over a length behind Divine Vicky when sixth at Gosford. 'She was too bad to be true first-up and I think she may have had atrial fibrillation but she definitely had an excuse that day,' he said. 'She was okay last time out and she is definitely fit and well. I think stepping up to the 1250 metres suits her as well.' Baker felt Mortlake could run a cheeky race in the All Too Hard @ Vinery Stud Handicap (1550m). 'I thought he was good first-up and had excuses last time out on a very wet track at Rosehill. 'His work on Saturday was good and off that alone, I think he's got a good chance.' Originally published as Canterbury preview: Trainer Bjorn Baker aims to close out his record season on a high note
