China is building a megaport that could challenge U.S. influence in a resource-rich region in Washington’s backyard. While the US concentrates on lands much farther away, China is producing its influence in South America. The port is likely to upend South American trade with Asia. The Chancay deep-water port is important enough to Beijing that […] The post China’s Building a Megaport in the US Backyard appeared first on www.independentsentinel.com.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — DailyWire+ and Angel Studios announced today they have entered into a partnership to release Peacetree Productions’ profoundly moving film “Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot.” The film will be released in theaters on July 4th weekend.  GET SHOWTIMES HERE FOR ‘SOUND OF HOPE’ “We are thrilled to partner with Angel Studios, a company that not only shares our commitment to creating impactful and meaningful entertainment but also excels in doing so,” said Jeremy Boreing, co-founder and co-CEO of The Daily Wire. “Speaking as the father of an adopted daughter myself, ‘Sound of Hope’ is truly inspirational. We know it will resonate deeply with our audience – and far beyond – and has the power to make a true cultural impact for kids and families in crisis. We want millions to see this film.” “A common request from Angel fans over the years has been to do a collaboration with The Daily Wire,” added Jeff Harmon, Angel’s Chief Content Officer. “We are pleased to find a project where we can work together, and this one is special. I was moved so deeply I couldn’t stop thinking about it for weeks after seeing it, and it’s having a similar effect on audiences around the nation in numerous pre-release screenings. They’re being affected like I haven’t seen.” Inspired by a powerful true story, “Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot” follows Donna and Reverend Martin, who, along with 22 families from their rural black church in the small East Texas town of Possum Trot, adopt 77 of the most difficult to place kids in the foster system. By doing the impossible, this community proved that with real, determined love, the battle of America’s most vulnerable can be won. The film has been screened to hundreds of non-profit organizations focused on foster care and adoption, and critics, families, and those formerly in the foster care system are praising the film for its honest portrayal of the story.  GET SHOWTIMES HERE FOR ‘SOUND OF HOPE’ The deal underscores the formidable presence of innovative competitors to the mainstream Hollywood studios. Both companies have seen massive success with upstart independent film and entertainment ventures, and this partnership promises to exponentially increase that success. Angel Studios is the home of stories that amplify light. Through the Angel Guild, 324,000 members choose which film and television projects the studio will market and distribute. The studio enables creators and audiences to form passionate communities around creative projects, making the story behind the story as important as the final project. 104,000 Angel Guild members in 155 countries have invested nearly $80M in projects distributed by the studio to date. Angel Studios is behind the global box office hit, “Sound of Freedom,” which has earned $250 million in theatrical box office. Learn more at Angel.com.

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL STAFF In an unprecedented step to improve emergency care for the deaf population, the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) in England implemented a British Sign Language (BSL) Relay Service. Starting last month, all ambulances in the region were outfitted with iPads running the SignVideo app, allowing first responders to interact with deaf and BSL-using patients successfully. This innovation promises to make emergency services more accessible to diverse people and save more lives in critical situations. Making emergency response more equitable with technology The SignVideo app connects ambulance personnel to a video interpreter 24 hours a day, seven days a week, allowing for clear and accurate communication with Deaf or BSL-speaking patients. This service ensures that first responders can assess a patient’s condition and deliver proper care.  Mark Johns, NEAS’ engagement, diversity, and inclusion manager, emphasized the importance of this initiative: “As an emergency service, we are committed to delivering high-quality patient care and making sure all patients receive prompt and effective communication during emergency situations.” Real-time communication in motion  A demonstration video shows how the service works: a paramedic writes a note informing the patient that they will contact an interpreter via the SignVideo app. Within seconds, a video interpreter joins the conference, allowing for a seamless exchange of information. This allows the patient to explain their symptoms clearly and aids the paramedic in obtaining informed permission before starting treatment. Rachel Austin, the coordinator from Hartlepool Deaf Centre, lauded the initiative, saying, “Deaf BSL users struggle to access the ambulance service and many other services because of the communication barriers and the lack of support and assistance that is available. It’s great to see this new service being introduced by NEAS.” Addressing a significant need The UK government estimates that there are approximately 151,000 BSL users in England, Scotland, and Wales, of which 87,000 are Deaf. This new program is a big step toward equity for people who have long faced hurdles to getting emergency care. The NEAS attempts to improve patient outcomes by taking the initiative to overcome these issues. A history of innovation SignVideo was founded in 2004 by Deaf entrepreneur Jeff McWhitney to provide immediate BSL translation services. Since its creation, the technology has been widely implemented across the UK in a variety of industries, including government, healthcare, and emergency services. The 999 BSL service, which allows deaf and hard-of-hearing BSL users to call for emergency assistance via a video hotline, is one illustration of its reach. SignVideo handles over 100,000 BSL video calls each year, with an average response time of less than 45 seconds. This efficiency is critical in emergencies, but it also serves non-emergency purposes such as community participation and staff training. Training and future implementation The NEAS intends to train frontline staff on how to use this technology over the following year, with complete adoption planned in the spring of 2025. Although this service is now limited to North England, it establishes a model for enhancing emergency communications for deaf people around the world. Community leaders are hopeful about the service’s effectiveness. Austin continued, “It will hopefully remove a barrier that people experience and provide a useful tool to support deaf BSL users and paramedics to communicate with each other in challenging circumstances. It will help to save more lives, ensure people get the best outcome, and help achieve equality between deaf and hearing people.” A step toward greater equality The installation of the SignVideo app in NEAS ambulances is a big step toward making emergency services more inclusive. By ensuring that deaf and BSL-using patients receive the same level of care and communication as hearing patients, NEAS not only improves patient outcomes but also sets a precedent for other regions to emulate.The post The innovative ‘Sign Language Ambulance’ service revolutionizes emergency care first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL STAFF Right now, much of Europe and North America are experiencing ongoing heatwaves with record-breaking temperatures.  It’s not just humans that are struggling to cope. Yes, it’s getting hot in here—but taking off a sweater, jacket or shirt isn’t an option for local wildlife or for most of our pets. Here are some ways you can help animals in your area survive these scalding summer days. Put out water According to the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), “having convenient supplies of clean water can make a huge difference to the survival of local wild species such as birds, butterflies, and small mammals, during times of extreme heat and drought.” Ensuring that the local critters in your neighborhood have access to clean water doesn’t mean using water excessively. Instead, focus on keeping the water in your birdbath clean and fresh. If you don’t have a birdbath, simply leaving a fresh bowl of water out in the backyard can make all the difference. You can even set up a drip jug near the birdbath to allow water to fall into the pool of water that is already there. The watery sound of the drops falling into the bath will attract birds and let them know there’s water available. For the animals that can’t reach the heights of a birdbath (like hedgehogs and bunnies) setting up small bowls of water at ground level is the best strategy. If all your bowls are human-sized, then the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals suggests placing a stick or stone to the bowl so that any critter can easily climb its way out after it refreshes itself. Lastly, maintaining your own vibrant garden helps all types of creatures by providing much-needed shade as well as moist soil, great for worms and insects and all the critters that feast on them. Helping wildlife with heat stress When some animals get overheated and dehydrated, they display many of the same symptoms that we do, such as confusion, loss of balance, and collapse. If you see any critters acting strangely or seeming out of place (for instance, an animal that you normally see in the trees is suddenly wandering on the ground), there is a chance that they are suffering from heat stress. If you’re not equipped or comfortable aiding a wild animal in this state, contact animal services or your local veterinarian instead. If you do feel up to helping them yourself, consider carefully wrapping the animal in a towel and placing it in a cardboard box. Make sure you keep it in a cool and safe area and that it has water to drink. Dampening a towel or spritzing the animal gently with mist will also help it cool down. If you think the animal needs medical attention, it’s best to call in the experts. Protecting your pets Our pets will likely fare better than wild animals facing the heat outside, but might still be at risk if we’re not careful. Think for example about the effect of hot pavement on your pets’ paws. Especially worrying for dogs, it is easy enough to burn the pads of their paws on hot asphalt. To check if the pavement is ok for your pet to step on without harm, lay your hand on the ground. If it’s uncomfortable for you, then it’s probably too hot for your fur friend too. During days of extreme heat, aim for early morning or late in evening walks, and try to avoid dark hard surfaces like pavement or concrete. If you live in an area that doesn’t have a lot of green space, or if your demanding schedule prevents a change up to walking times, invest in little booties to protect your pet’s paws from harm. They may look ridiculous or hate the strange shoes at first, but adjusting to booties is much better than painfully burned paws! Final tip: If the temperature is way too hot for you to handle being outside, it may even be best to skip the walk and keep your pets cool and hydrated indoors.  Potty pads anyone? (an earlier version of this article ran on June 17, 2022, but it’s just as relevant today!)The post As the weather warms up, here’s how to help animals handle a heatwave first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

'I didn’t just get kicked several times, I also received a very strong blow to my sternum, and I collapsed because I could no longer breathe'

'Career criminals face justice'