Heart & Home

This podcast is dedicated to your mental well-being. I share portions of an interview with Naomi Osaka that was conducted by sports journalist and anchor Taylor Rooks for the virtual portion of the 2023 California Women's Conference in Santa Clara earlier this month. We begin with you. Women should be mindful of what makes them happy

Ginni Rometty became CEO of IBM in 2012 and retired from the company in 2020. Under Rometty's leadership, IBM achieved record results in diversity and inclusion through programs that extended parental leave and made it easier for women to return to the workforce. She is the author of GOOD POWER: Leading Positive Change in Our Lives, Work, and World (March 7, 2023; Harvard Business Review Press). The book turned into a memoir with a purpose which she uses in a teaching way and hopes when you read her book it gives you the confidence to do something to change something hard in a positive way. That's what she means when she says the power of me, the power of we, and the power of us. Currently, Rometty is the co-chair of OneTen, an organization that is combining the power of US companies to upskill, hire, and promote one million Black Americans over the next 10 years into family-sustaining jobs with opportunities for advancement. She was interviewed by Ellen McGirt, Fortune Magazine, during the California Conference for Women in March 2023. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sabah-fakhoury/message

In Ep. 24 (Feb. 16, 2020), I read Lion Goodman's Near Death story on the Heart and Home Podcast. When I shared his story it was because it had such a profound impact on me. As a journalist stories are our currency. Stories come and stories go. But his story never left me. After learning about Lion's work I took an online course with him and his partner and went about my life in search of more information about love and relationships. Today, I share with you an intimate talk I had with Lion Goodman, who has worked as a healer of trauma for more than four decades. He offers coaching, courses and articles on his website ( https://liongoodman.com ) as well as provides a wealth of knowledge, including his near death story ( https://liongoodman.com/lions-near-death-story/ ) and an apology letter to women ( https://liongoodman.com/an-open-apology-to-women/ ). --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sabah-fakhoury/message

International Women's Day (IWD) is a holiday that has been celebrated globally on March 8 for 100 years. Today, I share a few words from modern women from Malala Yusafzai in Britain (who is part of a short documentary called Stranger At The Gate, which you can stream on The New Yorker's site at https://www.newyorker.com/video/watch/stranger-at-the-gate) to the former First Lady Michelle Obama as well as the Rebel Girls app for girls 6-12 years old. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sabah-fakhoury/message

“Spare,” the new memoir by Britain's Prince Harry, sold more than 3.2 million copies worldwide after just one week of publication (Jan 20, 2023) and is currently a best seller. It's a personal view of what the press did to his life since he was a child … what his mum, Princess Diana, endured, and then Meghan Markle, when she became his girlfriend, through their preparation for their wedding, as his pregnant wife and his reason for fleeing his home and his country to save his own family. But it wasn't only because of the British paparazzi (tabloid press). It also had to do with members of his own family letting things slip to the press, members of their staff who had it in for the American actress and divorcée. If you are struggling with finding your own voice and your place in the world Prince Harry's autobiography is an aid to overcoming death of a parent, lies and deceit. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sabah-fakhoury/message

In this short message on Valentine's Day, I share the importance of caring for your heart. This message is important if you consistently push yourself, work 50-60 hours five, six, seven days a week, if you live with stress and don't take time for yourself, rejuvenate or allow your mind and body to rest by getting the proper amount of sleep for your body to heal. For some, five, six, seven or eight hours is enough. For others, you may need 10 hours if you are sleep deprived. Your body is like a car, if you don't repair it, give it a proper tune up, it will break down. Preventative maintenance for both your car and your body is key to living a healthy life, provided you're not over-eating, smoking or boozing it up.“In the United States, someone has a heart attack every 40 seconds.” It could happen at any age and affects men and women differently. Do you know the signs or warnings of a heart attack? “Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States.” For more information, see your doctor. A link to the CDC provides more facts: https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm Following is a link to the Steve Jobs 2005 Commencement Address at Stanford University https://youtu.be/Tuw8hxrFBH8 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sabah-fakhoury/message

Our second guest on The Heart And Home Podcast is a person I admire for her work and dedication to helping both men and women find love in their life. We speak with Life By Rayna, a self love and soul purpose coach, who spent five years alone to work on herself after a 10-year-long streak of bad relationships that left her broken. You can find her on Instagram @LifeByRayna  --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sabah-fakhoury/message

As we begin the month of February, we speak with Dr. Roberto Vargas who says we should not only celebrate Valentine's Day on the 14th but practice "radical love" especially among our family for the entire month. With the state of California being rocked with three mass shootings in the first month of this year, we all could use positive energy. I hope you love what our first guest on the podcast has to share. If you would like more information, please see http://robertovargas.weebly.com.       For Dr. Vargas's article discussed in today's podcast please click here https://qrcgcustomers.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/account16327320/34336114_1.pdf?0.3949602552001117 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sabah-fakhoury/message

Let's make 2023 the year you look back on and honestly say it changed everything. that's why we are beginning the new year with goal setting and not new year resolutions because generally, many of us view the month of January as a good time for a fresh start.

In a blog post on March 1, 2022 about refugees being created due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the number of refugees first increased to one million that fled the country to bordering states, according to the United Nations. Additionally, there were another two million to three million displaced internally. Today, according to Time Magazine's December 26, 2022 issue — featuring Volodymyr Zelensky on the cover as Person Of The Year — those numbers have drastically jumped with 14 million persons displaced and an additional 40,000 troops and civilians dead. Before taking a hiatus, I ended coverage with this March 1, 2022 blog post regarding the creation of refugees https://sabahfakhoury.com/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sabah-fakhoury/message

For 23 days a trucker protest, also known as the Freedom Convoy 2022, who opposed the vaccine mandates came to a forceful end with the arrest of the Convoy leaders and the towing of at least 21 vehicles that were blocking the Parliament in Ottawa, Canada. The blockade had choked the city for more than three weeks before police used the emergency powers, to tow trucks, arrest 200 protesters and clear the area. The emergency measures gave police the authority to declare some protests illegal — including the streets around Parliament Hill — as no-protest zones where people could be subject to arrest, and to force service providers like tow-truck operators to remove their big rigs from the protest scene, and authorize financial-services providers to freeze accounts and assets belonging to protest participants. However, both the emergency measure and the freezing of bank accounts were lifted last week and many Covid restrictions will be lifted in March and April. But the troubles aren't over. The issue now moves to the halls of justice where businesses have filed a class action lawsuit to the tune of $306M … Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faces criticism from opposition lawmakers who characterized his move as government overreach and an infringement on individuals' rights. So what really happened with the trucker party protests? Its about business. The truckers' actions impeded cross-border deliveries from Canada to U.S. factories. It disrupted the Canadian economy, especially for businesses near the protest sites. It caused chaos and a lot of noise. Life for Ottowa residents can return to normal instead of inhaling vehicle fumes and hearing incessant honking. Despite the legal wranglings that's ahead for both sides, the Covid mask mandate restrictions could soon be loosened. Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba and New Foundland are ending vaccine passports in March. Alberta and Saskatchewan dropped them in the past week. B.C. hasn't dropped the vaccine passport but has lifted indoor capacity limits. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

The world lost what some refer to as the "grandfather of personal development." Bob Proctor was described by his business partner as "a true legend in the Personal Development industry whose concepts and teachings have literally changed the lives of millions of people around the world for the better." He was known worldwide for his speaking and teaching expertise on the mind and success. His book "You Were Born Rich" is now being taught through a 6-month coaching program https://www.facebook.com/542608839143366/posts/6894071083997078/?d=n --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a civil rights leader who left a lasting legacy. He led the 1955 Montgomery bus boycott, helped organize the 1963 nonviolent protests in Birmingham, Alabama, and helped organize the 1963 March on Washington, DC, where he delivered his famous August 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech -- where he said: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." On April 3, 1968, Dr. King gave his last speech called "I have been to the Mountaintop" in support of striking sanitation workers. Following is a link of that speech at Mason Temple in Memphis, Tennessee where Dr. King calls for unity, economic actions, boycotts, and nonviolent protest, while challenging the United States to live up to its ideals. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gC6qxf3b3FI Dr. King was assassinated the day after that speech. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

Ginger Zee's book “A Little Closer To Home” (out today 1/11/22) is intended to provide an educational resource for those struggling with mental illness. It deals with the guilt and shame of having an abortion, which consumed her brain and robbed her energy for the past 17 years. This is a book to begin a dialogue. Ginger wants you to share your story. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

Today marks the one year anniversary since the United States Capitol Building was attacked by Americans, jolting our democracy and this nation to its feet. It was unheard of. It was unimaginable. But those who witnessed it could only weep. Others tried to explain what they experienced. Today, we look back through the eyes of the camera lense, which aptly captured the fateful events of 1/6/2021. Lives were lost. Mistakes were made by the U.S. Capitol Police who were unprepared despite warnings from the FBI based on their monitoring of social media activity of people labeled as the Right, Neo-Nazis, Proud Boys, and the rise of hate crimes. Only in this instance, it does not involve Muslim extremists, which the FBI and subsequent administrations have been laser focused on since 9/11/2001 and ignoring the Right, Neo-Nazis and other decentralized militant groups in our nation who are willing to threaten government officials. Beware of disinformation in political discourse, especially during election years. Today, millions of people are still convinced there was fraud in the 2020 Presidential Election. Links to 1/6/2022 commemorating one year anniversary of attack on U.S. Capitol Building U.S. President Biden Address to the Nation https://youtu.be/PubsvbsZ9JM V.P. Kamala Harris Addresses the Nation on Anniversary (ABC) https://youtu.be/axuhGEKPKTs Nancy Pelosi Commemorates 1 Year Since Attack on the Capitol (ABC) https://youtu.be/5n9f6ap9Jic LIVE: January 6 Attack Anniversary Commemorated at U.S. Capitol (NBC News) https://youtu.be/_OQvA166H_M PBS NewsHour Live Episode (1/6/2022) https://youtu.be/CYN0F5KwS94 --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

As reported by The Wall Street Journal, in a rare, large-scale investor fraud prosecution of a technology executive that lasted 15 weeks, the United States government put on trial Silicon Valley's fake-it-until-you-make-it culture. In Theranos's case, prosecutors said the head of the startup — Elizabeth Holmes — “hype and hubris went far beyond norms, exposing patients and investors to harm by peddling faulty technology. It was one of the most high-profile white-collar criminal trials in years.” But wait, there's more. It involves sex, abuse and high profile investors and drug companies and patients that were affected by the actions of a woman in Silicon Valley that began nearly 20 years ago at Stanford University with the intentions of doing good in the world. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

Spoiler Alert

We all set new goals and intentions at the beginning of a new year. By the end of January the wheels usually fall off the bus. That gym membership goes unused, those 10, 20 or 30 pounds you want to lose becomes an afterthought rather than a goal. Most of us go back to our old ways, falling into the old neuropathways in our brain. In today's episode of the Heart & Home Podcast, I share with you one of the secrets to keeping your New Year resolution longer than three weeks. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's advisory panel unanimously approved a booster shot of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine for select groups of people. However, the FDA is delaying a decision on authorizing Moderna's Covid-19 vaccine for 12-to-17-year-olds to assess whether the shot may lead to heightened risk of Myocarditis, a rare inflammatory heart condition. Then on Friday, vaccine advisers to the US Food and Drug Administration voted unanimously to recommend a booster dose of Johnson & Johnson's vaccine at least two months after people 18 and older got the first dose. Reason: lower effectiveness compared to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. ———— Weather continues to be problematic this weekend from Arkansas to New York with heavy rains and possible tornadoes. ——————— Over 10,000 John Deere employees began their strike at 11:59 p.m. Wednesday at 14 U.S. plants in Iowa, Illinois, and Kansas. ——————- You have no doubt heard that nearly 60 cargo ships are stuck floating outside the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Because of that, U.S. President Biden announced that the Port of LA will begin operating around the clock 24/7 to make sure Americans can get the goods they need. ———————————- On Friday, Adele's music video “Easy on Me” became the most streamed song in a single day on Spotify … and had 41 million views on YouTube. It's the lead single from her upcoming album, 30, which drops November 15. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

This week a massive oil spill closed the Orange County shoreline along the Huntington Beach Pier. ————— The Los Angeles City Council approved a sweeping ordinance on Wednesday that will require proof of a COVID-19 vaccination to enter restaurants, bars, shopping centers and other establishments effective November 6. Meanwhile, San Francisco will ease some face mask requirements by October 15. The rules will apply to offices, gyms, religious gatherings and college classes where no more than 100 people are present and all are vaccinated —————————- Next, news regarding vaccines for children ages 5 to 11 who may be able to start getting immunized by November. ————- A new study found the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine remains 90% effective at reducing a person's risk of hospitalization from the virus six months after it is administered. But, with time, it drops to 47% effective at preventing infection. In other vaccine news, Johnson & Johnson asked U.S. health regulators to authorize a booster dose for its Covid-19 vaccine, citing studies showing it improved protection among adults who previously received a single shot. ————- Simplified international travel rules took effect Monday in the U.K. which eased quarantine and testing requirements for fully vaccinated travelers from more than 50 countries. ————— Work at all of the Kellogg Company's U.S. cereal plants came to a halt Tuesday due to a strike by 1,400 workers. The strike includes plants in Omaha, Nebraska; Battle Creek, Michigan; Lancaster, Pennsylvania; and Memphis, Tennessee. —————— On Friday, United States President Biden issued the first-ever presidential proclamation of Indigenous Peoples' Day, which will be observed Oct. 11, along with Columbus Day. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

U.S. President Biden received his booster shot of the Covid-19 vaccine on Monday, several days after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared a booster developed by Pfizer and BioNTech for people 65 and older and certain other adults at high risk of severe illness. The 78-year-old president appealed to unvaccinated Americans to protect themselves against the virus. ————— Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Pfizer submitted research to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on the effectiveness of its COVID-19 vaccine in children 5 to 11 years old but the shots may not be available until November. —————- Thousands of unvaccinated healthcare workers across the state of New York lost their jobs this week when a new vaccine mandate went into effect. This week, 593 United Airlines workers face dismissal for not complying with the requirement to get a Covid-19 vaccine. ———- Then on Wednesday, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an urgent recommendation for pregnant women and those who have recently given birth to get vaccinated against coronavirus. Pregnant women are also urged to get flu shots. This warning from the CDC comes after 22 pregnant women died in August — the worst month yet of the pandemic. ————— On Thursday, news was announced of the first antiviral pill people can take at home to reduce by 50% their risk of winding up in the hospital or dying from the coronavirus. The pill is by pharmaceutical companies Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics. These pills should not be taken as an alternative to vaccines. Pfizer and Roche, are also working on antiviral pills for patients already diagnosed with COVID-19. ————- On Friday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that the state will require COVID-19 vaccines for all school children ages 12-17 once the FDA grants full approval, becoming the first state in the country to move forward on mandating vaccines for school children. The mandate will be implemented after January, when the next school term starts, and could come as late as July 2022, depending on when the FDA gives full approval for vaccines for kids under 16 years old. ———— Overseas, Japan came out of a coronavirus state of emergency on Thursday for the first time in more than six months as Covid-19 infections slowed. The emergency measures were in place for more than half of the country including Tokyo. ————- Still overseas, after eight years of planning and billions of dollars in spending, the Middle East's first ever World Fair opened on Friday in Dubai. Expo 2020 was postponed by a year due to the outbreak of the coronavirus. ———— Back in this country, a slow down in U.S. mail deliveries took effect Friday under a 10-year cost-cutting plan by the USPS chief. ————- And finally, the movie No Time To Die hit cinemas in the U.K. this week with the world premier at Royal Albert Hall, and opens in theaters Wednesday. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

The United States plans to relax restrictions for vaccinated international travelers in mid-November and will re-open for air travelers from 33 countries who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The United States also extended its pandemic-related restrictions at land borders with Canada and Mexico that bar nonessential travel such as tourism through Oct. 21. ———- Those travel changes are taking effect while the number of known Covid-19 deaths in the U.S. has surpassed this country's deaths from the 1918-19 flu pandemic. On Monday, the U.S. crossed the threshold of 675,000 reported Covid-19 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. ——— Meanwhile, Pfizer and partner BioNTech said this week that their Covid-19 vaccine was found to be safe in children ages 5 to 11 years in a late-stage study. ———- ———— Also this week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory panel signed off on the targeted use of booster shots of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine to senior citizens 65 and older and others at high risk from the virus. ——- No migrants remain at the Texas border crossing connecting Del Rio, Texas, and Ciudad Acuña, Mexico. It's a dramatic change from a week ago where almost 15,000 people — most of them Haitians — had converged to seek asylum. 2,000 have been sent back to Haiti and 12,400 face immigration proceedings in the U.S. ————————- A California prosecutor filed criminal charges including manslaughter against PG&E for its role in igniting a wildfire that killed four people last year. Shasta County District Attorney said Friday that her office had filed 11 felony and 20 misdemeanor counts, including four counts of involuntary manslaughter, against the company related to the Zogg Fire. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

On Friday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration panel announced approval for the Pfizer booster shot for adults 65 and older and Americans who are at high risk. They did not approve it for widespread use yet because they still had too many questions for the younger population. —————- The U.S. military said Friday that it mistakenly killed at least 10 Afghan civilians, including seven children—but not an Islamic State terrorist, as intended—when it launched a drone strike on a car in Kabul last month. ———— The Biden administration is planning to send home thousands of Haitian migrants who are being held by the U.S. Border Patrol under a bridge in a small South Texas border town. ———— In Washington, D.C., the U.S. Capitol police are on high alert as pro-Trump demonstrators converge on the nation's capital for a “Justice for J6” rally today. ————- A small earthquake shook the Los Angeles area over night. The magnitude-4.3 quake struck just before 8 p.m. Friday was centered near Carson, about 21 miles of downtown Los Angeles. Also in that state, the California recall election of Governor Gavin Newsom failed. ————— Hurricane Nicholas, now a tropical storm, made landfall along the Texas coast on Tuesday, as a Category 1 hurricane bringing the threat of up to 20 inches of rainfall to parts of the Gulf Coast. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

U.S. President Joseph Biden unveiled a six-pronged strategy to combat the Delta variant of Covid-19 that ramps up vaccine requirements. Other changes that affect an estimated 8.9 million people because they lost unemployment benefits. We mark the 20th anniversary of the deadliest attack on U.S. soil on 9/11/2001. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

After 20 years, the withdrawal this week of America's military ground presence in Afghanistan Monday signifies both the end of the military component of the evacuation and the end of the nearly 20-year mission that began shortly after Sept. 11 2001. The U.S. Embassy in Kabul was moved to Doha, Qatar. ——- Also this week, the European Union advised its 27 member states to reconsider allowing entry to nonessential US travelers, dropping the United States from its safe list. Italy, the Netherlands and Sweden were the first to impose new rules. ——- Next, we focus on the horrible weather Hurricane Ida caused on this country along the East Coast of the United States from Louisiana up to Maine. ——- ——————- We move next to weather in the West where tens of thousands of South Lake Tahoe residents are hoping this weekend for a chance to return home after firefighters made progress against the Caldor fire in California that has turned the resort into a ghost town. ——————— Next, a ruling this week that could affect Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling that legalized abortion nationally. ———-——- One week before the 20th anniversary of 911, President Joe Biden on Friday directed the declassification of certain documents related to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. —————— Finally, ABBA, the beloved Swedish pop group, announced Thursday in a global livestreamed event that, after nearly 40 years, it will release a new 10-track album, "Voyage," on Nov. 10. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

The U.S. FDA this week gave full approval for the Pfizer vaccine for those 16 and older. It had been approved for emergency use. It's the first vaccine fully licensed and found to be 91% effective. 85 million Americans are eligible that have not received a shot. ———- The civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson, 79, and his wife Jaqueline, 77, remained hospitalized this week in Chicago after testing positive for COVID-19. Jesse Jackson, 79, is vaccinated but his wife is not. ——— The “Homecoming Concert” in New York City's Central Park was canceled because of dangerous weather as Hurricane Henri approached the Northeast last Saturday. The five-hour concert, intended to celebrate New York City's recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, was about halfway through when the weather became an issue. Henri made landfall Sunday near Westerly, Rhode Island, about 12:15 p.m. EDT with sustained winds of 60 miles an hour. Henri weakened as it moved slowly along the Eastern U.S., bringing heavy rain. The slow-rolling system drenched the Northeast with rain. Beach towns from the Hamptons on Long Island to Cape Cod in Massachusetts were spared the worst of the potential damage Sunday. Another storm, Ida, is expected to make landfall in Louisiana Sunday as a Category 4 hurricane on the same date Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana as a devastating Category 3 storm 16 years ago. The Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi coasts are under storm surge warnings, and Louisiana's coast is now under a hurricane warning, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm will move into the Gulf of Mexico Saturday. -------- Catastrophic flooding in middle Tennessee left at least 21 people dead and 20 are missing after the rural area was hit with record rainfall Friday into Saturday morning. A preliminary rainfall total of 17.02 inches was measured at McEwen, Tennessee, Saturday, which would break the all-time 24-hour rainfall record for the state of Tennessee, according to the National Weather Service. The old record was 13.06 inches, recorded in Milan on Sept. 13, 1982. ——————- On Sunday, the Pentagon enlisted the help of six U.S. airlines to evacuate Americans and Afghan partners. Then , a suicide bomber and gunmen attacked crowds of Afghans flocking to Kabul's airport, transforming a scene of desperation into one of horror in the waning days of an airlift for those fleeing the Taliban takeover. At least 90 Afghans and 13 U.S. troops were killed. U.S. officials said another 18 service members were wounded. At least 170 Afghans were wounded in the attack. Two British nationals and the child of another British national also were killed in the bombing. ——— Kathy Hochul became the first female governor of New York on Tuesday, inheriting immense challenges as she takes over an administration facing criticism for inaction during Andrew Cuomo's distracted final months in office. ———- After months of debate over the legality of banning evictions nationwide, the Supreme Court had the final say and shut down President Joe Biden's eviction moratorium on Thursday in a 6-3 vote. ——— Today marks the 58th anniversary of the historic March on Washington, where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech in front of the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall on August 28, 1963. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

Parts of the Northeast could begin to feel the effects of Hurricane Henri as soon as late Saturday, as the storm barrels toward the region of the United States. ———— Afghanistan and Haiti dominated the news this week with stunning images from both countries in chaos. ———— U.S. health experts are expected to recommend COVID-19 booster shots for all Americans eight months after they get their second dose of the vaccine, to ensure longer-lasting protection as the delta variant spreads across the country. ———- Full US Food and Drug Administration approval of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine is expected early next week. ————- Both New York City and San Francisco became the first major cities in the nation to require proof of vaccination against the coronavirus for people to dine inside restaurants, work out in gyms or attend indoor concerts. ————- The skies might not be so smooth because the mask requirement for planes was extended this week from September into January. ——— New Zealand placed its largest city, Auckland, into lockdown for seven days following the first case of Covid-19 in the community since February. ———- Nationally, there are 104 large fires burning, mostly in the West, where drought conditions and red flag warnings continue to fuel the raging wildfires, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. ———- Moving vans were at the governor's mansion in Albany on Friday and workers were seen carrying out boxes and artwork as Gov. Andrew Cuomo prepared for his last day in office. The Democrat is scheduled to have a last full day as governor Monday, giving way to Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul at the stroke of midnight. ——- The Biden Administration approved the largest single increase in the history of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, and permanent increase in the levels of food aid available to needy families as well as will automatically erase student loan debt for more than 300,000 Americans with severe disabilities that leave them unable to earn significant incomes. ——— Finally, Jeopardy's host Mike Richards announced Friday he is stepping aside immediately amid recent scrutiny over past comments surfaced this week about women, Jews, poor people and Haiti seven years ago while he was co-executive producer of “The Price Is Right” and hosting a podcast called “The Randumb Show.” Richards was chosen last week as the successor to Alex Trebek. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul (HOKUL) will succeed Andrew Cuomo as governor of New York after his resignation from office Tuesday following sexual-harassment accusations. She will be the first female governor in New York's history. ——— Canada opened its border to fully vaccinated American tourists on Monday. The U.S. didn't reciprocate. Although Canadians can continue to fly to the U.S. for nonessential purposes, as they have been permitted to do throughout the pandemic, they are not allowed to cross at the land border. ——- In Australia things are tightening up. It is becoming increasingly unlikely Sydney will end its nine-week lockdown on Aug. 28 as planned. Police in Australia hiked fines for people breaking lockdown rules in Sydney and the rest of its home state. strict stay-at-home orders were extended statewide today amid a record jump in daily new Covid-19 infections. ———- On Thursday, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer Inc and Moderna Inc for people with compromised immune systems. On Friday, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended administering additional messenger RNA vaccine doses to certain immunocompromised people. Immunocompromised people who received a Johnson & Johnson shot aren't currently eligible for an additional mRNA dose because there isn't enough data to support such a recommendation, CDC and FDA officials told the panel. The FDA said other vaccinated individuals are protected and don't need an additional dose of a Covid-19 vaccine but the agency is studying whether the general public will need additional doses in the future. Anthony Fauci believes eventually the third shot will be approved for everyone. ——— Climatologists in the US have said July 2021 was the hottest month in 142 years of recordkeeping. The previous record was set in July 2016. But the heatwave isn't over. —— A new study published on Friday in the journal Science Advances reports severe illnesses and deaths from Covid-19 spiked on the West Coast in the weeks after catastrophic wildfires raged across the region last year. The increases in disease and death appear to have been aggravated by the smoke that blanketed parts of California, Oregon and Washington during the 2020 wildfire season. ———— Tropical depression Fred crossed Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Cuba and expected to regain strength. It could become a tropical storm tonight as it nears Florida. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

Turkey, Greece, Italy, Albania, Bulgaria and Northern Macedonia are all fighting blazes sparked by high temperatures. Thousands of people were forced to flee wildfires burning out of control in Greece and Turkey on Friday. Farmers drove their animals to the beach and tourists escaped on boats in coastal areas. ———— China's worst coronavirus outbreak since the start of the pandemic a year and a half ago escalated Wednesday with dozens more cases around the country and the sealing-off of one city. China had lived virtually free of the virus, with extremely strict border controls and local distancing and quarantine measures. Now, the country is on high alert as an outbreak of cases connected to the international airport in the eastern city of Nanjing affected at least 17 provinces. ——— In Lebanon, banks, businesses and government offices were closed on Wednesday to mark the grim one year anniversary since the horrific explosion at the port of Beirut. The blast killed at least 214 people, injured thousands, and caused as much as $15 billion in damage. The blast toppled Lebanon's government, which resigned under pressure from protesters and the political elite. The anniversary comes amid an economic and financial meltdown, and a political stalemate that has kept the country without a functioning government for a year. ———- In Japan, Hiroshima marked the 76th anniversary Friday of the world's first atomic bombing. The United States dropped the world's first atomic bomb on Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945, destroying the city and killing 140,000 people. ——- In the United States, the Dixie Fire that incinerated much of the gold rush-era town of Greenville threatened more than 10,000 buildings in the northern Sierra Nevada. This week, the fire engulfed an area larger than New York City. It's the largest current wildland blaze in the nation and the third-largest in recorded California history. A total of 4,785 fire personnel are assigned to the blaze. ——— The U.S. Food and Drug Administration expects to have a strategy on Covid-19 vaccine boosters by early September that would lay out when and which vaccinated individuals should get the follow-up shots. Also, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is under pressure to swiftly grant full approval to Covid-19 shots, as vaccine mandates take on new urgency for schools, hospitals and employers amid surging cases from the rapidly spreading Delta variant. ------ The first in the United States, NYC will require by 9/13/21 proof of at least one vaccination For both workers and customers for indoor dining, fitness and entertainment. The program is called the key to New York City pass. ———- More than 17,000 looted ancient artifacts recovered from the United States and other countries were handed over to Iraq's Culture Ministry on Tuesday, a restitution described by the government as the largest in the country's history. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that vaccinated Americans resume masking indoors in certain parts of the country and that K-12 schools adopt universal masking for teachers, staff, students and visitors regardless of vaccination status. The CDC's updated guidance came after new data suggested vaccinated people can pass on the virus in rare cases and applies to places with at least 50 new cases per 100,000 people in the last week -- which is roughly 60% of all U.S. counties. Nearly all of the South and Southwest is subject to the guidance, but most communities in the Northeast — with the exception of major metro areas like New York City and Boston — are exempt. ————- A federal moratorium on the eviction of tenants who fell behind on rent during the Covid-19 pandemic expires today. U.S. House lawmakers adjourned late Friday for their August recess without action on the measure after Democratic leadership tried and failed to secure votes because some had concerns about getting payments to landlords who have not been able to enforce rent collections. The measure was objected to by Republicans, none of whom supported the bid. ———— New Coronavirus cases were reported in China, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia and Sydney due to the Delta variant. ——- Portland, Seattle and Canada broke all-time records again amid historic heatwave. ——— More than 100 people were forced to spend the night on a highway, including nearly 30 who took refuge in a tunnel, after rain over an area burned by a wildfire once again triggered mudslides in western Colorado. ——— —————- The remains of the final and 98th victim of the Surfside Champlain Towers South collapse have been identified. 54-year-old Estelle Hadaya's remains were found in the secondary evidentiary pile. The former New Yorker lived on the building's sixth floor. -------------- Lollapalooza got underway this weekend and continues through Sunday in Chicago's Grant Park where 100,000 attendees are expected daily and 170 bands are scheduled to perform. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

The opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics began on Friday in the largely empty National Stadium in Tokyo. Friday's ceremony, a year late, was stripped of pomp, friends and families of competitors, most spectators and many athletes after Covid-19 forced a change to the bustling celebrations that opened previous Games. ———- Next, the extreme weather to strike three continents. Both China and Western Europe were hit by devastating floods, with a death toll above 100. In wooded areas of Canada, the US, and Russia, are battling huge fires. ——— PG&E Corp. reversed its earlier stance and said Wednesday that it plans to bury 10,000 miles of power lines to reduce wildfire risk throughout Northern California at an estimated cost of up to $20 billion. The utility company, which serves about 16 million customers in northern and central California, had previously said the cost was prohibitive. ———- An update on Surfside, north of Miami Beach in Florida where there is nothing but emptiness left where Parklane Towers South once stood. On Friday, firefighters ended their search for bodies at the site of the collapsed Florida condo building after a month of painstaking work amongst the dangerous debris that was once piled several stories high. ———- New COVID-19 infections in the U.S. are up by more than 120% nationwide in the past month and the CDC director says the Delta variant accounts for 83% of infections. Researchers at Georgetown University have identified five under-vaccinated regions of the U.S. that they say could be putting the entire nation at risk, because COVID-19 could mutate so significantly in these areas, it could defeat vaccines. Portions of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and New Mexico are part of these clusters. ———- A panel of health experts advising the U.S. government on vaccines expressed preliminary support for giving Covid-19 boosters to immunocompromised people, but said they were waiting for regulatory action before making a formal recommendation. ——— Prince Harry is writing a memoir. He said: “I'm writing this not as the prince I was born but as the man I have become.” --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

More than 150 people have died in devastating floods across parts of western Germany and Belgium, as rescue operations and the search for thousands unaccounted for. Flooding has now spread to streets in Switzerland and the Netherlands. ——— The British government threw the holiday plans of tens of thousands of people into disarray Friday night when it reversed plans to open up travel from France because of concerns about a COVID-19 variant circulating in the country. As infections rise, French President Emmanuel Macron ordered all health care workers to get virus vaccine shots by Sept. 15 and mandated special COVID-19 passes to go to a restaurant or a shopping mall. The new measures come amid worries over the delta variant. On Friday, The Eiffel Tower reopened in Paris for the first time in nine months as France introduced new restrictions to tame the delta variant. Visitors 18 and older will have to show a pass proving vaccination, a negative coronavirus test or recent recovery from the virus to visit the tower. Daily capacity is restricted to 10,000 people a day, with elevator capacity to 50% and masks will be required. Health care workers in Greece will be suspended if they refuse to get vaccinated under a new mandatory policy announced Monday by the country's prime minister. In March, Italy was first in Europe to make COVID-19 vaccine mandatory for all health workers ———- For the second time in less than three months, an exploding oxygen canister has caused a lethal fire in a Covid-19 hospital in Nasiriyah, Iraq, killing nearly 100 people. ——— Los Angeles County returned to an indoor masked mandate on Thursday this week after Covid cases doubling in 3 weeks in this country. The new order will require everyone, regardless of whether they are vaccinated, to wear face coverings in most indoor public places. It takes effect at 11:59 p.m. on Saturday. Some 1,537 new cases were confirmed on Thursday, according to county health officials, an 83% increase over the previous week. Seven counties in the Bay Area issued recommendations that residents wear masks indoors, even if they are fully vaccinated, citing rising Covid-19 infections and the rapid spread of the Delta variant. Two Northern California counties—Sacramento County and neighboring Yolo County—took the same step earlier this week. ———- Wildfires that torched homes and forced thousands to evacuate burned across 10 parched Western states on Tuesday, and the largest, in Oregon, threatened California's power supply. Nearly 60 wildfires tore through bone-dry timber and brush from Alaska to Wyoming, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Arizona, Idaho and Montana accounted for more than half of the large active fires. ———- A pool deck suspected of being at the root of the Champlain Towers South building collapse in Surfside, Florida had been a problem for more than 25 years, according to a newly disclosed permit. Also on Wednesday, nearly two dozen 911 calls were released by the Miami-Dade Police Department. You can hear the confusion and disbelief among residents and neighbors after the partial collapse of the 12-story Champlain Towers South condominium in the beachside town of Surfside, Florida, in the early hours of June 24. Frantic 911 calls came in from residents who were trapped inside after approximately 55 of the oceanfront complex's 136 units were destroyed in the collapse at around 1:15 a.m. A judge has decided that the land can be sold. The expected sale could bring $100 million dollars, which will go to the families of the victims. —— The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is instructing airlines to inspect their Boeing 737 fleet for faulty altitude pressure switches that could potentially pose a safety risk. ——- Two recalls were announced by Johnson & Johnson for five of their sunscreens and Ford for Explorers built 2013-2017. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

The president of Haiti, Jovenel Moïse, was assassinated at his residence in Port-au-Prince early Wednesday. Moise, 53, had been involved in a dispute with the opposition over the terms of his presidency. ——- The Japanese Prime Minister announced a six-week state of emergency for Tokyo with the Olympics opening in just two weeks as virus infections spread across Tokyo. The ban will be the fourth for Tokyo since the pandemic began and is set to begin from next Monday to Aug. 22. The Summer Olympics, already delayed a year by the pandemic, begin July 23 and close Aug. 8. —— Elsa, now a post-tropical cyclone, battered the East Coast with heavy rainfall and gusty winds on Friday. Flash flood watches were in effect for Maine on Friday evening after flooding in Philadelphia, New York City and Boston during the day. Yesterday's severe weather disrupted flight schedules at LaGuardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City. New York City's Metropolitan Transportation Authority said there were system-wide delays for buses due to Elsa and that the storm impacted service along some subway and rail lines. ——- In Florida, rescue teams were able to operate at full capacity and search in areas that were previously inaccessible following the demolition Sunday of the remaining part of the Champlain Towers South building. An incoming storm, which was weakened from a hurricane, fast-tracked the demolition process, according to Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett. Officials announced today that the death toll of the devastating partial collapse of a 12-story residential building in Surfside, Florida last month rose to 86. ——— Rudy Giuliani's law license was suspended in Washington, DC, after he temporarily lost his license in New York for pushing election lies. The appeals court in DC said Giuliani would be suspended from working as an attorney in the city "pending outcome" of his situation in New York. —— On Thursday, Pfizer Inc. announced it will seek clearance from U.S. regulators in coming weeks to distribute a booster shot of its Covid-19 vaccine to heighten protection against infections, as new virus strains rise. Meanwhile, hospitalizations related to Covid-19 are rising in the U.S. after a long decline, federal data showed, providing evidence of the human toll the Delta virus variant is taking on unvaccinated Americans. ——- On Monday, Canada announced exemptions for fully-vaccinated people looking to enter the country. Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated travellers will still have to fulfil testing and quarantining requirements when entering the country. —— On Thursday afternoon, a 6.0 quake followed by more than 60 aftershocks struck in Antelope Valley, California, close to the Nevada border, and felt in the San Francisco Bay Area. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

The bottom of the 13-story condo tower — possibly in or below the underground parking garage — has emerged as a possible failure point, according to structural experts. It has been deemed that the remaining portion of the Champlain Towers South needs to be demolished because it poses a public safety hazard. No timeline has been given. The death toll stood at 22; 126 unaccounted for. Meanwhile, five miles away from the partially collapsed Surfside condo, the city of North Miami Beach ordered the 10-story Crestview Towers Condominium to be immediately closed and evacuated 300 residents Friday evening after a building inspection report found the 156-unit building built in 1972 to have unsafe structural and electrical conditions, officials announced. The city launched a thorough review of all condo high-rise buildings in the wake of the Surfside collapse. ————— At least 76 people died in Oregon and Washington from excessive heat during a stifling heat wave that hit the Pacific Northwest this past week. The deaths include 63 people in Oregon, of whom 45 were in the Portland area, and 13 in the Seattle area. ——— Israel and Australia imposed new Covid-19 restrictions to contain the spread of the highly infectious Delta variant of the coronavirus, while India warned of a worrying new mutation. ——— On Thursday, July 1, the day that would have been Princess Diana's 60th birthday, a statue was unveiled at London's Kensington Palace to “remember her love, strength and character – qualities that made her a force for good around the world, changing countless lives for the better.” --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

Tragedy struck in Surfside, Florida when the foundation of a 40-year-old high-rise condominium apartment building was undermined that caused the rear end of the structure to collapse like a pancake about 6 miles north of Miami Beach, killing at least 4 persons and injuring dozens. 159 are unaccounted for; 120 have been accounted for. We share the names and information about those who are missing. ————- Former Minneapolis police officer Derrick Chauvin was sentenced to 22 ½ years for the murder of George Floyd. He faced a minimum of 10 years and maximum of 40 years. ——— The Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court suspended the law license of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, citing in part his work as counsel to former President Donald Trump. It's an interim suspension, so he will have an opportunity for reinstatement. —————- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisers said that there is a “likely association” between Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna's mRNA Covid-19 vaccines and Myocarditis — an inflammatory heart condition — in some younger individuals. ————— Anthony Fauci, President Biden's chief medical adviser, said at a briefing “The Delta variant is currently the greatest threat in the U.S. to our attempt to eliminate Covid-19.” ———— American Airlines was forced to cancel hundreds of flights this weekend due to significant staff shortages and maintenance issues. The airline says it will continue to cancel 50 to 80 flights a day through July. ——- China is planning to keep its pandemic border restrictions in place for at least another year as officials fret over the emergence of new variants and a calendar of sensitive events, despite a coronavirus vaccination campaign that has topped one billion doses. As of June 10, 16% of the country's population had been fully vaccinated. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

Juneteenth is now a federal holiday and most federal employees have today off. It's the first new federal holiday in the United States in almost four decades. One of the top stories this week was the high-stakes meeting in Geneva on Wednesday between the U.S. President Joseph Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin. the European Union lifted its ban on nonessential travel for visitors from the U.S. on Wednesday. Americans can now visit the 27-nation bloc, which has been closed since March 2020. Most countries will require tourists to show proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test. Yesterday, American President Biden said we had administered 300 million shots of the Covid-19 vaccine in the U.S. since he took office. However, health officials warned the Delta variant first identified in India could soon become the dominant variant in the U.S. An earlier than usual heat wave covered the Western part of the United States this week. The National Weather Service documented temperatures in the triple digits on Tuesday. Tucson, Arizona hit 115 degrees, breaking the record of 110 degrees in 1896. In Salt Lake City they hit 107 degrees, which tied the record in 1874. Close to the Arizona, Nevada border, Needles, Calif., hit 121 degrees, breaking the record of 119 degrees in 1940. Compounding the problem, at least half of the West is experiencing one of the most severe droughts on record. Meteorologists expect the heat wave to begin to subside early next week. The Girl Scouts are struggling to sell an extra 15 million boxes of cookies after the pandemic impacted their cookie selling program. Because of the pandemic continuing into the spring selling season, many troops were forced to drop their traditional cookie booths for safety reasons. Finally, I share the story of a 53-year-old man who has jumped into Lake Michigan every day for a year. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

U.S. President Biden traveled to England this week and is meeting with world leaders of the Group of 7 industrialized nations summit. World leaders are pledging to share at least 1 billion coronavirus shots with struggling countries around the world by the end of 2022. Canada plans to relax COVID-19 border restrictions for fully vaccinated citizens returning home starting in early July. Fake Covid-19 Vaccines Pose New Threat in Africa where that continent is lagging behind in its inoculation effort and is already the world's largest market for fake medications. A U.S. government national laboratory report on the origins of Covid-19 found it plausible the virus was leaked from the Institute of Virology in Wuhan, China and deserves further investigation. Here in the United States, Pfizer and BioNTech will ask regulators in September to expand use to some younger children. The vaccine maker is now testing their vaccine in children under 12 years old. Moderna has asked U.S. health regulators to authorize the use of its Covid-19 shot in adolescents ages 12 to 17. ——- British police officer Wayne Couzens, 48, has pleaded guilty to the kidnapping and rape of Sarah Everard. The 33-year-old marketing executive disappeared on March 3 after walking home from a friend's house in south London. Her body was found a week later in Kent woods, 80 kilometres away. ——— The Minneapolis Star Tribune won the Pulitzer Prize for breaking news reporting for its coverage of the murder of George Floyd at the hands of the police while Reuters and the Atlantic shared the award for explanatory reporting. The Atlantic's Ed Yong won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize in explanatory reporting for a series of articles that anticipated the course of the coronavirus pandemic, clarified its dangers, and the American government's failure to curb it. The Pulitzer Prize board awarded a ‘special citation' to Darnella Frazier, the 17-year-old who recorded George Floyd's murder on her cellphone in May 2020. ——— Technical problems caused dozens of websites to go down briefly, including news outlets CNN, The New York Times, The Guardian, the Financial Times, some Amazon pages, Reddit, Twitch, and Britain's government home page. The cause was an outage at the cloud computing service Fastly. The San Francisco-based Company said there was a technical problem for about an hour mid-morning European time and was not a cyber attack. The company blamed the problem on a software bug that was triggered when a customer changed a setting. —— South Africans are eagerly waiting for proof of A South African woman reportedly giving birth to 10 babies — breaking a world record set just last month by A Malian woman who gave birth to nine babies in Morocco. Gosiame Thamara Sithole, who is a 37-year-old mom of six-year-old twins, thought she was having 8 babies. she was surprised when 10 babies emerged when she gave birth by Caesarean section at a Pretoria hospital Monday. —— Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, announced last Sunday the birth of their second child - a daughter they named Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor. Last week, Britain's Queen Elizabeth was given a rose named after her late husband Prince Philip to mark what would have been his 100th birthday on Thursday, Buckingham Palace said. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

Facebook bans former U.S. president Trump for two more years until 2023. —- U.S. President Biden wants 70% of Americans vaccinated by July 4. More than half of the U.S. adult population has reached full-vaccination status, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For those 65 and older, that figure stands at 75%. New incentives were added this month as well as running local radio and TV ads, including messages by celebrities, and United Airlines giving away free flights in a sweepstakes for vaccinated fliers. —— Barriers around George Floyd Square at 38th and Chicago were dismantled by crews in Minneapolis on Thursday, in a move to reopen the intersection that has been closed to traffic since George Floyd was killed there a year ago on May 25, 2020. Not everyone was happy with the move. The spot where Floyd was killed last year by Minneapolis police became a pilgrimage site for racial justice ——- Naomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open. The four-time major winner posted a statement on Twitter saying she was pulling out to "take some time away from the court” for mental health reasons. ——- The NFL on Wednesday pledged to halt the use of “race-norming” which assumed Black players started out with lower cognitive function. It reached a $1 billion settlement of brain injury claims, that were harder for Black retirees to show a deficit and qualify for an award. ——-——— In an Instagram post on Thursday, Vanessa Bryant shared a photo of an unidentified person holding what is an unapproved Kobe Protro 6 "Mamba Forever" tennis shoe she worked on with Nike that wasn't supposed to be released. Not only that the Mambacita shoe exists but she wrote: "I do not know how someone else has their hands on shoes I designed in honor of my daughter, Gigi and we don't." ——— Queen Elizabeth II will welcome U.S. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden next week on June 13 during their first foreign trip as president and first lady. Biden will be the 12th U.S. president the queen has met face-to-face during her reign. He's there to attend the G7 summit in Cornwall, England. Next, he travels to Brussels for the NATO the meetings. —— Amsterdam is testing electric boats as an alternative mode of transportation in the Dutch capital's canals to ease traffic on its congested narrow streets. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

Here in the United States we remember the men and women who sacrificed their lives during this Memorial Day weekend. Taps will be played on Monday, May 31, at 3 pm for a moment of silence. We also remember the 14 people who were killed when their cable car fell 60 feet into a hillside above Lake Maggiore in northern Italy. A five-year-old boy is the lone survivor. The Wuhan Lab Debate on Covid-19 Origin resurfaces after a previously undisclosed U.S. intelligence report was released that three researchers from China's Wuhan Institute of Virology became sick enough in November 2019 that they sought hospital care. China has repeatedly denied that the virus escaped from one of its labs, citing a World Health Organization-led team's conclusion that a lab leak was extremely unlikely, after a visit to the Wuhan Institute of Virology in February. Melbourne, along with other areas of Australia's Victoria state, will enter its 4th lockdown as Covid-19 returns with an Indian variant. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

A truce between Israel and militant group Hamas held on Friday despite clashes between Israeli police and Palestinians at Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem. On Thursday, Israel's cabinet voted to accept an Egyptian-brokered cease-fire with Hamas that began at 2 a.m. local time Friday after 11 days of conflict… A surge of 8,000 migrants swam into the city of Ceuta, Spain from Morocco this week. Spain expelled 5,000+ migrants, including unaccompanied children as young as 7. —-—- The Canada-US border will remain closed to non-essential travel until June 21, to limit the spread of COVID-19. ——— In the United States, Kroger announced that both workers and customers who are not fully vaccinated to continue to wear a mask. Meanwhile, CVS and Target removed mask requirements for vaccinated customers. ——- Unvaccinated New Yorkers will receive a lottery ticket if they get vaccinated at state facility next week… The U.S. Supreme Court plans to take up major abortion case next term that could limit Roe v. Wade -- the 1973 landmark Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion nationwide. ——— Ellen DeGeneres is ending her long-running daytime talk show in 2022 after nearly 20 years… Oprah and Prince Harry released a five-part docu-series entitled The Me You Can't See, available on Apple TV+. ——- This week, Prince Harry's mom was in the news for a 1995 interview Princess Diana gave to Martin Bashir of the BBC Panorama. A six-month probe into the Princess Diana interview was released this week. Retired judge Lord Dyson was asked by the BBC to investigate how Panorama and Martin Bashir secured the interview. Both her sons responded to the findings. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

One new mother this week has a lot to be thankful for. Halima Cisse, 25, from Mali, gave birth prematurely at 30 weeks to nine babies by cesarean section on Tuesday in Casablanca, Morocco after being sent there for special care. The Guinness Book of World Records said in an email to The AP on Wednesday that its current record for most living births at once is eight, and that it is verifying the Morocco birth. The current holder of the Guinness record is American Nadya Suleman, who gave birth to eight premature but otherwise healthy children in 2009. Growing up you may not have lived in an idyllic and classic Leave It to Beaver sitcom situation of the 1950s and 1960s, The Andy Griffith Show, My Three Sons, or I Love Lucy. But we still have to respect our mothers no matter what because we don't live in a fictional idyllic town of Mayfield or Mayberry. Happy Mother's Day. We'll be away next weekend to take part in Tony Robbin's challenge. To learn more go to ownyourfuturechallenge.com

Violence rocked two countries overseas this week. According to CNN, at least 25 people were killed and 52 others wounded in an explosion near a high school for girls in the Afghan capital, Kabul. In Jerusalem, NPR reports after weeks of sporadic violence between Israelis and Palestinians intensified last night when Israeli police in riot gear confronted crowds of Muslim worshippers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, one of Islam's holiest sites. More than 200 Palestinians were injured. Israel said six police officers were injured. Yesterday's violence threatens to spill into tonight's "Night of Destiny," the holiest night in the Islamic calendar, as the holy month of Ramadan winds down when worshippers will congregate at the Al-Aqsa Mosque. It's also the beginning of Jerusalem Day, a national holiday for Israelis. The Associated Press reports hundreds of angry protesters gathered in Mexico City last night demanding justice for those killed and held a vigil at the site of the metro accident. The death toll stands at 26 people from Monday's metro collapse near Olivos Station. In a rare move, the U.S. federal government indicted Derek Chauvin and three other former Minneapolis police officers with violating George Floyd's constitutional right to be free from unreasonable seizure and excessive force by a police officer during the May 2020 encounter that killed Floyd. Bill and Melinda Gates made huge shockwaves when they announced in a joint statement on both their verified Twitter accounts that they're ending their marriage after 27 years. On Wednesday, former U.S. President Donald Trump's ban from Facebook was justified after the January 6 U.S. Capitol riot by Trump supporters, according to the social media's Oversight Board. On Wednesday of this week, The U.S. said it would support the temporary waiver of IP rights to allow developing nations to produce Covid-19 shots created by pharmaceutical companies. The surprise move by the Biden administration came as the flare-up of the pandemic in India underscores the risks that the virus and emerging variants pose for the world. In India today Reuters reported 4,187 fatalities over the past 24 hours, taking the overall death toll close to 240,000 — its highest ever single-day COVID-19 death toll. Pfizer and BioNTech have asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to grant full approval for their Covid-19 vaccine. Meanwhile, Canada authorized the Pfizer Vaccine for Children 12 to 15 years old — moving ahead of the U.S. and making it the first Western nation to permit the vaccine's use in individuals under 16 years of age. The FDA could authorize Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine for 12-to-15-year-olds in the U.S. by early next week. I.S. President Joe Biden set a new vaccination goal to deliver at least one shot to 70% of adult Americans by the Fourth of July, as demand for vaccines has dropped off. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

The Asian Flu of 1957 was handled differently by then-President Eisenhower. We compare how America faced a pandemic without closing schools, work, borders or require sheltering in place. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

Four of the 45 reported dead in Israel Lag BaOmer religious celebration stampede were American citizens. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Sunday a national day of mourning. Travel restrictions from India to the United States go into effect on Tuesday, May 4. Australian residents and citizens who have been in India within 14 days of the date they plan to return home will be banned from entering Australia as of Monday and those who disobey will face fines and jail, government officials said. U.S. President Joe Biden held his first address to a joint session of Congress where he pitched an expensive vision to rebuild the nation's roads, bridges, and other infrastructure. The president's prime-time address Wednesday night was given on the eve of his 100th day in office where he layed out his domestic and foreign policy priorities. Oscar viewership dropped by 20 million from two years ago. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

If you are among the more than 225 million people who have taken at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine — The big, million dollar question everyone wants to know the answer to: How long does protection from COVID-19 vaccines last? According to the cdc.gov : “We don't know how long protection lasts for those who are vaccinated. What we do know is that COVID-19 has caused very serious illness and death for a lot of people. If you get COVID-19, you also risk giving it to loved ones who may get very sick. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine is a safer choice. Experts are working to learn more about both natural immunity and vaccine-induced immunity. CDC will keep the public informed as new evidence becomes available.” --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lifted their recommendation to pause use of the Johnson & Johnson shots, saying the benefits outweigh the risks. J&J has agreed with the FDA to add language to the vaccine's label warning about the clot risk. Infections are out of control in India as that country is dealing with a Double-Mutant Variant Japan declared its third Covid-19 state of emergency in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Hyogo prefectures. The global death toll from Covid-19 surpassed three million, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. More than a quarter of the U.S. population have now been vaccinated against Covid-19, and nearly 40% of people have received at least one shot, but the average number of newly reported cases each day remains high. Meanwhile, the demand for vaccines is waning. The first confirmed instances of counterfeit versions of the Covid-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer were identified by the drugmaker in Mexico and Poland. U.S. President Joe Biden made good on a campaign pledge a year ago to formally recognize that atrocities committed against the Armenian people by the Ottoman Empire — now modern day Turkey — more than a century ago were genocide. Turkey rejected the acknowledgement. Former Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin was jailed after being found guilty on all charges in the death of George Floyd. This week, we lost former Vice President Walter Mondale, celebrated Earth Day and marked the 40th anniversary of National Crime Victims' Rights Week. Link to Tana Amen's Loving Kindness Meditation: https://tanaamen.com/resources/meditation/ Queen Elizabeth II's marked her 95th birthday and we lost the oldest living American, Hester Ford, who was either 115 or 116 years old. Former President George W. Bush, 74, released a book this week entitled “Out of Many, One: Portraits of America's Immigrants.” --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

Martha Beck has been working with people for 30 years to create their best life. This week she released a new book called The Way Of Integrity. The book was promoted by Oprah, Maria Shriver (who is the publisher) and the author of “Eat Pray Love” Elizabeth Gilbert. Yesterday, Martha taught a two-hour virtual workshop entitled “True Self, True Life, True Purpose” through the Omega Institute, where she walked us through her newest book.

Prince Philip's coffin was interred in the Royal Vault at St. George's Chapel, alongside 24 other royals, including three kings of England. The U.S. federal government's recommendation to pause using Johnson & Johnson's Covid-19 vaccine remains in place after an advisory panel put off a vote Wednesday on how to move forward following reports of a few cases of life-threatening blood clots. The vaccine-advisory committee is scheduled to review the matter on April 23. A small but growing number of colleges will require students to receive a Covid-19 vaccine to return to in-person learning. American President Joe Biden on Wednesday formally announced his decision to withdraw American troops from Afghanistan before September 11, the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon that led the US into its longest war. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

As Americans slowly start to see a light at the end of the pandemic tunnel — hopefully by Summer 2021 — with more people vaccinated some of you may have reignited your dreams. If there's one thing the Coronavirus lockdown taught me is time is precious. For those of us lucky to be alive, we should be more determined to live life on purpose. I share an interview conducted by YouTuber and Texas news anchor Dominique Sachse with TV news agent Ken Lindner in Los Angeles, California. He's just released a new book entitled Career Choreography that includes 35 years of experience to guide you to your dream job. He explains that this is a perfect opportunity for those who lost their job during Covid-19 … perhaps you're re-entering the workforce after raising children, or, a new college graduate. https://youtu.be/PH7PcqBw4hI Following is the link to sign up for the Hay House online showing of Wayne Dyer's course, Manifest Your Soul's Purpose. The 7-part course, regularly $499, is FREE this week, beginning on Tuesday April 13 through Monday, April 19. Each day a new lesson is released to guide you on the path to overcoming your fears, uncovering your life's purpose, and stepping into your true potential. https://www.hayhouse.com/ In the meantime, here's a link to a video featuring Wayne Dyer and Anita Moorjani. In this video, they reveal the profound changes you can expect in your personal evolution toward living a purpose-filled life, or becoming what Wayne refers to as a “being of light.” https://youtu.be/my3Yt9o0J3M Next weekend, on the Heart & Home Podcast, I'll be covering Martha Beck's new book The Way of Integrity: Finding the Path to Your True Self. It drops Tuesday, April 13, 2021. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

In today's news roundup of the week of April 5, we remember Prince Philip, 99, the husband of Queen Elizabeth II for 73 years. He died yesterday peacefully in his private apartment at Windsor Castle – 61 days before what would have been his 100th birthday. For more coverage and photos please see: The Queen has lost her 'strength and stay' https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/09/uk/royal-news-special-edition-newsletter-04-09-21-gbr-cmd-intl/index.html The Daily Mail pictures to chronicle Prince Philip's lifetime of laughter and lasting love https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9455703/Prince-Philips-lifetime-laughter-lasting-love-pictures.html Steerpike gathered 74 of the Duke's best quotes from 74 years by the Queen's side. https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-wit-and-wisdom-of-prince-philip Finally, Yo-Yo Ma was on CNN with Anderson Cooper Full Circle and talked about what inspired him to play at the vaccine site where he received his shot and why he's comforting others during the pandemic. https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/17/us/anderson-cooper-full-circle-mobile-app/index.html The musician released on April 8, 2021, 1 ½ hour recording entitled Beginner's Mind for free through the link on his Instagram account or listen to Beginner's Mind by Yo-Yo Ma on Audible. https://www.audible.com/pd?asin=B08ZYXLTYG&source_code=ASSORAP0511160006 --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

I share what Easter means for me and ask that you find happiness in your life by reflecting on where you are and then hitting the reset button to resurrect your dreams. Believe you can achieve anything you set your mind to and do it. Next, we cover where churches are open as well as a brief history and the symbolism of the lily flower. Finally, we cover last month's Pope Francis's Mosul moment — the first ever papal visit to Iraq, where the Christian minority have been persecuted by ISIS (2014-2017). Iraqis have also withstood an American invasion in the 1990s, several civil wars, not to mention a long war with its neighbor Iran. May the waters along the land between two rivers run smoothly once again in the mostly Muslim nation. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message