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Weight loss has changed: Ozempic, intermittent fasting and new ways to shed pounds in 2024

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:02:57 GMT

Weight loss has been one of the most talked about topics of 2023 and it’s certain to heat up even more in the new year.Florida is now blanketed with med spas, weight management clinics, and online pharmacies that sell Ozempic, Wegovy and drugs that contain the compound, semaglutide, that squelches hunger and food cravings. In 2024, new weight loss drugs are on their way to the Sunshine State as are new diets and more ways to get medications for dropping pounds with minimal effort.“I think we are going to see more of these drugs and more side effects,” said Dr. Eneida Roldan, an obesity specialist, professor and associate dean of Florida International University’s Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine.The hype over weight loss drugs took hold in 2023, fueled by celebrities posting their before and after Ozempic photos on social media. Comedian Tracy Morgan had this to say: “I went and got a prescription, and I got Ozempic. And I ain’t letting it go … It cuts my appetite in half. Now I...

Red Sox DFA right-hander to clear room for Lucas Giolito

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:02:57 GMT

Nearly a week after news broke that he’d be joining the team, the Red Sox officially announced the signing of right-hander Lucas Giolito on Wednesday afternoon.To clear space on the 40-man roster, they also cut loose a veteran relief pitcher.The Red Sox confirmed that right-hander Mauricio Llovera has been designated for assignment, likely ending the 27-year-old Venezuelan’s tenure in Boston. Llovera was claimed off waivers from the San Francisco Giants this past summer and posted a 5.46 ERA over 25 games with the Red Sox down the stretch.Heading into the new season Llovera was one of three candidates for the Red Sox bullpen who couldn’t be optioned to the minors, the others being Rule 5 pick Justin Slaten and rookie Bryan Mata (also out of options). With the Red Sox adding numerous depth arms who can be stashed in Triple-A this offseason, including right-hander Max Castillo off waivers from Kansas City on Tuesday, Llovera likely faced long odds at making the team....

Mortgage questions to ask and expect from your lender

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:02:57 GMT

Andrew Dehan | (TNS) BankrateWhen you apply for a mortgage, the lender will assess its risk to decide whether to loan you money. Along with the mortgage questions they’ll ask you, you’ll also likely have questions to ask a lender, including inquiries about application requirements and what mortgage lenders look for.Here, we’ll cover some questions to ask a mortgage loan officer — as well as questions the lender will ask you — when you apply for a home loan.Mortgage questions to ask lendersIt’s smart to learn more about how to qualify and get approved for a mortgage, as well as what to prepare for. Here’s a rundown of some of the most common questions to ask a mortgage lender.What type of mortgage do you recommend for me?There are several types of mortgages, including conventional loans and FHA loans. Talk with your lender or loan officer about the type of mortgage they recommend based on your needs, credit and finances.What is the minimum down payment requirement?While you might bel...

4 things that could impact your credit in 2024

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:02:57 GMT

Credit is top of mind for many folks going into 2024. Nearly 4 in 5 Americans (79%) say they are trying to improve their credit, according to a recent survey from NerdWallet.Getting ahead of surprises will go a long way in protecting your credit. Here are four things to look out for that could impact your credit in the new year.1. Holiday debtHoliday purchases could follow you for months. NerdWallet’s 2023 Holiday Shopping Report found that about half of Americans (52%) incurred credit card debt when shopping last holiday season, and of them, 31% still have not paid off their balances.Payment history is the biggest factor influencing your credit scores. If you’re carrying debt, make at least the minimum payments on your cards to keep your payment history intact and shield your scores. But paying a higher amount, if you’re able to, is better for your credit utilization — another major factor in score calculations. Using too much of available credit can make you appear risky to lender...

A travel quiz for globetrotters and armchair travelers alike

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:02:57 GMT

By Bob Ecker, correspondent to Bay Area News GroupWhether you’re a full blown globetrotter or someone who just dreams of faraway places, the 20 questions in this travel quiz are sure to challenge and entertain. You’ll find all the answers — and some amusing trivia — at the end.The Quiz1. Which country holds the title — and has since 1993 — of most beer consumed per capita?2. Do you enjoy heights? Or are you afraid of high places? Then you may — or may not — want to stay at the world’s highest altitude hotel. Where might that be?The fluttering emblems of different countries include several that are hundreds of years old. (Getty Images)3. Which country’s current flag is considered the world’s oldest?A) ChinaB) ThailandC) DenmarkD) EgyptE) France4. Volcanos never fail to excite us human beings. Which volcano holds the record for the fastest lava flows ever recorded?Which volcano spews the fastest flowing lava in the world? (Getty Images)5. Can you match each nut with its place of origi...

Michigan state lawmaker enters crowded U.S. House race as Democrats aim to defend open seat

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:02:57 GMT

Michigan state Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet on Wednesday became the fifth candidate to enter a competitive race for a U.S. House seat that Democrats are being forced to defend without an incumbent because of U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee’s retirement this year.Defending the seat could be vital for Democrats in a year in which they need to gain at least five seats to win a majority control of the U.S. House. The party will also need to defend a vulnerable mid-Michigan seat left vacant after U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin opted to run for an open U.S. Senate seat this year. While the state has shifted increasingly Democratic in recent years, a contested presidential election and open Senate race are expected to make Michigan one of the few swing states in 2024. Democrats in Michigan have also been divided in response to the war in Gaza, with the state’s large Arab American population vowing not to support those who don’t call for a cease fire. The 65-year-old Kildee announced in November that he woul...

A hiker is rescued after falling down an Adirondack mountain peak on a wet, wintry night

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:02:57 GMT

Forest rangers successfully rescued an upstate New York hiker who survived a frigid night on a rugged Adirondack mountain peak trapped above a cliff, after she slipped and fell hundreds of feet down from the summit. “I thought I might have froze to death. There were like 45-mile-an-hour winds (70 kph) up there,” veteran hiker Hope Lloyd said Wednesday about her recent ordeal. Lloyd, 46, was solo hiking on the day after Christmas when she lost her footing at around 5:30 p.m. near the top of South Dix Mountain. Lloyd and state rangers said she slid several hundred feet over steep snow and down a slippery rock slab. She was heading straight toward a cliff but was stopped by a small spruce tree.“That’s the only thing that saved me,” Lloyd said in a phone interview. “If I was a little bit to the left or a little bit to the right, I wouldn’t be here right now.” Conditions were treacherous on the 4,060-foot (1,235 meter) mountain, one of the Adirondack High Peaks, with heavy rain and areas...

Michigan detectives interview convicted murderer before his death, looking into unsolved slayings

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:02:57 GMT

Authorities in western Michigan are looking into missing persons cases and unsolved homicides after interviewing a convicted murderer and long-haul truck driver with terminal cancer who died last week in a prison hospital. Kent County sheriff’s detectives questioned Garry Artman on three occasions before his death Thursday at a state Corrections health facility in Jackson, Michigan.Kent County Lt. Eric Brunner said detectives “gleaned information” from their interviews with Artman and are collaborating with other law enforcement agencies to “connect the dots with missing pieces or homicide cases that are still open.”Brunner would not say which unsolved cases are being looked into or how many cases are being investigated, although police in Grand Rapids, Michigan, have tied Artman to a woman’s disappearance nearly 30 years ago.“Interviews with Artman provided enough information to reasonably conclude he was involved in the 1995 disappearance of Cathleen Dennis but t...

New York governor pushes for reading education overhaul as test scores lag

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:02:57 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday said she will push for schools to reemphasize phonics in literacy education programs, a potential overhaul that comes as many states revamp curriculums amid low reading scores.The proposal would require the state education department to draft guidelines centered on the so-called science of reading, a phonics-based approach to literacy education, that school districts would have to follow by September 2025. The state Legislature would need to approve the plan before it could go into effect.The change would see New York join a national movement away from an education method known as balanced literacy, which focuses on introducing children to books they find interesting — often at the expense of dedicated phonics instruction. New York, like other states, has seen reading proficiency scores dip after the coronavirus pandemic shuttered schools and forced classes online. Last year, data show fewer than half of third grade student...

Charities say need for help in Toronto soaring after Christmas and into 2024

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:02:57 GMT

Coming out of a year when many in Toronto struggled with affordability and housing issues, charity representatives CityNews spoke with say they saw a huge surge in demand for help in 2023 and that need is only expected to grow in 2024.“I’ve been doing this work for 30 years … never, ever has the need been greater than in this last year and in this last quarter of the year, and we wish we never would have to say that again but support is needed now more than ever,” Daniele Zanotti, the president and CEO of United Way Greater Toronto told CityNews.United Way is an umbrella non-profit agency that funds approximately 300 other social service organizations and charities. Zanotti said deepening poverty in recent decades combined with COVID-19 have detrimentally impacted many in the Greater Toronto Area. “Now you add to the headlines, inflation, affordability, increasing food costs, lack of jobs for people, housing that is slipping away from those who are wor...